Look Good Feel Better - Workshops at the Macmillan Centre

Last year a new Macmillan Centre opened on the East Surrey Hospital site. I went along to an open evening they had for Look Good Feel Better. Lisa Curtis (Head of Programme Services) was leading the presentation and spoke very passionately and succinctly about the charity and the work they do around the country for women undergoing cancer treatment. East Surrey was their 80th venue and they needed a group of volunteers and a team leader for their monthly beauty and makeup workshops.

The Macmillan Centre on the East Surrey Hospital site

My role within the Look Great Feel Better team

Look Good Feel Great – Supporting women of all ages manage the visible side effects of cancer treatment

I found out Lisa is very good at her job, as by the end of the evening I had put my name forward for the Look Good Feel Better Regional Coordinator!

I then started the monthly visits to the Macmillan Centre where Georgie, Macmillan’s representative helped me to set up the tables, lay out flowers, sort out goody bags (which I have to say are phenomenal, thanks to a lot of big makeup and beauty brands), and get ready to receive the 12 ladies and volunteers that were due.

Georgie has been instrumental in the smooth running of the workshops and for taking care of the ladies through welcoming and helping them feel at ease. Myself and a handful of very professional beauty experts and makeup artists run a 2 hour workshop guiding the ladies through a 12 step programme of cleansing, toning, moisturising and applying makeup.

There is a lot of fun, a lot of laughs and a great deal of learning for all of us involved. The volunteers take turns to demonstrate particular steps and the ladies all practice on themselves. The majority of responses at the end is that the ladies felt refreshed, inspired and beautiful. That is a large part of my role, to give the volunteers a chance to impart a little of their knowledge in a fun, safe and non-judgemental way, so that the ladies take home useful, everyday tips to help them cope with the their looks; as well as all the necessary items they need to continue the process, but also to be part of a small oasis of calm and joy during a very tumultuous journey.
I was lucky enough to be joined by Joanne Fowler and we now share the team leader role. We do alternate months and Jo brings with her, her own knowledge, experience and sense of humour.

Look Good Feel Better Regional Coordinators meeting at Estée Lauder Headquarters

Today we met up with other Regional Coordinators from all around the country, at the very impressive head office of Estée Lauder London. We met to discuss ways forward and ideas we had to improve the workshops. What a great day, speaking with different people about how their workshops run and the experiences they have had. We were well taken care of by Look Good Feel Better, and also all the Estée Lauder employees that were so polite and engaging. The building was beautiful and once again I was shocked by the generosity of the Thank You Gift Bag we were given.