What we do

At a personal level we provide support to those who have had or are about to have surgery for an ileostomy or internal pouch, as well as their family, friends and carers. The support comes in various forms –

• Our visitors are trained listeners who being members of Coventry & District IA can bring a personal perspective to the information and guidance they give.
• Our newsletter keeps members informed of our activities and any news that would be of interest to them.
• Our website allows members to keep in touch, find out what we are doing and contact the secretary for additional news and information.

We also work in partnership with other organisations such as the Kingston Trust and the Florence Minnie Lees Bequest Fund, to assist those experiencing hardship.

At a local level we are in close contact with the colorectal/stoma departments of the local hospitals in our area. This allows us to be aware of the needs of the members and invest in improvement of services to benefit colorectal patients. Links have been forged with some stoma care manufacturers and any local events that they organise to promote new products are publicised whenever possible.

At a national level, Coventry & District IA uses its affiliation with IA as a channel through which we receive up to date literature and other vital information relating to our members. Also through National Office we receive and distribute to all our members the ‘IA Journal’, a quarterly magazine that is packed with articles that cover a broad range of topics, from the latest in medical practice, to tips on coping with everyday issues and problems. As a Midlands based group we also receive the Midlands bulletin 3 times a year.

How we do it

As a self regulating, self supporting and self-financing organisation, we rely on members supporting its activities. It is run by a committee of members (the trustees) who meet 3 or 4 times a year to plan and share out the workload. This includes everything from preparing and mailing the newsletter, organising members meetings and fund raising events, liaising with the local hospitals, updating the website and dealing with our finances.

if you are not already a member and are interested in joining, it is possible to join online or by post. Please forward a cheque to our treasurer (please see details under our ‘Contact’ section) or via the below link –

https://iasupport.org/membership/renew

Currently the membership costs £15 for those aged 60 and under and £10 for those over 60

Our members meetings provide an informal setting in which to meet and talk with others who have had similar experiences and give support to one another. Volunteers are always welcome to join in and we are always keen to see new faces on the committee. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to talk to us. We are always looking for fresh, new ideas.