MS-UK’s CEO Amy Woolf sets out the charity’s plans for the next three years with a brand new strategy

I am pleased to share our new strategy for the next three years with you. This plan was developed thanks to the insightful contributions of our team, board and most importantly, the MS community.

Together, we reviewed our vision, mission and values and our historical decision on not accepting funding from pharmaceutical companies. In conversations with our community, it became clear to us that our mission is as important today as it was when we first began. Our values have become even more embedded within the organisation and what has been highlighted for us is that the way we work is as important as the work that we do. I am grateful to those of our community that came forward to share their thoughts and opinions on these crucial matters and helped strengthen our understanding of what our community expects from us.

MS-UK began as MSRC, founded John and Jean Simkins, who both survived previous partners who lived with multiple sclerosis (MS). Determined to not simply wait for a cure, they instead set up the charity to provide support to people living with the condition, proving the information and support needed to enable people with MS to make their own individual choices about how they would manage the condition. This has remained central to the charity for the last 30 years.

Our four priorities for the next three years look to extend this work. During this period, we will focus on providing holistic self-support activities chosen by the MS community, available to people online across the UK. We will provide unrivalled MS information, where no subject is taboo. You can then use that information to make your own choice about how you will live with your MS. We will continue to offer compassionate emotional support, through our helpline and peer support service. And we will deliver training and raise awareness of MS ensuring lived experience is always at the forefront and highlights what life with MS is truly like so others can begin to understand and better support our community also.

To achieve this we will also look to grow our range of fundraising opportunities and invest in our people, infrastructure and marketing so that we can not only continue these vital services, but support more people than ever before.

You can read the full strategy here.