GROUP YEAR END:

Group transactions

2025 group transactions are now available in Branch Accounting Online, including all December 2025 activity.

You can now:

• Review and analyse your 2025 transactions
• Run the Receipts and Payments Report (Dec 2025)
• Complete the Financial Rules Checklist online (using your MS Society email)

Fixed assets

Beginning in January 2026, the operating hours when people can contact the MS Helpline (including specialist services) will change to 9:00am - 5:00pm, Monday – Friday.

Our Helpline remains a vital service for people affected by MS seeking emotional support, information and signposting to specialist services.

We’re pleased to let you know that the Brand and Marketing Team have been developing a new set of branded templates for groups. These are now available to use following the closure of MSS Designs.

These templates, which were among the most frequently requested through MSS Designs, have been created to help groups self-produce their communications and marketing locally.

Each template is available in two formats:

As a challenging year comes to a close, I’d like to reflect on everything we’ve achieved together – and what’s to come in 2026.

2025 has seen impact across all areas of the organisation. We’ve been driving positive change through research, fundraising and vital campaigns, whilst continuing to deliver essential support to the MS community. This success has been powered by the incredible generosity of you - our volunteers. Your gift of time, dedication, expertise and lived experience has been central to all we’ve achieved.

Over the past year we’ve been telling you about Project Mead, our services transformation project. We’ve been looking at how we can improve our services to help more people affected by MS.

In spring 2026, we’ll celebrate the launch of a new model for UK and local services called MS Help. We’ve been working with staff, volunteers and our community to develop a model that responds to the needs of people living with MS, along with their friends, families and carers.

Too many people with MS face unnecessary barriers at work, from inconsistent support to lack of reasonable adjustments. The Department for Communities is developing a new Disability and Work Strategy, and your experiences can help to shape real change.

Who can take part?

Anyone over 18 years old who lives with MS in Northern Ireland can take part, or someone can complete it on your behalf.

Last month, we told you about some highlights from the 2025 volunteer survey.

Whilst we’re still evaluating the results, we wanted to give you some further top-line information.

Motivations for volunteering with us

The main reasons given for choosing to volunteer with the MS Society were to support a cause you believe in and make a positive impact.

Last month, we announced the exciting milestone that Assemble, our brand-new volunteer management system, has gone live for staff. We’re busy getting everything ready for when it launches for volunteers.

To ensure that you’re sharing up-to-date information, we urge you to

• use links from our live website, not links you’ve previously bookmarked or saved to your favourites in your web browser

• share recent downloads, not older versions

If in doubt, check a link or document is accurate by:

• Making sure it has our new logo, which you can find at the top left-hand side of our website here. You can download it here.

Earlier this year, the UK Government proposed significant changes to tighten the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment criteria. In July, following campaigning from across the disability sector and opposition from MPs, the Government decided to halt its plans.

Now, any changes to the PIP assessment will only be taken forward following a review led by the Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms MP.