On Sunday 6 October 2019, 75 countries will join together to recognise World Cerebral Palsy Day. Find out what Bobath Scotland is doing to support the day, and how you can contribute and participate.

Coordinated by the World CP Initiative, World CP Day aims to ensure that children and adults with CP have the same rights, access and opportunities as anyone else in society.

As a World CP Day partner, Bobath Scotland agrees with the World CP Initiative that, even though it is the most common physical disability in childhood, cerebral palsy does not get the attention it deserves. World CP Day is our opportunity to raise cerebral palsy to the forefront in 2019.

Bobath Scotland are supporting the day through a number of initiatives:

Cerebral Palsy Scotland Conference, 3 October

To celebrate World CP Day, Bobath Scotland is hosting the Cerebral Palsy Scotland Conference and Exhibition on Thursday 3 October at Hampden Park, Glasgow

Now is the time to sign up for this free-to-attend event if you haven’t already done so! For all the details, and to register, visit the conference website.

Supported by Digby Brown, the Cerebral Palsy Scotland conference is for all those with experience of CP. We have a great line up of speakers and sessions this year, including:

• Almost 50 exhibitors showcasing equipment and services for the CP community
• Practical sessions: Baby Bobath play session; Boccia taster session; disability-led dance and movement workshop.
• Joy Nisbet, “Mental health, wellbeing and cerebral palsy”
• Sonali Shah, “Exploring access to healthcare for girls and women with CP”
• David Reilly, “CP and the importance of remaining active”
• Ria Cuppers, “Reflection on walking aids in children with CP”
• Robert Softley Gale and Jack Hunter – panel session on representation of CP in media and the arts

#GoGreen4CP, 6 October

As part of World Cerebral Palsy Day 2019, people with CP, their friends and families, together with CP organisations are mobilising to light their towns green on Sunday 6 October and shine a light on children and adults living with CP.

We are excited that 10 buildings in Scotland are already going green for CP:

• The SSE Hydro, Glasgow
• Maryhill Burgh Halls, Glasgow
• St Andrews House, Scottish Government
• Victoria Quay, Scottish Government
• Prestonfield House, Edinburgh
• The Witchery by the Castle, Edinburgh
• Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh
• Paisley Arts Centre
• Mareel Cinema, Shetland
• Ness Bridge, Inverness

Get involved in #GoGreen4CP

If you live near one of Scotland’s #GoGreen4CP landmarks, swing by on 6 October and take a selfie to share on social media. Remember to tag @BobathScotland and use the hashtag #GoGreen4CP.

You can also approach your local landmark with a request to #GoGreen4CP on 6 October. A Go Green4 CP is available to help with the request.

If you’re successful, contact local media and send them a request to promote GoGreen4CP and World CP Day. Share your personal story and remember to acknowledge the landmark owners.

Further information is available on the #GoGreen4CP World CP Day webpage.

 

Fundraise for Bobath Scotland on World CP Day

World CP Day is a great opportunity to raise funds for Bobath Scotland, as well as raising awareness of cerebral palsy at the same time.

World CP Day takes place on Sunday 6 October, but you can host a fundraiser any day in October to mark the event.

Raise for Bobath by holding a green-themed fundraising and education event during October:

• Get on social media and ask friends and family to donate to Bobath Scotland on World CP Day. Share your story and tell them why Bobath Scotland matters to you. You can start a Facebook Fundraiser to help you do this. If you’re not sure how to set up a FaceBook Fundraiser, just get in touch.
• Ask your local school to have a green dress-down day with an option to donate £1 per pupil to Bobath Scotland, or ask a person with CP to speak to your class. World CP Day have put together a set of great ideas for schools to help you.
• Host a green-themed fundraiser at your office, or with pals – what about a green coffee morning or afternoon tea, or a sponsored dress-down day or walk?

We are here to help you! For further support, please contact Bobath’s Community Fundraiser Madeline.Pleming@bobath.scot

Celebrating Scotland’s most expensive pizza!

Last week Bobath Scotland celebrated one of our more unusual donations – proceeds from an online pizza auction using Scotcoin cryptocurrency.

On 22 May, Glasgow business Rockvilla.pizza marked global Bitcoin Pizza Day by holding their own Scotcoin Pizza Day.

Bitcoin Pizza Day 2019 is the ninth anniversary of the first Bitcoin transaction, in which a Florida man paid for two pizzas with the cryptocurrency. The day has become part of folklore, not because of the transaction, but more the price: the man in question paid 10,000 Bitcoins for two pizzas, which today is worth over $70 million.

Rockvilla.pizza ran their own international online auction of the Scotcoin.pizza, with a promise to deliver a pizza to the winning bidder, wherever they were in the world.

Established in 2013, Scotcoin is one of the first country related crypto-currencies on the market, and has over 3000 holders globally.

Perhaps luckily for Rockvilla.pizza, the pizza was won by Paul McLeary from Broxburn (pictured top, right)!

We were delighted that Rockvilla.pizza donated all the proceeds from the auction to Bobath Scotland.

Paul came to the Bobath centre last week, along with representatives from Rockvilla.pizza and the Scotcoin Project, to meet with us and celebrate with some delicious pizzas.

We would like to thank Rockvilla.pizza, Scotcoin and Paul for their generosity, and pizzas!

(Photgraphs copyright Sean Purser)

Bobath Scotland has been awarded the Lasting Difference symbol as part of the first group of organisatons in Scotland to be recognised for their commitment to organisational sustaianability. We’re in great company alongside Victim Support Scotland, Dyslexia Scotland, Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland and Support in Mind.

Wren & Greyhound launched the Lasting Difference toolkit in 2016 and which has now been followed by the symbol which ‘allows organisations to demonstrate they are committed to taking action on organisational sustainability and working to best practice in the field.  Sustainability is the number one concern for non-profit organisations and those who fund, support and benefit from them.’. Bobath Scotland is delighted and grateful to be amongst this group.

You can read more about the programme in this TFN article.

 

MBE for Martin

Martin O’Neill, one of Bobath Scotland’s most dedicated supporters, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Teacher Martin O’Neill from Newton Mearns has been awarded an MBE in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours for his contribution to helping people with cerebral palsy and for his wider charitable work.

Martin O’Neill, a teacher at St Thomas Aquinas Secondary School in Jordanhill, has been supporting Bobath Scotland for the past 20 years.  

Martin has served as a trustee on the board of Bobath Scotland since 1999, only stepping down in May this year.

He has been tireless in his support of the charity, volunteering to run events, and speaking to schools, clubs and community groups to help raise awareness of cerebral palsy and the difference therapy can make to a person’s quality of life.  Martin’s son has cerebral palsy, and was one of the first children treated by Bobath Scotland.  

To celebrate the charity’s 18th birthday, he cycled from Bobath Wales in Cardiff to Bobath Scotland’s centre in Glasgow to raise funds. 

Commenting on Martin’s MBE, Bobath Scotland Chief Executive, Stephanie Fraser, said:

“We are delighted that, as Martin is celebrates his 60th birthday, he is to receive an MBE as part of the Queen’s birthday honours in recognition of his many years of commitment to helping people with cerebral palsy.  Bobath Scotland owe a huge amount to Martin and his family and it is wonderful that, as he retires as a Trustee, his service is being recognised publicly. 

“It is a measure of his commitment that he’s still volunteering at Bobath events and that he will be leading the new Disabled Scouts Beaver group that will be based at Bobath Scotland’s centre from June onwards.  Congratulations Martin. This is a well-deserved honour.”

 

 

Bobath Scotland working to support wellbeing of people with CP

Bobath Scotland has carried out a major piece of research looking at the state of mental health support for people with cerebral palsy nationally, and how the use of Clinical Psychology could add to existing support services being offered by the charity.

Over the past five months Dr Joy Nisbet, Chartered Clinical Psychologist, has been working with Bobath Scotland to build a picture of what mental health supports are currently in place for people with CP across Scotland, as well as consulting Bobath staff and service users about developing a more “psychologically informed” approach to the charity’s own services.  The research paper was made possible through funding from the Joan Strutt Charitable Trust.

The report concluded that, nationally, there was “a lack of strategic service planning around the lifelong and whole-person impact of CP”.

It was found that across Scotland there is a lack of CP specialised services available, and that supports available have a “predominantly physical focus”. Furthermore, through consultation with national representatives for paediatric, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and older adult Clinical Psychology, it was also established that “there were no clearly defined specialist mental health services for individuals with a diagnosis of CP.”

The report expressed concern about the lack of available mental health support, particularly considering a recent review which found that significant physical and mental health issues were being experienced by people with CP and their families.

Consultation with adults with CP, parents of children with CP and experienced staff also showed that “understanding the psychological impact of living with CP was consistently agreed as a current support gap and priority.”

Looking towards improving Bobath Scotland’s approach to mental health, the report proposes that the International Classification of Functioning, Health and Disability, or ICF Framework, presents a valuable model for service development.

Commenting on the findings of the report, Stephanie Fraser, CEO of Bobath Scotland, said:

“I very much welcome the findings of Dr. Nisbet’s report. It is vital that we develop a more informed understanding of the mental health implications of cerebral palsy.  Bobath Scotland continues to advocate at the national level for the need for more specialist services for the CP community. We know from people and families who use Bobath just how important this is, and that people’s mental health is not being taken care of to the extent that it should be.

“In commissioning this report, we are underlining Bobath Scotland’s recognition of the importance of addressing this issue, and our absolute commitment to providing services that support the whole person, which includes their mental health and wellbeing.

“As an organisation, we look forward to taking forward Dr. Nisbet’s recommendations and developing more psychologically informed approaches in our work.”

The research paper is now available to access on the Bobath Scotland website.