Monthly Briefing – January 2025

Hello!
Welcome to Our First Monthly Briefing of 2025
Happy New Year to all our dedicated Support Group Leaders and organisers! As we step into 2025, we are thrilled to continue our journey together, supporting you as you provide invaluable assistance to the many individuals who benefit from our network of peer support groups across the UK. With a thriving network of 143 groups, there’s loads to get excited about, and our commitment to helping you broaden your reach and impact is stronger than ever.

Our small, but mighty team is on hand to assist you in every aspect of running your groups smoothly. From the day-to-day intricacies of managing a support group to fundraising guidance and promotional materials, we’re just a phone call or email away. We are here to help you navigate any challenges that crop up. We uphold our core values of Compassion, Inclusiveness, Dedication, and Integrity in all that we do, ensuring that every interaction and initiative is aligned with these principles.

We apologise for the slight delay in sending out this first briefing of the year—the year has certainly kicked off with a bang! Nonetheless, we’re eager to keep you informed and well-supported throughout the year.

Our two new team members—Adam and Stuart—are settling in nicely. They bring fresh enthusiasm and a wealth of experience that will undoubtedly boost our collective efforts. Adam is collaborating with a couple of new groups and is also working with four groups to develop a template for  Support Group websites. Stuart is working alongside partners to develop groups in the Midlands, with a particular focus on Birmingham.

The feedback from the brief survey conducted at the last Support Group meeting has sharply focused our minds on what are your priorities for the coming year. Addressing challenges and focusing on growth and outreach are top of your list. To this end, Tackle Central Support will prioritise resources and efforts to support you in reaching more people and assisting with some of those challenges. Just let us know how we can help. We won’t have all the answers, and that’s the beauty of a supportive network like Tackle; we can leverage our wonderful hive mind and connect you with someone who does.

Looking ahead, we have an exciting year of activities and projects. We’re set to enhance our support mechanisms with the Peer Coaching project, kicking off this Movember-funded initiative at the end of the month. Fourteen people have signed up to our Train the Trainer workshop in Birmingham. Adam and Stuart are looking at developing innovative peer support groups and filling gaps in both communities and locations. Working with our partners such as PCUK and PCR, we are committed to campaigning on crucial issues like timely and early diagnosis, risk awareness, and advocating for a National Screening Programme. Each month, we’ll work hard to keep you informed and equipped with all the necessary tools and information to ensure your group not only succeeds but thrives.

As we move forward, let’s keep our vision of becoming the ‘go-to’ charity for peer support firmly in our sights and continue to strive towards our mission of enabling the growth of peer support groups across the country, ensuring the needs of people living with and affected by prostate cancer are met, and their voices are heard.

Thank you for your ongoing dedication and hard work. Here’s to a successful and impactful 2025, working together to make a difference in the lives of those we serve.

Sarah, and The Tackle Team

We look forward to having your group represented at our 2025 Annual Conference..This year, being held at a new location in Birmingham – IET Birmingham Austin Court. 

Kelly will be sending the registration details out to the main contact for your group in the next few days. To ensure as many of our 143 Tackle Groups  can attend, we are offering one free place to each group.  If your group would like to have another member attend, the price will be £50. Travel expenses will be paid for one person from each group attending.

All the details will be available on Eventbrite when registration opens. 

We have an exciting agenda filled with opportunities for Tackle groups from across the country to collaborate so we can elevate and amplify our message about Prostate Cancer.

If you have any questions about the conference, please email us! 

We look forward to seeing you on 1st April 2025.

Hot Topics
Our first Hot Topics of 2025. Please share this with your Group Members. You will find information on a number of campaigns and reports. 
Click here to download and share our January Hot Topics
Group Leaders Meeting

We look forward to seeing you at our February Support Group Leaders on February 4th at 11.00. If you haven’t attended before, then please join this supportive and friendly group for people who lead and organise Peer Support groups. Next month the topic will be around incontinence. We shall be hearing from Clinisupplies who are an organisation that provides incontinence products through their NHS partnered –  Nightingale home delivery service.

Join our Support Group Leaders Meeting at 10.45 for an 11.00 start on February 4th

New Groups

This month we welcome 5 new groups to our Tackle family.

The Dodgy Walnut , set up by John and Emma, launches this evening (January 22nd) in Harrogate. It is a peer support group for younger men and their partners who are living with or affected by prostate cancer. Whilst here is no age limit, the group is tailored for those who are either employed or haven’t reached their state pension age. 
 
Westlake Prostate Support is a new group meeting in Whitehaven, Cumbria set up by Les and Barry.. Their first meeting held earlier this month got of to a great start with 8 members. They have a free meeting room kindly given by their local Asda.

Cynthia got in touch with us as her partner had been diagnosed with Prostate cancer, and she realised that there were  many partners in her community in a similar situation who needed someone to talk too. The Doncaster Partners Support Group is planning its first meeting early next month. .  

Karen’s husband Peter, has been attending the Huddersfield Prostate Cancer Support Group since shortly after it started. Now Karen has set up the Huddersfield Partners Group . The two groups have recently started a regular combined session, a walking group (see photo above) . Last Friday 12 people living with and experiencing prostate cancer came along and enjoyed a walk and talk together. 

Finally, many of you will know Tam Hewitt. Tam is the leader of the East End Glasgow group, and a very hard working awareness volunteer for PCUK. Tam’s  original group which meets in the Players Lounge at Celtic Park Football Stadium, has been running for several years and has become so successful that it is now oversubscribed.  We have been working with Glasgow Mitchell Library, who have offered a free venue and Macmillan Cancer Support who have provided a support grant and the new  Glasgow Prostate Cancer Support Group commences on Wednesday the 5th February 

I am sure you will join with us in welcoming these groups and wishing them well. 



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