Northumberland Tea “bags” a contract to supply approaching 60 Co-opfood stores across the North East.
World Cup winner Jack Charlton OBE – a friend of the Logan family and honorary ambassador for Northumberland Tea – brewed-up further interest by popping to his nearby Co-op in Ponteland this week to showcase the tea which bears his image and states that it’s “the best cup since 1966.”
The Corbridge-based business was set up four years ago by Helen and Bill Logan. A donation from every pack sold goes to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, a charity which supported Helen’s father.
Helen Logan, said:
“We’re delighted that after many months of sampling and negotiating, we have agreed a deal with the Co-op that will see Northumberland tea in stores ranging from Teesside to Berwick, which will extend the tea’s reach to many new areas and tea lovers across the north.’’ “The Co-op is at the heart of community life and this development raises awareness of our brand and reaches new markets. “We sold our small café business to look after my father, who lost his battle with cancer in 2012 and then decided to set up Northumberland Tea. We drank so many cuppas during my father’s illness that we felt well qualified! “This contract is another huge milestone for us, and will help us to raise further funds to support the wonderful work that is carried out by the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation finding better ways to detect and treat cancer.”
The move comes as the Co-op expands its local sourcing programme into approaching 60 of its food stores across the North East.
Charlotte Bleasdale, Ranging Manager for the Co-op in the North East, said: “We are thrilled to sell locally loved products such as Northumberland Tea – food provenance and trust is important to our customers.
“It is the passion, quality and innovation involved in developing these products which makes them stand out, they are part of the fabric of local community life and we are proud to give them pride of place at the Co-op.”
Sir Bobby Robson launched his Foundation in 2008 and it has gone on to raise over £11 million to find more effective ways to detect and treat cancer. The work funded directly benefits cancer patients in the North East and Cumbria and plays a significant role in the international fight against the disease.
Working within the NHS, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation does not employ professional fundraisers to proactively raise money and relies completely on third party, volunteer fundraisers and the incredible generosity of the general public.
Pauline Buglass, from the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation said:“We’re so pleased that Northumberland Tea is now going to be available to Co-op customers all across the North East. “With every purchase, tea-lovers will not only be getting a great cuppa, they’ll be helping us continue the work Sir Bobby began when he launched his charity. We’re grateful for the support we receive from Northumberland Tea.”
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About the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation: Sir Bobby launched his Foundation in 2008, after a request for help, to raise funds to equip what became the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle.
The centre offers patients from across the North East and Cumbria access to early drug trials and potential new treatments, and works closely with the Imaging Research Centre to improve diagnosis and study the effects of new drugs.
Often these are ‘first in human’ trials and the Sir Bobby Centre’s dedicated staff also coordinate trials of drugs at later stages of development, working with the National Cancer Networks to ensure patients get offered the best options for treatment.
Working within the NHS, and in collaboration with Newcastle University and other cancer charities, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation’s main aim is to help fund world-class cancer treatments that directly benefit patients. It also helps fund projects that enhance cancer patient care.
Thanks to tremendous support, the Foundation has made possible major new approaches to detecting and treating cancer.
Most recently, it funded the PROSPECT-NE genome sequencing project, which will work with up to 800 cancer patients from across the North East and Cumbria over the next four years. This will help develop ‘personal’ cancer treatments, find out how cancer is impacting on patients’ health and determine in advance if side-effects are likely from treatment.
Funded by an £892,000 contribution from the charity, PROSPECT-NE is being delivered at the Royal Victoria Infirmary’s new state-of-the-art Newcastle Molecular Pathology Node Proximity Lab – an exciting partnership between Newcastle University and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Thanks to tremendous support, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has been able to:
• Fund the PROSPECT-NE genome sequencing project
• Fund four clinical research and nursing posts at The Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre at Newcastle University
• Equip an Ophthalmology Clinical Trial Evaluation Suite at the Royal Victoria Infirmary
• Equip the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre and fund a clinical trials doctor and nurse within it
• Make the majority charitable contribution to ‘stereotactic’ radiotherapy at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care
• Fund a Consultant Clinical Scientist to help optimise radiotherapy treatment for patients at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care
• Jointly fund the PET Tracer Production Unit at Newcastle University
• Fund the ImageStream Imaging Flow Cytometer, which allows scientists to see cancer cells that may be circulating in a patient’s blood
• Part-fund seven years of the complementary therapy programme at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care
• Part-fund creation of a patient Quiet and Information Area at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care
• Fund a microscope for Leukaemia Research Cytogenetics Group at the Royal Victoria Infirmary
• Enhance a dedicated children’s waiting area at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care
• Contribute to the Teenage Cancer Unit at the Great North Children’s Hospital • Fund a region-wide cancer patient ambulance
• Fund a Cancer Support Specialist at Maggie’s Newcastle
Sir Bobby said he would give up a year of his life to the charity. In fact, he became so passionate about it that, despite being very ill, he spent his last 18 months doing all he could to raise funds to find more effective ways to detect and treat cancer through his Foundation.
He described it as “like being at the helm of a team again” – what he proudly called his “last and greatest team.”
Sir Bobby truly believed, with us all pulling together, we will beat the disease.
For further information Andrew Torr Co-op Press Office E: [email protected] M: 07702 505 551 Or please visit www.sirbobbyrobsonfoundation.org.uk
