Dudley Library hosted a Cancer Information Session & Wellbeing Event on 29 January attended by Cllr Peter Miller, Dudley Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Wellbeing.

The gathering, the first in the lead up to World Cancer Day on 4 February, saw Cllr Miller and other guests accept an invitation to don a virtual reality headset for a personal tour of a real cancer laboratory.

The day started in community-minded style with the Council’s library mutual service provider Better, putting on a free beauty workshop and mindfulness colouring session to pamper and soothe spirits.

Better and Dudley Council used the afternoon session to mark the launch of its seven year partnership to run libraries and the Archive and Local History Service.

Unlike private providers, Better, through its social enterprise charity parent GLL, has no shareholders except for its employees who own a voting share in the company.

The library mutual will use its unique operating model to introduce innovative services for residents that enhance their health and wellbeing.

Diana Edmonds, MBE, National Libraries Director for Better said:

“We are all about developing information and community services to keep libraries at the forefront of the health and wellbeing agenda.

 “Monday’s event started a very useful conversation about reducing the risk of cancer and the benefits of screening and had a most positive outlook for cancer prevention and treatment.”

“We are delighted to work with Dudley Council and Cancer Research UK in this innovative way.”

Councillor Peter Miller, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Dudley Council, said:

“The partnership between the council and Better is the first of its kind for Dudley. It was great to be see firsthand how committed they are to running not only libraries and archives but also to providing services and support which will help improve visitor’s health and wellbeing for many years to come.”             

Stephanie Dagger, Cancer Research UK Corporate Senior Executive said: “We’d like to thank Better for hosting a great event to raise awareness of the start of our partnership and for helping to share our important health information.

“The money raised through our partnership will fund research to beat cancer sooner, helping to ensure more men, women and children across the UK survive.

“Cancer survival rates have doubled since the 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of this progress. However, we are only able to achieve this thanks to the dedication and commitment of our supporters.

“We are thrilled to be working with Better in 2018.”

For more information on Better’s partnership with Cancer Research UK, click here.