AGM – February 2012
Exact date to be advised. To be held at The Ark, Gallards Close, Southborough.
A LETTER FROM KANIV
“The Day of Kaniv” is our Local Holiday
from Alina Kharchenko.
Member of KASA (Kaniv and Southborough Association)
Every year we’re admired and surprised by the beauty of Autumn which is special in our place. It comes with golden, purple, green and yellow leaves. The fragrance of bright flowers, cool fresh mornings and the warmth of the passing summer.
September brought a remarkable holiday – The Day of Knowledge which means the beginning of the new school year. Groups of school-children dressed in smart clothes with bouquets of flowers filled the streets of my native town hurrying to their classrooms. They’re welcomed by teachers and parents.
There’s one more holiday which is so important for the residents of my town. It’s our local holiday – The Day of Kaniv – annually marked in Autumn. This year it fell on 17th September. It was very pleasant to watch the changes – my town like a child was washed and dressed, that is cleaned, decorated with posters and flowers. What is more, a big square in the centre of the town was reconstructed and a new river-bus terminal was opened. Now it’s the favourite place of rest for our people.
On that day thousands of inhabitants of our town got together to entertain, to see the exhibitions of painting, embroidery, to admire the work of craftsmen. Some concerts of amateurs and professionals were also held. Everybody had a chance to hear Ukrainian songs and watch Ukrainian dances. The next day, (18th September) was the day of a fair when farmers from all the districts of Cherkasy Region sold farm produce and food products.
The weather during the holiday was so warm and sunny as if nature gave a chance to people to enjoy time. I looked at their smiling and happy faces and was proud that I am Ukrainian.
SECRETARY’S REPORT
Firstly, I would like to welcome Marian Attwood onto the Committee. Initially, she was going to assist me with just the odd letter but due to the fact that Mike Bailey is no longer acting as Membership Secretary it was necessary for someone to take on that role as soon as possible. Marian has very kindly offered to take over the Minutes which is always very time consuming. Thank you Marian for volunteering your services.
We say goodbye to Mike Bailey who is moving to Ireland. He will be greatly missed. The Committee gave him a small leaving present presented to him at the last Committee Meeting. He has done a splendid job in the past of encouraging new members and I hope I can fit quietly into his shoes until someone else comes forward to take on this task. Good Luck Mike, we will keep in contact.
So with my Membership Secretary hat on, I would like to say that we have at present 50 paid-up members, of whom 6 have recently joined. I would personally like to welcome:-
Steve and Bev Henderson of Allington, Maidstone, Alain and Katharine Lewis of Southborough and Mrs Chris Day and Anne Newman both of Bidborough. Welcome to you all and we hope that you will participate in our future events and support a worthy cause.
Also – hot off the press we welcome Jamie Johnson and Kellie Wort who have renewed membership while preparing this newsletter. – Welcome!
We do have some past members who have not renewed and we would like to encourage you back into the fold. We will be sending you a Newsletter and would ask you to respond to my plea to support us please. Every subscription is important and we need new ideas and help at events. The more support we have the less work for each member. If you know of someone who might be interested in joining we would like to hear from you.
The Committee, together with Mike Handcock and myself have a variety of jobs to attend to. It would be really great if members would offer to help in some small way. We have a Committee Meeting once a month and we usually meet at my home and I provide light refreshments. It would be really beneficial to the organisation to have some fresh blood on the committee. Please think about sparing a few hours a week to support us.
Lynda Emberson (Secretary/Membership Secretary and Newsletter Editor)
Cabaret Evening – Saturday 1st October 2011
St. Thomas’s Church Hall was an excellent venue for our evening of entertainment and supper. We are grateful to the Church Authority and the Vicar for their kindness and understanding. So many people helped us including Felix Buser and his highly talented young cellists who got the evening off to a good start for us. Thank you Isabel Ormsby, Finlay Cole, Selina and Miranda Buser. We were delighted by the selection of music you played for us and will look forward to listening to you in the future.
Robert Prance was in his usual good form as our M.C. and there were amusing contributions from Mary Cottle, Colette Marsh, Val Davis and Mike Handcock. David Ward entertained us with his Accordian and this led to some audience participation in songs from around the World.
Meow’s supper was up to its usual high standard and Sally Andrew’s anniversary cakes made a very tasty dessert. The raffle did well and it was a pleasant social occasion.
The Allington Belle – September 2011
We had a much needed relaxed afternoon on the Medway and can’t wait until next year when it is hoped to be repeated. The heavens had opened that morning, but by the afternoon the clouds had dispersed and the sun was shining, which was a bonus to a well-organised event - thanks to Mike Handcock with his events organiser’s hat on.
We met at the Malta Inn at Allington and took a peaceful 2 hr trip towards Maidstone town and beyond.
Drinks were available at the bar, and later the proprietors surprised us all with a wonderful spread of sandwiches, scones and cake and as much tea and coffee as we wanted.
Music played in the background and in between chatting to members and buying raffle tickets one or two even dared to have a twirl on the dance floor a real party atmosphere.
The proprietors had gone to a lot of trouble to decorate the boat and make the event personal to S.A.K.A. Thanks to Steve & Bev Henderson, together with their daughter. We hope to see more of you in the future, since becoming members.
Lynda Emberson.
Keeping up with the News from Ukraine
Ukraine features very rarely in our media. When it does, the stories are usually controversial and bad news. Seemingly the good news is either not considered of interest to their readers or viewers by editors or it is squeezed out by the sheer volume of domestic news and top-of-mind international stories.
Make this website your source to the news of Ukraine. Just click on Weblinks at the top of this page.
Obereg Foundation – Diabetes in Kaniv
Studies suggest that the number of people with diabetes in the world is expected to double between 2000 and 2030. However, this disease is particularly prevalent in Kaniv where nearly 2000 are officially registered as diabetics out of a population of 40,000.
Obereg is a charitable organisation with official status which urgently needs money to purchase insulin, syringes, blood pressure monitors, blood glucose meters, test strips, etc. to support sufferers in Kaniv.
The Chief Doctor of Kaniv Hospital pays tribute to the Foundation, thanking God that in Kaniv there are “people who are not locked in their own troubles, not only in words but in deed proving their interest in the outcome of diabetes. These people care not only about themselves but about those close by. “What a tribute”
We often complain about our NHS, but we are so fortunate compared with our “neighbours” in Kaniv. Would you like to become one of those people who care for others less fortunate?
If so, please send your donation to me. Any help will be much appreciated and well spent by the Foundation.
Your donations will be added to the £75 already received. For further information please refer to our Chairman’s letter in Newsletter No.19.
Bert Alldis, Hon. Treasurer SAKA
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a common life-long health condition. There are 2.8 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK and an estimated 850,000 people who have the condition but don’t know it.
Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose in the blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. This is because the pancreas does not produce any insulin, or not enough, to help glucose enter the body’s cells – or the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance).
Insulin is the hormone produced by the pancreas that allows glucose to enter the body’s cells, where it is used as fuel for energy so we can work, play and generally live our lives. It is vital for life.
Glucose comes from digesting carbohydrate and is also produced by the liver. Carbohydrate comes from many different kinds of foods and drink, including starchy foods such as bread, potatoes and chapattis, fruit, some dairy products, sugar and other sweet foods.With diabetes, the body cannot make proper use of this glucose so it builds up in the blood and isn’t able to be used as fuel.
There are two types of Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2.
Diabetes UK – The charity for people with diabetes www.diabetes.org.uk
A visit to Kaniv in 2012
Next Year – 2012 will be a busy year for international events both here and in the Ukraine. Together with Poland, Ukraine will co-host the UEFA Euro 2012 Football Championship from 8th June to 1st July. We ourselves are looking forward to the Olympic Games from 25th July to 12th August. Also in this year our friends in Kaniv hope a party of SAKA members will be able to visit Ukraine – possibly the latter half of May for the annual commemoration of the reburial in Kaniv of Ukraine’s greatest poet and patriot Taras Shevchenko, or early in September.
As always, the hands of friendship are being offered by the Kanivians for us to stay with them in their homes. It is a pleasurable experience, which ordinary tourists are unable to enjoy. Those of our members, who have visited Kaniv in the past, will confirm that the hospitality extended is both warm and affectionate and that a visit is very rewarding.
Ukraine has stepped out of its communist past, but the cultural values of family and friendships are as strong as they have always been. We know that our members will be cosseted from the time they step off the aeroplane at Borispil Airport in Kiev, throughout their stay, until they are delivered back to the airport on their return.
We can be assured a number of events will be staged to prove to our party that the help being given to the needy and to students in Kaniv are very worthwhile and very much appreciated. In Kaniv there is much of historical interest to be seen. The main attractions concern the life and works of Ukraine’s greatest poet and patriot, Taras Shevchenko, who is buried on a hill overlooking the River Dnieper, as was his wish. It is a site for pilgrimages. World War II hit Kaniv particularly hard. The monuments to the heroes of both the Soviet forces and the civilian population and the stories behind their bravery are of great historical interest. To read about what is to be found, click on Kaviv in the heading of this page. As always there will be plenty of social enjoyment and fun in Kaniv.
Would those amongst our membership, who may wish to take part in the visit, please contact our Chairman, Mike Handcock. Obviously it is too early to expect firm commitments, but it would be useful to know the volume of interest.
Brian Dobson, Publicity Officer
