CCLG’s trailblazing and innovative Special Named Funds (SNFs) programme provides a positive platform for families, friends and communities to raise funds in the name of a child affected by cancer. Carly tells us more.
What are now referred to as CCLG Special Named Funds can be traced back many years to families or donors, many of whom still generously support us today, who wished for their donations to be put towards a specific cause. This could be for research into a specific tumour type or a certain area of our work such as publications, and we always ensured their wishes were respected. Over the years, we also noticed groups of people would participate in events in support of a particular child they knew with cancer, and the community support was incredible. We started to get to know some of the families involved and their supporters and realised that we could offer something different to them, which was to give them their chance to have a say in where the money they were raising would be spent.
In 2014, our SNF programme was created offering families an alternative to starting and running a new charity by themselves, allowing them to focus specifically on their fundraising, without administrative burdens and costs. They can give their fund a special name and choose where the funds should be targeted (whether this is research into a specific type of cancer, patient information or our general work helping all children diagnosed with cancer). We support them with all their fundraising needs and then make sure the money they raise is spent on an area of our work which means most to them.
As members of the AMRC (Association of Medical Research Charities), CCLG has demonstrated that we follow the body’s rigorous standards in peer review, enabling us to ensure the research we fund is of the highest quality, so families can be assured that their funds are being channelled into life-changing studies.
Today, we continue to ensure families are supported to the best of our ability through help with events, promotion, in-house design support and printed merchandise and materials, so they can go about their fantastic fundraising in the easiest way possible.
Our funds are a really positive way for families, friends and their local communities to come together and make a difference. Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to attend many charity events organised by our families. These events really give me an insight into what it means to parents and supporters, to build a sense of positivity during ongoing treatment, celebrate milestones or in some cases keep the memory of their child alive, helping to prevent other families having to go through what they have by funding research to help find new treatments.
When the first funds were set up, we had no idea how the programme would grow. It has just been amazing to see and we are so proud of our many amazing families and their supporters who are so committed to changing the future for children with cancer.
