West Somerset
Disability Association

Hello everyone.  Here is the January newsletter.  The next newsletter will be published at the end of February.  See you all at the next meeting at 1.50pm on Monday 27th February at the Seahorse Centre, Minehead.
At the meeting everybody must sign in, in the attendance book provided and if you come to the Seahorse Centre at other times sign in at Reception and remember to wear a visitor badge at all times.  There is no smoking allowed inside or at the front of the building.  You can go round to the back of the building for a quick smoke.
The address of the Seahorse Centre is: Stephenson Road, Minehead, TA24 5EB

Transport
If you booked to come by taxi to the monthly WSDA meeting and you can’t make it, can you PLEASE RING DAVE WILLETT, who organises this transport, to cancel it.  PLEASE HELP US TO HELP YOU!!!  Transport queries about outings should be addressed to the Events Committee.
Useful Telephone Numbers
West Somerset Disability Association Committee Members
President:  Jean Gilbert   01984 641197
Chairman:  Dorothy Lloyd  01984 639636
Vice Chairman: Mary Court   01643 702129
Secretary:  Molly Newstead  01984 634739
Treasurer:  David Kendall  01643 863505
Transport for the monthly WSDA meeting only:
   David Willett  01643 708592
Members’ Representatives:
   Rita Sandiford  01643 703469
   Marlene Saunders  01643 702972
Events Organisers: Margaret Bruford  01984 656367
   Jude O’Brien  01643 862185
   Sylvia Griffiths  01643 704637
IT Tutor   Chris Brinkman  01643 708025 Mobile 07971 285878
Seahorse Centre IT room   01643 702021 or 07971 285878
   Messages (Reception) 01643 705000
E-mail: wsomersetdisability@tiscali.co.uk
Web Site: www.westsomersetdisability.org.uk
Computers
If you have just joined our group or just gone onto the Internet can you please give us your e-mail address, as it costs us nothing to send you your newsletter by E-mail but we have to pay to post them?  Please help us to help you!
If you would like to do some computer training please let one of the committee members know or talk to Chris our IT instructor.  You must be a member of our association before you can have lessons, which costs £2.00 per hour.  If anyone has a problem with their computer at home and would like help from Chris he will then advise the committee as to the problem and the committee will then decide what to do.
Disability Advocate
From 1st January Richard Pitman has no longer been the Disability Advocate for West Somerset.  However the service is still provided and will run from the DIAS (Disability Information Advocacy Service) office until the end of March and then the service will be taken over by A4E.  The service will offer help if you need assistance with care arrangements, equipment, housing etc.  The telephone number remains 01823 327453.  DIAS website is www.dias-somerset.org.uk and A4e website is www.a4e.gov.uk

President’s Report
Thanks to Simon Anderson for coming and talking to us about support dogs for disabled people at the meeting.
[Unfortunately the rest of Jean’s report seems to have been lost in the system.  Many apologies…]

Chairman’s Report
Well, here we are at the beginning of another year, and like me I expect you are all wondering what it will bring forth. It’s just as well really that we cannot see into the future so that we can cope with life’s ups and downs as they occur. With regard to the WSDA we can predict that there are many good things planned for our members to enjoy. The new events committee will be unfolding their plans in future issues of the newsletter. You will see as you read on there are already events booked for you to note.
The Christmas Lunch at the Promenade Hotel went very well and all who attended enjoyed the event. Thanks go to Shirley and Sandra for their planning and the time they gave. Another successful Occasion to end their time as the “Events Committee”.
We had a well-attended meeting on Monday the 30th January. We were reminded by Molly that she needs to have your BUS PASS numbers so if any of you have not got a pass would you get one (the forms can be obtained from the Council Offices at Williton or Minehead or if you are unable to get one in this way, Jean Gilbert has some forms so ring her. Her number is at the head of this newsletter.
Jean raised the subject of identity fraud and that we should therefore shred all personal mail before disposal. The best type of shredder to use is the cross cutting machine.
Simon Anderson came to speak on behalf of Dogs for the disabled; he was accompanied by his wife and their dog, who is called Fudge. They gave a demonstration showing the abilities of the dog. This was enjoyed by all of us.
I am endeavouring to collect the birthdays of all members so that we can send everybody a birthday card on your special day. If you have not already joined the list or if you are a member that is unable to attend meetings could you drop me a line and give me the information. Send correspondence to Dorothy Lloyd, WSDA, c/o The Seahorse Centre, Stephenson Road, Minehead, TA24 5EB.
I have not got any dates for February birthdays but “ Happy Birthday” to anyone who is celebrating their special day. I hope you all enjoy Valentine’s Day and get lots of goodies.
Dorothy  

Treasurer’s Report
The raffle raised about £30 – £32 and the Almoner’s Fund took about £18.  Please see the attached sheet at the end for our Audited Accounts.
The subs for 2006 are due at the end of the month and cheques should be made payable to WSDA or West Somerset Disability Association and given to the treasurer at the next meeting or sent to David Kendall at 5, Harepark, Allerford, Minehead, TA24 8HL.
Events Committee Report
Our trip to Trago Mills on 10th January went well.
Future Events:
Coffee mornings at Friends Meeting House, Bancks Street, Minehead
 Saturday February 11th from 10.30 to 12.00
 Saturday March 28th from 10.30 to 12.00
The Orient Express trip from Bristol some time in April is fully booked.

A New Year and New Adventures
Hello everyone, happy new year, from me, I thought you might like to read a little about how I ended 2005 with my usual mix of highs and lows!
Charlotte, my 12 year old daughter, and I had a lovely trip around five countries in four days just before Christmas.  It proved to me that when you’re in the Menopause no amount of planning and backup plans will ensure a smooth event!!  Suffice to say we managed to have fun and see some sights that others can only dream about!  The new car went like the wind and, I’m sure, comes with a free auto-pilot for when the driver is away with the fairies! The satellite navigation system was an absolute boon for when we accidentally got in the wrong lane and swept away amidst juggernauts on the Austrian highways where we had our first brush with authority at a refuelling stop on the Austrian/Hungarian Border, a very nice man in uniform asked where our permit was! “Permit, what Permit??!!” “The one you need to buy to travel on our roads”. “Oh, where do I get one of those then?” “In there” pointing to the place I had just spent a long time queuing up to change some Euros, my leg was aching badly so I just said “OK” and waited for them to leave! Drove over the border, had our passports stamped as a souvenir and drove on. We were suffering telecommunication problems with our contact in Slovakia, despite managing to get on the internet at our last hotel in Vienna and numerous phone calls to an answering machine it was not meant to be so we had a change of heart and decided to head back to Prague on Plan B!  We then got a bit lost (!) and ended up on a very poorly made up road signposted to Bratislava where we had our second brush with the men in uniform!  We told them we were on a magical mystery tour and wanted to head towards the Czech Republic, we were firmly told with the aid of lots of pidgin English “not this way Madam”, I decided not to challenge the machine guns and followed the directions back to the Highway and Border Controls where we got into further trouble! There were long queues and we mistakenly followed a lane marked CD and were unceremoniously advised to get back in the queue as this one is for people with Diplomatic Passports!!! White face turned into giggling Red Face!!  Those darn hot flushes sure do hit at the most inopportune times!
The rest of our journey will have to wait for a further installment on another occasion, as much as I like to sit here tapping away, duty calls and I need to change the subject on to the first meeting of our Events Committee together with our colleagues on the WSDA Committee.  This went extremely well and we are hoping to organise lots of fun things for us to do this year.   With regard to these events, the Committee agreed that any deposits paid at the time of booking would, unfortunately, not be refunded under any circumstances.  The Committee didn’t like imposing such a stipulation but the costs of transport now are so high that the funds just weren’t there to cover any cancellations.
Following our first get together at the Seahorse Centre, a trip to Snowdrop Valley has been finalised for the 9th February preceded by lunch at the Old Station Inn at Blackmore Gate where Margaret has organised a buy one get one free deal.  Meet at the Seahorse Centre at 10.30 a.m. ready to leave by 11.00 a.m unless being picked before.  There are several cars going but no bus.
Anyone interested joining myself and Charlotte on the 14th February for a trip to the cinema in Butlins at 2.00 pm please contact me on 01643 862185.  They are showing “Chicken Little” a Disney animated film and the cost is £4.50 per person.
The first coffee morning will take place at 10.30 – 12.00 on Saturday 11th February at the Friends Meeting House opposite the Library in Bancks Street. Please bring yourselves and things to sell BUT not clothes!!!
Judith O’Brien 

Poets’ Corner
The Darkling Thrush
I lean’t upon a coppice gate
When frost was spectre-gray,
And winters dregs made desolate
The weakening eye of day
The tangled bine-stems scored the sky
Like strings of broken lyres,
And all mankind that haunted high
Had sought their household fires.
The land’s sharp features seemed to be
The century’s corpse outlean’t,
His crypt the cloudy canopy,
The wind his death-lament.
The ancient pulse of germ and birth
Was shrunken hard and dry,
And every spirit upon earth
Seemed fervourless as I.
At once a voice arose among
The bleak twigs overhead
In a full-hearted evensong
Of joy illimited;
An aged Thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,
In blast-beruffled plume,
Had chosen thus to fling his soul
Upon the growing gloom.
So little cause for carollings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some Blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware.
Thomas Hardy    1840-1928 

Articles, letters and e-mails
Tongue in Cheek Tale
An English titled lady who wanted to stay on holiday in a small German village.
She wrote to the local schoolmaster asking him for full particulars of the local houses and particularly if there was a W.C. attached.
The schoolmaster who knew only a little English was not familiar with the abbreviation W.C. and came to the conclusion that the lady was a devout Churchgoer and wished to know where the Wesleyan Chapel was.
He wrote back the following letter:
Dear Lady Dalrymple,
The W.C. is situated about seven miles from your lodgings and is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
This is unfortunate if you are in the habit of going regularly.
Many people take luncheons and make a day of it.
I advise you to go early. There are about 80 seats – but should you arrive late there is some standing room.
I also advise your Ladyship to pay a visit on Tuesday, as there is an organ accompaniment.
The acoustics are excellent and even the most delicate sounds are audible all over the building.
I shall be most delighted to reserve the best seats for your ladyship.
Hans Muller.
P.S. My wife and I have not been able to go for six months and this has pained us very much.

My Mother Taught Me******
1. My Mother Taught Me***To appreciate a job well done. “If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I’ve just finished cleaning.”
2. My Mother Taught Me***Religion. “You better pray that stain will come out of the carpet.”
3. My Mother Taught Me***About Time Travel. “If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week.”
4. My Mother Taught Me***Logic. “Because I said so, that’s why.”
5. My Mother Taught Me***More Logic. “If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me.”
6. My Mother Taught Me***Foresight. “Make sure you always wear clean underwear, you may have an accident.”
7. My Mother Taught Me***Irony “Keep crying, and I will give you something to cry about.”
8. My Mother Taught Me***About the science of Osmosis. “Shut your mouth and eat your supper.”
9. My Mother Taught Me***About Contortionism. “Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!”
10.  My Mother Taught Me***About Stamina. “You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone.”
11. My Mother Taught Me***About Weather. “This room looks like a tornado went through it.”
12. My Mother Taught Me***About Hypocrisy. “If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Don’t exaggerate!”

Letters
Friends,
Torch Trust for the Blind is the top Christian organisation for blind and visually impaired people. Last Saturday, 14th January, we were delighted to attend their recently formed Taunton group. This was held in the Hall of St Peters Church, Eastwick Road, Taunton. Everyone made us very welcome and we enjoyed meeting and chatting to many like-minded people, including the Mayor, Cllr. Richard Lees and his wife Sue, with his guide-dog, Ramble. In fact we were not sure who enjoyed the meeting most, the people or the assortment of Labradors!
We sang a couple of well-known hymns, had a short talk and an excellent tea and heard all about this new venture; with social outings and monthly meetings planned for the future we shall certainly be going along.
May we encourage anyone who would benefit from this group to contact Liz Hargreaves on 01823 336196. The meetings will be on the second Saturday in each month, from 2.30 – 4.30, all at St Peters Church Hall.
Rob and Catherine Davies, Stephanie Witherick and ‘Maple’
www.echurch-uk.org 

For Sale
Disability Scooter
We have a scooter for sale, four wheel, fully adjustable, road runner, please ring for details ring Glen 01643 702438.  The cost is £500.

Handy Numbers
Winter Warmth Helpline 0800 085 700 www.dh.gov.uk

Arthritis Care 0808 800 4050 www.arthritiscare.org.uk

Help the Aged 0808 800 6565 www.helptheaged.org.uk

Prestige Mobility (Customer Focus Team) 0970 787 1975 www.prestigemobility.com

Breast Cancer Care 0808 800 6000 www.breastcancercare.org.uk

Depression Alliance 0845 123 2320 www.depressionalliance.org

Stroke Association 0845 303 3100 www.stroke.org.uk

Diabetes UK 0845 120 2960 www.diabetes.org.uk

Age Concern Information Line 0800 00 99 66 www.ageconcern.org.uk

Cruse Bereavement Care 0870 167 1677 www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk

Samaritans 08457 09090 www.samaritans.org.uk

NHS Direct 0845 46 47 www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Next Meeting
Our next meeting will be on Monday February 27th at 2.00pm at the Seahorse Centre.  I hope to see you there.