It’s been a while since our last update but the work of the North East Motor Neurone Disease Trust has continued throughout the end of 2011 and the start of 2012.

The drop in centre is on every Thursday, 12:00pm until 2:00pm and we’re also still on hand for any help or advice via our helpline or email. We are also still providing information on services that may be useful to MND sufferers:

World First offer travel insurance for people with pre-existing medical conditions including MND. Their website is www.world-first.co.uk or you can contact them on 0845 9080161

British Gas also offer a special unbeatable tariff for anyone with a terminal illness. They don’t advertise the rate but it does exist. For more information, contact British Gas directly.

We recently received this email  from Mary, one of the people the trust was set up to give help and support to:

Dear Pauline
Thank you for the link I enjoyed watching the videos.
I have also been on the MND trust website and read all about the remarkable work that you do.  I did enjoy my treatment on Thursday. Sheila put me completely at ease. she was lovely.  Now I am looking forward to my  physio starting.
I am hoping that it will make me stronger, as these last few weeks have seen me getting weaker. I feel very lucky and privileged to have met such caring people as yourselves. I look forward to seeing you on Thursday.
Thank you again

Mary

The videos she mentions can be found here:

http://www.whickhamvilla.co.uk/whickham-villa/videos

Did you know that we have a very arty and creative group of trustees in the NEMNDT? Sue makes brilliant designer handbags and hats that are individual and chic whilst Bill produces stunning Rene Mackintosh style leaded glass pictures. We also have Morag who makes the most beautiful home made cards and quilts and finally Pauline who hand crafts stylish and unique jewellery.

Sue and Pauline sell some of the things they make on the first Saturday of every month at the Craft Fair in the Masonic hall in Chester-le-Street, 10am-2pm. Come along and see if there is anything you fancy, profits go towards helping our trust provide the best care possible for MND sufferers and their carers in the North East.

We’d like to give a big thank you and an even bigger well done to Darren McCartney from South Shields. Darren completed the Coast to Coast and in doing so raised an amazing £303 for the NEMNDT. We thank him for his efforts and hope he didn’t get too many blisters along the way.

Merry Christmas to all our website visitors and to everyone involved with the NEMNDT. Despite the North East still being frozen we hope you all have a great day and wish you all the best for the New Year.

The trust would like to give huge congratulations to Stephanie Turton from Coxhoe. She recently completed the Great North Run which is an achievement in itself, but she also managed to raise an amazing £470 for the NEMNDT in the process. This was a complete surprise for the trust and we’d like to thank Stephanie for her amazing generosity. We hope all the aches and pains have gone by now!

The trust would like to give a big thank-you to Warburtons and their ‘Baker’s Dozen’ campaign. After being nominated by a member of the public, the trust has been chosen by Warburton’s to receive £100. The money will be a great help towards providing support for those affected by MND in out region.

A big thank you to everyone that visited our stall at the Chase Park Life Music Festival. A great day was had by all.

Following completion of refurbishment work at Whickham Villa, our drop in centre is back on after a week’s absence. Same day (Thursdays), same time (12-2pm). We hope to see you there!

As you may have seen on our front page, there is no drop in centre this Thursday. This is due to ongoing refurbishment work at Whickham Villa. The work should only last a single week but check the site or contact us via the helpline/online form to make sure the drop in centre is back on the 22nd April.