Local charity extends services

The West of England MS Therapy Centre is offering a new service to its users with help from local electricity company Western Power Distribution (WPD).

Working with the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) the Centre is now able to provide access to financial and other advice services direct to its users on site. At a time when people’s lives are dramatically changed through the development of Multiple Sclerosis, and when families need to become carers, full-time work is often no longer possible leaving households on a very limited income.

Advice and educational sessions offered by CAB through their visits each month could have a real and direct impact on the lives of people using the centre, and their families, by improving their standard of living and by taking away some of the stress and pressures that financial concerns can bring.

Roger Smale, Senior Support Manager in WPD’s Information Resources department who is a supporter of the centre said: “The range of therapies and treatments provided by the centre help to relieve the physical, psychological and emotional stresses of living with MS, but each year an increasing number of people want to attend the centre so I am delighted that WPD has made a donation to help extend the services to more people.”

WPD funding has also enabled the continence clinic with its specialist nurse to be available for a further year, and special masks have been purchased for people receiving oxygen treatment.
Joanne Terry, Community & Corporate Fundraiser at the MS Therapy Centre said: “We were thrilled to receive support from WPD and it was a pleasure to show them around when they visited last week. Without help like this from local companies we would not be able to continue our work supporting all those people who need us. Their donation and interest in our work will help to change the lives of people living with MS in the West of England.”