MS Research and Relief Fund (MSRRF) has centres in the North East of England where people with MS and their partners or carers can attend free of charge. Depending on the centre they use, as well as being a place to meet other people affected by MS, service users can take part in physiotherapy, gentle exercise classes, yoga and complementary therapies.

DURHAM

Services to people affected by MS in Durham are provided between 09.00am and 1.pm three mornings a week at Belmont Parish Hall in Durham and every Tuesday at Meadowfield Leisure Centre.

All services are available by appointment. Please telephone 01670 505829 for more information.

Services at Meadowfield Leisure Centre include:  

One-to-one Physiotherapy appointments, Light Exercise, an Open Social Forum and Complementary Therapies. These therapies include: Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Reiki and Massage.

Services at Belmont Parish Hall take place between 10.30am and 11.30am on

Monday, Thursday and Friday mornings. The Exercise Classes are held on Mondays and Fridays. Yoga classes take place every Thursday (excluding school holidays). Appointments are limited and anyone affected by MS wishing to attend should call Benmar House.

The Motomed exercise machine is available for use at Belmont on Monday & Friday mornings when supervised by a qualified person.

For details of these and any of our services contact us at:

Phone – 01670 505 829
Fax – 01670 516 347
e-mail info@ ms-researchandrelief.org
website – www.ms-researchandrelief.org

JARROW / SOUTH TYNESIDE

Most of us take for granted the importance of meeting like minded people in a friendly relaxing environment, and you couldn’t find a friendlier more relaxed group of people than the Jarrow MS Group which meets every Wednesday between the times of 10 am and 3pm at the Millennium Phab Club in Grange Road, Jarrow. MSRRF supports or facilitates the groups activities which can include complementary therapies, integrated sports and the ever popular coffee bar and breakfast club which offers breakfasts at very reasonable costs whether its just tea and toast you want or a full English breakfast (grilled of course!)

The group operates on a drop in basis and is regularly attended by a friendly group of people who either have MS themselves or are the partner/carer of someone with MS. People attending the Jarrow Group travel not only from South Tyneside but also from Washington, Sunderland and Gateshead.

Most people attending the Jarrow Group see the social aspect of their group as the most important reason for them attending. They believe that a lot of people with MS sometimes become socially excluded and their group helps to prevent this. ALL people affected by MS are welcome, so if you or a loved one has MS, or you care for someone with MS and you would like to come and meet us, feel free to do so on any Wednesday. Call 0191 489 4336 or 01670 505829 for further information.

MORPETH

Benmar House in Morpeth is the busiest MSRRF Centre. Because we own the building and have a lot more space than at Durham or Jarrow we can offer the greatest choice and variety of services to people visiting Benmar House. This is evident in the fact that we have approximately 300 appointments per month at Benmar house for people making use of our services.

We have 5 qualified therapists at Morpeth  offering: Indian Head Massage Full Body Massage Reflexology Hot Stones Therapy Gentle exercises Reiki and many more

We also have a ‘Fitness Lounge’ boasting: 5 Toning Tables and 2 Moto-Med exercise machines. We are constantly adding to the fitness lounge and the Vibrogym is becoming more and more popular:

THE VIBROGYM click here

On Thursday mornings Art Tutor Delphine Blenkinsop holds an Art & Craft class helping people learn new or improve existing skills in Art.

MS Research and Relief Fund are working in partnership with the MS Society, Northumberland Care Trust, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, the MS Society Scotland, and Northumberland FISHNET’s on an MS Outreach Therapy and Advice Service at Berwick Infirmary. The project helps to give people affected by Multiple Sclerosis in North Northumberland access to complementary therapies, an MS Specialist Nurse and to a Physiotherapist. Presentations and demonstrations are also available on a fortnightly basis.

For further information contact MS Research and Relief Fund on 01670 505 829 or Jane Metcalfe, MS Specialist Nurse on 01289 356686.

MSRRF are delighted to be working in partnership with the Community MS Team, the MS Society and people affected by MS in Newcastle upon Tyne.

At Walkergate hospital an MSRRF therapist provides complementary therapies every Tuesday morning. At the Lemington Centre in the West End of the city we are working in partnership with the MS Society and people affected by MS to provide a gentle exercise class and complementary therapies every Thursday afternoon from 1pm to 4pm.   Anyone requiring information about any of our centres can call us at Benmar House for more information.

TYNEDALE

MSRRF is working with the Northumbria Health Care NHS Foundation Trust and Hexham and District Branch MS Society in Tynedale to provide complementary therapies every second Friday in the Patient Centre of Hexham General Hospital.
Call us on 01670 505829 to make an appointment. Therapies are available between 1.30pm and 4.30pm.

PEER SUPPORT

Group members have also found invaluable support from others with similar concerns and we shouldn’t
under-estimate the importance of people meeting socially on equal terms. Newcomers are always welcome and you can contact us for details of any of the 3 centres at.

Telephone - 01670 505829

Fax  - 01670 516347 

E-mail - info@ms-researchandrelief.org