AN innovative 'leg club' which is the first of its kind in Dorset has picked up four major awards for their work.

The Adam Practice’s ‘Best Foot Forward’ Leg Club is receiving national recognition for changing the lives of hundreds of people.

The club, which provides clinical and holistic care to those with long-term lower limb conditions, saw clinical lead, Clare Mechen, win the prestigious lifetime title of Queen’s Nurse, and chair Hayley Maybey has been named a 'Local Hero’.

Other accolades for the club include a national ‘volunteers of the year’ award and the nurses were named the country’s ‘best clinical care team.’

Clare said: “We are, of course, delighted that the club is receiving such fabulous recognition.

“However, our biggest reward is seeing the profound, life changing impact our services have on our members.

“Our members, many of whom live very isolated lives, have been able to get out, make new friends, re-ignite their self-esteem and heal much more quickly.

“This is more than just providing a clinical service, we look after a person’s whole well-being and our evidence shows it is working.”

Set up two years ago by The Adam Practice – which serves 32,000 patients across Poole, Hamworthy, Upton and Lytchett Matravers – the ‘Best Foot Forward’ Leg Club provides clinical and social support for people who have hard-to-heal leg and foot problems.

In its early days it operated from a small church room but today it has more than 350 members who meet weekly at the Royal British Legion Club in Upton.

Before the club was formed, patients suffering from conditions such as cellulitis, ulceration or eczema would either visit their GP surgery for regular treatment or receive visits from a district nurse.

Now those suffering with leg and feet conditions receive their treatment from nurses at the club while also benefitting from weekly and special social activities run by the volunteers.

The nursing team’s clinical recognition came in the annual General Practice Awards.

Anyone interested in helping the club as a volunteer or raise funds can email TheAdam.Practice@dorset.nhs.uk, or call 01202 679234.