A CENTRE for people with multiple sclerosis needs your help.

The Osborne Centre in West Parley, which supports people with MS and their families, has applied for lottery grant of almost £100,000 and whether or not they receive it will be decided by a public vote.

On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 40 and 60 people with MS from across Dorset and Hampshire visit the centre.

Many who are unable to drive themselves are collected from their homes in specially adapted ambulance minibuses driven by volunteers.

At the centre the visitors can have physiotherapy, take part in craft workshops, visit the hairdresser, chat to a welfare officer, have a hot meal and meet others who may be experiencing similar problems.

Bournemouth MS Society branch chairman Rod Slip, 62, from Ringwood, said: "For some people this may be the only chance they have to get out of the house in the week, so for them it can make a real difference."

Mr Slip, whose wife has MS, said: "MS is life changing for everybody. Here we try to lessen the impact."

If the centre wins the grant of £94,000 it will be used to build an extension to the centre to create a quiet room.

Branch president Alan Lindsay, 63, who has MS said: "Fatigue is a symptom of MS and when it hits it is just mind numbing and you just want to be left alone.

"At the moment people are using the corridors in the centre to find a quiet place which is just not good enough."

He explained that fatigue exacerbates other symptoms of MS and increases feelings of frustration, depression or anger.

Mr Slip added that some people are put off using the centre because they find the day's activities too tiring but that they would be keen to attend if there was a space where they knew they could go to relax.

The charity wants to open the centre to people with other neurological conditions.

The society also runs a Mates group for people who have just been diagnosed with MS.

Mr Slip said: "We try to pick up where the NHS left off after people have been diagnosed. Often these people do not want to come to the centre so they meet at the Hamworthy Club."

The group, which includes families and friends of people with MS, has talks by healthcare professionals and social evenings.

There is also a specific group for carers of people with MS.

Mr Lindsay, from Bournemouth, said: "My wife looks after me and carers really are so important.

"Without carers, most of whom are family members, many of these people would wind up in homes."

He said: "You cannot deal with MS until you have accepted you have a problem. The trouble with MS is that it is progressive so the goal posts are always moving. A while ago I had to give up golf, then I found I could not put on my socks in the morning, then a while later I found I could not do up buttons, then later still you may realise you are unable to walk.

"It is difficult to keep accepting and you can only deal with things once you have accepted them so it is frustrating."

He added: "The centre is really important and we hope we can get as many people as possible to know about it and to ask them all to vote."

The centre, which does not receive any government funding, will go head to head with a charity on the Isle of Wight called the Bembridge Friendship Circle for viewers' votes on November 27 after featuring in the ITV Meridian news programme at 6pm.

The charity that receives the most votes between 9am and midnight on that day will win the grant.

The phone number to call to register your vote will be availble from 9am that day on the website biglotteryfund.org.uk/peoplesmillions People will have an opportunity to see the centre in Church Lane before it is shown on television by going to the Christmas Fair which is being held on Saturday from 10.30am to 1.30pm.

There will be stalls selling toys, books, Christmas cards, coffee and mince pies.