Westbury volunteer team reaches national fundraising award finals

The Rodney Cook Memorial (RCM) Rally has been shortlisted for this year’s prestigious National Fundraising Awards, making it to the final three in the highly competitive “Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year” category.

Founded in 2018 by Westbury’s Gary Cook, the RCM Rally has grown into the largest metal detecting event in Europe, affectionately dubbed “The Glastonbury of Metal Detecting.” The annual fundraising event honours the memory of Gary’s late father, Rodney Cook, who died of cancer in 2017 at the Royal United Hospital in Bath.

Speaking about the shortlisting, Gary Cook said, “We’re absolutely thrilled to be recognised at this level. Just reaching the final is a huge honour for our team and the cause we support. We’ve worked hard to build something special in memory of my dad, and to make a real difference to cancer patients and their families.”

£240,000 for RUH

Organised and run entirely by volunteers, the RCM Rally has raised over £240,000 to date for cancer services at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, through its charity partner RUHX. This year, the team donated over £60,000 to RUHX, with all funds coming from ticket sales, raffles, merchandise and donations. In all, RCM has donated over £400,000 to various charities since it was set up.

The rally attracts metal detecting enthusiasts from around the globe, turning quiet fields into buzzing festival grounds each year. The judges praised the RCM team for their “exceptionally innovative” approach to fundraising and were particularly impressed by the scale of the event and the dedication of its volunteers.

The winners will be announced on 9th June at a ceremony at the QEII Centre in Westminster. The National Fundraising Awards are considered the gold standard in recognising excellence, passion, and innovation across the UK charity sector.

“The RCM team is incredibly proud to be shortlisted,” added Gary. “This recognition is a testament to every single member of our incredible RCM organising team and our dedicated volunteers who give their time and effort to help us in our mission. We are beyond grateful for everyone who has been part of this journey. Thank you for your continued support—together, we are making a difference!”

For more about the RCM Rally or to get involved, visit https://www.rodneycookmemorial.co.uk/

Pictured: Gary and his team handing over a cheque for £60,124 to RUHX last November