## **Bishopsteignton Healthy Living Group Chairmans Report for year ending 30 November 2021.** It’s been a ‘long’ two years since we last met at an AGM. Soon after our last one in 2020 the Pandemic became a reality in the UK resulting in a cessation of much of the HLG activity. HLG activities throughout have been recorded in the Meeting Minutes which are available on the village website. This report will therefore attempt to highlight only specific areas. Bishopsteignton Emergency Resilience Team (BERT) took the lead role in identifying potentially vulnerable villagers, at the outset of Covid 19, and looking after their needs, some of our HLG volunteers participated in those activities. Most organisations in our village closed for the duration with one or two maintaining a skeleton operation. ## **Bishopsteignton Care Watch.** As the world at large started to come to terms with a new style of life, BERT began to wind down its activities. The pandemic continued but could no longer be defined as an Emergency. Carewatch, under the management of Lis Durham, expanded actions to address the areas where BERT had stepped back working alongside the folk already being helped. Jacqueline Pester, who had taken Carewatch forward had handed over to Lis in October 2020. Lis has taken Carewatch to a new high level in every respect. New volunteers have taken on various roles, including Befriending, following successful training. All volunteers interacting with folk are now DBS cleared. I will take this opportunity to record my sincere appreciation, and that of many others in the village, for the superb job that Lis has made of her role. ## **Defibrillators.** There are now six operational AEDs (Automatic External Defibrillators) within our village envelope. With one exception all are registered with _“The Circuit”_ which has replaced the S.W Ambulance records. 999 calls that may require an AED are answered by operatives with full access to _“The Circuit”_ . For a village of our size this is an excellent situation however there are areas not sufficiently covered, provision for these is being addressed as promptly as possible. At the same time as acquiring new AEDs we are having to replace older equipment that has either deteriorated or time expired. HLG is extremely grateful to everyone who has contributed to provide funding for this essential maintenance. Each upgrade or installation of a cabinet requires professional help. I would like to pay a very special tribute to Russell Edwards who has been an incredible support in this work. Giving a substantial amount of his time, all free of charge! Our Parish Clerk has also been a great support in assisting us in the purchase of equipment at preferential rates. ## **Memory Cafe** After the necessary close down due to the Pandemic the Memory Cafe has restarted with its usual enthusiasm. ## **Trim Trail** Not a lot of activity although there are embryo plans for some village walks to be revived in the Spring. The Table Tennis at The Lawns received good use during Lockdown. ## **Dementia Friendly Village** Progress on this has been seriously affected by the effects of the pandemic. I know Finella wants to get things moving as soon as practicable. ## **Finance** Although Jenny has moved away from our village she has remained as our Treasurer, from a distance, maintaining her usual high standard of service. Money turnover has been higher thanks to some generous donations and expenditure on among other things, defibrillators. I mentioned Memory Cafe a few lines back. This massive asset to our village has been led from the outset by Mary Hampson. Sadly for us Mary is in the throes of moving to Wales to be closer to her family. We will miss her not only for Memory Cafe but as an excellent HLG secretary. With heartfelt thanks from me and many others we wish her and Howard many happy years with Kate and the children. Before closing this report I am going to take a few moments to review some of our history. It seems like decades that a small group met at the Community Centre as “ _The Surgery Group”_ . Tasked to locate a suitable venue for a Doctors’ Surgery as the present site was to be closed. That exercise took almost five years of looking at various options, overcoming objections until we eventually reached a result that we are all gratefully aware of. At that point The Surgery Group morphed into The Healthy Living Group later to become a Registered (CIO) Charity There are various initiatives that Bishopsteignton Healthy Living Group can hold itself responsible for, a few samples to revive the memories are below. Someone read about a Health-Watch scheme that had started in Ilfracombe. Details were obtained and our Carewatch was born. Alongside Memory Cafe, Singing for Memory was introduced with fascinating results. The pandemic regrettably caused a halt to that one. I know many of the Memory Cafe attendees were/are grateful for the regular phone calls during the lock downs. There have now been courses of what was billed as Gentle Exercise attended by, usually, about a dozen folk on a Friday morning. Having participated in one session I queried the word “Gentle” at times but people kept coming back for more. Thanks to Elaine’s incredible fund-raising skills there was no costs to HLG. The previously mentioned Table Tennis at The Lawns was a joint venture between HLG and the Parish Council. A few years ago we had a visit from _“Norms”_ who had been diagnosed with Alzheimers in his forties, he originated the “ _Purple Angel”._ For our village the plan for a Dementia Friendly Society emerged. It has been my priviledge to chair this group for the last nine or ten years, as I have said before we exist for the enhancement of life in Bishopsteignton, no hidden agendas, just pure friendship, endeavour and goodwill from and to the people of Bishopsteignton. Thank you for your massive support throughout the difficult days and the good times. As an old slogan used to say “We are getting there” ## Eddy E.J.Stephenson Chairman – Bishopsteignton Healthy Living Group Registered Charity (CIO) No. 1175894 Income and Expendtture Account Forthe Year ErTrded 30 November 2021 021 020 Income Donations 3184 365 nditure Methodist Church Stationery etc Fees Oefib Maintenance Surplus of Income over ExpenditLE 120 326 676 1.595 2.717 192 io 2717 467 268 97 Balance Sheet as Assets Cash at Bank 30 Ncwember 2020 3390 2922 Re resented b BiShopSt￿8nt0n Bishop Healthy Living Group 00 No. 1175894 General Fund Balance BIFwd a5 at tst December 2020 Surplus of Income on ExpenditLtre for year 2923 467 3390 Approved Chairman Si8ned Treasurer ?1~, [Ji Rep￿ to the Trurtees ot Bishopsteignton Healthy Grwp ao In accordartrce your instructions I have audited the above Incomè and Expend¢ture for the period from 1st December 2020 to 30th November 2021 to8ether with the Balance Sheet as at 30th November 2020 from the books at)d v(MJther5 presented to me. I hereby the above finanaal statÈments to be i accordancc theiewith. Signed M W Pester FCCA Date 30-i_1