Informs spring 2014

Multiple Sclerosis Society Ayrshire & Arran Branch Newsletter

Spring 2014 Chairman’s Report We had another excellent attendance at our New Year Lunch hosted by Provost Helen Mooney. It was good to see so many of our members and friends there including John Scott - who is our local MSP and an active member of the branch.

A big thank you to Brian Farmer for his help in making the event run so smoothly.

Following Dr Paul Mattison’s retirement, the branch have agreed to establish a research grant/scholarship in Paul's name in recognition of the tremendous contribution he has made in developing MS services and his commitment to research, which I know is a top priority for our members. The branch were proud to nominate the unit for a national award and were delighted that the unit was one of three short listed and highly commended at the awards ceremony in London in October last year.

We will be holding another carers training programme this year. Jacqui Downs will be inviting members to a meeting to help us develop a programme that meets the needs of our members.

The branch are still looking for support volunteers. If any member is interested please feel free to contact me direct, or Lynda Boyce our volunteer development manager on 0131 335 4074.

The branch, national centre and the Douglas Grant unit have agreed in principle to establish a pilot counselling service to complement the excellent service provided

by Dr Carolyn Patterson. We will keep you posted on progress.

Our AGM will be held on 27 April. Brian will be writing to members shortly seeking nominations for vacancies on the committee. I would be personally happy to speak with anyone who is interested in becoming involved in the work of the branch. Please get in touch.

We were pleased to hear of the establishment of an MS Cross Party Working Group in the Scottish Parliament. We have posted a copy of the minutes of the first meeting held on 5 February 2014, together with a copy of their work plan for this year, on our website. I would encourage everyone to take time to read about this very welcome initiative.

With best wishes George McLachlan Branch Chairman

What happened to this young lady’s hair? Find out inside!

Branch Social Night - April ‘MS Patient/Carer Education’ The Ayrshire & Arran Multiple Sclerosis Service invites you to attend educational events scheduled throughout 2014. The purpose of these events is to provide up-to-date information on each topic. There will be an opportunity to ask questions of specialists and to talk to others who are affected by MS. Each event will be held on a Wednesday afternoon from 2pm to 4pm at the Douglas Grant Rehabilitation Centre in Irvine.

23rd April 2014 Welfare Benefits Jim Slavin 23rd July 2014 MS Overview Alan Izat / Lindsay Collins MS Nurse Specialists 22nd October 2014 General Adjustment and Coping Dr Carolyn Patterson MS Specialist Clinical Psychologist Would you like to attend? Then please contact Diane Togneri on 01294 323344. Numbers are limited for each event, so please book your place.

The MS Yoga Group Meets weekly on Monday evenings at the Biggart Hospital in Prestwick. at 6.45pm. All are welcome. For details please call Susan Fitt on 01292 282377.

Our Social evening returns to the Menzies Hotel in Irvine on Thursday 3rd April with entertainment by 'Stevie B'. The evening is at 6pm for 6.30 with a cost of £10 per person including a 2-course meal.

For details call Krys or Mari on 01294 558866.

Cunninghame Group Fundraiser Saturday 5th April at St. John’s Church Hall, Hayocks Road, Stevenston 7 for 7.30pm.

Scots Pie with peas or beans plus entertainment from Stevie Boyd and a licenced bar with last orders at 11.30pm.

Tickets priced £6 each can be obtained from Harry Travers on 07717 039 326.

Henderson Group Anniversary A Dinner and Dance to celebrate the Henderson MS Group’s 25th Anniversary will be held on Saturday 29th March.

Tickets for this event have already sold out.

Conference: "Neurological Standards in Scotland…

How are we doing?"

20 March 2014 - 9am to 3.30pm at the Crowne Plaza Roxburghe Hotel, Edinburgh, EH2 4HQ. Key Note Speaker: The Minister of Public Health – Michael Matheson MSP Presentations: ‘Working Together’ from stakeholders.

Workshops: 2 sessions of 7: MS; PD; Headache; Epilepsy; Functional Symptoms/MUS; Neurological Voices and Local Improvement Groups; Workforce – Multi Disciplinary Team Planning.

Key Priorities: Workshop Leads present the key priority from their workshops.

If you wish to attend please email NNAG@ssba.org.uk or phone 07734 996210

Henderson Group

Kyle Coffee Club

We meet in the Scout Hall behind Kay Park Church on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. We would welcome new as well as old members. We recently welcomed a few new faces, Carole, Margaret and Ann M. We are missing John, Dot and Gail, but it is good to have to have Rena with us again.

Burns Lunch: A happy afternoon was enjoyed with Haggis Neeps and Tatties followed by shortbread and Moureen's Ginger Wine. Carole entertained with a reading of Willie Wastle.

It is 25 years since Eleanor Tannock began this group with a few volunteers, Mary M, Jean D and Jean T and we shall be celebrating our anniversary with a dinner and dance organised by our volunteers.

We are grateful to the 37th Ayrshire Scout Group in Kilmarnock for their generosity of spirit on allowing us to use their facilities for the last 25 years..

Catherine Honeyman

Ayr Craft Group We meet weekly at Ayr ex-Services Club. If you would like to come along and join us, please email k80@live.co.uk for more information or call the MS Resource Centre on 01294 558866.

It seems a long time since our Christmas Lunch at Dobbies in December and during that time the weather has been awful with heavy rain and driving winds, but when you think of the situation faced elsewhere with flooding and devastation, we have to consider that we are fortunate in this small part of the country.

In January, 17 members of the group had a very enjoyable afternoon at Ayr ex-Servicemen's club commemorating Robert Burns with entertainment from members of the Newton Burns Club, arranged by John and Katie. This was much appreciated by all who attended.

The weather did not deter our members from coming out to the coffee club at the end of January when we had an excellent turnout. After six weeks we had a lot of catching up so you can imagine the chat was pretty lively!

We hope to make up a programme of outings/entertainments for the next few months - suggestions welcome. We are a friendly group who meet at Dobbies Garden World in Ayr on the last Wednesday of the month at 10.30 so come and join us, we’d love to see you.

For details please phone 01292 478962.

Irene McLean

Don Your Easter Bonnets!

Our Branch Social Evening on 3rd April will feature an Easter Bonnet contest with the winning bonnet receiving a prize.

Please call either Krys or Mari at our office on 01294 558866 for full details.

Eglinton Group

Cunninghame MS Drop-in Centre

I am happy to say that the self-management course for people with MS is confirmed and will be going ahead at the Eglinton group in Taylors Hotel at the end of April

The Cunninghame MS Drop-in Centre is still going strong at St. John’s Church Hall, Stevenston on Thursdays from 12- 3. Why not come and join us for lunch and a social afternoon? We also have, on the 5th April at 7p.m. for 7.30, a social evening entititled Pie and Peas although I am sure that beans are available too.

It has been a long but worthwhile journey since I spoke to Alex Tavern at the anniversary open day last November, so I've been busy getting names and numbers of attendees, meeting Joan and Danielle who will be taking the course.

There is a bar available and music will be provided

by Stevie Boyd. Everyone enjoyed his last visit to St. John’s where he entertained us, so here's hoping that this one will also be a success. Full details are given on the “What’s On” page of this newsletter.

Group numbers are slowly but surely increasing and every group member now has a mug with their name on it!

Betty Harvie continues to do our fund raising through Betty’s Thrift Shop in Kilwinning Main Street so a big thank you goes to her.

We meet from 12-3 on Mondays at Taylors (formerly the Claremont) in Byres Road, Kilwinnning.

The main talking point at the moment is trying to organise our next holiday abroad hopefully to Benidorm some time in October. Enquiries are being made as to cost so that those who need to apply for grants can give the relevant information, as we know that grants have to be passed before any booking can be made.

Can I on a personal note just thank everyone who sponsored my granddaughter for her headshave.

More that £1000 was raised for the branch, so thank you all for your support.

Margaret Shuttleworth

Blast From The Past

All are welcome, please send an email to: lizcrozier@outlook.com or call 01294 558866 if you require more information.

Liz Crozier The photo above was taken at our Branch Fun Day at Eglinton Park in Kilwinning in 2003.

Design our 2014 Christmas Cards Each year, the Branch Committee send out Christmas cards to our members, sponsors, supporters and health professionals.

This year, we are asking you to send in a drawing, photo or design that could feature on the Branch’s 2014 Christmas Cards.

There are three categories: ●Young Persons (under 16) ●Photo or Design (all ages) ●Art & Crafts (all ages) So it’s time to dust off your decoupage set, pick up your paint box or start clicking with your camera.

The winning entries for each category will appear on our cards, but please note all entries must be your own original work and no bigger than a sheet of A4 paper.

Send by post to: Nick Smalley, (MS Card Design) 3 Five Roads, Kilwinning KA13 7JX Send by Email to: mspublications@btinternet.com You can also hand your entry in to our Resource Centre at 84 Main Street, Kilwinning. Remember to include your name and contact details.

Closing date: 30th April 2014 Winners will be notified.

For more information wisit our website at www.msayrshire.com

The Branch is Missing Out Although as mentioned elsewhere we are doing well in Fund Raising we are missing a trick.

We are not getting the full benefit of the Governments Gift Aid scheme for charities.

If you are a UK taxpayer and donate to a registered charity (That’s us !) the Government will top up your generosity to the tune of 25% - so your £20 becomes £25, all for just filling in fully and correctly the official form that we can supply.

WE REQUIRE YOUR NAME, FULL HOME ADDRESS (not workplace, pub, club etc.)

AND POST CODE AND YOUR SIGNATURE CONFIRMING THAT YOU ARE A UK TAXPAYER – SIMPLE !!

It applies to your individual donations or your support for a sponsorship event. It also covers your membership subscription if you tick the right box. The details - as shown below - on the form need only to be completed once and thereafter applies to all your donations and sponsorship.

“I confirm I’m a UK taxpayer and have paid sufficient tax (income and/or capital gains tax) on all my donations to all charities and CASCS to cover the tax that will be reclaimed on my donations. I understand other taxes such as council tax and VAT do not qualify.”

Last year we got over £1,100 so we are not talking chicken feed here. LET’S ALL DO IT Forms are available from our Resource Centre – Tel 01294 558866 - or you can download one from our Branch website.

Just click the link below or go to .... http://msayrshire.weebly.com/gift-aid.html

Big Hearted Ayrshire and Arran The Branch has much cause to appreciate the generosity and hard work of many individuals and the wider community who do so much to fundraise for us. At the forthcoming AGM (Sunday 27 April) our Treasurer will report that we benefitted from no less than £62,787 – an astonishing amount when you consider most folks situation. And this windfall has so far kept going in the last three months with £20,705 accruing - a big well done and thanks to all. Your Committee firmly believes our supporters welcome the fact that the Branch is run by volunteers with no paid staff and that is why help is so forthcoming.

A large part of this income comes from the efforts of members and supporters. No less than £2,300 comes from our members’ £5 annual subscriptions all of which are kept locally. (IF YOU HAVE NOT YET RENEWED, OUR MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY HARRY TRAVERS WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!!)

Another good source is our distinctive bright orange collecting cans in shops and pubs with well over £2,000 being raised. Importantly these are also keeping our profile in the public eye and allow perhaps small but easy contributions of help.

Moureen Jones and Elise Allan recently placed a further two cans in Cumnock for us. If you know of any suitable spot please contact Donald who will fix this up.

Remember with one notable exception these monies stay with us to fund our local grants scheme and promote both the activities of the Branch and our local groups.

The one exception is of course our continuing support for MS Research in Scotland.

We have over the last few years gifted £71,000 to this most worthy cause which is the Society’s No. 1 priority. A large part of this work is undertaken under the auspices of the University of Edinburgh with the major help fromJ K Rowling, but it was good to see recently that a substantial grant has gone to Glasgow University for Myelin repair research. If you have any ideas for raising funds I would be pleased to hear from you.

Donald McNeill Chief Fundraiser

Pupils and staff at Fencedyke Primary School in Irvine began their fundraising efforts with an ‘orange and black’ day.

Flying Without Wings On 23rd November last year, at Grange over Sands in Cumbria, Scott Bettley (22) did a sponsored 14,000 foot Tandem Skydive with his instructor Pete Connor.

The jump by the Branch Member from Saltcoats raised the tremendous amount of £750 for Scott's local group, the Cunninghame MS Drop in Centre who meet at St John’s Church Hall in Stevenston – “Well done Scott”.

Steph’s Headshave - Before and After As you may remember from our winter newsletter, we promised to bring you photos of the day in November when Stephanie Shuttleworth had her hair shaved off to raise funds for MS Ayrshire and Arran Branch.

The twenty-year-old donated her shorn locks to the Little Princess Trust, a charity that make wigs for children who have lost their own hair due to chemotherapy treatment.

Steph’s head shave has raised over £1,000 so far and although her Just Giving page has now closed, you can still make a donation by sending a cheque or postal order payable to MS Ayrshire and Arran Branch to: Mrs M. Shuttleworth, 33 Kilwinning Road, Stevenston KA20 3AT. However, if you wish to make a cash donation to this - or any of the branch’s other fundraising efforts - please hand it in to our Resource Centre.

The photo on the cover shows Steph before her headshave and (below) afterwards with her Gran, Margaret.

Getting Lucky and Helping Your Branch For a modest £5, we guarantee you FIVE CHANCES to win a possible £50 first prize and lesser second and third prizes in our popular 50/50 Club.

In addition, you will know that 50% of the total proceeds go to your local Branch’s popular Social Section.

An entry form accompanies this newsletter, but if you require further entry forms call 01294 558866 or go to the ‘Fundraising’ page of our website: www.msayrshire.com

MS Society Financial Assistance The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society provides grants to people affected by MS for items or activities needed as a direct result of their MS, for which there is no available health or social services funding.

We can consider grant applications towards a wide range of equipment, adaptations, personal development, short breaks and support for carers and families from our Individual Support Grants Fund, our Short Breaks and Activities Fund and our Carers Grant Fund.

Robbie Dickie Family Donation / Beneficiaries of the Donation Following his tragic death, the family and friends of Robbie Dickie have established a permanent fund to perpetuate and honour his memory.

This donation is exclusively available to young people with MS and young people with a caring role for a person with MS, living in Ayrshire and Arran. The family specifically wish to assist those young people to realise their life potential to the fullest possible extent. This may include but is not limited to enabling young people to take up educational or employment opportunities or develop their leisure interests or hobbies.

Grant Applications Given the family’s long standing involvement with the MS Society, the family have asked the Ayrshire and Arran branch of the MS Society to administer their donation on their behalf.

All young people living in Ayrshire and Arran with, or affected by, MS (carers and families) are eligible to apply, under established MS Society funding criteria. They do not have to be a member of the MS Society. If a grant is awarded, funding will be met from the relevant MS Society fund and/or Robbie Dickie Family donation.

Expressions of interest, further information and application forms are available from the the Ayrshire and Arran MS Resource Centre in Kilwinning.

On behalf of young people affected by Multiple Sclerosis, the MS Society would like to thank Robbie Dickie’s Family for their generous donation.

Contact MS Ayrshire & Arran MS Resource Centre, 84 Main Street, Kilwinning KA13 6AG Telephone: 01294 558866 Email: msayrshire@talktalk.net Website: www.msayrshire.com Open 11am - 3pm Monday to Friday.

This newsletter is published by Ayrshire & Arran Branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The views and opinions in this document are those of the individual and may not necessarily be those of either the Branch or the MS Society.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society is a registered charity in England and Wales (1139257) and Scotland (SCO41990) and a company limited by guarantee. (07451571).