Whether or not you can join us in person at this year’s #MillionsMissing, you can help to make it a success by emailing your MSP and asking them to come out, say hello and sign a pledge to support people with ME.
#MEAction Scotland will be outside the Scottish Parliament to engage with as many MSPs as possible and make them aware of the need for specialist services that are accessible to every person with ME in Scotland.
MSPs have a duty to support and represent their constituents, so an email from you is the best way to get them to understand that this is an issue that affects people in their area and consider coming. The more people that get in touch, the better!
Who are your MSPs?
If you’re not sure who your MSPs are you can put your postcode into the They Work For You website to find out.
You will have eight MSPs who represent you – one constituency MSP and seven regional MSPs (don’t worry about your MP as it’s a Scottish Parliament event). It would be great if you could email as many of these MSPs as you can.
Below are some key points to include in the email and a template email that you can copy and paste if you prefer. Please add your experience of ME if you feel able to, it helps personalise the email and will have more of an impact on your MSP.
Please let us know if you get a response from your MSP and if they are planning on coming. It’s great for us to be aware of who has been contacted and told they have a constituent with ME. Thank you!
Key points for your email
These key points are to help you write your own email. There is a template email below if it is easier for you to copy and paste the text.
- Please show your support for people with ME by attending the #MillionsMissing demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 28th September from 12.30 to 2.30pm.
- Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a profoundly debilitating neurological disease affecting multiple systems within the body, that more than 21,000 people in Scotland live with.
- Add a few sentences explaining your experience of ME.
- #MillionsMissing is an annual global event run by the grassroots movement #MEAction to raise awareness of the millions of people missing from their lives due to ME and to ask for better treatment, research and investment in the disease.
- This year the event is outside the Scottish Parliament, and as my MSP I want to ask you to join people with ME and their allies and pledge your support.
- The pledge we are asking you to sign is “Everyone with ME should have access to ME specialist services for an initial assessment, a care plan and ongoing support as required.” There will be a physical copy of the statement at the event.
- For more information visit the #MEAction Scotland event page here.
Note: Remember to include your full name and address in the email. Including your address is how your MSP knows that you are in their constituency and lots of them won’t read emails without it.
Template email
Feel free to copy and paste this template email and add your personal story.
Dear MSP name
As your constituent, I am emailing to ask you to attend a demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 28th September to show your support for people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).
ME is a profoundly debilitating neurological disease affecting multiple systems within the body, that more than 21,000 people in Scotland live with. Sadly, this number is only set to grow as people with Long Covid are now being diagnosed with ME. There are currently no ME specialist consultants in Scotland and only one specialist nurse.
[ADD YOUR PERSONAL STORY/CONNECTION WITH ME HERE]
#MillionsMissing is an annual global event run by the grassroots movement #MEAction to raise awareness of the millions of people missing from their lives due to ME and to ask for better treatment, research and investment in the disease. This year, Scotland’s demonstration is outside the Scottish Parliament to engage as many MSPs as possible. As my MSP, please consider joining people with ME and their allies to pledge your support.
#Millions Missing will be held outside the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 28th September from 12.30 to 2.30pm. More details can be found at https://www.meaction.net/event/millionsmissing-scotland-september-2022/
The new NICE guideline on the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS
was published in October 2021. The Government has committed to implementing this guideline, but 12 months after it was published there has been no development of services or increase in funding to support the implementation.
If you join #MillionsMissing you will be asked if you want to sign the following pledge:
“Everyone with ME should have access to ME specialist services for an initial assessment, a care plan and ongoing support as required.”
There will be a physical copy of the statement at the event. This is the minimum level of care that people with ME deserve and I hope you will sign it.
I would be grateful if you could let me know if you will attend #MillionsMissing and show that you support people with ME. I appreciate you will have a busy diary and may not be able to, if that is the case I would encourage you to pledge your support on social media on the day instead using the information in this email.
I look forward to your response.
Add your full name and address
If you’re struggling to copy and paste from the webpage, you can also download the text in a Word document. Download the Word document using the button below.
