Big hearted businesspeople from across Bristol raised more than £23,000 for Cancer Research at a gala dinner held by the CEO of a recruitment firm who lost her best friend to cancer ten years ago.
Charmaine Vincent, CEO of Baltimore Consulting, organised the event at Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol in a bid to raise vital funds for life-saving cancer research. The event took take place on World Cancer Day, a day to unite and beat cancer together with an aim to raise £20,000, a target in which she exceeded.
Hosted by Jeff Brazier, this prestigious black-tie event included a drink’s reception, a three-course meal, entertainment, music, auction, raffle and networking opportunities. Cancer Research UK attended, with key researchers citing the local impact funds have had.
Prior to the event, Charmaine also organised for 26 men and women to bare all in a calendar shoot for Cancer Research UK, eight of which were the employees of Bristol-based Public Sector recruitment agency, Baltimore Consulting Limited. Baltimore has developed a consultative approach to the public and third sector, fulfilling local authorities’ hiring requirements and supporting vulnerable subject areas such as NHS, Mental Health, SEN & Safeguarding Adults and Children.
The “calendar girls” inspired calendars were sold in the lead up to Christmas, fundraising over £3,000 for vital research for the cancer charity, in order to save lives.
Baltimore Consulting’s CEO, Charmaine Vincent, said:
“I was completely blown away and overwhelmed by the generosity and support we received from so many people and local businesses.
“With TIMESTWO Investments and Saragossa Recruitment helping Baltimore Consulting lead the way for the recruitment industry in Bristol, it really was an event to remember. £23,000 will make such a difference, the vital research this will pay for and the lives it will ultimately save, makes me feel extremely proud.
“That said, this is just the beginning of our fundraising journey and I have now personally signed up for the Bristol Half Marathon, to challenge myself further, and continue to try and make a difference – there’s no stopping me now.”
Mike Beesley, founder of TIMESTWO Investments, said: “This was an incredibly moving and poignant event that had a big impact on the audience. It is fantastic to see this translate into a significant amount of money raised by the Bristol business community and demonstrates how many of us are effected by cancer at some stage in our lives. Well done to everyone involved.”
Kelly Brooks, Cancer Research UK’s local fundraising manager for Bristol and Bath says:
“Working with Charmaine and Baltimore Consulting on the fantastic calendar was brilliant and the gala dinner in February was incredible. Watching these men and women give up their time and bare all to help beat cancer was truly inspiring and the funds will make a huge difference to the research we fund in Bristol. Cancer Research UK spent £2million last year supporting various researchers and clinical trials in the Bristol and Bath region. One in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage in their lives, but the good news is more people are surviving the disease now than ever before. Cancer survival in the UK has doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress. However, we have only been able to achieve this thanks to the dedication and commitment of volunteers and supporters like Charmaine, without whom we would not be able to fund our life-saving research.”
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