Groundworks for the new Reach for Health centre got underway this week on part of the Daventry & District Sports Club site at Western Avenue.

Daventry District Council (DDC) is funding the £1.48m project, which will allow the charity to increase the range of services it offers, meaning it can help even more people.

Reach for Health, which is the operating name of the Daventry Health Rehabilitation Trust charity, specialises in physiotherapeutic exercise for people who have experienced a traumatic health event, such as heart attacks or strokes, or who are suffering from long-term or life-long illness.

Currently based on the High March industrial estate, the charity receives about 2,400 visits a month from people in need of physical and mental rehabilitation, most of whom have been referred by a GP or hospital consultant.

But these premises are old and expensive to maintain, and the limited space means the charity is struggling to cope with the increasing demand on its services.

The new centre will be twice the size and will feature a social area and multi-function room, as well as a large rehabilitation area, allowing it to offer a greater range of services and therapies.

It is a modular build, meaning it is being constructed in pre-fabricated sections away from the site location before being delivered for assembly and construction. The car park at the Sports Club is also being reconstructed.

Work to prepare the site is being carried out by Paragon Space on behalf of DDC, with the overall project set to be completed in the summer. The new building will be leased out to the charity on the existing rental fee.

Rob Juson, Chair of Trustees at Reach for Health, said: "This is an exciting time for the Charity. It is the next step in realising our vision for the future. The new Rehabilitation Centre will enable us to expand both the number of people we can help and the range of services we offer.

"Reach for Health provides a warm and welcoming environment for vulnerable people where they can not only benefit from guided exercise but also socialise and support each other, reducing the sense of isolation.

"Partnering with the University of Northampton, our aim is to become a centre of excellence providing training to NHS occupational therapists and junior doctors to facilitate research into the benefits of exercise-based rehabilitation. However, the main focus of our charity will always be on helping the local community which we strive to serve.

"We are immensely grateful to Daventry District Council for providing this purpose-built new Centre. They have recognised the huge benefit that Reach for Health can provide to the local community and beyond."

Councillor David James, DDC's Economic, Regeneration and Employment Portfolio Holder, said: "We're proud to be able to support Reach for Health to meet the growing demands for their services. The rehabilitation services they provide help to improve the lives of people with a range of serious health conditions, so our investment in this new centre is money well spent."

Councillor Alan Hills, Community, Culture and Leisure Portfolio Holder at DDC, added: "This is a project which I have supported for a number of years, so it's wonderful to see work getting underway. I look forward to the completion of this project, which will be of enormous benefit to Daventry and the surrounding District for many years to come."

People can find out more about Reach for Health at www.reachforhealth.co.uk » Less