Aiming High News

Sport Across Staffordshire & Stoke -on-Trent Run

2nd 'Reach For It' Family Fun Day

Sport Across Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent are

pleased to announce the 2nd 'Reach For It' Family Fun Day. This day will be taking place in Stafordshire Moorlands and will focus on catering for severe impairments. The Sports and activities that are

beingn run are perfect for powerchair users or those

that need 1 to 1 support.

 

 

Click here to download poster

 

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Sport Across Staffordshire & Stoke -on-Trent Run

3rd 'Reach For It' Family Fun Day

Sport Across Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent are

pleased to announce the 3rd 'Reach For It' Family Fun Day. This day will be taking place in Burntwood and will focus on genreal sports. The day is open to any disabled child and their family from Staffordshire.

 

 

Cllick here to download poster

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Welcome from Aiming High – Participation Worker – Amy Duddy

 

I have recently moved from The Children with Disabilities Team in Surrey and joined Staffordshire County Council’s Children’s Voice Project based in Stafford but covers the whole county. My role is to ensure children are able to voice their feelings, comments and views on the services they receive and access through Aiming High funding.

I am looking forward to visiting the activities and meeting the children and young people who take part in them.

 

If you wish to contact me please feel free to call the Children’s Voice Project on 01785 253878 or e-mail cvp@staffordshire.gov.uk .

 

 

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Click here for poster

 

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Staffordshire FA and Staffordshire Cricket Event

at Stoke City Football Club, Britannia Stadium

Wednesday 22^nd December. 

 

The event which is FREE and includes a tour of the stadium as well as football and cricket activities is open to disabled children and young people aged 5 – 16 years old.    

 

The event will run from 10.15am to 2.30pm.

Parents and carers are asked to provide their child with warm clothing, a packed

lunch and drinks for the day.

 

Further information and an application form are attached

If you need a hard copy of the form or further information please contact Jamie Leaning from Staffs FA on 01785 256994 / 07816 536446 or email jamie.leaning@staffordshirefa.com

 

Click here for application form and information

 

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The G8way Team are holding a Christmas Fun Day on Monday 20^th December 12-3pm at Cannock Children’s Centre.

 

The event is FREE and is open to disabled children aged 0 – 8 years old and their families.

 

Activities include disco and party games, balloon modelling, magic show and making felt Christmas creatures.

 

For more information about the event please contact Kirsty or Alec on 07772 067506 or 0772 067406.

You can also email them at g8way-cann.lich@staffordshire.gov.uk

 

 

Click here for poster

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Click here for poster 

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Click here for poster

 

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Fun on the Farm

 Disabled children, young people and their families are invited to a FREE fun day out at Beaudesert Park Farm.  Activities include meeting the animals, learning about

the farm and much more.

The attached Aiming High flyer has more details about the days out which start in October half term. 

 

For more information or to book a place please call Mary on 01543 425210 or 07984 716494.

 

 

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Multi Sensory Room at the Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford

Since November 2006, the Multi Sensory Room at the Shire Hall Gallery in the centre of Stafford has been open to the public free of charge. The space is equipped with an interactive bubble tube and music wall, a fibre optic seat and a set of sensory drawers labelled ‘see’, ‘hear’, ‘feel’ and ‘do’ which are packed with toys and tactile

objects, along with aroma boxes filled with real herbs

and spices. The room also has a small selection of books to read and CDs to play –

although visitors are welcome to bring their own if they prefer!

 

Although the room can be used on a drop-in basis for sessions of either 30 minutes or one hour during the Gallery’s normal opening hours - that’s 9.30am – 5.00pm every day

except Tuesday (from 10.00am) and Sunday (1.00pm to 4.00pm), it is always better to

book in advance as it is a well-used resource and particularly busy during weekends and holidays. The Gallery is a Freedom to Feed venue and also has a disabled toilet and baby changing facilities.

 

To arrange a visit, call 01785 278345 or make a face to face booking at the Gallery’s front desk at Market Square, Stafford, ST16 2LD. Further information about the Gallery is available at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/shirehallgallery 

 

For more information please contact Laura Hilton on the details below.

 

Laura Hilton

Audience Development Officer

Staffordshire Arts and Museums Service

3rd Floor, Tipping Street, Stafford, ST16 2DH

 

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Government announces £800 million funding for short breaks

 

Council for Disabled Children (CDC) welcomes highest ever investment in short breaks for families with disabled children

 

Sarah Teather MP, Children’s Minister announced today (11 December 2010) that the Government will be providing local authorities with £800 million over the next four years

to fund short breaks for families with disabled children over the next four years. This represents approx £200 million per year, a £22 million year on year increase on 2010 funding, and sends a clear message to local authorities that services for disabled children should be a high priority.

 

In addition, to help improve the way short breaks are provided, the Government is also announcing £40million of capital investment in 2011-12 which will help to support innovative local services like the Hull bicycle project - which provides adapted bicycles so that disabled children can have fun cycling in the park with their friends.

 

Short breaks allow parents of disabled children to carry out day to day tasks that other parents take for granted. Crucially, they also give disabled children and young people opportunities to access positive activities independently of their families. Throughout November, supporters of the Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) campaign have worked with their MPs to call upon the Government to provide a clear message on funding for

short breaks, and other services for disabled children.

 

This announcement comes ahead of Parliamentary debates about regulations under the

local authority duty to provide short breaks.

These regulations state that by 1st October 2011 local authorities must publish a statement for carers in their area setting out:

 

• details of the range of short breaks services provided;
• any criteria against which eligibility services will be assessed; and
• how the range of services is designed to meet the needs of carers in their area.

 

Finally, Sarah Teather MP announced £27 million next year for the

Family Fund. The Family Fund give grants for things that make life easier for families with disabled children such as washing machines, driving lessons and computers.

 

Christine Lenehan, Director, Council for Disabled Children and EDCM Board member said:

 

We are absolutely delighted that the Government has increased funding for short breaks. Parents of disabled children have told us that ‘the lack of short breaks is the biggest single cause of unhappiness with service provision’. This is the most significant level of funding for short breaks we have ever seen. As it coincides with the statutory duty on local authorities to provide breaks, which comes into force in April, families with disabled children should now confidently expect that they will receive the support that they need to lead ordinary lives.

 

Laura Courtney, EDCM Campaign Manager said:

 

Today the Coalition Government has delivered on its pledge that disabled children are at the heart of what they are trying to achieve. This is a testament to the dedicated campaigning of supporters of the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign, and the diligent work of their constituency MPs. We warmly welcome this investment and will work with supporters to ensure that it translate to excellent local delivery.

 

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