Chapel-en-le-Frith Mobile Physio charity celebrates 50 years of helping people

Set up in 1970, the charity, which cares for patients across the High Peak, will mark its milestone anniversary this year after covid delayed the celebrations in 2020.

And half a century after its creation, the service’s ethos hasn’t changed.

Chair of the committee, Kath Sizeland, said: “We all feel very proud to have reached this milestone.

"We only have one paid member which is our wonderful physiotherapist, Maureen Pargeter. It’s amazing to think how such a small team has done so much to help so many patients over the years.

"For us most of our services users are the elderly members of the rural community and we give them the tools to aid recovery and help rehabilitation.

"This is so important as it maintains people’s independence and keeps them at home and out of hospital so we are one of the first lines of defence in protecting the NHS.”

Maureen has been with the charity for almost 15 years and when she visits a patient Kath says she spends her time not just doing the physio but also looking at what aids and tools are needed to make the patient’s life easier going forward.

Kath said: “The charity has always prided itself on offering an all-round care approach and Maureen acts as a social prescriber fixing not just the service user but ensuring they come to no harm in the future.”

Speaking about the 50th anniversary Kath says the charity has faced its up and downs over the year but come out the other side.

She said: “We are an aging population much more than we were 50 years ago.

"Back then you’d never hear of a person living until they were 100 but now it’s not that unusual.

"But with this comes more demand on services.

"It has been a struggle to keep Chapel Mobile Physio going but we’re still here which is really good.

“Last year was meant to be our proper celebration but Covid stopped us so we are trying again this year with a lovely afternoon tea for some of our past and present members.”

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