New fund launched to help communities raise cancer awareness and encourage screening
Together with the Northern Cancer Alliance, we’re delighted to launch the new Community Cancer Awareness and Screening Fund.
The fund offers grants of up to £2,500 for charities and community groups to deliver local projects that help people recognise the signs and symptoms of cancer, encourage earlier diagnosis, and increase participation in NHS cancer screening programmes.
We know trusted community organisations are often best placed to start conversations that can save lives. Whether it’s through a local workshop, a community event or an existing support group, your project could help more people understand the importance of spotting symptoms early and taking up screening opportunities.
The fund focuses on improving the early diagnosis of the four most common cancers with NHS screening programmes across the North East and North Cumbria:
- Bowel cancer
- Breast cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Lung cancer
What can the funding support?
Projects should raise awareness of cancer symptoms or encourage people to take part in screening. Activities could include:
- Community events, workshops, information sessions and outreach activities.
- Peer support groups, including men’s sheds, women’s groups and other community networks.
- Adding cancer awareness activities to existing wellbeing sessions, social groups or community programmes.
Who can apply?
The fund is open to charities and community groups delivering projects in:
- Sunderland
- Stockton
- Hartlepool
- Redcar and Cleveland
- Cramlington
- Blyth
- Ashington
- Bedlington
- Amble
Early diagnosis is one of the key ambitions of the National Cancer Plan because cancers found earlier are often easier to treat and can lead to better outcomes.
Michelle Cooper, CEO at Point North said: “We’re delighted to be strengthening our partnership with Northern Cancer Alliance to help improve health and life outcomes for people across our communities. Local voluntary and community groups are uniquely placed to raise cancer symptom and screening awareness to encourage early diagnosis because they’re already trusted.
“For too many people, in our communities, there are real barriers to putting their health first. By bringing these conversations about cancer into familiar places, whether that’s a community café, a football pitch or a craft group, we can help make talking about it feel less daunting.”
Dr Katie Elliott, Northern Cancer Alliance’s Clinical Director for Primary Care, said: “Detecting cancers earlier when there are more treatment options and better chances of survival is one of our key priorities.
“All too often in the North East and North Cumbria, cancers are diagnosed late and this fund is all about helping to make that shift and reaching out to those communities who need the most help.
“We’re looking to fund projects and activities in communities that raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer to look out for. We’re keen to help build people’s confidence to speak to a GP or healthcare professional and make it easier for them to do so.
“This could include running cancer-specific information sessions, awareness days or integrating cancer and screening awareness in existing community activities. We really want to support groups to get the key messages out into their communities.”
This fund builds on the extensive work already led by the Northern Cancer Alliance, alongside its partners and network of Community Cancer Awareness Workers, to improve awareness of cancer symptoms and increase screening uptake across the region.
If your organisation has an idea that could help your community recognise cancer symptoms sooner or encourage more people to attend screening, we’d love to hear from you.
How to apply?
To apply, please read our full grant guidelines, which you can access by clicking here.
Applications must be submitted using our online application portal by Sunday 23 August.
