Cancer charity Chair of Trustees recognised in New Years Honours list

The Chair of Trustees at Stockport-based charity, Beechwood Cancer Care, has been recognised in the Queen’s New Years Honours list.

John Stevenson has been awarded an MBE for his charitable fundraising, after having raised over £1 million for various cancer charities, including Beechwood, since losing his stepmother to cancer in his twenties.

As well as chairing Beechwood Cancer Care’s board of Trustees, John is a director at Manchester-based IFA, Pareto Financial Planning. He also set up the Man@manchester Comedy Lunch, now in its seventh year, which in 2019 had raised a total of over £750,000 for Beechwood after attracting support of comedians including John Bishop, Paddy McGuiness and Jason Manford.

After celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2020, the cancer charity has shifted much of its support to online and telephone services due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Beechwood Cancer Care offer support and counselling to those living with cancer, and other life-limited illnesses, as well as their families and carers. The charity works with people at all stages of their illness and clients include include those who have just been diagnosed and need a listening ear, people at different stages of treatment and those ready to move on following treatment.