Malhotra Group To Support Children’s Cancer North

ONE of the North East’s leading hospitality businesses is preparing to embark on a year-long fundraising drive to support children with cancer in the North East and Cumbria.

Malhotra Group plc has chosen Newcastle-based Children’s Cancer North as its nominated charity for 2026.

And the Group’s head office team and staff across its portfolio of hotels, bars and restaurants have already made plans for a raft of fund-raising activities throughout the coming year.

Formed in 2021, from the combined North of England Children’s Cancer Research and Children’s Cancer Fund, Children’s Cancer North is an independent charity which supports individuals and families affected by childhood cancer.

More than 100 children and young people in this region are diagnosed with cancer each year and the charity also invests in pioneering research and works to raise awareness of children’s cancer.

To raise money for the charity, Malhotra Group plans to introduce a raft of initiatives, including a cocktail battle this month (January) between staff at Gosforth’s Three Mile and The Runhead, at Ryton.

Staff from each venue will create a charity cocktail, with the winner being chosen via a social media poll and a panel of judges. The company will then donate £1 from the sale of the winning cocktail at all venues.

The Runhead is also planning a 24-hour sponsored bikeathon in February with a Big Fat Quiz set to take place at Three Mile in March, when all team admission money will be donated to the charity.

Malhotra Group staff will volunteer at the Children’s Cancer Run on17th May and the Group will also be entering a five-strong team in the Great North Run later this year.

Existing charitable initiatives such as an additional £1 donation to charity on customers’ bills and a nominated charity dish at each leisure venue will also remain in place.

Malhotra Group has revealed it raised in excess of £10.5k throughout 2025 for Gosforth-based St Oswald’s Hospice and operations director Atul Malhotra said he and his team are already putting plans in pace to raise funds for Children’s Cancer North.

“As a parent myself I can’t imagine how it must feel when a child gets a cancer diagnosis,” he said. “It’s every parent’s worst nightmare.

“But Children’s Cancer North is there to help – with financial and practical support and by actually investing in state-of-the-art research into kinder treatments – and they must be an absolute lifeline to parents in their darkest hours.

“Cancer can strike any of us at any age and we hope that, through working with Children’s Cancer North, we will each learn more about it and about how to best support those affected by it.”

Tiago Santos, Corporate Partnerships Officer, at Children’s Cancer North, said the charity was “hugely grateful” to be chosen as Malhotra Group plc’s nominated charity for 2026.

“I think there is much to be said about the fact that we are two North Eastern organisations working together to make life better for children with cancer in our region, and across Cumbria.

“I look forward to all the opportunities that lay ahead for us to do just that and continue to make a real difference within our local communities.”