john’s jottings...

Our News Northampton, Daventry & Towcester Branch

F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7

The Branch’s Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Friday, 31st March, 2pm

Venue: St Crispin Retirement Village

St Crispin Drive, Duston, Northampton, NN5 4RE

Hello and a belated Happy New Year to you all.

As I type these notes, it’s raining heavily. For that reason, I’m unable to

get out and go for a run. My thoughts turn to our housebound friends and

neighbours who have lost mobility. It would be interesting to hear how

folks keep amused in these dark winter days. Three ideas that, perhaps,

could help: in my case, my Pilates teacher has given me a range of home

exercises. Many of us attend some sort of Yoga/Pilates related activity

and the exercises can be modified for use in our homes. Bernie Keith on

BBC Radio Northampton is always upbeat. Finally, several of my friends

birdwatch from their windows; one of them has seen 18 different species

of birds in January alone.

For the first time, you will find an End of Year Report enclosed for you to

read. Our year ends in December and the report looks at what we have

done and the direction of travel of the Branch.

The March Annual General Meeting (see below) will be upon us soon.

Please, use your vote, and if you know of anyone who would actively like

to volunteer, please ask them to put themselves forward. You will find a

Nomination Form for the election of Committee Officers at the end of

the Report.

The Daventry Coffee Club at The Saracens Head Inn has very few mem-

bers. If numbers do not increase by the end of March, we may consider

closing this activity. If you have any ideas to increase the numbers,

please let me know.

All the best,

John

Dates for your

diary:

Tote Winners

November

1. Graham Snart

2. Sheila Hubbard

3. Rose Mepham

www.facebook.com/ParkinsonsUKNorthamptonDaventryTowcester

1st, 8th,15th,

22nd February

Tulip Group

7th February

Ex Carers

Group

14th February

Support Day

for Patient &

Carer

21st February

Daventry

Coffee Club

24th February

Branch

Meeting

Find a Nomination Form on the last page of the End of Year Report,

enclosed with your newsletter

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The Branch’s Christmas celebration

We had a merry gathering of 50 people at the Branch’s Christmas Lunch on December 15th.

We hope you all enjoyed it! Our thanks to the organizers, all the staff at the Northampton

Marriott Hotel and also to Judith and Joe, who were in charge of the Christmas raffle.

Charity

“Dancing fleas” raise over £200 for the Branch

The Daventry Methodist Church

was visited on December 11th by

a group of fleas! However, no

need to summon the pest con-

trollers! They were "dancing

fleas" accompanied by the Da-

ventry Ukulele Society (Dukes

Ukes), who had been invited to

play at a fundraising event for Parkinson’s UK by one of their mem-

bers, Mike Wakeman. Dukes Ukes entertained their audience with a

variety of songs and some of their Christmas repertoire, all of which

seemed to be much appreciated by the audience. Afterwards, the

"Dukes" were invited to partake of the wonderful tea that had been

provided by members of the church. A huge thank you goes to eve-

ryone involved in organising the day. The “dancing fleas”? Oh, that

is what "ukulele" means in the Hawaiian language, but I expect you

all knew that! Just a little about the Dukes Ukes: the Daventry Uku-

lele Society was formed in 2012 by Barry Nash. It’s an informal

group of players at various stages in their ukulele playing. The group

meets on Tuesday evening at the Daventry Working Mens Club and

likes to encourage new members, experienced or novice, with or

without their own ukulele. Visit www.dukesukes.co.uk

Julia Woodley

A £500 boost for the Parkin-

son’s Exercise Group in

Towcester

The Exercise & Well-Being

Group received last December

a £500 cheque from the Free-

masons of Lactodorum Lodge

No. 8526, in Towcester.

The grant, raised at the Lac-

todorum’s Christmas Carols

meeting, will assist in the run-

ning of the recently estab-

lished Parkinson’s exercise

group, which started in No-

vember 2016, in Towcester.

The Exercise and Well-Being

Group meets on the 2nd and

4th Thursday of every month,

from 2pm to 3.30pm, at the

SNDC Offices, Moat Lane,

Towcester.

Participants are asked to

make a contribution of £4 per

session towards cost.

pbuyandsellnorthampton@hotmail.com

FOR SALE

Second-hand equipment:

Bath seat, rollator, perching stool, four

wheeled walker with seat & basket, riser

recliner chair, and more.

T: 01604 588 501

www.northamptonshirecil.org.uk

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Suggestions are welcomed!

If you have articles about your area, please let us

know and we’ll try to print them.

Send them to johnpeachey52@gmail.com

Any queries about our newsletter, please call

01604 770 894

The young, the old, and the wonderful

On Wednesday, 7th December, year 12 students (Lower 6th Form)

from the Business and Technical Events Management Course at Sil-

verstone University Technical College made a visit to the Tulip

Group. Whilst the Group went off to lunch, five pupils immediately

got to work setting up our room at St. Crispin Retirement Village.

We all returned to a lovely surprise. The room had been converted

into a 1940's Tea Dance, with bunting, cakes, music and, of course,

lots of tea. The tables were themed with keepsakes and someone

had been working hard on serviette folding skills. The pupils made

us all feel at ease and showed off their wonderful hosting skills.

Nothing was too much bother. Music, evoking the forties and fifties,

played whilst we were served homemade cakes, scones and maca-

roons, all washed down with tea in proper vintage teacups.

We ended the afternoon with some hand jives and a good old-

fashioned sing-song. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves with these

sixteen and seventeen-year-olds, who gave a very positive reflection

of young people today.

We hope the students will come back again, but next time maybe

we should eat less before they arrive.

Laura Taylor

New!

Visit the Branch’s website at

www.parkinsonsuknorthants.wordpress.com

Find more news and events in our blog

FOR SALE

Four wheeled rollator with seat

Hardly used. For £10

Contact Angela Jeffery

T: 0344 225 3628

Free confidential helpline

0808 800 0303

Volunteer Co-ordinator

Jackie Conn

T 0300 123 3673

Local Advisor

Angela Jeffery

T 0344 225 3628

Parkinson’s Nurse Specialist

Mel Smith

T 01604 678120

Chair

John Peachey

T 01604 770894

E johnpeachey52@gmail.com

Treasurer

David Hubbard

T 01604 832354

Visit us online at

www.parkinsons.org.uk

www.parkinsonsuknorthants.wordpress.com

What Where When More Info Branch Meeting St. Crispin Village Last Friday John Peachey

Northampton, NN5 4RB 2-4pm 01604 770 894

Exercise and SNDC Offices 2nd and 4th Thursday Julia Dickerson

Well-Being Group Moat Lane,Towcester 2-3.30pm 01604 863 597

Gentle Exercise Abington Church Rooms 1st & 3

rd Thursday Julia Dickerson

Group Northampton, NN3 2HT 10am-12 noon 01604 863 597

Tulip Group St. Crispin Village Every Wednesday Angela Jeffery

Northampton, NN5 4RB 10am-3pm 07903 984 543

Support Day for Abbey Centre, Hunsbury 2nd

Tuesday Val Hamblin

Patient & Carer Northampton, NN4 0RZ 10am-3pm 01327 704 020

Daventry The Saracens Head Inn 3rd

Tuesday John Peachey

Coffee Club 1, Brook Street, Daventry 10am-12 noon 01604 770 894

NN11 4GG

Daventry Exercise Reach for Health Gym, Every Wednesday Elaine Hamer

Group High March, Daventry 11.30am-12.30pm 07860 966 807

NN11 4HB

Ex Carers Group Wyevale Garden Centre 1st Tuesday Val Cole

Wootton, NN4 6HP 10.30am-12 noon 01604 589 050

Subject to availability and cancellation at short notice

Quote for the month

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an

indomitable will.

-Mahatma Gandhi

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This newsletter is produced by the Northampton, Daventry & Towcester

Branch.The views expressed are not necessarily those of Parkinson’s

UK

Upcoming Event

February Branch Meeting (24th)

Speakers: Anna Fowler-Guest and Katharine Dexter

(Representatives from Scott Fowler Solicitors)

Subject: Financial Planning for Retirees

Regular activities every month

Younger Parkinson’s The Queen Adelaide, 1st Saturday Pamela Harrison

Support Group 50 Manor Road, 10.30am 01604 626 181

Northampton, NN2 6QJ