We awoke on Valentine’s Day to dreadful news of a devastating fire at our Freshwater shop on the Isle of Wight. The shop was completely gutted with the loss of all the donated stock and shop fittings. Whilst investigations go on into the cause of the fire we are appealing for donations of stock for the temporary pop-up shop which is now operating from Wesley Hall in Freshwater. Since the crisis, the local community has been amazing, helping with the shop clearance, donations and support. Our thanks go to all those who’ve helped so far. If you would like to help, please make a donation online at www.wessexcancer.org.

March 2013

Freshwater fire - please donate!

Events DiaryCharlie Austin Sporting Dinner Join us for a two course dinner followed by a Q&A session with professional footballer Charlie Austin at Bournemouth Pier. Tickets are £25 each.

Bowood Golf and Spa DayEnter a team of four for a day of golf at this championship course, followed by a three- course dinner. Non-golfers can relax in the fabulous spa with its pool, rock sauna, crystal steam room, aromatherapy showers and treatment rooms.

Wine Tasting EveningJoin the Southampton Group for a wine tasting evening under the expert guidance of a wine educator. Takes place at Atherley Bowling Club. Tickets £12 each.

Hog Roast and Jazz Band Alton Group celebrates its 30th anniversary with a big party to which all its supporters are invited. Call us for ticket details.

Clay Pigeon ShootEver wondered how good a shot you might be? Why not find out at our first shoot at the prestigious Barbury Shooting Club. Entry is £125 per gun to include a light breakfast, lunch, gun hire and cartridges. Each team will have a qualified gun available showing you what to do.

Unwanted?Pre-loved goods?Please donate any unwanted items to our charity shops in Romsey, Weeke and Freshwater.

Wessex Cancer TrustBellis House, 11 Westwood Road, Southampton, Hampshire SO17 1DLt: 023 8067 2200 f: 023 8067 2266 e: wct@wessexcancer.orgwww.wessexcancer.org

YOUR LOCAL CANCER CARE

VOLUNTEER NEWS

Charity Registration No. 1110216

Volunteer OpportunitiesFundraisers - HytheWe are seeking more volunteers to help plan and run events with Waterside Cancer Support Centre in Hythe. Help is needed to distribute event flyers, seek raffle prizes, sell tickets and help at the events.

Social Media Moguls - OnlineWe are putting together a team of volunteers to help promote the charity via social media. If you know any media-savvy people with extensive online social networks, please get in touch.

Shop Assistants - WeekeVolunteers are wanted to join our friendly team at Weeke shop, helping in our newly expanded premises. Being right next door to Waitrose the shop is always busy and it’s very handy for biscuits!

YOUR LOCAL CANCER CARE

Volunteer WelcomeThis spring we will be running new ‘Volunteer Welcome’ sessions open to any volunteer who has joined the Charity during the last year. The aim is for volunteers from different service areas to come together to find out more about the Trust, who we help, what donations fund and what else goes on outside of their area.

Volunteers from our shops, Support Centres, Fundraising Groups and Bellis House, are being invited to attend the first Welcome Session which takes place at Bellis House on Wednesday, 20th March from 10am to 12.30pm. Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided. To book your place, or to find out more, please phone Claire on 023 8067 2200 or email volunteer@wessexcancer.org

Volunteer Recruitment FairsDuring February we were out in Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton, attending volunteer recruitment fairs, to encourage more people to get involved in helping our charity. Two of these events took place at Universities aiming to engage students in fundraising activities. We also took part in a Valentine’s Day Volunteer Speed Matching event in Bournemouth, trying to persuade prospective volunteers to help us. We are just waiting now to hear how many second ‘dates’ we’ve secured…

Protection of Freedom Act brings in new portable CRB checksThe Home Office has recently announced that Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, as they are now known, will be portable from 1 March 2013. This means that volunteers will only have to get the checks updated rather than obtain a brand new check when they wish to apply for a new volunteering opportunity.

Under the new process, volunteers will apply once to the Disclosure and Barring Service for a certificate and will then be able to go online for an instant check to find out whether their existing certificate is still up to date. It has now been confirmed that this service will be free. This will help to cut the administrative cost for charities and encourage more people to volunteer.

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Wills and Legacies - Will you?At Wessex Cancer Trust we understand that the people you elect to remember in your Will is a very private affair. Whilst most people will choose to make sure that family and friends are provided for first, some will also consider leaving a charity legacy, a gift in their Will. A charity legacy to Wessex Cancer Trust will help us to improve the lives of people living with cancer and offer support and care to them and their families. Like many charities, we depend on legacies and would not exist without them.

For many people, leaving a gift to a charity in their Will is a natural extension of the support they have shown during their lifetime and can be seen as one of the easiest, and least painful, ways of making a significant gift. In order to leave money to charity, the donor needs to make a Will or amend an existing Will, by seeking legal advice from a suitably qualified professional, e.g. a solicitor. We have recently partnered up with a couple of local solicitors. To access to this process, call us to find out more.

100 Here, 100 ThereA couple of intrepid adventurers from the Isle of Wight will be taking on a massive two-part challenge this June to raise funds for Wessex Cancer Trust. Islanders Kelvin and Lee are aiming to climb 100 mountains in the Alps in 10 days, and then join a bunch of friends from the Fire Service and local IOW cyclists to cycle 100 miles around the Isle of Wight. Wow, what an amazing challenge! Thanks go to all those involved in organising this event and best of luck to Kelvin and Lee in their endeavours.

Sharing Stories - Karen

Through this article I wish to encourage other cancer patients like myself, and their families, to consider trying the free complementary treatments and counselling services offered by Wessex Cancer Trust.

A cancer diagnosis in my experience brings with it shock, disbelief, anxiety, stress and a certain amount of grief. As well as coping with the treatment to remove and potentially eradicate the cancer, all these emotions come into play along with the inevitable questions of “Why me?” “What have I done?” “What haven’t I done?!” I have experienced all of these extremely tiring emotions since being diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2005.

After a major operation to remove the cancer and whilst having the resulting treatment to try and protect me against the cancer coming back I called upon the counselling and complementary therapy services provided by Wessex Cancer Trust. Both services have been invaluable to me, providing me with support both physically, mentally and emotionally.

Unfortunately the cancer returned in 2010, this time in two of my bones. As I changed medication and started monthly on-going bone strengthening treatment, Wessex Cancer Trust was on hand again to provide me with the emotional support I had so valued at the start.

Massage, reflexology and reiki treatments are available and I can choose the treatment I feel will help most. I usually opt for a facial massage which is so relaxing I have on occasion been known to nod

off! Whilst helping me with the fatigue and easing the side effects of treatment it also helped me to look ten years younger!! Therapies like these can also help with nausea, anxiety and stress.

During the counselling sessions I talk about the impact cancer has had and is still having on me and my family and how I am coping, living with cancer. I always feel better when I have had a counselling session and it enables me to return to my everyday life better able to cope with its challenges whilst having a major disease.

The staff who offer the services are amazing - friendly and brilliant in their own specialisms, having years of experience of working and helping cancer patients. I can’t thank them enough for their continued support.

If you are reading this as a patient, a family member or a volunteer I recommend seeking support from these invaluable services. Karen

Portsmouth Singing GroupWessex Cancer Trust, working in partnership with professional Tenor, Simon Long the founder of Fine Voice Studios, is delighted to announce the launch of a new Portsmouth Singing Group for cancer patients, carers and families. Anyone interested in taking part in the choir is invited to attend the launch event on Friday, 19th April at 7pm at the Portsmouth Watersports Centre, Eastern Road, Portsmouth, PO3 5LY.

Thursday 21 March – Spring into Action

Was your New Year resolution to increase fitness, reduce stress and build personal confidence?

If so, why not join a professional health and fitness coach, life coach, and personal stylist at our Spring into Action evening for women. Come along to our event to hear three inspirational women offer advice on realistically achieving your goals, helping you to spring forward and make the most of what you already have:• Zita Alves - Professional health and fitness coach and successful

businesswoman who is passionate about helping you achieve good health through exercise.

• Liz Walton - Complementary therapist who uses an empowering combination of hypnotherapy, life coaching and bodywork to free you from stress and achieve peace.

• Jan Lockett - Personal stylist whose sound knowledge of shape, colour and fashion will knock years off your age, inches off your appearance and pounds off your spending.

Join Alison Osborne, Wiltshire Area Manager, for this special evening which takes place at the fabulous Bath Spa Hotel from 6.30pm to 9pm on the 21st March. Tickets are just £10, to include light refreshments.

Welcome and GoodbyeHello to Carolyn, Amanda and Amber at the new Winchester Cancer Support Centre, who will all be offering counselling, aromatherapy and reflexology to patients and families living

with cancer. Goodbye and thank you to Mary Kernick from the Southampton Group for all her efforts organising events and collections over many, many years. You will be missed but we hope to see you at some events!

Thank you! A huge thank you goes to Jane Hayes who donates beautiful handmade cards for the Romsey Shop to sell. To see her efforts why not pop into the shop at 56-58 The Hundred, Romsey, SO51 8BX