News

By Kym Ward, dementia project coordinator at The Brain Charity

We understand that the past year has been especially tough for people living with dementia. We also know music can play a vital role in their daily care – it stirs memories, reduces agitation and creates moments of joyful connection. That’s why over the last few months, our small dementia project team has been busy recording and filming the music-based therapy workshops we usually do in the community, so they can be shared in households and care homes across Merseyside and all over the UK.

We hope our Directions Project will help more than 100 jobless people with neurological conditions into employment, training, education or volunteering by 2022.

A brain tumour survivor has shared a video diary filmed as he underwent six weeks of radiotherapy.

The Brain Charity has partnered with cycling safety app Busby, which was created in Liverpool after one of its founders had a serious cycling accident. It prevents and reports incidents on the roads and has already saved three lives.

A Brain Charity service user and staff member have shared their thoughts on confidence and mental health as part of a new podcast.

Two TBC volunteers, who met thanks to The Brain Charity, have tied the knot despite COVID-19 restrictions.

This year, we hope for a partial return to fundraising normality. Here are some of the public races and events known to be taking place COVID-safely in 2021 which you can participate in, in aid of The Brain Charity.

On December 1, The Brain Charity launched its #Sixmas appeal to raise £6,000 for the 1 in 6 people living with neurological conditions.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool have revealed new findings into how COVID-19 affects the brain.

Scientists at the University – including Walton Centre neurologist Professor Tom Solomon, who has previously worked in partnership with The Brain Charity – studied 153 patients treated in UK hospitals during the first acute phase of the pandemic earlier this year. 

As of today, England has entered another full-scale national lockdown.

As many of you will know, the public have been told to stay at home wherever possible, and all clinically extremely vulnerable people have been asked to shield once more.

Unfortunately, we have therefore made the decision to close The Brain Charity’s building from tomorrow (Wednesday, January 6th) until at least the next government review on Friday, February 19th.

The Brain Charity’s staff will be stopping any face-to-face work we have been able to carry out under recent restrictions, with all services now back to running virtually. Under government guidelines The Brain Food Café and our charity shop and room hire spaces must also close.

We are still here for all people with neurological conditions, as we have been throughout the pandemic. Get support now by calling our free helpline on 0800 008 6417 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Our helpline is open from 9am until 4.30pm Monday to Friday, and is staffed by four of The Brain Charity’s Information & Advice Officers.
The rota changes each week, and this week it was my turn to be available manning the phone for any enquiries that might come my way.
As The Brain Charity is an umbrella charity for people with all forms of neurological condition – and there are more than 600 in total – calls and requests for help can be very varied.

I kept a log of my day’s activities to give an insight into some of the specialist guidance The Brain Charity provides.

The condition known as long COVID is used to describe the long-term side effects experienced in people who have contracted coronavirus.

Data from the COVID Symptom Tracker App - used by around 4 million people in the UK - suggests 1 in 50 people are still dealing with symptoms 90 days or more after contracting the virus.

Typical symptoms of long COVID, also known as post-COVID fatigue syndrome, include fatigue, breathlessness, anxiety, depression, palpitations, chest pains, joint or muscle pain, muscle weakness, joint stiffness, a persistent cough, weight loss, memory problems and ‘brain fog’.

The symptoms are very similar to those felt by people living with ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - conditions which result in overwhelming fatigue.

A Kings College London study researching the impact of ‘long COVID’ estimated one in 20 people can be ill with COVID-19 for at least eight weeks - and many much longer than that.

Reports suggest some people with long COVID are even being diagnosed with ME or CFS if their symptoms last longer than three to four months.

However, an ME Association report said long COVID is not the same as ME or CFS - although it does appear to be the same as post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS), where
an infection is the trigger for developing the condition.

The British Lung Foundation said it was too early to say whether breathing difficulties seen in people recovering from COVID-19 were caused by the virus itself or by its treatment.

If you are struggling with long COVID symptoms, The Brain Charity can support you. Call our free helpline on 0800 008 6417 email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our long COVID A-Z page for more information.

Anxiety is a natural emotion that often leaves people feeling uneasy, uncomfortable or scared. It stems from the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. For instance, you may get anxious over a test at school, a job interview or taking public transport.

However, some people’s anxiety makes them feel as though they are unable to cope or control their emotions. This is known as a Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) 

Here we are going to talk about ways you can control anxious emotions at home during the Covid-19 pandemic. If you have diagnosed GAD and are struggling with symptoms, please always consult your doctor too to see what other support is available.

By Rosie Palmer, Assistant Psychologist at The Walton Centre’s Pain Management Programme.

If you are having trouble dealing with worries about the coming months, you are not alone. Winter can be a challenging time, with darker and colder days, and this year we are approaching it with an added challenge of COVID-19 and the uncertainty around what this will bring.

It is helpful to remember that feelings of anxiety and stress are normal reactions to this unusual situation. These feelings can understandably impact on sleep, mood and pain. Therefore, it is more important than ever to place extra focus on maintaining our wellbeing. This blog from the Pain Management Programme at The Walton Centre will provide guidance and support for how to maintain your physical and emotional wellbeing over the winter. It is primarily aimed at those who experience chronic pain, but can hopefully provide valuable information more widely too.

The Brain Charity could become the first charity in the UK to have its own edible wall - with your help. 

We have teamed up with Baltic Triangle social enterprise Farm Urban to teach hundreds of people with neurological conditions how to grow healthy, sustainable food using hydroponics, a vertical, soilless and pesticide-free method of farming.