Friends of Maggie’s in fundraising plea
A FUNDRAISING shout for Friends of Maggie’s has been launched, to ensure future funding of a free-to-all day centre for islanders.
Maggie’s Centre is in the grounds of University Hospital Southampton, and is free to all Guernsey residents who are either living with or have travelled with somebody who has cancer.
Maggie’s is more of a day centre whereby users can sit and enjoy a hot drink, relax, socialise or speak to psychologists or cancer specialists.
Guernsey Friends of Maggie’s chairman Peter Walsh said: ‘In Guernsey we probably make up about 4-5% of people using the centre, Southampton hospital covers the Channel Islands and the whole of the south coast of England’s cancer patients. One out of two people will be affected by cancer, it’s a nasty thing, and it’s not just the patient that suffers.
‘The centre isn’t accommodation but it’s a lovely building near the oncology unit, it’s totally different to hospital.
‘There’s an informal atmosphere, you can just come in and be greeted and treated.'
The centre does not charge any of its service users, but there are costs for the programmes which they run atop the facility itself.
‘We try to pay our way to help and we’ve had lots of good support in the past,’ said Mr Walsh.
The charity has organised a raffle which will take place at the Charities Fayre at Beau Sejour on 17 November, but it needs more prizes.
n Anybody with prizes, physical items or vouchers, can be donated by contacting Mr Walsh on peterpwalsh@aol.com
n Friends of Maggie’s is asking anybody who is able to, to set up a direct debit to the charity, details of which can be found at charity.org.gg.
n Likewise a Giving.gg page has been set up at giving.gg/donate/charity/374
