THANK YOU

As i sit here typing when did i think that i could type maybe the 2 fingers count I'm not sure i would just like to say merry Christmas and a very Happy new Year to all the volunteers at Neurosupport for their support and help in equal measures.
You may ask what I am doing writing this on Christmas day well why not enjoy the holiday and look forward to the New Year.
A special thank you to Sue who helps me with the newsletter and keeps me in check otherwise I would ramble on as I'm doing now but to Sue thank you once again and for all the voluntees who enjoy our newsletter.

HELP

Is it just me or is technology getting harder.Over the last few months after buying myself a laptop I have been stuck lots of times and I would like to thank all the people who take the time to fill in the help pages that appear in most of the programmes you open these days.
For the last week after trying for what seemed a lifetime about half an hour I was trying to do something that I had been doing for the last 3 years that is using Office documents and copying and pasting the words onto the Blog that you are reading now.
All of that happened on my desk top computer (the kitchen table) using Office 2003 and windows XP but now I have windows 7 and office 2007 surely it would be easier until I found a help comment about a compatible button on my webpage and that will help and yes it did so thank you all those Bloggers and yes this is on Word and copied and pasted I hope and how easy was that and the button can be found next to the refresh button

A POEM AT CHRISTMAS

OUR RESIDENT POET LAUREATE GORDON W. MILWARD JUST SENT ME THIS I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT ENJOY

Remembering Christmas Past
Where have all the old Christmases gone?
A Christmas day and a birth rolled into one
When did we last roast chestnuts on an open fire?
Can you remember the last time you heard a Christmas choir?
Church bells would ring at this happy time
People would wish you the best and life would be fine
Wake up in the morning before the sun
Christmas day would be a bundle of fun
You would feel about for the presents Santa had left
He had put them beside you on the bed where you slept
Times would be hard then but happy we would be
Sitting around a real Christmas tree
The decorations you made hang low from the ceiling
You would be happy with life what a wonderful feeling
Open your presents –football boots and a ball
An apple, an orange, some pennies would fall
Turkeys in the oven a smell to behold
I wish it could stay and never grew old

Oh theses happy times we shared with Mum and Dad
Things can’t stay forever and that makes us sad
Traditions have gone it’s a time of worry
People rushing round, can’t speak in a hurry
Children wanting the biggest and best
Parents are tired they just look for a rest
Central heating is on, no coal for the fire
There’s no ‘Knocker up’ or even a ‘Town Crier’.
G.W.Milward
Dec 2007

CHRISTMAS

OVER THE LAST WEEK SALLY AND ME WENT TO VISIT COLOGNE AND YES CHISTMAS MARKETS AND WHAT A GREAT TIME WE HAD, HOWEVER SALLY HAS RETURNED WITH WHAT IS A VERY BAD COUGH AND HAS STAYED IN BED SINCE WE ARRIVEED HOME ON THURSDAY ONLY TO EMERGE ON SATURDAY BUT ALTHOUGH UP SHE IS DEFINETLY NOT ABOUT AND CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS TO PUT UP BUT I AM SURE THEY WILL BE UP SOON.
I WAS GOOD TO SEE NEUROSUPPORT LOOK SO WELL THE OTHER WEEK WHEN WE HAD OUR CHRISTMAS DINNER THANKS TO CHRIS, CAROLYN AND THE REST OF THE STAFF WITH LUCK I WILL BE ABLE TO PUT SOME PICTURES UP SOON OF THE DAY
ENJOY THE QUIET FOR NOW AS NEXT WEEK WILL BE HECTIC

PICTURES AND THINGS

AS WITH ALL OF THE POSTS YOU HAVE TO WORK OUT WHERE THEY ALL BELONG
HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE LATER TODAY

NEURO NEWSLETTER NOV/DEC 2010

COULD THIS BE THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS STILL TO COME THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS THE REAL SCROOGE

MY OLD SCHOOL GRANTON ROAD

THE OLD LIBRARY WHERE I FIRST STARTED MY ROAD TO READING AND STILL WEARING SHORTS EVEN IN THE WINTER

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 ISSUE 18

A CHRISTMAS TALE IN OCTOBER/NOVEMBER

My one constant in life, apart from family, is reading books, ok! maybe some other things as well, the cinema, music, going out & actually listening to people who can sing, concerts and for my birthday treat, (you remember you all signed a birthday card not so long ago) I went to the Royal Court with Sally to see ‘Lennon’, a birth to death musical memory, with Andrew Schofield playing Lennon in his later years, appearing in a white suit with long hair. The music of my youth, what a great show it turned out to be. If Lennon had lived he would have been 70 years old on 9th October. One of my favourite Lennon songs contains these lines :

‘All these places have their memories

Of lovers and friends that went before

Some are dead and some are living

In my life I've loved them all’

But back to reading. Reading books is one of those things you either love or hate, a bit like Lennon, (who for me was always different). I remember the first adult book I read and no! it was not what you think, it was book that I had taken out of the adult section of the library when I was in junior school, and yes I can remember that far back, just. It was a time when to join the library you paid a small fee, even a 10 year old child. The library in question was a very ornate building in St. Domingo Road called Everton Library, which as far as I knew was still going strong, or had become a community centre, but when checking this on the magic of “th’internet”, I found that unfortunately, it had not become a community centre. It was now a neglected and unloved building, as the picture I found shows, which is rather sad as it started me on my road to reading. Will this be an insight into the future, a tale of neglect, the reason for my ramblings will become clear as you turn the page.

My early years were spent in what was officially called Breckfield School, built in 1880, but was known locally as Granton Road School, as it was in Granton Road, Anfield, and it is no longer standing, as I found out when I went on a nostalgia trip, with my great-nephew who had started school and was feeling, as do others who enter that alien world of school, a bit scared. So I thought a little trip to my old school would help, it being of another age and although, as I recall very dark and foreboding, I had enjoyed my early school years there. When we arrived, there it was or in this case wasn’t. It celebrated its 100 years in 1980, but I don’t know when it was knocked down. As you can see I can get easily distracted, so back to my first adult book ‘The Great Escape’ by Paul Brickhill and yes it was the book of that film, so imagine what it must have been like for a 10 year old, with the war years still fresh in most memories, this tale of escape and adventure. I went on to read ‘The Wooden Horse’ by Eric Williams, another tale of escape, but that is the world of books for me, a chance to see into other people’s lives, to see how they live, that moment when you cannot wait to turn the page and find out what happens next or to finally learn “who dun it”. Those early years of reading were the start of a friendship with books that will be with me forever. Mrs Cameron, our headmaster’s secretary (who I would like to thank, albeit a bit late), was the first rung onto the ladder of reading, all those years ago. She had paid my fee to join the library as I did not have any money, and is indirectly responsible for this story of the adult section, where somehow I had wandered into looking for my first book. However on my next visit when I presented the next ‘adult’ book, I was told that I was not allowed to take books from this section until I was older, my words of protest went unnoticed, as I was only 10. So back to the junior section I was sent.
You can just make out the inscription erected 1896, not long after my school was built, but as you can see it’s still standing, waiting for some developer to come along and turn it into “Apartments” maybe.
Later on as I got older my tastes changed from science fiction to crime to adventure and back again, I rarely read what you might call non-fiction, although I have now and then ventured into auto-biographies, but I want to be led on an adventure, to escape to the worlds the author creates, to get to know their characters with the rich tapestry of life that they create. One author whose words always makes me enjoy the English language is Charles Dickens. As that time of the year is near at hand “A Christmas Carol” the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and how the ghosts came to visit him as he lay sleeping and the view of his world through the eyes of Jacob Marley, his old partner. As I write this we seem to have had another Ebenezer Scrooge appear, on the 20th October to be precise. We don’t have to wait to see if Scrooge is coming this Christmas, I am afraid he is already here, as the old joke goes Christmas has been cancelled! The name of the ghost of Christmas to come is George Osborne and David Cameron, sorry that’s 2 ghosts, as they look at incapacity benefit, DLA and all the other things that help make our lives easier.



The benefit system is in for a big shake up the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the days of Charles Dickens, when they didn’t even have access to benefits. There will be lots of other cuts announced, so by the time you read this we will all know that Christmas has definitely been cancelled. Will I still have my bus pass, will we have enough money for the central heating if the winter fuel payment stops? There will be lots of questions over the coming months, so make sure you have the right advice about your benefits and use the service that we offer at Neurosupport to find out the answers to your questions, don’t be afraid to ask. As I listened to the news last night the talk was of defence cuts and aircraft carriers without planes? Surely I misheard or maybe not.

Can you spot the real Scrooge? I know it’s the one on the right but after “the budget” I am not so sure.



So where will all this lead to? as figures come out concerning job loses, services about to be changed or lost, maybe keeping the same service but make savings elsewhere, I am not sure I understand it all or where it will end. I do know that although I think Christmas has been cancelled I don’t think anyone seems to have noticed. In the shop I was in today, only 2 days since the announcements, people seemed to be in a spend, spend mood and there appeared to be no shortage of money, or are they all using the ‘magic’ credit card and will worry about paying next year. So back to my world of books I will go. You may have seen the advert of a new detective series Thorne starring David Morrissey, based on books by Mark Billingham, I am half way through his latest “From the Dead”, it’s better than worrying about the new “Scrooge” we have in our midst.
Since first writing this item and passing it to my little helper for proof reading. I have finished that book. So if you enjoy a good book on crime or enjoy reading fiction, (as the facts I read today in the paper were very depressing) go to your local library, It costs nothing to join now, check out a book and if they haven’t got it in stock they will order it (for a small fee of course), but with my now limited budget it is a better alternative than Waterstone’s or the like, even when it’s on “offer”. Keep away from the facts and stay with fiction it’s a much better world!

Alan Clark

VOLUNTEER UPDATES AND ‘DON’T FORGET’

Wendy Mitchell is making a slow recovery after her op. You will be able to give her your good wishes at the volunteer’s Christmas party, as she hopes to be there . So don’t forget come along and join us on Thursday, 2nd December around 1.00pm, to enjoy turkey, tinsel and meet the new volunteers. Final details will be given at ou volunteer’s meeting on Tuesday, 23rd November or check the board in reception. To those who may be unable to make our ‘‘Do’, we wish you all a very merry Christmas and a great 2011. Alan Clark

THE ANNUAL REVIEW - 2010 NEUROSUPPORT

It has been several years since I have attended an Annual review and to be honest I have always found them rather long and laborious. So I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying this years. It may have been the knowledge that a buffet was waiting for us or the anticipation of seeing if one of the raffle tickets I had sold would win the much coveted ipad. Whatever it was, I found the afternoon went along at a pace, all of the speakers were easy to listen to and the content of their talks informative.
The interval music was provided by Erica Van Drunen, who attends LIPA. She gave a brief personal history and played 3 enjoyable pieces, which she had composed herself.



It was very encouraging to hear about the new group for young people, run by young people. They told us how they had met and got to know each other. The adventures they had during the Summer, what they hoped to achieve for each other and with the group in the future. It had all began when Jake Brown was asked to organise a young persons group. So assisted by support worker Molly Gardner, with funding from Roald Dahl’s Children's Charity and help from Neurosupport based Working Life Service, Jake got to work organising. The group, for the moment called ‘Young Persons Group’, was launched earlier this year on 29th April, at an open day held in Neurosupport. They began with 2, which became 4 and has gone from strength to strength. I was very impressed with the confidence and enthusiasm they displayed when giving their talk. Perhaps Annual reviews are not so boring after all. S. Brooks-MacDonald

If you know of a young person with a neurological condition, aged 16-24 years old, who would interested in joining the group contact Jake or Molly for further information at ypg@neurosupport.org.uk

A SHORT TALE OF MOTORING WELL MAYBE A LONG ONE

WHEN SOMETHING WENT BANG, HISS!!!!

As they say a funny thing happened to me and Sally on the way home from a short trip around Leeds, Skipton, Harrogate, York and the Lakes. As you maybe aware from my other ramblings (articles) that I like to be prepared for you hope most things and at my tender years, messing about with cars I leave to the “professionals” and I have breakdown cover that will repair the car at the roadside as well as get the car and all the passengers home when we need it, well that weekend we nearly did, well part of it.
On the last day Sunday I drove from Scotch Corner at the top of the A1 to cut across to the Lakes on the A66 and then on then on to Kendal the destination of choice. So on this bright sunny day, why is it always bright and sunny on the last day when the others days had been indifferent, rain, wind and sun to name but a few, so off we set to Catterick before we got to Scotch Corner, a place where my dad did his basic training before his 6 years holiday abroad to such far flung places as El Alamein, Monte Casino and Rome to name but a few but I digress, well maybe not as I am writing this today we are celebrating 70 years of Winston Churchill’s speech “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” when the Battle of Britain was raging over our skies.
Back to the plot; Sally and me had stopped off at Catterick at a Sunday( yes you’ve guessed) market at the race course a pleasant stop before going on to Kendal a drive of around 60 miles.
As we turned off the A66 to a more sedate road to Kendal, passing through different places around 25 miles from Kendal a fact that was told to me by Mr Little he will appear soon in the story I heard bang hiss. I looked around for a lorry and the air brakes going off but none in sight so yes you’ve guessed a puncture which became very apparent as I drove 10 yards on when the steering went funny the front wheel dropped and I heard that sound that all motorists around the world dread the sound of a wheel on the road without the help of a fully inflated tyre, lots of flat spent rubber flapping on the road, the place was Kirkby Stephen on the A685 ( a fact I didn’t find out till later), a place that lot’s motor bikers use as the roads wind a lot. I call it a 1 road town, everything is on 1 road, pub, post office, shops, tourist information and a church, although this one had been turned into an antique centre but was closed on Sunday like a lot of places, a fact that was mentioned a lot by Mr Little. Their was a good thing though in all of this I was travelling a lot slower down to 30mph and slower again as I was approaching traffic lights, 10 minutes earlier I was travelling at the speed limit 70mph. After coming to a stop and managing to pull over the road to park at the back of some parked cars in a lay bye, if they wanted to move difficult but I would be on my way soon once I changed that tyre with the freshly pumped up spare tyre that I had checked a week before we set off, it was a little flat when I checked but with more air it seemed ok, how wrong can you be After emptying the boot of “stuff”, how much do you need for a 3 night break, well with a car the “just in case” goes to whole new level. I think I need to adopt the Ryanair and Easyjet policies in future. So with what seemed all our worldly possessions on the street I eventually got to that spare tyre beneath the boot and although it looked ok if you had wanted to blow a balloon up with the air in it you would be very lucky. That was plan A and as they say I quickly moved on to plan B, a breakdown company, a tow truck and a Mr Little. It was nearly midday when I phoned my breakdown service not that nice man who use to salute you a more watered down version cheaper and explained where I was, a fact that I found out from a nice lady who sold hot Panini’s, freshly made balms and tea with a drop of sympathy, but that came later. A text arrived and told me a Mr little breakdown was on his way and would arrive in about 45 minutes, so we sat in the car and waited for him to arrive, however 5 minutes later a phone call from the man himself I am minutes away, things were looking up. Mr Little arrived a local man from the sign on his truck, he was to say the least helpful in a Will Hay sort of way if anyone is old enough to remember a sketch when he was in charge of a fire station when someone rung to report a fire and the conversation went something like this “Is it a big fire as we have just started our tea break, could you keep it going till we get there and we will be along shortly, we have the pools coupon to fill out as well”
“You’re in a bit of a mess” said Mr Little and thought that a compressor to blow up the spare was the answer and so did I, how wrong could we both be, as soon as the connection to the valve was released all the air came out a faulty valve, perished rubber as I found out later. Is their no Kwik-Fit around I asked as I am out my comfort zone and you are in yours. Well it’s Sunday and the nearest one is in Kendal it will be shut and its 25 miles away as though it was on another planet. Visions of an extra night stay were looming into my brain. If we take the valve out of the tyre on the car and replace the one on the spare that should solve it, however I need to go back to the garage and try and find a tool that will do the trick, I wont be long said Will Hay, sorry Mr Little and off he went. Living as we do in Aigburth Kwik-Fit is 4 streets away and always open on a Sunday, so can things be so different we are only 100 miles away from home and yet we some how seemed a million miles maybe because I have lived all my life in Liverpool a big city who knows, so on this very bright Sunday now afternoon their was only one way to find out ring them and find out. Not ringing Directory Enquiries that often I resorted to the 118 advert, which probably cost me as much as the new tyre, but I am going to far ahead after getting the number and the nice lady asking me did she want her to put you through and ring the number an offer I declined, I contacted Kwik-Fit, Kendal and behold a shining light they were open said Mr Kwik as long as you can get here by 2.00pm but we are open till 4.00pm, light was starting to appear at last.
Mr Little came back after my phone call to the breakdown company who in turn told him that someone was open on a Sunday a miracle. When Mr Little returned in his truck he said “I had been busy, how did you find out “the phone was nearly my reply but as I would soon need this man’s help to get to Kendal I refrained and with much stopping of traffic and loading the car and all our worldly possessions which we had loaded as soon as I found out Kwik-Fit was open of we set for a very picturesque drive to Kendal crossing the M6 motorway. We arrived at Kwik-Fit with time to spare around 1.45pm and Kwik and Fit got on with the job in hand replacing the faulty valve and the very flat tyre with a new one and of course £40 lighter in the wallet and we back driving into Kendal at 2.15pm.
So what has all this to do with volunteers apart from I hope an amusing story about me the volunteer, part of it I think is the kindness of strangers, the lady with the kiosk who gave us a cup of tea and reminded me that we were lucky we were going slow, Mr Little who must have been 70+ he did help and as we found out on our journey with him he had travelled the day before up to the Highlands of Scotland and back again, no wonder he seemed in a daze and in his words “He was Knackered” and to the last two in this Mr Kwik and Mr Fit who just got on with the job in hand and showed their help and courtesy to us both, even though it was Sunday.

So back to me while I was volunteering at the Walton Centre information desk the other day a man came looking for a garage, his car wouldn’t start and he had come from Cheshire. After some discussion with Reception a garage was not far who maybe could help but remembering people who had helped me I offered and took him to the garage and explained his problem give me 10 minutes was the answer. As I chatted to him he had got lost and he also needs to come back next week for a scan, his wife was having trouble he explained in more detail the trouble, for him and his wife it could be the start of a long journey with a different type of breakdown man needed, I do hope not. His car had gone when I looked later and I did see him again the next week, his wife had come for the scan and he had remembered the kindness of strangers and brought me some eggs and tomatoes for my troubles. Some people do care and go that extra mile to help strangers in trouble.

WHAT A DAY

World stroke day on Friday29th October turned into a very big thing much bigger thing than we all thought
When I was talking to Mike Morris a Cheshire governor, what seems so long ago about holding some event in Neurosupport when we had the meet the Walton centre governors back in June we spoke at length about what we could do aand after a few weeks iI haad thought that we comr do something about memory and movement but when I saw that it was world stroke day on 29th October it made me think that the event could be stroke and with the help of Maureen Kelly cheif exec of Neurosupport and Margaret Matthews along with Jeanette Lunt of the Stroke Association the day seemed poossible.
After talking to Deborah Morris of the Royal Liverpool hospital we all joined forces to promote and plan the day and the 1 in 6 was born
On the day we had the event opened byMaureen Walsh from radio Merseyside who gave us an insight to something that happened to her which was a small stroke but slightly more complex even the BBC turned up after filming a young couple were the husband had had a stroke while working away and was now recovered but wants to promote the condition so the BBC followed them fom home to Neurosupport filming parts of the day and also talking to the doctor who spoke about the effects of stroke the film was later shown that night .

Just a big thank you to everyone who turned up on the day and made ita big success

Alan Clark

time goes so quickly

In the last edition of Neuro News when i gave a shorten version of what happened to myself when in early 96 our life changed i had published some of the story of how i ended my working life? as a volunteer so here is the full article at last



THE STORY OF A CARER, ALLEGEDLY AND WHY DAFFODILS MEAN SO MUCH

The story started in early 1996 when I found my wife struggling on the bathroom floor after being sick from a violent headache, but I think I need to rewind the story a bit to earlier in that day when our life changed forever, when we left the old one behind and found a new one.

We had been to Mold early that morning to visit an antique fair and we had bought a figurine of a boy and girl, a hobby that we both enjoy and still do but without the money to buy too many these days although we still find it if something takes our eye that is not too expensive. We had the use of a relatives car and they were due back from holiday so this was the last weekend and we were going to make the most of it, hence the visit to Mold and we were going to stay out but my wife said she felt unwell, sick. When we arrived home our next door neighbour was having car problems and could I help him bleed his brakes, so my wife went in and I helped with the car, but when I went in a bit later I found my wife lying on the bathroom floor and complaining of a violent headache and being sick and with my help she went to bed and the headache came and went over the next couple of days so I called our own GP who gave her some tablets and said to contact him if it got no better. By the end of the week no better was what it was so we called him again on the Friday and he called an ambulance as we headed for our local hospital.
A funny aside to that day was that the figurine was on display, unwrapped and in pride of place in the hall where it still sits to this day all of course before the bathroom incident.

As you can imagine a bad headache does not have the same priority as other patients so we waited what seemed and was hours with just seeing a nurse who took the history. Eventually we saw a doctor and he found a bed and a lumbar puncture was done as one of the tests and of course they found blood and a transfer to the old Walton Hospital was needed I found this out when I phoned the next morning as I had been sent home around 9.00pm. As it was the weekend the scanner was not staffed, I think, so the scan was done on Monday and the doctor wanted to see me that night when I came to visit. He explained that a bleed in the brain had been the cause and drew a picture of what had happened, a bit like a blackberry bursting and we need to put a clip on the neck. The conversation after we shave the head and fold back the skin all went in a blur as we need to do this tomorrow or it will happen again and she could die.
The next day Tuesday came and my next door neighbour gave me a lift so I could see my wife before the operation. When I saw her waiting in the bed we talked about her own mother, who at the same age 49 had died of a brain haemorrhage so you can imagine how she felt as she says the man in the green wellies came for her.






So what do you do when you have to wait 3-4 hours while the operation that will save your wife’s life is going on? For me the answer was simple you feed the ducks. As we had both worked together and led a very hectic working life in Liverpool’s city centre we now lived by Sefton Park, which is at the bottom of our road, it had become a haven for us and the simple pleasure of walking around the park and feeding the ducks had became a routine to us so I feed the ducks, sat, waited and wondered of how things would turn out. This was the time of PMP pre mobile phones unless you remember the house brick that was a phone. So I went home and phoned the hospital all had gone well and the doctor will see you later to explain. Seeing my wife in a hospital intensive care bed with lots of tubes was for me a scary thing when hospital was a very alien place, we had both led reasonable healthy lives and only visited when someone else was there not your own wife. A couple of weeks was the verdict, words were a bit muddled and phoning her sisters turned into a comedy sketch but that was solved by a piece of paper with all the numbers on her memory was not the same it will get better was an answer but short term memory may be not. However going into the third week and all was not going as well as they thought, she had no appetite and was losing weight a good thing she said so another scan revealed their was some swelling in the brain and a course of steroids was the answer.

By week 4 my own body was going into shutdown, all the not eating right and drinking had caught up with me and I was in bed for around the time that my wife improved . A friend of mine said she got better because I stopped going to see her he thought the coincidence was too much. Anyway I recovered just in time to see my wife recover fully and she was coming home.

The weeks that followed seemed strange to everyone, family and friends helped a lot in the early stages but apart from the shaved it seemed ok. Ok is a word we still use when people ask how my wife is, it is easier than to say depressed, fatigue, lost for words, the constant checking, afraid to leave the house without me and just not right. Things that we have learned to live with over the years and the family see the looking well (Make-up) walking and talking and think that everything is ok and if I am honest I suppose it is we have found a very different rhythm of life that the one we had before. After 12 months she was discharged but remained unable to work ever again.








So why do daffodils mean so much. After 5 weeks of not leaving the house, the shaved head down one side is not the best look on a woman but with gentle coaxing we had a walk down to Sefton Park and sat on a bench surrounded by daffodils in full bloom for what seemed a life time, we both knew that we had been lucky and life as we knew it had changed forever, we had been given that second chance. Why allegedly a carer, I am not sure who looks after who, I myself have some health problems and as we both grow older we have slipped into a rhythm of life that suits us both.

As I write this in spring of 2010, 14 years later when the daffodils are still in bloom but some are fading and dying I remember that time on the park bench, we both do that wonderful day we sat surrounded by daffodils. Life has been different for us both, work was not possible but volunteering for me was. We had gone to a meeting about brain haemorrhage and a possible support group that was held in the Glaxo Centre, known now by the name Neurosupport in Liverpool city centre. Over the coming months we went to meetings at this centre and by now 2 years had passed and when I heard they were looking for volunteers to help staff the patient information desk at the new Walton Centre I signed up “To give something back” a phrase you hear a lot in volunteering and so in September 1998 I went on an induction course and have been there ever since. My role has changed over the years, although I still volunteer, I now represent volunteers at staff meetings, write a newsletter, and write on our own blog and with my long association with The Walton Centre I have also become a hospital governor when it became a Foundation Trust in 2009. One of my other volunteering roles is that am a committee member for The Brain Haemorrhage Support Group a cause very close to my heart. To give my time and to help others in a similar situation, this has given me the greatest reward of all. So when our life changed in 1996 maybe things do happen for a reason who knows. What I do know is that every year we always enjoy the daffodils and remember.

NEURO NEWS— NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER ISSUE 17

OUR BBQ ‘DAY IN’ - 5TH SEPTEMBER 2010

At our volunteer’s meeting in June, some discussion turned to the volunteer’s day out and where we should go. It had been mentioned earlier in the year and talk of trips on steam trains, river boat rides or a visit to gardens had all been discussed. Carolyn had worked to find out costs etc, when Pauline, our receptionist, had the idea (on June 22nd to be precise), of a ‘Day In’. That is a day out where we all stay in! and so after lot’s of yeses and that sounds like a good idea! a BBQ party was born.

So, in August we had our first and last planning day. What food should we have? who would do the cooking, should we charge? what about a vegetarian option, drinks and Karaoke? (Pat and Dianne are desperate for a Karaoke party), but they were headed off at the pass, as they say in the old cowboy movies .

Music in the background was the order of the day, along with a small charge of £5.00 to include 2 guests. It gave family and friends a chance to see our workplace, where we spend our time as volunteers. The option to bring your own beer and wine, if you wanted to, held a certain charm for me, as an ex-licensee (who now drinks cups of tea in pubs, most of the time, these days). For once the car would stay at home and the magic bus pass would come into play, so with a bag of ice, courtesy of our local supermarket, along with some beer, and spirit in every sense, Sally and I set off, with a friend we had invited, to enjoy the day. We arrived in plenty of time, and things were well under way, after a technical hiccup or 2 (the table top was burning, due to the heat of the throwaway BBQ’s), but these minor problems were soon sorted out. Tom, Maureen's husband, with his able helpers (Neurosupport staff) and Thomas the Jones lending his helpful hands, were in full charge of the BBQ.

Having a BBQ was always going to be a problem, given our English weather, and although I had arrived in shorts to try and encourage the sun to show, it managed to keep itself hidden most of the day. With the help of a gazebo, Tom did a great job cooking the food, while we and 2 of our trustees Mike Boggild and David Britt, all enjoyed the results of his labour inside. There was plenty to eat and drink, served up by some wonderful people young and old. The food was
delicious, burgers, sausages, salads and the usual mixture of rice etc: not forgetting the strawberry gateau. A wonderful day, with good food, company and laughter enjoyed by all. I think someone said that laughter is good for you and if that's true, we must have all come away feeling better, because there was plenty of laughter, on the day we had our ‘Day In’.
The photos were taken by our very own poet laureate, Gordon W. Milward, plus part of this article as well, so thank you, Gordon for your help in putting this together.
Alan Clark (& Gordon W. Milward).

VOLUNTEER UPDATE
Wendy Mitchell, one of our volunteers on reception, (who has done more years than me as a volunteer) will be going into The Walton Centre for an operation at the end of September. From our conversations it may be a long recovery and I along with all of you and the staff would like to wish her well.

Also this month we will see some new faces starting the road to volunteering when they attend the induction course, so if you see any new faces say “Hello” and introduce yourself.

CONTACT DETAILS:
If you have something that you would like to include in Neuro News, contact me on my email alan.clark200@hotmail.com or leave details at reception. Check out our website http://neuronewsletterspart1.blogspot.com/
You can also find the link through the Neurosupport website.

THEATRE TICKETS

One of our volunteers, Janet, can get discounted tickets for certain shows. She has obtained a discount for the following 2 shows:

Calendar Girls £17.00 on Wednesday, 29th or Friday, 1st October
Sound of Music £16.50 on Tuesday, 12th October (first night)

A third option is behind you, Oh no it’s isn’t! Oh yes it is (that time of year)! Panto time– and taking names for:
Aladdin - (possibly) on Thursday, 16th December

Janet can check for alternative available dates and supply leaflets if needed. If you would like to take advantage of these offers or speak to Janet. You can contact her by leaving a message in the library pigeon hole or email info@neurosupport.org.uk

‘IT’S A KNOCKOUT’

The 22nd of August saw Neurosupport make it’s very first venture into the alien world of ‘It’s a Knockout’. Our team consisted of staff, volunteers, and I think someone who just happened to be standing in the wrong place, at the wrong time, signed the form and he was in, (our joker in the pack, our very own “Ringer”), but more of that later. The team threw themselves, quite literally in some cases, (as the pictures show) into the spirit of the day.
I took the easier(?) option, (that’s my hat, chair & balloons in the photo) and helped on our information stall, (which I have been doing on and off since 28th September 1998 when I first started my induction course). Our tombola had it’s second airing, with prizes donated by all, as well as footballs, soft teddies and (pink?) elephants, to encourage people to the stall. It was again a great success. I even got to talk to our very own Lord Mayor.
However while myself and others were enjoying the sunshine and I must say, a more sedate approach to the day, things on the other side of the field were developing “what have I got myself into” thoughts. A certain Geoff Shaw, our volunteer on reception, who in his words thought he was “reasonably fit”, will now give you his story. He is the fit(!) looking one on the left of the picture. Alan Clark.
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I awoke to beautiful sunny Sunday morning, birds singing, church bells ringing and It’s a Knockout calling. A shiver went down my spine (and the rest of my body later!!) but presuming this to be another sign of fairly advanced middle age, I worried not and set off with gusto to Mossley Hill Athletics ground for Fun Fun Fun. Everyone was in an expectant mood as the music system beat out a fair rhythm, and the tension mounted before the games began (I know now what it must be like before the World Cup Final). I took part in most of the events, and handsomely won the sack race and rope climbing (slowest time wins, right?) got wet and eventually wandered off into the sunset with a vacant look on my face. (First time for everything).
Many other charities from Liverpool took part, and judging by the amount of water most people were wringing out of their tee shirts, everybody had a great time. Hopefully, if I’m not too busy doing a shoot for The Bionic Man this time next year, I’ll be there. Bring it on!!!! Geoff Shaw.

P.S.
We did finish a respectable 14th of the 17 teams who took part and as Geoff says “Bring it on”, and our Joker? I think he had the last laugh, he was seen entering the beer tent never to be seen again. Alan.



Remembering Malcolm Hawkins

This photograph is how I shall always remember my ‘mate’ Malcolm. I first met him when he arrived at the (then Glaxo) Centre some years ago. He had retired from work, following an operation to remove brain tumours, and had come to join the library team. As time rolled along, I learnt he was a passionate photographer, who did not hold with these new ‘fan-dangled’ digital cameras, and I watched him determinedly look for his favourite film & paper, (as Kodak and other well known companies stopped producing them) rather then be forced to ‘downgrade’ to a digital. He was a keen member of the local camera club in West Kirby, where he lived; his work has been displayed in various venues, won several competitions, both in the UK and abroad. His unique way of looking at life, showed in his pictures and was a pleasure to see. As anyone who has seen, bought (or been gifted) one of his photographs will know. So it was a surprise to learn one set of his recent photographs, had been taken with one of those fan–dangled gadgets. He had been persuaded, via one of his fellow snappers, to borrow (& use) a digital camera. Malcolm had found a whole new way to express himself and there was no stopping him now. He loved music, especially jazz, and looked forward to the Matthew Street Festival, where he mixed his joy of music with his love of photography. He liked to go to music nights in the local wine bars & pubs, preferably on a curry night, and if he heard music & liked it, would often just follow the sound to find the source. This is how he found the South African drums, he joined the band , learnt to play the drums and performed with them at the Empire in Liverpool. Sadly an event I missed.
When Suduku puzzles arrived, he quickly became an avid fan, and tried to impart the secret to completing them to me (without success, as my brain wouldn’t function in the way required). He often spent his train journey home solving them. However they did not stop him falling asleep (a side effect of the tumours) on the train and would wake to find he had been at his station for some time….luckily he lived at the end of the line and the staff checked the carriages for left luggage.

Malcolm’s battle with his medical condition was constant and ongoing. In the Autumn of last year, he was told he would need to have an (his 3rd) operation to remove yet another tumour. Sadly, whilst the tumour was removed, complications during and following the procedure, left him paralysed. He spent the next 10 months in the Walton Centre before being moved to a nursing home, where he died at the end of August.
Malcolm’s passion for life, his humour and need to explore and learn new things, I found inspirational and daunting at the same time. He never seemed to let things get him down and took life on the chin, no matter what it threw at him. His love for his wife, Moira, their family and life long friends (‘the gang’) shone through.

Malcolm, you were a good friend and I will truly miss you. Su xx

BBQ AND A PLAN 5TH SEPTEMBER CONFIRMED

SOME OF US MET FRIDAY 6TH AUGUST FOR A QUICK TALK ABOUT THEY FORTH COMING BBQ AND IT WAS DECIDED THAT A LETTER WILL GO OUT TO ALL EXPLAINING WHAT WILL BE ON OFFER.

HAS ANYONE GOT ANY HANGING BASKETS THAT THEY CAN LOAN FOR THE DAY OR BUNTING MAYBE FROM THE WORLD CUP AND ENGLAND.

BURGERS AND HOT DOGS ARE THE ORDER OF THE DAY

KEEP A LOOK OUT FOR THE LETTER

BBQ 5TH SEPTEMBER

I AM NOT SURE IF WE WILL HAVE ONE THIS SIZE BUT I AM SURE IT WILL BE A GOOD DAY FOR US ALL

NOT TO FORGET IT'S A KNOCKOUT 29TH AUGUST

NEURO NEWS JULY / AUGUST 2010 ISSUE 16

AS YOU CAN SEE YOU CAN SOMETIMES THINGS WORK OUT OTHER TIMES NOT THE PICTURES ARE ALL THERE YOU JUST HAVE TO WORK OUT WHERE THEY GO

11TH JULY WARRINGTON (DAD) DISABILITY AWARENESS DAY

OUR VERY OWN “OUR DAY OUT”

I don't know if anyone remembers “Our day Out” by Willy Russell, they have now turned it into a musical (which will be on the Royal Court from 27th August to 9th October), Sally and my good self went last year to see it and it was laughter all the way, with the young cast doing a wonderful job of singing and dancing, along with a few of the adult Royal Court regulars, a great show that is not to be missed.

Back to our very own ‘Our Day Out’, to Warrington, Maureen and myself had been there since around 9.30am, and we had everything set up, just as the crowds started to jostle for a place in the tombola queue. We were kept busy until the minibus brought a very welcome sight to our eyes, more volunteers!!

The reinforcements arrived in the guise of, well here are pictures of some of the volunteers on the day, with Gordon, Brenda and Keith bringing up at the rear, as you can see the lollipops went down well too, they are not just for young kids, but for grown up kids as well. As you can see we are all wearing tee-shirts with our logo on, so if you fancy a mini bus ride next year come along and enjoy what is a great day. Over the day we raised £340 from the tombola and around £70 from ticket sales so a big thank you for your prizes and for the efforts on the day of the volunteers who came along.

OUR VERY OWN “OUR DAY OUT” PART 2

For the first time (and I think not the last), our very own Tombola was used. This machine is a wonderful example of what you can make with a bit of wood, paint, stickers, (plus lots of effort and ingenuity on the part of Carolyn’s dad), truly a tombola worthy of an Oscar, if they gave one to tombola's.

Over the day the tombola worked well, with lots of prizes going to very worthy winners, along with sales of our prize draw tickets. The main prize to be won this year being an ‘ I Pad ’ plus lots of other prizes, and at £1.00 a ticket a real bargain. So don’t forget to collect your draw tickets (to sell) and help raise some much needed money for Neurosupport. The prize tickets will be drawn at our Annual Review on Wednesday 13th October 2010.

Another person who you can see in the pictures, is Neurosupports’ very own poet laureate Gordon. W. Milward, and yes he was signing and selling books on the day and I have included one of his new poems below.

Alan Clark.

The Heart of a Volunteer

There’s nothing as strong as the heart of a volunteer

Talking to patient’s maybe shed the odd tear

Help them face the future, for the life that they lead

Understanding their worries it’s kindness they need

Spending time listening to their hopes and dreams

Cup of tea and a packet of custard creams

A Volunteer is someone who cheers them up

When they're feeling down or a bit rough

Somebody else to talk to and listen to their woes

You’re a Volunteer that’s as far as their story goes.

G.W.Milward March 2010

‘MEET THE WALTON CENTRE GOVERNORS’

24TH JUNE 2010

Just a quick note to say thank you to all those who attended this event. It was well received, and in case you didn’t manage to make this one we will be doing it all again in the New Year. So as they say “Watch this space”, and lots of others as we plan to get the message out to everyone a lot sooner then originally planned.

The picture on the left is of Joe Paton presenting a cheque to Maureen for £230 after walking up Snowdon with some friends.

As I have mentioned the “New Year “ that means we can talk about the man in a red suit, no! not the new Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson (I think he will need a suit of armour before the season is over). Sorry ladies and some men I have ventured into that do not talk about “FOOTBALL” or in England’s case NOT FOOTBALL zone. I will stop now before that dreaded vuvuzela is mentioned. No, I don't care if I have spelt it wrong and someone wanders through reception blowing one, but back to the plot. Sorry I mean back to the man in a red suit, SANTA and thoughts of the Santa Dash, it’s a fun event, at around 5 Km long or to you or me 3 miles give or take, all are welcome. We would like to enter a team of 10, with them all getting sponsors and contributions in order to raise as much money as we can. The entry cost alone, is around £20, which will provide you with the red suit, as you can see just to enter a team of 10, it will cost at least £200 (told you I was good at maths). If you think you can manage the dash, which as far as I know starts at the Pierhead and finishes at the Town Hall, taking in the Churchill flyover, and you would like to join our team , then contact Maureen or myself.

Talking of myself you may have noticed I am absent on a Tuesday, at the moment with being involved with Walton Centre governors, the brain haemorrhage support group, as well as various committees, I have had to stop volunteering on a Tuesday. I still come in for staff meetings representing yourselves and I am still working at the patient information desk on a Thursday so I am still volunteering.

Alan Clark.

VOLUNTEER UPDATES

Malcolm Hawkins (ex-libary vol), who after a long stay in the Walton Centre, has now moved to his new accommodation in the grounds of the Countess of Chester hospital. For those who want to keep in touch, his new address will be: The Pinetum Nursing Home, Countess of Chester Health Park, Liverpool Road, Chester CH2 1UA Tel: 01244 380731

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Our best wishes also go to 2 of our volunteers, Sharon and Pauline, who are having to spend short stays in hospital. We hope they will return soon

A JOKE OR A LESSON IN FEMALE LOGIC?

I was walking down the street when I was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless woman who asked me for a couple of pounds for dinner.

I took £10 out of my wallet and asked, 'If I give you this money, will you buy wine with it instead of dinner?
'No, I had to stop drinking years ago', the homeless woman told me.
'Will you use it to go shopping instead of buying food?' I asked.
'No, I don't waste time shopping,' the homeless woman said. 'I need to spend all my time trying to stay alive.'
'Will you spend this on a beauty salon instead of food?' I asked.
'Are you NUTS!' replied the homeless woman. I haven't had my hair done in 20 years!'
'Well, I said, 'I'm not going to give you the money. Instead, I'm going to take you out for dinner with my husband and me tonight.'
The homeless Woman was shocked. 'Won't your husband be furious with you for doing that? I know I'm dirty, and I probably smell pretty disgusting.'
I said, 'That's okay. It's important for him to see what a woman looks like after she has given up shopping, hair appointments, and wine.'

CONTACT DETAILS: email to alan.clark200@hotmail.com

or check out our website http://neuronewsletterspart1.blogspot.com/

You can also find the link through the Neurosupport website.

If you have something that you would like to include in Neuro News contact me on my email or leave it on reception.