Blog
Check out our latest blog about SCANS (Society for Children Affected by Neurological Symptoms), which is a charity we recently awarded a grant of £20,000 (£10,000 of which was a loan) to help them kick-start their mission of helping children.
Catalyst AGM 2012 a huge success
By Wendy, Stephanie and Rodney
The AGM was a great success and we have had very good feedback. Fifty seven people attended including some of our new members. This is slightly down on last year but everyone agreed that the venue, catering, parking and PA system were far better than previously.
Our speakers John Picton of OTT and Jayne Marshall and John Hitches of SCANS were well received. We also managed to save a considerable amount of money. Last year’s AGM at the Weston Homes Community Football stadium cost £870.40 and this year’s AGM came to £602.61 so a saving of £267.79 was made.
Christine Hayward, the Chair of Colchester Catalyst, delivered a very inspiring speech. She said that despite the difficult financial difficulties we have all faced recently, the charity sector is still managing to improve lives in the area.
She added that we can continue to overcome the obstacles ahead of us and reach out to people who are in severe need of healthcare support by working more closely together in partnership and thinking innovatively about the services we provide.
The event was also a great opportunity for people from the health sector to network. Many charities have made serious plans to work together in the future following the meeting.
SCANS – A NEW BEGINNING
By Jayne Marshall - one of the co-founders of the charity.
When I sat down at the beginning of the week to schedule the tasks I needed to complete I didn’t realise what a roller-coaster ride it would turn out to be.
A year ago almost to the day I had a dream... Not quite “that” dream but I guess it was equally as important to me and I hope, in the future, to the children we help and support through their challenges.
A vision, of a centre for children with neurological conditions, where they could access the physical emotional, and psychological support as well as respite care, that they are denied for whatever reason. This service was not to replace what little access already existed but enhance it.
- Are you surprised to discover that there are 70 children in the Essex area with Multiple Sclerosis?
- In this region there are twin boys of 5 years old who received a diagnosis of MS?
- That there are approximately 2000 children in our region who are surviving a neurological condition?
- And finally that the youngest child to have a stroke is yet to be born?
Knowing the facts is one thing but knowing how to help these children and their parents/carers is another. At first glance our vision to bring children together through sport, art, music and drama was a great plan on paper but getting from there to today has been a massive learning curve, frustrating, heart breaking, with so many ups and downs that the team felt their emotions had turned into a yo-yo.
Throughout this amazing journey we have questioned our ideas, re-written our plans, disregarded thoughts and then reignited them again.
Without doubt this week has been the most emotional that I personally have experienced, probably ever. At the beginning of the week I heard of the death of a good friend who had MS. Yesterday I read that a building liked by my colleagues and I, was out for leasing, and as a charity it would be perfect as our home and a base for activities, administration, physiotherapy and music, art, drama and education.
This morning I opened an email without really looking to see who had sent it. It read: “ I am pleased to tell you that your organisation has been entered in the Register of Charities with effect from the date of this correspondence. “
I read that line without taking it in and then I re-read it over and over. When it finally dawned on me what I had read the biggest grin emerged across my face. Ringing my colleagues I could feel the tears in my eyes. Of joy, trepidation, and excitement because now the real work could start.
Like a winner at the Oscars there are some people who without their help we would never have got to 7th September. Catalyst Charity believed in us. They listened to our vision and could see what we could see. They granted us funds to get us going. Money in the bank allowed us to apply to the Charities Commission for charity status. Now we have that status, so many avenues are open to us, not least the ability to apply for funding for our different projects.
This article is the real beginning for SCANS. We hope that over the coming months and years you will watch the charity grow and develop and be a part of our vision to help children with Neurological conditions.
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NB. Colchester Catalyst gave SCANS money to set up a printing service, so they could print leaflets cheaply for other charities, and earn money to develop their charity at the same time. If anybody is interested in using their printing services, please call us on: 01206 752545 and we will get you in contact with SCANS.
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