Communities Against Cancer training and grants are available for community groups to access to help improve early diagnosis by raising awareness of cancer in communities who experience health inequalities.
The key aims of the project are to:
- Promote healthy lifestyles and prevention
- Raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer
- Improve early detection of cancer
- Encourage attendance at cancer screening and to seek advice from GP practices about signs and symptoms of cancer
Latest News – 2026
The Communities Against Cancer programme continues to support communities to do their own cancer awareness raising on issues they choose, in ways that best suit them. They all have the shared aim of raising awareness of cancer signs and symptoms, helping improve early detection and promoting healthy lifestyles. Since July 2025, 16 organisations representing ethnic minorities, people on low incomes, older adults and faith communities, to name a few, have taken up a grant to do just that.
Here are some of the recent projects they have delivered:
Kikoi Connection, a collaboration of six African, African Caribbean, and Asian community organisations recently delivered this successful cancer awareness event. Working with Prostate Cancer UK and a local Prostate Cancer Support Group, the purpose of the event was to increase awareness of prostate cancer risks, symptoms, and the importance of early testing.
“The event formed part of Kikoi’s wider commitment to reducing health inequalities by creating culturally relevant spaces for open conversations, trusted information sharing, and community-led engagement around health and wellbeing” Kikoi Connection member.
“We are delighted that Kikoi Connection is making such a huge impact in raising cancer awareness within the Black community. The organisation is committed to spreading the message that early diagnosis is vital and is helping address the disproportionately higher late diagnosis in the black community compared to the white population” Kishor Patel, Communities Against Cancer lead for Action Hampshire
Kikoi will be continuing this important work through a 6-month cancer awareness social media campaign, aiming to continue reducing stigma around prostate and other cancers and reach individuals who may be hard to engage with through formal health settings.
Clinicians from Dorset’s Nepalese community raised awareness of cancer for their members
Dorset Nepalese Society held a successful cancer awareness event in January 2026, which was attended by 60 community members. This event encouraged early screening within the South Asian population and provided a safe space for discussions about cancer awareness, helping to break down stigma around cancer and debunk myths within the community.
“Cancer awareness is important for Nepalese and other South Asian communities due to rising cancer rates,” Dr. Regmi stated. “There are also significant cultural and practical barriers to screening and early diagnosis of cancer in our community. These kinds of awareness programmes are very important.”
News about this important event was covered nationally and locally, and the community intends to continue their good work with another event around the time of the Nepalese new year celebrations in April.
Our Community Health Champions approach
We all know that raising awareness of cancer and talking about healthy lifestyles needs to be ongoing conversation and requires committed, trusted people within communities to champion this. We are pleased to say we recently recruited several Community Health Champions who are taking up this challenge.
Perhaps from personal experience of a loved one being affected by cancer or because they are passionate about improving the health of their communities, several people are embarking on becoming a trusted source of cancer related information to be able to raise awareness within their community. They are all coming up with fabulous ideas about how best to do this – for example, by holding talks at their workplace or organising radio shows
“Our champions work right at the heart of the community. They understand the needs of those within it and how to communicate with them to get the key messages about cancer across. We and the Wessex Cancer Alliance are doing all we can to support them to make the difference they want to see” (Alison Bridges, Action Hampshire).
For more information:
If you know of any organisations who want to know more about Communities Against Cancer, know how easy it is to apply for a grant or would make a great host for a Champion please get in touch with Kishor and the team at Action Hampshire.
Project Background
Communities Against Cancer first launched in 2019. Our vision was, and continues to be, to improve early diagnosis of cancer, particularly focused on communities who experience health inequalities.
To start the project, we spent time working with community leaders, groups and other partners to create the Communities Against Cancer model. We recognised how important it is to have a trusted partner with existing relationships with communities, and for people to raise awareness of cancer in ways that suit them.
Action Hampshire delivered the initial project, and following the incredible outcomes and huge success of the first phase, we agreed to continue.
Communities Against Cancer has continued to evolve based on the learning from delivering the project and an evaluation by University of Southampton published in 2024. For more information visit Communities Against Cancer – Action Hampshire
