Photo credit: Phillip Roberts
A Cardiff-based organisation working to support people with cancer has received a £10,000 grant from a special Centenary voting round of Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme.
The funding from Tesco has allowed Maggie’s Cardiff to provide extra practical and emotional support for people with cancer, as well as their family and friends.
With backgrounds in the study and treatment of tumours and years of experience within the NHS, Maggie’s Cancer support specialists help people with a wide range of a cancer diagnosis. They can explain test results and help people understand how best to support a family member.
Rachael Davies, Centre Fundraising Manager at Maggie’s Cardiff, said: “We are so grateful to Tesco for its support and to everyone who took the time to vote. We rely almost entirely on voluntary donations to be able to support people to live well with cancer.
“Our centre in Cardiff has been open since May and provides a calm space away from the hospital where you can meet people who understand what you’re going through or just take a moment to gather your thoughts.
“We help people take back control when cancer turns life upside down, with support for anything from treatment, side effects, or even money worries. Our professional teams provide help and information, running groups and activities, all designed to make coping with cancer easier.
“Although we’re a new centre, we’ve already received over 5,000 visits in such a short space of time, which really shows how much the support is needed across south east Wales.”
Rachael added: “Our Cancer Support Specialists are at the heart of this, being on hand to give anyone who walks through our door a warm welcome, a willing ear and a wealth of expertise to allow them to manage their own personal challenges.”
Bags of Help, run in partnership with Groundwork, sees funding awarded to thousands of local community projects every year. So far, Bags of Help has awarded more than £5m to groups across Wales since it launched in 2016.
Customers cast their Bags of Help votes for local good causes by using blue tokens handed out at checkout points in their local store.
Tesco marked its Centenary year with two special Bags of Help funding rounds, with a huge £100,000 funding pot in South East Wales.
The first of these special rounds concentrated on groups delivering health and wellbeing benefits.
Tesco’s Head of Community Claire de Silva said: “We have been celebrating a century of delivering great value for our customers throughout 2019. Central to that have been our Centenary Grants, which aim to support groups and organisations who are helping to make a difference across the UK.”
Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, said: “Bags of Help continues to enable local communities up and down Britain to improve their local spaces and the places that matter to them.
“The diversity of projects that are being funded shows that local communities have a passion to create something great in their area. We are pleased to be able to be a part of the journey and provide support and encouragement to help local communities thrive.”
Further information is available at www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp.
