FFFC and Vision Publications support the Birmingham Children’s Hospital Cardiac Theatre Appeal
The Trustees of FFFC were pleased to be able to support the appeal made by the Birmingham Children’s Hospital who are renovating their Cardiac Theatre and pioneering new heart treatments for babies and children.
Tom Ball, Chairman of FFFC, went to the hospital to see the machine, which has been sponsored by FFFC and by a separate donation from Vision Publications (FFFC’s fundraisers) for a sum totalling £3,364.
Dr Oliver Stumper demonstrated the piece of equipment (which is a Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound Probe) and which is used to trace and identify tiny and intricate veins and blood vessels in a child. Any malfunctions or imperfections may then be corrected by surgery or other procedures.
Tom said: 'When I viewed the work that this equipment is capable of, I am convinced that the FFFC Trustees have made good use of the generous donations made to us directly and, of course, donations made to us by those businesses who have advertised through the Vision Publication Group’s magazines.
This cardiac facility will help significant numbers of children for years to come.
I also have to say that without the direct donation of £1,907 made to us by Vision Publication Group, outside of their contractual obligations to FFFC, it would not have been possible for us to issue this grant.
We are so grateful to the owners of Vision for their help.
The main aim of FFFC is to aid children’s small charities and groups which often fail to attract financial aid from other sources. In the case of Birmingham Children’s Hospital, however, the Trustees felt that the pioneering techniques made possible by this equipment may be duplicated all over the country as they develop from this new facility, and so very much justifies this particular grant'.
The Hospital is still making appeals to reach their target of £2m which will allow them to complete their Cardiac Theatre Suite.
We at FFFC wish them all the very best in their endeavour. ( www.bch.org.uk )
'Maggie' the Ipswich Community Playbus is a non-profit small local registered charity run by a board of Trustees. The Playbus provides a valuable service offering free access to quality early play experiences and familial support for under 5s in Ipswich. The Playbus currently runs 8 free play sessions in Ipswich which are staffed by 2 qualified professionals who provide planned play activities that include arts, crafts and sand play and gives parents/carers a chance to come together in the community and make new friendships. The Ipswich Playbus was started in 1979 and the current double decker was converted to a Playbus in 2000.
This group seeks to aid children through interaction with animals.
After school clubs and holiday playschemes for children including those with special needs.
The fund issued this grant to help the nursery provide a covered outdoor space for the children to play in and to renew and repair some dilapidated, old and leaking wooden buildings it uses for storage.
A refuge centre that received a grant from FFFC towards play equipment and IT.
British Epilepsy Association, Yeadon, Leeds
Claire House Childrens Hospice, Wirral, Mersyside
Morley Under 5's Preschool and Out of School Club, Morely St Botolph, Norfolk
North Smethwick Development Trust (NSDT), Smethwick, West Midlands
Rainbow Trusts Children's Charity, Leatherhead, Surrey
St Joseph's After School Club, Westernmore, Neath
The Sick Children's trust, Sheffield
Wildlife Trust for Sheffield and Rotherham, Sheffield
Youth Project @ Apostles & Cuthberts (YPAC), Manchester
Brighton and Hove Parents and Children Group, Brighton, East Sussex
Club Mechell, Ysgol Llanfechell, Gwynedd
Kingswell Playgroup, Kingswell, Aberdeen
Sbri-Ni (After School Club), Whitland, Carmarthenshire
The Asha Centre, Worcester
The Friends of Pheonix, Braithwaite, West Yorkshire
Thrive Cardiff, Lianrumney, Cardiff
Thumbs Up Club, Wokingham, Berkshire
Ysgol Reethrin Porthmadog, Gwynedd
