Summer 2026 has brought us some warm and sunny weather, and we hope you’ve had the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine while keeping cool during the hotter days.
As the schools break up for the summer holidays and we move into the peak annual leave season, we wanted to take a moment to share some updates on what we’ve been working on, highlight upcoming events and activities across our communities, and let you know about opportunities to get involved in local projects and initiatives.
We hope you enjoy this month’s newsletter and we wish you a happy, healthy, and relaxing summer.
Newsletter Highlights
- Upcoming training & events
- Looks like us campaign video: help us make cancer awareness more inclusive
- Bee Seen, Get Screened
- Answer Cancer get together- 30 September
- ALLFM radio show call out
- Maggies Muslim cancer support group
- Awareness campaigns
Upcoming Training & Events
Free training sessions from Answer Cancer, the Greater Manchester Cancer Screening Engagement Programme! Different dates and times are available to suit you. We are now offering training through a mixture of online and face-to-face sessions, so please make note when signing up!
You need to register in advance to attend the sessions, but you can join as many sessions as you like. For a list of courses and register, please click here.
Looks like us campaign video- get involved!
Following the success of our Looks Like Us campaign, we’re now in the process of creating a new video and are looking for volunteers to record a short cancer awareness message in their own language.
For this round, we will also be producing videos in Urdu, Polish, Arabic, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Romanian and Cantonese. If you speak one of these languages and would like to support this work, please get in touch with emily.lambert@vsnw.org.uk. Emily will be happy to discuss the opportunity with you and provide guidance on what to include in your video. To be included in this project, please get in touch by the end of July.
Bee Seen, Get Screened Update
We are proud to have 195 organisations signed up to our Bee Seen, Get Screened pledge, helping to create workplaces that support cancer screening awareness.
Are you one of our Bee Seen, Get Screened employer? Has your organisation hosted a cancer screening awareness session with us? If not, we’d love to hear from you. We can provide free cancer screening awareness sessions for your staff, helping to increase understanding of the NHS screening programmes and the importance of attending when invited.
If your organisation hasn’t yet taken the pledge, we can also arrange a meeting to tell you more about the Bee Seen, Get Screened programme, what it involves, and how your workplace can benefit from getting involved.
Get in touch to find out more and join the growing number of organisations making a difference: emily.lambert@vsnw.org.uk
Bee Seen, Get Screened
Answer Cancer get together
Thank you to everyone who attended our Answer Cancer get together in Bolton on the 17 June. We were delighted to welcome 29 attendee’s to our event who joined our 3 world cafe sessions which focused on breast cancer awareness, bowel cancer awareness and an update from Manchester Bike Kitchen.
Our next Answer Cancer get together will take place on Wednesday 30 September, from 9:30am to 11:00am, at Oldham Business Centre.
The event will provide another fantastic opportunity to engage in interactive group activities, connect with colleagues and community organisations, learn about the latest developments across the Answer Cancer programme, and share ideas, experiences and good practice.
If you would like to attend, please register via the link below or contact actraining@uni.uk.net for further information.
We hope to see you there!
Register now
Community news
ALLFM radio station call out!
Have you been affected by cancer? Are you currently undergoing cancer treatment? Are you living with and beyond cancer? Are you supporting a family member or loved one affected by cancer?
Would you like to help raise awareness, encourage cancer screening, and support others who may be facing cancer alone?
ALL FM radio station is looking for people with lived experience of cancer to help create radio programmes that inform, inspire and connect communities.(No previous radio experience is needed.)
You’ll receive full training and support in radio production and presentation, with the opportunity to present, produce and host your own live radio show.
Interested? Email ed@allfm.org for more information and take a look at their website.
Muslim Cancer Support Group at Maggie’s Manchester
Maggie’s runs a supportive and welcoming space for Muslims living with cancer, as well as their family and friends. Meet others with shared experiences, access expert support, and learn about the free services available at Maggie’s.
- Brothers’ Support Group- First Thursday of every month | 11:00am to 12:30pm
- Sisters’ Support Group-Third Thursday of every month | 11:00am to 12:30pm
Venue: Maggie’s Manchester, Kinnaird Road, Withington, Manchester (opposite The Christie Hospital).
To find out more or register your interest, take a look at their website
Awareness Campaigns!
Ethnic Minority Cancer Awareness Month
July marks Ethnic Minority Cancer Awareness Month, a campaign dedicated to raising awareness of the cancer inequalities experienced by Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities.
Evidence shows that people from ethnic minority communities can face inequalities throughout their cancer journey, including delays in diagnosis, longer waiting times for treatment, and barriers to accessing information and support.
This awareness month aims to highlight these challenges, promote greater understanding, and encourage action to help reduce inequalities in cancer care and outcomes.
For more information, visit the Macmillan Cancer Support and Race Equality Foundation websites.
Sarcoma awareness month
July is Sarcoma Cancer Awareness Month, led by Sarcoma UK. This year’s theme is: ‘Living with Sarcoma: Life Goes On’ which focuses on sharing lived experience stories from people who have been impacted by Sarcoma cancer.
The campaign aims to increase public understanding of this rare cancer, with nearly 90% of people reporting little or no knowledge of sarcoma. Sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that develops in the body’s connective tissues, including muscle, bone, fat, blood vessels and nerves.
Take a look at their website for more information on how to get involved/ raise awareness.
World head and neck cancer day- 27 July
Monday 27 July marks World Head and Neck Cancer Day, a global awareness day highlighting the different types of cancer that can affect the head and neck.
Visit the GM cancer alliance website to access campaign resources and learn more about the signs and symptoms of head and neck cancer.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support- we really appreciate all that you do. We hope you enjoy this edition, and feel free to get in touch anytime.
Get in touch
Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Like and share our page and videos to help spread the Answer Cancer message.
Engage with Voluntary Sector North West
As one of the four partners in Answer Cancer, Voluntary Sector North West supports the sector “to positively shape the future of the North West”.
If you are a VCFSE organisation interested in engaging with Voluntary Sector North West, we invite you to connect with us. You can join free of charge as either a full member or an associate member, or simply subscribe to our e-bulletin to receive the latest updates and insights about the sector. If you are interested in joining as a member, or would like to join our conference in November, just follow the links.