If you live in Halifax, or anywhere across West Yorkshire, you know that our landscape is beautiful, but it isn't exactly "MS-friendly." We’ve got steep hills, cobbled streets, and narrow pavements that seem designed to make life difficult if you’re managing mobility issues or fatigue.
With MS Awareness Week (20-26 April) fast approaching, we’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to truly design for Multiple Sclerosis.
At Noa’s Place, we’re currently in our online phase while we work on our CIO application (that’s the process of becoming a registered charity). But while we are building our community digitally, our eyes are firmly fixed on the physical future: a 6,000 to 10,000 sq ft hub right here in Halifax designed specifically for people like you.
When we say "from the ground up," we mean it. We aren't just slapping a ramp on an old building. We are rethinking what a community space should look and feel like for someone living with MS.
Why MS Awareness Week Matters to Us
MS Awareness Week is about more than just a ribbon or a social media post. It’s about highlighting the "invisible" side of the condition. It’s about the person who looks "fine" but is fighting a battle with nerve pain, or the parent who desperately wants to take their kids to a play centre but knows the sensory overload and lack of rest areas will wipe them out for three days.
We want Noa’s Place to be a game-changer for MS support in West Yorkshire. We want to take the stress out of leaving the house.
Designing for the Reality of MS
If you’re living with MS, you’ve probably experienced the "accessibility gamble." You check a website, it says "wheelchair accessible," but when you get there, the lift is broken, the "accessible" toilet is being used as a broom cupboard, and the corridors are so narrow you’re constantly bumping into walls.
We’re doing things differently. Here is how we are planning the physical space of our Halifax hub:
1. Space to Breathe (and Move)
Our hub will be between 6,000 and 10,000 sq ft. Why so big? Because space is a luxury that people with mobility aids often don’t get. We are designing wide, generous corridors where two wheelchairs can pass each other comfortably. No more awkward "I’ll back up into this doorway while you squeeze past" dances.
2. Flat Surfaces and Zero Barriers
Halifax is hilly enough. Inside Noa’s Place, everything will be perfectly flat. We’re talking about high-quality, slip-resistant flooring that doesn’t catch on wheels or trip up tired feet. Every doorway will be wide, every threshold will be flush, and every area will be reachable without a struggle.
3. Changing Places Toilets
A standard "disabled toilet" often isn't enough for people with more complex needs. We are committed to including Changing Places facilities. These are larger rooms with hoists, privacy screens, and adult-sized changing benches. It’s about dignity. It’s about being able to stay out for the whole day without worrying about where you’ll go to the loo.
Tackling the "Invisible" Symptom: Fatigue
One of the most debilitating parts of MS is the fatigue. It’s not just being "tired"; it’s a total system shutdown.
In most community spaces, if you need to rest, your only option is a hard plastic chair in a noisy cafe. That doesn't help. In fact, the noise and lights usually make the fatigue worse.
That’s why our plans include Quiet Regulation Rooms.
These are dedicated spaces designed for rest and sensory regulation. Think soft lighting, comfortable places to lie down or recline, and, most importantly, silence. If you’re visiting the hub and your body tells you it’s had enough, you don’t have to go home and end your day. You can head to a regulation room, recharge for half an hour, and then rejoin your family or friends.
If you struggle with sensory processing as part of your MS, you might find our Sensory Profile Adult tool or our Sensory Overload guide helpful right now, even before our doors open.
Support for the Whole Family
MS doesn't just happen to one person; it affects the whole family. We’ve spoken to so many carers and partners in West Yorkshire who feel like they are "winging it."
At Noa’s Place, we want to be the support system for the support system.
Navigating the Red Tape: DLA and PIP Workshops
Let’s be honest: the benefits system in the UK is a nightmare. Filling out forms for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is exhausting and emotionally draining.
We will be hosting regular workshops to help you navigate these applications. We want to take the "fear of the form" away by providing peer support and practical advice on how to tell your story in a way the DWP understands.
Peer Support for Carers
Being a carer is a tough job, and it can be a lonely one. We’ll be facilitating peer support groups where you can talk to people who actually "get it." No judgment, no pity, just a coffee and a chat with people who know exactly why you’re frustrated or tired.
For those looking for immediate ways to help their family members express how they feel, our All About Me (Adult) tool is a great way to start documenting your needs and preferences.
More Than Just a Building
While we are working hard on the plans for our physical home in Halifax, Noa’s Place is already a growing community online. We believe that everyone deserves a place where they feel safe, seen, and supported.
We know that life with MS involves a lot of transitions, changing symptoms, changing needs, and sometimes changing identities. Our Life Transitions and My Transitions tools are designed to help you navigate those shifts with a bit more confidence.
Join Our Founding Families
We aren't designing this space in a vacuum. We want the people who will actually use it, people living with MS, their kids, their partners, and their carers, to tell us what they need.
We are looking for 'Founding Families' to help shape Noa’s Place.
By joining us now, while we are still in our online growth phase, you can have a direct say in how our Halifax hub is built.
- Should the regulation rooms have weighted blankets?
- What kind of workshops would be most helpful for your children?
- What’s the one thing you wish existed in Halifax but doesn't?
You are the experts on your own lives. We are just here to build the walls (and the very wide doors) around your expertise.
Looking Ahead to MS Awareness Week
As we move toward April 20th, we’d love for you to get involved with us. Whether it’s sharing your story, using our interactive tools, or just following our journey as we apply for charity status, you are part of this.
West Yorkshire deserves a gold-standard accessible hub. Halifax deserves a place where "inclusion" isn't just a buzzword, but a physical reality built into the very foundations.
If you want to learn more about our vision or if you have questions about how we’re designing for MS, please get in touch with us. We’d love to hear from you.
How can you help today?
- Explore the Tools: Check out our Safety Plan or Feelings & Coping tools if you're feeling overwhelmed.
- Share the Vision: Tell your friends and family in Halifax about Noa’s Place. The more voices we have, the better our hub will be.
- Become a Founding Family: Contact us to find out how you can help shape our future space.
We’re building something special, and we’re doing it one accessible brick at a time. Thank you for being part of the journey.
Together, we’re making Halifax a place where MS doesn’t mean missing out.
Noa’s Place is a community-led organisation. We are currently in the process of applying for charity status (CIO application in progress). To learn more about our journey and our future plans, visit our About Page.