A leading North-east cancer support charity has become the latest organisation to commit to supporting a purpose-designed community facility in north Aberdeenshire.

CLAN Cancer Support has signed a lease with the Crimond Charitable Trust which will see the organisation establish a new wellbeing and support centre for anyone affected by cancer within the Crimond Medical and Community Hub.

The new facility, which will open on Tuesday, March 6, will have a large drop-in area where CLAN staff and volunteers will offer support and information without need for appointment, along with three separate rooms which will provide space for one-to-one support.

Initially, the CLAN facility will open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays from 10am to 4pm, with the option of further expanding services in line with future needs.

The centre will enable people to access a wide range of support for individuals directly affected by cancer, as well as their carers, family and friends, free of charge.

This will include one-to-one counselling, dedicated support for children, teenagers and families, a library and information service and complementary therapies aimed at pain and stress relief. Cancer related support groups will also be developed, along with a number of wellbeing activities.

Dr Colette Backwell, CLAN Cancer Support chief executive, said: “It was clear from the outset that the Crimond Community Hub offered CLAN the ideal opportunity to not only develop our own services in north Aberdeenshire but also to build valuable links with the other organisations within the Hub, adding to the growth of this valuable community resource.

“I’m confident that the facility will play a key role in our aim to provide wellbeing and support services in the heart of the local communities we serve. This fantastic new facility will provide us with the basis to continue to build our outreach services to Fraserburgh and Peterhead and in the surrounding area from Stuartfield and New Deer in the south of the area to Lonmay and St Combs in the north.

“This is a key progression in the future of CLAN’s services and will allow us greater flexibility to grow and develop the services we provide, ensuring they are meeting the changing needs of people affected by cancer in the area, and within their local community.”

Conrad Ritchie, chairman of Crimond Charitable Trust, said: “We are delighted that CLAN Cancer Support will soon now be operational within the Crimond Medical and Community Hub. The services provided by CLAN will complement the medical practice and benefit the local communities that are served by this facility.

"We wish them well and look forward with confidence to the positive impact they will have within the area today and in the future.”

CLAN’s existing bases at The Hub in Fraserburgh and Carters Close in Peterhead will close at the end of February and the staff will move to Crimond. Last dates for services in these bases will be Monday, February 26, in Fraserburgh and Wednesday, February 28, in Peterhead. CLAN’s outreach services will continue to run in both Fraserburgh and Peterhead in the town’s library buildings. Fraserburgh’s service will be available each Monday from 10am to 1pm and Peterhead’s will be held each Thursday from 3pm to 5pm.

CLAN Cancer Support is an independent charity which provides comfort support and information, free of charge, for anyone, of any age, affected by any type of cancer. CLAN aims to support people to reduce anxiety, stress and to increase their ability to cope with the effects of a serious illness.

Based in Aberdeen, the charity covers the whole of north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. CLAN has a presence in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Inverurie, Fraserburgh, Lossiemouth, Peterhead, Turriff, Kirkwall and Lerwick.

The Crimond Medical and Community Hub opened in 2017. Formed by Score Group plc, the Crimond Charitable Trust was formed to design, build and operate a new facility for the benefit of the community. In addition to the medical facilities, the building houses a number of community amenities such as a community café, fitness suite and community rooms.

For more information about CLAN Cancer Support, please call 01224 647000 or visit: www.clanhouse.org

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