MS-UK – The Big Christmas Challenge
I do appreciate that it may be a little early to mention Christmas … but we are past the longest day now! I wanted to share this now, as I know many of you plan your events and activities in advance and you may want to support one of our Working Well organisations:
We’re very excited to let you know that later this year MS-UK are taking part in The Big Give Christmas Challenge, the UK’s biggest match-funded fundraising campaign. Whilst it may feel a little early, there’s lots to plan, and we need your help to make it happen.
We are looking for people to support us in raising vital funds for our national helpline by making a pledge today to give toward the campaign. Every pound pledged is entered into a pot that we can then raise funds against from The Big Give and public donations. I include the finer details of the campaign below.
Our helpline has been giving information and emotional support to the multiple sclerosis (MS) community for 30 years and we must ensure it is here for everyone that needs us in future. We answer around 1,200 contacts each year from people who are affected by MS and need our support. We are most commonly contacted about lifestyle changes, mental health, symptom management, welfare rights, aids, and adaptations. I share two quotes with you from people who have used our service in the past, and also Lizzy’s story below.
‘It made a huge difference, helped prevent getting completely overwhelmed on a very difficult week, in a difficult period of life newly diagnosed with MS and pregnant.’
‘The team is my MS lifeline and a wonderful friendly resource to help navigate this journey.’
If you can help us to continue this valuable service by pledging to The Big Give Christmas Challenge, please contact our Fundraising Manager, Jill Purcell who would be delighted to give you further information about the campaign and how your support really does make a difference.
How the campaign works
We have set ourselves the target of raising £10,000 toward the cost of our national helpline through The Big Give.
First, we must secure £2,500 in pledges by 04 July, to be paid when the campaign ends in December.
Once we achieve this, The Big Give will aim to source funding through their networks to match this figure, creating a match-funding pot of £5,000.
Finally, during the campaign week, which runs between 28 November – 05 December we ask the public to make donations to support us. These donations are doubled from the match funding pot to a maximum of £10,000.
Therefore, a pledge of say £100, could attract £100 in donations, doubling the impact of your pledge.
If you’d like to know more about the campaign, please get in touch or take a look at the Big Give website https://biggive.org/christmas-challenge/.
Lizzy’s story
After my diagnosis in August 2021, I was introduced to MS-UK by the NHS as a source of information about MS and MS treatments.
I have found MS-UK great, they provided me with trustworthy information and were understanding and compassionate during diagnosis and as I was coming to terms with it during the year that followed and when I was trying to decide which treatment might be best for me.
MS-UK has provided so many different services to me since my diagnosis. The helpline gave me information and a listening ear during difficult times and when I felt I didn’t get the support I needed from my GP.
They have been a great resource in helping me to learn and understand multiple sclerosis, having no experience or knowledge of it before my diagnosis. They have provided information and tools to help me compare treatment options which helped me and my neurologist to come to a decision about the best treatment for me.
Published: 23 June 2023
