An Overcoming MS Circle is a collection of like-minded people who all share the desire to make positive lifestyle choices and live a better and healthier life with MS. Find answers to frequently asked questions here.
All of the Circles can be found in the main menu within the Live Well Hub.
If you are on a mobile, you will have to open the menu by clicking on the 3 lines in the top left corner
If you are on desktop, the menu will already be open on the left-hand-side of the page.
Scroll down and you will see the list of regions where we have Circles, and click on your region to find your Circle.
An Overcoming MS Circle is a group of people who share a belief in making positive changes to their diets and lifestyles to achieve a better and healthier life with MS. They meet for events and outings, answer each other’s questions, and act as a source of support and encouragement for each other, in good and not-so-good times. As well as meet-ups in person, an Overcoming MS Circle also connects via the Live Well Hub, a platform which can be accessed as an app on your mobile phone or via your computer which helps you to connect with Circle members.
An Overcoming MS Ambassador is somebody who actively supports our vision – a world in which every person with MS is empowered to take control of their health, is making informed lifestyle choices and is living their fullest life possible. They volunteer as local hosts in their community, organising meetings for people with MS to provide support, and encouragement and they share their own journey to give hope to others. An Ambassador has experience in following the Overcoming MS program and actively encourages and supports others who wish to take the first step with making lifestyle changes.
If that sounds like you, then please get in touch by emailing [email protected].
To sign up for an Overcoming MS Circle, join the Live Well Hub which is our community space that you can access on your computer, laptop, mobile or tablet.
Once you’ve joined the Live Well Hub, use the menu on the left hand side to find your Circles region and then find your closest Circle and click Request Access. The Ambassador of that Circle will then be in touch and will add you into the Circle.
When you’re in the Live Well Hub, using the menu on the left hand side you can find your Circle region, eg UK & Ireland. Click on the region and then you’ll see a list of Circles within that region. Look through the list to find the Circle that’s closest to you. You can join more than one Circle!
Please note, we also have a Global Circle and some thematic Circles, for you to join if you don’t have a Circle close to you.
Just click Request Access to join the Circle you’ve chosen, and the Ambassador will be in touch and will add you into the Circle.
If there isn’t a Circle in your area, please join the Global Circle or one of our thematic Circles.
Each Overcoming MS Circle starts by finding an Overcoming MS Ambassador to volunteer. Once established, the Ambassador works with us to raise awareness in their local area and to connect with other people with MS. This includes those who are already following the Program, interested in finding out more about making lifestyle changes or people who simply want to connect with others who will understand.
If there is no Circle in your area yet, this is because we have yet to find somebody to carry out our message of hope and be a pillar of support in your local community. If you might like to volunteer and create a group near you, please get in touch via [email protected].
To join a Circle you need to join the Live Well Hub, which is the Overcoming MS app that you can access via your browser by clicking here: https://hub.overcomingms.org/ or search Live Well Hub – Overcoming MS in the app store on your phone or tablet.
Once you have joined, open the menu on the left hand side, and scroll down to find your Circle region, eg, UK & Ireland. Click on this region or click on Explore/See More, and you’ll see a list of Circles within that region. To join your preferred Circle, click Request Access.
The Ambassador of that Circle may accept you directly into the Circle, please bear in mind this could take them a few days sometimes, or they may direct message you in the Live Well Hub to introduce themselves and to find out a bit more about you. Please make sure to respond to them within two weeks if you’re still interested in joining the Circle.
Once you’ve been accepted into the group, you’ll be able to see all the previous posts, look at any upcoming events and also see the list of members who are in that Circle.
We know it can be intimidating joining a group of people you haven’t met yet but rest assured our Ambassadors and community are inclusive, supportive and welcoming. We encourage you to post in the Circle feed to introduce yourself when you join and to let others know you’re part of their Circle. We also encourage you to interact with the wider community on the Hub Home feed if you feel comfortable to do so. The Live Well Hub is a positive, supportive and friendly space where everyone is warmly welcomed.
You can edit your profile at any time in the Live Well Hub. Click on your profile icon in the navigation, then go to your profile. At the top of the screen you’ll see Edit. Click on this to edit your profile, including your profile photo, cover photo, mini bio, About Me, location and timezone.
To edit your name or email address, click on the link in yellow which says: To edit some items you’ll need to go to your original sign in provider here.
To edit your notification settings, click on your profile icon in the navigation, then go to Personal Settings and click Notifications.
You can edit your profile photo at any time in the Live Well Hub. Click on your profile icon in the navigation, then go to your profile. At the top of the screen you’ll see Edit. Click on this to edit your profile, including your profile photo, cover photo, mini bio, About Me, location and timezone.
To edit your profile photo, when you’re in the Edit profile step, you’ll see a pencil icon next to your profile picture. Click on this and it’ll show you an option to upload a new profile picture. You can also upload a cover photo, just click on the pencil icon next to this to change it.
You can choose to add a mini bio or a longer description to your profile on the Live Well Hub.
Other members of the Live Well Hub will be able to see your profile photo, cover photo, and any information you wish to add to your bio, including your location if you choose to add this.
Your email address will only be visible to the Overcoming MS team and your Ambassador and is protected under the Mighty Networks Privacy Policy.
Your notifications can be found through the bell image next to your profile picture in the navigation. If you have a new notification a number will appear on the bell to alert you. By clicking on the bell, you will see a list of all your notifications. Notifications can be for several reasons but are likely to be from other Circle members commenting on your posts, or exciting events such as one of our expert facilitators starting a livestream.
Please note – Circles Online has now been replaced by the Live Well Hub. Click here to join your Circle in the Hub.
To view posts in the Live Well Hub, using the left hand menu go to Hub Home, which is where the whole community will be sharing posts. To view posts in your Circle, use the left hand menu to find your Circle and then you’ll see Circle posts in the feed.
If you click on All Activity in the left hand menu you’ll see a mixture of posts from all the spaces you are part of, including the Hub Home and any Circles you have joined.
Please note – Circles Online has now been replaced by the Live Well Hub. Click here to join your Circle in the Hub.
Only people who have been admitted to your Circle will be able to see your posts or comments in that Circle.
If you post anything in the Hub Home in the Live Well Hub, or comment on any posts in that space, all members of the Live Well Hub will be able to see this but noone who has not joined the Live Well Hub.
To leave a Circle in the Live Well Hub, click on the three dots next to the Circle name in the left hand menu, and choose Leave. If you are having trouble leaving a Circle, email [email protected].
You can always rejoin a Circle if you wish to, you will just need to request access to the Circle again and the Ambassador will add you at that point.
Please do let your Ambassador know if there is a particular reason you have decided to leave your Circle. If you are not comfortable doing that, please contact [email protected], we always value any feedback so that we can support the Overcoming MS community better.
To get the most out of this website, we have guidelines containing agreed behaviours for you and others to follow. This ensures we keep a safe, positive, and open space for the community to thrive and provide realistic hope for people with MS.
You can find these guidelines in the Live Well Hub, our online community space which you can access on mobile, desktop or tablet. To read those guidelines once you’ve joined the Live Well Hub, go to the ‘New? Start Here’ page and scroll down to Community Guidelines.
If possible, start by politely pointing this out to the individual so they can edit or remove their post themselves. It could be that they aren’t aware of the community rules. The next step would be to speak to your Ambassador and after that, if it is a serious concern to click ‘report post’.
Reporting posts is used when there are serious concerns that an individual is breaking Overcoming MS community guidelines in their posts, or you are concerned for their wellbeing. If possible, issues should be resolved directly with the person who has written the post in the Circle.
To report a post, click on the three dots in the corner of the post and click ‘Report’.
Sometimes, you may not want to share everything right away, and that’s okay. With the Live Well Hub, you can choose what information you want to share. On your profile page you can add a profile photo, cover photo, mini bio, longer description and location, so you can choose how much of this information you add to your profile. When joining the Live Well Hub you can just add your first name and the first letter of your surname if you wish. We do not require a phone number for you to join, only a valid email address, which members of the Live Well Hub other than the Ambassador of your Circle if you join one can’t see.
The great thing about our Ambassador program is that it’s very flexible. We are truly grateful for all of the support our Ambassadors give to us to help us achieve our mission. The main role of an Ambassador is to connect with new and existing members and organise meetings for the group. This could be coffee mornings, afternoon tea, lunch or dinner or an all-inclusive activity such as mindfulness, yoga or pilates. There are endless ideas for you to engage with others and we are on hand to provide whatever support you may need to help you organise things for your group.
Each Circle is different because each Ambassador is different. They may share similarities but ultimately, no two Circles are identical. Some Ambassadors are active marathon runners who fundraise to support us further, and other Ambassadors are homely people who love a nice get-together over some delicious Overcoming MS-friendly snacks and tea.
You are given the freedom and tools to make being an Ambassador work for you so that you can continue to live in good health and also give back to the MS community. Get in touch if this might work for you. We’d love to hear from you.
We do not judge how suitable an Ambassador might be based on their MS symptoms as this would not be a fair representation of our community. What we look for are warm and encouraging personalities who are passionate about connecting with others, spreading awareness of the Overcoming MS program and providing support to other people with MS in their local area.
If that sounds like you, then please get in touch!
Our main consideration was to create a place where people can talk safely and securely. We want everyone to be able to decide how much they want to share with others and to be able to maintain their privacy if they want to, and also feel confident that their words will remain within the group.
Following community feedback about our previous platform, we worked hard with community members to find the best solution. The community helped us to test different platforms and found the best one for you. We hope it meets your needs.
We also wanted to be inclusive to those who do not wish to use social media or share their contact details with other members or information with a third party. Overcoming MS is committed to keeping your information safe and we do not have any advertising on site.
Family members, partners and friends are always welcome to join you at Circle meetups. It is often beneficial for them as well, to get a better understanding of the group and meet others in similar situations.
Most Circles are also pet friendly too, but please ask your Ambassador.