Support Meetings

We hold a number of Open Meetings over the course of a year. In most cases we have a speaker to give us a talk on a topic that we hope will be of general interest; on some occasions we arrange purely a social gathering.  Regardless of the type of event, we always provide refreshments, and there is always time for a chat over a cup of tea or coffee! We welcome anyone who wishes to attend whether you are a person living with MND or caring for someone who has the disease or a member of a family affected by it. We are happy to fund transport costs to help people get to the meetings.

Our first event of 2011 was a talk on benefits, with a speaker from the Department of Work & Pensions. It was a joint meeting with the Oxford Branch, and took place at the Thame Barns Centre on Wednesday 9 March. It was an interesting afternoon and generated plenty of questions and discussion.

Our next event, on Thursday 5 May, was a visit the gardens of Chenies Manor House - the weather was good and the gardens looked superb. The gardens in their present form are the creation of Alistair and Elizabeth MacLeod Matthews and are divided into a series of compartments, with various colour themes and structural forms, combining imaginative plantings and beautiful plant associations.

On Wednesday 27 July we arranged a visit to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre at Quainton. The weather was good, the train rides were enjoyed by all who came along, and it was good to see some new faces.

On Monday 26 September we had our first informal 'drop-in' meeting, and it was good to see so many people turn up. We will be arranging more similar events next year, and information about them will be in the Newsletter as well as here.

Our first meeting of 2012 will be an informal 'drop-in meeting' on Tuesday 13 March from 2:15pm. As the name suggests, there will be nothing formal arranged, and it is aimed purely to give you an opportunity to come along and enjoy tea and cakes and a chat – and feel free to bring family members or carers with you. It will be held at Cedar Barn, Cedar Avenue, Hazlemere. If you use satnav, the postcode is HP15 7DW, and it is located behind St Edmund Campion Church, which is just off Cedar Avenue. We look forward to seeing you!

Further information  on our Open Meetings can be obtained from the Branch Chairman, Richard Coleman, on 01494 713861, or the Branch Contact, Roger Curry on 01494 715732.