After successfully submitting an outline bid to The Big Lottery under their "reaching communities" programme late last year, we have now completed the full and detailed application that will be considered over the next few months.

We have planned an exciting and innovative project that will give us a possible Five Years funding to deliver a dedicated domiciliary service to meet the needs of the severe ME patient. This hard to reach, severely neglected group of people are unable to access the CFS/ME services now established across the region. This project will lift the veil of invisibility, reduce the isolation and bring relief, help and support to around 250 people and their carers.

This project will require a full-time caseworker with the support of our Chief Executive, and will involve working together with statutory service providers in health, education and social services, and also with voluntary community services to add additional support to both the person with CFS/ME and their carer.

We are very excited about this project, and we must thank Karen Graham from the Chester le Street & District Council for Voluntary Services for her help and advice in completing the bid. It is hard work and quite stressful putting such an enterprising plan together, knowing there is such a great deal of competition for funds. We have done our best to outline the importance of this work, how beneficial it will be to so many people, how we can measure and evaluate the outcomes, and how we are best placed to deliver this essential service.

We will be interviewed by a Grant's Officer from The Big Lottery in the coming weeks, who will subsequently report to the panel for a final decision in about 4 months time. Keep your fingers crossed for us!!