Osteopathy for homeless people at Manna Centre gets Government cash boost

The BSO – based in Borough High Street and Southwark Bridge Road – educates osteopaths, treats patients and pursues osteopathic research.

The school has a number of outreach community clinics which offer free osteopathy to groups who might not otherwise be able to afford or access it.

One such clinic is based at the Manna Centre for homeless people in Melior Street near London Bridge. Sleeping out take a heavy toll on the body, which osteopathy can address. This weekly drop-in osteopathy clinic also serves people who may have basic accommodation, but who either can't look after themselves or who aren't receiving the care they need. Many patients have some form of psycho-social issues, whether diagnosed or not.

"Fundraising in these difficult economic times is proving challenging so to receive this grant from the Hardship Fund is a wonderful boost and we are extremely grateful to them," says BSO principal and chief executive Charles Hunt.

"This money will help us to continue providing free osteopathic treatment in the community to those who could not normally access it. The demand for this has grown and without financial support like this we would not be able to carry on seeing more and more patients year on year."

The Hardship Fund is funded by the Office of the Third Sector within the Cabinet Office, and is administered by the Community Development Foundation (CDF).