Support
Here for you On these pages, we highlight some of FHT’s activities that aim to get you and your therapies the recognition they deserve. FHT sponsors the National Massage Championship 2021 The FHT is proud to be sponsoring the National Massage Championship (NMC) when it returns to Olympia Beauty on Sunday 3 and Monday 4 October 2021. Now in its third year, the NMC will be welcoming international competitors for the first time, across the entire competition. Taking place on the Gallery level at Olympia London, qualified therapists are invited to showcase their technique and bodywork skills in six different categories: n Advanced Massage n SPA/Wellness Massage n Freestyle Massage n Eastern Massage n Chair Massage n Clinical Massage. The NMC is run by therapists, for therapists, and is judged by a panel of international judges, with extensive professional massage therapy experience. We’re thrilled that FHT Vice President, Mary Dalgleish, will once again be one of those judges. If you would like the chance to showcase your massage skills by entering one (or two) categories at this year’s NMC, FHT members can benefit from a 20% discount code – simply enter FHT2021 in the ‘coupon’ section when you apply before 31 August 2021. For more information and to enter visit olympiabeauty.co.uk/thenmc
28 International therapist
FHT, industry experts and MPs discuss how holistic therapists can tackle emerging health problems, post-COVID On 15 April, the FHT was delighted to join industry experts and parliamentarians to reflect back on the past year and discuss how holistic therapists can help to tackle health problems emerging as a result of the pandemic including mental health issues, long COVID and burnout. The Panel Session was chaired by Judith Cummins MP, Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Beauty and Aesthetic Wellbeing (APPG-BAW), who was joined by Peter Dowd MP and panellists Dr Michael Dixon, GP and Chair of the College of Medicine and Integrated Healthcare; Gwyn Featonby, Education Lead at the NHS
Natural Health School; Farrah Idris, MFHT, Social Prescribing Link Worker and Complementary Therapist; Peter Mackereth, Honorary Lecturer and Researcher at The Christie NHS Trust and Volunteer Complementary Therapist; and Karen Young, FHT Editor and Communications Manager. The panel session lasted for an hour, with a wide range of topics discussed by the panellists and MPs, including: n How COVID has impacted the provision of holistic therapy over the past year but has also presented opportunities to demonstrate its value in supporting health and wellbeing, and promoting selfhealing and self-care.
World Reflexology Week – treat your feet This year's World Reflexology Week runs from 20 to 26 September and we are hopeful that this year, despite COVID-19, our members will be able to demonstrate how this wonderful therapy can help to relieve anxiety and tension, encourage relaxation, improve mood, aid sleep and so much more. From August, if you are a qualified reflexologist member, you can get involved in our ‘treat your feet’ campaign and help to spread the word by: n Downloading our free promotional leaflet/poster to print and distribute in your area. n Download our promotional image and cover/banner image for use on your social media profiles. n Contact your regular clients and local businesses, offering a discount of your choice on reflexology treatments booked or carried out during World Reflexology Week.
n Contact your local newspaper or radio station, or send them a press release, telling them what you are doing for World Reflexology Week – remember to insert your special Accredited Register mark. n Get together with other FHT members from your local group to organise an event where taster treatments are available. You might want to consider donating all or a portion of the proceeds raised to a local charity or other worthy cause – it is likely whoever you are supporting will help to promote the event in return, which means more feet to treat! Please send any short write-ups and pictures to Leanne at lsheill@fht.org.uk writing ‘World Reflexology Week’ in the subject box, so that we can share this with our members in International Therapist and online. Support materials will be published in the in Members’ Area (fht.org.uk/ members-area) in early August.
Summer 2021
