1st of the month - the day to donate £1 to 1st Class ME Research!

A Pound For Research

The original idea by Ruth Gilchrist for One Day - One Pound was for as many people as possible to donate just £1 on May 12th International ME Awareness Day to show support and to help raise vital funds for 1st class biomedical research for tests and treatments for ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis).  We extended this to include a monthly reminder of our ongoing fundraising for this vital cause on the 1st of each month.  Donations at any time are welcome. Every £1 makes a big difference to the charity that our cause supports - Invest in ME (also now registered as Invest in ME Research). 

Gift Aid is an extra 25% of your donation from the government if you are a UK tax-payer,

so don't forget to tick the Gift Aid box when you donate if this applies to you.

If in UK you can text APFR99 

£1-£5 or £10

to 70070 

(JustTextGiving)

Text donations add to the total raised on the Just Giving Page.

You can add your name and Gift Aid if eligible by text. 

You can also donate (worldwide) 

any amount (minimum of £2) via JustGiving

Other options to donate £1 or more .. 

Paypal

To: paypal@investinme.org

Bank Transfer

Bank: Lloyds TSB Eastleigh

Sorting code: 30-92-94

Account number: 02252685

Bank Transfer from outside the UK 

IBAN: GB63 Loyd 3092 9402 2526 85

BIC/SWIFT: LOYDGB21209

Cheque

Send cheques payable to ‘Invest in ME’ to:

Invest in ME 

PO Box 561,

Eastleigh,

Hampshire,

SO50 0GQ

(add Gift Aid to your donation with Invest in ME’s Gift Aid form)

Please help spread the word .. 

Let's Do it For ME is a patient-driven campaign launched in 2011 in support of the proposal by independent UK charity Invest in ME (Research) to establish a centre of excellence for translational research and patient care based around Norwich Research Park in East Anglia; the first of its kind in UK/Europe and in collaboration with other leading UK and international biomedical researchers.

We help to raise funds for the biomedical research into myalgic encephalomyelitis that the charity is organising and/or funding in the development of the centre of excellence projects. The foundation study investigating the role of gut permeability in ME got underway in 2013 thanks to achieving our initial fundraising target of £100k (new target £200k) The next £50k fully funded a study of B-cells based at UCL prior to a clinical trial (new target £450k). 

Our crowdfunding for specific ME research is the first of its kind in UK and has inspired similar projects in Europe and USA. We have now helped to raise over £500,000 for the IIME Research strategy to develop and are aiming for £1000,000. The current focus of the research is on the role of the immune system, including infection and autoimmunity. 

Invest in ME is run entirely by unpaid volunteers who either have ME or are parents and carers of ME patients. They are driving the agenda of scientific biomedical research into diagnostic tests and treatments for myalgic encephalomyelitis in UK in collaboration with international researchers of world renown. Thank you for your support! 

Let's Do It for ME!

ldifme.org

in support of Invest in ME (Research)

investinme.org

Invest in ME International Conference (IIMEC)

investinme.eu

IIME/UCL/UK rituximab trial 

ukrituximabtrial.org

You can follow our cause @Letsdoit4ME on Twitter and find us on Facebook

Thank-you for your support!

Matched March Donations Offer!

We've had a brilliant response to our invitation to help us hit £1million fundraising target for Invest in ME Research Funds by May, including this very kind message from supporters who wish to remain anonymous: 

"We are so impressed by the LDIFME team and all their efforts to support biomedical research into ME with Invest in ME that we would like to donate £1000 for a matching donation effort in aid of the wonderful new March on a Million challenge. Please keep up the impressive and crucial support for the charity and for ME patients".

What a lovely surprise!

We share these wonderful supporters' hope that this may inspire others to offer matching donation amounts. If so, please get in touch and we look forward to hearing from you. 

The matching amount (up to £1000 in total) will be added as an offline donation to the JustGiving page at the end of March.  Gift Aid (extra from the government for eligible UK tax-payers donations) will be an added bonus towards the £1million fundraising target, so don't forget to tick the box if this applies to you. The month's marching on so don't delay  - spread the word to donate today :) 

1st APRIL UPDATE: You did it! Thanks so much for your support and again of course, to our kind matching sponsors.  Their £1000 has been added as an offline donation to add to the totals on the Let's Do It For ME JustGiving page (link below).  Hang on, it's 1st of the new month? On with Ruth Gilchrist's One Day - One Pound!  THANK YOU each and every one!  http://blog.ldifme.org/2012/06/one-day-one-pound.html

Ways to donate for this matching offer. 

JustGiving (worldwide - minimum donation £2 - includes PayPal)
https://www.justgiving.com/ldifme

or 

JustTextGiving  (UK only) 

Text: BMER99 - £1-£5 or £10 - to 70070 

You can choose to add your name and Gift Aid by text if eligible. 

Text donations add to the totals on the Just Giving link above. 

Paypal

paypal@investinme.org

Bank Transfer

Bank: Lloyds TSB Eastleigh

Sorting code: 30-92-94

Account number: 02252685

Bank Transfer from outside the UK

IBAN: GB63 Loyd 3092 9402 2526 85

BIC/SWIFT: LOYDGB21209

Cheque

Payable to ‘Invest in ME’ to:

Invest in ME
PO Box 561,

Eastleigh,

Hampshire,

SO50 0GQ

UK tax-payers can add Gift Aid - Invest in ME Gift Aid form

To read more about our £1m challenge -

http://blog.ldifme.org/2015/03/lets-march-on-million.html

BIG THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

& THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR BIG CAUSE

Let's Do It For ME!

*Let's Do It For ME! is a patient-driven campaign helping to raise awareness of the work of independent UK charity Invest in ME (Research) and funds for the biomedical research into myalgic encephalomyelitis that the charity is organising and/or funding. Invest in ME is run entirely by unpaid volunteers who either have ME or are parents and carers of ME patients. They are driving the agenda of scientific biomedical research into diagnostic tests and treatments for myalgic encephomyelitis in UK in collaboration with international researchers of world renown. 2015 marks the 10th year of amazing progress made by this small charity with a BIG cause - will you help them make it the best yet? Let's do it for Invest in ME!*

Charity Today News!

Charity Today

UPDATE 16th March:  You did it! Invest in ME got the most nominations and won!  More news on this when we have it. Meanwhile, well done and big THANKS everyone for nominating Invest in ME. 

Posted on 10th March:
Great chance to win a month’s free advertising on Charity Today News for Invest in ME Charity. The charity with the most nominations wins, it’s that simple.
How to enter:
Simply like and share the post, then name Invest in ME below to nominate them.
Closes 11am on 13th March 2015.

The post is currently pinned to the Charity Today page on Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/charitytodaynews

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

* Let's Do It For ME is an awareness and fundraising campaign in support of Invest in ME Charity. We are aiming to reach a million pounds for Invest in ME Research Funds in 2015 - please click here for March 2015 press release and details - http://bitly.com/1zZWp4l

Photo Contest Ends Midnight Sunday 15th March - Reading Rocks!

easyfundraising want you to share a picture or video with them showing why 

Reading Rocks!

Deadline is Sunday 15th March midnight.

UK residents aged 18 or over.

You don't have to be an easyfundraising member to take part.

One entry per person.

There are two ways to enter :

Facebook

Share your picture or video on easyfundraising's Facebook page, either in the comments under a post about the competition or on their wall.

Twitter

Tweet your picture or video using the hashtag #ReadingRocks and remember to mention @easyuk.

They suggest lots of ways you can show how much you think Reading Rocks; a selfie of you with your favourite book, a picture of your book club, your children enjoying reading their favourite book, the kids dressed as characters from literature or even your pet with their purrfect book!

Win a £100 donation!

What’s more, once you’ve shared your photo or video, you’ll be in with a chance to WIN £100 to donate to the charity that’s close to our heart - Invest in ME!

PLUS The Book People have given easyfundraising a children’s book bundle to giveaway with an RRP of over £240! And they’ve increased donations to 3% so you raise even more.

We only have until Sunday 15th March to enter, so grab your camera and let's get snapping!

Terms and Conditions in full

GOOD LUCK & THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

*****

Let's Do It For ME is an awareness and fundraising campaign in support of Invest in ME Charity.  We are aiming to reach a million pounds for Invest in ME Research Funds in 2015 - please click here for March 2015 press release and details - http://bitly.com/1zZWp4l

Secret Easter 2015

Deadline for entry is Saturday 14th March.  This is the latest in the lovely series throughout the year based on the tradition of Secret Santa and organised by Invest in ME supporters Ali Head and Becca Hams on Facebook.  Last month was Secret Valentine, and Secret Summer is (hopefully) to look forward to again this year. Now is the time for Secret Easter 2015.  Donations are via Ali's JustGiving page and proceeds go towards the IIME Rituximab Research Fund.  Please click here for further info and how to take part and don't forget that closing date is March 14th - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1549225902024668

Let's Do It For ME is an awareness and fundraising campaign in support of Invest in ME Charity.  We are aiming to reach a million pounds for Invest in ME Research Funds in 2015 - please click here for March 2015 press release and details - http://bitly.com/1zZWp4l
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Cordon Bleu for ME!

Cordon Bleu for ME

Stuck for ideas? Well, we have plenty!

• You could make a blue drink (perhaps a non-alcoholic cocktail to highlight the tolerance problems of alcohol for someone with ME); 

• or maybe gluten or dairy-free cupcakes with blue icing to represent those who cannot eat normal cupcakes; 

• or perhaps blue pasta by colouring the water (natural food colouring, of course! No nasty E-numbers required). 

• Even a blue soup in the style of the hapless and wonderful Bridget Jones! 

The choice is yours and the choice is HUGE – endless, even! Blue omelette! Blue curry! (Or at least blue rice.) Blue cheese on a pizza! The list goes on and on .... 

The results could be used for an invitation-only themed dinner (might you want to dress as Smurfs for the occasion?); a bake sale; lovely ice lollies (well, we can hope for warm weather in May!) or biscuits around the school playground or office. 

The most important thing is awareness for the horrendous disease that is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. Remember, many of the severe sufferers cannot eat anything at all and are forced to rely on tube-feeding.

Blue is the colour most associated with ME and eating and even drinking a natural pleasure denied to so many who suffer from it. 

Please help them by doing what you can to highlight what they go through while having fun in the kitchen and remembering how much your efforts, whether Masterchef or total novice, count!

Let the (cake/soufflé/bread) money-raising begin! 

Find Cordon Bleu for ME on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/CordonBleuForME

https://www.facebook.com/CordonBleuForME

(the photos in this image were obtained through Google and are for illustration and inspirational ideas only)

Let's Do It For ME is an awareness and fundraising campaign in support of Invest in ME Charity.  We are aiming to reach £1m for Invest in ME Research Funds in 2015 - please click here for March 2015 press release and details - http://bitly.com/1zZWp4l

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Let's March on a Million!

We Can Do It For ME!

We said last month that 2015 marks the 10th year of Invest in ME charity and the 10th of their world-renowned international biomedical research conferences. Well, February was a landmark month for Let's Do It For ME. We raced past the milestone of £500,000 - yes, HALF A MILLION POUNDS - in real money!

This has allowed Invest in ME to initiate possibly the two most important research projects for ME in the UK: a gut microbiota study in the Norwich Research Park with IFR/UEA and a project leading to a clinical trial of the rituximab drug in cooperation with UCL.

March 2015 begins with a total of £502,000 donated or raised or pledged for Invest in ME Biomedical Research Funds since we launched our campaign to help the charity fulfil its plans to establish a centre of excellence for ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis).

This means we begin March at £502,000 on the way to the next target of a
magic million! How fantastic would it be to reach £1m in May 2016?  

A wonderful way to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of Invest in ME Charity.  Can we do it? With you and the help of your equally amazing friends and families .. YES WE CAN!

Kindly summed up in last Friday's edition of this unmissable weekly column: 

"The reason I’m so proud of one of the charities I support Invest In ME is because it’s run entirely by a few volunteers who themselves either suffer with the illness or are parents of children with ME. There are no salaries; every penny that’s raised goes where it should go and alongside the Lets Do It For ME team who are also voluntary, what they have achieved is nothing short of phenomenal."  Stacy Hart, Watford Observer. 

The Let's Do It For ME website is being revamped and we'll post more

March updates soon. Meanwhile, you can also find us on Facebook or
follow us on Twitter @Letsdoit4ME.  Do let us know if you have plans 

or events you'd like us to highlight or any ways you'd like to help. Our email is:
fundraising4me@gmail.com  Ways to simply donate are at the end of this blog. 

The press release issued by Invest in ME on 21st February may be read
in full on their website or in pdf. Here's an extract:

Five years ago Invest in ME created a proposal for a Centre of Excellence for translational biomedical ME research. The centre would provide clinical assessment, diagnosis and treatment for patients andtraining and information for healthcare staff and work collaboratively with international researchers. 

With comparatively few resources the charity (all volunteers) and its supporters have established a foundation which could provide a real basis for future development and which will lead to better understanding and treatments for this physical illness. 

The model we have is, with enough support, able to continue and expand and augment and achieve a real breakthrough in ME research in UK and Europe and the world.

Let’s Do It for ME is a patient-driven campaign to raise awareness and vital funds for the centre of excellence. The campaign was set up in2011 and is run by ME patients who have the same objectives as the charity - high quality biomedical research resulting in a better understanding of the pathogenesis of ME as well as in the development of appropriate treatments. The campaign has supporters from all over the world and it has forced change through imaginative ideas, selfless efforts, dedication and positivity - a Can Do approach to a disease where so many have suffered unnecessarily for too long.

It is the Let's Do It for ME spirit - empowerment of patients and their families for action, a Can Do approach and positive campaigning and fundraising.

Together we are trying to improve the future for people with ME and their families and after reaching a milestone of £1/2 MILLION we are ready to reach our next target of £1 MILLION.

Our thanks go to the patients and their carers and friends and relatives who have campaigned for change and forced action to be taken and please join us in reaching our next target.

With enough support we can change things forever.

One small charity, one BIG Cause, one band of supporters – progress – change.  “Things do not have to be the way they are – we can change things.” - Dr Ian Gibson.

Let’s Do Change. Let’s Do It For ME.

Contact: info@investinme.org tel: 02380 251719 or 07759 349743

*****

A BIG THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

March 5th update - matching donation offer - http://bit.ly/1A15euJ

Ways To Donate

(add Gift Aid if UK Tax-Payer)

Paypal

paypal@investinme.org

Bank Transfer

Bank: Lloyds TSB Eastleigh

Sorting code: 30-92-94

Account number: 02252685

Bank Transfer from outside the UK

IBAN: GB63 Loyd 3092 9402 2526 85

BIC/SWIFT: LOYDGB21209

Cheque

Payable to ‘Invest in ME’ to:

Invest in ME

PO Box 561,

Eastleigh,

Hampshire,

SO50 0GQ

UK tax-payers can add Gift Aid to donations - Invest in ME Gift Aid form

JustGiving 

(worldwide - minimum £2 donations)

https://www.justgiving.com/ldifme

JustTextGiving 

(UK only)

Text: BMER99 - £1-£5 or £10 - to 70070 

You can choose to add your name and Gift Aid by text if eligible 

Text donations add to the totals on the Just Giving link above.

Other Ways to Help or Donate to Invest in ME 

http://www.investinme.org/helpus.htm

March 9th update - IIME has kindly added the above as a newsletter on their website - http://www.investinme.org/IIME-Newslet-1503-01.htm

ALL4LOVE!

ME AWARENESS - LET'S BE SEEN IN 2015! 

All seller proceeds from our online shops go straight to Invest in ME charity 

for biomedical research into myalgic encephalomyelitis. 

Free delivery for all orders on Spreadshirt over £30

From 29 January until 2 February 2015

Coupon Code: ALL4LOVE

(cannot be combined with other discounts or coupon codes)

A wide range available from our online Spreadshirt shops:

Let's do it for ME! (run by Jan Laverick) 

40 products with our campaign logo .. http://ldifme.spreadshirt.co.uk/

.. or design your own .. http://designerme.spreadshirt.co.uk/

The Big Sleep for ME (run by Julia Cottam) 

158 products in exclusive designs for our annual ME Awareness event. http://thebigsleepforme.spreadshirt.co.uk/

Make ME (run by Jon Watson)
20 products designed for our crafty campaign side, including 

Hug ME. http://www.makemecrafts.com/Make-ME-Spreadshirt.html

ME Awareness (run by Carmel Hillary)

A range of great items with Invest in ME logo, as well as a number of other designs for awareness of myalgic encephalomyelitis and also fibromyalgia, are among the 51 products available from this shop. http://653855.spreadshirt.co.uk/

LET'S BE SEEN IN 2015!

(please note that Invest in ME will provide their own logo T-shirts FREE of charge for 
your awareness or fundraising events in aid of the charity.
You can email them at: info@investinme.org or contact them via their website).

Thank you for your support.

Let's do it for ME! 

http://ldifme.org/

in support of 

Invest in ME Charity

http://www.investinme.org/

15% off ends 13th January!

All seller proceeds from our online shops go straight to Invest in ME charity for biomedical research into myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). This Spreadshirt offer ends January 13th.

15% off your entire Spreadshirt order (no minimum).

Voucher Code: HEART15 (can't be used with other codes)

Our online Spreadshirt shops are:

Let's do it for ME! (run by Jan Laverick) 

40 products with our campaign logo .. http://ldifme.spreadshirt.co.uk/

.. or design your own .. http://designerme.spreadshirt.co.uk/

The Big Sleep for ME (run by Julia Cottam) 

158 products in exclusive designs for our annual ME Awareness event. http://thebigsleepforme.spreadshirt.co.uk/

Make ME (run by Jon Watson) 

20 products designed for our crafty campaign side, including Hug ME. http://www.makemecrafts.com/Make-ME-Spreadshirt.html

A range of great items with Invest in ME logo, as well as a number of other designs for awareness of myalgic encephalomyelitis and also fibromyalgia, are among the 51 products available from this shop run by Carmel Hillary. http://653855.spreadshirt.co.uk/

LET'S BE SEEN IN 2015!

(please note that Invest in ME will provide their charity logo T-shirts FREE of charge for 

your awareness or fundraising events.

You can email them at: info@investinme.org or contact them via their website).

Thank you for your support.

Let's do it for ME! 
http://ldifme.org/
in support of 
Invest in ME Charity
http://www.investinme.org/

Christmas Greetings from ME to You!

Thank you for your on-going support throughout 2014!

This campaign is only a success because of you as you're the ones really "Doing It for ME!"

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and of course, as always, thinking of all those isolated at this time of year. Many of our group have severe ME so our thoughts are truly with you.

Looking forward to more fun fundraising with you all in 2015! 

We also wish all at Invest in ME charity a well-deserved Happy Christmas and all the best for the year ahead - our campaign exists in support of their amazing work!

Extracts from Invest in ME Christmas 2014 newsletter ....

Invest in ME and our supporters have a firm belief that the only sensible strategy for finding useful treatments, prevention and ultimately a cure for ME is via a focus on biomedical research into the illness. Our efforts since 2007 have concentrated on international collaboration in biomedical research - something that has already been proven to be productive.

In 2013 we had announced the beginning of our plans to initiate a clinical trial of rituximab following the BRMEC3 Colloquium and our magnificent supporters have achieved the impossible in 2014 and raised the initial target of £350,000. A preliminary B-cell study was made part of this project and that was started during this last year.

Our foundation project at UEA/IFR continued and we have complemented this with funding of medical students who are participating in our projects by intercalating during their fourth year of study.

Our intention was announced in 2014 to fund more PhD studentships and our targets have been set.
The charity set up an Advisory Board of researchers to help with strategy and focus research efforts. This has met twice in 2014. With the planned four PhDs and three medical students working on biomedical research into ME a good foundation for our future aims has been built.

With all the hardships that ME causes to patients and families they still believe there is a better way and 2014 was a year when patient power really came to the fore – led by IIME supporters. Despite having been set challenging targets to initiate a strategy of biomedical research, our supporters have given hope to all patients.

Thank you all.

Our thanks to the LDIFME team for the enormous work they have performed and the service to the ME community which they have achieved through their tireless efforts to raise awareness and funds via positive and innovative campaigns.

Despite enormous difficulties we have, together, made things happen.

As we approach Christmas we can look to the next year and express hope. We have our tenth International ME conference and our fifth Biomedical Research into ME Colloquium - which will now span two days.

We would like to wish all of our wonderful supporters a very happy Christmas and a New Year full of hope - and a huge thank you for all that you have to done to help us all to move forward.
You continue to make a difference.

Merry Christmas!

From all at Invest in ME

*end of extracts* - past IIME newsletters here -http://www.investinme.org/IIME%20newsletter.htm

The IIME gut microbiota research is being conducted at the world-class Institute of Food Research (IFR) and is featured in Day 7 of the brilliant Advent Calendar IFR have produced for 2014. Well worth a browse through these bite-size snippets of fun and facts - http://blogs.ifr.ac.uk/advent/category/advent/

Best Wishes to Everyone for Christmas and New Year!

Thank you for your support!

Let's do it for ME 

http://ldifme.org/

in support of 

Invest in ME 

http://www.investinme.org/

Let's Scare to Care at Halloween! Photo Competition, Scary Bear Party and more ..

Let's be devils and help Invest in ME reach their fundraising ghouls this Halloween!

Enter Giveacar's Halloween Photo Competition and win some fantastic prizes 

as well as great donations for our favourite charity - Invest in ME!

Giveacar are looking for creative, imaginative photographs of your Halloween festivities - pumpkin carvings, spooky costumes, terrifying decorations or maybe something even more unique!

Prizes

1st Prize: An Amazon Kindle and £200 donation to charity

2nd Prize: A 6 month Netflix subscription and £100 donation to charity

3rd Prize: A £20 Amazon voucher and £50 donation to charity

The competition will run from Friday 24th October to Tuesday 4th November at midnight.

To enter: You can enter the competition in a number of ways:

Facebook: Go to the Giveacar Facebook page, like the page and upload your photograph to the timeline. Make sure you mention Invest in ME charity in the text! (your picture won't appear on the timeline straight away but Giveacar will have received it).

Twitter: Tweet your photograph, making sure that you include @Giveacar so that they can see it and mention the name of Invest in ME charity (@Invest_in_ME) Follow @Giveacar to be notified of the results.

Email: You can also email your entries to charity@giveacar.co.uk making sure that you attach the photograph and mention Invest in ME charity.

For more information visit www.giveacar.co.uk/halloween-competition

Giveacar will release the results on Friday 7th November - GOOD LUCK!

More fiendish ways to raise funds or have just have fun and lift some spirits .. 

Well enough for a Halloween party, or know someone who is? 

Why not ask them to scare to care and donate £5 to Invest in ME?  

Not well enough to party, but want to raise some spirits? 

You are warmly invited to join Scary Bear for M.E. Halloween online on Facebook!  

See you there, if you dare .... mwahahah! 

Need some fiendishly fine jewellery to adorn your party scary wear?

Fly on over to Jenny's Treasures Halloween 2014 Album!

Want to shed a little light on the night?

Alison Orr's gorgeous candles - organic unscented option available!

Roger's Fright Hike for Invest In ME!
Batastic! Roger Ogborne's story: "On 31st October I will be taking part in the Fright Hike; A 20 mile hike through Epping Forest in Essex in the dark! I will be starting at Midnight on Halloween and I am doing it to raise money for Invest in ME as my daughter was diagnosed at 15 with this illness. Invest in ME is a charity that seeks to raise money to fund biomedical research in regards to ME." 
See Roger's Everyclick fundraising page.

THANKS to all joining in with the spirit of our campaign to raise awareness 

and lots of funds for Invest in ME - Happy Halloween everyone!

Thank you for your support! 

*Let's do it for ME! is a campaign to help raise awareness of the work of independent 

UK charity Invest in ME (Research) and funds for the biomedical research into myalgic encephalomyelitis that the charity is organising and/or funding. Invest in ME is run entirely by unpaid volunteers who either have ME or are parents and carers of ME patients. They are driving the agenda of scientific biomedical research into diagnostic tests and treatments for myalgic encephomyelitis in UK in collaboration with international researchers of world renown - 2014 is an exciting year for progress in M.E. research - you can help*

Let's do it for ME!

in support of

Invest in ME

Stoptober for ME!

Stoptober is a Department of Health campaign that challenges smokers to give up cigarettes for 28 days during the month of October. But why stop there? Will you or your friends or family members give up something in October and donate the money to Invest in ME? 

This is the idea behind Stoptober Stop for ME! An event created by Ali Head. 

October has become the month of abstinence, so how about inviting your family and friends to give up something they love and will miss for a month and donating what they would have spent to Invest in ME? 

The sentiment behind this is people with ME have to go without so many things they love; drinking, fags, going out, eating what you like, shopping, cinema, clubbing even holidays, their choices are so limited by this illness so during the month of October why not give up something you love and raise money for biomedical research into myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) at the same time?

What to do? 

Mark yourself as attending, and invite your family and friends to join in to support you.

Choose what you're giving up.

Tell us what you're giving up, how much of it you usually have, and what it costs!

At the end of Stoptober you can donate what you've saved to;

https://www.justgiving.com/StoptoberstopitforME

Or you can text as you go along by texting "POTS66" and the amount you wish to donate.

We say "thank you very much for supporting the local charity Invest in ME who are the worlds leading voluntary organisation for research and support of people with M.E"

Stoptober for ME event on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/events/296827953856735/

Let's do it for ME!

In support of the proposal by Invest in ME (Research) Charity to establish (now develop) a UK centre of excellence for biomedical research and treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis. http://www.investinme.org/