Christie 'banking crisis' charity money returned

16 June 2009



The £6.5 million in charity money lost when Icelandic bank Kaupthing, Singer and Friedlander (KSF) collapsed will be given back to the Christie by NHS North West. A petition of more than 100,000 names collected in just eight weeks was submitted to Downing Street after the bank's funds were frozen in October 2008 by the charity.

As one of Europe's leading cancer centres, the Christie hospital treats more than 40,000 patients per year and has a budget of more than £160 million - £13 million of which is funded through charity donations. Mike Farrar, Chief Executive of NHS North West, explained that the primary concern in returning the money had been the treatment of patients.

He said: "The recent campaign by local people calling for the money to be returned to The Christie has been very powerful and very passionate. This was a unique situation which needed a unique solution and I am pleased we have found a way to provide that for the people in this region."

The NHS authority stated that the funding pledge does not compromise any other NHS service, which is equal to half the charity contribution to the centre's overall annual budget. The Christie had pledged to pursue the matter to the high court had the fund deficit not been met by the NHS.

A group of volunteers working for the Christie charity were given the Queen's Voluntary Service Award earlier this month in recognition for the contributions individuals have made to local communities in the region.

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