Storage on Site is proud to support Portsmouth Relay for Life, a vital annual 24-hour event that has been running for 30 years and has raised an incredible £1.8 million for Cancer Research UK.
What Is Relay For Life?
Relay For Life is a powerful 24-hour event built around the belief that ‘cancer never sleeps, so why should we?’ This event brings together those affected by cancer, with family, friends and colleagues forming teams to take part in a relay race throughout the day and night.
The relay event is filled with themed laps, from the light-hearted ‘bra and pants’ lap to raise awareness of breast cancer, to the fun and colourful ‘silly hat’ lap, which highlights the dangers of sun damage.
One of the most moving highlights of the event is the Candle of Hope ceremony, where personalised candles, decorated with heartfelt messages and dedications to loved ones, light up the relay course overnight.
Protecting Donations by Reducing Storage Costs
In the last 30 years, Portsmouth Relay For Life has amassed a multitude of fundraising materials, from gazebos and banners to merchandise. As a non-profit organisation, finding affordable storage space for these items has proven to be a challenge.
Over time, friends have generously offered lofts and garages, and self-storage companies provided short-term discounted space. But with resources scattered across multiple locations and unpredictable monthly costs eating into donations, the committee knew they needed a centralised, permanent solution.
With a used 20ft container from Storage on Site and a plot of land donated by some friends, everything is now stored in one central location, with easy access whenever they need it. Even better, it’s a small one-off cost, meaning every pound they raise can go directly to Cancer Research UK rather than being spent on ongoing storage fees.
Jayne and Sarah’s Story
Friends Jayne and Sarah become involved in Portsmouth Relay For Life after seeing the charity advertised at a country show. Jayne’s mum received treatments from Cancer Research UK, and the pair decided to start their own relay team to help fundraise to support the life-saving work the charity supports.
The good-humoured duo’s team was called ‘Mental Pausal’, self-described as a team for “women of a certain age”, and took part for several years with the team before joining the committee. As committee members, their responsibilities include communicating with and recruiting new teams, assisting with fundraising, and arranging events with partners like Tesco.
”We contact so many people for support like this, and you get a ‘no’ every time, or even worse, no answer at all.
I spoke to Pete and Neil Vickery, who got back to me immediately and said they could help. They understood that we are a non-profit, and helped us to arrange everything, including delivery. It was so easy. After one phone call and one email, it was sorted, and we are so grateful.
We can’t thank Storage on Site enough for their help - having all of our resources in one place makes the committee's lives so much easier, and means that the donations can go directly to the imperative cancer research, instead of monthly storage fees.
Sarah PorterCommittee Member, Portsmouth Relay For Life
Jayne, who has been a Chairperson at the committee for four years, added:
”For the charity, our own shipping container means that all the donations can actually go to the charity, and we aren’t paying £50 a month for storage costs. You can see how absolutely full the container is already! We can access it at any time we like, and it’s just perfect.
Jayne BowaterChairperson, Portsmouth Relay For Life
Jackie’s Story as a Survivor
Jackie’s journey with Relay for Life began about 25 years ago, when she worked for a nursing home that had its own team in the event. Her personal connection to cancer deepened when her husband passed away from metastatic melanoma in 2002, just months after diagnosis. This devastating experience reinforced her commitment to the fundraising event, leading Jackie to form her very own relay team of family and friends. Eleven years after her husband’s passing, Jackie herself was diagnosed with breast cancer, which was thankfully caught early, and she is now a survivor, 12 years post-diagnosis.
Jackie has been a dedicated committee member for more than 10 years. She initially served as Candle of Hope Chair, before taking on the role of Survivorship Chair. In this capacity, she supports survivors and carers throughout the year, sending updates and organising a Cancer Survivors Day luncheon in June.
Christina’s Testimony: Relationship Manager, Cancer Research UK
Christina is the Cancer Research UK relationship manager for the Portsmouth area, and has supported the Portsmouth Relay for Life for four years. She assists the committee in its work, serving as an ‘arm’ of the organisation in the community to raise awareness.
”Portsmouth Relay For Life fundraises on behalf of Cancer Research UK, who directly support over 4,000 scientists, doctors, and nurses working to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer.
Having raised an incredible £1,800,000 over its 30 years, their contributions enable crucial long-term research projects, the purchase of vital laboratory equipment, and the development of innovative treatments that save lives. Fundraisers like Relay For Life empower the charity to continue its essential work, which has already helped double cancer survival rates in the UK over the past 50 years.
At Cancer Research UK, we receive no government funding whatsoever, so every donation goes straight back into research, enabling our scientists to develop kinder and better treatments and ultimately help us beat cancer sooner.
We want to thank Storage on Site, because their support means even more of these vital funds can now go directly to CRUK, helping us pursue more research and clinical trials. Thank you for your amazing support, it really does make such a difference!
Christina PaskCommunity Manager, Cancer Research UK
Looking Ahead: Relay For Life Portsmouth 2026
After the success of Relay For Life Portsmouth in July 2025, we can’t wait to see what the team has planned for next year. Keep an eye on the Portsmouth Relay For Life Facebook page for announcements about the 2026 Relay date and other fundraising activities to get involved with. If you’d like to start your own relay team or find out where else in the country you can get involved, visit the Cancer Research website or sign up through the Facebook page.
A huge thank you to Jayne, Sarah, Jackie, the Relay For Life Portsmouth Committee, and Christina from Cancer Research UK for the amazing work they do, most of whom have full-time jobs on top of their dedication to the charity year-round.
At Storage on Site, we’re proud to stand alongside Portsmouth Relay For Life and can’t wait to see the difference they continue to make. If your charity or community group faces similar challenges with storage, we’re always happy to discuss how we can help.
