Health & Welfare

Chairperson
Jean Lippa from Dec 2004

11 December 04
Thurso Arthritis Care Breaks Away From National Body
The Thurso branch has broken away from Athritis Care after year of uncertainty at national level.  Many branches have been unhappy with the national body.  Centralisation issues and other mattters had led to a siuation where many local groups have detached themselves from the national group.  The Thurso branch has sent �900 of the funds they held to the national group and will now concentrate on raising their own funding for local people.  At a national level accusations of bullying and excessive pay rises led to much disquiet nationwide.  A vote of no confidence was almost lost with only one vote in it.

The Thurso branch of Arthritis Care was started in 1987, one year after the Wick branch which was the first in the north of Scotland.
Membership has remained static at about sixty plus over the years. Members are mainly in the older age groups but there are a few younger members.
Meetings are held usually on the last Thursday of each month in the Janet Street Club, Thurso. The club committee has been very supportive.
The Arthritis Care committee consists of the usual office bearers plus eight to ten others.
Meetings are quite pleasant affairs with speakers, slide shows, bingo and line dancing for the fitter members and spectator sport for the rest.
A cup of tea and blether with a raffle are other ways we enjoy ourselves.
Transport is provided for all who require it. Two Mini buses are available. This however is one of our biggest expenses.
An annual summer outing is organised by bus and the day includes a meal.
In January a late festive meal is provided and works well and better than trying to fit it in around Christmas when everyone is so busy.
Fund raising is constant and no financial support is received from Head Office of Arthritis Care.
Arthritis Care run a number of hotels around the country and provide excellent value at very reasonable rates to our members. See Arthitis Care News advertisments for details.

Young Arthitis Care is for people under the age of 46. Contact your local group for more details.

Arthitis News is the bi-monthly magazine of Arthritis Care and is available from Arthritis Care, 18 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2DH. The subscription of �16 as at Nov 1998 includes membership of the organisation and free copies of new publications

Publications
Arthitis Care has a selection of publications and leaflets. For a full list send a SAE to the Distributions Department, Arthritis Care, 18 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2DH.

WORKABILITY
Leonard Cheshire has won New Deal funding for its Workability project. It is aiming to provide up to 10,000 young disabled adults with computer equipment in their own homes, training in new computer-related skills, and help in looking for a job. Successful applicants will be linked with a Buddy who will answer any technical questions about the computer. Training will be distance learning through e-mail and telephone support. For further information contact Leonard Cheshire Workability, 30 Millbank, London, SW1 4QD. TEL 0171 802 8200.

INFORMATION
Information on living with arthritis can be obtained from Arthritis Care, 18 Stephenson Way, London, NW1 2HD(Please enclose a SAE)
Freephone Arthritis Care helpline 0800 289170 Noon � 4pm, Mon � Fri.
Other helpline calls 0171 916 1500 10.00am � 4.00pm Mon � Fri.

Pain Concern (UK)*
PO Box 318
Canterbury
Kent
CT2 0GD
TEL 01227 712183
Helpline 0345 413772

Pain Relief Foundation *
Rice Lane
Liverpool
L9 1AE
TEL 0151 523 1486

Painwise UK *
33 Kingsdown Park
Whitstable
Kent
CT5 2DT
TEL 01227 277993

Perthes Association
42 Woodland Way
Guidford
GU1 1RW
TEL 01483 306637

Polyarteritis (Vasculitis)
M Gentle
15 Chepstow Grove
Rednal
Birmingham
B45 8EG
TEL 0121 453 3349(eves)

Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Foundation *
The Dean
Longniddry
East Lothian
EH32 0PN
TEL 01875 8535552

Psoriatic Arthopathy Alliance *
PO Box 111 St Albans
Herts
AL2 3JQ
TEL 01923 672837

Raynaud�s and
Sclerderma Association *
Anne Mawdsley MBE
112 Crewe Road
Alsager
Cheshire
ST7 2JA
TEL 01270 872776

Children
Children�s Chronic Arthitis Association (CCAA) *
The Headquarters
47 Battenhall Avenue
Worcester
WR5 2HN
TEL 01905 763556

Jointz
Young Arthritis Care�s parent Group in N. Ireland
Briege Gault (Sec)
TEL 01232 622050

Lady Hoare Trust for *
Physically Disabled Children
Social work support for families of children with arthritis
87 Worship Street
London
EC2A 2BE
TEL 0171 377 7567

Complementary Therapies
Institute for Complementary Medicine
Send large SAE for a list of qualified practitioners
PO Box 194
Tavern Quay
London
SE16 1QZ
TEL 0170 237 5165

Equipment
Disability Living Centres *
40+ demonstration and information centres
throughout the country
details from
Disabled Living Centres Council
1^st Floor
Winchester House
11 Cranmer Road
London
SW9 6EJ
TEL 0171 820 0567

Disabled Living Foundation
380- 384 Harrow Road
London
W9 2HU
TEL 0171 289 6111

National Arthritis Care Web Site

INFORMATION SOURCES

Specialist Support Groups

Groups marked * have contacts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland . Please ring them for full details.

These are small organisations so please send stamped self addressed envelopes if requesting more information by post.

Arachnoiditis Trust *
Po Box101
Ripon
N.Yorkshire
HG4 2XW
Tel.01765 605668
Email [email protected]
www.arachnoiditistrust.org

Arthrogryposis *
Conditions of multiple joint deformities at birth
1 The Oaks
Gillingham
Dorset
SP8 4SW
TEL 01747822655

Bone Dysplasia Group *
c/o Child Growth Foundation
2 Mayfield Avenue
Chiswick
London
W4 1PW
TEL 0181 995 0257

British Sjogren�s Syndrome Association *
Madeline Ford
Unit 1
Manor Workshops
West End
Naisea
BS48 2DD

Dermatomyositis *
& Polymyositis Support Group
146 Newtown Road
Woolston
Southampton
Hants
SO19 9HR
TEL 01703 449708

Ehlers-Danlos Support Group
Mrs Valerie Burrows
1 Chandler Close
Richmond
North Yorks
DL10 5QQ
TEL 01748 823867

Ekbom Support Group
Restless Leg Syndrome
Ekbom Support Group
Restless Legs Syndrome
18 Rodbridge Drive
Thorpe Bay
Essex
SS1 3DF
United Kingdom
Telephone:
+44 (0) 1702 582 002
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. only otherwise
please leave a brief message on the answer-phone, not forgetting to add
your own phone number (and reference number if a member).
Email: Eileen Gill
[email protected]

Fibromyalagia Assoc UK *
PO Box206
Stourbridge
W. Midlands
DY9 8YL
TEL 01384 820052
Benefits Helpline
01254 832463

Kawasaki Syndrome
Sue Davidson
Kawasaki Support Group
13 Norwood Grove
Potters Green
Coventry
CV2 2FR
Helpline: 02476 612178
Website: www.kssg.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Helpline Email: [email protected]
General Enquiries Email: [email protected]

Lupus UK *
St James House
Eastern Road
Romford
Essex
RM1 3NH
Helpline 01707 73125

Marfan Association UK *
Rochester House
5 Aldershot Road
Fleet
Hants
GU13 9NG
TEL 01252 810472

National Ankylosing *
Spondylitis Society(NASS)
PO Box 179
Mayfield
East Sussex
TN20 6ZL
TEL 01453 873527

National Association for the
Relief of Pagets Disease
1 Church Road
Eccles
Manchester
M30 0DL
TEL 0161 707 9225

Finance and Benefits
Benefit Enquiry Line for disabled people
TEL 0800 882200
Available 8.30am �6.30pm Mon � Fri
9.00am � 1.00pm Sat

Health Information Services
The NHS provides free information about local NHS facilities and waiting lists, how to complain and patient information.
TEL 0800 665544 for your local service.

Mobility and Transport
If you are having difficulties with transport in Caithness remember to have a look at the Caithness Community Transport page on this web site which starts its new service in July.  Full details from The Caithness Community Transport co-ordinator - Coreen Campbell who is based in the Council Offices in Wick.

Other Transport Contacts
Banstead Mobility Centre *
Supplies lists of assessment centres and driving instructors
Damson Way
Fountain Drive
Orchard Hill
Queen Mary�s Avenue
Carshalton
Surrey
SM5 4NR
TEL 0181 770 1151

National Osteoporosis Society *
Linda Edwards
PO box 10
Radstock
Bath
BA3 3YB
TEL 01761 471771
Helpline
01761 472721

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy *
Support line
TEL 01276 858253
Mon 9.00 am- noon
TEL 01344 885837
Thur 9.00am �noon
Children�s helplines
Mrs J Chave
Whitehorses
9 South Cliff
Bexhill
TN39 3EJ
TEL 01424 730336

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Association *
Chapel House
152 � 154 High Street
Yiewsley
West Drayton
Middlesex
UB7 7BE
TEL 01895 431134
11.30am 4.00pm
Mon � Fri

Restricted Growth Assoc. *
Includes children
PO Box 8
Countesthorpe
Leicestershire
LE8 5ZS
TEL 0116 247 8913

Sarcoidosis Assoc. UK
Neuro sarcoidosis support group
Mrs Anita Cook
19 Ashurst Close
St Helens
WA11 9DN
TEL 01744 28020

Scleroderma Society *
Mrs Pamela Webster
61 Sandpit Lane
St Albans
AL1 4EY
TEL 01727 855054

Scoliosis Assoc. UK *
2 Ivebury Court
325 Latimer Road
London
W10 6RA
TEL 0181 964 5343
Helpline 0181 964 1166
Mon � Thur
10.00am � 2.00pm

SILA ( Sarcoidosis and Interstitial
Lung Assoc.)
Chest Clinic Office
Dulwich Hospital
East Dulwich Grove
London
SE22 8PT
TEL 0171 737 4000 ext. 6343

STIFF UK *
(Fibromylagia)
21 Hillside Drive
Leek
Staffs
ST13 8JQ
TEL 01782 562366
(answering service)

Stuart Strange Trust *
For vasculitis
Mrs S Fisher
14 Elthorne Way
Newport Pagnall
Bucks
MK16 0JH

General Organisations

Arthritis Research Campaign (ARC) *
Copeman House, St Mary�s Court
St Mary�s Gate
Chesterfield
Derbyshire
S41 7DT
TEL 01246 558033

British Council of Organisations *
Of Disabled People (BCODP)
Campaigns for the rights of disabled people
Lichurch Plazza
Lichurch Lane
Derby
DE24 8AA
TEL 01332 295551

DIALS
Disability Information and Advice Lines
Addresses of local DIALS are in the telephone directory or available from
Dial UK *
Park Lodge
St Catherine�s Hospital
Tickhill Road
Doncaster
DN4 8QN
TEL 01302 310123

RADAR *
Unit 12
City Forum
250 City Road
London
EC1V 8AF
TEL 0171 250 3222

Northern Ireland
Disability Action
2 Annadale Avenue
Belfast
BT7 3JH
TEL  01232 491011

Scotland
Disability Scotland
Princes House
5 Shandwick Place
Edinburgh
EH2 4RG
TEL 0131 229 8632

Wales
Disability Wales
Llys Ifor
Crescent Road
Caerfilly
CF83 1XL
TEL 01222 887325