I don't remember how I ended up on their site, but thought I'd let people know in case there's anyone here who might be interested: http://www.dorsetmesupport.org.uk/urgent-appeal-for-new-trustees/ From the looks of things, they may not currently be the most sceptical of rigorous of groups, but that could be a chance to help improve things?
It's possible I got to their site because it looks like they gave some funding to a dodgy project from Clare McDermot: https://sapc.ac.uk/conference/2017/...nt-and-public-involvement-project-develop-new Looks like this group needs some help. Discussion of the project here: https://www.s4me.info/index.php?thr...tion-of-a-rebuilding-your-life-programme.761/
I live in Dorset, and used to belong to the Dorset ME group. It was OK then, though I wasn't active in it. They supported the local ME service which was focused on teaching pacing and relaxation, so not too bad. They (both the local group and the clinic) seem to have been taken over by idiots taken in by LP and other dodgy crap. I've tried starting communication with Clare McDermot. I really should have another go. I can't help the local group - I'm too ill to go to meetings and I really don't have the energy to try to reeducate people who are brainwashed.
Honestly, groups who are that deep into the woo are way beyond the point of no return. If they're funding such ridiculous projects, at the very least it means the people running the group are strongly in favor of it. It would probably be more effective to create a new patient group in the area for people who haven't drunk the kool-aid yet, and wait for the old group to drift apart. They'll either fail to cure themselves of ME eventually, or cure themselves of something else and lose interest. But that process tends to take a while, especially in a group setting.
Maybe - doesn't sound good from what Trish says. Some patients just get a bit suckered in to nonsense because they want hope/some authority figure to trust, but they're not really 'committed' to it. Someone like Colin Barton should be given up on, but it can be worth trying to have productive discussions with others.