Hon. Treasurer: Eve Flewin, 10 Bramshott Road, Southsea, Hants. PO4 8AN, tele: 023 9279 3769

Committee Members: Deborah Moore, Di Goodchild, Carol Freemantle, Zoe Collins, Kate Toovey and Sue Tisdall.

Honorary Committee Member: Angie Turley

The Hampshire Group was started several years ago, by a number of sufferers, to provide mutual support and share information about this devastating illness. At this time M.E. (CFS) was barely recognised and certainly not understood by the medical profession or the general public. We have nearly 200 members throughout Hampshire and are in contact with several other support groups across the region too.

Our main aim is still to provide support and information for our members but also we try to raise awareness in other ways. For example, last year we were able to send information about care and management of the illness to every GP in Hampshire. While fundraising is not one of our main priorities as none of us have the energy to do very much in that way, but we do a little and regularly send money to be used for research.

The Group is run by a committee elected at an AGM each year and its structure varies quite often as people pass through various stages of the illness and we welcome new members to join if they feel that they can offer help of any kind.

As our main role is one of mutual support we produce a newsletter three to four times a year and provide a contact list of members who are happy to be contacted by telephone or letter or both. This is such an isolating, lonely illness to suffer and it is really comforting to communicate with someone who really understands how you are feeling. We have several people on the committee who have developed a good working knowledge of the intricacies of the benefits system and are always willing to help if you have a problem in this area.

We try to keep everybody up to date with what is going on in the group, e.g. dates of meetings and members are very welcome to contribute articles and suggestions.