West Somerset
Disability Association

Hello everyone! The next meeting is in the Seahorse Centre on Monday 27th April 2009 at 2.00 pm.  The meeting after that will be on 18th May, not at the end of the month because of the Bank Holiday.  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.  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
Jean has been up to her neck in muck and bullets this month, with a new kitchen being fitted.  It has been a month of chaos, so no contribution this month.  Sorry…
There was an Easter Bonnet competition and prizes were won by Eunice Newland, Sandra Kendall and Richard Charity.
There should have been a bookstall with books on sale to raise money for the WSDA but it didn’t happen this month.  With a bit of luck it will be running next meeting.

Chairman’s Report
Hello Everybody
Thank you to those who came to the last meeting; it was well attended. We had the chap from ATWEST down to speak to us, but unfortunately I had to go before he came on to speak.  I understand that it went well. Hopefully our next month’s speaker is a pharmacist and will be giving a talk about your medicines and answering any queries you have about them.
Many of you have paid your annual subs, but there are still some of you that have not, so if you are coming to the next meeting will you please remember that it is £10.00 for the year and for those of you who will not be at the meeting would you please send your cheque made out to W.S.D.A to me.  Thank you and look forward to see you at the next meeting
David Kendall

Treasurer’s Report

The raffle raised £32.16 this month.  (Someone must have put in some loose change as the tickets are £1.00 each.  Thank you.)  The Almoner’s Fund, which pays for birthday cards, get well cards, condolence cards etc, raised £4.39.  Thank you everyone.
We now have 24 paid up members for 2009, so if you haven’t paid your subscription yet, please bring it to the next meeting or post it to David Kendall, 5 Harepark, Allerford, Minehead, TA24 8HL.

Events’ Committee Report
The Events’ Committee:

Sandra Kendall 01643 863505, Shirley Williams 01984 632265 and Peter Kilner 01643 821464
Peter and Alan raised £1,000 for our funds with their sponsored head shave last month.  Well done and thank you very much.  We do appreciate your efforts, honestly.
We have just had our first outing of this year, to the Friendly Spirit at Cannington, for lunch – a carvery, which was very enjoyable.
Your Events Committee are now in the process of working out future outings.  We have to book the transport well in advance to be able to get a bus when needed, so we have to fit our outings around them.

Forthcoming Trips and Events:

Buses are booked for the following dates:
Tuesday, May 12th:  Lynmouth, do your own thing.
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:

April: A pharmacist will speak about your medications and answer any queries you may have.
May: Tom Bowen from the West Somerset Council
We have arranged for a speaker to come and talk about the changeover to Digital TV.  The date is not fixed yet but they will be here to speak and answer our questions before the changeover date next year.

Articles, letters and e-mails

Judith O’Brien sent us a card with the following message:
Hello Everyone
Sorry to miss you all again today due to an appointment with the nurse I couldn’t change.  All leave had to be taken by April.
Many congratulations to the fund raisers.  I hope someone has knitted a hat for Peter!  £1.00 donation enclosed.
Hope to see you all at the April meeting.
Kind regards, Judith O’Brien

And there was a poem from Stephen Brinkman with his thoughts about it:
HEREDITY

How you become a poet’s a mystery!
Wherever did you get your talent from?
I say:  I had two uncles, Jack and Harry -
one was a stammerer, the other dumb.

From Tony Harrison Selected Poems. 
Penguin Poetry Page 111

Here is a poem for you all.  If that person can’t talk back to us they must be dumb, what will you do?  Disabled people may take some paper with them so they can communicate with a normal people.  Dumb people can hear but can’t talk to you.  I have the experience of working with them.   I have worked with deaf and dumb people. They talk with their fingers so you have to look down at their hands.  When you have a meeting again please made sure that everyone is quiet.  We all go deaf and dumb some time when we are old and grey. So we all have to learn A to Z with our hands now.  Wait until you have come across someone who is dumb and they are the nicest and most caring people in the world.  They will step in to help you if you are in trouble and save your neck in work or other places.  We don’t see many dumb people in Minehead, but in London there are a lot of them around.  There are workshops for them.          

From Stephen   

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 27th April 2009 at 2.00 pm and the one after that will be earlier than normal on May 18th because of the Bank Holiday at the end of the month.