News: May 2009
MS Society Respite Care Review
The MS Society is currently undertaking a UK wide review of respite care. To help make sure we get a true picture of what people affected by MS need and want from respite care, we've put together a survey. It's available for people with MS, their families and carers and opens on 1 June.Find out more>>
As part of the wide-ranging review of respite care that the MS Society is currently undertaking, we will be hosting two focus groups in Wales.
We will be asking participants to give their opinions of what respite care needs they have now or may have in the future and their preference regarding how these services should be made available.
The focus groups will be held on:
Wednesday 24 June 2009 at St. Mellons Hotel in Castleton, Cardiff
(This focus group is for people with MS)
Wednesday 1 July 2009 at Ramada Jarvis Swansea
(This focus group is for carers of people with MS)
For more details, please contact Li Ang on 029 20 786676 or email Li Ang.
MS Cymru 'Dare Devils' take to the skies!
MS Cymru’s first ever sky dive events, held over the May bank holiday weekend, couldn’t have gone better with 41 sky divers, great weather and loads of friends and family supporting. The South Wales dive at Swansea Skydive Centre event attracted 18 jumpers and around 50 spectators on Saturday and 11 jumpers and around 40 spectators on Sunday. The North Wales event at Whitchurch Airfield, led by Helen Williams, attracted 12 jumpers and throngs of supporters.
Projected income for the events currently stands at between £10,000 - £15,000. A huge success, the MS Skydives will become an annual fundraising event during MS Week.
May 2009
Ian Williams wins Fundraiser of the Year
A Pontypool man, Ian Williams, won the title of Fundraiser of the Year at the MS Society’s UK awards ceremony on 1st May 2009.Ian Williams has inspired people with MS in South Wales through his fundraising efforts, including zipsliding off Newport Transporter Bridge and skydiving.
Ian and friends raised £5,000 for MS Society Cymru in 2008 and their collective efforts in the run up to the 2009 skydive is likely to raise approximately £10,000.
Ian commented on the MS Society Awards ceremony and how he felt to receive his award: "The whole event was a credit to the society and was a resounding success. I was totally shocked when my name was read out, how I didn't burst into tears I will never know! I feel so proud and privileged to be 'MS Fundraiser of the year' and I will defiantly use this to spur me on to bigger things. I will cherish this award forever."
Read more about the MS Society Awards.
May 2009
MS Cymru Annual Awards: Let’s celebrate the stars of the MS community in Wales!
2009 sees the launch of the MS Society Cymru Awards!The awards will recognise and celebrate individuals and groups, volunteers and professionals, from across the MS community who are making a real difference to the lives of people affected by MS in Wales.
Do you know someone who deserves an MS Cymru award?
Find out more
May 2009
Raffle Prizes Required!
Do you work for a company that would be willing to donate a few items or experiences for our raffle prizes this year? We have a few events coming up and raffles are a great way to boost the income from the day.We’re looking for anything from chocolates and alcoholic tipples to balloon rides and holidays!
If you have any ideas or could point us in the right direction, please contact Iestyn Evans, Fundraiser, on 029 2078 6676 or email Iestyn Evans
May 2009
Lisvane lady, Lucy-Ann, leaves others trailing as she raises £11,000 for MS Society
Lucy-Ann Jones from Lisvane, Cardiff, raised a massive £11,000 sponsorship to run the London Marathon for the MS Society Cymru.Lucy-Ann was inspired to run the race by her three sisters. Selena Jones and Emily Daly are both living with Multiple Sclerosis, whilst Sophie Cunningham is living with Crohn’s Disease.
Lucy-Ann set out to raise as much sponsorship as possible for her marathon and was one of the most successful MS Society fundraisers who entered the Marathon. The whole family roped in friends, extended family and colleagues to help raise money, and they held fundraising events such as a gig at UWIC.
Throughout the build up to the race and afterwards, Lucy-Ann was always modest about her achievement. She said, "I have the easy job, My sisters run a marathon every day of their lives."
The £11,000 raised by Lucy-Ann Jones and her sisters will make a real difference to people with Multiple Sclerosis right here in Wales.
A spokesperson for MS Society Cymru added, "Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic neurological condition and at the moment there is no cure. But money raised by people like Lucy-Ann Jones is used to support research into new treatments and therapies, and helps MS Society Cymru campaign for better diagnosis and cares for people with Multiple Sclerosis here."
May 2009
Penarth runners complete desert race
Three running enthusiasts, David Lerway and Rob Leering from Penarth and Ifty Kahn from Cardiff, recently completed a gruelling 250km foot race in Namibia, South West Africa raising over £4,000 for the MS Society.The race took place between 22nd and 26th of February this year and was limited in the number of competitors for ecological reasons. This event was described as an "ultimate running adventure" comprising five stages of high endurance running over five days that is, an average of 42km a day. They carried their own supplies and ran through the sand dunes of the Sossusvlei that are often referred to as the highest in the world, some being 300m high, and described as one of the most spectacular sights in Namibia.
To reach their £4,000 target, David, Rob and Ifty approached friends, family members, colleagues and local businesses for sponsorship.
David Lerway said, "The support we had from out friends and family was unbelievable, and it was brilliant to raise so much money. The Nambian Desert felt like a different world compared to South Wales, but we finished the race and survived to tell the story."
A spokesperson for MS Society Cymru, added, "David, Ron and Ifty have been an inspiration to us all. Running a marathon is hard, but these three ran the equivalent of a marathon through sand, every day, for six days. MS Society Cymru depends on people raising money from marathons, bungeejumps, skydiving and other challenging events, and we would urge as many people as possible to sponsor them."
David, Rob and Ifty were inspired to raise money for MS Society Cymru after David’s father was diagnosed with the condition in 1980.
May 2009
Marathon Man raises over £2,000 for the MS Society
Craig Jones from Treharris has raised over £2,000 in sponsorship for the MS Society for running the recent London Marathon.A close family friend of Craig’s, Dawn Williams, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) 10 years ago. MS is a chronic neurological condition with vary symptoms that can include blindness, and loss of movement and feeling in different parts of the body.
Craig Jones decided to run the London Marathon to raise money for his local MS Society branch, Rhondda Cynon Taff (which included RCT and Merthyr Tydfil). The money will help the local MS Society provide advice, support and grants to people living with Multiple Sclerosis in Rhondda Cynon Taff and Merthyr Tydfil.
A spokesperson for MS Society Cymru added, "We’re extremely grateful to Craig Jones for raising both the £2,000 in sponsorship, and local awareness about multiple sclerosis. As a charity, we are dependant on the hard work and donations of volunteers committed to improving the lives of people with Multiple Sclerosis."
May 2009
"Denbighshire Council has let us down" - Wife of Dyserth man with MS speaks out against the council
A mother of two from Dyserth has accused Denbighshire County Council of letting her family down, after demanding she paid the first £35,000 for having a new accessible toilet installed for her husband at their home.Charles Vawdrey was first diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2002 and since then his condition has steadily deteriorated. He has had to use a wheelchair since 2004, and is now unable to access his bathroom or toilet at home.
Charles’ wife, Alison, had her income assessed by the council, and even though she is a physiotherapist and is the only bread winner in the family, Denbighshire County Council assessed her as needing to pay the first £35,000.
Alison Vawdrey described the situation as "desperate." "I’ve lost count of the amount of times I have to pick Charles up off the floor as he’s tried to get to the toilet – it’s dangerous," she added.
Violation of Charles’ human rights
MS Society Cymru are campaigning on behalf of Charles and Alison Vawdrey to push Denbighshire County Council to help this family.
Judi Rhys, Director of MS Society Cymru, commented, "We are deeply concerned that Charles Vawdrey’s human rights may have been violated by Denbighshire County Council. At present, Charles is unable to access a proper toilet at home and can only have a shower once a week, when social workers take him to a local facility."
In 2002, the London Borough of Enfield, was taken to the European Court of Human Rights, because the authority refused to adapt a property so that a disabled woman could use the bathroom. The woman was deprived of her dignity by the Authority and it was a breach of article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the right to respect for family life.
Judi Rhys added, "There is a possibility that Charles’ human rights have been violated, by this appalling treatment. In the 21st century, it can not be right to deprive a disabled man a grant that will allow him to use the toilet, use a shower, and have access to basic sanitation that most of us take for granted. MS Society Cymru calls upon Denbighshire County Council and the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure that Charles and his wife can at last have some dignity."
May 2009