West Somerset
Disability Association

Hello everyone! The next meeting will be here in the Seahorse Centre on Monday 29th September at 2.00 pm.  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 and Heidi Morse; Sue Horne; Tim Poat; 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:  Gordon Wright  01643 862167
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:
 (Minutes) Marlene Saunders 01643 702972
(Welfare) Margaret Bruford  01984 656367
Events Committee:
   Peter Kilner  01643 821464
   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 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.  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 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
My goodness how these months fly.  Have had a very busy month with lots of different meetings and am still learning different ‘things’ but at the same time keeping very much up to date with so many changes going on.  Have had two meetings with West Somerset Council and they are working on our behalf on different issues that has arisen. 
A few of us went racing recently.  We met our patron, Philip and all of us had a good time.
Please come and support us on FRIDAY September 12th between 10 and 12pm at the Methodist Hall on the Avenue, Minehead, next to the Hospital, for a coffee and sale of cakes and bric-a-brac.  Admission is 50p.  This is our first big event this year, so we shall need all hands on deck, and all goods will be gratefully received.
We have an outing to Weston Super Mare on the 9th September.  Last time we went we all enjoyed ourselves but please if you book, be committed to going, because it causes so much work if you don’t turn up.  I am away the previous week, so please don’t leave me any messages on the phone.
We have after 18 months of writing and consultations with Tesco at long last, hopefully been given a slot, to have a collection.  It will not be until next year but at last we have won.
Take care all of you, and enjoy your holidays.
Jean

Chairman’s Thoughts
Hello all
At the moment I seem to go from one crisis to the next. This time I have put my back out and am walking around like a robot, and with so much work to do I feel very frustrated but it will go away.
Following on from my last “thoughts” the group have now come to the time when we have to appoint the Officers for the next three years and with that in mind would any of you like to be put forward for any of the offices. If so, please let any of the existing committee know as soon as possible. After all, a new face on the committee means new ideas. New ideas also mean a more vibrant group able to fulfil the needs of its members more effectively.
This is also a time to remind all of you that even if you do not take office you can still “do your bit” for the group by giving your full support to those that do take office otherwise it becomes a soul destroying job.
The existing committee have worked very hard on behalf of the members over the years despite their own disabilities and are deserving of our grateful thanks. I would like to thank them personally for the support and help they have given to Una and I and in particular during my year in office when we have gone through a lot of changes to our circumstances.
May I remind you that the next meeting is in September and I look forward to seeing you all then.
All the very best
Gordon

Vice-Chairman’s Report
Hello Mary here
I hope you all enjoyed the meeting last Monday. Although there were not            many that attended I think we all had a good time.  I being the Vice Chairman had to conduct the meeting. I hope you all heard and understood all that I said.
We had several issues to talk about one being the A.G.M. Now we need you all to think hard about who you want to be elected. Carol Harmon gave a very informative talk about benefits and claims so I hope you were all paying attention and I hope some of you will benefit from her advice.
David and Thelma won the first prize in the raffle and Sandra won the second prize. I hear that we made £5-60 on the Almoner’s collection, not bad as every penny counts. Thank you very much.
Mary

Treasurer’s Report
The raffle collection raised £44 this month and Jane collected £5.60 for the Almoner’s Fund.  Keep up the good work!
David

Events’ Committee Report
Trips and Events for the rest of 2008
Tuesday 9th September Weston-Super-Mare   £2.50 each
Friday 12th September Coffee morning and Bring and Buy sale: 10.00 to 12.00, Methodist Church Hall, Minehead.  If anyone with a car could help with transporting stuff from Carhampton to Minehead it would be appreciated.  Please ring Peter Kilner on 01643 821464.
Saturday 4th October Bristol Hippodrome: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Tuesday 25th November Christmas Shopping at Clarks Village, Street
Friday 12th December Christmas Dinner at Foxes Hotel, Minehead from 12.00
Saturday 20th December One of Ireland’s favourite Singers, Curtis Magee, at the Royal Ordnance Factory Social Club, Puriton, near Bridgwater.

Announcements
Speakers at our monthly meetings:
August: no meeting
September 29th: Sam Rawle and Tom Bowen from the West Somerset Council talking about your problems with disabilities.
October 27th: The Annual General Meeting will take place at this meeting. Also Barbara Mullen from Magna Housing will explain all the services they offer.
November 24th: Roy is talking about hearing dogs for the deaf.
December: no meeting.  Happy Christmas!  The next meeting is in January.

Articles, letters and e-mails
Stephen Brinkman sent some information about rail travel.

RAIL TRAVEL MADE EASY

DISABLED PERSON’S RAILCARD
If you have a Disabled Person’s Railcard (or a Senior Railcard), rail tickets are up to one third cheaper than the normal price.

MAKING RAIL TRAVEL EASIER
Trains are being improved so that customers have access to good quality visual and audible information.  Priority seats for disabled people and designated wheelchair areas are being put into many carriages.  Many toilets are wheelchair-accessible, with more being planned.
There are a number of key stations with lifts and lots of smaller improvements such as automatic doors, lowered ticket office sales points and induction loops for people with hearing difficulties have been installed.

ASSISTANCE
If you need assistance we recommend that you book it at least 24 hours in advance of travel.  The 24-hour notice period also gives us time, where possible, to relocate staff to help you.  This is important if you are going to travel at a time when a station is usually unstaffed.

HELP US TO HELP YOU
Rail staff are trained to give you help.  So, if you are likely to require help getting on and off trains or receiving information, please tell our staff.  This will help them to help you if disruption affects your journey.

WHEELCHAIRS
Most trains can accommodate wheelchairs that are 700mm wide 1,200mm long (2 feet 3½ inches by 4 feet).  There are a small number of older trains that can only currently carry wheelchairs that have a maximum width of 670mm (2 feet 2 inches).
The maximum combined weight of a person and their wheelchair is between 230kg (506 lbs or 36 stone) and 300kg (660 lbs or 47 stone).  There are a limited number of spaces available to wheelchair users on each train, we therefore recommend that you book your space in advance.

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
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
Piper Lifeline (Cynthia Lewis) 01643 709234
Prestige Mobility (Customer Focus Team) 0970 787 1975 www.prestigemobility.com
Samaritans 08457 09090 www.samaritans.org.uk
Sky Helpline for the Disabled 08442 410333
Somerset Association for the Blind 01823 333818 www.sab-fund.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 29th September at 2.00 pm.