Rosemere Cancer Foundation has announced its plans amid the coronavirus outbreak – including postponements of events and closure of offices and coffee shops.

The charity’s fundraising office at the Royal Preston Hospital has closed its premises. The coffee shop, which is also within the centre and provides free drinks to patients and carers while selling refreshments to bring in revenue to finance projects, is also temporarily closed.

Rosemere Cancer Foundation chief officer, Dan Hill, said: “At the heart of everything Rosemere Cancer Foundation does is the wellbeing of local cancer patients. 

“They are in a vulnerable group in relation to coronavirus so we have taken the decision to try and protect them and those caring for them by restricting those that come into the cancer centre and into the cancer unit at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital.

“Our fundraising team comes into contact with a lot of people from all walks of life from school children upwards. Our coffee shop is staffed entirely by volunteers, who have families and full lives outside of the centre, which is the same for our complementary health therapists working in Chorley. 

“We know that there are patients who are attempting to keep themselves isolated as much as possible to try and protect themselves from coronavirus and out of respect and support for them, we have taken these unprecedented steps to limit those that they come into contact with to just cancer centre and cancer unit staff only, so primarily the clinical teams treating them plus others essential to keeping the cancer centre and cancer unit running.

“This does not mean we are suspending our fundraising efforts. Our fundraising team is working as usual out in the community and from home. 

“Our aim is to re-open the coffee shop and re-establish our complementary therapy service as soon as we are advised the time is right.”

Read more: How you can contribute to a £1m crowd funder to help the NHS in Preston during the Covid-19 crisis

The Walk in the Dark event was set to take place in April but has also been postponed. The charity is looking at a new date possibly in July 2020.

Dan said: “Anyone already signed up to Walk in the Dark, who is unable to make the new date once agreed, will be refunded their entry fee and instructions will be provided on how to request this when the new date is confirmed.

“Alternatively, anyone unable to participate will be given the option of turning their entry fee into a donation which, due to these extreme and mitigating circumstances we are experiencing, would be much appreciated by Rosemere and make a huge difference to local cancer patients. 

“Please monitor local press, our website and social media platforms for further updates and news on both Walk in the Dark and Rosemere activities in general.”

Read more: Preston city centre venues targeted in first night of lockdown

What do you think of Rosemere’s response to coronavirus? Let us know in the comments.