Hopes of funding boost for Shropshire therapy centre after visit by MP Owen Paterson

Mr Paterson visited The Movement Centre, based at Oswestry's Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen, where he met staff and saw the type of physiotherapy which is given there.

He described it as a "great visit" after hearing the effect the treatments can have on children with cerebral palsy.

He said the centre was a "a wonderful charity doing vital work".

The Movement Centre is a registered charity that provides Targeted Training – a life changing therapy that develops functional skills required for head control and sitting, and where possible standing and walking in children with cerebral palsy and other problems of movement control.

Going through the training can improve movement control for many children with cerebral palsy or other movement control problems.

Rona Avery, business manager for the centre, said the visit had been very positive.

"Mr Paterson was very interested in what we do and thought it was a very worthwhile charity. He said it was inspiring," she said.

"Unfortunately there were no children in having therapy during his visit, but we had a little presentation and we showed him pictures of children and how they had improved during therapy. He also saw the equipment the children use for their therapy.

"Targeted Training mimics the way in which movement control is naturally developed in a young child. If a newborn infant is held upright against his mother, she automatically supports the infant's head. As he grows and develops, the mother instinctively moves her support downwards as the child develops head control. By the time the child is eight or nine months old, he will need support only around the bottom because full trunk control has developed. In Targeted Training the support being given by the standing frame instead of their mother's hands."

Ms Avery said the MP had also been able to suggest possible future funding for the centre, which is a registered charity and relies on donations and grants.

"He asked us to write to him officially to ask for help with funding, but he did suggest sources of funding for us," she said.