Newlife Foundation offers opportunities for local people
October 2008
Newlife Foundation, the disabled children’s charity, will open a special ‘Opportunity Centre’ on Wednesday 1st October, 2008. Based at Newlife’s main site on Hemlock Way, Cannock, the ‘Opportunity Centre’ is a purpose built location that will welcome individuals and groups that want to volunteer their time and skills or learn new abilities, to help disabled children through supporting the work of Newlife.
The grand opening at 11am will be attended by Councillor Pat Ansell, Chairman of Cannock Chase Council. The Newlife ‘Opportunity Centre’ will benefit able bodied and disabled adults by allowing them to develop new and existing skills, use their talents and time creatively and help them to gain references. The ‘Opportunity Centre’ has a whole host of opportunities associated with Newlife’s recycling centre from repairing jewellery, de-labelling clothing, computer work, administrative duties and arts and crafts.
Volunteers can be anyone - from people with time on their hands; students looking for voluntary placements, work experience, those with disabilities, people looking to gain employment skills or even people with a flair for arts and crafts that could volunteer time to create something out of recycled goods.
Delighted to be announcing the opening, Newlife’s Chief Executive, Mrs. Sheila Brown OBE, said: “I am proud that in the past Newlife has given local Chase area people, the chance to volunteer and train and as a result they have help disabled children. Now this dedicated space will allow the kindness and care of local people to develop further in greater surroundings with a friendly atmosphere, free refreshments and an added benefit from a discount sales scheme. Our volunteers work in a variety of ways, some from home and others at our main Cannock site.
“This specially built internal centre will bring real opportunities to local people. As one of the areas largest employers, we hope to be able to offer all sorts of prospects to help people work towards future employment. This area should be very proud that thousands of disabled children all over the UK get the help they need, because of the care and work of the fantastic people of the Cannock area, who make it happen through Newlife.”
The charity has a long history of encouraging volunteering and has a wide variety of skills in the existing teams but they are looking to develop this even further - more disabled children require help, so Newlife has a greater need for volunteers. Currently Newlife has volunteers who have disabilities and learning difficulties in addition to many able bodied adults including an ex-banker, property developer, engineer, cook, housewives, retirees, mothers and grandparents. Newlife’s youngest volunteer is just 15 and the eldest is almost 83 years old.
For more information about volunteering at the Opportunity Centre please contact Sarah Coughlan on 01543 468888.
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Notes to Editors and Journalists:
1. Newlife is the UK’s leading disabled children’s charity, also supporting those who are terminally ill.
2. Newlife was founded as the Birth Defects Foundation in 1991 and re-branded to become Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children in August 2008 after 17 years of success, to meet the increasing needs of disabled children.
3. Newlife Foundation is proud to be known by those we support as ‘the specialists for special children’
4. Newlife Funds :
Nurses to support families of disabled and terminally ill children,
Equipment grants to provide wheelchairs, beds and other vital equipment
Awareness Campaigns to allow the voices & needs of those affected to be heard.
5. Newlife recognises there are in excess of 770,000 children in the UK with significant disabilities. That’s approx 1 in 16 children. It is believed that the number of disabled children is increasing, as childhood deaths decrease in the light of the improved treatment and management of prematurity, accidents, infections, cancers and inborn conditions.
6. Newlife raises most of its funds through unique recycling operations which allows major retailers and manufacturers to donate excess stock for secure processing through its warehouse and superstore and partner recyclers.
7) Newlife operates :
A successful information website - www.newlifecharity.co.uk
A successful disability equipment website- www.newlifeable.co.uk
Recycled resources for creative activities in education - www.newlifeart.co.uk
Email contacts are welcome to: info@newlifecharity.co.uk
8) Family helpline: callers can dial free phone to a Newlife Nurse on 0800 902 0095
9) Newlife has no government funding and is reliant on income from its recycling and other trading activity, on the support of Friends of Newlife all over the UK and on appeals to carry out its work. Newlife is one of the few national charities which actively offers donors/supporters the chance to ensure 100% of their gift is spent how they want it used – nothing taken out for admin etc.
10) Newlife’s Chief Executive Officer is Mrs. Sheila Brown OBE. FRSM. She is a parent of disabled children and a leading activist and speaker for the welfare and health of disabled children, awarded an OBE by the Queen in 2002 for services to child health.
Newlife can offer Editors and Journalists:
Expert views/opinions
Family stories
Campaign information
Interviews
Photo opportunities
For more information please contact:
The PR Manager, Newlife Foundation, Hemlock Way, Cannock,
Staffs WS11 7GF
Tel 01543 468 888/462 777 or email: pr@newlifecharlty.co.uk
