Have you heard our big news?
We’re building a state-of-the-art wellbeing centre on Dereham Road in Norwich! The idea behind this new centre is to support those with a cancer diagnosis in a special environment, one that’s closer to home. Wellbeing and relaxation is very much at the heart of our newest location and we can’t wait to share our plans with you.
A huge thanks to the local media including the Eastern Daily Press, Evening News and Norfolk Mag who have helped us launch the appeal to the people of Norfolk recently. We’re looking to raise £500,000 for our Nearer to Home Appeal so that we can open this brand new facility for you.
Our Centre at the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital (NNUH) has been a godsend to many over the last 13 years but it’s clear that there’s a real need for another centre and one that’s located in the heart of our community. You see, in addition to an upsurge in cancer diagnoses, cancer survival rates have doubled in the UK over the past 40 years since Big C was founded. Meaning, there are many more people learning to cope with living with and beyond cancer. As a result, we plan to build this new centre on Dereham Road in Norwich to support our existing acute support centre at NNUH.
And we need your help! As ever, we can’t do this without your support. Our new Norwich Big C centre hopes to offer outstanding cancer care and support, closer to where people live and in a welcoming environment away from the medical surroundings of the hospital.
We have some exciting plans for the centre…
- A beautiful place to exercise. A lovely bright space for gentle exercise classes. Exercise is so important – it can help metabolise medication and generate endorphins, which will help you feel better!
- A large workshop kitchen. A large workshop kitchen to enable food and nutrition demos to provide an understanding of how food and herbs can help during treatment and recovery. People can learn to cook these at the centre and then recreate them at home.
- Calming spaces. A light and calm central seating area, private rooms for one-to-one counselling and a beautiful sensory wellbeing garden.
Just like our NNUH centre, we’ll provide ‘tea and talk’ to visitors, counselling services, reiki and massage. Did you know that we offer a course of therapeutic services, for free, to Norfolk-based individuals with a cancer diagnosis, and their designated family member. So as you can see, wellbeing is front of mind for the design of our new centre, which is also being masterminded by the same architects Purcell, who designed our NNUH centre! We’re thrilled to have them on board again.
The Nearer to Home appeal is entirely central to our ethos. Big C was founded in 1980 when local men David Moar and Clive Bamford endured lengthy journeys to receive their own cancer treatment and vowed to ensure that local people had access to outstanding treatment and support, close to where they live. Their legacy, almost 40 years on, is clear to see!
How you can help
You might like to donate (we’d be delighted if you would) and to do this the details are below. Or, perhaps you’d like to rally some friends and set up a fundraising event at work or in your community? Maybe you’re a Norwich-based business, or an individual, who can see the benefit of a wellbeing hub in our Fine City.
Either way, we’d love your support. Whether you donate a few pounds or contribute by hosting a fundraising sale or event. We would be delighted and so appreciative of any level of support. Click the donate button above to make a donation, or Text BIGC to 70191 to donate £10 today. Texts charged at standard network rate. Full terms and conditions can be found at easytodonate.org
