NOTES FROM THE CHAIR
Pat Lee-Patton - Chair
pat.lpatton@gmail.com

A few changes have occurred within HELP since the Autumn Newsletter. The main one was that we changed the venue for our Volunteers Half Yearly general meeting. This took place in Moraira at the La Senieta Theatre and was a great success, so much so, that we, your committee, with the endorsement of the volunteers who were present, have decided to hold the meeting in the same venue next year. My thanks go to Pam Kershaw and Sylvia Tatnell from Moraira, for arranging this and making it all possible.

On the Administration front; sadly Malcolm Bunn has decided to step down from the very responsible job of HELP Centre Coordinator, but thankfully is remaining with the organisation. Malcolm was a stalwart in helping me set up the office 4 years ago at the Centre in La Xara with his knowledge of computers and office procedure. He will be greatly missed by all the Centre Volunteers.

Three of our Co-ordinators have been unwell during the last few months, but they have all ensured that their responsibilities, working for HELP, have continued to run smoothly and efficiently; I am greatly thankful to them for that. I'm sure you would join with me in wishing them a full and complete recovery.

The Interpreters' hours have changed and now start at 10.00a.m., finishing at 1.30p.m. (the previous times being 11.am until 2.00pm. Of course this meant that the Shadows needed to change their hours on the desk. After a meeting of both teams, at which agreement was reached, the new times came into effect on the 14th November.

We are still looking for someone to take over from Jean Bunn as Press & Publicity Officer, who, very professionally, produces this Newsletter; of course she will help anyone who is prepared to give the job a try. We are also looking for a minute taker at our monthly committee meetings. Please, if you can help with either of these positions, contact me or come into the Help Centre. I work there on Mondays and Thursdays.

I hope you all, where ever you are planning to be this Christmas, take with you and give to others the true meaning of Christmas; Peace and Love.

GENERAL NEWS FROM “HELP”

The Monday Lunch Club had a very pleasant lunch at Arthur's Bar in Els Poblets, also enjoying their first game of Prize Bingo, which the owner Sue organised for the group. The lady Bingo caller, and some of our members confessed to being Bingo Virgins but were soon initiated into the ”66 clickety-click” culture making it a very entertaining time.

By popular demand the HELP Centre Christmas lunch will also be held at Arthur's Bar. This will also incorporate a Christmas Quiz and will be held on Monday 19th December.

A very generous offer was extended to the HELP Centre visitors and their carers, from Jane and Jeff Corbett, Monte Pego Theatre Group (whom you may remember preformed our Acts of Love night at Los Arcos) to attend the Matinee performance at Rafol Theatre of their latest production, Noel Cowards play “Blithe Spirit”, at a reduced cost of €5 a ticket, (normal price €12). Twenty people attended and the afternoon was greatly enjoyed, many thanks to Jane and Jeff.

Sadly the attendance at the chair Yoga has diminished lately. The members who regularly attend the sessions enjoy it thoroughly, and it would be a great pity if these sessions were to cease due to lack of support. The cost is a mere €2 a session and the teacher, Katy, is a professional Yoga teacher. So, all you people who say exercise is out of the question, come along and give it a try you will be surprised at what you can do with gentle Yoga and how much better you will feel.

Members of HELP enjoyed a great lunch with beautiful food at Karma Restaurant. Music was provided by Alan and during the course of the lunch the generous sum of €230 was raised for HELP.

Once again the Christmas Fayre, held at Casa Holanda on 10th December proved to be a resounding success enjoyed by both Members and visitors alike. What a festive atmosphere, just what everyone needed to get them into the mood for Christmas with stalls selling Christmas decorations, Christmas cards and delicious homemade scones with jam and cream and indulgence to be enjoyed there and then taken home. Cakes and homemade preserves disappeared as if by magic. All the usual attractions were there including the Tombola stall, Bottle stall, Play Your Cards Right and this year a new and popular addition, which proved most amusing, The Human Fruit Machine! A special thank you goes to Pat French, who once again dressed and donated the beautiful doll for the Guess the Name of the Doll competition. Of course the organisation would like to thank all the members and friends, for their help and generous donations of prizes and bric-a-brac etc, some of whom spend all year knitting and creating items for the Christmas Fayre. Without all their effort this event would not be the success that it has become.

STEVE PATTON’S FUNDRAISING SKY DIVE!!!!

When Gail Horler asked for volunteers to do a skydive to raise funds for HELP I thought that mine would get buried under an avalanche of keen adventurers. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

I WAS IT!!!!!!!

So along with another 19 poor souls from a variety of other charities I went along to EI Pinar aerodrome in Castellon and met up with an extremely professional group of enthusiasts who would be, literally, taking our lives in their hands. My man, Paco, a regular army parachute instructor, immediately became my best friend.

Nothing can prepare you for that feeling of hanging out of a plane cruising at 12000 feet in the air and knowing that your best mate who you are trusting with your life is just going to jump. Equally nothing can prepare you for that wonderful feeling of elation when, 55 seconds later, the parachute actually does open and the harness crushes everything you
hold precious in the world but you don't care.

The whole experience is different and difficult to describe so the best way to understand it is to do it yourself and this is exactly what I would recommend.

Nothing can prepare you for the overwhelming generosity of the people you meet every day who are just waiting for somebody to give them an opportunity to show how kind they really are.

So, from me, a great big THANK YOU to YOU for your support and your immense contributions which totalled over €1500.

We have had a few changes this quarter!

Firstly, I took over as Help Centre Admin co-ordinator in October from Malcolm Bunn who has decided that he needs to spend more time on other aspects of his life. He is still a Help volunteer and will continue to give us support when needed, so a BIG thank you to him for all the hard work he has put in since the Centre opened.

We also say goodbye to Barbara Blockley from the admin team as she will be moving back to England early in the new year - Lesley Balaam will be stepping in to the breach so normal service will be maintained! Our team of 6 regular admin staff is supplemented by four standby volunteers; but if anyone wishes to join our team – especially if you have clerical and computing skills then please contact me.

The centre still gets regular use with activities on Mondays and Thursdays, if you fancy a chat, a cup of coffee or a game of scrabble then why not pop in on alternate Mondays when there is no luncheon club? If you fancy a bit of gentle seated yoga then Thursday is the morning for you. Whatever you decide, please phone the Centre to make a booking if it is your first visit.

As we reach the end of the year, you may be interested to know that we have been able to help the community by lending out over 700 items of equipment to 520 people. This year alone we have purchased 7 hospital type beds which often means that chronic and terminally ill people are able to be nursed at home by their family.
At the moment 21 of our HELP beds, 11 electric hoists and over 160 other items of equipment are still on loan to 137 English speaking and Spanish families in the Denia and Marina Alta area. None of this would be possible without your practical help, and support by donations from the community. THANK YOU!!!

Secondly, we have had to say goodbye to some of our regular hospital visitors - Cinnie Lyster returned to UK earlier in the summer, and more recently Sue & Brian Miles have sold their property and permanently re-located to England; I shall miss their support.

At the same time we have had some new arrivals, and I would like to welcome Chris Buckingham, Janet Yeoman and Barbara Munday, and also welcome back Jean Williams on to the visiting team.

The Hospital Visitors are an important service, and we have been able to help people who often feel isolated and vulnerable when admitted to hospital. Sometimes the help has been practical – such as providing a walking frame to assist their mobility and allowing them to be discharged, on other occasions patients have just been grateful to hear an English voice. At the same time, although they do not always show it, I know that the hospital staff appreciate our involvement on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. We are unique in being the only charitable organisation that is trusted and authorised to carry out this worthwhile activity.

To contact the HELP Centre: Phone 96 642 7044 or email help.denia@gmail.com.

NEWS FROM LA PEDRERA VOLUNTEERS
Eileen Dart co-ordinator.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who have given so generously of their time visiting patients in La Pedrera Hospital in the past year. Although we have had very few if any patients from this area it has meant that most of the patients we have visited have been from further afield, at present there is at least one patient from Torrevieja. This puts great stress on their families and friends to get to visit regularly and the visits from our volunteers have been very much appreciated. On good days if the patient is able we take them out in a wheelchair for a bit of fresh air or up to La Pedrera village for a coffee, last week I even went with a patient by Red Cross ambulance to the optician's to have her eyes tested. Unfortunately due to pressure of work or family commitments we have lost some of our volunteers and we would welcome a few new ones so that we have enough to cover holidays. Unlike visiting at Denia Hospital you would be expected to visit a patient on a regular weekly basis and it could be for over a period of several months. If you would like to be considered as a volunteer at La Pedrera please ask for an application form at the HELP centre.

PRESS & PUBLICITY NEWS

Once again I would like to thank David Goodall for standing in for me earlier this year whilst I was “out of action”. For me this year has been one full of ups and downs and I have to say I am cheerfully looking forward to 2012. So, on that note I would like to wish all the Members and Committee a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous Healthy New Year.