About Us

The Association of Massage and Manipulative Therapists Ltd.

The National Association of Massage & Manipulative Therapists is a “Not for Profit” Professional Association (NAMMT) founded by Mr. Eddie Caldwell, now retired principal of the Northern Institute of Massage, alongside other professional massage and manipulative therapists.

Aims & Objectives of NAMMT

Block Professional Indemnity Insurance

NAMMT members can take advantage off our block scheme insurance. Nowadays in this modern litigious society, it is vital to have adequate insurance whether you only treat friends or families, or have a large multi-modality clinic. Accidents can happen and as is the nature of accidents, no-one knows where, how or when it will happen. Having insurance that covers you is a requirement of full membership of NAMMT. We recommend minimum cover of £3,000,000 for Massage Therapists and £5,000,000 for Manipulative Therapists and have block insurances available through insurers.

Professional Support

Professional Associations exist primarily to support and assist their members. We can always be contacted about CPD and additional courses. If you are faced with a condition you are unsure how to treat, we recommend you contact your training school. If they are unable to advise you, then we would do our best to provide a suitable contact.

Protecting the Public

Massage is recognised by The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as a valid form of treatment for the public. However, it has yet to be validated as an option within the NHS. Frameworks for standards, qualifications etc are being acitively worked on to create a pathway into the NHS. In a growing industry, having the initials of your training school after your name is not enough. Being a full member and adding NAMMT’s designatory letters (Mass.Th.) or (Manip.Th.) after your name, shows a Professional Association has accepted you and are qualified/insured to a good standard.

Representing Professional Practitioners

NAMMT recommends displaying your membership certificate along with current qualifications in a visible, prominent position within your premises. This helps to alleviate any concerns your client/patients may have, reassuring them you are a competent, professional and registered practitioner. We also recommend that your insurance certificate is available upon request.

Meet the Committee

Sharon Chillingworth

Chair-Person

Sharon has been a member of the National Association of Massage and Manipulative Therapists (NAMMT) for a number of years, She is part time self employed as a soft tissue therapist with a varied type of clientele. Qualified at the Northern Institute of Massage in 2008 as a Remedial Massage Therapist. Sharon became Chair person of NAMMT in 2019 She also is a Executive Committee Member of the GCMT who meet several times a year.

Dianne Richardson

Dianne started her training in 1984 at the Northern Institute of Massage and qualified in Remedial Massage, Manipulative therapy, Sports therapy and massage, rehabilitation therapy , electrotherapy, manual lymphatic massage, she received the ‘Diploma of Honours’ from the Northern College of physical therapies.

She specialises in muscular skeletal conditions using deep tissue release and soft tissue massage, mobilisation and manipulative techniques to bring relief from pain and discomfort. She was also part of the tutorial team of the Northern Institute of Massage and taught pain management therapy for several years, and been Secretary of Nammt since 2008.

Dianne is also a qualified Hypnotherapist, psychotherapist counsellor and works very closely with mind body therapy, registered with the General Hypnotherapy Council as a senior qualified practitioner.

Ian Garside

Regulatory and Disciplinary Officer

Ian started his training in 2007 at the Northern Institute of Massage under the excellent guidance of Eddie Caldwell and Shaun Pennington. He qualified in Remedial Massage, Manipulative Therapy in 2009, and went on to qualify in Sports Therapy in 2010, which included Kinesiology Taping. Initially he started his clinic Healing Hands in Rossendale, Lancashire where he treated patients in his spare time as he was fully employed at a local firm as a quality manager.

On taking early retirement in late 2013 he and his wife moved to Ibstock in Leicestershire where he now practices, having a treatment room in the local business centre. He is constantly busy as the demand for his skills has increased over the years. He also works one afternoon a week for a local charity ‘Bright Hope’, treating their guests. In 2016, having suffered a severe attack of sciatica, he developed the ‘Sciatic Pain Relief Cushion’ which is now being sold internationally. During lock-down he qualified as a seated exercise instructor and now runs two classes per week at the local community centre in Ibstock.

Pauline Matthews

Continuing Professional Development, Research and CPD Auditor

My career started in General Nursing when I qualified as a State Registered Nurse in 1975 at Leeds General Infirmary, moving eventually to Burnley General Hospital where I did my clinical practice for several years before entering the world of teaching. I worked as a Clinical Nurse Teacher and eventually on entering Higher Education in 1992, I became the Course Leader for General Nursing at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) My interest in Complementary Medicine allowed me to pursue a degree pathway for therapists and by the late 1990s I took on the role as course leader fora Complementary Medicine Degree.

I qualified as a Remedial Massage Therapist in 1988 at the Northern Institute of Massage (NIM) in Blackpool prior to its move to Bury under new directorship. I didn’t practise full time but by late 1990 was able to integrate my knowledge and skill into a degree pathway at UCLAN and a partnership was created with NIM.

Working with the Principal of NIM Eddie Caldwell and other therapists, we created a new Professional Organisation in 2007 called the National Association of Massage and Manipulative Therapists (NAMMT). During its existence I have been the Continuing Professional Development Officer for NAMMT .

I retired from Nursing and Teaching in 2011 and now practice Remedial Massage part time. I enjoy my role as CPD officer for NAMMT which is a voluntary post involving committee work, audit, and membership support.

Michael Berry

Treasurer

Previously worked in Management Accountancy, trained and qualified in Remedial Massage (Northern Institute of Massage). Clinic: Colne, Lancashire.

Vicky Prichard

Membership Secretary

Vicky has been Dianne’s receptionist for the last 14 years working part time, and is also the Membership Secretary for Nammt as a support member.

Sophie Chillingsworth

Minutes Secretary and Website Manager

Sophie has been with Nammt for 6 years and is responsible for minute taking and for website management.

Avelino Manuel

Support Member

Mr Avelino Manuel It is an Advanced Remedial Massage therapist, trained at the Northern Institute of Massage in Bury. He holds also a BSc (Ost) qualification and background training in Osteopathy (2000), and BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences in (2006). my message for members are, that I am delighted to be a member of team and I am here to learn and help to our organisation to support our members and move forward at this time that massage therapy and complementary therapies it is gaining considerable scientific recognition worldwide.