September 2025
Our journey began back in 1986, when the Centre first opened with the simple but powerful mission of supporting people living with Multiple Sclerosis. The oxygen tank was purpose-built in Great Yarmouth and then moved to Chedgrave by a band of determined volunteers. Since then, we estimate that the Centre has delivered more than 90,000 oxygen therapy sessions to people living with a wide range of neurological conditions.
But as so many of you know, our Centre has never just been about oxygen. It is about community, friendship, and family. It is about carers finding time to breathe, and people finding peer support when they need it most. The benefits of high-dose oxygen are life-changing—but the benefits of belonging are just as powerful.
Fast forward to 2023, when our landlord—who had generously supported us for many years with peppercorn rent and utilities—told us the site was to be redeveloped. Our first reaction was, of course, “Oh my God!” swiftly followed by, “We’re doomed!” How do you move five tonnes of metal, find a new home, and start all over again? To build from scratch would have cost more than £750,000—an impossible figure.
But we do love a challenge. And we knew we had no choice but to make it happen.
Finding the right place was not easy—spaces were too small, ceilings too low, floors not strong enough.
And then, by chance, we spotted an advert at the side of the road. We followed it up—and here we are today. That was the easy part! What followed was months of planning and logistics.
Walls had to be removed to get the tank out of the old building. It was carefully rolled through neighbouring units, wheeled down the road, and installed here in its new home. Holmes Builders, with John and his brilliant team, made the impossible possible. Lynch and Stowen moved the tank with such precision and grace, and Diveline and OxySystems recommissioned it alongside our new oxygen generation system. Truly, it was DIY SOS on a local scale—and we could not be more grateful.
On top of that, we were fortunate to receive over £45,000 in grants and more than £80,000 worth of donated materials, time, and expertise. The generosity of funders, businesses, volunteers, and our wider community has been humbling. Every step of the way, our staff and trustees were there, making sure that when the inevitable “OMG moments” cropped up, they were solved, and we kept moving forward.
And so—here we are. One year later. Over 1,200 oxygen dives have already been delivered in this new home, supporting not just neurological conditions, but also people with long Covid, sports injuries, cancer-related fatigue, and many more. New friendships have formed, and the sense of community has grown stronger than ever.
But most importantly—this is only the beginning.
We are proud to be creating something truly special for our region. A service rooted in the community, run by and for local people, that will continue to provide hope, health, and support for many years to come.
So today, let us celebrate this milestone together. And let me say a huge thank you—to every grant giver, every business, every volunteer, every staff member, every trustee, and every single person who has supported us along the way. Without you, we simply wouldn’t be here.
