CLAN Cancer Support

The supermarket is delivering a special voting round of its community funding scheme to celebrate its centenary, with grants of £25,000, £15,000 and £10,000 being awarded to local community projects.

CLAN, which has been supporting people affected by cancer in Aberdeen for over 35 years, is one of the organisations on the shortlist. The charity has bases across the north-east and provides free, practical and emotional support to those affected by cancer.

Funds from the Bags of Help initiative will help to provide thousands of therapies which can help to promote a sense of wellbeing during a difficult time. CLAN aims to support people to reduce anxiety, stress and to increase their ability to cope with the effects of a serious illness. As well as being there for people who themselves have a cancer diagnosis, CLAN also supports everyone who has a friend or loved one affected by cancer, including children and family members.

The Bags of Help project, where money raised from the government’s 5p bag charge is used to fund local projects, has already delivered £75million to more than 25,000 projects across Britain. In July and August the vote will support health and wellbeing projects, focusing on cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Voting is open in all Tesco stores in July and August, with customers using a token given at the check-out to cast their vote each time they shop.

Tony McElroy, Tesco’s Head of Communications in Scotland, said: “Bags of Help contributes funds to community projects up and down the country and we have been overwhelmed by the response from customers voting in their local stores.”

Iona Mitchell, head of cancer support services for CLAN, said: “We are delighted to be part of Tesco’s centenary celebration. We provide services free of charge and every year we are seeing an increase in the number of people who come to us for support. CLAN receives no government funding and we rely on the generosity of our communities to help us continue to support thousands of people across the north-east every year.

“Our complementary therapies provide a respite for people who are affected by a cancer diagnosis. It can help relaxation as well as giving clients some space to come to terms with what is happening to them or their loved ones.

“CLAN is a truly local organisation – we began in Aberdeen 35 years ago, and today we have seven wellbeing centres and six outreach bases across the north-east.

“It is fantastic to see companies like Tesco making a contribution form carrier bag charges towards projects in their local communities, and we urge everyone in Aberdeen to support their local cancer charity by popping a token in the box for CLAN.”