The MS Society's Cambridge & District Branch has received £5,000 to fund specialist weekly exercise classes for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) who live in the Cambridgeshire area.
The donation was provided by The Discovery Foundation, supported by Santander, which offers grants to UK registered charities for projects that help disadvantaged people in local communities.
The UK's biggest MS charity aims to enable everyone affected by MS to live life to their full potential and secure the care and support they need until ultimately a cure can be found. To this end the charity funds research, provides grants, and offers information and support for people affected by MS.
The grant will help improve the overall health of people with MS through attending the exercise classes which will enable them to stay as mobile and active as possible. Muscle strength and general fitness can improve as a result of an exercise program specifically tailored for individuals who experience a broad range of MS Symptoms. Exercise can also help with the management of weight control as well as providing a weekly opportunity to meet up and make new friends.
Susan Dillon, Chair at The MS Society’s Cambridge and District Branch said: "This donation will support both our Wednesday exercise class for people with differing levels of disability and the Thursday class for newly diagnosed people. We are extremely grateful for this grant from The Discovery Foundation."
Sally Picking, Branch Manager at Santander’s Ely branch said: "The Discovery Foundation makes hundreds of donations every year to good causes throughout the UK. Our branch is committed to playing a key part in the community and we are delighted to be supporting The MS Society’s Cambridge and District Branch and hope the donation makes a real difference to local people."
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Notes to Editors:
Media Contact
Sarah Webster at Santander Tel: 020 7756 5533
Susan Dillon, Chair of The MS Society’s Cambridge & District Branch Tel: 0845 299 3743
About The MS Society’s Cambridge & District Branch
The MS Society’s Cambridge & District Branch has about 186 members and supports people affected by MS in the Cambridgeshire area. The MS Society is the UK’s biggest MS charity whose aim is to beat MS. The Charity’s mission is to enable everyone affected by MS to live life to their full potential and secure the care and support they need, until ultimately a cure can be found. To this end The Charity funds research, provides grants, information and support for people affected by MS. The Society has over 300 branches that bring people affected to MS together in communities around the UK, where services such as providing emotional and practical support, financial help, information, organising social and fundraising events can be delivered at a local level. For more information please visit: https://www.mssociety.org.uk/care-and-support/local-support
The Discovery Foundation
Santander funds The Discovery Foundation which is at the heart of the Bank’s community activities, providing grants to small charities and social enterprises working with disadvantaged people to fund skills, knowledge and innovation projects across the UK. Discovery Grants of up to £5,000 are available to support three types of activity:
- Explorer: improving people's knowledge
- Transformer: supporting skills and experience
- Changemaker: innovative solutions to social challenges
The Discovery Foundation, which was launched on 1 March 2016, is the new working name of the Santander Foundation. Over the last five years, the Foundation has provided £25 million in funding to 12,600 UK charities and in 2016 a further £5 million will be available through Discovery Grants and Staff Matched Donations. For more information please visit: santanderfoundation.org.uk/
Santander UK is a financial services provider in the UK that offers a wide range of personal and commercial financial products and services. It has brought real competition to the UK, through its 1|2|3 products for retail customers and relationship banking model for UK SMEs. As at 31 December 2015, Santander UK was one of the most switched to banks. The bank serves more than 14 million active customers with c. 20,000 employees and operates through 857 branches and 70 regional Corporate Business Centres. Santander UK is subject to the full supervision of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) in the UK. Santander UK plc customers are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in the UK.