A NEW wellbeing support space is ready to begin helping south Essex residents living with breast cancer following its launch this month.
The Lady McAdden Trust opened the doors of The McAdden Sanctuary on Wednesday, October 1, with an event attended by charity trustees, staff, supporters and the Mayor of Southend.
While the centre, on Leigh’s Elmsleigh Drive, began offering limited services last month, it’s now offering a schedule of activities, workshops and support groups ranging from reflexology to creative art sessions.
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Christine Nichols, Lady McAdden chair, said: "Opening our new sanctuary during Breast Cancer Awareness Month makes this moment especially meaningful.
“With our 50th anniversary ahead in 2026, this space ensures we can support even more people for the years to come.
“Thanks especially to Terry and Faye Lake at the Highview Group for their generosity with the refurbishment of our sanctuary space completely free of charge, making this all possible.”
The sanctuary is led by dedicated nurses and a team of wellbeing professionals, who work with the aim of making what can be a challenging time in someone’s life feel slightly easier.
Sessions at the sanctuary include Pilates, reflexology, breathwork, neurolinguistic programmes, coffee mornings and creative art workshops, all of which are exclusively available to those affected by breast cancer.
At Wednesday’s opening event, the Mayor of Southend, Nigel Folkard, cut the pink ribbon to open the sanctuary and thanked the trust for its vital work.
"The sanctuary represents a new chapter for Lady McAdden and this facility will allow us to expand the vital support we provide,” said Esther Taylor, Lady McAdden CEO.
She also thanked the Highview Group property firm, for which one of the centre’s studio rooms has been named after, for its support.
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Feedback from those who had attended the trial sanctuary sessions throughout September is said to have praised the space’s offerings.
The trust also offers free consultations with a qualified team of compassionate nurses to discuss concerns about breast health to those who need it.
If you have been affected by breast cancer and would like to book in for a class or treatment at the sanctuary, visit ladymcadden.org/sanctuary/
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