On 4th August we were re-assured by NEXT that the lift in NEXT Blackpole has been working for the last couple of weeks.

Please join us, at our Afternoon Café Meeting on Wednesday, 12 August, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, in the Next Café, above the Next store at the Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, Worcester, WR3 8HP.  (There is a lift and escalator in the store, plus plenty of parking, including blue badge spaces near the main entrance.)  

All people with M.E., CFS, FMS, Long Covid, and their carers, friends and relatives, are welcome at all Worcestershire M.E. Social Group gatherings - please join us whenever it suits you.
 
Future Afternoon Café Meetings will also be on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, at the Next Café.  Further information with all 2026 dates listed is available on our Meetings page.

Unfortunately, the Worcestershire meetings are currently only being held in Worcester, but hopefully they will be at further locations in the future.  Venues for previous lunches and afternoon social gatherings are listed on the Worcestershire ME Social Group website, giving an idea of locations where we have previously met.  To have meetings in further locations we need people who are able to attend from the beginning of every meeting.

•  Local News  •  Meetings  •  Worcestershire  •  Worcestershire M.E. Social Group

Unfortunately this meeting (8 July) has been cancelled due to the lift in Next being out of order.

Please join us, at our Afternoon Café Meeting on Wednesday, 8 July, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, in the Next Café, above the Next store at the Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, Worcester, WR3 8HP.  (There is a lift and escalator in the store, plus plenty of parking, including blue badge spaces near the main entrance.)  

All people with M.E., CFS, FMS, Long Covid, and their carers, friends and relatives, are welcome at all Worcestershire M.E. Social Group gatherings - please join us whenever it suits you.
 
Future Afternoon Café Meetings will also be on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, at the Next Café.  Further information with all 2026 dates listed is available on our Meetings page.

Unfortunately, the Worcestershire meetings are currently only being held in Worcester, but hopefully they will be at further locations in the future.  Venues for previous lunches and afternoon social gatherings are listed on the Worcestershire ME Social Group website, giving an idea of locations where we have previously met.  To have meetings in further locations we need people who are able to attend from the beginning of every meeting.

•  Local News  •  Meetings  •  Worcestershire  •  Worcestershire M.E. Social Group

Please join us, at our Afternoon Café Meeting on Wednesday, 10 June, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, in the Next Café, above the Next store at the Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, Worcester, WR3 8HP.  (There is a lift and escalator in the store, plus plenty of parking, including blue badge spaces near the main entrance.)  

All people with M.E., CFS, FMS, Long Covid, and their carers, friends and relatives, are welcome at all Worcestershire M.E. Social Group gatherings - please join us whenever it suits you.
 
Future Afternoon Café Meetings will also be on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, at the Next Café.  Further information with all 2026 dates listed is available on our Meetings page.

Unfortunately, the Worcestershire meetings are currently only being held in Worcester, but hopefully they will be at further locations in the future.  Venues for previous lunches and afternoon social gatherings are listed on the Worcestershire ME Social Group website, giving an idea of locations where we have previously met.  To have meetings in further locations we need people who are able to attend from the beginning of every meeting.

•  Local News  •  Meetings  •  Worcestershire  •  Worcestershire M.E. Social Group

Herefordshire & Worcestershire Post Viral Fatigue Service for adults with ME/CFS & L/C. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long Covid).
 
NHS ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and LC (Long Covid) Specialist Services Update (May 2026).
 
Marina Townend, Service Lead/Specialist Occupational Therapist, Herefordshire & Worcestershire Post Viral Fatigue Service, shares updated news with the Worcestershire ME Social Group during ME Awareness Week (May 11 - 17).
 
I'm sorry I haven't managed to get along to any recently - unfortunately, your meetings have clashed with other things but I have the August date in my diary.  Since I last provided an update, we have recruited a dietitian to join the wider multi-disciplinary team.  Ines Canteiro starts next week and will be working with the service one day/week.  She will, of course, need a good induction but we hope Ines will develop some resources for the service, run some workshops and offer some 1:1 input to patients in the future.
 
The new ME/CFS & LC team for the two counties, from May 2026, is:
Marina Townend (Service Lead/Specialist Occupational Therapist) full-time
Tabitha Richards (nurse and team lead) full-time
Dr Sarah-Jane Lowe (GP with a specialist interest) part-time
Rashmi Bansal (physiotherapist) full-time
Dr Helen Ayres (psychologist) part-time
Dr Mya Krishnan (psychologist) part-time
Sara Young (occupational therapist) full-time
Janet Piper (occupational therapist) part-time
Ceri Howell (therapy assistant) full-time
Ines Canteiro dietitian) part time
Kate Jewell (administrator) full-time  Kirsti Barnes (administrator) part-time
 
We have also recruited several Participation Partners who work with us on a sessional basis.  Our Participation Partners all have lived experience of ME/CFS and/or Long Covid, and have been through the service.  They are joining our group sessions to talk about their experiences and what they have found helpful in managing symptoms.  The Participation Partners add real value to the service and have received very positive feedback from attendees and staff who are facilitating the sessions. 
 
There are now almost 560 patients in the service, all living across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.  Ages range from 16 to 86, with varying levels in the severity of their symptoms.  We continue to receive high rates of referrals (30-40 per month), which means that people are unfortunately having to wait longer for an assessment than we would like. Current waiting times are between 18 and 40 weeks, depending on who is the most appropriate practitioner to offer the initial appointment.  Longest wait times are for those who don't currently have a diagnosis.   Confirming that the information on the referral form is all correct still. 
 
There is always so much going on in a busy service!  I know things are rarely perfect, but it is pleasing that we continue to receive a lot of thanks and appreciation for the input we provide to people with ME/CFS/LC and their families and carers. 
 
Just a note about the clash of diary dates you mentioned previously - we run our regular Ways to Wellbeing groups on a Wednesday morning, and the Recovery and Management group on the 1st Wednesday of alternate months. This is due to the working days of our part-time staff, to offer the most flexibility and avoid having to cancel groups if there is staff sickness, annual leave, etc.  People would only attend a 9 week block of Ways to Wellbeing groups once so it shouldn't be an ongoing problem for them to attend the social group if they wanted to.

The Ways to Wellbeing groups have always been part of the Post Viral Fatigue Service.  It is a 9-week programme focusing on a different symptom each week.  Patients choose the relevant sessions, depending on the symptoms they experience.   We do talk about the social group in the introductory session too, so I would like to think you might get
more people coming along after that!
 
Hoping for a successful ME Awareness week, with more people having a good understanding of the condition and how it impacts people.
 
 
Marina Townend
Service Lead/Specialist Occupational Therapist
Post Viral Fatigue service
Malvern Community Hospital, 185 Worcester Road, Malvern, WR14 1EX
Tel. 01684 612671

Pdf copy of this blog:

During ME Awareness Week, please join us, at our Afternoon Café Meeting on Wednesday, 13 May, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, in the Next Café, above the Next store at the Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, Worcester, WR3 8HP.  (There is a lift and escalator in the store, plus plenty of parking, including blue badge spaces near the main entrance.)  

All people with M.E., CFS, FMS, Long Covid, and their carers, friends and relatives, are welcome at all Worcestershire M.E. Social Group gatherings - please join us whenever it suits you.
 
Future Afternoon Café Meetings will also be on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, at the Next Café.  Further information with all 2026 dates listed is available on our Meetings page.

Unfortunately, the Worcestershire meetings are currently only being held in Worcester, but hopefully they will be at further locations in the future.  Venues for previous lunches and afternoon social gatherings are listed on the Worcestershire ME Social Group website, giving an idea of locations where we have previously met.  To have meetings in further locations we need people who are able to attend from the beginning of every meeting.

•  Local News  •  Meetings  •  Worcestershire  •  Worcestershire M.E. Social Group

Please join us, at our Afternoon Café Meeting on Wednesday, 8 April, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, in the Next Café, above the Next store at the Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, Worcester, WR3 8HP.  (There is a lift and escalator in the store, plus plenty of parking, including blue badge spaces near the main entrance.)  

All people with M.E., CFS, FMS, Long Covid, and their carers, friends and relatives, are welcome at all Worcestershire M.E. Social Group gatherings - please join us whenever it suits you.
 
Future Afternoon Café Meetings will also be on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, at the Next Café.  Further information with all 2026 dates listed is available on our Meetings page.

Unfortunately, the Worcestershire meetings are currently only being held in Worcester, but hopefully they will be at further locations in the future.  Venues for previous lunches and afternoon social gatherings are listed on the Worcestershire ME Social Group website, giving an idea of locations where we have previously met.  To have meetings in further locations we need people who are able to attend from the beginning of every meeting.

•  Local News  •  Meetings  •  Worcestershire  •  Worcestershire M.E. Social Group

Please join us, at our Afternoon Café Meeting on Wednesday, 11 March, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, in the Next Café, above the Next store at the Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, Worcester, WR3 8HP.  (There is a lift and escalator in the store, plus plenty of parking, including blue badge spaces near the main entrance.)  
 (*should there be snow on this date it will be cancelled).

All people with M.E., CFS, FMS, Long Covid, and their carers, friends and relatives, are welcome at all Worcestershire M.E. Social Group gatherings - please join us whenever it suits you.
 
Future Afternoon Café Meetings will also be on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, at the Next Café.  Further information with all 2026 dates listed is available on our Meetings page.

Unfortunately, the Worcestershire meetings are currently only being held in Worcester, but hopefully they will be at further locations in the future.  Venues for previous lunches and afternoon social gatherings are listed on the Worcestershire ME Social Group website, giving an idea of locations where we have previously met.  To have meetings in further locations we need people who are able to attend from the beginning of every meeting.

•  Local News  •  Meetings  •  Worcestershire  •  Worcestershire M.E. Social Group

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).  (APPG on M.E.) 
Contact your local MP, and explain your situation.  When the date of the next APPG on M.E. meeting is announced, you will be pleased to know that you have already spoken to your local MP.    The Worcestershire ME Social group website contains a list of Local MPs: List of MPs in the West Midlands (Herefordshire and Worcestershire)
 
The secretariat for the APPG on ME is jointly undertaken by Action for ME and The ME Association.

The ME Association (MEA) recently announced
MP Tessa Munt elected as the new Chair of the APPG on M.E.
January 30, 2026
 
As you may already be aware, Tessa Munt MP has officially been appointed Chair of the APPG on ME, following the group's Annual General Meeting last week.
We are delighted to be working more closely with Tessa and are so thankful for her ongoing commitment to the ME community.
We would also like to sincerely thank Jo Platt MP, and her office, for serving as the APPGs most recent Chair and leading the group since it was reconstituted at the end of 2024. We are very pleased that Jo will be continuing to support the APPG as an Officer and look forward to continuing to work closely with her.
 
The APPG's website has since been updated to reflect these changes.
The Secretariat will be meeting with Tessa’s team next week to agree on upcoming meeting dates and as soon as these are scheduled, they will be shared on the APPG's website so that you can invite your MP with advanced notice.
Additionally, we will be uploading all AGM-related documents, alongside the minutes from the December 2025 meeting, to the APPG's website, once they have been approved.

The APPG on ME website states:
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a cross-party group of Members of Parliament and the House of Lords.
All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) are informal groups of MPs and Members of the House of Lords who share an interest in a particular topic. APPGs can’t make laws and are not official parliamentary committees, but can be influential in Parliament and beyond. The UK Parliament website maintains a register of all APPGs.
The APPG on ME seeks to improve health, social care, education and employment opportunities for people with ME and encourage biomedical research into the cause and treatment of ME.
 
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a cross-party group of Members of Parliament (MPs) and members of the House of Lords (Peers).
The Group meets several times a year and uses each meeting to focus on a specific issue affecting people with ME.  Sometimes experts are invited to give presentations on a specific topic, to improve the understanding and knowledge of the APPGs members.  This helps members both to support individual constituents and to advocate for policy change in Parliament.
The APPG creates an important setting to show politicians the scale of challenges facing people with ME, and give space for discussions on how best this can be changed.
 
Get to know the APPG on M.E Chair, Officers, and Members, alongside more about the organisations who support our work.  Encourage your MP to attend meetings, and join the APPG on M.E. membership.  Current Membership:
Bradley Thomas MP,for Bromsgrove and the Villages  (APPG for M.E. Officer)
Dame Harriett Baldwin MP for West Worcestershire, (APPG for M.E. Member)
 
 
Action for ME (AfME)
Parliamentary Champions
About the AfME:s Network
Our network of Parliamentary Champions are our 'go-to' individuals when engaging with Government and building support for our campaigns more broadly in Parliament and beyond.
Our champions are supportive of our work to create a world without ME and give a voice to the estimated 1.35m people in the UK who live with ME or ME-like symptoms, including post-exertional malaise.
 
What does a Parliamentary Champion do?
Parliamentary Champions support us in raising awareness of ME by helping to include ME and related issues in parliamentary business and working with media to highlight key campaigns.
MPs and Peers have a wealth of knowledge so our Champions may also suggest other ways to raise the profile of ME according to their skillset
 
Dame Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire, (a AfME, Champion) stated -
“I am proud to become the latest Parliamentary Champion for Action for ME, supporting their vital work to raise awareness of this often misunderstood illness.
My commitment is to ensure that the voices of those living with ME are heard in Parliament, and I will work with colleagues to push for meaningful change to improve the support and services available to people with ME.”

List of Herefordshire and Worcestershire MPs with email/websites is
also available for you on the Social Group:s website https://worcsmegroup.weebly.com/links.html#4WorcsMPs
for your convenience.

Please join us, at our Afternoon Café Meeting on Wednesday, 11 February, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, in the Next Café, above the Next store at the Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, Worcester, WR3 8HP.  (There is a lift and escalator in the store, plus plenty of parking, including blue badge spaces near the main entrance.)  
 (*should there be snow on this date it will be cancelled).

All people with M.E., CFS, FMS, Long Covid, and their carers, friends and relatives, are welcome at all Worcestershire M.E. Social Group gatherings - please join us whenever it suits you.
 
Future Afternoon Café Meetings will also be on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, at the Next Café.  Further information with all 2026 dates listed is available on our Meetings page.

Unfortunately, the Worcestershire meetings are currently only being held in Worcester, but hopefully they will be at further locations in the future.  Venues for previous lunches and afternoon social gatherings are listed on the Worcestershire ME Social Group website, giving an idea of locations where we have previously met.  To have meetings in further locations we need people who are able to attend from the beginning of every meeting.

•  Local News  •  Meetings  •  Worcestershire  •  Worcestershire M.E. Social Group

Please join us, at our Afternoon Café Meeting on Wednesday, 14 January, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, in the Next Café, above the Next store at the Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, Worcester, WR3 8HP.  (There is a lift and escalator in the store, plus plenty of parking, including blue badge spaces near the main entrance.)  
 (*should there be snow on this date it will be cancelled).

All people with M.E., CFS, FMS, Long Covid, and their carers, friends and relatives, are welcome at all Worcestershire M.E. Social Group gatherings - please join us whenever it suits you.
 
Future Afternoon Café Meetings will also be on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, at the Next Café.  Further information with all 2026 dates listed is available on our Meetings page.

Unfortunately, the Worcestershire meetings are currently only being held in Worcester, but hopefully they will be at further locations in the future.  Venues for previous lunches and afternoon social gatherings are listed on the Worcestershire ME Social Group website, giving an idea of locations where we have previously met.  To have meetings in further locations we need people who are able to attend from the beginning of every meeting.

•  Local News  •  Meetings  •  Worcestershire  •  Worcestershire M.E. Social Group