'Lifeline' centre under threat without new premises
BBCA centre that provides support for people in Devon with long-term health conditions including multiple sclerosis (MS) and cancer says it faces an uncertain future unless it can find new premises.
The South West MS Therapy Centre near Exeter helps more than 400 people from around Devon and Somerset and is described as a "lifeline" by those who use it.
But the charity is currently housed in a listed building which it said was not suitable for modern needs.
CEO Caroline Aird said there would be "a gap in services" if the centre could not continue.
Stuart Pearce, from Exeter, comes to the charity every week for a yoga session.
The former physics teacher was forced to take early retirement on medical grounds after being diagnosed with MS.
He said the support he found at the centre had become a "lifeline".
"It's given me hope, it's given me more social connections - not just with people with MS, but when you leave a busy profession, a social profession like teaching, suddenly there's a whole load of people not in your life, so it's kind of filled that gap," he said.
"It's made me feel better physically, mentally, psychologically - and given me extra ammunition to fight back against the disease," he added.
Despite its title, the centre also supports people living with cancer, Parkinson's disease and conditions such as long Covid.
Ross Morley-Trapnell, from near Okehampton, has prostate cancer - and paid what he called "a modest fee" to access oxygen therapy at the centre.
Although not a proven treatment for cancer, many living with the disease said they believed such therapy was beneficial.
Morley-Trapnell said: "It's something that can help... but, privately, it was just so expensive. I would not have been able to afford it".
"But then somebody suggested the MS centre here, so I got in contact.
"And they do subsidised use of the chamber, which made it far more affordable for me to use."
Sue Allaway, from Torbay, lives with MS and travels to the centre once a fortnight to use the hyperbaric oxygen chamber.
She said the benefits of the therapy - and coming to the centre - had been huge.
She said: "I think my symptoms would be worse [without the centre here]. Having the treatment enables me to be far more proactive about living well with MS, which is my aim.
"And I love the camaraderie when we're sitting, waiting outside the chamber. It's nice to catch up with - I don't know - like-minded or like-suffering people."
The charity has run the service here for more than a quarter of a century, but the building is no longer suitable, putting its services at risk.
Its limitations mean the charity cannot help more people, and, crucially, its CEO Caroline Aird said that maintenance was becoming too expensive.
"We really want to grow and move with the times to more modern premises, which means that we can spend more on delivering service to the people we serve - and less on maintaining a building."
The charity said it had cash reserves to keep going for now, but they were limited.
It said it was now seeking a purpose-built building with parking and good access from the road and it was hoping for outside help.
"We just don't know who is out there, so we're asking them to come forward and contact us," Caroline said.
"We need to keep the centre going."
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