Campaign for £5m cancer centre goes to Westminster

The Lingen Davies team went to London for an event with MPs and members of the House of Lords

A campaign to create a new £5m cancer centre in Telford has been taken to Westminster, with health secretary Wes Streeting among those showing support.

The Lingen Davies Cancer Support charity's Sunflower Appeal aims to fund the new cancer centre at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

More than 60 people including MPs, members of the House of Lords, fundraisers and volunteers attended the event on Tuesday.

Lingen Davies chief executive Naomi Atkin said it had been "really positive," with strong support for the project.

"It's amazing to have national attention on our little campaign up here," she said. "The support in the room for the project and the idea for the people in our region was very, very evident."

She added that the charity was working closely with NHS staff to make the building "fit for purpose," and urged the public and local businesses to "dig deep" to help fund the project.

She said the new centre, which would be run by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, was expected to double capacity for chemotherapy across the region and would include 30 chemotherapy chairs, as well as diagnostic facilities and outpatient clinics.

The existing facility in Shrewsbury serves people across Shropshire, Telford and a large part of Powys.

Ms Atkin said she hoped the new unit would "relieve pressure in Shrewsbury and get people through quicker to where their treatment needs to be".

Chief executive Naomi Atkin, Shaun Davies MP and Tim Cooper, the chair of trustees, were among those at the event

The event was hosted by Telford MP Shaun Davies, who said: "Cancer affects one in two of us. This is a statistic that should make us all pause. No-one should have to face gruelling cancer treatment and then travel long distances just to access the care they need."

"Bringing the Lingen Davies Cancer Centre to Princess Royal Hospital will transform lives," he added.

The charity hopes to open the centre in 2029, coinciding with its 50th anniversary. Early supporters who donate £500 or more will be recognised as "founders" with their names displayed on the centre's wall.

Local fundraising events are also planned across Telford, with backing from Telford and Wrekin Council.