Bankers Order Form
Name of your Bank/Building Society: ......................................................................
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The Buzz
MS Newsletter for Leighton Buzzard & District - Spring 2012
From the chair . . .
Address: .......................................................................................................................................
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...................................................................................
Postcode: ........................................
Name/s of Account Holder/s: ..........................................................................................
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Account Number/s: ...............................................................................................................
Bank Sort Code:
(from top right side of your cheque)
Instructions to Bank/Building Society
Please pay to the order of MS Society Leighton Buzzard (Account
Number 50432628 - Sort Code 20 82 94) at Barclays Bank, 99 Hatton
Garden, London EC1N 8DN the sum of £3 per month (or other amount
of £.......................) until I notify you otherwise, in writing.
DD / MM / YY
Please state date you wish this order to commence: ...................................
Signature: ....................................................................................................................................
Well, spring has finally raised its head. With a little
sun
s and the spring flowers in bloom the world
looks a much better place. Our branch has sprung
into action with Michael Taylor, our hardworking
Treasurer, taking on the additional new role
as Editor of the branch newsletter. Our ever youthful
secretary Lorna Taylor has been out and about gathering up our
collection tins round the town.
The Branch has two new helpers. Jenni Taylor-Bickers, Lorna and
Michael’s daughter who is putting her graphic design skills to work
for us publishing our newsletter and other branch information. Kim
Summerfield, my daughter, has taken on the role as our branch web
editor for the new web site to be launched at the end of April.
The branch is compiling a list of member’s emails so that we can pass
on information from the society and keep in touch, so if you are on email
please contact me at the address below so we can add you to our list.
On the social side we are planning a canal trip on an adapted narrowboat which can take wheelchairs details of which are in this newsletter.
We are also having a stall at the Leighton Buzzard Spring Fair so if
anyone would like to lend a hand please let us know. Finally I enjoyed
seeing and meeting all of you who came to our Spring Lunch.
Enjoy the spring!
Ian Summerfield - Chairman
[email protected]
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Reg. Charity 1139257
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Support and Information
Branch Chairman
Branch Treasurer
Branch Support
Branch Secretary
Branch Web Site
Branch Committee
Ian Summerfield - 07710 463597
Michael Taylor - 01525 377099
Ian Summerfield - 07710 463597
Lorna Taylor - 01525 377099
Lorna Taylor - 01525 377099
Kim Summerfield
Moni Elliott
Branch website
www.mssociety.org.uk/leightonbuzzard
MS Nurses
Mr. Huseyin Huseyin (MS Specialist Nurse)
Luton & Dunstable
Tel: 01582 718276
Mob: 07768 044762
Email: [email protected]
Ms. Angie Brinklow (MS Specialist Practitioner)
Aylesbury
Tel: 01296 393319
Mob: 07917 073624
Email: [email protected]
MS Society free
MS helpline
0808 800 8000
MS Information/
Enquiry line
020 8438 0799 open weekdays 9am - 4pm
MS Society on Line
www.mssociety.org.uk
www.mssociety.org.uk/support_and_services
www.facebook.com/mssociety
www.twitter.com/mssocietyuk
www.youtube.com/mssociety
www.flickr.com/photos/mssocietyuk/
www.youngms.org.uk
www.facebook.com/childrenwithMS
Make a donation
I would like to donate £3 a month!
Regular support by standing order means that we
can plan our work, giving us the confidence that
comes from regular income. If you would like to
help us in this way, please complete the standing
order form overleaf.
We thank you for your support.
YES, I would like to give regularly to the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Surname: .......................................................................................................................................
Title: .....................................................................
Initials: ...............................................
Address: .......................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................
Postcode: ........................................
Telelphone (please include area code): ......................................................................
Email: ...............................................................................................................................................
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Gift Aid Declaration
Please tick box
I confirm that I am a UK tax payer and pay an amount of Income Tax
and/or Capital Gains Tax at least equal to the tax to be reclaimed in the
tax year. I would like all donations I make from the date below to be
treated as Gift Aid donations until I notify you otherwise.
Signed: ............................................................................
Date: .......................................
Please return the completed form to:
MS Society Leighton Buzzard, 145 Grasmere Way, Linslade LU7 2QH
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Welfare benefits & Tax Credit Book
Are you keeping up to date?
Stay informed - know your rights.
The 37th edition costs £28.50 (full price)
or £14.00 for concession price for anyone
receiving a disability benefit. The book can
be ordered online at
www.disabilityrightsuk.org or contact
Michael for a printed order form on 01525
377099
A wet Easter with a surprise!
A couple of weeks before Easter I received the
latest information on Gowrings Mobility Road
Shows. As Lorna and I enjoy looking around
gardens, I phoned to reserve tickets to the RHS
Hyde Hall Gardens in April. To my surprise on the
Thursday before Good Friday I received a phone
call from Gowrings advising me I had won a VIP day at the
gardens. We were treated to a chauffer driven car to the gardens a
lunch and enjoyed a wonderful day.
Branch Financial Assistance
The branch offers financial assistance to people with
MS for the purchase of the following;
• Home adaptations
• Wheelchairs & Scooters
• Special equipment - chairs, beds, furnishings
• Clinical aids
• Communication aids
• Exercise equipment
• Other items may be considered on a case by case basis
An assessment from an Occupational Therapist (OT) would be required
in many cases and each applicant would be asked to complete a grant
application form for consideration by the branch support committee.
Grants cannot be considered/awarded retrospectively, once an applicant
has used their own funds to purchase an item.
The branch also currently offers assistance with the annual costs for
the Careline support phone service, one hour gym sessions on Sunday
morning and Therapy Centre donations, where a member is making
regular visits to the Chiltern or Bedford MS Therapy centres.
For more information please contact Michael on 01525 377099.
To support these financial commitments the branch relies on donations/
collections.
If you would like to donate on a single or regular basis please see pages
15 & 16.
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Stick it to MS
Guinness World Record attempt
Sunday July 15th 2012,
EventCity, Manchester
Subscriptions
Have you paid your annual subscription for 2012?
We would encourage all members to maintain their membership of the
branch, as with larger membership we have a larger voice.
Stick it to MS is an event that will see hundreds
of drummers attempting to break the Guinness World
Record for the largest full drum kit ensemble. This involves drummers
on full drum kits playing a set drum beat in time with each other for five
minutes. At SITMS 2009 a Guinness World Record was set by 582
drummers at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham.
SITMS 2009 raised £66,315 for The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society
and won ‘MS Fundraiser of the Year’ in 2010. The event also received
a huge amount of mainstream Television and Newspaper coverage.
SITMS 2012 will attempt to break its own current world record with a
target of over 800 drummers!
Once again, the brainchild of
event organisers Rick and Karen
Prince, Stick it to MS is back
on Sunday 15th of July 2012
and will be held at EventCity
in Manchester. The event,
sponsored by Natal Drums, will
feature a whole host of celebrities
together with drummers from
Natal’s artist roster.
If you would like to take part in the record attempt then please register at
http://www.stickittoms.com/register/
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Membership subscriptions of £5 can be paid either by sending them
directly to MS National Centre or to the branch. Please contact Michael
Taylor on 01525 377099 if you choose the latter.
All membership subscriptions are maintained by the branch and help
with branch finance management.
Su Duko Answers
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Update on Fingolimod
Thank you!
The MS Society are pleased to report that Gilenya (Fingolimod) has
been approved by NICE for the use in England and Wales. This can
now be dispensed by doctors to people suited. Northern Ireland and
Scotland are still seeking approval and the Society is assisting in the
current decisions.
A sincere ‘THANK YOU’ to the following businesses
who continue to display our counter top boxes.
Also a big thank you to the following generous
customers and staff who have contributed the
following funds recently;
• VNP News and Stores, North Street
£39.10
• House of Coffee, off High Street
£49.53
• Reuben’s Gourmet Sandwiches, High Street
£31.86
• Jardines Pharmacy, Wing
£39.59
• The Stag Public House, Church Street
£73.67
A
Adrienne Staniford had requested all funds
collected at her funeral and for the sale of her
iitems of mobility equipment be donated to
research at the MS Society. The was carried out in
accordance with her wishes.
The Buzz is published by the Leighton Buzzard Branch of the
MS Society. The views expressed in this publication are not
necessarily the views or policy of the charity or its supporters.
The Buzz is formatted by Jenni Taylor-Bickers and edited by
Michael Taylor, neither who takes any liability for any errors or
omissions. Any copy for the newsletter should be sent to
[email protected] or 01525 377099
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Update on CCSVI
NICE has not approved the use of CCSVI but has requsted more
research should be conducted as part of clinical trials. MS Society
supports this guidance.
Respite Centres
The previous MS respite centres: Leuchi, Woodlands and Brambles
are now transferred. Helen Ley is planned to be transferred by the end
of April 2012 to a new provider. People with MS can still be admitted to
these centres.
Let us know your views: The new DLA
The Government’s introducing a new benefit, Personal Independence
Payment (PIP) to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA). From 201315 everyone on DLA will be reassessed for the new benefit. Now is
our chance to shape what the new test will look like. The Government
is currently consulting on the assessment criteria that will be used for
the new benefit. We want to know your views on how this will work for
people with MS.
Find out more and respond to the Government consultation at
www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/2012/pip.shtml
If you’d like to contribute to the MS Society’s response, please contact
Hayley Jordan at [email protected] or 020 8438 0753.
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Carers Week 2012:
Survey now open
The MS Society is a partner in this year’s Carers
Week: 18th to 24th June 2012.
The theme this year is “In Sickness and in
Health”. What are your experiences of caring? How much
does your caring role impact on your health and wellbeing? Are you
worried that the Government’s cuts will make you shoulder more of
the responsibility? Are you already feeling the effects of cuts to local
services? If so, we’re keen to hear more. Even if you’re not affected
by the cuts, we want to hear about that too!
The nine charities which make up the Carers Week partnership
have opened the annual survey for 2012.
Go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/carersweek2012 to give your
views. There’ll be more information from the MS Society soon on
how branches and volunteers can get involved in this year’s Carers
Week.
Reach-Out:
Coffee Break Quiz: Quotes and Sayings
A little brain power for all you Su Duko addicts!
This is a medium level puzzle
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The experience would last about 2hrs with tea or coffee, transport to
the location could be provided.
There will be a charge depending upon the final numbers interested.
Anyone interested please contact Michael on 01525 377099
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Answers on page 13
Waterways Experience
The branch is planning an outing on an
accessible barge that is based on the Grand
Union Canal at Nash Mills, Hemel Hempstead,
this coming summer.
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“I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word I say.”
“Don’t drink and drive, you may spill your drink if you hit a bump in the
road.”
“A baby is an angle whose wings decrease as their legs increase.”
“Success is going from one failure to another without losing
enthusiasm.”
“Never ask a barber if you need a haircut.”
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New MS Assistance Card
A new assistance credit card sized card for people
with MS to carry is available. The can be shown
to people if they need assistance while out and
indicates the person requires assistance but MS is
not infectious.
If you require one please contact Michael on 01525 377099
MS Week
MS Week this year is running from 30th April
to 6th May and the MS Society is planning a
campaign ‘Fighting Back Against MS’.
The Society will be producing a series of short
videos in which non MS people take on challenges
to encourage other people not affected by MS to join the fight back
and make donations.
The videos can be seen on www.msfightback.org.uk or YouTube
www.youtube.com/user/MSSociety
Ainsley Harriott will launch Cake
Break that takes place during MS
Week on Friday 4th May to raise
funds by baking and offering the
cakes for a donation.
One can register online at
www.mssociety.org.uk/cakebake for a free host pack bursting with
tips and recipe ideas, or call MIta Vaghji, fundraising team on 020
8438 0737
Branch Website
The final deadline for the old branch website switch off is the end
of April 2012. The new branch website is now managed by Kim
Summerfield and will be up and running by this time:
www.mssociety.org.uk/leightonbuzzard
Full size example of the new MS Assistance card
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Spring Lunch
In memory of Adrienne Staniford
Thank you to everyone who came along,
we look forward to seeing you all again soon . . .
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