Say Hello To Bertie!

To raise funds for Cancer Research UK Roadchef - one of the nation’s leading motorway service area (MSA) operators - has today launched a new charity mascot, a cuddly toy dog named Bertie that will be sold at its sites across the country.

Named after the dog of one of Roadchef’s very own team members, Bertie will be sold for £8 in all WHSmith stores at the company’s 30 service areas, with 25% of every sale donated to Cancer Research UK to help the charity continue its life-saving work.

The original Bertie is a one-year-old Shih-Poo (pictured right with the mascot), who was born during the first lockdown and has been a regular presence at Roadchef’s sites across the UK ever since. His owner, Mike Jackson, Roadchef’s Director of Supply Chain Management & Head of Charity, explains more: “I suppose you could say Bertie was a bit of a lockdown cliché, but he has been the best decision we ever made. He has brought a huge amount of joy to our family, and to everyone who meets him. It can be tricky travelling with a dog in tow but Roadchef has made every effort to ensure pets and their owners feel safe and welcome.

When we were brainstorming ideas to raise money for Cancer Research UK we thought a cuddly version of Bertie would be perfect for our younger visitors. We are always looking at ways to make our service areas more appealing to families and our Bertie mascots will help keep children entertained on long journeys whilst also raising money for Cancer Research UK’s vital work so it’s a win-win all around.”

Stephanie Parsons, Account Manager at Cancer Research UK added: “We were delighted when Roadchef approached us with the idea of creating a mascot as part of our partnership. Roadchef has shown absolute dedication to Cancer Research UK over the last three years, and we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported the partnership through fundraising and raising awareness of cancer.”

Roadchef has been working with Cancer Research UK since 2018 and during this time has raised over £2.75million for the charity. This year, every employee has been tasked with raising £100 each, with the aim of reaching £6million by 2023. For further information about Roadchef’s partnership with Cancer Research UK, visit https://www.roadchef.com/about...