The Reed Foundation has donated £10,000 to Samuel’s Promise, a special fund under the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) dedicated to advancing research into low-grade brain tumors and surgical innovations.
As part of its 65th-anniversary celebration and founder Sir Alec Reed’s 90th birthday, The Reed Foundation is giving £10,000 each week for a year to 52 charities selected by its employees. By April 2025, this initiative will result in a remarkable £520,000 in donations.
Each week, a Reed employee is randomly chosen to nominate a charity for the donation. This time, Niketa Johnson, a Public Sector Recruitment Consultant at Reed’s Leicester office, chose Samuel’s Promise. This cause is particularly meaningful to her colleague Keith Priestley, whose late son, Samuel Priestley, was the inspiration behind the fund.
Samuel’s Promise was established in memory of Samuel Priestley, who was diagnosed with pilocytic astrocytoma, a type of brain tumor, in 2018 and passed away in February 2022. His family, including Keith, Sharon, and Emily Priestley, created the fund to support research into low-grade brain tumors and surgical advancements, honoring Samuel’s memory.
Niketa shared her motivation for selecting this charity: “Our team in Leicester is very close-knit, and Keith often speaks fondly of Samuel. It’s heartwarming to support a cause that means so much to him and his family.”
“I was touched by Samuel’s story and wanted my donation to support the fund’s aim of keeping people talking about him.
“We are a community at Reed, so to be able to offer support – and a donation of this size to a cause that directly impacts those I work with – is amazing. I also feel so grateful that I can donate to a cause that will have a strong impact on other families looking after children with cancer.”
Talking to Samuel’s father, Keith Priestley, he says: “I was really taken aback when Niketa picked Samuel’s charity. When I heard she’d been selected, I wanted it to be entirely her decision on who she thought the money should go towards, and I was emotional when Niketa made her decision. I thank her for her donation; it will make a massive difference.”
Keith explains how Samuel’s Promise came to fruition. He said: “Samuel’s Promise started as something for us to do as a family. After Samuel passed, we knew we wanted to do something in his name but weren’t sure what or how. A Teenage Cancer Trust nurse mentioned CCLG and their Special Named Funds, where families can raise money for specific causes.”
Keith shares how Samuel’s Promise has helped them connect to other families in similar situations, and how the money raised can pool resources and research funds.
He said: “As it’s our fund, we have control over where the money goes, and so we can direct it specifically towards research into low-grade brain tumours – the condition Samuel had. The donation will make a massive difference – brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, yet it only receives 3% of research spend.”
Based in Leicestershire, Samuel’s Promise has raised over £37,000 – and with Niketa’s donation, it will now hit more than £47,000. Most of the fundraising is done locally and as a way to keep people – including his parents and sister – talking about Samuel. Fundraising and raising awareness has gone as far as Manchester United player Marcus Rashford sending a signed football shirt for donation.
But most initiatives have been closer to home, with family and friends raising money, including: six of his friends planning to cycle from London to Brighton later this year, initiatives involving walking barefoot up Ben Nevis, and Samuel’s sister, Emily, completing a skydive.
“Doing nothing was never an option, Samuel had such a big circle of friends, and we wanted to celebrate him,” shares Keith.
He explains how the fund has given him and his family a reason to go on, adding: “The fund has given us a purpose as a family. We have a saying that we’ll forever be a family of four. Without that purpose, it’d be really difficult. We promised to always keep talking about Samuel, and the fund helps us to do that.”
Lizzie Goates, Fundraising Manager at CCLG, commented: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to The Reed Foundation for the very generous donation of £10,000 to Samuel’s Promise, which will help us fund pioneering research into low-grade brain tumours and surgical advancements
“Donations like this make a huge difference to CCLG’s work, helping to ensure future generations have access to more effective treatments to improve outcomes and prevent debilitating long-term side effects.”
Niketa said she was extremely excited to be picked to donate to a charity of her choice. She said: “I was so surprised and excited when I was chosen, but mostly I was really thankful.
“It’s an incredible feeling to be able to donate to a meaningful cause, and the money will make such a huge difference. Being the one to be able to give it to Samuel’s Promise has definitely given me that warm fuzzy feeling.”
