November equalled October’s highest number of attendees at 24.
If you want to find out more about some of our members do check out the Member Spotlights page. Bear in mind that we do one a month so there’s an ongoing list of people to add!
The breakfast presentation for November 2020 was from Susan Oates, manager of Barking Hall Nursing Home.
Thinking outside the bureaucratic box
Susan illustrated the scope of the work Barking Hall does with the story of one of their residents.
This resident was a very elderly gentleman who had been in the army during the Second World War and spent a long time in India.
He was a doctor, as was his son, and after his wife died at the age of 50 he eventually retired to Cheshire, where he continued with one of his passions, for walking.
He moved to the USA, where his daughter became his main carer once he developed dementia, but then his daughter died suddenly, leaving him alone, without a passport and without permission to stay in the USA.
His grandson contacted Barking Hall to ask if they could look after him, which the home was happy to do but, as Susan said: “We had a serious fight on our hands”.
This was because the authorities were treating him as an immigrant.
Eventually, they succeeded in getting the old gentleman into the country and a legal resident both in the UK and in Barking Hall.
Despite having problems of her own throughout 2020, with the death of her father, her son developing mental health problems and her daughter contracting Covid 19, Susan has continued to fight, when necessary, for the home’s patients to be treated as human beings by the authorities.
“I think the authorities need to stop looking at contracts and permissions and start thinking about people” she said.
Future meetings
For the time being, meetings will be on the usual dates but via Zoom. You will receive emails in advance to book and give you the log-in details and passwords. For both the breakfast and the coffee sessions, pre-booking is essential.
Chairman Allan is always happy to receive any suggestions for what members want to see the Chamber doing in the future. Please send your ideas (and your wish lists) to [email protected]
Please note that cut-off for booking Coffee Mornings is Thursday at midnight the day before and for Breakfasts is Wednesday, 12noon of that week as we have to let The Mix know numbers!
Networking Breakfast
Friday, 15th November 2024
7.15am-9.00am at The Mix Stowmarket
127 Ipswich Street
Stowmarket IP14 1BB Book here
Members £19.00/Visitors £24.50
Zoom attendees join at 7.45am
Online Members £4.50/Visitors £6.00
