March April Newsletter 2018

South & West Cornwall MS Group Newsletter March - April 2018 Welcome!

Firstly, We have a message from Julie and Family; To all M.S. Friends, I would like to thank you all, for the cards, telephone calls and for attending the Funeral of Malcolm. He would have been so pleased to see you all there. He will be missed very much.

I hope to see you all at future events.

Thank you again. Julie Glister

Volunteer Meeting 20th March Our team met at the Carnon Inn to discuss various topics and receive a financial report from Hilary.

We met at 12.30 PM for lunch and with the Beefeater menu offering a lunch from £5 put us in good stead for the opening of the meeting at 2.00 PM. We welcomed Martin our newly trained Support Volunteer together with Tony and Janet, who has become very welcome Volunteer Members to our Team! our meeting was very productive with some good idea’s for future events, and how to fund them, which in turn leads on to grants for our Group and where / who from. Within the first twenty minutes of the meeting, it was apparent how each and everyone of us in that room, had The South and West Cornwall MS Group to heart. Without a Group Coordinator at present, we know that there is a lot of work ahead but “We are a TEAM” ................which leads once again, to the question to all our Members and one which is made time and time again. Even important enough to create an event in September last year. A Volunteer Recruitment Day. Well, perhaps we will try something different:.

An Invitation To any of our Members to come to The Carnon Inn, (usually the third Tuesday of the month), to join us for a social lunch at 12.30 PM. (We pay for ourselves so no Group funds used) then join us for our Volunteer Meeting to see if you would / can offer anything to The South and West Cornwall MS Group.

There is work to be done. Fundraising, awareness, planning events, writing letters, making telephone calls / emails.

(Yes even a newsletter, if anyone wishes to do!).

R.S.V.P ~ 01872 274 911

OR EMAIL :

southandwestcornwall@mssociety.org.uk

All views expressed in this publication are individual and not necessarily the view or policy of the charity and its supporters. Multiple Sclerosis Society Registered charity nos. 1139257 / SC041990

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Events Being Planned by Our Group and Other Events of Interest to Our Members Visit to Eny’s Gardens, Penryn - Sometime Soon to See the Bluebells and Gardens Last year Karen arranged a visit as part of “Carers Day’s Out” following the grant funding obtained from CRCC (Cornwall Rural Community Charity). So popular and enjoyed by all that Karen is organising another for 2018. The visit is very much reliant on the weather and as to when the Bluebells, bloom at their finest. Therefore anyone wishing to go must be prepared to come at short notice as the opportunity offered by “Mother Nature” will allow! But in the meantime, please contact Karen on 01872 274 188 to put your name on her list. The day will start by meeting at Eny’s Gardens in the morning then touring the gardens (wheelchair / mobility scooter terrain is fair to medium) then lunch at the outdoor cafe’. Admission and lunch provided for MS Cared for or affected, and Carers. Also Guests are welcome (self funding).

Tregothnan Gardens Charity Open Day's For The Merlin Centre Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd April 10.00 to 17.00 Merlin MS Centre is the charity this year to benefit from the open day's at Tregothnan Gardens. This is a once a year event hosted by The Boscawen Family in aid of a chosen charity. No doubt many people affected by MS in Cornwall will benefit from this event by The Merlin Centre being the sole beneficiaries. Let's support the event and wish The Merlin Centre all the very best in having good weather and many visitors to Tregothnan.

Details and tickets are available here: https://tregothnan.co.uk/product/ticket-to-the-uks-largest-charity-garden-opening-2018/ Cake Break at Wendy and Kev Hughes, Penryn Saturday 28th April 14.00 to 17.00 Wendy and Kev Hughes are hosting their annual MS Cake Break for our Group on Saturday 28th April. Last year Wendy and Kev hosted the same event, but let's make this year better, with more funds raised and more visitors. Wendy works very hard planning this day, together with her Family and P.A. Helen. Let's support them and wish them well for a great afternoon in the meantime. Their home is situated just off the main Penryn to University Campus main road, from the town and just down from Penryn railway station. There is also a bus stop at the bottom of their road with services every few minutes from Redruth and Truro services U1 & U2 by First Kernow busses. The stop is called Harbour View. Please use postcode TR10 8HJ or call our Group telephone 01872 274 911 for the precise location and contact details, or email; southandwestcornwall@mssociety.org.uk Get Together - Carnon Inn Saturday 19th May 11.00 - 15.00

Cancelled Due To Royal Wedding Alternative Date to Be Advised

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Eny’s Gardens, May 2017 Are any Members interested in joining a group, meeting at The All Saints Church, Highertown, Truro, TR1 3LD, for some Pilates over a “cuppa” aimed with MS in mind? A lady in Truro has contacted us, to tell us that a group is starting very soon, hopefully at the beginning of May. Together with an instructor, Anna, they are looking to make this a regular social event and for anyone affected by MS especially. This is because Charlotte, who contacted us, has MS, and found the participation with Anna doing Pilates very beneficial. They are in the process of confirming the date to “launch” the meeting and to hire the venue. The venue, All Saints Church in Truro is on the main road from the City towards the hospital.

Excellent location with parking and even a bus stop outside, on both sides of the road.

MS Information Day The Grand Hotel, Torquay - 29th September 09.00 - 16.00 This is an event hosted by The South Devon MS Group.

Hugely popular with attendees coming from as far as Cumbria to Cornwall. The last one in March 2016 had seven guest speakers with three Professors presenting advances from stem cell to DMT’s. There was a speaker from Birmingham, Nikki Ward an MS Nurse who’s speciality topic was “MS and Sex”. I had the privilege of attending the day and the presentation by Prof. Jeremy Hobart with video illustrating his research with a particular drug to treat MS was well, “made the hair stand up on the back of my neck”. There were gasps of pure delight from the audience at witnessing such advances being made There is an admission charge to the day (I have been informed no more than £10) to include a sumptuous lunch and refreshments during the day. There will be accommodation available at The Grand Hotel for the event at preferential rates for anyone wishing to attend. Why not have a weekend in Torquay! More details will follow as and when they are announced.

Mike M.

The Information Day 2016 at The Grand Hotel Torquay

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Grants Available Through The MS Society Over the last year (it was a year ago that as a Group, we discontinued our own voucher scheme) the MS Society has launched a new grant programme. The primary objective to bring some consistency to local Groups and networks in the MS Society as a whole. The types of grants available can be found here: https://www.mssociety.org.uk/apply-ms-society-grant The Health and Wellbeing Grant is probably the grant that applies to most grant applications. Don't forget, please, if you are unable to access the link above, just call 01872 274 911 or speak to any of our Team of Volunteers. We will gladly get some information posted to you. This leads me to our next important news............Our Support Volunteer.

Our Support Volunteer - Martin Welton Martin joined our Group following the Recruitment and Awareness Day last September. It had been some time we have had as to what was “Support Officer” in the day’s of us being a “Branch of The MS Society” with Richard Stevens following Adrian Smith’s well earned retirement. Martin we are sure, is a welcome and valued Volunteer to our Group. The MS Society has a training programme for Support Volunteers which Martin has now completed. The MS Society as a whole recognised the importance of Group’s having a Support Volunteer and the contribution they make. So training was introduced.

With the implementation of The local Network Programme in 2016, we have seen a lot of changes especially to help Volunteers. “Our empathetic and impartial Support Volunteers use their excellent listening and interpersonal skills to provide support to people with MS, their Family, Friends and Carers”. That statement can be found on the Volunteer website and in literature of The MS Society. With that in mind, together with the training that is now in place, Martin should be considered a very valuable Member. We hope you as our Members, together with us Volunteers, wish Martin every possible good wish to succeed. Also, to help Martin, to help us! A few words from Martin next month hopefully, as he is currently out of county on Family business.

Some Useful Group Telephone Numbers and Other Contacts Finance Volunteer: Hillary Merton 01872 863896 MS Support Volunteer: Martin Welton 01872 274 911 Admin & Group Membership Volunteer: Janet Jelbert 01209 717776 Collecting Volunteers South: Karen and Keith Moore 01872 274188 Collecting Volunteers West: Ann and David Jones 01736 757297 Communications, Web and I.T. Volunteer: Mike May 01872 272957 Health & Safety Volunteer: Nikki Jenkin 01736 787089 Bingo Organisers: Richard & Amanda Chapman : 01872 870061 The Merlin Centre: 01726 885530 MS Nurses at Treliske: 01872 253063 Kernow Carers Service: 0800 587 8191 MS Society Helpline: 0808 800 8000 Our Group telephone landline is available for general enquiries and is also a direct line for local MS Support : 01872 274 911 or email : southandwestcornwall@mssociety.org.uk Next month, we will be updating all our Members to a “New Group / Correspondence Address” as Malcolm’s was used extensively for a lot of contact information and need to be replaced. If any Member wishes to post any correspondence in the meantime, please telephone 01872 274 911 and we will gladly advise you where to send. Also in the next few weeks, everyone will receive correspondence in relation to the New Data Protection laws from 25 May 2018. Called G.D.P.R. For news sooner, visit Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mssouthandwestcornwall All views expressed in this publication are individual and not necessarily the view or policy of the charity and its supporters.

Multiple Sclerosis Society Registered charity nos. 1139257 / SC041990