I WRITE on behalf of all members of Speakability Huntingdon to thank the outgoing Mayor of St Neots, Gordon Thorpe, for the wonderful gift of �1,000 that he gave us from the proceeds of fundraising in his second mayoral year.

This generosity will enable the group to be run differently this year and relieves any worries about finances for some time to come.

Speakability Huntingdon is a small self-help social group for those suffering lack of speech after stroke or head-injury and their carers.

Aphasia is a communication disability that is often poorly understood by those not having to deal with it. It is frequently accompanied by some degree of right-side paralysis, and the combination means it is a struggle to maintain home life, let alone go out and about.

Our members, drawn from the whole of Huntingdonshire, meet on the second Tuesday of every month from 1.45 to 3.45pm, usually at the Medway Centre in Huntingdon, for afternoons of relaxation, socialising and refreshments.

Every third month we like to go out for a meal together, and in June we shall undertake a day’s outing to Wimpole Hall.

Our present financial stability will enable us to pay for the entrance fees, lunch costs and a contribution to travel costs – we have never been able to organise such a day on this basis in our seven-year history.

We look forward to holding a public coffee morning at the Commemoration Hall in Huntingdon on Wednesday June 29 from 10am until 12.30pm to which all are invited.

We are pleased that Starbucks have again agreed to supply us with coffee, and there will be delicious home-made cakes.

Your readers can contact me on 01480 891977 for any information about Speakability Huntingdon, the national charity Speakability or our coffee morning. We are always interested to talk to potential new members or volunteers.

ANNA BRATBY

Secretary, Speakability Huntingdon

Vinegar Hill

Alconbury Weston