Shropshire Charity Celebrates 20 Years of Specialist Therapy

Shropshire based charity, The Movement Centre, is celebrating providing over 20 years of its specialist therapy, Targeted Training. The therapy helps children from across the UK who have a disability that affects their movement control, such as cerebral palsy. 
 
Targeted Training was pioneered by the charity and is unique to the centre, which is based on the grounds of the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital in Oswestry. Through a course of Targeted Training some children can gain head control, so that they can better interact with their family; it can help children develop the skills to sit unaided, so they can play with their friends. For some children it can enable them to walk, which means they can be far more independent. Developing new skills like this can help children gain functional ability, which can be life changing.
 
The charity was kindly offered the use of Brynkinalt Hall in Chirk for a celebration event. On Sunday 17th September, staff and supporters were joined by some of the families who have attended the centre. Also at the event was Tom James MBE, British rower and twice Olympic Gold Champion and patron of The Movement Centre. The day enabled everyone to mark the occasion with a special afternoon tea and entertainment!
 
Pauline Holbrook, Director and Clinical Lead, at The Movement Centre, said: “We were delighted to get together with so many people to celebrate. We were so lucky to have the event in such a beautiful venue. We are very grateful indeed to Kate, Iain and family at Brynkinalt Hall for their hospitality. We have so many wonderful friends and supporters, who give up their time to help volunteer and raise funds to enable us to continue our work. We can’t thank them enough and we are very excited for the next 20 years!”
 
Targeted Training draws on specialist physiotherapy and bioengineering. Each course takes place over a 9-12 month period and costs £6250, but because it is a specialist therapy it sits outside of the remit for standard NHS funding. The Movement Centre has to raise funds every year to be able to continue their work and offer support to families who are unable to access funding. The charity is currently the only organisation in the UK offering Targeted Training.

To find out more about The Movement Centre you can visit their website: www.the-movement-centre.co.uk.