Website

The entire group website is accessible to anyone who visits it, with no member-only section. Its main function is to allow someone who has ME, or thinks they have ME, to find us, find out about us and to contact us.  Joining the group is by post or online.  Joiners can go to the Join Us page to join  online or  print out the form on this page and send it in the post to the membership secretary.

Email/Database

1.   The group membership database is maintained on the computers of the membership secretary and a committee member.  It is never disclosed or sent to third parties, nor are third parties allowed to access it. Only trustees and committee members of Network MESH are permitted to access the database and to keep copies on their computer, as and when they require it for the running of the group.

2.  On the membership joining form, new members are asked if they wish to be on the Public or the Private list.  Roughly two-thirds of members choose to be on the Public list. From time to time, the Public list is sent out with the newsletter, to allow those who are on it to see the contact details of other members who are on it, so facilitating communication between members. The Private list is never circulated to members.

3.  MESH maintains a group email list, for circulating items of information about group events and items of general ME interest.  About two-thirds of the group have an email address. When an email is sent out it goes to everyone whose email we have but they are all “blind copied” so that no one receiving the email can see other members’ email addresses.