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Accumulators raise over £34,000 for ninth charity challenge
Local businesses and schools in and around Banbury have taken part in Katharine House Hospice’s ninth fun money-raising challenge and the winners were crowned in an awards ceremony this week.
16 March 2026
Between October 2025 and February 2026, 12 teams from the local business and education community put their creative and fundraising skills to the test by taking part in the Accumulator Challenge, where participants are given a £50 seed fund to invest and raise as much money as possible in just four months.
In total, this year’s challenge raised an incredible £34,704 through various fundraising events and activities, including quiz nights, Christmas craft fairs, cake sales and epic challenges; a 24-hour netball tournament, 5 marathons in 5 days and a 24-hour sports day.
All the teams came together on Thursday 12 March to celebrate their successes and receive their awards. Sponsor, GRAF UK, hosted the event at their site in Banbury.
This year, the hospice had an influx of new businesses taking part, including CPB UK who won the Sustainability Award and Brackley Care Home who won Best Newcomer Award. Hanwell Fields Community School took home three awards for Creativity, Extreme Challenge and Most Funds Raised by a School. Other winners included Kineton High School for the Community Award and Barton Hughes Transport for Most Funds Raised by a Business.
Sue Blank, Corporate Engagement Officer at Katharine House Hospice, said: “We are so grateful to all the teams taking part and have been blown away by their creative fundraising efforts during the challenge. It was wonderful to be able to celebrate their achievements at our awards ceremony.”
“It costs over £5.9 million a year to run every element of Katharine House Hospice, so we rely on the generosity of our local community. Over the 9 years, the Accumulator Challenge has raised over £210,000, enabling us to continue providing our vital services at the hospice and out in the community. ”
Get involved
There are plenty of ways to get involved and make a difference in 2026, helping ensure the hospice can continue its vital work in the community. Take a look at our events page to see what’s coming up!
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