Have You Booked Your Tandem Skydive Yet?

Part One of fundraising for FREE

Firstly, I would like to say a huge well done to our two skydivers this weekend - Kerry Black and Peter Tucker (pictured below). Both of them have been working hard to reach their fundraising targets and would appreciate any donations however small it may be -
http://www.justgiving.com/kerrenceb or http://www.justgiving.com/petertuckerskydive. 

Pictured: Peter Tucker's Tandem Skydive

Come rain or shine we are eternally grateful to everyone who has undertaken a Tandem Skydive in aid of the Child Brain Injury Trust this year. As we may have mentioned, this year is particularly special to us, it is our 21st Birthday! In 2012 we pledged to raise £210,000 to help us celebrate our birthday. This cannot be achieved without your help. 

Pictured: Kerry Black parachuting

We understand times are hard and raising money for charity may not be the first thing on people's minds, this is why we wanted to let you know you could be doing your Skydive for FREE. All you need to do is raise £395 and your jump will be paid for.

If you are interested, all you need to do is book your jump today with Skyline - www.skylineevents.co.uk, or contact emilyhoney@cbituk.org to help get you started. It is that simple!

Now it's your turn to Skydive 

Once again thank you to Kerry Black and Peter Tucker who thoroughly enjoyed their Tandem Skydive; although Peter did let me know he might not be rushing to do another again. Well done! I look forward to hearing from some more daring skydivers soon. 

Hibs icon Pat Stanton launches drive after charity helps grandson

          

Pat Stanton with Graeme and grandson Oliver. Picture: Ian Georgeson

FOOTBALL legend Pat Stanton has launched a fundraising drive ahead of a charity abseil for his brain-damaged grandson.

The Hibs icon and his wife, Margaret, were left distraught when Oliver Porter, now three, suffered a brain haemorrhage within hours of being born with his twin brother, Luca.

 

A build-up of cerebral fluid meant Oliver then had to undergo emergency surgery aged just two weeks – the first of a series of operations which saw him go under general anaesthetic 30 times and spend the first seven months of his life at the Sick Kids.

 

His parents, Graeme, 41, and Kirsty, 42, who live with Oliver and his four brothers in Tranent, East Lothian, initially struggled under the emotional and financial impact of taking care of their son.

But thanks to support provided by the Child Brain Injury Trust (CBIT), the family has bounced back, with the couple now preparing to send Oliver to nursery.

 

To show their thanks, Graeme plans to abseil from the Forth Bridge to raise thousands of pounds for the charity.

 

Former Scotland captain Pat, 68, who played 398 times for Hibs in the 1960s and 70s, said he hoped as many people as possible would donate.

 

He said: “You hear about brain injury in the papers but suddenly it was happening on our doorstep. It was a different thing altogether. “But CBIT were amazing. They were there to help the family in any way they could.”

 

Mr Porter, branch manager at the Plumb Centre in Hawkhill, said: “There’s a whole lot of pressure there that you just won’t experience until something like a brain injury actually happens. You try to keep your marriage and your kids’ lives as normal as possible, but things very nearly fell apart. “It was a battle to get anything at first – advice on benefits and other kinds of support – but the charity were great. They’ve taken the kids out and about to places like the climbing arena at Ratho where we got to meet other families living with brain injury. “We realised we weren’t alone and it’s important that we give something back to them.”

 

Mrs Porter, a part-time human resources worker for RBS, said: “I think there has to be a lot more support for families like ours and the profile of brain injury needs to be boosted in Scotland.”

 

Claire Murray, CBIT regional fundraising officer for Scotland, said: “These donations mean we can keep supporting local families.”

 

Donations can be made at virginmoneygiving.com

 

Copy c/o Edinburgh Evening News

54 Miles to Glory!

Team 70 2e2 Toes complete the Caledonian Challenge

A team of intrepid adventurers from IT service providers 2e2's Edinburgh office completed the gruelling Caledonian Challenge this summer to raise funds for our Scottish project.  The Challenge means walking 54 miles in 24 hours - difficult but most definitely achievable!

Here, team leader Carol Sharkey tells us why you should think about taking on this Challenge!

Stunning scenerey on the West Highland Way

"Have you been inspired by the Grand slam triumph of Andy Murray? the sideburns of Wiggo reaching down to his yellow jersey? or the achievements of our Olympians and paralympians? Have you sat on the sofa looking for a challenge that gives you the opportunity to shine?

If so, you might be interested in setting up a crack team to undertake the Caledonian Challenge (54 miles in 24 hours) or the Caledonian Hike (24 miles in 12 hours) on 15th-16th June 2013.

Team ready to take on the Challenge!

This will test you mentally, physically and emotionally but the sense of achievement and the money you will raise for so many good causes together with the promise of some very spectacular scenery along the route will make it all worthwhile."

Interested? Contact Claire Murray at clairemurray@cbituk.org

Read more about the Caledonian Challenge here: www.caledonianchallenge.com and about 2e2 here: www.2e2.com.

A Year in a Hammock

A big well done to Robert Challinor who spent a whole year sleeping in a hammock to raise money for the Child Brain Injury Trust. 

Robert with his sister, Kelly, and his mum, Carol.

In August 2011 Robert Challinor set out to spend a whole year sleeping in a hammock in his back garden to raise money for the Child Brain Injury Trust; on Thursday 30th August 2012 that year came to an end. Robert had made it through the extreme weather, and even had his trusty companion Duke by his side under the stars.

 Duke - not looking as proud as Robert!

Robert chose to fundraise for both the Child Brain Injury Trust and Magpas after his sister sustained a brain injury in a riding accident. Magpas paramedics provided inital treatment for his sister and the Child Brain Injury Trust have since supported the family.

Robert initially set himself a target of £1 per night; however, he has managed to raise over £3000 and still counting. If you are inspired by Robert's challenge there is still time to make a donation. http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserPage.action?userUrl=TeamMac&faId=142253&isTeam=false .

Robert's inventive form of fundraising has attracted quite the crowd; Rob was even privileged to a night camping out with Ray Mears!

Robert's den where he slept for the year

We would like to thank Robert for his dedication over the year. This shows us how outrageous fundraising can be - so don't just think about doing a skydive, set yourself a personal challenge or showcase your talents. We look forward to hearing from you all - emilyhoney@cbituk.org.

A Night at the Opera

Hodge Jones and Allen LLP to hold a charity Gala Opera Evening in aid of the Child Brain Injury Trust.

For those of you who are opera fans this is an event not to be missed. On Thursday 27th September, Hodge Jones and Allen LLP will be presenting a Gala Opera Evening in aid of the Child Brain Injury Trust.

There will be a selection of operatic arias, duets and ensemble numbers sung by three of London's finest young artists. the highlights are set to be songs from Mozart's Don Giovanni, Verdi's La Traviata, Puccini's La Boheme and many more.

This event will be held in Hodge Jones and Allen LLP's London offices located in North Gower Street.

Admission is only £20 with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to the Child Brain Injury Trust.

If you are interested in attending the event then please contact emilyhoney@cbituk.org. Tickets are selling fast, so be quick!

Myself and Lisa Turan will be attending on behalf of the charity and look forward to seeing you there.

21 Hours Later...

Congratulations to Stuart Bichard, John Askew and Guy Clarkson who bravely set out to walk for 21 hours along the Ridgeway to help us celebrate our  21st Birthday this year!

Stuart, John and Guy at the finish.

In support of the Child Brain Injury Trust, Stuart, John  and Guy set off at 3am yesterday morning and walked for 21 hours travelling from Avebury in Wiltshire and arriving safe and sound at the pub in Goring on Thames later that evening - ready for some well deserved drinks!

As you may know the Child Brain Injury Trust decided to accept the challenge of turning 21 this year by pledging to raise £210,000 in celebration of all our, and your, hard work over the years. Thanks to Stuart, John and Guy we are one step closer.

We would like to congratulate the boys for their hard work and determination; they have managed to raise an amazing £2303.75 so far, and if you haven't pledged your support yet then visit their virgin money page now.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stuartandjohn&isTeam=true

If you have any fundraising ideas to help us celebrate our 21st Birthday, then we would love to hear from you, simply email emilyhoney@cbituk.org. We look forward to hearing from you! And one last cheer for the boys!

Scottish Family Day and BBQ 2012

Fun in the sun at Blair Drummond Safari Park
 

Cheese! Families, CBIT staff and Digby Brown volunteers.

This year's summer BBQ was one of our best attended events ever - perhaps due to the appearance of the notoriously shy Scottish sunshine!

We were delighted to welcome some new families along, and to catch up with more familiar faces.  Digby Brown solicitors sponsored this year's event, meaning that entry to the park and all the food was free to all our families. They also provided some extremely popular animal-shaped balloons for everyone to take home! And fab new light reflecting 'slap wraps' too. Their volunteers on the day were a huge help to Mary, Beth and Claire who were able to speak to a great many people throughout the day. 

Once again, we are grateful to the staff of Blair Drummond Safari Park as well - a great location for this family day (the meerkats proving to be the most popular attraction, second to the burgers!). 

If you would like to join our mailing list to hear about future events, or are interested in sponsoring any of our family days, please email claire@cbituk.org.


Beth (right) dishing out the veggie burgers

James Cracknell - life still a battle......

A recent article by  James Cracknell for the Daily Mirror. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/james-cracknell-on-battling-back-from-horrific-1156454 highlights the ongoing difficulties he has with his brain injury and the effect it has on his family.

Although James acquired his brain injury as an adult, many of the issues he talks about are the same for families affected by childhood acquired brain injury.  He and his family have had to adapt their lives around Jame's brain injury who still suffers with fatigue, seizures and emotional difficulties.

We need people like James Cracknell who are not afraid to talk about brain injury to champion the cause not only for adults but for the many thousands of children and young people who acquire brain injury every year.

I would urge you to read the article


Lisa Turan
CEO

CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO IMPROVE SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY

UKABIF has details on its website of how you can support the Campaign so please visit

3 July 2012

“We’re demanding immediate action on a local and national level to force change” said Professor Michael Barnes, Chair of the United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF) and Professor of Neurological Rehabilitation, Hunters Moor Rehabilitation Ltd, at the July launch of UKABIF’s Campaign ‘Life after Brain Injury? Improve Services Now’.
Over one million people live in the UK with the effects of Acquired Brain Injury at an estimated minimum cost of £4.1 billion.
Professor Barnes continued: “People with an Acquired Brain Injury need access to specialist rehabilitation but these services vary considerably around the UK and this is having a detrimental impact on the how well patients ultimately recover”.

UKABIF aims to promote better understanding of all aspects of Acquired Brain Injury and the Campaign’s Manifesto entitled ‘Life after Brain Injury – A Way Forward’ outlines the organisation’s urgent demands.  “We know that patients benefit from acute and early access to specialist neurological services but this crucial aspect of patient management continues to be overlooked” said Professor Barnes. “Our Manifesto presents four key recommendations which we hope health professionals, purchasers and providers of services and the general public will support.  By working together locally we can improve services and ensure that people with an ABI have the best possible treatment” he concluded. 

The Manifesto is asking for:   

·         Appropriate commissioning for specialist brain injury rehabilitation should be made compulsory and each clinical commissioning group should have a named neurological lead

·         Funded National Neuro Networks should be established to ensure neurological pathways are available throughout the stages of recovery (patient journey)

·         A National Audit of Rehabilitation should be carried out and the collection and reporting of accurate data on newly Acquired Brain Injuries made compulsory by all providers along the patient journey, from Acute to Community services*

·         A review is required of The Health Select Committee Report and the National Service Framework (NSF) for Long Term Neurological Conditions.

*As implemented with Stroke though Healthcare Emergency Planning and the Care Quality
 Commission

UKABIF has details on its website of how you can support the Campaign so please visit www.ukabif.org.uk to find out what you can do to help.   

ENDS

Notes to editor An Acquired Brain Injury is defined as brain damage caused by events after birth and can result in cognitive, physical, emotional, or behavioural impairments leading to permanent or temporary changes in functioning.  Acute and early access to local, specialist rehabilitation is essential to ensure optimal recovery, whilst maximal recovery over a lifetime can result in significant savings.  

UKABIF aims to promote better understanding of all aspects of Acquired Brain Injury; to educate, inform and provide networking opportunities for professionals, service providers, planners and policy makers and to campaign for better services in the UK.  UKABIF is a membership organisation and charity, established in 1998 by a coalition of organisations working in the field of Acquired Brain Injury.

Hard copy of the Manifesto is available.  Spokespeople and patient case studies are also available.

For further information, please contact:   Chloë Hayward, UKABIF
T: 0845 6080788     M: 07903 887655
E: info@ukabif.org.uk
www.ukabif.org.uk

Louise Blakeborough, Chapter Five
T: 01306 731800     M: 07831 444789
E: lblakeborough@chapterfive.co.uk

www.ukabif.org.uk to find out what you can do to help.     

Mary and Claire staffing the Child Brain Injury Trust stall.

Head injury information Day 2012

To mark Action for Brain Injury Week 2012, the second Head injury information Day was held on 16th May at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow. The event was organised by the Brain Injury Network Group - an informal network of organisations in and around Glasgow who work with people with acquired brain injury - and Digby Brown solicitors, who also sponsored the day. 

The Day aimed to provide information about the effects of brain injury and the different services that can be accessed by people with brain injury and by their families and carers. It was also an opportunity for the organisations involved in services to network with each other.

Over 300 people attended; a great success. As well as exhibits from over 20 organisations, there were a number of speakers including representatives from the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust, Case Management Services, Headway Glasgow, and the Huntercombe Group.

Robert Swanney, head of Digby Brown’s Brain and Spinal Injury Unit, welcomed guests and spoke about the importance of the event in raising awareness of brain injury and the services available to those who have suffered brain injuries. Councillor Allan Stewart, former Deputy Lord Provost of Glasgow, spoke of his own experiences as a service user at Graham Anderson House in Glasgow and paid tribute to the Brian Injury Rehabilitation Trust at that facility. The Scottish Head Injuries Music Support Group provided a memorable musical welcome to the afternoon session.

The feedback from the day has been wonderful. Here are just a few of the comments:

• "The head info day was really fantastic, it was so well represented and really well organised. Found the presentations I sat through very interesting as well. The service users we brought along with us found it extremely informative. Was nice to see a few old faces of previous service users too!”
• “Everyone from Digby Brown made sure the day, especially the presentations, ran smoothly. It was a fantastic day and everyone appeared to enjoy it. Thank you again.”
• “Great day, brilliant for networking and sharing ideas and issues; very worthwhile event and great for the future; well done”

If you would like more information about next year’s Head injury information Day, please get in touch with Kathleen McMonagle at Kathleen.McMonagle@digbybrown.co.uk.