Looking back on the last 3 month’s meetings I have to report that we had very small turnouts to the walk in August and the quiz in September, which both had a buffet to follow, so it wasn’t due to lack of sustenance, perhaps we just coincided with holidays.

October’s meeting was well attended and we had a very nice meal at Shaffer’s Restaurant

When you read this, Christmas will soon be here so I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas and best wishes for 2010.

Joan Hick
Chairman

By the time you read this we will be looking forward to a New Year. Our programme for the start of the year reflects what will probably be the greatest need.

January 20th – As you will have been over-eating for Christmas and the New Year we thought an introductory session at Greens Fitness Centre would be appropriate.

February 17th – To get over the exercise you can have a quiet session this month. It will be our AGM to be held at the London Road Bowling Club. Please come along – there is no risk of being dragged into a job as nominations have to be in 14 days before the meeting.

March 17th – After balancing out the last two meetings you will be ready for a meal again so we are going Italian this time.

Hope to see as many of you as possible at the meetings.
Geoff Hick Funding Officer

August Meeting

Our August meeting was a walk around the Serpentine at Knypersley. It was a very nice evening, which was surprising seeing the summer we have had. We were a small party but we walked and nattered and soon found we had completed the circuit. By this time it was beginning to get dusk so it was time to head off to Biddulph Moor where we had arranged a buffet to finish the evening off. The highlight of the evening was the trifle made by Christine, that definitely was worth walking for!!!

OCTOBER MEETING.

Shaffers was the venue for the October Meeting where an enjoyable meal was had by all. The majority of us sampled the Indian menu with gusto whilst a few played safe with an English alternative.

It was good to have some of the younger members there and a warm welcome to Sarah
Burton who is our latest recruit as a Musketeer.

November meeting will see us at Riley’s Snooker Hall followed by Christmas meal at The Blue Room in December.
 

 Carers Assessments
If the care you are providing for someone with MS is having a significant impact on your life, you may benefit from a carer's assessment. There is a range of services available to support you in your role as a carer.
Local authorities now have a duty to assess the needs of carers, independently of the community care assessments already available to disabled people themselves. This duty was introduced by the Carers and Disabled Children's Act (2000).

Even if the person you are caring for does not want an assessment, you can ask for your own, as it will enable you to tell the social services department about your situation, and to find out about services that might make caring easier for you.

Although you may be charged for services, you may be entitled to a direct payment to allow you to organise the service yourself, or vouchers to help you pay for short term breaks (see below).

Contact your social services department to ask for an assessment. The contact details will be listed in your telephone directory, under 'local authority

MS Society Carers Emergency Card

Do you ever worry what you would do if you had an accident or emergency while away from home, and were unable to get back to the person you care for? If so, you aren’t alone. Many carers say that they become so anxious about being away from home that they don’t bother going out. Some have given up work; others no longer socialise or take part in away from home activities at all.
Many carers now use a ‘carers emergency card’ when away from home, giving them much needed peace of mind that alternative care arrangements will be put in place in the event of an accident or emergency.
The MS Society’s Carers Emergency Card is available to all carers of people with MS. We have joined forces with an organisation called Welbeing, who are very experienced in providing high quality call centre support for carers and people with disabilities.

When a carer applies for a card, they are asked to provide details for three local contacts, often family, friends or neighbours, who are willing and able to step in at short notice if the carer is unable to return home. These details are held by Welbeing on a safe and secure database.

Each carer is given a card with a unique ID number. If the carer (or someone from the emergency services for instance) calls the telephone number on the card, the trained staff at the Welbeing call centre will use the details provided to put in place alternative arrangements.

The service is available 24 hours a day.
If you would like to register for a carers emergency card, or simply wish to find out more,
please ring 0800 085 8344

www.carers.gov.uk