Building works on the Mannin Cancers Support Group’s new support centre at Noble’s Hospital will begin in the coming weeks.

The lease on the land adjacent to Noble’s Hospital has been signed, meaning work on the centre can now begin with an estimated opening time of Spring 2025.

The land has been made available to the charity by the Department of Health and Social Care in order to establish the centre.

Julie Stokes, chair of the Mannin Cancers Support Group, said: ‘We’re absolutely delighted that the centre is now moving forward and the dream is about to become a reality.

‘This is the result of three years of hard work since the idea was first conceived, and the centre responds to a real need from patients and families.

‘I’d like to thank the people of the Isle of Man for providing the funds for this to happen. Our fundraisers have worked tirelessly over the past ten years to raise £8m for various projects for Mannin Cancers and Manx Breast Cancer Support Group including £2m for this project.’

Following a competitive tender process, the building contract was awarded to local building firm Tooms Brothers who will be moving onto the site this month.

Details of the centre, designed by Mark Savage of ‘Savage Chadwick’, were unveiled at a Government House reception last year. Since then, considerable work has been undertaken to get to the stage of being able to start building works.

The centre will house a revamped ‘support and information centre’, a psycho oncology service and a space where cancer sufferers, their families and carers can relax, share experiences and provide mutual support.

President of the Mannin Cancers Support Group, David Gawne, said: ‘It had taken longer than anticipated to complete all the necessary formalities, but this was achieved just before Christmas.

‘The site adjacent to the hospital is essential for its success and as this is in a high profile location and the land is in public ownership it was essential to ensure everything was done correctly. This takes time.

‘I’d like to thank the Department of Health and Social Care Minister Lawrie Hooper and colleagues for their support. We only had one chance to get it right.’

The new centre will be available to a wide range of charitable and voluntary organisations and is expected to develop into a cancer services hub.

The building plan has been designed to minimise disruption to the hospital, and regular communication bulletins will be issued charting progress and keeping hospital staff, patients and visitors updated as the building develops.

Lawrie Hooper MHK commented: ‘I am pleased that things are now progressing with these facilities, which I am sure will offer cancer patients and their families support and guidance to benefit their overall wellbeing. Alongside the medical care provided at Noble’s Hospital we know the importance of facilities such as these for the wider community.’

Teresa Cope, chief executive of Manx Care, said: ‘We’re really supportive of the new centre and are looking forward to seeing the difference it will make to our patients and service users. This will be a great development to the current provision within Noble’s, where colleagues at the Macmillan Cancer Centre Information and Support Service have offered information and support for a number of years.’

Becca Sedgwick, Macmillan’s Partnership Manager for the Isle of Man, said: ‘We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Mannin Cancers and Manx Care on this exciting project to provide a brand-new facility to support people affected by cancer on the Isle of Man.

‘Our Macmillan team will relocate to the new centre when it opens next year and will continue the great service that it already provides, which has such a positive impact on so many people in the local community.’