Neighbourhood Stories
Access to Acupuncture
Access to Acupuncture (A2A) specialises in offering free or low-cost acupuncture treatments to people who would not normally be able to access them. The cost of this type of treatment from a private practitioner is typically expensive, and many of the people who potentially would benefit most from the treatment cannot afford it.
A2A is piloting its service with two contracts over a 45-week period. The first contract will provide acupuncture to the parents of children aged 0-4 years, addressing key priorities such as giving up smoking; alcohol and substance rehabilitation; alleviation of post-natal depression; alleviation of stress, anxiety and depression; anger-management, and obesity. The second contract involves providing acupuncture and acupressure services for cancer patients, especially those experiencing nausea after chemotherapy treatment.
A2A came to the Key Fund for support with the salary costs of two acupuncturists. With no trading history and as a small organisation, A2A struggled to find funding elsewhere.
In October 2007 the Key Fund provided A2A with a grant and loan mix of £5,000 to cover the salary costs, which enabled the pilot scheme to go ahead. The award was split into a £3,333 grant and a loan of £1,667 to be repaid in 12 monthly instalments, as this was the package that best suited A2A’s cash-flow projections.
The Key Fund funding not only provided part-time positions for two acupuncturists but will also allow A2A to expand in the future and create further job opportunities for the local community.
This scheme will allow A2A to evaluate the benefit of acupuncture to the health and wellbeing of end users, evaluate the sustainability of the company, and develop the company’s trading track record. A2A also intends to set up a charitable trust within the first two years of trading in order to access wider funding opportunities, which will allow it to develop and grow further as a company with social interests.
