Hello again

Just thought I would let you know something of what I’ve been doing. Quite a bit of my time has been taken up planning our next AGM (Coventry March 2008). It seems along way ahead but there’s a lot to do and the hotel likes a rough idea of numbers as soon as possible.

The AGM is officially our main business meeting but it’s also our main social occasion and in 2008 we expect to have more branch members and more head office members there than ever before. The AGM is perhaps particularly important for our head office members who, because they don’t live near a branch, often feel very isolated. This is especially true of course in the early days when most of us feel so desperately alone. I know it’s hard to come to an AGM, or any other meeting, in those circumstances - but it’s worth it. As a head office member myself I know it’s a great opportunity to make new friends.

The new county based Getting Together service continues to grow as more members are volunteering to act as area coordinators bringing groups of widows and widowers together for informal social occasions - all in the certain knowledge that everyone there has had the same terrible experience and that we are all in the same boat and so don’t need to pretend we are feeling fine if we’re not.

And talking of widowers, I was very interested indeed to read Rod Mason’s post and Yvonne Szczepanik’s also really struck home too. I’ve added a post to both of them.

Incidentally, talking again of the Getting Together groups, I must just say how much I am enjoying the Greater London Meetings organised by Imogen Disu. We all met at the British Museum last week to see the First Emperor terracotta warriors’ exhibition. It was most enjoyable - although sadly I missed out on the meal afterwards as I had to dash back into work. But even so it was great and certainly not something I would have gone to see on my own!

Later today I am off to Essex to a meeting that Shirley Wood the Essex coordinator has organised. It will be great to meet more of our Essex members and I am looking forward to it!

More later!

Jean