Hello Everyone

Autumn came out and hit me in the face a couple of weeks ago as we drove, with the hood down, all the way from Argeles to Biarritz!

We took the long route through the Pyrenees with the Col du Pourtalet and the Ossau and Tena valleys taking our breath away.  Wow!  A patchwork quilt of colour.  Mother Nature’s Autumn Collection.

Fifty shades of purple, pink, orange, yellow, brown and green covered jagged escarpments, high above and all around us.  How does anything grow on those?

Hovering on a crumbling craggy peak was the ghostly form of a once mighty fortress.  We’re told to beware of falling rocks but on those narrow, twisty roads I’m not sure whether we should speed up to avoid them or slow down and try and catch them as they bounce off the bonnet!

Autumn Bal last month was a big success.  We raised around €1200 on the tombolas and auction which, even after a donation to La Ligue, will go a long way to funding the direct support services we provide in the P-O.
Thank you for all your support, your donations and your help on the day.  This is an important event in the CSF calendar and we like to get it right on the night as well as making sure that everyone has a fantastic evening.
If you can, have a look on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CSF.SudFrance/ to get a taster.

CHRISTMAS CARDS are now available.  Designs for 2017 can be viewed  on our website http://sud-de-france.cancersupportfrance.org/shop.  You can find them at all our local events this month.  Our stall at the Christmas Market will have all the cards on sale plus other CSF gifts.  However, the Market is quite late in December (10th) so if you would like to order them beforehand please contact Penny (sud-president@cancersupportfrance.org) 

Christmas Cards will be on sale at all our Drop-Ins this month:

Wednesday 1 November   –    Céret    –    10.30-12

The venue is Pablo’s Bar in the Place Pablo Picasso.  Books and DVDs are always available here as well as all the CSF goodies.

Wednesday 15 November –  Lizzie’s Kitchen  –  Ile sur Têt  –   10-12

Monday 20 November   –    Laroque    –    10.30-12    

At the Café des Artistes there’s always a good turn-over of paperbacks, English and French.  Also CDs and DVDs.  You can buy a coffee and take two books.

Thursday 23 November VAINCRE LE CANCER Perpignan 2 – 7pm 

The date for « Vaincre le Cancer – une journée d’information et d’échange” at the Palais des Congrès has been confirmed.  We have always been invited to have a stand there,
along with other associations like La Ligue contre le cancer.
It’s an Open Afternoon attended by members of the public and the medical profession who come to hear experts talk and share their experiences.
One is free to pick and choose whichever talk you wish to attend.
I’ve attached the full programme as a pdf.  Please let me know if you have difficulty reading it.

Thursday 30 November SCOTTISH & COUNTRY DANCING   Eus
St Andrews Day Maison du Temps Libre 7 – Midnight

SOLD OUT

This is an evening of music and dance – Scottish, country and disco.   There will be a cold buffet with a glass of wine.  Also a bottle stall and ‘Roll a Euro’ which could win you either a bottle of whisky or champagne!  The money raised from our event will be divided between CSF and Resto Du Coeur.
The ticket price is €10 but we had to limit the numbers and, as you see, we have sold out!  However if you would like to put your name on the list, we can contact you if there are any cancellations.  Just let Maggie or Gill know (maggie.longworth@gmail.com)(gillharrison66@gmail.com)

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Sunday 10 December     CHRISTMAS MARKET 9.30 – 5.30  

We are at the Christmast Market again this year in St Jean Pla de Corts.  You may find the perfect Christmas gift from one of the arts and crafts stalls.  Also Christmas cards and stocking-fillers, Father Christmas and Christmas Carols.
There’ll be lots of English products too – you can buy these on the day but stocks may be limited by then.  To avoid disappointment and to take advantage of special offers, why not order online href=”http://www.les-chenes.eu/”>www.les-chenes.eu .

Friday 23 March 2018 INFORMATION DAY

We are inviting members to join the Active Listener Training Day.  It has been decided to introduce a half-day for new members so that they may better understand CSF and what we do.  The venue has yet to be fixed but it will be somewhere in the P-O.
We will start with coffee at 10 and the meeting will run from 10.30 until 12.30.
There will be an opportunity for members to talk to our Active Listeners about what they do as well as hear from Penny Parkinson and others about CSF generally and about the role of the Active Listener.  There will be ample time for questions.
The meeting will be followed by lunch to which everyone will be welcome.

Are you interested in finding out more about what CSF does?  If so please email Penny (sud-president@cancersupportfrance.org)
All the best
Diana Eastaff