A CANCER charity which helps 2,000 people each year has been handed £15,000 towards a new support centre.

Wessex Cancer Trust has been given the funds by the grant-making charity, Talbot Village Trust, to help to build the facility.

It will have soundproof stud walls to provide privacy for counselling and therapy rooms for the clients.

The money was also spent decorating a kitchen area and installing the correct equipment which is a vital requirement due to the increased risk of infection for many cancer patients.

New furniture was also added to the support centre’s entrance, information area and befriending room.

Russell Lucas-Rowe, a trustee of the charity, said: "Wessex Cancer Trust is a charity that stood out to us because we all know someone either directly or indirectly who is currently suffering with cancer.

"I am so pleased that our funding has enabled the centre to be opened so quickly and is already being utilised by patients of the charity."

Rachel Rawlings, trust and corporate officer for Wessex Cancer Trust, said: "We are extremely grateful to Talbot Village Trust for their generous donation.

"We are now able to help 2,000 local people affected by cancer each year. The new centre has proven so successful that we are now starting a mobile cancer support service in Dorset later this year and hope to work with the Trust again in the future."

Wessex Cancer Trust is current in its 35 year of operation and was started to fund ground-breaking research, provide specialist cancer nurses, build hospital facilities and offer support. Its mobile cancer support centre will open later this month (SEP).

All services are entirely free of charge including counselling and complementary therapies such as massage, aromatherapy and Reiki.

Each cancer support centre has approximately 20 volunteer befrienders who come from the local community who provide a friendly face and a listening ear to those who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Talbot Village Trust meets biannually and will be accepting applications for funding from both previous and new applicants in the area before the Trust meet again in November. For more information, go to Talbotvillagetrust.co.uk