Press release
30 June 2025
A much-loved hospital charity whose supporters have fundraised more than £150 million towards supporting innovation in patient care for Addenbrooke’s in the first 30-years of its life has pledged to be even more ambitious in years to come.
This year, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) celebrates its 30th birthday – with a special look back at some of the ground-breaking projects it has funded.
ACT is the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals in Cambridge and funds high-tech equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide.
Since April 2025 alone, ACT has invested over £1 million in a range of projects – supporting everything from cutting-edge research and AI, to rehab, mental health and wellbeing, hospital environments, and even family fun days. Since fundraising began 30 years ago, the charity has funded an impressive list of projects, mainly state-of-the-art equipment and vital research.
The charity’s impact stretches far beyond Cambridge and the East of England – funding early research that impacts beyond Addenbrooke’s. Funding comes not just from fundraisers but from individual donors as well as other sources such as grants and legacies.
Pledging to continue the charity’s impressive 30 years of impact to date, ACT’s Chief Executive, Shelly Thake, said: “It is amazing to think how far we have come as a charity since our beginning thirty years ago.”
“We were forged out of a hugely successful community fundraising group and it was the forward thinking of this group of fundraisers that brought us to where we are today after they decided that the people of Cambridge deserved the best medical diagnostics and fundraised for the first whole body CT and MRI scanner here in the city. We really do owe them so much – and would not be here today if it were not for their passion and determination.” Read more of their story here.
“We see these same qualities in all our supporters and fundraisers today who work so tirelessly, with such passion and dedication. We are incredibly proud to be part of ACT and will be forever grateful for the support of all our donors and fundraisers who help to make lives better not just for patients but also staff too.”
“We have achieved so much in the first 30 years of our life and we have even bigger ambitions for the next 30 years and beyond – including our capital campaign to build two new hospitals on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, both of which are a first for the East of England – the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH) and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital (CCH) which will be the first children’s hospital in the world to fully integrate physical and mental wellbeing as part of patient care.”
Roland Sinker, CBE, Chief Executive of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) (pictured right), thanked ACT and all its supporters for their hard work and achievements over the past 30 years.
“I always think of ACT and its supporters as the silent hero because whilst all of us here at the hospital are aware of, and incredibly grateful for, its financial support, to a patient coming to Addenbrooke’s or the Rosie for the first time, they wouldn’t necessarily be aware of how much the charity and its supporters have done to change not just patient experience at the hospital, but staff experience too.”
“They have helped fund groundbreaking research which has benefitted patients across the world and provided high-tech equipment which has provided earlier diagnoses and less invasive treatments, saving lives and thousands of pounds for the NHS as well as helping to cut waiting times.”
“The reality is that every donation made to ACT, no matter how big or small, has a direct impact on staff and patients. So for anyone who has made, or will be making, a donation to the charity that is so close to our hearts, I would like to say a special thank you. Please know that every donation makes a difference.”
This year, to help ACT celebrate its 30th anniversary, the charity is asking supporters, new and old, to raise a cup (not glass!) and host a tea party for Addenbrooke’s.
Businesses in Cambridge and surrounding areas, served by Addenbrooke’s, are also jumping on board the birthday celebrations by launching their own special products to mark ACT’s 30th.
Iconic Cambridge institution and bakery Fitzbillies, famous for its Chelsea Buns, launched ACT’s 30th celebrations at their tearooms in Trumpington Street.
Co-owners Tim Hayward, a food critic and broadcaster, and partner Alison Wright, who won a lifetime achievement award in the Cambridge Independent Business Awards 2024 for rescuing the 104-year-old iconic bakery and cafe, put their weight behind ACT’s 30th because of the ‘world-class’ care Tim received after being admitted to Addenbrooke’s following a medical emergency back in Covid.
Tim was admitted to hospital in November 2020 with COVID-19 and required treatment using a ventilator and suffered a pulmonary embolism. He was discharged after a month, having spent 14 days in a coma, and later described himself as “lucky to have lived” saying: “I wouldn’t be here without the excellent staff and support of the hospital. Thank goodness for world-class care and the fantastic work of ACT. Long may it continue.”
Fitzbillies has dedicated a special window display in their Trumpington Street tearooms and during ACT’s birthday month of July, will donate £1 to the charity for every ACT chocolate cupcake sold and 20% from sales from their special afternoon and cream tea packs.
Another Cambridge favourite – Jack’s Gelato – has created a brand-new flavour of gelato to mark the special occasion. Apple Caramel Tart – representing each first letter of ACT’s name. The special flavour can be purchased online during ACT’s birthday month of July with £4 from every pint sale donated to ACT. Orders will be available for collection 10am-11pm from the Bene’t St shop between Monday August 18th and Friday August 22nd and 9am-11am on Saturday 23rd.
Business owner Jack Van Praag, who sells between 10,000 and 30,000 scoops of gelato a week, said: “We are helping ACT because we believe in the incredible work they do to support patients and their families at Addenbrooke’s. We are proud to contribute to their 30th-anniversary celebrations with a special flavour and donation from every tub sold.”
Hospital staff will get to celebrate ACT’s 30th with their annual staff BBQ on July 2nd, a milestone which this year they share with the Royal Papworth Charity.
- If you would like to fundraise for ACT and host a tea party for Addenbrooke’s, you can order your pack here.
- Afternoon tea party items from the ‘Addenbrooke’s collection’ can be found here.
- Corporates who would like to get involved in fundraising, can get in contact by emailing corporatepartnerships@act4addenbrookes.org.uk
- Click here if you would like to donate to ACT
History of ACT
ACT was born out of two existing charities dating back to the 1990s.
In 1995, gifts and legacies which had been donated to Addenbrooke’s Hospital over the years were registered with the Charity Commission and managed by the hospital trust as The Addenbrooke’s Charities. Two years later, a new charity called The Fund for Addenbrooke’s was established to raise funds to support the hospital.
In 2005, independent trustees were appointed for ACT with assets from both The Addenbrooke’s Charities and The Fund for Addenbrooke’s transferring to the new trustees, thereby establishing ACT as a charity.
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