On Saturday we were invited to the Spirit of Tamworth Awards. Our Charity Manager (Paula Da-Silva) was a finalist in the category of “Community Champion” and one of our volunteers (Mal Middleton) was a finalist in the “Unsung Hero” category.
The event is organised by the Tamworth Round Table and every year it just gets better! This year there were 15 categories and over 300 people in attendance including Gareth Coates – The Mayor of Tamworth, Sarah Edwards M.P, and local celebrity Spudman! There was also entertainment during the interval courtesy of singer/songwriter Ali Gilbert.
Unfortunately Mal didn’t win her category but we were delighted for our friend Joshua Hoskins who was a very well deserving winner.
Paula won her category and came away with a beautiful award.
The event was a huge success and we would like to congratulate everybody involved in the organisation of the awards, with a special mention to Sean Poultney who works so hard every single year to make this happen.
Help from a local company
We are delighted to announce that we have been adopted by a fabulous company called Opmobility.
We have formed a relationship whereby they volunteer for a minimum of one day a month with us completing manual jobs that we would otherwise struggle with or have to pay somebody to do.
So far they have completed a huge clean up outside the building, getting rid of all of the leaves, trimming the hedges, clearing the guttering and drains (which is always a huge problem for us!) They have also painted our toilet area and given it a lovely freshen up.
They have also committed to fundraising for us. This has started with Kieran and Jack running the Cannock Chase Trail Half Marathon on Saturday 18th May. Jack finished in place 140/ 206 finishers (241 entries) in a time of 2:50:53 and Kieran finished in place 141 in a time of 2:25:58 They have already had some very generous donations but if you would like to support them here is their Just Giving link:
Thank you so much to everybody at Opmobility for your help , it really means a lot that you have chosen us as your charity to support.
Christmas Closure 2023
Please note that the Centre will be closed from 3pm on Friday 22nd December and will re-open at 10am on Monday 8th January 2024.
Wishing you all a merry Christmas and a happy 2024
Christmas Ball 2023 – a huge success!
Thank you so much to every single person involved in Saturday’s TWCSC Charity Christmas Ball. We all had a wonderful evening! Organising events such as this is really hard work and very stressful but looking out into the room seeing you all enjoying yourselves so much makes it all worthwhile. The main objective of the event is to celebrate another year of the charity surviving, especially in such difficult times, but of course we need to raise money too.
I have been in the counting house doing the maths and I am delighted to reveal that this year’s total is ……Drumroll please …..£6435!!! I am absolutely overjoyed!
Thank you Drayton Manor for having us again and for your wonderful hospitality.
Thank you Hometown for the brilliant entertainment.
Thank you Alex Farrell for being an awesome host and generally running around for me, you were a star as always
Thank you to New Moon Images for taking such beautiful photos.
Thank you Pam Pearce for the gorgeous balloon arch
Thank you to Katherine and Garry from Blachere Illuminations for bringing the gorgeous heart to display and for all of your help.
Thank you to everybody that donated a raffle prize.
Thank you to Eileen and Steve Brown from Little Meadow Park for donating a 2 night stay for the raffle.
Thank you to Kate and John Hopkins from The Garden Room, Rutland for donating a 2 night stay for the auction.
Thank you Christine Harris for making all the raffle prizes look so pretty and for your help.
Thank you to the volunteers as always for your hard work.
Thank you to the Trustees for your support and for the lovely words and gifts
Thank you to our clients for putting your trust in us at the most difficult of times, you are the reason we do what we do. You are the most important people and we will never stop striving to make the Centre as successful as it can be so you will ALWAYS have somewhere to come to and somebody to listen to you.
Most of all thank you to everybody that came and supported us, you were amazing! Your sense of fun and enjoyment always makes the Ball what it is!
Thank you so much for your generosity.
See you all next year
SAVE THE DATE – Saturday 7th December 2024
Vote for us in the Asda Foundation Green Token Giving
We have been nominated to be part of the Asda Foundation Green Token Giving online vote through our local Asda store in Tamworth.
The vote is now live and voting will close at midnight on Friday 30th September 2022.
The cause with the most online votes will receive a £500 donation with second place receiving £400 and third place £300.
You can vote for Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre by visiting www.asda.com/green-tokens and selecting Tamworth from the drop-down box.
Supporters will be able to vote once every seven days, so please keep voting in the following weeks.
Generous Donation
On Friday we had a lovely visit from Gill Keegan from Sutton Coldfield Golf Club Ladies.
They have been fundraising for TWCSC and we were presented with a cheque for an incredible £2137.41.
Gill is good friends with our Trustee Adrian Bell and his wife Mandy, this is how the connection came about.
Thank you so much to Gill and everybody involved, we are so grateful
Appeal for defibrillator
As most of you know, I do a lot of fundraising for TWCSC but this time it’s a lot more personal to me.
On December 22nd our family got the news that my brother Guy had collapsed at work of a heart attack, he was resuscitated at the scene by his incredible colleagues and was transferred to Glenfield Hospital in Leicester. This then led to a rollercoaster week of ups and downs. Sadly we were eventually told the worst news possible and he passed away on New Year’s Eve.
Seeing his wife, daughter and son going through all of this trauma with such strength, dignity and love is heartbreaking but also fills me with pride. They are incredible people and Guy created an amazing family of his own.
The family have taken some comfort in the fact that Guy donated organs and people’s lives were saved because of his passing.
I wanted to do something in tribute to Guy, mainly for his family, and I decided that the most appropriate thing would be to do something where more lives can be saved. I have spoken to the family and have their full support to go ahead with this.
I would like to fundraise enough money to have a defibrillator on the site of Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre at Stonydelph for the use of not only ourselves, but the community as a whole.
The fact that Guy’s life was initially saved gave the family time to say our goodbyes, which meant everything to all of us.
Hopefully the defibrillator will never have to be used, but if it does and it saves or prolongs somebody’s life – what a gift to give and what a legacy to leave.
Please note the Centre will be closed from 3pm today and we will re-open at 10am on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas
Charity Ball Success!
On Saturday evening we held our long awaited charity Christmas Ball in the Tower Suite at Drayton Manor Park. The tickets were sold out back in October so we already knew in advance that people were definitely ready to party, and they didn’t disappoint.
Alex Farrell hosted the evening in his own inimitable style as always, he is definitely the host with the most.
We had a fabulous photographer Neil Foster from New Moon Images who took some beautiful pictures.
The All New Blues and Soul Revue kept us entertained with songs from the Blues Brothers and Commitments films, amongst many others. At 1am the lights went on and people were still on the dancefloor – I couldn’t get them to leave. That’s always a sign of a great night.
We had some incredible raffle prizes that were so popular we actually ran out of raffle tickets, despite taking extra books. One of our volunteers had to dash to Asda to buy some more.
For the first time this year we introduced table sponsorship by local businesses so we would like to thank the following for their support:
Thanks to the generosity of everybody involved we raised an incredible £6664.65!
A very successful and enjoyable night was had by all.
We are currently running another raffle for those that were unable to attend the Christmas Ball. The prizes include:
£100 cash
£150 Virgin Experience Day
2 x tickets to see Joe Lycett in Birmingham
Tassimo Coffee Machine
4 x tickets for comedy night at The Crafty Two with Prosecco
Axe Throwing Voucher
2 x tickets to Trentham Monkey Forest
Red Lion Voucher
Chocolate Hamper
Massage Voucher
Alcohol … and many more.
Thank you to everybody that has donated raffle prizes for either of our draws, we really do appreciate it.
Tickets are £1 each or £5 for a book, the raffle will be drawn on 14th December so if you would like tickets you need to be very quick. Tickets can be collected from the Centre or if you are unable to do that then please contact me on 07368 265 984 or email [email protected] and I will make sure we can find a way to get you some tickets.
Remember we are still open to clients old and new, so if you would like to pay us a visit, please contact us and we will make the necessary arrangements.
TWCSC Christmas Appeal
The Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre are holding our annual Charity Christmas Ball on December 4th at Drayton Manor Park. The event is officially sold out but there are still ways in which you can support us.
We are appealing for local businesses to sponsor tables for £100 each.
In return you will receive:
advertising on all of our social media channels and website,
your leaflets/business cards displayed on your dedicated table and in the foyer,
a mention on the evening,
all of the business names will go into a hat and on the evening of the Christmas Ball one will be drawn at random and will receive one month’s free advertising on Radio Tamworth courtesy of Alex Farrell.
We will also be holding two big raffles this Christmas, one at the Charity Ball and one for those people that are unable to attend the event. We are also appealing for raffle prizes to help raise much needed funds for the Centre.
If you are interested in sponsoring a table or donating a raffle prize please contact Paula Da-Silva on 07368 265 984 or email [email protected]
Joe Lycett wins £32k for Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre on Celebrity Catchphrase
Joe Lycett gave his favourite Tamworth charity another THIRTY THOUSAND reasons to love him.
The comedian won £31,900 for Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre, of which he is an ambassador for, playing against TV presenter Nick Knowles and actress Chizzy Akudolu on ITV hit Celebrity Catchphrase.
He had won £6,900 in the earlier rounds to get through to the final where he then won £25,000 in the Saturday night show. The total raised for charity between all three celebrities was £41,100.
Joe, who was even a catchphrase on the show, which he correctly guessed as being A Cup of Joe, told presenter Stephen Mulhern: “I am really surprised because genuinely when I watch the show I am not good at it so I have sort of blown my own mind!
“The charity is a really lovely little local charity in Tamworth and they, like a lot of other places, have had a tough few months with lockdown and not being able to be open but still so many people suffering.
“This money will be amazing for them because they are such a small charity. It really makes a difference.
“I am an ambassador for the charity and my friend Paula runs it. I have been there and seen what they do and it is incredibly important for the people that go there.”
Paula Da-Silva, centre manager who watched the show with friends and family at Bolehall Swifts, said: “I still can’t process it. What can I say? I am absolutely blown away. What a fantastic night! Joe has pulled it out of the bag for us yet again, and I got to share it with some people that are very special to me.
“Joe is an amazing ambassador for our charity, we are so lucky to have him! On Saturday he gave us another 31,900 reasons to be grateful.
“I couldn’t be more proud to have Joe as my friend and as ambassador for Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre. He is always there for me and never lets me down.
“We will definitely put the money to good use. It is just beyond our wildest dreams. We could not be happier.
“Thank you everybody for your lovely messages and comments, I am literally ploughing through them all.”
Nick Knowles even messaged Paula to say: “He (Joe) was brilliant and did so well – lovely guy as well. Congrats on the money he won for you. I know you’ll put it to great use.”
Aged 33 and known for being the presenter on BBC Two’s The Great British Sewing Bee, announcer on BBC One show Epic Win, Ibiza Weekender voice over and appearances on Live at the Apollo, Taskmaster, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, 8 Out of 10 Cats and QI among many, Joe has “I’ve visited the centre and seen first-hand how amazing it is and I 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.”also on ITV, last year.
He became an official ambassador for the charity in 2018.
He said at the time: “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 I 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.”
Credit: Daniel Newbould
Celebrity Catchphrase
We are delighted to announce that Joe Lycett will be representing the Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre on Celebrity Catchphrase on Saturday 18th September at 6.30pm on ITV.
He will be up against Nick Knowles and Chizzy Akudolu.
Please watch and cheer him on if you can.
Good luck Joe!
We are all behind you!
Amazon Wishlist
We are hoping very soon to re-start our craft group. However we want to be extra cautious due to the vulnerability of some of our clients. Initially we want to offer crafts that people can do individually so that they don’t have to share things so that we can minimise any risk of transmitting any possible infections.
I have created an Amazon wish list with items on that our clients can enjoy individually. If anybody would like to buy something from the list to donate we would be most grateful.
You simply click the link below, choose the item you want to buy, pay for it and Amazon will send it to us. You need to select the ‘Gift Registry Address’. (The address provided to Amazon is not the Centre address because of delivery issues but rest assured all items will be passed on to the charity)
Also don’t forget to sign up to Amazon Smile and choose us your charity to donate even more money to us at no extra cost to yourselves.
Finally, I have some good news to share. After over one year of closure, we are now able to re-open the Tamworth Wellbeing and Cancer Support Centre on Tuesday 27th April.
We plan on doing things very gradually so that we can ensure that we are all happy and comfortable that all the new procedures we have had to implement are working in order to keep everybody safe and secure.
We are unable to continue in the way that we always used to, but our aim is to make the best out of the situation, and as long as we can get our doors back open again and our clients back in, that is the most important thing of all.
We pride ourselves on being a drop-in Centre with no appointment necessary however unfortunately due to the current situation we find ourselves in, for the time being at least, we can only allow people into the building via appointment. This is because we now have a limited number of people allowed in the building, so we need to make it as fair as possible and make sure people are able to take their turn. Therefore, existing clients will be contacted in due course to book their slots. Any new clients can still call 01827 899590 or 07368 265984 to have a chat and book an appointment to come and see us.
Initially we cannot run services such as the craft group, holistic therapies, nail, or foot treatments but they will be gradually re-introduced as and when we are able to.
The Trustees and I have worked extremely hard and had many long discussions about new procedures and clearly the clients’ and volunteers’ health and safety is paramount.
Initially we will be opening twice a week and then when we are happy and comfortable that all is running as it should we will then increase it to three days, until eventually we reach the four days that we were open before.
Obviously, we ask that anybody with Covid-19 symptoms, or symptoms of any other contagious illnesses, do not come to the Centre. Temperatures will be taken at the door and people will be asked to sign in/out of the building as a track and trace measure, as well as for our usual fire regulations. We also ask that people wear masks or visors upon entering or moving around the building until they are seated, then they can remove them. There will be hand sanitisers available around the building and we ask that these are used appropriately. We also have a one-way system in place, so we ask that people adhere to the new procedures.
BELFOR have yet again jumped to our aid and have industrially cleaned the building from top to bottom for us and got rid of a year’s worth of dust and cobwebs. I would personally like to thank Paul Anderson, Jo Woodley, James Kinsey and Kallum Young for their generosity and hard work.
We are so excited to get things up and running again. We know it is going to be different and people will need to get used to the new way of doing things but as long as we are together again that is the main objective. I have spoken to our Ambassador Joe Lycett this week and he is also extremely excited for us. He knows how difficult this past year has been for us, so he is fully behind us and is looking forward to being able to come and pay us another visit when he can. He sends his best wishes to all our clients, volunteers, and supporters.
It is a very exciting time! Clients and volunteers, I cannot wait to see you all!
How to donate whilst Christmas shopping
If you shop Amazon Black Friday Week deals from 20th – 30th November, you can do more than discover great deals: Simply shop at smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/1136569-0 or with AmazonSmile ON in the Amazon Shopping app, and AmazonSmile donates to Tamworth Wellbeing And Cancer Support Centre at no extra cost.
This doesn’t cost you a penny but we will benefit from each purchase.
Our TV debut!
We recently made our TV debut on Birmingham TV after winning £5000 worth of electrical work from NLT Electrical.
We had a lovely couple of hours with presenter Nick Dee and enjoyed getting an insight into the work that goes into filming a news item.
We are extremely grateful to NLT Electrical for choosing us as their first organisation to benefit from their new charity initiative
Midlands electrician shines a light on charity support
A cancer support charity is set for a brighter future thanks to a £5,000 lighting makeover made possible by a new scheme from a big-hearted Midlands electricians firm.
Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre were the first to benefit from the new community initiative by NLT Electrical, which will offer Midlands-based charities the opportunity to bid for two available pots of £5,000 each year, for upgrades to electrical equipment or systems.
The new lighting at the Tamworth centre was unveiled by the Mayor of Tamworth, Cllr Rosey Claymore, on Tuesday 13 October.
Although the support centre is having to remain closed under current restrictions, managers say the work has made much needed improvements in readiness for their re-opening.
NLT Electrical supplied and installed new LED lighting throughout the centre, which has not only created a more welcoming environment for its users it will also save the charity hundreds of pounds a year on utility bills.
This has been a welcome boost at a time when fundraising and corporate donations have hit an all-time low.
Centre Manager, Paula Da-Silva, said: “We couldn’t be more delighted with the fantastic work by NLT Electrical.
“The changes have addressed things we’ve been unhappy with for a long time and will make an incredible difference for our clients.
“The softer lighting in the social room gives it a much warmer and friendlier feel and having dimmable lights in the treatment room and quiet area make them more relaxing spaces.
“It’s something we couldn’t have entertained without NLT’s generosity, especially as we’ve seen a 90% drop in our income this year due to COVID-19.
“The new LED lighting will save us more than £700 a year on our electricity bill, which is a significant chunk of our running costs.”
The charity was put forward to receive the donation in a public appeal for suggested worthy causes on NLT Electrical’s Facebook page.
Owner of NLT Electrical, Nathan Tromans, said: “We wanted to do something positive to benefit our local community at this really difficult time.
“Rather than give money to a charity as a one-off gesture, we thought using our expertise on an electrical project would have a longer lasting impact and benefits.
“We were inundated with responses to the appeal but chose the Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre after visiting and meeting the team, and learning more about their wonderful work. The passion of the volunteers is evident and the support they offer to those who need it is incredible.
“It’s an extraordinary charity and we’re thrilled to have carried out these works for them.”
NLT Electrical’s community support scheme will offer the same opportunity to two charity projects each year ongoing and they are inviting nominations for further potential recipients.
Our amazing Charity Ambassador, comedian Joe Lycett, made an appearance on ITV’s Tipping Point on Sunday evening representing our charity. Not only did he make the final round, he won the jackpot of £20,000.
We are completely overwhelmed and delighted, the news is still sinking in. This has come at the perfect time for us because we have been unable to fundraise all year due to the Covid-19 restrictions, even our annual Christmas Ball has had to be cancelled. Whilst the Centre has been closed we have still had bills to pay which has been a struggle so this windfall means that we can keep the Centre open for at least another 5-6 months (when we finally re-open).
We cannot thank Joe enough for his support and dedication to the charity, he really has been incredible.
If you would like to support us, like Joe, then you can donate on the following link: Donate to TWCSC
Charity Ambassador Joe Lycett reaches Tipping Point
We are delighted to announce that our charity Ambassador Joe Lycett will be on Tipping Point: Lucky Stars on Sunday 27th September at 7pm on ITV.
He will be playing alongside Melody Thornton (Singer/Pussycat Doll) and Henry Blofeld (Sports Journalist/Cricket Commentator).
As always Ben Shepherd will be asking the questions and hopefully making sure Joe behaves himself.
Obviously we don’t know the outcome but we wish Joe all the luck in the world, and hope that we at least get a mention on prime time TV.
Don’t forget to tune in on Sunday evening – wish us luck!
Update from Centre Manager Paula Da-Silva
Well, what a few months it has been! I have been on furlough since April because we unfortunately had to close the Centre due to the coronavirus pandemic. It has been a very strange time not having to go to ‘work’ – I use the term work loosely because I love my job, it isn’t like work at all (don’t tell the Trustees I said that!). I have missed the volunteers, the clients, the vibrant busy atmosphere – I have even missed my workload.
Aside from all of that, on a positive note it has been extremely beneficial to have time for reflection and to make future plans. I am now back in the office part-time making preparations for the re-opening of the Centre. We are very conscious that many of our clients are in the vulnerable category so it is vital that we get the re-opening right. As I write this we have a cleaning company in making sure everywhere is spotless and will be keeping on top of it to ensure maximum cleanliness at all times.
We recently received funding from Screwfix to enable us to update our CCTV system which has been an incredible help to us. We have always had CCTV but we have now doubled our coverage and can access the footage from anywhere so we can keep an eye on things – and hopefully this will deter any further vandalism. We are extremely grateful to Screwfix for their generosity which has given us peace of mind.
We have had incredible support during lockdown from various people either simply wishing us well, checking we are OK, or even fundraising for us whilst we have been unable to hold any events to raise money ourselves. Some of the crazy things people have been doing include:
one of our clients, Wendy Henley dyeing her hair purple
a supporter, Craig Middleton, shaved all of his hair off, had his legs waxed and did his own solo fun run
another supporter, Andy Milford, performed live weekly DJ sets from his living room and broadcast them online for people to join in at home.
We are so grateful to these people, and everybody else, for thinking of us during this time, it really has been so difficult not being able to fundraise properly for ourselves.
We are currently in the midst of getting the Centre ready to open our doors again for our clients. At this stage we do not know when we will re-open but we are hoping it will be sooner rather than later. We are so excited to welcome back our amazing clients. Obviously with the new restrictions and social distancing guidelines things will be slightly different when we do re-open but one thing we will make sure of is that we keep our warm, friendly atmosphere.
It’s so good to be back!
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
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.
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.
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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 5th 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].
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perfect time for us because we have been unable to fundraise all year due to the Covid-19 restrictions, even our annual Christmas Ball has had to be cancelled. Whilst the Centre has been closed we have still had bills to pay which has been a struggle so this windfall means that we can keep the Centre open for at least another 5-6 months (when we finally re-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.
“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!
