Page Kirk’s sixth charity of 2023

Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA), Nottinghamshire Branch

In June, Page Kirk and Page Kirk Financial Services proudly supported the Motor Neurone Disease Association, Nottinghamshire Branch. Carol Hughes, volunteer and secretary of the branch, sheds light on the devastating impact of the disease and outlines the ways in which the organisation provides support to individuals living with or affected by it.

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a fatal, rapidly progressing neurological condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. It attacks the nerves that control movement so that eventually the muscles stop working and can leave people trapped in a failing body, unable to walk, move, talk, swallow and eat and eventually unable to breathe.

MND is a very complex illness and in 90% of cases the cause is unknown. It is always fatal and, at the moment, there is no cure. It affects around 5000 people in the UK at any one time – on average six people die each day and six people are diagnosed each day. Around a third will die within a year and more than half within two years of diagnosis.

The MND Association's vision is 'a world free from MND' and this drives everything it does. The Association supports a network of 100 branches that provide local support to people with MND and the Nottinghamshire Branch is part of this network.

A diagnosis of MND is a truly frightening experience and can be isolating – currently, there are around 100 people living with MND in Nottinghamshire and we are here to support them, their families, carers and friends. We do this by giving grants for specialist equipment – such as wheelchairs, stairlifts, riser/recliner chairs, specialist toilets and so forth. We also contribute towards house adaptations like ramps and wet rooms where they're not provided by statutory authorities. We give Quality of Life, Carer's and Young People's Grants towards such things as respite care or holidays where it's clear that the family and carers as well as the person with MND will benefit. We consider any request that will help to improve the quality of life for a person with MND or their families and carers.

We also provide support through a network of Association visitors – specially trained volunteers who provide one-to-one advice and support to those people who require it. We run two monthly support groups, one in Nottingham and one in Retford, and we produce a quarterly newsletter. We also have a website and a social media presence on Facebook and X, formally known as Twitter.

We hold activities and events to raise much needed funds for the branch and we make an annual contribution to the National Association to help fund research to find a cure of this devastating and cruel disease.

Our Nottinghamshire MNDA Branch Committee is a small and dedicated group of volunteers, most of us having been personally affected by MND, and we're all committed to do everything we possibly can for people with the condition locally. However, without the support from companies like Page Kirk, we would struggle financially, so a big thank you from the Nottinghamshire Branch to Page Kirk for choosing us as your charity for June.

It was fantastic to learn about June's fundraising activities. A month of dedicated activities aimed at both fundraising and raising awareness. From a raffle and delectable cake sale to a lively game afternoon and a relaxed dress-down day, each event sounds like it brought the firm's team together in support of this vital cause.

Amanda, who coordinates charity activities at Page Kirk, highlighted their month's standout moment. They were delighted to host volunteer branch committee member, Chris Bull at their offices to play the spin-to-win game.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone at Page Kirk.

For more information about the Nottinghamshire branch of MND Association, please visit our website at www.mnd-notts.org.uk.The national site can be found at www.mndassociation.org, and the MND Connect Helpline is available at 0808 802 6262.