Wales’ largest building society has announced it will support the MS Society Cymru as its 2014 Charity of the Year.

Staff at Principality Building Society’s head office, 53 branches and 17 agencies across Wales and the borders – including those in Newport, Monmouth, Cwmbran and Pontypool - voted for MS Society Cymru as their latest official charity.

The MS Society’s vision is a world free from the effects of multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is a neurological condition which affects around 100,000 people in the UK.

Every day in the UK, seven people – typically in their 20s or 30s – are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a life-long, chronic condition for which there is currently no cure.

Every one of them shares the uncertainty of a future with MS. It attacks at random; many of its symptoms are invisible to others; it can worsen steadily, or remain unpredictable throughout life. From one day to the next you might be losing or regaining your sight or your ability to walk.

Julie-Ann Haines, Principality’s customer director, said: “We are delighted to announce MS Society Cymru as our Charity of the Year in 2014. The charity does fantastic work to help the people of Wales and we hope we will be able to support them with fundraising activities throughout the year. Our staff have already got dozens of ideas for fundraising activities and we are looking forward to getting started.”

Principality staff have a long history of significant fundraising for Welsh charities, last year bringing in more than £69,500 for British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru through a wide range of fundraising activities – from bike rides and bake sales to walks and bag packing.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of the MS Society, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be chosen as Principality’s Charity of the Year for 2014. We are really excited to get started as the money that is raised by Principality’s staff will help fund our vital research and support for people with MS in Wales.”