Praise for Branch as it helps out again…

FUND raising by the Yorkshire Dales Branch has received a pat on the back in the Association’s Annual Report and Financial Summary.

The report, which discusses increasing fundraising revenue nationally through Branches and Groups, singles out Yorkshire Dales for a special mention.

‘For these branch members,’ says the report, ‘it’s been a record year for their fundraising activities. In 2007 they raised a staggering £58k, smashing their 2006 total by £40k.

The Branch is hoping to fund a three-year MND research project at the University of Sheffield and so far has raised enough money to fund the first year of the project. With money left over the Branch has continued to provide practical support to local people affected by the disease.’

The Yorkshire Dales Branch is also supporting initiatives by National Office to help those living with MND.

A contribution of £1,000 has been given to help provide New Advanced Lightwriters and to set up local Wheelchair Partnerships.

The new lightwriter now offers SMS texting, acting like a mobile phone, sending and receiving short typed messages. It also has a remote application using infrared to operate different devices around the home.

With the Wheelchair Partnership scheme in some areas, wheelchairs can be funded by the Association and then the local wheelchair service takes on the assessment, maintenance and storage responsibilities. This has vastly improved rapid access to specialist wheelchairs for people living with MND.

Contributions from Yorkshire Dales Branch will go towards the setting up of wheelchair partnerships where services are poor.

From Chatter October 2008