Used Postage Stamps Appeal

We are pleased to announce that we have new details for supporters to send used postage stamps to.   

Please send all stamps to: 

FMA UK STAMP APPEAL 
10 Chestnut Ave 
North Walsham 
Norfolk
NR28 9X

2018 Year in Review

Below is the start of our year in review document. You can read it all by clicking on the link at the end.

Introduction

Welcome to our 2018 report where we show some of the activities that FMA UK has carried out over the past year. The charity plans to increase its communication output about its activities. We have already increased our content on social media due in large part to recruiting our digital apprentice Reece Henderson to concentrate on this area.

As always, the charity’s main aim is to raise awareness of the condition and ensure those that are newly diagnosed are signposted to information and resources that can help them.  We participated in the patient participation event at Bath hospital in November, attended events at parliaments, as well going along to partner organisations events to represent our condition.

Our charity activities are predominantly carried out by volunteers and supported by a small number of staff. So please read on and find out some of what the charity has been up to across the UK as well as some of the events we have attended and what we are planning for the future.

To read more of our year in review report please click here to view the pdf version.

Adam's Warner run for his Mum, Sister and friend who live with fibromyalgia

Adam Warner has run 5k Inflatable Run in Farborough to raise funds for FMA UK because three important peple in his life with fibromyalgia: his Mum, Sister and a very special friend.

Adam tells us why he did this challenge: ''Because this is a condition that people can't really see I think is gets overlooked by people who think you're just a bit tired or in a bit of pain, but they'd be wrong so anything you can give will be massively appreciated and will go towards trying to find a cure for Fibromyalgia''. 

To donate go to Adam's JusGiiving page: 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/adam-warner9

IMPORTANT INFORMATION - FMA UK STAMP APPEAL

UPDATE !!! please hold onto your stamps - we are currently looking into an alternative and will hopefully have somewhere to send them soon. Hazel x

 It has been brought to our attention that Citadel Stamps who carried out the FMA UK stamp appeal may no longer be in business.   Please do not send any more stamps to this company, as FMA UK are unlikely to receive any further donations.  Thank you to everyone who supported our appeal over the past couple of years.  

Some highlights from the Parliamentary debate on fibromyalgia.

As to the way forward, it is a confusing situation but there has been no change of the equality act or any other legislation. A back bench meeting like this cannot change the law and they have passed the motion in front of them

The minister said in the debate that fibromyalgia could be a disability under the act already but people are treated on a case by case basis so it is unlikely to change anything in DWP processing any time soon.

This was great for awareness and momentum but more needs to be done.

Woman becomes first UK patient to get cannabis prescription

On Sky News they have an article about Carly Barton becoming the first UK patient to be prescribed Cannabis under the new guidelines published in November. She has Fibromyalgia and it was prescribed by a private pain specialist.

While it is great to see movement on this and for someone with fibromyalgia having access to new treatments, we are concerned about the confusion over the rushed guidance with the official NICE consultation process on future guidance only starting after the November guidelines are in effect.

Read more...