A very good morning to everyone. I'm
delighted to be able to resume our meetings again after so long.
Obviously our meetings can't be quite
the same until all restrictions have been lifted and our main priority
is your safety at these meetings.
From March 2020 all meetings, two ten
week courses, two cream teas, our Oakley Friends 25th Anniversary
Celebration and the Christmas party were all cancelled due to
Covid-19. Since then our only contact with you all was by phone or
email. I managed to speak to most of our carers by phone and was
amazed how well most of you were coping with your caring role whilst
in lockdown.
Sadly during 2020 I received numerous
messages from carers who shared their bereavement loss with Oakley
Friends regarding the person they cared for. It's our policy to send a
sympathy card at this very sad time. Oakley Friends committee members
have experienced this loss and our thoughts were with you.
There's nothing to report about last year, but
we decided to have a course this summer starting on July 14th
finishing on September 15th. We felt it would be safer in the summer
so we can have windows open.
Ann and myself were becoming quite accustomed to
retirement so had to kick start ourselves to start organising Oakley
Friends again. It has been quite a challenge due to the ongoing
problems of Covid-19 and our meetings take extra planning off-stage.
Unfortunately we can't invite our regular carers
to the usual end of the month meetings whilst the course is running
because we have to limit numbers. So, our next monthly meeting will be
on the 29th September 2021. Ann will clarify the details regarding
that meeting nearer the time.
Until next time stay safe, keep well and we look
forward to seeing you all again soon.
Judy Barnes.
