Albion in the Community clocks up the miles to deliver vital cancer messages thanks to support from City Cabs
Albion in the Community (AITC) has delivered potentially life-saving cancer messages to almost 18,000 people in the city, thanks in part to support from a local taxi firm.
AITC’s cancer awareness campaign, Speak Up Against Cancer, aims to address historically below average early detection rates for cancer within Brighton and Hove.
And part of that work has involved teaming up with local taxi firm City Cabs – a partnership that has helped the charity takes its vital messaging to all corners of the city.
City Cabs has regularly provided AITC with free use of a taxi and a driver and according to AITC’s Carolyn Phelps, that has enabled the charity to reach more people than would otherwise have been possible.
She said: “We have been out and about with City Cabs most weeks and have had a great reception from people we have met.
“During 29 trips out, to 21 different city locations, we have met more than 730 people. The taxi, which is fully accessible to people with a disability, allows us a private space if required to talk in depth about the potential changes in health that people need to watch out for. This could include discussing lumps or swellings, chest pains, breathlessness or persistent coughs, changes in bowel habits, unexplained bleeding or changes in moles. We have also been promoting the NHS screening programmes that can detect cancer long before they are any symptoms.”
City Cabs’ Steve Darby, himself a long-term supporter of AITC and its work, explained the firm was only too pleased to help AITC. He said: “We are proud to support Albion in the Community and their fantastic work.
“We’ve provided a driver and branded minibus taxi for the Speak Up Against Cancer project and our driver Barry has been trained in cancer awareness by the team at AITC and taken the car around the city with Speak Up staff and volunteers. We’ve combined our fantastic knowledge of the city with the AITC team’s passion and expertise on raising cancer awareness to make a winning contribution.”
Sue Brown, AITC’s cancer prevention co-ordinator, reiterated the charity’s thanks. She said: “We are very grateful to Steve, Barry and everyone at City Cabs for helping us to reach out to local people.
“We look forward to relaunching our taxi outreach in Easter 2018 but if you would like us to provide a talk or presentation to your workplace or community group, please get in touch.”
To find out more about Speak Up Against Cancer, visit: www.speakupagainstcancer.org or call 01273 878261.
City Cabs is part of the Southern Taxis Group (01273 55-55-55).