March 2026 Newsletter
- Mar 1
- 3 min read
Dear members and supporters of SKEM,
Please take time to read this newsletter, its jam packed with exciting news including our World Parkinson’s Day Awareness Event, your new Spring/Summer Booklet (attached) and other useful information from PUK and other sources.
Our new booklet will also be sent out by post, so do please let us know if you haven’t received your copy over the next week. Please note, after the booklet went to print, we have been advised of some important date amendments – the digital copy here has been corrected.
The Carers Coffees will now take place on Monday afternoons at 2.30pm, so the next one will be Monday 13th April because the parking on Tuesdays at Bourne Hall has become increasingly more difficult due lots of other events going on.
Secondly, there will be no group speech therapy or singing group on Friday 10th April as Stagecoach has a production at the venue.
IT’S NEARLY HERE!!!
BUMPER WORLD PARKINSON’S DAY AWARENESS EVENT
Join us for World Parkinson’s Day on Saturday 11th April 2026 from 10am to 2pm at the Public Library, Sutton Civic Centre, St. Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1EA. Entry free to all.
We’re raising awareness of Parkinson’s and the local support, advice and friendship available in your area – we hope to see you there
ONE DAY, ONE COMMUNITY – SO MUCH TO DISCOVER
Guests, speakers and display stalls
Rory Cellan-Jones from the Movers and Shakers podcast
Parkinson’s UK directors and support staff
Members of the Parkinson’s UK Sutton, Kingston, Epsom and Merton Branch
Health and wellbeing local charity/community information stands
Parkinson’s UK stands, research, campaigns, volunteering and more
The Leader of the council and the Leader of the opposition along with several councillors and council officers (please note this is a non-political event)
The Mayor of Sutton and Deputy Mayor will be in attendance
Live Demonstrations and entertainment
Friends from Hospital Radio St Helier to PA the live microphone event
Tai Chi from the Chi Clinic in Banstead
LEGS Exercise Group (Local Exercise Group for Stroke and Neuro conditions)
Sing Out Sutton Choir
Live music, led by a member of the Branch, Dave Lambert
Food and drink
There will be a comfortable area to enjoy free tea, coffee and biscuits
Click on this link to find out how this one-off event began taking shape:
And here’s my promo video which I’d appreciate if you would kindly share widely:
Here’s a link to what Parkinson’s UK have said on their website:
And this is our article in the Sutton Guardian:
We’ve arranged for over 5,000 leaflets to be delivered house to house in the postcodes local to the public library during the week prior and we’ve also hired a person to hand out leaflets on the day itself. If you fancy giving him/her a hand, please can you let me know, the more people we can get through the door the better.
As per my previous Chairman’s Note, your help with promoting the event to your contacts and in public spaces by using the 2 posters attached will be an enormous boon.
My heartfelt enormous thanks to everyone who is helping and supporting me bring together this incredible event. You have all excelled, words fail me how proud I am of you all. We’ve thrown everything we have at this; my fingers and toes are crossed that it will be well supported. Thank you again, truly.
As I said earlier, please also find attached our new Spring/Summer 2026 booklet which highlights all our events April to September. It’s a cracker!
Talking of April, on Wednesday April 1st we have Talking Therapies coming in to talk to us at St John’s and ten pin bowling on 22nd April at Tolworth, along with our regular monthly meet ups and exercise classes.
And don’t forget Martin’s Rosebery Manor Support Group on the last Wednesday of the month 10.30 – 12.00pm Roseberry Manor Care Home, 458 Reigate Road, Epsom, KT18 5XA. All sorts of topics are covered. Tea, coffee and biccies supplied
Along with our 9 recurrent exercise classes each month, there’s much to choose from.
Finally, may I take the time to thank Virginia Drake and Katie Price for their recent Branch donations. We’ve tried to find out your contact details, however, unfortunately have been unable, so if you know these 2 generous ladies, please pass on my personal thanks.
Full branch event details can be found at: https://www.skeparkinsons.org.uk/event-list
Exercise class details can be found at: https://www.skeparkinsons.org.uk/blank-1-2
I hope to see you at our WPD event on the 11th April and our other events too.
With warm wishes
Arthur
