An alternative therapist has retired after 40 years of helping the community around him.
Dennis Donnelly, 73 retired from his practice in Liverpool 8 after being housed there for over 12 years.
Sefton Park Natural Therapy Centre was the first multi-disciplinary clinic in Liverpool dedicated to holistic approaches to Health.
Dennis viewed health as one way out of poverty and believed a focus on local health needs could end health inequalities.
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Dennis previously worked from a shared house in Ullet Road, Princes Park, carried out local house visits and ran an injury clinic for the Liverpool Harriers (Athletics Club) at their Wavertree Park training venue.
Helping poor communities to access healthcare that was normally not affordable Dennis also worked all over the city offering his therapies.
A project administered through the Croxteth Communiversity run by the Alt Valley Community Trust trained 36 unemployed people in holistic therapies with a nationally recognised qualification.
This gave people a chance to start their own businesses or community ventures and the work won a national award from the CAM Magazine.
As a social scientist he worked in development, public participation and planning and taught aspects of this at Liverpool Polytechnic (now Liverpool John Moores University).
Dennis told the ECHO : "I became aware of huge health inequalities in deprived areas like some inner city areas of Liverpool and wanted to see how health outcomes and opportunities could be improved.
"I had some contact with the pioneer GPs at Princes Health Centre and wanted to build on those links.
"Our (Complementary and Alternative Therapy (CAM)) project was one of very few projects nationally and, for a while, raised the profile of Liverpool positively.
“We lasted for 24 years which was exceptional for this kind of project."
Dennis was appointed as a Special Advisor to Prince of Wales Foundation for Integrated Healthcare (2001 - 2003)
Qualified in Osteopathy, Remedial Massage, Cranio-sacral therapy and Body Psychotherapy, he also integrated elements of other disciplines like diet, movement, breath and energy work into treatments offered.
People received treatment in a range of medical conditions that helped diet, movement, fibromyalgia conditions, cognitive decline and relaxation strategies to assist their recovery.
Work carried out was regularly audited over the 24 years and Dennis said: "Our audit data showed that we were successful with patients who had chronic, complex health needs and conditions, who often had exhausted all available NHS remedies.
"We were in effect a therapy of ‘last resort’ to many and we achieved therapeutic gain".
Service user Tim Bedell ran competitively for 25 years up to the age of 35 continuing for pleasure afterwards.
At age 46 Tim had an issue with his right foot and said: “I had it scanned and went to see an Orthopaedic Consultant, who said I should have an operation, but I would never run again.
“Dennis said if I commit to long term treatment, he should be able to sort it without an operation.
“He was true to his word. Here I am at 61, still running.
“Many people in Liverpool are indebted to Dennis over the last 40 years for ‘putting them back together again’ and sending them on their way with a bounce in their step".
Long term colleague Barbara Heron said: "Our holistic broad approach focused on self-help strategies was the most effective way to bring about real positive change”.
Nutrition support, gentle movement, stretching exercises, gentle bodywork along with supportive group work and sharing of experiences was encouraged.
Self-reporting and objective measures were recorded to provide evidence of progress to members and the wider health community.
Barbara added: "This self-help approach was also used within a mental health charity in Manchester and had the same positive effect on those with both physical and mental issues”.
These therapies allowed people to take steps towards an active and more positive life with evidence available to interested agencies.
Projects Dennis ran have ceased and he said: "Much of what I did in terms of community projects will not continue.
"Some colleagues are doing work in Croxteth in terms of community development and training in complementary medicine and other colleagues delivering Massage in Schools goes from strength to strength".
Dennis advises people to research their condition, ask others with similar conditions, consult professional bodies and to get in touch with any practitioner they feel might be helpful.
He said: "If you feel you get a satisfactory response, maybe give the therapy/treatment at least three visits to get a sense of the therapy and the therapist, as holistic therapy very much depends on the quality of the relationship and dialogue about the condition."
Dennis and his plans for retirement, he said: "I am quite sad that I will no longer be able to do this in Liverpool as I have moved away. I feel the ideas are still valid and through my links to Liverpool I can still be of assistance.
"My main way might be through writing and promoting these ideas if I can no longer be as active in providing the therapies as I once was.
"Liverpool has been ahead of many cities in this work in the past, and there are many projects which will continue.
"I hope that in the post-pandemic future the value of non-medical self-care approaches promoting well-ness, resilience and better community potential will be part of that new world".
