Wishes that come true...
FROM green-fingered schoolchildren and hospital nurses to homeless projects and elderly clubs, dozens of community groups and schools are enjoying a happier Christmas thanks to our Make A Wish Awards.
The Chronicle & Echo and Barclaycard's Make A Wish Appeal invited charities, schools and community groups across the area to nominate a deserving project for a cash award, and last month we printed our shortlist of entrants.
The winners have now been announced and received their awards at a glittering presentation evening.
This year's finalists were bidding for a share of 40,000, as Barclaycard is celebrating its 40th anniversary in Northampton.
Louise Ellington, Barclaycard regional community manager, said they had been delighted to help celebrate so many good causes.
"The awards evening was a great end to this year's Make a Wish and it was fantastic to meet all of the finalists in person and hear first-hand about the work that they do," she said.
"All the recipients really deserved their awards and we hope they enjoy spending the money."
Chronicle & Echo editor Mark Edwards said he had been impressed by another great year of worthy projects.
"It is fantastic to be involved in a scheme where people who give so much of their time and energy get some financial support to help their communities," he said.
"Some of the work done by people over days, weeks and years help change the lives of all sorts of people and we are delighted to be able to do our bit to help.
"We are grateful to Barclaycard, without whose financial support Make A Wish would not be possible."
St Brendan's Junior School, Corby – Awarded 8,000
One of the highest grants awarded in this year's Make A Wish Awards went to St Brendan's where staff needed cash to buy the children a set of 16 new computers.
Their current computers were bought six years ago and they have now become too old and slow for the children to use effectively. So 8,000 has been given to the school to help kit pupils out with a new set of keyboards and monitors. Headteacher Carol Connolly said: "I made the wish but I did not think it would ever come true and it really has been a wish come true for us. When I told the children about it they were so excited. The old computers were so slow and would break down frequently which was frustrating."
NARA The Breathing Charity, Moulton Park – Awarded 1,000
NARA, which stands for the National Association for the Relief of Apnoea, works to help people who suffer from a variety of conditions which affect breathing, such as asthma. The charity has now been awarded 1,000 by Make A Wish to buy four portable nebulisers in order to give more patients the freedom to take their medication while away from home. Fundraising co-ordinator Eileen Circuit said: "We are absolutely over the moon because we got the whole 1,000; that was fantastic." She added: "The nebulisers will give people the freedom to be outside. It is something you don't really contemplate, but these people have to plan their time from one lot of medication to the next."
Northamptonshire Association for the Blind – Awarded 3,000
It is thanks to the efforts of NAB staff that news from around Northamptonshire is distributed to the blind and partially sighted through a talking newspaper, which has been run for 30 years.
The news is currently recorded onto tapes which are then heard by about 500 people but the NAB wanted 3,000 to help update the talking newspaper service. Through the Make A Wish awards, the full amount has now been presented to the group and it will be spent on digital recording and copying equipment for the creation of compact discs.
Alan Williams, fundraising manager, said: "We are absolutely delighted that we will be able to satisfy the needs of the visually impaired community for many years to come."
Spring Lane School, Northampton – Awarded 2,500
Thanks to this year's Make A Wish awards staff and pupils at Spring Lane Primary now have 2,500 to spend on fun new equipment for their playgrounds.
Staff wanted to boost the amount of outdoor exercise pupils were doing, beyond PE lessons.
Year five teacher Tracey Hamilton said: "This is fantastic news, I think it would have taken years to raise that sort of money through fundraising, so this was an incredible gift for us.
"It will be used to buy big playground equipment that will last for a long time."
St Barnabas House, Spring Boroughs, – Awarded 500
Senior citizens from the sheltered housing scheme have already enjoyed a Christmas lunch thanks to Make A Wish and will use the rest of their 500 award to provide food parcels for housebound residents.
The club has about 50 members, who meet three times a week. Frank Robbins, who volunteers to help run the group, said Make A Wish had helped to give them a really special Christmas.
"The first thing we wanted to do was take everyone out for a Christmas meal," he said. "We had a proper Christmas lunch with turkey and plum pudding. It is nice to be able to spend the money how you want to, so thank you Make A Wish."
Northgate School, Queen's Park Parade, Kingsthorpe –
Awarded 1,000
This special school in Kingsthorpe has been given 1,000 through the Make A Wish awards to build a mini race track on the school grounds.
The youngsters have been busy saving up points as part of an incentive scheme at the school where points can be used to buy different prizes in a Reward Shop.
And one of the most popular prizes has been the remote control car so staff wanted a track to be built at school so the pupils can use them in their leisure time.
Headteacher Sheralee Webb said: "We are very excited and pleased. We announced the news in assembly and everyone cheered.
"We have been on the internet and we have information on a step to step guide on building a race track so now we just need a builder."
Nene Valley Christian Family Refuge, Northampton
– Awarded 1,000
More than 50 families will benefit from a special Christmas dinner and party this year thanks to a 1,000 gift from the appeal.
The centre which helps women fleeing domestic violence and their children, is hoping to raise their spirits this festive period.
Staff member, known as Jacqui, said: "Without this money we would not be able to provide as many nice things and we can do something a bit more special than we would normally.
"We are going to have four mini-parties. The mums will have their own party, we are taking the teenagers bowling and we are also having a party for the nursery children.
"Then we are going to bring everyone together for Christmas presents and a visit from Father Christmas."
Cold Ashby Memorial Village Hall, Cold Ashby – Awarded 1,000
The group received 1,000 for new lighting for the hall, which means they no longer have to borrow from other groups.
Chairman Terry Smith said this meant the lights should be installed in time for their pantomime production at the end of January.
"When I heard we had got the award I was absolutely over the moon, and the four members who attended the presentation were delighted," he said.
"We have a fantastic pantomime coming up and now we will have everything we need for it.
"It's brilliant news for the community and is just absolutely fantastic."
Kingsley Primary School, Northampton – Awarded 2,500
This is a special year for Kingsley Primary School as it celebrates its 40th anniversary.
To mark the occasion, 2,500 has been presented to the school through the Make A Wish appeal to fund a trip to Legoland for its pupils.
It is believed that almost 200 pupils will take part in the trip, an event which the school would not normally be able to afford.
Headteacher Chris Newton said: "I'm delighted and excited. The awards night was just unbelievable and when I announced the news to the children I couldn't describe their reaction. They were just so happy and very excited about it."
"Now I just need to raise the money for the coaches to get us there."
Ladybirds Pre-School, Corby – Award 850
Children from many different countries attend Ladybirds Pre-School and staff there wanted to equip the youngsters with multi-cultural play equipment.
Through the Make A Wish appeal, 850 has now been awarded to the pre-school to buy new toys for the pupils as well as replacing an old, broken play kitchen.
Manager Heather MacIntyre said: "We were really pleased and surprised. We are buying a new, toy kitchen and multi-cultural play food as well as outfits for children and dolls.
"They play nicely in the broken kitchen so when they get the new one they will be really excited."
Higham Ferrers Nursery and Infants School – Award 1,000
The school was delighted to receive 1,000 toward its 2,000 bid to pay for 200 paperback books for its new library.
Headteacher Sarah Drury said: "We were absolutely delighted. We felt very grateful to be considered among so many good causes and to have our wish recognised as being
worthy by the Chronicle & Echo and Barclaycard.
"Hundreds of children will be able to use the books for years to come. We have been saving a lot of money to build the library in the first place but we had no money for books. We are trying to keep up to date with books and modern technology but that is very expensive. This sum of money will help us to achieve that."
Southbrook Community Association Happy Faces Day Care, Daventry – Award 750
The community association runs thriving breakfast clubs, afterschool clubs and holiday clubs for more than 100 local children aged three to 13.
Association chair and pre-school supervisor Gayner Barnsley said the children had been thrilled when they found out they had been awarded 750 to buy a computer to use for homework and research.
"It's absolutely fantastic – we told them at the breakfast club and they were absolutely over the moon," she said.
"We printed copies of the certificates so they all had one to take home and they were all very proud. We rely totally on fundraising so it really does mean a lot to us, and we'd like to thank everyone who voted for us."
Earl Spencer Primary School, Northampton – Award 3,000
The school has started remodelling its brand new library, dedicated to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, but needed 3,000 to fit it out with fiction and non-fiction books and equipment. Deputy headteacher Claire Fulford said their 225 pupils would all benefit greatly from the award.
"We are delighted as it means we are going to get some more books," she said. "Our library is dedicated to Princess Diana and we rededicated this library to the princess because of our connections with the Spencer family. We are delighted because it is going to make a big difference and we can buy quality books for the children to use in our reference library."
All Saints Primary, Wellingborough – Award 1,400
The school's 240 pupils will be able to grow their own fruit and veg thanks to their 1,400 award.
The money will be used to plant apple trees and salad crops in the school grounds and also provide a greenhouse and child-friendly tools.
Headteacher Lindsay Hall said: "It was wonderful to be given the money and I did not realise the awards night would be such a prestigious occasion.
"It was fantastic and it means we can get on and do everything we want. One lady from Barclaycard even said she might be able to get some volunteers together to help us dig up the ground."
Anticoagulant Service, Northampton General Hospital
– Award 5,000
The anticoagulant service, which works to prevent blood clots, will be able to kit out its new clinic thanks to a Make A Wish award of 5,000. Clinical nurse specialist Gill Askens, who has worked at the hospital for nine years, said they would now be able to buy a vital signs monitor, which is a portable blood pressure monitor that also checks a patient's pulse, temperature and oxygen levels.
"I was ecstatic when I heard we had got the award," she said. "We didn't think we would get the full amount so it was a lovely surprise. We have drawn up a wish list of all the equipment that we need and now we will be able to put the orders in."
The Salvation Army, Northampton – Award 500
More than 50 homeless people have already enjoyed a pre-Christmas dinner party thanks to Make A Wish.
The Salvation Army put on a full festive meal and bought useful gifts for people on the streets of Northampton after receiving their 500 award.
Major Adrian Coupe said the event had been an additional treat alongside their regular homeless project every Wednesday morning, where people can come in and have breakfast and a shower.
"We were delighted when we found out about the award and the event went exceptionally well," he said.
"An amount like this means we can do so much more for people who really need it."
The Veterans' Club, Northampton – Award 800
The non profit-making club has grown to 137 members, who meet every Thursday afternoon at The Headland pub in Longland Road. Chairman Morris Burry was delighted when the group received 800 to make their Christmas party dreams come true.
"When we heard we had got the award it was just marvellous," he said. "We put a lot of entertainment on and only charge 2 a year for membership, so it is wonderful to be able to give everyone a free-of-expense day with a buffet, bingo and raffles. The club started as just a bit of fun for us but it does get us old people out of our homes, and to see people's faces light up when something like this happens is wonderful."
Stepping Stones, So..! Dancers and Young Creations, Silverstone – Award 5,000
Disabled youngsters from these village arts groups have already produced a number of successful projects, from short films and art work to a touring production to local schools.
Now a 5,000 award from Make A Wish means they can buy multimedia equipment, such as head-cams, keyboards and lighting and sound equipment.
The groups originally asked for 9,000 but Veronica Broomhall, who helped set them up, said: "We are more than happy because the money will really help us."
"We are delighted that the panel appreciated what we are trying to do."
Avondale Infant School, Kettering – Award 400
The school has a designated special provision for hearing impaired children and they have been working to bring pupils from the infant school, junior school and local community college together to form a Deaf Peer Group.With their 400 award from Make A Wish, they will be able to take 16 pupils on an interschool trip to the pantomime."
Hall Meadow School, Kettering – Award 800
Parent-governor Jane Lear asked for 800 to create a pedestrian access to the school from a public path. Ms Lear said: "The children were really excited and thrilled that their wish came true."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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