Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Canterbury

What Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Canterbury does

Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's Canterbury (MSPC) is a New Zealand charitable trust headquartered at the BrainTree Wellness Centre in Christchurch, providing specialised support services to people with Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's disease across the Canterbury region from Kaikoura to Ashburton. Established in 1962 and converted from a member-based Society to a Trust in 2022, the organisation operates with a small team of approximately 10 staff plus volunteers and serves over 900 members and their families. Core services include health and wellbeing consultations, 19 weekly specialised exercise classes (including Balance & Mobility, Parkinson's Potential, NeuroFit Circuit, and Tai Chi), 19 monthly peer support groups, education workshops and keynotes, osteopathy through a partnership with Ara Institute of Canterbury, speech and voice classes, podiatry, and administration of the Total Mobility scheme with Environment Canterbury.

The underlying technology stack is modest and operational rather than differentiated: Cliniko powers appointment booking, telehealth video consultations, and physical assessments; infoodle handles donation forms, registration forms, and pledge processing; and Google Analytics provides website tracking. Outreach is delivered through a multi-channel mix spanning the BrainTree Wellness Centre, community venues for peer support groups, telehealth for remote clients, plus Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and a monthly email newsletter. The product portfolio is rounded out by a small fertiliser fundraising marketplace and an annual charity golf tournament at Clearwater Golf Club.

The business model is a grant and donation-funded non-profit rather than a commercial revenue model. Core services are provided free of charge to members, with nominal fees applied only to specific ancillary services. More than 80% of operational funding (88% per the Fundraising Manager) is sourced from sponsors, donors, charitable trusts and foundations (including Rata Foundation, Lottery Grants Board, Lion Foundation, NZCT, Pub Charity, Mainland Foundation, Christchurch City Council), recurring giving programmes, payroll giving, and event proceeds. Customer acquisition is driven by referrals from GPs, neurologists, and other health professionals, plus word-of-mouth within the Canterbury MS and Parkinson's communities.

Name

Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Canterbury

Legal name

Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's Canterbury Charitable Trust

Website

https://mspc.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's Canterbury is a Christchurch-based charitable trust providing specialised health consultations, exercise programs, peer support, and education services to over 900 people living with MS or Parkinson's across the Canterbury region of New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Neurological Condition Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

Keywords

• Neurological condition support
• Chronic disease services
• Exercise therapy programs
• Peer support groups
• Community health services

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue source - direct donations from members, community funders, sponsors, and grants from various charitable trusts and foundations. More than 80% of operational funds come from sponsors, donors, funders, and grants.
2. Program Services Revenue: Nominal fees for specific services including gym sessions ($10-$12), speech therapy ($15), osteopathy ($10), podiatry ($55), and Total Mobility card ($35 annual fee)
3. Marketplace/Fertiliser Sales: Small e-commerce operation selling garden and lawn fertiliser products (secondary fundraising activity)
4. Regular Giving/Payroll Giving: Regular giving programs and payroll giving through IRD for ongoing donor support
5. Golf Day Event: Annual charity golf tournament at Clearwater Golf Club generating sponsorship revenue and event donations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MSPC is a charitable trust that delivers specialist health, wellbeing, exercise, peer support, education, and complementary therapy services to people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's disease in Canterbury, New Zealand. Services are delivered in person at the BrainTree Wellness Centre in Christchurch, through outreach community venues across the Canterbury region, and remotely via Telehealth using Cliniko. Core offerings include health and wellbeing consultations, specialised exercise classes and gym sessions, peer support groups, education workshops, osteopathy, speech and voice therapy, podiatry, and Total Mobility scheme assistance.

Product overview

Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's Canterbury is a charitable trust providing specialized support services for people with MS and Parkinson's in Canterbury, New Zealand. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of services centered around health and wellbeing consultations, specialized exercise programs (19 weekly sessions including Balance & Mobility, Parkinson's Potential, NeuroFit Circuit, and others), peer support groups (19 monthly meetings), education workshops and keynotes, and complementary therapies including osteopathy, speech therapy, and podiatry. Additional services include Telehealth consultations via Cliniko, Total Mobility scheme assistance for subsidized transport, and a fundraising marketplace. The organization operates from BrainTree Wellness Centre in Christchurch and has been serving the Canterbury community since 1962.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Health and Wellbeing Consultations Professional support, information, and advocacy services for people living with MS and Parkinson's, providing regular ongoing contact through phone calls, face-to-face consultations, or emails. Free of charge to members.
• Gym and Exercise Classes Specialized exercise programs including Balance & Mobility, Strong & Stable, HIT & Power, Head to Toe, Move for Life, Tai Chi, Parkinson's Potential, Parkinson's Power, NeuroFit Circuit, Open Gym, and Supported Gym sessions held at BrainTree Wellness Centre. 19 sessions delivered weekly.
• Peer Support Groups Nineteen monthly support groups for people with MS and Parkinson's and their carers/whānau, including MS-specific groups across Ashburton, Rolleston, Rangiora, and Christchurch, Parkinson's groups including Prebbleton and UPBEAT, and partner/carer support groups.
• Education and Workshops Evidence-based keynote presentations by researchers and practitioners, plus hands-on practical workshops covering topics like nutrition, driving safety, and holistic wellbeing. Content available via Facebook Live and YouTube recordings.
• Telehealth Consultations Virtual consultation and assessment service using Cliniko's secure video link, allowing clients to connect with advisors remotely using cellphone, tablet or computer with camera and internet connection.
• Osteopathy Hands-on assessment and treatment service provided in partnership with Ara Institute of Canterbury. Final year postgraduate osteopathy students provide treatment under supervision, offered Wednesdays at BrainTree. $10 per appointment.
• Speech, Voice, and Wellbeing Instructor-led class focusing on improving volume, clarity, intonation, tone, and expression through education, exercises, and practical strategies for people with MS and Parkinson's. $15 per 90-minute session, term time only.
• Total Mobility Scheme Assists eligible people with restricted mobility to access subsidised taxis (65% discount up to $40.95 per trip) and discounted bus services. MSPC handles the assessment and ECAN application process. $35 annual card fee.
• Podiatry Monthly podiatry appointments with Louise Nixon on the first Tuesday of each month (except January), subsidised by MSPC, addressing foot problems common to MS and Parkinson's conditions. $55 per appointment.
• MSPC Golf Day Annual charity golf tournament held at Clearwater Golf Club with sponsorship opportunities and fundraising auctions supporting MS and Parkinson's Canterbury services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 39% increase in newly referred clients supported by Health and Wellbeing Team
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ara Institute of CanterburycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Ara Institute of Canterbury for osteopathy services. Final year (postgraduate) osteopathy students assess and treat clients under close supervision at BrainTree Wellness Centre. Zoe Steele, senior academic staff and clinical educator at Ara, oversees the program.
• Table Tennis CanterburycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver Ping Pong MS & Parkinson's sessions. Saturdays 10-11.30am at Canterbury Table Tennis venue (294 Blenheim Road). Sessions offer movement, social connection, and wellbeing benefits through table tennis.
• Age ConcernminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Age Concern to deliver free Safe Driving courses and Life without a car courses for people with MS and Parkinson's.
• Environment Canterbury (ECAN)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFormal partnership to administer the Total Mobility Scheme. MSPC takes clients through assessment process and submits applications to ECAN for approval. ECAN covers 65% of taxi fares up to $40.95 per trip for eligible cardholders.
• MS NZ (Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand)minorOthersNational MS advocacy organisation. MSPC is affiliated but operates separately and does not receive funds from MSNZ.
• Parkinson's NZminorOthersNational Parkinson's advocacy organisation. MSPC is affiliated but operates separately and does not receive funds from Parkinson's NZ.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Parkinson Canada: Canadian national charity supporting people with Parkinson's through research funding, support groups, and education. Operates a multi-service model directly comparable to MSPC's exercise classes, peer support groups, and educational workshops for Parkinson's clients.
• MS Australia: Australian national body for MS delivering research, advocacy, and wellness services across state-based affiliates. Comparable to MSPC's role in Canterbury with similar exercise, peer support, and education programs for people with MS, operating in a different geography.
• MS Society UK: Major UK charity serving people with MS through a similar service mix of peer support, exercise, education, and grants. Operates in a different geography but uses an analogous regional-organization model with national federation for MS-specific support services.

Emerging players

• Carers NZ: National New Zealand carer advocacy and support organization serving family carers, including those caring for people with MS and Parkinson's. Overlaps with MSPC's partner/carer support groups segment but operates as a national body focused on carer rights rather than clinical support.
• Age Concern Canterbury: Regional organization serving older adults in Canterbury through information, advocacy, and social connection services. Shares the same Canterbury geography and overlapping older-adult client base as MSPC's Parkinson's services, providing complementary ageing-wellness support.

Broad incumbents

• Neurological Foundation of New Zealand: National charity funding neurological research and community support across all neurological conditions including MS and Parkinson's. Addresses an overlapping beneficiary base at a broader research and advocacy level rather than providing direct clinical services like MSPC.
• CCS Disability Action: Established New Zealand disability support and advocacy organization serving people across all disability types. A larger, broader incumbent in the same disability-services space where MSPC specializes in MS and Parkinson's specifically.
• Stroke Foundation New Zealand: National charity providing community-based rehabilitation and support services for stroke survivors, a closely related neurological condition. Uses a similar mix of community outreach, peer support, and education but focuses specifically on stroke rather than progressive neurological disease.

Direct peers

• Parkinson's New Zealand: National body for Parkinson's in New Zealand with which MSPC is formally affiliated through historical incorporation as an informal division. Both organizations provide community-based support, exercise, and education for people with Parkinson's across overlapping service areas.
• Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand (MSNZ): National body for MS in New Zealand with which MSPC is explicitly affiliated; both organizations advocate for and serve people with MS through education, support, and information services. MSPC operates as a regional implementation partner while MSNZ operates the national advocacy and member network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@msparkinsonscanterbury8736
• Facebookfacebook.com/MSParkinsons
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/multiple-sclerosis-and-parkinson%E2%80%99s-canterbury-charitable-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/msparkinsonscanterbury

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Canterbury