A NEW cancer support centre in Glasgow has won a design award.

Cancer Support Scotland was given a gold award at the Friends Of Glasgow West's inaugural awards ceremony for its creation of the Calman Cancer Support Centre.

The building, which was officially opened last month, was renovated by the Glasgow Building Preservation Trust.

The Trust was praised for its "sensitive conversion and restoration" of the former church in the grounds of Gartnavel Hospital.

The Calman Cancer Support Centre, which replaced cramped treatment and office space at Gartnavel, provides a range of complementary therapies to patients, as well as counselling and advice.

It was named after renowned cancer researcher Sir Kenneth Calman, who founded Tak Tent, as Cancer Support Scotland was formerly known, in 1980.

The award was presented to Colin Graham, Cancer Support Scotland chief executive, at a dinner in the debating chamber of Glasgow University Union.

Mr Graham said it was an honour to receive the award and also praised the Preservation Trust.

He said: "Its efforts in helping to transform a derelict building will benefit thousands of people suffering from cancer.

"Our move into the new premises allows us to offer our complementary therapies to more than 1400 people a year, double the number we were able to treat previously.

"With cancer statistics set to rise further, we expect to see an increasing number of people using the building."

The Friends Of Glasgow West aims to encourage sympathetic development of the existing environment.

Ann Laird, of the organisation, said that in choosing the winners the committee was principally concerned with new buildings that respected the historic setting of the West End.

She added: "In the case of refurbishment, the committee was looking for quality of workmanship and design and the imaginative reworking of, or addition to, the building that remained true to the building's original character."

The original building, the former Gartnavel Royal Hospital Chapel, dates from 1904 and was built by one of Scotland's most successful architects, Sir John James Burnet.

The former hospital chapel had lain empty for 13 years before being transformed into the cancer support centre.

caroline.wilson@ eveningtimes.co.uk