Our staff have voted to support Mind throughout 2019.
Mind provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem, as well as running campaigns to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
Because of Mind, millions more people have access to advice and support thanks to their information and services nationally and locally. They're building on change, but we know there is much more to do.
There are local Mind services that support over 513,000 people. Their services include supported housing, crisis helplines, drop-in centres, employment and training schemes, counselling and befriending.
You can find out more and support Mind at www.mind.org.uk.
Our charity partner for 2018 – East Anglian Air Ambulance and we're aiming to raise £20,000! Our Just Giving page is: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bonacia-eaaa!
The EAAA is an air ambulance providing Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) across the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. The appeal to fund the service was launched in the summer of 2000 by jockey Frankie Dettori, who had been a casualty in a serious plane crash a couple of months earlier.
Flying commenced in January 2001 and the service was initially available only one day a week. The EAAA now operates two helicopters from its bases at Cambridge and Norwich airports, and the service now operates 365 days a year, covering over 5,000 square miles and a population of 3.5 million.
For the majority of call-outs Anglia One and Two will carry a crew of four; one pilot, one co-pilot, one critical-care paramedic and one doctor.
The EAAA crew with their expertise and training are able to 'take the hospital emergency room to the patient'. From 999 call to patient is a maximum of 25 minutes and the EAAA can provide at the scene of the incident just about all the procedures that would be expected in a hospital. For that reason, once the EAAA doctor and paramedic crew have treated the patient, it is often safe for them to then travel on to the hospital by road for further treatment.
Little Miracles currently supports families that have children with additional needs, disabilities and life limiting conditions in 11 sites in the Eastern regions, including Peterborough. The Little Miracles centre in Peterborough was completely re-built by DIY SOS in 2013 when the charity outgrew its home.
Little Miracles provides a place to play, laugh and create friendships whilst the families are able to access the advice, support and care that they deserve. In the UK, there are 800,000 disabled children under the age of 16 – this is approximately one child in every twenty, yet the majority of families that that Little Miracles work with report feeling like they are alone in their journey.
Little Miracles exists to reduce this isolation and to ensure that families get the support that they need in order to support their families fully. Activities and Family Support Workers provide a lifeline to the families and their children with the varied support that Little Miracles are able to offer.
We’re aiming to raise as much money as we can as well as volunteer our time and our skills to support the fantastic and invaluable work Little Miracles does.
You can find out more and donate at www.littlemiraclescharity.org.uk
During 2016 we raised £3,922.25 through the sales of Young Writers' Poetry Emotions books and staff fundraising.
The money is helping make a real difference by providing support for families and improving the lives of children and young people affected by metal health problems.
You can still donate to this fantastic cause at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Young-Writers