CLAN Cancer Support

Conrad Ritchie and wife Lesley-Anne have pledged their continued support to Clan Cancer Support by donating £8,000 to the charity's Here for You Appeal.

The financial impact of the Coronavirus outbreak has hit hard across the north-east with many businesses and charities facing a significant drop in income. Clan has had to postpone and cancel key fundraising events this year. However, they have continued to be a lifeline for many people facing a cancer diagnosis by launching a telephone support service, telephone counselling sessions, offering new online services and continuing to support their younger clients and families. Clan's Here for You Appeal has already received the backing of singing sensation Emeli Sande, independent upstream oil and gas company, Serica Energy, the Cormack Foundation and over 250 individual donors from across the north-east and Northern Isles.

Conrad and Lesley-Anne Ritchie were pivotal in helping Clan to establish their centre in Crimond in 2018 and have been keen supporters ever since. Conrad said: "My wife and I have been passionate supporters of Clan for several years after seeing the professional and practical support they offer to people and their loved ones who have been affected by a cancer diagnosis. They have an incredible impact across the communities of the north-east, and I'm delighted to continue to support them with this donation. Sadly, cancer affects one in two people in the UK, and many have faced great uncertainty during the outbreak, that is why we need charities like Clan to continue to be there for them."

Clan's Chief Executive, Dr. Colette Backwell, said: "We are incredibly grateful to Conrad and Lesley-Anne for their ongoing support. Through Conrad’s work with the Crimond Charitable Trust, CLAN was able to set up our centre in Crimond, which has allowed us to provide 1,608 support sessions to people affected by cancer since opening in 2018.

“Not only have they generously donated to our appeal, but they have also been instrumental in sourcing and donating sanitiser, PPE and other items to the Clan Haven, our bed and breakfast facility for cancer patients and their family undergoing treatment in Aberdeen, and our Crimond centre. We are delighted to have Conrad’s and Lesley-Anne’s continued support and thankful to everyone who has donated to our appeal.

"Cancer hasn't stopped during the pandemic, and since the outbreak, we have taken over 1,226 support calls, delivered over 424 counselling sessions and provided 511 support sessions to our children and families clients. We are continuing to ramp up preparations for a return to face to face services, and we can't wait to welcome clients back into our centres.

"The Here for You Appeal asks everyone to give £10 or whatever they can to Clan to help us make sure we can continue to offer our life-changing services, not just now but into the future"

To support Clan's "Here for You" Appeal, please visit www.clanhouse.org/donate.