A Radnorshire-based charity which supports people affected by cancer is set to receive a funding boost of almost half a million pounds.

The Bracken Trust will receive £499,964 from the National Lottery Community Fund over the next five years which will be used to expand the Trust’s services at its Llandrindod Wells base, on Cefnllys Lane.

Hubs in Knighton and Llanidloes are also set to receive a share of the money to develop wellbeing and community support services in those towns. This includes a designated ‘home support service’ and a telephone support system five days of the week.

Money will be used to fund information technology to improve a user friendly, interactive and bilingual service. It will also fund three full time staff posts, training, travel expenses accommodation and utilities, marketing and communications, monitoring and evaluation and redundancy costs.

Kirsty Williams, Assembly Member for Brecon and Radnorshire, said she’s “really pleased” for the invaluable service for Mid Powys.

“Previous visits to Bracken Trust have left me in no doubt of the importance of the support they provide,” she said.

“I’m really pleased that they’ve been granted this money and I look forward to seeing the benefits it will bring to the people the trust supports.”

The lottery funding will cover the salaries of three full time equivalent staff posts, training, travel expenses accommodation and utilities, marketing and communications, monitoring and evaluation and redundancy costs.

The Bracken Trust delivers services to people suffering or recovering from cancer, empowering people to live with, through and beyond cancer.

The trust was founded by the late Dr Hans Lichtenstein and his wife Beryl, a nurse and artist who was a cancer patient. Together with former Macmillan nurse, Grace Lawrence, they had set up a day centre for cancer patients in Llandrindod Wells in 1995.