On Sunday May 12th the Hertfordshire ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) Support Group will be hosting a day of free activities at St Albans Museum + Gallery including live music, poetry readings, and crafts to mark International ME Awareness Day.
The group have been Community in Residence at St Albans Museums for the past year and throughout May there will be additional displays, including a large installation in the Assembly Room, video art, objects in St Albans on Demand and a display on the railings outside the Museum.
The displays produced by the group will also include information about ME, CFS and other chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia, long covid and post-viral fatigue syndromes.
Maxine Ellis from the Hertfordshire ME/CFS Support Group, said:
“Being creative and having opportunities to stay social and connected can be really important when you are living with chronic illness. We are delighted to have this opportunity to display some of our members' creative work at St Albans Museum + Gallery in May. People who suffer with ME/CFS or other related illnesses are often ‘missing' from society due to extreme fatigue, pain, and post exertional malaise. This series of events will help to give them a presence in support of the annual #MillionsMissing campaign.”
Elanor Cowland, Community Engagement Officer for St Albans Museums, said:
“Working with the ME/CFS Support Group over the last year has helped us to understand our communities better and to develop new and inclusive ways of working, for example by developing new opportunities for remote volunteering. It’s estimated that 55 million people worldwide are living with ME/CFS. We are delighted to be able to play a small role in highlighting the experiences of those living locally with chronic illness.”
Catherine Newley, Audience Development Manager at St Albans Museums, said:
“It’s exciting to see how collaborating closely with our Community in Residence group is delivering engaging and exciting art, as well as giving our community a creative platform to communicate with the public.”
Opening celebration 11.30am -12.00 midday
Drop-in activities for all 11.30am-4.30pm
https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/international-mecfs-awareness-day
St Albans Museum + Gallery, St Peter’s Street, St Albans, AL1 3DH, is open Monday to Sunday from 11am-5pm. Admission is free. Visit www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk / @stalbansmuseums
For details about Hertfordshire ME/CFS Support group please visit their website https://www.hertsmecfs.org
