Message from Siriol Davies, Head of National Services

Hi everyone, my name's Siriol and I’m the new Head of National Services at the MS Society. I live in Oxfordshire but I'm originally from South Wales.

I've spent over 15 years working in service delivery across the charity sector, mainly in victim and survivor services and mental health. My work has included advocacy, information, peer support and therapy services, but helplines have been a thread I’ve kept coming back to. Before joining the MS Society, I led the national 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line - from its very beginnings in 2022 right through to becoming a fully established service offering round-the-clock support via phone and webchat.

Volunteering has always been a big part of my life. I spent several years with the Refugee Council, running activity groups and teaching English. When I moved to Oxfordshire, I started volunteering at my local rape crisis centre - taking calls on the helpline and co-facilitating support groups. These days I volunteer for a small community music project, helping out with website design and content. For me, volunteering has always been a way to get more involved in my community, while picking up and practising new skills.

In my current role, I lead our national services at the MS Society, including the Help Hub, specialist services, and virtual communities, making sure we're delivering quality support that genuinely meets the needs of the MS community. I'm really looking forward to working with the team to build on the great work already happening across those services, exploring how we can develop them further and better evidence the difference they make. This will enable us to unlock funding options and get a clearer picture of who we're reaching - and who we're not yet reaching.

We've just launched the new MS Help Hub, offering support and information via telephone, email, letter and webchat. Webchat was a new addition in April 2026, and we're hoping it'll make the Hub more accessible, particularly for people who are d/Deaf or neurodivergent, or who simply prefer to communicate in writing. I'm really excited to see where we can take things from here.

Outside of work, music takes up a lot of my time! I sing in several bands and groups, and I'm lucky enough that this sometimes takes me to interesting places like festivals and gigs abroad. It's also something I really need - working in support services is brilliant and motivating, but it can be emotionally demanding, and music is my go-to way to decompress.

Volunteers are at the heart of our national services - whether that's taking calls on the Help Hub, befriending, or supporting our webinars and online peer groups. I feel really lucky to have joined such a knowledgeable and dedicated team of staff and volunteers, who make a real difference to people affected by MS every single day.