Outstanding fundraiser, Nicole Dryburgh has been named ‘Britain’s Most Inspiring Fundraiser 2008’, at a national award ceremony. The competition, run by online giving platform Everyclick.com and held in memory of renowned fundraiser Jane Tomlinson, brought together exceptional volunteer fundraisers from across the nation, to celebrate their outstanding achievements. Last week, Nicole Dryburgh beat off competition from nine other finalists to win the title and a cheque for £20,000 for her chosen charity, Kings College Hospital Charity.
Nicole, 19, was awarded the title of Britain’s Most Inspiring Fundraiser by Mike Tomlinson, who is supporting the competition in memory of his late wife Jane. The other nine finalists from across the UK were highly commended by Mike and the Everyclick.com team, and received runners-up prizes of £500 for the charity of their choice.
Nicole from Whitstable in Kent was nominated by several of her friends, family and others she has inspired over the years, for her relentless and innovative fundraising on behalf of several charities. Nicole was 11 when first diagnosed with spinal cancer that caused severe medical difficulties over several years. Nicole is now blind, virtually deaf, and wheelchair bound - but her positive experiences at King's College Hospital made her want to help them help other children.
Over the past eight years, Nicole has set up her own website and raised over £3,500 for charities such as Demelza House, Cancer and Leukaemia In Children, Dave Lee's Happy Holidays and Riding for the Disabled - charities that all helped her over the course of her treatment.
She is currently intent on raising £30,000 towards equipping a new neuro-rehabilitation suite at King's College Hospital – to be located in the ward where she received treatment following a brain haemorrhage. The room will have specialist and multi-sensory equipment for visually/hearing impaired children. To date she has raised £18,000, through a huge variety of events and by authoring a book about her experiences.
One Nominator Bruce Thomson said: “Nicole's courage, positive attitude, and determination in the face of personal adversity through disability, is a truly inspiring example to everyone of what a person can achieve when they want to - whether it be charity fund-raising or personal goals.”
Mike Tomlinson said: “Nicole is an incredible young fundraiser and is exemplary of the passion, commitment and sheer determination that truly great fundraisers display. The fact that her own disabilities do not deter her from striving to help others only furthers my admiration for her efforts. She is unquestionably an outstanding example of fundraisers to young people across the country.”
On winning the award Nicole said: “It is absolutely amazing and a real honour to win this award. I don't fundraise to win awards or get praise, so it's nice when people recognise what you're doing, and it makes me want to continue with my fundraising.”
Polly Gowers, founder of Everyclick.com said: “It was a huge honour to present Nicole with the title of Britain’s Most Inspiring Fundraiser and a cheque for £20,000 for the charity of her choice. We received a wealth of outstanding entries and choosing a winner was a near impossible task. However, it was felt that Nicole’s dedication and selflessness in her incredible fundraising efforts were truly worthy of the title. All in all we have been astounded by the calibre of the entries and are already looking forward to receiving the nominations next year.”
Everyclick.com’s Britain’s Most Inspiring Fundraiser was supported by Mike Tomlinson, husband of Jane Tomlinson who raised £1.75 million for cancer charities, whilst battling breast cancer. Details of all the finalists are available at www.everyclick.com. Everyclick.com is an online giving platform, which allows individuals to raise money for charity simply by searching the Internet engine, or by donating directly online to any UK charity. Everyclick.com has already raised nearly £500,000 for charities in the UK, since its launch in 2005.
