Specialist Leisure Group (SLG) has chosen Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Charity as its charity partner for 2020, with the aim of raising £150,000 to tackle childhood asthma.
SLG is planning customer, inhouse and agent fundraising activities to help reach the target, and events will involve staff at the company’s 75 locations around the UK.
Richard Calvert, SLG chief executive, said: “We are really proud of this new partnership and plan to work with Alder Hey to help fund pioneering research and development to target asthma among children.
“Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children in the world and in the UK there are 1.1 million children currently being treated for asthma, which is an incredible one in every 11 children. Tragically 15 children die as a result of asthma in the UK every year and that’s 15 too many.”
Most children who suffer with asthma continue with the disease into adulthood, resulting in 5.4 million people being treated for asthma in the UK every year, with three people dying every day.
There are also many other secondary health problems directly related to asthma such as obesity, other respiratory diseases and mental health problems.
Calvert added: “With over five million people suffering from asthma in the UK, then statistically many people within the SLG family will either suffer from asthma themselves or have children or child relatives who have this disease. There is nothing more precious in this world than children and we want to play a part in helping.”
Wigan-based SLG has a range of brands, including Shearings Holidays, Wallace Arnold Travel and Country Living Hotels.
During 2018 and 2019, SLG has been supporting the Alzheimer’s Society, and has raised £210,000, with more expected by the end of this year.
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Charity raises funds for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, which cares for 330,000 patients and families every year.
Pictured from left: Richard Calvert and Ian Sinha, consultant respiratory paediatrician at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
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