Group will bring rays of hope to everyone
Rainbow Centre opens to support cancer patients
A charity which supports cancer patients and their loved ones is celebrating moving in to permanent premises.
Linda O’Malley started Rays of Hope as an exercise class for cancer patients in August 2015.
Now nearly three years later, the group also runs a creative writing group, knitting and crochet, cooking, crafts, walking group, a movie afternoon, massage and holistic therapies, scrapbooking, chat groups and many more.
Linda, 61, and her team of volunteers are delighted with the success and have moved the group into a permanent home attached to East Gate Church in Elderslie, which they’ve dubbed the Rainbow Centre.
They welcomed along Provost Lorraine Cameron and St Mirren chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick to officially open the centre.
“It used to be a gospel hall and East Gate Church acquired it eight years ago,” Linda explained.
“It was used by slimming groups, lunch clubs and a children’s group.
“We used to meet for two hours on a Monday morning at East Gate Church and two hours at the Life Church in Paisley on a Wednesday.
“We kept adding things on and have got about a dozen different activities.
“Now we’re open three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am till 3pm.
“It’s a big jump from four hours a week.”
The group raised £ 24,000 through a donation from East Gate Church, where Linda’s husband Arthur is the pastor, as well as fundraising and money the group had saved.
Inside, the building used to have a small kitchen and office.
That’s all been knocked together to create one large space with room for some armchairs, a coffee table and large kitchen table as well as a kitchen area.
Linda said: “Everything in it is absolutely brilliant now. “Everything is brand new. “We want it to be as comfortable as your living room at home.
“We’ve got a couple of cosy armchairs, a coffee table and a large kitchen table with chairs around it which is always where everyone congregates.
“The conversations we have around that table are amazing, everyone is attracted to this big table.”
Around 40 to 50 people go along to the various groups.
Some have just started their cancer treatment, others are further along.
“That’s the good thing about it,” said Linda. “No two people are the same with cancer or their treatment but there are a lot of similarities.
“People who have gone through things can help put others’ minds at ease.
“It’s amazing how having a chat with somebody can help. It helps to build up people’s confidence.”
Linda is proud of how Rays of Hope has progressed.
“I can’t believe how far it’s gone in just three years.
“We’ve got such a good team now, we’ve all got the same heart for it and we’re going forward the same way.
“Everyone puts so much time into it, that’s the big thing. It’s amazing.”
Anyone interested in going along to the various groups can either pop in to the Rainbow Centre on 27 Byers Road, Elderslie any time between 10am and 3pm, Monday, Wednesday and Friday; phone her on 0141 576 0057 or 07941 044 934 or email raysofhope2015@outlook.com