Get ready for Maggie's Kitchen Table Day!

Cancer charity Maggie’s Oldham is encouraging friends, families and colleagues to create events around their kitchen table – be it at work or home – on April 27.

From dinner parties and games nights to coffee mornings and bake sales - the choice is yours. 

Maggie’s Kitchen Table Day 2018 is a chance to gather together and raise money for people with cancer.

Maggie’s Oldham follows the ideas about cancer care originally laid out by Maggie Keswick Jencks.

Maggie lived with advanced cancer for two years and was determined that she should not 'lose the joy of living in the fear of dying'.

In order to live more positively with cancer, Maggie believed people needed information, stress-reducing strategies, psychological support and the opportunity to meet other people in similar circumstances in a relaxed and beautiful setting.

All Maggie’s centres are individually designed by leading architects to feel like a home and all have a big kitchen table at their heart. 

New visitors to Maggie’s Oldham often head first for the kitchen table. 

Here they can relax with a cup of tea, perhaps join in the conversation and meet a member of Maggie’s professional staff.

For all centre visitors, Maggie’s kitchen table is a place where they can talk to people who really understand what it means to be living with cancer. 

Supporter Diane Bibby said: "I attended a fantastic Kitchen Table Day event last year, which inspired me to challenge myself this year to host my own curry night as I'm absolutely rubbish at cooking!

"My friends are holding their own Kitchen Table Day event during the day, they’ve promised me lots of delicious cake, and then we will meet at mine in the evening for some curry. It's a great way to meet friends and socialise.

"Many of my friends have gone through cancer themselves and have found the support offered at Maggie's so valuable.

"The statistics are scary, so many people are affected. But Kitchen Table Day is an amazing way to give something back."

Bernie Byrne, Centre Head at Maggie’s Oldham, said: “I can’t wait to see the wonderful events that people come up with to help make Maggie’s Kitchen Table Day 2018 a success. 

"Maggie’s Oldham relies entirely on voluntary donations to allow us to keep on developing our unique programme of free support for all those living with cancer in the area.”

Register now for your free fund-raising pack at www.maggiescentres.org/kitchentableday

Meanwhile, you can share photos of your event on social media using the hashtag #kitchentableday

Built in the grounds of Royal Oldham Hospital, Maggie’s Oldham  is a warm and welcoming place, with qualified professionals on hand to offer an evidence-based core programme of support that has been shown to improve physical and emotional wellbeing.

Maggie’s Oldham relies on voluntary donations to develop its unique, high quality programme of support.

The charity’s aim is to make the biggest difference possible to people living with cancer and their family and friends.

To find out more about Maggie’s Oldham and to see how the centre supports people living with cancer across Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Tameside and the surrounding areas, call in at the Sir Norman Stoller Building, Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Road, OL1 2JH or get in touch on 0161 989 0550 or email: oldham@maggiescentres.org