May 2021
Hello and welcome to May’s newsletter. Hope you have had the best month possible.
Merryn’s Smile Day
This month on the 13th May 30 Smiles were sent to Severe ME sufferers in Merryn’s name for Merryn’s Smile Day 2021. Merryn’s Smile Day Smiles are slightly different to our regular Smiles, the presents are not wrapped as opening presents with Severe ME can be difficult in many ways. The presents included balloons, cuddly toys, cosy sets, flowers, and pamper sets. They were all sent with Merryn and Severe ME in mind. As Merryn was the reason this all happened we included some of her favourite things and every present was packaged with love which she radiated.
Rochdale Online shared an article about Merryn and Merryn’s Smile Day which you can read here “Gifts to make severe ME sufferers smile posted in Merryn Crofts’ memory by Smile for ME charity“
1000 Smiles
This month we sent our 1000th Smile! Smile For ME has been running for nearly 9 years and as a small run charity we pride ourselves on creating Smiles and brightening the days of ME sufferers and carers. We are really proud of sending 1000 Smiles, each one individually chosen with care, lovingly wrapped, packaged and posted. We love running this charity and to reach 1000 Smiles is a huge achievement especially being affected by ME ourselves. Thank you so much for your support over the years in helping to make this possible ?
Carers Week 2021
Carers Week 2021 nominations have now closed. Thank you to those who nominated an ME carer, we can’t wait to send them a special Bear Hugs Smile.
ME Awareness
12th May is ME Awareness Day. Well done and thank you all those involved in giving a spotlight to those suffering.
Millions Missing
Millions Missing is a global campaign to raise awareness. Shoes are placed to symbolise the number of people missing from life due to ME.
Alice
Age 26
Missing since 2009
Share a story
Bill Clayton from The York ME Community wrote a poem called Help The Millions Missing.
Help The Millions Missing.
Have you heard of the Millions Missing
Have you heard the news
Surely they’ve been on the radio
Looking for any clues
Have you heard of the Millions Missing
People just gone amiss
No longer turning up for work
Gone down some abyss
Have you heard of the Millions Missing
It’s not something they’d suppress
You can’t have people disappearing
Without reading it in the press
Have you heard of the Millions Missing
I heard in the hardest way
It was when M.E. came calling
I’ll never forget that day
Have you heard of the Millions Missing
I thought everyone would know
An illness like this,
Would be so hard to miss
Unless someone was making it so
Have you heard of the Millions Missing
Kids too ill for school
Some tube fed, tied to their bed
This illness is so damn cruel
Have you heard of the Millions Missing
We now display their shoes
As our way of showing, numbers are growing
There’s no more time to lose
Have you heard the Millions Missing
It’s about time that you did
So in the month of May, we’ll have our say
We’re going to lift the lid
You’ll hear from the Millions Missing
Using energy too precious to waste
They’ll raise their voice, making some noise
So you’d better be ready and braced
You’ll hear from the Millions Missing
And the help you maybe can lend
You’ll hear the cost, of lives being lost
And charities you may wish to befriend
It’s not the choice of the Millions Missing
To be as ill as we are
Being stripped of our very being
Seeing our old lives from afar
So please when you hear the stories
Of the Millions Missing from life
Please help us raise awareness
By spreading them far and wide
Between us we may raise our profile
Rather than the current dismissing
So please make a vow, to side with us now
To end the plight of the Millions Missing.
By Bill Clayton
©2021
Blue Sunday
This year’s Blue Sunday tea party for ME, created by Anna, took place on Sunday 16th May. It was an amazing event which brought the ME community together, raised awareness of ME and money for ME charities whilst enjoying some cake. 
We loved seeing your Blue Sunday pictures and chatting to those joining in. A special thank you to those who chose to support Smile For ME. Thanks to your kindness you helped raise an incredible £1036.58 for us which will go towards sending Smiles to those affected by ME, we can’t thank you enough.
Thank you Anna for inviting us to be a part of Blue Sunday and for making such a big difference.
Smile of the month
Each month we ask on social media what has made you smile this month? We love hearing the responses and hope by sharing some of your smiles it can help others to find a smile too. 
What’s made you smile this month?
Thank you’s
A big thank you to those who donated to us this month. We are really grateful for your kindness in choosing to support us and for your generous donations.
A special thank you to Shirley who donated some of her wonderful handmade necklaces for us to include in our Smiles.