Tyne and Wear ME/CFS Support Group
Tyne and Wear ME/CFS Support Group is a British patient charity based in South Shields in Tyne & Wear which provides help and support for ME/CFS sufferers and their carers and families in Newcastle upon Tyne city, Gateshead, North and South Tyneside, Durham, Northumberland and Sunderland.[1]
The support group provides free membership, monthly meetings, quarterly newsletter and monthly updates, and a dedicated telephone information line.[2]
Aims[edit | edit source]
Tyne and Wear ME/CFS Support Group aims primarily to offer help and support to those with ME/CFS and their families.
They have recently expanded their role to providing education and advocacy as well. They aim to inform and educate any interested party, including health professionals and the media, through the distribution of relevant information. They also lobby local Members of Parliament to influence a change in policies.[2]
Funding[edit | edit source]
The group has been registered as a charity since 2000, and re-registered in 2014. It's charity number is 1156277.[2]
Notable people[edit | edit source]
Professor Malcolm Hooper is patron of the charity. Dr James Irving Spurr is medical advisor of the charity.[3]
History[edit | edit source]
The group was originally founded in 1987 under the name "The Sunderland ME Support Group", and was an associate of a national organisation. The group was relaunched in 2000 under the name "The Sunderland and South Tyneside ME/CFS Support Group". It attained independent charitable status at that time. The group reregistered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in 2014 under its current name.[2]
