Oshwal Elderly Welfare Association

Welcome to the Oshwal Elderly Welfare Association’s Annual General Meeting for the year 2005 – 2006.

Throughout the year Oshwal Elderly Welfare Association has continued to sustain its core projects and develop new area.

Oshwal Elderly Welfare Association continues to play a major part in local agenda for older people, alongside our partners in the statutory voluntary and independent sectors.

Oshwal Elderly Welfare Association Website is running for last 3 years and has been very successfully used by members and well wishers at www.oewa.org.uk

The year has been a hard but exciting year for Benefits and Health Projects. Heath projects are now working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, Cancer Backup, and Prostate Cancer and also with Diabetes UK.

There are many key events and developments in a year, the following are a few of these:

• The Information and Advise

More than 139 Members were provided with information and advice over telephone on individual basis on various issues ranging from obtaining welfare benefits and healthcare to ways of securing accommodation in Social care homes.

Outreach Benefit Project provided assistance to 68 members, assisting them to claim benefits including Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance, Council Tax and Housing Benefits.

The Association now runs two centre project of Asian Cancer Support Group. In North & South London and the group is managed by three co-ordinators from each area. Average attendance of 18 members was recorded in North London and average of 28 members for South London. For the year we had a grant of £6,170.00 from Macmillan Cancer Support for running of the project.

The Association runs a Luncheon Club once a week in Croydon and once every 8 to 10 weeks in Harrow. This club has being very successful due to the dedication of the volunteers and also has been the meeting point for many members.

In year 2006, Oshwal Elderly Welfare Association organised two overseas holidays. In January North India trip for 31 members was organised for 25 days and 41 members had lovely time in September for 7 days in Egypt All participants had a wonderful time on both the holidays.

Funding for Oshwal Elderly Welfare Association is key to its sustainability and development. This year has seen a good generosity of members and well wishers. We particularly thank Oshwal Walkers for collecting £47,241.00 and the members for donating £4,427.00 at Shradhanjali event. We also had a Luncheon grant of £3,596.00 from Croydon Borough.

We have approximately 56 Volunteers working in different projects. Oshwal Elderly Welfare Association is entirely run by volunteers and would not be able to provide such high standard of service without their dedication and support. We have the equivalent of 4 full time members of staff in volunteering hours.

On behalf of the Association, I thank Mr Keshavlal Nemchand Shah for allowing storing our equipments at his address. The Management of Oshwal Association of UK and Kadwa Patidar Samaj for use of their Centres at reduce rent, Harrow Primary Care Trust for use of Kenmore Clinic for Cancer Project and Khubi.com for donating and maintaining our website.

I would like in particular to thank all volunteers for their invaluable input (some 56 member) and also my fellow committee members for running and achieving the quality of the standard for this Association.

As I end, I would like to remember our Secretary Mr Narendrabhai Odhavji Davadra who passed away in December 2006. Narendrabhai severed us since September 2005. His departure has brought great lost to our Association. Highlight of his work had been the production of Shradhanjali Book, which was his idea that raised about £4,400.00 and he worked tireless for the Association even when he was not feeling good with his health.

Finally, I would like to thank all the members for supporting the Association’s activities in such large numbers. The committee is inspired by your support.