While Selkirk leads the way in the fight against plastic bags, The Herald has stepped in with its own stylish contribution to the green cause � all in the name of cancer charity Maggie�s. (Includes video)
ALISON McCALLUM
While Selkirk leads the way in the fight against plastic bags, The Herald has stepped in with its own stylish contribution to the green cause - all in the name of cancer charity Maggie's.
The stylish eco-friendly carrier designed by Scottish textile and wallpaper design studio Timorous Beasties is available free to everyone who signs up as a Friend of Maggie's.
The 100% cotton bag was commissioned for the joint Maggie's/The Herald campaign to raise awareness of the inspiring work undertaken by the charity's Cancer Caring Centres in Scotland.
The latest Maggie's care centre was opened yesterday at Wishaw Hospital in Lanarkshire to provide support and offer activities for cancer sufferers in the area while a new permanent centre at Monklands Hospital is being built.
The launch was attended by Bridget McConnell, patron of the centre in Lanarkshire and former Olympic athlete Yvonne Murray.
Lorrie Forsyth, head of the interim centre, said: "We welcome anyone affected by any type of cancer and offer a service that complements the treatment people receive on the NHS.
"The facility is an uplifting and warm environment. Maggie's will make a huge difference to people across the region affected by cancer by helping to equip them with the tools to build a life beyond the disease."
The drop-in centre can accommodate up to 15 people at a time and has a living room, two bedrooms and a kitchen area.
The facility is the sixth to be opened in Scotland by the charity, with others located in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, the Highlands and Fife.
The new centre will offer patients the services of a psychologist, cancer support specialist and a benefits adviser.
The Herald's campaign aims to raise the number of supporters of the charity. Maggie's Personal Friends are individuals who give by direct debit to Maggie's. From as little as £5 a month, a Personal Friend can give someone affected by cancer the chance to attend one of Maggie's workshops once a month for a year.
You can also sign up as an Active Friend - volunteers who form a group that represents Maggie's in their home area.
Thirdly, your company could help by becoming a Corporate Friend and supporting Maggie's in a whole host of ways.
Maggie Keswick Jencks came up with the idea of the care centres after being told she only had a few months to live when breast cancer, which she had first been diagnosed with in 1988, returned in 1993.
Mrs Jencks defied the prognosis by living for a further 18 months after signing up to a trial treatment at Edinburgh's Western General Hospital.
While receiving treatment, she developed the concept of a place where cancer patients could go and be treated as individuals rather than as people with an illness.
The charity has received the support of some well-known names such as JK Rowling and Jon Snow since it opened its first centre in Edinburgh in 1996.
The Maggie's centre at Wishaw Hospital is holding an open day today between 12pm and 7pm, and will be open to all from Monday.
To sign up as a friend, call Ellen Martin on 0845 508 4681 or visit For further stories and more information about how to get involved, visit www.theherald.co.uk/maggies
