Project SOL is a registered charity, based in Swansea, Wales, UK. It provides Homeopathic health care free at source, to the financially and socially disadvantaged of Swansea. Volunteer homeopaths run outreach clinics on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
I started SOL as my end of course project, whilst training to become a homeopath at the Welsh School of Homeopathy. Initially we launched in Jan 2001 with three volunteer homeopaths and little or no money. We are still going today.
From 2001 to 2006 we were fortunate in that we could raise grant funding. The Big Lottery was instrumental in enabling us to set up and employ minimal staff to establish Sol as an established and well known voluntary organisation in Swansea. When this funding ran out we found other sources of income to keep us going. Unfortunately with the recent worldwide downturn, all funded charities have suffered or gone under. To our credit, we are still in there, offering the same service, albeit diminished.
SOL has delivered its free service to many local outreach projects including.
- Two Local drugs projects
- A.I.D.S project
- Homelessness projects
- Three Community centres in areas of financial deprivation.
- A family centre
- Two Women’s aid projects
- Mental Health centre.
From 2001 to 2007 SOL provided approximately 1,000 free appointments per annum to people who otherwise would not have been able to have the benefits of Homeopathy. We also calculated that our success rate with treatments was a steady 66 to 72% over this period.
SOL’s main motivation was to offer free homeopathy, but this is impossible without an element of marketing, campaigning and promotion. We were well placed and able we spread the “homeopathic word” to as many people as was possible. We conducted numerous awareness talks to the public and professionals at all levels, in the private, public, voluntary sectors and also to our partnership agencies.
- The Local Authority
- NHS
- Social Services.
SOL was the only voluntary agency invited to help set up Swansea’s, “Social Care and Well Being Strategy,” in partnership with all the above mentioned agencies.
SOL also was instrumental in helping four other groups of homeopaths in the UK, to set up their own clone or version of SOL. We were extremely proud of this. We had a basic and good idea which worked, and other people wanted to emulate us.
We ran training courses in treating drug problems which included the use of Australian Bush Flower essences and basic counselling approaches. We repeated these, as they were so successful.
SOL offers the chance for graduate homeopaths from the Welsh School of Homeopathy to join us as outreach workers, thus providing them with a ready made practice and much needed practical experience. We also provide them with supervision and all the remedies they might need.
Sol has recently set up a Trading arm “SOL Trader”, and we will shortly be operating a Low Cost Clinic in Swansea. We feel that there are people who can afford the fees of the local homeopaths and there are those who fall within the remit of SOL’s outreach clinics who cannot. In the middle, if you like, are the many folk who would try homeopathy if only it were affordable to them, and SOL Trader hopes to fill that gap. We also feel that this will not encroach on the private homeopath’s business, but will enhance the profile of Homeopathy, which is always a good idea.
We are currently trying to raise funds and have nearly reached rock bottom. Staff work for nothing but the will is still there. All donations are gratefully received.
Barry Burton (Trustee SOL) 01639 698 317 07974 120739
Gerry (SOL Co coordinator) 01792 405894
Reg. Charity 1089371
Such an inspiration!
Hi,
Recently a similar service got offered here in Brisbane, but by just one homeopath, on a voluntary basis. Unfortunately I missed the opportunity to volunteer to work with him, while I am undertaking my formal studies in homeopathy, before he seems to have given up, perhaps because the client group he was trying to work with, included mainly men who have suffered extreme traumas in the prisons. I myself have prescribed for such men, and they respond very positively to the remedies, yet are at risk of becoming more despairing about the levels of trauma they were experiencing. They need more longer term guarantees that a homeopath’s services might be able to be made available as frequently as they could need, before they will trust entering into the therapy. So I am very much concerned to become able to provide a similar service to that SOL is providing, yet as I have only practiced in an amateur way, and have no formally recognized qualifications as yet, I gather it may be more fruitful now for me to be working towards a attaining a degree, than continuing to treat the homeless in a voluntary capacity. However, I have had some very neatly effective results at treating homeless drug addicts.
Thanks for sharing the story of project SOL
Dear Rebekah,
Project SOL is a very inspiring project. It ‘s always wonderful to hear about homeopaths reaching out to the disadvantaged. Yes, perhaps it is best to further your education before taking on such a task. It’s clear your heart is in the right place. Good luck with your studies!
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