The Bury/Bolton ME/CFS Support Group is aimed at supporting carers
and sufferers from ME. There are an estimated 680 sufferers in Bolton and
460 in Bury, according to Action for ME national figures. Join our group
NICE Guidelines
Understanding the NICE Guidelines
Thursday 17th July-7:30pm: TBC Our planned visit from a homeopath has been cancelled, new speaker/social to be announced.
Please see the "Future Meetings" page for directions.
Town Centre Socials: Our Social Group have been meeting informally on the first Monday of each month at the Sweet Green Tavern in Bolton at 4pm. (127 Crook St. -
go past the station on Trinity Street, through the lights and it's on your left.) See www.sweetgreentavern.co.uk
Friday 10th October 2008 Stockport ME Group meeting:
"Biomedical Research into CFS/ME". Speaker: Dr. Vance Spence.
Dr. Vance Spence is the Chair of ME Research UK, a leading national charity funding biomedical research into ME/CFS. Dr. Spence's talk will offer a fascinating update on ME/CFS research globally.
This will be an open meeting for M.E. Groups across the North West.
- Venue: The Toby Carvery (formerly the Rudyard Hotel) , Wellington Road, Heaton Chapel,Stockport
- Doors Open: 10.30 a.m.
- Speaker: 11.00 a.m.
- Admission £1.00.
At our January meeting, Judith Smith from the Expert Patient Programme came to talk to us. It is for people with long term neurological condition and aims to improve quality of life. The course is 6 weeks and lasts about 2 hours, with about 10 patients attending at a time. Topics covered include action plans, better breathing, dealing with difficult emotions, introducing exercise, pain and fatigue management, communication skills problem solving, depression management and working with your healthcare professional. At the meeting it was suggested that the course could be every fortnight instead of weekly to give patients more time to recover. Judith has now got permission to do fortnightly sessions, so anyone who wishes to attend, please call Pam on 01204 793 846.
Anyone in Bolton with a Neurological Condition and their carers:
UPDATE ON THE RE-ORGANISATION OF SERVICES
Friday 4 July 2008 The Bolton Hub, Bold Street 11am to 1pm
Speakers: Dr John Dean and Lynda Helsby, Bolton Primary Care Trust
Come to listen and comment
Further details from Marie Oxtoby, Greater Manchester Neurological Alliance / Bolton Long-term Neuro Conditions Steering Group at 01204 594004
or email marieoxtoby@btinternet.com
Neuro Support 4 Salford Meeting:
This was set up by Greater Manchester Neurological Alliance to identify the people in Bury, patients and their carers, with long term neurological conditions, including ME. It will be used from time to time to seek the views of those people as to how service provision, medical and social, can be improved.
- Bishop Ashton Room, Bury Parish Church Hall
- (Some parking available in Church grounds)
- With a guest speaker
Attention! Wigan and Leigh now have funding for an ME/CFS Clinic! To share your ideas, please phone Richard Baldock, the man in charge at Wigan PCT. Tel: 01942 482 948.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission replaced three former equality commissions (CRE, DRC and EOC) on 1st October. The Commission champions equality and human rights for all, working to eliminate discrimination, reduce inequality, protect human rights and to build good relations, ensuring everyone has a chance to participate in society. Their website is: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/
Tel: 08457 622 633. Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 9-5 and Wed 8-8. Freepost MID02164. Stratford Upon Avon, CV37 9BR.
How can we improve the self-management groups?
- Contacting Gill Walsh
- Attending CFS/ME Forum
- Contacting your Patient and Public Involvement Forum (PPI).
Bolton: 01204 394603
Bury: 0161 214 3901
There is no set date yet.
If you ask your doctor to refer you to the Bury or Bolton CFS/ME Clinics, please ask for a referral to:
CFS/ME Clinic
C/O Dr Andrew Wright
Neurological Rehabilitation Team
Lever Chambers
Ashburner St
BL1 1SQ
All correspondence will be from Lever Chambers, but you will go to the appointment at Hulton Lane Hospital in Deane if in Bolton or the Prestwich Walk-In Centre if you live in Bury.
Interested in becoming a member?
Call our group contact, Pam Turner on 01204 793846 or visit the "Join" page to print an application form.
What about our meetings?:
Our meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month from 7.30pm until 9pm-ish, except in April, August and December, when there is no meeting but our newsletter goes out. The March meeting is our AGM and November is our bring and share buffet social.
These meetings are held at: Longsight Methodist Church Hall, Longsight Lane, Harwood, Bolton.
The church has a well-sized car park and the ramps at the entrance provide good wheelchair access.
The entrance fee is £1 (to pay to rent the church for the evening.) However, refreshments are provided.
Please try to avoid wearing strongly scented toiletries when you attend the meetings, as some members are very sensitive to these products.
Members are welcome to borrow our electric scooter, manual wheelchair or light box (Contact Pam for info)
The Newsletter:
The newsletter is sent out three times a year, in place of the meetings. The newsletter is put together by members of the group and proves a great read! It includes future meeting dates, contact details of relevant comittee members, recent press articles,findings from the latest ME studies, minutes from national ME conferences, book reviews,helpful hints for ME sufferers and carers and more. Minutes of the last group meeting,handy and healthy recipes, including both meat and vegetarian varieties and recipes for those with special dietery requirments (e.g gluten free, dairy free, etc)and helful contact information for other ME groups, including nationally recognised ones)Write ups about previous meetings appear in the newsletter and dates of the next few meetings are given. You can see previous articles on the "Research & Past Newsletter Articles" page.
What we offer:
- A comfortable, warm and spacious meeting hall where members can mix and mingle.
- Regular meetings, 9 times a year on the third Thursday of the month, alternating between speakers and socials. Speakers range from medical, welfare and other backgrounds. Our AGM is always in March and we have a bring and share pre Xmas social in November.
- Internet chat group
- Free Link-Up Contact service where members can be in touch via email, phone or letter.
- Free yoga sessions, Tuesdays at 3:15pm-4:15pm at the Jubilee Centre, Bolton, funded by Awards for All.
- A detailed newsletter for members, MPs, Health Authorities and other bodies.
- A well-stocked library of books and CDs.
- Immediate access to research reports through the national ME charities' publications.
- Help and advice on Welfare and Benefits.
- Links with all other ME/CFS Groups in the North West through regional meetings and shared newsletter exchange. Growing links with other Groups in the UK.
- Occasional short courses on relevant recreational activities, eg. painting, t'ai chi.
- Plans to tape our newsletter, provide information packs to specific groups.
And much more! Come and visit us - or ring our Contact for further
information!