Gina Long MBE (born 4 April 1962 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England) is a philanthropist, entrepreneur, journalist, radio presenter and global charity campaigner. [1] She was awarded an MBE for services to the charity sector in December 2015. [2] She was made a Honorary Fellow of the University of Suffolk in October 2018. [3]
After a successful media and communications career in the United Kingdom, Long went to America and became a global entrepreneur as the first non-US citizen to be awarded the licensees for the National Football League, Major League Baseball and National Basketball Association, along with 70 collegiate licenses. With her company Unique Event Products, she created and sold what became some of the most successful sporting novelty products. Upon returning to England, Long recognised a gap in the UK advertising market - and identified that roundabouts, placed strategically throughout the UK, were the perfect platform for promoting to motorists. She founded Marketing Force, now the UK's market leader in roundabout sponsorship. She then became the Head of Communications at Hutchison Whampoa Ltd, working with the Executive Team, and leading Marketing and Communications for Hutchison Westports and their ports globally, progressing to Head of Communications at BT Exact, working with the CEO and Executive Board. Long then created a mobile phone content business called Celebrity Messages, which became a global enterprise. Alongside her career, Long has devoted over 40 years as a voluntary charity campaigner and fundraiser. She regularly writes columns and articles, interviewing and championing successful businesses, individuals, celebrities and entrepreneurs as well as highlighting national and regional charity fundraising achievements and events.
Long was appointed MBE for services to the charity sector in December 2015. [2] Long has raised almost £7 million for charity and started her own charitable foundation in December 2015 to support East Anglian families living with cancer or a disability. The GeeWizz Charitable Trust [4] was set up to create a platform to purchase much-needed equipment for children in Suffolk and Norfolk helping two specific groups – children and young adults with disabilities and those who are affected by cancer, either directly or indirectly, or those carrying out research into the disease, especially sarcoma and breast cancer. [5] The GeeWizz slogan was #transparentgiving, based on the principles of transparent and accountable fundraising to ensure every donor and fundraiser knows exactly where their money is spent and how it changes many lives of those supported. In February 2023, it was announced that GeeWizz would be closing to focus on "family, other charity campaigning and projects [they are] passionate about." [6]
In April 2010, Long launched the very first Sir Bobby's Online Auction, a global fundraiser held in memory of her dear friend and former England manager Sir Bobby Robson. The two-week online auction, held annually until 2015, featured luxury 'money-can't-buy' items from the world of sport, celebrity and lifestyle raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, Breakthrough Breast Cancer and other charities. The likes of Wayne Rooney, Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho have all supported the global fundraiser in the past. [7]
Long then launched the Ultimate Charity Auction, a global online auction offering unique money-can't-buy prizes supported by football clubs around the world as well as FIFA, UEFA and other global industry leaders. Since its inception, the auction - which works in partnership with the League Managers Association and global, national and regional media - has raised more than £1 million for national and local charities, along with supporting specific mental health programmes, funding crucial cancer research and funding life-changing equipment for children living with life-threatening conditions.
She was a founder member of the Suffolk Breakthrough Breast Cancer group and in August 2015, Long and close friends celebrated raising £1 million for the charity. [8] Long took the lead in implementing an East Anglian-based special events fundraising committee of the Prince's Trust, chairing it for two of her 10 years and helping to raise more than £480,000, and later became chair of the special events committee of East Anglia's Children's Hospice, covering Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and North Essex.
In 2020, Long created and organised the Ed Sheeran Made in Suffolk Legacy Auction. [9] A total of £506,000 was raised to fund two legacy projects - the redevelopment of a much-need playground at the Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy in Ipswich and the introduction of a specialist nursing team - including learning disability and palliative care nurses and physiotherapists - at the Zest service, run by St Elizabeth Hospice. Thanks to the auction, these crucial projects can now be a reality. The auction saw Gina and her small team work closely with John and Imogen Sheeran, parents to Ed Sheeran, the global singer, songwriter, musician and record producer, who donated several prizes, along with many other global superstars, artists and organisations.
Gina's passion for supporting good causes has seen her mentor a number of local charities and individuals including becoming an Ambassador for St Edmundsbury Cathedral and a Patron for Suffolk Libraries.
A farmer's wife and keen advocate for the countryside, agriculture and the environment, Gina was proud to be asked to become a Vice-President of The Country Trust, the UK's leading national educational charity connecting children from areas of high social and economic disadvantage with the land that sustains us all.
In November 2023, Gina was awarded the Roger Wilson CBE Inspiration of the Year at Sarcoma UK's inaugural Shining Star awards at a ceremony at 10 Downing Street. [10]
Gina Long is married to Andrew with two children and five step-children. The couple annually host the Classic Sports Cars by the Lake, along with a committee, raising substantial funds and awareness for St Nicholas Hospice Care. The community event includes over 800 vintage cars, attracting over 5,000 people and has become a renowned attraction every September, raising over £350,000 to date. [11] In April 2017, Long was joined by close friend Lisa Lumley in completing the London Marathon to raise money and awareness for Sarcoma UK. She successfully completed the challenge, raising over £18,000 despite joking that she could barely run a minute when she started training. [12] Long and Lumley were supporting the national cancer charity after her daughter, then aged just 23, was diagnosed with a Myxoid Liposarcoma in September 2013. Long has pledged to always fundraise for Sarcoma UK alongside her work with GeeWizz and other national, regional and local charities - in a mentoring and campaigning capacity - plus working with many families throughout the UK.
Sir Robert William Robson was an English footballer and football manager. His career included periods playing for and later managing the England national team and being a UEFA Cup-winning manager at Ipswich Town. He is widely considered to be one of the best English managers of all time as well as one of the greatest managers in the history of the game.
Kirsty Ellen Howard was an English children's hospice advocate known for her fundraising efforts for Francis House Children's Hospice in Didsbury, Manchester. As a patient of the hospice, Howard was the figurehead of the Kirsty's Club, a charity dedicated for fundraising for the facility, which was severely underfunded at the time. Her efforts gained national support and attention. At the time of her death, she had raised over £7.5 million for the hospice.
Jane Emily Tomlinson, was an amateur English athlete who raised £1.85 million for charity by completing a series of athletic challenges, despite suffering from terminal cancer.
Marie Curie is a registered charitable organisation in the United Kingdom which provides hospice care and support for anyone with an illness they’re likely to die from, and those close to them, and campaigns for better support for dying people. It was established in 1948, the same year as the National Health Service (NHS).
Michael Dennis Mills MBE is an English former footballer who played for Ipswich Town, Southampton and Stoke City. He managed Stoke City, Colchester United and Birmingham City. During his career he achieved Ipswich Town's record number of appearances and captained England at the 1982 World Cup.
Lloyd Scott, MBE is an English former professional football goalkeeper and charity fundraiser, best known in the UK for his charity marathons. He is notable for competing in the 2002 London Marathon in a deep-sea diving costume. In 2003 Scott also completed the world's first underwater marathon in Loch Ness and in 2004 cycled a Penny Farthing across Australia. In 2020, between COVID-19 lockdowns, he completed the 3 Peaks Challenge wearing his deep-sea diving suit.
Teenage Cancer Trust is a cancer care and support charity in the UK that exists to improve the cancer experience of young people aged 13–24. Founded in 1990, the charity's key service is providing specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals. It also trains and funds staff who are teenage cancer specialists. The units are dedicated areas for teenage and young adult patients, who are involved in their concept and creation. Medical facilities on the units are equipped with computers, TVs and game consoles.
Race for Life is a series of fundraising events, organised by charity Cancer Research UK. They involve running, jogging or walking a 5-kilometre, 10-kilometre or 'Pretty Muddy' course and raising sponsorship for doing so. The money raises funds for cancer research in all 200 types of cancer. The Race for Life series of events is open to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds take part in the Race for Life, and with more than 150 Race for Life 5k events across the United Kingdom. The event was previously restricted to women only.
Sobell House Hospice is an Oxford-based hospice serving the residents of Oxfordshire, England affected by life-limiting illness.
Shooting Star Children's Hospices is an English children's hospice charity. The charity cares for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families, across Surrey, south-west London and north-west London. They provide specialist clinical and holistic care to families from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement.
The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation is a British cancer research charity which raises money to fund the early detection and treatment of cancer, and clinical trials of anti-cancer drugs. Based in the North East of England, the Foundation was launched on 25 March 2008 in the name of Sir Bobby Robson, himself a cancer sufferer five times since 1992, and who died of the disease on 31 July 2009.
Edward Christopher Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently released the extended play No. 5 Collaborations Project. He signed with Asylum Records the same year.
Shape Arts or Shape is a British arts charity, working across the UK and internationally, funded by Arts Council England. It provides opportunities for disabled individuals wanting to work in the arts and cultural sector. It trains participants and runs arts and development programmes across all of the creative arts: visual arts, music, dance, writing and acting.
Anne Baker MBE is a British writer of historical biographies, fundraiser and supercentenarian.
Kate Miriam Granger was an English geriatrician and campaigner for better patient care. In 2011 she was diagnosed with desmoplastic small-round-cell tumor (DSRCT), a type of sarcoma, and subsequently started the "#hellomynameis" campaign encouraging healthcare staff to introduce themselves to patients. Granger also raised over £250,000 for local cancer charity, the Yorkshire Cancer Centre Appeal.
iStreet Giving was an online shopping platform set-up to help UK charities raise additional funds through online shopping. The firm's headquarters are located in Ipswich, Suffolk.
Together for Short Lives is the UK registered charity for children's palliative care. Together for Short Lives’ vision is for children and young people in the UK with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and their families to have as fulfilling lives as possible, and the best care at the end of life.
Havens Hospices is a charity (No:1022119) which runs hospice services in Essex. It is intended to support and provide palliative care to babies, children, young adults and adults. Havens Hospices offers community based support to families in Essex and runs two hospice services: Fair Havens Hospice and Little Havens Hospice.
Martlets Hospice is a hospice in Hove, England, established in 1997. It is a registered charity. The hospice provides end-of-life care to people in the Brighton and Hove area.
Concert for Ukraine was a two-hour benefit concert in the United Kingdom organised by ITV plc, Livewire Pictures, Global Radio and the Disasters Emergency Committee to raise funds for people affected by the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine through the DEC Appeal. The concert took place at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham on 29 March 2022, and featured a number of contemporary artists.