Hello everyone. Here is the April newsletter. The next newsletter will be published at the end of May.  See you all at the next meeting at 2.00pm on Monday 22nd May 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’ Representative:
   Marlene Saunders  01643 702972
Events Organisers: Margaret Bruford  01984 656367
   Sylvia Griffiths  01643 704637
   Rita Sandiford  01643 703469
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
Our new website is up and running now. You can see the newsletter there as well as photos of our activities and news of forthcoming events. Please give us your e-mail address if you have one, 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 (£6.00 per annum) before you can have lessons, which cost £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
The service is provided by A4e and the telephone number is 0800 288 8712. They are based at A4e, 2nd Floor, Victoria House, Victoria Street, Taunton, Somerset TA1 3JZ. The A4e website is www.a4e.gov.uk. The service will offer help if you need assistance with care arrangements, equipment, housing, blue badges, etc.Â
President’s Report
Oh my goodness me, what a busy month I have had. The Website is now up and running, and is still being added to weekly. Thanks Carol for getting the funding. Have got a little grant to help us through until we get a big one, i.e. Lottery Grant. Have also applied for another one from T.S.B. again small, but they all add up and help. It is quite a lot of telephoning and talking to people but communication is still very much a part of what I do, and believe me I am still learning!!Â
It’s a very big thrill to receive an envelope in the post, no not a brown one, with, “Yes we are pleased to give you this grantâ€. Thank goodness you can’t hear me because I am going ‘whoopee’, sad really!! But it is important to keep us going in the I.T. room. We do so much good work, and get people who have disabilities out of four walls into a different world. This new grant will involve Chris with more work, i.e. now getting enrolment forms. It’s called progress, but we have to abide by the rules, and I have to read the grants very precisely.
Have taken Steve, one of our partially sighted members, to the ‘drop in day’ at Somerset Ass. for the Blind headquarters in Taunton, to see the latest equipment, displayed by Dolphin and many others.  I was well impressed, especially with a wooden ruler in Braille. Chris took Stephanie, one of our blind members, and she managed to spend, in her mind, much more than me!!
Have been invited to several groups lately to talk about what we do in our group. This is good, as it advertises our group and can spread the word and the work we do, plus I must be doing something right to be asked in the first place. Sometimes the questions I get asked on the phone is unbelievable, but me being me, if I don’t know I will ‘ask someone that can’. That is why belonging to all the other groups I go to, I have learnt very quickly how to network, and get a lot of answers to a lot of problems that occur. When we retire, in my opinion, having worked all our lives, we still need to channel our brains into doing something in the voluntary sector, this gives everyone a much wider knowledge of what is happening around us, and is a great fulfilment to think somebody still needs you.
Thanks to Margaret for making all the scones and fruit cakes for the cream teas and to Glen for his famous chocolate cake. They do very well and probably sweat buckets whilst cooking, but still appear to come out smiling!!
Had a wonderful time on the Orient Express and landed up in Plymouth. The food was excellent, and the wine was flowing!! We were all sitting in armchairs at the table and there were 250 people on board. The menu was, spiced parsnip soup with a warm apple scone, assiette of wild game, braised red cabbage, roasted cocotte potatoes with a deep red wine jus. cheese board with home made chutney, white chocolate, bread and butter pudding with Cornish clotted cream ice cream.Â
Have just looked at my desk and have decided that I really must do something about all the paper work. Hey Ho!! Bye for now. Â
Jean
Chairman’s Report
As you get this newsletter it will herald the end of April, that is 4 months of the year done and dusted, and I am sure we will be hoping now to get some more settled weather. We all need some warmth to cheer us up and make us feel better in ourselves.
I am sorry I was unable to write to you last month but I was down and out with “Flu†for the second time in six weeks. I expect a lot of you have experienced the same symptoms, so I hope you are now feeling better and looking forward to the summer ahead.
The meeting on Monday was very enjoyable as we purely had a social gathering with no speakers or any business being discussed. The events team with the help of Josephine and David layed on a wonderful cream tea and Glen contributed some of his wonderful cakes. Those of you who did not come missed a real treat.
Richard and Jean told us about their trip on the Orient Express last Sunday, it seemed they had a lovely luxurious afternoon.
A date for your diaries that is extra to the other events being arranged is July 8th, which is a Saturday; we are hoping to have a BBQ in the garden of the Seahorse Centre. This of course is subject to the weather permitting. We will tell you more nearer the time                    Â
Like a lot of members I have been delving in the past with Genes Re-United and have had some considerable success. I have now had the pleasure of meeting some cousins who were in Minehead for the Spring Harvest, and I must say it was very strange seeing them again after 64 years. I knew at once that we were related, as there was a very strong family resemblance. It was a very pleasant experience and I am hoping to meet many more while I am on holiday in May. I will keep you informed and I do hope that others who are on the trail will enjoy the same outcome.
See you all at the next meeting which is a week earlier due to Bank Holiday.
Dorothy   Â
Vice Chairman’s Report
I would like to thank Cathy McGill for her attendance at our March meeting. Our chairman/lady Dot was taken ill with a bad bout of the flu and I only found out when I got to the meeting that I had to take over and I had nothing prepared to say, also it was unfortunate that two members of the committee were called away for something very important, that had to be seen to immediately. Still we got by.
The talk was about SAIN the organisation that Cathy is involved with. It was of great interest and I think the members found it of very interesting and some of them asked all sorts of questions to do with the organisation.Â
Treasurer’s Report
At the April meeting we raised £31 from the raffle. We had cream teas, which were paid for by Margaret Bruford, Thank you, Margaret. Almost everyone has now renewed their membership subscription, but if you have forgotten to do it please could you send it in. Thank you.
Events’ Committee Report
On Sunday we had a wonderful afternoon on the Orient Express, and a surprise ride to and from Temple Meads Station in a stretch limousine.
At our meeting on Monday we had a Devon cream tea, which was very successful, I would like to thank David and Josephine for all their help.
Future Events
Please do come and support us at our next coffee morning and bring and buy on Saturday May 6th.
On Friday May 12th we are going to Barnstaple leaving Minehead at 9.30am.
On the 30th May we are going to Philip Hobbs Stables if anyone else wishes to come please let me know.
July 8th BBQ weather permitting at The Seahorse Centre.
Please note dates for your diary:
June 12th Blackdown Garden Centre, anyone wishing to go please let me know, also August 10th a 2 course lunch at Oake Village Hall £8.50 including tea and coffee.
Poets’ Corner
UNTIL THEY PASS THIS WAY
Have you ever seen a Blackbird by the roadside, with its mate?
One dead, the other grieving, and in a sorry state.
Maybe your heart will flutter, in sympathetic mode
But you’ll never understand the agony, there, beside the road.
I watched my loved one dying and saw her slip away,
I’ll not forget the agony, no sorrow could allay;
It’s something I’ll remember, until my dying day
But you’ll never understand it, until you’ve passed this way.
Friends and relations can see the sorrow there,
Though with kind thoughts and actions, it’s not for them to share.
Solace comes from people who’ve been where you are now,
They know your mind needs healing and they can show you how.
You may find a kindred spirit whose affections you revere,
There is much to give each other, as long as you’re sincere.
Others have opinions; some have much to say,
But they’ll never understand it, until they’ve passed this way.
……………….
                  Len Cross
You’re halfway there and you don’t care,
So what if you’re 50 we have all been there.
It isn’t too bad if you say it quick
And not let it grind you to the wick,
You have been through the stages of wondering
How do you do things, where are my rings?
Now you have got to the age
Where you say, “I know thatâ€
When someone comes up for a chat,
And then try to tell you
How to do this and that.
Life is too short to worry about age
It’s only a number so what’s with the rage?
The children have grown up
And hopefully left home,
It’s not the end of the world
When they want to roam.
You can now go out as husband and wife
And do things together for the rest of your life
And not have to worry are the kids alright
For it’s their turn to do the same as we have done
Just tell them don’t worry it can be quite fun.
When the grandchildren come you can show off with glee
Knowing as you bounce them on your knee,
That at the end of the day you can hand them back,
And then relax your aching back.
Contributed by Beryl Scott
Articles, letters and e-mails
An Irish Experience
The Greetings From Ireland by Vera Davis in County Kerry brought back happy memories of this family’s holiday, to Waterville, County Kerry, 9 years ago, Waterville, is on the west coast below Dingle Bay. We had a nightmare journey to get there. My son and his wife made all the arrangements, and as they where living in London then they gave me the phone number of Mrs Fitzgerald who owned the holiday cottage. There where 7 of us going – but only 4 adults, 1 child, and my Jack Russell dog leaving from Minehead. I phoned up Mrs Fitzgerald to confirm arrangements etc, she was a very nice lady but I could not understand what she was saying, so I got Jane to speak to her because Jane has super sonic hearing, but even Jane had difficulty. However, we thought once we got to Waterville we could ask for directions to the cottage. We set off from Minehead to Holyhead and I took a wrong turning off the M5 and had gone quite a few miles before we saw a signpost saying Hereford which was the opposite way to Holyhead. Don’t know how that happened.
We finally arrived at Holyhead after 6 hours, just in time to see the ferry pulling away from the harbour, my son and his wife were on the ferry, but he had phoned me previously to say that if we weren’t there on time he would leave our tickets at reception and thankfully he had done that.
The next available ferry was at 11.00pm as they had cancelled the 6.00pm, so we had 7 hours to wait at the terminal, and I was not looking forward to driving about 400 miles at night, However the catering services at ferry provided unlimited free drinks for us, (non alcoholic). We arrived at Dun Laoghaire in the early hours of the morning, and spent some time driving round Dublin trying to find the right road. When we finally found the right road we took turns at driving through the night, although we did pull into a lay-by and all fell asleep in the car for some hours. We drove via Roscrea, Limerick, Killarney, and finally Waterville.
We found Mrs Fitzgerald who lived near the holiday cottage, which turned out to be a very well equipped bungalow- 3 bedrooms large kitchen/diner and a large lounge with a panoramic window which took up the whole of one wall. There was a peat stack outside the back door and we able to have a peat fire in the lounge, which was very cosy.Â
The 8 days passed so quickly. Jane and Peter had booked a fishing trip on Lough Currane with a ghillie but it had to be cancelled because it poured with rain all day and we had no waterproof clothing. Children are allowed in pubs in Ireland so my 8 year-old granddaughter was able to come with us. Jane and I liked the Irish coffee and they were very generous with the whiskey. We had lots of local food, and the people made us very welcome and were very friendly. I think the next time I go it will be on the night car ferry (the sleeper). We did enjoy the relaxing pace of life over there, and the scenery is beautiful. My only criticism is their roads are not as good as ours.
By Yvonne Moore, typed up by Jane Moore.
Sunday 23rd April 2006
Today we went on the Orient Express Train. We were picked up by a white stretch limousine. The driver was called John. We made our way to Temple Meads station at Bristol, stopping en-route for two comfort stops. We were then met at the station and shown to our platform, which was number 4. We only had to wait a few minutes for the train; we were then helped by the guards, who put up a ramp for us to walk onto the train. The attendants on the train then showed us to our seats. We were in the carriage called GLAMIS. The seats were like armchairs, very comfortable. The carriage was decorated lovely, and the tables. There was a lit lamp on each table and a vase with a red rose and a thistle in it. Some tables had a white rose.
We were then served with a glass of champagne and we had little tasters on the table. We left Bristol at 1.10pm. We were served our 4 course meal which was lovely. We were entertained on the journey by 2 men dressed for the occasion, singing and playing the guitar and trombone. We did a circular tour from Bristol to Plymouth and then back again. We had 2 bottles of wine to a table. After we had had tea or coffee, a small round box was given to each of us with 4 chocolates inside.
The attendants were very helpful and friendly. There were souvenirs for sale in the shop. We brought a few back but they were very expensive.
We arrived back in Bristol at 6.10pm where John was waiting for us. There were eight of us on the trip: Jean, Margaret, Trisha, Richard, Eunice, Steve, Clarice and myself. On the way back we were given a commemorative certificate each, which Jean had so kindly bought for us, and our tickets, which weren’t collected on the train.
We were a noisy bunch but everyone enjoyed it although a couple had a snooze part way.
Our thanks go to Margaret and Jean for a wonderful day. We shall remember it for a very long time. Well done!
Shirley Williams
Steven Elliott sent the following e-mail:
Sometime in the early sixties, I was in Beverly, Yorkshire.
I and a colleague were there for a meeting. We got there early and were walking round the area. Just behind County Hall, were some almshouses. As we walked past, a man came out of one of them, crossed the road to a tap on the wall opposite.
I was surprised that at that time, in the middle of a town, there were houses without running water.
He started to fill his kettle. The water sprayed out and soaked him.
It puzzled me. As he used that tap every day, surely he must have known about the foibles of the tap.
Seeing me looking at him, he said “Forgot to take t`bloody lid off”.
Best wishes,
Steven
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Muriel Seabrook wrote:
To All Members of West Somerset Disability Association
I should like to express my appreciation for the lovely flowers Dot brought me from the Association, regarding the fall I had recently.
It was certainly no joke being on the floor for quite a few hours until my ‘Good Samaritan’ (my next door neighbour) arrived!!
That will teach me to wear my ‘lifeline’ constantly.
Many thanks once again for your kindness.
Muriel Seabrook
FOR SALE
Aquasoothe TravelLite Folding Scooter carries 18 stone (114kg); range 6 to 9 ½ miles (10 – 15 km); disassembles into pieces to put into a car, the heaviest part is just over 2 stone (13kg), total weight: 4 ½ stone (28kg). Age 4 ½ years. For more information, telephone 01643 707747. £150.00 o.n.o.
Handy Numbers
Age Concern Information Line 0800 00 99 66 www.ageconcern.org.uk
Arthritis Care 0808 800 4050 www.arthritiscare.org.uk
Breast Cancer Care 0808 800 6000 www.breastcancercare.org.uk
CVS (Council for Voluntary Service) Minehead 01643 707484
Cruse Bereavement Care 0870 167 1677 www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk
Depression Alliance 0845 123 2320 www.depressionalliance.org
Diabetes UK 0845 120 2960 www.diabetes.org.uk
Help the Aged 0808 800 6565 www.helptheaged.org.uk
NHS Direct 0845 46 47 www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Prestige Mobility (Customer Focus Team) 0970 787 1975
www.prestigemobility.com
Samaritans 08457 09090 www.samaritans.org.uk
Somerset Association for the Blind 01823 333818 www.sab-fund.org.uk
Stroke Association 0845 303 3100 www.stroke.org.uk
Winter Warmth Helpline 0800 085 700 www.dh.gov.uk
Next Meeting
Our next meeting will be on Monday 22nd May at 2.00pm at the Seahorse Centre. I hope to see you there.
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