The charities being supported in 2008
Sarah Pierce Charitable Fund for Cystic Fibrosis in Sheffield
Cystic fibrosis is the most common inherited condition in our population and shortens the lives of children and young adults. Cystic fibrosis is managed in specialist centres which in the past were run by paediatricians because people with this illness died before reaching adulthood. Now, survival into the mid 20’s has become the norm and the need for adult services has increased rapidly. In Sheffield, there are no specialist in-patient facilities for young adults and so they spend time on ordinary medical wards amongst much older patients. The Sarah Pierce Charitable Fund is named in honour of Sarah who died awaiting a lung transplant. Funds are being raised to create a cystic fibrosis ward for young adults so that they can be provided with facilities to meet their specialist needs. £40,000 has been raised so far and the Broomhill Festival will help us bring our dreams nearer to fruition.
Development Education Centre
Development Education Centre (South Yorkshire) is an independent educational charity (Registration Number 517354), working since 1984 to promote a global dimension in education.
Development Education is an approach to learning that aims to increase understanding of how global issues such as world poverty, conflict and climate change relate to our everyday lives. It looks at issues such as trade justice, diversity, sustainable development and human rights. It uses active learning methods to promote enquiry and critical thinking skills. It challenges and supports learners to explore the relationship between local and global issues. It inspires people of all ages to take positive action.
We believe that enjoyment and having fun are an important part of learning. We work with anyone engaged in formal or informal education including schools, local authorities, universities, early years settings and after-school clubs.
Mencap and Gateway
Sheffield Mencap is the largest local charity providing services for children and adults with learning disabilities, helping over 500 hundred families in Sheffield. Our projects are wide-ranging, from enabling people to develop their full potential through education and training opportunities, to providing sport and leisure activities and friendship support and respite for families. The social clubs we run in the evenings bring huge enjoyment to the members, whilst also building up skills and confidence. For some of our members, who contend not only with a learning disability but also poverty and difficult home lives, the services we offer at Mencap are a lifeline.
"Shine out Saturdays" is a wonderful performing arts club for children age 8-16 with learning disabilities. Kids whose opportunities in life are in many ways limited, are given the freedom to express themselves through drama and they flourish, discovering talents for acting, dance, music and art, which are skilfully nurtured by our specialist teachers.
Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal
The Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal is the first fundraising appeal to be launched by local healthcare charity, Sheffield Hospitals Charitable Trust. This appeal aims to raise much-needed funds to help fully equip the leukaemia and blood disorders unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. This unit is a regional centre for the care of patients with blood disorders, including leukaemia, myeloma and haemophilia, plus bone marrow transplant patients from across South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire.
The appeal will also help fund improvements to the facilities and the patient environment on the unit. It is vitally important that the ward environment helps patients feel at ease, as many of these patients can be on the ward, often in isolation, for weeks, or even months, at a time. In addition, a brand new teenage centre is being built, which will provide a dedicated facility in which to support and care for 16 to 25 year olds who have been diagnosed with leukaemia and other blood disorders.
St Andrew's Child Contact Centre
The St Andrews Child Contact Centre offers a welcoming and safe place where the children of separated parents can spend time with the parent they no longer live with, so that they do not become strangers. Most families are referred by solicitors and the Family Courts, and we are the only venue acceptable to all, at least in the early stages of separation. Our hope is that, after some time with us, the families will feel able to make their own arrangements: we provide a bridge at the most difficult time for them. We have one part-time paid Co-ordinator, who deals with referrals and supervises the running of the Centre, on alternate Saturdays, throughout the year: it is staffed otherwise by a team of willing volunteers, to whom we offer training. Although we are accredited by the national Association of Child Contact Centre, we have to find all our own funding. The support of the Broomhill Festival this year is very valuable to us, and much appreciated.