The Chilterns MS Centre

The Chilterns MS Centre is based in Buckinghamshire and provides a range of over 17 drug-free symptomatic management therapies for people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Each week, 240 MS sufferers visit the Centre for treatment. They are the sole provider of treatment in the area as the NHS has no provision for long-term treatment of the disease. In 2007, they delivered almost 10,000 treatment sessions to nearly 500 people with MS. The patients come from six different counties and require 15 specialist therapy staff to cover all their needs. The Centre also supports the carers, families and friends of people with MS. This means they are working with over 1,000 people each year, providing the help and support they need.

The cost of running the Centre is over £350,000 a year and is funded mainly through voluntary donations and the patients themselves who contribute over £90,000 a year.

In 2008, Aims2Cure made a very generous donation of £10,000. This has allowed the centre to introduce a new and vital service for our patients. A Podiatrist will start work in October 2008 and equipment for this service has been ordered. Without these funds they would not have been able to fund this new essential therapy.

To see the PRESS RELEASE in the Bucks Herald please click here.

The New Challenge and Opportunity- £1.5m

The Chilterns MS Centre Sept 2008	Chiltern MS Centre due for completion 2010

The new building will be 1000 square metres spanning two floors and will cost £1.5m to build and equip. Staff will be able to deliver a wider range of services and therefore help and support more people. Including a contribution from the developers, to date we have raised £1,283,908.

Chilterns MS Centre and Aims2Cure Donation

Aims2Cure were once again delighted to be able to donate £2500 to the Chilterns MS Centre in Halton on Friday 18th September 2009 at their Ground Breaking Ceremony which took place to mark their new £1.5 million centre to replace their old building. The guest of honour, David Jason OBE who gave an amusing speech to an audience of over 300 guests, including many MS patients who use the Centre, sat on a large JCB type digger to break the ground to mark the start of the new building, which it is hoped will be completed by September 2010.

The Chilterns MS Centre, based in Halton, Buckinghamshire, provides a range of over 19 drug-free symptom management therapies to nearly 500 people who come to the Centre for treatment from six counties in the Chilterns. As the NHS is unable to provide long-term treatment for people with MS, the service provided at the Chilterns MS Centre is a lifeline for people with this incurable, debilitating, degenerative, neurological condition that affects over 100,000 people in the UK.

In 2009, it will cost £500,000 to fund the work of the MS Centre. In addition, the Centre is currently raising £1.5m towards a new building. The Ground Breaking Ceremony marks the start of a new era for the Centre, which has been providing treatments and support for people with MS for 24 years.

Marion Bryant said, “The Ground Breaking event was made possible due to the amazing support provided by the RAF and sponsorship from local companies, for which we are extremely grateful.”

John Greaves, a patient and also Chairman of the Trustees for the Chilterns MS Centre, said, “we are extremely grateful to everyone who has supported our work and helped us raise funds for the new building although we still have £150,000 left to raise. The Chilterns MS Centre is going through a challenging time but all our hard work will be rewarded when the new building is completed in September 2010. We will be able to provide more treatments and services and help more people. We are extremely grateful to Sir David for agreeing to support our Ground Breaking event in this way.”

Sir David said, “ Having worked with someone who had been diagnosed with MS, I saw for myself how this dreadful condition affects people’s lives. The staff at the Centre do an amazing job and they deserve all the support they can get to fund this marvellous new Centre.”

The new Centre is part of a joint development between Bellway Homes and Barratt Homes who are also assisting with funding the new Centre. Jonathan Underwood, Technical Director of Bellway Homes stated, “ Bellway Homes and Barratt Homes are pleased to be the joint developers of the exciting Princess Mary Gate development, a scheme of around 350 homes and, of course, the new MS Centre. We have been working closely with the Trustees of the Chilterns MS Centre to ensure this new building will meet the needs of the charity’s client base, both now and in the future.”

Aims2Cure raised the donation of £2,500 from a Dragon Boat Race in June in Milton Keynes, where they had to compete against 59 other teams, mainly teams made up of macho men, who had been training for 6 months and all of whom were determined to win each of their races. Aims2Cure actually came last in all their races, and were therefore surprised at the end of the day to be awarded with the prestigious prize for the most “inspirational and hard working team – who captured the spirit of the day”, mostly made up of team members who were children under the age of 15! Flowers and a miniature model of a dragon boat were greatly received.

All photos credited to The Chilterns MS Centre

For further information about the work of the Centre please call 01296 696718 or email suebarber130@btinternet.com

Chilterns MS Centre, Scarlett Ave, Halton, Bucks. HP22 5PG
(Registered Charity 800853)

Click here to go to The Chilterns MS Centre website www.chilternsmscentre.org