You know what they say. Three's the magic number. And it's never been more true at Trekstock. With Ian Boyd joining as the new Executive Director, Stefanie McIntosh moving into the newly created role of Merch For Good Project Manager and Gemma Viner starting as Community & Events Fundraising Officer, the future is looking bright.

Commenting on the newly created role of Executive Director, Ian said:

“This feels like a really exciting time for the charity. I'm very much looking forward to working with Sophie and the rest of the team here at Trekstock to set new vision and strategy for the charity going forward. Clearly there's been some excellent outcomes delivered over the past 13 years across the charity and there's a great feeling of positive momentum which I'm aiming to harness as we grow and develop."

The third sector as a whole has been severely challenged over the past couple of years and Trekstock has been no different, but the resilience and creativity shown by the team in continuing to find new and innovative ways to support our community across the country has been pretty ace.

Now that we as a country seem to be moving into the next stage of this pandemic, we're looking forward to making up for lost time. We're under no illusion that learning to live with Covid-19 is a big deal, especially for those of our community who are living with lower immune systems, due to their cancer diagnosis or treatment. We're looking forward to working together to supporting and encouraging that community, as well as providing practical solutions to some of the challenges they're facing.

Speaking about some of the community and corporate events Trekstock is planning over the coming months, the charity's newest member of the fundraising team Gemma said: 

“I am so happy to be joining Trekstock at this time, with life looking a little more 'normal' and being finally able to return to community fundraising events in real life. We have so much going on over the next few months, with Trek This City, the Hadrian's Wall Trek and so much support from our amazing supporters. I have many exciting ideas for organising more Trekstock events and really engaging with as many people from and beyond our community!"

In looking to find new and innovative ways to raise funds and profile for the charity, we've been running our Merch for Good trading arm, which is made up of a collection of exclusive t-shirts designed by some of the world's best artists & musicians. 100% profits from each sale directly supports Trekstock's community - those living with and beyond cancer.

With the success and launch of our most recent band partnerships, including designs created by Robert Smith, Ellie Goulding and Glass Animals, we've used this opportunity to bring in Stefanie McIntosh who will now lead the day to day operations of this unique fundraising initiative. Speaking about her future plans within the new role Stefanie said:

"I’m thrilled to join Trekstock and am grateful for the opportunity to grow in this new position. I look forward to utilising my experience and passion for music to help build Merch For Good into a significant contributor for the charity. I’m energised and driven and look forward to working with Sophie, Ian and the whole team." 

Trekstock recently shared some good news about being selected as a winner within this years GSK Impact Award 2022 winners, in partnership with the Kings Fund. Ian said:

"We are delighted to be part of the 2022 GSK IMPACT Awards. For us this represents an excellent opportunity to provide further support to an often-overlooked section of society; young adults diagnosed with cancer. This award will allow us to reach more people to get them moving, build confidence and improve lives.”

Any community or corporate partners wanting to engage with our cause (or reengage following lockdown), please do get in touch.

We are open and ready to kick on with the vital business of supporting people diagnosed with cancer in their 20s or 30s across the country.