£300k funding will allow charity to support children
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A north-east charity has received nearly £300,000 to help children who are experiencing loss, isolation and loneliness.
CLAN Cancer Support was awarded £293,973 from The National Lottery Community Fund’s Grants for its Improving Lives Programme.
The grant is aimed at supporting children and families who are facing challenging circumstances, including those experiencing loss, isolation and loneliness.
The funds will support CLAN’s children and family services, which provide a wide range of support for children, teenagers and families who are affected by cancer.
Tina O’Boyle, children and family services manager for CLAN said: “A cancer diagnosis is a very challenging time for an adult, but for children and young people it can have a profound effect.
"Through our confidential service, our team of support workers are skilled in listening and allowing children and young people to explore their feelings.
"We offer a safe and secure environment, and the space for the youngsters to come to terms with what they are dealing with in their family.
“Every day, we support family communication and help young people to build resilience. It can be an incredibly lonely time for a child, and we aim to reduce that isolation.
"The people who come to CLAN’s specialist service include children who have been diagnosed with cancer, and those who are affected by their parents, grandparents or friends’ diagnoses.
“CLAN receives no statutory funding, and so we need to raise every penny required to support our vital services.
"We are therefore extremely grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund for the grant, which will help to improve lives in the north-east of Scotland.”
CLAN Cancer Support is an independent charity which provides comfort, 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.
The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland chairwoman Maureen McGinn said: “I am delighted that CLAN Cancer Support has been successful in securing a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund.
"The award will make a big difference where it is needed most, and I wish CLAN every success as it goes on to develop and expand its project for the benefit of their local community.”
Based in Aberdeen, the charity covers the north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. CLAN has a presence in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Buckie, Crimond, Inverurie, Lossiemouth, Turriff, Kirkwall and Lerwick.
CLAN CEO Dr Colette Backwell said: “This grant is very important to the north-east of Scotland as it will enable our team to continue to support children and families at potentially some of the most challenging times of their lives.
"One in every two of us born after 1960 will receive a cancer diagnosis, and that will have an impact on significant numbers of children and young people.
“One of the great strengths of CLAN’s children and families service is that it supports all children impacted by a cancer diagnosis, whether they have cancer themselves or, most often, where a close family member such a parent, has cancer.
“The National Lottery Community Fund enables organisations like CLAN to provide vital support in our communities and we are very grateful for this award.”
For more information about CLAN Cancer Support, call 01224 647 000 or visit www.clanhouse.org
