We are so pleased to announce that Candlelighters company of the month is Sentinel Squad.
Established in 1976, Candlelighters is a charity formed and run by parents of children who have or have had cancer, ex-patients and the medical staff who treat them. Based in Yorkshire, Candlelighters provides essential services and support to children with cancer and their families.
Founded in 2013, Sentinel Squad UK is a Star Wars fandom group based in Yorkshire, which raises money for local children’s charities. Members of Sentinel Squad UK travel to different events and locations dressed as Star Wars characters, collecting donations and raising awareness of their chosen charity. The 80-plus members of Sentinel Squad UK bring a huge range of Star Wars costumes to their outings – from Darth Vader and Stormtroopers to Princess Leia and four very large Wookies.
By encouraging passers-by to stop and have their photo taken with their favourite character, the Sentinel Squad UK members are able to engage with people to spread awareness about their chosen charity and collect donations.
Iain Blackwood-Hobbs, Partnerships Executive at Candlelighters said:
“Charity partnerships and fundraisers can take different forms – from raffles and golf days to running a marathon – but our new partnership with Sentinel Squad UK is quite unique. Who would have thought Champ, the Candlelighters mascot, would be lining up alongside Darth Vader and his Storm Troopers?! We are really excited to be working with Mark and his team this year as they travel across Yorkshire to raise money for Candlelighters and to help us deliver our services to families. If you see a Wookie, a Storm Trooper or Kylo Ren in a shopping centre near you, be sure to stop for a photo or two.”
Sentinel Squad UK have various appearances booked in across Yorkshire. Anyone wanting to say hello and have a photo with their favourite Star Wars character can find them at some locations and events:
Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th February – Junction 32 Shopping Centre, Castleford;
Saturday 4th March – 10 Princes Quay, Hull;
Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th April – Manchester Central Convention Complex, Manchester;
Sunday 23rd April – Scarborough Spa, Scarborough;
Saturday 29th April – Games Temple, Leeds;
Sunday 30th April –The Ridings Shopping Centre, Wakefield;
Saturday 27th May – White Rose Shopping Centre, Leeds;
Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th June – Junction 32 Shopping Centre, Castleford.
Each year, around 150 children in Yorkshire are diagnosed with cancer. When a child receives a diagnosis, lives are turned upside down instantly, not just for the child but for their parents, grandparents, siblings, extended family and friends. Getting well again can be a long and challenging journey, emotionally, physically, and financially. In 1976, a group of parents and medical staff recognised a need for families with children facing childhood cancer to receive extra support. Back then, the prognosis for these children was very poor and it was a lonely world for them and their families.
Together, the parents and medical staff started a charity with one clear vision: to bring light and hope to all families affected by childhood cancer in Yorkshire. Candlelighters brings light to families by providing emotional, practical and financial support, and hope, by investing in vital research to improve the outcomes and lives of children with cancer.
Our aims are to: improve early diagnosis, improve treatments, improve quality of life, increase survival, and to develop experts of the future so that we have the best professionals looking after children and their families.
Because Candlelighters was founded by, and is still run by, parents of children who have or have had cancer and the medical staff who treat them, we understand the trauma and the turmoil of that diagnosis and how the support and care needed may differ from family to family. So, whether it be through the support of the friendly staff and experienced counsellors, that ‘home away from home’ environment we nurture on the ward in Leeds or the vital research into new treatments and cures we fund, we are here to help.
Your donations make a difference to children fighting cancer and their families across our region. Make a donation and help us to offer vital support www.candlelighters.org.uk/donate
For more information about Candlelighters please visit www.candlelighters.org.uk or follow us for the latest updates on Facebook at @CandlelightersTrust and on Twitter @CandlelightersT email: info@candlelighters.org.uk or call 0113 887 8333. Thank you for visiting our online shop where you can support us with a virtual gift, get your place at an event or purchase that essential piece of Candlelighters merchandise www.candlelighters.org.uk
We bring light to families affected by childhood cancer by providing emotional, practical and financial support. We bring hope by investing in vital research to improve the outcomes and lives of children with cancer 💗
