A Little Background
Manawatu Multiple Sclerosis Society (trading as MS Central Districts) is a non-profit organisation employing a full time Field Officer and part time Office Administrator who provide support, education and advocacy for people with MS, their carers and families in our community.
We service a large region from Taihape in the north, and includes Marton to Eketahuna, Otaki in the south, and crosses five districts being Rangitikei, Tararua, Manawatu, Horowhenua, Kapiti Coast and includes Palmerston North City. Our Society was incorporated in 1969 and is registered with the Charities Commission. Our management committee has eight members with President, Jeff Keenan, our Patron, the Honourable Nathan Guy, and Medical Advisor, Jurriaan de Groot, all elected at our Annual General Meeting in March 2009.
We receive approximately 15 percent of our operating costs from the Ministry of Health, the remaining 85 percent we must source ourselves. We rely heavily on the goodwill of the public through donations of money and/or time, and on various Trusts and other organisation such as NZ Lotteries, COGS, Eastern and Central Community Trust, etc. We also hold fundraising activities including an annual street appeal, raffles and collections at other events such as rugby matches, etc. The majority of this funding is used to provide a free Field Officer service, which includes.
working with people newly diagnosed with MS on a one-to-one basis;
offering up-to-date knowledge of MS and its management;
providing advocacy and support;
offering counselling or referrals to appropriate agencies;
supporting partners, carers, families, friends, health professionals, employers and workmates;
facilitating groups for people newly diagnosed and their parnters, carers, children, workmates;
offering assessment facilitation;
providing social contact, for those who want it, with other people with MS, on either a group or individual basis;
liaising with other services such as home-based care providers, community health services, counsellors, health professionals and Work and Income to coordinate client needs.
MS Central Districts has developed a maintenance therapy programme which includes weekly art, yoga and exercise classes, and a recent partnership with Massey University has seen the development of a "one-on-one" exercise programme which is facilitated by supervised third year students in Palmerston North. We are also building partnerships with organisations such as Sports Manawatu, Manawatu Arthritis, Horowhenua Art Society and Feidling & Districts Art Society to give our members the opportunity to join activities such as Hydrotherapy classes, art classes and Green Prescritiption classes in Dannevirke, Feilding, Foxton, Levin, Otaki, Pahiatua and Palmerston North.
Our committee, staff and members continue to work hard to ensure that our Society provides meaningful programmes, seminars and support to people with MS in our community.