RESIDENTS of Worcestershire who have been affected by polio or post-polio syndrome (PPS) are being encouraged to join a national charity which aims to support them live as independently as possible.

The British Polio Fellowship provides support services to all its members and is constantly looking for new ways to help those with PPS to live independent lives.

Members can access a wide range of benefits including information, advocacy, welfare and other support through the national office and the local branches.

The nearest branches to Worcester are the Wolverhampton and Dudley Branch and the Ludlow Branch. The Midlands branch in Leicester is home to the British Polio Fellowship’s annual National Indoor Games.

At the branch meetings, people can join other polio survivors at regular intervals throughout the year, with active welfare and fundraising teams that provide essential support and fellowship for members. The charity offers many services and the timetable for 2018 is packed with awareness days, campaigns and social events.

This appeal also aims to tackle the issue of loneliness among polio and PPS sufferers.

David Mitchell, national chairman of the fellowship, said: “This invitation is also aimed at tackling the loneliness epidemic engulfing the UK, with three quarters of older people lonely.

“It doesn’t have to be this way. The British Polio Fellowship already has a member base of around 10,000 people but in the UK alone there are 120,000 people who may have PPS.

“They are not alone and, for a very modest fee, they can become part of our local, regional and national support network. Our membership comprises of people who have gone through the same situations and would love to meet them.”

Most Branches have active welfare and fundraising teams providing essential support to local members. Many also offer a wide range of social activities.

The fellowship ultimately wants to see a society where people living with the effects of polio and PPS have all the resources they need to lead full, active and integrated lives and a world where polio is completely eradicated.

National treasurer Linda Evers met her husband through her local branch and, with trips, events and dinners, she found the local network an invaluable lifeline.

She said: “I would certainly lead a very different, very lonely life if it wasn’t for the fellowship and I daresay the same would be true for many other people. It has been a big part of my life – long may it continue.”

“It has helped provide me with a community and support for what are a very special set of health problems that only people with polio may understand. I have no doubt that without the help of the charity and the support of many of the members, including my husband, I wouldn’t have felt the confidence to enjoy such a great career.”

• Polio is an infectious disease cause by the poliovirus. It can cause muscle weakness within a few hours but many people make a full recovery. As a result of routine vaccination programmes, polio has been largely wiped out in most parts of the world including the UK but it can still be brought back into the country from abroad.

• PPS is a condition that can affect people who have had polio in the past. Some of the symptoms return or get worse many years or decades after the original polio infection. PPS conditions can include persistent fatigue (extreme tiredness); muscle weakness; shrinking muscles; muscle and joint pain as well as sleep apnoea.