A warm welcome to the website of the South Hertfordshire Branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association If you live in the southern half of Hertfordshire and have been affected by Motor Neurone Disease in any way we are here to help. Whether you are living with Motor Neurone Disease, are caring for someone, or have a friend or family member with Motor Neurone Disease, we are here to offer a listening ear, information and support. We hold friendly informal meetings throughout the year, and you would be very welcome. Quiz NightThere are still a few tickets left (as on 26th September). Details below. MND Sufferer David Davies leaves a lasting legacy.In the last year of his struggle with Motor Neurone Disease David Davies set about a mammoth task. He decided to pen his first novel based upon his real-life experiences while working in the security team at Royal Mail. He enlisted the help of friend and neighbour Peter Ward to help him write Derailed which is the story of a burglary on Mail Rail – the underground railway that served London’s main post office network. The novel is set in the nineteen eighties and involves some hilarious characters whose attempts are ill-fated and lead to dire consequences. It’s a lively romp that reflects David’s sense of humour and fun. Pictured here are David’s widow Kim and Peter, the book’s publisher. David was diagnosed with MND in January 2020 and he and Kim, together with their son Harrison, strove to make life as full as possible with the time available. They were surrounded by groups of friends from different parts of their lives and enjoyed social gatherings in a number of circumstances, perhaps most notably on a several cruises on the Grand Union Canal. David’s community-spiritedness was legendary and he had been the regular organiser of neighbour litter-picks. After diagnosis he was supported by his local gym in organising highly successful fund-raising competitions for the benefit of MNDA. Derailed represents yet another act of generosity. It was his wish that royalties earned from the book should benefit the Association to help much needed research into the Disease. Collaborating with his friend Peter on the text and another friend Emily Brooker on the cover design, David has left a lasting legacy to benefit to Association for years to come. And not just that – it’s a really good read! It’s a great opportunity to give to there charity and sorting out your holiday read at the same time! And then there is always the option of filling the Christmas stockings of your loved ones. Derailed is available online at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Derailed-David-Davies.ebook/dp/B09XPGG3SZ and other online book sellers. It retails at £9.99 in paperback and £4.99 in Kindle format. All royalties go to MNDA. Here’s what some of the early readers have said: I thoroughly enjoyed reading this super story. Right from the start, I was gripped by the suspense and detail of the settings and characters as they planned and executed their unique heist. Would totally recommend this fast paced plot. Loved the book cover too! Fabulous! Really good plot and really well written. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend. I especially love the fact that all proceeds to this fantastic book go to motor neurone disease. Great read I’ve really enjoyed reading this book. I was a colleague of the author and recognise many of the settings, some of the people and all of the procedures. A great “what if” story, eminently plausible, although it never quite happened like that… or did it? Herts County WalkOur first Herts County Walk with the N & E Herts branch was a huge success on 9th July at Stanborough Lakes in Welwyn. Over 100 people joined us in the sunshine for a leisurely stroll around the lake.Many stayed after the event to enjoy a picnic and have a chat. We will definitely be doing this again next year! Thank you to all who helped and to all who participated.
Online ActivitiesClick on the images below to see details of online activities organised by the Branch * Send cheque payable to MNDA South Herts Branch to: Hetty Smith, 7 Farthing Drive, Letchworth Garden City, Herts., SG6 2TR * If you would like to pay by bank transfer, please contact Hetty by email at: mndassoc.southherts@gmail.com * Or you can donate online on our website which is mndasouthherts.org and then go to the ‘donate to the branch’ section If you have not donated to us before and completed a Gift Aid form, we urge you to complete and return the form (you can get it by clicking on the icon below) to us to claim an additional 25p for every £1 donated from HM Revenue and Customs. Thank you very much for your support. Kind Regards and Take Care Hetty Smith - Chair, South Herts Branch, MNDA A message about eventsWe continue to follow Government and National Office guidelines during the pandemic. All contact with people living with MND, their carers and families is by telephone and via virtual meetings. This includes our monthly Get Togethers, further details can be found by clicking on the upcoming events link below. We very much hope to be able to see you all face to face sometime next year - hopefully in the Spring. For now the priority has to be the safety of people living with MND in our area, their families and carers as well as our branch members and supporters. Take Care Hetty Smith - Chair Upcoming eventsNotification of rescheduled events will be shown here Some recent events are shown here and some upcoming events here
Come along with your spouses and carers for a relaxing afternoon. For details click here.
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