AN ARCHAEOLOGIST turned therapist from Brentwood has been inundated with bookings for massage treatments at bargain prices...all in aid of a local hospice.

Sarah Newton, 33, offered to give up 50 hours of her clinic time on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays over the next three months to offer massages at just £10 each with the target of raising £500 for Saint Francis Hospice.

Within a few hours of the offer being promoted on the hospice Facebook site all the massages were snapped up.

Sarah said: "I came into contact with Saint Francis Hospice when I moved to Brentwood a few years ago and was so impressed with the incredible things they do.

"So I volunteered at a few of their indulgence evenings and got involved with providing massages to people taking part in their Star Walk event in 2013. I use only organic products from Neal’s Yard Remedies so they are especially good for massaging people who need to avoid toxins."

Sarah is trained to BTEC level four in massage therapy, the highest level possible but wasn’t expecting to be in this line of work when she left school.

She added: "I was originally an archaeologist, and then went into marketing, but I really wanted to find a job where I could help people and running my own business, Edge of Eden, allows me to do that. I’m a firm believer in the healing power of touch."

Sarah runs her business from treatment rooms above the Five Elements shop in Kings Road Brentwood. Keith Swift the co-owner of Five Elements said: "Sarah’s offer was so generous so I’m not surprised the massages were snapped up. The great thing is that all the money is going to a charity that does so much good for local people."

Heather Cameron from the fundraising team at Saint Francis Hospice said: "We’re so grateful to Sarah for donating her time to raise this money for our services. Thanks to the efforts of Sarah and many other local people like here we are help to help around 4,000 people each year affected by a life-limiting illness at no cost to those patients, families or carers."

To find out more about the hospice visit www.sfh.org.uk.

To find out more about Sarah’s business go to www.edgeofeden.co.uk.