(After the meeting Mr Michael Lerwin asked to come on the Committee and this was agreed).

Dr Alison Blackman stepped down from the Committee but agreed to stay as Advisor to the Group.

The Guest Speaker at the AGM this year was Mr Norman McGregor Edwards the DHSS Director of Health, Strategy and Performance.

However because he merits a piece all to himself, we have pleasure in presenting what he said as our lead story in this issue.

We must however point out that Mr Edwards did challenge the Chairman on what he had said, regarding the Manx Diabetes Centre, and a lively debate ensued between them, during which Mr Edwards assured the meeting that the DHSS contrary to what the Chairman had suggested, had no hidden agenda for the Manx Diabetes Centre to have a diminished role to its present function in our community. The Chairman thanked Mr Edwards for his assurance.

The Chairman then closed the meeting but not before reminding those present that the next AGM would take place on the Thursday 3 rd May 2007 .

Disabled Facilities.

This picture depicts there are disabled facilities on this beach in Spain , as seen and taken by one of our members whilst he was on holiday there.

Sign seen on Spanish Beach

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If the Spanish Authorities are able to make beaches disabled friendly why can't our pertinent authorities provide disabled friendly parking spaces for the Manx disabled person, without a pole in the middle of the bay so that if they park properly they can't get out of their cars because they can't open the door?

Surely it cannot be all that difficult to move the poles that should not have been placed there in the first place.

The Last Laugh

A couple are woken up in the middle of the night by their doorbell ringing.

He puts on his dressing gown and goes downstairs.

He opens the door and there is a drunk leaning against the doorbell.

“Can I help you” asks the indignant owner of the house.

“Yeees pleeease” slurs the drunk, “Can you giv us a push”.

“Listen mate, it's the middle of the night, so increase and multiply” and he slams the door in his face.

When he got back to bed, his wife wanted to know what had happened. After he had explained, she said to him, “You have been very off handed with the poor man, remember the time our car broke down, if it hadn't been for those nice people who gave us a push and helped us we would still be there. So go down and help him”.

He gets out of bed, gets dressed, goes downstairs and opens the front door. It is pitch black outside, so he shouts, “Are you still there?”

The slurred voice comes out of the darkness “Yeees”

“Do you still need a push?”

“Oh yeees pleeease” comes the reply.

“Where are you?”

“I'm sitting on the swing”