Just three years after quitting her teaching job to set up her Mersey massage therapy venture, Sara MacLaren is now working internationally and counts a top British sportsman as one of her clients. Tony McDonough reports
Just three years after quitting teaching to go full time as a sports therapist Sara MacLaren is receiving national and international acclaim.
Sara, who lives in Rainhill, runs MacLaren Massage & Therapy (MMT). She promotes her business largely through Treatwell, the popular online platform that allows customers to book beauty, hair and wellness appointments nationwide.
She offers massage therapy to athletes at a gym in Widnes while offering treatments to the general public from her own clinic in Prescot.
Positive feedback from numerous clients has led to Sara receiving a prestigious ‘Top Rated Account’ status from Treatwell for 2025. While she’s making waves in Merseyside, Sara’s talents are also being recognised further afield.
England and Yorkshire cricket superstar Joe Root now figures among her clientele and Sara has just undertaken an international assignment.
She was signed up as official therapist to the 2025 WR Versa Challenge, a World Indoor Rowing event held in Singapore as part of the country’s urban sports and fitness festival organised by Sports Singapore in November.
Sara was brought to the attention of festival organisers when she attended the World Indoor Rowing Championships in Prague last year as sports therapist to the Great Britain team.
“Competitors from other teams came to me for advice and massage therapy during the competition and the organisers subsequently approached me to ask if I would attend in 2025 as the official therapist to the Versa Challenge event in Singapore,” she said.
“It’s pretty crazy – I can’t believe how the little business I started from an attic above my auntie’s shop in Huyton three years ago has become so popular.”
Aged 17, Sara, who was born in Huyton, originally studied for her Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist qualification at Knowsley Community College. She went to night college to complete her Level 4 qualification while working full time as a sports apprentice.
A keen sports fan, Sara added: “I have always played and competed in sport, and I came across many athletes and friends who suffered setbacks due to injuries.”
Her career path initially focused on teaching sport, sports therapy and health care to students. The day job saw her teaching 16-19 year-old college students while she ran evening adult classes.
Her auntie, who owns Heatherington’s Home and Gifts, which was based on Huyton Industrial Estate at the time, let Sara take space above the shop for appointments.
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Within months she started therapy sessions at TransFIT Gym in Widnes and also opened her own treatment rooms in Prescot where she also provides therapy sessions for pregnant women and cancer sufferers.
Sara explained: “Treatments differ from one client to another. I provide maintenance appointments, recovery treatments, pre-event and post-event massage and I help with injury management.
“In addition to sports massages, I also provide treatments that help with general health and lifestyle, such as lymphatic massages.”