Celebrating our support groups, old and new

Did you know this year marks the 30^th anniversary of the Manchester Central Support Group – one of our oldest support groups in the UK?

They’ve been providing support for people with osteoporosis since 1994 and haven’t cancelled a single meeting in three decades! Not even the pandemic could stop them being there for those who needed them, moving their face-to-face meetings online so that vital link with the local community wasn’t lost.

They continue with their online meetings today, gaining a worldwide reach with their regular programme of speakers.

“I’ve been delighted to have been invited back on a couple of occasions, most recently online, and it has been wonderful to see the group continue to flourish,” says Professor of Rheumatology and Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Manchester Terry O’Neill.

“We have continuously supported our members and local healthcare professionals for 30 years,” adds the group’s treasurer Tanya. “We have a magnificent team of experts that support our meetings with information, plus, we hold peer-to-peer meetings where our members can support each other.

“Through the years, the Manchester Central Support Group has touched many lives and has made a difference in our community. As we look ahead, we will continue to be innovative and dynamic in how we support the Manchester area and be grateful for the support that we receive from the people who attend the meetings.”

New support in the south west

One person who will be hoping to emulate the Manchester group’s success is ROS Volunteer Valerie. She’s just helped to start a brand new support group in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset.

“I was diagnosed during the pandemic. I’m a coeliac and my GP suggested they did a bone density (DXA) scan just to be on the safe side,” Valerie explains. “I was absolutely amazed when it came back saying that I had osteoporosis. It was a bit of a bombshell.”

Searching for more information on the condition, Valerie turned to the ROS.

“I became a member of the charity and spoke to a lovely nurse on the Helpline,” she says. “She was very kind and told me that just because I had osteoporosis, it doesn’t mean my life has ended and that I should still be confident in what I can do.”

Valerie found an ROS support group in Bristol, but it became too far for her to travel there, especially in winter.

“A few months later, I was invited to an ROS legacy event at Bath Abbey and after hearing the real stories there I knew I wanted to help in some way, but I wasn’t exactly sure how,” adds Valerie. “I spoke to Fiona in the Volunteer and Public Engagement (VPE) team and she said there were no support groups currently between Bristol and Exeter. So, together with my friend Barbara, and the support of fellow volunteer Helen, we set something up.

“We started meeting in a lovely café in the Winter Gardens in Weston-Super-Mare, but in September we’ll hold our first meeting in our new venue, The Grand Atlantic Hotel. This will give us more space to mingle. Our group meets every two months or so and welcomes anyone who is happy to travel.”

GPs haven’t got time to listen to your anxieties about walking through the park, and that’s why the support groups are so helpful. I’m hoping people will come along and share their worries.

Building confidence

One of the best things about peer support is that it connects you with people who really understand what you’re going through and who share some of the same anxieties, as Valerie points out:

“I was chatting to a lady at the group recently and telling her that, when I was first diagnosed, I had second thoughts about walking through the wet leaves in the park – something I usually like to do in autumn - and she felt exactly the same! But after chatting, she thought, ‘no, I haven’t fallen in the last 71 years, and I won’t fall now!’

“GPs haven’t got time to listen to your anxieties about walking through the park, and that’s why the support groups are so helpful. I’m hoping people will come along and share their worries.

“Just remember there are lots of people walking around with this and you’re not on your own.”

Find peer support near you

Check out our A-Z to find a local support group in your area. Each group has its own web page with details of upcoming meetings, both face to face and online.

You can connect with your local group via email. If you have any questions, please contact the Volunteer and Public Engagement team at volunteerengagement@theros.org.uk or call 01761 473112.

No groups near you? Find peer support in our friendly online community at Bone Health and Osteoporosis UK