28 February 2022

Salon des vins et mets du terroir, Mansle

 


The Rotary Club Mansle Charente Bonnieure is pleased announce the 

16th Salon des Vins et Mets du Terroir 2022

Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 March 

Polyvalent Hall in Mansle

featuring 17 carefully selected winegrowers who will be presenting thier produce throughout the weekend.  

The entry price is €3 including a tasting glass to sample the wines of our French vineyards. 

All profits will be donated to Neurodon - a charity for brain research. 

Gala Dinner


In addition : on the Saturday evening 12 March at 7:30pm at the Salle de Fête in Puyréaux there will be a Gala dinner with a menu of local produce prepared by Laurence Glayzer and his team. 

Service on the night will be provided by the students at l’Amandier Saint Joseph Vocational and Technological School in Saint-Yrieix-sur-Charente. 

Price 30 euros with all profits going to Neurodon. 

Proposed menu:

  • Smoked local trout with a salad of beans and beetroot dressing
  • Parmentier of duck confit and oyster mushrooms from Bertrand Fradin with a Charentais red wine sauce
  • Local goat chesses and Tomme Ruffecoise
  • Gratin of orange and pink grapefruit with a sabayon of champagne & lemon confit honey from Franck Galoger and almond ice cream

 For reservations please call or text Susie Glayzer on 07 84 50 17 97 or email

Spring is Sprung


Yes, it's true; Spring has arrived at Le Levant du Soleil in Valence !

If you like drifts of daffodils, magnificent magnolias, camellias bursting their burgeoning buds and countless clouds of cherry blossom – then come along for a cuppa and a friandise. Whether you prefer Tai Haku, Kanzan, Mount Fuji or Accolade – we hope you will come along and enjoy Mother Nature at her best and support those who live with and fight against cancer.

Reserve your seats and share a relaxing moment or two as you wander in the garden and look forward to welcoming warmer days. Feel free to bring your camera.

Please state your preference for tea or coffee when booking and we shall be delighted to offer you a warm welcome – indoors if it's chilly or on the patio if you prefer.

Dates :

  • Saturday 5th Mar 3pm – 5pm
  • Sunday 6th Mar 3pm – 5pm
  • Saturday 12 th Mar 3pm – 5pm
  • Sunday 13 th Mar 3pm – 5pm

Venue : Le Levant du Soleil, 31 rue du Lavoir, 16460, Valence.

Price : €5 per person.

The Stan Millward Association

Thank you all for your continued interest and stalwart support. It is greatly appreciated – by the staff of the Oncology department at Girac and especially by the patients themselves.

There will hopefully be two or maybe three other visits for our enjoyment during the winter months – so watch this space.

As usual your 5€ donation per person which will go to Association Stan Millward. Please don't forget, places are only confirmed and reserved once your 5€ per person has been received.

The fundraising for 2022 will be to raise money to enable Améthyste to purchase a virtual reality treatment package in order to help reduce anxiety and pain.

As always, the ASM accounts are always available for scrutiny with 24 hours notice; a copy is deposited every January at the Sous-Préfecture in Confolens.

 

15 February 2022

Améthyste Visits

The Association Stan Millward (ASM) has organised a number of visits in early 2022 in support of Améthyste and the Oncology department in Girac. 

Fabric Warehouse, Montbron

How about visiting a fabric warehouse situated a few kilometres from Montbron ? 

There are hundreds and hundreds of rolls of fabric – suitable for dresses, curtains, cushions, covering seats, headboards, making soft toys, quilting, tablecloths and a dozen other uses – including waterproof fabrics, linings, rufflette tape, and all sorts of tools that you might need – not forgetting such gems as left handed scissors ! They also make curtains. Leather and other materials are also available.

There's ample parking and I would suggest car sharing among friends. 

The scenery is lovely and I'm sure you'd have an interesting and enjoyable afternoon – with a pause for tea/coffee & cake at a teashop on the way back for those who'd be interested.

Please let me know if you'd like to come along.

Date : Wed 23rd Feb

Time : 1:10pm/1:30pm – depending where you choose to meet.

Meeting place : chez moi in Valence at 1pm or in La Rochefoucauld in the Leclerc Car Park near the new Boulangerie and Grocery shops at 1:30pm.

Lycée Agricole de l’oisellerie

A visit to the agricultural college just south of Angoulême where they make grape juice, sparkling grape juice, wines, cognac and (my favourite) pineau – including sparkling pineau ! There are also other products such as pâtés and rillettes available.

It's a very small enterprise, but produces local, quality products.,,

The date : Thurs 24th Feb

The time : 1:45pm

Meeting place : Bottom of Auchan Car Park , situated alongside the N10 about 4 kms south of Angoulême.

As always, I ask for a 5€ donation to Association Stan Millward.

Jean-Luc, Chocalatier

Afternoon visits to a very small local chocolaterie in La Rochefoucauld where delicious hand-made chocolates are created on a very small scale by an extremely knowledgeable chocolatier, Jean-Luc Drochon. Jean-Luc produces aiguillettes, pichottes, pâtes de fruits, liqueurs cognac, tablettes, ganaches, and lots more. He who has been an amazing supporter of Association Stan Millward since 2015. 

You will find the visit extremely interesting as he explains how and where he sources every ingredient and how he makes his chocolates. 

If you are interested, please let Sharon know. Groups will be limited to 6 people maximum. There has already been some keen interest and it looks like four or five visits might take place. Dates arranged so far:

  • 2pm Friday 19th February
  • 2pm Friday 26th Feb
  • 2pm Friday 4th March
  • 2pm Friday 11th March
  • 2pm Friday 18th March

Laurence Glayzer lunch & supper

Maybe you'd like to put the following dates into your diaries: 

  • supper on Friday 7th October
  • lunch on Sunday 9th October

What a treat is in store ! Laurence Glayzer, former head chef at The Savoy Grill, London, Executive Sous-Chef at The Ritz, London and Head Chef at Brown's Hotel, Mayfair and also 13 years running his own restaurant Le Clos du Château near Grenoble, France, has most generously agreed to share his culinary skills with us for two major fundraising events this Autumn. He will prepare and cook a three course lunch and dinner chez moi and numbers will be limited to 40 guests at each event. Menu to be available nearer the dates and, as always, seats must be booked and paid for in advance. Places are sure to be much sought after – so feel free to declare your interest as soon as you wish.

This will be an opportunity to savour an amazing culinary experience and also help and support those who suffer from and fight against cancer. I recently had the pleasure of sampling food prepared and cooked by Laurence at a Burns Night supper. I enjoyed my first haggis aged 15 in Edinburgh, but was always disappointed thereafter on a number of occasions over the years. I delighted in eating not one, nor two – but three servings of Laurence’s haggis. And his individual pheasant, game, chestnut and mushroom pie was sublime; dessert was so fluffy and light that I felt the slightest breeze would have stolen it away ... I really cannot wait to savour the treats that will be in store for us this Autumn !

Although this will be first and foremost a fundraising event, you can expect the highest quality ingredients and this is therefore reflected in the cost of 45€ for each meal. But this is a unique opportunity to taste dishes sourced,prepared and cooked by a chef whose experience and CV is second to none. So if you would like to come along and be part of something singularly special, e-mail or phone your request for a seat/s and make a bank transfer or send your cheque.

*** Cancellations will be refunded no later than one week prior to either meal. Cheques will be held and not be paid into the ASM account until 1st September – but will guarantee your seats ***

As always, seats will be confirmed when payment has been received and on a first come, first served basis. Also, we are happy for all guests to bring their own aperos, wines, etc.

The Stan Millward Association

Thank you all for your continued interest and stalwart support. It is greatly appreciated – by the staff of the Oncology department at Girac and especially by the patients themselves.

There will hopefully be two or maybe three other visits for our enjoyment during the winter months – so watch this space.

As usual your 5€ donation per person which will go to Association Stan Millward. Please don't forget, places are only confirmed and reserved once your 5€ per person has been received.

The fundraising for 2022 will be to raise money to enable Améthyste to purchase a virtual reality treatment package in order to help reduce anxiety and pain.

As always, the ASM accounts are always available for scrutiny with 24 hours notice; a copy is deposited every January at the Sous-Préfecture in Confolens.

 

7 February 2022

Mon espace santé

What is My Health Space?

It is a personal digital space which is intended to become the future digital health record of the insured. It contains a "safe" where all health documents are stored, such as prescriptions, biological results, hospitalization records, etc. It will be fed automatically by the doctor, the laboratory, the hospital, etc.

My health space also contains a vaccination booklet and a medical profile that each user can complete with personal information such as allergies and family history, useful in the event of urgent hospitalisation for example. Users can also record their medical measurements (blood pressure, blood sugar, etc.). It will eventually be possible to connect it with health applications. Finally, My Health Space contains a secure messaging system for exchanging information with health professionals.

What's in it for you?

With My Health Space, everyone plays an active role in monitoring their health and it is easier for health professionals who have easier access to the medical file to take care of patients.

How will it work?

Once the personal space is activated, the user can fill it in independently with the documents he or she deems useful (prescriptions, medical certificate, biological test results, etc.). The user's GP, pharmacist and all other health professionals who follow him/her automatically feed it and can access the documents in it. Thus, the more complete the profile, the more effective the care and follow-up will be.

A confidential and secure digital space

Our health information is scattered all over the place in paper files, on mobile applications, in email boxes and is sometimes kept in an unsecured manner. My Health Space allows you to have all your data in one place, in a 100% secure space. The data is hosted in France on servers that meet the highest security standards. Confidentiality is totally guaranteed. It is the user who decides which health professionals can access their documents, and which documents they agree to share.

A personal space for everyone in 2022

This new service will be available to everyone, regardless of their health insurance scheme: farmers, employees, self-employed workers, students, etc. Each insured person will soon be invited to activate their personal space on www.monespacesante.fr. If necessary, people who are less familiar with digital technology can call 3422 (free service + price of a call) to ask for help.


🅐

A confidential code will soon be sent to each insured person, by e-mail or by post. Everyone will be able to activate their personal space with this code.

🅑
 

After a period of six weeks, if the policyholder has not objected, the personal space will be created.

🅒

Everyone is free to refuse the creation of their personal space or to close it at any time.

If you prefer, you can create your own space now - have your Carte Vitale at hand and go to My Health Space Activation (there is no phone app)

Translated from an advert published in Charente Libre, 7th Feb



5 January 2022

Health Insurance Presentation


The Stan Millward Association has organised two dates for a presentation on various aspects of Health Insurance here in France.

  • 3pm Thursday 10th Feb
  • 3pm Thursday 24th Feb

Both presentations will be held in the usual venue in Valence.

Caroline Cruzeaud will lead the presentation – after detailed consultation with Pacifica (from Credit Agricole). 

If you are interested in attending, please make your request for a place as soon as possible. As always, the aim is to inform people as widely as possible. There is a lot to discover!

Sharon asks for the usual donation of 5€ per person and upon receipt of this amount, your place will be confirmed. Seats will be well-spaced, heating turned down, rooms well-ventilated, floors and work surfaces steam-cleaned in advance. All guests will need to show their triple vaccine Covid-Pass ( or have written exemption ) and wear a mask. Hand sanitizer will be available for everyone to use upon arrival.

Please feel free to submit questions in advance – so that Caroline has time to prepare full answers. A printed list of questions & information will be available for a additional 3€ donation.

Amongst other things, Caroline will take questions on the following :
  • All up-to-date government legislation: allowances for glasses ( opticians ), teeth ( dentistry ), hearing aids, mobility, etc.
  • What areas of health are covered by the famous "100%" ? What does it mean ?
  • Please explain if and when you can “anticipate” payment towards dental charges. Can you do this with glasses and anything else ?
  • Hospitalisation : single room, TV, pay when in hospital for more than 5 consecutive days, help towards housework.
  • What if your surgeon charges a supplement to normal fees ? (aka "Déplacement d'Honoraires" )
  • Can you choose your surgeon ? What if he/she is not in the Charente ?
  • Are we reimbursed for a second opinion ?

There will be many more questions, for sure!

Stan Millward Association

All monies raised will be used to support patients on the Oncology Ward at Girac, Angoulême's only hospital. 

Our latest project is to raise money for an innovative virtual reality treatment, designed to reduce anxiety and therefore blood pressure, reduce pain and thus improve overall patient care. Sharon was allowed to try part of one of the programmes during a visit last November and was amazed at the calming and positive emotions that she experienced. The machine was on loan from another department - our aim is to raise enough money for Oncology to have its own Virtual Reality Programme.

Contact

Please contact Sharon by

30 December 2021

Customs Duty between UK & France

This Christmas seems to have caused considerable anxiety for many people who discover they must now pay duty before they can receive a parcel shipped from the UK. Because of Brexit,  Customs Duty may now be liable when moving goods between the UK and the EU, including France - in either direction and no matter how you transfer the goods: by post or any other means. These new regulations are also confusing many local post offices who then charge duty incorrectly. While some online services in the UK have simply given up and refuse to ship to the EU.

Here is some information and a few suggestions. If you have experienced problems yourself, please let us know and if you were able to resolve them, how you were successful.

Note: in general, none of these changes apply to Northern Ireland because of the (current) Northern Ireland Protocol

Customs Duties

Make sure all the necessary customs documentation is completed before the parcel is sent. Most online stores should do this automatically for you.

UK to France

For small items (less than €45 in value), no duty or VAT should be liable. While your postman may ask for payment before you can receive your parcel, you should ask for an invoice (facture) detailing the nature of the charge and of course a receipt for payment - this will help you make a claim for a refund if necessary.

France to UK

You should not have to pay anything for gifts less than £39  or other goods less than £135. Your UK postman or courier should provide a bill stating exactly which fees you need to pay; you will sometimes receive an invoice by post before a delivery is even attempted.

If you believe you have been charged in error, there are various processes to go through but make sure you have the necessary documentation detailing the nature of your charge and a receipt for payment.

Also, be aware that carriers may legitimately charge Customs Fees. These are fees associated with customs clearance operations and have no connection with customs services or duty. In general these should only be applied to higher value items or items which pass through customs clearance.

Workarounds

There are ways to avoid all these customs pitfalls, buy goods online in the country where your recipient lives.

  • Amazon: use the site appropriate to where your recipient lives: for example UK amazon.co.uk, France amazon.fr, USA amazon.com. You can use your existing account regardless of where you created it or where your home address is. You may need to add a new delivery address. If you have Amazon Prime, free delivery only applies in the country of your Prime account.
  • Other sites: Many online retailers have different EU and UK stores, make sure you use the appropriate one. If they only have one site, double check they do support international deliveries - some companies have just given up selling and shipping internationally. If you suspect the post office may charge you duty, make sure you know how to deal with the postman when the delivery is made.
  • Payments: If you have multiple credit cards in different currencies, use the most appropriate one to avoid currency exchange charges.

Advantages

There are some benefits from the new customs status though

  1. you may now be entitled to duty free purchases when traveling between the EU and the UK. Of course, that doesn't mean prices are automatically cheaper!
  2. you may be able to claim back any VAT you have paid for purchases while you have been "abroad" i.e. UK visitors to the EU or EU visitors to the UK

Useful links:

13 November 2021

Améthyste Visits

The Association Stan Millward (ASM) has organised a number of visits in early 2022 in support of Améthyste and the Oncology department in Girac. 

Françoise - Artisanal Soap 

Françoise is a former pharmacist with many years of practice creating traditional pure gentle soaps using natural and healthy ingredients such as vegetable oils and essential oils. They look, smell and feel wonderful. There is a soap to use with dogs, one to clean grime and residues from your hands, another to use as a scrub, one especially for beards and then several with fragrances such as apricot, honey, eucalyptus and mint, camomile and calendula, palmarosa and lavender and others. There's an array of other natural products – including flavoured vinegars and cordials and also lip balm and essential oils. 

Françoise would be happy to welcome a small group to her workshop and show us how she produces her soaps and the gentle ingredients that she incorporates. I think that this would be an enjoyable and informative thing to do on a chilly winter's day. 

We are offering four dates in January and they will be early afternoon:

  • Thursday 20th Jan 
  • Friday 21st Jan 
  • Thursday 27th Jan 
  • Friday 28th Jan 

Please let Sharon know if you are interested. Meet initially either at Sharon's house or in the main car park in Saint Claud and then travel as a group of no more than 10 people. Hope you can come along and join us, it's a great way to spend a chilly afternoon in January – and it's a gesture to help those who suffer from and fight against cancer !

Jean-Luc, Chocalatier

Afternoon visits to a very small local chocolaterie in La Rochefoucauld where delicious hand-made chocolates are created on a very small scale by an extremely knowledgeable chocolatier, Jean-Luc Drochon. Jean-Luc produces aiguillettes, pichottes, pâtes de fruits, liqueurs cognac, tablettes, ganaches, and lots more. He who has been an amazing supporter of Association Stan Millward since 2015. 

You will find the visit extremely interesting as he explains how and where he sources every ingredient and how he makes his chocolates. 

If you are interested, please let Sharon know. Groups will be limited to 6 people maximum. There has already been some keen interest and it looks like four or five visits might take place. Dates arranged so far:

  • 2pm Friday 19th February
  • 2pm Friday 26th Feb
  • 2pm Friday 4th March
  • 2pm Friday 11th March
  • 2pm Friday 18th March

The Stan Millward Association

Thank you all for your continued interest and stalwart support. It is greatly appreciated – by the staff of the Oncology department at Girac and especially by the patients themselves.

There will hopefully be two or maybe three other visits for our enjoyment during the winter months – so watch this space.

As usual your 5€ donation per person which will go to Association Stan Millward. Please don't forget, places are only confirmed and reserved once your 5€ per person has been received.

The fundraising for 2022 will be to raise money to enable Améthyste to purchase a virtual reality treatment package in order to help reduce anxiety and pain.

As always, the ASM accounts are always available for scrutiny with 24 hours notice; a copy is deposited every January at the Sous-Préfecture in Confolens.