The Harmony Therapy Trust is a Swale-based charity providing free supportive and therapeutic treatments to patients living with cancer and other serious chronic life-altering illnesses. Established over seven years ago, it now has a team of eleven volunteers and over 80 therapists delivering treatments to medically referred patients.
The Trustees explained the incredible growth the charity has experienced over its seven-year tenure: “Over the course of the last seven years, we have treated over 1,300 NHS patients. As an illustration of our growth, 350 of those patients are currently being treated. As news of our vital work spreads the more demand there is for our services. In 2017 we’re projecting that we’ll see between 700 and 1,000 NHS referred patients.”
The popularity of the charity is such that it has seen a continued doubling of demand for their services year-on-year. This, combined with the fact that Harmony is the only charity on its kind in Kent, means that Swale has a unique organisation operating from a base in Sheerness. It's success is due to the team effort of all the Trustees, volunteers, therapists and our donators and supporters.
Due to the challenging nature of the work the charity undertakes, The Trustees feel it is important that they help their staff to both develop and stay on top of their own mental health. When asked the Trustees said : “We have a CPD training school offering local tuition and subsidised fees. We hold regular ‘sanctuary days’ for volunteers, therapists, patients and carers. We also encourage our therapists and volunteers to give talks. We have a dedicated closed Facebook group for the therapists and make full use of social media including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook & Justgiving with our monthly electronic newsletter going out by Mail Chimp to ensure everyone knows about our events and to promote our vision. We even have our own radio programme ‘Midweek Harmony’ on Sheppey FM 92.2 which ensures we reach out to the wider Swale Community.”
The Trustees feel The Harmony Therapy Trust should be recognised at the 2017 Swale Business Awards: “Over the last seven years our organisation has grown from being ‘Swale only’ to now covering the whole of Kent. Despite our growth, we very much have remained ‘Swale-based’ and frequently collaborate with local businesses, schools, young people and other Swale communities. Winning the award would be invaluable to us and would help to raise our profile to the next level.”
The Harmony Therapy Trust
The Harty Room
The Healthy Living Centre
Royal Road
Sheerness
Kent
ME12 1HH
01795 663 050
www.theharmonytherapytrust.org.uk