Living with Parkinson’s?

Is anyone in your village living with Parkinson’s?

Most of us DO know of someone who has been diagnosed with this condition, who is now living with knowledge of what that implies for themselves and for their family and friends in the future.

THE CAMBRIDGE BRANCH OF PARKINSON’S UK exists so that People with Parkinson’s (PwPs) do not have to face the future alone. Meetings, therapies and a bi-monthly Newsletter offer advice, information, and companionship – our members say that knowing that you are not alone is the best possible aid to coming to terms with the diagnosis.

In the next year the Cambridge Branch aims to offer transport assistance to PwPs who would not otherwise be able to benefit from its meetings and therapies – many of them living in Cambridgeshire villages with limited bus services. Offering this support to everyone who will benefit from it inevitably costs money. Street collections and donations are supplemented each year by the Branch’s major fundraiser:

THE ANNUAL SPRING TULIP FUN RUN 19TH APRIL 2020 7K/4-MILE, LEVEL ROUTE LEAVING AND RETURNING TO SCOTSDALE’S GARDEN CENTRE IN SHELFORD

In 2020 we are inviting all the villages in the area to enter a team. In so doing a village might be the first to win the David Johnston Memorial Trophy created in memory of a member who was an enthusiastic participant in the past. It will be awarded annually to the person or group – family, village, business – making the greatest contribution to the Fun Run, whether it be in enrolling runners and walkers, raising money, or overcoming the greatest challenge by taking part.

For details go to www.parkinsonscambridge.org.uk, or call Caroline on 01223 314279

Men laden with tea, Sichuan Sheng, China 1908.

paper and has a substantial wood block printing house built in 1729. There are now a significant number of large revived monasteries some with significant western followers.

Linked to the revival of Tibetan Buddhism I recently researched a project developed by a monk who requested help from the local mountain deities in a village in Sichuan to help protect his biodiverse valley from development. This valley had been discovered as a sacred valley (Beyul) by local religious figures. When a monk from the local monastery discovered that there was the possibility of the introduction of a hydropower plant and even mining, he encouraged the local community to build special sacred structures: Lhatse, to request support from the local mountain gods for protection of the valley. This was supported by the production of a book on the biodiversity of the valley and discussions on environmental law with the local government officials. So far there has been no development.

For our next travel account we will be leaving the Himlayas and picking up the routes followed by the silk road merchants, some of whom may have finished up in Yunnan.

Bruce Huett

Photographs on pages 26 and 27 by Bruce Huett. Photograph above by Ernest H. Wilson