CANCER CARE needs your vote to win £32,000 of funding

• Your vote could see CancerCare in Barrow named a winner in this year’s ‘People’s Projects’ – make sure you have your say
• General public gets to decide which community projects get National Lottery funding support
• Film of ‘CancerCare – We’ll Be There!’ project in Barrow will be aired on ITV Granada’s 6pm news on Monday, April 16, and viewers can vote for this year’s worthy winner

CancerCare in Barrow and Furness is calling for your vote to secure £32,000 of National Lottery funding as part of this year’s People’s Projects.

The charity, which is based at the Furness Centre at Trinity Church on Warwick Street in Barrow and which offers free support to local people affected by cancer, is one of five groups in the Granada TV region in the running for a share of up to £150,000 of funding.

Now in its thirteenth year, the Big Lottery Fund, ITV and The National Lottery are teaming up to give the public a chance to decide how National Lottery funding should be put to good use in their local area.

Designed to celebrate some of the incredible projects the Big Lottery Fund has supported over the past year, 95 community-based schemes are now shortlisted across the UK.

In each region, the three with the most public votes will receive grants of up to £50,000. This will help them to continue their work to improve local people’s lives. The entire amount up for grabs across the UK is a life-changing £3 million.

At 6pm on Monday, April 16, CancerCare will showcase its Barrow project, CancerCare – We’ll Be There! on the main Granada TV news.

To be in with a chance of winning, CancerCare is calling on viewers to support its bid for £32,000 in Barrow.

Voting opens at 9am on Monday, April 16, at www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk

If successful, CancerCare will use the grant to set up creative and activity groups for people suffering the effects of cancer and other serious illnesses in Barrow and surrounding areas.

The groups, which will be free for local people to join, will provide support, friendship, advice and a safe place to explore issues and feelings. CancerCare has successfully run similar groups to help people regain their confidence, get back into the community and get their life back during and after cancer.

Possible activities will include arts, crafts, singing, tai chi, indoor sports, dancing, gym sessions, swimming and much more. The funds will be used to hire rooms, buy materials and pay professionals lead the groups in Barrow.

Rachel Minshull, from CancerCare’s Furness Centre in Barrow, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to raise awareness and support for CancerCare in Barrow and, with your help, to secure further much-needed funding for our area.

“We urge local people to get behind CancerCare. If successful, our project will make a real difference to people using our free services in Barrow and the wider area.

“Having to face cancer can be frightening, traumatic and lonely for many people and we want to do something about that. People who come to see us in Barrow say the area has been crying out for this type of support for a long time.

“Our activity and creative groups will provide a life-line to people in the local community. Winning the money would be an amazing boost for Barrow.”

Caroline Smith, a mum-of-two from Barrow who is using CancerCare’s services as she recovers from breast cancer, said: “The people I’ve met at CancerCare in Barrow have completely changed my life.

“When people have had cancer, as I did, and have lost their confidence, groups can be a pathway back into normal daily life.

“Groups empower people to get their life back. They get people over the doorstep and into the world.

“It’s so important not to shut yourself off. Coping mechanisms are what you need.

“It’s comforting to know that it’s normal to feel fear; to feel that you’re not the only one.

“If you’re part of an activity group, it doesn’t matter if you want to take your wig off. Nobody is going to judge you.

“CancerCare offers this service – it’s amazing!

“It would be great if everyone chooses to vote for CancerCare and the money is used to help people in Barrow, Ulverston and the surrounding area.”

Joe Ferns, UK Funding Director of the Big Lottery Fund, said: “As the largest funder of community activity in the UK, we are proud to support grassroots groups that are using the vision, determination and drive of local people to strengthen communities.

“The People’s Projects showcases the best of these and is a chance for you to have your say on how National Lottery funding can benefit your local community.”

Since 2005, around £39 million has been awarded through the Big Lottery Fund, National Lottery and ITV/STV partnership to 865 Good Causes across the UK.

Voting closes at mid-day on Monday, April 30, 2018.

People can vote once per region and will need an email address to vote**.

To support CancerCare – We’ll Be There! and for terms and conditions, please visitwww.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk