Recently, Sarah Giles, employee of Redmayne-Bentley took part in the Great North Run in aid of Candlelighters.

Sarah has raised more than £2,200 for Candlelighters, an amazing total which will make a huge difference to the lives of families facing childhood cancer across Yorkshire. Candlelighters have recently supported Sarah’s nephew, Will, from Carlton, West Yorkshire, who was diagnosed last year with leukaemia.

The Burley-in-Wharfedale mother-of-one said: “I have been able to see first-hand the difference this charity has made to him and his parents. Not only do Candlelighters provide practical and emotional support to the child who is ill, there is also great emphasis on activities designed for families to get together and have fun in a ‘normal’ environment after sometimes weeks or months spent in hospital.”

As well as being a charity close to her heart, Candlelighters is the chosen charity for the Leeds branch of investment management and stockbroking firm Redmayne-Bentley, where Sarah is assistant compliance monitoring manager.

Initially, Sarah aimed to raise £500, but her colleagues from offices in Leeds and around the UK joined forces in great numbers to sponsor her. She said: “Encouraged by hundreds of good luck messages and after weeks of apprehension, it was an amazing experience on the day; the crowds were second to none and I found the generosity of complete strangers cheering me on so touching. As it was my first half marathon, I didn’t know what to expect or even if I could complete it, but I was so proud to run the full 13.1 miles without stopping, and also to have raised a great amount for a wonderful charity.”

Throughout the year, Redmayne-Bentley’s staff have been raising money for the organisation. Sarah’s colleague in the compliance department, Nigel Finlay, shaved his head to get rid of his hair and beard, raising more than £1,400. A group of four from the firm took part in the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge in July, with others running in the Gung Ho! inflatable obstacle course in Leeds in March.

Raffles, sweepstakes and bake sales have also contributed to the year’s fundraising. So far this year, more than £6,175 has been raised for Candlelighters.

From everyone here at Candlelighters we would like to say a huge thank you to Sarah and everyone at Redmayne-Bentley for their continued support. Your hard work and effort will make a huge difference to families facing childhood cancer across Yorkshire.