Ridgeons shares a milestone anniversary with Macmillan Cancer Support, its elected charity of 2015-2017 as they both celebrate turning 105 years old.
Ridgeons and Macmillan Cancer Support were respectively founded in 1911. Macmillan’s commitment to changing and improving the lives of cancer patients and their loved ones contributed to Ridgeons’ decision to support the charity.
Ridgeons, a family owned business, was founded by Cyril Ridgeon in 1911. He worked from his own home in Cambridge, until the following year when a lease was taken out on a one and a half acre site on Tenison Road, Cambridge. It is now a fourth generation family business, with Cyril’s two great grandchilden serving as family directors. There are 26 branches throughout the East of England, providing tradesmen with all their building needs and excellent customer service. Its’ growth has been enhanced by the launch of Anglia Tool Centre and heating and plumbing specialist PlumbStock, as part of the Ridgeon Group.
Macmillan Cancer Support was founded in 1911 by Douglas Macmillan, when he established the ‘Society for the Prevention and Relief of Cancer’ to provide advice about cancer to patients, doctors and the public. By the 1970’s Macmillan was funding its first nurses and had built and equipped its first Macmillan cancer care unit. Within 10 years it had invested £2.5million to expand Macmillan nursing teams throughout the UK and had launched an educational medical training programme. In 2006, Macmillan became Macmillan Cancer Support. Its services have now been accessed more than 9 million times.
Ridgeons has taken part in numerous fundraising activities during the two year charity partnership with Macmillan. In the first year of support Ridgeons raised £15,254, through charity runs, cake sales, quiz events and coffee mornings. Ridgeons recently raised an amazing £2,198.30 in ‘Go Green Week’, a dedicated fundraising week for Macmillan. As fundraising activities continue throughout the next few months, Ridgeons looks likely to exceed its £20,000 target.
Ridgeon Group PR Director, Gordon Ridgeon commented:“Raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support has a real significance to all of us here at Ridgeons. Not only have many of Ridgeons’ staff been personally supported by Macmillan, but it means a lot to us that we have the same anniversary. We admire the hard work that has gone into the growth of Macmillan, and throughout our two year partnership everybody at Ridgeons is doing their bit to reach our target donation of £20,000.”
Jessica Levin, Macmillan Cancer Support Regional Fundraising Manager, added: “Sharing a 105-year anniversary with Ridgeons is certainly something to celebrate. Macmillan Cancer Support has grown significantly, and the support we receive from companies such as Ridgeons is vital to our continued success.”
For more information on Macmillan and the work it does, visit: www.macmillan.org.uk
