FND Ashfield & Notts Support Group

03/11/2026

Kindly seeking donations from Businesses like Florists, Restaurants, Butchers, Gift/Candle shop, tea room, etc, Asda,Tesco, Morrisons if anyone works there to ask the Manager, Superdrug, Record Shop, Arts & Craft Shop etc.

If you would be as so kind enough to spare a prize, gift card etc for our Functional Neurological Disorder FND Ashfield & Notts Support Group.Christmas Fundraiser/Party.

FND can be so life changing, debilitatating, variable, lonely, stressfull, loss of independance, not able to walk or talk, financial worries due to loss of job or cut down in hours and never knowing when we wil recover, or if we will ever recover, and what one hour to the next will bring.

After being diagnosed myself and the tough journey even learning too walk again and knowing how lonely, isolating, grief for what i had before learning to accept FND and the effects and worries on my Family.

So i wanted to bring FND Awareness, Support & Friendship to the Community, find other people with FND as i had never heard of it, and to help one another, make new friends who understand your feelings, but to keep smiling and strong.

All the money raised will help the group to continue and grow in the New Year, support activities, admin & running costs, advertising, promotion costs, Arts & Crafts , and much more.

As at the moment it is self funded by myself and a few donations of arts & crafts and sponsers/support for adverstising, flyers, room hire to hold the group. So your support would be very much appreciated.

Please feel free to come along and support us on the day, learn about FND and we all enjoy the afternoon and to say Thank you for supporting the Group.❤️

03/11/2026

Just trying out some tote bags, for group to keep pencils, paint, or raffle, bingo tickets , list is endless.
Only a prototype for water bottles, bags, files, wallets for all your arts, documents from the group.
Next Octopus is purple and the ribbon half purple and half orange..
What do you thing.?

02/11/2026

Please join in and support with your artwork.

02/11/2026

With me doing a FND stand at Kings Mill on the 12th Nov would anyone like to print off these colouring sheets. Colour in, add paint, sparkles, tissue paper, glitter, etc and send them me on here me email address with name.
Or bring them to me on the day, at the stand, so i can display they on my board as part of raising Awareness and support.
Likewise if you would like to send me a FND poem, coloured in, speach bubbles with a few words to describe what FND is like, how you feel.
It could be a feeling of a picture of dark cloud and put your feelings in that, or half sunshine, rainbow for good days then stormy or lightening bolt for pain, anger, frustration.
Your opinions matter, your, feelings matter, your not alone, i'm listening and other people are too, so let's do a show & tell about FND in Ashfield & Notts.
Are you with me?

02/11/2026

An excerpt of a story that was taken a while back that i came across. Makes good reading from a Nottinghamshire Consultant. Who has also been very supportive backing of our Community Support Group that has allowed me to ho into Kings Mill Hospital next week with my FND stand. Thank you for your Suport Consultant Dr Singhal.

02/11/2026

Maybe thinking a creating a ballot box or online poll, post anon if you like of peoples experiences of FND IN Ashfield & Notts area, questions such as.

Support you recieved once diagnosed? Did you get refered within Notts area.
Or just given a diagnosis by Neurologist and given a National website then discharged?
Have you gone to Sheffield for a referal for diagnosis,
Or is there one in Nottinghamshire ?
Have you gone private to get answers and support for a diagnosis?
How do you feel you have been supported before diagnosis, during and after diagnosis?

Also please let me know if i can use your comments to put on a display for a mobile stand im doing at Kings Mill Hospital and maybe others in the New Year for FND Support & Awareness.

What do you think?

02/11/2026

Very interesting story about FND and campaigning for more Awareness & Support etc.
I wish you Liam all the best and i hope you are doing well, would be nice to meet you, see what you"ve up to advocating for FND. Have you maded any other friends with FND in our area since this article?

The questions raised to the Government and Health Secretary following this meeting would be good to read for alot of us.
Also to know if anything has changed since the 34wks, when this was publicised.

Since my story the other week and about our Group, looks like its will be a second time going back to the Government and Health Minister with same or similar questions about FND.
Which have been raised by yet another Nottinghamshire resident and maybe more out there, who knows.

Liam's Story.

Last week I met Liam Virgo who lives in Annesley in my constituency of Ashfield. About 10 years ago, Liam was a healthy, active young lad before suddenly losing his ability to walk and talk.

Liam was eventually diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a condition that affects how the brain sends and receives signals. Around 100,000 people in the UK suffer from FND, and in Liam's case it left him severely disabled.

Despite this, Liam's situation was made even harder by a healthcare system that lacks awareness of this condition. Many do not even understand what it is.

There are no specific treatment plans for FND patients on the NHS and this leads to patients being passed from one service to another. Most GPs have had no formal training on FND, so it has become a forgotten diagnosis in medical school.

This led to Liam being told by medical professionals that his condition was 'all in his head' just because his symptoms do not appear in an MRI scan. One GP also told him to 'just get moving' at a time when he was physically paralysed.

Liam is now 23 years old, and against all odds he is now learning to walk again and is using his voice to raise awareness of his condition. He still battles with it daily, but he is incredibly determined.

Yesterday I took Liam for a tour of Parliament where I am championing him and his story. To that end I have submitted a number of written questions to the Government and I will be writing to the Health Secretary on this issue as well.

Liam's story is a real eye-opener. We need to raise awareness and understanding of Functional Neurological Disorder, particularly across the healthcare system.

31/10/2026

31/10/2026

Happy Halloween Everyone!
Showing my love to everyone who has FND.
The journey doesn't have to be a scary one, be brave, be strong, keep your light glowing with a smile and a laugh, it works wonders.