CancerCare will be throwing open the doors of a brand new centre in the heart of Barrow-in-Furness next month.
The charity, which provides free professional therapy for people affected by cancer and bereavement, will be cutting the ribbon on its new purpose-renovated centre on Duke Street on 1 September.
The opening marks a major expansion for CancerCare in the Furness area as a significant increase in the number of people seeking its help meant it had outgrown its current base at Trinity Church on Warwick Street.
When it opened at Trinity Church in January 2017, the centre was predicted to have around 65 referrals however, the actual number of people through the doors was more than double that number. Prior to lockdown, the Barrow centre had provided therapy for around 430 local people in just over three years.
As well as offering counselling and complementary therapies such as aromatherapy, the Barrow centre will also offer accessible gym sessions, swimming and group activities including art, jewellery making and pilates.
The Duke Street centre has been revamped with purpose-designed and furnished therapy rooms, meeting areas and a specially-equipped children’s play therapy room.
It had been scheduled to open earlier this year however, this was postponed due to necessary closure of all CancerCare centres following the coronavirus outbreak. The charity has continued to support clients over the telephone, via online platforms such as Zoom and by providing an essential medication delivery service.
Chief Executive Maria Chambers said: “Since we opened our first centre in the town, we’ve gone from strength-to-strength both in the numbers of people we have helped y78and the increased range of our service provision. We were extremely limited in terms of space at Trinity but at Duke Street we’ll have additional rooms which will enable us to see even more people.”
Linda Rollinson from Walney Island is one of the Barrow centre’s volunteer receptionists who has used CancerCare services after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has also accessed bereavement counselling services following the loss of her mother.
Linda said: “Trinity had a lovely, intimate feel to it but it was quite small and tucked away off the main road. Being at Duke Street in the town centre we’ll be much more in the public eye which will help us spread the word to a whole new audience who maybe hadn’t heard of CancerCare before but could benefit from our services.”
For more information about the range of help available from CancerCare call 03330 150 628 (charged at standard rate) email [email protected], text: 07860 018 278 or visit www.cancercare.org.uk
