CHANGE MAKERS FOR CLIFTON

Nottingham’s Change Makers for Cancer Awareness is a programme aiming to promote early presentation of bowel, breast, lung and prostate cancer. Using community engagement and empowerment approaches, the programme aims to address cancer inequalities by targeting specific ward areas and communities where cancer inequalities are particularly high.
At the heart of Change Makers are local people, who are supported by professionals working together, sharing ideas, experiences and resources, as well as developing new ways of raising awareness of signs and symptoms of cancer and cancer screening programmes. The ultimate aim of the programme is to encourage people to visit their GP earlier and improve cancer screening uptake by using methods that are appropriate, fun and easy.
An example of some of the empowering work Change Makers have done include having the local mobile breast screening unit (known locally as ‘bus’) reintroduced back into the community. A mobile breast screening unit was set up in Clifton in 2003 at Rivergreen Health Centre, but unfortunately attracted vandalism to both the unit and the Health Centre itself. The unit was therefore removed and women from Clifton were asked to travel to the Ropewalk in the city centre to be screened. As a direct result of this breast screening rates decreased, presumably as residents had to travel a lot further.
Through meetings with Change Makers project manager, the Health & Wellbeing Partnership Group, the City Council Neighbourhood manager, as well as with the support of professionals, volunteers and other local groups working closely together, the mobile breast screening unit was bought back and set up centrally, in a safe and secure environment.
The breast screening unit is now located at the Clifton Leisure Centre and is a great success. This was very much a team effort. If you would like to become a Change Maker volunteer call 0115 883 9269.