celebrations to mark the first anniversary and success of the chemotherapy outreach unit at Tavistock Hospital will take place in the town on Wednesday, January 25.

The outreach project provides cancer care and support closer to patients' homes, and is assisted by the Triangle Centre in Tavistock — similar centres operate at Liskeard and Kingsbridge.

The West Devon celebrations have been organised by Tavistock Hospital and the League of Friends and will start in Bedford Square, going to St Eustachius' Church grounds at 1pm where they will set off balloons, followed by the cutting of a birthday cake and refreshments in the Parish Rooms.

Specialist nurse Debbie Clift told the Times that the three units originated after two friends in South Devon were inspired to fundraise £80,000 to employ a team of nurses who would deliver chemotherapy to cancer patients closer to their homes.

She said: 'This could not only make things easier for the patients but would also help their families/carers.

'To make the scheme viable, the project was set up in three community hospitals, Kingsbridge, Tavistock and Liskeard and a small team of chemotherapy trained nurses is now taking treatment to patients, with equipment generously supported by the three hospitals' league of friends.

'To date, more than 850 treatments have been given over the three sites since January 2011.

'On the day, a new vehicle donated by Salcombe businesses will attend each venue and the handover of the vehicle will be preceded by an historical form of transport — a horse and cart.'

The majority of the funding to date has come from Kingsbridge, but has supported patients in all three areas. The challenge is now for Tavistock and Liskeard to help continue these fantastic services.'

The Tavistock Hospital unit costs more than £30,000.00 a year to run.

This project also links closely with the Outreach Triangle Centres, including the one at Plymouth Road, Tavistock, which on Fridays, provides information, support, counselling and complementary therapies to cancer patients and their carers, thereby ensuring that a truly comprehensive service is available as close to home as possible.

The unit is supported not only by the Friends but also by Tavistock Inner Wheel, Tavistock Rotary and Tavistock Golf Club.

Barbara Miller, president of Tavistock's Inner Wheel, has made Triangle the organisation's favoured charity this year.

She said: 'Triangle provides cancer care in Tavistock without patients having to go all the way to Derriford.

'Cancer touches all of us in some way and if we can keep such a service here in the town it would be beneficial to us all.

'People who used the facility say its very much appreciated.'