SI Tenby's immediate past president, Judy Brew, was delighted to present a substantial cheque to Anne-Marie Jones, representing Arthritis Research UK, at the club's annual handover dinner, held at the Giltar Hotel last month.

The money was raised from SI Tenby's highly successful charity lunch, which took place at the Giltar Hotel in March.

Club members and their guests enjoyed a delicious meal before immediate past president Judy Brew officially passed on the chain of office to newly-elected president Elanor Sanderson. President Elanor then welcomed Anne-Marie Jones as guest speaker.

Anne-Marie first became involved with Arthritis Research UK four years ago as a volunteer. She gave an account of her own experiences of battling with this crippling disease. She was diagnosed with chronic arthritis and fibromyalgia over a decade ago when she was only 31-years-old.

However, the fight with fatigue, agonising pain and swollen joints was sometimes not as hard as battling with people's misconceptions. Many people struggled to comprehend that someone, once so fit and agile, could have arthritis. Some weeks, she would be relatively normal and on others she would be bedbound and unable to move.

However, since taking the drug methotrexate her symptoms have eased and she is able to lead a normal, everyday life, working as a regional fundraising manager for Arthritis Research UK and being the wife and mother that she had always wanted to be to her husband Mike and daughter Lana-May.

Anne-Marie's final remarks were an inspiration to everyone: "I am very confident that things can and will get better; I am living proof that this can happen. There may never be a cure for arthritis, but I won't let that stop me living my life exactly as I want to - with a smile on my face."

SI Tenby and District were pleased to have been able to support this very worthwhile charity and would like once again to thank Anne-Marie for giving such an inspirational talk.