Funding boost welcomed
Carla Callaghan (pictured), of Quarter, was diagnosed with relapsing MS just a few weeks before her 2013 wedding.
This year, just prior to lockdown, she started a new MS treatment which acts on the immune system and was therefore put in the shielding category and couldn’t leave her house and garden for three months.
But the communications officer accessed the MS Society Scotland Wellbeing Hub to receive a course of online physio when shielding restrictions were lifted, having fallen a number of times just before lockdown.
And now the hub has received extended funding of £ 68,123 from the Scottish Government’s Neurological Framework.
The hub allows MS sufferers to access virtual counselling, physio support and activities designed to ensure people’s physical, emotional and mental health is maintained as the pandemic continues to impact lives.
The move has been welcomed by Carla who said: “I had fallen quite badly over quite a short period, the last being right before lockdown and couldn’t really access any support. I had been keeping active in the garden, but when shielding was lifted I was quite frightened to go out from a mobility point of view.
“I felt that I wasn’t confident to go out on my own due to a fear of falling, so when I saw the wellbeing hub advertised on Twitter I thought I’d give it a go.
“There are lots of great MS services out there, but I would always leave it for someone who really needed it. But this time I thought ‘No, this is silly, we all need to look after ourselves and this is such a great opportunity and I really do need it’.
“So I signed up for the four-week physio sessions and it was phenomenal.
“It was really worthwhile and I feel confident enough that I’m going out walking a few miles a week. I’m comfortable to go out on my own without that fear of taking a tumble in the street anymore which, from just four weeks of online physio sessions, is absolutely incredible.”
Initially launched in June, MS Society Scotland’s suite of free online and telephone sessions for people affected by the condition will now be available until the end of March 2021 thanks to the extra funding.
Carla added: “I’m delighted to hear that funding has been extended for the wellbeing hub. It’s something that can help with mobility issues or even easing pain in muscles or joints. MS is different for everyone, but this physio helped give me my freedom back after a tough few months of shielding.
“For many of us, MS is a condition that if you don’t use it, you lose it and there’s many people who haven’t been able to get out or haven’t been able to access physio, that have been severely impacted by the lockdown. So it’s such a great thing for that to be extended to so many more people.”
More than 15,000 people live with MS in Scotland and the wide range of sessions, webinars and calls delivered through the wellbeing hub will reach hundreds who need support.
Morna Simpkins, director of MS Scotland, said: “The feedback we have received from people accessing the hub since June has been hugely positive so we’re delighted to be reaching more people with this continued support from the Scottish Government’s Neurological Framework Funding.
“People continue to be affected by the pandemic and access to services is more important than ever so this range of sessions to support people’s emotional and physical health is here for anyone in our community who needs it.
“Feelings of isolation have affected a lot of people over the past few months so if you’d like to get connected with our community or find support please do contact us and sign-up to what’s on offer.”
The hub aims to improve emotional wellbeing by reducing levels of anxiety, stress, isolation and loneliness with increased physical activity levels, improved strength, stamina, balance, mobility and reduced fatigue.
Physical activities like tai chi, pilates and yoga will be available as online exercise sessions while meditation and mindfulness are among the sessions offered for emotional support.
To find out more about the services, email Wellbeingscotland@mssociety.org.uk or call 0131 335 4081.
Find out more about how you can get help at
helps for the cashflow of the business. I haven’t had to go into it yet, but I might next year so it’s good to know that cushion is there. The repayments are going to be lower and spread out for longer.”
SUPPORT PACKAGE
Thanks to the UK Government’s package of financial support, Jennifer is looking forward to a brighter future. “I had my best ever September saleswise, so it’s not all doom and gloom,” she says. “I think people will really struggle putting high heels back on, so my new collection has been modified to include more casual styles and lower heels. I’m thinking what the world will look like in the next 12-24 months and adjusting the strategy. My investors seem to be quite happy with the way things are going and I’m thinking about launching into other countries such as the USA and Europe, but the growth isn’t quite as I expected in different circumstances. I’m grateful for the UK Government’s support and I’ll do what I can with it.”