Teamwork is the name of the game as an Andover business has provided tens of thousands of pounds to secure the future of an Andover charity.

Simplyhealth provided £70,000 to the I Can Therapy Centre, based in the former Rendezvous on Union Street, which will allow its rehabilitation services to continue for the next few years. In total, Simplyhealth provided £130,000 to the centre over the past three years.

Chris Attrill, the Chief Executive of Valley Leisure which runs the centre, said: “The funding from Simplyhealth has enabled us to secure the short to medium future of the I Can Therapy Centre. Relocating to the town centre is an essential element of ensuring that the service continues to thrive and benefit as many people as possible.

“With use of this funding we have also been able to explore options to diversify our unique service to enable those who cannot attend the physical centre to gain benefit from us and we hope to launch a new move more service in the near future.”

The I Can Therapy Centre was previously based at the Salto Centre in Charlton, where it had been located for some time. As previously reported, councillors on Test Valley Borough Council approved the conversion of the Rendezvous into a therapy centre at a heated meeting in February.

Work has since taken place to get the building ready for those being treated, with the centre opening its doors to the public in April. Since then, almost 1000 people have visited the centre, with demand high enough for the charity to enhance the capacity of the service.

Donald, 71, is one of those using the centre, after being advised by his doctor to keep active following a diagnosis of kidney and bone cancer in 2018.

He said: “I Can is such a welcoming place with a really nice social atmosphere. Exercising here motivates me to do more than I would at home on my own. Having something booked in my diary each week gives me something to look forward to which makes a big difference.

“Being able to meet lots of people all dealing with different health conditions but enjoying the exercise all together really benefits my mental and social health as well as my physical health.”

I Can has thanked Simplyhealth for their contribution, with Wendy Cummins, community manager at Simplyhealth, saying: “Simplyhealth’s support of local communities has been at the heart of our purpose for nearly 150 years. We are delighted to have been able to help I Can Therapy Centre’s service users to stay mobile and overcome isolation to feel part of their community.

“We know how important this is in helping people to maintain good physical and mental wellbeing, and this is something that’s close to our hearts.”