CLAN centre to open tomorrow

The new CLAN cancer support centre in Commercial Road is opening tomorrow. The drop-in centre will now be open all day Thursdays and on Saturday mornings, and CLAN is hoping to have an official opening ceremony at a later date.

The charity recently announced the appointment of two new members of staff who will be based at the new centre. Janette Budge is Shetland services co-ordinator and will be responsible for all CLAN’s services including the drop-in, which will offer support and information. Janette will also be working towards the expansion of complementary therapies, the development of support groups in both Brae and Lerwick and supporting CLAN’s volunteers across Shetland.

The other Shetland-based member is Phyllis Stickle, who will take on the role of shop and fund-raising co-ordinator. A large part of Phyllis’ work will be working with supporters to maximise fund-raising opportunities, recruiting further volunteers to support events locally and staffing the charity’s shop.

CLAN services manager Claire Fraser said: “This is a really exciting time for CLAN in Shetland. We have been working towards opening a dedicated facility for some time now and will very soon be in a position to offer our range of services under one roof in the community is just fantastic. It is so important to make sure that people in Shetland facing a serious condition like cancer have access to high quality support services.

“I am delighted to be welcoming Janette and Phyllis to our dedicated team and I am sure they will play an extremely important in the further development of our facility and services in Shetland.”

CLAN (Cancer Link Aberdeen and North) is an independent charity which provides 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 Grampian, Orkney and Shetland with a presence in Ballater, Inverurie, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Kirkwall as well as Lerwick.