Cash seized from drug dealers is set to be handed over to a cancer charity.
A new initiative, first started earlier this year, has seen monies taken from criminals sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court and given to charities across our region. Each month, judges pick a different good cause to be the beneficiary of these funds.
For October, Liverpool Sunflowers was chosen as the recipient. The Aigburth-based charity offers support, advice, classes, therapies, courses and workshops to cancer sufferers and their loved ones - providing more than 1,000 appointments per month with no financial support from the Government or NHS.
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Charity manager Bobby Magee said: "Sunflowers is like the safety net after diagnosis, a place signposted by cancer professionals after a diagnosis to support with the holistic side of cancer. After diagnosis, the person themselves may feel strong and it’s their families who may need the emotional support and we are here for them.
"We offer specialist exercise for people living with a condition who may not have the confidence to access a class at a gym. We offer bespoke complementary therapies to meet the needs of the individual and nutrition workshops and lunches for people to live better with cancer.
"One of the things we identified most is people need people. During the pandemic, people would go without seeing another person who had cancer throughout chemo and their journey.
"This was the first thing we wanted to implement when we could reopen. We have more than 14 sessions a month where people can come and chat to others about their experiences, make friends who they can talk to about their condition that they can’t say at home.
"We offer a support network and robust mental health and wellbeing service ensuring that people living with cancer or long term condition are not left behind. The pandemic made life hard for people living with a diagnosis and now it’s even harder.
"With many accessible services falling and demand for cancer support growing after long waiting lists, cancelled appointments and a backlog of cancer support, we find ourselves as one of the preferred referral partners for cancer support and wellbeing receiving over 60 referrals a month. As a charity that depends mostly on fundraising and donations, this is a huge weight to carry and the support from the money received from the courts will mean we are able to continue this service for the people that so desperately need it.
"It also means that we can continue to expand our services into other areas of Merseyside, meaning people will not have to travel as far to access physical and mental support. This winter when it becomes a choice between heating and eating, Sunflowers will once more step up and offer services for vulnerable people needing support.
"With breakfast clubs every Monday and hot soups every Friday afternoon, we will make sure that if you are living with a condition you don’t need to do it alone. We would like to say thank you for the contribution from the courts towards our services, keeping the most vulnerable in our community safe and well."
The first six months of the court's donation scheme saw a total of £51,973.19 raised for good causes across Merseyside. Individual organisations have benefited by up to £14,800 as a result of Operation Payback.
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