Having temporarily closed our doors amid the coronavirus crisis, the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity Mid Essex Support Centre in Hatfield Peverel has now reopened!
Initially we will be offering 40 hours of reflexology per week to those living with cancer. Our West Essex Support Centre in Harlow has also opened offering 15 hours and 4 hours of reflexology per week. We have also restarted our services at our North Essex Support Centre at Colchester Hospital where we will be offering 20 reflexology sessions over a two week period.
As our Support Centres begin to reopen, visitors will be asked to sanitise their hands when they arrive and before they leave and will need to wear a face mask or covering during the duration of their visit. They will also need to follow social distancing guidance.
Karen Fox from Hatfield Peverel was one of the first clients to visit the Mid Essex Support Centre after reopening; “I was very lucky to have an amazing foot massage in a very safe environment this week. A lot of thought had been put into access into the building and I felt totally secure and safe. Such a special place and lovely to see it open. Thank you everyone for making it happen.”
We have also had some other clients give us some wonderful feedback;
“I didn’t realise how much I missed the reflexology until now – it’s amazing.”
“So pleased you are now open – I have missed you all.”
“Thanks for all you do – it has made such a difference during this pandemic and now.”
Helen Rollason Cancer Charity CEO Kate Alden said: “We are absolutely delighted that we are now in a position to safely reopen some of our Support Centres following our enforced closure. Although we have continued to provide help and advice over the phone to over 1,100 of our clients during the lockdown, we still feel that face-to-face contact is incredibly important. Reopening our Support Centres will allow us to offer that personal touch once more. Initially we can only offer reflexology and there are some guidelines we need to follow with regards to who this can be offered to but as soon as it is safe for our full services to resume they will be reinstated.
Our therapists will be following the latest government guidance to keep everyone safe, including wearing PPE where necessary, maintaining social distancing and regularly sanitising and washing their hands. We have also introduced enhanced cleaning at our Support Centres so that anyone who needs our support can be reassured that it is safe to visit us.
As a result of the coronavirus outbreak, we have unfortunately had to cancel many of our fundraising events, which means the charity will suffer a considerable loss of income. Of course Covid is still at the forefront of all of our minds, but even once it has calmed down, cancer will still be there. On average 1,000 people in the UK will face a cancer diagnosis every day and 450 others will die.
We are appealing for the public’s support to help us through this difficult time by donating to us or supporting us in other ways so that we can continue enabling quality of life while living with cancer. Please help us support our clients, both now during this time of unrest, and in the months and years to come.”
To make a donation please click here or call our Charity Office on 01245 380719. Thank you.
