Wirral Donate/News March 09

Wirral Resource Centre and Toy Library

	We are a specialised centre offering OFSTED regulated play therapy sessions to babies and pre-school children with special needs. We have our own qualified team of staff and numerous volunteers at our centre. In addition, we have a full range of professionals who visit and apply therapy on site as appropriate, including Physiotherapists, Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Neo-Natal Nurses.

Each play session is designed to enrich and develop each child's own individual need. We apply specialist techniques mainly through play activities both indoors, in the Nursery and Light Sensory Room, and, outdoors in the adventure playground and Sensory Garden. We have a coffee lounge and quiet library, which in turn offer an opportunity to chat over refreshments or quiet time for parents and carers, whichever the preference. However, although we have so
much to offer parents of children with special needs, we still need to raise money for a new specialised cushioned floor for the small sensory room; a replacement window for the sensory room (need to minimise noise and eliminate drafts) and finally a partitioning section, to create a quiet room, suitable for parents, children, professionals and for meetings of a delicate or confidential nature. Therefore your support is so important to our future development. Find out more about us at: www.wirralresource.co.uk

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MS Society - Wirral Branch

The Wirral Branch of the MS Society continues to expand its wide-ranging support for those in Wirral affected by Multiple Sclerosis. During 2010 we will be actively developing joint working with MS branches in Cheshire to provide separate courses to help both the newly diagnosed and those coming to terms with long term conditions. We are also in the process of starting up a social group for those under 40 with MS.
Our “self-help” activities continue to be much appreciated and well attended. They include aquatherapy, MS Support Centre activities, monthly lunches and domiciliary neuro-physiotherapy. We were especially delighted at the start of the year when, on our behalf, one of our younger members, Suzanne Fenna, collected a cheque for £1,000 from the Wirral Scout Post. The presentation was made at Wallasey Town Hall by the Mayor and Mayoress of Wirral, Councillor and Mrs Andrew Hodson.

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Wirral Donate
NEWS

Wirral Donate NEWS is a newsletter that is produced every six months and will keep you up-to-date on the goings-on of our six charities. Wirral Donate NEWS is also available in pamphlet form. Please contact us for more information. We have an archive of Newsletters and the links for each of these are listed below.

March 2010 Sept 2009 March 2009 Sept 2008 Sept 2007 Feb 2007

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March 2010 Newsletter

The Mitchell Group

An employer’s view

As a company we believe that it is important to support those less fortunate than ourselves and have a corporate commitment to donating 10% of our profits to charities, both at home and abroad.

We also encourage our employees to be equally generous in “giving something back”. Mitchell Group is proud to have been associated with Wirral Donate for over 10 years.

Through small donations, made monthly by our employees via payroll deduction, a difference can be made to many lives within the local community.

We are often quoted the adage “Charity begins at home” – Wirral Donate is a good facilitator in enabling this to happen!

Mark Mitchell
Group Managing Director

Chairman's Report

The snow in January seems a long time ago but it was beautiful, as well as being fun for the children. However, it did last much longer than most of us would have liked, with slippery conditions underfoot.

January, tragically, also brought the horrendous earthquake disaster in Haiti. I am sure that many of you will have responded generously to one of the disaster relief funds that were opened to pay for costs of rescue, provision of emergency aid, food, water, medical equipment and temporary shelters. It is heart warming that people respond so generously in this way.

The routine work being carried out every day by charities helping people in need in this country may seem very routine in contrast. But, routine work can also transform the lives of many and is so very important to our every day life.

The donations given each month, direct from your pay, as well as being tax efficient, are significant because the receiving charities can budget their expenditure in the knowledge that there is a regular income stream.

The six member charities of Wirral Donate are very grateful to you, our donors, and on the following pages the charities describe a little of their current developments and core work, which is made easier with your generous donations to help local people in need.

George Eakin
Chairman, Wirral Donate

Wirral Talking Newspaper

Wirral Talking Newspaper has been serving the visually impaired on the Wirral since its inception in 1983. This service is free to all users and is run entirely by volunteers. As was mentioned in the Autumn Newsletter it was decided, early in 2009, to embark on the change over to digital recording. The old and new systems – Analogue and Digital continue to run side by side with recordings being made in both formats.
The Newspaper now has over 200 listeners on the new system. The Newspaper took the decision to issue new speakers free of charge to all our listeners. The dedicated team of volunteers visit listeners in their own homes to demonstrate the new technology and it has been inspiring to see the listeners embracing it with such enthusiasm and interest.
	A new computer system has meant many hours of extra work but will mean a speedier more reliable service for listeners. We have been able to implement our new systems because of you, our donors, thank you for all your help. We now have the capacity to serve a much wider audience so please remember, if you know anyone who might be interested in receiving the talking Newspaper give them our number 0151 653 4787 and we will be happy to contact them.

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Wirral Autistic Society

In July we will open The Ferns, our new purpose built respite centre, which will provide short stay, emergency, urgent and respite support for people with autism. In addition we will be able to offer half and full day packages using the excellent facilities. Your support has helped us achieve this innovative facility in Wirral.
	With over forty years experience of supporting people with autism, we know only too well the importance of short stay, respite support to both the person with an autistic spectrum condition and their family. Specialist and structured support can really make a difference to the life of a person with autism, and access to high quality short stay, respite care for families who have a family member with autism, helps maintain family stability.
By taking just a short break families can recharge their batteries ready to continue the important role they play every day in supporting the individual person with autism.

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Crossroads Care

Over 6 million people in the UK are carers – that's around one in eight adults, and 3 in 5 people will at some point in their lives become a carer. Crossroads Care provides a lifeline for carers by offering them access to a break from their caring role and the opportunity to recharge their batteries. In December, we were delighted to receive a £25,000 Grant from the Lloyds TSB Foundation. The grant means that we can employ a full-time Club Support Officer, who will provide better support to our existing groups, as well as researching new areas of work to match identified need. Employing a Club Support Officer will ensure that Crossroads Care group work continues to develop, and carers, as well as those they care for, are offered appropriate support
Last year locally, Crossroads Care supported over 600 carers and their families, and we would like to do even more this year. As a registered charity we are heavily reliant on fundraising to support the work that we do. If you are able to help us with our fundraising activities, do please get in touch on 0151 3431960. Your ongoing help, through Wirral Donate, is appreciated!
www.crossroadscaring.com

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Age Concern Wirral

	Age Concern Wirral is continuing to meet the needs of older people over the age of 50 throughout the Borough. At our Devonshire Resource Centre, we have invested significantly and enhanced our facilities with a new wing to specifically care for clients with Early Onset Dementia. This work is much needed on Wirral and instead of clients with this condition seeking support and having to travel away from the area for this help, it can now be accessed locally.
This new facility will enable us to work with the clients, as well as their carers and their children, as whole families can be affected by the demands of this condition. Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease have been very much highlighted in recent days in the media and Age Concern Wirral is pleased to be at the forefront of offering support to clients, carers and the wider families. Our new programme commences in March and will add to the services we currently provide from this Centre, as we reach out to meet the needs of older people on Wirral. These services include Day Care, Bathing, Carers Support, Phone Link, a special service for socially isolated and vulnerable people, and the hub from where 10 Lunch Clubs across Wirral are coordinated. For more information please call 0151 653 4404. These services are helping us reach out to the communities of Wirral and with your support they can flourish because Age Concern Wirral is all about 'adding years to life' and 'life to years'.

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