Chairman’s statement
It was welcome news that despite other public sector cuts, the government affirmed the country’s international standing in scientific research by re-confirming its commitment to the new institute. Of the total £650 million project cost, Cancer Research UK has committed to fund £160 million. This will require a capital appeal as funds generated by regular fundraising activities are needed to support ongoing research programmes.
Since its formation almost a decade ago,Cancer ResearchUK’s achievements have been remarkable. Thanks to thewell accomplishedmerger of its predecessor organisations, theCharity has sustained a record of scientific innovation,with research expenditure doubling through this
period.Many are thosewho have contributed to this progress –made possible thanks to the great generosity of ourmany supporters and reflected in a similar increase in fundraising income over the same period.
It is a privilege to have been appointed Chairman at a most exciting time for the organisation. Since becoming a Trustee last year, I have been immensely impressed not just by Cancer Research UK’s extraordinary accomplishments, but by the enthusiasm and unswerving commitment of all those who work for and with the Charity, not least those who give so generously of their time as volunteers.
We owe a particular debt of gratitude to my predecessor, Sir David Newbigging, who chaired Cancer Research UK for six years until he stepped down in October 2010. After a long and successful international career he steered the development of a strong organisation on which the Charity can continue to build. We were especially pleased that his contribution to cancer research was marked by a knighthood in the 2011 New Year’s Honours.
Driving progress through research As the world’s largest independent funder of cancer research, the Charity has been at the heart of progress which has seen UK survival rates double over the last 40 years. Its research is responsible for a pipeline of cancer drugs that is unmatched globally by any other charity; our scientists’ discoveries underpin modern radiotherapy, as well as most of the world’s leading drugs used to treat cancer. Thanks to rapid progress, notably in genetics and technology, there are now unprecedented opportunities to accelerate this research. Given the forecasts for increasing incidence of cancer worldwide over the coming decades, it is essential to take full advantage of such potential.
The pursuit of such opportunities is a main driver behind the creation of the UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (to be known as The Francis Crick Institute), a new biomedical research institute of global import to be built in central London close to its leading international hospitals. This project was created through a partnership between four UK biomedical research organisations including Cancer Research UK, as reported last year.
02 / Annual Report and Accounts / Chairman’s statement
Challenging year, significant achievements The fair economic winds which benefited Cancer Research UK during the last decade have however now changed, and like many others we find ourselves in choppier economic water. Indeed UK charitable giving has fallen in each of the last three years. This was reflected in a small decrease last year in the Charity’s fundraising income from the previous year’s record. A reduction in cash and investments and a focus on cost efficiency nonetheless enabled a small increase in total charitable activity.
Through its outreach activities, Cancer Research UK has helped to keep cancer high on the political agenda. In its new strategy for cancer, the government has committed substantial additional funding to cancer services over the next four years. There is an emphasis on improvements in early diagnosis and on a potential shift towards an individualised approach – ‘personalised medicine’ – in future treatments. New legislation was enacted to protect people from some of the major causes of cancer such as exposure to smoking and ultraviolet light. A new national bowel cancer screening test was announced following a 16-year clinical trial, co-funded by Cancer Research UK.
Newappointments We welcomed two new Trustees to Council – in November 2010, Professor Adrian Bird, holder of the Buchanan Chair of Genetics and Director of the Wellcome Trust Centre at the University of Edinburgh – and in March 2011 former Head of Group Research at Roche Professor Jonathan Knowles, holder of professorships in Switzerland, Finland and the University of Oxford. We look forward to the important contributions they bring from their different international perspectives. Professor Sir David Lane retired as Chief Scientist in early 2011, having made an immense contribution to the Charity over many years; we wish him well for the future. He is succeeded as Chief Scientist by Professor Nic Jones of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre; we wish him every success in this important role.
Maintainingworld-class research It has been a pleasure to meet many of our partners during the year and I continue to be impressed by the high esteem in which Cancer Research UK is held. I am confident that our executive leadership will respond with characteristic determination and professionalism in the face of tougher economic circumstances and succeed in balancing our commitments to take advantage of new research opportunities. The sustained generosity of our many supporters – generosity that we do not take for granted – is ever more important to fund research that is recognised as world-class.
Michael Pragnell Chairman 27 June 2011
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64