The secretary of this local support group, Sue Hill, happens to work at Leeming Bar station,as one of the railway’s volunteers.

The Wensleydale Railway operates heritage diesel train services in Yorkshire between Scruton, near Northallerton and Leyburn.

It offers the spectacular scenery of the Yorkshire Dales, and picturesque historic stations. It also gives visitors the opportunity to learn all about the 1900s way of life, using costumed living history interpreters to give free guided tours.

The group joined the railway for a tour of Leeming Bar Station House and then enjoyed sandwiches and hot drinks before a train journey to Leyburn.

Sue is also one of the Wensleydale’s living history interpreters – as well as being a great home baker, who along with Mo Park, the railway’s catering manager, provided the cakes and goodies for the visit!

Mo and Sue are well-known by many of the railway customers for serving delicious food on board their popular afternoon tea trains.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a term that covers many conditions but most commonly Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), fibromyalgia and now long covid.

There is a network of ME/CFS support groups across the country, and the participating Northallerton & District ME/CFS Support Group has been active now for over 20 years.

There are over 265,000 people in the UK who suffer from ME/CFS (and many more undiagnosed), yet it is still a largely unknown and misunderstood condition. Common symptoms are chronic fatigue, non-restorative sleep, cognitive difficulties and brain fog.

ME/CFS can have a major impact on a person’s ability to carry out normal activities, including everyday tasks, keeping a job, going to school, and taking part in family and social life. It is a life changing and indiscriminate neurological condition leading to long-term disability and a lower quality of life. There is no known treatment.

Many people with ME/CFS cannot work full time, and up to a quarter are house- or bed-bound.

The Wensleydale Railway will hold its first industrial diesel locomotives weekend on 24-26 August.

Our support group offers friendship, support and a way to be with others who understand each other. People often feel very isolated, and our group can help with this. We have been told many times by new members what a difference the group has made to them. We have outside speakers regularly talking about varied interests, and visits to places of interest when we can.

Sue Hill, Secretary of the Northallerton & District ME/CFS Support Group

It was our pleasure to host this small private event on behalf of the Northallerton & District ME/CFS Support Group. We are a community railway, and local groups like this one share that sense of community spirit and purpose. What was most evident from meeting the group’s members was the clear bond of friendship and mutual support that they shared. If you have ME/CFS and live in Northallerton and the surrounding area, please do get in touch with this group. You will be made most welcome.

Nick Keegan, Marketing and Fundraising Manager at Wensleydale Railway