Present: Mary, Andrew & Drew Bergin, Patrick & Janet Biss, Teresa Bryant, Joe Da Gama & Maureen Wallace, Frank & Jane Devine, Lance & Angela Harris, Judy & Lena Hendy, Keith & Lin Hooper, Barbara & Barrie Houston, Sue Hyatt, Enid & Ted Jones, Bob & Marian Leach, Malcolm Plested, Peter Poll & Barbara Sadler, Judy Stanford & Francesca Hitt, Yvonne Trapp, Kath Vincent, June Ward, Toni Warner-Campbell, Jean & Roy Wright, and Robin & Val Young

Apologies: Connie & Phil King, Elaine Knowles

Mary welcomed everyone, and informed the group that this would be an informal AGM.
The committee are willing to stand for another year, if there are no objections. There is a space on the committee if anyone would like to volunteer.

We were informed that our community account stands at £366. 46, and our savings account at £510.25, making a total of £876.71.

Mary gave a resume of the past year. Since July last year we have had 19 new members. TMS now has 600 members, with 20 new members joining on average nationally per month. Our group covers a wide area; generally we have between 25 and 30 attending each meeting, many of whom attend regularly.
The web page which Connie King designed continues to be developed.
We have moved from the small hall to the large one, and our guest speakers have been a rehab consultant and continence nurse specialists. Since our inauguration, we have had a wide range of speakers including a neuro physiotherapist, an occupational therapist, and a neurology consultant. In January we also had a social lunch.
Voluntary donations are requested for teas and coffees, with the proceeds going to the Wells and Glastonbury Young Farmers who have nominated us as their charity. Indeed, Patrick and Janet Biss’s 2 sons and son-in-law are part of the team carrying out a sky dive to raise money. So far they have raised over £8,000 this year. 
With regard to our own fundraising, a sponsored walk has been suggested between Boscombe and Bournemouth pier at some time in the future

The Welcome Pack is to be produced in PDF format. Information has been sent out to 30 consultant neurologists and several outpatient departments and rehabilitation teams.

Attention was brought to the information board which Yvonne has developed, and there are wristbands available at £2 each. There are also books which have been donated. These are available on loan – Sue Hyatt is the librarian.

At our October meeting, Julie Mullet, Carer Support Officer in Poole, will be coming to talk to the group about the role of the carer, with time for partners, family and friends in the small hall, away from those they care for, allowing more freedom of speech!

Mary has been asked by Steven Miles (last meeting’s guest speaker) to speak in September at the Southern Counties Continence Forum about our support group. She has also been asked to write an article for the Royal College of Nursing Continence Forum Newsletter.

Teresa thanked Mary, after which a cream tea was enjoyed by all.  Many thanks to Mary’s mum for baking all the scones.
After the raffle, the meeting was closed.

Our next meeting will be held Saturday 31st October 2009