Muscular dystrophy is a group of muscle-wasting conditions affecting more than 110,000 people in the UK. In the Midlands alone, around 12,000 adults live with a muscle-wasting condition.
After the age of 19, access to physiotherapy and specialist support through the NHS often drops sharply, leaving people at risk of faster muscle deterioration and loss of independence.
Since 2020, the MD Support Centre has more than doubled its specialist therapy provision reaching more people across Coventry, the midlands, and beyond. Through the lottery funded project, the charity recruited more therapists and support staff, appointed its first CEO, opened satellite centres in Tipton and Daventry, and moved to larger headquarters in Coventry with improved facilities and equipment.
The Centre now supports 613 service users – a 62% increase since 2020 – delivering 468 therapy sessions each month, more than double the number offered five years ago. Services extend across 31 counties and include online yoga and seated exercise classes, peer-led groups, and social activities to reduce isolation and build community.
The impact has been life-changing:
- 94% improved joint flexibility
- 88% reported better pain control
- 80% felt more confident, independent, and in control
- 63% noticed a slowing in the progression of their condition
Service users describe the charity as more than a therapy provider.
One said, “The support centre makes me feel like I’m part of the family and always welcomed.” NHS colleagues also recognise its long-term value: “Patients really like it because, unlike in the NHS, they are seen long term rather than discharged after six sessions or only seen once a year.”
TATT has also strengthened the Centre’s financial sustainability, diversifying income from Lottery grants to NHS contracts and other sources. The charity continues to expand services, strengthen NHS partnerships, and ensure that vital therapies remain accessible to everyone living with muscular dystrophy.
New Chief Executive Zoe Richardson said “to have the privilege of leading this charity after such hard work has been done during the TATT project is truly inspiring.
"I know that the team will work tirelessly to build on the increased delivery and work towards more innovative ways of delivery over the next 5 year strategy.”
