Join us on Linked in
Friend us on FacebookThe Willow Foundation is the only charity of its kind providing special days for 16 to 40 year olds. Special days aim to provide young adults living with life-threatening conditions a chance to escape the pressures of their daily routine and share quality time with family and/or friends.
Every special day is of the young person's choosing - it could involve fulfilling a lifelong dream or it could simply offer an opportunity to bring some much needed normality back into their lives.
The Foundation will endeavour to fulfil the special day request however imaginative and, if possible, exceed expectations.
To date the charity has organised and funded special days for young adults living with a wide range of serious conditions including: cancer, motor neurone disease, cystic fibrosis, Huntingdon's, organ failure and multiple sclerosis (later stages).
Bob & Megs Wilson founded the Willow Foundation in 1999 in memory of their daughter, Anna who died of cancer aged 31. The charity's name, Willow, stems from Anna's nickname and its aim is to replicate the positive impact special days had on both Anna and her family during her treatment.
Anna, a community nurse based in Hertfordshire, was diagnosed as having the very rare form of cancer, malignant schwannoma, at the age of 26. Over the next five years she was to have 16 major operations, numerous treatments and therapies. Yet it was during these years that Anna, her family and friends experienced some of their most memorable moments and quality times together. When Anna had something to look forward to, her pain was reduced, her spirits lifted and she would feel better. Treats, days out, concerts, shopping trips and just being with friends - simple distractions from her illness - gave Anna the determination and adrenalin to fight on. She wanted quality of life, quality of time and most importantly, when she became ill, she wanted to be treated as normal. It is these experiences that the Foundation aims to replicate through the provision of special days for other seriously ill young adults living throughout the UK.
In 2003 the Wilsons stepped back from the day to day running of the charity, however Bob Wilson remains a trustee and Megs Wilson is Founder President. They are both heavily involved in fundraising activities and are kept informed of every special day organised.
Many of the 13,500 children reached by Kids Company’s services have
experienced severe and multiple trauma. Often these are ‘lone children’
living in chronic deprivation, with little or no support from the
adults in their family. Some are young carers struggling to look after
younger siblings or parents who are unable to care for them, and many
have been forced into drug running, gangs, or prostitution as the only
means of survival in their depleted communities.
Kids Company operates through a street level drop-in centre (the Arches
II), a post-16 educational institution (the Urban Academy) and a
therapy centre (the Heart Yard) in South London, as well as offering
therapeutic and social work services in over 30 schools.
We aim to provide an environment where relationships of empathy and attachment can be fostered between children and trusted adults. The support we offer is tailored to the needs of each individual child. We offer unrelenting love for every child, whatever it takes: no matter how disturbed a child is, they will never be turned away.
We are constantly inspired by the courage and dignity expressed by vulnerable children in the face of overwhelming challenges, and in everything we do the child is put first. It is our belief that the public need to be frightened for these children, rather than frightened of them.
Kids Company was awarded the Liberty and Justice Human Rights Award, 2007.
The need for Kids Company
More than 95% of the children and young people we support come to us seeking help, or are referred by their peers; 97% say that Kids Company is effective. Research shows that young people coming to Kids Company face the following difficulties:
- 84% - homelessness - a deeply traumatic and destabilizing experience.
- 82% - substance misuse - this is often a reaction to emotional distress and can indicate a child’s vulnerability to being drawn into the criminal world of drug dealing and taking.
- 81% - criminal involvement, often to feed and clothe younger siblings.
- 83% - sustained, complex trauma during childhood.
- 87% - emotional difficulties and mental health problems.
- 39% - young carers struggling to cope.
Kids’ achievements
The University of London’s 2008 study found that Kids Company had helped:
- 95% improved their relationships
- 81% reintegrated into education, training or employment
- 86% engaged in work experience
- 90% reduced their involvement in criminal activity
- 94% reduced their level of substance misuse
- 89% moved away from crime.
Research by University of London, 2008
At Kids Company in 2008
- 12,000 children and young people accessed our services
- 5000 volunteers gave us their time, including 4292 corporate volunteers from 91 companies.
- 1800 children and young people with nowhere else to go came to our centre on Christmas day.
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Show 11 - Efficient IT structures are key for any SMEIntelligent Server Processors. Built-In Virtualization. Single Core Servers... have we lost you yet?
If, like many owner/managers of small businesses, you are simply confused by technical jargon, struggle to get to grips with your company's IT operations in general, or if you merely don't have the means or manpower to focus your energies on this vital aspect of running your company, then we seriously recommend you join us for this week's smallbusinesadvice.tv show.
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Joining presenter Ian Collins in the studio to show you how to best set up and run your company's IT operation and how you can work around the monetary issues that can prevent many SMEs from investing in an efficient IT structure is Steve Shakespeare, Intel's EMEA Business Solutions Director.
If you have any questions for Steve please e-mail them now via the box above and we'll do our best to answer them during the live show.
Steve Shakespeare joins us live online to discuss ways you can best set up and run your company's IT operation.
For more information visit www.smallbusinessadvice.tv
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