Monday 20th January 2025

Hi all, 

I have been busy working behind the scenes and can now confirm we have a new premises for our monthly meetings. From Tuesday 4th February we will be holding our meetings in the lounge of Pinewood Community Centre, Laburnum Close, Ipswich, IP8 3SL. This is accessible, and has plenty of parking and good bus access too.

So please do join me on our first meeting of 2025 on Tuesday 4th February from 12.30 - 2.30pm to celebrate our 14th Birthday at our new location. There will be some snacks and refreshments and a raffle as well please. 

Also this month we have the following:

Tomorrow Tuesday 21st January - Owen and I should be at Chatry library cafe from noon until around 2pm having a cuppa which I hope you can join us. 

Monday 27th January will be our second Crafternoon session at Ipswich Scuba from 1pm - 3 pm. 

We are now in the midst of organising topics and guest speakers for our monthly meeting and really do hope you can join us. 

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Kind regards, best wishes and gentle hugs

The CFU Team

Gemma, Helen, Jess, Kimberley and Rachel. 

The CFS Unite Team

Thursday 9th January 2025

Happy New Year!

Wow I cannot believe it is 2025 and I am looking forward to this year already and hope that we see more members at our meetings and events now that we are re-establishing and meeting regularly again with a new committee who have great ideas and are eager to help others with Chronic Fatigue and pain conditions. 

Our final get together was our Christmas meal on the 17th December at The Brook Inn in Washbrook. Whilst the numbers ended up being only 6 of us as we had quite a few poorly on the day, the meal , entertainment and enjoyment values were high. I highly recommend the Brook for a meal as it is accessible with a great variety of dishes which can be amended to suit dietary requirements. 

Now for 2025 - 

We launch on Monday 13th January with our new Crafternoons sessions. So many of us take delight in crafts that we thought it would be nice to get together twice a month for a cuppa and spend a couple of hours crafting and spending time together. 

On Tuesday 21st January we have a coffee morning planned where you are welcome to join us for a coffee and something to eat at Chantry Library. 

We then return to our usual Tuesday monthly meetings on Tuesday 4th February where we celebrate 14 years of Chronic Fatiguers Unite. We should be in our new location by then which I will be confirming soon. 

Also this year we hope to host some social events together and offer more support. 

We do hope you can join us and see us soon. 

All the best for 2025, 

Gemma, Helen, Jess, Kimberley and Rachel. 

The CFS Unite Team

Monday 18th November - Last few events of 2024

Hi all, 

2024 is flying by and I cannot believe we enter the last 6 weeks of the year. With that in mind, I have been planning and updating the website. Our events page is now up to date until the end of May 2025 so feel free to check all of our events on www.cfsunite.co.uk/upcoming events. 

In the meantime over the next few weeks we have the following:

Tomorrow Tuesday 19th November - Owen and I will be at Dyers cafe in Chantry Library on Hawthorn Drive, from 12 until 2 pm. Please come along for a cuppa and give me some company if you are free. 

Tuesday 3rd December is our last monthly meeting of 2024. It is from 12.30 until 2.30 pm at Ipswich Scuba, 22 Hines Road, Ipswich, IP3 9BG. This month we hope you can join us in your best Christmas Jumper. We will be holding a buffet to share some good food so please bring some nibbles if you can, also we hope to host a raffle so if you can bring a donation and some pennies that would be appreciated as it all helps towards the costs of running our group.

Finally on Tuesday 17th December, it is our Christmas meal. From noon,  we will be at The Brook Inn, The Street, Washbrook, IP8 3HR. The menus are below for you to look at. We do not need a deposit but ideally your menu choices by the 30th of November. If you wish to take part in the Secret Santa, we ask you to bring a wrapped gift to the meal around £5 suitable for a man or woman. On arrival, there will be a Santa Sack to place the gift in, and in return, you will get to pick a gift out. I do hope you can join us. 

I hope to see you all soon and wish you well. 

Monday 18th November - From M.E to you

Hi all, This may be of interest to some of you. If you want to say thank you to a family member, friend or someone who has helped you a lot then the ME Association runs a 'From me to you' where you can get an opportunity to say thank you to someone who helps you.

 The link is https://meassociation.org.uk/2024/11/frommetoyou2024

Friday 15th November - Something useful we want people to know. 

We found this picture, which is a nice summary of what we would like people to know. We hope you find it useful too. 

Thursday  26th September 2024 - Vitamin B12 and ME/CFS

Hi all,

I received this from the ME Association about Vitamin B!2 and ME/CFS and wanted to share it with you in case it is of interest.

This comprehensive booklet covers everything you need to know about B12 and ME/CFS, including what food groups are a good source of this vitamin, the benefits of B12, information regarding deficiency and possible treatments.

Introduction

The ME Association receives regular queries and feedback relating to the use of vitamin B12 supplements in ME/CFS.

Vitamin B12 used to be prescribed by doctors as a ‘tonic’ for people with a wide variety of complaints, especially those involving fatigue. However, it is no longer used in this way due to the lack of any sound evidence that ‘tonics’ actually work.

So what is vitamin B12? Is there any evidence of vitamin B12 deficiency in ME/CFS? And could vitamin B12 be a safe and effective form of treatment for ME/CFS?

Key points

• Vitamin B12 deficiency is linked to a potentially serious type of anaemia called pernicious anaemia – where there are abnormally large red blood cells.

• Vitamin B12 deficiency causes fatigue and other ME/CFS-like symptoms – so it should be excluded before a diagnosis of ME/CFS is made, especially in people where there is no clear infective onset.

• There is no evidence that vitamin B12 deficiency occurs as part of the underlying disease process in ME/CFS.

• People with ME/CFS may be at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency if they have a diet that is low in vitamin B12-containing foods – especially meat, dairy and fish.

• There is no evidence that vitamin B12 supplements are of any value in treating ME/CFS.

• There are dangers in taking vitamin B12 supplements if you have an undiagnosed deficiency of vitamin B12 caused by pernicious anaemia –as this prevents vitamin B12 from being absorbed and so requires treatment by injection.

The link to download the booklet is available click here. 

Thursday  29th August 2024 - New Committee Meets and Make Plans.  

Hi all,

On Thursday 29th 4 of the committee came together to make plans for our lovely group. Apart from talking about cats (alot) - we made plans for future topics, guest visits, and some big decisions for the group which will be shared at our meeting on Tuesday 3rd September and announced soon as well. 

We look forward to sharing many new ideas and things with you.  

Kind regards, best wishes, and gentle hugs

Gemma, Helen, Jess and Kimberley. XXX

Tuesday 27th August 2024 - Beach Hut Day 

Hi all,

We had a lovely hot sunny day at Hydday The Hut at Felixstowe Seafront. The sun was shining and there was a lovely breeze. Great company and lots of paddling in the sea. Thank you to everyone who joined us and made it a lovely day. 

We look forward to the next beach hut day next time. We are even considering a winter one to blow the cobwebs away. 

Kind regards, best wishes and gentle hugs

Monday 1st July 2024

Hi all,

I cannot believe it is July and I am already wondering where the summer has gone. 

I do hope you are all keeping as well as possible. 

Just a reminder our monthly meeting is tomorrow the 2nd of July from 1.30 - 3.30 pm at St John's Church Hall. I do hope you can come along even for a short while to say hello. 

Also on Sunday 21st July, I am having a BBQ at my house in IP2 from 2 pm until about 5 pm, (weather permitting) I hope you can come along. Please bring a chair (if possible - I have a few), your meat or alternative, and bread, I will supply salad, snacks, and other goodies. Please let me know if you are coming so I can accommodate you. 

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Kind regards, best wishes and gentle hugs

Monday 3rd June 2024

Hello, 

I have had a rather interesting few months for the first part of 2024, and I finally feel my head is getting back together (my body not quite so much). I finally left teaching in April and am now working at the dive center more to help reduce the workload. It has taken me a while to slow down, catch up, and breathe but I finally feel I am getting my life more organized. 

I am now sorting the group out and determined to build it back up to where it was before and thankfully I have some lovely helpers ready and eager to help. 

Today I have been looking through the events and updating the dates so worth having a look -https://www.cfsunite.co.uk/upcoming-events.

Key dates I wish to point out apart from our usual monthly meetings are:

Sunday 21st July - BBQ at my house

Tuesday 27th August - Beach Hut Day at Felixstowe

Tuesday 17th December - Christmas meal (sorry to mention the C word in June. 

Our next monthly meeting is tomorrow at St John's Church. Cauldwell Hall Road from 1.30 pm if you are free to join us for a cuppa we would love to see you. 

I am now about to look at guest speakers, topics and hopefully plan more events but thought I would email you all to say hello and to send my love. 

--

Kind regards, best wishes and gentle hugs

Gemma

Photo courtesy of Kimberley.

Join us for our annual Christmas Meal!
Tuesday 19th December 2023
Noon - The Swan, Westerfield Road, Westerfield, IP6 9AJ
Booking Essential!

Join us for a lovely afternoon and fun Christmas meal and celebration. 

#2 Courses for £24,95 and 3 courses £29.95. 

£5 deposit required. Please confirm by the 31st October if you are coming and deposits and menu choices by the 7th November. Please let us know of any dietary requirements too. 

We also host a secret Santa. If you wish to join then bring a wrapped gift (value of £5) and drop it in the Santa sack for an surprise exchange during the meal.