Business as usual at The Christie

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Business as usual at The Christie

Oct 29, 2008

By Amanda Crook

CHRISTIE bosses have insisted it's 'business as usual' - as they frantically struggle to recover £7.5m from a failed Icelandic bank.

The cancer hospital went ahead with one of its biggest fundraising events of the year last night, with chief executive Caroline Shaw admitting she had 'hardly slept' over the past few days.

Trust bosses say they have been working round the clock to recover the money invested in the Kaupthing, Singer and Friedlander bank

Speaking at the Black and White Diamond Ball at the Ramada Jarvis hotel in Manchester, Ms Shaw said: "It's been an exhausting, upsetting and worrying few days - not just for us but for our fundraisers.

"My feet haven't touched the ground and my head has barely touched the pillow.

"But it is also business as usual - and that includes continuing with our fundraising and caring for our patients."

Bosses at the world-renowned cancer unit, in Withington, plan to steer away from banks in future and place all charitable income with the Treasury to cut risk.

Christie chairman Jim Martin said the trust would get through its current difficulties to build two radiotherapy centres in Oldham and Salford and a new clinical trials centre.

He told supporters at the ball: "We are working around the clock to get this money back, its vital we do this for patients and for all our generous supporters. Our money was managed using best practice guidance and when we placed these deposits in the bank it had a top credit rating.

"At the time - and hindsight is a wonderful thing - this investment was the right thing to do. We received the very best advice and we were not alone.

"The financial situation is affecting so many organisations and we have unfortunately been caught up in it.

"We can't let the current economic climate dampen our efforts. We have ambitious plans that will transform cancer care and treatment for patients and we need your support to be able to do this."

The highlight of the ball, hosted by BBC presenter Gordon Burns, was the auction of a diamond necklace worth more than £4,000 and designed specially for the Christie.

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