A LIFELINE has been thrown to Devon's only free homoeopathic clinic based at Okehampton — but organisers say the money has only just come in time.

Okehampton and District Homoeopathic Group was presented with a cheque for £6,000 by the British Homoeopathic Association at a seminar in Exeter recently.

Anita Sturton, chairman, said: 'The cheque only just saved our lives. The BHA has been our main supporter each year — unless we can make the rest of the money up by fundraising we are in trouble.

'We were at the bottom line when we received the cheque.'

The grant is put towards running the weekly Free Homoeopathic Clinic at the Riverside Centre Hospital — a service used by hundreds of people from Devon and further afield.

'Last year the BHA gave us £5,000, so we weren't really expecting we would get so much. We are delighted, we urgently need it,' said Mrs Sturton.

The Wednesday clinic consultations are free and open to patients throughout the whole of the county. Treatment is also provided free to children and those on income support — the clinic asks for contributions of £2.50 from other patients.

'We are desperately applying for grants and obviously have applied to the health authorities.

'We are at the point where we are struggling,' Mrs Sturton said.

The group has applied for charity status which it hopes will open new funding avenues — it would also like to hear from anyone who could help in a support role, whether financial, managerial or legal.

'The clinic is a service provider, we are not a support group. We raise funds to pay the doctors

'If there is no money — there is no service,' said Mrs Sturton.

'Most people can't afford to pay for treatment. This is a rural, deprived area and we feel we have been supporting the health service during the time we have been holding the clinics.'

The group has to pay £2,000 a year to pay for doctors, an appointments clerk and the facilities at the hospital — but constant fundraising is needed to survive.

Mrs Sturton said homoeopathy has been part of the NHS since 1950 — something she described as 'the best kept secret in the country'.

There are NHS hospitals and clinics elsewhere in the country but none in this area.

'Devon had nothing at all until we provided this service — we have a three-month waiting list for self-referrals.'

She thanked everyone who supported the clinic's fundraising activities — for example, a recent coffee morning in Okehampton's Charter Hall raised £220.48.

Julie Neville, of North Devon and Exeter Health Authority, said it was 'unlikely' the authority would invest in homoeopathy unless there was 'clear national backing' to do so.

She said she had written to Mrs Sturton to inform her of the position.

l Fundraising events for the clinic include a Reiki demonstration at the Riverside Centre next Thursday, and a cheese and wine evening and draw on August 26. The group will also have a stand at Okehampton Show.

Appointments for the clinic can be obtained by calling 01837 52231 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Patients are encouraged to ask for referral by their GP — priority is given to children and GP referrals.