EMPLOYEE'S STORIES 

We're fundraising for the Cure RTD Foundation because earlier this year, our little girl Rosa became very unwell and ended up in ICU on a ventilator.  It was an incredibly frightening time, and we weren't sure if she would pull through.  

After months of uncertainty Rosa was finally diagnosed with RTD (Riboflavin Transporter Defieciency) and extremely rare and life threatening genetic condition, with only 400 cases known worldwide.  Because it's so rare many doctors aren't familiar with it and getting the right treatment can be a real challenge.

The CURE RTD Foundation were incredible and provided crucial information and guidance.  Their support has been life changing and played a huge role in Rosa's recovery so far.  

We want to raise awareness and support the foundation's vital work and help other families and funding research.

The support from everyone at NEXT has been incredible, and now e're doing what we can to give something back.  If you can spare anything, click here for our JustGiving link.

And to find out more about the Cure RTD Foundation click here  

On 19th September, I am embarking on a trek to Everest Base Camp along with seven other inspiring women. From hiking as a hobby, to ticking something off my bucket list, the training for this has become a journey of resilience and determination. The mountain still awaits us, and with each training trek I am reminded of the strength we all possess.

As we take on this challenge, it is only fitting that we raise funds to show some remarkable girls that they deserve more, and so I've set myself a target of raising £5,000 for Unique Home for Girls In Jalandur, India.

The home was established in 1993 with a mission to care for unwanted, unclaimed, or orphaned girls. The baby girls are sometimes found abandoned or left outside the home. Currently, Unique Home provides a safe haven for about 60 girls, offering them shelter, education and the opportunity for a secure future.

All support and donations will make a huge difference to their lives, providing them with a loving home to help them rise above their circumstances and build a brighter future.  Click here to support Nimala and the girls. And for more info about UK Friends Unique home for girls click here 

We're fundraising for the Cure RTD Foundation because earlier this year, our little girl Rosa became very unwell and ended up in ICU on a ventilator.  It was an incredibly frightening time, and we weren't sure if she would pull through.  

After months of uncertainty Rosa was finally diagnosed with RTD (Riboflavin Transporter Defieciency) and extremely rare and life threatening genetic condition, with only 400 cases known worldwide.  Because it's so rare many doctors aren't familiar with it and getting the right treatment can be a real challenge.

The CURE RTD Foundation were incredible and provided crucial information and guidance.  Their support has been life changing and played a huge role in Rosa's recovery so far.  

We want to raise awareness and support the foundation's vital work and help other families and funding research.

The support from everyone at NEXT has been incredible, and now e're doing what we can to give something back.  If you can spare anything, click here for our JustGiving link.

And to find out more about the Cure RTD Foundation click here  

I was just 12 when my Dad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, a type of blood cancer.  He had a lot of chemotherapy but unfortunately it didn't cure his cancer and he needed a stem cell transplant to change his life.  thankfully, the Anthony Nolan charity found a lifesaving stem cell match for my Dad.  15 years later, my Dad is healthy again & we are celebrating this huge milestone (and his 60th birthday) by running the Great North Run!

UNITY at NEXT have partnered with ANTHONY NOLAN and I was delighted to join the committee in 2024 to help champion this partnership  Worryingly, ethnic minority patients are  under-represented on the register, reducing their match chances from 69% (white northern European) to 20%.  Leicester's diverse community offers a huge opportunity to raise awareness and save lives.

If you would like to contribute to my fundraising, I'd be so grateful.  Click here to support Jess and to find out more about ANTHONY NOLAN click here  Interested in finding out more about UNITY click here

I’m running the 2026 London Marathon for Mind! I’m so excited to share the news that I’ll be taking on the challenge of running the 2026 London Marathon in support of Mind, a charity that means so much to me.

Mental health is something very close to my heart. My dad, who sadly passed away last year, struggled greatly with his mental health and seeing what he went through has made me even more determined to raise awareness and help others get the support they need. While he is a big part of my “why,” I also know that mental health challenges affect so many people - friends, family, colleagues, often in silence.

Mind do incredible work providing advice, support, and campaigning for better mental health services. They make sure no one has to face these struggles alone, and I’m proud to be running for them.

The London Marathon will be a huge physical and mental challenge for me, but I know it will be worth every step if it means making a difference.

If you are able to donate to this amazing cause, I would be so grateful any amount, big or small, will help Mind continue their life-changing work.

Thank you for your support - let the running journey begin!  To help Katie reach her fundraising target click here

And for more info about the charity MIND click here

Hey everyone! 😊

This September, I’m running the Sheffield 10k in support of Diabetes UK, a cause close to my heart. 🏃‍♂️💙

If you’re able to, I’d be so grateful for your support—every donation makes a difference!

You can sponsor me here

To learn more about Diabetes UK click here

I’m Karolina Garcia-Garcia I work at one of your NEXT stores in Orpington Kent, Sadly I suffer multiple sclerosis. 

I was diagnosed in 2014 after coming home from doing The Great Wall of China, and suffering from a mini stroke. 

Unfortunately I couldn’t eat a had to have a tube inserted to feed liquid supplements and I walk, Drive or do anything due to being paralysed all down left side. 

And from then really my life has been a bit of a rollercoaster, with having to give up my career as a Professional Holistic Massage & Spa Therapist. 

But The MS Trust gave me hope with supporting me through this journey and helping me to find the best option of therapy i.e mental health, physical therapy, speech therapy, the list goes on. 

And I would just like to say here’s a little help for others like myself by raising awareness and funds for The MS Trust. 

as it if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t have had this support. 

And as you may know sadly the Government doesn’t support The MS Trust or The MS Society. 

I was 50 on the 24th July, and I thought let’s raise money for MS and people can see that there is still hope. 

Click here to help Karolina raise as much as possible for the MS Trust 

If you would like to find out more about the MS Trust click here

A few months back I decided that as I enter my 50th year I would do a few positive things. One of these being a charity tandem Skydive which I've signed up to for September 14th of this year.

Now, I wouldn't say I'm great with heights and I can get a bit weak at the knees just looking over the edge of a multi storey car park. So the thought of leaping out of a plane at 13000ft with a stranger attached to my back is pretty nerve racking. Free fall is 120mph apparently which is equally exciting as it is scary.

Anyhow, I've ordered some Big Boy Pants and the charity I've chosen is the brilliant LOROS.

Both myself and my brilliant wife Jo have had family members who have been through LOROS and naturally additional family members who have had peace of mind knowing their loved ones are cared for during their final days.

So my pledge to LOROS is to raise £800 or more. 

If you like the idea of me being nervous between now and September and then a complete wreck on the day then please dig deep and offer whatever you can to help raise funds for a wonderful local charity that is desperately in need of funds here

And to find out more about LOROS click here 

The Positive Impact Foundation are a non-profit organisation that work within the community across Coventry, Warwickshire & Leicestershire. I have admiration for all of the staff that work at positive impact as they put their all into supporting a variety of communities and age groups. I am deciding to support my best friend Leah , who is head of the foundation as I have witnessed all of the work that she does, especially with the elderly as I know that's very close to her heart. This is why I have chosen to join the challenge to walk 5 peaks within 48 hours to show as much support as possible for the positive impact foundation. 

Click here to support and encourage Megan as she walks the 5 Peaks

And for more info about The Positive Impact Foundation click here

Next year, on Sunday, April 26th, I'll be running my first ever London Marathon to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer UK. This charity is incredibly close to mine and my family's hearts. 

I'm undertaking this challenge primarily in memory of my Dad. Sixteen years ago, he passed away at the age of 42 when I was just 16. Growing up, my Dad was my idol, and I was his shadow. He worked incredibly hard but always made time for his family. When he was 40, he sat us down and told us he had been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. As kids, we never fully appreciated the seriousness of the situation, but it wasn't long before the illness took its devastating toll, and we began to grasp its true gravity. Over that two-year period, he fought as hard as he possibly could. However, as you quickly learn when researching pancreatic cancer, it's often not about if you survive, but for how long you can survive.

London is where we lived, and being able to take on such a huge challenge in the very city we called home, and where he worked, is an opportunity I couldn't pass up. Pancreatic Cancer UK does amazing, vital work and often doesn't receive the awareness it deserves. To do this on their behalf is a true honour.

I would be incredibly grateful for any donation you might consider, no matter how big or small, to help me reach my fundraising goal for this crucial cause.

To find out more about Ben's chosen charity Pancreatic Cancer UK click here and to help Ben reach his fundrasing goal click here

Harvy did it!

"The hike was really difficult due to the heat but I did manage to get to the top of Snowdon and was very achy the next day."

The charity raised an amazing £132,000 . 

Harvy took on the challenge to complete the Snowdon hike on Saturday 12th July to raise money for the incredible Khalsa Aid charity. 

I strongly support Khalsa Aid because it's a humanitarian organization that provides crucial disaster relief globally. Beyond that, they also do vital work locally in the UK, offering food to the homeless and running breakfast clubs for school-aged children.

If you would like to share your support and contribute to my fundraising page using the link.  Thank you in advance .

Click here if you'd like to support Harvy

And for more info about Khalsa Aid click here

Thursday 22nd May - Sunday 25th May myself and my team of 4 others are running from London to Paris for Parkinsons UK and The Armed Forces Charity! The run takes 4 days in total with camping at night, we will each run roughly 13/14miles a day running into Paris to the Eiffel Tower this Sunday the 25th!

We aren't only just taking part in this for the challenge, all of us are directly/indirectly linked to someone with Parkinsons, have either themselves been a part of the armed forces or know someone within the armed forces. Two amazing charities, we would be grateful for any support with our challenge! 

To find out more about Phillippa's chosen charities click here for Parkinson's UK and for The Armed Forces Charity click here

Livvii had the opportunity to take part in a Sky Dive and with some encouragement from fiancee Adam she has agreed despite being scared of heights. So a real challenge but Livvii is excited especially as it's raising funds for Wishes 4 Kids.  They grant wishes for kids that are terminally ill, have experienced life-changing physical or emotional traumas and suffered abuse. If you'd like to support Livvii with her fundraising and help her make a wish come true click here

Ben Cave and four friends—Craig Morris, Ady Ward, Scott Monan, and Jason Buchanan—along with Herbert the Dog, took on a massive challenge: completing three coast-to-coast rides in three days across Scotland, England, and Wales. We covered a distance of 620 kilometers and gained 7,740 meters in height, which is the equivalent of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro almost 1.5 times!

We successfully completed the challenge, finishing the last day in the dark after cycling through the wet and wild mountains and valleys of Wales. We cycled for 25 hours over three days and have raised over £12,000 for LOROS. Any further donations would be greatly appreciated.

We chose to support LOROS because they have played a huge part in looking after family members within our group, showing real care and devotion to their patients. They truly are "real-life angels," and it has been a real honour to help support them in the small way we can.

To help they guys increase their fundraising total click here 

And to find out more about LOROS click here

My lovely friend Alice lost her mum to cancer around two months ago, she was cared for so amazingly in her last few weeks by Myton Hospice so myself, Alice and some family/ friends are taking part in the trek in her honour. 

Any contribution of any kind would be greatly appreciated by myself and my amazing strong friend. 

To find out more about Myton Hospice click here  and if you'd like to support Ellie and Alice click here

I’m excited to be running in the upcoming Berlin Marathon on 21st of September to raise funds for CharityRight, which provides daily meals to children in underprivileged communities.

I have raised funds for the British Heart Foundation and Royal British Legion in my previous races and choose different charities to support each time. 

My goal is to raise £2000, and I’m reaching out to ask for your support. Every contribution, big or small, will directly help   Click here to support Farhat raise funds for community.  Click here to find out more about CharityRight 

On January 25th my incredible sister - in - law Susie passed away following a brave battle with cancer.  Susie has left a huge hole in many people's lives, in particularly my brother and nephew.  On the 27th April I will be running the London marathon having been lucky enough to secure a place through my running club.  In the last few days of Susie's life LOROS nurses provided exceptional care for Susie and her family.  I will be running in Susie's memory whilst raising money for an amazing charity.  If you are able to help with my fundraising so that LOROS can continue their support I'd be grateful.   Click here to support Kate and to find out more about LOROS click here

For the entire month of April, I am running 5km (3.1 miles) every day to raise money for Cancer Research. I chose to run for this charity as I believe almost all of us have had experience with cancer, either with people we love getting it, or having to deal with it ourselves. I've personally had my uncle fight the battle, and my best friend's mother lost the battle to it. I am not just running for those 2 people however, I am running for everyone who needs help. To help Ryan achieve his fundraising target click here And to find out how you too can support Cancer Research click here

I've chosen Macmillan because they partner with Hyrox to raise awareness and money where the funds go towards providing services and support to people affected by cancer, including emotional, practical and financial assistance, as well as advocacy and research into cancer care.

This charity is important to me as I've lost my Granddad and other family members to cancer and with the chance of being affected by cancer increasing year on year, I want to make a difference and help in any way that I can. If you're able to help me reach my fundraising target that would be amazing! To support Jasmine click here

On May 24th, 2025, I’ll be celebrating a decade of running. To mark this milestone, I’m planning to jump out of a plane at 10,000 feet over Bridlington and run my 6th marathon in Manchester just four weeks earlier, all to support the Alzheimer’s Society.

When I saw the poster at work reading “A WELLBEING DIVE INTO 2025,” I took it literally and thought, what better way to celebrate my 10-year running anniversary while raising funds for a charity that means so much to me.

Back in 2015, I was a 53-year-old couch potato, weighing 17st 3lbs, and the only marathon I had ever attempted was a chocolate one. But everything changed on May 17th, 2015, when I went to support my sister-in-law, who was running the Race for Life 10k in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow. That experience ignited a transformation in my life. I aim to raise as much as possible for the Alzheimer’s Society, helping those living with or caring for someone with dementia. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference. To help me make a real impact and find out more about my running journey please click here.  And to find out more about the Alzheimer's Society click here

In June, John Reid is taking on a 68 mile cycle across the Highlands of Scotland for Help for Heroes!   John always wanted to join the Army from a very young age. At 16 years old, he joined the Army and was sent to Junior Leaders Colerne. He passed out from Juniors Leaders in 1986 and was sent to 8 Regt RCT, Munster in Germany.  John spent the next 22 years travelling, mostly to Germany and, during this time, completed 11 Operational Tours - N. Ireland, Kosovo and Iraq. John completed his time in the Forces in 2008, had a few jobs in between and then landed at NEXT!  John is raising money for Help for Heroes to help support veterans and their families after service. You can sponsor John's challenge right  here

Find out more about our partnership with Help for Heroes 

Chris received a devastating diagnosis: colon cancer. At just 31, with three young children, including a newborn of only three months, his future was thrown into uncertainty. From August to December 2024, Chris faced the fight of his life. 

But thanks to the incredible care he received and the unwavering love of his family, Chris is now in remission and ready to give back. He's determined to turn his survival into hope for others.

Chris & his partner Lauren have taken on a challenge to run 100 miles – a little over 3 miles a day – to raise vital funds for cancer research.

If you'd like to help Chris & Lauren by boosting their fundraising and offering encouragement click here   And for more info on Cancer research

A number of the finance team have personally experienced living with cancer and some have experienced familial loss from cancer.  Witnessing Mum's, Sister's, Dad's and Grandad's suffer has had an enormous impact on the team.  They have decided to take on the challenge of climbing Mount Snowden to raise funds for Cancer research.  They want to leave a legacy and commemorate their loved ones by helping future cancer sufferers.  Their hope is that with research everyone's cancer journey will 'have a better chance of survival and less brutal treatment'.  If you'd like to support your colleagues raise as much money as possible click here

Find out more about the Cancer Research 

I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2014, aged 15.  The disease has had a huge impact on my life, and I've been admitted to hospital a number of times since my diagnosis.  I've experienced everything from multiple blood transfusions and colonoscopies to siezures and cardiac arrst.  Not only this, but I'm currently medication dependent and will have to, at some point in the future, undergo surgery to fit an ileostomy.  I'm fundraising by taking part in a 5K inflatable obstacle course to try and spread awareness of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and to stop the stigma.  There's currently no cure for IBD.  Fundraising can help to further research for earlier diagnosis, more treatment options and, one day, find a cure.  To help Hannah reach her fundraising goal click here  Find out more about  Crohns & Colitis UK 

I'll be running the Great North Run for my Dad who is fighting Alzhemiers but also the people who are affected by this cruel disease everyday.

I am not a runner so am throwing myself in the deep end and pushing myself out of my comfort zone this year.  If you'd like to offer encouragement to Chloe as she puts one foot in front of the other click here

Find out more about the Alzheimer's Society 

Bernie and I are in our 60s and felt that the time was right for a serious challenge, while we are still able.  We chose  to fundraise for Mind as Bernie's son  had serious issues with mental health and I also had a major issue eight years ago.  So we thought it appropriate to donate to Mind.  It was a wonderful trip with a great group of people and we all made it to Uhuru Peak despite, two of us suffering altitude sickness.  I also got very dizzy and fell over a lot!  But we made it so a very satisfying achievement all round.  Steve and Bernie would be extremely grateful if you'd help them increase their total by clicking here  

Sarah's Dad has been suffering from cancer and is currently having treatment.  He's been taking trial drugs that has meant his cancer has shrunk by 30%!  These trial drugs are amazing and I''d like to help make these drugs available to everyone.  Chelsy's Grandad was diagnosed with Mesothelioma a form of cancer in July 2024 and sadly passed away in October.  Grandad was 'the best man on the planet who did anything and everything for all his loved ones.' We really want to help raise awareness for this amazing charity.  If you'd like to show your support  Sarah and Chelsy as they jump out of a plane please click here

Click for more info about Mesothelioma UK

I am fundraising for Mind as I'm grateful for the work they do for mental health awareness and support.  As someone who faces personal challenges and as an observer of others who are struggling, their mission is very important to me.  It's also been good to have a target to get out and about in January for my own health! If you'd like to help Harriet meet her target click here 

This is very close to home for me and my family as a family member has prostate cancer and I feel pretty useless.  Not know what to do to help, I thought I would take on a challenge, (Walk 5 miles everyday in January) and raise a little for Prostate Cancer UK.  If you're able to help I'd be really grateful. If you'd like to help Jayne click here