The York ME TGA Shield – Inter-Company Fantasy Football League

THE YORK ME COMMUNITY – YORK INTER COMPANY FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE FOR THE YORK ME TGA SHIELD

Premier Fantasy League

The York ME Community runs an Inter-Company Fantasy Football League sponsored by TGA Mobility. This is to help raise awareness of the illness that affects around 250,00 people in the UK, and 800 in the York area alone.

Companies have enjoyed a great 2016/17 season with Bransby Wilson coming out on top and winning this year’s shield to be held for a year. They can also keep a framed certificate to hang on the office wall for good ! If you are interested in taking part this coming season to get your company a bit better known around York and support your local community, just get in touch in the first instance.

Entry for a company team will be £25.00, and if you wish to enter more than one team, the remainder will be only £15.00 each. All money raised will be going directly to Invest in ME Research. There will be a trophy, bragging rights, media coverage, as well as links from our website to your company site and we’ll follow and re-tweet your business messages, so what’s not to like ?

Fantasy Football Photo

Once teams are up and running, registration fees as mentioned above will be requested to be paid into a Just Giving page that will be collecting for the charity, Invest in ME Research. A link to that page is at the top of this site.

Bransby Wilson, Winners 2016/17

Please note that you do not need to be a York based company to join up. Everyone is welcome !

If you wish to join the league, please send me an email to let me know a little about your company, with a logo that we can add to the site as a link, and as a thank you for your support. Once the league is set up, you’ll be informed as to how to connect to it and select and enter your team.

If you have any questions at all, please contact Bill Clayton at:

bill@York-ME-Community.org

Football

Joining the league couldn’t be easier. Simply use this link and you’ll be added automatically after you’ve entered the game:

Link to Fantasy Football League Sign Up

You shouldn’t need the league code, but just in case here it is: 859106-277412.

Then please let me know the name of your team.

Firstly, pick a squad and name your team etc, before it’ll allow you to join a league. The League to look to join is York ME Community. There is a good help tab on the League site, so hopefully all will go well. Lots of other companies are being approached to join, with a radio spot booked to spread the word of the companies taking part.

To pay your registration, please click on the link below:

Link to Just Giving page to pay Fantasy Football Registration

Everest Base Camp Reached

For ME Awareness !

After a pretty tough time, the guys riding as part of The Nomadic Knights group, have made it to Everest Base Camp. Their brief report is below. I hope we can use this story to gain interest from media sources to help raise awareness for us all. It's the least the guys deserve for all their efforts.

19 May 2017.

“Very pleased to report that we reached Mt Qomolangma (Everest) Base Camp with the ME Awareness Flag at 1528hrs on Thursday 18th May. Three and a half hours after we had planned but time in Tibet can sometimes be very fluid. The base camp is located at 5200m, walking to the final destination was challenging in itself due to low oxygen levels.

Conditions at base camp were extremely windy (good for flag flying) with intermittent clouds with no particular destination in mind and the sun was not ideal for photos.

The peak of Mt Everest is located directly above the left hand corner of the flag with the snow being blown from it, not ideal climbing weather. Directly behind the flag in the valley you can just make out the orange tents, this is the base camp for the mountaineers, their teams and their support crew waiting for windows in the weather to commence their attempt on the summit and move to the next stage camp. Lots of waiting unfortunately.”

ME Awareness Flag On The Way To Everest Base Camp !

17 May 2017.

“We are now at Tingri which is the last stop before Everest Base Camp, the plan is to head to Base Camp early tomorrow morning.

Unfortunately two of our team have been hospitalised with quite serious cases of Altitude Mountain Sickness which can be unpredictable and affect different people in different ways, unfortunately their ride is over and they will be transferred back to Lhasa hopefully within 3/4 days. Naturally the team is extremely disappointed for them, so close to seeing and experiencing Everest. Our thoughts and spirits are with them. Today’s photo of the Flag on route was taken at the entrance to Mt Qomolangma National Park at an elevation of 5248 mtrs which is the highest we should be going. “Qomolangma” is the Tibetans name for Everest. In 2012 this area was awarded the National Park status, it is the highest national park in the world and covers 78000 sq kms. It holds 5 peaks over 8000 mtrs – Mt Qomolangma (Everest), Mt Shishapangma, Mt Chi Oya, Mt Lhotse and Mt Mhakalho.

The park is a holy land for scientists, mountaineers, tourists and pilgrims.

15 May 2017. The latest news and picture from the guys heading to Everest Base Camp to raise Awareness of ME for The York ME Community and everyone dealing with ME .

“Today’s photo to show progress on how we are getting on:

Today we rode from Lhasa to Shigatse via Yamdrok Lake, 414 kms setting out at 0830hrs and arriving at Shigatse at 2122hrs so a long and tough day taking over 12hrs riding on difficult roads, high mountain passes, spectacular scenery and snow storms which makes motorbike riding difficult. Very cold with one chap unable to complete the ride through exhaustion and another suffering from hypothermia but everyone safe.

The Tibetan Buddhist people are the most compassionate and gentle despite their years of inaccessibility, struggle and resilience.

There are many Buddhist Prayer Flags strung up throughout Tibet and particularly in the mountains and near the rivers, todays photo shows a line of prayer flags stretching across the river with the mountains in the background, taken at the start of the accent to the passing point to access Yamdrok Lake.

My understanding is that each Prayer Flag has a printed Buddhist Mantra, all colours are symbolic and are hung close to nature in a hope to touch and access all living beings who are all connected. When the wind blows and the flags move it is believed that prayers are answered, these mantras are to benefit mankind and to end suffering in the world, which is why I thought it symbolic to have a pic and share these beliefs.

Many thanks, just to let you know the flag is on the move.”

13 May 2017. ME Awareness Flag Update from the group heading to Everest Base Camp for The York ME Community / Invest in ME !

“Here it is on display inside the Potala Palace in Lhasa, built in 7th century and home of Dali Lamas and the centre of local Tibetan Government. Has over a 1000 rooms. Just after this we were approached by Chinese officials who confiscated the flag, obviously with hindsight westerners openly displaying and photographing a flag inside such a highly politically sensitive area was a bit suspect and ignorance on my part.

Anyways eventually they allowed me to continue with the tour. At the end I went back to try to collect the flag but main entrance was closed, there was me in a ludicrous position of banging my fist on the Dali Lamas main door shouting “hello, hello” anyone home” no one answered, only advice I got from a colleague was “pretend you are planting something and I bet the police come running” not entirely wise.

Anyways found a side entrance and a surprisingly helpful security guard, they confiscated 4x flags that day but couldn’t find mine. Eventually they got it, returned it and wouldn’t accept a tip so all good and faith in human being truly restored.”

More updates to follow as I hear back from the guys !

12 May 2017. Just to let you know that The York ME Community / Invest in ME Flag has reached Lhasa in Tibet, on its way to be raised at Everest Base Camp for ME Awareness ! Future communications might be difficult with the Internet and emails in Tibet being controlled by the Chinese, but hopefully it’ll make it !

FEATURED ARTICLE

Sally Duffin

Hello to all the members of York ME Community. I’m Sally, a Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist at ‘Nutrition in York’ and Bill has asked me to share some nutritional therapy approaches for managing ME.

Many nutritional therapists – myself included – are trained in the Functional Medicine approach to healthcare which means we are less concerned with the name of a condition (ME, CFS etc.) and more interested in the underlying cause and contributing factors of the condition. (more…)

The Coffee Club

Our Coffee Club meets on the third Wednesday of each month for a cuppa and a natter at The Novotel York.

Our next get together is on Wednesday 18 October at 2 pm. The Coffee Club is open to anyone either with ME, or friends and family looking for support from people who understand.

Due to the nature of the illness, there will be times when numbers are low, but if you'd like to attend, either just turn up on the day, or email me at bill@York-ME-Community.org. If you're a member of our Facebook Group (below), you can of course say you'll be going via the Events area.

STOP PRESS: There will be a Morning Coffee Club on Monday 2 October at 11.00 am at The Bar Convent on Blossom St,York to provide a chance for those who would like to get together for a natter and a cuppa who can't always make it to the usual afternoon gathering.

Raising ME Awareness At York Explore Library

Friday 28 July 2017

We had a brilliant day at York Explore Library raising ME Awareness. Lots of interest in what we're doing from local health groups, charities, the council and most heart warmingly, from those dealing with it themselves who now know we're here for them.

Thanks to the Anne twins, Mal and Dionne who turned out to man and woman the table, but also to all who were there in spirit and would have been there in body but for a certain little beasty we all know so well......

More to come on York TV........

Our Facebook Group

The social element of this site is via a Facebook Group called The York ME Community.

This is available to people in the York area looking for help, advice and support, whether those diagnosed, family or friends. We are a close knit group who discuss more than just ME, as we like to think that we are not defined by this illness. We discuss every day things, have a laugh, and try to meet on a monthly basis if the beast that is ME allows us ! If you apply to join, please check your Facebook messages, as I tend to get in touch for a quick 'chat' before adding applicants to the group.

Please don't apply to join if you are promoting your preferred remedy. I'm happy to mention your company within the group, but it's for individuals to choose what they wish to try in their battle to seek an improvement in their health.

Congratulations to Bransby Wilson Ltd, the York based Parking Solutions company who have won The York ME TGA Inter Company Fantasy Football League sponsored by TGA Mobility for season 2016/17.

The second season has just got underway ! With the aim of raising ME Awareness, it has attracted 10 business teams, including two from Belfast, up on last year, raising over £400.00 for Invest in ME Research.

Why not put it in your diary to join us next season ? Take the opportunity to support your local community and raise the profile of ME Awareness, an illness that affects around 800 people in the York area alone, with 200 being severe, meaning house or bed bound. Tomorrow it could hit you or one of your family, so you could be helping yourself too.........

Hopefully, even more teams from across the country next season.....

Calling On All York Businesses !

Would you like to help your local community ? By current research, there are around 800 people in the York area suffering from Myalgic Enecephalomyelitis (ME). This might include the work colleagues you haven't seen in some time, or your friends and family, maybe one of the lads that hasn't turned up for five-a-side for a while.

There is information above to explain how it affects people and ruins lives. These are your neighbours; would you like to help ?

The York ME Community is here to help support those in the area in need whilst raising awareness. Unfortunately, this is hard to do when you have the illness ! I'm looking for more foot soldiers to spread the word. Can I come into your workplace and chat to your HR Staff maybe ? It could be that ME is having an effect in your workplace.

How would you like to take part in our online Inter Company Fantasy Football League in support of Invest in ME Research ? Nestle of York have already donated a prize to the business team that was top of the league at Christmas and there's a trophy to be had at the end of the season. Why not enter a team for next season ?

Is your business taking part in any runs coming up such as The London Marathon, The Great North Run, or maybe something similar ? If you haven't decided on what cause to run for, what about Invest in ME Research ? Any donations can be passed via the Just Giving link at the top of the site, but I'd also be able to advertise your generosity and your business name to thousands across the world via our social media connections.

There are lots of things going on locally to try and raise awareness, but we need your help to help others. Please get in touch. Be a part of your community. The York ME Community. Thanks.

York, United Kingdom

14^°C light rain

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MY M.E. STORM

I can feel the storm clouds forming
All around my head
I should have stopped my ‘doing’
And rested more instead.

The soft patter of the raindrops
That turn into a thud
As my mind it slows as the downpour grows
Turning every thought to mud.

My scrambled brain
Is like thundering rain
I cower from the merest light
Like a laser beam, that noxious stream
Makes me hide from its line of sight

The wind gathers pace
As it reaches my face
It locks my jaw in jail
Words cannot be formed
Nerve ends are stormed
In a batter of blistering hail.

The rumble of thunder
Soon drives me under
My senses are now so inviting,
The noise of a page, as it turns, causes rage
Like being hit by a bolt of lightning.

The darkening skies, have closed my eyes
Caused my limbs to spasm
From thought to deed,
My body concedes
Is forged an unbridgeable chasm.

Can’t take in the spoken word
Just makes no sense, so absurd
Simple chat I have to concede
Rolls over me, like tumbleweed.

Not just tiredness,
Not just fatigue,
This is in a different league
These storms are causing me to drown
I can feel my body closing down.

I know in time the sun will shine
We’ll see the shoots of Spring
But a wind of change is what we need
To help us beat this thing.

We won’t go under,
Without causing some thunder
A volcano of hot angry fire
We’ll rise as one voice,
making some noise
Awareness is what we desire.

I know that together,
We can change this bad weather
So let’s be in it as one
Let’s keep up the fight, with all of our might
And we’ll enjoy our day in the sun.

By Bill Clayton

The York ME TGA Shield – Inter-Company Fantasy Football League

Links to Supporters Websites

Featured Article

Everest Base Camp Reached

For ME Awareness !

After a pretty tough time, the guys riding as part of The Nomadic Knights group, have made it to Everest Base Camp. Their brief report is below. I hope we can use this story to gain interest from media sources to help raise awareness for us all. It's the least the guys deserve for all their efforts.

ME Awareness Flag On The Way To Everest Base Camp !

Sally Duffin

Twitter News

Community News

The York ME TGA Shield – Inter Company Fantasy Football League

Calling On All York Businesses !

Posts By Topics

Archived Posts

Poetry Corner

Links to Supporters Websites

Featured Article

Everest Base Camp Reached

For ME Awareness !

ME Awareness Flag On The Way To Everest Base Camp !

Sally Duffin

Twitter News

Community News

The York ME TGA Shield – Inter Company Fantasy Football League

Calling On All York Businesses !

Posts By Topics

Tags

Archived Posts

Poetry Corner