Hello again! We hope this finds you well and enjoying the fairly mild weather we have been experiencing recently.
Insurance
We have been approached by C.E. Heath (UK) Ltd., Insurance Brokers, who offer a malpractice insurance package for a variety of complementary therapies, including Bach remedies. If anyone is interested in finding out more, please contact them.
Whilst on the subject of insurance, we mentioned an insurance broker – M.A.I.B., Bury, Lancs. – in our last Bulletin. We have since learned that Sun Alliance, the insurance policy offered, will only accept practitioners who can show evidence of having studied (or ? Qualified in) anatomy & physiology.
New packaging for Rescue Cream
Those of you who have ordered Rescue Creamrecently will no doubt have noticed the new packaging, designed to match the new packaging for Rescue Remedy. The tube inside the box now has the same colour/design, and is a much improved shape – it is now in a tube with a wide cap so that it can stand independently which makes it much easier to store. The price has gone up, but the size of the tube is larger – now 30g as opposed to 27g. The new-style cream, although already on sale in the shops, is due for its official launch at a later date. When you see the publicity and promotion material, we would be very interested to receive your comments.
Order-line confusion
We have received a number of complaints about the length of time you have had to wait to receive (or in some cases, actually place) your order. We know that Nelsons have had difficulty keeping up with the huge demand for remedies recently, and they have assured us that they are doing all they can to solve the problem. Looking at it positively, the problem being experienced now speaks volumes about the success of Dr Bach’s work, but we fully appreciate that this is small comfort when you are waiting for your desperately needed remedies to arrive!
We do hope that you have not, or if you have, will no longer, but caused inconvenience, but please let us know (in writing preferably) about any difficulties you have had. We need to know the details and history of the trouble, and (if possible) who you have spoken to about it, especially if you have not received a helpful response. We can then pass accurate information on to those responsible. Thank you.
Support group – update
Thank you to everyone who responded positively to the suggestion of starting up a support group in your area. We know from the feedback we have received that support groups are very much needed and appreciated by everyone involved. We hope that we have successfully informed everyone – both local practitioners and support group leaders – of the practitioners in the area, but in case anyone has missed out, and for your general information, here is a list of the people who have started support groups so far:
AVON – Nandy Walsh
BERKSHIRE – Helen Rowe
BUCKS – Ann Bruce
ESSEX – Jill Woods
GREATER MANCHESTER/LANCS/CHESHIRE – Janet Bainbridge
OXFORDSHIRE/GLOS – Patricia King
OXFORD – Wayne Adams
SUSSEX – Tina Brinklow
WORCESTER, WARWICKSHIRE, W. MIDLANDS – Helen Lees
YORKSHIRE – Sylvia Spence
NORTH WALES – Rita Kerfoot-Owen
SCOTLAND – Robin Bate
We know that some groups have met and now have an on-going support system. We have even received a copy of a locally-circulated newsletter – so good for you, all involved, and good luck with the future success of your groups. We hope that this will inspire more of you to start up support groups in your region. Anyone who would like to do so, please let us konw so that we can put you on record and provide you with the information you need to contact fellow practitioners and thus get started.
Bach flower training opportunity – update
There was a wonderful response to the advert placed in the last Bulletin by Karen Chapman for someone to teach Introductory Seminars. The standard of every applicant was extremely high and it was a very hard job to make a short-list. We were very reluctant to have to make apologies to anyone, and both Karen and I hope that no-one felt “rejected” because this was most certainly not the case – you were simply up against some very stiff competition!
Karen and I saw six of you in the end, and again we were faced with a most difficult decision – so much so that we wondered at one point whether we could find a way of accommodating all six! Alas this would not have been possible!
After a great deal of deliberation we chose two to join the team. There are, however, likely to be further opportunities – specialist fields teaching specific audiences such as midwives, aromatherapists, and so on, as well as the gradual expansion of the general training programme which is becoming so popular that before too long is bound to generate a need for further trainers.
We would like to thank all of you who applied for this post for taking the trouble to do so and presenting us with not only such impressive Cvs, but varied accounts of the work you are currently involved in, spreading Dr Bach’s work to others – it was all most encouraging and very much appreciated.
Portsmouth Natural Health & Psychotherapy Centre
We have recently received a letter from the above Centre to say that they are currently expanding their premises and are looking for new therapists/therapies, and have asked us to pass this information on. If anyone is interested in knowing more about joining the Centre which has, apparently, been in existence for 15 years and currenlty offers acupuncture, homoeopathy, psychotherapy, Alexander Technique, McTimoney chiropractic, spinal touch, counselling and hypnotherapy, please contact Diana Carruthers (Director) or Gillian Rose-Smith (Associate Director).
Thompson Directoy – update
You may remember in the last Bulletin, we mentioned that Thompson Directory had offered free entry to practitioners. We have since learned that there is no separate listing for “Bach flower remedies” – which is not surprising as Yellow Pages do not have a separate category either. Your listing would need to be placed under one of four headings, and as BFR are licensed homeopathic remedies, “Homoeopathy” would seem to be the most appropriate section.
Reminders…
1. Registration renewal
The vast majority of you conscientiously send registration renewal instructions on time. On a few occasions, however, we have had to send reminders and sometimes final reminders to practitioners who have not returned their forms. Final reminder letters give a deadline date by which a response must be received, otherwise registration will be cancelled.
Naturally, the cost of sending out repeated reminders, and the administrative work involved, can be very expensive – costing more, in fact, than the renewal fee itself. If Registration has been terminated following a final reminder (or for some other reason), we have unfortunately been forced to introduce a re-instatement fee of £50 should a practitioner subsequently request to be re-instated. [This fee no longer applies – Ed.]
Referrals are not obligatory, and practitioners may therefore be “dormant” if necessary. However, we would just like to remind everyone that they must renew their registraiton, whether practising or not, if they wish to remain on the Register. Registration, even as a dormant practitioner, means that you will continue to receive the Bulletin and not lose your recognised status.
2. Referrals
We are conscious of th e fact that some of you have not received many (or in some cases, any) referrals directly from us here. As explained previously, it is largely luck of the draw as to where and when we receive such a request, and although we do refer quite a number of people on, we are not receiving such requests every minute of the day! Realistically, therefore, one should not expect or rely on regular referrals, although you can be sure that we are doing our best!
Congratulations to:
Pauline Donohoe, Tricia Essery, Brendy Willmott, Samantha Ashbrooke, Shella Parry, Marian Dickinson, Alison Corneby, Rita Sweet, Janet Bainbridge, Laurena Durante, Mary Wilson, Shirley Doughty, Margaret Woodward, Jan Poyner, Philomenta Collins, Margaret Bull, Birgit Fiebig, Rosalyn Lewis, Lisa-Jane Megilley, Helen Baldwin, Eileen Unnuk, Sandra Straw, Harriet Tubbs, Nancy Hynes, Sally Martin…
who have all become newly registered since the last issue – well done and good luck to you all.
And now for some more happy news…
Those of you who have been with us since 1992 may remember we annnounced the birth of Chris Ball’s first baby Alexandra in the very first Bulletin. Those of you who have attended courses during the summer, or have visited the Centre this year, will no doubt have noticed that she was expecting another baby.
I am now pleased to tell you that Chris gave birth to another beautiful baby girl on 9th August – Madeleine Ruth – and both mum and baby are doing very well indeed. Chris is the picture of health and happiness (as always!), and baby Madeleine is thriving and growing more like her big sister every day!
And finally…
Whilst on the subject of babies… be prepared for a few months’ delay in receiving the next Bulletin because I am expecting twins at Christmas. I have visions of being so swamped with nappies, feeding, washing, ironing (perish the thought!) and trying to juggle two babies’ routines at once, that I have already stock-piled enough provisions to last about a year in case I never emerge into civilisation again!
Seriously, though, I am really excited, but as far as the Bulletin is concerned, expect the next issue when you see it, and don’t be surprised if it turns out to be “a Bulletin, Jim, but not as you know it!”
Our best wishes to you all – enjoy the autumn and winter and, albeit prematurely, have a very happy Christmas!
Judy Howard 17.10.95
This archive material has been edited to remove some out-of-date advice and information.