Mayor raises funds for charity

Pictured launching his Mayoral Charity for the year, Cancer Fund for Children is Councillor Uel Mackin, Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh; Lauren Cunningham, Corporate Fundraiser, Cancer Fund for Children and Kevin McVeigh, Board Member of Cancer Fund for Children.

During his 2018 - 2019 term, The Mayor will be raising money for local children’s cancer charity, Cancer Fund for Children.

Speaking about why he chose Cancer Fund for Children as his charity, the Mayor explained: “Cancer has affected nearly all extended families in Northern Ireland and while it is a diagnosis we all dread, the added shock and cruelty of a cancer diagnosis for a child is impossible for us to imagine and I wanted to use my time as Mayor to do whatever I can to make that pain even a little more bearable.

“A cancer diagnosis affects all the family and this charity carries out amazing work, providing much needed support for not just the young person affected by cancer, but the whole family unit, so they don’t have to face it alone.”

The charity’s Corporate Fundraiser, Lauren Cunningham said: “First of all, a huge congratulations to Councillor Uel Mackin on his election to the role of Mayor. We are absolutely delighted he has decided to use his year in Office to support Cancer Fund for Children as his Mayoral charity.

“As a local charity, we receive less than 0.5% of our income from government funding and really rely on the generosity and support of the local community and businesses to raise vital funds to help deliver our services. Partnerships like this really do make such a difference to local families living with cancer. We are very much looking forward to working with the Mayor and Council over the next year.”

During the year, the Mayor’s Office will be organising and hosting a wide range of fundraising events and is hopeful that local residents and businesses will consider supporting the Mayoral Charity for any fundraising events organised within the local community. “I have been continually amazed and humbled by the ongoing generosity of the people of Lisburn and Castlereagh and I thank them for it and hope that through working with Cancer Fund For Children we can all dig deep into our pockets and make a real difference to the lives of young people affected by cancer and their families, here in Northern Ireland,” added the Mayor.