THE Swindon MS society is set to celebrate 50 years in style at the weekend.

It will be holding its 50th Anniversary Ball on Saturday at the Marriott Hotel in Old Town.

Live music from the ‘Saga Louts’ will entertain the expected 120 guests and society members during a night of dinner and dancing and they will be performing music from the 50s to the early 70s.

The style and dress code of the evening is put in place to accommodate all who want to come and join in.

Fundraising coordinator Rose Reeves, who was diagnosed with MS 24 years ago, said: “If you’ve got the dress wear it. If you haven’t, just dress smart. No jeans and t-shirt if you know what I mean.”

Included in the evening’s events will be a raffle and an auction with many prizes up for grabs. Businesses and charities have all got involved to help out the society with an array of donations. A pick of some prizes you could win include: a Butlin’s day pass, a family swim at Oasis, a voucher from Morrison’s and much more from places like Deacons, the Link Centre and the Marriott itself.

Ms Reeves runs a busy schedule all-year round, organising other fundraising events such as sponsored walks, parachute and bungee jumps, pampering sessions for women and fish and chip suppers.

The aim of the fundraising is to enhance the research for multiple sclerosis, which is a condition where the nerve fibres around the central nervous system are damaged, causing various symptoms including muscle weakness and extreme blurred vision. People are usually diagnosed between their 20s and 40s, however this gap is increasing in both directions.

The Swindon branch has now begun to address schools and has also attended New College, Swindon to raise awareness of the symptoms to the younger generation.

The MS society Swindon Branch meets every second Monday of the month at 12pm.

Their meetings consists of half-an-hour of gentle exercises to get the heart pumping and the blood moving followed by tea, coffee, sandwiches, cake and a quick catch up with how everyone is doing.

They also meet in Royal Wootton Bassett on the last Monday of every month this time 10.30am to 1pm.