Tag: Maggies Centres

Scotland’s sell-out lighting trail returns to Hopetoun House

 Wondrous Woods presents Woodyfest: October 21 – November 14, 2021

 Scotland’s spectacular sell-out lighting trail Wondrous Woods is set to take flight again with a festival-themed extravaganza led by the event’s magical mascot Woody the Owl. 

The trail will once again light up Hopetoun House, the country’s finest stately home, illuminating a mystical woodland journey through the magnificent grounds of a 300-year-old ancestral home outside Edinburgh. 

Designed and produced by the team at 21CC Group, this year’s fun, colourful, celebratory festival-themed trail, Woodyfest will be a journey like no other, like no other, showcasing a host of new and exciting festival themed features including Kaleidoscope, Rubik’s Cube, Loo Lane, Welly World and UV Madness. 

Setting off from the glorious architectural gem of the House, the enchanting 2km woodland walk meanders through secret paths, amongst ancient woodlands and clearings and past the atmospheric old summerhouse, before returning via the Lime Avenue to the dazzling sight of Hopetoun House beautifully illuminated. En route, along with creative lighting, there will also be several sound and special effects installations. 

Last year’s inaugural event attracted over 35,000 visitors and this year’s festival is expected to out-sell that with social distancing measures now permitting visitors to travel from across Scotland. 

Geoff Crow, Director of 21CC Group says: “It was amazing to be able to deliver Scotland first large scale COVID safe experience for the public last year and give them something special to look forward to in what were some very difficult times.

“We have put a lot of thought into this year’s trail because we wanted to produce something that is fun and exciting, but also pays tribute to the many events and festivals that have cancelled this year and last year, which is what led us to the theme of Woodyfest. There is going to be some fun surprises this year. Woodyfest will have something for everyone!” 

21CC Group has worked extensively with the Hopetoun team for many years, collaborating with them to produce the highly successful Hopetoun Fireworks & Bonfire event, as well as delivering multiple large-scale corporate events both within the House and the grounds. 

The Earl of Hopetoun comments: “Last year’s lighting trail was innovative and magical for all of us at Hopetoun and we’re delighted to welcome back the Wondrous Woods event. 

“It not only shines a light on our home and the beautiful grounds  but is a real boost for the team after a particularly challenging period. It’s been fascinating to see just what such an ambitious project can achieve and I look forward to being able to show such a unique visitor attraction.” 

21CC Group is a Scottish based events group based outside Edinburgh, established in 1999.  They produce events around the country for corporate groups, festivals, local authorities, and private clients.  

Earier this week it was announced that Maggies Centres will be Wondrous Woods’ charity partners.

For further information and to purchase tickets, visit www.wondrouswoods.com 

‘Prehabilitation’ for cancer patients in Scotland

A new scheme to provide pre-treatment support to cancer patients is launching across Scotland. The project will give tailored help and advice on exercise, nutrition and mental health, to improve outcomes for those preparing for cancer treatment.

Prehabilitation – pre-treatment rehabilitation – will be offered at all eight Maggie’s centres across the country, thanks to Scottish Government investment of £270,000.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf visited the charity’s Dundee centre where he learned more about the project. He said: “Prehabilitation enables people with cancer to physically and mentally prepare for treatment by adopting healthy behaviours – with the ultimate aim of improving outcomes for them.

“It can reduce the length of stay in hospital and post-treatment complications, and improve recovery, fitness, nutritional status, neuro-cognitive function and quality of life.

“This pilot scheme will help us understand how the NHS and Third Sector can work together to help people ahead of their cancer treatment.

“With eight centres across Scotland, working with Maggie’s allows us to meet the needs of cancer patients close to home. We want to empower them to get the best possible results from their treatment, and improve their long-term health.

“Cancer treatment has remained a top priority for the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Maggie’s Chief Executive Dame Laura Lee said: “We are delighted to be working with the Scottish Government to support people with new cancer diagnoses to understand the benefits of making changes before treatment begins.

“Gentle exercise, eating well and emotional and psychological support are already aspects of the Maggie’s core programme of support – but this usually comes after the patient has started treatment. This new project will ensure newly diagnosed people find support sooner, and will be delivered while working with the NHS as part of their overall care package.”

Prehabilitation is a flagship action in the Scottish Government’s Cancer Plan. As a component of rehabilitation, it should underpin the whole cancer pathway and be integral to the care of all people with a cancer diagnosis.

The Scottish Government has established a Cancer Prehabilitation Steering Group, to ensure lessons from the Maggie’s pilot and other approaches are shared across Scotland and inform future ways of working.

Thank you, Moonwalkers: new Maggies Centre opens

Up to 15,000 people in the Forth Valley area living with cancer could benefit from a brand new Maggie’s Centre which opened yesterday in Larbert. Breast cancer charity Walk the Walk is the principal funder of Maggie’s Forth Valley, through a £3 million grant from funds raised by its iconic night-time fundraising event, The MoonWalk Scotland. Continue reading Thank you, Moonwalkers: new Maggies Centre opens

Emma and Jamie are Points of Light

Edinburgh teenagers Emma Sutherland and Jamie McIntosh have received Points of Light awards in recognition of their work for cancer charities. 

Set up and administered by The Prime Minister’s Office, the Points of Light award recognises outstanding individual volunteers – people who are making a change in their community and inspiring others. Since it’s launch last year 328 people have received an Award.

emma

Teenagers Emma (pictured above) and Jamie have both written books telling the stories of their mothers’ cancer diagnoses. When Emma’s mother, Rosie, was diagnosed with breast cancer, Emma didn’t know where to look for answers. She wrote Eek! My Mummy Has Breast Cancer to help other teens in the same situation.

Jamie met Emma after his mother, Monica, lost her 17-year battle with cancer. Emma inspired him to write My Mum Monica, a book about her life and the emotional rollercoaster of bereavement.

So far, Emma’s book has sold 1,800 copies and is available in Maggie’s Centres across the UK, as well as schools and libraries. Jamie’s book has sold 500 copies, raising £2,000 for the charity Fight Against Cancer Edinburgh.

Also recognised in August was Penicuik’s Lesley Anderson.

Lesley lost her son Chris when he was stillborn at 29 weeks and set up ComforTED as a way to help other parents of stillborn babies through their bereavement. ComforTED provides a pair of handmade teddies – one to be buried with the baby and one for parents to keep. Lesley has now sent over 900 pairs of teddies around the world.

Congratulations to them all.

Maggie’s and Scotmid celebrate successful partnership

Scotmid set a target of raising £150,000 in a year for their chosen charity partner Maggies’s – but the fundraising efforts of big-hearted Scotmid staff has ensured that they are already within sight of their total – in less than half that time! 

When Maggie’s Chief Executive Laura Lee heard how charity partner Scotmid have raised an incredible £144,000 in just five months for Maggie’s, she knew she wanted to celebrate the fantastic news at the first ever Maggie’s Centre – at the Western General Hospital here in Edinburgh.

After all, it was at the Western that Laura first met Maggie’s founder Maggie Keswick Jencks. Laura worked at the hospital as a clinical nurse specialist when Maggie was re-diagnosed with breast cancer. Over time Laura, originally from Peterhead, and Maggie became very close and while the idea for a different type of cancer care was Maggie’s, it was Laura who turned that dream into a reality. It seemed fitting, then, for   Laura to celebrate Edinburgh-based Scotmid’s incredible fundraising efforts where the Maggie’s story all began.

Laura said: “Since we first opened the doors of Maggie’s Edinburgh, 17 years ago this November, Maggie’s has grown in ways we could never have imagined. We now have 14 Centres across the UK where we offer our unique programme of support to people with cancer, their friends and families.

“We have many more Centres in various stages of planning as well and by the end of 2014 we hope to have full coverage across Scotland. This is something we are incredibly proud of especially considering we rely solely on donations for our funding, which is why the kind of support we receive from companies such as Scotmid is absolutely vital.

“To have raised £144,000 in just five months is quite extraordinary and I applaud the efforts of everyone involved. Scotmid staff have obviously invested a great deal of hard work and creative energy into their fundraising and I would like them to extend a huge thank you to them all.”

Maggie’s and Scotmid launched their partnership on 1 September last year and fundraising to date has included a Ride Across Britain, a dinner dance in Edinburgh, bungee jump, parachute jump, race nights and Christmas raffles in store – so in just five months they have almost reached their target for the year of £150,000!

Staff do not intend to slow down their efforts with more fundraising events planned for the coming six months, however – they even have a team taking part in this year’s Maggie’s Monster Bike & Hike in May.

Malcolm Brown, Head of Corporate Communications for Scotmid Co-operative said: “The innovation and commitment that our teams have shown to raising funds for Maggie’s is truly remarkable and very commendable. We’ve had all sorts of fundraising activities, from an abseil down the Dundee University tower to staff coming to work in their pyjamas to raise money. This amazing half-way result is testament to the wonderful support that Maggie’s provides to people with cancer. We are delighted to have raised this much and we’re looking forward to raising even more in the next six months for this very worthwhile cause.”

maggiescheque