Nuke the Leuk

Club Charity 1991-2017
 

In 1991 Lol Pilfold, Chairman of the Lotus 7 Club of Great Britain, decided to adopt the Leukaemia Research Fund (now called Bloodwise) as the club charity after club member Steve Winterberg contracted leukaemia in August 1990. The expression, 'Nuke the Leuk', was coined during Steve's treatment by his family. He has seen it, done it, nuked it and got the T-shirt.

Club fund raising began on an ad-hoc basis by fellow team members, event organisers and individual club members in 1991.

Slowly the fund raising became more regular and of increasing frequency as more and more club members and area organisers took up the cudgel. Finally Lol decided that all efforts and ideas should be co-ordinated by one person who would liase with LRF, report the fund-raising activities to members through 'Low Flying', the club magazine, and generally assist with club members' efforts towards fund-raising.

In August 1993, almost to the date of the original diagnosis, Steve Winterberg, now well into his third year of remission, accepted the post of club fund co-ordinator.

Steve finally handed over the reins in 2006, as he was moving on to bigger and better things.  Rachael Sangha was a willing volunteer as her brother was in the process of Nuking the Leuk.

Caroline Grubb took over from Rachael in 2012 and this year the role has passed to Martin Payne in 2016.

Fund raising history

Since it all began in 1991 until ceasing in 2017 the Club has raised a staggering £413,736.