Livingston-based charity Team Jak has been announced as the new Charity of the Month partner at The Centre, Livingston for June.
As part of its Support in the Community, initiative a different organisation is chosen every month for a free pop-up space in the mall to raise funds and awareness, marketing support and a £250 Gift Card donation.
The charity, which was the mall’s Charity of the Year in 2016, was set up by the former West Calder High School pupil, Jak Trueman, who had a rare and aggressive form of cancer called delta T-cell lymphoma.
Throughout his illness, Jak raised nearly £100k for various cancer charities including CLIC, Sick Kids Friends Foundation, Bloodwise and Comic Relief. Just before his passing in 2015 he unveiled his plans to support other young people who found themselves in a similar position to him.
He called his charity Team Jak and tasked his mum, Allison, with the job of building it and creating Jak’s Den, a purpose-built respite centre aimed at providing emotional, social and practical support for young cancer patients and those with related illnesses, and their families and friends.
The charity began operating out of what was originally planned to be an office in Geddes House in Livingston Village in 2015 and is now located in a purpose-built respite centre,
Jak’s Den Mark 2 in Dedridge. Over the years it has expanded with the opening of second Jak’s Den in Aberdeen in 2022 and various pop-ups across Scotland, including Fife, Lothian and the Borders and Glasgow, resulting in being able to support 415 families around the country.
Services and support include drop-in sessions, music therapy, counselling, pamper days, alternative therapies, Mini Denners, TJs Mindful Juniors, Teen Fun, bespoke emotional support, including Bag of Worries and Seasons for Growth groups and Angel family bereavement support in person and online.
Team Jak also run various activity days, including cake decorating and games sessions, like air hockey table footy and Xbox and PS4 challenges, arts and crafts and coffee mornings.
They also provide outreach services to homes and hospitals for children and families unable to visit a Den and visit schools to provide bereavement support to young people, siblings, classmates and teachers.
The charity will be in The Centre, Livingston on the weekend of the 17th and 18th of June where shoppers will be able to find out more about the support offered by the team at Jak’s Den.
Hazel McLinden, Director of Services at Team Jak, said: “We are delighted to have been selected as The Centre’s charity partner in June.
“The Centre was instrumental in our fundraising and awareness of Team Jak when we were first established in 2015, which was always very much appreciated.
“It will be great to be able to update shoppers on the charity’s progress at our pop-up in the mall on the 17 th and 18 th of June and thank them for their continued support.”
Katie Gallacher, Marketing Manager at The Centre, Livingston, said: “We are really looking forward to welcoming Team Jak into The Centre as part of our ‘Support in the Community’ initiative to help a different local charity every month.
“It’s been great to see how Team Jak has grown over the past eight years and continued the fantastic work they do, which our shoppers can hear all about at their pop-up on the 17 th and 18 th June.”
If you are a local charity or social enterprise who might benefit from being The Centre’s monthly charity partner, as part of its ‘Support in the Community’ initiative, check out the ‘news’ section on the website for details on how to apply www.thecentrelivingston.com or
email enquiries@thecentrelivingston
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