Back in March, we told you that Disclosure Scotland would be making some changes to the PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) scheme from April.






This means that, if you're a volunteer in certain roles in Scotland, you now have to be PVG checked for the first time. Or, if you're already a member of the PVG scheme, that you need to add the MS Society to your membership account. You don't need to pay to do this.

The roles are:

This page will have all the latest news available to help you understand Project Mead, our services transformation project.

Based on feedback from you, our volunteers, and the wider MS community, we’re improving our services to help everyone affected by MS. We’ll make sure everyone who connects with us has access to the same information about our UK-wide services and up-to-date information about local services. And volunteers delivering local services will have better access to support and resources.

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Happy Volunteers' Week

You’re probably aware of the cyber-attack on M&S and may have received a notification outlining what happened. M&S has been unable to restart online operations since 25 April. The Co-op Group and Harrods were also hit, with Co-op stocks running low and empty shelves to be seen.

These companies have sent information to their customers outlining what they should do. But, if you’re worried, here are three top tips from our Data Governance Team:

Back in March, the government announced plans to make big changes to disability benefits. If the changes go ahead, the proposals will cut the support some people receive from payments like Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit. This will make it harder for some people with MS to access financial support.

We know many of you have been eagerly awaiting the launch of our new volunteer management system (VMS), Assemble.

Assemble is one of multiple connected systems that form a new data platform we’ve been developing called Sage. This platform will bring all our data into one central location, creating a single and reliable source.

Whilst we’re ready to go live with Assemble, there have been some issues during the testing phase of Sage relating to finance and donations. As you'll understand, as a charity, Sage simply can't go live without these working properly.

Project Mead is our services transformation project, which will improve our UK-wide services and support offer.

We’ve been speaking to volunteers and our staff teams to understand how we can make it easier for people to find out about our services and move between online services, virtual services and local community services. We’ve been asking how we can tailor services to meet the individual needs of everyone who comes to us for support, no matter where they are on their journey with MS.

I want to say a huge thanks this Volunteers’ Week to all the volunteers who give so much time and expertise to the MS Society and our community. You make what we do possible!

What I do

I’m Gavin Atkins, the Executive Director of Services and Support. This means I have the huge privilege of overseeing everything we provide to support those affected by MS to live well.

On April 29, we hosted a vibrant online strategy engagement session that brought together dedicated volunteers from across the MS Society community. The event generated thoughtful, constructive discussions about how we can collectively bring our strategy to life.

Your voice matters

Twelve passionate volunteers contributed their valuable insights and experiences, helping to shape how we'll communicate and implement our strategic vision. The session demonstrated the incredible depth of knowledge and commitment within our volunteer community.