The 2019 Big Shops’ Showdown, organised by Business in the Community on behalf of Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, saw a collective £65,084 raised by ten Northern Ireland companies.

The challenge sees teams of business volunteers take over the running of one of Cancer Focus NI’s charity shops for a day in April, following fundraising and stock collections in the run up to the day itself. Terex took over running the Newtownstewart store and raised £3,339.

 Working as a team, but competing in a friendly way with each other, the teams tried to raise funds and awareness of cancer and cancer research. Terex came out winners of the Best Window Display and Bag for Life categories at the celebration event on 3 May.

Andy Nisbet Friel, Communities Executive, Business in the Community, said: “We are delighted that our member companies have once again supported this fun and worthy initiative. This is the second year of our partnership with Cancer Focus NI to run this event, having built the challenge over the past eight years. The amount raised is phenomenal and particularly poignant as our organisations celebrate two big milestones – 30 year of Business in the Community and the 50^th anniversary of Cancer Focus Northern Ireland.

“In addition to the monies raised, the Big Shop’s Showdown also raises awareness of cancer and the research that takes place right here in Northern Ireland. It also enables some of our key businesses to get right into the hearts of the community and allows employees to experience a different kind of working day as they get to know their colleagues as they work together for a great cause.”

Roisin Foster, Chief Executive, Cancer Focus NI, said: “Cancer Focus NI is so grateful to all the businesses that took part in the Big Shops Showdown.  This amazing total will help us fund ground-breaking cancer research at Queens University.  In partnership with Business in the Community the shops challenge raises funds, gives us new ideas to improve our retail business, supports team building in participating businesses and has a really positive environmental impact by reusing clothes and goods that might otherwise have gone to landfill.” 

The other companies involved this year were Arthur Cox, Baker McKenzie, Concentrix, Dupont, Enterprise, JP Corry, Northstone, PSNI and Translink.