More than a third of premature deaths are caused by cancer in Wandsworth, and tackling it is a priority for the council’s public health department. It has teamed up with NHS England to open the shop which will be packed with information and staffed with trained nurses and other experts who will be able to refer you on to other services if necessary.

You will be able to pop into the shop every day from Friday January 2th4 to Sunday February 16th. No appointment is necessary and our specialist cancer nurses will be on hand to talk to you about how to reduce your chances of getting cancer, the importance of spotting signs and symptoms early, and to offer you a free BMI check if you want one.

Approximately 40 per cent of cancers could be prevented by simple changes in lifestyle, such as getting more active, eating better and quitting smoking. Our nurses can refer you to a range of free local help including weight management and stop smoking services.

Reducing rates of cancer is a priority for the council because it is the leading cause of death among those aged under 75. People often put off visiting their GP about cancer - some individuals wait up to 68 days between first noticing a symptom of cancer and seeing their doctor.

Wandsworth’s Director of Public Health, Houda Al-Sharifi, said: "The fear surrounding cancer can lead people to ignore important symptoms, but we want to overcome the stigma and encourage people to seek help early. By opening this shop we hope to help our residents understand that cancer can be preventable, treatable and beatable. It’s quick and easy to pop in and have a chat and a check-up, and it could just save your life.”

Dr Andy Mitchell, Medical Director of NHS England (London), added: "I am delighted that a ‘Get to know cancer’ pop up shop is opening in Wandsworth. It is vital that we encourage people to do the single most important thing to beat cancer - get help sooner. The earlier cancer is diagnosed, the better the chance of successful treatments. If we can match cancer survival rates with the best in the world, we can save an extra 1,000 lives in London every year.”

Where: Southside Shopping Centre (next to Primark), Wandsworth Town Centre 

When: January 24th to February 16th

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 9am-7pm, Saturday 9am- 6pm, Sunday 11am-5pm

Visit www.gettoknowcancer.org or follow @gettoknowcancer.