February 2024
What’s on this month?
1st – Tony Wall
8th – Jon & Pam Baddeley
15th - Michael James
22th – Games / Raffle
29th – Damian
Birthdays / Celebrations
1st Heather Johnson
10th Cynthia Mackie
20th Andrew McEwan
24th Christine Handy
27th Rosemary Hodson
Jokes
Why don’t eggs tell each other jokes? - They’d crack each other up!!!
Where do you find a cow with no legs? - Right where you left it!!!
Thoughts from Pauline & Anne
What a small world - Pauline and Anne both studied PE at Anstey college of PE in Sutton Coldfield - Pauline qualifying in 1960 and Anne in 1962.
Both then went on to teach in Staffordshire, only meeting very occasionally at Old Students meetings until their children went to school.
Their daughters met at Graham Balfour High School in Stafford and became good friends.
Linking up after that was rare, until, to their surprise they met up at Stone Alzheimer’s Drop In group, finding that both husbands had Alzheimer’s. It is great to be renewing friendship and to be part of each other’s support and encouragement.
Thank you, Sandie and all the volunteers, for what you do for us.
Proud of My Mum ……. Sister Theresa Kennedy!
Not many daughters can say their Mum is a Nun; often it raises surprised expressions! Mum has had a varied life, her ability to find joy has stayed consistent, which I hope everyone at the club witnesses through her smile! Mum’s life started out in the care and fostering system, perhaps her early life in Croydon taught her to recognize the positives and beauty in small things. Mum married and initially worked as a tape librarian for the council. Me & my sister Andrea arrived in the early 70’s, by that point we had moved to the New Forest. Mum had to adjust to her husband having MS. In childhood I remember the amazing birthday parties she arranged for us, the slightly dodgy dresses she made us wear and how she made sure we got to the beach, cycling as often as we could. Mum & her bike were well known around the village, she cleaned the village school & pub, ran numerous clubs for children, and became the school dinner lady, everybody knew Mum! She sang in the church choir and was in the Red Cross. Sundays were a special day, because she would bake cakes all day, French horns, Viennese whirls, meringues, and chocolate eclairs! Mum always kept herself busy. She encouraged me and Andrea with our careers. Her own path in life, bravely led her to joining the community of St Deny’s in Warminster. Mum’s work with them, took her to various places ending at Salisbury. Studying and taking part in the Anglican church life. She came into her own with children, running lots of mother and toddler groups and organizing quiet day retreats; she got the nickname “Nun on the run”. When the community closed, Mum became a parish Sister & Chaplain at Salisbury Hospital, she served there for 20 years. After a period of ill health, Mum retired aged 75. The hospital gave her a very moving retirement service in the hospital chapel. One chaplain even wrote her a song about the impact of her ministry to others.
Around this point in Mum’s life she had also experienced the unique pain that those who have lost a child share, when my sister Andrea died from cancer. Mum still says that it is the only thing she ever gets cross with The Lord about. It was a big decision for me to ask Mum to move to Stone and I worried deeply, following her dementia diagnosis, if she would be able to have the kind of community living she was used to. Which brings Mum’s story right here to Stone Alzheimers Club; every Wednesday evening I get a text from Mum to ask if I’m free to bring her the next day and she reminds me every week how much she loves coming because she says “it’s a place where everyone has fun”. When we get here, she thanks me for bringing her and her eyes light up when everyone says hello and when she sees the biscuits! The reason I’m so proud of my Mum, is because she always sees the good in everything and I feel very fortunate to share time with her here on a Thursday; you have all become the community I thought Mum might not get the chance of again and we want to say a heartfelt thank you.
God bless, Elisa xx
Don’t forget these dates:
Wednesday 14th February is Valentines Day, we will celebrate the day of Love on Thursday 15th.
Easter, Thursday 28th March, let’s hope the Easter Bunny visits us again.
Thursday 6th June – I’ve had the pleasure of running this club for you all for 2 years.