Excerpts from Newsletter No. 21, dated February 2012

Date for your diaries
Start of Our Year Dinner, Saturday 17th March at 7.30pm
This popular annual event will be held once again at Café Bliss, 142 London Road, Southborough.

Excerpts from Newsletter No. 21, dated February 2012
S.A.K.A. Quiz Nite – Saturday 12th November 2011
Our third annual Quiz, held at The Day Centre Hall, Christchurch, Southborough, was a very pleasant occasion with five teams contesting a very close competition to become Champions. Five testing rounds of questions finally resulted in a win for the team consisting of Bob & Colette Marsh and Alain Lewis. Well done, also to both Lynda Emberson and Marian Attwood and her husband Chris, who provided everyone participating with a delicious Ploughman’s Supper, plus extras. A splendid team-effort, which also involved them in shopping for the food beforehand and clearing everything away carefully afterwards to ensure that our deposit cheque was returned to us uncashed. We were also grateful to Peter Jervis of Downinghbury Farm, Pembury, who kindly donated a generous number of his tasty desert apples once again. Altogether, it was a pleasant occasion and good value for the £6.50 it cost each person attending. Our thanks go to the Church authority for allowing us once more to use the venue.

Christmas Lunch Saturday 3rd December 2011
Rather disappointingly only eight people attended the lunch held at The Abergavenny Arms at Frant. As we tried to organise it we became aware that a Saturday just before Christmas when shopping and other festive commitments are on peoples minds is probably not the best time to try and organise such an event. In 2010 it was held on the first Sunday of the month and was much better attended, but the Abergavenny Arms had decided this time not to make the Sunday available. However, those who did attend had a very nice meal in good company so it was enjoyable and a pleasant start to the Festive Season.

Visiting Kaniv in 2012
In our last Newsletter (No. 20), which is still included below, we reported that it is hoped to gain sufficient support amongst our members to arrange a group visit to Kaniv in 2012. September would appear to be an ideal month for such a trip, when both “The Day of Knowledge” and “The Day of Kaniv” are celebrated against a colourful backdrop provided by Mother Nature as she provides her traditional Autumn splendour. Read again the letter from Alina Kharchenko entitled “The Day of Kaniv is our Local Holiday” and the detailed article on how to enjoy “A visit to Kaniv in 2012”. Under the “Kaniv” section of this website you will find details of all the many interesting attractions to be seen in and around Kaniv. We are invited to stay with our Kanivian friends in their homes. It offers a unique opportunity to sample the Ukranian way of life and enjoy the warmth of affectionate Ukrainian hospitality. To express your possible interest in visiting Kaniv in September, please contact our Chairman, Mike Handcock.

SAKA Lotto Club 2011
Final draw on Saturday 3rd December
After the Christmas Lunch the Draw was made to discover who the winners were for the last five months of the year:-
August Vanessa Andrew
September Shirin Hague
October Jacqui Jedrzejewski
November Peter Hayward
Each won £15.50
December Tom Rusbridge
The Top prize of £45.50
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR WINNERS IN THIS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE LOTTO CLUB!

Thirty-six people joined the Club which means that £180 was paid out in prize money whilst the other £180 went to S.A.K.A. funds to help towards our small projects in Kaniv as agreed at last year’s A.G.M. Certainly we didn’t raise as much money as we have done in past years, when we held a Grand Draw, but circumstances have changed and it was the right decision – again agreed at the 2011 A.G.M., to set-up the Lotto Club. The Licensing Authority is happy for us to have a Lotto Club 2012 and as the Committee supported the idea for the final decision to be taken at this year’s Annual General Meeting. Thanks to everyone who took out membership of the Club in its first year.

Secretary’s Report
Another year has passed and we have once more achieved what has seemed at times like the impossible. Thankfully I have had some additional help from Marian Attwood to become Assistant Secretary. Her help has been much appreciated these last few months. Again it has been an eventful year with Our Annual Dinner, a very successful River Cruise, Afternoon Tea, Cabaret, QuizNite and a Christmas Lunch to mention a few. Some have been more successful than others but they all take valuable time to organise and much of this has been done by your Chairman – Mike Handcock. In addition Mike has introduced the Lotto Club which has been a great success in raising additional funds for SAKA, but has also produced additional work. We hope he will be able to continue with this in the future. I would like personally to thank other members of the Committee for their contributions, their time in particular and their patience when I have not produced something that has been requested on time. Bob Constable died suddenly last March. He had attended the Dinner a week earlier, so it was a great shock to us all. I didn’t know Pat Heywood-Young personally, but I did get to know Peter Crawford – our late President, a very generous man, who came to my house for our Coffee Morning event last Summer. My thanks to Jacqui Jedrzejewski, who stepped in to act as President. We said farewell to Mike Bailey who moved to Ireland earlier this year and had done a grand job as Membership Secretary, we wish him well in the future, and hope he keeps in contact with us all. I stood in as acting Membership Secretary until someone could be found to replace him. I have told the Committee that I am willing to stand as Secretary for the coming year while Mike Handcock is our Chairman if no one else comes forward. However this might be a good time to think about the organisation’s future as my work and family commitments are increasing and I will not be able to continue in my present role indefinitely. We need fresh ideas and more Committee members so please consider joining the Committee.
Lynda Emberson

Cabaret Evening – Saturday 1st October
This turned out to be a successful evening although attendance was low. The young String Quartet did amazingly well and has been asked to entertain other local organisations since. Colette Marsh managed to put together some songs and sketches which were well received and included not only an amusing sketch from Colette but also contributions from Mike Handcock, David Ward and Val Davis. Mary Cottle sang beautifully (as always) and it was good to have her as a guest for the second year running. We changed the venue for this event this year to St. Thomas’s Church Hall in Pennington Road and I think I can speak for all those that attended that the venue was ideal for our needs. I am sure we will be planning a similar event for this year. Do make sure you come along and see the talent that we have in our community. Well done to all of you who took part.

Newsletter Support
If you know of anyone who would be willing to support us by advertising in our Newsletter we would like to hear from them. A new printer is required in the future to support the volume of work created by our success.

Tee-Shirt Orders
Summer is coming and white shirts can be ordered with our SAKA logo in a range of sizes priced at approximately £15.00 depending on the volume of orders. Please contact Lynda Emberson for further details.

Membership Report
Welcome to our newest members for the year 2011/2012:-
Mrs Anne Newman
Mr Christopher Attwood
Mrs Chris Day
Cllr. Alain & Mrs Katherine Lewis
Steve & Beverly Henderson

Obituaries
Pat Heywood-Young
It was with sadness that we learnt of the death of Miss Pat Heywood-Young who had been a member of our Association since its early days. Although Pat was not able to be an active member she regularly renewed her membership because she supported the aims of the Association and liked to be kept informed of our activities. She was also a member of SHDOFA and served on their Committee for many years being largely responsible for organising their very successful raffles.Pat was one of a small group who met on a regular basis to improve their French conversation ability and it was always a pleasure to go to her home in Pembury for the lessons as she provided excellent, home-made refreshments. She was a member of the Women in Harmony Choir and a kindly neighbour for ever attending to the needs of those who lived nearby. When we learnt she was terminally ill we took flowers and a card to her home and though not in she was soon on the phone to the Chairman to thank us for the offer of help and, “The beautiful bouquet of flowers very much appreciated”. She is much missed, a lovely lady and a true friend

Our President – Peter Crawford
Peter became our President in 2010 and it was with great sorrow that we learnt of his death as January drew towards its close. He made a good recovery from the illness he experienced last Autumn, was back working hard for the people of Broadwater Ward which he had served for 10 years as a Borough Councillor. An ex-Serviceman, come rain or shine, he travelled into Tunbridge Wells to collect for the Poppy Appeal at Central Station. He must have raised thousands of pounds over his years of endeavour. For an active person it must have been particularly frustrating when he became an amputee but he coped magnificently and didn’t grumble! For SAKA he was a good President and loyal supporter helping out in anyway he could. He will be sorely missed but not forgotten. We have sent our condolences to his family.

Committee Members 2011
Chairman and Events Organiser Mike Handcock
Vice Chair Bob Marsh
Treasurer Bert Alldis
Secretary and Newsletter Editor Lynda Emberson
Membership Secretary on retirement of Mike Bailey Lynda Emberson
Assistant Secretary Marian Attwood
Publicity/ Website Editor Brian Dobson
Committee Members Patrick Moran and Trevor Poile
We would also like to acknowledge the work taken on by James Muir who is the webmaster of the website

Happy New Year

Excerpts from Newsletter No. 20

DIARY DATE
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

Celebrate Saint Nicholas Day at the SAKA Christmas Lunch! Saturday 3rd December at the Abergavenny Arms, Frant

What better day to hold our now annual pre-Christmas lunch than just before the feast day of Britain’s most popular saint, at least amongst children, St. Nicholas! Good Old Santa Claus! A splendid opportunity to begin your celebrations early in the company of your friends and colleagues of The Southborough and Kaniv Association. Your personal guests too will be most welcome.

Price of the 3 course meal is £18 per person.
Call Lynda Emberson to book your table place. You will receive a menu upon receipt of payment and your courses have to then be ordered in advance, to assist the caterers.

Celebrate Saint Nicholas Day at the SAKA Christmas Lunch! Saturday 3rd December at the Abergavenny Arms, Frant

What better day to hold our now annual pre-Christmas lunch than just before the feast day of Britain’s most popular saint, at least amongst children, St. Nicholas! Good Old Santa Claus! A splendid opportunity to begin your celebrations early in the company of your friends and colleagues of The Southborough and Kaniv Association. Your personal guests too will be most welcome.

Price of the 3 course meal is £18 per person.
Call Lynda Emberson to book your table place. You will receive a menu upon receipt of payment and your courses have to then be ordered in advance, to assist the caterers.

THE SAKA QUIZNITE

Saturday 12 November 2011, prompt start at 7pm
at the Day Centre Hall, Christ Church,
Broomhill Park Road, Southborough
 
Tickets £6.50 each, includes Ploughman's Supper.  Order now from Mike Handcock.
 
An evening of fun with a blended mixture of trivia and skill. Members are invited to bring guests. Teams, each consisting of up to four persons, will compete for the honour of being the SAKA Champions of 2011.

Grand Charity Cabaret

Grand Charity Cabaret
With a traditional fish and chip supper

Saturday 1st October 2011, prompt start at 7.00pm.
St. Thomas’s Church Hall, Pennington Road, Southborough.
Tickets priced at a reasonable £8.50.

A new venue for us to enjoy, as we present our fifth annual Grand Charity Cabaret, featuring a highly talented Cello Quartet and our popular, perennial troupe of artistes to entertain and amuse you. The price includes your Fish and Chip Supper from Meow’s in Western Road, which always provides good quality fare. No Grand Draw this year, but there will be a rather special raffle. The charity aspect of the evening is to raise funds for our initiatives in Kaniv, including help over the winter months for a number of elderly folk and an environmental educational project now in its third year. Good entertainment, good food, good causes at a good venue! Please contact our Chairman Mike Handcock to make your booking.