31/03/09 Just a walk in the park? Hardly!

Surrey Stumble
Photograph courtesy of the Surrey Advertiser

The MSTG(G)’s Samson Centre is extremely fortunate to have been chosen as Surrey Police’s Chief’s Charity for the current year, and their latest venture has certainly done us proud.

The Surrey Stumble, which took place on Sunday 15th March, was organised by the Walking Association of Surrey Police, and was billed as a walking event for the whole family, with a choice of distances from 6 to 30 miles. The walk started at Mount Browne and ended at the Samson Centre, where a large crowd waited to welcome the participants.

The event was hugely successful, attracting more than 250 Surrey Police officers & staff, together with family and friends. The entry fees alone amounted to £1,250; sponsorship money is still pouring in, and it is hoped that the event will have raised around £5,000 in total for the centre.

Well done and a big thank-you to all who took part.

Click here for a more detailed report, plus additional photographs.
30/03/09 Spectrum vouchers

The MSTG(G) has been given a number of vouchers for Guildford’s Spectrum Centre, and there are still 3 left. The vouchers allow 2 adults and 2 children to go bowling, swimming or ice skating during peak time until the end of May.

If anyone would like to use one of them and give a donation to the MSTG(G), they would be very welcome as we do not want them to go to waste, which will happen if they are not used by the 31st May.

So why not treat your family to one of these sessions during the Easter Holidays? Contact the office, or ring John Hambly on 01483 429220.
01/04/09
Update		 If you were after one of these vouchers, I’m afraid you’re too late - they’ve all gone!
30/03/09 Easter Break – special arrangements

The Samson Centre will be closed for two weeks over the Easter holidays from Monday 6th April, reopening on Monday 20th April.

However, Claire and Mike will be at the Centre on Thursday 16th April for their normal hall physio class and one-to-one gym sessions.

In addition, appointments will be available on that Thursday for a maximum of 4 people per hour to use the gym if they are able to do so without one-to-one assistance. Appointment times are 9:30am, 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm and 1:30pm (please note that these appointment times will need to be strictly kept to in order for this to work). Claire and Mike will be in the gym to oversee everyone, but will not be able to give one-to-one help.

So if you would like to do some exercise over the Easter period and are able to work in the gym on your own, please contact the office as soon as possible, as appointments will be on a first come, first served basis.
25/02/09 Samson Centre job vacancy

With the impending retirement of Helen Brodbin, the MSTG(G)’s indefatigable Lead Physiotherapist, the search is on for someone to replace her – a formidable task!

The newly-created Jobs page provides full details of the vacancy, together with downloadable copies of the advertisement and the job description.
11/02/09 Reminders

A couple of reminders for our members:
• The Samson Centre will be closed for the half-term break next week, between the 16th and the 22nd February. It will reopen for treatments on Monday 23rd February.
• A quiz night is being held on the 11th March to raise funds for The Waterside Centre, the umbrella organisation which hosts the Samson Centre. Why not join an MSTG(G) team? It’ll be a lot of fun and you’ll be supporting a great cause.
Click here for more details.
11/02/09 Another Triathlon update

The MSTG(G) was delighted when it was nominated as the chosen charity for the Wey Kayak Club’s annual Triathlon last year. And what a boon it’s turned out to be for the group! The event may have taken place way back on the 19th October 2008, but the sponsorship money is still flooding in.

Donations of £259 and £300 have recently been received; the latter boosted the total raised by one competitor, Guy Williams, to a massive £2,917.00 – over half the overall total of £5,386.30! How does he do it?

Our heartfelt thanks go to all involved.
04/02/09 Useful links

The MS Society
The MS Society’s website contains a wealth of information about all aspects of the disease, from practical advice to recent directions in research.

In addition, click here for information sent recently to members of the MS Society Professional Network, which may also be of interest to MSTG(G) members.

MS Decisions
If you are considering embarking on a course of treatment with Disease Modifying Drugs such as beta interferon, glatiramer acetate or natalizumab, this Department of Health-funded website will be of value to you.
04/02/09 Samson Centre Closure

It doesn't happen often, but the Samson Centre was closed on Tuesday 3rd Feb due to the bad weather. It opened the following day, but with dire warnings emailed to members from the Samson Centre staff about the treacherous conditions in the car park.

It appears that global warming was suspended for this week!
17/01/09 Change of physio dates

This is a reminder from the physiotherapists at the Samson Centre to those members who normally have physio on Wednesday mornings.

Helen, Marisa and Boo are all attending a course on Wednesday 28th January.

For that week only, they are coming in to work on Friday 30th to ensure that everyone gets their treatments.
13/01/09 Christmas Lunch

OK, the festive season may be over, but what better way to see in the New Year than with the annual joint MS Society/MSTG(G) Christmas lunch, which was held this year on Sunday 4th January?

The Samson Centre’s very own Carol Kitching sent us this report:

"The Therapy Group Christmas break culminated with the 3rd annual joint MS/MSTG lunch, organised by the MS Society’s Helen Bell and Jackie Drake. It was a cold day, but 100 members, family and carers braved the weather to attend this popular event held at the Samson Centre.

The hall was full, and everyone was in good spirits (could that have been something to do with the free drink served by David Kitching and Jim Fardell, who ran the bar?).

The delicious meal consisted of three choices of main course and three of dessert, and was once again cooked by Peter Morley, and served by his band of helpers.

Helen and Jackie organised the afternoon’s entertainment, and after the meal there was a quiz and pass the parcel with forfeits (one was to peel a satsuma with your teeth!).

Louise Williams had done a good job selling all the raffle tickets and the afternoon closed with this being drawn and a large number of great prizes won.

Thanks were given to all the people who had organised, cooked and helped on the day and to all those who had donated raffle prizes.

Everyone had a great time, and all are looking forward to a repeat of this popular occasion next year."

Many thanks for that report, Carol. We hope to add some pictures, just as soon as Carol’s husband David has worked out how to download them from his camera!
06/01/09 Wey Kayak Club Triathlon update

It may be nearly three months since various intrepid members of the Wey Kayak Club, with whom the MSTG(G) shares the Waterside Centre which hosts the Samson Centre, competed in their annual triathlon, paddling, cycling and running their way round a gruelling course in and around Guildford and Woking, but the money they have very generously donated to the Samson Centre still keeps coming in.

The total raised currently stands at a whopping £4,827.30, of which £2,617.00 has been collected by one participant, Guy Williams, who himself has MS and is a member of the MSTG(G). Well done and a huge thank-you to all concerned, but especially to Guy.
01/01/09 Happy New year to all from all at the Samson Centre!

Happy Christmas!

We wish all visitors to this website, whether you be MSTG(G) members, staff, volunteers, friends & supporters, or just browsing, all the very best for 2009. May it bring you everything you wish for.

Let’s face it – it can't be much worse than 2008!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!