The MS Society is launching a 'Community Connections' service to help people living across Wales and the south west of England connect with services, activities and resources to enable them to live well with multiple sclerosis (MS).

MS is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord, which impacts how people move, think and feel and with an estimated 17,000 people living with the condition across Wales and the south west, the MS Society is launching the service to provide a comprehensive package of support to those living with the condition, and their families.

The Community Connections project will provide a range of support, including:

  • Financial advice and information on maximising income and managing the cost of living
  • Guidance on energy efficiency and carbon monoxide awareness
  • Assistance accessing the Priority Service Register for vulnerable households

MS Society will work with, and refer to, local Citizens’ Advice services and other expert organisations to ensure that people with, and affected by, MS are able to access benefits advice whilst local health and social care providers will help to improve access to wellbeing services and activities. The project will also recruit Community Connections staff.

The new service is being funded by gas emergency and pipeline service, Wales & West Utilities, who provided over £213,000 funding as part of the Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA).

A recent MS Society survey found that 7 in 10 people with MS have unmet needs when it comes to understanding the benefits system and the new Community Connections service aims to empower those affected to access the support they need.

Leila Middlehurst Evans, Community Connections Manager at MS Society Cymru, said:

We are thrilled to be launching the Community Connections project to provide comprehensive support for people living with, and affected by, MS across Wales and the south west of England. We’re incredibly grateful to Wales & West Utilities for the funding provided.

MS can be debilitating, exhausting and unpredictable. Timely support that empowers people with MS to navigate local services and access vital resources will make a huge difference in enabling them to live well with MS. Our dedicated team is committed to understanding each person's unique needs and connecting them with the most relevant assistance. We're excited to see the positive impact this project will have on our MS community.

The project will run until 2026.

Sophie Shorney, VCMA Manager at Wales & West Utilities, said:

We are delighted this funding has allowed MS Society to get a project off the ground in direct response to its community. Community Connections will go to the heart of communities across Wales and the south west of England to provide this vital help and support.

The VCMA fund allows us to work in partnership with organisations, like the MS Society, to reach more people and provide them with the help they need to ensure they receive the right support and help with their bills, to help keep them safe and warm in their own environment.

To access the Community Connections services, please email MSconnections@mssociety.org.uk or call the MS Helpline at 0808 800 8000.

Between April 2021 to March 2026, Wales & West Utilities has £25m to spend on projects which support consumers in vulnerable situations and raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide and keep people safe from the ‘silent killer’.

Funding is distributed through the Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA), and 75% of the money will be spent on projects relevant to Wales and south west England only, while 25% will be spent on collaborative projects with the other gas networks across the whole of the UK.

Wales & West Utilities, the gas emergency and pipeline service, brings energy to 7.5m people across the south west of England and Wales. If you smell gas, or suspect the presence of carbon monoxide, call us on 0800 111 999 straight away, and our engineers will be there to help any time of day or night.

For more information about MS Society Cymru or to support their work, please visit mssociety.org.uk/wales or follow facebook.com/msscymru or instagram.com/mssocietycymru