PitWR Executive Committee Meeting

The PitWR Executive Committee met on Friday 23 October 2009 in the St James's Room of the Royal Automobile Club Pall Mall London SW1 5HS starting at 18.00.

Friends of Poems in the Waiting Room

Progress in the development of the PitWR Friends  continues to match management targets. The scheme has established a valuable series of contacts. The quarter has witnessed a steady rise in numbers; many readers of Poems in the Waiting Room come across the arts in health charity for the first time. The forthcoming winter edition will continue the campaign to recruit a Friend in every waiting room.

The quarterly Friends Newsletter too has been well received. It has become a useful means of publicising the wide range of activities stimulated by PitWR, as well as a valuable news source for poetry.

Hospice Booklet

A draft of a poetry booklet specially devised for hospices has now been completed. A survey will be mounted of hospices, including those already served by PitWR to test the extent to which such a booklet would be welcomed. The poetry was selected in light of the needs of palliative care.

Poems in the NHS

A draft report complied mainly by Kate Feisel has been prepared. This contains a valuable discussion of poetry therapy and many examples of the use and value of poetry in the NHS. The material will be incorporated into a sixth PitWR Research Note that hopefully will provide a source for all interested in the literary arts in health.

Major National Retailer's Trust Fund & Hyphen 21

The submitted Report and Accounts of a charitable Trust Fund run by a major national retailing company included a statement in its schedule of grants "Hyphen-21 (Poems in the Waiting Room project)...." The statement is incorrect: Poems in the Waiting Room is a registered charity, and not in any way connected with Hyphen 21. Further no grant has been received from this Trust.

The Retailer Fund's Report is a statutory document submitted to the Charity Commission and published on their web site. The Commission considered a complaint by PitWR and found that the concerns expressed by Poems in the Waiting Room about this item warranted their raising it with the Retailer's Fund trustees. The fund's trustees however were not willing to pursue the matter, while the Commission lacks power to compel a correction to a report they receive and publish.

Accordingly, Poems in the Waiting Room have informed the Retailer's Fund of their understanding that, in light of the retailer's reputation for ethical conduct and integrity, the Trust will not repeat this item in further publicatons (save as already shown on the Charity Commission's web site), and will also include a note correcting the erroneous item with any further copies of the report that may be circulated.  

A copy the  Hyphen 21 Agreement , which aimed to remedy the confusion caused by Hyphen 21's adopting a name almost identical to Poems in the Waiting Room, is published herewith. The material may usefully be referred to by the Secretary of the Retailer's Trust Fund in circulating corrections or in responding to inquiries.

PitWR International

New Zealand

Ireland

The progress of a sister scheme developed under licence by Kate Dempsey, in Kildare an Irish poet and writer continues. Kate Dempsey's effort has been the first formal joint establishment of PitWR internationally, under licence to use PitWR title and compilation, leading possibly to joint editorial.

Australia

A meeting was held between PitWR and Shelda Rathmann of Adelaide South Australia during her visit to London in early October. She was briefed on the feasibility of establishing PitWR for Australia. Stress was made particularly on the patient centred approach. It is this that distinguishes PitWR from the broad run of poetry publications. She will discuss the potential with members of her local poetry group on return. Happily Ann Nadge, whose poem was published in the autumn edition of PitWR has moved to Adelaide and is also a member of the same local poetry group as Shelda Rathmann.

USA

In the United States, exploration of possible start up are continuing. Currently, various options are being offered to the Gundersen Lutheran Health system in Wisconsin. The health organisation is studying means of developing poetry as part of their overall concern of patient care throughout the numerous health units they cover.

At present PitWR has two footholds in the USA, with batches of PitWR poetry cards which currently are mailed directly from London to Consultant Psychologist's practices in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and Reno Nevada.

An approach has been mad to the British Council for advice and guidance in the development of PitWR International.

Prize Draw

As a token of appreciation to poets making submissions, each quarter a draw is held with the prize of a copy of PitWR Collected Edition The winner of the October 2009 draw was the poet Idris Caffrey of Tamworth.

Next Meeting

The next Executive Committee meeting of PitWR is scheduled for Friday 29 January 20101 to be held in the St James's Room RAC Pall Mall London SW1, starting at 18.00.