Brain and Spine Foundation The Foundation provides support and information to those affected by the many conditions associated with the brain and spine. The charity relies heavily on voluntary donations and fundraising events to provide the services which have helped many thousands of people across the UK. You can help the future work of the Brain and Spine Foundation by •
Making a donation
•
Organising or taking part in a fundraising event
•
Offering your time as a volunteer
•
Remembering the Brain and Spine Foundation in your will
Providing information, improving understanding, reducing anxiety
Further details available from the address/telephone number below or from www.brainandspine.org.uk.
Brain and Spine Foundation 3.36 Canterbury Court, Kennington Park, 1-3 Brixton Road London SW9 6DE Telephone 020 7793 5900 Fax 020 7793 5939 Brain and Spine Helpline 0808 808 1000 Website www.brainandspine.org.uk Email info@brainandspine.org.uk Registered Charity Number: 1098528 A company limited by guarantee and registered in England (Company number 4432677)
Annual Review 2010
Brain and spine conditions
2010 A year in numbers
There are several hundred different conditions of the brain and spine and together they affect about 10 million people in the UK.
Helpline nurses talked, emailed or wrote to over
These conditions affect both children and adults and in many cases have a long term pattern without the prospect of a cure in the immediate future. Neurological conditions and associated treatments are often complex and poorly understood by those affected and their families. The Brain and Spine Foundation is committed to improving the support and provision of quality information available to individuals in order to reduce anxiety and help inform their choices.
3,000
people about their specific concerns
11 50,000
This year
new booklets and fact sheets were published
We handled
requests for brain and spine
information
Financial summary Income £512,351 Expenditure £559,227
20
training courses for social care staff
and healthcare professionals in six areas of England to
£1 expenditure breakdown Fundraising 26p
We delivered
Patient information 43p
help them communicate better with patients/clients affected by neurological conditions
Children’s projects 4p
Over Professional education 24p Governance 3p
35,000
people visit the Brain and Spine
website every month to read or download information on neurological conditions and their treatments
Source:Trustee Report and Financial statements 2009-10 (copy of this report available from B&SF office)
Improving understanding
Reducing anxiety
Conditions of the brain and spine can be complex and long term. Our aim is always to explain those complex medical conditions in a way that people can understand.
For most people, booklets and web pages are all they require, but often people need to talk: to ask questions and be reassured. We offer a number of ways to meet this need.
We provide more than 20 informative booklets and fact sheets on different conditions/procedures/symptoms and making them freely available online or by post and through our partner organisations.
The Brain and Spine Helpline is staffed by neuroscience nurses who are able to help people with their questions on a wide range of neurological issues.
In 2010 the Brain and Spine Foundation was one of the first UK organisations to be accredited by the Department of Health’s Information Standard.
Reducing anxiety among children and young people with brain tumours is a primary reason for the Headstrong project which aims to explain to them their condition, their symptoms and treatment side effects.
Our main website www.brainandspine.org.uk provides information to more than 35,000 visitors every month and provides information on conditions as well as links to other support organisations and UK neurosurgical centres. www.aboutbraininjury.org.uk is a special website specifically designed to help young people affected by an acquired brain injury.
Our main website has a popular online forum where people affected by neurological conditions can talk to others in similar circumstances.
“I am so appreciative to have this website. My questions are answered quickly in terms I can understand. I cannot express how much this means to me and I am sure to many others also”
Professional training
We need your support
During 2010 the Brain and Spine Foundation continued with two important professional training projects. The projects are very different but have a common aim – to improve the care and treatment of people affected by brain and spine conditions.
We are very dependent on the families, friends and relatives of people affected by brain and spine conditions for the majority of our income every year.
Educational psychologists The Foundation has delivered further training days for groups of educational psychologists across the UK to focus on the educational needs of young people affected by acquired brain injury. Since the beginning of the programme over 500 educational psychologists have attended these sessions. Communication skills course In 2010 thanks to funding from the Department of Health in England we ran 20 training courses for health professionals and social care staff wishing to improve their communication skills when in contact with people affected by neurological conditions.
Our 60 strong Virgin London Marathon team led by Ossie Ardiles raised over £120,000 this year and a similar amount was raised by the hundreds of people who participated in other running, cycling and parachuting events - or organised their own fundraising opportunities. We are very grateful to the Big Lottery, the John Ellerman Foundation, the Clacton Triathlon, Attwaters, the Daily Telegraph and Team Sparkle for their major contributions to the success of some of our key initiatives in 2010 along with the many other individuals and organisations that gave their support. Thank you. If you can help us in 2011 with a donation or organising an event do get in touch. £75 keeps the Helpline open for an hour. £15 will pay for information packs for 3 people.
Gary Lewin (left) and other valued supporters working hard to raise funds!