Cancer support charity Maggie’s announces a new fundraising initiative with Ascona Group. Ascona Group is a UK-based forecourt operator that owns and manages service stations, transforming them into roadside retail destinations. Founded in 2011, it has rapidly expanded from two to 62 sites across the UK
The partnership will aim to raise £100,000 per year, to help Maggie’s support as many people living with cancer as possible. Ascona Group will raise funds through the Pennies foundation, whereby there will be an option for customers to donate to Maggie’s with every card payment taken at all of their JET-supplied sites in England and Scotland. Ascona Group is already a huge supporter of Maggie’s. Last year Maggie’s received £25,000 via their Nisa Scheme and Ascona also support special events for Maggie’s.
This comes at a time when more people need Maggie’s support than ever before. People with cancer have experienced an incredibly difficult few years with the pandemic, cost-of-living crisis and pressure on the NHS. This has made living with cancer incredibly tough.
The funding from Ascona Group will help to deliver vital cancer support across Maggie’s 25 UK centres, including 6,500 financial support sessions and 4,000 psychological support sessions to alleviate the extreme stress and anxiety that a cancer diagnosis can bring.
The Maggie’s Centre in Swansea also supported the leadership team at Ascona Group with a “cancer in the workplace” session. Following this, Ascona Group wanted to create a specific cancer policy to support their staff. Maggie’s in Swansea provided guidance and support with this policy.
Dame Laura Lee, Chief Executive, Maggie’s said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been chosen by Ascona Group to be a charity partner benefiting from the customer donations at all of their JET supplied sites in England and Scotland.
The need for our support grows constantly as people living with cancer cope with a hugely challenged NHS, money worries and much more. Our partnership with Ascona Group will help Maggie’s offer psychological and practical support to thousands of people with cancer and their families across the UK. We are also delighted to have contributed to their cancer policy, so that their leadership team can effectively support any of their staff living with cancer.”
Darren Briggs, CEO and Managing Director of Ascona Group said:
“Cancer has touched the lives of so many of us — our families, our friends, our colleagues. That’s why supporting Maggie’s means so much to me and to every one at Ascona Group. The care and comfort they provide during the hardest times is truly life-changing. By inviting our customers to donate with every card payment, we’re giving people a simple way to make a big difference so that Maggie’s can be there for even more families when they need it most.”
Maggie’s offers the best possible support free to anyone with cancer, as well as their families and friends. Our centres sit alongside NHS hospitals, and Maggie’s can also support you online. The majority of Maggie’s funding is from voluntary donations.
About Maggie’s
· Maggie’s has nearly 28 years of experience providing free cancer support and information in centres across the UK.
· Built in the grounds of NHS cancer hospitals,the centres are warm and welcoming spaces run by expert staff who help people live well with cancer.
· In 2023 we had more than 310,000 visits* to our centres, 45,000 were visits from new people with cancer.
Nearly 35,000 were visits from people newly caring for someone with cancer.
· The first centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996. Maggie's now has 25 centres in the UK and a growing international network.
· The majority of Maggie’s funding is from voluntary donations.
· Maggie’s President is Her Majesty The Queen.
· Maggie’s Chairman is Stuart Gulliver.
· Maggie's Chief Executive, Laura Lee was awarded a Damehood in 2019 for her services to people with cancer.
· “Every cancer hospital needs a Maggie’s” -Endorsed by 24 CEOs of NHS Hospital Trusts where there is a Maggie’s.
· For more information visit maggies.org
* visits refers to support facilitated by our programme staff and includes face to face; on the phone and online.