Club Update - 2006 by Kerry Eatwell

Having completed our first six months in our new location, permit me to bring you up to date with our club news.

We are all well pleased with the outcome of the move from Westbury Hospital, a move that members all took in their stride made even less of an ordeal by the excellent response by Richard Violet and his team at the library.

The initial meeting held under a fresh roof led to many interesting observations.

The first thing that was noted being that the members each found the seating arrangements more acceptable than previously experienced, we now have the comfortable chairs [ enhanced by the kind donation of 3 special chairs to us from THE WESTBURY LEAGUE OF FRIENDS ] arranged in a close and neighbourly fashion yet allowing for the easy movement of wheelchairs and being in a quiet part of the building leads to a relaxed, friendly setting in which members can meet, talk to each other, see how each other has progressed in the last seven days, listen to our guest speaker [different one most weeks ] , have a cuppa and enjoy a change of scenery .

Being in a non hospital location gives the meetings a feeling of independence to us all without forgetting our friends who played such a vital role in our days of formation.

Since being here the membership has steadily grown helped by the fact that people appear to enjoy the group and return the following week. We now meet up for a lunch on a regular basis, this is again helps us all gain confidence in our own right, by mixing with the human race again, works wonders for morale.

Our guest speakers , different subject each week, proves to be popular as well as rewarding. The topics talked about vary from mundane things such as being made aware of benefit rights, how to claim them, social services and how they are able to help, Age Concern, Help The Aged, together with a host of others who can make our lives more easy by making us aware of the help open to us .

We also have been given talks on the following subjects [ shortened version ] Gardens, local history, Lions assoc. Poetry and stories, Different Strokes and a wide selection still to come and had several visits out.

We are keen to extend the hand of friendship to all of our peers, if any group or individual has any comments to make, please do so, or better still , how about exchange visits ?

As ex patients we can sit and watch the world go by, or we can do something to brighten up our lives and make new friends in doing so, please contact me.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE POPULATION OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT AND THE NUMBER OF STROKE PATIENTS.

I WRITE THE LETTER, YOU DO THE MATHS.