A US charity fundraising platform championed by Hollywood stars including Daniel Craig, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jennifer Lawrence is launching its first UK based campaign – offering the chance to win a £1,000,000 house to raise essential funds for Teenage Cancer Trust.
Omaze is teaming up with Teenage Cancer Trust to help them continue supporting young people with cancer during the coronavirus crisis and beyond. This includes raising crucial funds to ensure the charity’s frontline specialist nurses and youth support teams can continue to provide outstanding care for vulnerable young people in Wales.
Teenage Cancer Trust needs to raise £375,000 this year to maintain its vital services, including their specialist unit at University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff and outreach nursing and support service supporting young people in the region.
Money raised from the Omaze and Teenage Cancer Trust partnership will help the charity protect its services and adapt them where necessary.
The campaign launch video features Kaiser Chiefs and The Voice star Ricky Wilson and Line of Duty and This is England star Vicky McClure.
Los Angeles-based Omaze has already raised over £100 million for more than 300 charities around the world thanks to its revolutionary approach to fundraising. They have now set up a dedicated team in the UK for the first time.
They offer entrants incredible incentives to support good causes – ranging from once-in-a-lifetime celebrity experiences to luxury prizes including super-cars and exotic holidays.
Previous winners have played mini golf with Bono, lunched with George and Amal Clooney at their Lake Como home, watched the Game of Thrones series finale with Emilia Clarke, enjoyed a Valentine’s date with Idris Elba and driven a tank with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
One winner even collected the keys to a white Lamborghini Huracan signed and blessed by Pope Francis himself.
Located in the heart of Cheshire footballer’s paradise, Cheadle Hulme, the £1 million dream home comes with a hot tub and all costs covered for the first year. People can enter via post or purchase multiple entry bundles online at omaze.co.uk – starting from just £10.
There will also be 2,000 runner-up prizes including a Tesla Model 3 Long Range, one of the first MINI Cooper S Electrics and a £10k Home Tech Hamper.
Natasha Powell (20), from Bridgend, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma when she was 15. She was treated at the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at Cardiff University Hospital of Wales.
“It took two years of going backwards and forwards to the doctors before it was confirmed that I had Hodgkin lymphoma. I was referred to the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at Cardiff University Hospital of Wales the month before my GCSE exams.
“The environment on the Teenage Cancer Trust unit was a lot different to other hospital wards. The unit just has teenagers and young adults with cancer, so I was able to relate to them more and to talk and enjoy myself. It was also more relaxed and chilled out.
“The nurses were great, and it was really good that they also provided support and comfort to the patients’ families.
“The Youth Support Coordinator Anna was very supportive as well and I knew if I needed help with anything I could count on her. She organised social events on and off the ward and I made some amazing friendships, that I still have.
“Teenage Cancer Trust relies on donations and they want to keep supporting young people through this crisis and beyond, which is why the funds raised through the Omaze house draw are so vital. Young people who are starting or still on their cancer journey will need their support more than ever right now. By getting involved you could make a big difference to the lives of young people with cancer.”
CEO and Co-Founder of Omaze Matt Pohlson said: “We’re honoured to partner with Teenage Cancer Trust and help them reach a new audience of potential donors to raise as much money as possible.
“The care they provide to vulnerable patients is incredibly important, especially during these unprecedented times. This is the first of many UK campaigns to support these types of urgent needs.”
Matt added “Omaze is a win-win for both charities and donors. By offering an incredible prize like this million-pound home, we’re giving people the chance to win, while also introducing charities to donors they wouldn’t have access to otherwise. We’ve found this method of fundraising is making a big difference to causes all around the world.”
Eighty percent of the draw profits will be going directly to Teenage Cancer Trust with a minimum donation of £70,000 being donated with immediate effect to kick start the campaign.
Kate Collins, Chief Executive of Teenage Cancer Trust said: “Cancer won’t stop for anything, and during this time of uncertainty young people need our support more than ever before.
“Our team of specialist staff are doing all they can to help young people with cancer in incredibly difficult circumstances. At the same time, some of our nurses have been drafted in to help the NHS cope with the increasing pressures being applied by the coronavirus outbreak.
“Our youth support teams are having to adapt and find new ways to provide essential emotional support to young people remotely, many of whom are feeling more isolated than ever before whilst still coming to terms with a cancer diagnosis.
“Our income this year could drop by as much as 50%, so we urgently need to raise another £5m across the UK to maintain our frontline services. That’s why we have started a crucial fundraising appeal so we can respond to this situation and rapidly adapt the way we offer support.
Kate added: “Partnering with Omaze is a vital way for us to complement that appeal. Their pioneering digital approach to fundraising will help us ensure our frontline staff can continue providing exceptional care to young people and their families during this difficult time.
“This Omaze campaign will help continue to support young people throughout this pandemic, and beyond.”
Omaze has already raised more than £3 million for good causes across the UK, including a £1.1million donation that enabled the building of children’s hospice Julia’s House in Dorset, which came from an Omaze partnership with Robert Downey Jr and Guy Ritchie.
It has also previously linked up with big-name British talent including Benedict Cumberbatch, the Spice Girls and Emilia Clarke.
Draw entries are now available at www.omaze.co.uk – the Omaze Million Pound House Draw is open until midnight on Thursday 12th November 2020.
