HMSA members weekend 2012

[nickb]

Only 11 months to go! The HMSA members weekend will be the 7-9th september 2012. We are going back to Hothorpe Hall again because we had such a great time last year http://www.hothorpe.co.uk Speakers confirmed so far include Prof. Grahame, Dr Hakim and Isobel Knight author of A Guide to Living with Hypermobility Syndrome: Bending without Breaking
There will be a deposit form in with your newsletter coming very soon!!

[Rosie]

Hi nick

DO you realise that this date clashes with the end of the paralympics?

Rosie

[Retro]

Yup Rosie, but the HMSA residential weekend is way more important

[trekster]

How much is the conference normally for a full board person with dietary requirements?
I'm gluten and dairy free and haven't attended a bendy conference before.

[Llaurin]

Seconded - I am egg and dairy free, I assume they do cater for allergies as they seem very nice and helpful on their website!

[Fiona-Jane]

they did some ok gluten and diary food last year but anyone could opt to eat it so sometimes you got none if you weren't the first in the queue.... but the actual food was quite nice

fi xx

[Blaadyblah]

The HMSA have held the conference at Hothorpe Hall before, please look up the relevant topic (a search for 2010 in topic titles should do it) - you'll find many people posted at the time. Not all members of the HMSA use the forums though, so the pricing details when finalised (along with the deposit information) will go out in the newsletter rather than here to allow members priority access.

If you are a member of the HMSA and have moved recently, you may want to update your address with the office by calling or using the contact form on the HMSA website to make sure your newsletter arrives safely.

[barkingmad]

Also we are having a party!!!! wha hooo!

Its to celebrate the HMSA's 20th Anniversary. it will be on the Saturday night. All suggestions welcome, no one has to dress up if they dont want too and if you do ...well go for it!

Remember this is your weekend, so have some input! It was so lovely last time because many of you chose to organise additional activties and stalls etc...I really hope we can have the same again.

The theme for the conference will be 'Moving Forward and Staying Positive'....that will be all aimed at me then!

We are also running a three time tables options, not sure if my nerves will take it and I will probably need several bicardis to get over it! Will definitely not be vain and wear heels ...in fact it may be a bare foot job!

But the plan is to have our talks from the Medical Advisors and medical professionals who work closely with the HMSA, many have already confirmed...the talks will be new ones!.... And to have workshops, so you can try new activities as well....and the children will have their own timetable which they can get involved in, including linking in with myself and David Phillips, the Youth Team Leader, to say what they want from their weekend.

There will be a group leader meeting scheduled for the Sunday afternoon, so it would be great if as many group leaders as possible would come along.

We are also (due to popular demand) holding an AGM, technically due to our constitution we dont have to but this is what you all want and we believe in transparency...now being completely honest we woudl like to devote a huge chunk of time but that is impossible so we are only going for an hour or so...but if anyone who is a member would like to submit items for the agenda then that would be fantastic...Bristol group are you listening as it was you guys who suggested this! and we like to prove that we do listen to you all! We have some really, really exciting news to share with you at the first AGM, which will probably be the first evening.

Of course we will have staff and trustees around so questions can be raised at any time and not just at the residential.

Because of the current economic climate, a deposit will secure your place at teh residential. It will be non-refundable though. We have also agreed to allow delegates to pay in installments up to 4 weeks before the actual residential takes place. Details will be posted in due course.

We can only take approx 135 people staying overnight...there is usually day delegate places available. However, you must be a HMSA member to receive priority booking, so please check that your membership is in date and will be for that period of time.

Please remember that there is a limited amount of disable friendly rooms, so if you know that you are going to really, really need one please book early. I know that many of us dont know about our mobility or if it will be a problem until practically the day we get there but if you know you could manage then it would be easier to book an ordinary room...obviously you need to tell us if you cant get up the older part of residential place.

Again same as last time, if a group of you are coming along I will do my best to put you all together but please dont leave it to the last minute to tell me.

I am starting to feel so excited already..wait is that excitement or stress and anxiety! If anyone would like to volunteer to help at the weekend please let me know.
TC Donna

PS We will be updating our photo library at the weekend and also making a new DVD

[barkingmad]

people will have the opportunity to 'order' their food in advance this time. The staff are sorting out some menus with the chef to cater to everyone's need and then hopefully we wont run out of some of the foods..

[loosebones]

PS We will be updating our photo library at the weekend and also making a new DVD

what happened with the photos from the last residential? I would quite like to have a look at them if possible

[Fiona-Jane]

that would be great, i remember last time i got very annoyed cos there was nothing left i could eat and i'd been stuck in a massive queue since dinner started so couldnt have got there any quicker. lets just hope the ordered food isnt left out for everyone to eat....


fi

[Jess]

Should have some more HMSA braclets. After the high demand of them the last time I will make sure I have a few dozen done by then.

[nickb]

Should have some more HMSA braclets. After the high demand of them the last time I will make sure I have a few dozen done by then.

ooh great-Claudie "borrowed " mine and I can't find it!

[nickb]

that would be great, i remember last time i got very annoyed cos there was nothing left i could eat and i'd been stuck in a massive queue since dinner started so couldnt have got there any quicker. lets just hope the ordered food isnt left out for everyone to eat....


fi

We'll make an announcement at the start of the weekend not to do that, hopefully that will help, and I'll talk to the staff at the hall to see if we can work out a system to prevent this too

[Fiona-Jane]

ta!