Charities supporting people with long-term health conditions carry a vital responsibility — especially when it comes to complex diagnoses like Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS). As demand grows and the needs of service users evolve, it becomes increasingly important for organisations to adapt, expand, and deliver services that make a real difference.
For MS charities, continuous improvement is essential. With the right planning, insight, and professional support, these organisations can become even more effective in supporting people affected by PPMS. One of the most valuable resources available to help make this happen is the guidance of experienced charity consultants.
Understanding the Needs of People with PPMS
PPMS is a form of multiple sclerosis that involves a steady progression of symptoms over time, without the periods of relapse and remission seen in other types. This often leads to challenges in mobility, fatigue management, and access to consistent care. People living with PPMS often require specific support that’s tailored, ongoing, and holistic.
MS charities play a vital role in providing that support — whether through physiotherapy programmes, peer support groups, emotional wellbeing services, or practical aids. But providing these services at scale, and at the standard needed, requires clarity of purpose, sustainable funding, and strong internal operations.
The Role of Charity Consultants in Expanding Impact
This is where charity consultants can be invaluable. These professionals work alongside charities to help them plan strategically, operate efficiently, and grow in the right direction. For organisations supporting people with PPMS, consultants can help identify gaps in service delivery, streamline operations, improve governance, and develop targeted fundraising strategies to reach more people in need.
Bringing in charity consultants doesn’t mean handing over control — it means bringing in an outside perspective with experience and insight. This can be especially useful during periods of growth, structural change, or when launching new services focused specifically on PPMS care and management.
By helping charities align their mission with practical action, consultants allow staff and trustees to stay focused on what matters most: making a meaningful difference to people’s lives.
Creating Sustainable, Person-Centred Services
People living with PPMS often face a unique set of challenges, including limited treatment options and a progressive loss of mobility. MS charities must be able to respond to these needs with programmes that are not only well-funded but also flexible and person-centred.
Whether it’s developing a better outreach strategy, securing multi-year grants, or training volunteers to work specifically with PPMS clients, charity consultants can help design systems that are both sustainable and responsive. This ensures the charity is not just offering support — but offering the right support in the right way.
Building for the Future
Supporting people with PPMS isn’t just about the present — it’s about building long-term solutions. The demand for condition-specific care is increasing, and charities must be equipped to evolve with the communities they serve.
Investing in external expertise can feel like a big step, especially for smaller organisations. But working with charity consultants is often the first move in strengthening a charity’s future and expanding its reach — particularly when the goal is to better support individuals dealing with lifelong and progressive health conditions like PPMS.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the divorce rate in the US is around 2.4 divorces per 1,000 people in 2024. And approximately 70% to 80% of custodial parents are mothers.
Going through a divorce is already arduous, but if you add a custody battle over your child, the fight will be even tougher. It can be emotionally draining, but you need to get a grip and stay focused to protect the future of the people you care about.
According to Taylor Huguley Powers PLLC, whether you are going through a contested divorce or need to ensure your financial security for your child, a family law attorney can safeguard your rights and put the well-being of your family first.
Let’s talk about the essential role of a family law attorney and how they can help during one of the most difficult times in your life.
Understanding Your Rights and Responsibilities
Understanding your rights may be crucial in helping you handle this challenging time.
You have the right to demand that your property and debts be split equally and that you get the custody plans that are best for your child. On the other hand, one has to pay support in the form of child support or alimony.
Always adhere to court orders and cooperate with your ex-spouse. Knowing your rights protects you from problems and helps you in making sound decisions.
If unsure, ask a family lawyer for clarification, as they will help your family during a tough time. According to https://www.edgarfamilylaw.com/, peace of mind is important, but so is having the right lawyer to represent your rights and interests during this ordeal to ensure that you reach the best possible outcome.
Dealing with Complex Legal Processes
Knowing your rights and duties is only the beginning. The complicated legal processes that come with divorce and child custody cases may also seem like too much to handle.
Such situations require lots of attention to detail with regard to forms, deadlines, and going to court. A family law attorney provides guidance through the complex process of meeting all demands and deadlines.
They will help you get the paperwork you need, fill out forms properly, and get ready for hearings. Knowing that these professionals are taking care of the case lets you focus on your well-being because the process itself is mentally taxing and stressful.
Your lawyer will help you understand the intricacies of your case. Don’t be afraid to always seek their advice to help you make smart choices and decisions. Their presence and support will make you feel better, and this could lead to favorable results.
Crafting Effective Custody Agreements
Arranging an effective custodial order is necessary for the best interests of the children, with an aim to avoid conflicts that could arise between parents.
Start by speaking candidly about issues concerning the needs and preferences of the children so that the welfare of the children does indeed take first priority.
Think of a custody plan that gives both parents time with the kids and some stability. Specify which parent is responsible for education, medical care, and activities so that no one is left guessing later on.
Be open to change; life does, and so should your deal. Hire a family lawyer to make sure the deal obeys the law and covers all the important points.
Negotiating Settlements and Mediation
Most of the time, settlement negotiations and mediation happen after the best plans have been made. This process can greatly reduce any unnecessary stress and help the parents work together as much as possible.
Your family attorney will negotiate on your behalf to protect your interests and strive for a fair resolution.
Talk to the other person directly during mediation to try to find a middle ground. Your lawyer will explain what each side is giving up or getting and let you decide what could be the best course of action for both parties.
Representing You in Court Proceedings
It helps to know a good family lawyer in case you have to go to court. They will make sure that your best interests are looked after and help you understand complicated legal problems.
Your lawyer will file all the legal papers and do so without delay or inaccuracy. They will find evidence to support your cause, including witnesses if available and necessary.
Your lawyer will present strong cases and point out any errors the other side makes in court. They know how a courtroom works, so they can professionally handle unexpected situations.
Appropriate representation can give you advantages. This high expertise offers you the strength and peace of mind when going through this legal ordeal while you focus on your family’s well-being.
How many of these 11 hit movies of the 1970s can you guess from the image? Remember your number, because we’ll tell you how you scored at the end.
1970
Universal Pictures – Credit: C/O
This was the No. 2 top-grossing movie of 1970, with an all-star cast that included Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, George Kennedy, Helen Hayes, Jean Seberg and Jacqueline Bisset. It earned more than $106 million at the box office.
Want a hint? Note the background of the shot, and where our stars are.
Ready for the answer? OK. It is… scroll down…
1970 Answer: Airport
Universal Pictures – Credit: C/O
Coming in just behind the top-grossing film of 1970s, Love Story, Airport followed a formula that The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, and other 1970s disaster movies would follow:
Take a bunch of A-list stars, put them in peril, and watch the sparks fly.
Burt Lancaster once dismissed Airport as “the biggest piece of junk ever made,” but it inspired three sequels and was later satirized, of course, by 1980’s Airplane.
1971
Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O
This story of a Vietnam veteran, part-Navajo hapkido master was one of the biggest hits to come out in 1971 — especially after its re-release — and even beat Dirty Harry, the first of Clint Eastwood’s five films about San Francisco cop Harry Callahan.
Okay, one more huge hint: It starred Tom Laughlin in the title role, and was known for the song “One Tin Soldier.”
Ready? Scroll down for the answer…
1971 Answer: Billy Jack
Credit: C/O
Warner Bros.
Yes, we know it’s crazy, but Billy Jack really did beat Dirty Harry. Of course, Billy Jack had the advantage of being based on a character audiences already knew: Billy Jack had made his debut in the 1967 outlaw biker hit The Born Losers (above).
Billy Jack remains one of the cult favorite movies of the 1970s.
1972
United Artists – Credit: C/O
Marlon Brando starred in two of the Top 10 movies at the box office in 1972. The first, as you probably guessed, was The Godfather.
Can you guess the second one, in which he starred with Maria Schneider (above)?
Hint: It has a city in its title.
And the film is…
1972 Answer: Last Tango in Paris
Credit: C/O
United Artists
Yep, it’s Last Tango in Paris, a film that has been castigated in recent years because of Schneider’s allegations that she was mistreated by Brando and director Bernardo Bertolucci during a crucial scene involving butter.
This one looks like a classic film from the 1940s, not one of the hit movies of the 1970s, and that’s very much by design.
If you’ve seen this absolute charmer, featuring the star of the biggest hit of 1970 and his real-life daughter, you certainly remember it.
It’s sad, but also an absolute charmer.
Scroll down for its title…
1973 Answer: Paper Moon
Credit: C/O
Paramount Pictures
Paper Moon starred Ryan O’Neal, who also topped the box office opposite Ali MacGraw in 1970’s Love Story. For Paper Moon, a Depression-era story of a con man on a road trip with a cantankerous child who just might be his daughter.
Director Peter Bogdanovich wisely paired O’Neal with his real-life daughter, Tatum, who deservedly won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
1974
20th Century Fox – Credit: Teri Garr and Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein. 20th Century Studios
1974 was a very good year for Mel Brooks: He released not only the Western satire Blazing Saddles, the top film of the year, but also another comedy, satirizing another genre.
The comedy classic Young Frankenstein was still playing in theaters through 1975, when members of Aerosmith saw it and borrowed one of the best jokes in the film for the title of their hit “Walk This Way,” as we detail in this list of Classic Rock Songs Inspired by Movies We Love.
So it isn’t just one of the hit movies of the 1970s — it also helped inspire one of the biggest hit songs of the 1970s.
1975
20th Century Fox – Credit: C/O
This one is a cult hit that still plays in theaters all over the country today.
If you don’t know what it is, please go see it immediately. Preferably at midnight.
And scroll down for the title…
1975 Answer: The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Credit: C/O
20th Century Fox
Yep, it’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show, starring Susan Sarandon, Tim Curry, and many more.
Rocky Horror isn’t just a cult hit, but also a legit hit: It was solidly in the Top 10 movies of 1975, behind hits like Jaws, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Shampoo.
All of those movies are terrific, but they don’t inspire midnight singalongs across America.
1976
20th Century Fox – Credit: C/O
We can’t stress enough what a red-hot star Gene Wilder was in the 1970s.
This was the first of his four pairings with one of the greatest comics of all time, Richard Pryor.
Scroll down for the name of the film.
1976 Answer: Silver Streak
Credit: C/O
20th Century Fox
Silver Streak casts Gene Wilder as harried book editor George, who teams up with car thief Grover (Richard Pryor) after George is falsely accused of murder.
Wilder and Pryor would pair up again in 1980’s Stir Crazy, 1989’s See No Evil, Hear No Evil, and 1991’s Another You.
1977
Columbia Pictures – Credit: C/O
1977 is of course a crucial year because it was the year of the original Star Wars, a movie that changed forever what type of movies get the green light in Hollywood and was perhaps had the greatest cultural impact of all the hit movies of the 1970s.
The movie above, while less popular, got a lot of attention in 1977, thanks in large part to its female lead.
We’ll give you another hint: It was co-written by Peter Benchley, the writer of the novel Jaws and co-writer of the film.
Scroll down for its title…
1977 Answer: The Deep
Columbia Pictures – Credit: C/O
The Deep, starring Jaqueline Bissett and Nick Nolte, is about a pair of divers who uncover treasure and then have to defend it.
The marketing focused heavily on underwater shots of Bissett.
It earned $47.3 million, making it No. 6 on the list of the 10 top movies of 1977, by domestic box office, not adjusted for inflation.
1978
Universal Pictures – Credit: C/O
This is a very easy one if you were around in 1978. It’s one of the biggest hit movies of the 1970s.
It starred a the Not Ready for Prime Time Player above, who is also one of the subjects of the recent Jason Reitman film Saturday Night.
Scroll down for this very easy answer.
1978 Answer: Animal House
Universal Pictures – Credit: C/O
This John Landis-directed National Lampoon film was a breakout hit for John Belushi, the Saturday Night Live star who became an instant movie star for his portrayal of the hard-partying Bluto.
In the same year he appeared in Animal House, Belushi also appeared in Goin’ South, which Jack Nicholson starred in and directed.
Belushi felt like he didn’t have enough to do in Goin’ South, which Animal House trounced at the box office.
1979
MGM – Credit: C/O
Margot Kidder starred in both the No. 1 and No. 2 movies at the 1979 box office.
The No. 1 movie was Superman.
Can you guess the No. 2 movie, above?
Scroll down for its name…
1979 Answer: The Amityville Horror
MGM – Credit: C/O
Margot Kidder starred with James Brolin in the Stuart Rosenberg-directed Amityville Horror, based on Jay Anson’s 1979 book of the same name about the Lutz family, who said they endured paranormal activity while living in a home where Ronald DeFeo murdered his family in 1974.
It was one of many films about the Amityville story, which remains haunting today — whether or not you believe the house is haunted.
And that ends the movies of the 1970s. Or does it?
Bonus: 1980
Paramount Pictures – Credit: C/O
We’re adding this one for those of you who contend that a decade ends in its 10th year. And because we’re having fun and don’t want this list of hit movies of the 1970s to end.
Though Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back was easily the No. 1 movie, the film above, directed by Robert Redford, won Best Picture at the Oscars. Can you remember its title?
Scroll down if you like…
1980 Answer: Ordinary People
Paramount Pictures – Credit: C/O
Ordinary People earned a very respectable $55 million in domestic box office in 1980, and cleaned up at the Oscars.
Besides winning Best Picture, it earned Best Director for Robert Redford, a Best Supporting Actor for Timothy Hutton, and Best Screenplay for Allen Sargent.
It has aged very well.
How’d You Score?
Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Movie. Disney – Credit: C/O
How many of these hits of the 1970s did you recognize? Here’s how you score:
There’s so much discussion around screen time and its potential harm that many parents may be tempted to enforce complete bans on this kind of activity. Removing screens means removing the problem, right? Or perhaps not.
Teens, in particular, are unlikely to stop a behaviour simply because their parents want them to. In this instance, screen time bans can prove more harmful as they result in secretive screen activity that’s entirely out of your knowledge or control.
Equally, complete screen time bans from a young age can result in the glamorization, or overuse, of screens as those children get older. Banning screens altogether also prevents children from understanding essentials to modern living, such as healthy, screen smart behaviours, and even the ability to access online benefits like personalized learning.
Nowadays, it’s also true that entirely banning your child from screens can leave them isolated from classmates or friendship groups, resulting in inevitable resentments and potential social difficulties both in and outside of school. For all of these reasons and more, management is always better than complete restriction, as it allows children to benefit from screens in an open, overseen way that keeps parents in control at all times.
# 2 – A Lack of Age-Appropriate Parental Controls
Parental controls on each of your child’s devices are by far the best ways to ensure they don’t encounter inappropriate content online. These controls can manage everything from how long and when your child can access the internet, to which sites they’re able to access during that time. Most parents understand the importance of putting these controls in place before handing a device to their child, but many don’t take enough precautions to make sure that these controls are effective or age-appropriate.
Even basic parental controls will be sufficient for younger children who, up until the age of at least five, should also be supervised while using screens. However, ill-thought or poorly managed parental controls can quickly come under fire as tech-savvy children reach their pre-teen and teen years. Not to mention that, at this age, strict restrictions could be as bad as complete bans for encouraging secretive use, or even hidden devices that you don’t know about.
The best way to overcome this is to continually review parental controls, ensuring that they provide age-appropriate restrictions and a strong enough defence to resist wise teenagers. As your children get older, it’s also worth speaking with them about restrictions that they may find problematic, and adjusting your approach to give them more overall control of their online activities, without entirely removing your much-needed oversight.
When we think of cinema, visuals often take center stage. But behind every iconic scene lies an equally important yet sometimes overlooked element: sound. Whether it’s the eerie silence of a horror movie, the swelling score in a romantic moment, or the sharp crack of gunfire in an action film, sound is crucial in shaping how we perceive and experience a film. In fact, it’s often the audio, not just the imagery, that leaves a lasting impact on viewers.
Setting the Tone
From the opening credits, sound lays the emotional groundwork. A well-composed score can immediately cue the audience into the film’s mood—suspenseful, joyful, melancholic, or tense. Consider the chilling theme from Jaws or the soaring orchestration of The Lord of the Rings. These auditory cues prepare viewers for what’s to come and subtly manipulate emotional responses throughout the story.
Dialogue and Performance
Audio clarity is essential to understanding the characters and plot. Poorly mixed dialogue or unbalanced audio can pull viewers out of the moment and make even the best writing fall flat. On the other hand, a crisp, well-recorded conversation can elevate a scene, allowing actors’ performances to shine and emotions to resonate authentically.
Sound Design and World Building
Sound design plays a vital role in building believable worlds. Sci-fi and fantasy genres rely heavily on audio to make the unreal feel real. From the hum of a spaceship engine to the rustling of alien flora, each sound contributes to immersion. Even in grounded dramas, ambient noise like city traffic or birdsong can subtly enhance the setting and atmosphere.
The Psychological Impact
Sound doesn’t just fill in the gaps—it actively influences perception. Directors use audio to create tension, suggest danger, or offer relief. Alfred Hitchcock famously said, “If it’s a good movie, the sound could go off and the audience would still have a perfectly clear idea of what was going on. But when the sound is turned on, you should feel it.” His films often use silence and ambient noise to amplify suspense, proving that what’s not heard can be just as impactful as what is.
Music as a Narrative Tool
Music can tell a story all on its own. Think of how a recurring theme or leitmotif can signify a character’s presence or emotional arc. Hans Zimmer, John Williams, and other legendary composers understand how to weave music into the narrative, making it an indispensable part of the storytelling process. Without its music, a film might still make sense, but it may not make magic.
The Danger of Bad Sound
Conversely, poor sound can ruin a film. Distracting background noise, inconsistent levels, or mismatched sound effects can make scenes feel amateurish and break the viewer’s immersion. In some cases, even a visually stunning film can be written off if the sound quality is subpar. This is especially true in indie films or student projects where technical sound issues are common.
Training for Excellence
For those interested in mastering the art of sound in film, proper education and hands-on experience are key. Audio courses in Leeds in the UK offer aspiring sound designers, engineers, and composers the opportunity to learn from industry professionals in state-of-the-art facilities. With a focus on both technical and creative aspects, these programs provide the foundation needed to contribute meaningfully to any cinematic project.
Summing It All Up
Sound isn’t merely a background component of film, it’s a powerful storytelling tool. It can heighten emotion, build worlds, and immerse viewers in ways visuals alone can’t. Great sound design complements and elevates a film; poor sound, however, can be its downfall. As cinema continues to evolve, one thing remains clear: if you want to make a truly unforgettable film, never underestimate the power of sound.
Little White Lies was established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them. Combining cutting-edge design, illustration and journalism, we’ve been described as being “at the vanguard of the independent publishing movement.” Our reviews feature a unique tripartite ranking system that captures the different aspects of the movie-going experience. We believe in Truth & Movies.
