Putting safety first in a vibrant group

After completing a PhD in Biology, I had a 30-year career as a secondary school science teacher. I was diagnosed with primary progressive MS in 2003. My health went downhill quite badly, and being in a science lab with a walking stick didn’t really work. 

If I was running a practical lesson and something happened it was difficult to get there straight away. I couldn’t give the kids my 100% because I was always worried about falling. I just didn’t feel I was doing the job well enough. So when I was offered retirement in 2004, I took it.

Getting involved

I knew the MS Society’s Furness Group was vibrant and active, as it still is, so I agreed to join the Committee. They made me a Fundraising Officer, but it was a role I never really enjoyed. And I had another downturn in my health and left the group. 

Once I was able to attend meetings again they needed a Secretary and a Chair. I’d chaired meetings at work and at another local charity so I said I’d rather do that. The group’s newsletter announced me as the new Chair and that was it!

The Furness Group’s been going since the 1970s. There are currently nine volunteers on the Coordinating Team — six with MS. I had a great team when I was Chair and it continues to be great.

We have about 40 members ranging from mid-30s to over 80. We have meetings twice a month where we pay professionals to offer chiropody and reflexology. And we pay for group members or their families to self-refer to a counselling service. We also organise trips and social events.

Community support

We used to do collections in local supermarkets. But we never restarted after COVID because the local people are very generous. They support us with sponsorship from their events and with legacies.

We also have the ringfenced proceeds from the sale of a hall we used to own. We’d been renting out rooms to two other organisations to cover our overheads. When one dropped out and the hall became unviable the MS Society agreed to put it up for sale. But the sale was complicated by the hall becoming a community asset. It took 18 months and some difficult meetings to complete.

It was all very frustrating. But, in retrospect, getting that sale across the line is my proudest volunteering achievement. It was a relief to take the burden of managing a property away from the group.

So the group’s finances are in a sound state, which makes everything easier. As well as funding all our activities we’ve been able to donate towards MS research.

Stepping down

By the time I’d been Chair for 15 years, I was running out of steam. When the MS Society reorganised things and the role changed, it was time to stand down. One of my newly recruited volunteers agreed to become Group Coordinator and I stayed on as the Health and Safety Volunteer.

Keeping everyone safe

Schools have always had to be aware of health and safety guidelines, so I was aware of the importance of health and safety before I joined the group.

The role I do now is vital. It keeps group members safe, and keeps the group compliant with health and safety law. Because we’re under the umbrella of the MS Society, we hear about any changes in the law. And more importantly, we're under the MS Society’s insurance. So if an accident does occur (and thank goodness none have) our group won’t be financially exposed.

When I joined the group, health and safety was an uphill struggle. Now it’s on the agenda of every meeting we have. Different activities require different health and safety paperwork, depending on the level of risk. So we only plan socials and meetings in managed premises with their own insurance. It makes the paperwork much easier.

Use your brain to help others

Volunteering means I can still be useful even though I have the limitations of MS. That’s important to me. 

There are lots of things you can’t do, but you can still use your brain to help others. It’s helped me, too. My internet skills have certainly improved.

I’d encourage anyone who’s thinking about volunteering just to go for it. You don’t take on a role in isolation — there’s lots of help and support. And, like my wife and me, you could end up making a lot of new friends!