Events

There are lots of TAG events scheduled for 2019 and more in the pipeline.

It's good to meet other members, make friends and have a fun day out together.

See TAG News & Events page for details of these and other events >>

Join TAG

As you can see we are an active group, both socially, providing support to members and families and also leading and assisting in research. If you have Arthrogryposis yourself and are not already a member, or if someone in your family or a friend has Arthrogryposis, why not consider becoming a member?

You can become a member by completing our registration form here >> or email help@arthrogryposis.co.uk.

Useful Information

We all need a bit of extra help sometimes. See our "Useful Information" page with loads of resources and information including Government benefits and concessions on offer to those with Arthrogryposis and people with disabilities generally.

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Changes at TAG

There have been some changes at TAG. Donna Davis has taken on the important and busy role of Secretary and Ana, Michael and Hayley have stepped down as Trustees. Donna writes:

"We would like to give a massive THANK YOU to Hayley Ballantine for everything you have done for TAG, not just these last 2 years, but since you first joined when Chloe was a baby. You were a tremendous help to myself at last years family weekend and I really appreciate it. We are gonna miss you as a trustee, gutted you have stepped down but I hope to see you at future events.

"We would also like to say a big THANK YOU to both Michael and Ana for doing a fantastic job as our Treasurer and Secretary for the last couple of years. We are sorry to see you both step down from your jobs as trustees. We would like to wish you both all the best in the future and hope to still see you at events and hopefully the family weekends."

TAG Trustees >>

Hi everyone!

We are now well into 2019 and lots of planning is now coming (slowly) to fruition, so keep looking out for our get togethers coming up to put in your diary.

We have two get-togethers coming in London. We are going to meet at the Barbican Conservatory in London on Sunday 30th June from midday onwards. As usual we will meet at the café. It closes at 4pm though. It is free, so is parking on site for blue badge holders. Please contact me on peter.lacey@virgin.net or 07989582249 to let me know you are coming or if you have any questions. The Conservatory is a leafy sanctuary with tropical plants and trees, bird life, and exotic fish. It is slap bang in the middle of the Barbican complex of theatre and galleries. It is enclosed so the weather doesn’t matter. Whilst there you can also visit these other attractions. More details and meeting point soon.

I know Staines isn’t London but it’s near enough! We are hoping to have a swimming and disabled water-skiing session at a lake near Staines in September. Watch out for more details.

Planetarium at Millennium Point For people in the Midlands we have two events coming up. The first is at the Think Tank at Millennium Point, Birmingham, B4 7AP on Sunday 16th June from 11am and we will meet at the Think Tank café. It is brilliant and very ‘hands on’ for children. The visit will be free to all families of TAG. You can even bring dad along! (check your diary). Again, call or email me as above.

Still in the Midlands, later on in the year (probably September) we hope to go to the Exotic Zoo in Telford. As usual keep looking at our website and Facebook for more details in due course. More info from deanbroome1968@icloud.com.

Already arranged is a get together at Cardiff Museum on Saturday 27th July at 11am. Information from Trustee Donna at donnadavis1985_tag@aol.com.

We are in the process of arranging a get together at Tropical World in Leeds on Saturday 17 August. Keep checking Facebook or our website for the meeting details.

Just to confirm, our Family Weekend is on Saturday 19th October and Sunday 20th October and will be at the Jurys Inn hotel at Hinckley, Leicestershire. We were there 3 years ago, and it is a lovely, and very accessible hotel. More details will follow on prices and speakers.

There are a couple of other events that are being looked at too, so keep looking at Facebook and our website. Remember any of these meetings are open to you wherever you may live. You may just be visiting the area for instance. It is always great to meet other people with Arthrogryposis and other parents of children with Arthrogryposis too.

As you are probably aware TAG does subsidise the smaller events and partly subsidises the Family Weekend. Accordingly, we are always looking to donations and fundraising. If you want to fundraise or make a donation or make regular giving donations, then please contact our Treasurer on treasurer@arthrogryposis.co.uk and he will be pleased to help you.

Clinics

We are still looking for volunteers to give two or three hours at the TAG clinics that are now being run with us in the following hospitals:

Birmingham Childrens Hospital – every month.
Glasgow Childrens Hospital – every four months.
Great Ormond Street Hospital – every 3 months.
Liverpool Alder Hey – every three months.
Newcastle Great North Childrens Hospital – every 3 months.
Oswestry – every 6 months.

If you can help at one of these hospitals then please contact me on peter.lacey@virgin.net or phone me on 07989582249 and I can explain what is involved. Which is not a lot really apart from empathy and information!

By the way, we are hoping to start another clinic in Cardiff very soon.

Teenagers Activity Camp

You have probably noticed that we have been advertising a teenagers / older children’s camp for the last few months – which is something that many members wanted. However, we have only had a very small number of responses and unless we get a few more it will be uneconomic for us to try and run it and we will not proceed with a children’s camp. Please contact willmorris.ldn@gmail.com if you would like more information or read more on our News Page >>

I hope to see you at one of our events or get-togethers this year.

Best Wishes

Peter Lacey

Chairman of The Arthrogryposis Group