The Mulberry Centre Holds its Annual Opening Day
Visitors got to see the work of the award winning cancer support charity
Deputy Mayor of Richmond Councillor Fiona Sacks (centre) during her visit
September 29, 2023
The Mulberry Centre, the independent charity and award-winning cancer information and support centre in Isleworth, held its annual Open Day on 20 September.
It welcomed anyone in the community interested in their services to come along and see the centre for themselves. The charity is the only information and support centre in the local area delivering free services to anyone affected by cancer: to people with a diagnosis, their friends, family, carers and to those bereaved.
Sample tasters of their complementary therapies from Tai Chi to massage and reflexology, were available throughout the day. Amongst the guests welcomed by the team were The Worshipful The Mayor of the London Borough of Hounslow, Councillor Afzaal Kiani and The Deputy Mayor of Richmond Councillor Fiona Sacks.
1 in 2 of us will face cancer at some point in our lives, so the Open Day was the ideal opportunity to shine a light on how essential the Centre’s free support services are to the local communities it serves. The Mulberry Centre’s core mission is to provide support and information for people affected by cancer who live in West and Southwest London. It offers practical ways of enhancing emotional, psychological, and physical well-being including counselling and support groups, complementary therapies, well-being classes and social activities, to name but a few.
The Mayor of Hounslow, Councillor Afzaal Kiani (right)
The Mulberry Centre supports clients such as Joy Snoddy from Hounslow, who said, “I was struggling with thoughts, feelings and lack of energy, I felt as though I was disappearing. I joined the Counselling and Carers Group at the Centre. It helps me to see that I matter and that others are struggling too. We can support and listen to each other in a safe place and share ideas. I also had some counselling and it was very helpful; the staff are very kind, the other users remind me that I can share and it’s okay to be sad, happy, confused and anxious, because The Mulberry Centre is a safe space to be in with others, it’s okay to laugh and cry. I can sit on my own too and it feels safe when my world feels scary.”
The Mulberry Centre provides many different ways of supporting the charity, either as a volunteer or fundraiser. Go to its website, call 020 8321 6300 or email talk@themulberrycentre.co.uk for more information.
Based on the grounds of West Middlesex University Hospital, the centreprovides free services offering practical ways of enhancing the physical, psychological, and emotional wellbeing of itsvisitors, supporting over 15,000 people over the course of its existence. The Centre is currently supported by over 120 volunteers in a variety of roles and was honoured with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2021.
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