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 27^th 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 29^th 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 1^st 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                                                                                         

Updates from our Facebook page

Birmingham IA 10 days ago

I know we are advised to not drink water alone but these are ideas to keep safe and cool in these extreme weather from the NHS

Birmingham IA 10 days ago

I want to thank all who attended our social coffee morning in Sutton Coldfield..and also thank Alex Browning from Dansac on her presentation to the group on a throught-provoking discussion on what ostomists throught was their top priorities in selecting stoma bags, eliminating leaks was the top reason for this amongst the members who attended..it was good to see the discussions of different views from our members. This highlighted that no one size fits all when it comes down to stomas bag.

Birmingham IA 10 days ago

While these temperatures are increasing,Please keep yourself safe..keep hydrated and use sun protections.

Birmingham IA 11 days ago

I have heard conversations regarding the lack of facilities and waste bins in male toilets as they often don't provide them so males who have stomas or incontinence issue. This is a link regarding how they are trying to change this issue. https://www.phs.co.uk/male-incontinence/ have a read.

Birmingham IA 12 days ago

I was made aware that the male toilets are not equipped for males with stoma or incontinence here a link with information regarding this issue

Birmingham IA 12 days ago

Don't Forget to pop along to our Sutton Coldfield Social coffee morning tomorow at 10.30am.1 Brassington Avenue Sutton Coldfield B73 6AA Alex Browning from Dansac giving a presentation..but not confirmed yet

Birmingham IA 12 days ago

Birmingham IA 12 days ago

This a a committee leaving meal of Peggy Andy and Syeda. Who sadly stepped down from their roles. I would like to congratulate all of them for their dedication and commitment to Birmingham IA. Peggy has been a member of BirminghamIA since 1979 and began volunteering at MrBevan's stoma clinic in Dudley Road Hospital and then joined the committee in 2001 as the membership Secretary and decided to step down earlier this year. She will ne remaining as a member of birmingham IA. I would also acknowledge her family who always supported Birmingham IA throughout aswell along side Peggy. Andy became a member of BirminghamIA in 1999 and started of becoming a One-to-One support volunteer and then joined the committee in a new role of Engagement Manager and became very successful at this role then sadly stepped down from the role early this year. Syeda joined BirminghamIA in in 2004-2009,she rejoined in 2015 and still remains she was on the committee twice for two different roles first she was the Social Media Manager and then rejoined the committee as the One to One Coordinator until she stepped down earlier this year... They will be sadly missed in their roles within the committee I would also like to acknowledge the outstanding work Mike as done for Birmingham IA who also stepped down..and we have given Mike and Peggy a honoury member of BirminghamIA.

Birmingham IA 12 days ago

Good to see the awareness is getting out there

Birmingham IA 13 days ago

Our Keith when he did his last half a marathon

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