NEWCOMERS TO HALSTEAD

“I hope you’ve been made welcome” .

 This was the start of our conversation when we first met David  Hume, the Mayor of Halstead. To be frank, it was with great trepidation that we had made the move to Halstead from our home of forty years in Warrington in the North-West of England. This decision ,to be near our son and his family, was prompted by my diagnosis of Parkinson’s  Disease and the fact that we were both only children and therefore had no family back up in Warrington.

We need not have worried., everyone was immediately friendly, even if it did take three years to sell our house and gain the planning permission to build  across the road from our son., and another year to move in to our new bungalow built with disability in mind.

   We joined the church of St .Andrew’s choir, and felt much warmth and friendship from both the choir and those in the church community.

The set up of the many different village communities, with Halstead like a hub at the centre, is very different to the urban sprawl we are used to. Each village has its ‘  own character and characters,  and everywhere there is a welcome and an invitation to join in.

 We have made many good friends, particularly  Prim Rayner ,who introduced me to the Gosfield ladies being taught “Bridge”, Sarah Best, who introduced us to the Hedingham singers and Mary Crawley who got me involved in the Maplestead WI , and “The lovely ladies “.  These people became close personal friends in a very short space of time,

 Then the blow fell and we learned just how supportive this community is.

Soon after we moved into our new home I  was  re-diagnosed as having a rare neurological disease, Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) of which very few people have heard and which usually closely resembles  Parkinson’s Disease in the early stages. It is so rare that there are only about three thousand sufferers in the U.K. and only one  charity supporting them; the  MSA Trust. There is no cure, no remission and only treatment to relieve the symptoms .My friends in  Halstead, have  decided to help by raising funds for the Trust, and spreading knowledge of the disease  and the work of the Trust.

In this,we have not only been supportedby my friends but it seems like the whole community has become involved in raising funds,and becoming aware of the terrible repercussionsof the condition.

The first event of which was a family afternoon of fun,  held on 31st July in the grounds of  Highwoods  Farm, the home of Robert and Sarah Best, when the Mayor of Halstead was in attendance. There was  entertainment, provided by The Halstead Gospel Singers , solos provided by John Birt,Beccky Gagen and Toby Parr  the choir-master and organist and his wife .Produce stalls and a strawberry cream tea, also some substantial prizes were donated by local businesses.

Sarah and Mandy spent days preparing scones for the tea and jams and chutneysfor sale as well as co-ordinating the efforts of many other people,and Prim co-ordinated the business part of  what has proved to be a much bigger event than was at first planned

On the day they would settle for nothing less than perfection,which meant that by the end of the day all were exhuasted but exhilarated for the event raised in excess of £1800 . I shall be forever in their debt for joining me in fighting back against this cruel fate. They plan an even bigger event next year.

Thank-you for making the time to visit just giving.

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