The Lord Mayor’s Appeal 2009-2010
A message from the Lord Mayor of Bradford - Councillor John D Godward
I have set myself a huge task but one which I cannot achieve alone, - I need YOUR help.
I have chosen to benefit from my Lord Mayor’s Appeal two local organisations which are new and very necessary. One is ‘Bradford & District Senior Power’ and the other ‘Little Heroes Cancer Trust'. Both are pioneering to bring new services to the people of Bradford. That is why I chose them.
I want the proceeds of my Appeal to benefit all age groups and families and to help Bradford be a better and fairer place to live, and for people experiencing difficulty to feel that they can have as near normal life as possible.
Bradford & District Senior Power (BDSP) is a pro-active organisation formed in 2005 representing people from all backgrounds, who are over fifty and living in the Bradford District.
The over 50s are the UK’s fastest growing age group, with their own special needs and ambitions and Bradford & District Senior Power is here to represent them in our City.
Bradford & District Senior Power gives help and guidance on all issues relevant to the over 50s, including health issues, group activities, financial and housing advice, social and entertainment activities, fitness and well-being. Whilst most of this information can be found from a number of other sources BDSP acts as a ‘one-stop information shop’ saving a lot of time and cutting through a lot of red tape.
BDSP is active in highlighting the issues and concerns of older people, especially on a local level. At the moment BDSP attends a variety of venues but it is our aim to have a permanent base that people can drop in to at any time, staffed by volunteers and available to all. We need a centre for Older People in Bradford to help people to meet and talk with other people; to have friends and to enjoy life – to combat one of the scourges of life for older people – loneliness. The new Centre will have Health and Educational facilities and a communal café for everyone. In other words we will be helping people to have a normal life. Bradford & District Senior Power will deliver all this in our District.
The centre will include:
- A drop in centre for everybody
- A communal Café providing healthy meals
- A on-stop information shop
- A social centre for events, entertainment, exercise, forums, exhibitions and presentations
- A base for health facilities with co-operation from the Primary Care Trusts including: podiatry, diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol checks
- Educational facilities, including languages, computer training, arts & crafts, gardening and advice
- The centre will have easy access, especially for wheelchair users and have parking.
The group successfully competed in the TV show ‘Millionaires Give-Away’ and received £50,000.00 to help them start turning their dream into reality. They have since received a further £200,000.00 from Bradford Council but there is still along way to go before their ambitions are realised. Which is why I am asking for your help and support in raising money for Bradford & District Senior Power to help them build and equip a centre in Bradford where older people from across the whole of our community can meet one another, have access to services and enjoy a range of activities.
Little Heroes Cancer Trust is a new local charity to support local children with cancer and their families.
In the few months since Little Heroes was set up, the Charity’s founder has been overwhelmed by the support that Little Heroes have received, from individuals and businesses, in his home city of Bradford. Britain may be in the grip of a sharp economic decline, but that hasn’t curtailed the generosity of the Bradford people.
The charity was inspired by a special little Bradford boy who was diagnosed with ‘Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia with Philadelphia Chromosome’ (A rare form of cancer), shortly before his second birthday; he has spent most of his young life in hospital. His granddad and full time carer describes his personal experience
"Just walking through the cancer ward is heartbreaking. Little people almost lost in big hospital beds... many with no hair, destroyed by necessary chemotherapy. Tubes hanging down from their chests and out of their noses... brothers, sisters, parents sitting waiting hour after hour...but it is their brave smiles, and the innocent trust they radiate, that gets to you"
Little Heroes Cancer Trust was set up to help local people suffering from childhood cancer. Today, 10 children will be diagnosed with cancer, 3 will not survive, and all 10 need our support. Treatment can last years and years. The isolation of the children and their families can be devastating. Little Heroes aim is to offer support to local families, trapped in the world called ‘childhood cancer’.
When a child with cancer is discharged from hospital, family life does not revert to normal; very often the child has no or little immune system, and so they live at risk of infection. This places extreme pressure on the family. Their world becomes consumed by cancer and cancer treatments.
Little Heroes wants to offer these children and their families from the Bradford area, a safe place to visit, and offer short term respite away from the day to day realities of childhood cancer, that they constantly face. Their main ambition is to create a day-care centre for children with life-limiting illnesses, such as:- cancer, kidney and liver conditions, where parents and children can meet and be part of a family – to discuss issues and find support from each other, in a friendly environment.
It is important that this day-care centre is here in Bradford so that local families do not have to spend precious time travelling and I am asking for your helping in making sure that these children and their families get what they want a safe and sterile place to be together away from the world of hospitals. The Little Heroes Cancer Trust aims to provide a centre in which to do all this and more.
The money raised by The Lord Mayor’s Appeal is for equipment for the centres and nothing will be spent on administration and wages
There are many fun activities when fund raising. It can be hard but it is always enjoyable and all people can join in the processes.
So I repeat my plea to YOU. Please will you help me?
The Lord Mayor & Lady Mayoress will be launching The Lord Mayor’s Appeal 2009/10 with a world record breaking attempt. Almost one thousand schoolchildren and staff will be taking part in breaking the record of the number of people holding a soft toy in a chain at Myra Shay on Wednesday 20 May.
Currently the record stands at 734 people holding a soft toy in a chain.
Pupils from Byron Primary and Bradford Moor Community Primary will join the Lord Mayor of Bradford Coun John Godward and Lady Mayoress Mrs Jean Godward in the record attempt as they bring along a soft toy to join together in a chain. The Lord Mayor will be bringing Brad Ford the official mascot of the Lord Mayor's Appeal.
The attempt marks the launch of the Lord Mayor Appeal 2009/10 which this year will be raising money for two local organisations that are helping the people of Bradford.
The Lord Mayor said "I want my Appeal to benefit all age groups and families in Bradford and to support them in leading a fulfilling life.
"Both of the organisations I have chosen are pioneering to bring new services to the people of Bradford and the district and that is extremely important to me.
"I wanted to really launch my Appeal in a grand style this year and what better way than getting hundreds of schoolchildren involved in breaking a world record and starting my civic year and fund-raising year with a real boost."
The Lord Mayor will visit both schools at a future date to present a certificate to the school and to individual children thanking them for their efforts.
Jean Walker, Chair of Bradford and District Senior Power, said: "It is a privilege to have been chosen as one of the organisations the Lord Mayor's Appeal this year. BDSP committee members have worked ceaselessly this year to push the concept of a city centre base for people aged 50 plus to enjoy and also develop for future generations. It is important at this difficult time to promote interest for charities that are both established and working in the Bradford district."
Colin Nesbitt, Director of Little Heroes Cancer Trust, said: "Setting up the charity was something that I needed to do but being selected by the Lord Mayor of Bradford as his charity for the year is one of the proudest things I've ever achieved and it is an extreme honour to be selected."
Ian Hodgson, Head Teacher at Byron Primary School, and Stewart Duxbury, Head Teacher at Bradford Moor Community Primary School, said: "We are delighted that our schools and children have been given the opportunity to be involved in such an exciting and worthwhile event. It is something that will give our children a real boost and something that they will remember for a long time to come. It is also a great opportunity for two schools to work together."
Councillor John D Godward
Lord Mayor
