Jacky on Premier's Traveller's Tales Show
Through the Roof CEO, Jacky Oliver appeared on the Premier Radio show 'Traveller's Tales to talk about her life journey. Here's an MP3 of that programme.
Follow this link to listen to Jacky on Travellers Tales (10MB MP3 file)
Wheels for the World at Village Day 2010
Thanks to all our faithful ‘Wheels’ supporters at Ashtead Village Day, over £1,300 was raised this year for the wheelchair distribution trips in 2011. We hope to run three trips with countries under consideration being Ghana, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya and Uganda. As well as finding buried treasure, entering our fantastic raffle with prizes donated from Ashtead traders and spinning to win a soft toy, each car owner in the classic car display kindly donated their entrance fees to ‘Wheels’. This was arranged again this year by Rob Rennie and Alaisdair Wallace who themselves drive rather elegant looking cars!
A wheelchair distribution team are in Uganda as I write. This will be the first time in Uganda, partnering with Non Government Organisation RILD (Response Initiative for Learning Disabilities). Please see our Wheels for the World pages for more information about this and other wheelchair distributions.
If you would like to be more involved in the work of Wheels for the World, whether through praying, fundraising, or offering your skills to be part of a distribution team as a physio or occcupational therapist, technician or administrator, please contact 01372 749955 or email us by following this link.
Our next Ashtead fundraising event will be the Summer Garden Party on Friday 13th August at 15 Paddocks Way, Ashtead between 2pm and 4pm. Tickets available in advance for £5 from Karen: follow this link to email her.
Friendly Church
A smiling, cheerful greeting and acknowledgment of me and my family is one way I consider I am being welcomed into a 'friendly church'. But how can you tell which churches are friendly? What does one look like? What criteria might someone use?
Through the Roof has joined up with the good people of Mind and Soul Mind and Soul to talk over this very issue. Mind and Soul have coined the phrase MHFC (Mental Health Friendly Churches) and there are similarities across the spectrum of disability and beyond. Let's face it, who wouldn't want to be part of a welcoming, loving, accepting community of people with Jesus at the centre?
Take a look at Mind and Soul's website to read the articles and listen to presentations at: the Mental Health friendly pages on Mind and Soul's website, then join in the conversation.
We'd love to hear people's thoughts. You could also start a discussion on our Facebook page.
Finding Hidden Treasure
'Finding Hidden Treasure' is a new resource developed by the Churches for All network of disability ministries for Disability Sunday to help congregations engage more fully with disabled people.
Through the Roof and partners of CFA believe that disabled people have an enormous amount to offer the life and ministry of the Church. However disabled people often find barriers that stand in the way of the contribution they can bring: the gifts and faith of disabled people are Hidden Treasure waiting to be discovered.
David Coffey, President of the Baptist World Alliance, said:
"The life of a local church is enriched when it takes positive steps to encourage the gifted contributions of disabled people. I encourage you to release the hidden treasures in your congregation."
To download your free copy of the Finding Hidden Treasure pack, please Follow this link to download your free copy of Finding Hidden Treasure.
TTR in Third Sector Magazine
Through the Roof is featured on the front of the 24th May issue of 'Third Sector' magazine and website. We've experienced problems with being charged multiple times by Royal Mail for some Freepost letters and wanted to alert other charities about the issue. We haven't lost money -- we've been making sure to claim back on those extra charges to make the best use of your donations, but felt it was important to let others know.
Third Sector is a weekly magazine covering charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprise.
A Zone For All
Through the Roof partnered with other disability ministries at the Christian Resources Exhibition at Esher recently in a brand new Churches for All zone.
Visitors to this area were able to attend mini-workshops, including ‘Disability and the Bible’, and join in interactive activities, such as an introduction to British Sign Language, as well as find relevant resources and publications for their churches.
There was a spirit of co-operation amongst the different organisations and many had positive conversations with visitors. If you visited TTR in the zone do let us know what you thought of it – we’d value your feedback.
Holiday for families with an autistic child: 12-15 April 2011
“An Extraordinary Blessing from God”
Through the Roof is a small charity with a big vision to see every disabled person able to fulfil their God-given potential. Our mission is to make the Christian message accessible to all those affected by disability. One of the charity’s projects is to provide a short holiday for families struggling with the demands of caring for an autistic child. It takes place at Dalesdown, a purpose-built Christian centre based in large spacious grounds in the Sussex countryside, just south of Horsham. We take 9 families and each is provided with a one-to-one support helper for their autistic child. The helper team is trained in autism and will cope with any challenging behaviour. Dalesdown offers both ‘time together’ as a family (including siblings of the autistic child) and ‘time out’ for the parents to relax, knowing that their children are in good hands. A key feature is the carefully structured programme of activities which includes outings, eg to the seaside and swimming pool, praise parties, adventure trail and puppet show. Families who often find it impossible to take a normal holiday appreciate our understanding and accepting attitude towards their children’s needs and behaviour. They also value the chance for fellowship with other parents in the same situation. Their comments include:
“This holiday has provided me with the most stress-free time I can remember. Our one-to-one helper was absolutely superb. Without this help I would not have considered coming without my husband; with it the whole holiday felt like an extraordinary blessing from God to us.”
“Just to say how overwhelmed I have been this week by people’s kindness and generosity. The helpers’ good attitude made a big difference to how we felt and contributed to us coming home completely rested. We have really felt loved and cared for.”
So what can you do?
- Do you have an autistic child, or do you know someone who does? If so, we are taking bookings for 2011 now and would be pleased to hear from any family with children aged between 4 and 16 who would benefit from this break.
We need more one-to-one helpers. Their role is to get alongside the disabled young person, learn what makes them tick and facilitate their participation so that parents and siblings may also have a break. The main requirements of helpers (who must be over 18 and CRB checked) are to have a caring heart and willingness to serve, plus (preferably) a Christian faith and an abundance of energy! Experience of autism is an advantage but is not essential – we hold a Helpers’ Training Day beforehand which they would need to attend. Helpers are invited to contribute £55 towards the cost of their food, accommodation and activities. This is a real opportunity to serve God in a practical way and every helper is blessed by the experience.
For more information and tariff details please contact: Margaret Bale, Administration Manager, Through the Roof on: 01372 737045 or email Margaret@throughtheroof.org .Websites you can visit: www.dalesdown.org.uk and www.throughtheroof.org/ .
Project Inclusion
Project Inclusion is a new national competition to enable young people to release their creativity through writing song lyrics promoting inclusion, and giving them the opportunity for winners to record their song for a CD. We’re partnering with Act 4 follow this link to visit the Act 4 website with the support of Christian hip hop artist, Baliva – to launch ‘Project Inclusion’.
A Gift For Wheels
On Monday 8th April, representatives from the Redeemed Church of God visited us at Through the Roof's office with a £10,000 cheque for the work of Wheels for the World. Pastor Andrew Adeleke of the House of Praise church presented CEO Jacky Oliver with the cheque, and made a speech saying the people of RCCG wanted to bless the people in Haiti.
We praise God that we have now received £17,000 for Wheels for Haiti, exceeding our original goal of £10,000 and bringing us close to our new goal of £25,000. The reports from Haiti show that the need is greater than we first envisaged, so we have set a new target to assist with volunteers, therapists, flights and to increase the size of the distribution.
Chris Grayling MP Gives a Helpful Push to Wheels for Haiti
Chris Grayling, MP and Shadow Home Secretary (at the time of writing), recently helped Christian disability charity Through the Roof launch an appeal for wheelchairs for Haiti. Speaking at an event supported by the Horton Golf Club in Epsom, Surrey on the 26th March, he encouraged attendees to support the work in Haiti. The charity is aiming to raise £25,000 to take chairs, physiotherapists and technicians to Haiti and meet desperate long-term needs.
The Haiti earthquake of 12th January shocked us all and captured headlines. Groups in the country say it will take years for life to return to normal, but as reconstruction begins and stories fade from the headlines, the need continues. Over 300,000 people were injured in the quake, and there is a huge requirement for wheelchairs and therapists. With over ten years of expertise, Through the Roof is well equipped to respond. They collect used wheelchairs, have them refurbished by UK prisoners to the high standard needed for rough terrain and distribute them in developing countries.
A wheelchair can change lives and bring independence to whole families. Wheelchairs are given according to need regardless of the recipient’s faith, and each recipient is offered a bible in their own language. Team members speak in churches and community halls, spreading the message of including disabled people.
Chris Grayling said, “Wheels for the World is hugely valued by many disabled people in countries that have so little”. The event raised £2000 towards work in Haiti – specific giving that will provide a specific resource for a specific need.