Make or Break Time at the AGM 13 Feb 2018 7.30pm

The Group is facing closure at the AGM on Tuesday 13 February 2018 at 7.30pm, in St Marys Hall Church Street Twickenham.

Now is your chance to come forward with your views on what would be useful for people with diabetes in the borough of Richmond and beyond, stand for election to the Committee and make a difference to the lives of your fellow residents.

The Committee made it clear in September's newsletter and October's meeting that the group cannot continue in its present format. The recent death of Ann Jones who did much to help in the running of the group has only emphasised even further the dire predicament we are in as Navaz and Trisha are stepping down and Elizabeth and Jackie have said they will continue only if at least three new Committee members come on board.

The requirement at present is that we need an absolute minimum of three but preferably four fully committed active volunteers to join Jackie Hawkins, who is willing to stand again as Treasurer but equally will stand down if someone else will take on this role, and Elizabeth Raven-Hill for the group to continue in its current format. The main focus will be holding Open Meetings and some social events unless members suggest other alternatives that they would like instead.

If no-one comes forward and is elected then we have three options.

1) The group will disengage from Diabetes UK and close down. Any surplus Richmond and Twickenham Diabetes UK funds would be donated back to Diabetes UK and all formal ties with the national charity would be severed.

2) Diabetes UK would hate to see the group fold. They have suggested that we change into a community group. What this means is that there are no formal Committee members as per the current local group structure, and all that is needed is a person willing to take the lead. Then the group can arrange to meet whenever and wherever it likes. Such groups do not have a bank account.

3) Option 2 sounds very similar to our original Plan B. We could set up coffee meet ups/meals, as Ann had been running over the last year or so, offering more in the way of social support but only if at least one and possibly two volunteer co-ordinators come forward to make the social group viable. It would be self-funding and self-managing and not linked at all to Diabetes UK.  This would be very much more like a group of acquaintances meeting up now and again and if anyone wanted to talk about their diabetes issues it could done in informal surroundings with your peers.

The current committee have no qualms about the potential closure of the group as

            We simply cannot carry on with only two people

If people missed the open meeting format and educational diabetes talks they could try those of Kingston Diabetes UK Group which are held monthly on Tuesday evenings in Kingston Hospital, 6.45-8.30pm.    https://kingston.diabetesukgroup.org/

Many more people access information on diabetes via the Internet these days - that was not the case when we began.

The Committee has done its bit over the last 12 years but now we need other volunteers to step up and take on responsibility for managing the Group's activities and helping at meetings, the various fairs and other events if we want it to continue in its current format. Please read the Roles and Responsibilities paper on the News page to see what is involved. Don't forget though that as new Committee members you could change the future direction of the group....

If anyone would like to discuss this further please contact Trisha Shirt, Secretary, ideally on trishadukrt@gmail.com or phone 07561 840563. If you happen to know anyone, not necessarily with diabetes, who is looking for volunteer work please ask them to consider joining us. Trisha would like to be able to put forward some nominations for the Committee at the AGM.....

If there is no positive response to any of the above options then the group will fold at the AGM, surplus funds given to Diabetes UK and people can decide to transfer to Kingston or Hounslow (if that is still running) groups, or continue on your own without local community support.

                                       IT IS UP TO YOU