CONTINUING TO HELP CHILDREN IN HOUNSLOW - 3rd May 2005

2005 is a special year for the UK's leading children's charity, Barnardo's. 100 years after the death of the charity's founder, Dr. Thomas Barnardo, the charity continues to make a difference to the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in the UK. Throughout 2005, Barnardo's Spectrum Project, based in Hounslow Middlesex will be celebrating the difference they have made to the lives of disabled children and young people in their local area.

Spectrum offers practical support to disabled children, enabling them to live as full a life as possible. Services are also offered to parents, to help them deal with the challenges and stress of caring for a disabled child.

Services include:
" Family Link: Barnardo's recruit and train foster carers who then offer short breaks to a child in the foster carer's home. This allows parents to have a break - time off to relax and do things they normally don't have the time to do. It also helps children develop links with another family, make new friends and try different activities.
" Homecare Service: Barnardo's employ around 30 home carers who visit the families' homes and offer practical support such as bathing, washing, dressing, bedtimes, mealtimes and taking the children out.
" Volunteers: Barnardo's have befrienders who offer one to one support for young disabled people to enable them to develop their social skills. Spectrum runs a Saturday activity club and has volunteers to help with general office tasks.

Brij from Hounslow is a Punjabi mother of four grown up children. She dedicated her life to looking after her own children. When her children grew up, Brij had her house adapted to look after disabled children in her home. At present she provides overnight care in her home, allowing parents who provide around the clock care for their children a much-needed break. Brij said, "I was lonely when my children grew up - they had kept me busy! I have always enjoyed looking after children, I find it rewarding to see them happy. My friends always say I look relaxed and happy and ask me what my secret is, and I say the children I look after make me happy -that's my secret! At the end of the day, when they show me a smile, my tiredness disappears"

How can you help? Spectrum needs the support of the local community to make this appeal a success. £190,000 in voluntary donations is needed each year to keep providing these services. You can help the appeal by asking your company, school or sports club to adopt the Appeal and raise money during the year.

Here are some ways to help
" At work: ask your company to make a tax efficient donation, ask colleagues to get involved through dress down days or by organising a social occasion. The options are endless!
" At school: local fundraisers can come into schools and organise some exciting ways of raising money. Have a non-uniform day or let your imagination run riot - with the permission of your teachers of course!
" Leisure time: ask your football, tennis or golf team to organise a competition or social event with all entry fees or proceeds going to Spectrum.
" In the community: if you belong to a local community group such as a church, mosque, gurdwara, rotary club or Town's Woman's Guild organise a raffle or event, be imaginative!
" Personal challenge: set yourself your own fundraising challenge and ask for support from friends, relations and colleagues.
Take part in an event organised by Barnardo's. There are lots to choose from: skydiving, marathons and fun runs to social occasions and quizzes.

To find out more visit Barnardo's Spectrum team at Hounslow's Treaty Centre on Tuesday 10th May. Staff will be on hand to answer questions and showcase an exclusive Spectrum video.