Download a PDF copy of the Trust's Progress Report (December 2009)
We are proposing to set up a 200 club where for a £50 yearly subscription, supporters can be entered into prize draws. Many organisations have found this an effective fundraising venture. For information e-mail Trust Project Manager Liz Grant or contact us directly.
Professor Graham Ogden, Mike Walton, final year Dental students, local GDP and Liz Grant at a Mouth Cancer Awareness Week event at Dundee University Students Union.
In 2010 The Trust is initiating and funding a module on Oral Cancer and the Younger Patient, in collaboration with BMJ Learning. This module will be examinable for CPD (continuing professional development) by GPs and others. Although essentially used by GPs and other BMJ subscribers, it is hoped to make the module freely available to other users via web links.
It also has the other great advantage that the BMJ will circulate it and test and evaluate it.
I am also pleased to inform you that the first of two papers developed by Professor Saman Warnakulasuriya from our pilot project, “The Experiences of Younger Oral Cancer Patients in Scotland,” have been accepted for publication by the British Dental Journal and will appear in the New Year. Anyone wishing to support The Trust, or be updated on our activities, please contact us and we will store your e-mail address for mailouts.
Best Wishes to everyone who has supported us this year and for the help and support of all who have been involved in our projects.
James used to work in Old Nick's Tavern in Horncastle, Lincolnshire. Old Nick's were terrific early supporters of The Trust, in fact they funded much of our early research projects. James did a parachute jump for us several years ago. On the 10th October James completed the Men's Health Survival of the Fittest 10K in Nottingham. He came 522nd out of 3000, doing it in 1.15.08, which is a great achievement. James has a just giving page which will remain open if anyone wants to support him in this great event.
This year gardens opened in West Linton on the 2nd August, where yet again(!) the sun broke through and created a very successful afternoon, with £620 being raised for The Trust.
With many thanks to garden owners John and Laura Irvine, Ellen and John McCann, Nancy Porteous, Colin and Margaret Torrance and Fay Young and to all the organising committee.
On the 22nd June 2009 the House of Lords debated, under health issues, the topic of mouth cancer.
The debate was tabled by Baroness Gardner of Parkes who is by profession a dentist. The debate was well researched and informed and the Lords who contributed to the debate are to be congratulated on bringing this matter to the attention of the Health Minister.
Any comments on the debate, please respond to The Trust as they will be both following the results of it and corresponding with participants.
Congratulations to the Iriston House Dental Clinic who have been raising money for the Ben Walton Trust with a fantastic team running effort.
Raman Chandra and his colleagues Christopher Stewart, Sarah Tobin and Chris Gardiner all ran the Edinburgh Marathon and raised a superb £2100 which is greatly appreciated.
Thanks to all those who donated online as well as in the surgery - wonderful to see so many practice patients helping to raise this total. We will keep you informed of exactly how the money is being spent. Please remember that every penny goes towards funding research and raising awareness of oral cancer in the young.
Gemma (Ben’s sister) and Ken (Gemma’s husband) completed the Bupa Great Edinburgh Run on Sunday in a respectable time of 1hr 12 mins. Gemma sneakily managed to be one second faster than Ken but as promised they crossed the finish line holding hands.
“We were proud to wear the Ben Walton Trust T-shirts, the crowds cheered us on and the knowledge that we had raised so much money really helped when it came to km9.”
A huge thank you to all those who donated with the total now standing at £2050.77 including all donations, gift aid, cash from friends, money from the Glencorse boys at Fettes College (see below) and an anonymous lady who handed them £10 as they celebrated in an Edinburgh restaurant.
You can still sponsor them by going to their justgiving donation page.
Following on from the retiring collection at the Fettes College carol concert, Mike Walton went to speak to all the pupils at Fettes to inform them about the work of The Ben Walton Trust and tell them about Ben. As a result of this, the boys of Glencorse House (one of the Fettes boarding houses) chose The Ben Walton Trust to benefit from their 4th Glencorse House Talent Show. The evening was a huge success, with over 60 parents present and a broad range of talents on show. There was ‘a cappella’ singing, music by Metallica and cross dressing as well as the Housemaster and prefects’ version of The Killers’ ‘Read my Mind’. Ben would be particularly happy that The Beach Boys (Ben’s favourite band) featured heavily by complete coincidence.
Over £450 was raised and a cheque was presented to Gemma (who works at Fettes).
“We are so grateful to Glencorse for selecting us as their charity and the very valuable funds they raised. To know the money was raised while a huge amount of fun was had makes it even sweeter.”
I am pleased to inform you that our latest research project entitled ‘The Experiences of Younger Oral Cancer Patients in Scotland: From Self-diagnosis to Treatment’ is now complete. It was carried out in conjunction with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, University of Bath and King’s College, London. This study was initiated and funded by The Trust.
Download a PDF of the research report.
The Ben Walton Trust would like to thank all members of the Scottish Oral Cancer Action Group (SOCAG) and all members of the initial working party for this study.
The Trust would also like to thank all those supporters who have run marathons and other races, opened gardens, baked cakes, given lectures, cyled parts of the Tour de France route, etc, in short all the things one has to do as a small charity to raise funds to finance such a study as this. Without you this study could not have taken place.
This site will keep you up-to-date with where and when it is published in professional journals, etc.
Gemma (Ben's sister) and her husband will be running the 2009 Great Edinburgh Run in aid of the Trust.
“Last year at the Great Edinburgh Run, Ken and I cheered on those running for The Ben Walton Trust as they crossed the finish line. At that moment we both felt rather inferior and thought that we should get off our bums and raise money in memory of my beloved brother Ben. So, we are running in the 2009 Great Edinburgh Run - 10k round this lovely city of ours and no matter what, we will cross the line together whether that be hand in hand or one of us carrying the other!” Gemma Gray
Donate now at their Just Giving page.
Fettes College Edinburgh had a retiring collection at the end of their Autumn concert at St Mary's Cathedral and raised in excess of £500. Michael Walton was then invited to speak at Chapel to talk about The Ben Walton Trust and gave a thought provoking and uplifting speech to the whole school. We would like to thank all the parents and pupils for their continued support.
We thought it useful to have a web based newsletter, so that friends and supporters can see what has been happening on a more regular basis than our usual written reports.
A pilot study of younger oral cancer patients’ experiences during their journey through pre-diagnostic NHS care. (A full copy of this project outline can to be sent electronically on request). All patient interviews based in Edinburgh, the Lothians and the West of Scotland have now been completed: these have now been sent to the University of Bath for analysis. As soon as this has been carried out, a report will be posted on this site.
I have to report a very active period here and many thanks to all individuals who have contributed in all manner of ways.
Starting in Summer 2007. Through Scotland's Gardens scheme, the gardens in and around West Linton opened giving a percentage of takings to The Trust. On the days in question the weather behaved perfectly (somewhat surprisingly) and the event raised £617. Many thanks to Trish Kennedy and all those West Linton gardeners who so generously gave their time to the event.
Clare Farnsworth, a dental nurse in the oral surgery department, and friends organised a staff bake and raised £110, not only raising money but also awareness.
Through this year’s organiser, David Sutherland, the University of Dundee Dental School continued with their tremendous support that has gone on for many years. They raised funds for three charities by having a slave auction of students (not as dodgy as it sounds). A good evening was had by all and £2,210 was raised for The Trust. We have a great arrangement in that they raise the money, then we pay back 50% to their patients’ fund.
It is probably not well enough known, but the RBS actively encourages their staff to be involved in charity work. Through their ‘Community Cashback’ scheme, RBS has donated £250 a year over many years because Val Bennett, our Treasurer, works for the bank. Many thanks both to RBS and to Val for all her sterling work.
Elizabeth Herman very generously ran the London Marathon for us on the 13th April in memory of her sister Joan Cunningham. Joan died of oral cancer just before Ben. This was Elizabeth’s first marathon and she did fantastically well, completing it in 3 hours 47.26 (well within her target 4 hours), raising £2178. She said that she would have finished sooner had it not been for there being so many people in the way! A special thanks to Elizabeth, her husband Andrew, and her mother Georgie, who have helped in so many ways over the years. (We hope to be able to post a photo shortly of the event)
Lead by Micheal McAuliffe, a great team of Doctors associated with Maxillo Facial Surgery, Dentistry and a med student ran on the 4th May 2008. Fiona Crawford (who has very generously run for us before), Eoin Mills, Anthony James, Angela Dickson, Marie Gavin, Neil McCulloch and Victoria Nason raised over £1000: well done. See the photos for the drama of it all.
Stuart Taylor, my nephew, completed this event (one of the stages of the Tour de France) on the 6th July and raised around £4,000. See his page on justgiving.com. He finished in 8 hours 53 minutes, coming 4,497 out of 7,500 finishers. Well done, phew! To quote Stu, “I even have a cheap gold medal to prove it. The weather was apalling, rain drizzle all the way and the big climbs took us into the clouds.” In thanking his sponsors he says, “In the last few miles, in my case up a very steep hill, it is very motivating to think of all the individuals who have contributed to The Ben Walton Trust in this way. So thank you.”
What more can I say, but a very big thank you to all those individuals, and a particular mention here to the Pyet Deli of West Linton, who time and time again generously support our work by way of regular fundraising. We have this year joined justgiving.com, which is a very effective and efficient fundraising method. Thanks for donations are instantly issued with a receipt and 'Gift Aid' collected and sent to our bank account. See the justgiving Ben Walton Trust page.
We are always open to suggestions and new ways of fundraising. Anyone wanting to run a marathon or race for us, please give good advance warning to the race organisers as you usually have to register well in advance to enter and be considered as a supported charity. A big thank you to all.
Michael Walton
for and on behalf of the Trustees of The Ben Walton Trust