Posted by Stella Gooch
Photo supplied by Thelma Holland
Arthritis Care walkers met for a sponsored ramble in Sandringham as a fundraising exercise for their cause (they raised £343.80 and enjoyed a picnic too!). They are a self help group set up arthritis suffers so they can offer help and support to each other as it often does you good to know you are not the only one battling with this depressing disease.
The group formed in February 2009, following a Challenging Arthritis Course run by Arthritis Care, because some members felt that they gained so much from the course that they wanted to continue meeting and supporting each other, and also to offer this to other people suffering from arthritis. The group is slowly increasing its membership and members have arthritis, the most common types being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
They meet at 10-30am on the third Thursday of every month at the Nora Building (just off the Southgates Roundabout on the Wisbech Road) and have invited speakers, who talk about things that relate to their problems: recent talks were about gardening tools, garden layout and plants that need less work, benefits available, advice on diets. In September they group are having an osteopath to give advice. At their previous meeting members brought along their own gadgets from home, to share the usefulness or not of them with each other, and that again highlighted the similar problems they share.
Arthritis Care have a summer event in August and later in the year are spending a day at the Sailing Club at Hunstanton with a fish and chips lunch. They also celebrate Christmas by getting together for a lunch – last year it was at the Riverside Rooms.
If you have arthritis, why not come and join Arthritis Care – they will make you welcome and guarantee to make you smile!
For further information please ring Arthritis Care 01553 671529.