Russ Ritchie-Haydn, Owner, RH Sports Massage: "In my mind I don't go to work anymore." Picture: Dorset Biz News.
Published: October 30, 2020 | Updated: 31st October 2020
Russ Ritchie-Haydn is the first to admit that he’s not exactly lucky when it comes to timing.
The former soldier qualified as a sports massage therapist in May 2019 after several years figuring out his career path after leaving the armed forces.
He did massages in the evening and weekends while working full-time at REIDSteel in Christchurch.
Last August, Russ made the big jump and launched his own business, RH Sports Massage.
Two months later he took a unit at BizSpace Christchurch.
“I was absolutely flying. Business was very good,” said Russ, 32.
Then, like so many, he was knocked for six when lockdown was implemented on March 23.
Given the nature of his business Russ was unable to work until July 4.
And because he had only been self-employed since August 2019 he failed to qualify for any financial help from the government.
Meanwhile, and to add to the pressure, his wife, Morgan, 30, was five months pregnant.
Russ said: “I fell through every crack going and wasn’t eligible for anything.
“We had to live off one income for 16 weeks.
“I had all that time off but when my son, Gunnar, was born on July 22, I had to be back at work the following day.
“My timing is not exactly brilliant.”
So after a tough time, perhaps the former infantry man with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment – merged in 2007 into The Rifles – regrets going it alone?
No way.
“I absolutely love it,” he said.
“I feel incredibly fortunate that I get paid to do what I enjoy.”
Russ, who also has a daughter, Isabelle, eight, from a previous relationship, spent six years in the army after joining at the age of 16.
He served in Iraq and Afghanistan and credits the army with, in his words, “knocking me into shape.”
Russ said: “It gave me my work ethic and also made me old before my time.
“But I’d recommend it to any youngster unsure of what to do.
“It can set you up for life.
“I was very into physical fitness, including powerlifting.
“It was after a shoulder injury, and while I was having massage, that I thought to myself: ‘I can do this’.”
Treatments offered by RH Sports Massage include:
Since returning to work, Russ said his business had returned to previous levels with about 95 per cent of previous clients returning.
“My clients range in age from 15 to their late 70’s and come from afar as Salisbury and Portsmouth.
“The vast number are through word of mouth.
“Stress is a massive trigger for many of the conditions I see.
“It’s very satisfying work and so good to help people who are sometimes in a lot of pain.”
Russ said while he planned to expand the business by offering new services he had no ambitions to employ lots of staff.
“I live within a few minutes of where I work and feel that I have everything I need.
“I never look back in life but I have absolutely no doubt that, however difficult this year may have been, I made the right decision to become a sports massage therapist.
“In my mind I don’t go to work anymore.”
