Welcome to all our new HealthUnlocked members!

[Fran_Benson]

A warm welcome to all new HealthUnlocked members who joined us during July - there were 227 of you :).

We hope you've found our forum to be useful. If you're not sure about posting a question, please don't be shy, there's a lot of help and support on here.

If you're interested in finding out more about membership of the charity itself, please see our website pmrgca.co.uk/content/about-.... Charity members have access to our members' magazine and to our AGM and Members' Day which is taking place online next month.

If you have any queries at all, either ask them in a post or contact me via the message function.

I aim to get back within 48 hours (often it's much quicker) but please be aware that it's August, and I have annual leave on and off throughout the month, so there may be a greater delay than normal.

Regards

Fran

[SheffieldJane]

I love that our gang has got bigger!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hope that means more people are finding us, rather than more people are getting GCA and/or PMR (although if more are being diagnosed promptly that’s a bonus I suppose).

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

Some of them have had PMR for a while judging by some of the replies though

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

That’s what I thought as well - but the more the merrier, if it means they are educating others.

Although I have noticed I’ve gained a few followers who are a bit random- or at least have nothing on profile to indicate PMR/GCA - but that’s nothing new.

Just wondering if during Covid-19 they’re just joining forums for something to do!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

Could well be! I've got a few random new followers recently - good luck to them if they want a notification of everything I write

[Yellowbluebell in reply to DorsetLady]

Me too and some of my new followers don't seem to have anything to do with pmr either!! Following me is going to be boring for them!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Yellowbluebell]

They might wish I was more boring

[Yellowbluebell in reply to PMRpro]

They will learn from following you. All they will get from me is how I love the contents of my fridge!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Yellowbluebell]

As long as you also say it really isn't a good idea

[Koalajane]

It is good to know that membership is increasing

[Bcol]

I'm one of your newbies, fantastic site. I knew nothing about PMR before diagnosis, the information and support I have gained here as well as Kate Gilbert's book, has been invaluable. Thank you all.

[Umufu]

Thank you Fran. I am desperately trying to pay for my yearly membership but don’t know how to go about it. It takes time to find my way through the techno jungle.

Wonderful forum, has helped me tremendously to find my way around PMR and GCA and has given me all the confidence I needed to stand up for myself with GPS and Rheumatologists.

Thank you and the team and all the experts/patients.

Happy holiday,

Umufu (Sigrid) .... 81 in 2 weeks 😀

[Fran_Benson Partner in reply to Umufu]

Hi Sigrid, you can do it here if you follow this link: pmrgca.co.uk/membership-app...

Alternatively, if you've had a letter about renewing, you can send in a cheque with any amendments to the data form or if you have internet banking arrange a transfer.

If you have any problems, message me on here today or tomorrow and I'll call you if you like.

Fran

[kmeikle1]

I don't comment much, but I want you all to know how much I appreciate this site. You know so much and you're caring...quite the combination and just what I need. Thank you. You help more than you know.

[Shopping3]

I would like to say how brilliant this site for PMR is .I check everyday to see what people have to say about their struggle with their problems about pain or wether to increase or decrease medication.I would have been lost without you all .So I say thankyou to you all .Stay safe.

[tangocharlie]

I'm on various Facebook groups (there are about 8 different ones) and think am responsible for many of the new joiners as I am constantly posting info ie banging on about both the charity and HU. And Kate Gilbert's book. Most of the people in the groups are from the USA, is there an option for them to become members too?

[Yellowbluebell in reply to tangocharlie]

Its harder for them to become paid members but not impossible. Fran will no doubt have a way of them paying fees.

[DogAgilityObsessed]

I think this forum is amazing. I joined on diagnosis in June and it just happened to be PMR/GCA week in the UK. These two benefits are worth every penny I have paid to the charity. I strongly recommend everyone who can afford it to join/donate to PMRGCAuk to keep these services and more going. Thank you all.

[tangocharlie in reply to DogAgilityObsessed]

Ha ha I spoke to someone on the Helpline once who was newly diagnosed and got about 40 minutes of my time answering all her detailed questions about PMR which she seemed very happy with and thanked me profusely for but at the end of it she said she was considering joining but wasn't sure if it was worth it - I was gobsmacked. Apart from the altrustic reasons to find £15 to help others in the same boat as herself - I pay to other charities I don't directly benefit from - it is excellent value for money. This woman had had all my time and knowledge for free and yet wondered if membership at £15 a year was worth it! I don't know if she was trying to haggle or whether some people are just hard to please!

[DogAgilityObsessed in reply to tangocharlie]

Ooh I’d totally forgotten that benefit which I have also made use of when I got the diagnosis. Thank you and the other volunteers for that service as well.

[tangocharlie in reply to DogAgilityObsessed]

Glad somebody could help you - that's why we all do it, on here or in other ways.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to tangocharlie]

Some people are just cheeky!!!!

[tangocharlie in reply to PMRpro]

Or tight-arsed

[Yellowbluebell in reply to tangocharlie]

some people think everything should be free. They don't realise charities have costs even with volunteers and ambassadors giving time freely. I have been involved with my own job recently so haven't been able to help as much but I can see Pro and DL are busy as usual as well as all the usual members who contribute to queries regularly.

[tangocharlie]

Fran I shared the post about the new Newswire in a Facebook group and some people in the USA have asked if they can join - can they? Also someone has smugly posted that as she is in Scotland there is no membership fee for their group - how come they don't charge, I'm sure people would willingly donate.

[Highlandtiger in reply to tangocharlie]

I’m a member of both (UK and Scotland) and definitely paid for both. It may be that the Scottish one asked for a 'suggested donation' or something similar rather than an actual membership sub, I can’t remember exactly how it was worded.

I’m somewhat speechless at your helpline story I have to confess! People never cease to amaze - and not always in a good way! 😳

[Fran_Benson Partner in reply to tangocharlie]

Hi Tangocharlie, yes the Americans can join. They can do it through the membership page on the website and are very welcome. Can you post a link to the right page?

(PMR GCA Scotland is a separate charity and they rely on donations rather than a set amount.)

Fran

[tangocharlie in reply to Fran_Benson]

But how do they pay? we would normally send a UK cheque but what do they do?

[HeronNS in reply to tangocharlie]

I have a vague memory of using a credit card when I tried to make a donation. I hope that worked btw. Anyway, the credit card company manages the currency exchange.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to tangocharlie]

Credit cards have been mentioned in previous discussions about non-UK members.

What's a cheque? Haven't had a chequebook for many years!

[tangocharlie in reply to PMRpro]

What is this 21st century of which you speak? I vaguely recall when I first joined I must have paid by cheque and thought that was still the case but maybe I do a bank transfer these days, I don't honestly know!

[Fran_Benson Partner in reply to tangocharlie]

It's all done by credit card for online memberships. And even our UK members are increasingly using online and credit card to join/renew.

We still take cheques of course, along with standing orders and bank transfers - but for international members, credit card is the only option otherwise it could get expensive for them and us.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Fran_Benson]

Most banks don't even issue cheque books when you open a current account now unless you specifically ask. They mush prefer we use online methods to pay for stuff now.

[tangocharlie in reply to Fran_Benson]

So if we can pay by credit card/Switch why can't we do regular monthly payments too like I do with some other charities?

[Fran_Benson Partner in reply to tangocharlie]

You can set up monthly payments but not through credit card (at the moment) - it has to be done via your bank as a standing order. We have a few members (and non-members) who do this.

[tangocharlie in reply to Fran_Benson]

That's fantastic news, I have an annual DD but would much rather pay monthly. I enquired about that a while back and was told it wasn't yet technnically possible . It would be better for the charity to have more people paying say £2 or £3 per month than £15 a year.

[Fran_Benson Partner in reply to tangocharlie]

Don't get too excited It's always been possible but we don't have the software to automate the process so it is quite labour intensive to manage. So we don't turn away anyone who wants to do it but we aren't in a position to promote it either.