A team from Booths, joined by supplier colleagues and the charity, is preparing to take on a marathon fundraising challenge, having raised more than £500,000 for blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia over the past five years.
The funds raised have directly benefited communities across Lancashire and South Cumbria, helping Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust recruit and employ a dedicated blood cancer clinical trials nurse. The role connects local patients with innovative treatments and potentially life-saving clinical trials through Cure Leukaemia’s national research network.
Building on that success, Booths’ colleagues will continue their fundraising efforts in 2026 with a series of charity challenges, including a marathon run and a special ‘Run for a Cure’ relay event linking five Booths stores.
The Run for a Cure event will take place on Friday, 10 April 2026, with runners covering approximately 26 miles from Booths Burscough to Booths Fulwood, via Hesketh Bank, Longton and Penwortham stores.
The route will be completed in four stages:
• Burscough to Hesketh Bank – 10 miles
• Hesketh Bank to Longton – 7 miles
• Longton to Penwortham – 3 miles
• Penwortham to Fulwood – 6 miles
The Booths team will be joined by suppliers and supporters to take part in running one or more stages of the route. They will also be joined by Dr Paul Cahalin and a number of the team from Blackpool Teaching Hospitals for part of the run.
Following that, Booths CEO Nigel Murray will take part in the TCS London Marathon on 26 April on behalf of Cure Leukaemia.
Nigel Murray, CEO at Booths, said:
“Over the past five years, we’ve seen the incredible impact our partnership with Cure Leukaemia can have, both in raising awareness and funding vital research. Thanks to the generosity of our customers, colleagues and suppliers, Team Booths has raised more than £500,000, which has enabled funding for a dedicated blood cancer clinical trials nurse at Blackpool Teaching Hospital.
“That role is incredibly important as it connects local patients with potentially life-saving treatments and clinical trials that might not otherwise be available — turning fundraising from our communities into real treatment opportunities for patients from within communities.
“This year I’ve swapped my beloved bike for running shoes. I’ll be honest, running isn’t my favourite activity, but the cause is incredibly important to me, so I’ll keep jogging on. These challenges bring people together across Booths Country and help raise vital funds that support patients in our local communities.”
James McLaughlin, Chief Executive of Cure Leukaemia, added:
“Booths have shown what is possible when a business truly commits to making a difference. Their support over the past five years has helped fund the Clinical Research Nurse role for the region, and as a result, they are the leading recruiter for the Evolve 1 trial across Europe, which gives patients access to innovative therapies that aim to improve survival rates and quality of life.
“Every fundraising event, challenge and donation brings us closer to our goal of improving treatment options and outcomes for blood cancer patients, and we are immensely grateful to Nigel and all of the Booths team for their continued support.”
Businesses or individuals interested in supporting the event or taking part in the relay run are encouraged to contact Booths to find out how they can get involved.
Cure Leukaemia was established in 2003 by Professor Charlie Craddock CBE and patients Graham Silk and Michael Woolley to allow patients with blood cancer to access remarkably effective new treatments which were then becoming available.
With a new blood cancer diagnosis every 27 seconds worldwide, Cure Leukaemia funds research nurses and clinical roles at blood cancer centres across the UK, providing patients with access to innovative and potentially life-saving treatments through clinical trials.
Cure Leukaemia is funding world-leading networks that are changing how blood cancer patients – both adults and children – can access cutting-edge treatments through clinical trials.
By supporting these roles, Cure Leukaemia facilitates potentially life-saving advancements in blood cancer therapies, contributing to global progress and hope for those impacted by the disease worldwide.
Thanks to their huge CL Family of dedicated fundraisers, they’ve been able to continue to grow each year and connect more patients to potentially life-saving treatment.
