Bedford Allergy Support Group

The BASG Annual General Meeting took place on 28th March 2006. The minutes from the AGM follows.

Cynthia and I are still sharing the role of Chair.
Thanks to Sue Mathews who is still editing the magazine with her husband.
Thanks to Paula and Mary for posting most of the newsletters.
A big thank you to Nada for writing up our minutes. We are sorry that she is unable to continue.

BASG works with the Healthy Living Initiative and this past year we have had:

• Four excellent talks:
• Sandra Bullock from the Wyndham centre speaking on allergy testing and relief.
• Dr. Ramesh Mehta, from Bedford Hospital, spoke to some of his hopes within the NHS and was most sympathetic to our needs.
• Jean Simkins along with a colleague came from the hospital and talked with some personal understanding about allergies and nutrition.
• Finally, Eva Novotny, a scientist, replaced Jo Perry as our speaker on GM Food and told us of the dangers.
• The four house meetings continued but it seems that there is little need for them.
• Two newsletters have been produced - Summer and Winter and the summer one for 2006 is in draft form.
• Hundreds of BASG leaflets and A5 sized timetables have been distributed for this coming year ‘06. They are in libraries, community centres, doctor’s surgeries and shops.
• An Allergy UK leaflet was distributed last yearb on the difference between allergy and intolerance.
• The provision of CAM which was run by the Healthy Living Initiative has ended. The demand was greater than anticipated and used up the funding sooner. This is both good and sad news. However, the Bedford Integrated Health Group, has had meetings with the CAM practitioners that were in the project to make sure something positive is done in the future. Dr. Basra is very supportive of this and will put it forward to all the G.P.s.

Magazines

• The first Allergy UK magazine did the round of those members interested and it has ended up in Dr Basra’s Surgery for keeping.
• The Isis magazines arrived but the other Allergy UK magazine and the GreenHealth magazine sis not - the reason being that the Allergy UK split into two becoming the Allergy UK magazine and the Allergy UK Group with the group sending out several small newsletters. Unfortunately we received neither the magazine or the newsletter. This has now been remedied. The GreenHealth Group has undergone financial difficulties and will send us information later. This has all proved hard work and is expensive so we want to cease ordering any more magazines unless someone would like to tae on this responsibility.

Advertising/Contacts

• BASG featured again on a calendar. The calendar was produced by the Bedford Healthy Living Initiative.
• The Kempston Directory published our meeting date and it will advertise the other three meetings/talks for this year.
• Our website continues to attract the public. Franca got a phone call from Ireland - a woman suffering from severe mercury poisoning - who directed her to Dr Jean Monroes. The subject of mercury poisoning cropped up in the local paper recently. A young lady was badly affected by amalgam fillings and was going to sue her dentist. We have been in touch with her and asked Jean to send her some information.
• How many of you saw in the local paper, the Poodle allergic to flouride Bedford’s water supply opening the bottle of spring water? It was the BASG team who informed the paper of this story.
• The Bedford PPI Forum is following up the issue of Allergy Services in Bedford and they will keep us informed. Franca has agreed to represent our cause on this forum as she is one of the members.
• The book launch of the CAM books at the Bedford Library went very well. It was the Bedford Integrated Health Group, which we support, that initiated/inaugurated and funded this in partnership with the Bedfordshire Libraries. BASG also helped to fund some of these books.
• Deputy Lord Lieutenant Denise Hurst of Patrick Hall MP both spoke on the importance of CAM at Westminster University. The main presentation was given by Dr Peter Martin.

Consultations

• We responded to the national consultation phase on ‘Your Health, Your Care, Your Say’ run by Heartland Primary Care Trusts. Franca and Nada went to the public consultation day. It was a worthwhile event and we have received he documentation of the outcome.
• We have responded to a consultation by the North Bedfordshire Council for the Voluntary Services on a mapping questionaire.
• We’ve participated in the Home Office “State of the Sector Panel” survey on employees and volunteers working with charities and voluntary groups.

Future Dates

• We shall have a stall at the Baby Show on Sundau 9th April 2006 (10am to 4.30pm) at Bedford International Athletics Stadium. Any help on the day would be most appreciated.