CommunicatorOctober 2014

587

Connecting the Croydon Branch

HappyHalloween!

CheeseThis eerie moon is full of it, as is our info evening!

So that’s why the title is pumpkin coloured.

Raise yourSpiritsChristmas Party details and order form entombed inside.

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Croydon Branch’s

The Committee hope that you will join them at our Christmas Party. A four-course meal will be provided plus tea/coffee and mints. As a special treat, a cabaret has been organised which will cover a wide range of music to suit everyone. There will also be a Lucky Ticket Prize! Doors open at 6pm for 6.30pm and you will be greeted with a welcome drink on your arrival.

It has been agreed by your Committee that the Branch will be contributing to the cost and also providing a glass of wine/soft drink with the meal but, as before, all additional drinks purchased from the bar must be paid for by you, at the time of ordering.

(This will be the last chance to buy our Croydon Branch’s Raffle tickets.)

To avoid disappointment, please apply for tickets as soon as possible to Karen Thatcher by using the enclosed form. Unfortunately children will not be invited due to space limitations.

FRIDAY 5TH DECEMBERCROYDON BOWLING CLUB10 NOTTINGHAM ROAD,

CROYDON, SURREY CR2 6LNSTARTER

Tomato & Basil Soup VSeafood Cocktail

MAINRoast TurkeyRoast Beef

SalmonNut Roast V

DESSERTChristmas Pudding

ProfiterolesFresh Fruit Salad

...and afterwards

CheeseboardTea, Coffee and mints

V Vegetarian

GLASS OF WINE

ComplimentaryOR SOFT DRINK

£15per

person

all the latest news from the committee

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Karen ThatcherIncome Development

Time is closing in on our sponsored swim event (11th October 2014) and we are still looking for swimmers. There is still time to sign up or to sponsor your Editor/Medical Advisor, Charles Henn. Please send your cheques to Debbie Henn - Chair, 129 Caterham Drive, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 1JQ. Chris Cole, of Tandridge Leisure Centre, has organised everything to make this possible for us. Chris won ‘Employer of the Year’ and has chosen our branch as his chosen charity. His father has MS and has been a member of the branch for many years. Thank you very much Chris for supporting us all. NEWSPLASH!Angela Barnes, the well known comedian, is also taking part in the sponsored swim to raise funds for the branch. She has recently returned from performing at the Edinburgh Festival and after she

Debbie HennBranch Chair

MS seems to be quite the illness to have on TV at the moment; the main character in Neighbours plus a Consultant in Casualty. We can only hope this brings more awareness and hopefully more funding!

Two important events to remind you all about this month; firstly that you will find with your newsletter, both hard copy and emailed an invite to our Christmas Party. It really is a great night out this year so be sure to read the article giving all the details and get your reply back a.s.a.p. as places are limited! Secondly our sponsored swim - its almost upon us.

Thank you so very much to all those people who have already sold their Branch Raffle Tickets and sent me the money. Can I remind everyone else that we would love you all to sell the tickets you received last month (extra books are available). The Raffle is being drawn on December 11th; it may seem a long way away but we would hate someone to forget or be disappointed! Thank you all for supporting your Branch.

Croydon Branch

2014

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Cheese & Wine Info EveningSat 25th October, starting at 6pm at Christ Church Lounge, Purley. All the things people love rolled into one (cheesy!) evening. There will be lots of other lovely goodies and people to share a friendly evening with. It is an opportunity for people who can not come to Info Mornings to ask questions and hopefully get a helpful answer – if we can’t help we will find someone who can!Requests to Brenda Buckley for transport.

Brenda BuckleyTransport and Outings

This year’s planned Christmas shopping trip is to Westfield, White City, London on Thursday 20th November 2014.

The price for this trip is £10 per person; this covers a contribution towards the transport costs. The money for the trip will be collected on the day. If you need scooter hire, please let me know when you book your place on the trip.

All trips start and finish at Christ Church, Purley. If you are parking at Christ Church, we will provide you with a notice so the Church is aware. Please let me know ASAP and no later than Thursday 13th November if you wish to join us.

has completed her sponsored swim she will be making a mad dash to London where she is doing a solo gig at the Soho Theatre so we are very grateful to her for making time for us. Victoria Station Collection The All Saints Concert Band, have kindly arranged for us to collect at Victoria Train Station on Sunday 14th December.

We need a minimum of eight collectors from 12noon to 6pm at Victoria Station with the band. If you would like to volunteer please ring Karen or Russell on 020 8657 7822. Unfortunately, there is no transport available.

Items Needed We are having a craft and tombola stall at the Christmas Fair organised by Surrey Harmony at Purley United Reformed Church, Brighton Road, Purley. New gifts, tins, jars and bottles, would all be gratefully received. Members can make a financial donation if they wish. This would be used to purchase items for sale on the stall. We’re also still looking for donations of quality fabric, lace, binding and card making embellishments for the Craft Club.

Please bring your donations along to one of our Information mornings or call Karen and Russell on 020 8657 7822 for more information.

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Alongside the Support the Branch endeavours to give to people who care for someone who has MS, the Carers Information Service also provides a great deal of help, information, courses and support. We have just received their October Newsletter and there is a lot on offer including Health, Wellbeing & Social Activitiessuch as the Carers Cafe, free yoga classes, NHS Health Checks, flu jabs and free upper limb and neck massages. There are also Advice Surgeries on topics such as Benefits, Debt, Mental Health, Special Educational Needs and Employability Skills.

What’s new forCarers?

carersinfo.org.uk020 8649 9339

Once we’d all had a couple of goes each we went for a drink in the bar followed by lunch in the dining area. I had fish and chips, others had pie and mash followed by a dessert of choice – there is quite a range on the menu, so you’re sure to find something that appeals to you. We’ve all had such a great time over the last few visits that we can’t wait to go back – and it’s always fun, having a laugh over lunch at each of our attempts and who got closest to the jack. Some people have even joined as social members to allow us to take advantage of both the indoor greens as well as the social events taking place at the Club – quizzes & race nights, dances & music evenings for example. All in all, it’s a fantastic day out and I’d encourage you to join us sometime!

Lynn Matthews

Bowling Club

Another string to Croydon Branch’s bow – organised by Karen Thatcher. A few members of Croydon Branch went along to the local bowling club to check out its friendly facility and to have a try at bowls on the indoor green.For those using wheelchairs the club has two wheelchairs designed specifically for bowls and which are very easy to transfer into. The Club members are very friendly and generous with their time, helping to show us the game (not an easy task), rolling the bowls along the floor to the jack (which is not as easy as it looks). They have different size / weight bowls, so there’s no excuse for not having a go! Taking it in turns, those not playing were heckling from the sidelines, as you would expect! It provides gentle exercise, a friendly sociable environment and lots of fun.

one minute medical

suppling nutrients, oxygen and taking away waste) progressed without incident in the USA. Some previous studies (not in humans) had suggested that these cells, taken from full-term placenta, could help dampen the immune reaction attacking myelin in MS and aid repair of the brain and spine. Although this study was never intended to be large enough to tell if this different type of stem cells are an effective treatment, it did show they are essentially safe – allowing further trials to go ahead. This is a long way from being a usable therapy, but it is yet another example of how stem cells may be used to change the course of MS.

You can read the original article at www.msard-journal.com/article/S2211-0348(14)00101-1/abstract

The MS Society have extended their funding of the MS Tissue Bank and have confirmed a grant with total funding of over £1.26m for a further five years.The tissue Bank provides a facility for people who want to donate their organs to research, making them available to scientists investigating the causes of MS and searching for more effective treatments for the condition. The Tissue Bank is unique and the largest of its kind in the world. To find out more: www.mssociety.org.uk/ms-research/get-involved-research/ms-tissue-bank

Dr Charles HennNeurosurgical Registrar / Editorcfjhennmscroydon@gmail.com

It’s Halloween and the zombies want your brains!... Well - it is that most macabre of seasons, but thankfully pop culture’s beloved apocalypse of the living dead seems no closer to erupting. That said, your organs can be put to far better use once you’re not around to make the most of them (see below).

Now to turn things on their Head, from grave to cradle, so to speak. The first safety trial of stem cells from placental tissue (the placenta is the bit that attaches a baby to the inside of the womb,

The MS Tissue Bank

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Coffee and

InformationMornings

Croydon Branch

A warm welcome awaits you at Christ Church Lounge, Christ Church, Between 861 & 863 Brighton Road, Purley CR8 2BN (opposite Rotary Field) between 10am and 12 noon on alternate Thursdays – please see calendar for when. Information Evenings are also held. If you require more information or directions on how to get there, contact Anne McDermott or Debbie Henn.See you all there!

calendar

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Branch Christmas Party

Dec 05Christmas Coffee

+ Info MorningIn large hall

Dec 11Victoria Station

Collection - Help needed!

Dec 14

Coffee + Info Morning

Oct 30

Coffee + Info Morning

Nov 13Coffee + Info

Morning

Nov 27

Coffee + Info Morning

Oct 16

Clubs 2-4pmChrist Church

Nov 11Cheese and

Wine Information Evening

Oct 25

Christmas Shopping Trip

Nov 20

Clubs 2-4pmChrist Church

Oct 14Oct 11Croydon Branch

2014

MS Helpline 0808 800 8000

Carers’ Information Service: 020 8649 9339 www.carersinfo.org.uk

All the views expressed in the publication are individual and not necessarily the view or policy of the MS Society and its supporters. Mention or advertisement by the MS Society of products or services is not an endorsement by the MS Society, its officers or staff. The Multiple Sclerosis Society, Croydon Branch, cannot accept any responsibility for equipment or services mentioned in this newsletter.

Multiple Sclerosis Society. Registered charity numbers 1139257/SC041990 Registered as a limited company in England and Wales 07451571

Branch Chair and Support Team Debbie Henn. 020 8660 0389dahennmscroydon@gmail.com129 Caterham Drive, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 1JQ

Vice Chair, Treasurer and Membership John Southwick. 01273 552456. johnsouthwick1@aol.com

Branch SecretaryTony Wiseman. 01883 347424secmscroydon@gmail.com

Lead Support Anne McDermott. 020 8654 7837mcdermott.a2@sky.com

Marketing and PR Consultant Chris Day . 020 8688 2598chris@chrisdaycreative.com

Transport and Outings Brenda Buckley. 020 8684 1991brendamscroydon@gmail.com

Income Development Lead Karen & Russell Thatcher. 020 8657 7822karen_croydonms@hotmail.co.uk

The fine print

Connecting to the Branch

Other services

Online

Branch websitewww.mssociety.org.uk/near-me/branches/croydon-branch

www.facebook.com/mscroydon

@mscroydon

CommunicatorEditor

Charles Henncfjhennmscroydon@

gmail.com

ProofreadingKeith Selby

copy All content for the next

issue must be submitted by October 22nd 2014 to

Charles Henn (editor)

Pleasecall us

between9amand5pmon

Mon-Frionly!

thanks

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