{"id":46506,"date":"2025-03-28T11:12:35","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T11:12:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/?p=46506"},"modified":"2025-08-05T11:50:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T10:50:30","slug":"me-voices-wales-have-your-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/me-voices-wales-have-your-say\/","title":{"rendered":"ME Voices Wales \u2013 have your say!"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>ME Voices Wales \u2013 have your say!<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>How can people with ME in Wales have a louder voice?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Who do we want to listen to us?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"padding-left: 80px;\"><strong>What changes do we want to see take place?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"padding-left: 120px;\"><strong>How can we find out about things that affect us?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-46508 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ME-Voices-Wales-FB-post-Final-002.png?resize=300%2C251&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Illustration of a virtual meeting on a laptop screen with a diverse group of people around it. Text reads: &quot;ME Voices Wales: Questions, Answers, Sharing, Support.&quot; WAMES and FTWW Logos are in the corners.\" width=\"300\" height=\"251\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ME-Voices-Wales-FB-post-Final-002.png?resize=300%2C251&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ME-Voices-Wales-FB-post-Final-002.png?resize=150%2C126&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ME-Voices-Wales-FB-post-Final-002.png?resize=768%2C644&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ME-Voices-Wales-FB-post-Final-002.png?w=940&amp;ssl=1 940w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/251;\" \/><\/p>\n<p>ME Voices Wales is an exciting new project to bring people together so we can listen to each other and work out ways we can communicate about things that are important to us.<\/p>\n<p>Individuals and groups have been supporting each other and raising awareness of ME\/CFS in Wales for decades. Now that there is more acknowledgement of the condition and people say they actually want to hear from us, WAMES and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftww.org.uk\/\">FTWW<\/a> are inviting people with ME throughout Wales to join us and help us make a louder noise.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Numbers matter<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Often WAMES is asked by services or politicians \u2018how many members do you have\u2019 &amp; \u2018where do they live\u2019? The more members, the greater a reason for paying attention. WAMES is not a membership organisation, though from the beginning we have collected experiences and opinions to shape our advocacy work.<\/p>\n<p>We think there could be over 65,700 people with ME in Wales, since so many developed ME following COVID, but how many want to be heard?<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>The more people that sign up, the bigger the impact we can make!<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Whose voices do we want to hear?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-46509 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ME-Voices-Wales-FB-post-Welsh-.png?resize=300%2C251&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Darlun o gyfarfod rhithwir ar sgrin gliniadur gyda gr\u0175p amrywiol o bobl o'i gwmpas. Mae'r testun yn darllen: &quot;ME Voices Wales: Questions, Answers, Sharing, Support.&quot; Mae Logos WAMES a FTWW yn y corneli.\" width=\"300\" height=\"251\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ME-Voices-Wales-FB-post-Welsh-.png?resize=300%2C251&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ME-Voices-Wales-FB-post-Welsh-.png?resize=150%2C126&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ME-Voices-Wales-FB-post-Welsh-.png?resize=768%2C644&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ME-Voices-Wales-FB-post-Welsh-.png?w=940&amp;ssl=1 940w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/251;\" \/>Since Oct 2021 the description of ME in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nice.org.uk\/guidance\/ng206\/chapter\/Context\">NICE guideline<\/a> is one we recognise. Anyone living in Wales with ME or suspected ME, as described by NICE, or who lives with, or cares for someone with ME, is invited to join us.<\/p>\n<p>The NICE guideline definition (even though it is not perfect!) gives us a recognisable and acceptable identity.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What will the project do?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>First<\/strong> we need to listen to each other so we can understand what we want to talk about.<\/p>\n<p>We are therefore planning an initial on-line event \/ series of events to discuss, listen and for you to have your say. We are also considering using other virtual events, local get togethers, short questionnaires, snail mail and polls to gather information.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Then<\/strong> we need to present our voices in a way that our target audience (NHS, politicians\u2026) will hear so we might produce reports, statistical diagrams, infographics, videos etc. Whatever is needed.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>How can you get involved?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Sign up <\/strong><strong>to be kept in touch with the project as it develops<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">\u00a0you will be added to the e-news mailing list so you can find out what is planned.\u00a0 See contact details below<\/p>\n<p><strong>Join the initial on-line event\/s <\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">We\u2019ll soon be sending out details of how to register. [Register here <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.co.uk\/e\/me-voices-wales-tickets-1348201740699\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ME Voices Wales tickets<\/a> \u00a0Tues 13 May &amp; Fri 16 May]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Take the Priorities Survey<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/me-voices-wales-priorities-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tell us what matters most to you<\/a> as a person living with ME<\/p>\n<p><strong>Offer your help<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">can you help run virtual or f2f events OR devise surveys, diagrams or reports OR lead discussions OR something else we haven\u2019t thought about yet?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Know people who are not online? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Give them a print-out of this announcement so they (or a carer) can contact us or they can phone us, and we will communicate through snail mail. We don\u2019t want anyone to be left out!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Groups can become partners<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">any ME groups or groups in Wales with an interest in ME can offer their support, experience and expertise.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>We look forward to hearing from you!<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"mailto:mevoiceswales@gmail.com\">mevoiceswales@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The Coach House, Frongog, Aberystwyth SY23 3HN<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">WAMES helpline: 029 2051 5061<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ME Voices Wales \u2013 have your say! &nbsp; How can people with ME in Wales have a louder voice? Who do we want to listen to us? What changes do we want to see take place? How can we find &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/me-voices-wales-have-your-say\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5qkYK-c66","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46506","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46506"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46506\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47154,"href":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46506\/revisions\/47154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wames.org.uk\/cms-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}