A group which provides support to people with multiple sclerosis across Lanarkshire has received a grant from one of the UK’s leading housebuilders.
The MS Society (Lanarkshire Group) has been awarded a grant of £1000 by Persimmon Homes through their Community Champions initiative
The scheme donates £24,000 to local groups and charities annually to match money which has previously been raised.
The society applied for funding to help support the specialist counselling service that proved to be a vital lifeline for people with MS throughout the lockdown.
Demand for the service has continued to grow following the easing of restrictions which prompted the Lanarkshire charity to apply for funding to help to cover the costs.
Geraldine Ward from the group told Lanarkshire Live : “We were thrilled to hear that Persimmon Homes wanted to help us with funding for our counselling service.
“Sadly, Scotland has a much higher than average number of people with MS with 15,000 diagnosed with the condition and in need of support.
“Lockdown restrictions have had a huge impact on the mental health of the people that we support, and their families.
"The counselling we provide has the backing of hospital neurologists, local GPs and MS nurses and makes a genuine difference to our clients, but the one-to-one counselling is expensive – support for each individual costs £270.”
Multiple Sclerosis is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body.
It is a life-limiting condition that more than 120,000 people live with across Britain.
Chris Logan, managing director at Persimmon Homes, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the group.
"They do a sterling job supporting people affected by this debilitating illness.
“Hopefully our funding will go some way to keeping the counselling service running and in turn improving the quality of life of those affected and their families.”
The Community Champions initiative invites local groups and charities who already embark on fundraising to bid for cash from a £750,000 national fund each year, with two donations of up to £1000 being made in the region each month.
Organisations can apply for funding by completing a simple online form online and Chris added: “We would encourage applicants who have been unsuccessful in the past to apply again for the Community Champions scheme as the funding can make a huge difference.”
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