“As a community we need this new cancer support centre.”
Popular Norwich retailer, Jarrold, has announced a donation of £10,000 for local cancer charity, Big C’s, recently launched appeal to build a new cancer support centre in the heart of Norwich.
The Nearer to Home Appeal, which launched last week, aims to raise £500,000 to create a purpose-built contemporary cancer support centre on Dereham Road in Norwich. The centre will be pioneering in its vision to offer outstanding cancer care and support, closer to where people live in a welcoming environment away from the medical surroundings of the hospital.
In 2017, the Jarrold team challenged themselves to help transform people’s lives by raising funds for three charities; Big C, The Princes Trust and EACH Nook Appeal. This £10,000 donation forms part of that commitment to Big C.
Dr Chris Bushby, Chief Executive at Big C, says, “Enormous thanks to Jarrold for their continuing support for Big C and this generous donation to our Nearer to Home Appeal, which gets us off to a flying start! We’d urge everyone in the community to give as generously as you can. We really do need the public’s support to be able to deliver this vital new centre for Norwich and Norfolk.”
Carole Slaughter, Marketing Manager for Retail and Events at Jarrold, says, “It’s not easy to think about whether ourselves or our loved ones will need this kind of service in the future, but it’s important to know it’s there if we do. Those who have needed to use Big C’s centres well understand their value, often describing them as a lifeline in very difficult times. It is sadly not a service available in many areas across the country and we are very lucky to have this support available in Norfolk. As a community we need this new Norwich centre and Jarrold is thrilled to help ensure that more people in Norwich can benefit from Big C’s fantastic services.”
The new Norwich centre will complement the charity’s existing acute support centre in the grounds of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH). Some new features of the Big C centre will include a bright space for gentle exercise classes, a large workshop kitchen to enable food and nutrition demonstrations, a light and calm central seating area, private rooms for one-to-one counselling and a sensory wellbeing garden. The centre is being built to an innovative design by Norwich based architects and heritage experts, Purcell, who designed the Big C centre in the NNUH grounds.
Dr Chris Bushby, Chief Executive at Big C adds, “For the past 13 years our expert team at our NNUH centre has provided a bedrock of support, information, well-being therapies, tea, biscuits and a comforting ear to many thousands of Norfolk people affected by cancer, often when they are attending hospital appointments, or during treatment. In addition to this, there is a crucial need to now provide the same level of support for those experiencing cancer and all who surround them, nearer to where they live in the community.
“Following treatment, or when not attending appointments, we know that many people want to access this kind of support away from a hospital site. Our vision for a new Big C cancer support centre in the heart of Norwich will make a tremendous difference to these people’s lives and with the help of our amazing supporters, we can’t wait to make it happen. Every single donation, no matter how small, is very gratefully received.”
Donate to Big C’s Nearer to Home Appeal online at nearertohome.co.uk or donate £10 by texting BIGC to 70191. Alternatively, cheques made payable to Big C (Ref. Nearer to Home) can be sent to: Big C, Centrum, Norwich Research Park, Colney Lane, Norwich, N74 7UG.
