Support in your community comes in many forms, from informal support from friends, neighbours and local groups through to support provided by a variety of organisations. Many organisations providing localised help are charities.
Research by the Charity Commission in 2014 showed that 40 percent of people said that they had benefited from or used the services of a charity in the last year. Since then, it feels that this trend towards community-based support has continued with a huge growth in charitable support during the pandemic. There are well over 160,000 charities in the UK. The largest sector of charitable activity is the provision of ‘social services’, and ‘culture and recreation’. The charity and voluntary sector are increasingly involved in delivering services and support that, in the past, may have been provided by the public sector (for example working to reduce loneliness and isolation).
Research by the Charity Commission in 2014 showed that 40 percent of people said that they had benefited from or used the services of a charity. Since then, it feels that this trend towards community-based support has continued with a huge growth in charitable support during the pandemic. There are well over 160,000 charities in the UK, with most of these being smaller charities, and in the past decade there have been approximately 5000 new charities registered in the UK per annum.
The largest sectors of charitable activity are the provision of ‘social services’ and ‘culture and recreation’. The charity and voluntary sector are increasingly involved in delivering services and support that, in the past, may have been provided by the public sector. For example working to reduce loneliness and isolation.
If you feel you need support, whether it is to reduce isolation, increase your activity, explore an interest, get help with applying for state benefits, or participate in your community there are likely to be organisations in your locality to help.
There are over 50 neuro therapy centres scattered across the UK. Each of these are individual, independent charities with a shared ethos of ‘self-help is our way of action’. They provide access to many different types of therapies, services and other support that people with neurological conditions such as MS may find beneficial.
Each therapy centre is a charity in its own right, and their existence depends on funding, which is usually provided by means of individual donations, fundraising efforts, plus service user and membership fees. The level of funding and available resources for each centre can differ substantially, hence the range of services, events and therapies each one offers can vary greatly.
The Neuro Therapy Network (NTN) is a membership organisation that supports these therapy centres and their website hosts a useful ‘find a centre’ function on its website to help you find your nearest therapy centre.
Not all therapy centres are part of the NTN network and these can be found via internet search engines using keywords and terms such as ‘MS/neuro therapy centres near me’.
There may well be independent support groups near you too, like the ‘Farnborough MS Support and Therapy Group’ in Hampshire, ‘the ‘Aberdeen Independent Multiple Sclerosis (AIMS) charity in and around the Aberdeenshire area or ‘MS Peoples Help’ who have a charity shop and support people with aids, ramps, gardening and handy person jobs in the Bristol area.
The MS Research and Relief Fund provides support across the Northeast of England. They have a centre with an exercise suite and work in a outreach capacity across many towns in the region. They also offer small grants that are available to people with MS around the UK.
Revive MS Support is based just outside Glasgow and provides a wealth of support to people living with MS in Scotland. They provide a range of complementary therapies as well as physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and their own MS nurse.
The MS Society has many local groups covering most districts and regions of the UK. They have a useful find ‘local support’ function on their website which can link you to your local group and show you the support that they offer.
‘MS Together’ is a voluntary organisation that aims to help young people with MS get the support they need and connect with others. They are a support group for people aged 18-35 living with MS in the UK. MS Together have over 600 members who are active in their social media community, they have informal WhatsApp group chats, and provide volunteer led one-one-support.
Sometimes it is good to be connected to supportive organisations and groups in your area. They can help with practical and emotional issues, as well as helping you to have an active presence in your own community. Being included and participating in local groups and activities can help to reduce loneliness and isolation.
Mind is a national charity supporting people affected by mental health issues. There are also around 125 local Mind charities providing support in local communities across England and Wales. Local Mind services can include support groups, talking therapies, 1:1 support and more. To see if there is a local mind in your area you can use the ‘local Minds’ tool on their website.
Mind is a national charity supporting people affected by mental health issues. There are also around 100 local Mind charities providing support in local communities across England and Wales. Local Mind services can include support groups, talking therapies, one to one support and more. To see if there is a local mind in your area you can use the ‘local Minds’ tool on their website.
The Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) is a national charity supporting people with mental health issues and they work in over 60 communities across Scotland. They provide an array of support designed to help foster better mental wellbeing. You can use their website to find out if there is support from SAMH in your community.
There are more than 125 local Age UK charities across England, which, along with Age Scotland, Age Cymru, and Age NI formulate a wide network of services and support covering the whole UK.
Some of the services these charities provide can be aimed at different age groups, with most being available to people aged 60 and over. They can offer services such as home help, befriending, toenail cutting, social groups, handy person services and more. Some of these services will have a charge.
The Age UK and Age Cymru websites provide a handy ‘In your area’ function which will help you find source local support available around England and Wales.
For family or unpaid carers, the Carers Trust have a network of over 120 partner grass roots charities that can help family carers access grants, support groups, carer wellbeing initiatives and more. They have a ‘carer services near you’ webpage to help source local support.
Citizens Advice provide bespoke advice tailored to each of the home nations. You can use the Search for your local Citizens Advice tool to find your local centre if you live in England and Wales. If you live in Northern Ireland the list of branches and opening times can be found on their ‘get advice in Northern Ireland’ webpage and if you are in Scotland on their ‘Advice for Scotland’ page. Citizens Advice services can help with benefits, housing, navigating health services, consumer rights and much more.
There are often local ‘association of voluntary services’, ‘council for voluntary services’ or similarly named organisations that support districts, boroughs, or regional charitable infrastructure. These charities are usually membership organisations, and increasingly not only do they provide support for small local charities but they offer direct services themselves. These ‘hub’ charities will usually have directories of small and hyperlocal charities and community groups.
In England, most of these local charities are members of the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA). NAVCA have a useful interactive map on their ‘find a member’ webpage to help you source your local charitable organisation supporting your local voluntary sector.
The Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NIVCA) is a membership body for the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland. They have a range of websites including ‘Community NI’ which is a large community and voluntary services directory covering Norther Ireland.
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is the membership organisation for the voluntary sector in Scotland. They have over 2,700 member organisations made up of social enterprises, charities and voluntary groups. They have a ‘member directory’ to help you find charitable organisations in Scotland.
In Wales the membership organisation for the voluntary sector is the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA).Their website does not offer a member directory, however they may be able to signpost you to local members upon request. The website of Volunteering Wales offers a search facility that will help you find local voluntary organisations.
‘Good Neighbour’ schemes are run by volunteers who give support to local residents who may need help on an occasional or regular basis. Although each charity is individual to its community, broadly they can help with things like picking up prescriptions, transport to appointments, befriending and social inclusion. There are good neighbour projects dotted up and down the UK. There may be one where you live. Examples of good neighbour schemes in action are Suffolk, Hampshire, Cardiff, Tyneside and Cragshill near Edinburgh.
Each individual community is different, with varied needs, so it is only right that each community develops and leads their own community initiatives. There are some great projects out there, it can be a case of finding them and working out how you can make the most of them.
There are many activities funded by local authorities and health services, based in community settings. They can range from exercise referrals, ‘knit and natter’ groups, community cafes and much more. They should be as individual as the community they service. Your local NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) or health board will have a newsletter or other ways of engaging with patients and the public. You can find your local CCG by using the NHS website.
Living with MS can mean that it can be more challenging to live an active lifestyle. ‘Health walks’ are a low impact exercise option and are run by trained walk leaders who are volunteers that can give help and make sure no one gets left behind. They are usually inclusive and accessible to people with a variety of mobility needs.
The Ramblers ‘Wellbeing Walk’ is England’s largest network of health walks with over 360 active walking schemes. You can use the page on their website to find a walk.
‘Paths for all’ is a Scottish charity that is working towards a healthier and greener Scotland by promoting walks for health in every local authority area. You can find health walk projects in your area by using their website search facility.
‘West Wales Walking for Wellbeing’ is a scheme that provides accessible walking opportunities for people living in communities across West Wales. There are similar local schemes dotted around Wales such as ‘Walking with friends’
‘Walking in Your Community’ is a scheme to encourage people throughout Northern Ireland to get walking. As these walking groups are set across a variety of locations and geographical areas, it is a good idea to find out first if they are suitable for any mobility restrictions you may have.
‘Men’s Sheds’ are community spaces for men to come together and share skills and knowledge. The activities tend to be group activities and community projects for men to enjoy together. Men’s Sheds help reduce loneliness and isolation, give a purpose and help older and vulnerable men to have a community presence.
Since they were founded in 2013 the number of sheds around the UK has grown year by year, and in 2023 there are over 900 sheds. There may well be one near you. You can use the Men’s Sheds association’s ‘find a shed’ function on their website to find your nearest one.
If gardening, horticulture and animal care is something that interests you and would help your wellbeing, then it would be worth exploring to see if there is a social farm, care farm or community horticultural project in your area. ‘Social Farms and Gardens’ is a charity working across the UK supporting communities to farm, garden and grow together. They have an interactive map that will help you source a project in your locality.
There are undoubtedly more and varied groups and organisations supporting people in their communities. If you want to find out about what may be available where you live, you could talk to your local councillor, check noticeboards, local Facebook pages and other social media.
If you know of community based supportive organisations that you think could be useful to others, please get in touch.
There are many factors that can affect people’s overall health and wellbeing. NHS services found that sometimes part of the root cause for health problems, such as anxiety, were connected to social issues like loneliness or lack of opportunity to connect with others.
‘Social prescribing’ is a way of connecting people to practical and emotional community support. The support staff are sometimes called ‘link workers’, ‘community navigators’ or ’support brokers’. The workers and partner organisations are often based in or linked to GP practices and accept referrals from professionals and the public.
The National Academy for Social Prescribing has some useful information on their website, including their ‘What is Social Perscribing?’ page that provides a clear summary of what it offers, including link to evidence based research that underpins its benefits.
There are social prescription services based around the UK. Contact your GP practice to ask if they offer the service or speak to our helpline team who will be happy to find out if and how you can access social prescribing in your area.
‘Village agents’ or ‘community agents’ are services that are often run by partnership organisations in rural areas and frequently work in tandem with social prescribing services. Their aim is to help people in rural communities by providing trusted information, support and signposting to promote better health, wellbeing and independence.
They usually employ local people with a solid knowledge of the community, and can provide one-to-one help if it is needed. These services are not nationally available but are becoming more common. Essex, Somerset and Sussex are examples of where these services work well. There may well be something similar in your area.
If you need help finding out if there is support in your area, please feel free to contact the MS-UK helpline. Our small team can talk to you about your needs, interests and aims and support you with a ‘community map’ of local groups and organisations that you may find helpful. Not all services or groups are available in each area, but most communities have resources that can be tapped into.
We also offer a variety of online activities that are designed to help people affected by MS to stay active, connect with others and live happier and healthier lives. Activities include peer support groups, exercise sessions, mindfulness courses, chair yoga classes, information sessions and workshops.
To get involved, please visit our website or email register@ms-uk.org.
