• ScottishPower and its customers and staff donate over £2 million to Cancer Research UK over the last 15 months



• Over 600 ScottishPower staff and their families taking part in the largest women only fund raising event in the UK

Over 13,000 women were out in force in Glasgow Green yesterday (Sunday 26th May) taking part in Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, the largest women-only fundraising event series in the UK.

As the Official Energy Sponsor of Race for Life 2013, ScottishPower had over 600 staff members, along with their friends and family take part on the day. Over the last 15 months ScottishPower and its customers and staff have donated more than £2 million* for the cancer charity’s life-saving work.

Neil Clitheroe, ScottishPower’s CEO of Retail and Generation, helped at the start line of the Glasgow Race for Life event, and was also on hand to give out pink gloves as part of the company’s special ‘High 5 Challenge’.   ScottishPower is asking people use their positive energy to complete five fun online challenges to help generate 50,000 virtual ‘High 5s’ via Facebook and Twitter, which they will convert to £25,000 for Cancer Research UK.**

Neil Clitheroe said: “We are very proud to be the Official Energy Sponsor of Cancer Research UK's Race for Life 2013, and I was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and the positive spirit shown by everyone taking part in today’s event.  The atmosphere was fantastic, and everyone was determined to have fun - but at the same time there was a real purpose to raise as much money as possible to help the fight against cancer.

 “Since we formed a relationship with Cancer Research UK 15 months ago, we are delighted to have raised over £2 million and would like to say a huge thank you to all our staff and customers who have helped us along the way.

“The battle against cancer never stops. More than one in three people will develop some form of the disease in their lifetime. That’s why ScottishPower is so passionate about raising millions of pounds for Cancer Research UK’s groundbreaking research and working to help raise vital awareness of how people can reduce their risk of cancer.”

ScottishPower formed a major relationship with the charity in February 2012 and has raised vital funds through a raft of different initiatives and events including Race for Life and sales of a discounted ‘Help beat cancer’ energy tariff.

Staff have also put their heart and soul into the fundraising drive by organising everything from sponsored beard-growing competitions to bake-offs and bikeathons.

ScottishPower is also working together with the charity to help people understand the link between lifestyle and cancer. This includes sharing healthy living messages with their customers and employees to help reduce their risk of the disease.

Notes to Editors

*As of May 2013.

**£0.50 will be donated to Cancer Research UK Trading Ltd by ScottishPower for each valid High 5, up to a maximum donation of £25,000.  Cancer Research UK Trading Ltd gives its taxable profits to Cancer Research UK (Registered charity in England and Wales [1089464], Scotland [SCO41666] and the Isle of Man [1103]).

You can see full terms and conditions at https://www.scottishpower-high5.co.uk/terms

Media information:

About Race for Life

• Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life 2013 is the UK’s largest women-only fundraising event series with over 230 events around the UK from May to the end of September.
• Women and girls of all ages, abilities, shapes and sizes from all over the UK join together to walk, jog or run 5k to raise money to help beat over 200 types of cancer affecting men, women and children.  All women are welcome, regardless of whether they are taking part on their own or as part of a group.
• This year it will be even easier to take part and raise money as a group, with the introduction of a simple to use online group entry process.
• In 2013, Cancer Research UK hopes to recruit 560,000 women and raise £50m to help fund life-saving work.
• Women will have the opportunity to take part in the traditional 5k or opt for a 10k route, without having to pay an additional entry fee, at 39 venues across the UK.
• The entry fee is £14.99 for adults and £10 for girls under 16.  This covers the costs of staging the event series and means that money raised in sponsorship can go to help beat cancer.
• Race for Life started as one event in 1994 at Battersea Park with 680 participants.
• Since Race for Life started, an incredible 6.5 million participants across the UK have raised over £490 million to fund Cancer Research UK’s vital work.

About Cancer Research UK

• Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.
• The charity’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
• Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on every pound donated.
• Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates in the UK double in the last forty years.
• Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
• Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.