Lockdown, shielding and restrictions have had a major impact on people with CP and their families. Many people are feeling isolated and their physical and mental health have been affected because of disruption to the support and services they would normally get.

Cerebral Palsy Scotland has received more than £6000 from two funders that is helping to provide support and therapy for people with CP and their families during the coronavirus pandemic.

We are delighted that Foundation Scotland’s Response, Recovery and Resilience Fund has given Cerebral Palsy Scotland a grant of £5000. Foundation Scotland are official Scottish partners of the National Emergencies Trust, which launched a UK-wide fundraising appeal in partnership with the British Red Cross to support local charities. Together with other funders, this money is helping to provide tailored “Post Lockdown Flexible Support Sessions” for people with CP.

These sessions are free of charge and available now. Open to children and adults, if there’s something in your life that isn’t going as well as it was before, you’d like some advice about activities or equipment, or you’ve noticed a change in your health, please get in touch.

These sessions can be done in-person or virtually – whatever suits you best.

And to help us deliver virtual therapy sessions, Yorkshire Building Society have given us £1676 to purchase two new laptops. Being able to buy new computer equipment has been vital in allowing our therapists to provide high-quality, specialist therapy digitally to people right across Scotland.

Thank you to Foundation Scotland and Yorkshire Building Society for helping us to continue supporting the CP community in these challenging times!

Elaine Boyd, Cerebral Palsy Scotland trustee, was named on the Shaw Trust’s Power 100 List. The list, which is published each year, recognises the achievements of disabled people and we’re delighted to congratulate Elaine on being named one of the most influential disabled people in the country.

Elaine has never shied away from new challenges or being ambitious for herself or others with CP. Elaine is Cerebral Palsy Scotland’s treasurer, vice chair of ACCA Scotland and works at Audit Scotland, where she heads up the Quality assurance Team. She continues to learn new skills and try new activities to see what she can do.

Elaine is one of our board members with lived experience of CP and has been instrumental in shaping the work we do, particularly in speaking up loudly for people with CP, how we support adults and is a regular contributor to the Cerebral Palsy Scotland conference. She is ambitious for people with CP in the work place too and believes everyone can achieve. She said in a recent interview with ACCA:

“I am humbled to be named in this list. I have been determined to fight against people’s low expectations for disabled people. I was told I would have to work in a shop when I left school, which made me furious because I wanted to achieve other things and so I pushed through the barriers.

“There is a perception that if you have a disability, you can’t have a good career or an exciting life, but if you work out solutions to the barriers in your way, you can do it.”

In the past couple of years, Elaine has received her flying wings, conquering her fear of heights. She was awarded a Flying Scholarship for the Disabled and graduated at the Royal International Air Tattoo in 2019. And just before her 50th birthday, she took up skiing in Glasgow.

Ian Johnstone, Cerebral Palsy Scotland’s Chairman said:

“Elaine is a great board member and challenges us at all times to ensure that the voice of people with CP is at the heart of our decisions and strategy. She’s a fantastic ambassador and role model, particularly for young people with CP. She’s never stopped pushing to see what she can do and encourages so many others around her. We’re very proud of her achievements and that she is recognised in the Shaw Trust’s Power 100 List.”