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Cancer Research axes international challenge programme

Fundraising | Gemma Ware | 4 Apr 2008

Cancer Research UK is to cut its programme of international challenge events because they are no longer proving “cost-effective”.

In a statement the charity said it would wind up its programme of international challenge events, which included treks to Peru, Patagonia and China, after the last confirmed challenge finishes this July. However, two challenges to Brazil and South Africa that raise money specifically for the charity’s Bobby Moore Cancer Fund will continue to run.

CRUK and its predecessor, Cancer Research Campaign, have been offering international challenges as part of their fundraising portfolio for over ten years. Overseas challenges raised £2.2m for the charity between 2005 and 2006, just over five per cent of the £41m raised through its national events programme that year and small fry compared to the £46m raised in 2006 by the charity’s series of Race for Life events.

Cancer Research UK declined to comment further on why the decision was taken, but said in a statement that its community fundraising department would still support people who wanted to organise independent overseas trips or events to raise money for the charity.

According to Ann Frampton, director of Action for Charity, which organises challenge events for charities including Barnardo’s and the British Heart Foundation, there is no shortage of people wanting to take part in overseas events. She said that problems often occur when charities set up large departments to run their international events programme, but can’t recruit enough supporters to take part. “A lot of it is to do with a high turnover of staff,” she said. “They don’t recruit enough people on their events because they haven’t got experienced staff.”

Nicola Robinson, head of marketing lead events at Mencap, which used to run a large annual portfolio of ten events until three years ago, said it decided to downscale to three or four events a year because the amount of competition got too fierce. “Quite a few other charities decided that was the way to go. It’s a changing market, but if you market successfully and really have good relationships and offer good customer service, ultimately challenge events can still be effective with charities,” she said.

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Directory: Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
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