28 M MERCURY June 12, 2009 email: mercury@hertsessexnews.co.uk
MERCURY
People
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Head start for summer
Helping people regain power of speech
SSeenndd yyoouurr ppiiccttuurreess ttoo:: Mercury People, The
Media Centre, 40 Ware Road, Hertford, Herts
SG13 7HU or email
mercury@hertsessexnews.co.uk
Garden party a right royal affair
Why I help at hospice
A MOTORCYCLIST won a
brand new helmet from a
dealership in Hertford after
demonstrating his safe riding
skills.
Standon man Dave Dickens
was assessed by an instructor
from the Herts and Beds
Advanced Motorcyclists
(HBAM) as part of the launch
of the new BMWF800R
motorcycle at BMW bike
dealer SBW Motorrad.
HBAM chairman Kit Day said:
"Dave has been riding for 30
years but has very few bad
habits on-road. He was
judged on the many facets of
his riding over a 15-mile
course around Hertfordshire."
Dave said: "This really is a
great way to start the summer.
Although it's great to win, I
just wanted somebody who
was qualified to look at my
riding. I was not worried about
winning so was more relaxed
than some of the others, I
guess!"
THE `Queen' and her consort
were present to welcome
party-goers when the
Hertford and Ware Stroke
Club held a spoof
Buckingham Palace garden
party to celebrate its 20th
anniversary.
Past and present members
and helpers of the club
gathered at St Mary's Church
in Ware to mark the
occasion.
Guests enjoyed tea,
sandwiches and cake, as
well as games.
The Hertford and Ware
Stroke Club was formed in
1989 by Chris Davies, a
physiotherapist at Hertford
County Hospital, to provide
support, encouragement and
social activities for those
recovering from a stroke.
The club meets fortnightly in
term-time and currently has
25 members.
Activities include speakers,
games sessions, slide
shows, craft sessions,
entertainments, quizzes, pub
lunches, boat trips and other
outings.
A volunteer team of a dozen
drivers and helpers provide
transport where necessary
for members living in the
Hertford and Ware area.
GIVING BACK: Jenny Vivian at Isabel Hospice (s)
PARTY TIME: Hertford and Ware Stroke Club members with Hertford mayor Cllr David
Poole, left, longstanding stroke club member Margery Meggy and Ware deputy mayor Cllr
Teddy Bedford Photo: MER0560411
HELPING EACH OTHER: Members of the Hertford Speakability group display raffle prizes at the
Methodist Church in Ware Road, Hertford Photo: MER0560789
HEADS YOU WIN: SBW Motorrad's Stephen Crowder, left,
and HBAM's Kit Day, right, present Dave Dickens with his
new BMW bike helmet (s)
Pupils look to the future
STUDENTS doing a citizenship
GCSE at a Hertford school
have been calling on peers,
teachers and examiners to cut
down on paper usage.
Alex Benham, Richard
Andrews, Zack Barber, Lucy
Ensum and Sophie Blake, of
Simon Balle School in
Mangrove Road, formed Leaf
Trees Be and sent out
helpsheets to staff and pupils.
They also asked the OCR
exam board to review the
format of assessment for the
information and
communication technology
(ICT) GCSE, which requires a
lot of paper.
The group said in a statement:
"We are keen to make a
difference as it is not only our
future, but the future of many
others.
"Firstly, we must consider if
we need to use the paper.
Subsequently, we should
consider reusing paper that
has been used to a minimal
extent. Finally, as a last resort,
paper should be recycled."
Head of citizenship Suzy
Matuszak said: "The project
has been very much student-
designed and student-centred
and they really got behind it."
It ran from Monday to Friday
last week.
PAPER PROJECT: Simon Balle pupils with work for their Leaf
Trees Be campaign to save paper Photo: MER0561889
A HERTFORD volunteer who
helps at Isabel Hospice has
spoken out about her
experiences to mark National
Volunteer Week.
Jenny Vivian has been
volunteering with the charity
since she retired as senior
nursing officer for
GlaxoSmithKline in Ware in
1994.
She said: "I know all too well
how cancer can devastate
lives. I lost both my mother
and my husband to the
disease and have had a brush
with it myself, so volunteering
at Isabel Hospice is a way for
me to give back a little of what
I have taken from the
wonderful services they offer."
She has worked at the day
hospice and the inpatient unit
in Welwyn Garden City and in
the family support team,
helping bereaved relatives.
One of the highlights of
Jenny's time with the hospice
was winning a Millennium
Award with a friend, which
gave the hospice funding to
expand its musical services,
putting CD players in every
patient's room and setting up a
CD library.
After a recent hip replacement
Jenny now works on the
reception of the inpatient unit.
Call Jane Hollowday at Isabel
Hospice to find out more about
volunteering on (01707) 382500.
THE Hertford branch of a national charity that
supports people who lose their speech hopes to
raise its profile this month.
The Speak about Aphasia project aims to improve
the understanding of language-loss following a
stroke, head injury or neurological illness.
The Hertford Speakability group offers people the
chance to share their experiences.
A group statement said: "Members enjoy being
with others who understand and have the
opportunity to practise communicating in a relaxed
situation, have fun and a laugh and thus gain in
confidence."
The group meets on the first Thursday of each
month at the Methodist Church in Ware Road from
10.30am to 12.30pm.
For more information call (01992) 462355 or visit
www.speakability.org.uk.

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