Hello everyone! The next meeting is in the Seahorse Centre on Monday 18th May 2009 at 2.00 pm and not at the end of the month because of Bank Holiday Monday. As usual, sign the attendance book 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 in the vicinity of the building.
Our address: The Seahorse Centre, Stephenson Road, Minehead, TA24 5EB
West Somerset Disability Association Trustees:
Martin Greenwood; Peter Hughes; Peter and Heidi Morse; Sue Horne; Terry Venner.
Transport
Dave Willett organises a taxi for partially-sighted people to come to the Monthly meetings. This must be booked with him. If you can’t make it, PLEASE RING HIM, to cancel it.
If you cannot access other transport you can register with Atwest community transport 01643 707090 and use the SLINKY bus to come to meetings. You must have a bus pass.
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: David Kendall 01643 863505
Vice Chairman: Mary Court 01643 702129
Secretary: Marlene Saunders 01643 702972
Accts/Treasurer: Molly Newstead 01984 634739
Transport for the monthly WSDA meeting only:
David Willett 01643 708592
Welfare: Margaret Bruford 01984 656367
Events Committee:
Shirley Williams 01984 632265
Sandra Kendall 01643 863505
Peter Kilner 01643 821464
IT Tutor: Chris Brinkman 01643 708025 Mobile 07971 285878
Seahorse Centre : IT room 01643 702021 or 07971 285878
(Monday and Tuesday mornings, all day Wednesday and Thursday) Messages (Reception) 01643 705000
E-mail: wsomersetdisability@tiscali.co.uk or wsomersetdisability@yahoo.co.uk
Web Site: www.westsomersetdisability.org.uk
Computers
The newsletter is also on our website with news of our activities and forthcoming events. For the computer literate among you, (and those interested) Mary uses Facebook (www.facebook.com) and has started a group there for the West Somerset Disability Association. It is very early days so far but we might get more members to join, who use this site. So far we have just six members. If you want to join but are not sure how then ask Chris or Mary for details. Phone numbers are given above.
Please tell us your e-mail if you have one, as an e-mailed newsletter is free but we must pay to post them. Help us to help you!
If you would like computer training, please let us know or talk to Chris our IT instructor. You must be a member of our association (£10.00 per annum) before you can have lessons, which cost £2.00 per hour. There is a new IT class started on Friday mornings for a small group to learn together as well as the regular classes on Wednesday morning and Thursday.
If anyone has a problem with their computer at home and would like help from Chris, he will tell the committee of the problem and they will then decide what to do.
Disability Advocacy Service
The service is provided by A4e. Contact Jackie Churchill at 07841250277. The A4e website is www.a4e.gov.uk. Their address is A4e, 2nd Floor, Victoria House, Victoria Street, Taunton, Somerset TA1 3JZ. The service will offer help if you need assistance with care arrangements, equipment, housing, blue badges, etc.
President’s Report
Hello everyone.
Here I am at long last getting with it!! The kitchen has been completed, it is white with black Formica and the cupboards are very high, so I can only put goods up there that I don’t use very much. I am back doing outside meetings and it is all change in lots of areas, even for the voluntary sector.
There are a lot of outings planned for you and this is due to Peter and his friend raising money, and also two good collections at Tesco and the Co-op. We had an excellent speaker this month: John Hall from Miles Tea and Coffee, talking about blending and he really was informative.
Now, don’t forget the next meeting is May 18th because of the Bank Holiday at the end of the month. We have Tom Bowen: WSC, and in June we have got Tanya coming to tell us about the change over to digital TV.
That’s all for now, my computer is old and I have to get someone else to get this on to a computer: shame isn’t it?
Jean.
Chairman’s Report
Hi everybody
I hope that you all are fit and well.
Well that is another month over, thank goodness, as far as San and myself are concerned. As some of you know we lost our daughter-in-law to cancer after a two year battle. Then on the finance side of things the washing machine broke down so we had to get a new one, then when I closed the oven door the glass door shattered into hundreds of pieces; so not a good month.
I hope that you enjoyed the speaker at the last meeting, sorry it was not the chemist as I said it would be at the last meeting, we now know a bit more about tea blending. The speaker at the next meeting will be from the council so bring your queries with you for him.
I have been told that the trip to Lynmouth has been cancelled because we cannot fill the bus, so sorry about that.
David Kendall
Treasurer’s Report
At the meeting this month we collected £6.77 for the Almoner’s Fund and £44.00 was raised by the raffle. Any more subscriptions due: please send them to David Kendall, 5 Harepark, Allerford, Minehead, TA24 8HL or bring them to the next meeting.
Events’ Committee Report
The Events’ Committee:
Sandra Kendall 01643 863505, Shirley Williams 01984 632265 and Peter Kilner 01643 821464
Forthcoming Trips and Events:
Buses are booked for the following dates:
Tuesday, May 26th: Allerford Inn, near Norton Fitzwarren for lunch.
Thursday, June 11th: Cricket St Thomas.
Tuesday, June 23rd: Selworthy for a cream tea.
Thursday, July 2nd: Weston-super-Mare.
Tuesday, July 21st: Knightshayes Gardens, near Tiverton.
Thursday, August 6th: Bristol Zoo
Tuesday, August 18th: Torre Cider Farm, Washford, for lunch.
We will try to fit in other events if the weather is in our favour. If you are interested in going on any of the outings, please contact one of the Events’ Committee members.
Announcements
Speakers at our monthly meetings:
May: Tom Bowen from the West Somerset Council
June: Tanya will talk about the changeover to Digital TV. She will be here to speak and answer our questions before the changeover date next year.
Articles, letters and e-mails
From the local Press:
Teamwork is helping to improve accessibility for a raft of West Somerset people.
Wheelchair users, pram pushers and people pulling shopping trolleys should find life easier thanks to links between West Somerset Council, the West Somerset Disability Association and a £1,350 grant from the community budget of Somerset county councillor Anthony Trollope-Bellew.
One of the first improvements is the installation of dropped kerbs at the Half Acre junction with the A358 in Williton.
Cllr Kate Kravis, who has responsibility for local accessibility on the district authority, said discussions had taken place with the WSDA to get their views on making improvements so that areas were accessible for everyone.
“Dropping the kerb so that people can get to Half Acre or up Tower Hill in Williton without having to keep crossing the busy main road is one of the measures we are introducing to help make paths safer and more user-friendly,” she said.
Other measures in the pipeline include identifying overgrown or hard-to-use areas such as council-owned footpaths and cycle tracks and improving them, and asking other landowners to do the same.
There are also plans to introduce a drop kerb outside WH Smiths in Minehead for easier access to the district council’s offices in Summerland Road and to install another in Summerland Avenue.
WSDA President Jean Gilbert said: “This kerb was particularly high and people with a range of mobility restrictions had trouble with it.
“We will continue to work with the council to identify improvements so that more areas are accessible to everyone in the community.”
Councillor Trollope-Bellew, who represents the Quantock division, said he was pleased to have been able to help.
“It makes a real difference to people’s lives to be able to come and go as they please,” he said.
“I am delighted that it makes journeys safer and easier for all members of the community.”
More information on the WSDA, which provides a range of activities, outings and social gatherings for disabled people and their carers is available on 01643 702021 or 019840641197.
For Sale
Self-propelled shower chair, which doubles as a commode with pan provided. Comfortable padded back and seat. Foot rest and rising arm-rests. Grey and white. Excellent condition. £450.00 new, will sell for £100.00.
26” wide x 30” deep.
Can be delivered in west Somerset, if required.
Mr and Mrs Morse, 01984 639119
Handy Numbers
A4e Disability Advocate: Jackie Churchill 07841 250277 www.a4e.co.uk
Age Concern Information Line 0800 00 99 66 www.ageconcern.org.uk
Arthritis Care 0808 800 4050 www.arthritiscare.org.uk
A Taste of Exmoor: Home cooked food delivered to your door! 01643 709856 or 07919 816197
AT West Community Transport 01643 709701
Blue Badge (Disabled Parking Scheme) 0845 3459133 or 01823 335285. Renewals at 01278 437255
Breast Cancer Care 0808 800 6000 www.breastcancercare.org.uk
CVS (Council for Voluntary Service) Minehead 01643 707484
Compass Disability Advocacy Service 0330 333 0089 (or 0844 984 2828) www.compassdisability.org.uk
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
Free Directory Enquiries (with adverts) 0800 100 100
Help the Aged 0808 800 6565 www.helptheaged.org.uk
Hospital Transport 01278 727444
NHS Direct 0845 46 47 www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
MIND (National Association for Mental Health) 01643 708 765 deborah.melmoth@mindinwestsomerset.org.uk
Open DAWS (Cathy McGill) 01643 821112
PALS (Patient Advisory and Liaison Service) Ruby Haq 01278 437013 www.somerset.nhs.uk/pals
Prestige Mobility (Customer Focus Team) 0970 787 1975 www.prestigemobility.com
Samaritans 08457 909090 www.samaritans.org.uk
Sky Helpline for the Disabled 08442 410333
Somerset Association for the Blind 01823 333818 www.somersetblind.org.uk
Stroke Association 0845 303 3100 www.stroke.org.uk
Talking Newspapers 01984 640 471
West Somerset Advice Bureau (similar to a Citizens’ Advice Bureau) 01643 704624
Winter Warmth Helpline 0800 085 700 www.dh.gov.uk
Next Meeting
The next meeting will be in the Seahorse Centre on Monday May 18th 2009 at 2.00 pm earlier in the month than normal on because of the Bank Holiday at the end of the month. See you all there.
