Crossroads AGM

Networking Event
and Lunch
Hear about things happening for carers
Friday 2 October 2009 12.00-14.00hrs
followed by
Annual General Meeting
14.00-14.30hrs
Hemingford Abbots Village Hall, PE28 9AH
12.00hrs Lunch and Networking
12.30hrs “What we’re doing for carers” - in the
region, in the county and in Crossroads
14.00hrs Annual General Meeting
Speakers:
Sally Bassett Deputy Chief Nurse NHS E of England
Val Selby Carers Strategic Development Manager,
Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC)
Fred Yeulett CCC Cabinet Lead for Health & Wellbeing
Carers stories
RSVP by 18 September 2009
Telephone 0845 241 0954
Email care@westangliacrossroads.org.uk

The BIG Event

The BIG Event
30 September 2009
Marriott Hotel, Huntingdon

Do you work with children and young
people?
We are looking for one person from every
team across children and young people’s
services & every sector to attend:
During this event you will hear about:
 National vision on the children and young people’s
workforce
 What is happening in Cambridgeshire to support you,
as professionals, working with children, young people
and their families
 Contribute to workshops, which will develop your
practice in relation to:
 The language we use
 HOW we work together
 WHAT we can do to work better together
 How leaders and managers should be supported
 Making induction better
 How to prepare people to move into more senior roles.

If you can come, there is the booking form which you can get from:

Stevie Varrall, Training Co-ordinator, Workforce Development Team
Children and Young People’s Services, 7 The Meadow, Meadow Lane, St Ives, Cambs PE27 4LG 01480 376565 Stevie.Varrall@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Paddle for charity

It's strange what comes into your head at three a.m when you are supervising your son's art session in the kitchen after giving him breakfast at 2.15. (Murder? Sedatives? Ed.)

My son Dan, who is 15 years old and attends Samuel Pepys Special School in St Neots, has a rare genetic disorder called Angelman Syndrome (AS), caused by an error on chromosome 15 and resulting in severe learning difficulties, sleep disorder, epilepsy, challenging behaviour and lack of speech. It was once called Happy Puppet Syndrome, because people with AS generally have a happy, smiling disposition (or it's the end of the world and they are inconsolable) and they have co-ordination problems.

Through genetic research, such as the human genome project and the work of Harry Angelman himself, we know a lot about the causes of Angelman Syndrome, but, for parents, teachers and carers, all this is a bit academic and we have to take all that as a given. We need help to understand and cope with the symptoms of the condition and to give our children the best opportunities for a long, happy life. There are many hurdles along the way.

In the UK we have found the Angelman Syndrome Support, Education and Research Trust (ASSERT) http://www.angelmanuk.org/ to be really helpful. Every two years they organise a national conference at Loughborough University where we meet other families and attend lectures, exhibitions and workshops. This month we will attend a regional get-together in Hertfordshire.

My fellow rangers and the volunteers at Paxton Pits are well aware of Dan's condition and the effect on me. I often have to come to work late or leave early and I'm always tired and so it has an effect on them too; more work, but instead of complaining, they have decided to help by raising money to promote awareness about Angelman Syndrome and to give support to parents, carers and teachers. I'm extremely proud and grateful.

Two of our rangers, Matt Johnson and Matt Hall volunteered to paddle my Canadian canoe from Bedford to Ely, and the rest of the staff, visitors and volunteers put up the sponsorship. The target is £600; roughly £10 a mile. They completed the trip this week, in 4 days, so it's time to pay up! The money will go to ASSERT.

I saw the lads on Friday, looking a bit stiff and grizzly (so no change there.) They have survived. They have conquered the thundering cataracts of the Great Ouse and reached safety at last. I don't think they can stand up straight yet though. Sitting down also seems to be a problem.
You can still contribute by going to our on line sponsorship form, www.justgiving.co.uk/mattandmatt