Archived News

England players receive Book of Hope from WellChild

As the England team head off to seek glory in the World Cup in South Africa this summer they take with them messages of hope and good luck from some of the seriously ill children across the country who have benefitted from their support during the past year.

WellChild, the national charity for sick children, is an official partner of the Team England Footballers Charity (TEFC). In the past few weeks, some of the young people supported by WellChild have been creating pictures, poems and messages for the squad which have been included in a ‘Book of Hope’ which was presented to the England squad on Sunday (May 23rd) ahead of their World Cup warm-up match with Mexico at Wembley.

Through the TEFC, the players donate international match fees to WellChild and other partners, and give time to meet with some of the young people supported and cared for by the charity.

To show gratitude for the support of the players and wish them well in the World Cup, WellChild gathered together the messages of hope and good luck from seriously ill children, along with WellChild Children’s Nurses and volunteers, to give them a morale boost before they fly off for the tournament.

England Captain Rio Ferdinand said that the players were delighted to get the book with the children’s messages of hope.

“It’s great to be able to support WellChild in the work they do for sick kids and their families and getting a book of support from the children we are helping is very touching. The drawings and messages from the children look fantastic and I am sure they will give all the players a boost as we head off for the World Cup.”

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer added: “The England squad have been fantastic supporters of WellChild through their Team England Footballers Charity, and the positive impact on some of the young people they have met has been very clear to see. We know that the children wish the team well and want them to win the World Cup so we wanted to give the children a chance to show their support for the team at this exciting time.”

WellChild are also involved in the Team England Footballers Charity new campaign to raise awareness for their charity partners called ‘Together We Are Stronger’. That campaign was launched on St George’s Day and is being used across the country in the media and on advertising billboards in the run up to the World Cup.

WellChild Children’s Nurse Elaine O’Brien took part in a photoshoot with Stephen Gerrard during the creation of that campaign. The Liverpool and England star said: “We came up with the idea of us standing alongside our charity partners to give them visibility and a voice at a time when the country is getting into World Cup gear and looking towards the team. People talk about footballers being stars but it is the likes of Elaine and the other WellChild nurses who are the real stars in life.”

 

Amazing fundraising For the Love of Bryony

The For the Love of Bryony Appeal has so far raised an incredible total of more than £75,000 for WellChild in memory of Bryony Aveyard.

Two big events in May to mark the culmination of the appeal were a Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge and a Grand Finale Ball at York Racecourse.

The ‘For the Love of Bryony’ appeal has seen the family and many friends and supporters from the York area and beyond take part in a whole range of fundraising events. Bryony Aveyard was only 11 years old when she was struck down with a brain haemorrhage and died. Her mum and dad Kath and Robert have worked tirelessly to raise as much money as possible for WellChild in her memory.

The Grand Finale ball was attended by many of the people who have supported the appeal and guests heard a speech by WellChild Children’s Nurse Elaine O’Brien who is based at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. She spoke about the work WellChild does for seriously ill children and their families and about some of the children the charity helps.

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer said: “We can’t thank the Aveyard family and all their many supporters enough for the incredible work they have done to help WellChild in memory of Bryony. Because of them we can now help many more seriously ill children towards a better life. That is something which would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of Kath and Robert and of all the friends who have helped them raise so much money for WellChild.”

 

Just Walk a big success for WellChild

Fifty walkers and a 12 foot pink nurse joined WellChild, the national charity for sick children, at the Just Walk event at Goodwood last weekend - in order to help children who face great challenges in their daily lives.

WellChild was one of the official charity partners of Just Walk and its team of 50 walkers put their best foot forward in either a 60km or 40km challenge across the South Downs on May 15 – both routes were circular starting and finishing at Goodwood Racecourse.

Marathon legend Lloyd Scott took part in the event for WellChild wearing the charity’s mascot costume, Nessa the Nurse, a 12 foot pink nurse.

Lloyd shot to fame as a marathon fundraiser back in 2002 when he completed the London Marathon in five days in a deep sea diver’s suit. Since then, his fundraising efforts have included, among other things, riding a penny farthing 2,700 miles across Australia and swimming from John O’Groats to Lands End in a pool on the back of a lorry – raising millions of pounds for charity and earning him an MBE along the way.

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer who also took part in the walk said: “It was a brilliant day with a fun, friendly atmosphere and I would like to thank Lloyd and all of our other walkers for their hard work in raise money for WellChild. They can be sure that the funds their raised on their walk will go to help seriously ill children and their families across the UK through our work of care, support and research.”

To organise your own Walk for WellChild event to support the charity call Karl on 0845 458 8171 or email challenge@wellchild.org.uk

 

Gloucestershire supporters Walk for WellChild

A group of Gloucestershire women went hiking in the Cotswold countryside this month to raise money for WellChild.

The friends were taking part in Walk for WellChild, the charity’s current fundraising campaign which asks supporters to go on all kinds of sponsored walks to raise funds. Between them the Cotswold walkers they raised more than £500 for WellChild with their ten mile country hike.

WellChild Director of Fundraising Miranda Chalk, who organized the event on May 7 and took part was delighted with the way it had gone. She said: “This is my idea of the best kind of fundraising; time spent with friends doing something we all want to do whilst at the same time raising money for something we all want to support. And it’s even good for us too!”

In another Gloucestershire Walk for WellChild event on Sunday May 9, ten supporters of the charity went for a "stroll and roll’’ – a walk through beautiful Timbercombe Wood followed by sandwiches and cake.

Walk for WellChild is a fun and exciting way that people can make a difference to the lives of seriously ill children and their families in the UK. WellChild’s challenge is that, during 2010, we want our supporters to take part in any kind of sponsored walk to help WellChild – it’s as simple as that! They will be joining with other schools, colleges, clubs and workplaces throughout the country who will all Walk for WellChild in 2010. To find out more about it – or sign up to do an event, visit walkforwellchild.org.uk

Walks can be serious or silly – anything from tackling the Yorkshire Three Peaks to walking a Zebra Crossing dressed as the Beatles – or joining a leg of the British Coastal walk the only limit to the ways people can take part is their imagination.

Ideas could include a 24 hour sponsored stair walk, walk to work week, or a fancy dress walk – or sign up for the ultimate challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro. The money raised will go to help with WellChild’s work of care, support and research to aid seriously ill children in the UK. The charity’s particular aim this year is to raise as much money as possible for the WellChild Children’s Nurse appeal which aims to increase the number of WellChild nurses who work hard to get long term children out of hospital and cared for at home with their families.

 

Fiftieth birthday celebration for Helping Hands

WellChild is celebrating this month after the completion of our 50th Helping Hands project in Bristol.

The 50th project saw eight-year-old Hadiya Noor’s new bedroom completely transformed into a relaxing retreat where she can spend time when she returns from hospital in the near future. 

Hadiya has a condition called Glutaric Acidura which causes a build up of Glutaric acid causing her to become severely brain damaged. She also suffers from Developmental Delay which makes her unable to communicate verbally or have independent mobility. Due to this Hadiya is completely wheelchair dependent and requires constant care.

The two-day project undertaken by a team of volunteers from HSBC bank saw Hadiya’s bedroom transformed into a bright and colourful area for her to spend time in, including the installation of sensory lights and a woodland mural painted on one of the walls. Hadiya’s garden, which was itself an earlier Helping Hands project in 2008, will also be included in the project and have a special swing fitted so that she can play outside with her siblings.

Hadiya’s mum Abida Ahmed was delighted with the transformation of the bedroom and the work in the garden. She said: “It was brilliant and the room looks really, really beautiful. The volunteers came very early and worked really hard. It’s wonderful what you have done for us.”

The Helping Hands scheme was developed as a way to match teams of volunteers from companies to one-off home improvement projects that can make an immediate difference to the lives of sick children and their families who are often some of the most disadvantaged in society. The projects mostly take place within the homes of sick children and include garden transformation projects to room refurbishments where new furniture, equipment and learning and development aids have been provided.

             

In 2008 the scheme expanded to include other institutions which accommodate children with complex heath needs, including hospitals and special needs schools. The first of these was at the Hornsey Trust, a registered charity which supports children with cerebral palsy in Muswell Hill, London. The team, made up of volunteers from Reuters and Barclays Bank and overseen by WellChild, painted activity rooms and gave an overall facelift to the specialist school. Helping Hands projects have also been completed in Lewisham Hospital and most recently to a ward at Addenbrooks Hosptial, Cambridge.

Colin Dyer, WellChild Chief Executive, said: “We are all immensely proud that the WellChild Helping Hands Scheme has completed it’s 50th makeover. We know from our on-going contact with families and institutions that the projects we have undertaken have made a massive difference. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the hundreds of volunteers that have worked on these Helping Hands projects over the years. Their hard work and dedication has been crucial in the creation of safe and happy environments for sick children to spend time in.” 

 

Join in with a spooky Walk for WellChild

As part of Walk for WellChild week (8 – 15 May), WellChild is encouraging supporters to organise different types of walk for their new fundraising campaign.  In response to this call for help, Parasoc (The Myers Paranormal Society) and Cheltenham Tourism have joined together to organise and publicise a series of ghost walks on Thursday 13 May.

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer said: “We are delighted that Cheltenham Tourism and Parasoc are able to help us in this way. We were looking for original and exciting ideas for Walk for WellChild and these ghost walks are exactly that. I hope as many people as possible are able to take part in them – and have a spooky look at the area’s heritage as well as raise lots of money to help seriously ill children and their families through our programmes of care, support and research.”

Walk 1 is around the town centre and sets off first at 7.00pm from Cheltenham Town Hall, with Walk 2 starting off a little later from the same venue, at 8.00pm. Walk 3 takes place in Prestbury, one of the most haunted villages in the UK at 8.00pm from the Kings Arms public house in the high street. The walk and talk will be led by Chris Romer from TV’s “Most Haunted”, Hon. President of Parasoc and one of the world’s leading parapsychologists.

Tickets are £5.00 each (£6.00 for the Prestbury tour), and will be on sale at Cheltenham Tourist Information Centre from April (£4.75 of every ticket sold goes to WellChild). 

Ross Andrews, Chairman of Parasoc said “We are delighted to be asked by Wellchild to support their programme of events in May.

“People can now take a tour of haunted Cheltenham and learn about its ghostly history and murky past whilst raising some vital cash for a special charity at the same time. This is a fantastic opportunity for us all to make a real difference to sick children’s lives, by doing something pro-active to remain fit and healthy into the summer”.

     

This special one-off event is taking place ahead of Cheltenham’s regular weekly ghost walks that are scheduled to take place in August to March 2011 once a week, by the Parasoc team.

 

Everyman team lends a Helping Hand at Amberley Ridge School

A hard working team of volunteers from the Everyman Theatre has taken part in a WellChild Helping Hands project to transform the playroom of a special school in Stroud to make it a cheerful, welcoming place to learn.

Amberley Ridge School is a special school where all the children have a statement of special educational needs (SEN). These are children who would not cope for many reasons in a mainstream setting. Amberley Ridge School gives every child a fresh start by providing a nurturing and happy environment that offers the opportunity to improve, develop and achieve their individual potential.

A team of volunteer workers from the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, gave up their time to work on the playroom at Amberley Ridge School. The transformation included painting and freshening the school play area, installing a large specially painted mural in the play room and mounting animal themed mural cut outs on the walls of the school. The murals for the school were specially created by Cheltenham artist Rhys Cowe.

Among the volunteers was actress Zara Ramm, who appears in the Everyman pantomime and is a star of BBC children’s TV show Grandpa in My Pocket on CBeebies.

Jackie McKenzie from the Everyman Theatre said: "We were delighted to be able to work alongside WellChild to create an inviting play area for the pupils at Amberley Ridge and we hope they are pleased with the results.  It was a real change to get out of the office and work with people from different departments within the theatre as part of a team and very rewarding to see how quickly the space was transformed."

Fiona Wiseman, Deputy Head of Amberley Ridge School said: “I thought the volunteers were enthusiastic, committed and talented. They did a superb job. I think the results will inspire the children to read more and be more interested in writing. The school and the pupils are extremely grateful.”

Lee Trunks, the WellChild Helping Hands Project Manager, said he was delighted with the way the project had gone.

“We were able to make a real difference to the playroom and I’m sure the children at Amberley Ridge School will get a great deal of use out of it,” he said.

“I’d like to thank the staff from the Everyman Theatre for putting their heart and soul into the job and doing their bit to improve the life of a these young people. They worked hard and kept on smiling until the end!”

 

 

Summer fundraising blitz planned in Gloucestershire

WellChild is planning a blitz of fundraising in Gloucestershire this summer and it is appealing for the help of local people.

The charity, which provides care, support and research for seriously ill children and their families in the UK, will be holding its first ever street collection in Cheltenham on June 11. The charity is currently raising funds to increase the number of WellChild Children’s Nurses who look after children across the country with its Reach Out For Sick Children nurse appeal.

It is asking for volunteers who can spare a couple of hours between 9am and 4pm to help with the collection on the Promenade and High Street, Cheltenham. Collection tins will be provided.

For those who don’t mind dressing up for the occasion WellChild will be looking for volunteers to wear our 12 foot tall Nessa the Nurse mascot costume and WellChild hand costumes to help draw in the crowds and bring a smile to people’s faces.

After the collection volunteers will be invited back to WellChild’s offices in Royal Crescent for tea and cake.

As well as the Cheltenham collection WellChild has other fundraising events planned for which it needs volunteers. These are collections at Sainsbury’s store Barnett’s Way, Gloucester on Friday, 9th and Saturday, 10th July,  Tesco, Colletts Drive Cheltenham on Thursday, 26th August  and Tesco, St Oswalds Road, Gloucester on Wednesday, 29th September and Thursday, 30th September.

If you can help with any of these events please contact WellChild volunteer coordinator Cheryl Clapham on 0845 458 8171 or email her at volunteer@wellchild.org.uk

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer said: “The people of Gloucestershire have always been very generous to WellChild with their support and we are thrilled to be having these collections in the county to raise much needed funds for our Reach Out For Sick Children nurse appeal. If you have some spare time and would like to raise money that is really going to make a difference to seriously ill children and their families then please come along and help us out.”

Find out more about WellChild volunteering opportunities here.

 

Well done to all our brilliant London Marathon runners

There was a day of fun and celebration at the London Marathon 2010 on Sunday as our fantastic team of runners did themselves and WellChild proud racing round the course on a warm day raising thousands of pounds for seriously ill children and their families in the process.

Our 200 WellChild runners put in a wonderful display and our noisy and enthusiastic team of staff and volunteers cheered them on loudly. After the race there was a WellChild reception at the Guards Museum on Birdcage Walk for our runners and their families with food and massages to ease aching muscles.

WellChild’s massive Nessa the Nurse mascot costume was in the marathon again thanks to Andy Wills of Cliftonville near Margate who attracted a huge amount of public support on the way as he battled round the course – breaking through the pain barrier to complete it. The costume weighs around two stone and is among the tallest ever to take part in the London Marathon.

WellChild’s thanks go out to all of our runners and volunteers who proved they will go the extra mile to help seriously ill children and their families.

If you would like to apply for a WellChild place at the 2011 London marathon you can find more details here.

Together We Are Stronger is the message from England football team

The Team England Footballers Charity has launched a new campaign to raise awareness for their charity partners – including WellChild – called ‘Together We Are Stronger’.

The campaign was launched on St George’s Day and images – which include WellChild Nurse Elaine O’Brien – will be used in the run up to this year’s World Cup across the country in the media and on advertising billboards.

England and Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard explained: “We came up with the idea of us standing alongside our charity partners to give them visibility and a voice at a time when the country is getting into World Cup gear and looking towards the team. People talk about footballers being stars but it is the likes of Elaine and the other WellChild Nurses who are the real stars in life.”

Following the England players' decision to set up their own charitable trust – the Team England Footballers Charity – the England players donate international match fees, as well as their time, to WellChild and other charity partners to help raise awareness of our work and vital services.

WellChild Nurse Elaine, who is based at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool, met with Stephen Gerrard at a photoshoot for the Together We Are Stronger campaign. She said: ““Any support that WellChild gets is excellent – the nurses can only do it with the funding behind it – and the England footballers have obviously kindly donated the match fees to WellChild which will help a long way to funding more research and nurses.

“On top of the money, the profile they have delivered for us is fantastic. I’ll be cheering the team on and obviously hoping that they do really well – because we support them as much as they support us.”

It is hoped that the striking Together We Are Stronger  campaign images will capture the imagination this summer, and Tottenham and England striker Jermain Defoe commented: "Campaigns like this and the charity work we do means the world to us to be honest and we're proud of what we are achieving off the pitch"

The player’s ‘Together We Are Stronger’ message also reaches out to the fans whose support is crucial in the lead up to and during the World Cup tournament.

 

Steven Gerrard added: “We want to let the fans know that we’re pulling together in the right direction and we need their support.  Together We Are Stronger is a superb message to send out before the World Cup because for us to be successful in the summer everyone needs to stick together – the players, the manager and the supporters.”

 

Pink and black celebrations raise funds for our marathon runners

All over the country WellChild’s London Marathon runners have been hard at work not only training for the run but also fundraising for WellChild.

Among the many events which have taken place to help raise money for seriously ill children and their families are two organised to support WellChild marathon runners Kelly Martin and Sue Wong.

Two fun and exciting evenings were held to support the runners – a BlackTie Ball and a Pink Party both held at the Marine Hotel in Tankerton, Kent. The two events, pictured here, both went with a swing and raised lots of money towards Kelly and Sue’s fundraising targets. They didn’t stop there but organised other events such as a curry night and a health spa day as well.

Among their supporters is Julie Maver, a teacher at Chaucer College, who will be attending the London marathon to watch them in action with an enthusiastic group of Japanese students from the college. They will be cheering on Kelly, Sue and the rest of the 200 WellChild runners as they complete the 26 mile course.

 

 

Our knight in shining armour at Just Walk

Marathon legend Lloyd Scott will be heading for Goodwood next month complete with his full suit of medieval armour, and with a huge pink nurse and many hundreds of other people for company.

Lloyd is urging as many people as possible to join him when he takes part in the Just Walk charity event which starts and finishes at Goodwood Racecourse on Saturday May 15th and is being promoted by WellChild as part of its new Walk For WellChild Week.

He shot to fame as a marathon fundraiser back in 2002 when he completed the London Marathon in five days in a deep sea diver’s suit. Since then, his fundraising efforts have included, among other things, riding a penny farthing 2,700 miles across Australia and swimming from John O’Groats to Lands End in a pool on the back of a lorry – raising millions of pounds for charity and earning him an MBE along the way.

Lloyd will take part in Just Walk on May 15th as a knight in shining armour guarding the WellChild mascot Nessa the Nurse – a 12 foot pink nurse who is the tallest mascot ever to take part in the London Marathon. His suit of armour is made of steel, weighs around 100 pounds and was built for him to do the London Marathon as St George pulling a dragon – a feat which took him more than eight days to complete.

The unlikely pair will be a stand-out attraction at the Just Walk event and there is still the chance for more sensible walkers to join Lloyd and Nessa the Nurse on the walk as WellChild has places available for the event. The charity is one of the official partners of Just Walk which allows people to choose from a variety of distances across the South Downs starting and finishing at Goodwood Racecourse – making the event a great day out for people of all ages and abilities from children in pushchairs to experienced ramblers.

Lloyd Scott said: “This is a brilliant event and a great chance to raise money for WellChild which is a really deserving charity helping sick kids across the UK.

“It will be tough going struggling round the course in a full suit of armour, but nothing like as tough as the lives some of these children lead with great bravery. Please support them by taking part in Just Walk and raising money for WellChild.”

Hundreds of people have already signed up for the event which is fast becoming one of the most popular of its kind in the UK. People wishing to take part – or to organise their own Walk for WellChild event – should call Karl at WellChild on 0845 458 8171 or email challenge@wellchild.org.uk

After Just Walk, Lloyd’s next challenge will be attempting to run a marathon 12,000 feet underground in the world’s deepest mine, the Mponeng gold mine just outside Johannesburg. Lloyd will be taking part in the challenge to raise funds for the Team England Footballers’ Charity which supports charities including WellChild and the Bobby Moore Fund.

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer said: “It’s brilliant that Lloyd has agreed to be Nessa’s knight in shining armour, we want as many people as possible to get behind us and take part in Just Walk to make it a brilliant day to remember and a great fundraiser for children who really need our help.”

 

Help children at home and abroad with WellChild and UNICEF at Just Walk

Walkers have the chance to do a good turn for children in need both at home and abroad by taking part in the upcoming Just Walk event for children’s charities WellChild and the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF.

The money raised by UNICEF walkers will support UNICEF’s ‘Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS’ campaign, supporting children who are orphaned, or have been made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS. WellChild will use their money to help seriously ill children and their families throughout the UK.

The Just Walk event, on May 15, starting and finishing at Goodwood Racecourse, is a great opportunity for walkers who want to avoid the FA Cup final that day and instead get outside and enjoy a walk in the countryside for a good cause. Those taking part can choose a 10km, 20km, 60km or 40km challenge.

Walkers  will also receive excellent fundraising support including online fundraising pages at www.justgiving.com/wellchild or www.unicef.org.uk/myfundraising as well as on-course support from WellChild and UNICEF staff and volunteers and an invitation to the WellChild post-walk marquee with on-site massage. But most importantly, there is the opportunity to make a difference to sick children all over the UK and to support UNICEF’s Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS campaign.

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer said the Walk for WellChild is a fun, healthy event for all the family to be involved in. He said: “At WellChild we offer help and support to seriously ill children and their families so it is great to be involved in an event where families can take part in a challenge which will raise money to help children in the UK who face tough health challenges of their own.”

UNICEF UK, Director of Fundraising, Julie Weston comments: “Whether you are a beginner or pro, by simply taking part in ‘Just Walk’ for UNICEF, walkers will be able to make a real difference to the lives of some of the poorest children worldwide. HIV and AIDS continues to rob countless children of their parents, their families, their chance to go to school, and in many cases, their lives. UNICEF believes this is wrong, but together, we can put it right.”

We are asking our walkers to pay an initial donation and to raise a minimum target based on the route they choose. £150 for the 40km route which includes an initial donation of £30 and £200 for the 60km route which also includes an initial donation of £30.

To take part in the Just Walk Challenge for WellChild – or organise your own Walk for WellChild event to support us call Karl on 0845 458 8171 or email challenge@wellchild.org.uk

To take part in the Just Walk challenge for UNICEF – or to organise your own fundraising event call Sarah on 0207 375 6113 or email  justwalk@unicef.org.uk

 

You magazine features WellChild Nurses

WellChild Nurses and the children and families they care for made a big impact in a recent feature in the Mail On Sunday's You magazine.

The article, headlined, "'We want to be at home' How WellChild nurses help families with severely ill children," features our Cardiff WellChild Nurse Rhian and some of the many families and children she supports.

The article highlighted our Reach Out for Sick Children nurse appeal and called for nominations for the 2010 WellChild awards. Read the You magazine article in full here.

 

WellChild welcomes new document from the Council for Disabled Children

WellChild has welcomed a new report from the Council for Disabled Children called: "Guidelines on the discharge from hospital of children and young people with high support needs". We believe that the document is a move forward in recognising the need for better discharge. The report can be read here.

WellChild continues to campaign on this issue jointly with the Royal College of Nursing with our Better at Home campaign.

 

WellChild announces further funding for children and young people

WellChild has welcomed the announcement, made today by Health Secretary Andy Burnham, of an extra £30 million funding for the care of children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

  

We are especially satisfied with the fact that the Health Secretary has made it clear that this money “will help the NHS continue to move their palliative care services out of hospitals and into children's own homes” and give children and their families “more choice over their care”.

Coming so soon after the government’s commitment to help children and young people who have long-term conditions, disabilities and palliative care needs to spend less time in hospital – this announcement further reinforces WellChild’s charitable aims and adds weight to our WellChild Children’s Nurse programme and Better At Home campaign which was launched last year in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing.

WellChild believes that putting the needs of the child, young person and their families first by making sure that high quality care is available is crucially important. Not only will this be of enormous practical, emotional and financial benefit for families, but will save valuable financial resources at a time when the focus is on efficiency savings within the NHS.

 

As highlighted by the Better at Home campaign, WellChild would now like to see like to see the same support and commitment extended to the growing number of children and young people with long-term complex health needs and disabilities, including those who are technology dependent. This group of vulnerable children do not currently require palliative care but in many cases still remain in hospital when their care could be provided at home, allowing them and their families a better quality of life. This growing need for better access to community services, more integrated packages of care and greater investment in community children's nurses could provide even more families with the same the opportunity, whilst also further reducing the NHS care budget.

 

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer said "This is very good news for thousands of families. Having choice, and access to services which are tailored to their needs rather than receiving care which is based upon the availability of services is urgently needed, and something which is at the heart of WellChild's services This investment will not only strengthen the very important role played by children's hospices but will help to support their vital community outreach services. In addition the impact on the wider community services will help to pave the way for further improvements in the care packages available for these families.

 

Walk for WellChild launches - with a little help from our friends

WellChild is launching its Walk for WellChild campaign this week – with help from some of its friends in Gloucestershire.

Walk for WellChild Week is a fun and exciting way that people can make a difference to the lives of seriously ill children and their families in the UK. WellChild’s challenge is that we want our supporters to take part in any kind of sponsored walk to help WellChild – it’s as simple as that!

They will be joining with other schools, colleges, clubs and workplaces throughout the country who will all Walk for WellChild in 2010. At the heart of our efforts will be Walk for WellChild Week from Saturday May 8th to Saturday May 15th.

To launch the event WellChild has a new website at www.walkforwellchild.org.uk  with funny videos to offer some ideas and get people in the spirit of the event. The videos were made with the help of some of WellChild’s local supporters including children and adults from the Dancestars dance school in Gloucester, who dressed up as farmers for a hoe-down.

Dancestars principal Sarah Hall said: “It’s great to be able to support a good cause like WellChild and help them with their aim to get everyone to Walk for WellChild. The kids were really excited to take part in the video and it was a lot of fun to do!”

Among the other stars of the Walk for WellChild videos are Cheltenham IT specialist Phil Stephens, who donned women’s high heels and a traffic Warden uniform for his clip, biker Kelvin Barnett of Greet near Cheltenham and WellChild staff member Karl Gwilliam from Gloucester – who dressed as a ballet dancer in a tutu. LA Fitness in Cheltenham also helped out by letting us use their running machines.

During Walk for WellChild Week from May 8th to May 15th the big Just Walk event will take place on the South Downs with more than a hundred WellChild supporters taking part to raise as much money as they can for sick children. But our aim is that, up and down the country, lots of other WellChild supporters will be putting their best foot forward for the cause.

Walks can be serious or silly – anything from tackling the Yorkshire Three Peaks to walking a Zebra Crossing dressed as the Beatles – or joining a leg of the British Coastal walk www.furryfeettv/coastal/coastal_walks.asp the only limit to the ways people can take part is their imagination.

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer said: “It’s fantastic to see people getting involved. We could like as many people as possible in schools, offices, sports clubs, nurseries and more to start planning now ready to get sponsored and take part in Walk for WellChild in May.”

The charity’s particular aim this year is to raise as much money as possible for the WellChild Children’s Nurse Appeal which aims to increase the number of WellChild Nurses who work hard to get long term children out of hospital and cared for at home with their families.

 

Easter treat for Gloucestershire children

WellChild has got together with the Holiday Inn Express in Cheltenham to bring an Easter treat to kids from Amberley Ridge School in Stroud.

A giant Easter chick from the Holiday Inn visited the children at the school at Rodborough Common, on Wednesday March 31, handing out Easter eggs to the excited children. The chick visited each class in the school distributing eggs and spending time particularly with the younger children.

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer said: “We are delighted to have been able to help organise this treat for the children at Amberley Ridge and we thank our supporters at the Holiday Inn Express for all their help and hard work. I’m sure the kids were thrilled by the visit and delighted to get the eggs.”

Kimberley Hatherall from the Holiday Inn Express, Cheltenham said: “We are really happy to be supporting WellChild and Amberley Ridge School.  It’s a great pleasure for us to give disadvantaged children the opportunity to celebrate spring!”

A spokesperson for Amberley Ridge School said: “The children are very excited about the visit and we would like to thank Holiday Inn and Wellchild for arranging this seasonal treat.”

Amberley Ridge school provides a fresh start for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It values the children in its care as individuals and aims to build their self esteem by providing opportunities for them to achieve success. The school also aims to enhance their personal and social development and provide them with necessary skills to become effective learners.

 

Fantastic effort from Whitehaven walkers

A big thank you goes out to the children and adults from the Whitehaven area of West Cumbria who Walked for WellChild by taking part in a 20 mile walk in March to raise money both for WellChild and for the Children’s Cancer fund at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle.

The walk was organised by Whitehaven teacher Rob Huck MBE. Many of the pupils from Whitehaven School, where he works, took part in the event. Here Mr Huck tells us, in his own words, about the walk and what inspired him to organise it.

“Athletes thrive on the rush of adrenalin they sometimes experience before a major race. Individuals within our community experience a similar "rush" that motivates them and drives them on to achieve something they wouldn’t ordinarily achieve.

In the year 2000 my three year old niece, Poppy, was rushed into hospital with meningitis. She survived, relatively unmarked, but her parents and I were moved by the attention and dedication she received from the nurses in Newcastle Hospital. We felt indebted to them, and wanted to give something back.

Poppy’s dad Peter actually walked from Cockermouth, her hometown, to Newcastle (130 miles) to raise money for that ward. I decided to organise a 20 mile sponsored walk with my year group, and we managed to raise £2,700.

In 2005, a close friend of my daughter, Ella Gray, died aged 24 of cancer. She was buried on a Tuesday, and on the following Saturday my wife and I sat down with her parents for a meal. It was very emotional, and during our discussions they expressed their gratitude and respect for the nurses and staff of the palliative care unit, "The Henderson Suite", at West Cumberland Hospital, where Ella spent much of her final days. 

I offered to organise a sponsored walk and delivered assemblies to my students about the cause. The response was magnificent and we raised £11,668, 42p. £10,000 of that went to the Henderson Suite, and the remaining £1,668, 42p to West Cumbria Hospice at Home.

A couple of years ago my nephew and Godchild, baby Archie died, tragically aged 16 weeks from the rare genetic disorder Pateau Syndrome. More recently a young girl, Adele George, from Cockermouth School, tragically died, aged 15, after a very brave and determined fight against cancer. Hence the walk. 

We had 289 walkers, several toddlers and dogs, most of whom completed the full 20 miles. Adele’s parents and younger brother, along with her school friends, relatives and teachers, also did the walk. How amazing is that?

It was a very electric and emotionally charged atmosphere, with all the walkers wearing pink or purple (Adele’s favourite colours) as a mark of respect to her memory. The students and teachers from Whitehaven school spontaneously gave all the walkers from Cockermouth, a warm and supportive round of applause. Total strangers respecting and acknowledging the pain all these people were going through at that very difficult time. 

I was last out and last in, in order to ensure the safety of our students, leaving at 10.30am, and returning with some very sore, tired, yet determined 13 year olds at 7.45pm, over nine hours later. A quick estimation at the end of the night suggests that we will raise in excess of £12,000, which, given the many areas of nationally recognised social deprivation in Whitehaven, allied to the current economic climate, is absolutely magnificent!

I will close by quoting a text I received from Josh, a year 7 pupil after the walk:  “Thanks Sir, had a good time. Am off home now. Dun it in 7 hawers. Josh.”  I think this sums it up in many ways. Being pleased to have been involved, enjoying the experience, and the matter of fact expression that the job was done. It is so refreshingly honest and matter of fact.

At a time when the media are vitriolic in their condemnation of the youth of today, I find immeasurable comfort, in seeing all these wonderfully kind, unselfish and compassionate young people giving up their time voluntarily to help and support people that are less fortunate than themselves. I am so very proud.

I am also very proud of my daughter, Kirsty and my son in law Andrew who ran the full 20 miles in preparation for the London Marathon where they will be running for WellChild.“

 

Morrisons bag pack raises funds

WellChild raised and amazing £845 at a bag packing event at Tewkesbury Morrisons on December 19 when around 20 volunteers turned up to raise money and support the cause.

A team of helpers aided busy Christmas shoppers at the store from 9am to by packing their groceries for them in return for donations which will go to fund WellChild’s work of care, support and research for seriously ill children in the UK.

WellChild Communications Officer Chris Hill said the event was a huge success and he thanked Morrisons the shoppers and the WellChild volunteers for their kind support.

“It was a great day and everyone at the supermarket was lovely. We are very grateful to all the volunteers who came along to help us and they can be sure the money raised will be well used in our programmes of care, support and research,” he said.

WellChild is always on the lookout for volunteers to help at events and if you wish to volunteer please contact Cheryl Clapham at WellChild on 0845 458 8171 or email volunteer@wellchild.org.uk

 

Thanks for all your support - and please keep it up!

WellChild’s Christmas Cards in partnership with the England football players have been a huge hit this year – with more than ten thousand sold throughout the country bringing in vital funds to help sick children and their families.

And our Christmas Nurse appeal has also hit the mark – provoking a great response from our supporters who have read about it in our newsletter and online.

 

But our appeal goes on as we still need to raise as much money as possible so we can further roll out our WellChild Children’s Nurse programme nationwide.

Our Christmas cards featured England and Chelsea captain John Terry, his club-mate Ashley Cole, Aston Villa pair Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young, and Manchester City’s Wayne Bridge. They lined up to paint their hands and make their mark so that seriously ill children could decorate the prints with Christmas designs to make the novel and unique cards. They proved a great success selling well across the UK.

Meanwhile our Christmas appeal highlighted some of the success stories we have had getting children home from hospital and some of the cases where children are still in hospital – longing to be back with their families.

We still need as much financial help as we can get to expand our team of nurses – our eventual aim is to offer help to every seriously ill child and their family who needs it. If you would like to donate to WellChild click here.

 

MP's Christmas cheer for WellChild

WellChild was featured on Christmas cards sent by Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood to 25,000 homes in the town this year.

The design on the front of the cards was a drawing of a robin by seven year old Finnley, who has a complex and serious bladder condition and is one of the many children WellChild helps. Inside the card was Finnley’s story and a short explanation of the work of WellChild.

Each card carried a message from Liberal Democrat MP Mr Horwood who said: “WellChild is a charity based in Cheltenham which helps seriously ill children and their families right across the UK. Having seen their work first hand, I know how valuable a Christmas gift to them would be.”

Mr Horwood also sent out another 25,000 cards promoting the work of the Leukaemia and Intensive Chemotherapy Fund which is based at Cheltenham General Hospital.

Martin Horwood said "We're lucky to have a wonderful NHS locally but even with fantastic professional care, there is always a little extra help that can make all the difference to people and families facing illness and sometimes difficult treatment.  LINC and WellChild both support those coping with illness in their different and highly specialist ways and I know that those who have used their services cannot praise them highly enough. 

“Cheltenham should be very proud of both charities and I'm certainly proud to do a little to help them.  I know money is tight for many people this year but anyone who is in a position to support them will know that their gift will be very much appreciated."

 

Duncan Bannatyne brings early Christmas present for children in Barrow

One of our Ambassadors, Duncan Bannatyne, was on hand to welcome the latest addition to our unique and growing team of WellChild Children’s Nurses. From the start of December 2009 WellChild Nurse Melanie Hill will be working with families of children with long-term and complex care needs in and around Barrow-in-Furness.

Duncan, the Dragon’s Den star and multi-millionaire businessman' has donated more than £150,000 to WellChild to help fund the new WellChild Children’s Nurse in Cumbria. This appointment guarantees a WellChild community children’s nurse for families in Barrow for years to come with the aim of giving these children the best possible start in life.

Duncan has been supporting us for the past few years and is a regular at our annual WellChild Awards ceremony, presenting Awards this year alongside WellChild Royal Patron Prince Harry at the InterContinental London Park Lane Hotel.

Duncan’s attendance at that ceremony – which celebrates some of the bravest young people in the UK as they cope with serious illness and allows some of the children cared for by the charity to mingle with celebrities – has given him the chance to learn more about the work of the team of WellChild Children’s Nurses. At the 2009 Awards Duncan made an impassioned plea to the star-studded audience to follow his lead in supporting WellChild so that other areas of the UK could benefit in the way that Barrow is about to.

All of the WellChild Children’s Nurses attend the WellChild Awards ceremony, and it was that opportunity to listen and learn about their work which first led Duncan to investigate the possibility of investing in the growth of the team. He said: “The work which is being done by WellChild and the WellChild Nurses across the country is absolutely remarkable, but there is so much more to be done.

“Having looked at the way in which WellChild fund their team of nurses, and the fact that the funding ensures a long-term resource for families with seriously ill children in each region, it really made sense for me to invest. I would urge as many people as possibly to join me in investing in the future of these children and young people.”

WellChild Nurse Melanie has experience of working in both a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Community Team, Primary Care Out of Hours General Practice and Paediatric A&E services. Her appointment was welcomed by several local families with experience of seriously ill children, including Mum of Harrison, Jo Holmes from Barrow, who joined staff from NHS Cumbria and WellChild in selecting the right person for the job.

Dr Amanda Boardman is NHS Cumbria’s Deputy GP Lead for Children’s Services based in Barrow. She commented: “The new WellChild Nurse is an addition to a large and expanding team of community-based specialists in Furness. By working alongside these families in hospital and at home she will provide them with the vital personal support they need, closer to home and help people access the excellent services already in place and planned in Cumbria. We are delighted to commit to the long-term funding of this invaluable post which exemplifies all we are striving to achieve for children’s health services in Cumbria.”

 

John Evans appointed as new Chairman of WellChild

John Evans has been appointed as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at WellChild, the national charity for sick children, following a board meeting held on Thursday (December 3rd).

John, who has been Acting Chairman of the charity’s board for several months, is Managing Director of Osiris Commodity Consultants Ltd which operates in the wholesale energy markets.

Previously he was with the Spectron Group for 12 years, a global energy broking company, where he was MD of business development. He started as a money broker in 1974 and later spent 17 years with EXCO ending up as Director of Capital Markets before moving into what was then the new market of energy in 1996. At Spectron he ran the UK electricity desk for five years before moving into a senior management role.

John has been involved with WellChild since 1981 when he participated in a hot coals walking event, and has been a Trustee for the last seven years. He is married to Linda and has one son Paul, who works in the City, and enjoys golf and travelling.

New hope for sick children in Wales

WellChild is funding a new post at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board to provide a WellChild Children’s Nurse. This role will help seriously ill children with complex health needs across South and Mid Wales to leave hospital and return home with the care and treatment they need. The new nurse post was launched on December 7.

The WellChild Children’s Nurse, Rhian Greenslade will be based in Cardiff as part of the Children’s Community Nursing Service and will work with staff and the community in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan to support families locally and from a wider population across South and Mid Wales.

The WellChild Children’s Nurse will arrange and coordinate the care needed for children to live at home as well as providing emotional and practical support.  Rhian has previously worked with children and young people with complex health needs in Ty Gwyn Special School in Cardiff.

In those parts of the UK where there is still no WellChild Children’s Nurse to provide a dedicated link between all the health professionals and different services required to care for a child with complex health needs, children can remain in hospital for months, even years, when it is better for their emotional and physical wellbeing to be at home with their families. It is also more cost efficient to care for a child at home than in hospital.

Children who will benefit from the new WellChild Children’s Nurse are those like baby Daniel who was born at 24 weeks and has serious breathing problems. Daniel might not have had to wait 12 months in hospital while the care he needed was prepared if a WellChild Children’s Nurse had been available to start the planning his discharge home as early as possible and to follow up on all the necessary arrangements.

WellChild’s pilot Children’s Nurse programme began in 2006, and the success of that pilot has resulted in the creation of permanent posts in Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London and Oxford. A further nurse will be added to the team in Cumbria in 2009 funded by a generous donation from WellChild Ambassador and entrepreneur, Duncan Bannatyne.

WellChild continues to fundraise to add to its team so that long-term sick children across the United Kingdom will benefit from these services. WellChild’s programme ensures that each new nurse appointment has a long-lasting impact. A WellChild Children’s Nurse costs approximately £55,000 per year, with the charity provides funding for the first three years. The relevant local healthcare authority should then continue that post’s funding and management to guarantee an on-going legacy of care.

Linda Partridge, WellChild’s Director of Programmes, said: “We have worked to make sure that the essential service now provided by WellChild Children’s Nurses in regions of the UK have a long-reaching impact. Our target is for every seriously ill child or young person to have access to a WellChild Children’s Nurse, and I am delighted that we have now been able to extend that support into Wales.”

WellChild’s research demonstrates that at any one time there are around 200 children in England alone who have been in hospital for more than three months. Many of these children have spent the majority of their lives sleeping in wards rather than bedrooms and, because of all the specialist care they need, they are unable to join their parents and siblings even for key family events such as birthdays and Christmas. Our Better at Home campaign, in conjunction with the Royal College of Nursing, explores the issues around improving care for children with complex health needs at home will be moving into Wales in 2010.

The WellChild Nurses programme was established to address this clear gap in the provision of care and support for sick children with long-term serious illness and complex conditions. They provide practical and emotional support, where often no other support exists, allowing such children to be cared for at home.

Dancestars raise the roof for WellChild

Youngsters from Gloucestershire dance school Dancestars put their heart and soul into their performance at their Christmas show on Friday and raised £450 for WellChild, the national charity for sick children.

Dancestars is based in Gloucester and teaches ballroom and Latin dance to pupils of all ages, from young children to adults. Its Christmas party took place on December 4 at St Peter’s Social Club, Gloucester.

At the event pupils from the school put on a cabaret of dance and acting based on a pantomime of Robin Hood to show what they have been learning throughout the year. Money was raised through ticket sales, a raffle and a collection for WellChild, the national charity for sick children, which is based in Cheltenham.

Dancestars principal Sarah Hall thanked everyone who came along and made the evening such a big success.

“It was a fantastic evening full of energy and enthusiasm,” she said, “I’m really pleased everyone turned up to support Dancestars on our 10th anniversary and raised such a lot of money for a good cause too.”

WellChild Communications Officer Chris Hill said: “The dancers put on a fantastic show and the support WellChild received at the event was wonderful. It was a pleasure to go along to see everyone enjoying themselves and tell them a bit about the work WellChild does for sick children and their families.”

 

Dobbies bring tree-mendous Christmas spirit

Garden Centre chain Dobbies is asking the public across the country to get in the festive spirit and send in photographs of their beautiful Christmas trees, in a competition which will raise money for children’s charity WellChild.

All you need do to enter is take a photo of your brilliant Christmas tree and send it to Dobbies via their website here. A prize of £250 in Dobbies vouchers will go to the winner in each of four categories – most traditional tree, most colourful tree, most stylish tree and biggest tree.

And in the true spirit of Christmas, for each picture uploaded, Dobbies Garden Centres will donate 50p to WellChild, up to a maximum of £2,000 – to aid the charity’s work with seriously ill children throughout the UK.

To take part in the competition simply go to the website and send your picture with a short description of your tree and say which category you are entering. The closing date for entries is 9am on December 24, 2009 and the winners will be announced on December 28, 2009. A panel of judges made up of Dobbies plant experts, visual merchandisers and interior designers will select the winners

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer thanked Dobbies for their support.

“Christmas is a time for children and they all love the tree and colourful decorations so it is fantastic that Dobbies have chosen to support us in this way,” he said.

“The money people help to raise by sending in photos of their wonderful Christmas trees will all be put to good use in WellChild’s work of care, support and research to help sick children and their families.”

 

Yours Magazine tells Madison's story

The current issue of Yours magazine has a feature about one of the young children supported by WellChild - two year old Madison who is now at home with her family thanks to the help of WellChild nurse Elaine.

The popular fortnightly magazine tells the story of Madison’s illness and her fight to get well enough to return to her family home in Lancashire after spending most of her life in Alder Hey children’s hospital in Liverpool.

Yours tells Madison’s story through the eyes of her gran Colleen Laffy and Collen’s mum Margaret both of whom are delighted to have Madison back at home in time for Christmas.

In the article Colleen tells how both she and great gran Margaret have done their best to help out the family throughout the tough times when Madison was in hospital and how delighted they both are to have the little girl back at home with the familiy where she belongs.

 

Raise money while Christmas shopping

Here’s a great opportunity to raise money for WellChild while doing your Christmas shopping.

This festive season you can donate money to help sick children and their families across the UK without spending any extra cash.

Take the trouble out of choosing your gifts by shopping via www.giveortake.com which features hundreds of great stores, including Amazon, eBay, Boots and M&S.

Just sign up here and, at no extra cost to you, you’ll have the option of donating around 10 per cent of the value of everything you buy to WellChild.

Why not try it and give a gift not only to your nearest and dearest but to seriously ill children too?

 

ACT event raises funds for WellChild

WellChild benefited from the Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT) annual dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 11 November 2009. 

One of our celebrity ambassadors Duncan Bannatyne encouraged everyone to donate towards a WellChild nurse and almost £35,000 was raised through a prize draw and silent auction on the night. 

WellChild volunteers, including the current Miss Galaxy Canterbury, did a fantastic job in encouraging donations and our thanks go to them for their valuable support at this and other WellChild events.   

 

England stars lend a hand with Christmas cards

England football stars are giving sick children a helping hand by donating their hand prints to WellChild for a unique series of Christmas cards.

England and Chelsea captain John Terry, his club-mate Ashley Cole, Aston Villa pair Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young, and Manchester City’s Wayne Bridge lined up to paint their hands and make their mark so that seriously ill children could decorate the prints with Christmas designs to make the novel and unique cards.

The players together with WellChild, hope the cards will raise awareness about the work WellChild does and also raise vital funds to support as many seriously ill children and their families in the UK as possible.

John Terry said: “It would be great to see as many people as possible supporting WellChild by buying these cards this Christmas.  I know the children have worked really hard on them and the finished results look fantastic. These are cards which do more than just send a greeting – they show you care about vulnerable kids who need your help.”

The hand designs were chosen to reflect WellChild’s logo which is an adult hand holding a child’s hand. The finished cards are colourful and unusual – unique designs each featuring a personal touch from an England football star.

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer said; “We are delighted that the England football players have been able to help WellChild create these unique Christmas cards. We wanted to come up with an idea which was fun, original and distinctive.”

“The cards are a fantastic way of supporting WellChild and sending a festive greeting which is a little different from the norm. All profits made from the cards will go to helping us in our work to care for and support sick children and their families, in addition to assisting in the funding of our ground-breaking research.”

You can order the cards online here http://shop.wellchild.org.uk/ or by phone on 0845 458 8171.

The England players support WellChild through their Team England Footballers Charity – donating match fees to WellChild right up until the end of the 2010 World Cup, and giving up their time to support the charity and to spend time with young people supported by WellChild.

Some very special children have helped WellChild and the England players to create the Christmas cards:

 

• Nine-year-old Joachim was born with a condition which squashed his lungs and prevented them from developing properly. At four days old, a member of the WellChild-funded team at Kings Hospital operated on Joachim for the first time to investigate the damage to his lungs and his family were told for the first time that there was a good chance he would survive. When he was two months old, Joachim was strong enough to breathe on his own and he went home for the first time, only to be back in hospital a few months later when an x-ray revealed that his heart had been pushed to the wrong side of his body due to the damage to his lungs. Treatment to stop his lungs growing any bigger addressed the problem and Joachim is now doing incredibly well and is rarely even absent from school, although he still sees the WellChild-funded team at the hospital for regular check-ups.

 

• Seven-year-old Finnley became unwell when he was three months old and was diagnosed with a complex and serious bladder condition. He weighed less at six months old than he did at birth, spent half a year in hospital with his mum, underwent surgery, and was fed through a tube as he was completely unable to digest his own food. Finnley still has to visit hospital regularly and still has a daily regime of medication and assisted feeding. However, the vast majority of the time he is able to be cared for at home and attends mainstream school where he has friends who understand his condition. WellChild Nurses help children like Finnley to be cared for at home with their families rather than in hospital.

 

• Nine-year-old Lizzie had an operation to remove a tumour from her coccyx bone when she was just four days old and her parents were told that there was just a 50 per cent chance that she would ever be able to walk and that there is a possibility she won’t be able to have children of her own. In addition, Lizzie’s condition was so rare that doctors were not able to tell her parents exactly what pain or symptoms she may get over the years. Despite all of this, Lizzie took her first steps at eight months old and has not let her condition hold her back. She attends regular school and even started judo lessons when she was three. WellChild works for children and young people with all kinds of serious illnesses and conditions.

 

• Eight-year-old Bradley has both Down’s Syndrome and Spinal Muscular Atrophy making him possibly the only child in the world known to have both conditions. He is unable to walk or sit up on his own, has had metal rods inserted into his spine, is fed through a tube, and sleeps so little that he can wake more than 20 times a night. His parents realised they needed more help with Bradley’s complex conditions, and were put in touch with a WellChild Nurse. That Nurse has relieved the pressure on the family by offering vital support and putting more care in place – including extra help through the night. Bradley is now able to attend school where he is thriving. WellChild Nurses help children like Bradley to be cared for at home with their families rather than in hospital.

 

• Eight-year-old Chloe had brain surgery to remove a very large cyst at the age of three which affected some of her nerves and her ability to swallow. The surgery also caused excess fluid in her brain and caused a heart attack. She became ill again six years later and had surgery to remove a blockage of fluid in her spinal cord, which again affected her ability to swallow, her sight and even her smile. When Chloe’s needs became too complex, a WellChild Nurse stepped in to co-ordinate all the different carers involved and to make sure the family’s voice was heard. That WellChild Nurse has helped to train Chloe’s parents to carry our some of the procedures their daughter needs, and Chloe has now been home from hospital for seven months.

 

Incredible fundraising for the love of Bryony

The Aveyard family from York who are fundraising for WellChild in memory of their daughter Bryony have now raised an incredible £40,000.

The ‘For the Love of Bryony’ appeal has seen the family and many friends and supporters from the York area and beyond take part in a whole range of fundraising events. One key event was the Great North Run in which a large team of ‘For the Love of Bryony’ runners completed the race.

Bryony Aveyard was only 11 years old when she was struck down with a brain haemorrhage and died last year. Now her mum and dad are determined to raise as much money as possible for WellChild in her memory.

Her mum Kath Aveyard said: “Losing Bryony has been unbearable, but it has certainly made us appreciate what wonderful people there are in the world.”

The latest event the family is organising is a dinner, dance and auction at the Royal York Hotel on November 28. Tickets for the black-tie event cost £35.

To support the For the Love of Bryony appeal visit their just giving page at www.justgiving.com/bryonyaveyard

For the full story on the Aveyards' latest fundraising success see the article on the family in the York Evening Press

here.

 

Shelbi's big day at Wembley

WellChild Award winner Shelbi Grist from Hampshire had a fantastic experience on Wednesday October 14 when she attended the England football game at Wembley as a guest of the England players.

WellChild are partners with the Team England Footballers Charity so they invited Shelbi, 15, along to watch England’s three-nil victory over Belarus in their final World Cup qualifier.

Shelbi won the WellChild Award for Bravest Child, aged 12 to 15 at the ceremony in London on September 28.

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer said: “We are delighted Shelbi had such a wonderful time watching the England match. Her bravery was an inspiration at the WellChild Awards which is why Team England invited her to the game.”

Shelbi was delighted to attend the match. A keen sportswoman, she plays wheelchair basketball and was thrilled to watch the England football team in action.

After the match Shelbi said: Thank you so much. Wembley was amazing. It's so pretty. The match was amazing too! It was a brilliant experience.”

 

A helping hand for Georgie Mae

A hard working team of volunteers has taken part in a WellChild Helping Hands project to transform the garden of a little girl from Stockport to make it a safe, cheerful place for her to play.

Eight year old Georgie Mae is severely physically disabled and has epilepsy. This means she is completely dependant on her mother Paula Thomas for her daily needs. There is no specific diagnosis for her condition but it affects her breathing, she is fed via a tube and she is visually impaired.

Georgie Mae’s garden was completely inaccessible to her in her wheelchair and had no sensory elements for her to enjoy. Transforming the garden will give her a safe and stimulating place to play as she grows up.

A team of volunteer workers from Stockport Council Children’s Disability Team, gave up their time to work on the garden at her home in Stockport. They  built a ramp and path leading down the garden with raised beds of sensory plants along the way - leading to a shaded seating area at the end of the garden – which was previously an area covered in waste and bricks.

Georgie Mae’s mum Paula said: “It is absolutely fantastic. I can’t believe that all this work was done in one day. There is no way I could have ever got this garden without the help of the volunteers and of WellChild.

“I can’t believe we have got a garden Georgie can go out in. She has been out in it already and she just loves it. It will make a big difference to her because the garden can be her bit of fresh air.”

Lee Trunks, the WellChild Helping Hands Project Manager, said he was delighted with the way the project had gone.

“We were able to make a real difference to the garden and I’m sure Georgie Mae will get a great deal of use out of it,” he said.

“I’d like to thank the staff from the Disability Team for putting their heart and soul into the job and doing their bit to improve the life of a seriously ill child. They worked through really heavy rain and kept on smiling until the end!”

Simply Supplements supports WellChild

WellChild, the national charity for sick children, is to receive support in the coming year from Simply Supplements who have made us their charity of the year partner.

Simply Supplements is one of the most rapidly expanding mail order and online vitamins and minerals companies in the UK, selling more than 300 products ranging from traditional vitamins and minerals to herbal extracts and supplements. 

As a first step in their support for WellChild Simply Supplements will be undertaking a promotional campaign launching this month through to the New Year – in which they will be donating £1 to WellChild from every sale of their new and exclusive hematite magnetic bracelet.  The bracelets come in the form of attractive jewellery with the added benefit of magnetic therapy, which is believed by many people to naturally support health and wellbeing. The bracelets are for sale through Simply Supplements’ mail order brochures and on their website www.simplysupplements.co.uk

WellChild and Simply Supplements will also be actively exploring a variety of other ways in working together to raise vital funds such as staff fundraising activities and other product related promotions.

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer said he is delighted Simply Supplements have been able to offer support to WellChild.

“For a company like Simply Supplements to want to get involved with WellChild makes perfect sense,” he said. “We hope that their partnership with us proves fruitful and useful for us both.”

“WellChild very much appreciates the support of corporate partners to help us with our work with seriously ill children and their families in the UK. Firms who support us know that, by doing so, they are able to give something back by helping some of the most vulnerable members of our society.”

Carole Davidson, Marketing Executive at Simply Supplements also celebrated the new partnership with WellChild saying: “Whilst at times like these, customers are looking for discounts and promotions when it comes to buying daily essentials such as supplements, we also feel that it really is time to move forwards with optimism. Our support for the amazing WellChild charity provides customers with a fresh and welcome burst of positivity as well as an opportunity to join us in supporting the national children’s charity in improving the quality of life of so many young people across the UK.”

Ozleworth Family fun day a success for WellChild

More than 800 people flocked to the beautiful 12 acre garden of Ozleworth Park Estate on Sunday to raise money for WellChild, the Cheltenham based national charity for sick children.

In glorious sunshine visitors gathered from across the area to explore the gardens near Wotton-Under-Edge and enjoy a programme of events including a craft fair, face painting, traditional fete games, tombola, obstacle course, teak garden furniture sale, plant stalls, refreshments and music.

In all WellChild raised more than £4,200 at the event which will go towards care, support and research to help seriously ill children throughout the UK. The event was such a success that it is planned to do it all over again in August.

WellChild events organiser Stacey Yeates said the day was a huge success.

“We had a great day in the sunshine and everybody really enjoyed themselves,” she said. “The gardens are wonderful and I would like to thank Mr and Mrs Stone for allowing us to hold the event. It’s great that people in Gloucestershire are willing to come out and support WellChild in this way.”

Ozleworth Park Estate, owned by Mr and Mrs Stone, has been restored over a period of 16 years and consists of 12 acres of garden, which include vegetable plots, rose garden, orchard, wild flowers, greenhouse and woodland area. There are lily ponds and a small lake with a Victorian bathhouse. The church within the estate is open to the public.

WellChild staff volunteer a Helping Hand for Lewis

A hard working team of Cheltenham volunteers has taken part in a WellChild Helping Hands project to transform the garden of a little boy to make it a safe, cheerful place for him to play.

The team of Gloucestershire workers travelled down to Weston-Super-Mare on Tuesday and Wednesday July 21 and 22 to carry out the work. 15 members of office staff from the Cheltenham HQ of WellChild, the national charity for sick children, were involved in the transformation of the garden.

11-year-old Lewis has Downs Syndrome and a number of other serious health conditions. He gets tired very easily and is unable to visit the park to play. Lewis is an outgoing and playful boy who lives with his mum Lisa. Due to limited resources and physical issues she was unable to transform the garden to make it suitable for him to play. As a result he got very frustrated which had a negative impact on his development. Transforming the garden will give him a safe and stimulating place to play as he grows up.

The team of office staff gave up their time to work on the garden transformation which included converting the garden shed to a camouflaged play space, tidying the lawn and landscaping borders, creating an area for a swing, painting and decorating walls and installing lighting.

Usually teams from local businesses volunteer to do the work on Helping Hands projects but the Cheltenham staff wanted to do this one themselves so they could experience first hand the hard work which goes into the projects.

WellChild’s Communications Officer Chris Hill of Kingsholm, Gloucester, was among those who took part in the project. He said: “It was hard work as it rained all day on Tuesday when we had lots of landscaping and heavy lifting to do. We were wet, muddy and tired by the end of the day, but I know how much my two boys enjoy playing in our garden and the thought we were making Lewis’s garden a safe, fun place for him to play made it all worthwhile.”

Lewis’s mum Lisa said: “Thank you all so much you were like knights in shining armour – turning up and giving Lewis something I could never have given him.”

Lee Trunks, of Cheltenham, the WellChild Helping Hands Project Manager, said he was delighted with the way the project had gone. “We were able to make a real difference to the garden and I’m sure Lewis will get a great deal of use out of it. I’d like to thank the staff for putting their heart and soul into the job and doing their bit to improve the life of a seriously ill child.”

Helping Hands for Ben

A hard working team of WellChild volunteers has transformed the bedroom and garden of a little boy from Penketh, Warrington, to make them a safe, cheerful place for him to play.

Eight year old Ben Callander has Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diapligia which means he cannot walk and needs a wheelchair. He can use walking sticks to travel short distances and at home he mostly crawls to get from place to place.

Ben is an independent young lad and wanted a more grown-up bedroom with specialist storage at his level so he could choose his own clothes. He is football mad and tries to play with his brothers in the garden which can lead to a muddy mess.

A team of workers from SSL International gave up their time to work on the bedroom and garden at Ben’s home in Penketh.  In the garden they managed to repaint and fix all the garden fences, sand and stain the decking, dig up the lawn and replace it with fake grass - which involved laying a tonnes of sand and hardcore, lay a wood bark border and put up a football net. In Ben’s bedroom they were able to repaint the room and make it Liverpooll football club themed with curtains, bedding, lampshade and pictures, they were also able to create new storage for Ben’s clothes and a computer desk he could get his mobility chair under.

Ben’s mum Bernie was delighted with the transformation. She said: “Thanks a million – you have given us this amazing present, we cannot believe it. Ben kept asking us if it was just a dream and thought it was as exciting as Christmas, thank you.”

Lee Trunks, the WellChild Helping Hands Project Manager, said he was delighted with the way the project had gone. We were able to make a real difference to the bedroom and garden and I’m sure Ben will get a great deal of use out of it,” he said.

“I’d like to thank the staff from SSL International for putting their heart and soul into the job and doing their bit to improve the life of a seriously ill child.”

A day out with Prince William

Prince William was dubbed ‘ Prince of Cuddles ’ by national newspapers as he joined seriously ill children and their families for a special day out in the Lake District. The Prince boarded a steamer on Ullswater Lake and chatted with Lily Slater ( 5) and Thomas Arrol (11) both from Tyne and Wear , Emily Bealing (10) from Manchester, Jade Arnell (12) from Merseyside and Oliver Booth (10) and Harrison Holmes (8) both from Barrow in Furness. Some of the children had been named as winners in the prestigious national WellChild Awards last year for their bravery in coping with a serious medical condition .

The day, which was organised and hosted by Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW), was to give seriously ill children and their families an enjoyable day out.  MREW and WellChild are linked through their joint participation on The Princes’ Charities Forum. The children had fun exploring the Mountain Rescue Centre at Patterdale before chatting to Prince William on board the steamer. The Prince also met staff from WellChild and learned how the charity supports sick children and their families throughout the UK as they deal with the consequences of serious illnesses and complex conditions. 

Lily’s Mum, Shirley said: “For children like Lily whose lives have been taken over by their illness, something like this makes such a difference. It can be hard for the whole family, especially when we are separated because Lily is in hospital. We are really grateful to WellChild for recognising how special Lily is and giving us all this wonderful opportunity.”

WellChild’s Director of Programmes, Linda Partridge, commented: “We are delighted that Prince William chose to hear first hand these amazing stories of bravery and moving accounts of care and support. It was wonderful to see how thrilled everyone was to meet the Prince on this truly memorable day.”  See here for a video of the day.

£20,000 raised for the love of Bryony

 

Bryony Aveyard was only 11 years old when she was struck down with a brain haemorrhage and died last year. Now her mum and dad are determined to raise as much money as possible for WellChild in her memory.

And already the York familiy's amazing fundraising effort has seen them raise almost £20,000 for the cause.

Bryony's mum Katherine Aveyard said: “We are speechless at the generosity and kindness of people. We now are just pounds off £20,000 and that’s in two months - our £55,000 target is getting nearer. Michael Green, of Stockton Lane, did the Round The Islands Yacht Race and has so far raised over a thousand pounds and donations are still coming in, while next door at Stockton Lane they held an open garden and raised an amazing £2,005.33 and they still have donations coming too."

To support the For the Love of Bryony appeal visit their just giving page at www.justgiving.com/bryonyaveyard

For the full story on the Aveyards' latest fundraising success see the article on the family in the York Evening Press here.

 

Beauty and the Beast treat for children at Everyman Theatre

Sick children were given a treat at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham this week when they attended a performance of Beauty and the Beast and met the cast of the show.

WellChild, the national charity for sick children, which is based in Cheltenham organised the visit with the Everyman to brighten the lives of seriously ill children from Cheltenham and the South West.

The theatre kindly donated tickets for children and their families for the matinee performance on Thursday July 9. And after the performance the excited children got to meet the cast – still wearing full costume and make-up.

Leo of Cheltenham came to the show with his mum. Leo is a four year old boy who has a complex illness which includes Cerebral Palsy, developmental delay and other conditions. He has to spend a lot of time in hospital so was really happy to be coming to see a show at the theatre.

A group of nine pupils also came to the show from the Springfields School, Calne in Wiltshire. Pupils with emotional and learning disabilities attend the school from across the South-West region. The school’s headmaster Trystan Williams won a WellChild award for his work in 2008 as the UK’s Best School Professional.

Mrs Brenda Hulbert, a Team Leader at the school said: “It’s absolutely fantastic for the children being here today. These kinds of experiences are few and far between for these children and they have had a fantastic time today. They have been so excited about coming here!”

Colin Dyer, WellChild Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to have this relationship with the Everyman and are grateful they have been able to help sick children in this way. All children love live theatre and it is a great treat for them to be able to come along and enjoy themselves and maybe forget their troubles for a little while.”

Jackie McKenzie, press and marketing officer for the Everyman Theatre said: "We are delighted to have forged links with the WellChild charity which has its HQ in Cheltenham. And to mark that, we were able to invite children and their families to enjoy a trip to see Disney's Beauty and the Beast being performed at the Everyman and to meet Belle and the Beast afterwards.  We fully support the aims of WellChild and hope to be able to link up for similar events in the near future."

Beauty and the Beast runs at the Everyman, Cheltenham until Saturday July 18, and tickets are available from the box office on 01242 572573.

 

England star surprises caring young award winner

England and Manchester United legend Gary Neville paid a surprise visit to Hawthorns Community School in Audenshaw, Manchester today (Wednesday) to break some shock news to 15-year-old Ashley Oldham from Ashton-under-Lyne.

Ashley has been named as the country’s Most Caring Child by WellChild – who are currently working in partnership with the Team England Footballers Charity – and the teenager will be off to collect his Award in September when he attends the prestigious 2009 WellChild Awards ceremony on London’s Park Lane.

Having been nominated by his brother's teacher, Moira Thompson, at the Hawthorns school, and then chosen as a winner by WellChild's Awards judging panel - it was left to Gary Neville to deliver the news to Ashley and his family. Gary's visit was part of an 18-month partnership which sees the Team England Footballers Charity supporting WellChild and the England players donating international match fees, as well as their time, to raise awareness of WellChild's vital services for sick children.

Ashley’s younger brother Nathan has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, and was picked from record numbers of nominations to win the Most Caring Child category in the 2009 WellChild Awards, which celebrate the courage of children and young people coping with serious health problems as well as recognising doctors, nurses, teachers, brothers and sisters who go the extra mile to make a difference to the lives of sick children.

Ashley will receive his Award at the fifth Annual WellChild Awards ceremony on 28th September at the InterContinental Hotel on London’s Park Lane. The ceremony will be a star-studded event which has been attended by many of WellChild’s celebrity supporters, including Royal Patron Prince Harry, over the past few years.

Watch a video of Gary Neville's visit here.

 

Helping Hands at Addenbrookes Hospital

A hard working team of WellChild volunteers has transformed the garden of a children’s ward at Addenbrookes Hospital to give the sick children who are treated there somewhere great to play.

WellChild, the national charity for sick children, carried out a Helping Hands project at the hospital to renovate the garden outside the hospital’s D2 ward. A team of volunteers from Cambridge Broadband Networks gave up their time to provide the workforce for the project

The children’s play area and garden at the hospital has helped lots of children get back on the road to recovery – but it was so well used that it had become run down and was in need of some TLC.

The volunteers succeeded in making the garden a fun space for all to enjoy. New flooring areas were added, parts of the lawn were reseeded and beds and borders were replanted. The existing equipment and furniture was rejuvenated and fun outdoor activities such as a chalk board and large chess board were added.

Lee Trunks, the WellChild Helping Hands Project Manager, said he was delighted with the way the project had gone.

“We were able to make a real difference to the garden and I’m sure the children will get a great deal of use out of it,” he said.

“I’d like to thank the staff from Cambridge Broadband Networks for putting their heart and soul into the job and doing their bit to improve the lives of seriously ill children.”

Christine Baines, a spokesman for the hospital, was delighted by the transformation of the garden by the WellChild Helping Hands team.

She said: “Thank you so much for all your hard work, the garden looks amazing – it’s so much better. The children are going to love it.

“There are so many little things that have been done for the kids to enjoy. We love the chalk board and the chess board.”

 

Our great day on HMS Gloucester

A group of seven sick children and their parents were invited on board HMS Gloucester earlier this year by WellChild. Here two of the children who went on the trip tell us about their experiences on the day.

Luke Biggs, aged 10

"I had a great time with my family and others at the Portsmouth trip. We parked right on the docks, right next to the big ships.

"We first went on HMS Gloucester where two of the crew showed us around. We saw the big missile launcher and went up on the bridge and sat in he Captain’s chair (apparently no-one else is allowed to sit there!)

"The ship didn’t really look that big but it was like a maze on all the different levels, narrow corridors and steep steps. We went to the mess and had a nice lunch: sandwiches, Irish crisps and loads of cakes!

"Then we went on HMS Victory. We had a naval officer giving us our own tour - he took us everywhere and told us lots of interesting facts and stories. He told us that navy people have to sleep on the ship to protect it and he said it was haunted. He had heard footsteps on the floor level above, when there was no-one there and that he had heard animal noises coming from the mangers right at the bottom of the ship - it was dark and a bit spooky down there! It was a very interesting day and my family and I really enjoyed it - thanks WellChild"

Lizzie Lansley, aged 9

"I had a fantastic  day! John, our guide, told us lots of stories and told us what a sailor’s compass was!

"I made a new friend, Solly, and she was in my group. We both got to sit in the captain’s chair and John let us wear his cap! We got to eat lunch in the officer’s mess, the deserts were mouth watering (I had to have seconds)!

"After lunch we said goodbye to John and went to look at the HMS Victory. It was very small and I could only just about stand up! We got to see were Lord Nelson slept, ate and gave his orders and I got to stand on the spot were he fell on the deck!

"After that we went to the HMS Victory Museum and then to Action Stations were I got to play on the displays and got to go wall climbing! I can’t wait to go back and take my best friend Katy! Thank you WellChild for a fantastic day."

 

England star Joleon Lescott visits WellChild children

 

England and Everton defender Joleon Lescott joined WellChild Children’s Nurse Elaine Hardiman and some of the children she cares for in Alder Hey Hospital on April 29 to see first hand how the Team England Footballers' Charity is working with WellChild – the national charity for sick children.

Lescott joined WellChild Nurse Elaine at the Transitional Care Unit at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool – where he met young people and their families and took the chance to see the essential support provided to seriously ill children by WellChild Children’s Nurses around the country.

The Transitional Care Unit at Alder Hey is a six-bed centre situated within the grounds of the hospital.  The unit acts as a temporary home for children whose conditions are stable enough for them to stay while their transition from hospital to home is arranged. Many of the children on the unit are on long-term ventilation and receive care from the nurses as well as their parents during the stay.

Rather than having the feel of a hospital ward, the centre acts as a ‘home from home’ environment for the children and therefore has a more relaxed feel. WellChild Nurse, Elaine Hardiman works with many of the families currently situated on this unit, and liaises with all of the health professionals needed to create a care package for the child to return home full time.

Joleon’s visit was part of an 18-month partnership which sees the Team England Footballers Charity supporting WellChild’s work right up until the end of the 2010 World Cup.

 

The England players will donate international match fees as well as their time to WellChild to help raise awareness of the charity’s vital services for sick children and their families as they cope with the consequences of serious illness and complex conditions.

Among the children who met Lescott was two-year-old Madison Kennedy-Finglas who was born with a heart problem and a small right lung and has been at Alder Hey since birth. Madison has been on the Transitional Care Unit for over a year whilst WellChild Nurse Elaine and a team of community medical professional’s co-ordinate the very complex process of getting her home, including recruiting and training of carers. The family are hoping to take Madison home at the end of May.

Madison’s mother Danielle said: “In order for Madison to come home from hospital she will need up to seven care staff and a lot of equipment that all has to be arranged. Without our WellChild nurse Elaine co-ordinating it all we would be lost and I’m sure that if it hadn’t been for her it would have taken significantly longer to get Madison home.”

WellChild’s team of children’s nurses provide care and support to seriously ill children and their families across the UK, many of whom have complex and long term illness, and need specialist equipment and medical support. As well as providing treatment for children, WellChild nurses often assist families in setting up complicated care packages to allow their child to be cared for out of hospital and in the comfort of their home.

The team of WellChild Children’s Nurses are just one of the many projects funded by the national charity. In addition, WellChild doctors, nurses and researchers work tirelessly to improve the treatment and care of sick children – with WellChild research projects working in a wide range of areas including diabetes, liver disease, pain management in children, cancer, congenital heart disease, cystic fibrosis and inherited genetic conditions.

See a video of Joleon meeting the children here.

 

 

Congratulations to our London Marathon heroes

Our fantastic London Marathon runners did themselves and WellChild proud on Sunday battling round the course on a hot and sunny day in central London and raising lots of money for sick children and their families in the process.

Every one of the 220 WellChild runners put in a brilliant display and our enthusiastic team of staff and volunteers made sure that they were cheered loudly round the course. Our runners were well looked after at the end of the race with a reception at the Guards Museum including food and massages for tired legs.

Special mention must go to Robert Schooling of Warrington who ran the marathon in our massive Nessa the Nurse mascot costume, achieving the incredible time of five hours and attracting a huge amount of media and public support on the way.

The costume weighs around two stone and is one of the tallest ever to take part in the London marathon.

After the finish line Robert was mobbed by fellow runners, family and other supporters who wanted to say well done and have their picture taken with him. And he got a hero’s welcome as he walked into the WellChild reception – still wearing the giant costume.

Read Daily Telegraph Sports Editor David Bond's account of how he was beaten in the race by Robert Schooling as Nessa the Nurse here.

Among our other runners was Sara Raybould who completed the mathathon for WellChild dressed as Princess Leia from Star Wars.

The weather stayed hot and sunny throughout the day which was great for the supporters along the course – but not so great for the runners who had to contend with the heat and possible dehydration as well as the 26 mile run.

But it was a day of celebration and fun as WellChild runners and volunteers proved they will go the extra mile to help seriously ill children and their families.

If you would like to apply for a WellChild place at the 2010 London marathon you can find more details here.

 

England star Emile visits WellChild kids

England and Aston Villa striker Emile Heskey launched the Team England Footballers' Charity partnership with WellChild – the national charity for sick children – when he joined WellChild Children’s Nurse Jo Bennett and some of the children she cares for in the Birmingham area on April 21.

Heskey joined WellChild Nurse Jo at the Wilson Stuart School and Sports College in Erdington, Birmingham for the afternoon – where he met young people and their families and took the chance to see the essential support provided to seriously ill children by WellChild Children’s Nurses around the country.

The visit was the first activity in an 18-month partnership which sees the Team England Footballers Charity supporting WellChild’s work right up until the end of the 2010 World Cup. The England players will donate international match fees as well as their time to WellChild to help raise awareness of the charity’s vital services for sick children and their families as they cope with the consequences of serious illness and complex conditions.

Among the excited children who met Heskey was three-year-old Lucie Coles who was born prematurely and has since developed chronic lung disease and muscle weakness. WellChild Children’s Nurse Jo became involved with Lucie’s care when she was just eight weeks old, and she has been on hand for the family ever since.

Lucie’s mother Amanda said: “WellChild changed our lives. I really don’t know what I would have done without them. Jo has always been there whenever we need her to give invaluable advice and support. She really is our lifeline.”

WellChild’s team of children’s nurses provide care and support to seriously ill children and their families across the UK, many of whom have complex and long term illness, and need specialist equipment and medical support. As well as providing treatment for children, WellChild Nurses often assist families in setting up complicated care packages to allow their child to be cared for out of hospital and in the comfort of their home.

The team of WellChild Children’s Nurses are just one of the many projects funded by the national charity. In addition, WellChild doctors, nurses and researchers work tirelessly to improve the treatment and care of sick children – with WellChild research projects working in a wide range of areas including diabetes, liver disease, pain management in children, cancer, congenital heart disease, cystic fibrosis and inherited genetic conditions. See a video of Emile Heskey's visit here.

Family fun day was a success

The rain failed to dampen spirits as around two hundred people gathered at the beautiful 12 acre garden of Ozleworth Park Estate on Sunday May 17 to raise money for WellChild.

Despite the weather visitors gathered from across the area to explore the gardens near Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire, and enjoy a programme of events including a farmer’s market, face painting, bird handling, fete games, refreshments and music.

In all WellChild raised more than £1,200 at the event which will go towards care, support and research to help seriously ill children throughout the UK. The event was such a success that it is planned to do it all over again in August.

WellChild director of communications Colin Dyer said: “We would like to thank everyone for turning up and making the event such an enjoyable afternoon, despite the pouring rain. It’s great that the people if Gloucestershire are willing to support us like this and hopefully at our next Ozleworth event in August, there will be blazing sunshine!”

Ozleworth Park Estate, owned by Mr and Mrs Stone, has been restored over a period of 16 years and consists of 12 acres of garden, which include vegetable plots, rose garden, orchard, wild flowers, greenhouse and woodland area. There are lily ponds and a small lake with a Victorian bathhouse. The church within the estate is open to the public.

To find out more about our next event at Ozleworth click here.

Water way to raise money!

While most of us were taking it easy over Easter spare a thought for the brave souls who successfully completed the huge challenge of the Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race in order to raise money for WellChild.

We had two groups raising money for us. One team was made up of 18 school pupils lead by Anastasia Steed and Roseanna Perry from Kelly College, Tavistock. The other was the two man team of Richard Carlisle and David Snell.

All the competitors endured many months of gruelling training which they have had to fit around their hours at work or school. They all used double racing kayaks which they become very accustomed to during training, when they were out on the water as early as 5am on some mornings.

The marathon, dubbed by many as the ‘Canoeists Everest’, is a three-day race which has been held annually over the Easter weekend since 1948. The course is 125 miles long and has 77 portages, with the first half along the Kennet and Avon Canal and the final sections along the river Thames. Many canoeists will paddle on average of 31 miles each day, with only the comfort of a tent and sleeping bag at night before they are up again at dawn to race again.

“The determination and the endurance that everyone showed is fantastic” said WellChild Challenge Event Manager Karl Gwilliam. “We are delighted with the support that the teams are showing with what sounds like a tremendously gruelling challenge and grateful for the donations which will make such a difference to the children that we work with.”

To make a donation and support Anastasia and Rosanna along with all the other students from Kelly College taking part then please visit here.  To make a donation and support Richard and David and find our more about how their journey went, please visit here. 

 

Helping Hands hard at work

Our hard working Helping Hands team managed to complete three projects in March, improving the lives of sick children and their families.

In East Dulwich volunteers from Nokia helped out Joshua, a lovely three year old boy who was recently diagnosed as being autistic. 

Joshua no longer communicates with anything other than noises and is constantly in a world of his own. His communication difficulties cause him problems in interacting socially and playing imaginatively.

Joshua’s mum wanted to give him a stimulating and fun room to help engage with him, so WellChild and the team of volunteers from Nokia decided to help. We managed to re-paint the whole room, put up new curtains and a shelf, paint two mural walls and provide themed items for the room.

In Ashton-Under-Lyne we completed a garden makeover for Cameron and his family with the help of Business in the Community, Manchester.

Cameron has a brain tumour and brain damage.  He can no longer walk, talk or move for himself and relies totally on the care of his parents.  He is unable to cope with busy and noisy environments as the extra stimulus is very distressing to him.

During the project we managed to replace the fence panels, re-erect the back fence and stain it, lay an area of soft flooring, lay a new lawn, erect a special swing and build a raised flower bed.

Cameron’s mum Kimberly said: “We are so grateful for everything the team have done for us. Cameron loves his new back garden.  We have had lots of nice weather since having it done and have hardly been in the house. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, you have made such a difference to our lives.”

Helping Hands also created a new garden for Connor and his family in Heanor with the help of volunteers from Experian.

Connor has Leukaemia and has had extensive treatment to keep this at bay.  He is currently waiting for a bone marrow transplant.  His family have worked really hard to make their home suitable for Connor and his brothers but simply ran out of steam with all the demands on their time.

We managed to clear all the vast amount of debris from the garden and level the remaining turf ready for a soft play area to be installed.  Despite the poor weather the team worked exceptionally hard and managed to complete the project in one day.

Connor’s dad Garrett said: “I walked down the drive and could not believe the amount that had been done.  It is so good it gives us a blank canvas to work with now so we can get the garden sorted for the kids.  Connor was really excited that he will soon have a garden to play in, thank you so much.”

  

 WellChild nurse runs Liverpool half marathon

Warrington man Robert Schooling underwent a gruelling challenge on March 29 when he completed the Liverpool Half Marathon in a 14 ft nurse costume. 

Running for WellChild, Robert was dressed as one of the charity’s specialist children’s nurses and his costume weighs around two stones. Yet he managed to get around the course in the respectable time of two hours ten minutes.

"It was very hot inside the costume, " said Robert. "And it is pretty heavy and awkward but it was absolutely fine."

With more than 4,000 runners taking part, the event saw competitors flock to Liverpool from across the country to race against each other and put themselves to the test.

Yet no-one had to show quite as much endurance as Robert who used the half marathon as a training exercise for the Flora London Marathon in which he is due to run on April 26th.

Robert is looking forward to the challenge that he will face in London and he has received some fantastic support when out training in the mammoth costume around his home town.

“When I was out on my last six mile run I must have had over 300 people wave and beep their car horns in support of me” said Robert. “There was even one man who was that impressed that he stopped me to give all the change he had in his pocket. It was £4.50, which will all go towards my target and help WellChild’s work with sick children.”

To support Robert in his marathon challenge, visit his just giving page here.

 

For the love of Bryony

 

Bryony Aveyard was only 11 years old when she was struck down with a brain haemorrhage and died last year. Now her mum and dad are determined to raise as much money as possible for WellChild in her memory.

Bryony was a sporty girl who played for York Vikings basketball team so, as a fitting tribute to her, mum Katherine and dad Rob have put together a team of 20 runners to tackle the great North Run in September 2009. With this and other fundraising events they aim to raise an amazing £55,000 to support WellChild’s work with sick children – enough to pay for a WellChild nurse for a year.

The death of their beautiful daughter came completely out of the blue as she was extremely fit and hardly ever ill. Bryony had gone to bed feeling fine after playing a basketball match one evening last September but she woke up in the early hours with a headache.

On the advice of their doctor they raced her to casualty but as Rob carried Bryony to the doors of York hospital in his arms she stopped breathing. Doctors fought to save her and she was later transferred to Leeds General Infirmary where she had an operation to remove a blood clot from her brain. But she was in a coma, unable to breathe unaided, and her parents had to take the heart-breaking decision to turn off her life support.

After Bryony’s death the family was told it was caused by an undetected condition she was born with called AVM which affects the connection of veins and arteries.

Now the family want to do all they can to help other sick children in her name. They have a big programme of events planned for the next 12 months including a launch night at the David Lloyd gym in York, an auction, a quiz, coffee mornings and more. They are asking schools in York to hold a golden mile event where pupils pay a pound to the charity and run a mile.

And their team of runners will tackle the 13 mile Great North Run in September. Runners include Katherine and Rob as well as family and friends. Bryony’s cousin will take part as well as her best friend’s mum. Even the church minister who conducted Bryony’s funeral service will do the run with his son.

“We are doing this to give ourselves something to concentrate on and in memory of Bryony,” said Mrs Aveyard.

“We have had a lot of friends and family who wanted to do something to help us and we thought, since we have done a lot for charity before, that if they wanted to do something for us we would like to do something to help WellChild.

“In this first year when things are really, really difficult it is something we can focus on.”

She hopes raising money for a good cause will help the family, including Bryony’s 15 year old brother James, and show that some good can come out of something bad. She is very grateful to everyone who is supporting the family.

“it’s nice to know that people care,” she said.

To support the family in their appeal visit their just giving page here.

 

All aboard the HMS Gloucester

A group of seven sick children and their parents were invited on board HMS Gloucester on February 28 by WellChild. The trip around the Type 42 Destroyer was made even more special for the families because the ship is not open to the general public.

 

Midshipman John Gabb and Sub-lieutenant Paul Day spent the morning guiding the excited children around the working naval ship where they had the chance to get a feel of what it is like to be part of the crew and took turns to sit in the Captain’s chair.

After lunch the families then had the chance to experience the remaining attractions of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, including HMS Victory, Action Stations, The Royal Navy Museum and The Mary Rose Museum.

One of the children attending was ten-year-old Luke Biggs from Abingdon, Oxfordshire who has benefited from research carried out by WellChild research fellow, Dr Peter Sullivan at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital. Luke was born with Hirschsprung's disease which meant that he could not eat until he was eight-years-old when he underwent a small bowel transplantation. Luke is still on a large amount of daily medication for his condition and is limited to a restricted diet.

 

Luke's dad Ian said: “We've had the most amazing day. Not only did we get a private tour of HMS Gloucester, we also got to have lunch in the Officers' Mess. Luke's had such a fantastic time.”

The one-off tour was made available to children associated with WellChild due to the charities involvement with the Prince’s Forum – a group consisting of members from the many charities of which Prince William and Prince Harry are Patron.

 

Running for WellChild at the Ashby 20

Runners put in a massive effort for WellChild at the Ashby 20 race on Sunday March 22.

The tough 20 mile race, held at Ashby-de-la-Zouch near Derby, is used by many people as a warm up for the London marathon.

A team of WellChild supporters tackled the course to raise much needed funds for our work.

Thanks to Alain Skelding of Normanton photography for this photograph.

To get involved in our running events click here.

 

World famous WellChild

Word of WellChild is spreading across the globe thanks to our energetic supporters.

Claire Cooper and Emma Reynolds are training hard for the London Marathon on April 26 when they intend to raise lots of money for WellChild. So when the pair paid a recent visit to the USA they took the opportunity to show America what WellChild is all about. Here they are in Washington with the iconic Capitol building behind them.

Let’s hope they are just as full of energy at the London Marathon on April 26!