A journey around Yorkshire and beyond in Flat Caps!Our supporters strode, danced, flung, chattered, dressed down, dressed up, sang, drummed, baked, debated and travelled in flat caps this year.

The month of March saw us mark Brain Tumour Awareness Month in our usual style by inviting people to grab flat caps and host various Flat Cap Friday events across Yorkshire.

As always, our fabulous supporters pulled out all the stops to make this year an unforgettable one. Over the page we share some of the Flat Cap Friday highlights from March…

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Welcome to the Summer Edition of the BTRS newsletter.We’ve had an incredibly busy start to the year and are so thrilled to share that fundraising season is now in full swing!

From reflecting on the success of Flat Cap Friday and showcasing the work of our amazing ambassadors to sharing some fantastic fundraising stories – like Christine’s trek up Mount Kilimanjaro –  and looking ahead to our 2019 events schedule, we’ve got a jam-packed edition for you to enjoy.

Over the last six months, we’ve done some reflecting here at BTRS to define exactly what it is that makes our charity so special. In doing so, we’ve refined what we offer to make it really clear to all how we can support you, and how you can support us.

Loving supportDiagnosed with a brain tumour in Yorkshire? We offer a welcoming and professional support service for patients and families. Our work starts at diagnosis of a primary brain tumour and we’re here for you as much or as little as you need along the way. Our support services include: support groups,

holistic therapy, patient grants, counselling and hypnotherapy, benefits advice and one-to-one support and information.

Loving researchWe fund next generation research because we want to find a cure by supporting local masterminds that love brain tumour research and drive this effort forward alongside us.

Loving fundraisingGet involved, organise your own event or sign up for a challenge – we are here to help you. From regional 10K’s and marathons to sponsored walks, bake sales and sky dives, you’ll find all kinds of fundraising ideas at BTRS.

Loving communityOur charity shop on Otley Road is the perfect place to pick up a bargain. If shopping isn’t your thing, you can indulge in a cup of Yorkshire Tea (of course) and a slice of homemade cake.

Loving givingOur spare a thought campaign is all about the little things you can do to make a big difference. From donating a percentage of your Amazon order to BTRS to collecting spare change in a jam jar, every little thing you do helps us reach our goals.

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IN THIS ISSUE...Christine climbs

Kilimanjaro

Flat Cap Friday fundraising

Catch up with the BTRS ambassadors

BTRS NEWSLETTERSUMMER 2019

Celebrating our corporate companions So far in 2019 we’ve made some fantastic corporate connections who are all dedicated to supporting BTRS through various fundraising activities throughout the year.

If you regularly take part in our events, you might see some of these wonderful people about so make sure you give them a wave and say hi.

Here is a bit more about our corporate supporters for 2019…

Sugarhouse – a specialist estate agent next

door to No 31 in Headingley, Sugarhouse is donating £1 of every tenancy to BTRS throughout the year, as well as encouraging tenants to donate their unwanted clothes and homeware to No 31 when they check out! A lovely bunch, we are so pleased to have them on board.

Motive8 – continuing their fantastic support of BTRS Motive8 is one of Leeds’ leading

personal training companies. The team are always supportive

of our endeavours taking part in lots of our events from physical challenges to hosting quizzes and donating gifts at Christmas.

Smartwatch –  tackling the Three Peaks for us this year, Smartwatch love a challenge and are brilliant supporters of BTRS all year round.

Sacco Mann – team members at Sacco Mann felt compelled to rally around colleagues affected by a brain tumour diagnosis in recent months, and in doing so found BTRS. We have got off to a great start;

they are busy collecting change in jam jars, have created a pop-up shop, glammed up Flat Cap Friday with their fabulous selfies and entered a team of 18 into this year’s Total Warrior!

Hot off the pressWelcome to Lill Bros Fisheries in Bradford! A great year ahead is planned.

We’re always looking for more businesses to join the BTRS family! If you’d like to put your place of work forward as a BTRS charity partner, please get in touch with Nicki onnicki@btrs.org.uk.

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Getting down with the Garvey’sA Benidorm themed fundraiser in memory of Maci Craddock

On Saturday 2 March Susan Mountain, inspired by the memory of her beautiful daughter Maci, hosted a unique fundraiser themed to the ITV hit comedy Benidorm.

The classic Neptune’s Bar at the Solana was swapped for the Lakeside Restaurant in Ponderosa and everyone who attended had a brilliant night. As well as fun entertainment Susan hosted an auction, raffle and a tombola. In total the night raised a whopping £7,500 for BTRS.

Here’s what Susan had to say about the event: “This was the second event I’ve organised in memory of Maci and I’ve

already booked another one in for next year. Maci was so kind, caring and generous which is why I have to raise money in her memory – it’s the only thing I can do now.  We need  to raise awareness about DIPG and help other families in any way we can. Organising this event was very emotional and hard work, but I’ve got to do it.

Benidorm was Maci’s favourite programme and her favourite place for holidays because her grandad lives there. Everyone at the event had a fantastic time, we even had our very own Madge on her mobility scooter!!”

A call for ambassadorsIn the last edition of the newsletter we shared that we were on the lookout for BTRS ambassadors.

Our ambassadors are proud supporters who are willing to use their time and talents to help us raise the profile of BTRS!

Janet was one of our first ambassadors and she says of her experience working with BTRS: “I love being a collecting tin ambassador for BTRS. It’s really sociable, I can do it in my own time and it is up to me how many tins I place, so it’s easy to

manage. The team at BTRS give me lots of support and it’s a great way of spreading the word about the charity in my local community. Last year the tins I managed raised over £1,150 which makes me really proud!”

Our ambassador programme has been so successful that we’re looking for more people to join us!

Whatever you’re good at, we would love to hear from you. We have ambassadors for all sorts of things

from collecting tins to cake, and tombola’s to tip runs. Each of them helps in their own way to keep BTRS running like clockwork.

If you’re interested in getting involved, contact Nicki on nicki@btrs.org.uk.

We kicked the event off in style at No 31 where we hosted a whole load of fun activities including our hamper raffle which was full of Yorkshire goodies.

The fantastic musicians from ManFloo played a gig at The Three Horseshoes in Headingley with proceeds going to Flat Cap Friday. While stalwart supporters, Kwame D did a gig for us at The Britannia in Pudsey and then at No 31 – to the delight of our customers.

The team at Asda House, led by BTRS supporter Lucinda Thompson, hosted a wonderful bake sale where they all donned fantastic flat caps.

Our long-time supporters Motive8 North hosted their annual Not Just

a Quiz in Leeds which got everyone laughing and digging their hands in their pockets.

We’re also especially grateful for; the Moortown West Walkers who did a family walk in Flat Caps and raised nearly £900, our wonderful schools, Royds in Oulton, Upper Wharefdale and Ravenscliffe, The Yorkshire Dialect Group, The Rotary Clubs of Skipton and Scarborough and Kempadoo Millar who designer five bespoke flat caps used as event prizes,

We also want to thank our corporate supporters, Sacco Mann who hosted a fantastic pop up shop, Keelham Farm Shop and Ridley and Hall Solicitors in Huddersfield.

We ended the week on a lovely note as esteemed poet Ian McMillan wrote a fantastic poem all about the great flat cap just for BTRS. All in all, we’ve raised over £5,000 to date, in all corners of Yorkshire, with money still coming in!

If you’re Yorkshire born and bredStick this flat lid on your Yorkshire head;If you’re Yorkshire and you’re proudWear two flat caps ‘cos you’re allowed!If you’re Yorkshire say with me

I don’t want one cap: I want three.Before you open your Yorkshire doorWear one and two and three and fourWear a dozen then cheer and clapFor the White Rose Crown: the great flat cap!

The Perfect Headgear, by @IMcMillan

Janet and her collecting tins at a local garden centre

Christine climbs Mount KilimanjaroA few months ago, Christine Hayes achieved something very few others have. After months of gruelling training, a number of self-run fundraisers, and many, many trips to the outdoor shop for gear, she climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for BTRS.

Along with some of her closest friends, she took on the challenge in memory of her dad who passed away

from a brain tumour in 2014.

Her hardcore training began six months prior to the challenge, with 20-mile back-to-back walks on weekends –  often in the Peak District or Lake District – so she could get used to the hard inclines and challenging terrain, combined with cardio and circuit workouts in the gym. 

Despite challenging conditions which included sickness and blinding headaches thanks to the altitude, Christine made it to the summit. Here’s

what she has to say about the challenge: “The team spirit of the group kept us all going. Reaching the summit overnight was a gruelling nine-hour climb to the top, and it took us another three hours to get back down. I had nothing left to give for the last hour, but I remembered for who, and why, I was doing it and not succeeding wasn’t even option.”

She continued: The worst things about the climb were the repetitive food and the sickness. A nasty bug hit camp on day two which was hard for the ones that were ill, as their energy levels were so low, and it effected morale. On a more positive note, the best things were the stunning scenery and the perfect weather conditions. I also made lots of new friendships within the larger group, we all shared stories and supported each other throughout the 11 days to keep us going.”

Overall, Christine raised a phenomenal £3613.75 for BTRS, and we are so thankful for her journey.

Want to do your own challenge?Are you inspired by Christine’s story? Did you know you can do a challenge for BTRS through Life Changing Challenges?

Life Changing Challenges make the whole process really smooth, all you need to do is choose your challenge, pay your deposit, select your chosen charity (BTRS), raise money and enjoy your challenge!

They feature some of the world’s most challenging destinations from Everest and Machu Picchu to wing walking and the three peaks.

If you’re interested, you can find Life Changing Challenges atwww.life-changingchallenges.co.uk.

BTRS 2019 eventsWe’ve now finalised the majority of the BTRS events for 2019 and we’re so thrilled to share them with you. You can sign up to any of the events below on the BTRS website at www.btrs.org.uk.

The Big Bike Challenge - Throughout May 2019Taking place throughout the month of May we’re inviting you to pedal your own challenge around Yorkshire!

Open to all ages and abilities, all you need to do is set a target –  450 miles (right round Yorkshire) 200 miles (length and breadth of

Yorkshire) or 50 miles (twice round Leeds Ring Road) –  pay £10 to enter and get sponsored!

Overall, we would love you to get the equivalent of £1 per mile throughout the month. So, if your target is 50 miles, you would raise a total of £50 in sponsorship!

Total Warrior Leeds - Saturday 22nd June 2019BTRS is delighted to be one of the official charities in the 2019 Total Warrior Leeds event.

We are offering a fantastic deal for this event… if you sign up for the race on Saturday 22nd June, the entry fee for both an adult or junior is just £1!

There are 83 places up for grabs with BTRS for this event, anybody that signs up is committing to raise over £100.

Let’s get one almighty BTRS team together to tackle the gruelling Total Warrior Leeds challenge.

Run for all Leeds 10K - Sunday 7th JulyThe Leeds 10K is Run for All’s first – and some would still say best – run. Come and experience the unrivalled atmosphere and the electric finish of this fantastic race with BTRS. Entry is £25 with a sponsorship target of over £100.

Yorkshire Day Skydive - Thursday 1st August 2019Want to join a group of fantastic Yorkshire Day skydivers and raise money for BTRS? No experience is required as all training is given. If you raise the minimum sponsorship you can receive your skydive for free! Places are filling up already so get yours booked today. BTRS will provide your place if you can raise over £400 in sponsorship.

Step into Christmas, BTRS BallSat 7th December 2019, 6.45pm – 12.30am

The BTRS Ball returns with a bang in 2019! Step into the sumptuous surroundings of Oulton Hall Hotel and start your Christmas celebrations in style. We are delighted to

have TV & Radio presenter, live host and DJ Ryan Swain compering the evening. Tickets are just £50 and include a drink on arrival courtesy of Slingsby Gin, a delicious three course festive meal and live entertainment throughout the evening, sponsored by Chauvet Europe.

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Contact the Team...

Patient SupportOffice: 0113 340 0111 (Opt 3)

Mob: 07539 457239

Email: info@btrs.org.uk

Head OfficeOffice: 0113 340 0111 (Opt 1)

Mob: 07436 272665

Email: rachel@btrs.org.uk

FundraisingOffice: 0113 340 0111 (Opt 1)

Mob: 07947 360076

Email: nicki@btrs.org.uk

BTRS Shop No 31Shop: 0113 340 0111 (Opt 2)

No 31, Otley Road,Headingley, Leeds, LS6 3AA

News from No 31No 31 is going from strength to strength at the moment and remains at the heart of what we do at BTRS.

At the beginning of 2019 we welcomed a new shop team who are having a great time getting to grips with things at No 31, along with meeting so many of our fabulous supporters and patients.

Whether you’re a regular or not, we thought it would be nice to introduce you to the team so you know who to say hi to the next time you visit.

Sammy: “Before I joined No 31 I worked at Starbucks part time, and before that I was a full time mumma! I love working here because it’s a space where I can be creative. I also really enjoy making our customers feel welcome in a friendly atmosphere.

Becky: “I was a volunteer at No 31 for a year before I started working here. My family has known BTRS since I was fourteen, so I love working with the team. My favourite part of the job is talking to the customers. We have such a mix of people coming in, so every day is different and great fun.”

Pop in for a cuppa soon to meet Sammy and Becky in person!

What can you find at No 31?If you still haven’t made it to our physical home on Otley Road, we urge you to come along. As well as having a great selection of coffee and cake, there’s also plenty to keep the little ones occupied.

When it comes to the items in the shop it’s packed full of beautiful items to suit all tastes and budgets. We pride ourselves on the quality of our stock and are always changing the pieces so that every time you visit, there is something new to be found.

From small house hold items, gifts and jewellery to gorgeous women’s, men’s and children’s clothing, No 31 has a little bit of everything.

We’re always on the lookout for new stock for No 31. If you’re having a clear out and are looking to re-home some items, pop it down to BTRS during our shop opening hours.

Also, if you’re a regular, make sure you pick up a loyalty card - once you’ve bought five drinks, we’ll give you one free!

Research newsBTRS & OSCAR’s Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity to co-fund a new Tissue Bank.

BTRS has committed to raising £75,000 to fund a new tissue banking project in Yorkshire. Our funding commitment will last for three years and we are pleased to be joining forces with Oscar’s PBTC who have agreed to co-fund the project with us.

Leeds is well placed to contribute to both national and local tissue banking initiatives because there is an academically active critical mass of surgeons, oncologists and scientists focusing brain tumour research.

Dr Lucy Stead, who will be leading on the project, is a dedicated scientist who is highly motivated. Dr Stead is Head of Glioma Genomics at the University of Leeds. A regular speaker at BTRS support groups and events, Dr Stead understands the needs of the local brain tumour community and is passionate about discovering new ways of fighting brain tumours.

The work that she is doing locally will complement the national tissue banking initiative and create more opportunities for researchers to have greater success in brain tumour investigation.

It is envisaged the tissue bank will begin operating in Autumn 2019.

To find out more about Dr Stead’s work please visithttp://www.braincancer.leeds.ac.uk/

Support news

We wanted to share a little reminder in this issue that we host a monthly professional, informal and friendly support group in Leeds.

Our meeting gives you and your family the chance to chat with other people going through a similar journey. Some months we have guest speakers who attend the group to present and discuss topics which they are experienced in and are relevant to both patients and relatives. We also host a Christmas gathering welcoming all members of our support groups.

Our Monthly Meeting is...

• The first Thursday of the Month.• At The Crowne Plaza, Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 4DL. • From 6.30pm to 8.30pm. 

Please  contact our  Patient Support Specialist to find out more on:info@btrs.org.uk or 0113 340 0111.

Dr Lucy Stead hard at work

Little Albie is having a great time at No 31

Enjoying a coffee at No 31