Hello everyone. Here is the September newsletter. I hope to see you all at the next meeting, at 2.00pm on Monday 30th October at the Seahorse Centre, Minehead. The Annual General Meeting will take place at this meeting and elections will be held for a new committee.
At the meeting everybody must sign in, in the attendance book provided and if you visit the Seahorse Centre at other times sign in at Reception and wear a visitor badge. There is no smoking allowed inside or at the front of the building. You can smoke at the back of the building.
The address of the Seahorse Centre is: Stephenson Road, Minehead, TA24 5EB
West Somerset Disability Association Trustees
Martin Greenwood (Chairman); Peter and Heidi Morse; Terry Venner; Una Wright.
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
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.ukÂ
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
Here we are again, now into autumn and how these months have flown. We have had a very busy time with about 18 events and I know most of you have enjoyed them all. Thanks to so many of you for attending the Beaver Ford Motability day. It was great to see you all. Mind you I do think some of you need to get DIARIES and write these dates down when we announce them. Some of you are good at forgetting!! And then say why didn’t you remind me!!
Please if you are confined to a wheelchair or are less abled don’t be put off from flying as the support you can get is superb. All right we have to pay for it but it takes all the struggle away. Most of the European cities have now got a form of Mobility and do a great job of hiring the equipment we all need.
At our November meeting A4e, the new advocacy, direct payment support and disability information throughout Somerset is coming to talk to us. So have your questions ready.
Please put in your diaries, Thursday December 7th, which is the date for our Christmas lunch to be held at Foxes Hotel. The menu will be available for you to see at the October meeting. I know a lot of you have got lots of other Xmas functions to attend, so please do not double book the date.
Thanks Margaret for arranging the coffee mornings. Over £600 was raised and Marlene’s Quiz night made £200, which she wanted spent on taking you all out for cream teas, which were delicious!!
See you all at the October meeting.
Jean
Chairman’s Report
It was a very low attendance at Mondays meeting, only 25 members came and, as it was the first meeting after the summer break I hoped to see a few more faces. I appreciate there are still some people away on holiday but that still cant account for the poor attendance. I hope you will all make an effort to attend the October meeting, as it is the AGM when the candidates that you have voted for take up their office.
At the meeting on Monday I had the sad duty of announcing the death of Eunice Greenway. Eunice was a stalwart and loyal member of the WSDA for several years so she will be sadly missed. Although she was well into her eighties she met almost every challenge. She went abseiling, diving, deep-sea fishing and many other things, she went swimming almost every day. She loved her holidays and saw a great deal of the world. It can be said she lived life to the full. A bright star has been deleted. The members and committee send their deepest sympathy to her family and our thoughts are with them as they prepare to say farewell to their Mum.
At last, after a three-month absence I am now feeling much better after my period of illness and trying to get back to leading my life as normally as possible. This means I am able to write my last letter to you as your chairman as I am retiring at the AGM in October. I will have been in this position for five years so it is time for someone else to have a turn. It has been a great pleasure to see the association grow, to see it achieve so much and to have been a part of the leading team. I have been supported by Mary Court as my vice-chairman and I hope she will stand as a candidate to take my place.
We are still enjoying some lovely weather so I hope you are all making the most of it before the dark nights are here, they are already drawing in and getting ever nearer the Christmas period.
Vice Chairman’s Report
Well, here we are again coming up to another A.G.M. I wonder what the coming year will hold.
I must say at the last meeting I wanted to welcome back our chairman Dorothy. As you know she has been off for some time as she had a stroke and was very poorly. She came to the meeting, as it was the last one she would chair as chairman and also her last chance to address the members, as she has decided to retire for health reasons.
As soon as we opened the meeting and before I could welcome her back there was nothing but organized abuse.
Whatever Madam Chairman said it was shot down in flames it was disgusting. The Chairman tried to explain on several occasions the protocol of the A.G.M. But the treasurer had such a lot to say that the poor woman could not get a word in, yet try to explain. The Treasurer was adamant that the way we were doing the A.G.M; was totally wrong and would not listen to reason. Madam Chairman repeatedly told him how it was done but that made no difference at all, he was right and everyone else was wrong. I was most concerned as Dorothy was looking quite ill at this time and I thought at one time that she may have a relapse, but she held on and carried on with the meeting but was very upset.
I feel that an apology should be made to the Chairman as she has dedicated many years to the group and I did not feel that this behaviour was called for.
There was also a complaint about the raffle, which was brought to my attention and I shall bring this up at the next meeting.
This is a sad note to end on but there you are it did and that is that, but not the end of the matter. Bye for now Mary.
Treasurer’s Report
At the meeting the raffle raised £27 00 and the almoners “pot” raised £10 00.
Events’ Committee Report
On August 8th and 29th we went to Horner Vale Tea Gardens and had a very enjoyable cream tea, some of the group came to both so it must have been good.
On August 10th we went to Oake Village Hall and had a lovely lunch cooked for us by Phil Nadin and his wife many thanks to you both for a good time.
On September 2nd we had our last Coffee Morning and bring and buy sale. After expenses we made £102, many thanks to all that came to support us, and a special thank you to all who have helped at each of our coffee mornings this year.
Please remember to put in your diaries the 7th December for our Christmas lunch at Foxes Hotel.
Poets’ Corner
Decibels
At first, I did not miss things, I could no longer hear.
It seemed that they had faded out, nought for me to fear.
I did not know that the bedroom clock had lost its comforting tick
And when folk complained about TV sound, I thought, on me, they pick.
When at last it dawned on me, not they but I was thick,
My loved ones, who had suffered most, then used a persuasive trick,
“Why not try a hearing aid, there is surely nothing to lose”
And so, with doubt, I agreed, but which one should I choose?
I made an appointment, that my ears may first be checked
And to my disappointment, confirmed my hearing badly wrecked.
A pleasant revelation, when the aid was fitted in,
The bedroom clock was audible and the TV such a din.
Pleasure came from hearing things forgotten or ignored;
The song of the birds in the garden and music quite well scored;
Church bells from a distance, a pleasure and delight
And to join in conversation, when dining out at night.
There are many types of hearing aids, from which one must select.
I made mistakes when first I tried, mine surely were not the best.
I took advice and tried again, now I am satisfied,
For now I have good hearing aids, both computerised.
……………………………………………………
Len Cross
From Hilarie Perry
Tourist’s Prayer
Heavenly Father look down on us, your humble obedient tourist servants who are doomed to travel this earth taking photographs, mailing postcards and buying souvenirs.
Give us this day guidance in the selection of our hotels that we may find hot water running from the taps, and plugs that fit the washbasin and the bath.
Grant us the strength to visit the museums, the cathedrals, the palaces and castles listed as ‘musts’ in the Guide Books.
And if perchance we skip a historic monument or two to take a nap after lunch, have mercy on us, for our flesh is weak.
Husband’s Prayer for their Wives
Dear God, keep our wives from shopping sprees and protect them from bargains they don’t need or can’t afford.
Lead them not into temptation for they know not what they do.
Wives’ Prayers for their Husbands
Almighty Father, keep our husbands from looking at foreign women and comparing them with us. Save them from follies in cafés and nightclubs.
Above all, do not forgive them their trespasses for they know exactly what they do.
Amen
With acknowledgements to Art Buchwald
Hilarie
Jude O’Brien sent this poem
A oH bOY, what was that!!?
Must have been a stag pausing awhile, poor lamb.
The Big Fish round here are doing their best;
to heal themselves with the others A round,
They don’t see the ships sailing daily
to the land of milk and Bailey,
where lies the fruits of their labours?
The horse is a flicker of hope in a sea of despair.
Peter, Paul and Mary drinking merrily,
to the strains of the jukebox.
They surfed and hurled stones, rolling Bosses,
crushing bones.
Inspired to laugh and make fun of their woes
They let go, fed the urinals, the po’s and the loo’s
to Boo’s at the Bell as the candle lamped low,
TIME GENTLEMEN PLEASE?
Six-thirty I hear to the cheers of PM
and yet another goal to THEM!?
ALL MY OWN WORK (I think) but Minnie Mouse had a hand behind the clock in the room where my Mother laid her head to rest.
Judith O’Brien 12.12 a.m.
Love and kisses
Chow Chow
http://www.faerieworlds.com/faeryball.html
The link above is for all those who believe in their Fairy God Mothers.
Articles, letters and e-mails
The Cinema Exhibitors Association Card
Carrie, who works for The Card Network told us about this scheme. It entitles a disabled person to have a card and then they can have a free ticket for their carer when they visit the cinema. 90% of cinemas participate in this scheme. To apply for the Cinema Exhibitors Association Card you must be in receipt of Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance, registered blind or have a disabled person’s rail card. The card costs £5 and is valid for 3 years. For further details phone 0845 123 1295, text phone 0845 123 1297 or e-mail info@ceacard.co.uk.
When you have a card you can visit the Odeon cinemas in Butlins or Taunton and many other cinemas.
Steven Elliot wrote:
Charlie
My friend Charlie is a small dapper man. In fact, it would not be far from the truth to say he is pedantic.
He sleeps a lot, but when I ask him to do something, he does it with alacrity. He is very good with scissors and paste.
When I ask him to cut some photos out of my album and paste them into a new page, presto, it is done. The only time he gats annoyed is when I ask him to move a photo and he tells me he did it last week. (I tell him that I ask him to copy it and not cut it out in case it blows away before he has pasted it, but he tells me to have more confidence in him.
He does not cost a lot to feed. He lives on currents, yes, I do mean currents, not currants. The diet suits him; he is changing from his braces (dialups) to a new broadband next week. When I asked how old he was some years ago, he admitted to being 98. I treated this with a grain of salt, so I asked him again last week. He was more reticent and muttered something that sounded like XP.
Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you, Charlie lives in a small tin box in my sitting room, called my computer.
Steven
Dear Chris, I have sent an article about the Lake District and wondered if you would consider it for the newsletter. Jane is in Blackpool this week. We came home last Saturday and John fell down in the car park here and ended up in Musgrove with three stitches in his head. I am waiting to hear from them as he supposed to be coming home this afternoon… Otherwise we are all well…Â Yours sincerely, Yvonne
Beautiful Britain
I have just returned from a holiday in the Lake District. We stayed near Cockermouth and explored the West Lakes. The nearest lake was Bassenthwaite, which is the only natural lake in the Lake District as all the others are man made. The scenery just outside of Cockermouth is superb. It is more rugged than Exmoor. Buttermere area was particularly nice with its rolling landscape and a few isolated farms. We had a very interesting visit to Honister Slate Mine, which is situated on Honister Pass, Borrowdale, on a high mountainous route between Borrowdale and Buttermere. Fleetwith Pike, which is 2126 feet high, towers over the area and is called the “guardian of Honister Pass”. Deep inside the mountain are the caverns of the Honister Slate Mine, hacked out by Victorian Miners using basic tools and candles. The more adventurous can take a guided walk around the edge of the mountain with sheer drops of hundreds of feet.Â
An entrepreneur by the name of Mark Weir was on holiday and saw the disused slate mine and saw potential there. He found out that it was owned by McAlpine so he arranged a meeting with them and 45 minutes later he was the new owner of the mine. It was hard going at first and he felt like giving up but he carried on and now has a thriving business and employs 40 local people. They sell green roofing slates, paving, rockery stone, walling stone, and many other uses for this beautiful Buttermere green slate from obelisks to monoliths and worktops, and water features. They also make and sell small items like coaster mats, paper weights etc for souvenirs. Â
We were issued with a helmet with a light attached and a small battery held up by a strap around your waist. We were told that in places the roof was a bit low and it was best to “bend your knees and walk like a gibbon” keeping your head slightly lower and on one side. Off we all went into the mine which has a labyrinth of tunnels started by the Monks of Furness 500 years ago. There are 11 miles of pathways inside the mine. At one stage we all switched our headlights off and our guide lit one candle to show us how it must have been for the miners. It was pitch black all around. The miners were in debt before they even started work because they were forced to buy the candles from the mine owner and they did not get paid until the consignment of slate had been sold. They lived in a bothy (hut) just outside the mine entrance. This hut was a small room with a fireplace and the miners brought enough food in a sack, and then stuffed the sack with heather and used it as a mattress to sleep on. Another problem for them was getting the slate down to the road hundreds of feet below. They overcame this by lowering the slate down on sledges with long ropes, (similar to the sledges used in Clovelly).
We were told that their life span was not long and they died young.
It was a very interesting visit, lots more I could write about it, so why not visit it yourself.
Yvonne Moore.Â
Sept 5th 2006
Holiday Apartment
There is a well-appointed, two bedroom apartment with good size balcony overlooking a shared pool. Situated in Los Gigantes, Tenerife, in a quiet friendly neighbourhood within easy reach of all amenities. Private parking. £250 per week. Tel: 01984 632515 or 01984 632410.
For Sale
ROMA Medical Shoprider Sovereign Model S888NR
The Shoprider Sovereign scooter is compact for easy use in confined spaces both indoors and out.
I bought this new for my father in 2004 but sadly he only used it twice before his death. Since then it has been housed, unused, in my mother’s home near Birmingham and is therefore in immaculate condition. It can be delivered to the West Somerset area.
It comes with puncture proof tyres, shopper bag and a walking stick (not shown in the photo). I paid £1004 for it new and I have all the relevant documents.
The price is £550 ono.
Helen Thomas
Tel: 0121 440 8244
Local Organic Vegetables for sale
The Orchard Wyndham estate is selling very inexpensive fruit and vegetables grown organically (though not officially certified) in the walled garden.
They are hoping to have a regular day each week when they are open, but for the present ring the estate office (01984 632 309) to arrange to buy them.
The estate office and entrance is just beyond St Peter’s Church in Williton.
Sent in by Katrina Midgley
Handy Numbers
Age Concern Information Line 0800 00 99 66 www.ageconcern.org.uk
Arthritis Care 0808 800 4050 www.arthritiscare.org.uk
Blue Badge (Disabled Parking Scheme) 0845 3459133 or 01823 335285
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
Piper Lifeline 01984 635100
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 30th October at 2.00pm at the Seahorse Centre. I hope to see you there.
