THE chief executive of CancerCare has spoken of his “delight” at getting the go-ahead to buy a property for a new support centre in Barrow-in-Furness.

Neil Townsend, CEO of CancerCare North Lancashire and South Cumbria, said he was thrilled the charity is buying the premises on Duke Street from Barrow Borough Council.

The aim is to refurbish the building and transform it into a new cancer support centre for the people of Barrow, Ulverston and the wider Furness Peninsula, hopefully to open in summer 2019.

Neil said: “We are in a position to use some of our reserves to purchase the building on Duke Street.

“CancerCare’s trustees have long supported the development of our services on the Furness Peninsula.

“We now have the opportunity to move onto the high street in Barrow with a centre where we will have room to expand and make our free services more accessible."

Neil continued: “We are now working with our architect and the local authority and planning department to expedite the sale. It will not be a charity shop – it will be a dedicated cancer support centre where people can come for advice, support and one-to-one counselling.”

Neil said he believed the new centre would be a positive move for the town as it will have a meeting room which other support groups will be able to use.

Like CancerCare’s two other centres in Lancaster and Kendal, the Barrow centre will offer free professional help to families and individuals affected by cancer and other life-limiting conditions.

Delivered by qualified, highly experienced staff, CancerCare’s therapy services are designed to help people come to terms with and manage the challenges of serious health conditions.

Neil explained: “Hopefully our new CancerCare centre in Barrow will become known as a centre for everyone – a safe, warm place where people can drop in, have a cup of tea, pick up information or come to use our free support services for children and adults.

“Not everyone will want that support but they might come and pick up a leaflet. By being in the town we will be able to promote our services more and more.

“We want to be completely embedded in the community. Buying the building demonstrates our commitment to the town and the whole of the Furness Peninsula."

As Neil explained, CancerCare has outgrown the successful centre it opened several years ago at Trinity Church on Warwick Street. Volunteers will be sought to help on the new centre’s reception desk and with admin tasks.

Neil said: "We are gaining a reputation in Barrow for being a trusted place. My vision is to have the ground floor of the centre as an open-plan space where people can come and receive a warm welcome.”

For more about CancerCare’s free support, see www.cancercare.org.uk, call 01229-836 926 or email barrow.services@cancercare.org.uk