YORK IA

Registered Charity Number 1039683

SECRETARY'S REPORT 2006

We have had a better year than last with attendances up at our two meetings and at the coffee morning. I think that the free parking at our new venue has made a difference, coupled with new members attending for the first time. In spite of four or five lapsed members, our overall membership increased with two or three new young members included and now stands at 105, though a new influx in October and November will reflected in next years figures. This has led to a new effort by John Mullins, our treasurer to bring together young members from York and Leeds. The first attempt was promising and future get-togethers are planned.

This year we felt we would like to make a contribution to York Hospital's stoma clinic, so we asked the nurses what they felt would be of most benefit to those ileostomists and pouch patients attending. It transpired that they had an acute shortage of the special cushions needed to alleviate the pain of post-operative patients sitting down. At around £180 each they are not plentiful! We were able to pay for a number of these with some waterproof covers and also a digital camera, which the stoma nurses can use to photograph any problem stomas and then send them on to the doctors to look at. This all cost around £1000 and was most gratefully received by the stoma care nurse at our October meeting.

York can now boast two qualified pouch visitors, namely Mrs. Donna Burnett and our ever busy treasurer, John Mullins. Congratulations to them both and our thanks for the time and effort involved. As some of our new members have pouches it is very important that we have qualified visitors available should they need them.

We are hoping to have a post Christmas lunch early in January and to organize a bus trip in the spring. We may find it difficult to pick up all those far flung members who live outside York who may wish to come but it's worth a try. I am optimistic that things are looking up in York.

Brian Turner

Hon. Secretary