We may be in lockdown but we are here for you!
We see it as our job to do everything possible to minimise the impact that lockdown and self-isolation have on your muscle condition, mobility, and wellbeing. We are so grateful to our community of service users, families, staff, volunteers and donors for coming together so brilliantly to support each other and stay positive. Thank you for your feedback and suggestions to date – please, keep them coming.
What are we doing during the coronavirus outbreak?
We moved swiftly to enact a contingency plan and move all our services online, getting all our staff set up to work from home and ready to provide therapy support remotely, despite never having worked this way before. It’s the next best thing while hands-on therapy is on pause.
This is what’s been happening so far:
- One-to-one telephone, video and email consultations with the physiotherapists and osteopaths
- Weekly virtual exercise and breathing & wellbeing classes
- Remote befriending
- Signposting to a wide range of services and support
- Virtual get-togethers and social connection via a private Facebook Group, “MDSC Social Group”
- Bespoke advocacy support for service users facing other difficulties, who have been unable to get answers elsewhere.
How can you help?
DONATE online – give a one-off donation, or sign up to a monthly donation via Direct Debit. Monthly donations help the charity to plan for the future.
FUNDRAISE for us – hold a virtual quiz, movie night, disco, yoga-thon, shave your head in lieu of a haircut… whatever takes your fancy! Set up a fundraising page and start TODAY. For extra inspiration, take a look at this list.
We estimate we could lose over £50,000 this year as a result of coronavirus. This is a large sum for our small charity, nearly 20% of our income. Fundraising events have had to be cancelled, and we face an immediate shortfall in the generous donations that many of you make each time you visit the Centre. At the same time, the demand for therapies will be higher when we re-open our doors. We absolutely need to be ready to help all our service users recover from this crisis and any effect it has on your condition.
So, it is vital that when we can resume our face-to-face therapies (oh, how we look forward to that day!) we don’t face a funding shortfall that restricts our services in this time of great need.
Every single donation no matter how large or small will help. If you are already donating to the MD Support Centre, Thank You, your donations will help get us through this difficult time.
Stay safe and stay positive,
Ruth
Ruth Hereford, Chair of Trustees