CANCER support charity Maggie’s and law firm Pearson Solicitors and Financial Advisers are working together offering visitors to the Oldham centre free advice on future planning.

The aim is to give cancer patients and their families assurance and help on all aspects of planning a financial future.

Visitors to the centre at the The Sir Norman Stoller Building at the Royal Oldham Hospital will be able to make an appointment to have an hour-long session with a qualified legal adviser.

Now more than ever, extra care and support for cancer patients and their families is needed and despite the lockdown, Maggie’s remains open to provide a helping hand for those that need it.

“Basically, people can come with their friends, families or loved ones and have a brew and a chat about their financial future with experts,” said Trish Morgan, Maggie’s centre head.

“It’s a great way of getting peace of mind and control over one aspect of their lives.

“With the recent lockdown this is obviously also available online should people prefer, or of course our centre is always open.”

The aim is to enhance the already successful Wills clinics and Benefits drop-in at the centre.

The service is being provided by Pearson, which nominated Maggie’s as its charity of the year in 2020 and 2021.

The advice sessions aim to provide a holistic service for visitors to Maggie’s and their loved ones, helping people relax and know that whatever happens they and their families are taken care of.

The advice sessions will cover the importance of future-proofing for loved ones, inheritance planning, estate planning, trusts, lasting powers of attorney, care home discussions and much more.

Zoe Johnson, legal adviser at Pearson, has personal experience of the effects cancer can have on a family and was keen to help out and run some sessions.

She said: “Maggie’s is an inspirational place and it’s an honour to be involved. As our charity of the year we have been unable to really get stuck in and physically help in the centre due to coronavirus. However, now as more people are visiting we felt the time was right to give some much needed advice.

"Cancer can have a devastating effect on families and I really want to be able to sit down with people and reassure them that a few simple planning options might be available to them that make all the difference.”

Trish added: “We’re hugely grateful to the team at Pearson for so generously offering their time and expertise to support our visitors in this way. We know it will be much appreciated and make the biggest difference to the people that walk through our doors here each day.”

The next advice sessions take place tomorrow (Wednesday, February 24), Wednesday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 28.

Anyone visiting Maggie’s Oldham can make an appointment. For more information, or to make an appointment, contact the centre on 0161 989 0550 or oldham@maggies.org

To find out more about Maggie’s Oldham please visit the centre at The Royal Oldham Hospital, The Sir Norman Stoller Building, Royal Oldham Hospital, OL1 2JH or get in touch on oldham@maggies.org