Ridgeons, a leading independent timber and builders' merchant in the East of England, has announced that Macmillan Cancer Support will be its chosen charity until the end of 2017.

Macmillan Cancer Support is a national charity which provides support, advice and specialist healthcare to those affected by cancer. Over the next two years, Ridgeons has pledged to raise £20,000 for the cause, after it was voted as the chosen charity by Ridgeons’ 800 employees.

The East Anglian-based business has already kicked off its fundraising efforts with a charity quiz night in March, which raised £940. Future fundraising activities include an event to coincide with Go Green Week, a five-a-side football tournament, sponsored hanging baskets, a Macmillan Coffee Morning in September, a celebrity football match and further events to coincide with Christmas.

Angela Rushforth, managing director of Ridgeons, said: "It was difficult to choose just one charity out of so many worthy causes but we are very proud to be able to work with Macmillan Cancer Support over the next two years. It is a fantastic, worthwhile charity which provides crucial help to so many patients and families in need of support. We have some fantastic fundraising ideas in the pipeline, and it will be great to see as many of our employees getting involved and supporting our chosen charity as possible."

Chloe Coombs, regional fundraising manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "We are very excited to be in partnership with Ridgeons. The support we receive from our charity partners is absolutely crucial in allowing us to continue the work that we do, and we could not do that without the help of companies such as Ridgeons. Thank you."

As well as corporate fundraising activities, Ridgeons is also encouraging employees to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support if they are doing any individual charity fundraising to meet its £20,000 target, and has set up a corporate 'just giving' page to enable this. Previously, Ridgeons supported East Anglia Air Ambulance, raising over £15,000 for the charity.