A new monthly support group named Waves has been launched in Derry to assist people living with movement disorders. The group meets at the Everglades Hotel on the first Friday of each month at 3pm.

Waves was founded by David Murphy, a 60-year-old former joiner and father of three. He received a diagnosis of a neurological condition twelve years ago and recalls feeling a lack of available support. He described the immediate aftermath of his diagnosis as bewildering, with only family and his local football club, St. Mary's Banagher, offering help at the time.

Mr Murphy said he started the group in March, with an initial meeting attended by five or six people. He stressed that Waves is open to anyone affected by a movement disorder, not only those with Parkinson's disease. It welcomes people who have experienced a stroke, Motor Neurone Disease, or any similar condition.

He noted that neurology waiting times can be long and that Parkinson's patients in Northern Ireland have access to only a small number of specialist nurses. His own experience over more than a decade led him to create the group, which he hopes will provide practical help and a ripple effect of support for families and friends.

The Everglades Hotel venue will host each gathering, offering tea, coffee, and conversation.