Welcome to our Decembernewsletter, as usual it is full ofinteresting information and usefulfacts.As we get close to the end of theyear, I would just like to reflect onsome of the great things we havedone this year:• Activities such as our Sailing Day,Multi-Sport Day, trip to the Circus,and fun day at Sensory Heaven,and some big achievements suchas developing the newmembership pack (see more innewsletter).• We have worked with some oldfriends such as All Aboard! onthese activities and havedeveloped some great newworking relationships withIgnite and others.• We have continued toprovide grants formembers and havesupported families to go toour holiday apartment inVilamoura. Our popularAdults Tuesday Evening Clubhas also held its summercabaret, visited the seaside andBristol Hippodrome amongstother trips. We are lookingforward to 2015 and hope tooffer some great activities andservices to members of all ages.All this is reported in our latestAnnual Review document which isavailable from the office.

We are delighted that so manymembers have contributed to ournewsletter via photos, articles andpoems over the year and want to

encourage you to keep sendingstuff to us as we love to read itand publish it!Thanks to everyone who hasfundraised for us, donated to us,promoted us and voted for usthroughout the year – it’s great tohave you all involved.

Cerebral Palsy Plus wouldlike to wish all our membersand supporters “SeasonalGood Wishes and HappyHolidays”.

did you know?Benefits Advice Drop-In Session(every Tuesday) 1-5pmWECIL benefits advice drop in service is free,independent and confidential to peopleexperiencing difficulties with Welfare Benefits.Please feel free to attend the Tuesday session tosee an adviser – no appointment needed. Anappointment will be made, if needed, should yourappointment require more time.Our office address is: WECIL Ltd, Link House,Britton Garden, Kingswood BS15 1TF.

UWE Volunteering – SIBS ProjectThe University of the West of England (UWE) hasset up a SIBS group that will organise activity daysfor children aged 7-11 years who have a brother orsister with a disability. UWE student volunteers willprovide fun activity days including craft sessions,occasional trips to local attractions and moreadventurous pursuits such a rock climbing. Thesessions would take place on a monthly basisduring term time. The project is open to children aged 7-11 yearswho have a brother or sister with a disability and isopen to 15 participants. UWE Volunteering wouldlike to increase the provision for SIBS in Bristol andin turn, this gives our student volunteersopportunities to become active citizens. Until siblings meet other siblings at sibling groupsthey often believe that they are the only ones. Wewould like to support more siblings to be able toshare their experiences, while enjoying socialactivities with others. There is a SIB information letter and registrationform on the news section of our website:http://www.cerebralpalsyplus.org.uk/news/

Cerebral Palsy PlusThe Vassall Centre

Gill Avenue • FishpondsBristol BS16 2QQT: 0117 965 5028

E: office@cerebralpalsyplus.org.ukW: www.cerebralpalsyplus.org.uk

CPP NEWSDecember 2014 The Newsletter of Cerebral Palsy Plus

This year our newsletters have been kindly sponsored by Foot Anstey Solicitors and designed by Colourtone, Taunton so a huge thank you to them for making it happen.

LoveCathy

Hello!

A HAPPY 2015 TO YOU ALL!

CCCCCCPCCCC

The Bruce Foundation

Hope you enjoyedpart one of mycamping experienceat Tomorrowlandfestival in Belgiumlast edition, andfound it interesting.

This month I takeyou from thecampsite and intothe dance area.

Well, when I entered the festival from the campsitefor the first time I was astounded by the enormity ofthis festival and it suddenly hit me that I was finallyat one of the world’s biggest EDM dance festivals.

There were 60 stages to see but we couldn’t getaround to them all as the line up was so good on themain stage.

As for the main stage, WOW!!! I’ve seen nothing like it !!!

As soon as I saw the 60 000 people down in the pit Ithought “How am I gonna get to the front?” It was alot easier than I thought as there were wooden tileson the entire dance area.

Everybody was so friendly and moved out the wayuntil I got right to the front, and then the partystarted.

The highlight of the weekend for me was whenpeople lifted my electric wheelchair up in the air andI was crowd surfing while watching the mostamazing fireworks EVER, with Steve Aoki in the mixand thousands of people jumping behind me.

My Top DJ sets were by Tiesto, Hardwell, NERVO,David Guetta and Armin Van Buuren.

Best weekend of my life.

Catch me next time with ideas and tips to make this yourexperience of a life time too.

Ashley Jenkins

Festivals can be done in a wheelchair...even abroad!! (PART 2)

We are a newly registered charity with aspecially-designed, purpose-built,wheelchair-accessible motorhomeavailable for hire for disabled,disadvantaged or elderly people alongwith their families, friends or carers.

It sleeps up to 6 people, has a lift foraccess, a scissor-action hospital bed, a

wet room and a ceiling hoist fromabove the bed into the wet room.

The motorhome is available for self-drive hire (depending on the licenceand experience of the group), or statichire for which we drive it to a campsiteof the group’s choice (within 2 hoursfrom base in Newbury, Berkshire).

Cost £750 per week

To find out more please call or email

Rebecca Bruce on

01264 356451

enquiries@brucefoundation.org.uk

and we’ll be happy to chat things

through with you.

Bradley Stoke Special Needs Judo ClubWe run two Judo sessionsfor children and adults withdisabilities each week.

We teach children withCerebral Palsy, bothwheelchair users and thosewho are ambulant. We canoffer a good and funsession for all.

Tuesday Judo sessions are 5.30–6.30pm, and for seniors6.30–8.00pm.

Saturday sessions run from 10.30am until noon.

Both special needs Judo sessions take place at BradleyStoke Leisure Centre in the Jane Austin room.

We can offer each new member a free taster session andthere after the weekly session will cost £3.85 per week,payable to Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.

We have two special needs coaches running the sessionsMatte Bourne, Nick Brace and myself, Steve Westlake.Having run special needs Judo for over fourteen yearswe treat all members as individuals.

We tailor the sessions to incorporate the needs of allplayers on the mat, to ensure that the sessions are FUN.

Our aim is to provide access to a sport in a fun way; tobuild self confidence and self discipline.

All these things may sound impossible, and there are nocast iron guarantees, but we have seen it happen.

Each new member is required to complete amembership form, so that the coaches have details ofeach player’s special needs and disabilities.

We can offer an annual membership fee of £18 per yearbut this does not have to be paid immediately, it ispayable after 4 weeks.

The membership fees go towards the running of the clubwhich is run by volunteers.

We provide suits for everyone who comes; this helpsthem feel comfortable with both their Judo and otherson the mat. To ensure that the club and its members arecovered by insurance it is important to become membersof the British Judo Association and obtain a licensewithin 4 weeks of starting Judo.

ContactSteve Westlake at the Leisure Centre01454 867050 or 07976286686Email: sw007a4645@blueyonder.co.uk

In 2011 Irwin Mitchell Solicitorsformed a partnership with the BathInstitute of Medical Engineering, now‘Designability,’ and donated funds insupport of their Wizzybug loanscheme which aims to provide youngdisabled children (18mths to 5yrs)with the independence to get aroundin motorised vehicles and adjust toassisted mobility from an early age ina fun, bright red buggy.

As part of the rental scheme an IrwinMitchell Wizzybug has now becomeavailable.

If you are the parent or guardian ofa child aged 18 months to five yearswho you feel would benefit from aWizzybug and being part of thisfantastic scheme, then please contactCathy at CP Plus on 0117 965 5028.

Wizzybugs

Don’t forget……We are always here to help our members and love to hear from you.Contact the office for information, advice and details of our popular grant scheme. Call us on 0117 9655028 or email us at office@cerebralpalsyplus.org.uk for more details.Also, send us your photos and top tips and you could be the star of the next newsletter!

How ‘Contact a Family’ canhelp in the South West

Hi my name is Sarah King and I started workingfor Contact a Family in September 2014, asSouth West Parent Advisor.

My role covers South Glos, North Somerset,Bath and NE Somerset and Bristol.

I have been known to venture into Somerset,Wiltshire, Dorset and Gloucestershire too!

I am a Parent Carer myself to a 16 year olddaughter with learning difficulties and mystepson, who has Down’s Syndrome.

I have been busy meeting up with ParentSupport groups, other charities andorganisations, specialist children’s centres, tomention but a few. We have been attendingexhibitions and conferences with informationstands and our leaflets, and helping parentcarers with specific issues.

We listen and feed back to our head office, tohelp shape our lobbying for change.

Over the coming months, we will be holdinginformation workshops for parent carers onanything from Money Matters, the new BenefitsReforms, SEN changes, Transition, Sleep,Challenging Behaviour, Siblings, Coping andSupport, and where there is a need, we will behappy to come and deliver these workshops.

We also have a fab helpline in London that cansupport any parent carer on any issue, be thatemotional, practical or even putting you intouch with someone else who might be goingthrough a similar situation.

They can be contacted on 0808 808 3555 andthere are many different languages available, ifEnglish is not your first language.

They are able to signpost for further help, aswell as check that families are receiving all thebenefits they are entitled to.

I look forward to meeting many parent carersand professionals over the coming months, andif you would like further information, please donot hesitate to contact me on:0117 9711334 or 07920 654866 sarah.king@cafamily.org.uk

Our website www.cafamily.org.uk is a wealthof information and publications that can bedownloaded.

A member has kindly donated this WRKBike with seat support, a pull handleand straps to assist holding the barsthat her daughter no longer uses, it is ingood condition and cost £775 whennew – the member has said they are

happy for this bike to go to a goodhome for a donation to Cerebral PalsyPlus please contact the office if you areinterested as the Bike can go to thehighest bidder. This would make a greatChristmas present so contact us quickly!

Bike needs a new home –can go to highest bidder!

Membership PackCerebral Palsy Plus are delighted to launch their newmembership pack designed and funded by Thompsons Solicitors.

We think it will be a useful resource for new members and agreat place to keep all our useful information together.

Many thanks to Thompsons for making this happen.