This month, we featured in Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine, where we spoke about 2026 and why it will be a year of big change. Read the full article below.
2026 will see a year of big change for The Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre charity, which celebrated its 21st anniversary last year. It not only moves into bigger premises but hopes to take on more volunteers and corporate supporters, says its Deputy Chair Angela Ward…
How does The Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre differ from other local cancer charities?
As our name suggests, we are a ‘drop in’ centre and we welcome anyone with cancer (and their loved ones) to ring on our doorbell. Once inside, our visitors are welcomed with a hot drink and the opportunity to chat with our volunteers. We offer a non-medical setting and are there to support the emotional side of a cancer diagnosis.
Can you put a figure on how many people you are currently supporting?
In 2025, there were 1,911 individual visits to the Centre and 1,021 therapy sessions provided. In total last year, 86 newcomers walked through our door. In addition to an opportunity to chat (or simply sit quietly), we also offer a variety of therapies – from counselling and acupuncture to art and ceramics groups. All our therapists are volunteers.
You have gained new premises here in Tunbridge Wells. How did this come about?
Our existing Centre at 27 Monson Road has served us well over the past 19 years, but we recognised that we needed more space. We also want our entire building to be accessible, as we currently only have one therapy room on the ground floor. We looked at a few potential buildings but then discovered our near neighbour, the charity Imago Community, was moving, as they also required additional space. Imago’s building, at the end of the same terrace in Monson Road, comprises two of the original houses – so is double the size of our existing home.
Will the additional space give you more room for therapy spaces?
Yes, we hope to have room for six or seven rooms, as well as a light-filled art therapy space on the second floor. We’ll also have the same welcoming lounge area downstairs, plus a fully fitted kitchen and an airy conservatory. Importantly, it’s key that our new Centre is fully accessible
to everyone, so we’ll have a lift to reach all the floors. There’s a lot of work to do until we can officially move in, so we will be keeping our existing Centre until that time, ensuring visitors are supported throughout this period.
You raised funds through your Key to the Door campaign – what did this involve?
As a charity, we are entirely self-funded, so we launched the Key to the Door fundraising campaign, with the goal of raising £150,000 to help fund our move and ensure our new Centre is as warm and welcoming as our current hub. Pickering supporters have been extremely generous and have organised a variety of different fundraisers to help us on our way – from quiz nights to sporting challenges – and we are very grateful for their support.
What fundraising goals do you have for 2026?
In addition to making changes to our new home to make it perfect for Pickering, we also need funds to continue running our new Centre, so fundraising continues to be very important. We are grateful to Waitrose in Crowborough for including us in its green token scheme in which we could receive up to £1,500. In addition to fundraising initiatives by supporters, we are also looking to organise some fundraisers ourselves over the next 12 months.
How supportive has the local business community been?
Over the years, we have received amazing support. This includes the guidance of Tom Lumsden, Commercial Property Partner at Cooper Burnett LLP. He and his team have provided legal support, for which we are truly grateful. In 2026, we want to work even more closely with corporates. For this reason, we recently launched the Pickering Partners scheme where, from as little as £50 a month, companies can support Pickering on an ongoing basis, as well as achieving their CSR and ESG goals. We’d love to talk to more businesses about that.
And finally, would you welcome new volunteers?
We are always interested in hearing from potential volunteers and trustees. As we move into our new Centre, we anticipate that we’ll also be looking for new therapists, perhaps providing therapies we haven’t had the space to offer our visitors previously.