A Letchworth-based therapy centre that relies on charitable donations has secured a £67,000 grant of government funds.

The Comet: Herts MS Therapy Centre chief executive Mark Boscher looks on as Councillor John Booth, chairman of North Herts District Council, talks about his connection with the centre.Herts MS Therapy Centre chief executive Mark Boscher looks on as Councillor John Booth, chairman of North Herts District Council, talks about his connection with the centre. (Image: Archant)

The grant – funded by the Cabinet Office’s Local Sustainability Fund and directed by the Big Lottery Fund – will help to pay for a review of the Herts MS Therapy Centre’s operations by external experts.

The project, reviewing the centre’s front-line services of physiotherapy, exercise programmes, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and APS pain reducation therapy, will last until May.

The centre’s chief executive Mark Boscher said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to offer highly effective treatments to even more people living with long-term conditions. The more people we can help, the better.”

The grant coincides with an open day at the centre in Campus Five, which helps people with long-term, age-related and neurological conditions.

More than 100 people turned out to find out about fighting fatigue and pain.

Free taster sessions of APR pain reduction therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy were available, and folks could also try out the centre’s anti-gravity treadmill, as used by NASA and professional athletes across the world.

The centre is the only facility in Herts offering hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which helps some people recover faster after chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery.

The British Polio Fellowship, cancer charity Yes to Life and MCS-Aware – for those with multiple chemical sensitivities – also put on exhibits at the open day, which was sponsored by continence specialist Coloplast.

Councillor John Booth, who has named the Herts MS Therapy Centre as one of his chosen charities for this year, gave a talk about his own personal connection with it – and two clients shared their personal stories of chronic pain and extreme exhaustion, and the treatment they had received there.

For more about the centre see hertsmstherapy.org.uk.