A TAUNTON-BASED company has given a huge boost to support clinical cancer research trials at Musgrove Park Hospital this week.

Insurance and financial services company Lloyd & White, which has its headquarters in Bindon Road, were delighted to donate a cheque for more than £12,000 that had been raised by staff throughout the year.

During 2019 the employees took part in a number of fundraising activities, including bake sales, head-shaves, and various themed-days, topped off with a swanky charity ball held at the Cooper Associates County Ground in April.

Company CEO Matthew Pyke said: “We are delighted to be able to give back to our community in this way.

“It is always a company-wide decision as to which charity we will support and Musgrove Park Hospital’s Beacon Centre is a popular choice.

“The imagination, passion and wholehearted engagement from all of our people is really wonderful to see.

“For a small company we punch above our weight, having raised more than £74,000 in the past five years alone”

The Cancer Research UK supported trials are focussing on prostate and ovarian cancers and the Taunton Deane branch aim to raise £60,000 a year for research at Musgrove.

Cancer Research SW fundraising manager, Kim Hammerton, added: “Although one in two people in the UK will develop cancer within their lifetime, research such as that being conducted at Musgrove is helping us to find effective treatments and the death rate has dropped by 15 per cent in the last 10 years.

“This amazing total of £12,212 gives us a fantastic kick start to our new financial year target of £60,000.

“It’s really impressive how everyone at Lloyd & Whyte have so enthusiastically got involved, off their own bat to raise these funds without our prior knowledge, so this is a really wonderful surprise.”

This year Lloyd & Whyte staff in Taunton have chosen the Somerset Unit For Radiotherapy Equipment based at Musgrove’s Beacon Centre, as their charity for 2020.

It is hoped that this year’s charity ball, organised by the Lloyd & Whyte Social Committee, will continue to raise even more funds for these worthy causes.