The Best Foot Forward Leg Club was visited by the Mayor of Lytchett Minster and Upton June Richards after winning a number of awards. Nurses and volunteers for The Adam Practice associated Leg Club are pictured at their Royal British Legion base.
It’s the first of its kind in Dorset and now The Adam Practice’s ‘Best Foot Forward’ Leg Club ® is receiving national recognition for changing the lives of hundreds of people.
The club, which provides clinical and holistic care to those with long-term lower limb conditions, has won four major awards.
There has been individual recognition for the club’s Clinical Lead Clare Mechen, winning the prestigious lifetime title of Queen’s Nurse, and chair Hayley Maybey has been named a ‘Local Hero’.
Other recent accolades for the club include a national ‘volunteers of the year’ award and the nurses were named the country’s ‘best clinical care team.’
Lead Nurse, Clare Mechen, said: “We are, of course, delighted that the club is receiving such fabulous recognition.
“However, our biggest reward is seeing the profound, life changing impact our services have on our members.
“Our members, many of whom live very isolated lives, have been able to get out, make new friends, re-ignite their self-esteem and heal much more quickly.
“This is more than just providing a clinical service, we look after a person’s whole well-being and our evidence shows it is working.”
The Best Foot Forward Leg Club was visited by the Mayor of Lytchett Minster and Upton June Richards after winning a number of awards. Nurses and volunteers and members of The Adam Practice associated Leg Club are pictured at their Royal British Legion base.
Set up two years ago by The Adam Practice – which serves 32,000 patients across Poole, Hamworthy, Upton and Lytchett Matravers – the ‘Best Foot Forward’ Leg Club provides clinical and social support for people who have hard-to-heal leg and foot problems.
In its early days it operated from a small church room but today it has more than 350 members who meet weekly at the Royal British Legion Club in Upton.
Before the club was formed, patients suffering from conditions such as cellulitis, ulceration or eczema would either visit their GP surgery for regular treatment or receive visits from a district nurse.
The Adam Practice estimated that before the club was formed around 50% of people visiting their treatment clinics had lower limb problems. Today it is just 25%.
Now those suffering with leg and feet conditions receive their treatment from nurses at the club while also benefitting from weekly and special social activities run by the volunteers.
And once they are a member – they are a member for life; as Trevor Marshall can testify.
Trevor, who joined the club two years ago, has raised more than £2,000 by selling ‘golden tickets’ to fellow members.
“It’s great to come along and have a natter, chat and laugh with everyone,” he said.
“My wound is now nearly healed but I still come to the club and I know if it comes back the nurses will take great care of me.”
The Best Foot Forward Leg Club was visited by the Mayor of Lytchett Minster and Upton June Richards after winning a number of awards. Nurses and volunteers and members of The Adam Practice associated Leg Club are pictured at their Royal British Legion base.
Clare Mechen is one of only seven nurses in Dorset to receive the Queen’s Nurse title; which is awarded by the Queen’s Nursing Institute.
The nursing team’s clinical recognition came in the annual General Practice Awards.
Hayley Maybey won a Wave 105 FM Local Hero award and national charity, the Lindsay Leg Club Foundation, gave the club’s helpers the title ‘volunteers of the year’.
The Best Foot Forward Leg Club is a charity and funds raised for it not only keeps the weekly activities on-going but also enables essential transport for those who otherwise would not be able to attend.
Anyone interested in helping the club as a volunteer or raise funds can email TheAdam.Practice@dorset.nhs.uk, or call 01202 679234.
Note to editors: The Best Foot Forward Leg Club falls under the umbrella organisation the Lindsay Leg Club Foundation. Leg Clubs have been around for 24 years but The Adam Practice’s Best Foot Forward Leg Club was the first to be formed in Dorset – and is still the only Leg Club in the Dorset/Hants area. https://www.legclub.org/about-us/leg-club-foundation
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