ARC
The Arthritis Research Campaign (arc), founded in 1936, raises funds to promote medical research into the cause, treatment and cure of arthritic conditions; to educate medical students, doctors and allied healthcare professionals about arthritis; and provide information to the general public. arc is the fourth largest medical research charity in the UK and the only charity in the UK solely dedicated to investigating arthritis in all its forms. Millions of pounds are provided every year for grants funding research, education and training.

ACTION FOR BLIND PEOPLE
Action for Blind People is one of the largest charities in the UK providing free and confidential support for blind and partially sighted people in all aspects of their lives. We are dynamic and have a reputation for talking less and doing more. Driven by the needs of visually impaired people, we deliver what people say they need, not just what we think they need. Our mission is to inspire change and create opportunities to enable people with sight loss to have equal voice and equal choice. Action for Blind People is more than just a name - it is what we do.

ALZHEIMERS SOCIETY
Alzheimer's Society is a membership organisation, which works to improve the quality of life of people affected by dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Many of our 25,000 members have personal experience of dementia, as carers, health professionals or people with dementia themselves, and their experiences help to inform our work.

BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION
Our vision is of a world in which people do not die prematurely of heart disease. We'll achieve this through pioneering research, vital prevention activity and ensuring quality care and support for everyone living with heart disease. Read more here about who we are, find out about the BHF in your area, see our history of pioneering research - and check out how you could have a career with us.

DIABETE'S UK
The World Health Organization estimate that over 180 million people worldwide have diabetes, a disease affecting blood sugar levels. Whichever country you are from, please use Diabetes.co.uk as your portal for information about type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetes symptoms and diabetes treatments. Diabetes.co.uk is growing as a community of diabetics and non-diabetics alike, offering their own support and first hand knowledge

DISABILITIES TRUST
The Disabilities Trust was founded in 1979 to provide an imaginative new concept of personal care and specialist housing for people with special needs. Since then our services have expanded to include purpose-built accommodation, community-based housing, respite care, education, community enabling and rehabilitation. Our services are divided into four divisions to meet the needs of: people with autism, people with acquired brain injury, people with profound physical disability and people with a learning disability. We offer modern, progressive facilities complemented by a skilled and dedicated staff team. Our services are constantly evolving to seek new, imaginative solutions to peoples needs. Our first learning centre for children and young people with autism, for example, is now open at Heathermount in Ascot. And for people with acquired brain injury, we are working with our partners to create several new services to meet the growing national demand for rehabilitation. As a leading national charity, we also campaign on issues affecting the lives of the people to whom we provide services and support.

EPILEPSY RESEARCH UK.
The Alliance for Epilepsy Research (AER) is an advocacy organization founded by a grassroots effort. The AER was formed to encourage and support innovative medical research for Epilepsy. Patient and family members participate by helping to raise funds for research and increasing public awareness of Epilepsy.

FAMILY FUND
The Family Fund is a registered charity covering the whole of the UK and is funded by the national governments of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We are the largest independent grant-giving organization helping low-income families caring for a severely disabled child. We support families by providing grants that relate to the need of their disabled child or young person. In 2007-08, the Fund distributed 28.7 million to 48,000 families. The Fund works within an annual fixed budget and there is no automatic entitlement to our help. Grants are discretionary and depend on our having funding available. The Fund cannot assist where there is a responsibility on a statutory agency to help with the requested item. The Funds eligibility criteria are set and regularly reviewed by our Board of Trustees. As well as being a registered charity, the Fund is also a company limited by guarantee.

HEADWAY TRUST
Headway is a charity set up to give help and support to people affected by brain injury. It does this in a number of ways: Locally A network of local Groups and Branches throughout the UK offers a wide range of services, including rehabilitation programmes, carer support, social re-integration, community outreach and respite care. The services available will vary, depending on local needs and resources. Nationally Headway UK provides support to the local Groups and Branches and helps to deliver high quality services through guidance on policies, procedures, standards and training. Additionally: The Headway UK Helpline provides information, advises on sources of support, finds local rehabilitation services and offers a listening ear to those experiencing problems. We publish a range of booklets containing information about aspects of brain injury that will be helpful to those directly affected, plus professionals, employers and members of the public. We promote understanding of brain injury and its effects, We lobby for better support and resources to be made available by statutory health and social care providers. We campaign for measures that will reduce the number of brain injuries

MACINTYRE CARE
MacIntyre is a national charity that provides learning, support and care for more than 1000 children and adults with learning disabilities, at more than 120 MacIntyre services across the UK. Our mission is to be recommended and respected as the best provider of services for children and adults with learning disabilities across the UK. Our diverse range of services includes registered care homes, supported living schemes, accredited training schemes and lifelong learning services, as well as residential special schools and a further education college. We are currently in the process of launching a new website, with advanced features and functionality.

MARIE CURE CANCER CARE
Marie Curie Nurses provide free nursing care to cancer patients and those with other terminal illnesses in their own homes. For more information for patients and carers or to get a Marie Curie Nurse visit our nursing pages or call FREEPHONE

0800 716 146

MIND
Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales. We work to create a better life for everyone with experience of mental distress by: advancing the views, needs and ambitions of people with mental health problems, challenging discrimination and promoting inclusion, influencing policy through campaigning and education. Inspiring the development of quality services which reflect expressed need and diversity, achieving equal rights through campaigning and education. In all our work we promote our values: informed, determined, diversity, integrity and partnership.

MS SOCIETY
The MS Society is the UK's largest charity for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - about 85,000 people in the UK. Across the UK information and support is available to anyone affected by MS from our network of over 350 local branches.

NATIONAL AUTISTIC SOCIETY
We champion the rights and interests of all people with autism and aim to provide individuals with autism and their families with help, support and services that they can access, trust and rely upon and which can make a positive difference to their lives.

NATIONAL SCHIZIPHRENIA FELLOWSHIP
We were founded over 30 years ago to give a voice to people affected by severe mental illness and today, with over 8,300 members, we remain determined that this voice will continue to be heard. We help over 48,000 people every year through our services, support groups and by providing information on mental health problems. Our website receives almost 300,000 visitors every year. Our aim is to make a practical and positive difference by providing hope and empowerment through effective services, information and support to all those who need us. People who use our services and their carers are at the heart of our vision and we believe that all those who experience severe mental illness are entitled to be treated with respect and as equal citizens. We carry out research which informs both our own and national mental health policy and actively campaign for change through greater awareness and understanding. And we are dedicated to creating a world where prejudice and discrimination are eliminated.

PRINCE'S TRUST
The Prince's Trust helps change young lives Around one in five young people in the UK are not in work, education or training. Youth unemployment costs the UK economy 10 million a day in lost productivity, while youth crime costs 1 billion every year. We address this by giving practical and financial support to the young people who need it most. We help develop key skills, confidence and motivation, enabling young people to move into work, education or training.

RNIB
We are the UKs leading charity offering information, support and advice to over two million people with sight loss. Our pioneering work helps anyone with a sight problem not just with braille and Talking Books, but with imaginative and practical solutions to everyday challenges. Our projects such as Talk and Support and Parents Place make a difference to peoples lives. We need your support to fund our vital work. As a charity we rely on your generosity. People are still losing their sight unnecessarily. We campaign to eliminate avoidable sight loss and support research into the causes and latest treatments of eye disease.

ST DUNSTANS
Supporting blind ex-Service men and women For almost a century, St Dunstans has been giving invaluable physical and emotional support to blind and visually impaired ex-Service men and women. With the help of our unique expertise, experience and comprehensive range of services, we enable them to lead independent fulfilling lives. Partners for life We are there for St Dunstaners for as long as they need us. We help them adjust to their loss of sight and learn new skills and our support lasts a lifetime. We help families too, as they adjust to their changing needs.

SCOPE
Scope, the disability organisation in England and Wales whose focus is people with cerebral palsy. Our aim is that disabled people achieve equality: a society in which they are as valued and have the same human and civil rights as everyone else. If you need information, advice or just someone to talk to, get in touch with us. Call free on

0808 800 3333

. It's free, friendly and confidential.

SENSE
Sense is the leading national charity that supports and campaigns for children and adults who are deafblind. We provide expert advice and information as well as specialist services to deafblind people, their families, carers and the professionals who work with them. We also support people who have sensory impairments with additional disabilities.

SHAW TRUST LTD.
Shaw Trust is a national charity which supports disabled and disadvantaged people to prepare for work, find jobs and live more independently. We believe everyone has the right to work and we have campaigned for over 25 years to turn our vision into a reality. Every year we work with over 60,000 clients who face barriers due to disability, ill health or social circumstance. Thousands of employers and public sector organisations also benefit from our range of services for business. We are the UK?s largest third sector provider and one of the Government?s lead partners in the delivery of employment programmes for disabled and disadvantaged people.