Inventive Events Management students hold a virtual raffle for charity.

GinMistic Events, a group of five Events Management students studying at the University of Chester, has raised over £1,100 for The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity, via a virtual raffle.

The GinMistic Events team was tasked with planning a fundraising event on behalf of a local charity as an aspect of their Event Management degrees. The team had originally planned a Gin Tasting evening for March 18 2020, hosted by Whitley Neill Gin and The Alchemist, which was sponsored by Bed Student Rentals and Hoots Property. The original event ‘Let the Evening BeGin’ was cancelled due to the start of lockdown, but the students were determined still to deliver an event to raise funds and increase awareness of the support the charity provides to people battling with, or recovering from, cancer across Cheshire and Merseyside. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged businesses across the world to rethink how services can operate during this difficult time. For the GinMistic Events team, the cancellation of their charity event did not deter them from looking for alternative options. This resulted in a virtual event in support of the charity, which the group held via a Facebook live event.

After seven months of hard work and persistence, the GinMistic Team is thrilled to announce that they have raised £1,162.73 for The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity. This money will be going towards delivering a wide range of highly-specialist cancer care, as well as improving facilities to support these individuals in the Cheshire and Merseyside area.

Millie Shackleton, Team Leader of GinMistic Events, said: "We are pleased to have had the opportunity to work alongside The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity. We hope that through our fundraising efforts, we have raised awareness of the incredible support they provide to people across Cheshire and Merseyside. We are overwhelmed by the support received from the community and cannot believe the money we have raised to help such a fantastic charity."

Megan Owen, Community Fundraising Manager at The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity, said: “We are only a week away from opening our doors to welcome our first patients to Liverpool’s first cancer hospital. The new hospital, along with investment in our centre in Wirral - due to start later this year - will allow us to lead the way in giving the best cancer care, finding new treatments and saving lives across our region.

“We would like to thank GinMistic Events for all of their support especially during such a difficult time and for raising such an incredible amount despite all the challenges they faced.

“It’s through support from groups in our local community that has meant that we have built the best hospital possible and we hope to save the lives of an additional 700 people every year.”

Dr Tim Brown, Programme Leader for Events Management at the University of Chester, added: “The perseverance and resilience the GinMistic team have shown is fantastic. Despite the setbacks faced the team pulled together and developed a new virtual concept which was a phenomenal success, raising an impressive £1,162.73 for an amazing local charity. We are really proud of the team and the work they have done, which has gone above and beyond what was expected.”

Pictured - The GinMistic team (photograph taken before lockdown).