VOLUNTEERS from Arthritis Care have met MPs in a bid to raise awareness about the disability, as part of a global campaign.

Arthritis sufferer Sue York met Swindon South MP Julia Drown as part of a global campaign to raise awareness of the condition.

Mrs York, of Walcot West, Swindon, worked as a volunteer for Arthritis Care for five years and has suffered from osteoarthritis for eight years.

The meeting at Mrs York's house was designed to explain and demonstrate many of the difficulties people with the disease face in carrying out day-to-day tasks.

It was just one of many meetings between MPs and arthritis sufferers that took place across the UK on Friday.

Mrs York, who lives on her own with her beloved golden retriever, Bella, said: "We talked about how it feels and the different types of pains and the ways it affects different people.

"There are so many different types of the condition, which can affect children as well, but most people have only heard of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis."

During the visit Mrs York showed Mrs Drown the adaptations she had made to her house including handrails, window winders and a walk-in shower.

She said: "A lot of people don't always think about these because they're just little things, but they can make life a lot easier."

Mrs York also discussed how the condition is exacerbated by the many social barriers, such as access to public transport or the difficulties in shopping, that make everyday life a significant challenge.

Mrs York, who suffers from arthritis in her back, shoulders, knees and wrists, said: "There are the frustrations of not being able to do what you used to do. The fact that you look all right because you don't have your leg in plaster or anything like that, but that underneath you are in constant pain.

"If people watch you walk they might notice you're hobbling or you might be a bit slow packing your bags but that's it.

"People don't know a lot about these things because often sufferers hide their pain away. When you're out and about you perhaps put on a different persona."

Mrs York, who also works for voluntary organisation Homestart, said: "You don't realise how tired you get just from doing very little. The pain makes you tired and it also makes you grumpy and you can snap more easily.

"You don't always want to moan about it, you want to forget about it and get on with living your life.

"It doesn't stop you doing things, it just makes things a lot more difficult. I can't walk as far as I'd like to and I tend to drive more than I used to.

"You've got to think about what you're doing all the time and pace yourself and plan in advance."

There are more than 200 types of arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions with the main symptoms being pain, stiffness, physical impairment, joint deformity and fatigue.

Ms Drown said arthritis is a condition that impacts on every aspect of an individuals life.

"For many people with arthritis even the simplest tasks can be virtually impossible to undertake," she said. "Spending so much time in so much pain is an awful way to live.

"I sincerely hope that an increase in awareness about the scale and extent of this condition can soon be translated into meaningful action to improve the lives of the many millions of UK citizens living with the disease."

Kay Newis, who also suffers from arthritis and is a volunteer for Arthritis Care, explained many of the difficulties people face in carrying out day-to-day tasks to North Wiltshire MP James Gray and pleaded for more volunteers to help sufferers get out and about.

Mrs Newis, 77, of Deansway, Chippenham, told how there are eight people in wheelchairs in their arthritis group, but only two or three people to push them.

"We always need volunteers," she said. "We meet once a month and take people on outings. We hardly get any young volunteers and now we're older we can't push the wheelchairs.

"It means they have to walk a little bit, but then they get tired and miss out on things. If there's no one to push them around they will go and sit back in the minibus.

"But if they hadn't come in the first place they wouldn't have got out of their house at all, so it's a vicious cycle."

Mrs Newis, who developed arthritis after she retired, at 65, said she did not think that people understood what it is like to suffer from the disease.

"There are a lot of misconceptions about it. It isn't just something older people suffer with. A lot of younger people have it," she said.

"I can't bend, I can't lift a vacuum cleaner and I can't do the gardening. If you do bend you might fall over because your hips are stiff and they don't give like normal hips.

"I dare not sit down in the bath because I wouldn't get up again."

If you would like to volunteer for Arthritis Care or find out about their meetings, contact Margaret Fortune on (01249) 651154.

Doing everyday tasks is akin to climbing Everest

IMAGINE not being able to move across the room without suffering excruciating pain, that your hands have locked into claw-like appendages and that the simplest act, like putting on a coat or lifting a kettle is akin to climbing Everest with your legs and arms tied together.

For thousands of arthritis sufferers in Wiltshire this is not an occasional nightmare, it is everyday reality. One in five people in Britain lives with arthritis and it is not a condition affecting just the elderly.

There are 12,000 children in the UK with arthritis and approximately 27,000 people living with arthritis are under the age of 25.

High levels of pain, lack of mobility, feelings of isolation, sometimes accompanied by depression are common features. Arthritis is the leading cause of physical disability in the UK and, in 1999/2000, 206 million working days were lost due to arthritis and related conditions, at a cost to the economy of over £18 billion.

It is by no means a simple condition to either diagnose or treat.

Arthritis Care is Britain's leading organisation working with people with arthritis and other musculo-skeletal conditions. It has 70,000 supporters and a network of over 7,000 volunteers, all of whom live with, or are affected by arthritis.

Anyone who wants more information about arthritis and how Arthritis Care can help can call the free phone helpline on 08088004050. The line is open Monday to Friday from noon to 4pm.

A second helpline is open 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday on 02073806555 or alternatively people can visit the website on www.arthritiscare.org.uk