Last week, we celebrated the community and voluntary groups who have started important conversations about cancer prevention as part of our Take Action, Live Longer (TALL) project.
The project, funded by the South Yorkshire Cancer Alliance, was a partnership effort between Barnsley Council, NHS South Yorkshire and Barnsley CVS. Barnsley CVS awarded grants to nine local groups, allowing them to explore creative ways of raising awareness in their local area.
They were tasked with finding community-led ways to promote the benefits of the three national cancer screening programmes, encouraging more people to get support sooner.
Building on our #BeThatFriend campaign, encouraging more positive conversations about cancer and prevention has been at the heart of this project. Throughout the summer, we’ve seen the groups champion positive health information and advice in their communities, helping more people understand the early cancer signs and symptoms to look out for.
It was therefore great to be able to reflect on everything these community and voluntary groups have been able to achieve at last week’s special celebration event. We want to thank the below organisations for taking part in the TALL project and sharing these important health messages:
- AdAstra
- Age UK Barnsley
- Barnsley FC Community Trust
- Crossroads Caring for Carers
- Inclusion in Action
- Penistone FM
- The Barnsley Migration Partnership
- The Shaw Lane Foundation
- Thurnscoe Regeneration
Councillor Wendy Cain, Cabinet Spokesperson for Public Health and Communities, said: “In Barnsley, we’re committed to helping our communities get the right support and advice to live happier, healthier lives. Cancer screenings save lives, helping to detect problems early when treatment can be more successful, so it’s been great to see community groups championing these vital health checks in their local areas.
“From sharing Barnsley cancer stories to events across our borough, I’d like to thank everyone who has helped to make this community-led project a big success. By being that friend, you’re helping us to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities.”
A spokesperson for Barnsley CVS said: “We have really enjoyed working in partnership with Barnsley Council’s Public Health team to support these fantastic projects. The combination of the expertise of the Public Health team and our relationship with VCSE organisations has worked extremely well together.
“These community-led solutions have started the necessary conversations in Barnsley around the difficult subject of cancer. Listening to the projects last week, it is clear that this is just the start, and with the enthusiasm of these groups, we know this will continue.”
As part of our #BeThatFriend campaign, we want to encourage more positive conversations about early cancer signs and symptoms. If a friend, family member or colleague mentions that they’ve noticed a change in their body, please encourage them to seek medical advice.
