Macmillan Cancer Support has announced Santander UK, one of the charity’s banking partners, will become the first ever official sponsor of its Mighty Hikes fundraising event series.
The sponsorship is part of a three-year partnership which aims to raise vital funds for the charity to help support people financially impacted by cancer. Many people face extra and often unexpected costs following a diagnosis, which on average can reach almost £900 a month. This comes on top of additional financial worries caused by the cost-of-living crisis, making this a truly distressing time for many people living with cancer, and Macmillan’s support even more essential.
Macmillan’s Mighty Hikes fundraising events are a series of one-day hikes, running from May through to September in some of the most beautiful spots across the UK. All fundraisers taking part pledge to raise £250 to help fund Macmillan services and help the charity continue to do whatever it takes for people living with cancer.
As a commitment to the partnership, Santander employees will also participate in Mighty Hikes events across the country throughout 2023. The money raised will help ensure that people living with cancer in every community across the UK will continue to have access to vital financial support such as Macmillan grants: one-off payments which can help the extra costs a cancer diagnosis can bring.
Kate Goldman-Toomey, Director of Corporate Partnerships and Philanthropy, at Macmillan Cancer Support said:
“We’re thrilled Santander has come on board as the first official sponsor of one of our flagship fundraisers, Mighty Hikes. The walks are a fantastic way to take on a challenge and raise vital funds for people living with cancer, while also getting the chance to enjoy some of the UK’s most beautiful scenery. It’s brilliant that so many Santander colleagues will also be supporting the partnership by taking part and raising funds to help make money one less worry for people living with cancer.”
Fiona Hyde, Interim Head of Sustainability and Responsible Banking at Santander UK, said:
“We are delighted to sponsor Macmillan’s Mighty Hikes as part of our partnership. We are acutely aware of the impact of the rising cost of living on our customers, and for people affected by cancer, financial worries can be even more acute. We are proud to support such an important initiative and would encourage as many people as possible to sign up to take part in a Mighty Hike. I have signed up to the Wye Valley hike and looking forward to raising money to support Macmillan!”
In addition to the sponsorship of Mighty Hikes, Santander UK has matched funded over £140,000 towards Macmillan’s Grants service, which has helped Macmillan to financially support 400 people living with cancer. The two organisations are also working together to understand how they can ensure Santander customers affected by cancer can access the right financial support at the right time.
Last year 20,000 people walked 442,000 miles between them to raise over £11 million as part of the Mighty Hikes series. This year, Macmillan is hoping to have 27,000 people hiking a total of 603,000 miles across its 12 events. For more details on how to get involved in Mighty Hikes, visit the Macmillan website here.
