The voluntary registered charity North East Promenaders Against Cancer (NEPAC) was set up in 1990 following a very successful ‘George Walker North East Last Night of the Proms’ at the City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne. This was organised by George and Rosalynde Walker as one-off thank you concert to raise funds for the doctors and nursing staff of the Haematology Department, Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), Newcastle upon Tyne, who saved George’s life. This concert became a much loved annual event for the people of the North East for 25 years until 2014.
Sadly George died in 2001 but his wife, Rosalynde, continues the charity with the help of family and friends. Funds for charitable purposes are largely raised through musical events, but also from other events such as golf days and coffee mornings, and the donations of sponsors and supporters across the North East and the world of music.
In 2006, the £1 million barrier was passed and, to date, the charity has raised and given out over £1,600,000 – an average of some £60,000 per year. Most of this money is given to the Newcastle University Medical School to support blood related cancer research, particularly into non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, in the hope that it will contribute to improving treatments and survival rates. Funds are also dispersed to assist with patient care to local hospices and cancer support groups across the North East.
The NEPAC Charitable Trust
This is a Board of Trustees responsible for the management of funds, the administration of donations and the organisation of charitable events. The Board meets 4 times a year. All our Trustees are volunteers with a mix of backgrounds and are currently 9 in number:
Rosalynde Walker BEM, Retired – Co-Founder of NEPAC
Ian Newton, Retired - Chairman
Peter Willey, Accountant - Treasurer
Tryfonia Mainou-Fowler, Retired
Polly Tailford, Retired
John Thompson, Retired
Roxanne Walker, Natural England
Marc Walker, BT Global Services
Patrons
NEPAC is very privileged to have a group of Patrons who all have extensive musical talent and have performed at many of our fundraising events, particularly the Last Night of the Proms:
Sir Thomas Allen CBE - baritone
Benjamin Luxon CBE - baritone
Janice Cairns - soprano
Suzanne Manuell - soprano
Bradley Creswick - violinist