Last year, 3,168 Sober heroes in London signed up to take part in the fundraising event, which challenges people to give up drinking alcohol for the month of October for sponsorship, raising over £250,000 to help ensure that no one faces cancer alone. This is enough to fund over 8,900 hours of support from Macmillan nurses.
Around 31,000 people in London are diagnosed with cancer each year. Last year Macmillan was able to support people affected by cancer in London in a number of ways, including but not limited to:
Over 4,000 people visited Macmillan’s Mobile Information Support Services
Almost 3,000 grants were awarded
Over 6,700 people called the Macmillan Support Line
More than 1,600 people received benefits advice
Lindsey Cape, Area Fundraising Manager for London said: “Go Sober for October is a fundraising challenge with a difference. You don’t often get the chance to raise money for charity by not doing something, so this year we’re asking the people of London to think about what a month without alcohol could do for them.
“Whatever your motivation for getting involved – health, wealth or happiness – all you need to do is dig out your willpower and register on the website. You’ll not only be doing something amazing for people affected by cancer, but also for yourself.”
Since Go Sober for October began in 2013, over 188,000 people across the country have taken part in the fundraising challenge, helping raise over £10 million for Macmillan to help ensure that no one faces cancer alone.
For more information on Macmillan’s Go Sober for October fundraising challenge, visit www.gosober.org.uk
