Dear Fibro Friend

The Committee would like to apologise for not producing a Newsletter and keeping you informed for some time. There are several reasons this has happened. Mainly it is due to the ill health of several of the Committee members and unfortunately some have decided it is necessary to resign from the Committee. They have worked on the Committee for many years and through health or personal circumstances feel they cannot carry on with the commitment and think the Committee needs new people with fresh ideas and energy who are willing to put something back into the support group. The members who will be resigning are Anne McDonald Honorary President, Yvonne Green Chairperson, Irene Logan Secretary/Treasurer, Ellen Armstrong Vice Chairperson and Hazel Young Library Officer.

We realize that this is an extreme situation but we have thought long and hard about it and have found no alternative. We do not want the group to fail after all the years it has been running successfully and it is in quite a good position financially at present. We will not just leave suddenly without a New Committee in place and we have agreed to postpone the AGM till the first meeting in 2011 which is Friday 11 February 2011. We would like to have names of anyone who would be willing to join the Committee before then.

Please consider putting your name forward to help with the group as there is a great need to keep the group running as more people are getting diagnosed every day and don't know where to turn for advice and support. If a larger number of people come forward to join the Committee the work will be easier and less of a burden on individuals. We have also applied to the Volunteer Centre in Glasgow to see if we can possibly get a volunteer who would be willing to come into the LTCAS Hub where they can use the facilities to deal with the administrative side of the group and work with the committee and members who can also use the Hub to deal with anything that needs done. If we are unable to get a full Committee the meetings could still go ahead but to a lesser degree. The room is booked for the year and would be available for members to come along and chat to each other and maybe get some advice.

We would also like to ask if anyone would be willing to compile a Newsletter or if anyone has the ability to keep the website updated. The website has become very popular and has had many hits but at present we are depending on the goodwill of Des Quinn and Allan Borland to keep it running.

We know this has been a shock to many of you but the present Committee have been struggling for some time trying to keep everything running as best they could. I hope we have given you lots to think about over the holidays and you will consider

The Christmas Lunch will take place on Friday 3 December 10 at 12 noon in The St Francis Centre, 405 Cumberland St, Gorbals Glasgow. We would like to see as many people as possible attend. The cost of the lunch is £5 and we have enclosed a copy of the Menu, a Meal Order form, a Map and envelope. Please return your order form with your payment of £5 cheque or Postal Order in the envelope to the PO Box before the 22 November 10 as we require to notify the Caterer of numbers attending. You can also pay at the group meeting on Friday 12 November 10.

We have also enclosed a list of meeting dates for 2011 and will notify you if there are any changes.

We will not send out paperwork or the accounts for 2009/10 for the AGM on Friday 11 February 2011 but you can request them in writing and they will be available on the day. A copy will also be held in the Library and will be available to view any time after the AGM.

The Committee would like to give their sincere thanks to everyone who has helped out during the year at The Meetings, The Gorbals Fair, and The Awareness Day at Braehead Shopping Centre giving their support in person, supporting the group through donations and supporting the group through buying goods for sale. We would especially like to thank Maureen McGinty and her family and friends for their generous Fund Raising Event of reaching the top of Ben Nevis which raised £1,172.

We also have to thank Hazel Borland from the new Paisley Group for donating £100 from her Fundraising Night. A generous donation of £286.55 was received from the wife of Fraser McQueen one of our members who sadly passed away when a collection was taken at his funeral. We appreciate her thoughtfulness at such a sad time.

Please remember that we do not have a meeting in January 2011 and the first meeting of the year will be Friday 11th February 2011 at 12 noon in LTCAS, Venlaw Building, 349 Bath St, Glasgow G2 4AA.

Fibromyalgia Friends Committee

Would like to wish all our members

A

Merry Christmas

&

Happy New Year

Fibromyalgia Friends Scotland

e-mail fibroscot95@blueyonder.co.uk website www.fibroscot.co.uk

Recognised Scottish Charity NO. SCO 025268

Fibromyalgia Friends Scotland acknowledges funding from

The Scottish Executive Health Department.