AGM

Some of the members enjoying their cuppas after the "serious" business was over!

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The AGM was well attended with 15 members turning out to hear the news of the last year. A lovely sunset on the way had made some members glad they had turned out! Chairman Willie Sinclair told of the highs and lows of the Group since it acquired the premises thanks to Highland Council.

The official opening had gone well and since then interest had been generated in the work of the Group, and it was especially pleasing to have had enquiries and requests for information from health professionals. The public involvement had been made possible thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers whom the Chairman thanked sincerely for their help. Although the numbers approaching the Centre were not large, those who had ventured inside had been pleased with the set-up as could be seen from the visitors book. The Chairman also thanked the Committee for their valuable contribution to the launch and running of the Centre. He paid tribute to the previous Chairperson Anne Stewart who was now the MS Nurse for the Highlands, a post funded by the MS Society. This post was due in no small measure to the lobbying of the Group. Mr Sinclair also thanked the former treasurer Maureen Digby-Grant for getting the finances off the ground. Thanks to some generous donations and in-house fundraising a number of items had been purchased for the Centre.

The AGM welcomed the introduction in the New Year of Neurology Clinics in Wick, and highlighted the need to ensure people with neurological conditions knew it would be happening and so could ask to be referred by their GP's. The application to the LHCC for a neurological nurse post was also discussed and a member was reassured that this issue would not be forgotten. It was suggested that as stroke is high on the priority list of Government health issues then this would perhaps be a lever to set such a post in place.

Further efforts will be made to introduce new activities into the Centre such as "taster sessions" on aromatherapy, crafts, exercise, hand/neck massage and so on. A publicity drive will ensure that as many people as possible know of the Centre's existence and can benefit from its services. The regular weekly art group is very popular and "on course to exhibit" before too long!

Chris Bannerman reported on the progress of the Wick Neurological Group which had gone from 0 to 100 in seconds! The Group, under the leadership of Della Smith, had managed to find initial premises in the Arthritis Care Rooms, but were now in the Wick Youth Club. Long-term the Group hopes to be part of the Pultney project where other Community groups may come together. Fundraising had been phenomenally successful with almost £2000 raised in a matters of months. Regular attenders, people with a range of neurological conditions, enjoyed the companionship it offered.

After the formality of the election of office bearers which saw a new Minutes Secretary, Treasurer and Volunteer Coordinator, the meeting heard a very interesting and nicely illustrated presentation by Richard O'Grady, Development Officer with the Parkinson's Disease Society. Richard talked about Parkinson's disease and told the story of how the Society was founded, how it has grown into the large network of support groups and Branches, and what it hopes to achieve in Scotland in particular. There are few Specialist Parkinson's nurses and few Welfare Officers in Scotland and the Society is keen to make the specialist services available to as many people as possible, covering the whole of Scotland. The PDS is also working to try and set up a new Parkinson's Support Group in Caithness.

Business over, the AGM adjourned to the serious business of refreshments which included a range of healthy options to remind everyone of the message of Stroke Awareness Week. Discussion also featured the Civic Awards which had just been launched that evening!

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