Becoming a Member
Membership is offered to people who have been diagnosed with CFS/ME, together with their families and/or carers. Applicants must be residents of Dorset (including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole), including those who live just outside the county but have a GP located in Dorset. Where there is more than one person in the household with CFS/ME, a family membership will cover all those with the illness. Subscriptions are kept low to ensure membership is accessible to all and is currently;
- £6 pa for individuals, and
- £8.50 pa for families.
We are not providing the facility to join online at present, and an initial enquiry must be made to the Group Administrator who will provide an information pack including an application form. The completed form must then be submitted to the Membership Secretary. On joining members will be provided with details of their local Link Group with a contact name and details. The Membership Secretary will also provide a temporary profile and password that will give access to the Members Area and forums of this website. You will be able to renew your membership online on the anniversary of your joining.
New members are also normally provided with a copy of a booklet ‘Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME) – Your Questions Answered‘, a guide for newly diagnosed patients written by Frankie and Dr John Campling. However, if you have been diagnosed by the NHS CFS/ME clinic at Wareham Community Hospital, you may have already been given a copy of this excellent little guide. Please let the Membership Secretary know if you already have a copy so that we don’t send a duplicate.
Entitlements
On Joining, members have access to the full range of services that Dorset ME Support Group provides:
Link Groups
We currently operate 9 Link Groups in various locations around the county. Meetings are normally monthly, and are usually in cafes or hotels which offer a quiet environment for members to meet together. New members are provided with details of their nearest link group with the contact details for the group leader.
By joining the local link group, a member has the opportunity to meet, chat, share tea/coffee etc, share tactics and strategies, get support from those who understand during a bad patch, or just to relax in good company and talk about something completely different. Meetings are held on a basis of mutual understanding, respect and care.
Most link groups enjoy a Christmas lunch together, and some arrange their own trips out. The Service Co-ordinator also arranges other activities around the county – some strictly social to which families are also welcome, and some are workshops of relevance to people with ME. Link group meetings also provide members with the opportunity to suggest – through the link group leader – other activities or ideas to improve the services we provide.
Service Co-ordination
Members have a wide range of requirements. The Service Co-ordinator’s brief is to provide social group activities and excursions, as well as ascertaining and securing assistance for members with complex and specialist needs. This can range from organising transport for visits to the GP or hospital, to involving other agencies to assist with housing needs, crisis loans, social and child care etc. The aim is to encourage members to develop self-help skills and strategies, encouraging social interaction and the creativity to make the best of a situation. Members often have serious financial problems as a result of their illness, and where entitlement to benefits is involved they will be referred to our Benefits Advisor.
Benefits Advice
We can provide benefits advice and assistance to members. A common feature of the illness, particularly in moderate to severe cases, are problems with concentration and comprehension. Our Benefits Advisor offers assistance with completing application forms as well as guidance through the benefits system. Assistance is also given with appeals and tribunals, with the Advisor appearing in support of the member, if required. This is a service that is particularly valued by members, the current benefits system is extremely complex and, in its current manifestation, is insensitive to the difficulties and unpredictable variability that result from CFS/ME.
Website Members Area, Forums and Newsletters
Members have access to the members area of this website which includes more detailed information on our services, details of Link Group meetings and other events and activities available to members. The website also has members forums, with a separate forum for young people restricted to those below the age of 18.
The members area also features feedback from members and contributions of photos, poems and articles etc that they wish to share. A newsletter is published twice a year and is available as hard copy by post, or on the website, Back copies are archived on the website. The members area also includes contact details for the Executive committee, officers and staff.