Local building society delivers perfect Christmas present for Cobalt

The team at Cheltenham branch, Nationwide Building Society have been fundraising for Cobalt all year. The idea to support us started when 27 year old staff member Val Guarnaccia was diagnosed with a spinal tumour. It was causing her pain in her lower back and legs resulting in her not being able to walk properly. The team are delighted to announce their efforts have now exceeded £10,000.

Nationwide final thank you poster outlines A2

Val said ‘Due to the type of tumour, I now need to have MRI scans regularly to ensure my health. I was referred to Cobalt for a couple of my MRI scans post-surgery. The staff were really friendly and constantly reassuring which made the horrible experience of the MRI scan as bearable as possible! The MRI scans took over an hour and a half in total.’

Leanne Dalby, Senior Branch Manager, Cheltenham branch, Nationwide Building Society said: ‘We’ve shed blood, sweat and tears but it’s all been so worthwhile. Fundraising has included cake sales, bucket collections, rounding up old pound coins from customers, a 5km run at the Cheltenham Challenge, a 151 mile indoor cycle and a pub quiz with other banks and building societies in town’.

Julia Jenkins, Head of Fundraising, Cobalt said: ‘Leanne and her staff have worked really hard to raise all of this money for us and we are over the moon with our early Christmas present. The money will be put towards the costs of a brand new scanner which has already seen 2,500 patients. Many of these patients like Val, are at the heart of our local community and affected by cancer, dementia and other conditions’.

Nationwide are keen supporters of the community. 75% of the building society employees get involved in fundraising, volunteering or payroll giving. The staff in the branch also used some of their volunteer hours to help Cobalt at events and to run challenges in the branch to raise the money and will be continuing their support of us in the new year.