A BUSINESSWOMAN who implemented and evaluated the effects of short regular massage sessions in a Kidderminster school has been recognised for her achievements.

Donna Davis, of Kidderminster-based Go Wellbeing, which encourages health and wellbe - ing in the workplace, has won a national excellence award for her research into the benefits of the Massage in Schools Pro - gramme (MISP), which gives children skills to deliver massage techniques to each other.

Ms Davis was commissioned by the Massage in Schools Association (MISA) to implement and evaluate the effects of short regular massage sessions at Franche Primary School.

The published research provided vital facts and figures to encourage more schools to consider peer massage. There are now around 4,000 trained instructors in the UK and between them they have introduced massage to about 2,500 schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

“The importance of massage should never be underestimated,”Ms Davis said