Your Purple Pennies causes: Supporting Manchester’s cancer research

In February 2023, colleagues across the University voted for three charitable causes to receive support from our new Purple Pennies scheme.   

Purple Pennies is a micro-donation scheme that allows you to donate the pennies from your salary towards charitable causes. It will launch on Monday, 27 March.  

The three causes supported by Purple Pennies will be:    

• Supporting Manchester’s cancer research 
• Helping disadvantaged students
• Wood Street Mission

We will be publishing a spotlight article on each charitable cause this week, ahead of the launch of Purple Pennies on Monday, 27 March. 

Supporting Manchester’s Cancer Research  

What’s it all about?  

In just a few months, Manchester’s world-leading new cancer centre will open its doors. The new Paterson Building - which has been supported by donations to our ‘Re-write Cancer’ campaign - has been specially designed to accelerate cancer research and find solutions more quickly. Importantly, it will bring together clinicians, researchers and patients together under one roof.  

Now, donations will support the delivery of world-class cancer research inside the new building - helping word-class cancer scientists find life-saving solutions more quickly.   

What difference will Purple Pennies make?  

100% of donations received through the Purple Pennies scheme will help drive forward research into promising areas - speeding up progress so that more people with cancer can benefit from new discoveries.  

The team are currently fundraising to create a new postgraduate research opportunity with a focus on drug resistance. This important research will help patients like Peter, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2020.  

Because Purple Pennies provides regular, monthly support, the scheme will make an ongoing difference to what our world-class cancer teams can achieve.   

Are there any other ways to get involved?  

Yes! Colleagues interested in doing more can sign up for a free fundraising place in the Great Manchester Run on 21 May 2023 as part of the University’s Purple Wave. Or you can organise your own fundraising activity - just get in touch with the team at supporters@manchester.ac.uk.   

If you’d like to support this or any other cause you care about with a regular monthly donation, you can do so tax-free via our University payroll giving scheme. With this scheme a £10 a month donation would only cost you £8.

There are also a number of volunteering opportunities avialable. 

More information 

Purple Pennies will launch on Monday, 27 March 2023. 

For further information on Purple Pennies please email people.reward@manchester.ac.uk.