A YORK charity is urging more people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to take advantage of the holiday breaks which it offers at two care hotels.

The Alan Bott Centre says it wants to help upwards of 100 people have a holiday this year - but is struggling to find enough people who meet its criteria and are looking for a break.

The charity, which has a shop in Melrosegate, was set up following the disposal of Woodlands Respite Care Centre by the Multiple Sclerosis Society in 2011.

Organisers wanted to help people with MS and similar neurological conditions who could no longer have a break from their daily routine, and also to help ensure their carers got a similar respite break.

Spokesman Alan Ramsbottom said that the charity, named after Alan Bott, a member of the local MSS branch for many years, originally planned to create a Woodlands replacement in York.

However, the costs proved too great and so a new approach was needed, and the charity now worked in partnership with The Royal Air Forces Association, using its care hotels, Rothbury House in Northumberland and Richard Peck House in Lytham St Annes, as holiday destinations.

He said both hotels had rooms with facilities for wheelchair users, all staff were care qualified, district nurses at both locations were happy to deal with any nursing issues that might arise, and there were regular daily trips to the surrounding area and entertainment most evenings.

"We provide free transport to and from the hotels in our two mini-buses, purchased courtesy of Selby Fell Walkers and the Purey Cust Trust," he said.

"Where people wish to use their own transport, we provide a small grant to help with the cost. We also offer financial assistance to help with the cost of holidays, including to locations other than the two care hotels we deal with directly, and we apply the same approach to carers as well.

"Whilst some people are able to get financial help from other sources, we recognise that is not the case for everyone so we provide help irrespective of means."

He said the charity helped about 40 people have holiday breaks last year, and this year it already have 25 booked. "However, we are looking to help upwards of 100 people a year but the difficulty we seem to have is finding sufficient people who meet our criteria and are looking for a holiday.

"We have the funds, we have the transport, we have the locations – now what we need is the people!"

For more information, go to www.thealanbottcentre.org.