Zest 4 Leisure has announced that Macmillan Cancer Support will be its chosen charity for 2020. Employees will undertake a series of fundraising initiatives throughout the year to raise much needed funds for the organisation.

Macmillan Cancer Support provides physical, financial and emotional support to people diagnosed with cancer, from the moment they have been diagnosed through treatment and beyond.

Commenting on the charity, Steve Morgan, Zest 4 Leisure’s Managing Director said: “In Wales alone, 19,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year – a shocking figure – but Macmillan is there to support people, helping them to live as full a life as possible. From the moment they are diagnosed, cancer patients can call on a wealth of resources from the charity, including help with work, emotional and financial support.

“We’re aiming to raise £10,000 which could be used to help fund the Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialists. It costs £29 for a Macmillan nurse for an hour, helping people living with cancer and their families receive essential medical, practical and emotional support. If we reach and exceed our target, we’ll be able to fund many hours of these vital nurses.”

Over the coming months employees from Zest 4 Leisure will be taking part in a variety of fundraising events. From Llangollen Canal and Snowdon walks to a Rock n Roll Half Marathon in Liverpool to a Tough Mudder challenge, there’s something for everyone, no matter the fitness level! Two female colleagues have even committed to ‘Braving The Shave’ and will be shortly be shaving their heads to raise money for Macmillan.

Rebecca Parke, Macmillan Cancer Support Senior Fundraising Manager – Wales, said: “We are really excited to be working with everyone at Zest 4 Leisure in 2020. They have done some incredible fundraising over the years and we can’t wait to see what they achieve for Macmillan Cancer Support this year. We rely almost entirely on donations so every penny that they raise over the next 12 months will make a huge difference to the support we can provide and the lives of local people living with cancer.”

A family run business which is committed to supporting the local community, Zest 4 Leisure is a leading supplier of high-quality, sustainably sourced timber garden furniture, fencing, trellis, gazebos, arches and a wide range of planters.

Over the last nine years, Zest 4 Leisure has raised almost £100,000 for various chosen charities. In 2019 alone, company employees, supported by suppliers, customers, friends and family, raised a staggering £22,132.55 for Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith children’s hospices.

Pictured, from left to right: Hazel Bainbridge (Zest HR Director), Steve Morgan (Zest Managing Director), Rebecca Parke (Macmillan Cancer Support Senior Fundraising Manager), Andrew Baker (Zest Financial Director), Paul Booth (Zest Operations Director).