PRESS RELEASE: Walk the Walk makes £150,000 grant to Penny Brohn UK

In the grounds of Penny Brohn UK's headquarters at Ham Green, Bristol

Charity Walk the Walk makes £150,000 grant to Penny Brohn UK

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Cancer patients from across the UK and their families are set to benefit from a £150,000 grant made by health charity Walk the Walk to cancer support charity Penny Brohn UK.

The funds will help Penny Brohn UK relaunch in-person retreats, wellbeing days and complimentary therapy sessions for people with cancer, at its headquarters at Ham Green, Bristol. These sessions were suspended during the pandemic, with the charity moving its entire programme of support services online.

Andrew Hufford, CEO of Penny Brohn UK takes up the story: “After successfully switching to online-only services during the pandemic, we’ve been trying hard to restart in-person services at our centre in Bristol, so we can offer a truly hybrid service for people with cancer at Penny Brohn UK. Like many small charities, our capacity and finances have made this challenging, so it is incredible to be supported by Walk the Walk with a grant that will allow our in-person services to relaunch later this year. Nina and everyone at Walk the Walk have supported Penny Brohn UK for many years and we are so grateful.”

Sessions funded by Walk the Walk’s grant will include:-

• Resilience retreats. Short residential courses, providing uplifting group sessions and personalised on-to-one support for people living with cancer
• Well-being days. Offering those living with cancer expert advice on exercise, diet and ways to relieve stress and anxiety
• Complimentary therapies. Sessions including scarwork (a gentle approach to alleviating the physical and emotional impact of scar damage following surgery); acupuncture and counselling

Diane from Birmingham took part in a pilot retreat: “I was very fortunate to be invited to a fabulous wellbeing retreat at Penny Brohn UK. The retreat provided myself and my husband an opportunity to get away, relax, think, and breathe. We were both able to connect and talk to likeminded people in similar situations without judgement or explanations, who just understood what we had been through and continue to live with. The whole weekend was so relaxed, providing a balance of information, time to think and process and plenty of laughs. We both came away feel much lighter and more equipped to move forward living with cancer, knowing we have the support of Penny Brohn UK. Words really can't describe how much the retreat benefitted both myself and my husband.”

Entries are now open for The MoonWalk London 2024, organised by Walk the Walk. On Saturday 18th May 2024, thousands of women and men wearing decorated bras will set off from Clapham Common in London to walk an overnight half or full marathon through the streets of the capital. Sign up now at www.walkthewalk.org

Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of breast cancer charity Walk the Walk said: “The past three years have been incredibly tough for everyone and like many charities offering emotional and physical care, Penny Brohn UK have had to become skilled at offering their services through online and digital means. Indeed, Walk the Walk has previously provided funds to help them achieve this. Whilst digital services now have their place and have enabled Penny Brohn to reach so many more cancer patients across the UK, nothing can quite replace the value of face-to-face support. We are just so thrilled to be able to help Penny Brohn bring this personal care back into operational service, as it is needed now more than ever. Sign up now for The MoonWalk London 2024 at walkthewalk.org and help us to continue making a difference.”

For more information and interviews, contact Walk the Walk:

• Lisa Tyrrell at Walk the Walk  01483 741430 or 07554 337566 [email protected]
• Jen Broh at Walk the Walk  01483 741430 or 07974 107999 [email protected]