Chilterns Neuro Centre celebrating National Lottery win

The Chilterns Neuro Centre is celebrating after being awarded £150,000 per year for three years by the National Lottery Community Fund.

The Buckinghamshire-based charity will use the funding to treat and support more local people affected by multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s or strokes by contributing towards the salary costs of providing the wide range of services it offers. These include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, oxygen therapy, speech therapy, counselling, nutrition advice, adapted exercise classes, Pilates and yoga, as well as social groups and support for carers/family members. The award will also fund more therapists’ hours and some new posts to expand the services that are most in demand.

“This incredible amount of money is going to make a massive difference to our charity and to the local people that we support, said Richard Parkin, chief executive at the Chilterns Neuro Centre. “It gives us some security of funding for our frontline services and will enable us to confidently open our doors to welcome more people with neurological conditions who could be benefitting from our wonderful facilities and expertise.”

The Centre has been at the forefront of supporting people with MS from within the local community for almost four decades and in 2022 it opened up its services to people with Parkinson’s and stroke survivors. The charity works tirelessly to improve the well-being and independence of individuals facing the challenges of neurological conditions by providing a range of specialised therapies, rehabilitation programmes and emotional support to address the unique needs of each person, helping them to live life to the full.

“The Centre provides a real lifeline for me, it’s just amazing,” said Carolyn Bain, a member of the Centre who has been coming for many years. “The physio I receive helps improve my overall mobility and the social groups provide an incredible support network that really encourages me and keeps me going when times are hard.”

While £450,000 over three years is a significant award for the Chilterns Neuro Centre, it is against the backdrop of a cost of living crisis. Costs are increasing while giving patterns still haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels. As a small charity, the Centre still needs public support to help it raise over £1 million each year so it can continue to provide vital services to the local community.