Support Groups

Facial Palsy UK operate local and online support groups for adults affected by facial paralysis.

It was great to talk with others and hear different and similar experiences. I’ve never had the opportunity to speak to other people with FP before. My only frustration was that the time went so quickly! I wish we had had more of a chance to chat!

Online Support Groups (Zoom)

We run a number of online support groups via Zoom throughout the year for adults affected by facial palsy. These group sessions are for mutual support and involve chatting with others affected by facial palsy. Participants will be encouraged to talk about their own experiences but please do say if you would rather just listen.

The meetings are scheduled to run for an hour but we will allow 30 minutes of additional time if there are a lot of people attending and not everyone has been able to ask a question. The group is led by a facial palsy specialist to ensure that the exchange of information is accurate and safe.

Our September 2026 support group dates will be held on:

Thursday 10th September, from 19:30 – for any adult in the UK living with facial palsy.

Tuesday 22nd September, from 19:30 – for any adult living in Northern Ireland living with facial palsy.

Our October 2026 support groups will be held on:

Thursday 8th October, from 19:30 – for any adult in the UK living with facial palsy.

Thursday 22nd October, from 19:30 – pre-bookable 1:1s (More information below)

Please email support@facialpalsy.org.uk to register for either of these sessions.

1:1 Zoom Appointments

Thursday 22nd October 2026 between 19:30 and 21:05

Our virtual support group host and specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Vanessa Venables, and Facial Palsy UK Support Coordinator, Laura Warren, have five spaces for 15-minute one-to-one sessions.

We are offering individual support sessions for people who don’t feel comfortable attending a group session but still need support, information, and advice.  We are unable to offer formal counselling or psychological support, but we can signpost people about accessing this type of service and various resources which might be appropriate.

You will need to register your interest for a 1:1 appointment session by completing a survey, please email support@facialpalsy.org.uk for this.

As our 1:1 sessions are limited and demand can be high, completing this form does not guarantee that we will be able to offer you a 1:1 session. The information you provide will help us understand what support you need and make the best use of the available appointments.

Once we have reviewed the responses, we will be in touch to organise available times with those we are able to offer a 1:1 session.

If we’re unable to offer you a 1:1 at this time, please don’t worry. We can still support you by email or telephone, and we’ll let you know how you can access this support.

Facial Massage  (Zoom)

Join us for a relaxed weekly 15 minute facial massage session, led by one of our Facial Palsy UK volunteer support group leaders.

No pressure. Just a weekly reminder throughout October to take a few minutes for yourself and practise together.

Put the kettle on, find a comfy spot and join us! Every Monday in October.

(5th, 12th, 19th and 26th)

To register for any of our online events, please email support@facialpalsy.org.uk

To be kept up to date with all future meetings, please Join our Community

Newly Diagnosed Information and Guidance (Zoom)

A signposting information session (Zoom) for anyone newly diagnosed will be held in November (Specific date TBA)
(Our previous session was Wednesday 12th August 2026)
The aim of this session is for those newly diagnosed with facial palsy to feel more confident about:

  • Knowledge of nerve recovery
  • How best to care for their faces
  • Psychological support available
  • When specialist input is required

Please note this session will not be recorded due to confidentiality and the facilitator will not be able to answer specific questions about your facial palsy.

 

Local Groups

Some of our local groups have WhatsApp groups – you can find our WhatsApp group guidelines here.

Facebook groups (by area)

Other support

How do I find out about new groups starting?

Please Join our Community to keep updated about all our news.

Benefits of joining a Facial Palsy UK support group:

  • Exchange of information
  • Mutual support in an informal and friendly environment
  • Sharing experiences
  • Discussing the challenging aspects of living with facial palsy
  • Newsletter (some groups)
  • Support groups are usually facilitated by group members and a facial palsy health professional.

Cheshire & Mersey Support Group Video

Video made with funding from The Police Mutual Foundation and with support of We Are Invite.

Do Facial Palsy UK support groups cater for all ages?

The main support groups cater for people over the age of 18, or 16 and over if accompanied by an appropriate adult.

We don’t recommend bringing children to adult support group meetings because some of the discussions may be inappropriate, e.g. discussions about surgery may frighten a young child.

Our family days are a much better place for children with facial palsy and their parents to find support. We try to get a health professional to come along to family days giving parents an opportunity to ask questions they might not have time to in clinic.

If you would like more information about support groups, please contact us on support@facialpalsy.org.uk.

FPUK Associated Articles:

Last reviewed: 23-09-2026    ||    Next review due: 30-10-2026