A NEW CANCER SUPPORT base is set to open in Buckie thanks to an expansion of the CLAN Cancer Support service in Moray.
It will be the first time that CLAN have had a presence in Buckie when they open their doors at the Seafield Medical Centre on Barhill Road on August 22.
Members of the public are being invited to the centre between 1pm and 4pm that day to meet the CLAN team and find out more about the wellbeing and cancer support services provided by the charity in the Moray area, as well as local volunteering opportunities.
CLAN has had a presence in Elgin since July 2013 and hopes that the extension to services in Buckie will ensure more people in the Moray area can access crucial support within their local community. Staff will be in the centre on Monday’s between 1pm and 4pm, providing drop-in emotional and practical support, counselling, specialist children and families support and complementary therapies.
Tracy Sellar, CLAN’s Moray area co-ordinator, said: “Since CLAN opened in Elgin three years ago we have seen a steady increase in the need for our wellbeing and support services throughout the area.
“This need has seen us forge close relationships with clinicians in the area and in turn successfully develop access to services in Lossiemouth. As we developed our services in Elgin and Lossiemouth, it became apparent that there was a growing need for services based within a closer proximity to Buckie.
“We undertook a number of stakeholder engagement sessions with key community groups in the area, which resulted in some very positive support of the extension of our services and gave us a clear idea of how CLAN could benefit many people affected by cancer in the area.
“Bringing CLAN’s services to the heart of another community with the Moray area, providing the support people require as locally to them as possible, is one of CLAN’s key priorities.
“By committing to piloting our services within the Seafield Centre for a three-month period, we have the opportunity to work with clients and further shape CLAN’s service offering to reflect what is required in the area.”
For further information on CLAN in Buckie, please contact CLAN’s Tracy Sellar on tracy.sellar@clanhouse.org and 01343 544132.