From The Editors

As I have just sent off the copy to the printers for the June Issue, my thoughts immediately turn to the September edition and what I should say in my editorial.

Over the last few weeks the weather doesn’t seem to know what to do, firstly it is quite cold, then very wet, then a complete reversal and very warm and dry and it’s not summer yet (as I write this in early June). However, by the time this ‘Supporter’ is printed our summer will be nearly over and all the predictions will have ‘gone out of the window’ yet again. When I was a child (many years ago) all the summers seemed to be good, but perhaps that is because we only store in our memories the good things in our lives and tend to forget that yesteryear was no different to this (weather wise).

Anyway enough of my ramblings about the weather and onto the serious subject of Prostate Cancer. I have recently spoken to three people who have been diagnosed with a high PSA reading and who are now in the various stages of Consultation and Scans. What worries me is that two of them are reporting that there are signs that they are past the primary stage where their Cancer would have probably been localised and more readily treatable, to the stage where scans have shown that it has already spread elsewhere in the body and a more radical treatment is now required. Unfortunately, neither of these men had done anything about their wellbeing until the symptoms became painfully obvious and they went to their GP. I feel I must steal the two words from the Governor’s article in the last quarter’s magazine……. “if only”.

If only men would have a regular check once they reach 60 (and some would argue, before that age) then an abnormal PSA reading would highlight a possible problem in the area of the Prostate gland. So many men are hesitant to go to their GP until they have accumulated several ‘problems’ and then due to the Doctors time constraints or maybe be even because of the embarrassing situation they find themselves in, don’t get around to mentioning their problem ‘down below’ until their next visit and then it may be too late. Or maybe their wives don’t push them because they too are probably unaware of the significance of ‘getting up several times in the night’………’if only”.

If only their friends had invited them to the Town Hall – this was my experience and I am thankful that I came along, so think about your friends, relations and neighbours. This may be their salvation and the part that you can play in being a ‘buddy’ to them. And you never know they may become involved in the work of the Group at some time in the future as a ‘thank you’ for being diagnosed before it became ‘too late’.

We are looking for Secretaries – in plural, because we think we need more than the Group’s official Secretary, due to our plans for the near future. We will need also a Membership Secretary and depending on commitments, a Minute Secretary to go to each Committee or Sub Committee meeting to make notes and distribute them to the main Committee members. There is rumour, which I can confirm, that Frank Carter our long time and very efficient Treasurer is wishing to stand down, but obviously will not do so until he has ‘trained up’ a successor. None of these aforesaid jobs are particularly onerous or time consuming, but they do need a commitment to the Group which we must have and would appreciate. Can you help by volunteering your time?

Since writing this editorial, I believe that John Banner has agreed to be our Membership Secretary and at the last Committee meeting we discussed the appointment of a Secretary…
Watch this space !!

Michael Massey, Editor

From The Chairman

We have been very fortunate by the many and varied speakers that we have had at the Town Hall Meetings. This has built up a great deal of interest in the Support Group. We are developing carefully and methodically, the work of the ‘Buddy Scheme’. This will be a very useful part of our caring and support system.

As Chairman of the Support Group there appears to be one area that we need to develop further, and that is how we respond to the members needs. It has been voiced that the Supporter Magazine is a ‘bit heavy’. We would like more articles from members rather than relying to a great extent on just your committee.

Please will you think about it, and I look forward to any comments you may have. We have achieved so much so far, and I feel that we can achieve greater things with all your enthusiasm and dedication. I was reminded at the Sapey Golf Day, of the business jargon, there is no ‘I’ in the word ‘Team’. We are a Team dedicated to the good of all our members, widows, and all associated with the Group. Please will you think about it, so that we will have a very successful future for our Support Group.

Paul Brothwell, Chairman

I sometimes think there can be no more men in North Worcestershire who have not heard about the Prostate Gland, diseases of the Prostate Gland or ways and means of finding out about early curable Prostate Cancer. I am still regularly called upon to speak to men’s groups - Rotary Clubs, The Lions, The Round Table, Golf Clubs etc - trying my best to make men aware of these potential problems with their health. We still get long queues of men at our quarterly Town Hall meetings as they want a blood test for the P.S.A. level. At our last meeting we did 156 blood tests and 21 of these were abnormal and I suspect we will eventually know about 5 or 6 of these who will be diagnosed with cancer and following treatment can then look forward to a cure.

I am heartened by this as I believe the work our charity has been doing for the last six years in making it possible for men to have this blood test is beginning to show  fruits. I also have it on hearsaythat many of our local General Practitioners are now heeding my advice and making it easier for their men patients to have this test. I look forward to the day when no men turn up for a blood test at the Town Hall because they have all had it done by their own doctors! I have heard similar encouraging news from other parts of the country where I regularly arrange such blood testing sessions.

Are G.P.'s beginning to understand the potential significance of this test? Not always, and this is not a criticism of my General Practitioner colleagues. They are, by definition, generalists and as such play a very important part in maintaining our health but, with the few exceptions who have a particular interest in urological disorders, many G.P.'s seem to have little understanding of the potential significance of a blood test for the P.S.A. level and often seem to do their best to discourage men from taking an interest in their health in this way. Many G.P.’s have perhaps spent up to two weeks as a medical student on a urological ward and that can be the limit of their urological training. For these reasons I so frequently hear reports from men with a raised level of P.S.A. (and, thereby may have an early curable Prostate Cancer) who consult their G.P. only to be told “don’t worry about it now and come back and see me if you have any symptoms” (i.e. when it may be incurable). It was our own former patron, the late Andy Ripley, who many of you will remember at one of our Town Hall meetings said “The earliest and most important symptom of Prostate Cancer is to have no symptoms at all”. That, I believe, is profound.

Some of our members may have read a very moving article in a recent copy of the “Daily Telegraph” written by Baroness Royall, the Shadow Leader of The House of Lords. She explained that er husband, Stuart, at the age of 59 had a routine P.S.A. in 2007 and the result showed a raised level. Nothing seems to have been done (was it because he had no symptoms?). In 2008 he returned to his G.P. with lower back pain radiating down one of his legs (he now returned with symptoms) and he was referred to a chiropractor!. His symptoms deteriorated and eventually he was referred to an urologist who diagnosed advanced Prostate Cancer with secondary growths in his spine. He died of this disease just two days before the recent General Election. Members of our widows group especially will sympathise with her and know how she must feel. She has since taken up the cause of Prostate Cancer and is in a privileged position to do so having been a Health Minister and she took part in a House of Lords debate on 19th July about the disease with Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber who was earlier this year treated for the same disease. I have seen the debate which took place and was impressed with their contributions. I have recently been in contact with Baroness Royall who is very impressed with the work we do at our charity and our formation of a Widows’ Support Group and she has promised a visit to the Town Hall on 17th October 2011 - an early date for next year’s diary.

Clearly we must continue to support our members and our widows and increase awareness among men. We must also try and convince my fellow General Practitioners, who are often under considerable pressure both from the Primary Care Trusts and politicians and have guidelines to which they must adhere, to increase awareness and offer the blood test for P.S.A. With this in mind The Prostate Cancer Support Federation (of which about 40 support groups are now members) is already establishing a Research Programme which will help General Practitioners identify risk factors for Prostate Cancer in the hope of increasing awareness,  helping General Practitioners, increase the number of Prostate Cancers identified at an early curable stage and decrease the number of negative biopsies performed. This trial is now in its early stages and I am pleased to say our own charity has made a generous financial contribution to the Federation to help set it up. I will try and bring you more details in the future.

I have already mentioned that they have now heard about our Charity in The House of Lords but we have also been heard of at an even higher level as Dorothy and I were privileged recently to be invited to tea at Buckingham Palace; I was tempted to take some syringes and needles! The Queen, Prince Phillip (I didn‘t manage to ask him if he has had a P.S.A. test!), Prince Charles, Camilla, Princess Anne and The Duke of Gloucester were all there and they gave us a splendid tea. Even the weather was good. Are we now “By Royal Appointment”?!

I look forward to seeing you all on Monday 18th October at The Town Hall when Bill Beaumont (former England Rugby captain and “Question of Sport”) will address our members.

Best wishes,

David Baxter-Smith

Asked to describe what love is, Children replied:

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and

a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go

Mary’s Corner

I hope you are all enjoying the Supporter magazine since Mike has got involved, I feel he has made it appear far more professional and we are getting some very positive feedback from members. We have had some amazing events over the past 3 months, and unfortunately I could not attend all of them. But, one of the most memorable was the Sapey Golf Club Tournament, where we were invited to join them for the evening meal, if we didn’t play golf. Tom O’Connor, as promised when he came to the Town Hall last October put a team in to play, and stayed and gave us some wonderful after dinner entertainment. I think everyone who stayed for the evening thoroughly enjoyed it, and I went home clutching one of his books, which I may be using as inspiration for some of the One-liners in the next Supporter.

I have attended most of the widow’s group meetings also this year, and they are still supporting us with events we arrange throughout the year and will be helping me with the coffee morning on 25th September, so please support us at this event in the Corn Exchange - entrance next to the Town Hall.

I have booked a 2 day course at Wharton Park on Tuesday and Wednesday 5th & 6th October for a teaching session from Macmillan on “Buddying & Befriending”. The class is informal - we start with a cup of coffee and introductions and then officially commence at 10.00 a.m. and with a lunch break, will finish at 4.00 p.m. This course should help anyone who has signed up to be a ‘buddy’ to feel more confident in their interaction with newly diagnosed men. The course is being funded by the group for all group members. Please call me if you would like to attend as I still have room for another 4 on these dates. If successful, we will probably repeat the course next year. A letter will be sent to everyone who signs up approx. 2 weeks before the date as a reminder of the event.

Please remember that I am always available if you want a personal chat about any problems you may have, either in the office: 01562 512328 or at home 01299 823166

Regards,

INTRODUCTION TO THE

‘ADULT CANCER SURVIVORSHIP INITIATIVE’

Many of you may have read articles by myself and Paul regarding the Survivorship Project and wondered what we are talking about, although, I know many of you have now entered into the programme. Paul and I were involved with the Steering Group run by the 3 Counties Cancer Network with Anne Sullivan (Lead Cancer Nurse for Worcestershire) and Mr. Adel Makar (Consultant Urologist and Cancer Lead for Worcestershire). This model was devised as a safe way of continuing to monitor men who have had potentially curative treatment for their prostate cancer, rather than continue outpatient appointments at the 3 hospitals in the County, or just simply sending them back to their GP’s. This could not start until a Clinical Nurse Specialist had been found for the post and that became me following my retirement last year, and I started in the post in November. Since then I have enrolled 145 men into the project and the feedback has been very positive from those who attended this year’s conference. I anticipate by this time next year that there should be over 350 men in the project. I am working with 6 Consultant Urologists and 3 Consultant Oncologists.

Many of you who have had treatment at other centres may wish to know more and I have been in touch with Mr. Doherty at the Q.E. who is very supportive of the scheme and Dr. Elwell from Northampton hospital, who again is very supportive, so please discuss with your Specialist if you feel you would like to be entered onto this scheme.

Paul and I thought it would be a very good idea if we invited Mr. Makar along next April to the Educational evening just to do a short talk on the programme so far.

Life after Prostate Cancer: A new approach to follow-up in Worcestershire.

Summary:
There are around 600 men in Worcestershire newly diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. We’ve improved the pathway for men who have undergone potentially curative treatment and are clinically stable, by empowering patients to self manage and to provide support when they need it. They can now opt into holistic assessment and monitoring by a clinical nurse specialist (CNS). Patients also have access to a website and a conference.

The Problem: 
Men within Worcestershire who have undergone curative treatment for prostate cancer were traditionally followed up annually by Consultants within Urology or Cancer Care. As outpatients clinics are often busy and patients may receive limited holistic care, have long waits and experience difficulties with transport and parking. A recent service evaluation also highlighted that this group felt they did not have a named individual who they could contact if they had a problem. It was felt that 200 men per annum with prostate cancer who were stable (PSA level stable for at least two years) could be more effectively supported in self-care.

What was done:
In order to improve support for stable prostate patients, they were offered a revised opt in follow-up scheme of holistic assessment over the telephone by a CNS to address care needs. The CNS monitors PSA results with referral to a Consultant as necessary. Patients are also invited to a conference for advice and information with staff and other patients. The Consultant Urologist led the local steering group comprising service users and staff from related disciplines, which also fed into the 3 Counties Cancer Network covering Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire.

The following actions were undertaken:
• Recruitment of a CNS with the appropriate skills and experience.
• CNS integrated into the established multi-disciplanary team.
• Developemnt of a database to capture referrals, clinical data and monitor PSA readings taken by GP’s, devised in conjunction with the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust IT dept.
• Organisation of a conference offering comprehensive information and access to support. Speakers from the Trust and Macmillan covered topics including nutrition,exercise, side effects,     research and accessing reliable information about cancer / benefits. A question and answer session with questions asked anonymously to a multi-disciplanary panel including service users. There were also stalls by the Kidderminster Prostate Support Group, Macmillan and the Prostate Cancer Charity.
• Ongoing development of a website to provide information and links to further support.

The evaluation of the new scheme is as follows:
• Satisfaction questionnaires completed at the conference.

• Questionnaires before and after the conference – focussing on distress, perceived control and quality of life.
• National and local service evaluation including participation in the Picker patient experience questionnaire and other quality of life questionnaires.
• Focus group.

What difference has the testing work identified. It is envisaged the follow-up will facilitate easier access to reliable information and improved support for patients and their families, including a key patient contact to enable:
• CNS holistic assessment and access back into the health care system as necessary.
• Ongoing issues incorporated into a care plan to ensure action.
• CNS explicitly responsible to ensure PSA tests are undertaken and monitored.
• Patients more involved with the care process.
• Patients empowered to ask questions without attending hospital.
• No clinic wait times.

In addition the conference enables:
• Provision of information and advice.
• Access to health professionals, including those directly involved in their care.
• Engagement with local and national support services.
• Peer support and networking.

Overall, it is hoped that the new scheme will:
• Help patients lead a normal life with and beyond cancer.
• Increase patient satisfaction with follow up care.
• Reduce distress and increase control / understanding / quality of life.
• Financial savings for patients and the NHS.

Those attending the conference were asked if they would attend again. 48 out of 52 who responded would re-attend. This was but one of the comments received:

It’s Supporter time again – how time flies! The Widows’ Group is still going well and we are all keeping busy with holidays, lunches out and helping with PSA at the Town Hall.

It’s so good to hear the Group talking about all that they have been doing and how busy they are, because after spending most of your life with someone the feeling of loneliness can be so difficult o bear. Suddenly you are on your own, trying to cope, making decisions alone, and until these circumstances are yours you really have no idea how difficult it can be. So I say do what you can, when you can. I have experienced many lonely times in the past few years of my life, which is not how I would have liked it to be, but I came to realise that I was the only person who could change things to make the most of what life offers – so I did! I joined the Women’s Section of the British Legion, a walking group, made many wonderful new friends and sang in the choir and, hopefully, will be singing in the Symphony Hall this Christmas in aid of the CLIC Sargent charity.

If you have the opportunity to meet other people or another person you can spend time with, then go for it. Being alone and experiencing the feeling of loneliness is not good for us and, at times, is hard to cope with. So don’t become invisible to family and friends, get out there, live for today, and tomorrow, well, that’s another day.

Dave Prowse MBE alias Darth Vader and the Green Cross Code Man, was the way we advertised this exceptional man and had we have considered promoting his visit AFTER having listened to him - we would have needed a full page advert in the Kidderminster Shuttle or some such publication. How could a man pack so much into 75 years of his life amazes me and all who listened to him? I don’t know where to start in writing up his life as he presented it, and I’m sure I won’t have remembered everything that he said on the evening of the 19th. July in the Town Hall. he world is obviously full of men and women who have achieved everything possible in their short lives and yet go unnoticed to the Public at large, unless by chance we are privileged to go along to an event such as this in the Kidderminster Town Hall.

As a young man at Bristol Grammar School he was quite a puny but sporty lad with running his passion until one day aged only 13 he found his knee had locked up and to cut this very long story short, he was diagnosed with Arthritis and spent 1 year in Hospital with his leg in plaster and then a leg iron. When he eventually came out of Hospital and being unable to run any longer he was determined to continue with sport and took up body building and then weight lifting. Eventually he registered 6 foot 6” and nearly 19 stone. He went on with this sport to represent England in the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia. He had hoped and in fact had been chosen for the Tokyo Olympics the following year but funding was limited and the team size was cut down with Dave and some others being left behind.

Dave told the story of when he was filming he received a phone call from Downing Street ordering him to leave the film set and urgently travel up to London as P..M. Margaret Thatcher wanted him to wear his Green Cross Code Uniform and usher a group of underprivileged children across Downing Street from their Coach and into No. 10. He recalls that this was one of the proudest moments of his career as he too was invited into No. 10 with the Party and as he also had to “perform” again when they left with all the accompanying photo calls in the Street for Publicity purposes.

That was not the totality of his talk and both space and my memory does not permit me to write more. However, I will conclude by mentioning that Dave Prowse works with various Arthritis organisations and is Vice-President of the Physically Handicapped and Able-bodied Association, a Patron of “Walkoncemore”, a spinal cord injury Charity, and is a Prostate Cancer sufferer since being diagnosed at the beginning of 2009. He was very fortunate to have been challenged as to whether, as man over 60, he had had a PSA test and in a visit to his GP had requested a PSA test. Having undergone radiation therapy, he fortunately, as of now, is in remission.

In aid of Prostate Cancer,
Kidderminster

Friday 8th October 2010

in The Aggborough Suite
at Kidderminster Harriers F.C.

Tickets £10 each to include
Chicken and Chips Supper

Sponsor a race for just £40
(includes 2 tickets)
Own your own horse for just £2.50each

Contact Mark Searl on 07827 930940    

“Love is a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they have known each other so long.”

- Tommy aged 6.

“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and then has to go out and buy new ones”

– Lauren aged 4.

Male Asthma sufferers who use an inhaler are up to 40% more likely to develop prostate cancer than me without the condition, an Australian study has found. This statement was followed up with the Federation: Sandy Tyndale-Biscoe replied “However even if this is true, the association is marginal, and there is no reason for men with asthma to be concerned. It is quite likely that asthma is the risk factor, not the use of inhalers.”

…………..Editor.

Another Newspaper Article

A breath test could one day be used to detect four of the most common types of cancer, say scientists. Researchers have developed sensors that can spot chemical signs of lung, breast, bowel and prostate cancer in a person’s breath. Dr. Lesley Walker, from the charity Cancer Research UK which owns the journal (in which this was reported) said “These results are interesting and show that there is potential to develop a single breath test to detect these cancers”.

I am sure that many of you enjoyed watching “Spring Watch”, where we saw birds being hatched and finally leaving their nest. In April this year, I was watching the progress of a pair of Collared Doves. Over the past few years various pairs have occupied a nest  made by a pair some four years ago, which was made in the framework housing the security light attached to my bungalow. The latest pair moved in adding their own bits to the existing nest, with a patient ‘mum’ sitting on the eggs. However, during the third week ‘mum’ became restless and often very noisy and I guess that was the time that the eggs had hatched and she had now got a family. I watched her each time I went outside to the garage or the garden speaking to her as I passed. She seemed quite happy for me to walk very close to her and would often sit and watch what I was doing outside.

It was during fourth week that I saw two little faces looking out of the nest. Mum would now go off for quite long periods to gather food for them. Imagine my surprise when I saw one of them perched right on the edge of the nest flapping its little wings, and trying to decide whether to leave the nest. After much thought, it decided to stay.

The following day I was away for most of the day and felt certain that they would have left the nest by the time I returned home. To my surprise they were still there, and as I went outside to put the car in the Garage, there they were still standing on the edge of the nest. The one who seemed to be the bravest flew off first, and the other one who seemed unsure of what to do, suddenly felt it was his turn to go also. I am sure they waited until I returned home feeling safe to the leave the nest under my watchful eye. I know some people think they can be a nuisance, but for me, they have proved to be a fascination. At the time of writing this, I am preparing to go on holiday and so I hope those of you who are about to go on holiday have an enjoyable time.

Best wishes,

Coffee Morning at Areley Kings

Thanks again to Stan & Joan Gibson, who with the Friends of Areley Kings Village Hall arranged a wonderful coffee morning on the 23rd. June raising the splendid sum of £335 for our Group. Everyone who attended say that they have never felt a more welcoming atmosphere, the cakes are home made by all the wonderful ladies of the Village and there were stalls selling bric a brac and second hand books, along with a wonderful raffle. The work that goes into organising these coffee mornings is often unappreciated, but as I have now become a Committee Member for the Village Hall, I see all the background work that goes into these events. IF you are ever passing the Village Hall on Areley Common on a Wednesday morning and see the banner outside for their coffee morning, which are organised throughout the year with the proceeds going to several Charities, then go inside and enjoy the friendly atmosphere and wonderful cakes. Thanks again, to Stan & Joan who have been running this particular event for us for several years.

Mary

I see that the cancer specialist who predicted that the Lockerbie bomber would die within three months of his release from prison now believes that Abdelbaset al-Megrahi could live for ten years or more. This is more than can be said for the 10,000 or so British men who will surely die in 2010. The miraculous recovery of al-Megrahi won’t be replicated for those 10,000 who, unlike the Lockerbie bomber who murdered 270 victims, have been given a death sentence – a sentence carried out hourly in Britain.

 Brilliant as cancer specialist Prof. Karol Sikora might be, it was Dr. C. Eden, a leading urologist, who wrote “I’m ashamed of my profession that allows one-third of all newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients to die each year from avoidable deaths.

I must break ranks to make this damning observation, highlighting the despair of men with avoidable advanced prostate cancer.” One thing is certain; the expensive treatment being used to prolong al-Megrahi’s life won’t be available to me or the other 9,999 men who will serve out their sentences this year. The death sentence has been stopped in Europe (in fact in most of the civilised world) except for men in Britain whose prostate cancer is misdiagnosed. Their treatment thereafter falling far short of the miraculous treatment afforded to the convicted Lockerbie bomber. National screening for a start would help to eradicate the disease.

An older gentleman had an appointment to see the urologist who shared premises with several other doctors. The waiting room was filled with patients. As he approached the receptionist’s desk, he noticed that she was a large unfriendly woman who looked like a Sumo wrestler. In a very loud voice she said “Yes, I have your name here. You want to see the Doctor about impotence, right? All the patients in the waiting room turned their heads around to look at the very embarrassed man, who quickly responded in an equally loud voice “No. I’ve come to inquire about a sex change operation, but I don’t want the same doctor that did yours,” The whole waiting room erupted in applause!!

The lesson from this is “DON’T MESS WITH OLD FOLKS.”

Need An Extra Pair Of Hands?

My teenage granddaughter, Jodie, is keen to earn some pocket money doing small jobs around the house and garden during school holidays, then weekdays after school and possibly weekends. These can include jobs such as cleaning and dusting to washing the car and garden jobs, even walking the dog. She is very responsible and conscientious and whilst wanting to earn some ‘pocket money’ wants to help people less able to do such things themselves. She lives in Franche and will be mostly depending on me and her parents for transport (like all children and grandchildren!). Anyone wishing to engage her please contact her on 07772321198 or myself on 01562 66593.

Colin Tomkinson,
PCSG committee member.

WE LOVE CHILDREN!

While writing a report on vandalism at a school, a Policeman was interrupted by a six year old girl. Looking at his uniform, she asked him: ‘Are you a Policeman?’

‘Yes’, he said and continued to write his report. ‘My Mummy said if I ever needed help I should ask a Policeman. Is that right?’

‘Yes, that’s right’, he said.

‘Well then’, she said, extending her foot towards him, ‘Would you please tie my shoe lace?’

Nine years ago when we first started our Support Group we had no money, in fact we had nothing except enthusiasm. As I am a member at the Sapey Golf Club I went along to see the owner, Jim Preece to ask if he would be kind enough to let us have a golf tournament to raise funds. Jim had the same ‘problem’ as the rest of us so he did not hesitate to say yes and he also organised it for us, the result being an income of about £4,000 which got us started nicely as a Support Group. What we thought was to be a one-off turned into an annual event and Jim became a Patron of our Group as well as a benefactor, raising over the years in excess of £30,000. In my humble opinion each year has got better, and this year was no exception. Many of you will remember Tom O’Connor coming to the Town Hall and you are probably still laughing as I know I am. At the Town Hall, Tom expressed an interest in our ‘Golf Day’ and true to his word he was there. After playing and having a meal he gave us an impromptu cabaret before presenting the prizes. The day itself had been excellent, weather perfect and the events afterwards could not be surpassed. My personal team were ‘absolute rubbish’, so bad that we scraped in 3rd. from last. The Course was in magnificent condition as always and our thanks go to the green staff; Sue and her staff in the kitchen lived up to their usual very high standard and put on an excellent meal. It is really a very special day and for me particularly it was the highlight of the year.

Many thanks to Jim and his team at the Sapey Golf Club

I understand this year’s event has raised over £3,500

...................... Ed

A Vicar was walking through his Churchyard one morning when he heard the intoning of a prayer.

Investigating, he found that his five year old son and his friends had found a dead robin.

They thought that it should have a proper burial and had found a small box and dug a hole.

The Vicar’s son was chosen to say the prayers and with greater dignity he intoned his version of what his father always said:

Out on a limb ...... Know the Feeling

You are not alone