Duo launch £1m Christie charity challenge

NORTH West entrepreneurs Rob Cotton and Mike Perls are aiming to raise £1m for The Christie charity over the next year.

Three years ago the pair were part of a group of businessmen who raised £100,000 by running ten 10km races over five days across Europe for the NSPCC.

Now, they are seeking to aid The Christie cancer charity by introducing a new mobile chemotherapy unit for the North West region, enabling patients to receive treatment closer to home.
 
Called the ‘On The Road to Recovery campaign’ has a series of fundraising activities planned including a comedy event in October and a ruthless cycling challenge in September.

Mr Cotton, chief executive of Manchester-baed NCC Group said: “This is a really exciting project to be involved with and a cause that is extremely close to my heart.
 
“The Christie provides valuable support to cancer patients in the North West and mobile chemotherapy units will help it to deliver care much closer to the patient’s home.
 
“The Tour De France Challenge will be an incredibly difficult feat of physical and mental strength but a great experience and we are looking forward to challenging both our businesses and our bodies in order to raise money for such a worthy cause.”

The ‘On the Road to Alp D’Huez’ challenge will see a team of 18 local business leaders tackle five grueling stages of the Tour De France back to back, covering 650km over the course of five days.
 
Staff members from NCC Group have already donated over £87,000 to the cause, with more businesses expected to come on board with the challenge over the next few months.
 
Dr Andrew Wardley, clinical lead for chemotherapy at The Christie, said; “This is an incredible challenge so huge thanks to Rob and Mike for leading the way.
 
“The mobile chemotherapy unit will be a great benefit to patients allowing them to have The Christie experience of specialised care and the best outcomes delivered close to where they live. It will make an enormous difference.”