welcome to our annual review for 2021/22

A message from our Chair and Chief Executive

Hi everyone. The review of 2021-22 celebrates the work which has been undertaken by Beatson Cancer Charity throughout the year. This includes the variety and diversity of the work, our strategic approach, the skills and commitment of our staff and the ways we invest in a better future for patients and their families.

We are delighted to let you know that we’ve achieved so many important milestones in the last year, this includes having spent £3,077,742 on charitable activity. Underpinned by the delivery of vital support services by the charity itself, we have also funded several specialist posts and wider life-enhancing initiatives at The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre as well as a range of pioneering research projects. We’re excited to share these stories with you, to help you learn more about our work and how we use the thousands of generous donations given to the charity every year. Quite simply, we could not do what we do without your support, and for that we are truly grateful!

During the year, we delivered a wide range of programmes which have supported thousands of people. Our volunteering activity has also expanded with the further development of services provided at The Beatson and in the community. Our Befriending Service alone has positively touched the lives of so many people. And, we have plans to do so much more!

CEO

Mental health and wellbeing are arguably more important now than ever. The charity has been focused on providing several opportunities during the year to help people living with cancer in this regard. Our Wellbeing Centre based in The Beatson is right at the heart of this activity, but this is supported by a range of individual and group work programmes to support people deal with the many challenges cancer can have on their lives. Patients and their families greatly value the support they receive!

Over the following pages you’ll find out more about these initiatives, you’ll read about personal stories and experiences and the impact this has on people’s lives.

Our fundraising this year has been exceptional. We’ve received support from thousands of individuals and businesses and raised over £4 million. The corporate sponsorship we receive from companies has helped greatly to support our work. Without doubt the residual effect of the pandemic continued to have an impact on the charity sector and our own work, but this did not deter us or diminish our resolve! We have worked with our colleagues at The Beatson to find new and creative ways to support their work.

This helps us to continue to transform the lives of patients and their families in many different ways. This included investing in a new MRI scanner which will help more targeted treatment of many cancers, this will impact the lives of some 20,000 people over the next 10 years.

As always, the generosity and backing of our supporters has been incredible this year! From our much-loved charity balls, large-scale mass participation events to the MRI Appeal, the response has been overwhelming. On top of this we have the support of so many people in the community who fundraise on our behalf. We’ve also received grants from many trusts and foundations to support this work – we could never achieve so much for others without this incredible support.

We hope you enjoy finding out more about all of this in the following pages.