Drawing a line

[Polywotsit]

Dear community members

Every now and then something turns up in the forum space that upsets a few people. In the PMRGCAuk team we want everyone to feel welcome, supported and comfortable. However, we can't be responsible for everybody's feelings all the time. And it doesn't take much for one post to stimulate a whole raft of contradictory or argumentative replies and comments, plus counter-posts, reports of abuse, people saying they are going to leave the forum, and heaven-knows-what.

All of this has to be moderated by somebody, and every now and again (not that often actually) some action has to be taken. More often than not the action is a discreet and hopefully sensitive private message to the poster of the original item. You don't get to see that. If you find that something disappears, please trust that this decision is taken rarely, and with the utmost seriousness, for example, in the latest case, to draw a line under a conversation that was becoming primarily negative.

So here and now I am pleading with you all to trust in the volunteers who are working behind the scenes to make this community work.

Please think twice before you post anything critical of another member. However veiled you might think your criticism is, it's going to be pretty obvious. Trust that we are dealing with it.

Remember how big this community is. We get at least 200 new members every month. What first impressions are we giving if posts are completely off-message? Or we seem to be having little spats among ourselves?

Other than what's in the guidelines (see below), there isn't anything specifically excluded from posting. If you feel offended by something you see in the forum, please take a step back and ask yourself whether you can just ignore it. We are not responsible for your feelings, and neither is the person who posted. If you can't ignore it, for whatever reason, please report it, with your reason, before posting a comment that might just escalate a disagreement. Remember that anybody can get PMR and GCA - including people with different views from you! If you can't say something positive, sometimes it's better not to hit the keyboard.

We have republished the set of community guidelines and this time have pinned them to the right hand side of the screen where everyone can easily access them. Please have a look at them - they are based on a model set produced by HU that you can easily access by scrolling to the bottom of the website.

Thanks, and have a nice day!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

A gentle reminder, especially about our “community atmosphere” which is paramount to the ethos of helping others.

Like all “families” there are bound to be differences, but hopefully followed by reconciliation rather than retribution.

Thank you Kate. 💐

Yes I know it’s a duplicate answer!

[Baileyw06 in reply to DorsetLady]

This is such a wonderful site and has helped so many people!!

I don’t want anything to happen to it. We have nothing for PMR and GCA in th states!

[Hidden]

Thank you Kate and DorsetLady, and all I am now going to renew my membership, John - just getting over having a 'Pacemaker' fitting --

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hidden]

Hope all going well for you.

[SheffieldJane]

Thank you to you and your colleagues for doing a sterling job on a very lively and diverse platform. It is appreciated! ⭐️ And it cannot be easy.

[Hidden]

Thanks to all the team behind this forum. It's a lifesaver to most of us.

[Angiejnz]

We have a motley and varied crew on the Good Ship PMR, all of us conscripts and none of us volunteers. We have to work together but we also have our bunks to retire to for space. Me, I'm just waiting for the grog rations to be served🍷

[billinSurbiton]

Thank you Kate & co. !

[Janicecm]

Thank you Kate - well said

[Janicep]

Thanks Kate - this site is so valuable and I appreciate all your effort and read most and leave those not as interested in.

[York54]

Thankyou Kate, well put! This site is an invaluable source of information and great help to us all. 🙏🙏🙏😃😃😃😃😃

[Hidden]

Thank you Kate, I am so sorry you had to deal with this/us. Please accept my apologies, for my contribution to the recent insanity.

“I am a living member of the great family of all souls; and I cannot improve or suffer myself, without diffusing good or evil around me through an ever-enlarging sphere. I belong to this family. I am bound to it by vital bonds.” ~ William Ellery Channing

[Polywotsit PMRGCAuk team member in reply to Hidden]

Not at all, it's all part of life's rich tapestry!

[Sho-Sho]

This site has provided the most amazing support and information since I was diagnosed with GCA nearly two years ago - I would not have coped anything like as well without it, am deeply grateful.

Thank you Kate for everything you have done.

Sho Sho

[shazstep]

Thanks to all the admin staff. This forum has been such a great way of gaining knowledge. I would be devastated if something happened to it.

There have been posts I have not read because of the content, we all have that choice.

Keep up the fantastic work, I so appreciate you.

[Purple-Owl]

I seem to have missed whatever has set the cat among the pigeons here, though I usually read most new posts daily . Was there an argument? Anyway I would like to say I have got an enormous amount of help from this site - or should I say community - and would be very sorry to see it invaded by trolls or bad feeling. Of course the pred itself is known to make many people over-emotional, so there is a particular danger of over-reactions here. Thank you so much to all those who have come in to rescue the usual wonderful atmosphere among us.

[Celebrant]

You and your volunteers are doing a great job. My thanks for your time and effort.

[VAl4266]

Thank you Kate I'd hate to be without this forum,I am feeling cross and intolerant at times, it's this awful PMR, but if I don't like it, I ignore it we are all different, but you are appreciated.

[Polywotsit PMRGCAuk team member in reply to VAl4266]

Thank you. Things in life do make us cross, it's part of our humanity. And if we didn't get angry about anything, nothing would ever change.