Author Archives: paula.admin

Temporary Closure of the Centre – Covid-19

**Statement from Management and Trustees regarding temporary closure of Centre from Monday 23rd March. Telephone and online support is still available **

In line with advice that has been specially sought for the Centre from Public Health England, our paramount priority is naturally the safety and wellbeing of our clients, staff and volunteers.

Reluctantly, but we hope with your understanding, in line with that guidance all clients and volunteers who need to self-isolate must do so and you will not be able to attend the Centre in the immediate future. This includes people over 70 or with chronic conditions or low/compromised immunity.

Wellbeing activities are now suspended at the Centre. Due to social distancing guidelines there will be no craft club, singing or one-to-one therapies this week. Treatments cannot currently be booked or offered.

In line with government advice, from Monday 23 March we will become a limited access advice Centre.

The Centre Manager will be ensuring that support continues to the best of our ability, with our reduced voluntary help.

Enquiries are welcome by telephone or email – please bear with us and leave this for essential messages only so that new clients can be given the priority support that they need.

Trustees will be reviewing how the Centre can best continue to serve our clients and any newly diagnosed individuals who feel in need of our specialised support.

We are in discussions on how best to move forward and further announcements will be made as risks are evaluated. Whilst the Centre is open on Thursday and Friday to prepare for the changes that we need to make, we anticipate shorter visits by any clients who do feel that they must visit.

We know you will all continue to support the Centre and each other during these uncertain times.

Thanks for your support and understanding.

Contact details: [email protected] or call 07368 265 984 during normal centre hours

Charity Quiz Night – Temporarily Suspended

Please join us for a fun pub quiz to raise money for Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre.

This event is held monthly, on the first Wednesday of each month at The Aldergate Club, 7 Aldergate, Tamworth B79 7DJ from 7.30pm.

It is only £1 per person to participate in the quiz and the lovely people at the club even provide a buffet. There is also the opportunity to win raffle prizes.

Irish Craic with Sheila McMahon – To be rescheduled

On Friday March 20th 2020 we will be hosting an evening of comedy and music with Sheila McMahon to celebrate St Patrick’s Day and all things Irish!

Sheila McMahon, (Also known as her stage name ‘Sheila
M’ and other names she can’t repeat!) is originally from the West of Ireland.

She is a Multi-talented, award winning Comedienne, Singer, Songwriter,
Qualified Counsellor and Author.

She has appeared on BBC 1, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky
Television. She has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe festival, Spain, Ireland, Denmark and all over the UK.

She performs two hour Theatre Shows where she combines
mental health with humour.

Her motto is ‘Life is too serious to be taken
seriously – besides no-one gets out alive anyway’

With her broad Irish Accent and her love for the craic
she is looking forward to performing Comedy and Music in aid of the Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre

Bring it on!!!

The evening is set to be completely unpredictable but promises to be full of laughter and entertainment.

This is an over 18’s event

The event will be held at Glascote Social Club, 378 Glascote Road, Tamworth, Staffs, B77 2BS

Doors open at 7.30pm

Tickets are £8 each

To purchase tickets contact Paula Da-Silva on 01827 899590 or email [email protected].

When paying for tickets on Just Giving please remember to leave your name.

SOLD OUT TWCSC Charity Christmas Ball – Saturday 4th December 2021

Please join us for our annual charity Christmas Ball in aid of the Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre.

On Saturday 4th December 2021 at the Tower Suite, Drayton Manor.

Arrival time 7pm – Dinner served at 8pm.

Hosted by Alex Farrell

Entertainment from The All New Blues and Soul Revue – the UK’s leading Blues Brothers tribute band.

Dress code is formal black tie/evening wear

Ticket price £45 which includes a 2 course meal

To book tickets please contact Paula Da-Silva on 01827 899590 or email [email protected]

Payments can be made in cash by visiting the centre, by cheque made payable to ‘Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre’ and posted to 44 Craven, Stonydelph, Tamworth, Staffs, B77 4HH or via Just Giving here:

Just Giving – payments for TWCSC Christmas Ball

When paying on Just Giving please remember to leave your name and how many tickets you would like.

There will be a set menu to be confirmed nearer the time, please advise of any special dietary requirements when booking tickets.

*Please note this event is for over 18’s only*

We will not be taking any payments for this event until September just in case things take a turn and the event is unable to go ahead.

Tickets can be paid for in instalments however the final payment is required by November 20th.

A Christmas Miracle

As you may be aware our boiler at the Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre has broken, so we need to replace it as a matter of urgency.

Obviously we support people affected by cancer and other chronic illnesses and it is vital that they are comfortable in a warm environment as many of them have low immunity and catching a cold could be disastrous.

We would hate to have to close the Centre and fortunately we haven’t had to so far, we are coping by using electric heaters but obviously that means our next electric bill is going to be extortionate.

As a self-funded charity this is an added expense that we could really do without so any help at all would be massively appreciated. The quotes we received for the boiler were around £3-4K.

A number of people requested that we set up a Just Giving page so that they could donate so we did.

We are absolutely overwhelmed to announce that Ben Shears of Shears Plumbing, Heating and Gas has been in touch and is going to fit the boiler for us on Friday 20th December 2019. He had already massively reduced the cost for us but now the staff at Shears have clubbed together and are paying our bill for us! So we don’t have to pay them anything at all.

We appreciate that you all donated money for the boiler and obviously the page was set up initially when we thought we were looking at a £4k bill! Rest assured every penny donated will go to paying the electric bills that we have run up with electric heaters and any money left over will be well spent within the charity. The Just Giving page will be taken down tomorrow.

If anybody has any concerns or queries please call Paula Da-Silva on 01827 899590 or email [email protected]

Merry Christmas to you all!

LoveBrum – Voting is now OPEN!

LOVEBRUM VOTING IS NOW OPEN!!!

Last week you will hopefully have seen our video made for LoveBrum where we were one of 3 chosen causes to receive a donation. The winner will receive £2000, 2nd place will receive £1000 and 3rd place will receive £500.

Anybody can vote but your vote will only count once.

To vote you need to go to the LoveBrum website https://lovebrum.org.uk/vote/

Non Members

Tick the box next to your chosen cause (Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre)
Enter your name and email address below the causes and click submit.
You will then receive a verification email (Check your spam folder)
Click the verification link to confirm your vote

Voting closes at midday on Friday

Please vote, share and tell all of your friends. As a completely self-funded charity this money will make a huge difference to us ??

LoveBrum Charity – please vote for us!

We have been fortunate enough to be shortlisted as one of 3 causes supported by LoveBrum

For the month of October they have showcased 3 different causes, TWCSC being the third, and then next week people can vote.

1st place gets £2000, 2nd gets £1000 and 3rd gets £500.

We will let you know next week how to vote, please vote

for us, we would really appreciate your support.

Thank you ??

TWCSC 5 Year Celebration Open Day

Please come and join us on Saturday 29th June between 11am and 2pm to celebrate our 5th Anniversary at Stonydelph.

Meet our dedicated team, see our facilities, learn more about our services and enjoy our refreshments.

Radio Tamworth will be doing a live broadcast from the event.

Please let us know if you are coming so we can gauge numbers.

Call Paula on 01827 899590 or email [email protected] for further information

Everybody is welcome!

Visit from our Charity Ambassador Joe Lycett

A popular TV personality and well known comedian was the special guest of a Tamworth charity this week.

Joe Lycett, who has appeared on Live at the Apollo, Taskmaster, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, 8 Out of 10 Cats, QI and many other shows, was welcomed to the Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre.

Paula Da-Silva, centre manager and a Herald Hero winner, said: “Joe Lycett is our charity ambassador and came to visit the centre on Monday.

“He has visited a couple of times before and really loves the place. He said that it feels really friendly and welcoming. He also said he is very proud to be our ambassador.

“He plans to help us out by raising our profile and by popping along to visit us when he can, and also attending some of our events when possible.”

Explaining what Monday was all about, Paula added: “The purpose of the visit was to work with me to finalise a script for an advert for Radio Tamworth. Last year we won an award at the Radio Tamworth Awards and part of the prize was a free month of advertising on Radio Tamworth.

“One of our volunteers Louise Vernon also won a fundraiser of the year award so she donated her free month to us too. I thought Joe would be the perfect person to be the voice of our advert, as our ambassador and because he has a recognisable voice. I thought it would have more of an impact than people having to listen to my voice!

“So Joe very kindly agreed to help us out. We worked on a script together to convey the best message we could in a short space of advertising time and went along to record with Mark Paul at Radio Tamworth. Mark has also very kindly donated his time to record and edit the advert for us so we are extremely grateful to him too. We are now very excited to hear the final version going out on the airwaves very soon!

“Our next big event is a Pink tribute night at Wilnecote Working Men’s Club on Friday, May 10. Tickets are £10. People can find the event on our Facebook page or call 01827 899590.”

Joe added that it was “so nice to see everyone at the centre”.

“We all know too well the damage and heartache cancer causes, but also how scary and lonely it is for those who have been diagnosed,” he said. “The Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre is essentially a big box of angels who provide a ton of different support, advice and compassionate care.

“I’ve visited the centre and seen first hand how amazing it is and am proud to call its manager Paula my friend.”

Christmas Closure 2018

Please note that the centre will be closed from 3pm Friday 21st December until 10am Thursday 3rd January 2019.

If you need to speak to us then we can be reached via our Facebook page or via email – [email protected]

Co-op Community Dividend Fund

It’s that time of year again to nominate a good cause for the Co-op Community Dividend.

Please could I ask this year that for the Glascote branch you consider voting for the
Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre?

It’s really easy to do, just follow the link, fill in your name and address, select Glascote store and fill in the charity details.

Please vote and share this link with your friends, and help a local charity get some free funding.

http://www.tamworth.coop/nominate/

You can only vote ONCE. Please don’t vote more than once because your vote then becomes invalid.

Thanks for your support

Popular TV comedian revealed as ambassador for Tamworth’s ‘big box of angels’ cancer charity

A well-known TV comedian has been revealed as the new ambassador for a vital Tamworth charity which supports people with cancer and chronic illnesses.

Staff and volunteers at Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre are celebrating after popular comedian Joe Lycett pledged his support for the cause by taking on the important role of charity ambassador.

The centre has set itself the ambitious challenge of raising £50,000 between now and March 5 when it celebrates five years in its current base in Craven, Stonydelph, and it is hoped that Joe’s involvement will help make this possible.

Thirty-year-old Joe, from Hall Green in Birmingham, is well-known for his hilarious consumer rights battles and complaints with officials and regularly appears on TV shows such as Live at the Apollo, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, 8 out of 10 Cats, QI, Roast Battle and Taskmaster.

He is good friends with Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre manager, Paula Da-Silva, and was only too happy to champion a cause he describes as a ‘big box of angels’.

Joe said: “We all know too well the damage and heartache cancer causes, but also how scary and lonely it is for those who have been diagnosed. The Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre is essentially a big box of angels who provide a ton of different support services, advice and compassionate care. I’ve visited the centre and seen first-hand how amazing it is and am proud to call its manager, Paula, my friend. I’m delighted to be announced as ambassador to their extraordinary centre, which provides invaluable and remarkable support for people living with cancer and other chronic illnesses.”

Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre offers a range of advice, support and therapeutic services to people affected by cancer and other chronic illnesses, and their families. These include holistic therapies such as reiki, reflexology and massage, craft therapies, wig and bra fitting, nail treatments, foot treatments, Tai Chi, Yoga, meditation and, most importantly, practical and emotional support in a friendly and welcoming environment.

It has helped hundreds of people over the years and currently has 400 clients on its books who are all being supported and helped in some way.

As a registered charity, the centre is completely self-funded, relying entirely on donations and fundraising. It costs around £3,000 per month to keep the centre running and every penny donated goes straight into supporting its services. Much of the work is made possible thanks to an incredible band of dedicated volunteers who give up their time to help and support those in need.

Paula said: “I used to work with Joe at an online radio station and we kept in touch and remained friends. He has visited the centre on a couple of occasions and was very impressed by what we do. I am delighted to have him on board as charity ambassador.

“We’ve set ourselves this ambitious target of raising £50,000 before our fifth birthday in this centre, which we will be celebrating in March. I’m hoping that with Joe on board we will be able to raise more awareness about what we do and have 50,000 extra reasons to celebrate come March 5! That amount of money would keep us going for around 16 months, which would be an amazing way to mark our fifth anniversary.”

All donations and fundraising activities to help reach the £50,000 total are welcome. Donations can be made via the Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/twcsc5.

Charity Golf Day

We had a wonderful day yesterday at the Charity Golf Day organised by Four Oaks Legal Services.

We have an awful lot of people to thank who helped make the day such a huge success.

Thank you to everybody who donated golf and raffle prizes.

Thank you to all of our golfers and everybody who came along to the event, with special thanks to Mitch Powell, Ron Atkinson and Steve Staunton.

Thank you to Simon Smith and everybody at Aston Wood Golf Club for being such amazing hosts and really going above and beyond for us.

Thank you to all of our sponsors:

Elegance Solutions Ltd
Flair Windows
Joe Wade
Minster Logistics
Adcocks Solicitors
Prizm Solutions Ltd
Brookes Stephens Accountants
AMS Chemicals
Four Oaks Legal Services

The biggest thank you of all must go to Stuart and Liz McIntosh, along with everybody at Four Oaks Legal Services for organising the event – you did a fantastic job.

Thanks to the generosity of all of these incredible people we managed to raise …. £2209.15. We are delighted.

A huge congratulations to the winning team ‘The Peaky Blinders’ consisting of our very special guests Mitch Powell, Ron Atkinson, Steve Staunton and Simon Smith and to the runners up … our very own TWCSC Team. Also huge congratulations to the best individual player Richard Bywater and the runner up Stuart McIntosh. Nearest the pin winner was Simon Trevelyan, the longest drive winner was John Burton and the putting competition winner was Mark Blake – congratulations to you all.

Please keep Wednesday September 11th 2019 free – we are going to do it all over again!

Support your local charity

We have now made it even easier for you to make a donation to TWCSC.

You can now donate via text message. All you need to do is text XTLL70 to 70070 with the amount you want to donate.

For example if you want to donate £2 simply type XTLL70 £2 in your text message and send it to 70070.

Please get your phones out and help your small local charity!

5 Year Anniversary Celebration

In March 2019 The Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre will be celebrating 5 years at their building in Craven, Stonydelph. As a celebration they have set themselves a challenge to raise £50,000 between now and March 5^th 2019.

It costs around £3000 per month to keep the centre running so this amount of money will mean that they can continue supporting clients for around 16 months. As a self-funded charity every penny donated helps enormously and goes straight back into the charity to supplement our services.

During the 5 years at Stonydelph the charity has won prestigious awards at the Tamworth Business and Community Awards as well as the Spirit of Tamworth Awards. They are also currently the chosen charity for the Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber of Commerce. It hasn’t all been plain sailing though; the charity has had to recover from severe flooding … twice! They have an incredible band of dedicated volunteers and their support is invaluable.

The charity supports people affected by cancer and other chronic illnesses. They have also supported hundreds of clients by providing various services such as:

Listening Service
Support Groups
Holistic Therapies
Wig Fitting & Styling
Bra Fitting & Prosthetics
Craft Therapy
Foot treatments

Trustee Cathy Tibbles said “All of the services are completely free of charge to the clients, which is why fundraising is so important. Our events are aimed to be inclusive and enjoyable! We would be delighted if you wished to either adopt us as your charity for the year or organise your own event to raise money for us. Please get in touch if you would like to partner or sponsor events we are planning.”

To make a donation to this very worthy charity you can either send a cheque payable to Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre, 44 Craven, Stonydelph, Tamworth, Staffs, B77 4HH or via Just Giving https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/twcsc5

For further information please call Paula on 01827 899590 or email [email protected]

Let’s work together to celebrate a ‘Happy Anniversary’

Coping with Cancer

Coping with cancer is a very individual thing and everybody deals with their diagnosis in their own way, it is important to remember there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way. You are likely to feel a range of emotions when you are diagnosed with cancer. These may change over time, during treatment and when treatment has finished. You may feel like you are on an emotional roller coaster and feel like you are dealing with things fine one day but then completely overwhelmed the next.

It is important to talk about your feelings and your fears to somebody, don’t bottle everything up inside. Very often people don’t want to burden or upset their closest family and friends, they feel more comfortable offloading to somebody they are not so close to. This is exactly why our charity exists. If you do not live in our area then there may be another centre similar to ours or a hospice where you can go for support. Alternatively you can always contact many cancer support charities.

For details of other places to look for support in your area please call us on 01827 899590 and we would be happy to look into this for you.

You may decide you need professional counselling, and this isn’t something to be embarrassed about. A cancer diagnosis can be life changing, so it is only natural that it may have a huge impact on your emotional wellbeing.

Being positive and thinking positively can help you cope with cancer, but it is natural to also feel upset and frightened sometimes despite trying to be positive.

People with cancer are often encouraged to be positive. But it is not always very easy. Living with cancer and its treatment can be frightening. There will be times when you might feel low and worried about your future.

You can be positive and think positively without always feeling cheerful or optimistic.

It means recognising some of the fearful possibilities that can arise from having cancer. Thinking positively also recognises the importance of hope whatever your situation.

Even if your cancer is advanced, some treatments might relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.

Feeling upset and frightened can be a sign of strength and may reflect your courage in facing up to an uncertain future. But sometimes it can help to try to change negative thoughts into something more positive when they come into your head. This takes practice.

This doesn’t mean that you always have to stop yourself feeling down. It is important to allow yourself to experience your feelings.

It is fine to cry if you need to. If you feel very angry, find a safe way to express this.

You could try gentle exercise or listening to music. Sometimes they really can help. Maybe watch one of your favourite films or TV shows for a bit of escapism.

Make sure that you have a good support network of positive people around you that can really help lift your spirits and be there when you need a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen to how you are feeling. Attending a centre like ours where you can talk to other people honestly and openly would be beneficial, you may be surprised at how much talking to others can help.

Remember to take each day as it comes and LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. Don’t try to overdo things but equally try to do little bits when you can. If you need to rest … REST!

Try to eat as well as you can which may not be easy if your cancer or treatment is making you sick or very tired. But if you can, eating a healthy, well balanced diet will keep up your energy levels and may make it easier to cope with feeling depressed or anxious. It also gives your body the best fuel possible to keep fighting.

Try different relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga. Also maybe having a massage or reiki may help you feel more relaxed. We do all of these things at the centre so please call us to book an appointment if you feel you can benefit from them.

Keeping a journal or diary may help to release your feelings, by putting words on paper you are letting go instead of keeping them bottled up inside. A diary can also help you spot patterns, for example if you check back you may see that it is always on a certain day after your chemotherapy that you start to feel tired or sick, so then you can plan for your next chemo sessions and know in advance when your bad days are likely to be. You can also read back and see the progress you have made and how far you have come which may well be the incentive you need to keep on going.

Craft therapy can be another way to help as a coping mechanism. By taking your mind off your illness and concentrating on other things it can give you some time to relax, create something arty and let your mind wander away from ‘cancer’. We hold craft groups at the centre and by talking to other people whilst making different things it really helps our clients to escape from their problems for a short time.

When your treatment is over this may be the time when you feel at your worst emotionally, don’t worry, this is very normal. Often during a cancer diagnosis you are on a treadmill of appointments, treatments and more appointments. It is often the case that when you step off that treadmill and have no more appointments you feel adrift and don’t know where to turn. It can be a scary place to be when you don’t have another appointment for 6 or 12 months, and you may be frightened that your cancer will come back. This is a completely understandable reaction but it is important not to bury those fears. Please talk about them to somebody you trust, whether that be a family member, a friend or a cancer support centre like ours.

The most important tip we can give you for coping with not just cancer but with any chronic illness is one word ….. TALK!

Reiki

Reiki is a hands-on type of healing used as a complementary therapy.

The Japanese word Reiki means universal energy. Eastern medicine systems work with this energy, which flows through all living things and is vital to wellbeing. The energy is known as ‘Ki’ in Japan, ‘Chi’ in China and ‘prana’ in India. Reiki isn’t part of any type of religion or belief system. It is best described as a hands on healing used as a complementary therapy.

A Reiki practitioner aims to change and balance the energy fields in and around your body to help on a physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual level.

Reiki practitioners say that it can:

help you to feel deeply relaxed
help you cope with difficult situations
relieve emotional stress and tension
help to improve overall wellbeing

Some people with cancer say they feel better after using therapies such as Reiki.

Studies show that this is often because a therapist spends time with the person, and touches them.

After the rush and stress of hospitals and treatment, it can be very relaxing when someone gives you attention for an hour or more, in a calm setting. Reiki is sometimes used in palliative care, especially in hospices.

Some people say that Reiki has helped to control side effects of their cancer treatments, such as pain, anxiety and sickness.

They also say that it helps them cope better with their cancer and its treatment. But it’s important to bear in mind that while Reiki may help you to cope with your symptoms or side effects, it is not able to treat your cancer.

On your first visit, your Reiki practitioner will ask you about your general health and medical history. They will ask you why you would like to have Reiki and discuss your treatment plan with you.

You don’t have to get undressed for treatment. You usually take your shoes and coat off and have it sitting or lying down. You can have your eyes open or closed.

Your Reiki practitioner might dim the lights or play soothing music. They put their hands on, or a few inches above, your body. They will move their hands across your body, usually starting at your head and working down to your feet, but may focus on particular areas of the body.

The aim is to move and balance the energy within and around your body. And to get rid of any energy blocks to encourage physical healing and strengthen your energy.

You might feel a tingling sensation, a deep relaxation, or warmth or coolness throughout your body. Or, you might not feel anything at all. Practitioners say this doesn’t mean the treatment isn’t working.

A session usually lasts between 20 minutes and an hour. Many practitioners say you will get the best results from 3 sessions within a fairly short space of time. Then take a break before having more treatments.

You might feel thirsty after a session. It can help to drink plenty of water and avoid strong caffeine based drinks, such as coffee.

You might feel deeply relaxed, and resting at home afterwards can help you get the full benefit of the treatment.

Reiki can be sent remotely. An appropriately trained practitioner can send healing over a distance. So you can be in your own home having Reiki from a person elsewhere.

If you don’t feel comfortable with anything, it’s important to discuss this with your practitioner.

Generally speaking, Reiki is safe for most people with cancer. Most practitioners will advise you to rest and drink plenty of water after treatment. There are no reports of harmful side effects.

It is safe to have Reiki alongside your cancer treatment. But it’s important to tell your doctor about any complementary therapy, alternative therapy or diet supplement that you use. Then your doctor will always have the full picture about your care and treatment.

There is no scientific evidence to prove that Reiki can prevent, treat or cure cancer, or any other disease.

But, many healthcare professionals accept Reiki as a useful complementary therapy which may help lower stress, promote relaxation and reduce pain.

Part-time Administrative Assistant Required

We wish to recruit a part time administrative assistant to support the Centre Manager and help to ensure the smooth running of the charity.

This post is for 10 hours per week based over 2 days with possible extra hours to cover holidays/sickness. The working days are flexible with agreement from the Centre Manager.

This would be a highly rewarding role for the right candidate. You would gain experience not only in the skills involved in the administration of a charity but other skills such as fundraising and events organising. Job satisfaction is a huge part of this role, to know you are helping to provide support for people affected by cancer and other chronic illnesses and their families can provide a huge sense of fulfilment.

Closing date for applications is 12 noon on 2nd July 2018.

Interviews will be held on Tuesday 10th & Wednesday 11th July 2018.

For a job description and person specification please contact Paula Da-Silva on 01827 899590 or email [email protected].

Paula Da-Silva – Charity Manager

I started volunteering for the charity in October 2013 when I got made redundant from my job and wanted to fill my time productively. My background is predominantly in administration so I offered my help whilst looking for a new job …. and never left!

I lost my brother in law to leukaemia after a long battle and my mother is a breast cancer survivor – so I know how these illnesses can affect the entire family which is why I am so passionate about not only helping the person with the condition but the family as a whole.

I became Charity Manager in October 2014 and can honestly say I have the best job in the world. To be able to help people through their darkest times is so rewarding. I have met the most incredible people through my role who, whatever happens, will stay with me for the rest of my life.

I am so proud of the charity and what we have all achieved together, although I may be biased, the Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre is a truly incredible place full of the most amazing, inspirational people.

Joe Lycett – Charity Ambassador

We all know too well the damage and heartache cancer causes, but also how scary and lonely it is for those who have been diagnosed. The Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre is essentially a big box of angels who provide a ton of different support, advice and compassionate care.

I’ve visited the centre and seen first hand how amazing it is and am proud to call its manager Paula my friend. I’m delighted to be announced as an ambassador to their extraordinary centre.

https://joelycett.com/

Adrian Bell – Chair and Trustee

Having being diagnosed with cancer in 2015 I soon realised what a scary, lonely place that can be.

I turned up at the centre and was not only given genuine support and care from the the staff and volunteers but also practical help from people who have been there and done it.

There is always a plentiful supply of tea, cake and bad jokes as well

Cathy Tibbles – Vice Chair and Trustee

I have been involved in this amazing charity from the very beginning, before we even had a ‘Centre’. I volunteer in personal tribute to a marvellous friend who was inspirational to me 20 years ago during her illness.

I know how important it is to have a place to turn to – somewhere with a warm welcome and friendly team who you can trust and confide in when you need a listening ear. Whether you come to the Centre alone or bring your family or friends, we take pride in being there for everyone. When you feel lost then this is the place to find. Helping someone take their first step to get to a stronger place is a privilege.

I wish I could be here every day – I just love being part of this inspiring team.

Jeanette Taylor – Trustee

I first heard about the Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre through my daughter Abbie when she started volunteering. I attended a few events and found out what wonderful work they really do.

I wanted to get involved and knew it would be a valuable use of my time.

I love volunteering here and meeting all the lovely clients.

I am now a Trustee of the charity and I’m relishing the challenge.

Julia Fallon – Trustee

My involvement with the charity began in 2011 when I was a client and received much needed support after my diagnosis with breast cancer. Upon recovery I then became a volunteer to help others in a similar situation to myself. I became a Trustee in 2014 when we moved to the new Stonydelph building to show my commitment to the charity. I believe in the charity so much because I feel we are unique and provide much needed services to our clients.

My main role at the centre is supporting the clients. Having been through cancer myself I can relate to them and their needs. I can also share my experiences with them and provide an insight into how cancer affects you as a person, and can also demonstrate that there is life after cancer.

I love my time at the centre because the people are friendly, there is a sense of community and it feels like an ever expanding family. People often expect it to be quite a depressing place but we actually have lots of fun. We also have lots of events that help to create a great social life for people who may not ordinarily be able to socialise.

Sam Beech – Trustee

I first got involved with the Centre by raising funds through The Tamworth Panto. Over time, I began to understand more about the incredible work the Centre does for the local community. In my day job, I produce theatre and live events, so using Panto and similar platforms to help spread awareness about the Centre’s mission was a natural fit.

I was truly honoured when Paula invited me to become a trustee. It was only then that I began to fully grasp the scale and depth of the work TWCSC does. Every penny raised goes directly back into the Centre – and from there, straight into supporting those who need it most.

I’m constantly inspired by the dedication of the volunteers. I can’t wait to contribute however I can. I’ve never encountered a place quite like this – a space filled with such joy, warmth, and an open-armed welcome for everyone who walks through its doors.

Lisa Mitchell – Administration Assistant

I have been familiar with the centre since I met the centre manager, Paula in 2014.

Paula exhibits remarkable dedication to her work and the assistance and support that the charity provides to families experiencing life-altering illnesses. While I have not personally required the services or support offered by the centre, I understand the importance of having a warm and friendly place to turn to during difficult times.

The centre is staffed with many welcoming, caring, and empathetic volunteers. From the moment you enter, it is evident that you will be listened to, cared for, and understood.
I am so proud to be a part of the Tamworth wellbeing cancer support family.

Abbie Jenkins – Volunteer

I am a psychology student hoping to work in mental health.

I volunteer at TWCSC because it is great to give back to the community and it helps me gain some experience and more confidence in talking to people in difficult circumstances.

Becky Easen – Volunteer

I am a qualified nurse and actor. I became aware of TWCSC through my good friend, Centre Manager Paula.

I became a volunteer because it made me happy to think I could help make a difference, but the centre has given me so much more back. I have made wonderful friends and love the time I spend there.

Cathy Ward – Volunteer

I chose to volunteer at the centre because I was looking for something worthwhile to do with my time for a few hours each week.

It is a wonderfully warm and friendly place to be and it is great to be a part of something that supports families within the community at the toughest of times.

Chrissie Chadwick – Holistic Therapist

Hi, my name is Chrissie.

I am a beautician, nail technician and holistic therapist.

I have recently started volunteering at the Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre because I wanted to give something back to the community.

Being at the centre, has given me no greater pleasure than to give others something to look forward to.

Christine Harris – P.R. & Fundraising Co-ordinator

My name is Christine and have been involved with the Centre just prior to it moving to its present venue. I supported fundraising, facilitated free training for the volunteers and did what I could to help in any way. Then one day I had to walk into the centre and announce I had just received a diagnosis myself of Breast Cancer. My world fell apart, but in the days following the diagnosis the centre became mine and my husband Ian’s lifeline.

In the months ahead, during treatment the centre and its family were there for us, advice, guidance, support, laughter, and therapies – we couldn’t have asked for more.

It’s been a rough journey and one that we couldn’t have achieved without the centre and so now it’s time to continue my journey of support for the Centre and become a volunteer. I have varied skills and hope to be able to utilise some of these within my role.

Hayley Smith – Foot Health Practitioner

I am a mum to triplet girls and I qualified as a Foot Health Practitioner in June 2015, but did not start my own business until January 2016. I approached the Centre to volunteer to gain experience and confidence.

Both my mum, uncle and mother-in-law have died from Cancer within the last 8 years so I felt I wanted to be involved in some way. I am at the Centre every other Monday and I enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.

Helena Pickin – Holistic Therapist

As well as working as a clinical pharmacist for the NHS, I run my own well-being therapy business providing coaching, reiki and clinical hypnotherapy.

Sadly, I recently lost my mum to bowel cancer. Knowing how much the reiki helped her, TWCSC is the perfect place for me to give something back and share my skills as a well-being practitioner.

Janet Marsh – Volunteer

I was aware of TWCSC long before I became a volunteer because I had attended a few of their fundraising events; it was very apparent that the manager, trustees and volunteers are all passionate about the service they provide and will go the extra mile to help those who need it.

I was also struck by the welcoming atmosphere when attending the centre and after seeing first hand the difference it makes to people’s everyday life it was an easy decision to become a volunteer.

I feel very privileged to play a small part in the running of this very unique organisation and get much more out of it than I put in.

Jo Woodley – Volunteer

I have known about TWCSC since my best friend and centre manager Paula started with the charity. I have always helped her with events that I have attended and really enjoyed doing so and finally Paula suggested I become a volunteer.

It’s an amazing centre that deserves all the recognition it can get and I’m glad to become officially involved.

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