New Dove Centre to bring hope to the seriously ill

A new support centre for people with illnesses such as cancer has opened in Oban.

The Dove Centre was officially opened yesterday after years of fundraising by the Friends of Oban Hospice and the board of Oban Hospice.

Based at Stevenson Street, it will offer practical and emotional support and information.

David Entwistle, chairman of Oban Hospice board, said: “People can come in for counselling and support. They can get benefits advice and there is a range of alternative therapies. It has cost us £10,000 to open the Dove Centre. It would have been in excess of £50,000 if we hadn’t had the support of local tradesmen and retailers who have been a terrific support.”

Friends of Oban Hospice have raised a quarter of a million pounds since 1999. Fundraising will continue to keep the centre open.

Mr Entwistle continued: “This is a place for the community provided entirely by the community.”

The Dove Centre will have strong links with Maggie’s Centre, a similar project in Glasgow.

Kerry Craig, centre head of the Maggie’s Centre, was in Oban for yesterday’s opening. She said: “We are a bigger centre but what we are trying to do is very similar to what the Dove Centre is about. What all of these centres are about, is people. When people come in with life-limiting illnesses one of the things that comes out is they feel hopeless. Places like this centre give people back hope.”

The Dove Centre is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

HARD WORK: Kerry Craig with Mary Black, founder member of Friends of Oban Hospice, at the opening