PRESS RELEASE

Issue date: Wednesday 8th September 2010

Press contact: Amanda Tweedy, PCP, Marketing and Communications Co-ordinator, telephone: 01325 329 937, email:

ROYAL VISITOROPENS ‘CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE’ AT

PIONEERING CARE CENTRE

HRHThe Duke of Gloucester was in the region today, to open the new extension at the Pioneering Care Centre in Newton Aycliffe. The Centre, run by local charity, Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP) offers a variety of activities to help people improve their health and well-being, including exercise and activity classes, alternative therapies and beauty treatments and adult learning.

His Royal Highnesswas taken on a guided tour around the Centre and first stop was the Hydrotherapy pool, where he met a group of young adults from Darlington’s ‘Innovations’, a project which supports people with learning and physical disabilities. The Centre boasts one of the only hydrotherapy pools in the North East which is open to the public with no need for referrals.

Next on the tour was a chance to meet participants in the popular ‘back exercise class’, followed by a visit to seesome alternative therapies being put into practice and an adult learning course taking place in the new computersuite.

His Royal Highness then officially opened the Centre’s new extension, the ‘Employability Centre of Excellence’, which was built with £1.2 million funding from Durham County Council’s Working Neighbourhood Funds and Community Assets Programme Funds from HM Government’s Office of Civil Society. After unveiling the plaque, members of the ‘Options’ group, for young adults with learning and physical disabilities, presented The Duke with a small memento of the day; a model car which they had made themselves, knowing his love for classic cars.

Jane Hartley, Chief Executive of PCP said:

“We were delighted to welcome The Duke of Gloucester here today to officially open our ‘Employability Centre of Excellence’ and to showcase the wide range of activities we have on offer at the Pioneering Care Centre. Thanks also to the HM Government’s Community Assets fund and Durham County Council for providing the funding for our new extension, which will enable us to continue making a real difference to the health and well-being of people in County Durham and beyond.”

Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, Cllr Neil Foster added:

"Durham County Council has been working with the Pioneering Care Centre for some years.This new ‘Employability Centre of Excellence’ will help prevent health being a barrier to people gaining employment by providing health and lifestyle support in a fully accessible local centre with a sound reputation for delivering high quality services.

“This extension provides further opportunities to deliver services that will assist with supporting and providing training and learning opportunities for people who are not currently in employment across the south Durham area."

The Pioneering Care Centre offers a wide range of activities for people of all ages and abilities including classes and courses such as Boxercise, Zumba, Singing for Health, Street Dance for kids and Introduction to the Internet. The Centre also provides a variety of therapies including Reflexology, Osteopathy, Acupuncture and Aromatherapy, as well as beauty treatments. Additional room hire facilities are now also available within the new extension offering spacious rooms for meetings and conferences, at cost-effective prices.

For further informationon any of the activities, treatments or facilities available at the Pioneering Care Centre please contact tel: 01325 321234, email: r visit