Charity

REACH Charity Ltd

Reach is a charity supporting children with upper limb differences, encouraging and inspiring all the children to aim high.

The small Reach head office in Tavistock works with a dedicated network of volunteer branch coordinators spread across 19 defined areas of the UK and Ireland, connecting families and creating lifelong friendships among the 900 members at the heart of the charity. It aims to offer fun activities, events and advice for the children and their families, providing safe and inclusive opportunities to share experiences and build valuable networks.

Toni’s story: Reach member Toni was born without her right hand; she is the youngest daughter of Shona and Martin. Shona found out at 20 weeks that Toni would be born with an upper limb difference and it was a shock as both hands seemed to be present at the first scan. Shona knew that

Toni Shaw

Toni Shaw

everything would be ok though, as she works with children with disabilities; she says Toni is a great teenager and they are all very proud of her swimming achievements.

Toni picks up the story: “I was born without my right hand. I had a prosthesis at an early age but rarely used it. I now have a specially made one which I use in the gym. My family, friends and school have been very supportive. I have been bought up

A Jewel in Devon’s CrownA Jewel in Devon’s Crown • FREE ENTRY FREE PARKING •

The monks welcome you to their home and hope you find here, peace and rest; enjoy the Abbey’s beautiful architecture and gardens, restaurant and shops, visit the Monastic Way. Buckfast Abbey’s Northgate House Hotel offers perfect seclusion and is an ideal base from which to explore the surrounding countryside. For more information see our website or Telephone: 01364 645500

Lauren Steadman

to think I can do whatever I set my mind to. From an early age I always wanted to be a successful para-swimmer, so my childhood instructor at a local team suggested I try out for a club. I went from swimming with the Cults Otters to swimming for the University of Aberdeen and then on to represent the Scotland GB team. My passion is swimming, and my successes to date include 2 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze medals at the European Championships in Dublin 2018 and winning the same medals at the World Para Championships in London 2019. My ambition is to represent Great Britain at the Paralympics in Tokyo 2020 and the trials for team selection are in April. My advice to other Reach children is - do not let your impairment stand in your way; you can achieve your goals if you try hard. I have been a member of Reach charity all my life; they are my second family and have allowed me to meet other children with upper limb differences, showing me, I am not alone in the world.”

The charity relies very heavily on its volunteers and Reach national coordinator Deb Bond, says that the fundraising of members is truly astonishing with family and friends hosting activities such as bake sales, quizzes and dance-athons, alongside awe-inspiring physical challenges such as trekking to Everest base camp, rowing marathons, Ironman triathlons and swimming endurance distances. Reach members also take on five allocated places at the London Marathon and collectively all of the money raised goes towards bursaries for car adaptations for drivers, adaptations to musical instruments or sporting equipment, and of course towards funding the many family branch and national events. Reach has a mentor system in place where older children are trained to support the younger members. Mentors play an important role at the regular meets and camps and can be inspirational for those still coming to terms with their situation. Further inspiration is found in the many Paralympians and media celebrity members who motivate younger members to achieve their personal goals, including triple world champion para-triathlete and recent Strictly Come Dancing contestant Lauren Steadman; journalist, comedian and presenter of Channel 4’s The Last Leg, Alex Brooker; and Bake Off’s Bryony Williams. Deb says: “We recognise that different families want different levels of support, and so we tailor our approach to suit them, providing resources and practical information. The charity’s aim is to help all Reach children achieve their potential and we celebrate ability, never focusing on differences. Our members are amazing and we shout about their achievements whenever we can.” Reach’s motto is ‘Live life without limits’ and this inspiring charity is certainly doing that.

Nichola Williams

For more information visit www.reach.org.uk or contact reach@reach.org.uk, 0845 130 6225 or 020 3478 0100. If you would like to donate to Reach please click on the donate button on our website - every penny goes towards helping our children and their families.

EAT - DRINK - SLEEP Pop in for a drink after work and sample our very own Eagle One gin, eat in our fine dining restaurant or stay over night, we have it all covered in Cornwall’s only Gin Distillery Grade II listed Hotel. Call, email or visit our website for prices and bookings

WHY biomass boiler servicing is a bio must... PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

With an increasing focus on sustainable energy, more people than ever are turning to alternative fuel sources for their heating systems. Amongst these are biomass boilers, that burn wood chips, pellets or logs.

Biomass boilers are more eco-friendly and potentially less costly, they do however, require more attention than their gas and oil counterparts. Read on for the answers to those burning questions... What is a biomass boiler? Biomass boilers are similar to conventional boilers in that they provide you with space heating and hot water for the entire home, but instead of using gas or oil to produce the heat, they combust sustainably sourced wood pellets, wood chips or logs. Why is servicing so important? The burning of biological material produces waste product of ash which, if left, can clog air vents and machinery, cause ineffi ciency and sometimes leave you with a boiler breakdown. How often should your biomass boiler be serviced? Well maintained, a biomass boiler can last you 20 years or more. General guidance from manufacturers often states an annual service, which is a minimum requirement if you receive the Renewable Heat Incentive. It’s worthwhile checking with insurers as well, as there may be stipulations regarding minimum servicing. With systems that are in constant or heavy use, especially throughout the winter months, two services per year may be needed to keep your system running at optimum. How do I tell when my biomass boiler needs to be serviced? • There may be visibly high levels of soot within the combustion chamber • There may be unburnt fuel within the ash deposit chamber • It may produce excessive black smoke during combustion If you are unsure of any of these key signs, err on the side of caution and call a specialist engineer to take a look for you. What will your specialist engineer cover during a biomass boiler service? • A general inspection of the whole system • Cleaning of airway ports to remove debris • Inspect and clean the heat exchanger and combustion chamber

• Check all bearings and seals, replace and/or re-grease where necessary • Replace any worn components (such as grates) • Inspect and test all safety equipment • Inspect associated fuel equipment • Analyse fl ue gases to check combustion effi ciency How long does a biomass boiler service take? Services may take a couples of hours to half a day, depending on the size and condition of the system. How can you minimise biomass boiler problems? Neil Fleet, Senior Engineer at DB Heating in Tavistock, says ‘The most common problem with biomass boilers is a lack of maintenance which reduces the lifespan of the boiler and causes issues with effi ciency. The best way to try and avoid these issues is with regular servicing which can save you money and boiler downtime in the long-run.’

DB Heating have a team of experienced biomass engineers ready and waiting to carry out services and repairs for your system. Call 01822 633100 today to book in your next service with our friendly team.

We can service your biomass boiler

Regular servicing will ensure your boiler is working at maximum effi ciency for you and the environment...

The local, established & reputable heating & plumbing experts

Unit 10, Atlas House • West Devon Business Park • Brook Lane • Tavistock • Devon • PL19 9DP 01822 611300 T www.dbheating.com W reception@dbheating.com E