Swindon IA's AGM took place on 29 November 2009. The event was well supported by nearly 60 members and friends and five ostomy appliance companies. With the exception of Colin Blank, who had stood down due to other commitments, the outgoing officers and committee were all re-elected. The business part of the meeting concluded, we were then updated on April 2010 prescription procurement arrangements, a patient satisfaction survey, a  going home pack and other matters of interest by our three stoma care nurses.
     Our president, Mr. Richard Payne, and Dr. Peter Hanson both then outlined the benefits to patients of our recent major equipment donations to the Great Western Hospital. This was not only very informative but also very entertaining!
     As usual, we were treated to a magnificent buffet tea, thanks to the efforts of Colin and Madelaine Blank and Madelaine's mum, Mrs. Harris.
     The event raffle, with prizes kindly donated by members and friends, made £102.00, which more than covered the cost of the buffet!
     I have added some photographs taken at the event to the scrapbook page.
    
     On the evening of October 6 2009, Swindon IA formally presented the argon plasma coagulator and laparoscopic surgical instruments, described in my earlier report below, to Dr. Peter Hanson and Mr. Richard Payne, who received the items on behalf of the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
     The presentation took place in the Day Services Unit and we were delighted to welcome the local press to our presentation. Subsequently, an excellent report and photograph appeared in the Swindon Advertiser newspaper. The Swindon Advertiser have kindly allowed us to use the photograph on our website, so please click here to view it.

     Having made the above equipment donations to the Great Western Hospital, it has left our funds somewhat depleted and there has been a need to start fundraising again for future projects! Our autumn jumble sale on October 10 raised a very welcome £186, thanks to our small army of dedicated helpers, and our West Swindon Shopping Centre sale of donated items on October 24 raised a further £295. Our thanks to the shopping centre management - and to everyone who helped man the stall during the day. I have added a couple of photographs taken by our treasurer, Madelaine, during the West Swindon event to the "Scrapbook" page.   

     As members and friends will know, one of the aims of our charity is to help our health professionals to help us. To that end, we encourage the identification of items of much needed equipment or services that we can then purchase and donate to our local health service.
     Our president, Mr. Richard Payne, has identified the need for specific sets of surgical instruments used in laparoscopic surgery. I am now delighted to advise members that we have now purchased the instruments requested at a cost of £4,810. They have now been delivered to the Great Western Hospital and are already in use. In an e-mail to the committee Mr. Payne said "The instruments are greatly needed and it is money well spent. Could you please pass on my best wishes to all at Swindon IA".
     We also received a request from Dr. Peter Hanson for an Argon Plasma Coagulator Unit (APC) and accessories for the Great Western Hospital's Endoscopy Suite. Over the years Swindon IA has donated many thousands of pounds worth of equipment, including in 2004 a £20,340 flexible sigmoidoscope, to the Great Western Hospital's Endoscopy Suite and the Day Diagnostic Unit at the old Princess Margaret Hospital. We were very keen to help but after the surgical instruments purchase, we simply did not have sufficient funds available. However, your committee decided to apply for a £5,000 grant from our national body under their 'matched funding' scheme. I am delighted to confirm that our grant application was successful, thereby enabling us to proceed with the purchase of the APC unit (shown on right).
     Better yet, by negotiating directly with the supplier, we were able to secure a further discount of £983 on their original £19,623 quotation. The APC has now been delivered to the hospital. Dr. Hanson is of course delighted and commented "This is excellent news and I can't tell you how delighted I am. It is a rare event when a service is actually enhanced with a genuinely new development, as opposed to providing more of the same, and we shall savour the moment. Please thank all those who worked so hard to raise the funds - their efforts do not go unrecognised."