Peterborough cancer charity given £5,000 from Amazon

The Malcolm Whales Foundation organises events to raise funds for cancer research and encourages people to be physically active and live healthy lives.

The donation will go towards the charity’s annual Dorset sponsored walk in which secondary school students from across Cambridgeshire walk 40 miles over three days to raise money for research into multiple types of cancer. The Amazon donation will fund the places of 50 disadvantaged students.

Damien Whales, who launched the foundation in memory of his father Malcolm and is a teacher in a Peterborough school, said: “The Dorset Walk provides students with an amazing experience, something that is more important than ever in light of the events of the past 12 months.

“We are determined to make this type of event accessible to any student who wishes to participate. The £100 entry cost can be a significant barrier for some families and while we have a hardship fund within the charity that enables us to support a small number of students each year, this donation from Amazon will be a significant boost.”

Victor Pulido, General Manager at Amazon in Peterborough, said: “We are so pleased to support The Malcolm Whales Foundation with this donation of £5,000. I know it is a charity that means a lot to our team. On behalf of everyone here at Amazon, I wish them all the best with the Dorset Walk.”

Community donations are one of a number of ways in which Amazon is supporting communities across the UK during COVID-19.

Amazon is providing disadvantaged students with online STEM courses as well as teaming up with charity partner Magic Breakfast and delivering more than three and a half million healthy breakfasts to families around the UK.