About Us
What is Lady McAdden?
Our mission is to support the early detection of breast cancer through education, advice and awareness.
Since 1974
Lady McAdden is proud to be the only Breast Cancer Charity in the UK to currently offer one to one support with a nurse for Breast Awareness appointments, both remotely and face to face.
Finding any abnormalities early on will help you to take the next steps. Early detection is key and the earlier the condition is found, the better the chances are of surviving it. You are also less likely to need a mastectomy (breast removal) or chemotherapy if breast cancer is detected at an early stage.
As an independent charity, we rely on donations, fundraising and specific grant funding when available. We are not connected to the NHS although we work closely with them and our Breast Awareness and Screening programme follows the NHS 5 point plan for Breast Screening.
With the risk of 1 in 7 of a woman developing Breast Cancer in their lifetime and being the most common form of women’s cancer in the UK, over 55000 women (and 380 men) are diagnosed each year in the UK. With almost half of those diagnosed with Breast Cancer finding the changes themselves, there has never been a more important time to be Breast Aware, although we also know that many women do not check their breasts because they – lack confidence, don’t know how, are scared of finding something or generally don’t think about it.
Our Mission
Our mission is to support the early detection of Breast Cancer through education, advice and awareness.

Breast cancer education

Breast cancer advice

Breast cancer awareness
Our History
Lady McAdden has a very long history that starts with the Townswomen of Southend finding a purse with a significant amount of money in it. That lucky find was never claimed and so it was decided to do something worthwhile with it. On 4 April 1974 the Lady McAdden Appeal was set up, named in honour of Lady McAdden, the wife of the late Sir Stephen McAdden MP. Our doors opened for the UK’s first Breast Screening Unit on 22 May 1976, which was formally opened by HRH Princess Margaret on 27 June 1977.
The NHS started their own screening programme in 1988 and Lady McAdden has continued to offer independent screening to a wider age group (starting at age 40) and has proactively encouraged the over 71’s to attend, where this is by request only with the NHS
The charity has grown significantly since then along with the technology available. However, the principle behind breast awareness and our mission remains the same: the early detection of breast cancer.
What we do
We raise the awareness of the early detection of breast cancer through education and advice. We do this by providing practical advice on how to be breast aware, support and advice, combined with educational information.
We base our information on the latest scientific research and developments and work closely with the NHS to ensure that we compliment the 5-point plan of Breast Screening.

1. What is normal for each woman – do you have any concerns or recent changes?

2. How to look at your breasts and feel them

3. What changes to look for

4. What to do if you find any changes

5. Have a mammogram if able to do so (NHS screening starts at 50 unless in a trial area)
Our Breast Awareness sessions enable a Lady McAdden Nurse to help you become #breastaware. You will learn what is normal for you, how to check yourself and what to look out for. Most importantly you will learn what to do if you find something and the importance of contacting your GP for further investigation.
Most recently, as a response to the coronavirus pandemic, we have successfully taken our Breast Awareness appointments online to offer remote appointments, meaning we have an ability to reach further and include those who cannot travel to us. This has been funded by the National Lottery.
For more information about our professional and approachable nurses please click here
In order to offer our services, we raise charitable funds in accordance with the Charity Commission guidelines.
The Witham Hub
Unit 17, The Grove Shopping Centre, Witham, Essex CM8 2YT
Collected 622 Bras
Raised £457
Morrisons Witham
Braintree Rd, Witham CM8 2GD
Collected 939 Bras
Raised £788
Morley Nurseries
Southend Rd, Great Wakering, Essex SS3 0PU
Collected 280 Bras
Raised £224
My Fairytale Wardrobe
Bell St, Great Baddow, Chelmsford CM2 7JS
Collected 275 Bras
Raised £238
Hollywood Babes - Thorpe Bay
Hollywood Babes , 186 The Broadwat, Thorpe Bay, Essex SS1 3ES
Collected 174 Bras
Raised £121
Coco Boo
49 Rectory Grove Leigh on Sea SS9 2HA
Collected 595 Bras
Raised £491
The Bra Consultancy
16 Edward’s Walk, Maldon CM9 5PS
Collected 395 Bras
Raised £315
Morrisons Maldon
Limebrook Way, Maldon CM9 6GG
Collected 669 Bras
Raised £602
Harwich Library
Upper Kingsway, Dovercourt, Harwich CO12 3JT
Collected 382
Raised £291
Frinton Library
59 Old Rd, Frinton-on-Sea CO13 9DA
Bras Collected 415
Amount raised £320
Brentwood Library
New Rd, Brentwood CM14 4BP
Ingatestone Library
High Street, Ingatestone CM4 9EU
Nationwide Leigh on Sea
73 The Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 1PW
Funky Barnets
714 Southchurch Road , Southend-on-Sea SS1 2PS
Total collected 464
Raising £370
Tracies Nails & Beauty
108 Rectory Road, Pitsea SS13 2AH
Tesco Pitsea
Off High Road, Pitsea SS13 3JU
My Secret Wardrobe
Wickford, Essex info@mysecretwardrobe.uk
Basildon Library
Basildon Centre, The St. Martins Square, Basildon SS14 1EE
Vange Library
Southview Road, Basildon SS16 4ET
Fryerns Library
Whitmore Way, Basildon SS14 2NN
Morrisons 284 Hadleigh
175 London Rd, Hadleigh, Benfleet SS7 2RB
Collected 2157 Bras
Raised £1662
Morrisons Canvey Island
Northwick Rd, Canvey Island SS8 0SW
Collected 1675 Bras
Raised £1323
Rochford Nail Bar
8 West St, Rochford SS4 1AJ
Collected £468 Bras
Raised £370
The HAPPY Hub
Eastgate Shopping Centre Basildon SS14 1AE
Collected 602 Bras
Raised £509
Orsett Surgery
63 Rowley Rd, Orsett, Grays RM16 3ET
Collected 865 Bras
Raised £621
Mane Attraction
Hylands Parade, Wood St, Chelmsford CM2 8BW
Collected 153 Bras
Raised £140
Boo Boutique
11 Heralds Way, South Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford CM3 5TQ
Collected 300 Bras
Raised £232
Longfield and Tollesbury Surgeries
Princes Rd, Maldon CM9 5DF
Collected 869 Bras
Raised £473
Morrisons Grays
1 London Rd, Grays RM17 5XZ
Collected 491 Bras
Raised £316
Clacton Library
Station Road, Clacton-on-Sea CO15 1SF
Total collected 298
Total raised £193
Rochford Library
8 Roche Close, Rochford SS4 1PX
Shenfield Library
Adult Community College, Hutton, Brentwood CM13 1BD
Collected 239 bras
Raising £169
Chipping Ongar Library
The Pleasance, High St, Chipping Ongar, Ongar CM5 9AB
The Ironworks - Southend
90 High St, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1JN
Waitrose and Partners Leigh on Sea
1231/1241 London Road, Leigh on Sea SS9 3JQ
Total collected 91
Total raised £75
Vange Library
Southview Road, Basildon SS16 4ET
Total collected 56
Total raised £50
Pitsea Library
Maydells, Pitsea, Basildon SS13 3DU
Total collected 91
Total raised £75
Christ Church - Stock
Christ Church, Stock, Ingatestone CM4 9BN
Westerings Primary Academy PTA
Contact The PTA, Sunny Road, Hockley, SS5 4NZ
Total collected 360
Total raised £296
Get In Touch
This website has been funded by
The Pink Ribbon Foundation
And also by the
The National Lottery
Copyright ©
Lady McAdden Breast Cancer Trust
Registered Charity in England (1062236)
Registered company in England (03334552)
203 Elmsleigh Drive, Leigh on Sea, Essex, SS9 4JH
Copyright © 2022 Registered Charity in England (1062236).
Registered company in England (03334552).
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