|
TALENTED FORMBY ARTIST REVEALS CHRISTMAS CRACKER
A Christmas
card design by a disabled artist from Leonard Cheshire Disability’s
Freshfields at College Path in Formby, Merseyside has been picked as
part of the 2007 range of Christmas cards to help raise money for
Leonard Cheshire Disability.
‘A Starry Night’ by Anne Cronin which shows a traditional
nativity scene was one of the winning three entries. The other two
winners were from Leonard Cheshire Disability’s Services in Surrey.
Speaking of her success Anne said:- “Taking part in the arts
and craft sessions at Freshfields has always been a great pleasure
as I find it so relaxing and love doing creative work. I’m thrilled
my card was selected as one of the three winning designs.
My faith gives me strength and I feel Jesus is always with me. I
chose the nativity as I feel the real meaning of Christmas lives
with the birth of Jesus and in Him bringing joy to the world.”
Anne Cronin was born in the 1960s and as she puts it she was a
‘thalidomide baby’.
Anne said:- “I started attending Freshfields in 1997 for two
days a week on a Monday and Tuesday to do the art and pottery
classes. I always enjoyed art at school but hadn’t done anything for
quite some time. When I went to Freshfields for the two days it gave
my mum a break as she would have some time for herself and do things
she couldn’t get round to when I was there.
I lived at home with my mum until 2000 but as she’d looked after me
for 40 years I decided to move permanently to Freshfields.”
Anne walked for quite some time, but in 1991 she fractured her right
leg when she got off a settee causing her to loose a lot of her
mobility. Today Anne uses a manual wheelchair at Freshfields and a
motorised wheelchair for her trips into town.
KEEP A LOOK OUT... BOGUS CALLERS ABOUT!
ACCORDING to Merseyside Home
Watch, over recent weeks there has been a few reports from various
areas of Sefton that Bogus Callers are targeting vulnerable people.
These callers came in various guises, from passing themselves off as
Water Board officials, tradesmen seeking work as roofers or house
repairers or even police officers.
On one reported occasion a female called at a house and stated she
was authorised by the police to sell household cleaning products as
part of her rehabilitation programme. This was untrue.
One of the reported bogus calls sees a "Trader cold who calls
elderly residents (who are often physically/ mentally disabled) and
informs them that a roof tile has slipped off their roof (or a job
of an equally minor nature). He offers to rectify the problem for a
nominal fee such as £50. He then returns at several times throughout
the year and "invents" problems with the building, such as damp,
roofing repairs, and replacement of soffits. The traders prices
inflate substantially as he informs them that the original minor
fault is far worse than he anticipated. Due to his seemingly
pleasant manner, elderly residents actually think that he is a very
nice person! In most cases he even offers a "free guarantee" with
the initial minor repair but this is an extremely deceitful way of
gaining access to the victim's house at several times during the
year."
If you have any information, please call Crimestoppers on:- 0800 555
111.
|
CHRISTMAS
CAN PUT UNWELCOME STRAIN ON FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS CLAIMS CHILDLINE
FAMILY problems were one of the
main reasons that children and young people contacted ChildLine for
counselling over the twelve days of Christmas last year, which is
why the children’s charity is inviting everyone to support them this
Christmas at Carols by Candlelight.
ChildLine, a service provided by the NSPCC, reveals that of the
4,700 plus children counselled nationally between 24 December 2006
and 5 January 2007, over 600 callers phoned with concerns about
family relationships, with the majority of calls taken on Christmas
Day being about this subject. Other calls taken during this period
focused on loneliness, bullying, physical and sexual abuse.
The charity relies on voluntary contributions to run such vital
services. Carols by Candlelight is an opportunity for people to come
together in the spirit of Christmas and help to raise funds for the
children’s helpline service. ChildLine warmly invites everyone to
join them at Liverpool Cathedral on Tuesday 11 December 2007 at 7pm
for an evening of music and song in the beautiful candlelit setting
of the cathedral.
Mark Tobin, ChildLine services manager said:- “We all think of
Christmas as a joyful time for everyone to get together with their
families. It is very easy to forget that there are many families out
there who find Christmas a time of great stress. It is sad to think
that there will be children this year who are feeling so lonely on
Christmas Day that the only way they can talk to about family
problems is by calling ChildLine. We mustn’t forget as well that
there are many who don’t get through to ChildLine as a lack of funds
means that we are unable to answer every call.
I want to ask all Liverpudlians to remember a very important
Christmas message that – amongst all the celebrations - this is also
a time for thinking about children across Merseyside who are
desperately in need of help. One way for people to show their
support is to come along to ChildLine’s Carols by Candlelight at
Liverpool Cathedral.”
Dana, winner of the 1970 Eurovision song contest and former-MEP,
will be performing a song from her latest album as well as giving a
rendition of ‘Silent Night’. Esther Rantzen CBE, NSPCC trustee and
president of ChildLine, will be giving a speech of welcome. The
special service will end as the congregation sings the final carol
by the warm light of votary candles.
Date:- Tuesday 11 December 2007
Venue:- Liverpool Cathedral
Time:- Doors open 7pm, performance starts at 7.30pm
Tickets:- £6 adult; £3 OAP and children
Contact:- Fundraising Helpline 0870 336 2922
All money raised at the concert will fund ChildLine, which is a free
and confidential helpline for young callers across the UK. Trained
volunteer counsellors talk to children and young people who are
desperate for support with problems such as bullying, sexual abuse,
family tensions, exam stress and self harm.
In the New Year, ChildLine will be opening the city’s own ChildLine
base, housed in the NSPCC Hargreaves Centre on Great Homer Street
which was funded through the generous support of the people of
Merseyside through the Safe Place Appeal.
The event has been generously supported by the Liverpool office of
legal services organisation DLA Piper and leading church furnishings
manufacturer and supplier Hayes and Finch who also have a base in
Liverpool. Hayes and Finch are the sole distributors of Dana’s music
in the UK and are kindly providing the votary candles for the event.
Dana’s Christmas album will be available to buy at the service and a
donation from Hayes and Finch will be made to the NSPCC for each CD
sold. |
