Update newsletter
August 2012
St. John’s Halstead receive a grant from Catalyst
In July 2010 the Catalyst Charity awarded St John Ambulance Halstead a grant of £10,000 to ‘pump prime’ a
project to extend their HQ building this in turn enabled St John to get National Lottery and other grants to complete
the development. Tony Frost Catalyst’s president attended the opening of Halstead St John in May 2012.
Catalyst grant for Interactive Suite
In July 2012 The Adult Acquired Community Speech
& Language Therapy team opened a new and
exciting interactive therapy suite at the Independent
Living Centre made possible by a grant from
Colchester Catalyst. The interactive suite is for
patients who have a specific difficulty with their
communication whether that be due to having a long
term condition or after a brain injury or stroke. The
grant was used to purchase computers and specialist
computer software programmes that patients can
work through in conjunction with their individual
therapy that will facilitate their rehabilitation.
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New National MS Therapy Centre opens up in Colchester
The Catalyst Charity recently made a grant of £10,500 to the Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre (MSRC) for a
FES exercise cycle. FES is Functional Electrical Stimulation. The technology allows someone who is using an
FES exercise machine to regain some physical activity and the use of muscles that no longer work properly
because of neurological damage caused by MS.
The MSRC headquarters in Colchester which opened recently have implemented an FES program and are
already seeing the huge differences that FES exercise gives over passive motion.
Clients of the centre are already feeling the benefits and in particular significant pain reduction. One lady
reported that after the 30 minute program her legs felt so much lighter, like ‘normal’ and just could not believe
the difference it has made to her.
Many other neurological conditions can use FES to improve muscle strength and enhance coordination skills.
Cyclone technologies have worked with people with Stroke, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Injury,
Traumatic Brain Injury and rare chromosome disorder. FES is providing that it can provide that extra factor that
cannot be accessed with traditional therapies.
Special Individual Need’s grant for Ken Miles
Ken Miles has worked as a Catalyst respite care assessor for many
years and has helped many people with MS to have respite breaks.
The Catalyst Charity has recently made him a grant towards the
cost of replacing his old scooter. Ken sends his grateful thanks to all
concerned as the scooter has already made his life easier and will
enable him to carry on with his good work.
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Some of the major General Grants given recently
For more information check out our website www.colchestercatalyst.co.uk
Harwich Conexions
£ 2,000
Tail Lift
Crossroads Care Tendring & Colchester £ 2,000
Respite Breaks
Headway Essex
£10,000
Brain Injury Training
Critical Care Unit
£ 2,950
Hydroflex Chair
MSRC
£10,500
Powered Cycle
Walk Colchester
£ 5,384
Electrically powered off road Chair
Lexden Springs School
£ 3,000
The Lakes
£ 1,074
Exercise Bike
Potters Wheel
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