Service launched to help people living with MS

The charity said there were about 17,000 people across Wales and the South West living with MS

A new service is being launched to help people living with multiple sclerosis (MS).

The MS Society's Community Connections programme aimed to "provide a comprehensive package of support" to those living with MS and their families, organisers said.

The charity said there were about 17,000 people across Wales and south-west England living with the condition which affected the brain and spinal cord.

Community Connections manager Leila Middlehurst Evans said the service would "make a huge difference in enabling people to live well with MS".

'Right support'

Working with groups such as Citizens' Advice, the charity said support would include financial advice, guidance on energy efficiency and assistance for vulnerable households.

The service is being funded by Wales & West Utilities, which has provided more than £213,000 as part of the Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA).

Sophie Shorney, VCMA manager at Wales & West, said: "Community Connections will go to the heart of communities across Wales and the south-west of England to provide this vital help and support.

"The VCMA fund allows us to work in partnership with organisations like the MS Society to reach more people and provide them with the help they need to ensure they receive the right support and help with their bills, to help keep them safe and warm in their own environment."

The project is due to run until 2026.