July- Digest
SOUTHEND & DISTRICT PENSIONER’S CAMPAIGN
Digest – July 2022
John David Stansfield
25th October 1931 – 26th June 2022
We were very sad to hear of the passing of our Honorary Treasurer, in post since August 2008.
There will be a minutes silence at our July Meeting, and I shall be reading a prose-poem during his funeral on Tuesday, 19th, July. . Some of us enjoyed attending David’s 90th Birthday Party last year where we met many of his friends from other groups which he belonged to, as well as his family. We shall ask Members to share some of your memories of David at our Meeting for inclusion in the August “Digest”. This prose-poem was on David’s office wall.
Desiderata (extract)
Max Erhmann
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and
remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly & clearly; and listen to others,
even the dull & ignorant; they too have their story.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing future of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity & disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.
Beyond wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labours & aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery & broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Age Concern (Southend)
Jean and I went to the Jubilee Concert and thoroughly enjoyed it. We are forging links with Age Concern.(Southend) and they are now sending us their newsletter via David Wiggins. Our newsletter has been sent to them for some time. On the 3rd Tuesday of the month they will hold a Carers Support Group between 10.30am-12.30pm. The next one is 16th August.
Campaign News
We welcome Denise Cullum and Carol Everitt as new members.
In Committee
Jean has been in touch with David’s family and collected the majority of SDPC paperwork. We need a Treasurer before the end of the financial year at the end of September for the audit to take place. Any volunteers to help us continue operating?
Bob will edit Digest, this is his first one. Do let him have some articles you think other members would be interested in.
Margaret will manage the lottery account.
Izzy and Doreen Isaacs will help Jean maintain the Membership Records.
Generous donations from Bob, Alan and Beverly mean we have 4 enormous jars of coffee plus loads of teabags and biscuits from Tesco.
Last Meeting.
We enjoyed two speakers from the Mental Health and Wellbeing charity TrustLinks who’s current President is our Member Jill Allen-King. They up-dated us on how they were developing “Growing Together” using gardening as a therapy for people of all ages, to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
They are hoping to open a new “Growing Together” site in Basildon in the autumn this year.
Banking
Banks on Leigh Broadway are closing. NatWest on 31 August and Barclays on 9 September. I think the one remaining will be Nationwide. Barclays Bank will be offering a service at The Leigh Community Centre on Wednesdays from 9am till 5pm.
Better support at home means patients can leave hospital earlier.
A new scheme to help patients leave hospital sooner with better support at home has been launched. The Southend Enhanced Discharge Service (SEDS) is a therapy-led assessment at home for Southend residents who have been discharged from hospital, but don’t have any support.
The service – run by Southend-on-Sea City Council – has been developed in partnership with Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Southend Hospital, and Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), which runs community services.
It is jointly funded by Southend-on-Sea City Council and Southend Clinical Commissioning Group, via the Better Care Fund.
This will ensure an approach to support more people to stay and recover at home.”
SEDS is being piloted from June until September.
NPC –Update
Bob and Izzy attended the June meeting of the London Region NPC Regional Council Meeting on 30th June. There were about 34 Members present and we had 4 speakers. Wayne Moore from the RMT Union, two people from Independent Age, two from Tfl, and Kevin Hussey on the “Pentonville Five”. The TUC demonstration was a huge event which many of the Members supported.
Dates for your Diary.
27th, July. Trust Links “Summer Fayre”.
Growing Together, Elm Road, Shoeburyness.
3.00pm – 5.00pm.
3rd August Fundraising lunch at Noon. Register with Jean. 01702 341047, 07952 546810
17th August Members meeting. Ladybird Song Group 2pm. Balmoral Centre, Salisbury Road, Westcliff
Until early September: Bandstand music at Prittlewell Priory Park on Sunday afternoons. 3.00pm – 5.00pm Be early as parking is limited.
Bob Howes 01702 341047
Email: howes01702@outlook.com