Cherry Lodge

Reaching Out

When we started this thing we call Summer Soulstice, the crew scratched heads as to who they felt would be the most pertinent beneficiary of the funds we hoped to raise in Andy’s memory…

Cherry Lodge Cancer Care in Barnet, was both pertinent & local. Had Andy still lived in the area when diagnosed with cancer, these guys would have been one of his first ports of call for him & his family.

It’s a labour of love for all involved in raising as much as possible each year, all with a smile of course. Summer Soulstice is now the biggest third-party fundraiser for the charity, with over £135,000 raised in 9 years. Until this year, most of the money was spent on the general delivery of their many services for people affected by cancer. However, Cherry Lodge are now announcing a new specific use for these funds. After a recent meeting with us, we are happy that our fundraising will now pay the salary of their Outreach Nurse, Kirsty Mabb.

Kirsty has now become the ‘Soulstice Nurse’ but she will also need to retain her more formal title of Macmillan Cancer Information Outreach Nurse (a condition for receiving the original set-up funding for this post). Her main role at Cherry Lodge is to deliver their Outreach Service, which she does by holding ‘health & wellness’ sessions at a variety of community venues around the borough of Barnet, focusing primarily on the west side of the borough where health inequalities are greatest. Without needing to make an appointment, anyone can see our Kirsty to discuss any worrying symptoms or concerns about their general health, or to raise questions about their cancer or its treatment. From time to time, people are invited to health talks & workshops.

Kirsty is also involved with two outreach support groups. She set up & facilitates the Cancer Carers’ Support Group which meets at Barnet Carers Centre & maintains her link with the Sunflower Group. When she is not doing outreach work, Kirsty is based at Cherry Lodge HQ with Fiona Kiddle, the other Macmillan Cancer Information Nurse.

As in previous years, Cherry Lodge will continue to use some of the money raised by Summer Soulstice to lease & run the vital van service, which is used mainly to move items between their two shops in Barnet & Borehamwood, perfect for taking bulky items such as furniture.

2015’s event will once again see the Cherry Lodge team in attendance at their stall & generally helping around the site on the day, why not go & say hello.

#YKIMS