Gary Neville and wife launch Bury cancer centre fundraiser

Gary and Emma Neville attended an anniversary event at Bury Cancer Support Centre

Former footballer Gary Neville has helped launch a fundraiser for a cancer centre in his hometown to mark its 20th anniversary.

The pundit was joined by his wife Emma, who volunteers as a talking therapist at Bury Cancer Support Centre.

"It's like a family - it's a community here and everybody just helps each other," she said.

The organisation has launched a £20,000 fundraiser to celebrate 20 years since it started out in a local church hall.

Co-founder Lynne Marland, who helped set it up while working as a nurse, said their initial aim was to address gaps in support.

"We knew that people struggled particularly at diagnosis," she said.

"People would go to hospital and get an unexpected diagnosis and then go out and not know what to do."

She said the centre aimed to support people at all stages of their condition, adding that many "often felt very alone and isolated" at the end of treatment.

"Everybody talks about holistic care but it actually takes a team of different disciplines to provide that care," she added.

The centre moved from a church hall to a different venue after increasing demand

Jan Pearce-Langton said she joined the centre to "rebuild" her life after being diagnosed with both bowel and breast cancer in the same week.

She said she valued "being able to talk to other people that understood".

Now acting as its treasurer, she said the organisation was funded via donations from local businesses and individuals.

"It costs £220,000 a year to run the service - I am still in awe of how we do it," she added.

Mr Neville, who attended an anniversary celebration at the centre, said: "They live on the cliff edge a little bit in the sense of their funding… they fight for their lives every single day to make sure this organisation succeeds.

"We all know people who have been impacted by cancer and we all like to think that the support is there for them at the time when they need it - and this centre is a place that provides that."

Emma said she and fellow centre workers tried to support users by "showing empathy and just making them feel that they've got a community around them".

She said she was inspired to join the centre after a visit, adding: "You know when you walk in somewhere, you get a feeling of warmth? That's what came over me and I thought I would love to be part of this team."

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