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'CONTACT' SUPPORT GROUP - 'Contact' Hydrotherapy Group

'Contact' is a local Hamilton support group, which was formed in 1978, by a Doctor Rose at Waikato Hospital, to give support to arthritis sufferers. It was then called the Hamilton Arthritics Support Group and, for the first year, met in a room in the hospital. It soon became very popular and the room became too small. For some time, further meetings were held in members' private houses. Eventually people with other disabilities, including mental, began to join and larger premises had to be found. The group soon lost the 'Arthritics' tag and has been known as the Hamilton Support Group ever since.

'Contact' meets on a regular basis, once every month, with visiting speakers, talking on a variety of health issues and giving advice and guidance. Three or four times a year, 'Contact' also hires entertainers, which makes a change from continually receiving information. Other social events like a mid-winter pot luck lunch and a Christmas luncheon are organised for members to enjoy. A monthly newsletter is also produced. With the help of willing volunteers, this is all achieved on a very low budget.

'Contact' also has a group of members, who visit a small private swimming pool, on a weekly basis, and have done so for the past 20 years, to enable them to perform exercises in warm water. This pool has the temperature raised to about 35 deg C. This group is called the 'Contact' Hydrotherapy Group. It was members of this group that were instrumental in forming the Hamilton Hydrotherapy Pool Charitable Trust.