Yorkshire Cancer Research

What Yorkshire Cancer Research does

Yorkshire Cancer Research is a UK-registered charity (Charity Number 516898) founded in 1925 and headquartered at Hornbeam Square West, Harrogate, with a current operational footprint across Yorkshire and the Humber. The charity exists to reduce the region's cancer burden by funding research, delivering prevention and survivorship services, and supporting screening and clinical trials across the local NHS. Its mission is grounded in the premise that Yorkshire has some of the UK's lowest cancer survival rates, with approximately 35,000 people diagnosed with cancer each year in the region cited as the primary demand driver.

The organisation's core services span the full cancer pathway. Active Together, a research-backed cancer prehabilitation and rehabilitation service designed by Sheffield Hallam University's Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, combines structured exercise programmes with dietetics and psychological support across 11+ locations including Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley, Rotherham, Wakefield, North Kirklees, Airedale, Wharfedale, Craven, Harrogate, and a new 6,000 sq ft Hull hub opened in March 2026. The charity funds 59 active research programmes, runs clinical trials such as FOxTROT (bowel cancer chemotherapy timing) and APHRODITE (rectal cancer radiotherapy dosing), operates mobile lung screening units via the Leeds Lung Health Check, and delivers a free Stop Smoking Support Service through NHS referral pathways. It is also developing the E-IMMUNE digital application at the University of Sheffield to support immunotherapy side-effect management.

The revenue model is diversified across individual donations (online, telephone, post, text, direct debit), a retail network of 17+ charity shops including a flagship York superstore opened in 2025, gifts-in-wills legacy income, corporate partnerships, and large-scale community events such as We Walk for Yorkshire and the Baton for Yorkshire 500-mile centenary relay. Healthcare professionals and NHS trusts are integral distribution partners, referring cancer patients to Active Together and the Stop Smoking Service. Customers are segmented vertically: cancer patients and survivors (primary beneficiaries), NHS clinicians and trusts (referral partners), the general Yorkshire public (donors and volunteers), research institutions (University of Leeds, University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam, Hull York Medical School), and corporate partners (e.g., Smailes Goldie, Leeds City Council). All funded services are provided free of charge to patients, with the operating model sustained entirely through charitable giving and retail margin.

Name

Yorkshire Cancer Research

Legal name

Yorkshire Cancer Research

Website

https://yorkshirecancerresearch.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Yorkshire Cancer Research is a UK-registered regional cancer charity, founded in 1925 and headquartered in Harrogate, that funds cancer research, delivers the Active Together exercise prehabilitation and rehabilitation programme, and operates prevention, screening and clinical trial services for patients across Yorkshire and the Humber.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Research Charity Services

NAICS

Offices of Other Health Practitioners (6213), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Oncology & Cancer Specialty Hospitals (HLAFAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digestive Oncology (GI Cancer Care) (HLAKAEAF), Thoracic (Lung) Oncology (HLAKAFAL)

Keywords

• Cancer research funding
• Cancer prehabilitation services
• Charity retail operations
• Community fundraising campaigns
• Stop smoking support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Harrogate

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Fundraising: The charity raises funds through individual donations (online, telephone, post, in-person), direct debits, text message donations, and fundraising events including challenge events, community events, and corporate partnerships. Gift Aid reclaim from HMRC on eligible donations provides additional revenue.
2. Charity Retail Shops: Yorkshire Cancer Research operates a network of high street charity shops across Yorkshire selling pre-loved clothing and goods, including a flagship superstore in York. The Skipton shop has raised over £645,000. Revenue from retail operations funds research activities.
3. Gifts in Wills (Legacy Giving): The charity encourages supporters to leave gifts in their Wills, offering a free Will-writing service to supporters. Legacy bequests are a significant revenue stream for cancer research charities and support long-term research funding.
4. Corporate Partnerships: The charity generates revenue through corporate partnerships, includingCause-Related Marketing campaigns and corporate fundraising events. Examples include Smailes Goldie (Hull-based corporate fundraiser) and support from local businesses.
5. Events and Campaigns: Annual fundraising events including We Walk for Yorkshire, Yorkshire's Big Brew, and challenge events (e.g., Yorkshire Three Peaks) generate donations and raise awareness. The Baton for Yorkshire relay campaign combines community engagement with fundraising.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Yorkshire Cancer Research is a registered charity that funds cancer research programmes across Yorkshire's universities and NHS trusts, and delivers free patient-facing cancer support services including the Active Together prehabilitation and rehabilitation exercise programme, a Stop Smoking Support Service, mobile lung health checks, and clinical trial access. Operations are funded through charitable donations, a network of retail charity shops, gifts in Wills, corporate partnerships, and community fundraising events such as the We Walk for Yorkshire and Baton for Yorkshire campaigns.

Product overview

Yorkshire Cancer Research is a regional cancer charity offering a portfolio of research-backed services and fundraising campaigns. The core services include Active Together (cancer exercise prehabilitation and rehabilitation), a Stop Smoking Support Service, mobile lung screening (Leeds Lung Health Check), and clinical trials programmes. Fundraising activities include the annual We Walk for Yorkshire campaign, the Baton for Yorkshire relay, and a network of retail charity shops across Yorkshire. Active Together, delivered in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University and NHS trusts, provides structured exercise, dietetics, and psychological support across multiple locations in Yorkshire.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Active Together: A research-backed cancer prehabilitation and rehabilitation service offering structured exercise programmes, nutritional support, and psychological wellbeing services for cancer patients.
• We Walk for Yorkshire
• Baton for Yorkshire

Products and services

• Active Together A research-backed cancer prehabilitation and rehabilitation service providing structured exercise programmes, dietetics, and psychological support to help cancer patients prepare for and recover from treatment. Designed by Sheffield Hallam University's Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre and delivered free of charge across 11+ Yorkshire locations including Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley, Rotherham, Wakefield, North Kirklees, Airedale, Wharfedale, Craven, Harrogate, and Hull.
• Stop Smoking Support Service A free personalised stop smoking support service offering behavioural support and access to stop smoking aids, coordinated with GPs and local healthcare providers, accessible through healthcare professional referral or self-referral.
• Leeds Lung Health Check Mobile lung screening unit programme that brings lung health checks directly into hard-to-reach Yorkshire communities to detect lung cancer earlier among high-risk populations. The NHS took over running the Leeds Lung Health Check in 2024 after the charity-funded trial phase ended.
• Cancer Research Clinical Trials Programme Yorkshire Cancer Research-funded clinical research trials covering bowel cancer (FOxTROT), rectal cancer radiotherapy (APHRODITE), immunotherapy side-effect management via a digital app (E-IMMUNE), and rehabilitation and health inequalities research (NEOREHAB, CANBenefit) conducted across Yorkshire hospitals and universities.
• We Walk for Yorkshire Annual walking challenge fundraising campaign inviting people across Yorkshire to collectively walk 35,000 miles during May to raise funds for cancer research, with team pages, leaderboards, and milestone incentives via the Funraisin platform.
• Baton for Yorkshire Month-long centenary relay event in which cancer patients, charity supporters, and researchers pass a baton through 35 iconic Yorkshire locations to recognise the 35,000 people diagnosed with cancer each year in Yorkshire and raise funds.
• Yorkshire Cancer Research Charity Shops Network of 17+ charity retail shops across Yorkshire, including a flagship superstore in York, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Skipton (two shops), Ilkley, Yeadon, Castleford, Northallerton, and Scarborough, selling pre-loved clothing and goods with an online shop and an eBay store; revenue supports the charity's research and patient services.
• Gifts in Wills (Legacy Giving) Legacy giving programme encouraging supporters to leave gifts in their Wills, accompanied by a free Will-writing guide, a free Will-writing service, and information for executors to support long-term research funding.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% one-year survival rate for Active Together participants vs 85% for non-participants
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NHS Humber Health PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Yorkshire Cancer Research is working with NHS Humber Health Partnership to support oncology patients at the new Active Together Hull hub at Cherry Tree Court. The partnership enables referral of cancer patients to the exercise rehabilitation service.
• FI Real Estate ManagementminorOthers · 1 January 2026FI Real Estate Management managed the £2.5 million refurbishment of Cherry Tree Court in Hull city centre, creating the 6,000 sq ft Active Together Hull hub for Yorkshire Cancer Research.
• Sheffield Hallam University's Advanced Wellbeing Research CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Sheffield Hallam University's Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre designed the Active Together programme - a pioneering multimodal cancer prehabilitation and rehabilitation service. The Centre evaluates the service and conducts ongoing research to support long-term funding and development of similar services. This is the charity's flagship service partnership and the foundation of its exercise oncology work.
• Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Active Together South Yorkshire is delivered in partnership with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals across four acute trusts in South Yorkshire. NHS clinical staff refer patients to the Active Together programme and integrate exercise oncology into standard cancer care pathways.
• University of LeedscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Leeds is a key research partner, home to over a century of pioneering breakthroughs funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research. This includes early foundations of chemotherapy in 1929, world-leading advancements in bowel cancer surgery in the 1980s, and today's cutting-edge clinical trials including FOxTROT 2 and 3 and APHRODITE. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust collaborates on clinical delivery.
• University of SheffieldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Sheffield hosts researchers including those working on the E-IMMUNE study (digital app for immunotherapy side effect monitoring). Researchers and ambassadors from Sheffield carry the Baton for Yorkshire relay.
• Hull York Medical SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHull York Medical School hosts the NEOREHAB and CANBenefit research groups (funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research) focused on rehabilitation and addressing health inequalities in Hull and across Yorkshire. Dr Cecilia Pompili and Dr Cindy Forbes lead teams carrying the Baton for Yorkshire relay.
• Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust partners with Yorkshire Cancer Research on the Leeds Lung Health Check (mobile lung screening unit programme) and clinical trials. The NHS took over running the Leeds Lung Health Check when the trial ended in 2024, continuing access to screening for Yorkshire patients.
• University of HullcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Hull hosted the launch of the Baton for Yorkshire relay. NEOREHAB and CANBenefit research teams from the university participated in the relay, raising awareness of health inequalities research.
• Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYorkshire Cancer Research shares information with the AMRC as part of its membership criteria and charitable research funding activities. The charity participates in AMRC initiatives and shares details of funding applications with AMRC where required.
• National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYorkshire Cancer Research works with the NCRI as part of its charitable research funding activities. The charity shares information with NCRI in line with its membership criteria and charitable aims.
• Cancer Support UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYorkshire Cancer Research shares details of Cancer Support UK's Cancer Coach peer support services with Active Together participants and may refer patients with their consent. This partnership extends the support network available to cancer patients beyond Active Together.
• Smailes Goldie (Hull-based corporate partner)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSmailes Goldie is a Hull-based corporate fundraising partner that participated in the Baton for Yorkshire relay. Jayne Hussey and colleagues stepped away from their desks to walk and help fund life-saving research for people in Yorkshire.
• Cancer Alliances and Clinical Research NetworksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYorkshire Cancer Research shares details of successful funding applications with Cancer Alliances and Clinical Research Networks to discuss coordination of cancer research activities regionally, resourcing, and support issues for conducting funded research.
• Leeds City Council (Active Leeds)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerActive Leeds at Leeds City Council participated in the Baton for Yorkshire relay, carrying the baton as part of a community fundraising walk. Neil Jones, Workplaces Health and Wellbeing Lead at Leeds City Council, led the walk which was part of the Council's Leeds 400 initiative.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation: UK charity focused on lung cancer research, early detection, and patient support. Directly comparable because Yorkshire Cancer Research's Leeds Lung Health Check mobile screening programme and Active Together lung-cancer survival outcomes (10% uplift) compete for the same lung-cancer-specific donor, research, and policy attention.
• Maggie's: UK charity operating centres that provide free practical, emotional, and social support to people with cancer, alongside NHS hospitals. Comparable as a cancer-support service charity that complements NHS oncology pathways — overlapping with Yorkshire Cancer Research's Active Together prehabilitation/rehabilitation offering in patient-support mission.
• Pancreatic Cancer UK: UK charity dedicated to pancreatic cancer research, patient support, and campaigning. Comparable as a single-cancer-type charity competing for similar research-grant and donor mindshare, with overlapping interests in upper GI cancer and prehabilitation evidence.
• Prostate Cancer UK: UK charity funding prostate cancer research and supporting patients, with a strong research-funding and clinical-trials portfolio. Comparable as a single-disease cancer research funder whose research-grant programmes and donor base partially overlap with Yorkshire Cancer Research's clinical-trial funding model.
• Young Lives vs Cancer: UK charity (formerly CLIC Sargent) supporting children and young people with cancer, including clinical trial funding and family services. Comparable as a cancer charity funding research and providing patient services, though with a younger demographic focus that overlaps with Yorkshire Cancer Research's paediatric and family-services fundraising audiences.
• Blood Cancer UK: UK charity funding research and providing support for people with blood cancers (leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma). Comparable as a single-disease-area cancer charity that competes with Yorkshire Cancer Research for haematological-oncology research funding and patient referrals in Yorkshire.
• Bowel Cancer UK: UK charity dedicated specifically to bowel cancer research, awareness, and early diagnosis. Directly comparable because Yorkshire Cancer Research funds major bowel-cancer trials (FOxTROT, APHRODITE) and reports 10% survival uplifts in bowel cancer patients from Active Together, making them partial competitors for research funding and bowel-cancer-specific donor attention.

Broad incumbents

• Macmillan Cancer Support: National cancer charity providing practical, emotional, and financial support to people affected by cancer, including a substantial retail network and large legacy programme. Comparable to Yorkshire Cancer Research on supporter acquisition, charity shops, and cancer-patient services, but at much greater scale and with a national rather than regional remit.
• Cancer Research UK: The UK's largest cancer charity, funding research, providing information, and running screening/awareness campaigns nationwide. It is comparable as a funder of cancer research and clinical trials, but operates at national scale and across all cancer types, dwarfing Yorkshire Cancer Research's regional focus and serving as both a co-funder and a competitive draw on the same donor pool.

Others

• Institute of Cancer Research: UK research institution and charity that conducts cancer research and is a member institution of the University of London. Comparable as a research-funding recipient and partner in the UK cancer-research ecosystem — Yorkshire Cancer Research funds research at similar academic institutions and participates in the same AMRC/NCRI networks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/YorkshireCancerResearch
• Xx.com/yorkshirecancer
• Instagraminstagram.com/yorkshirecancerresearch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yorkshire-cancer-research

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments6 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yorkshire Cancer Research