Formed in 1939, The British Polio Fellowship (BPF), also known as the Infantile Paralysis Fellowship,is the UK's only registered charity devoted to polio survivors. They provide support to people who have had polio and their carers. This support comes in the form of financial and personal welfare provision, together with various activities and facilities. The BPF publishes a bi-monthly magazine (The British Polio Fellowship Bulletin) and promotes immunisation programmes throughout the UK. They are also able to offer residential and holiday accomodation!
The BPF receives NO government funding whatsoever and is wholly reliant on public generosity!
Membership
Membership is open not only to those who have had polio, but also to those who identy themselveswith the work of the BPF. Membership may be to a local branch/group or to the Central Office. Annual subscriptions for all members (as at October 1999) is £5.00 but Life membership may be obtained for a one-off payment of £25.00. Annual subscriptions are due on 1st January each year. To obtain a membership form, you can 'phone 0800 0180586 (Freephone kindly supplied by MCI Worldcom) or 0181 842 1898, or FAX 0181 842 0555, or e-mail british.polio@dial.pipex.com
Welfare Services
Anybody disabled through polio (poliomyelitis) and living in the UK or Eire can benefit from the BPFs Welfare Service, though medical confirmation of polio as the cause of the disability is required for initial applications for financial assistance. You DO NOT have to be a member! A varietty of types of support is available.
The Late Effects
of Polio (LEP)
commonly
referred to as Post Polio Syndrome or PPS
The BPF is taking an active role in the problems now being experienced by so many polio survivors. They are able to supply information packs on LEP/PPS to both individual sufferers and their GPs.
Holidays
Holidays are available via the BPF at The Lantern Hotel in Worthing (Contact the Hotel on 01903 238476) or in Bungalows at Burnham, Somerset and Morecambe Bay, Cumbria (Contact Central Office on 0800 0180586).
PLEASE - If YOU are a polio survivor, resident in the UK or Eire, and not yet a member of the BPF, I urge you to contact them as soon as possible!
