Macmillan Green Room opens at Forfar Library
On Tuesday 28 May, in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, ANGUSalive launched the Macmillan Green Room at Forfar Library.
The Macmillan Green Room will provide a tranquil space in the centre of Forfar for anyone living with cancer to attend a range of non-medical clinics such as wig and prosthetic fittings along with holistic and complimentary therapies. The room will also offer a meeting place for support groups.
Macmillan and ANGUSalive have worked in partnership for 7 years, and the Macmillan Green Room is the latest service to be offered by ANGUSalive and funded by Macmillan. Macmillan are also funding a Macmillan Libraries Co-Ordinator who will develop the use and services the room provides and Hazel Freeman has recently been employed in this role.
The Therapy Room is the vision of Lesley Matthews and Christine Sharp of ANGUSalive, who realised the difference a therapy room could make to people’s lives and saw potential for future development of the project.
Jean Sergeant of Macmillan Cancer Support said: “It’s fantastic that people who need some help and support can get that support here in the Therapy Room. I think the main benefit of this is that it’s a non-clinical environment which we hope will reduce some of the anxiety that anyone on a cancer journey faces.”
Hazel Freeman, Macmillan Libraries Co-Ordinator said: “Like most of us, we have been touched by cancer in one way or another and that is what led me here, to Macmillan. I’m looking forward to utilising the new Macmillan Green Room here in Forfar Library, which has been developed to support those who require breast and wig fittings but also some gentler sessions around feeling good and health and wellbeing.”
Lesley Matthews, Library Operations Lead with ANGUSalive said: “Our libraries are all about bringing the community together and the latest Macmillan project which has stemmed from the initial project of dedicated Macmillan spaces in each of our seven libraries enables us to do just that.
“We are so incredibly proud to be able to deliver the therapy room for our customers in Angus who are undergoing their own cancer journey and in need of help and support.”
Christine Sharp ANGUSalive Adult Library Lead said: “Our very special and heartfelt thanks go to the Macmillan team who have been with us helping us and offering support every step of the way. To Joanna Adamson, Katrina Ewell and Fred Curran who designed the room for us and to Simon Hicks who installed the furniture. Most of all, we’d like to thank to Jean Sargent. We wouldn’t have submitted any partnership agreement or funding applications without Jean’s help and support.”
The Therapy Room will rely on volunteers to provide some of the beauty and complimentary therapies that the room will offer and ANGUSalive invite trained professionals in this area who are able to donate an hour or two of their time to the room and its clients.
You can find out more about the Macmillan services offered in Angus libraries at https://angusalive.scot/libraries/macmillan/
