Glasgow Branch
January 2017 Newsletter
Dear members,
We'd like to wish you a Happy New Year and welcome you to the first newsletter of 2017! 2016 was a packed year, as usual for the Glasgow branch of the SACHD and we'd like to thank you for your ongoing support and involvement in keeping the branch active. Now we have another year to look forward to and 2017 is set to be just as full and exciting too.
Throughout the year we'll keep you informed of what lies in store for the Association and its members. We will bring you dates for your diary and info on the caravan prior to the opening of the season in April. If you'd like to lend your support to the charity in 2017 then please get in touch.
Since our last newsletter much has happened so let us fill you in...
FAMILY CONTACT
We held our Halloween craft day which was well attended and thoroughly enjoyed by both the children and adults. It's especially nice to welcome new faces along and to get to know our families better in this setting.
Our year ended on a high at our Christmas party which saw a change of venue and a fabulous turn out. There was lots of fun to be had with games, crafts, and a visit from Santa himself! Photographs can be viewed here
and here
We have also continued to visit families in hospital and support them through our regular meetings and by keeping in touch. We've worked at strengthening links with the Cardiac Liaison Team and are delighted that Carla McLaughlin, lead CLN makes the effort to attend our events and to spread the word about them. Her presence and assistance is very much appreciated.
Our next branch meeting will be held on Thursday 19th January at 7.30pm room GWS-008 on Level 3 of the Children's Hospital. The meeting is open to everyone, whether you have been involved with the charity for years or if you are new to it, and life with a heart child. Evening meetings are an opportunity to connect with other parents, and find out what the charity is all about over a cuppa. If you have a child who is currently an inpatient please feel free to pop in and out as suits. Be assured that you will receive a warm welcome.
SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE CURRENTLY SUPPORT
Scottish Association for Children with Heart Disorders. Registered charity SC035499.
Trans Oesophageal and Trans Thoracic Echo (TOE/TTE) Simulator
At our October meeting we were treated to a demonstration, led by Dr Lindsey Hunter, of the TOE/TTE simulator, recently purchased by the Association. It was fantastic to see this state of the art training equipment in use.
What? Why? Children in Hospital
We are excited to tell you that the What? Why? Children in Hospital exercise tolerance test video, funded with help from the SACHD has been completed and can be viewed via the link provided. WWCIH produce video clips showing a variety of hospital procedures. Knowing what to expect beforehand is helpful in reducing anxiety for both children and parents. Watch here and share this with those you think would benefit from such a valuable resource.
Art Therapy
The provision of Art Therapy at the Children's Hospital will benefit from the Association's decision to fund the post of Izzy Morris (who assists Sheena McGregor in delivering this programme to cardiac children) for a year. The Association is a long-term supporter of this beneficial service.
Beads of Courage
The SACHD has also committed funds to cover a year of the Beads of Courage scheme in 2017/18. The initiative has been running in the Oncology department for some time and the Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity has recently extended the programme to be available for cardiac inpatients. Once enrolled on the scheme, children collect beads based on a daily record to represent the many interventions they undergo such as blood tests, echos, dressing change, surgery... The beads help the children to take ownership of their journey and to make sense of the experience they are going through in a very visible and tangible way. As well as being beautiful the beads give them a tool to explain their own story to others- medical professionals, friends, family etc...
Scottish Association for Children with Heart Disorders. Registered charity SC035499.
FUNDRAISING
The branch has been busy raising funds at our Christmas stalls. Our table at the City Chambers raised £453.42 and our stall at the Children's Hospital brought in a total of £580.95.The combined total from all of last year's stalls in Glasgow sits at £1691.57!There is obviously a lot of hard work involved in making these events successful- transporting goods to venues, setting up and of course running the stalls on the day. Thank you to our members who organise them and to those who donate goods.
The Association was also awarded a collection day at Ibrox football stadium on 10th December. A huge thank you to those of you who turned out to shake buckets on the day. The generosity of the fans and the efforts and smiles of our 13 volunteers helped to raise a phenomenal £1,332.10!
Many of you loyally fundraise and attend our events and we are grateful for the continued support this brings to our families.Take a look at some of the ways fundraising for the SACHD helps, at;
We hope to see you at the meeting on Thursday evening.
Best wishes from your Glasgow Branch Committee.
Glasgow branch contacts:
Chair: Lesley Kinnear Lkinnear@sky com
Assistant Chair: Caroline Aitken
Treasurer: John Fegan
Secretary: Joelle Miller or
Assistant Secretary: Anna Wilson
Scottish Association for Children with Heart Disorders. Registered charity SC035499.