Praetura triples fundraising total for Bone Cancer Research Trust

• Praetura raises over £45,000 in 2024 for the Bone Cancer Research Trust
• Range of fundraising challenges throughout the year raises three times the original target of £15,000

North-West based Praetura Group is celebrating raising over £45,000 for the Bone Cancer Research Trust in 2024.

The group of financial services companies nominated the Bone Cancer Research Trust as its chosen charity after a member of the team was diagnosed with primary bone cancer at the beginning of the year, with a target set to raise £15,000.

Senior Marketing Manager of Praetura Lending, Jen Bellamy, has worked at Praetura for eight years, having started life at Praetura in the role of Marketing Manager for Praetura Asset Finance, based in Blackburn. Towards the end of 2023, an injury that was initially thought to be ligament damage was found to be a tumour growing in Jen’s femur. This was formally diagnosed as being spindle-cell sarcoma at the beginning of January.

A range of events and activities were organised by Praetura to raise funds throughout the year, including joining in with the charity’s ‘Miles in March’ challenge, a sponsored fire-walk, a swimathon and a football tournament.

In the Summer a host of team members participated in the ‘Praetura Torch Challenge’, where two days before the start of the Olympics, Praetura carried a torch over 290 miles from their most southern office in London, to the most Northern in Blackburn, in under 36 hours, stopping at all the other Praetura offices (in Milton Keynes, Chester, Wilmslow and Manchester) along the way. This ambitious challenge involved over 40 Praetura People carrying the torch across the distance by cycling, running and walking. This challenge alone raised over £14,000.

Jen herself organised an event in September, where friends, family and colleagues from Praetura joined her for The Great Inflatables Walk. This saw over 50 people in a range of inflatable costumes including dinosaurs, koalas, sharks, a polar bear and Jen as a unicorn, walking from Blackpool Pleasure Beach to Blackpool Tower, raising over £15,000.

The final total raised for the Bone Cancer Research Trust by Praetura this year far exceeded their initial aim, raising three times their target amount. The grand total currently stands at £45,720.

Praetura Lending’s senior marketing manager, Jen Bellamy, commented: “This has been an overwhelming year, for many reasons. However, the support I’ve had from every single person I know at Praetura has helped more than I will ever be able to properly put into words.

This is a rare form of cancer, that doesn’t necessarily get the same amount of coverage as others, but it needs the funding so we can find out more about it. The key thing for me is the Bone Cancer Research Trust’s aim to use funding for research to find kinder and more targeted treatments for patients. The amazing amount raised by my wonderful and generous work family at Praetura is going to make such a difference to trying to make that happen. That makes me immeasurably proud and grateful.”

Praetura’s people and talent director, Kate Norton, added: “I am beyond proud to work in a team of such incredible people. The strength, determination and team spirit that so many people have shown, particularly this year to help raise such a phenomenal total for the Bone Cancer Research Trust, has been truly inspiring.”

Xanthe Hopkinson, Regional Relationship Manager at the Bone Cancer Research Trust, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the Praetura team for their commitment to improving the lives of bone cancer patients. It is a true reflection of their company values, together with how valued Jen is at the organisation. It’s only with the help of companies like Praetura, and selfless supporters like Jen, that we can continue to fund life-saving research and provide support in the fight against this cruel disease.”

Praetura is a group of financial services companies, headquartered in the North-West, that specialise in lending and equity solutions for startups and SMEs. Praetura Lending companies (Praetura Asset Finance, Praetura Commercial Finance, Praetura Invoice Finance, Praetura Servicing, Kingsway Finance and Zodeq) offer SMEs an alternative to traditional institutional lenders, providing funds between £10,000 and £25m to help businesses meet their strategic objectives.

The Bone Cancer Research Trust is a leading charity dedicated to fighting primary bone cancer and are uniquely placed to make a difference through research, information, awareness and support.