Chichester & Bognor Regis Newsletter July 2013
In This Issue: Michaels Message page 2 MS Active page 2 Fundraising page 3 MS 60 Images pages 4, 5 You are very Welcome page 6 Gov. to review PIP page 7 Hug your Carer page 7 Branch Contacts back page General Information back page
EVENTS DIARY July 18th Quiz August 15th Jenny Jamieson: Modelling in Sugar Icing September 12th Cobnor Boat Trip: 1.00pm 19th Katrina Orchard: MS Nurse October 17th Dudley Hooley: Tangmere Air Museum
MICHAEL’S MESSAGE - MS ACTIVE - FUNDRAISI Scooter Madness? - or Good point? - or Nonsense? Summer is here at last! I know it makes a huge difference to everyone when the sun is shining, the wind has dropped and you can wear a T shirt. Many of you will be using your mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs to get around. Below is a reprint of an article from the Chichester Observer. There are some pretty strident views offered. I would like your opinion on what has been written. Please email me at mwwarden@btinternet.com .
Michael
“
We need some new measures to tackle the growing menace of mobility scooters.
These contraptions are rightly valued and are a necessity to those with limited mobility, but this should not mean that they can roam the highways and byways with no accountability in borderline kamikaze fashion. The elderly population is growing bigger and living longer. West Sussex has an above -average number of retired and elderly people who use these scooters. Those with disabilities also rely on these vehicles, plus they are often the favoured mode of transport of the dangerously obese (to ensure no further damage is caused to worn joints). Admittedly the mobility scooter goes nowhere fast, but it is staggering that they can be driven without identification and by people who don’t have to take any kind of proficiency test. Caren Jephson from Derby is currently campaigning to raise awareness of
the dangers of mobility scooters. In her city
alone she has heard from more than 300 people who have reported scooter-related injuries. There were also claims that owners had used them following a boozy session at the pub, and one sighting of a scooter
be-
ing driven by a man swigging from a can of ale. Caren set up the campaigning following an incident in which her son was hit and seriously injured by a mobility scooter. Her petition calls for the introduction of a mandatory proficiency test. She also wants mobility scooters to be used only by those registered disabled, and for each one to have an identification plate. She is not alone with her concerns. A coroner has criticised the serious lack of regulation after a 90 -year old woman was knocked down and killed by a scooter on an Isle of Wight pavement in 2009. Age -related charities fear that any new laws to tackle the dangers of mobility scooters could discourage some vulnerable older people from using them. What utter poppycock.
With rights come responsibilities.
Nobody is suggesting that these scooters
should not be used, but rather that the time has come for their drivers to be safer and easily identifiable. Who could possibly disagree with this proposition?”
ING - THREE ARTICLES FOR YOU TO ENJOY ...., Meet, Drink, Eat and be Merry! We have several new members of MS Active so a big warm welcome to Adam, Amy, Julia, Maria and Tracey. The meetings are always the 4th Thursday of every month in: Lloyds Bar Chichester Gate (by the Cinema) at 6.30 onwards. We meet for drinks/food and always a chat and a giggle. With lots of weather changes in the last few weeks I know that a lot of us are suffering but now that sun is shining (not too hot though) here‟s hoping you will be well enough to join us soon. Look forward to seeing you all. Helen
Fundraising news - thank you and...help!! We had a very successful „cake breaks‟ during May raising over £2000. To all who ran an event, and your helpers, a big thank you. W e also carried out three collections at Tesco stores raising £900 thank you to all our willing helpers, with a special thank you to Helen and Michael for organizing two of the collections. Our next street collection is in Chichester on Wednesday 24 July I need a few more helpers please contact me if you can help. The next fundraising event - in partnership with Parkinsons - on Saturday 6 July is a concert given by The Solent Male Voice Choir; there are a few tickets still available. During the autumn and winter, we will be running several events at Gunwharf Quays. To make these events successful I will need a team of willing helpers so if anyone is interested please contact me. I am sure it will be good fun and we will raise lots of money for our funds, remember these funds help our members, and pay for the social events we arrange for you all to enjoy. Thank you for all your support in the past and I hope it will continue. Best wishes Evelyn.
YO U A R E V E RY W E L CO M E On
-
G OV E R N M E N T
W ednesday
3rd
man,Michael W arden
July
the
Chair-
presented
Janet
Mallinson with a new Mobility Scooter to enable her to access better the rural environment in which she lives. She will be able to take her dogs on walks in the countryside now without fear of being stranded as has happened because her means of transport were not adequate. Janet said, she is very grateful for the Scooter, “it will help me a lot and my thanks to all.� In the same week on Friday 5th July the Chairman presented
another Mobility
Scooter to Tracy Taylor, so she is able, along
with her young daughter and
Husband, to go out for walks or to the local shops, without having to always
Janet Mallinson
get in the car. Tracy said she was also very
grateful
for
the
Scooter
and
wished to express her thanks. The Mobility Scooters were made possible under the Grants System operated by all of the MS Society branches and at Head Office, by application, as were the other Grants and the fantastic fund raising activities of the Branch, here in Chichester and Bognor Regis. The Mobility Scooters were both supplied by local business - Mobility and Comfort who are based in the Arcade in Bognor. Further Grants were approved for roof repairs to another member who lives in Arundel, which will be carried out shortly and to two young carers to assist in driving lessons to enable them in the
Tracy Taylor
near
future to take their Father out and
relieve their Mother of some more of the caring duties.
T TO R E V IE W P I P ’ S
-
H U G YO U R C A R E R
-
Government to now review PIP The Government has announced it will review a recent decision to change mobility criteria for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The u-turn means we will all be able to raise our concerns at changes which would cause large numbers of people to miss out on fundamental support.
Walk 20m and lose out "If the policy is changed as a result
The move comes after the MS Society and 50 other charities which form
of this consultation, it will be a posi-
the Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC) highlighted that if people can
tive step towards ensuring that all
walk 20m – even using aids such as sticks – they wouldn‟t qualify for
people get the right access to vital
the enhanced rate of the benefit, and could lose up to £1,800 a year or
support in order for them to retain
their Motability vehicle.
their independence and everyday
Help change policy
way of life.”
Please email campaigns@mssociety.org.uk and we‟ll tell you how you
Claire Nurden,
can get involved in the campaign. The sooner you get in touch the
Senior Policy and Campaigns Officer at the MS Society and Co-Chair of the DBC
ter as the consultation end on Monday 5 August.
bet-
Hug Your Carer - they deserve it New research from Carers W eek of over 2,100 carers has revealed that many carers lack support and information when they first take on a caring role, and were not prepared for all aspects of caring.
How many are there?
taking
on a new caring role every day, the charities within the Carers Week partnership – including the MS Society - are calling for the government, GPs and health and social
care
75%
of
carers
weren‟t
prepared for all aspects of caring
81%
of
carers
say
were not aware of the support available 35% believe they were given the wrong
With around 6.5 million carers in the UK and 6,000 people
Facts and figures
professionals
advice about the support on
h
offer. 45% of carers said they had
to
to give up work to undertake their
difficult to access too. Most carers
caring role. 61% of carers have
don‟t know they can have an
experienced
and
assessment of their needs. Carers
(92%) say they feel more stressed
will struggle on, seeking help for
because of their caring role.
the person they care for rather
depression
to
Ron Brown, who is 68 and cares
ensure that more support is given
for his wife Jan who has MS,
to carers from day one of their
says: “To get the help, you have
do
everything
yourself.
It‟s
than themselves. Being a carer is not a job you apply for, it‟s something you step into as a husband, a wife or a partner.”
Articles you think may be of interest are always gratefully received.
MS Help Line Information and support 9am to 9pm Monday-Friday Free phone 0808 800 8000
MS Counselling Line Sympathetic professional confidential 01243 263004
24 hours a day
mwwarden@btinternet.com (Newsletter Articles)
7 days a week
www.mssociety.org.uk/Chichester
020 8422 2144
Branch Contact Information Chairman
Michael Warden
01243 263004
Vice Chairman
Robert Mynors
01798 865274
Vice President
The Mayor of Chichester
Secretary
Pam Hetzel
07761 692828
Newsletter
Steve Jermyn
07519 788545
MS Nurse
Katrina Orchard
07768 145978
Treasurer
Caroline Davies
01243 573902
Website
Claire Pennycook
01243 511062
Support
Robert Mynors
01798 865274
Social Secretary
Paula 01243 Broadbridge 861327
Transport
Ruth Flanagan
01243 861083
Pastoral Care
Rev Caroline Headley
01243 774558
Support
Jan Cate
07780 195829
Events
Jeanie Down 01243 266704
MS Active
Helen Pullen Jaqui Beech
07864 928237
Fundraising
Evelyn Lister
01243 573452
Publicity
Helen Pullen 07864 928237