Supporting The Forward Trust on International Women’s Day ’23

To celebrate International Women’s Day, The Forward Trust invited a group of women to come together and commemorate this day of awareness with an event that took place on Wednesday 8th March 2023. The main theme of this year’s campaign was #EmbraceEquity, which championed the idea that variable social, racial and economic backgrounds change the specific needs of each individual when pursuing equality.

With a wide range of guest speakers and contributors, attendees enjoyed a variety of theoretical and practical seminars throughout the day. To support this wonderful event and the theme that powered this year’s International Women’s Day, CCMUK partners gifted three assortments of different functional herbal teas for the participants to enjoy. As a regular supplier to The Forward Trust, this was an example of how to deepen pre-existing professional bonds and contribute to the betterment of society in a tangible way.

Ukrainian Support Project

The Ukrainian Support Project, founded by acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist, Suzanne Reid, and supported by CCMUK partners for clinical supplies, School of Meditation providing the location, NADA-GB and a grant by World Medicine, is a free, community-style volunteer-run acupuncture clinic that has provided trauma relief for Ukrainian refugees in London since its inception May 2022.

It is based in West and South London and has worked with over 600 child and adult refugees. The grant from World Medicine, enabled seven of the refugees to be trained, qualify and become insured practitioners and help their fellow refugees.

The treatment for each refugee consists of a series of six+ sessions where they come together in a safe, calm, caring space, are seated in a circle of up to 10 people and receive ear acupuncture for 30 min using up to five points in each ear using pre-packaged, sterilized, disposable needles or ear seeds provided by CCMUK partners.

Working with Iceni Ipswich

Iceni is a charity that operates in Ipswich in the UK, supporting families who have been affected by addiction. They offer counselling, family therapy, play therapy, and other interventions such as group work, which is approached holistically with each family and tailored to their specific needs.

Acupuncture is the thread that runs through many of their treatments, and as such, high-quality acupuncture needles are imperative – CCMUK partners are honoured to have provided this equipment on a number of occasions (most recently in 2022) free of charge.

Supporting ICOM’s Trip to Burma

In 2018, CCMUK partners donated a set of acupuncture supplies to the International College of Oriental Medicine (ICOM) in anticipation of their annual trip to Burma. These yearly visits have ICOM operating a free clinic for the Wachet Jivitanda Sangha Hospital in Myanmar, an institution which offers medical care at zero cost to members of the public.

Our partners contributed to a donation package that totaled 70,000 needles, which helped to treat over 1200 patients across a three-week span. 

Animals Asia

Animals Asia is a foundation dedicated to disrupting certain immoral practises that endanger animal welfare. Officially founded in 1998, the team, led by founder and CEO Jill Robinson MBE, have been rescuing bears and other animals since 1994, and have multiple award-winning sanctuaries in Vietnam and China. 

In 2018, CCMUK partners established a partnership with the charity, embarking on a fundraising campaign that raised thousands of pounds, reinforcing their professional stance that Chinese medicine should never involve animal cruelty at any stage.

Grenfell Tower Tragedy

In 2017, CCMUK partners responded to the horrifying Grenfell Tower tragedy by donating a variety of acupuncture tools, including needles, ear seeds, ear press tacks, sharps bins, cotton wool balls and alcohol wipes. They sent out a call for further donations from their clients, pledging to match the amount of every contribution.

Assisting Local Food Banks

In the run-up to Christmas 2017, CCMUK partners sought to provide relief to the estimated thirteen million people that live below the poverty line in the UK. Donating three large boxes of food to their local food bank, they ensured that the festive season was slightly less stressful for several struggling families.