NACFB surpasses £30k target for The Unbeatable Eva Foundation

The NACFB has raised £31,670 for The Unbeatable Eva Foundation, exceeding its £30,000 fundraising target less than a year after announcing the charity partnership.

The national trade body supported the organisation – set up in memory of eight-year-old Eva Slapa, who died in 2021 after being diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) – through a series of events and activities across 2023 and 2024. DIPG is an aggressive and terminal childhood brain cancer, with limited treatment options and an average life expectancy of less than 10 months following diagnosis.

Funds were generated through NACFB events including the Commercial Finance Expo, the Commercial Broker Awards and the Commercial Lender Awards, alongside additional contributions from quiz competitions and a sponsored London-to-Paris charity bike ride by CEO Jim Higginbotham. The Association also matched the first £10,000 raised.

Paul Slapa, Eva’s father and co-founder of the charity, said the support had helped raise awareness of DIPG and would directly fund support for affected families. “Every penny raised is directed towards helping these families make precious memories together,” he said.

Jim Higginbotham praised the “humbling” response from the NACFB community, saying the total reflected the compassion of the industry.

The NACFB is now beginning the process of selecting its next charity partner. Over the past seven years, its members have raised more than £160,000 for causes including Air Ambulances UK, The Newman Holiday Trust and Young Lives vs Cancer.