Transforming Lives is a charitable foundation set up by Mike and Catriona Marshall to help transform the lives of people who most need it. The foundation is responsible for organising the unique Cheshire Dash for Duchenne UK in 2018 and 2019, Cheshire Dash for Brainwave 2021 and Cheshire Dash for The Joshua Tree in 2022 & 2023.
Our registered charity number in England is 1158447
CHARITIES WE SUPPORT
Our foundation supports a number of different charities and people. Here are just a few that we would like to share with you..
SERENGETI GIRLS RUN
Each year Singita and the Grumeti Fund work in partnership to raise funds for empowerment of girls in rural Tanzania including scholarships for local girls in secondary school, vocational studies and university; empowerment events for high school girls; sanitary pads for high school girls so that they can attend school with dignity and pride; a mentorship program and life-skills training.
The Joshua Tree
The Joshua Tree is a children's cancer charity that is dedicated to working closely with families affected by childhood cancers.
We work with the whole family - patient, parent, siblings and grandparents - in recognising that every family’s cancer journey is unique.
We tailor the services to suit the family’s specific needs, by means of emotional and practical support, such as counselling, play therapy, health and well-being advice, support in and around the home and educational engagement where required to help ensure that life remains as normal as possible during an incredibly traumatic time.
BRAINWAVE
Brainwave is a charity that exists to help children with disabilities and additional needs to achieve greater independence by aiming to improve mobility, communication skills and learning potential through a range of educational and physical therapies, and the children we work with have a range of conditions including: autism, brain injuries such as cerebral palsy and genetic disorders such as Down's syndrome.
Our therapists, who are drawn from the mainstream fields of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and educational therapy, work with the family to devise a unique programme, specifically designed to suit their child’s needs, which will help and encourage them to unlock their child’s potential.
Duchenne UK
This is a charity very close to our hearts. Their vision is to fund and accelerate treatments and a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). DMD is a devastating muscle wasting disease and is the most common genetic killer of children worldwide. The aim is to eradicate it in 10 years.
We have held two cycling events in aid of Duchenne UK called the Cheshire Dash in 2018 and 2019 with over £230k raised.
hugs for noah
Noah Wall was born in March 2012 with severe Spina Bifida, hydrocephalus and just 2% of his brain. A ‘do not resuscitate’ order was put in place by doctors and his parents were told he was unlikely to survive. Noah’s family prepared for the worst, planning his funeral in case he didn’t make it. This meant they’d all be able to spend their precious few moments together as a family, rather than making preparations should the worst happen.
A few years later, Noah’s brain has continued to develop beyond all expectation expanding to approximately 80%. He gets around no problem in his Da Vinci wheelchair and has an ever expanding vocabulary! He loves to play games and go on adventures, and he’ll have amazing conversations with the people he meets out and about. Noah has amazed medics and defied doctors’ predictions by growing into a happy, chatty little boy.
Onside youth zone
This charity has one simple aim, to build a network of 21st Century Youth Zones designed to give young people aged 8-19, or up to 25 for those with a disability, somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to - occupying their bodies and minds with engaging activities, helping them develop new skills and socialise in a safe, positive and accessible environment. More than 38,000 members make around 500,000 visits to OnSide Youth Zone's every year, attracting young people from the most disadvantaged communities.
BRAIN TUMOUR RESEARCH
This charity’s vision is to find a cure for brain tumours. Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. What’s more, they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer - yet historically just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. Brain Tumour Research is determined to change this.
They are building a network of experts in sustainable research at dedicated Centres of Excellence whilst influencing the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more into research for brain tumours in the UK. They are also dedicated to maximising awareness within the wider community. With greater awareness comes more support and also more funding for research. Only through research can we find a cure.
East Cheshire HOSPICE
East Cheshire Hospice is a warm and welcoming space for adults facing life limiting illness. They serve the communities of Macclesfield, Buxton, Congleton, High Legh, High Peak, Knutsford, Poynton, Wilmslow and the surrounding areas. Providing care, comfort and compassionate support to patients and their loved ones is their number one priority.
DOGS FOR GOOD
Dogs for Good is a life-transforming charity, creating partnerships between people living with disability and specially trained assistance dogs.
They train their assistance dogs to help adults and children lead more independent lives, at home and in the community around them. They provide advice and support to people who want a pet dog that can help them overcome specific challenges within their family. They train and support community dogs and their specialist handlers to work in activity and therapy in communities and schools.
Dogs for Good vision is to create “A world in which everyone and every community is able to benefit from the help of a trained dog.”
RUNNING BEAR SPORTS
Transforming Lives support Running Bear Sports in their charity activity. Together we have raised over £10,000 for multiple causes across Britain, whether it be for their customer’s fundraising or for their own organised races. Some of the charities we have donated to so far are:
Together for Short Lives hospices around the country. This charity make sure the 99,000 seriously ill children and their families can make the most of every moment they have together – whether that’s for years, months or only hours. Many of these children have complex conditions and need specialist care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) supports young people diagnosed with potentially life-threatening cardiac conditions and offers bereavement support to families affected.
Supportability (supporting disabled children and Adults in the North West). Since 1953, they have been supporting children, young people and adults with a wide range of complex physical and learning disabilities. Their aim is to enable those with disability to live a fulfilled and independent life.
To find out more about our charitable work with Running Bear please click here.