Grand News
Inside this issue of Grand News:
• White Water Rafting
• Magical Ice Skating Rink
• Star Tribute Fund
The newsletter of Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal supporting The Royal Hospital for Children in Bristol
Winter 2005
• Pamper Someone Special
Get fit in 2006 with The Grand Appeal ‘ £ for a lb scheme ’
Want to get into shape? Why not join us and do things a little differently? The ‘£ for a lb’ scheme gives you the opportunity to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital whilst losing weight and getting fit and healthy. All you have to do is ask your friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you £1 for every 1lb you lose and make a registration donation of £10. When you sign up for the scheme, you will receive our special ‘£ for lb pack’, which will include exercise and dietary
My Inspiration A few months ago I collected a fundraising pack from the Grand Appeal office whilst my son Toby was in Intensive care. Ten weeks after his open heart surgery (at 3 months old) and many complications we finally brought him home. When Liisa, the fitness instructor, at the Fitness Mill (my local gym) asked me what everyone could do for Toby we agreed that a sponsored aerobic marathon to raise money for the Intensive care unit at the Bristol children’s hospital would be something towards all the wonderful people who have helped Toby over the past few months. We also knew that this would touch many other people’s hearts who have benefited from the Intensive care unit including Liisa’s son Ben.
tips and a free pass for a health club. You will also receive a weekly email with our Exercise and Diet tips of the Week, as each week local restaurants will donate a different recipe and fitness experts from across the region will share their advice (we can post these to you if you do not have email). When you join you will also be given your very own membership number to allow you to access a dedicated forum have so much strength to keep recovering from all the surgery and set backs he has had and to still be smiling I felt so humble. Well we did it! Five hours of grueling aerobics…….When we thought of doing this marathon for the Bristol children’s hospital, to thank and show our appreciation for everything they have done for Toby (and all the other children we met), we never thought for one moment it would be as huge as it has become. I would like to say a huge thank you all our family and friends who took it upon themselves to do all they could to raise funds and thanks must go to all of them for having supported us throughout the hardest four months of our lives, from the minute Toby was born with Downs Syndrome, to learning he then had to have open heart surgery.
HOWEVER a HUGE thank you must go to everyone who wanted to contribute towards our appeal to help children such as Toby. We were overwhelmed by the When I sat down and thought about a 5 hour aerobic marathon I thought she must amount of people who showed up to take be crazy! I can’t do that! I only had Toby 16 part in the marathon and the hard work they had put in to gaining sponsors. weeks ago! Then I decided to write down Toby, as you can see, is doing very well all the things that Toby had been through and before I could finish I thought what an and we feel blessed everyday we have inspiration he is to us all. For a tiny baby to him with us.
on our website so you can share ideas and offer encouragement to fellow weight-losers as well as confess your dietary sins! So please help us turn calories into cash and help make a real difference to the children of the Bristol Children’s hospital. The Scheme will begin in January 2006: call today to kick-start your New Year, and together we’ll get a Grand Figure!
Wrong
T rousers Day Friday 23rd June 2006
Wear the Wrong Trousers and donate £1 to help raise funds for children in Hospitals and Hospices throughout the UK. Register now at
or call 0845 600 1924 to enter our prize draw to win a case of Champagne.
To support Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal Freephone 0800 919 649 or visit www.grandappeal.org.uk
Recycle your old Mobile Phones this Christmas ! Christmas Bells are ringing and Santa’s slay is full of brand new mobile phones! However at this time of Joy, celebration and multiple texting you may wonder what will happen to all those phones that are replaced, made ownerless and homeless …well … The Grand appeal can give them a great new home. We will recycle your old mobile phones, sending them to a better place whilst raising much needed funds for the Bristol Children’s Hospital! Simply send them to the Appeal using our Freepost Address: Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal SWB315, Bristol, BS2 8ZZ
We would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who took part in the Bristol half marathon 2005. If you would like to run for the Appeal in 2006 please call us on 0800 919 649 to register.
The White Water Rafting Challenge ! Tired of staying in doors over winter? Bored of sheltering from the wet and cold? Want to enjoy the ultimate Winter experience? If so then sign up to join The Grand Appeal’s White Water Rafting Team! White Water Rafting is the ideal way to experience all that the River Wye has to offer. From the tranquil head waters and scenic gorges to the thrills and swims of the thundering, boiling, adrenaline pumping white water. The trip covers up to 12 miles of the river, including the infamous ‘Hell Hole’, a part of the river where there’s a big chance you’ll be swimming! White Water rafting allows you to experience the thrills of being on
white water, as well as experiencing landscapes out of reach by the normal means. If you enjoy White Knuckle rides and being part of a team then White Water Rafting is for you! To White Water Raft for The Grand Appeal, all we ask is a £10 deposit and for you to raise £110 in sponsorship. For more information please contact us and we’ll send you out a full information pack.
To support Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal Freephone 0800 919 649 or visit www.grandappeal.org.uk
TE A PD U AL E P AP
A Star Tribute fund Remembering your loved one The memory of our loved one is the greatest tribute we can give to them as testimony to the happiness they brought us. Through the Appeal a unique star tribute fund can be set up in your loved ones memory with the purpose of their life continuing to benefit and help others. Their
name will be recorded in the Appeal’s Star book of remembrance, with the option to create a virtual star on the Appeal’s website sky of Stars and their name engraved on a star which will be hung in the hospital. The Star Tribute fund will be everlasting to celebrate the life of your loved one, to commemorate special occasions such as birthdays or Christmas or by holding fundraising events in their honour.
How your support really makes a difference
If you would like further information or to speak to someone about setting up a star tribute fund please contact the Appeal on 01179 273 888.
Pamper someone special this Christmas
Meet Tom* from the Bristol Children’s Hospital where your support helps us to provide Music therapy.
Tom* was 9 years old when I first started working with him on the oncology ward when he was diagnosed with Cancer. I worked with him twice a week for several months both on the oncology ward and, when he was in isolation, on the Bone Marrow
Transplant Unit. When I first met Tom he was extremely timid and unwilling to take part but did seem to enjoy me singing to him. Very quickly, after a few sessions, he started joining in and exploring the instruments with great enthusiasm. His parents were delighted to see him becoming more confident and enjoying himself so much that he often didn’t want me to leave. There were times when he had been feeling quite upset before a session and yet was immediately distracted by the music and smiled and giggled as he took part. When Tom was in isolation he became quite frustrated at being in such a confined space. Regular music therapy sessions provided him with a creative outlet for all of his emotions, inhibitions and feelings of frustration and as his dad said ‘they also used up his surplus energy!’
We have teamed up with the Relaxation Centre in Clifton to launch this great new fundraising scheme, which offers you the chance to buy gift vouchers ranging from £25 to £100 from the appeal, to be used for a selection of treatments at the centre including massage, sauna, spa and hot tub. For every voucher purchased from the Appeal 10% will be donated to the Appeal and matched by the Relaxation Centre. This is a great Christmas present and a fantastic new way to support the Appeal. Call 0800 919 649 for more information.
To support Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal Freephone 0800 919 649 or visit www.grandappeal.org.uk
How you can help
Please accept my donation of: £5 £20 £50
Other amount £
A cheque made payable to The Grand Appeal is enclosed. Please debit my Access/Visa/MasterCard
Card No.
Expiry Date
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£100
Signature
£1,000
I AM A UK TAXPAYER AND WOULD LIKE THE GRAND APPEAL TO GIFT AID MY DONATION:
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Skydiving The Grand Appeal Company Lottery A Fundraising pack full of more great ideas to help the Appeal
A Collection Tin Grand Trek Challenges Recycling schemes Leaving a legacy in your Will White Water Rafting Star Tribute Fund Pamper Someone Special Thank you, your support will make a real difference to the lives of children and their families in hospital Return to: The Grand Appeal FREEPOST SWB315, Bristol, BS2 8ZZ
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Grand News is edited by Marie Clements, Fundraising Manager The Grand Appeal is run by a small team of staff and volunteers. We’re very friendly and approachable and will be delighted to help you out with any fundraising information you may require. Call us on 0800 919 649 • Visit www.grandappeal.org.uk • Email us at grand.appeal@btinternet.com Write to us at 24 Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol BS2 8DJ
Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal Registered Charity No. 1043603 Company Registration No. 3008531 Wallace & Gromit is a trademark of Aardman/Wallace & Gromit Ltd © Aardman/Wallace & Gromit Ltd 2005