WESSEX Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre has been given the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services.
This is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work done in their own communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.
Described as an MBE for volunteer groups, any group doing volunteer work that provides social, economic or environmental services is assessed on the benefit it brings to the local community and its standing within that community.
The award is a much-coveted national recognition for any charity or community group that is well supported by volunteers and that offers valuable volunteering opportunities for people.
Rosie Eliot, the therapy centre director said, “We are absolutely delighted to have been chosen as a winner of this award. We want to thank all of our volunteers, past and present, for their hard work, time and commitment and especially their dedication in helping people with MS.
“We currently have over 75 volunteers who help us in many different ways; and most of these work at least once a week. Without their strong support and hard work, the therapy centre would be greatly diminished in what it can achieve for those with MS. Only last Saturday seven volunteers completed a sky dive to raise funds for the charity, and two of those have multiple sclerosis. They are all extremely brave and together raised over £5,000 for the charity.”
The charity offers long-term ongoing therapies such as physiotherapy, counselling, oxygen therapy, massage therapy etc. to help support people with the long term and disabling condition multiple sclerosis. Based in the heart of Warminster, the centre recently won another national award for innovation in care for offering companionship in the home, MS Buddies, for people with MS who are mostly house-bound or suffering from social isolation due to their condition.
The therapy centre covers a very wide geographical area and is currently the only MS centre offering support down to the south coast of England. Currently the centre has 240 members who mostly visit on a weekly basis and members come from Frome, Bournemouth, Poole, Yeovil, Bath, Salisbury and all surrounding towns and villages.
Above: From left, Carol Coates, volunteer co-ordinator. Rosie Eliot, centre director with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwell.
