Newsletter from the Chair: October 2022
During July we held our first ever Redditch Coffee morning and were delighted with both the venue and the outcome. We will certainly go back to the Ecumenical Church again and build Redditch Coffee mornings into future meeting schedules. We also held the celebratory afternoon tea for Mary Cotterill, Andrew Stubbs and Ian Cash, stalwarts of Birmingham IA and its committee for many years and who sadly passed away during the Covid Pandemic period. Guest attendance was by invitation only, and we were pleased that a number of Mary Cotterill’s former nursing colleagues from Heartlands and Good Hope Hospitals attended as well as former patient members of Birmingham IA and close friends. Those attending were invited to reflect on their memories of each of the three former members, and several took the opportunity to share amusing anecdotes of memories that they had of them.
In August I was lucky enough to join the party of members visiting the Moseley and Kings Heath Shed for the first time and saw the various glass, mosaic and woodwork that goes on there. There were nine Birmingham IA members present plus three partners, wives or husbands. A very interesting morning and the work was being led by three of their members, two of whom are Ileostomists who have now joined Birmingham IA. One member who has joined the Shed is already proud of work that he has produced: we have asked for pictures for social media!
In early September we held a Sutton Coldfield coffee morning at the United Reformed Church with a record attendance of 25, including two members attending for the first time and two others we had met at July Coloplast event who became members on the day. Healthwatch also attended and members completed their health service questionnaires. Half of those attending stayed on to lunch which was served for us in the Cedar Hall where the meeting had taken place.
I have also visited the Clayton Hotel on behalf of National IA as a possible Pouch Information Day venue and even enquired about it for a City Centre Coffee morning in future. I have also visited Priory Rooms in Bull Street, enquired about the BMI in Margaret Street and Exchange on Broad Street which I am hoping to visit this week ahead of our committee meeting. We do not as yet have a new venue for the City Centre meetings following the closure of the Carrs Lane Centre but hope to have one sorted in next few days.
I was invited to the Zoom meeting held by National IA to outline the new IA Strategic Plan to member organisations, the meeting taking place on Tuesday 27th September. IA have clearly worked very hard in putting this plan together and deserve credit for doing so. Admirable commitments include increasing staffing in National Office so that phones get answered more regularly with someone whose role includes working more closely with local Associations, improving presence at events held around the country, more support for Young IA and improving Fund raising. A copy of the IA Strategic Plan Presentation is being circulated to members so please feel free to ask me any questions that you might have.
I have ordered, collected and presented a President Pendant to our new President Melissa Cunha when supporting her clinic at the QE on Thursday 29th September Maggie and I attended her clinic on that day.
I have also ordered the agreed Otto Ostomy Model we are buying for Sandwell hospital, following my visit there with Andy earlier in the summer. We should have delivery of the model during November and once it arrives will organise a presentation to the SCN staff.
Finally on Saturday 1st October I attended the Solihull Coffee morning at Solihull Methodist Church. Very grateful for the strong Committee presence on the day, especially at the start of the day when we discovered that the room was double booked and full of sleeping bags and mattresses! There were twenty-three attendees including three new members.
Mike Jameson
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Birmingham IA 4 days ago |
This was one of our members and his wife. Tony Mcnicholas and his wife Marie. Tony had been a member with Birmingham IA since 2019 but he sadly passed in may 2025, Tony was a very popular and committed member of our group. Marie always came with Tony to meetings and events. Marie has very kindly donated a sum of money to help Birmingham IA continue providing others with support and a community as Tony found the group helpful for himself and his wife during his time as a member. We are so greatful to Marie and the rest of Tony family and friends for the donation. And I am sure Tony will be sadly missed within the socials and all the members who knew him.
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Birmingham IA 7 days ago |
At the pavillion attending the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital Stoma Nurses information day. It was pleasant to meet so many people,who have a stoma. Along side company reps.
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Birmingham IA 10 days ago |
Let's get this out there as this would be a interesting presentation to all us ostomates and pouchies
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Birmingham IA 10 days ago |
A lovely turn out at our Solihull Social Coffee morning, Was lovely seeing our lovely members and our newbies. As without you we would be able to run these groups and a big thanks to Barry Austin from coloplast on his presentation of sore skin issue and the heylo device. Hope our members enjoyed this presentation.
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Birmingham IA 10 days ago |
Look forward to seeing you all at the social coffee morning come say hello
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Birmingham IA 11 days ago |
These are a brillant idea for anyone who has a child or someone who might not understand about the stoma/pouch using the books to explain it to them how it helps and what it does and how to cope with them.
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Birmingham IA 11 days ago |
A QUICK REMINDER. Our next social coffee meeting at Solihull Methodist Church, look forward to seeing you there. All are welcome to pop along.
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Birmingham IA 12 days ago |
How about pop along to the cancer bus tour around Birmingham if you feel worried about anything,put your mind at ease by getting your issues checked.
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Birmingham IA 12 days ago |
Please keep hydrated and safe in this heat please check out our website Birmingham ileostomy and pouch organisation, to get the latest information on how to stay hydrated in warmer weather. Our members get all this imformation and more by joining birmingham IA check website out for our form to join.
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Birmingham IA 12 days ago |
Keep up the good work ...so proud of one our birmingham members of all his hard work and all his fund raising...please donate if you ever see our Keith doing any fundraising as IA is so proud of all his does please send your praise to Keith.A lovely man .
