Clarity, Author at Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust

‘Addenbrooke’s saved my twin sister – and her baby’: the powerful stories inspiring Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust’s TCS London Marathon runners

Posted on 14 April 202622 April 2026 by Clarity

Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) has a record 18 runners in this year’s London Marathon
To date, they have raised £54,000 between them – another record
The runners come from right across the country, as far afield as Nottingham and Windsor
Almost all have experienced care first-hand at Addenbrooke’s or the Rosie, proof of the hospitals’ far-reaching impact

When he reaches the finish line of this year’s TCS London Marathon, the first person Jack Sibbons wants to hug is Chester, his nine-month-old nephew. The baby will be wearing a T-shirt printed with six simple words: ‘Addenbrooke’s saved my mummy and me.’

*Greg and Amy De Silva withsons, (L-R), Hugo, Chester and Dawson*

Chester’s mum, Jack’s twin sister Amy De Silva, was diagnosed with leukaemia at 10 weeks pregnant. Having put her tiredness down to being both pregnant and busy – juggling her job as a Cancer Specialist Nurse at Colchester Hospital with being mum to her two older boys, Hugo and Dawson, now 6 and 4 – the cancer was discovered during a routine blood test.

Needing immediate inpatient chemotherapy, doctors told Amy she might not be able to keep the baby. But – despite her going through four rounds of chemo and umpteen infections, including recurrent sepsis – Chester was safely delivered on June 29, 2025. Nine months on, both he and Amy, who is now in remission, are thriving.

“When you’ve been touched as we have by Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie – we’ll owe everything to them forever, quite honestly – it’s an honour to run the marathon for their charity, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT),” says Jack, 39, Operations Manager for his family’s plant hire firm in Colchester. “If I’m struggling, my sister and Chester will be the reason I finish. I’m emotional about crossing the line and we’re not there yet.”

As the official hospital charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, ACT funds cutting-edge equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and pioneering research that help change and save lives, above and beyond what the NHS can provide.

To date, Jack, his family and friends have raised a staggering £37,000 for the trust, through sponsorship, a children’s Hallowe’en party and colour run, and a gala dinner and auction, which made £21,000 in a single night.

Now in its 45^th year, the London Marathon – its iconic 26.2-mile route punctuated by the capital’s landmarks – has grown from 7,747 runners in 1981 to more than 50,000 today; of those collecting via JustGiving, Jack is currently number 12 on the fundraising leaderboard.

*L-R: Lead Midwife for Maternal Medicine Catherine Barlow, Deputy Lead Midwife for Maternal Medicine Jessica Meadows, Amy De Silva and Chester, Midwife Shannan Bell*

A couple of weeks before the marathon, both Jack and Amy returned to Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie site, with their mum, Sally Sibbons, Amy’s husband Greg and all three boys. As a surprise, the family was reunited with three members of the midwifery team that delivered Chester: Lead Midwife for Maternal Medicine Catherine Barlow, Deputy Lead Jessica Meadows and Midwife Shannan Bell.

Coming onto night duty just as Amy was being prepped for theatre and put under general anaesthetic to give birth, Shannan discovered she and Greg had their first wedding dance to Etta James’ At Last – so played it as Chester arrived in the world, recording the magical moment on video for his mum, dad and brothers to keep.

Meeting the family again for the first time since Chester was born, Shannan said: “We don’t often get to see mums and babies almost a year on, so it’s really special for us too. This birth obviously wasn’t as Amy would have planned; in those situations, being able to incorporate something significant to them as a family is lovely.”

Also running the Marathon for ACT is Steeple Bumpstead Continuous Improvement Manager Greg Sharland, whose eldest son Oscar, then 5, was treated for medulloblastoma, a brain tumour, at Addenbrooke’s over 2023 and 2024. Now coming up to his 8^th birthday, he is “just a brilliant little boy”.

Says Greg: “Without this hospital’s support, their quick reaction, their experts, we wouldn’t be where we are today, simple as. Addenbrooke’s has proved it goes above and beyond. Running the Marathon for ACT is my opportunity to give back.”

In total, a record 18 people are running this year’s London Marathon for ACT. Between them they’ve raised an unrivalled £54,000, with donations still coming in.

Also running are Tom Coulter from Suffolk, whose father-in-law received a life-saving liver transplant; Josh Bentley from Lincolnshire, whose late mum was cared for during her melanoma battle; James Webster from Nottingham, whose dad is now cancer-free following treatment; Georgia and Nikki Basham from Windsor, running in memory of a family friend; and Joanne Grasby from Bedfordshire, who herself underwent liver resection surgery for adenoma.

Lizzie Noble is running in memory of her beloved dad, who spent time at Addenbrooke’s in his last months. Leighton Bannister has been inspired by daughter Elsie-Louise, helped by the hospital’s Paediatric and Neonatal Decision Support and Retrieval Service (PaNDR), Mia Berry is supporting the charity because her mum’s life was saved at Addenbrooke’s in 2020, and Jenna Loades is a returning supporter, who also ran last year’s Cambridge Half Marathon for ACT.

Matt Allen, Director of New Hospital Construction for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and Cambridge Children’s Hospital, is among the runners. “Being so closely involved in building two hospitals that will transform care for patients and their families has motivated me to do something personal to support them,” he explains.

“That’s why I’m running the London Marathon this year and splitting the funds I raise between these two incredible projects. I know the patients who will one day walk through these doors show extraordinary strength every day, and I’ll be drawing on their courage to keep me going throughout the 26 miles.

“Training through the winter has been tough, but taking part in the Cambridge Half Marathon was a real highlight. The atmosphere was incredible and the support from the crowd gave me such a lift. I’m hoping for more of the same when I line up for the London Marathon.”

ACT also has four supporters taking part in the London Marathon MyWay, completing their 26.2 miles in their own communities. Proving that wherever you are, you can be part of something special, they are: Linda and Adrian Pepper, Gemma Salmon and Tasmin-Jane Channell.

Says Emily Willdigg, Community Relationships Manager, ACT:

“Our ACT London Marathon runners embody the very heart of our community, showing extraordinary dedication and compassion with every mile they will be taking on. Their efforts are going far beyond the finish line, as to date our team of runners have raised a phenomenal £54,000.

“This will help to fund vital care, groundbreaking research, and support for patients and families at Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals. We will be incredibly proud to stand and cheer alongside their friends and family on the day.”

Find out more about Jack and Amy’s story here and Greg and Oscar’s story here.

Applications for ACT London Marathon 2027 charity places go live on Monday, April 27, 2026. Click here for full details of how to apply. Click here to donate to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust.

To donate to our fantastic runners, visit the links below

Jack Sibbons’ on JustGiving

Greg Sharland on JustGiving

Lizzie Noble on Enthuse

Paul Collins on Enthuse

Tom Coulter on Enthuse

James Webster on Enthuse

Matt Allen on Enthuse

Georgia & Nikki Basham on Enthuse

Josh Bentley on Enthuse

Joanne Grasby on Enthuse

Leighton Bannister on GoFundMe

Mia Berry on GoFundMe

Jenna Loades on Enthuse

Leading hospital charity celebrates another world first – by bringing panda sculptures to Cambridge in a popular global art trail

Posted on 26 March 20269 June 2026 by Clarity

A leading hospital charity whose supporters fund groundbreaking UK and world ‘firsts’ at Addenbrooke’s is celebrating another first – by bringing Wild in Art’s very first panda trail in the world ever to Cambridge.

Working with creative producers Wild in Art, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) will be bringing the Panda Meander sculpture trail to Cambridge in the Spring of 2027 – where visitors to the City will be able to take in between 30 and 40 of the giant panda sculptures along a route that will take in some of the City’s most iconic landmarks.

“Our 2027 animal sculpture trail will raise money that will help us deliver projects that will transform care for children treated at Addenbrooke’s both now and in the future”

Money raised by this trail will be used to fund transformative projects across children’s services at Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, including helping to build the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital. This means that not only is the charity launching what will be Wild in Art’s very first panda trail in a town or city in the world ever – funds raised by the trail could also go towards another global first – the Cambridge Children’s Hospital.

The East of England is the only region in the UK without a specialist children’s hospital. Construction of this unique hospital, which will be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, is due to be complete by 2030. Once open, it will be the first hospital in the world to fully integrate mental and physical health of young patients, alongside world-leading research.

Spread over five floors, the new hospital will include 108 inpatient beds, 16 paediatric intensive care beds, 42 day-case beds, seven operating theatres, imaging and diagnostics, hospital school and a 5,000 square metre research institute.

Celebrating the launch of the Panda Meander Trail at the Museum of Zoology, ACT’s Chief Executive Shelly Thake said: “As the official hospital charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, we are incredibly proud of all the ‘firsts’ we have been able to achieve within the hospital – thanks to all the support and hard work of our loyal supporters.”

“Their support has helped fund lifesaving ‘firsts’ in many different areas such as cancer, transplant and children’s services by providing funding for both pioneering research and cutting-edge equipment which benefits patients not just regionally, but nationally and globally too.”

“Our 2027 animal sculpture trail will raise money that will help us deliver projects that will transform care for children treated at Addenbrooke’s both now and in the future – including helping us to build a new children’s hospital that will be the first in the world to fully integrate mental and physical health of young patients. We are proud to reveal our Panda Meander sculpture trail – which is the first time a panda has appeared in a Wild in Art sculpture trail in a town or city anywhere in the world and we are confident this trail will attract thousands of excited visitors and raise lots of money for our hospitals.”

“We hope that everyone who comes to experience the trail will love all of the designs and enjoy the delights of some of Cambridge’s most iconic landmarks – whilst helping to raise awareness and much-needed funds for such an important and special cause.”

ACT’s panda was specifically chosen to feature in the charity’s sculpture trail because of the charity’s funding of the PaNDR service. An important part of children’s services at Addenbrooke’s, the Paediatric and Neonatal Decision and Support Retrieval service transports the region’s sickest babies and children from hospital to the nearest intensive care unit, across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

Cambridge-based professional services and auctioneering firm, Cheffins, the Lead Trail Partner for the Panda Meander Trail, unveiled the first design at the launch at the Museum of Zoology in Downing Street, which was attended by local media and business.

Adorned with black and white illustrations from local artist Robin Mackney, the panda – which is being referred to as the trail’s ‘hero sculpture’ as it is the first design – features some of the most iconic buildings and landmarks of Cambridge. The ‘hero sculpture’ will feature on the trail but a second very colourful design, from creative partner 6RS, will be seen out and about at ACT events over the coming year.

Cheffins’ support for the Cambridge Children’s Hospital began with their pledge to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds to create a brand-new, permanent playroom at the new hospital and last year they donated an impressive £212,000 to ACT in what was their 200^th anniversary year, leaving a lasting legacy for the region.

Sarah Bush, head of Residential Property at Cheffins, said: “We are proud to be Lead Trail Partner of the Wild in Art event, continuing our longstanding relationship with Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust and support for Cambridge Children’s Hospital.”

“Cheffins has been part of the fabric of Cambridge and the surrounding area since 1825, and we are delighted to help bring creativity, colour, and community spirit to the City’s streets.”

Maria Manion, Chief Executive at Cambridge BID, ACT’s Business and Development Partner on the Panda Meander trail, said: “Cambridge BID is proud to show our support to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, and we’re excited to see the Panda Meander trail come to life in the city. It will welcome visitors and residents to explore our streets and interact with businesses and public spaces.”

“This initiative brings lasting social impact, alongside cultural and economic vibrancy, helping make our city a more connected and compassionate place.”

ACT’s Panda Meander trail will hit the streets of Cambridge in Spring 2027 and run for 10 weeks – taking in the whole of Easter and both Bank Holiday Mondays. It will be Wild in Art’s third trail in the city following hot on the hooves of the Cows about Cambridge trail in 2021 and the Cambridge Standing Tall giraffe trail in 2024.

Not only will it raise vital funds for Children’s Services at Addenbrooke’s but it will also generate millions of pounds in economic value for the region whilst promoting wellbeing and an active lifestyle.

“This initiative brings lasting social impact, alongside cultural and economic vibrancy, helping make our city a more connected and compassionate place.”

The giant sculptures, which will be placed along a route that includes the Museum of Zoology, will have the black and white head of the panda with the bodies of each sculpture adorned with designs from local artists.

Standing at 140 centimetres high and 100 centimetres wide, there will be between 30 and 40 of the large sculptures placed along the Panda Meander trail. ACT’s media partner for the event, the Cambridge Independent, will next year publish a special pull-out map and guide which will feature the route and include stories and information about the hero sculpture and other designs.

ACT will also work with local schools and youth community groups on the design of some 30 plus mini panda sculptures as part of the charity’s Learning and Community Programme, making the trail accessible to all. These mini pandas will also feature as part of the trail.

Local business will sponsor the large pandas with a special Farewell Event planned for June next year before all the designs are auctioned off, with proceeds going towards ACT’s fundraising for Children’s Services at Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, which includes the Cambridge Children’s Hospital.

ACT’s logistics partner, the Welch group, took the ‘hero sculpture’ out and about around Cambridge ahead of the launch, with photos outside the main hospital entrance, on the Cambridge Children’s Hospital’s construction site, at Cheffins’ headquarters in Cambridge, King’s College and Welch’s headquarters in Duxford.

As well as the panda auction, ACT is also working with award-winning children’s author Katie Budge on a special book featuring a Panda. Katie’s story will follow a child who takes a cuddly panda to hospital that comes alive once there and helps the child through their hospital experience.

Charlie Langhorne, Managing Director and Co-founder, Wild in Art, said, “While we’ve previously explored the panda as part of a smaller school project, the Panda Meander marks the very first time we’ve brought a panda to life in one of our town or city trails anywhere in the world. We’re incredibly excited to see this global first take shape in Cambridge. It’s also especially meaningful for us as this will be our third trail in the city and we’re delighted to be back and working with Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust and partners across Cambridge to create something truly special for the community.”

ACT’s panda design for the Panda Meander trail also features a new and unique design from the charity’s creative partner 6RS.

Businesses and schools who would like to sponsor a panda can get in touch by emailing: arttrail@addenbrookescharity.org.uk

The Panda Meander trail website can be found at www.pandameander.co.uk, with links to our socials.

*** Special thanks go to QAV Global and Charlie Crichton for their support on the launch night

Sign up for this year’s Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival and help change the story of cancer in the region and beyond

Posted on 10 March 202612 March 2026 by Clarity

This year’s Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival celebrates its 20^th year – with the hospital charity behind the popular event saying everyone who takes part will make a ‘meaningful difference’ to cancer care in the region.

The launch celebrations kicked off in true Dragon Boat style – with a full-size Dragon Boat at the UK head office of sponsors Illumina. Joining forces for another fun-filled event were staff from Illumina, who are sponsoring the event for the third-year running, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) whose event is raising money for the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and organisers NewWave Events.

This year’s festival, which takes place on the River Cam at Fen Ditton on Saturday September 5th, has a fundraising target of £50,000 and will once again see Cambridge Radio reporting live from the riverbank on the day.

The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, which is set to be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus by 2030, will bring world-leading research and clinical excellence under one roof, changing the story of cancer, and improving the lives of cancer patients across the UK and beyond.

Built over seven floors, the new hospital will house three world-leading University of Cambridge research institutes focussing on early cancer detection and prevention, integrated cancer medicine and precision breast cancer medicine to accelerate and bring new innovations to the bedside faster, detect cancer earlier and treat it more precisely.

For the third year in a row, a team from the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital project will be in the water, representing the new hospital and doing their bit to raise money and awareness to bring this new hospital to Cambridge.

Speaking at the launch event, ACT’s Corporate Partnership Manager Natasha Robertson said: “We are thrilled that Illumina is sponsoring our Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival for the third year running. Their continued support shows a real commitment to helping change the story of cancer in Cambridge and beyond.”

“The event is a fantastic opportunity for local businesses to come together, have a great team day and raise vital funds for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital. We’re confident that together we can raise over £50,000 this year, with every team taking part helping to make a meaningful difference to patients and their families dealing with cancer.”

Illumina is a global genomics and human health leader innovating the future of precision health, they develop DNA sequencing and array-based life sciences technologies to enable research discovery and personalised health.

Mark Robinson (L), VP & General Manager, UK & Ireland and Northern Europe, Illumina, said: “Illumina is delighted to once again join forces with ACT to support the 2026 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival, taking place on 5^th September. Last year’s fun‑filled event raised an incredible amount to help build the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. It’s a fantastic opportunity to give something back to the communities in which we live and work, and we can’t wait to make an even bigger impact this year.”

John Spicer, Project Director said:

“We’re thrilled that this much-loved event is helping to raise the crucial funds needed to make the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital a reality. Our mission is to catch cancer earlier, act faster and change the story for every patient, and we couldn’t do it without the incredible support of our community and partners. We’ll once again be sending a brave team of patients and staff out onto the water – hopefully with a better finish than last year!”

Lucy Morton, Executive Director of organisers NewWave Events, said: “We’re thrilled to be officially launching the 2026 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival with Illumina as our headline sponsor once again and of course our fantastic charity partner, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust. The event has gone from strength to strength over the last few years with team entries filling up and fundraising reaching record numbers year on year so we’re so excited to see what the 2026 festival will bring!”

Whilst the event is raising vital funds to help build the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, everyone who signs up for the day knows they are signing up for a fun-filled day of team bonding and friendly competition.

Many of the teams take part in fancy dress with last year’s ‘best dressed’ award going to one of Illumina’s three teams – the ‘Rowfessors’ who dressed as mad professors in white lab coats, wild white wigs and stick-on eyebrows and moustaches. Highly Commended went to a team from the Rosie Maternity Hospital, dressed as characters from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Ark Colour Design, dressed as sunflowers.

The festival takes place on the River Cam at Fen Ditton with teams paddling 30ft boats up the river with a drummer at the front beating time and a helm at the tail.

Races start at 10am, with a prize ceremony at the end of the day. Bankside entertainment and refreshments include traditional lion dance performances. There are also funfair style rides, with sponsors Illumina hosting family-friendly, fun activities including strawberry DNA extraction. Cambridge Radio will also be there on the day, reporting live from the riverbank.

Each team completes three heats, with the 12 fastest teams going through to the semis. Three semi-final winners and the fastest runner-up go through to the final. Each boat seats up to 10 paddlers and 1 drummer. The racecourse is a 200m straight course with each race lasting anywhere between 55 and 90 seconds, with times affected by water flow and weather conditions.

Trophies are awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place as well as to the highest placed mixed crew (minimum of five female paddlers), best dressed crew and top charity fundraiser. Medals also go to the top three crews and the highest placed mixed crew.

The good news for any teams thinking of entering is that you don’t need to be pros to take part. Winning is all about teamwork – with last year’s champions, Bango, complete Dragon Boat novices.

For more information and to register your team, sign up here or call NewWave Events on: (01536) 674 748.

ACT has announced another record-breaking Cambridge Half Marathon as it continues efforts to raise money for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital

Posted on 9 March 202610 March 2026 by Clarity

Year on year the hundreds of runners taking part in this event for Addenbrooke’s have been raising extraordinary amounts of money to help make this amazing hospital even better – with money raised through the event over the past three years going towards helping build the groundbreaking new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.

Sophie Street, Community Fundraiser at ACT, said in response to the success; “It’s incredible to think that as recently as 2022 we had just four runners taking part in this event, and this year over 200 runners registered to toe the start line as part of Team Addenbrooke’s!”

“Seeing that many people running in our tops, each one with their own personal story of why Addenbrooke’s is special to them, and why the Cancer Research Hospital is so important, has been incredible. All the events we get involved in are special but seeing those hundreds of people coming together and running this race, right here in Cambridge, was amazing, and I loved how so many of our runners made an extra special effort to come and say hi at our charity marquee before and after the race!”

Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital is planned to be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Europe’s largest biomedical campus. The specialist facility for the East of England will unite world-class healthcare with cutting-edge research to transform the way we prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. The pioneering research that will take place in the three research institutes embedded inside the hospital is expected to have a global impact – starting here in Cambridge but changing the lives of people with cancer all over the world.

Dr Hugo Ford, Clinical Lead for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and Director of Cancer Services at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“It’s fantastic to see so many runners raising money for the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, we’re grateful to everybody who took part this year. The funds raised will go towards our ground-breaking new hospital which will enable us to detect cancer earlier, treat it more precisely, and save more lives.”

For Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust this event has grown year on year, and with each year it just gets better and better. ACT’s Director of Communications & Impact, Paul White, who laced up his trainers for the event, said at the end: “This event is on our doorstep, so of course it was always going to be special to us. But the whole way around I was looking at my fellow runners, the thousands of people lining the course cheering, and the crowds of people at the event village on Midsummer Common, thinking each one them will have their own story to tell about Addenbrooke’s, and that really helped me to carry on putting each foot in front of the next.”

Among the 200 runners representing Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust on Sunday was Boe Claybourn (R), who clocked an extraordinary time of 1hr 16minutes. Boe was running for Addenbrooke’s having been treated at the hospital for Addison’s disease, a rare, chronic, and potentially life-threatening disorder where the adrenal glands are damaged and cannot produce sufficient cortisol and aldosterone. Often resulting from an autoimmune attack, the symptoms of Addison’s disease include extreme fatigue, weight loss, low blood pressure, as well as nausea and abdominal pain. What makes Boe’s result even more amazing was that he was running with an arm in a cast following a recent car accident!

Also crossing the finish line on Sunday was mother-of-two Sunita Mena from Essex, who underwent a lifesaving liver transplant following acute liver failure. Sunita, who had been fit and healthy up until a few days before, learnt her condition was brought on by two overlapping autoimmune conditions.

Unable to breathe following surgery, Sunita was given a tracheostomy – and had to re-learn how to walk, talk, eat and drink after the operation. Whilst recovering and undertaking regular physio and speech therapy sessions, Sunita was diagnosed with cancer and remarkably it was during her treatment that she decided to sign up for this year’s race.

Before race day, Sunita told us “This, for me, is not ‘just a half marathon’. It’s a deeply personal way to honour a second chance at life, raise awareness of organ donation and support a future where cancer care improves the lives of many. This half marathon is my way of giving back, and in honour of my donor and her family, my fellow transplantees, cancer warriors and their families, and everyone facing health challenges along their journey.” Read more of Sunita’s story.

Running for the second year in a row was Chris Doughty, 47, from Elmswell in Suffolk who was keen to raise money for the new cancer hospital after his son, Oli, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia back in 2018 when he was just 10 years old and treated at Addenbrooke’s.

In a cruel twist of fate, Chris and his wife, Claire, found out Oli had leukaemia whilst supporting their close friends, Garry and his wife, Lisa, who were going through the same journey after their daughter, Arlea, then 11, had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia a year earlier.

The two men, whose friendship spans over 20 years after meeting in the prison service where they both work, ran the Cambridge half for ACT last year, along with Chris’s wife Claire, Chris’ daughter Lottie, now 22, and son Tom, now 25.

Although Chris alone ran this year, both men want to use their experiences to raise awareness of childhood cancer and to champion the new cancer hospital and the innovative new treatments and specialist facilities that it will offer – something that Garry has experienced himself after Arlea relapsed back in 2024.

Garry said even with only five years between Arlea finishing her treatment and her second cancer diagnosis, he could see how much treatments for cancer patients like Arlea had progressed. The now 20-year-old received genetic mapping as part of her second treatment and whilst she wasn’t able to undergo immunotherapy treatment, she received a progressive treatment called Car-T therapy and later underwent a bone marrow transplant thanks to a donor from Germany.

Describing childhood cancer as a “whole world you don’t want to be exposed to”, Garry said the care that Arlea had received at Addenbrooke’s had been “second to none.” Read more of their story here.

To show runners like Boe, Sunita, and Chris how much their efforts were appreciated the charity had over 50 people at their dedicated cheer point in St John’s College, along with friends and family of the runners, and joined by the Cambridge Community Samba Band, Arco Iris, and Victoria’s Academy of Dance cheerleading group – all of whom helped make a riot of noise that carried participants through the miles to come.

ACT’s Sophie said:

“We wanted to make sure no runner was left in any doubt as to how proud we were of them, and we wanted that noise, that experience to be so rapturous that it would stay with them all the way around the course.”

Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust are looking to carry on their record-breaking run next year with even more runners raising even more money. Head of Community Fundraising at ACT, Donna Lee-Willis, said after the race; “Every year we increase our target for the number of runners we want to join Team Addenbrooke’s and every year we exceed that. We’re expecting our places for next year’s race to go as fast as some of our runners ran, so if anyone reading this wants to be part of the greatest team in Cambridge get in touch fast!”

Runners’ places on the official Cambridge Half Marathon website sell out within minutes once places go live, but anyone who wants to guarantee their place for next year can sign up and run for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust today by visiting www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk/cambridgehalf.

The Cambridge Half Marathon has become one of the country’s bucket list races, and by running for Addenbrooke’s you get the added benefit of helping to change and save lives!

Addenbrooke’s Hospital staff fundraising for the new Cancer Research Hospital in Cambridge describe site visit as ‘deeply moving’

Posted on 26 February 202627 February 2026 by Clarity

_{CUH staff runners viewing the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital site for the first time}

A group of hospital staff from Addenbrooke’s was taken this week for a special ‘sneak preview’ of the construction site of the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital – with one of them describing the visit as ‘deeply moving’.

The group of eight are part of a bigger team of 30 hospital staff from Addenbrooke’s who are running this year’s TTP Cambridge Half Marathon for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) to raise funds for the groundbreaking new cancer hospital.

The 30 hospital staff make up a total of 200+ runners who are running for ACT in this year’s half marathon on Sunday 8^th March. Last year, 200 runners running for the hospital charity raised an impressive £150,000 for the new hospital – with the charity saying they would be ‘over the moon’ if they could beat that figure this year.

As the official hospital charity for Addenbrooke’s, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), funds cutting-edge equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research to fund potential cures and help save lives, above and beyond what the NHS can provide. ACT is also raising funds for two new pioneering hospitals in the city – the Cambridge Children’s Hospital and the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.

The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital is a first for the East of England and will bring world-leading research and clinical excellence under one roof, changing the story of cancer, and improving the lives of cancer patients across the UK and beyond.

Built over seven floors, the new hospital will house three world-leading University of Cambridge research institutes focussing on early detection, integrated cancer medicine and precision breast cancer medicine to accelerate and bring new innovations to the bedside faster, detect cancer earlier and treat it more precisely.

Monday’s visit (the 23rd) gave staff running the Cambridge half to raise funds for the new cancer hospital the chance to see the construction site for themselves and hear how their fundraising will be spent.

“It’s more than a new infrastructure; it represents a commitment to bringing world-leading research and clinical excellence together under one roof, so that care is not only delivered but continually advanced.”

Joining them on the site visit was Matt Allen, Director of New Hospital Construction at CUH, who gave staff an update on the exciting plans and progress of the site, along with Ingela Oberg, Lead Cancer Nurse at CUH, who spoke about the difference the new hospital will make to not just the region but the UK and globally too.

_{Matt Allen, Director of New Hospital Construction at CUH, and Ingela Oberg, Lead Cancer Nurse at CUH}

Eunice Morada, a Trauma and Orthopaedic Specialist Nurse and Staff Governor at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, was one of the eight runners given a sneak preview of the site.

Talking about how moved she was by the visit, Eunice said: “Visiting the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital site was incredibly moving. Whilst standing there, you can truly feel the scale of ambition behind the vision. It’s more than a new infrastructure; it represents a commitment to bringing world-leading research and clinical excellence together under one roof, so that care is not only delivered but continually advanced.”

“That moment strengthened my resolve. It reminded me that every mile I run symbolises something bigger. Every step on race day is for our patients, for their families, and for the future of healthcare here in Cambridge.”

She added: “In my roles as a Trauma and Orthopaedic Specialist Nurse and Staff Governor at Cambridge University Hospitals, I see first-hand how research, innovation, and compassionate care shape not only patient outcomes, but the experiences of families walking alongside them.”

“Running for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust is deeply personal to me. It is my way of giving back to the hospital and community I am proud to serve — beyond my clinical role, beyond governance, and simply as a member of this Cambridge family.”

_{Chris Doughty, Arlea and Garry Newnes}

Someone else who is a huge advocate of the new cancer hospital is Garry Newnes, from Elmswell in Suffolk, who ran the half for ACT last year – but is supporting his friend, Chris Doughty, in this year’s race.

Garry’s daughter, Arlea, was diagnosed with leukaemia twice – as a young child in 2017 and later as a teenager in 2024. Happily, Arlea is now cancer-free – but as a result of seeing the leaps in the advancements in cancer treatments in the five years between Arlea finishing her first treatment and being diagnosed a second time, Garry is now a huge advocate of the new hospital.

Arlea was offered genetic testing for the first time when she relapsed in 2024. She underwent a progressive form of treatment called Car-T therapy and had a bone marrow transplant – where genetic testing allowed for her perfect match to be found.

Garry’s friend Chris, who is running the TTP Cambridge Half Marathon for ACT next month, is running as a close friend of the family and because his own son, Oli, was also diagnosed with leukaemia as a child but is now, happily, cancer free.

Click here to read their stories and to donate.

Cheffins more than doubles original fundraising target for Cambridge Children’s Hospital with £212,000 donation

Posted on 20 January 202620 January 2026 by Clarity

ACT Chief Executive Shelly Thake has thanked one of its corporate partners after an impressive year of fundraising more than doubled their original pledge of £100,000 towards the creation of a brand-new, permanent playroom at Cambridge Children’s Hospital.

Thanking Cheffins for a “fun and memorable” year of fundraising, Shelly said the firm would be a part of something special for years to come.

Cheffins has marked its 200-year anniversary by leaving a lasting legacy for the region, raising £270,596 for charity and exceeding its original bicentenary fundraising pledge by over £70,000.

Cheffins Chairman, Bill King with ACT CEO, Shelly Thake and the £212,000 cheque

The firm originally committed to raising £200,000 during its 200^th year in 2025. Twelve months on, a year-long programme of ambitious fundraising, community events and match funding has seen the firm significantly surpass that target, ensuring a tangible, long-term impact for children and local families in the region.

Of the total raised, £212,000 will be donated to the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) to create a brand-new, permanent playroom at Cambridge Children’s Hospital, which is bringing together mental and physical healthcare with world-leading life sciences research in a whole new way, treating mind and body as one. Once built, it will be the first specialist children’s hospital for the East of England, the only region in the UK without one.

The remaining £58,596 has been distributed to a range of local and national charities, including LEAF, Dementia UK and through the Cambridge Community Foundation, extending the impact of Cheffins’ bicentenary celebrations across the wider community.

Cheffins originally pledged £100,000 to ACT during its bicentenary year but by more than doubling that amount, the extra funds raised will provide a significantly larger, purpose-built playroom in Cambridge Children’s Hospital which will become a space to support the wellbeing of children undergoing treatment for decades to come.

In addition to the financial contribution, Cheffins has also donated a toybox containing more than 200 toys, symbolising each year of the firm’s history. Collected across all Cheffins offices and donated by staff, the toys will be used by play teams at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the toybox itself will take pride of place in the Cheffins playroom once completed.

Bill King, Chairman of Cheffins, said:

“Celebrating 200 years in business gave us a unique opportunity to reflect upon our heritage and more importantly, to look forward and ask what kind of legacy we want to leave behind.”

“We have been overwhelmed by the support our bicentenary campaign received. Our staff showed extraordinary energy, creativity and commitment throughout the year, and thanks to them — alongside the generosity of our clients, partners and the wider community — we have been able to raise more than double our original target for the Children’s Hospital. The extra money raised means we can provide a significantly larger, purpose-built playroom which will have an even bigger impact for children and their families from the region and across the UK.”

“From the Saffron Walden Carnival and Newmarket Bake Sale to the Cheffins Cycle Ride, charity tractor sale and countless personal challenges, this campaign brought the whole firm together behind a shared purpose. While our bicentenary year may have ended, our commitment hasn’t. We will continue to fundraise throughout the hospital’s construction to ensure we make a meaningful difference when construction is complete in 2030.”

Fundraising activities throughout 2025 included the sale of the Cheffins Charity Tractor, which alone raised over £80,000, an online charity auction featuring exclusive experiences, sponsorship of the Saffron Walden Carnival, staff participation in the Three Peaks Challenge, Cambridge Half Marathon, skydives, bake sales, rounders tournaments and the Cheffins Cycle Ride among many others.

Shelly Thake, Chief Executive of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, said: “Working as closely as we have with Cheffins this past year has been a fantastic experience for us and left us all with a lot of fond memories. Not only have they managed to exceed their ambitious fundraising target of £200,000 – but they have done so by throwing themselves into everything they’ve done with both passion and creativity.”

“As attitudes towards healthcare provision continue to grow and evolve, we see more and more importance given to the mental wellbeing of patients. This pioneering new children’s hospital will be the first in the world to fully integrate the treatment of children’s mental and physical health, alongside world-leading research. By making this very generous donation to ACT, Cheffins will be part of an important legacy for years to come, and we would like to thank everyone who was involved in fundraising for all their hard work and for taking us on what has proved to be a fun and memorable journey.”

Cheffins, who employ more than 180 staff across Cambridge, Ely, Haverhill, Newmarket and Saffron Walden, has pledged to continue fundraising for ACT.

Chairman Bill King said: “We have really enjoyed working with ACT and will be continuing our partnership in order to continue to raise even more money for a fantastic cause.”

Click below to see an architects impression of what the Cambridge Children’s Hospital will look like.
Credit: Cambridge Children’s Hospital

Leading hospital charity thanks supporters for ending another year of giving with more festive spirit than ever before

Posted on 19 December 202522 December 2025 by Clarity

A leading hospital charity has marked the end of another year of extraordinary giving by bringing in more festive spirit than ever before.

Every year, supporters of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) donate millions of pounds to help make Addenbrooke’s even better, with Christmas the chance to shine a light for patients and staff during what can be a very difficult time of year for many.

With another special event being added to the charity’s annual festive activities, the charity has thanked its supporters for ‘remembering there are people in hospital who need a little love.”

Each year, ACT supporters help fund Christmas events and activities designed to bring a smile to both patients and staff, with the charity funding a Christmas hamper for staff on the wards at Christmas.

The hospital charity also funds the staff Winter Festival through its Stronger Together grant as a way of thanking hardworking staff who give so much to patients throughout the year.

In addition to this, ACT works closely with its corporate partners throughout the year looking at ways in which they can give back to both Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, including Christmas time.

Cambridge Commodities, based in Ely, is one of those – and each year, staff at the firm hold an annual ball to fundraise to buy every patient in hospital on Christmas Day a present, as well as chocolates for staff working over the Christmas holidays. Staff from the firm also volunteer their time to sit down and personally handwrite a card to go with every present. (Pictured below are Chris Dakin and his son Matt, from Cambridge Commodities)

This year sees another special Christmas activity added to the charity’s growing list of festive treats with presents for the children’s wards, allowing young patients the chance to choose, and wrap, a present for their parent or carer. Presents were bought using a donation from Marsh Industries’ Sooey Campaign, the company’s fundraising initiative for children’s hospitals across the UK.

Cheffins CEO Bill King with Emma Meade and Kat Collen from the Play Team at Addenbrooke’s

Cheffins – who this year partnered with ACT during its 200-year anniversary and pledged to raise funds to help build a playroom at the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital – have also donated 200 comforters to babies receiving care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Addenbrooke’s this Christmas.

Reflecting on all the Christmas spirit the charity has been able to provide for patients and staff, with the help of its supporters, Paul White, Director of Communications and Impact at ACT, said: “Whether you are a patient that wants to be home with their loved ones, or a member of staff caring for people who you know should be with their families, this time of year can be especially challenging to be in hospital. However, never is there a better example of the unwavering kindness and support of the local community than at Christmas.”

“This year our supporters have donated both money and time, meaning ACT has been able to do even more for patients and staff at Addenbrooke’s than ever before. From the unstoppable Cambridge Commodities who are wrapping thousands of presents so that every patient in hospital on Christmas Day gets a special gift, to the hampers for staff bought using kind donations from the public to remind them how grateful we all are, countless people are stepping up, remembering there are people in hospital who need a little love, and doing their bit to make Addenbrooke’s even better.”

“Every act of kindness makes a difference, and we couldn’t do any of what we do to change and save lives without the public’s wonderful donations.”

James Stevens, CEO of Cambridge Commodities, said it was his company’s 7^th year of partnership with ACT, but their 6^th year of buying Christmas presents for every patient in hospital on Christmas Day.

He said memories from the past six years were ‘indescribable” and added: “We raise the money at our annual charity ball, we wrap the presents in our office, where our incredible staff stay late for a couple of evenings in December and wrap thousands of gifts and hand write every single card. We are then given the amazing opportunity of taking the gifts to the hospital which is pretty special and something you never forget. This year we have been given an even greater opportunity where we will hand deliver the presents directly to the wards, which we are all excited about.”

“The memories that this brings to the team are indescribable and we have had some magical moments where people we have known have woken up on Christmas day in the hospital and received a gift from Cambridge Commodities. Something that can bring a smile in a moment when life might be quite hard. Closer to home, one of our wrapping staff ended up giving birth over the festive period and was given a gift and card that she might have wrapped herself.”

Natasha Robertson (left), Corporate Partnerships Manager at ACT, described the event as “one of the most special moments in our annual calendar.”

“Knowing that every patient waking up in hospital on Christmas Day will have a gift to open is incredibly moving, and it reflects the true spirit of thinking of others at this time of year. We’re immensely grateful to Cambridge Commodities, whose long-standing support makes this possible. They don’t just fund the presents – they wrap them and personally deliver them to the wards, always adding those extra thoughtful touches that mean so much to our patients and staff. Their generosity helps bring a sense of warmth and celebration into the hospital when it’s needed most.”

Molly Youngs (below), ACT’s Corporate Partnerships Executive, said she was really excited to see the latest activity added to the charity’s list of festive events – with children in hospital able to choose a special present for their parent or carer at Christmas – after inspiration from her children’s school.

“The idea first came to me when I was part of my boys’ school PTA. We had an Elf Shop where parents donated gifts, and the children got to enjoy their own little shopping experience—choosing something special for their loved ones in secret. My two boys absolutely loved it, and the joy on their faces when they handed us their chosen presents on Christmas morning was magical. That memory is what inspired me to bring the same experience into the hospital.”

“With the amazing help of Ann from the Play Team, we’ve been able to make it happen. Now, children who can’t leave the hospital over Christmas can still pick out a present, wrap it up, and surprise their family on Christmas morning.”

“It means a lot to us to think about every family’s circumstances—some parents may not otherwise receive a gift—and this gives children the chance to give something back, no matter what.”

“Seeing this introduced for the very first time is incredibly exciting, and I truly hope we can continue it next year. For children who may be quite unwell, I hope this little moment of joy brings comfort at a time when being in hospital can feel especially hard. Christmas is about love and togetherness, and this is one way of bringing that spirit to the wards.”

R G Carter Construction in Cambridge also donated 50 presents for patients on the elderly ward at Addenbrooke’s this Christmas.

Delivering a tinsel-wrapped trolley full of presents for children on the wards to choose and wrap for their mums, dads, and carers on Christmas day brought a lot of happiness to the ACT team, and all the members of the hospital’s play team.

ACT's Molly Youngs and Danni Smith, with Play Team Manager Ann in the middle

Ann, the Play Team manager from Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, thanked ACT for making this special event possible, saying: “I think this is a wonderful way of making sure all the parents are thought about this Christmas even if the children remain in hospital over the Christmas period.”

Patients included five-year-old Harry, from St Neot’s, who underwent a liver and bowel transplant using 1.2 metres of bowel and a third of his dad’s liver in an operation in January. Harry helped pick a special present for his mum and dad, Annie and Gary, with mum Annie saying: “He’s doing good but there’s been a lot of bumps.”

Baby Teddy was asleep in bed when ACT helped deliver a present for his mum Claire, who has four boys including Teddy. Claire said: “It’s a wonderful idea, so kind. It’s a little pick me up. It means a lot for someone to be thinking of the parents when you are going through this.”

Baby Teddy with his present delivered pillow side! (2) (mum Claire is quoted)

As the official hospital charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), which is celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year, funds cutting-edge equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research to fund potential cures and help save lives, above and beyond what the NHS can provide.

ACT is also fundraising to help build two new pioneering hospitals on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus which will benefit patients not just in the East of England, but nationally and globally too – the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital.

Each year, the charity donates millions to Addenbrooke’s to help make it even better – and in the past 30 years alone, has invested more than £150 million in the hospitals.

To find out more about what ACT does and how you can help make Addenbrooke’s even better, please donate here.

To find out about volunteer opportunities at ACT, click here.

Corporates who would like to support ACT as Charity of the Year can also get in touch by emailing: corporatepartnerships@addenbrookescharity.org.uk.

Addenbrooke’s to host live Channel 4 programme for Stand Up To Cancer 2025

Posted on 21 November 20259 April 2026 by Clarity

A pioneering Channel 4 programme presented by Davina McCall will broadcast live from Addenbrooke’s Hospital as part of this year’s Stand Up To Cancer 2025.

The programme will highlight the expertise, innovation and dedication of clinicians in Cambridge, as Cancer Clinic: Live broadcasts from a special one-off cancer clinic at Addenbrooke’s on the evening of Friday 12^th December.

By focusing on the groundbreaking work that is happening here at Addenbrooke’s as well as Royal Papworth, the show will shine a spotlight on Cambridge where the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH) is set to be built. Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) is raising significant funds for CCRH, with the public being asked to raise £100million towards the build of this groundbreaking new hospital.

For the first time on UK television, viewers of the Channel 4 programme will see clinical consultations with cancer specialists from Addenbrooke’s unfold in real time. Viewers will hear from patients and their families whose cancer journeys have been followed for several weeks from diagnosis to results, as they continue through treatment.

Producers say the aim of the programme is to demystify what happens inside a cancer clinic, tackle the fear that prevents many from seeking help, and show the life-saving impact of early diagnosis.

Although producers have not yet specified which areas of cancer will be featured within the show, there are plans to cover at least one groundbreaking project which has received funding from ACT supporters.

Cancer Clinic: Live will be part of a wider series of programmes on Channel 4 for Stand Up To Cancer, fronted by presenter Adam Hills, which will include special editions of Channel 4 shows such as Celebrity Gogglebox and The Last Leg.

This year, a new campaign by Channel 4 and Cancer Research UK will also drive awareness of NHS cancer screening programmes and raise funds for groundbreaking cancer research. A nationwide Screening Checker is being launched to allow members of the public to find out which NHS and PHA cancer screenings they are eligible for and to get advice on the screening process.

Addenbrooke’s Hospital, part of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, is a national and regional centre for many cancers including rarer types of cancer. Its Cancer Services care for around 6,000 new patients each year, aiming to deliver the highest quality clinical care, supported by world-leading research and innovation.

Addenbrooke’s is a specialist hospital located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Cambridge is home to the largest life sciences cluster in Europe and one of the most productive communities of cancer researchers in the world, with academics from the University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre and industry partners.

The campus will also be the site for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital which will bring together academia, industry and clinical excellence under one roof, to transform the way cancer is diagnosed and treated.

Stand Up To Cancer UK is a joint national fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4, bringing the nation together to accelerate life-saving research.

TV Presenter Davina McCall said: “I want to take the fear out of cancer screening and show everyone that they are not on their own in this. I’ve been part of Stand Up To Cancer UK since it started in 2012 and I knew for this year’s campaign I wanted to step out of the TV studio and speak to real people facing a cancer diagnosis.”

She added: “On the night of Stand Up To Cancer I will be with incredible teams of medical professionals to demystify what happens inside a cancer clinic. Cancer Clinic: Live is about showing the reality of the incredible care, science and humanity of a cancer diagnosis, and reminding people that early diagnosis gives you options and hope.”

Cancer Clinic: Live is produced by Bango Studios and HiddenLight and the executive producers are Amy Flanagan, Emma Jay and Emily Hudd.

To find out more information about Stand Up To Cancer 2025 and the new screening campaign click here.

Click here to donate to the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.

Charity auction offers lucky bidder chance to feature in Lord Archer’s final standalone novel in support of Cambridge Children’s Hospital

Posted on 13 November 202513 November 2025 by Clarity

This November, one lucky bidder will see their name immortalised in a Jeffrey Archer novel, as part of Cheffins’ 200-Year Anniversary Charity Auction, with all proceeds going to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust and their campaign to raise money to build the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital.

As part of its 200-year anniversary celebrations, Cheffins has partnered with international bestselling author Jeffrey Archer to offer an extraordinary prize: the winning bidder’s name will appear in his final standalone novel, due for release in 2026.

Lord Archer, who is marking his 50^th year of writing, said:

“Not many people can say they’ve found their way into a Jeffrey Archer novel, but this auction gives them the chance! It’s my final standalone novel, so I thought it was time to have a little fun and try to raise money for a fantastic charity at the same time.”

“Only I will decide who this character is in the book and how they fit into the plot. They could be a chauffeur, a fast bowler, a farmer, or a fraudster. I can’t wait to find out who wins the bidding and how their name will fit into my final novel.”

Jeffrey Archer has sold over 275 million copies of his books worldwide, published in 97 countries and in more than 37 languages. He is the only author to have reached the number one bestseller spot in fiction, short story and non-fiction categories. Archer’s latest book ‘End Game’ was released in September 2025 and signalled the close of a run of eight books starring fictional character ‘William Warwick.’

Proceeds from the auction, which is now live on the Cheffins website, will go towards building a playroom for children being treated at the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital (CCH).

The hospital will not only be the first specialist children’s hospital for the East of England but also the first in the world to fully integrate treatment of children’s mental and physical health, alongside world-leading research.

Cambridge Children's Hospital architects drawing

Cheffins has been supporting the cause as part of the firm’s 200-year anniversary celebrations, as it focusses on supporting the next generations throughout East Anglia.

Lord Archer, who is married to Dame Mary, who is ACT’s President as well as co-chair of the CCH campaign board, said: “Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust is a charity which is close to my heart, not least because my wife, Mary, is President and has committed so much of her life to Addenbrooke’s. Please dig deep and this Christmas give as much as you can afford, knowing that you will be helping build a new children’s hospital at the same time.”

As of Wednesday 12th November, the current bid for Lord Archer’s ‘lot with a difference’ stood at £1,200, with the next bid priced at £1,300 upwards.

The live auction, which ends on November 23rd, includes a series of other money-can’t-buy opportunities, including a six-night stay in an exclusive resort in the Bahamas; Six Nations tickets; a Porsche driving experience and a week-long stay in a privately-owned bothy in Scotland.

Martin Millard, Equity Director, Cheffins says: “To have your name included in one of the world’s most successful author’s final standalone novel is a rare prize and something which would eclipse all other gifts under the tree for one of Archer’s hundreds of thousands of die-hard fans. As this is such a unique and unusual opportunity, it is impossible to put any sort of estimate on what something like this might be worth. Opening bids will be place at around £500 but there’s no telling how much this could raise in total.”

Cheffins are welcoming bids online now, at www.cheffins.co.uk

Click here to go directly to Cheffins’ live auction page.

First nature-wrapped CT scanner at Addenbrooke’s changes patient experience

Posted on 30 October 20252 December 2025 by Clarity

Addenbrooke’s CT department has seen its first scanner wrapped in nature-themed vinyls.

Jodi Gooding, a Senior Radiographer at Addenbrooke’s, said the aim of the design – as with the MRI Scanner which was wrapped back in August last year – was to ‘bring the outside in’.

As part of the design, the ring of the Siemens scanner was wrapped earlier this year in a green, leafy design against the backdrop of a bright blue sky – with the walls of the windowless room covered with a photo of a bluebell wood, showing sun bursting through the branches of the trees.

Jodie said that because the scanner is not enclosed as in the case of an MRI scanner, most patients do go through with their scan first time. However, there have been cases in the past where patients haven’t been able to complete their scan or really struggled to do so.

“It’s made a huge difference to patients. We don’t have any windows so there is no natural light in here so people always comment about that because now it feels like we do have natural light. It makes the room look much lighter and less clinical. And it appears less scary. I think for the adults it is much more calming but for the children it feels less clinical.”

The wrap was funded by supporters of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT). Addenbrooke’s has a total of five CT scanners onsite and two remote, with the department applying for more funds from ACT to wrap the next scanner.

David Biddle, CT Service Manager, said: “The newly ‘wrapped’ CT room and scanner provides a very calm environment that helps put patients at ease during their scan.”

He said approximately 900 patients, per month, benefit from the generous donation from ACT and the department as a whole scans almost 8,000 patients per month. Since April, when this first scanner was wrapped, it has performed around 4,900 scans.

ACT is the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and funds cutting-edge equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide and is raising money to help build both the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital.

Click here to donate.