Health Minister has announced 16 cancer
service charities will benefit from a share of the Cancer
Charities Grant Scheme, funded by the Department of Health and
Macmillan Cancer Support.
The grant scheme will ensure charities, voluntary and community
sector organisations can deliver cancer support services and
projects across local communities in Northern Ireland.
During a visit to the Evora Hospice in Newry, one of the
recipients of the grant, Minister Nesbitt highlighted how the
scheme had been developed through a co-design process working in
partnership with the Northern Ireland Cancer Charities Coalition
to target help for people across Northern Ireland.
Health Minister said the services provided by
local charities are invaluable. “This funding scheme will
help transform the lives of people living with cancer and their
families, offering personalised support in a community
setting. Working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer
Support has enabled an innovative approach with the focus firmly
on meeting the needs of those affected by cancer.
“At the heart of this scheme is the need to move care closer
to people's homes and strengthening support in communities across
Northern Ireland. By empowering charities to deliver earlier,
more localised support, we can help people stay well for longer
and reduce avoidable pressure on hospital services.
“During my visit to the Evora Hospice, I have seen first-hand the
powerful potential of community action when it comes to
delivering outstanding cancer support. It is clear local
charities are at the heart of it, playing an essential role
alongside HSC staff and patients' friends and families. I would
like to thank Macmillan Cancer Support for their generous
funding; this scheme truly shows how much government and the
charitable sector can achieve by working collaboratively.”
Gemma Peters, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said:
“It's brilliant to see the first of the grants
being put into action and the benefits it will bring to
people with cancer in the local area. These projects
announced today are exactly the kind
of programmes the grant scheme was set up to
fund, to ensure people with cancer receive
the personalised care they need, close to
home and delivered from within their
communities. It's only by working together with local
charities and communities that we can close some of the gaps
in cancer care that we see too often today.”
The funding will support services including mental health
support, rehabilitation and prehabilitation, transport services,
awareness and education initiatives and programmes addressing
health inequalities.
Notes to editors:
- The full list of successful applicants for the 2025/26 Cancer
Charities Grant Scheme can be read in full here: https://govfundingpublic.nics.gov.uk/GrantsAwarded.aspx
- A fact file on the Cancer Charities Grant Scheme can be read
here: www.health-ni.gov.uk/articles/cancer-charities-grant-scheme-202526
