Food to Go Association pledges to raise £25K to fund nursing hours for new charity partner | Newry News

The Northern Ireland Food to Go Association has announced its first-ever charity partner, Friends of the Cancer Centre, with Michael Henderson, CEO of the organisation, pledging to raise £25,000 to fund nursing hours for the charity.

Michael, who is in remission from stage four lymphoma, credits the team at the Cancer Centre and the support of Friends of the Cancer Centre for his incredible care during intense treatment, where he witnessed the critical role of the charity’s clinical nurse specialists.

Friends of the Cancer Centre proudly funds and supports 21 specialist nurses across cancer services in Northern Ireland, each providing vital care to thousands of families every year.

It costs £25 to fund one hour of care from one of the charity’s specialist nurses, which means the funds the Association is aiming to raise will help provide 1,000 hours of care for local people impacted by cancer.

The NI Food to Go Association was formed by Michael Henderson in 2019 and provides an expert voice, advice and advocacy under its “unite, support, grow” ethos, while upholding industry standards for businesses working in the sector across Northern Ireland.

Recently, Kiera Campbell, Sales Director at Henderson Foodservice was appointed as the first Chairperson to lead the newly formed board for 2024/25, made up of several key industry experts.

Kiera comments, “We are absolutely delighted to officially announce Friends of the Cancer Centre as the NI Food to Go Association’s charity partner for the remainder of 2024 and into 2025.

“They provide an invaluable service to the thousands of people who are diagnosed with cancer each year in Northern Ireland, ensuring patients and their families get the extra care they need.

“As a representative association, it is important for us to give back to those organisations that are making a difference throughout our communities.

“Unfortunately, Michael’s story is not rare, however, the amazing work of nurses makes a huge difference to so many people during their treatment and hospital stays.

“We aim to raise £25,000 to help fund critical nursing hours, and to help the charity raise as much awareness as possible for the incredible services they provide.”

Amy Cowan, Fundraising Manager at Friends of the Cancer Centre, says, “We are incredibly grateful to Michael, Kiera and everyone at the NI Food to Go Association for supporting Friends of the Cancer Centre through this very special partnership.

“The work of Friends of the Cancer Centre is extensive, but at the heart of what we do are our nurses.

“However, their vital work is only made possible thanks to the support of the public and organisations like the NI Food to Go Association, who go above and beyond to raise money for the charity.

“We think it’s wonderful that association members from across Northern Ireland will be working together to raise money which will go on to support people in their own community and beyond.

“We are really looking forward to working with the team and seeing the incredible difference this partnership will make to the lives of local people.”

The inaugural NI Food to Go Awards were launched in April and will take place on 19 November 2024, providing a huge opportunity for fundraising on the night.

Michael Henderson adds, “I wouldn’t be here without Friends of the Cancer Centre so I am incredibly proud to be able to raise funds and awareness for them through my work, which they helped me keep doing through treatment.

“I have no doubt our association members, partners, colleagues and board members will all get on board and support our targets to help fund the critical care provided by Friends of the Cancer Centre.”

For more information on Friends of the Cancer Centre visit friendsofthecancercentre.com.

For more information on the NI Food to Go Association, visit nifoodtogo.co.uk.

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Posted by NewryTimes News on Oct 29 2024. Filed under Business, Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry