CLAN chief to visit

THE new chief executive of CLAN Cancer Support Dr Colette Backwell will be in Shetland early next week for a series of meetings with NHS staff, volunteers and service users.

Her appointment was announced in June and she formally took on her duties earlier this month. She will be joined on her visit by the charity’s chairman Kenny Anderson.

Backwell said she aimed to build on the charity’s reputation for providing a leading range of cancer support services that meet the individual needs of those affected by cancer, their carers, family members and close friends.

“At the heart of everything the charity does is the wellbeing of the individuals it supports. Listening to their needs will be essential in shaping our service moving forward.

“Serving the needs of individual communities with a common goal is important, and by speaking to those on the frontline in Orkney and Shetland I hope to gain a clear understanding of what we can do to build on our work on the islands,” she said.

Backwell will lead a team of over 60 staff and 400 volunteers, with a growing number on the islands.