Oswestry's Movement Centre scoops £55,000 National Lottery funding

Shropshire charity The Movement Centre is today celebrating after being awarded £55,000 in National Lottery funding to support its work in transforming the lives of children living with movement disability.

The centre, based in Oswestry, will use the cash to help fund its unique programme aimed at giving children the chance to gain more control of their movement and reach their full potential through Targeted Training therapy - the only therapy of its kind in the world.

The treatment has been helping to transform the range of movement of children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities affecting their mobility for the last 25 years. It helps children gain head control so that they can interact with those around them, sit unaided and can lead to gaining the ability to walk.

Curtis Langley, Fundraising Manager at The Movement Centre, said the £55,000 award from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest community funder in the UK, would make a tremendous difference.

“We are delighted that the National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way and we are grateful to players of the National Lottery who have made it possible,” he added.

“As a charity, fundraising plays a major role in our ongoing efforts to provide Targeted Training therapy treatment - something which simply isn’t available anywhere else in the world.

“The National Lottery funding comes at a time when we are celebrating 25 years of helping children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities affecting their mobility - supporting them to achieve new skills through increased strength and control of their movement.

“Research shows that, through a course of our targeted training, children with Cerebral Palsy can be three to four times more likely to gain gross motor function compared to conventional physiotherapy alone.

“Our team is making a life-changing difference to children in our programme and their families and this massive cash boost will help us to continue the work we are doing. It’s an amazing amount of money and it is very much appreciated.”