Our successes
Sunshine Coaches
On Friday 29 September at Chelsea Football Club, Captain John Terry presented a Sunshine Coach to Collingham Gardens Child and Family Psychiatric Service on behalf of the children’s charity Variety Club.
Collingham Gardens applied for one of the Variety Club’s Sunshine Coaches to be able to take children on outings and ferry them to and from their appointments. Paul Byrne, Manager at Collingham Gardens, said: “The children were delighted to meet John Terry and visit Chelsea FC. The new coach will afford them a wider range of experiences and opportunities, which they mightn’t otherwise be able to access.”The Variety Club donated the coach on behalf of four sponsors, Steve Frankham, Tony Jimenez, Ronnie Truss & Bruno Zoccola of Frankhams. The coach is a tribute to the late Peter Osgood who played for Chelsea FC in the seventies. The new coach is a 14-seater Iveco costing £22,000 – a proportion of which was raised by staff at Collingham Gardens.
100 Property Club
A big thank you must go to the 100 Property Club. This is the 28th Sunshine Coach it has sponsored since its first for Variety in 1987. The beneficiary this time was The Royal School for Deaf Children in Margate, which caters for 93 children with sensory, physical and psychological disabilities and learning difficulties as well as deafness.
The 100 Property Club was founded in 1972 as a social club for 100 property professionals working around London. After 15 years the members decided Variety was a good way to help others. Jeremy Needs, the Charity Officer, explains: "We were all having a great time in the '80s boom and the members were looking for ways to give something back. Variety had excellent contact with the sort of schools we were interested in. Buying coaches enabled our members to see directly the results of donations. We are proud that the idea has stuck for all this time and hopefully some day we will reach our 50th."
Carol Smillie
TV personality Carol Smillie presented a Coach on behalf of Robert Wiseman's Dairies and Variety, much to the delight of pupils at Howford Primary. Wiseman employees donated the coach through an initiative called 'Cycle while you work', in which they took part in a week-long race from Keith in Aberdeen to Manchester where they were met by a team of colleagues who had cycled from as far south as Taunton in Somerset.
Carol Smillie turned out for Variety again at the end of April when she presented a new Vodafone/Variety Club Golfing Society sponsored coach to Middlefield Residential School in Glasgow.
Accessible Retail
Accessible Retail has sponsored 18 Sunshine Coaches. This time the beneficiary was Greenways School in Liverpool, which caters for 30 children with autism, severe and moderate learning difficulties, and emotional and behavioural difficulties. The Coach was presented by Liverpool legend, Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers.
Easy Riders Wheelchairs
Leah, Aged 17
Dear Variety Club
My name is Leah and I have a disability called cerebral palsy. I am 17 and in September I began going to college. I am interested in studying art, science and learning how to take care of animals.
I am very excited that you have bought me this wonderful new wheelchair! It is great to be able to stand up whenever and wherever I like. I am also able to rest in this new wheelchair when I get tired. At college this will give me so much more independence because I don't have to wait for a carer to help me.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Love Leah
My name is Leah and I have a disability called cerebral palsy. I am 17 and in September I began going to college. I am interested in studying art, science and learning how to take care of animals.
I am very excited that you have bought me this wonderful new wheelchair! It is great to be able to stand up whenever and wherever I like. I am also able to rest in this new wheelchair when I get tired. At college this will give me so much more independence because I don't have to wait for a carer to help me.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Love Leah
Jared
Dear Variety Club,
Many thanks for your grant towards Jared's new Spectra Plus power chair which is working well and has already increased his independence.
Jared can use the wheelchair's 'tilt-in-space' facility to recline when his back is particularly troublesome which eases the pain considerably. This has eliminated the need for his special easy-chair – he simply tilts his powerchair to relax with friends or to watch TV, etc. The power riser is a fabulous feature. Jared can reach high shelves; talk face-to-face with someone who is standing and can even help get the clothes off the washing line!
Jared is very proud of his new powerchair which looks good and has other great features like hazard warning lights, indicators and powerful front headlamps.
We are extremely grateful for the Variety Club's generous support.
With our appreciation,
Yours sincerely
Glenn & Chrissie
Many thanks for your grant towards Jared's new Spectra Plus power chair which is working well and has already increased his independence.
Jared can use the wheelchair's 'tilt-in-space' facility to recline when his back is particularly troublesome which eases the pain considerably. This has eliminated the need for his special easy-chair – he simply tilts his powerchair to relax with friends or to watch TV, etc. The power riser is a fabulous feature. Jared can reach high shelves; talk face-to-face with someone who is standing and can even help get the clothes off the washing line!
Jared is very proud of his new powerchair which looks good and has other great features like hazard warning lights, indicators and powerful front headlamps.
We are extremely grateful for the Variety Club's generous support.
With our appreciation,
Yours sincerely
Glenn & Chrissie
Susan
To the Variety Club
I am writing to say a huge thank you for the support that you have shown to my daughter Susan. Her new wheelchair has helped her in so many ways.
Susan has just turned 12 years old and the new electric wheelchair arrived just days after her birthday. We, as a family were able to take her out for a birthday dinner and she sat very proudly in her new Wheelchair. She has told us that this was the best birthday she has ever had and this is largely down to the increased confidence and independence that her new Wheelchair has given her.
Thank you again for your generous support to us.
Best wishes
Pat, Susan's Mummy.
I am writing to say a huge thank you for the support that you have shown to my daughter Susan. Her new wheelchair has helped her in so many ways.
Susan has just turned 12 years old and the new electric wheelchair arrived just days after her birthday. We, as a family were able to take her out for a birthday dinner and she sat very proudly in her new Wheelchair. She has told us that this was the best birthday she has ever had and this is largely down to the increased confidence and independence that her new Wheelchair has given her.
Thank you again for your generous support to us.
Best wishes
Pat, Susan's Mummy.
James
Dear Variety Club,
We are writing to say thank you very much for donating a new electric wheelchair to my son. James has got a new lease of life and really enjoys the freedom that he now has. It has really helped him at school and he is now able to participate in all activities even with older and bigger children.
Thank you again for your kind support
Yours sincerely
Ann and James
We are writing to say thank you very much for donating a new electric wheelchair to my son. James has got a new lease of life and really enjoys the freedom that he now has. It has really helped him at school and he is now able to participate in all activities even with older and bigger children.
Thank you again for your kind support
Yours sincerely
Ann and James
As part of the Variety at Work initiative the Band of the Welsh Guards recently entertained a group of 150 children from several inner city schools, at the Chelsea Barracks in London.
What started sedately, with the band playing a selection of classical favourites, soon escalated as the musicians left their positions and, still playing their instruments, circulated among the children!
As you can see from the picture the children and the band members all wore big smiles at the end of a very successful day.
Appeals
Lucy
Lucy is four years old and has cerebral palsy. Her parents contacted Variety Club for assistance with purchasing a Pony Walker. Before Lucy received her Walker she was very dependant on adults to move her but now with the Walker Lucy is able to move independently, which also allows her limbs to strengthen and improves her trunk control. Lucy is now able to choose where she goes when she wants to go.
Lucy's Mum wrote:
The Variety Club very kindly provided funding for a special Pony Walker for my disabled daughter Lucy at the end of last year. The Pony Walker arrived in January and Lucy is really enjoying it as she now has freedom to get around the house independently - before she had to be carried.
Thank you again to all at Variety Club.
Yours sincerely
Sandra
The Variety Club very kindly provided funding for a special Pony Walker for my disabled daughter Lucy at the end of last year. The Pony Walker arrived in January and Lucy is really enjoying it as she now has freedom to get around the house independently - before she had to be carried.
Thank you again to all at Variety Club.
Yours sincerely
Sandra
Albert
Albert is nine years old and has severe autism with communication difficulties. Albert's parents wrote to the Variety Club requesting assistance to fund a safe play room for Albert at the family home. Albert is very lively and active, is always on the go and enjoys playing. Unfortunately the only place for Albert to spread out and play was the hall way - making life difficult and disruptive for the rest of the family.
It was very important that the family didn't have to move house in order to provide Albert with his own safe play room and so the idea of a small extension to provide this space for Albert came about. With the help of funding from the Variety Club, Albert's parents were able to make this idea a reality and Albert now has his own space for playing that he is comfortable and happy in.
Albert's parents wrote in saying:-
Albert loves his new play room and has all his favourite toys around him. This simple change to the house has dramatically changed our lives. Albert has the space he needs for time out but we are also able to play in the room with him. Albert's brother also now has space of his own and we are so happy to see our boys so happy. It is wonderful and we couldn't have done it without you.
Albert loves his new play room and has all his favourite toys around him. This simple change to the house has dramatically changed our lives. Albert has the space he needs for time out but we are also able to play in the room with him. Albert's brother also now has space of his own and we are so happy to see our boys so happy. It is wonderful and we couldn't have done it without you.
Abigail
Abigail is 12 years old and has microcephaly with cerebral palsy. She is unable to walk and has restricted sight and speech and so is dependent on her carers. Taking Abigail out in the car is becoming increasingly difficult as she is getting bigger and more awkward to lift.
Variety Club were approached and asked for assistance in funding a specialised car seat for Abigail. which has a swing out action that enables Abigail to be lifted in and out of the seat with more ease. The seat also provides good postural support to Abigail whilst she is travelling.
Abigail's grandmother wrote to Variety Club saying:-
We are absolutely delighted with the car seat. Lifting Abigail is down to a minimum and we find that it helps so much when taking her out and about and saves a great deal of energy. My husband especially notices a big difference and we find it so much better to plan out journeys in and out of shops etc.|
We are absolutely delighted with the car seat. Lifting Abigail is down to a minimum and we find that it helps so much when taking her out and about and saves a great deal of energy. My husband especially notices a big difference and we find it so much better to plan out journeys in and out of shops etc.|
Abigail is very happy to go out in her new car seat and looks very comfortable. We are about to embark on a long journey to the seaside for a week and it is such a relive to know we can do it and that Abigail will be comfortable and safe.
Many thanks for your help in helping us to achieve a solution to our problem.
Yours truly
Annette and Barrie (Abigail's Grandparents)
Yours truly
Annette and Barrie (Abigail's Grandparents)
Break Charity
In July last year Variety Club agreed to assist the Break Charity in providing £5,000 towards converting a disused garage into a workshop and games room for disabled children.
Break offers respite care for disabled children, specialist child care and UK holidays giving both children and their carers a chance of a break. The games room at Break required toys, games and activities to provide a space in which children can develop in a safe and informal environment. The workshop also required equipment and has been created as a space to allow the development of practical skills and imagination as well as learning basic household maintenance.
The Break Charity wrote:-
We are extremely grateful to Variety Club for supporting this project and for providing the children in Break's care with the opportunity to learn vital independent living skills which will be of great benefit to them later in life.
We are extremely grateful to Variety Club for supporting this project and for providing the children in Break's care with the opportunity to learn vital independent living skills which will be of great benefit to them later in life.
Nursing Awards
One of the recipients, Gill Brook CBE, a Clinical Nurse Specialist on the Liver Unit at Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Trust, says:
'The generous funding from the Variety Club Children's Nursing Awards provided travel and accommodation costs as well as course fees, enabling me to attend an eight-week day release course at the University of York Department of Social Policy and Research Unit on methodology of doing research with children. Without this funding I would not have been able to contemplate taking a year out to do the major part of this degree.'