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Maggi Rowan has been practicing holisitic therapy for many years.
Maggi wanted people who, like herself, had experienced mental distress, to
be able to have access to affordable Alternative/Complementary therapies.
From this, SUCH was born.
Early in 2001, with the backing of Mind in Taunton and West Somerset,
Maggi applied for a MIND Millennium Award, and the application was
successful. The Project went 'Live' in March 2002 after six months of
Maggi’s training for the Community Mental Health Certificate, which she
gained in November 2002.
The project is called SUCH which stands for Service Users Complementary
Holistic. Maggi’s twin sister came up with the name for the project. The
project offers aromatherapy, reflexology, Indian head massage, relaxation,
flower remedies and natural healing and herbal advice
to all those who are affected by mental health issues, both survivors and carers.
In January 2003 we successfully won an award from the Champions Fund
for £1,373 for a library of booklets. We have also been awarded the
Awards for all Grant for £4,561 for specialised equipment for teaching
purposes. We have been running the Project using a Skills for Care grant
since 2004. This has enabled us to pay our team of therapists and helpers
for their time; however this grant came to an end in 2008.
We receive funding from Lankelly Chase Foundation which enables
us to offer a service within Rydon House, the local acute in-patient hospital.
This has been a great break through, showing the medical
and complementary models working together effectively for people’s
mental well-being. The Project became a Charity in 2007, and we are now
actively looking to secure funding which will mean services can be delivered
to people living in poor and socially deprived neighbourhoods.
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