The Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire MS Therapy Centre
Registered Charity No: 802510 – Bradbury House, 155 Barkers Lane, Bedford, MK41 9RX
Contact us by email or phone; 01234 325781
We are a charity that provides a wide range of support and therapies to people living with MS
National lockdown
You may continue to attend your appointments unless we tell you otherwise. We are offering essential health treatments in a COVID-secure environment. Please call to let us know if you do not wish to keep your appointment.
Please see our full guidelines for attending therapy appointments during the new national lockdown.
Therapies
Our therapies include: neuro physiotherapy, orthotics, hydrotherapy & APS pain relief.
Our MS Specialist Nurse can help with all aspects of your MS. We offer a number of complementary therapies such as reflexology, pilates, Bowen and oxygen therapy.
About Us
Our charity, set up in 1983, provides therapies, services and support needed to enable people living with Multiple Sclerosis to self-manage their condition.
If you have MS, please come and see us – there is something here for you.
Read more on our About Us page.
Events
Online art classes
Join our new ‘Art Journaling for Wellbeing’ course….
Starting Friday 9th April 2021, 2-4pm.
This course will offer anyone from beginner to more experienced artists to experiment in paints, pencils and collaging using everyday items around the home to create an art journal.
‘Love to Move’ with MS
We have the offer of free online video sessions (by Zoom) with Bridget, who is a qualified instructor and the sister of a Centre member.
‘Love To Move’ provides a unique mix of physical movement (or exercises) which are very gentle and suitable for all. The exercises are designed to stimulate cognitive function and either maintain or develop neural pathways and fine motor skills.
The sessions will be free so please let us know if you’d like to take part by calling 01234 325781.
Online seated Pilates classes
Tuesdays & Thursdays at 11.30
Live Facebook classes on Tuesdays. Zoom pilates class on Thursdays. For the Zoom classes, please see this page for joining details. All welcome.
Tai Chi at home
Wednesdays and Fridays at 11.30
Join our Tai Chi teacher, Jenny, for her popular online live Facebook sessions. Please go over to the video page of our Facebook site to see the videos.
News
See our February newsletter
We have compiled all the latest news and events into a bumper edition of our February newsletter.
MS Buddy Scheme
If you are newly diagnosed and would like to speak to someone in the same situation as you, the Buddy Network from Shift MS could help you to meet someone to chat to.
Just follow the link to the Shift MS website to get started.
Free app to help track the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis
SymTrac is a free app that helps people with MS track general wellbeing and symptoms over time. The data recorded can be viewed in easy-to-read charts and shared with MS specialist teams to make the most of vital consultation time and support decision making. Approved as safe by the NHS Library of Health Apps and developed in association with the MS Trust, this app is available on iOS, Android or desktop versions.
Hydrotherapy pool leak
Unfortunately, our hydrotherapy pool is leaking again. We have contractors booked in to come and look at it, but it is tricky when the pipes are underground. Please bear with us, we are going as fast as we can.
If you are looking for a project to raise money for, this could be it!
Thank you very much to Bedford Girls’ School for the wonderful donation of £1,000
Here are our winners of the February 100 Club for 2020-2021
2nd: No 18, Denis Kane £36
1st: No 37, Joyce Gates £60
And if you do spend your winnings at Amazon, please don’t forget to use Amazon Smile and donate to the Centre at no cost to yourselves. That way, we win as well 
Useful advice about COVID-19 for people with MS
Emma, our MS nurse, has recommended this article full of useful advice about COVID-19 and MS at the MS Trust website.
The article at the MS Trust website answers many common questions and covers many topics including:
MS nurse consultations during the coronavirus crisis
If you have any questions then please do ask Emma, our MS nurse, who will be available to take your queries on Thursdays.
Please email Emma or phone 01234 325781 and we will pass on the message.
HeartMath breathing technique
If your mood and sense of motivation has taken a nosedive lately then Emma might be able to help.
Emma has been using a breathing control technique called HeartMath for some years at the Centre.
It can help people become more resilient to stress, prevent anxiety and help with panic attacks. Our MS nurse can guide you through the technique in a half hour appointment; over the phone or online in a Zoom video call.
Counselling
If you are finding it hard to cope at this time, our counsellor, Gill, is available for telephone or email consultations. Please contact the Centre and we will pass on your details. Call us on 01234 325781
MS UK also offers a counselling service by telephone or video link. Register at their website to get started.
Hello from the team here at our Centre
Top row: (Left to right) Karen Taras – Receptionist, Frank Lobban – Centre’s mini bus driver, Swarupa Vaingankar – Fundraising Coordinator, Aniceta Klimaszewska – Centre’s cleaner.
Middle row: (Left to right) Funmi Shitta-Bey – Physiotherapist, Linda Richardson – Physio and Hydrotherapy Assistant, Harriet Squirrell – Assistant Manager, Emma Matthews – MS Specialist Nurse.
Bottom row: (Left to right) Guy Stewart – Lead Physiotherapist, Jane Everett – Trust Fundraising Officer, Tracy Mckenzie – Centre Manager.
Attending the MS Therapy Centre
To ensure the safety of visitors and staff we have carried out a risk assessment, introduced a number of safety measures and are following the latest government guidelines to ensure we are a COVID secure facility.
Please read the guidelines before visiting the Centre
We have introduced new entrances to the Centre for specific therapies. There are also new guidelines for the car parking, face masks, temperature checks, social distancing and more.
See us at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
We are always posting the latest news, events and videos at our social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Keep in touch
- Follow our Facebook page which is updated with useful information throughout the week
- Join our Facebook group, where you can chat with other members
We have over 1000 followers and friends on Facebook so please do come and say hello.
We really need your continued support…
During the COVID-19 crisis we continue to offer support and therapies to hundreds of people across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire. We haven’t been able run most of our fund-raising activities like events, our shops, dinners and performances.
We receive no government or other form of statutory funding
It’s only through people like you that we are able to provide vital therapies and support to people with MS.
Please donate £10, £20 or more today
Most people choose to donate by credit card, using PayPal or through our secure card payment partners, JustGiving.
Please visit JustGiving.com/bnms where you can easily make a secure online donation to the MS Therapy Centre.
Now you can donate by PayPal or via credit card.
Thank you
Go shopping online at our eBay shop
Every purchase helps support our charity.
You’ll always find high quality items at bargain prices
Charity Sales
Sorry, postponed until further notice.
Please don’t bring us more bric-a-brac for the time being as we can’t store it. Thank you.
Opening times
We are open for limited therapies by appointment only.
Please call 01234 325781 for appointments.
We can support you over the phone, or online.
Please call 01234 325781 for a nursing appointment or we can help with exercise via our virtual programmes.
GDPR – How we can contact you
If you are a member or supporter of the Centre and would like to let us know how we can contact you, please click the link below and fill out the form, stating your preferences. For more information on GDPR click here.
You can state your contact preferences here.
You can also use this form if you would just like to receive our newsletter.
