The only charity in London and the South East to provide free support to victims of asbestos exposure has received a donation to help expand its work across the capital and into Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire
London Asbestos Support Awareness Group received £1,000 from Persimmon Homes North London after being named as one of its Community Champions winners. Every month, the housebuilder donates up to £1,000 each to two groups or individuals through the match-funded scheme.
The charity currently runs monthly support groups in Dagenham, Canterbury, Sevenoaks, Bexley, Rainham and Sheerness to help connect sufferers with specialist nurses and volunteers in the hope of reducing their loneliness, anxiety, pain and fear.
It also provides free, ongoing tailored support and guidance to victims of serious illness through asbestos exposure, particularly Mesothelioma – an incurable cancer – and their families. The charity also provides psychological support and visits sufferers in their homes for as long as help is needed.
Spokeswoman Belinda Chadwick said: “The need is outweighing our capacity as the number of people in the UK with Mesothelioma is growing. Since 2017, we have supported more than 150 people annually and aim to increase our reach to an estimated 780 suffers in our region over the next three years.
“We will reinforce our existing centres of support as well as expand into other areas, namely London boroughs and Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
“We have received around half the funds needed for this through donations, so the support from Persimmon Homes North London is very much appreciated.”
Damian Seddon, director-in-charge at Persimmon Homes North London, said: “We are delighted that we could support the crucial work of London Asbestos Support Awareness Group in this way.
“If people were unsuccessful in their Community Champions application, we urge them to visit the Persimmon Homes website and to try again this year and hopefully they will become our next recipient.”
To nominate and to find out about the terms and conditions people can visit www.persimmonhomes.com/charity
