Howarth Timber and Building Supplies is gearing up for a big year of fundraising and campaigning after Cancer Research UK was named as the firm's charity partner for 2017/18.

The partnership will see Howarth Timber raise money through company-wide initiatives as well as individual staff member fundraising efforts, all to support the life-saving work that Cancer Research UK carries out, such as the development of new screening techniques to detect cancer earlier.

The announcement comes after a successful four-year partnership between Howarth Timber and the charity Caudwell Children, which saw the firm raise more than £85,000 to assist with providing family support services, equipment, treatment and therapies for disabled children and their families across the UK.

Staff members from Howarth's 30 branches regularly undertake charity events, and Cancer Research UK has long been close to the hearts of Howarth's employees. The company is planning a number of large fundraisers across the course of 2017/18.

Nicholas Howarth, managing director of Howarth Timber, said: “Our partnership with Caudwell Children demonstrated our entire staff's commitment to helping good causes over the last four years.

"Cancer Research UK is a charity whose work resonates strongly with everyone at Howarth Timber, and we are very much looking forward to doing everything we can to promote the vital work they do, raising as much money as we can over the next two years."