Dystonia UK will be taking over Newcastle with a whole weekend of awareness month activities!

From Friday 5th to Sunday 7th September, we’ll be filling the city with events for everyone — from a hospital roadshow and a support group meet up, to a special one-off workshop and presentation. And of course, we’ll be out in force to cheer on our amazing runners at the Great North Run!

Come and be part of it — we’d love to see you there!

Friday 5th September - Walkergate Park Hospital Roadshow, 9am-12pm

We’re kicking things off bright and early at 9am in the main reception area of Walkergate Park Hospital. Drop by to meet Team Dystonia UK, pick up information resources, and chat with our friendly staff and volunteers about all things dystonia.

Find out more about our Hospital Roadshows.

Friday 5th September - Royal Victoria Infirmary, 2-4pm

Hospital Roadshow, outside the MediCinema

We’re bringing our awareness roadshow to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, too! Drop by between 2–4pm to meet us and chat with us about the support available. 

No booking needed — just come along. 

Presentation & Workshop, inside the MediCinema

If you’ve got time and would like to take a deeper dive, join us inside the MediCinema for an informative session designed for people living with dystonia. 

Programme:

• 2-3pm: Deep Brain Stimulation presentation & Q&A with Russell Mills, Specialist Nurse and Chair of the DBSNA

• 3-4pm: Workshop on accessing botulinum toxin injections with Victoria Wareham, our Director of Operations and Development & Dayna Ferdinandi, our Director of Fundraising and Communications- TBC.

Please note this event has now passed and you can no longer book a place. Thank you to everyone who attended!

Saturday 6th September – Support group meet up, 12pm

Time to relax! Our North East Support Group are hosting a meet up at the Toby Carvery, Ponteland Rd – an ideal chance to connect with others who get it, share experiences, and catch up with Team Dystonia UK. 

Sunday 7th September – Great North Run, 11am

We’ll be out in full force at the Great North Run, lining the route to celebrate our incredible runners as they take on this legendary race. Every mile they run helps shine a light on dystonia and raises vital funds to support everyone affected — and we couldn’t be prouder to cheer them on. 💚 

You’ll find our cheer point on the High Street, off Tyne Bridge (Gateshead side), where our team will be ready from 10am. The first runners are expected around 11am, and we’ll stay until the very last participant has passed — because every runner deserves a hero’s cheer.

Come and join us at the bridge — lift your voice, clap your hands, and help make some unforgettable noise! 

Volunteering opportunities

If you'd like to get involved and join us as a volunteer, we'd love to have you onboard!

Available roles are:

Hospital Roadshow volunteer

• Friday 5th Sept

• Walkergate Park Hospital (half day, morning) or Royal Victoria Infirmary (half day, afternoon)

• Help us welcome people to our stand, hand out info resources and chat with our visitors.

Great North Run support crew

• Sunday 7th Sept

• Tyne Bridge (Gateshead side), 10am - 1pm: Be part of the action and join us on the route to cheer on our amazing runners! We’ll have noise makers ready — all you need to bring is your enthusiasm and loudest cheer.

• South Shields, 12-6pm: Help us give our incredible runners a hero's welcome! You might be making a cup of tea one minute and posing for celebratory pictures the next, there's never a dull moment at the Charity Village. Please note that we need a limited number of people for this role. 

If you're interested in one (or more) of these volunteering roles or would like to find out more, please email us at [email protected].

See you in the Toon!

Published: 21st August 2025.

Updated: 6th September 2025.