©MEED 2003

• In 2007 a much needed support group covering North Cumbria was created by Linda Danielis, an ME sufferer and Senior Lecturer at Cumbria Business School. It is part of a network of local groups across the North of England, support by ME North East, a large registered charity who provide a range of services and information to people with ME based in Chester Le Street, County Durham. As well as offering direct support to sufferers and their families, the group is working closely on developing ME research projects with academics at 3 universities (Central Lancashire, Northumbria and Manchester Metropolitan).
  Meeting Dates: The Support Group meets on the 2nd Saturday in every month.
  Meeting Time: 2pm
  Meeting Place: Wigton Road Methodist Chapel, Carlisle (at the junction with Stanhope Road).
  Contact: Email Linda for further information or telephone her on (01228) 562988.

• In 2008 ME In Cumbria, an online chat group for local people with ME, was started. The aim of the group is to bring together people with ME/CFS in Cumbria. People are invited to share information and experiences relevant to ME/CFS in Cumbria, in the hope that a support network may develop. Click here to visit the website and/or join the group.

• If you'd like to get in touch with other local sufferers you can also visit the Local Contacts Page on this site and leave your details so that other sufferers can contact you via email.

• A small informal ME support group exists to serve Cockermouth and West Cumbria. They meet in the Dalemoor room at Kirkland's (old peoples home), Sullart Street, Cockermouth on the third Sunday of the month. Meetings usually start about 2pm and last about 2 hours. Everyone is welcome. Telephone Marie on (01697) 321230 for more information.

• A small, informal ME group meets at a member's home in Brampton on the 1st Friday of the month at 11am. This group also covers people suffering from Fibromyalgia. Tel: Isabelle on (016974) 73123 for more information.

• There is also an ME support group running in Morecombe Bay if you live in south Cumbria.

Please email M.E.E.D if you know of any other Cumbrian based ME support groups.

The ME Association

Action for ME

The 25% Group for the severely affected

• Activism:
  • MEAction UK (which includes a page of useful links).

• Christians with ME:
  • The Christians with ME Website offers contact with others via email for help/support or a chat.
  • The Christian ME Association has a free newsletter, contact Graham Frith on (01252) 677546.
  • The Young Christians Group (for Christians under 30) can be contacted via Cheryl Russell at 106 Rose Ave, Hazlemere, High Wycombe, Bucks HP15 7UA (please enclose a large SAE).
  • HOPE FOR ME aims to provide personal support, friendship, prayer, and creativity, and to create links across different areas of the country, preventing the isolation of M.E. sufferers in their homes.

• If you are Jewish with ME you can make contact with others by calling (01702) 342783.
• Connexions is for Jehovah's Witnesses with ME.
• Lesbian or Gay with ME:
  • The Lesbians and gay men with ME website.
  • The Lesbian/Gay Contact Group, which is a friendly contact list for 18-80 year olds. Email only. For more information click here to email.
  • The Gay Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Group mailing list.

• CFSFMExperimental is an information and discussion list for CFS and fibromyalgia patients who are taking experimental medical treatments or who are interested in learning about them.
• CFCured is an international group for discussing treatments for ME/CFS.
• Lyme Disease Action is a UK support group for those with Lyme disease or people with ME who are taking long term antibiotics.

• Young Action Online (in association with the Tymes Trust) UK
.
This site aims to create a concentrated resource of solid information from creditable sources for young people with ME, their families and professionals, using the internet to make that information widely and freely available.
• Action for ME's Young People's Site UK

By the UK's largest ME charity Action for ME, this site was put together by staff at Action for M.E., children and young people affected by M.E. (the web packers), the Action for M.E. medical advisers and with guidance from Young Media Ltd, a company of experienced teachers and journalists who produce 'The Newspaper' - a national tabloid for eight-to-14 year olds, delivered six times a year to schools.
• Association of Youth with ME UK

AYME (pronounced 'aim') is a UK-based independent registered charity dedicated to giving help, friendship, support and vital contact to children and young people with Myalgic Encephalopathy (M.E) . AYME's activities are run by the young members themselves, overseen by their Founding Chairman.

Pregnancy

• Disability, Pregnancy & Parenthood international provides a personal and confidential enquiry service and produces a number of information sheets.
• The Disabled parents network has a contact register and can put parents and would-be parents in touch with each other.
• The Association for Post-Natal Illness provides information and telephone counselling from volunteers with personal experience of post- natal illness.

Parents

Parents Whose Children Have ME:

• Click here to visit a UK discussion forum, in association with Young Action Online and the Thymes Trust, for parents whose children have ME.
• CFS-P - international group for parents whose children have ME.
• The National Association for the Education of Sick Children (not specific to ME).
• Contact A Family is a UK based registered charity for families with disabled children (not specific to ME).

Parents With ME:

• The Disabled parents network has a contact register and can put parents and would-be parents in touch with each other.
• Home Start offers support to stressed families with children under five. You can have a dedicated volunteer 'buddy mum' to visit you in your own home.

Parenting:

• General information for all parents (not specific to ME) can be found on the Government parents web site, including educational information, guidance on health and welfare issues, bullying and a link to the DSS website for details on benefits.

Carers

• Eden Carers provide information, support and a point of reference for Carers of any age who provide substantial and regular care on an unpaid basis for a family member or friend who cannot manage at home without some help. Based in Great Dockray, Penrith. Note: not specific to ME.
• CFS-Care is an online support list for carers of people with ME, run by Richard Senior.

• Carer's Together is a website full of information for people caring for those with severe ME. Run in conjunction with the 25% ME Group charity (visit also the 25% Group's Carer's Page by clicking here).
• Foggy Friends offers frienship and support to people with ME and their carers.
• ME Connection is a friendship site helping people with ME and their carers find others for mutual support across the UK.
• The Government's Carer's website.

• Princess Royal Trust for Carers
• Carers UK is an activism organisation run by carers who fight for equality and a say in care provision.
• Crossroads is the largest charity in the world providing 'in-the-home' care. Local branches provide practical support for carers where and when it is most needed - usually in the home.
• The Kiloran Trust provides supportive breaks for carers at their house in London.

The software to run IRC can be downloaded from the MIRC web site.

• International IRC channels for people with ME/CFS:
  These sites are best accessed via the Undernet server. Channel names are #cfs, #wings and #cfs-20s (for those aged 20s-30s) and #cfs2000. For detailed instructions on how to access the International CFS IRC channel click here. The European CFS chat room can be found on the eu.undernet.org server, channel name #cfs.
• Immunesupport.com, one of the largest ME/CFS & fibromyalgia websites and based in the USA, has its own chat room. Click here for details.
• Details of a UK ME chat room run by ME sufferer Louise Sergent can be found here.
• Other live chat options include:
  MSN Messenger (which allows you to select a list of friends to alert when you're online and available for a one to one private chat) and
  ICQ.

• ME In Cumbria is an online chat group for local people with ME. The aim of the group is to bring together people with ME/CFS in Cumbria. People are invited to share information and experiences relevant to ME/CFS in Cumbria, in the hope that a support network may develop.

• MEchat is a friendly, fun and supportive UK email-based chat group.
• CFS-L is the largest international ME/CFS group on the Net and is available as either a newsgroup or email-based list.
• Foggy Friends offers friendship and support to people with ME and their carers in the UK, including live chat.
• CFS 20s is an international chat group for people with ME/CFS in their 20s.

• MEConnection is a friendship site helping people with ME and their carers find others for mutual support across the UK.
• Foggy Friends offers friendship and support to people with ME and their Carers in the UK.
• Aquamarine is a social network for 20-39 year olds. To join, write for details to: Aquamarine Network, c/o 20 Brundall Crescent, Cyntwell, Cardiff CF5 4RU or Email Aquamarine.
• For details on making contact with others via letter, phone or email if you are 26 years old or over, send a SAE to: Mandy Jeffcock, 270 Stannington Road, Sheffield S6 5FR.
• The International CF Pen Pal Alliance is a free, worldwide pen pal programme for people with CFS/ME and Fibromyalgia of all ages, as well as their families and caregivers. Note: This is a friendship connection, not a dating service.
• ME support run by ME sufferer Louise Sergent offers a friendship service in the UK.
• The Disability Site You're Able.com has a large pen pal section and includes people with FM and ME.

Dating:

• ME Singles is a UK site intended to help adult ME sufferers who are alone find a partner.
• CFIDSandFMSingles
  A place where Singles with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and related illnesses can find friends, relationships and hopefully romance (international).