Firm picks charity partner for 150th birthday year

A famous Scottish food group is this year celebrating its 150th anniversary – and chosen a worth cause as its charity partner.

Baxters will be working together with Macmillan Cancer Support throughout its 150th year in a bid to raise over £100,000.

The funds will support two Macmillan nurses for a year, enabling them to continue to provide invaluable specialist care and support to those living with cancer.

Staff at the company’s sites across the UK will be getting involved, with everything from daredevil sky dives and bungee jumps to more relaxing raffles and race nights being arranged to generate funds.

Laura Foreman, fundraising manager for Macmillan, joined Baxters’ John McMullen, CEO, European business unit; Clyde Marwick, group HR director and Fiona Lindsay, group communications manager at the company’s headquarters in Edinburgh to kick off the fundraising partnership.

The pair served up an extra special celebration cake filled with Baxters raspberry jam, the product that originally started the Baxters story in 1868 in a small grocery shop in the Highland village of Fochabers.

Audrey Baxter, executive chairman at Baxters, said: ‘What better way to mark our 150th anniversary celebrations than with the announcement of our chosen charity of the year.

‘We wanted to partner with an organisation that our staff, customers and consumers would feel passionate about supporting and Macmillan Cancer Support was the ideal fit thanks to the incredible work they are doing all over the UK.

‘The whole team here at Baxters is looking forward to getting behind the fundraising efforts.’

Macmillan fundraising manager Laura Foreman said: ‘We are incredibly grateful to Baxters for supporting us as they celebrate their 150th birthday.

‘At Macmillan, we know cancer can affect everything. We’re here to help people live their best life, no matter what, but we can’t do it without the amazing people and firms who fundraise for us.

‘The money Baxters and their fantastic staff will raise will go towards funding our vital services.’

For four generations the Baxter family have been producing some of the UK’s finest soups, jams and chutneys.

Founded by George Baxter in 1868 with a mission to ‘Be different, be better’, Baxters has grown into one of the nation’s most treasured brands and a global food business with operations in the US, Australia and Europe.

Working with Macmillan Cancer Support is one of a number of initiatives to mark the milestone anniversary.