Our Charity

Maggies Cancer Care Centre, Cheltenham

The Cross Stitch Guild was formed in 1996 and since that time, we have supported the charity Fight for Sight and over that period our Members have raised over £3777 using the odd collecting box and with our silly raffle at our Together We Stitch weekends. Do have a look at their web site www.fightforsight.org.uk and you will be able to see the valuable work they are doing.

For all sorts of reasons, not least because of our own personal brush with cancer, we have decided to change our allegiance and have started to contribute to Maggies Cancer Caring Centres www.maggiescentres.org

The aim of the charity is to have a Maggies Centre near every Oncology Centre in the UK and they have already opened seven centres in the UK as far apart as Dundee and London. The centre pictured above is Maggies Cotswolds which opened in October 2010.

I will let Maggie’s speak for itself

Maggie’s Centre is a place to turn to for help with any of the problems, small or large, associated with cancer. Under one roof you can access help with information, benefits advice, psychological support both individually and in groups, courses and stress reducing strategies. You don’t have to make an appointment, or be referred and everything we offer is free of charge. A Maggie’s Centre will be many things to many people. It is there for anybody to use in the way they want to. There isn’t a one size fits all recipe for how you live with cancer. Everybody needs to find their own way. The job of the professionals at Maggie’s is to listen to you, to help you find out what you want and give you the tools to help yourself.

Earlier this week I spent some time at the new centre in Cheltenham and it was simply the most relaxed, informal and freindly place. The decor inside is modern, filled with lovely muted oak and bright interesting colours. The building has been remarkably converted with the new extension blending with charm and elegance.

I did feel that Bill and I would have had a much more positive experience when he was first diagnosed had the Centre been there at the time.  The husband of one of my collegues here at CSG HQ has been living with the stress of chemotherapy and radiotherapy for over seven years and says he can only imagine how much difference the Centre would have made to their quality of life.

The fact that you can pop in and sit around the kitchen table and chat or go in to a quite room to think and perhaps talk to family members makes the Centres unique and all of this is free!