AS 2017 draws to a close the team at Maggie's Merseyside have been reflecting back on a year of fundraising and support.

This year, the centre has been visited almost 14,000 times, supporting people who have been affected by cancer.

The centre is a warm, welcoming place to meet other people who have had similar experiences from cancer and found support groups to meet their needs.

Nearly £190,000 has been raised by the local community to help the centre provide a unique programme of support.

Centre head at Maggie’s Kathy Wright said: “The run up to Christmas can be a hectic time of year for us all, and we know that for people affected by cancer it can be sometimes be especially difficult.

"That’s why we’ve taken some time to stop and reflect on another busy year for the Centre, and say thank you to everyone that has supported our work over the year.

"We couldn’t have supported the 14,000 visits that we’ve seen in the Centre without our dedicated team of volunteers, who week in week out support our work – making endless cups of tea, offering a friendly ear and comfort, and keeping our Centre ticking.

"We couldn’t have done it without the generosity of the local community, who have raised £190,000 to keep our Centre running, whether through bake sales or bike rides, gifts in wills or donations in memory of loved ones.

"Thank you also to our amazing Centre visitors who make us and each other laugh, even in their darkest moments, and humble us with their resilience and fortitude.

"Next year we will continue to be here for people affected by cancer, giving the support they deserve.”