Foyle Branch Activities & Events 2007

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2007 AGM REPORT

The 2007 AGM of the Foyle Branch was held in the Foyle Disability Resource Centre at 3pm on Tuesday, 16 October.

The meeting was opened by Peter who referred to the impact of the difficulties experienced by the Society in Northern Ireland on the Branch.

The minutes of the 2006 AGM were presented by Marie and adopted.

Written reports presented by Terry, & Damien & Moira were adopted by the meeting.

Terry drew attention to the 3876 enquiries dealt with by the office (an increase of 1340 over last year) and the 171 home visits carried out. Two health programmes had been organised and yoga class activities had been extended to Claudy and Limavady. The Carers Forum continued to meet and a Carer Support/Development Worker has been appointed by the Western Health & Social Care Trust. The Listening Ear Service, started in consultation with members, had generated very positive feedback. The Branch had very successfully hosted the NI AGM held outside Belfast for the first time. Terry had a special word of thanks to all those who organised and participated in fund raising activities and to all those volunteers without whom the Branch could not continue to meet the needs of members.

Damien explained that the current accounts covered only ten months to comply with the new accounting dates of the MS Society & could not be directly compared with the previous year. He thanked all those who had contributed in any way to the very necessary work of fundraising.

Maura referred in particular to Thursday Group monthly meetings addressed by Madeline, the Listening Ear facilitator, John McGinty of MS Ireland on the Tactics cross border project and by the Community Pharmacist and to Tuesday Group outings and meetings. She referred to the the various Tuesday & Thursday exercise activities, the 6 week Holistic Approach to Health & Healing course and the yoga class starting in Limavady in addition to those in Derry & Claudy. She also recorded her thanks to the drivers & other volunteers involved.

Guest speakers, MS Nurse Fiona Mullan and her newly appointed colleague, Carol Hinchliffe described their work. Fiona reported that the waiting time for disease modifying treatment is on course to reduce to 13 weeks by March 2008. She also spoke of the new MS Nurse led clinics where persons will have easier access to treatment and advice. She stressed that the clinics would complement and not replace access to neurologist clinics. Carol, who is appointed on a part-time basis, is heavily involved in assisting individuals in making informed decisions on disease modifying treatments and in training them in the procedures involved in self medication.

Following the elections of officers & committee members , Peter, in his concluding remarks, spoke of the importance of moving forward despite the difficult events of the last year. He said the committee would continue to work hard at maintaining and developing its services for persons with MS & he spoke of the importance of ensuring that the branch retained its influence at Northern Ireland level whatever form of governance emerged. He thanked Terry and all those who had contributed to the work of the branch.

The attendance lost no time in sampling the spread - and then-

the newly elected committee got straight down to business.