NEWS AND EVENTS
Annual Sponsored Silence and Harvest Festival
Calling all schools
Following the success of last year's sponsored silence in which we raised £4850 from schools across Wales – we have decided to make this an annual event. Therefore we would be delighted to hear from schools that would be willing to once again support our charity. We have designated the week commencing Monday 19th October 2009 to hold the sponsored silences. We will of course provide sponsor forms and stickers to all participants.
By holding a sponsored silence it will help those participating to better understand how much harder it can be to communicate with others, how frustrating this can be and how difficult it can make everyday life. You will also be helping us to raise much-needed funds. The silence can be for as long as you think appropriate, but we are suggesting an hour as a target to aim for.
You may also be aware that Afasic (with the help of many schools across Wales) was successful in obtaining a Guinness World Record for “the most people simultaneously performing sign language to a song at different venues”. The final total was 13,418 people taken part across the UK. As so many schools enjoyed this event, we have decided to use another song from Signalong Group to be used in your school Harvest Festival. Alison Burns, songwriter has now kindly supplied us with a song, words and signs for a song entitled “They Grew It” - download it here. We are looking for schools interested in learning this song and hope the schools would take a collection in the Harvest Festival and donate the money to Afasic Cymru.
All money raised in Wales will be used on projects here. As a relatively small charity dealing with a very widespread difficulty we will be very grateful for any support that you can give us. We can assure you that all donations are very gratefully received and put to good use. Money raised at last year's events have enabled us to offer “Youth Days” to pupils aged 11+ in both North and South Wales and the money has also helped arrange Summer Schools for pupils moving from primary to secondary school in September 2009.
To express an interest for either of these events, please send a message to Jeannette.
posted May 2009 [top of page]
Afasic Cymru Director Vacancy
Afasic Cymru is seeking a new Director to work from our Cardiff office. The closing date for applications is Friday 22 May. See full details below:
Job Advert - English
Job Advert - Welsh
Job Description
Job Application Form
posted April 2009 [top of page]
Parents Support Group Meeting
All parents of children with SLI are invited to a parents support group meeting at Rhosnesni High School on Thursday 23 April at 6pm. Further further details please contact Yvonne Brookes or phone 01745 550461.
posted April 2009 [top of page]
Parent Plus Website
This new website has been written by professionals from The Dyscovery Centre based at the University of Wales, Newport and aims to provide practical advice for those supporting children as they grow up and to provide practical guidance. Visit the site to find out more.
posted March 2009 [top of page]
Afasic Guinness World Record
It’s Official - We have received formal confirmation that Afasic has been successful in its attempt to set a Guinness World Record.
Afasic is now the proud holder of the record for “the most people performing sign language simultaneously to a song at different locations” with 13,418 people having taken part.
We are very grateful to all the schools that took part on the day and who sent in the necessary documentation to support this. We are sending out certificates to all the schools and a “roll of honour” of those who took part can be seen here.
We are also grateful to Ali Burns who wrote the song that we used and Signalong who provided the sign language, we couldn’t have done it without you.
Many thanks again to everyone for enabling us to achieve this.
posted February 2009 [top of page]
Swimming with Sharks
Yvonne Brookes our North Wales Development Officer had a completely mad moment and decided that she would swim with sharks at the Blue Planet Aquarium on 31st January 2009 to raise money for our charity. Joining her (and Jaws) was Afasic supporters, Liam Evans and Barry Evans.
Yvonne is looking for sponsorship and will be circulating a sponsor form to anyone who knows her… but in the meantime if you would be willing to sponsor Yvonne or indeed find other sponsors, please download a form from here.
You can contact Yvonne on 01745 550461 or you can send a message.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Here's some photos from the spine-chilling big day and our brave divers are still in one piece! There is still time to sponsor Yvonne (after the event) so please support our Afasic Cymru events.
Thank you.
(posted February 2008) [top of page]
Thank You
It's been very exciting here since the record attempt, as you know the current record stands at 4,800, we should break the record because according to all applications we received there should have been 12,000 + taking part in the event. To date we are still waiting confirmation from the Guinness World Records that Afasic can claim the record…we will of course let all participating schools know the outcome as soon as we hear ourselves and it will be announced on our website.
The “attempt” was supported by Assembly members who too took part at 9.30a.m. on Wednesday 22nd October 2008, a special thanks to Ann Jones AM Vale of Clwyd for organizing the event at the Senedd. The event was also supported by The Minister of Education & Lifelong Learning Jane Hutt & Jeff Cuthbert AM – who attended St Cenydd School in Caerphilly, The Children’s Commissioner, Keith Towler who attended Pen y Dre School in Merthyr Tydfil & Helen Mary Jones AM attended Meadowbank Primary School in Cardiff.
Special thanks to all the staff & pupils of the schools in Wales who took part, we were delighted with the support from…
|
Alun School Performing Arts Dept |
Bishopston Primary School |
Boras Park Infant School |
Broughton Infants School |
Brynford Primary School |
Ceiriog Junior School |
Cogan Primary School |
Dame Ellen Pinsent School |
Denbigh High School |
Frongoch Junior School |
Gwaenynog Infants CP School |
Meadowbank Special School |
Pen y Dre High School |
Ponthir CIW School |
Ruthin Prep School |
St Cenydd School |
St Cyres Hearing Resource |
Ysgol Bryn Castell |
Ysgol Delyn |
Ysgol Glan Gele |
Ysgol Hafod Lon |
Ysgol Henllan |
Ysgol Heulfre |
Ysgol Iau Bodnant |
Ysgol Mair |
Ysgol Melyd (LRP) |
Ysgol Pendorlan |
Ysgol Rhydygors |
Ysgol Tanyfron |
Ysgol Tir Morfa |
Ysgol Twm o'r Nant |
Ysgol y Castell |
Ysgol y Parc |
Thanks also to the Foster Carers @ Social Services in Rhyl.
(posted January 2009) [top of page]
Youth Award Results
Afasic Cymru has launched a Young Persons Achievement Award. The closing date for nominations was November 28th 2008 and we are delighted to have had such a great response from so many people.
Winning entries received a £100 cheque for their school plus a trophy and £50 voucher for themselves. We will feature the entries in future newsletters and on our website after the winners have been notified.
Click here to see the 2008 results in various age categories.
Thank you to all people who took the time to submit their entries, we intend to make this an annual event.
(posted January 2009) [top of page]
WCVA Network Wales Awards
Thank you to everyone who nominated Afasic Cymru for the WCVA Network Wales Awards where we were presented with a certificate for “Highly Commended” for the best communication category.
(posted December 2008) [top of page]
Carol Service
Afasic Cymru would like to invite our parents, friends and supporters to a carol service on Friday 12 December 2008 in Ruthin.
Full details - English
Full details - Welsh
(posted November 2008) [top of page]
Afasic Cymru Advisory Group
Afasic Cymru has also set up its own pan Wales Advisory Group with members representing all aspects of speech, language and communication. Funding for an Advisory Group has been allocated, through the WAG (Wales Assembly Government) grant, to advise and support staff members to ensure that Afasic Cymru fulfils it’s agreed functions within the terms of Afasic’s Strategic Plan, and in line with the purpose and commitment set out within the terms of conditions of it’s funding, as well as supporting the future development of the organisation in Wales.
The Afasic Cymru Advisory Group will act as the expert reference group to Afasic Cymru. The terms of reference of the Advisory Group can be downloaded from this site both in English and Welsh.
(posted October 2008) [top of page]
Easy Search and Easy Fundraising
Afasic Cymru has signed up to Easy Search and Easy Fundraising. Search the web to raise money for Afasic Cymru and also buy goods online. A percentage of the transactions will be donated to Afasic Cymru. See the links below for more information
(posted October 2008) [top of page]
New Communication Tool
A new social networking website has been launched for people with learning difficulties. The Special Friends website, created by Martin Harris from Barry, aims to help people with learning difficulties to communicate more easily. The idea of the website is similar to Facebook or Bebo, but uses a simpler method called Smiley Talk which translates emotive images into sentences. It also provides a platform for carers and family members to speak to each other and share support and advice.
Martin Harris said, "For many years it has been evident that many mainstream forms of communication haven’t considered the requirements of users with special needs". Membership of Martins site is free for a limited period so there's no better time to join.
For details visit www.specialfriendsonline.com NB THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT SITE AND NOT MONITORED BY AFASIC
(posted September 2008) [top of page]
40th Anniversary Celebrations
Letters were sent to various schools in Wales inviting them to take part in the 40th Anniversary celebrations by holding a school party. Afasic offered £100 to the first 10 schools who responded to the letter and we are delighted to say that 3 parties were held in Wales. Read the full report here
(posted September 2008) [top of page]