THE new Health and Wellbeing Centre was officially opened at Dumfries House yesterday by Prince Charles.

The centre will form the new home of The Prince’s Foundation’s Integrated He alth a nd We llbe i ng programme which is run in partnership with local GPs and champions traditional technique, healthy-eating and healing the mind and body as a whole.

More than 100 guests, including health professionals from Cumnock and Doon Valley and previous beneficiaries of health and wellbeing programme, attended the opening of the new facility, which will offer a wide range of complementary therapies to help participants.

Carolyn Paton, health and wellbeing co-ordinator, felt the new facility would enhance the work being done.

She said: “We’re delighted today.

“This is a dedicated space for us to run our health programmes which have been running for the past couple of years for people who live in the local communities.

“The feedback has been really positive.

“People have been happy to embrace different ways of managing their own health and take up new techniques where they find a benefitfrom them.”

New Cumnock GP Angelina Panico met some of her patients at the opening and was delighted to see the impact the service has.

She said: “We’ve referred a number of patients over the pastfew years and it has been hugely successful.

“It looks at factors that people can take on themselves, lifestyle changes like exercise and managing their mental health.

“The service offers over a period of time - six weeks or 12 weeks - so their is some longevity and after the course is complete, patients aren’t just left.

“They are offered follow-ups and they are taught skills that should be implemented for the rest of their lives and manage their condition.”