the linkIssue 2 Autumn 2009

choices for people with learning disabilities

The magazine from

Leicester welcomes the Games

Souvenir Issue: Special Olympics

Leicester welcomes the GamesThe 8th Special Olympics Great BritainSummer Games took place in SelfUnlimited’s home town of Leicester thisyear. Leicester is the first city in Englandto have hosted the Games twice, the firsttime being in 1989.

The Special Olympics has always meant agreat deal to our Charity. Two members ofour East Midlands staff are SpecialOlympics coaches and a number ofpeople who use our services train regularlyto enable them to take part. This year wasno exception and the East MidlandsCycling and Athletics teams containedmany of our own athletes, determined todo well, but also to enjoy the wholeexperience of competition.

The Opening Ceremony took place at theWalkers Stadium. Prime Minister GordonBrown, his wife Sarah and their twochildren were present for the Ceremony,which was a very colourful and excitingevent. One of Leicester’s favouritepersonalities, former professionalfootballer Alan Birchenall, hosted theevening’s entertainment in front of nearly25,000 people.

East Midlands’ athletes Fleure O’Donohueand Lee Penfold welcomed everyone andlocal dance group Narpur Arts providedsome spectacular Bollywood dancing.Fanfares greeted the athletes’ parade andthe crowds cheered as 2,700 competitorsfrom 19 regions across the country enteredthe Stadium. Walking alongside werefamous sporting heroes, such as formerEngland rugby captain and manager,Martin Johnson, and ex England wicketkeeper Paul Nixon.

The entertainment continued with a rangeof musical performances, from thePhilharmonia Orchestra to the newlyreformed group ‘Beautiful South’. There were gymnasts and huge carnivalanimals, and then the arrival of the SpecialOlympics flag, which was hoisted aloft onstage to further cheers and applause.

The Flame of Hope, which had beenescorted through 45 English towns andcities by police officers, was paradedthrough the Stadium and used byswimmer Jonathan Bradley to light thebeacon that would burn throughout theweek. And, as the evening drew to aglorious finale, Martin Johnson declaredthe Games officially open.

01

02

03

We’ll meet again...The Special Olympics closed with aspecial event held in Abbey Park,Leicester, to enable the athletes, theirfamilies, friends and coaches tocelebrate their achievements and to saytheir goodbyes, at least until the nextGames. The event was of particularimportance to Self Unlimited, becausewe supported this Closing Ceremonywith a grant very kindly donated by TheForbes Charitable Foundation to ensureits success.

Our volunteers were out in force, meetingfamilies as they arrived. Cheering crowdsgreeted the athletes as they paradedthrough the park in their teams to join thefestivities. The carnival animals from theOpening Ceremony weaved in and out ofthe audience and the excitement grew asdusk fell. People were drawn to the floodlit

stage and the music from the live bands,

including tribute band ‘Abba Now’,

filled the Park.

Even the rain showers were forgotten aseveryone joined together in celebrationand laughter. The evening drew graduallyto a close, and our Chairman NickTownsend and Chief Executive PatrickWallace took centre stage with SteveHumphries, the Games Director, andmembers of the Special OlympicsOrganising Committee to pay tribute to the dedication and commitment of all ofthe athletes that took part. As the fireworksfaded and the park emptied, peopleclimbed into their team buses or walkedarm in arm into the night, wearily talkingover the highs and lows of the week, withthe sounds of the music and applause stilllingering in their heads.

It had been a wonderful week!

04

Proud!Viv Smith, Regional Manager for SelfUnlimited’s East Midlands services, isalso the Coach of the East Midlands’Special Olympics Cycle team. She helpsus to understand just what it was like toplay a part in the recent Games.

“The run up to the Games was really busy.The Cycle Team had regular trainingsessions as well as being involved in lotsof photo shoots. Olympic medal winningcyclist Brian Steel stopped by to give ourathletes some excellent advice and to wishthem all good luck.

We delivered the bikes to the cycling venueat Abbey Park on Friday 24 July, the daybefore the Games began. On Saturdaymorning, we joined forces with the EastMidlands Athletic team and set off togetherto take our bags to our accommodation in Leicester.

Meeting all of the other athletes was reallyexciting for everyone. We gathered at BedePark and escorted the big SpecialOlympics flag into the city centre. We feltlike celebrities, walking through streetslined with crowds of people cheering.

Then we made our way to the OpeningCeremony. “WOW!” The noise wasdeafening as we entered the WalkersStadium as part of the athletes’ parade!The entertainment that followed wasbrilliant and, at the end of the evening, we all walked back to our accommodationbuzzing. It was a good start to the week!

Monday was the first day of competitionand after a bit of a chaotic start, all the‘divisioning’ was completed. This processtakes into account each person’s abilitiesso that they are able to compete togetherin groups on a much fairer basis. OnTuesday, everyone in the team competedin medal races and did really well.

Cycling throughout the week wasexcellent, despite the terrible weather. At times, it tried very hard to disrupt theproceedings, but cyclists are made ofstrong stuff and the racing continued, eventhrough the driving rain! The East MidlandsCycle team finished the competition withseven Gold medals, six Silver medals,seven Bronze medals as well as three 4th places.

05

Jenny Jones & Jayne GibsonBryan Steel with our cyclists

06

The Season is upon us!How many of us are still in ‘summer’ mode? We have had a good summer, even ifthere were a few little ‘blips’ in the middle and we didn’t get quite as many barbecueevenings as promised by the long range forecasters!

However, with summer fading fast, and town centres everywhere beginning their annualcount down towards December, it is now a sensible time to begin to plan our ownseasonal activities. With this in mind, we hope you will take some time out to look through Self Unlimited’s Christmas Collection, mailed to you with your Link magazine.

By buying your Christmas cards direct from the Charity, you can rest assured that all profitgoes straight back into services. That means people with learning disabilities will benefitdirectly from your purchases. And that makes the pleasure of giving cards two-fold!

This year, we are also offering you the opportunity to buy your cards online, so to makeyour choice, visit our website www.selfunlimited.co.uk and click on our Shop.

And for those happiest seeing their cards before purchasing, each region’s main officeswill have cards that you can buy, or you can visit a ‘Cards for Good Causes’ Shop in your area.

The Closing Ceremony was fantastic. It was amazing seeing so much pinkacross Abbey Park, as far as the eye couldsee. There were Self Unlimited bags andballoons, and lots of pink signs. OurAthletics Team coach, Mick Hilliam, wentonto the stage to get his award. We had agreat time, despite the rain showers thatthreatened to spoil the party throughoutthe night.

Overall, a very special week that made mefeel proud - proud of my home city... for thewarmth and the welcome and for hostingthe games; proud of Self Unlimited... for showing its commitment to SpecialOlympics by supporting the ClosingCeremony; and most of all, proud of theeight cyclists in our team... who were

excellent ambassadors to themselves andtheir sport. And I would like to add aspecial “thank you” to everyone whosupported us with donations so that wecould take part.”

Vivian SmithEast Midlands’ Special Olympics TeamCycle Coach

It is with sadness thatwe dedicate this articleto the memory of JamesBrigstocke, a member ofthe East Midlands CycleTeam, who died on 6September 2009. We send our warmest wishes to family and friends.

07

BBC Wiltshirevisits SelfUnlimited SouthCentral

BBC Wiltshirepresenter Mark

O’Donnell visited our South Centralservices in August to meet everyone andfind out more about the organisation.He was shown around Furlong Close,the main site at Rowde, by Alan Jones,Job Coach.

Mark asked Alan about life at SelfUnlimited. They discussed how peopleoriginally come to use the Charity’sservices, either through their local authorityor private sponsorship, and how, by usingthe support available from the staff teams,each person can work at what they wantto achieve. Alan explained the variousactivities on site and introduced Mark toCarrie Pike, Produce Workshop Supervisor,who gave Mark a tour of the kitchen,where trainees then introduced him to theskills required to make good, sticky toffee!

Carrie told Mark about the range of jams,chutneys, sweets and cakes made on site

and sold at many outlets in the area,including some of the local farm shopsand cafes and the nearby CommunityShop. She explained that people choosewhich activity they want to undertake. Therecent Summer Activities programme hadgiven everyone a wonderful opportunity totry new activities and to get a taste forwhat each of them would like to do next.

David Wilkinson, who is supported by ourSouth Central Services, showed Mark hispaintings and discussed with him themany artists that have inspired his work inrecent years. And then Mark and Alanwalked on, and they talked of the manysuccesses achieved at South Central,including the resident who now travels onhis own to work in a local pub after hiscatering training on site at Rowde. “Wework alongside WITS, the WiltshireIndependent Travel Service, who aremarvellous in assisting us to help peoplegain the confidence to travel bythemselves.” Alan explained. “It’s one area of support that can open up so many opportunities, and Self Unlimited is all about providing increased choicewhile refusing to label people”.

08

Summer concert successEastry Court, one of the oldest houses inEngland, was the spectacular venue for aclassical concert organised by ourCanterbury Fundraising Group in earlySeptember. Eighty guests enjoyed canapésand wine in the formal garden at Eastry inthe warmth of the fading sunshine andthen joined owners, David and Cilla Freud,in their drawing room to listen to thetalented Sollertinsky Piano Trio performsome popular classical pieces.

The musicians are currently with the‘Live Music Now’ scheme, set up by

Yehudi Menuhin in 1977 with the two mainprinciples of bringing live music toaudiences as both an educational andtherapeutic experience and assisting gifted musicians at the start of their career. The Trio delighted a spellbound audience,who were treated in the interval to an impromptu tour of the house by David Freud.

Eastry Court can be traced back to 600AD,with some of its ancient framework stillable to be viewed behind more ‘modern’refurbishments, which took place in Tudor

and Georgian times. Built as a palace forKing Ecgberht of Kent, it is the subject ofone of the oldest legends in the countywhich describes how the King’s twocousins were murdered in the house byone of his staff. The King discovered theirbodies in the little chapel and, saddenedby their ordeal, had them both buried asChristian martyrs and founded abbeys intheir memory, one of which wasestablished in Eastry. Thomas Becketvisited the house many times and wassaid to have hidden at Eastry Court beforemaking his escape to France in 1164.

Our Canterbury fundraisers, who are allvolunteers, were extremely grateful toDavid and Cilla for offering to host theconcert, which has raised just over £2,000for Self Unlimited’s South East services.Marion Gear, Chair of the FundraisingGroup, was delighted with the success ofthe evening. “The evening was a completesellout and I know that we disappointedmany who were unable to obtain tickets.We are extremely fortunate to have thesupport of the Freud family, who were theperfect hosts and made the evening veryspecial for everyone.”

09

Over recent years, Derek Thornley hasdriven many people in his taxi to and fromStanley Grange, the site that forms themain hub of our services in the North West.In the meantime, his brother David, an exAA patrolman and now a delivery driverfor Tesco, had been undertaking therestoration of a 28-year-old Austin Minorvan with the intention of eventuallyentering the annual Barnsley Jogle MorrisMinor Endurance Rally.

This year, David sadly lost one of hisclosest friends, which he says made himappreciate that life is very precious. “Hewas only five days younger than me. Itmade me realise that life is too short. The24-hour endurance rally is something Ihave wanted to do for a long time, but keptputting off because things got in the way.”

So David decided that he would participatethis year and asked his brother to join him.The pair also announced that they wouldbe raising sponsorship for the 840-milejourney from John O’Groats to Lands End inaid of Self Unlimited. Bev Reynolds,member of staff at our North West serviceswas delighted. "The money raised is sucha bonus to us and will benefit everyonewho uses our services. We badly neededto update our computers and buy somevoice activated machines.”

The rally began at 11am on 23 June at JohnO’Groats and finished 24 hours later, withVillage Travel and Taxi Service of Leyland,the company that Derek drives for, kindlyfunding the cost of the fuel.

David and Derek finished the rally at LandsEnd in remarkably good form, althoughDavid did comment, “We would havecompleted it, even if we had to push thevan home!”

Derek and David

A Minor detour for brothers

10

Can you help by making aregular donation?

Our regular giving programme is our life-blood. It allows us to plan far more costeffectively towards the future. Each andevery contribution impacts directly on thepeople with learning disabilities across thecountry that use and benefit from theopportunities we are able to provide.

Many of our supporters already donate tous by making a regular donation at a timethat suits them, whether monthly, quarterly

or annually, and as always, we are veryappreciative of their continued support.

Can you please consider joining ourregular giving programme? By giving aregular donation, you help us continue toprovide the breadth and quality of servicesthat make Self Unlimited so special.

It is easy to join - simply fill in the form onthe back page of The Link and send it toour Fundraising and Communicationsteam at the address on the bottom of the form.

Thank you.

LegaciesSelf Unlimited has recently joined ‘Remember A Charity’, a consortium formed in 2000 andhosted by the Institute of Fundraising that now has over 140 member charities workingtogether to encourage more people to consider leaving a gift to charities in their Will. Giftsin Wills are more commonly called ‘legacies’ and form the foundation of charities in theUK. Many charities depend on legacies - without them, they would not exist.

Legacy gifts are vitally important to Self Unlimited. Gifts in Wills range from £100 to£1million, but every penny we receive really does help us to make a positive difference inthe lives of people with a learning disability, now and in the future.

We are producing a new booklet that will be mailed to you over the coming months andwe hope that you will find it both interesting and informative. The booklet explains why it isimportant to have a Will and keep it up to date, as well as offering useful contacts andinformation that may relate to your personal circumstances.

If you have been considering making a Will but haven’t yet made the necessaryarrangements with a solicitor, then you might require help contacting the rightprofessionals in your area. For this and any other information about leaving a legacy to Self Unlimited, please contact Sue Spare on 0116 279 3225, extension 1110.

And if you have already remembered Self Unlimited in your Will, then we would like to say“Thank You” and would like to assure you that you are investing in the future of manypeople with learning disabilities across the country.

See more about ‘Remember a Charity’ by visiting www.rememberacharity.org.uk

I would like to support Self Unlimited Please fine enclosed a donation of £………….......................ORPlease pay Lloyds TSB (30 94 97) of 7 High Street, Leicesterfor the credit of Self Unlimited (Account No 0465872) thesum of £…… each month/quarter/year* until further notice. (*please delete as necessary)

Starting on / /*2009(*please choose a start date at least one month from now)

To (Name of Bank/Building Society)

………………………………………………………...............

Address …………………………………………….................

………………………………………………………...............

Postcode ……………………………………………...............

Your Bank Sort Code ……………………………….................

Your Bank Account No …………………………......................

This cancels all existing bankers orders to our Charity:YES/NO/NA*(*please delete as necessary)

Name:(Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms) …………………………................

Address ………………………………………………............

………………………………………………………...............

Post Code …………………………………………….............

Email Address ………………………………………..............

Signed

………………………………………………………...............

Date …………………………………………………..............

GIFT AID DECLARATIONI am a UK taxpayer and I wish Self Unlimited to treat alldonations I have made over the last six years, until I notifyyou otherwise, as Gift Aid donations. I am currently payingIncome Tax or Capital Gains Tax that is equal to or morethan the tax deducted from my donation.

Name ………………………………………………................

Date……………………../……………………............../2009

Self Unlimited will never make your personal detailsavailable to outside organisations. If you do not wish toreceive further mailings from Self Unlimited, please tick this box

PLEASE RETURN TO:Fundraising at Self Unlimited1 Phillippines CloseHever RoadEdenbridge, Kent TN8 5GN

The Link is produced by Self Unlimited’s Communications Department1 Phillippines Close, Hever Road, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 5GNEditor: Ann SpencerThe Link is published twice a year. To help us improve ourcommunications, we would be very grateful to receive anycomments or suggestions regarding its content. Pleasetelephone 01732 782711 or email the editor:ann.spencer@selfunlimited.co.uk.Self Unlimited is a national charity that aims to maximise choice and opportunities for people with learning disabilities.www.selfunlimited.co.ukSelf Unlimited is the operating name of Cottage and RuralEnterprises, a company limited by guarantee. Registered Charity No 250058

Dates for your Diary North WestWednesday 14 October 2009 - Design for Life Golf DayRoyal Liverpool Golf Club

Sunday 25 October 2009 Remoska Cookery Demonstration – Lady Grenfell BainesStunning winter hanging baskets – Jane Coultherd2.30 pm at Stanley Grange

Thursday 3 December 2009 - Ladies Lunch at Stanley House

Sunday 6 December 2009 - Christmas Craft Fair 1.00 pm at Stanley Grange

Monday 10 May 2010 - Design for Life GALA CONCERTRoyal Liverpool Philharmonic OrchestraConductor: Carl Davis CBE (Hons)King George’s Hall, BlackburnFor further details call Joan McLarnon 01254 852878

North EastSaturday 5 December 2009 - Christmas Fair 10.00 am to 2.00 pm at North Road, PontelandEast MidlandsSaturday 14 November 2009 - Christmas FairMelton Road, ShangtonSouth WestFriday 20 November 2009 - Gift and Craft Fayre on siteat East Anstey 7.00 – 9.30pm£5 entry to include Drink and Canapes + free entry onSaturdaySaturday 21 November 2009 - Gift and Craft Fayre on site at East Anstey 10.00am – 4.00pm£2 entry Refreshments available to purchaseSouth CentralSaturday 28 November 2009 - Christmas BazaarMarsh Hall, Furlong Close, Rowde in the afternoonSouth CoastWednesday 28 October 2009 - ‘It’s A Knockout’For more details, call 01243 542714Monday 14 December 2009 - Christmas FestivalFor more details, call 01243 542714South EastSaturday 21 November 2009Christmas Fair 11.00 – 3.00pm at Phillippines Close, Edenbridge