HUNDREDS of pounds have been raised to help Tourettes.

The Manchester Tourettes Support Group has raised more than £600 to promote awareness for people with the condition.

The funds were raised during a Christmas fair at Sale West Community Centre immediately after December’s meeting of the support group.

Set up by Tracy Atkinson, whose son George suffers from Tourette Syndrome, the group aims to create awareness about the condition and provide advice and support to carers and people with Tourettes.

Tracy’s husband, David, said: “After George had an issue in a local restaurant regarding his condition, my wife set up the Manchester Tourettes Support Group and has had five large group meetings so far.

“During meetings, the Tourettes sufferers are very relaxed, knowing that they are, for a short time at least, in the majority, rather than in the minority. The meetings allow sufferers of this condition to meet one another and realise that they are not alone.”

People come to the meetings from all over the North West. In the December meeting people, attended from as far as Chesterfield and Widnes.

More than 300,000 children and adults in the UK have Tourette Syndrome, but it remains a widely misunderstood condition.

Symptoms generally emerge during childhood and adolescence and involve tics and other repetitive behaviours.

The condition often causes problems for students when they are in school.

Tourette Syndrome is best known as a condition which makes people swear, or say socially inappropriate things. While it is true that coprolalia — the clinical term for involuntary swearing — can be a symptom, it only affects 10 per cent of people with Tourettes.

Mrs Atkinson said: “Raising Tourettes awareness is our main aim. We welcome new families to our support group. Our group is continuing to grow, with parents and children looking for advice and a chance to discuss their difficulties living with this condition. The funds we raised during the Christmas Fayre will help us to continue building the Manchester Tourettes Support Group."

Information about the condition can be found at tourettes-action.org.uk/ and the Manchester Support Group can be contacted on its Facebook page facebook.com/groups/manchestertics

The next meeting of the group is on Saturday, February 10, at the Sale West Community Centre between noon and 3pm.