The first thing that strikes you when you enter the Red Heart Fund clinic is the atmosphere of calm and serenity. Situated just steps away from the hustle and bustle of Boscombe’s busy shopping precinct, this is truly a peaceful sanctuary that wraps itself around you like a warm blanket.

I am greeted by the manager, Raksha Peters, something of a local legend in complementary healthcare circles. She has been a therapist for over thirty years (twelve of those managing a complementary health centre) and has worked tirelessly to promote complementary therapies. This new clinic is the realisation of a dream for Raksha, as Boscombe is her home, and she has long envisioned a healthcare centre that truly serves her local community.

One of Raksha’s gifts is being able to attract effective, professional therapists to her team and it is impressive when you learn that, from day one, she was able to offer twenty-three therapies, as so many therapists were committed to this new venture.

The clinic itself is an intimate, healing environment with three equipped treatment rooms. Medical Herbalism, Homoeopathy, Nutrition, Chinese Acupuncture and Chiropractic and are all proving popular. Traditional massage forms are well represented, as are more specialist areas such as Ante-natal and Baby Massage. There are also clinics concentrating on concerns such as weight management, depression and the menopause. To guide patients toward the correct course of treatment, an initial consultation is often advised.

The vision behind this clinic is embodied in the Red Heart Fund itself. The fund was set up as a memorial to another well-known complementary healthcare promoter, Eric Peters, Raksha’s late husband. This special fund was created in response to the growing number of cancer sufferers who are turning to complementary therapies to assist in their treatment. Many sufferers realise that their over-stretched budgets, from prolonged illness, cannot meet the cost of these therapies. The Red Heart Fund is trying to redress this situation by, firstly, providing this medically supervised treatment centre and, secondly, by providing concessions on fees where needed. However, the therapies on offer at the clinic are available to all and concessions may be considered in any special circumstances, not just to those with a terminal illness.

For further information on the Red Heart Fund Complementary Medicine Clinic, please telephone 01202 242101 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more information about the Red Heart Fund, please see the website: WWW.REDHEARTFUND.ORG