PHAD News 2004
2004 PHAD News
Updated 23/11/o4
Hobby Horse Project
Our next venture is to the Edinburgh Butterfly World in a couple of weeks.
Our christmas outing will be to the falkirk superbowl – please see attached booking form. (Santa will be there so please bring a wrapped & labelled present for your child –worth about £10.00).
Phad Asd Surfer Group
Dunfermline Library – 19th Nov @ 9.30-11.30
Thanks go to Lynn and Linda for running this group. Attendance has been poor so far. We`ll see how things go and reassess it’s usage in the New Year. Perhaps create an initial opportunity for adults with HF ASDs to meet.
Membership Applications
Very many thanks to all those who returned their forms so promptly, also to all those who kindly made an additional donation to the group. Thank You! For those who may have lost their original form, please find another enclosed, your membership is greatly valued.
Special Request From Our Membership Coordinator Diane Carmichael
It is preferable if payment was made by either cheque/postal order. Anybody sending coins only ( if absolutely necessary), please tape securely to the form before posting. Sadly money has gone missing enroute its destination. Please also note that renewals are not personally replied to.
Cross Party Group
The next meeting is to be held on 1st Dec 1.00pm-2.30pm, in committee room 3 of the New Scottish Parliament. Those wishing to attend please contact Shabnum Mustapha at the NAS on 0141 221 8090.
ENQUIRE - The Scottish Advice Service For Additional Support For Learning
Please find enclosed leaflet detailing information on their helpline service.
Stella has ordered a number of booklets entitled " Going to Secondary School," for primary 7 children with additional support needs. She has also ordered a few videos entitled " Have Your Say", again aimed at assisting children/young people with additional support needs.
These should be available to members at the next meeting.
Stella also spoke to Harriet Grant at Enquire about a visit to the group to talk about legislation; rights and responsibilities; parents & professionals working together; Inclusion and mainstreaming etc.
Harriet has kindly agreed to talk with us in the New Year.
Phad Adult Issues & Establishment of New Groups
A steering group has been set up to address this, with the inaugural meeting taking place on the 17th December. Many thanks to all those who have volunteered to assist with this exciting extension to our group.
Music Therapy
Stella has made enquires with regard to this. As Mary Brown is on maternity leave this is being dealt with by the Nordoff Robins Director. Stella should be hearing from him soon. She was also made aware that there is a waiting list.
University of Dundee
Stella has been invited to talk to a group of Social Work students about PHAD and our involvement in Fife and Nationally.
Meeting
Annie Kirkcaldy and Jane Donnelly visited the group from the Fife Assessment Centre for Communication through Technology (FACCT). It was a very informative evening and members were introduced to Boardmaker and its uses. A free informal training session is to be organised for parents. Keep an eye out for the application form in the coming weeks. Also members were made aware that Bus passes are available to all children who receive Disability Living Allowance. Anyone wishing more info contact Fife council
Fun Activities Sunday 31st October at 4.30pm-6.00pm £1.50 each
This will take place at Fife Institute Glenrothes. Come along and have some fun!
Fun Swim
Saturday 27th November at 6.45 : 7.45pm, Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre £1.50 each
Hobby Horse Project:
our next venture is to the Butterfly Farm, Edinburgh!
50 people attended the Time Capsule - everyone had a great time and not a tear or tantrum in sight.
Fundraiser at the Forth Families Club, Rosyth 1st October
This event was a roaring success! What a fantastic night! Many Thanks to all our members who supported the event. Particular thanks go to our wonderful Fundraising Coordinator Kim Radborne, who so diligently organized the event and kept the momentum going on the evening. Members presented Kim with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a bottle of her favourite tipple. We raised a massive £806.63 for the Kirkcaldy group! This will now become an annual event, and will be held on the last Friday in September. It is intended that, from next year, the funds raised will be split between the Dunfermline & Kirkcaldy groups.
Michael Findlay and Tina Parkins
Both Michael and Tina raised £350 for our group. They participated in 2 x 10k runs, one in Forfar and one in Edinburgh. Our sincere thanks go to them, with their hard work and contribution being greatly appreciated! Their stamina is much admired!
Notes from the Thinking About Thinking Conference
Thanks also to Lynn Shirra for printing and handing out, copies of her notes from the recent conference she attended.
Donations:
We recently received 2 incredible donation presentations:- £600 from Exxon Mobile (to be divided between the Dunfermline & Kirkcaldy accounts). Max Gordon had put our group forward for this Donation. Thanks to Kimberley for accompanying Stella for the presentation.
- £1000 was received from the Dunfermline Golf Club. Lynne Stevenson had kindly proposed that our group benefit from the proceeds raised at their Celebrity Amateur Golf Tournament.
Stella has written to thank both organisations for their very generous donations, and thanked Lynne and Max in person.
PHAD "ASD SURFERS GROUP" Dunfermline Library – 22nd October at 9.30-11.30
Please come along and have some fun meeting other parents for a cuppa (and biscuit!) and surf the net in company.
New Adult Group
Members of the steering group to meet in November. Date to be confirmed.
Music Therapy
No news yet! Update at next meeting.Cross Party Group
The next meeting is to be held on 1st Dec 1.00pm-2.30pm, in committee room 3 of the New Scottish Parliament. The theme is yet to be decided. Those wishing to attend please contact SHABNUM MUSTAPHA at the NAS on 0141 221 8090.Updates:
Stella updated the group on:
- ASD SVQ level 3 consultation and questionnaire
- Jean Mc Lellan, from the Scottish Executive to visit members of the Fife Training & Intervention Group.
- Fife’s ASD Post School Open Forum – unfortunately, postponed until December.
- PHAD Cupar under review – this is now no longer a branch of PHAD, as a new group has been set up, catering for a wider range of families of children experiencing communication difficulties, with or without a diagnosis.We wish them every success.>
- The ‘Autism Fife’ pack is to be included within the PARIS (Public Autism Resource & Information Service) - a new online service provided by the NAS. (To be available in early February 2005).
Web Sites
- Food & Behavior Research: http://www.fabresearch.org.uk/
- Other websites recommended by a member of the group, with a focus on Attention Deficit Disorder, are:
- www.stratteronline.com/index.php
- www.add-adhd-help-center.com/newsletters.
Group Visitor
Janet Goodsir, Area Manager for Dunfermline Crossroads, visited the group. Members found it very interesting to hear all about the services Crossroads provide.
For more information, Janet may be contacted on 01383 621774.
Hobby Horse Project
There was an amazing 44 places requested to attend the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh. Everybody had a fabulous time, although there had been a small hiccup with the transport on the day. However, Karen Sapsed miraculously pulled things together and nobody was left behind! Our Thanks go to Karen for her continued commitment to the project. It is greatly appreciated. Linda has also offered to sit on the steering group for the Hobby Horse. Thanks Linda.
Next Venture: Sunday 23rd May
The next outing will be to the Museum of Flight. Please see the attached booking form, taking note of the `Return by’ date. Central pick up points will be arranged for convenience, and to reduce travel time. Additionally, mobile phone numbers will be requested, incase of any last minute changes to time of transport etc.
RARL
The updated Roving Autism Resource Library will be launched on Thurs 27th May @ 2.00pm in Dunfermline Carnegie Library, along with the ‘Autism Fife’ information folders. Invitations with details of RARL timetable for 2004-06 will be forwarded to members soon. It is to include a visit to Kincardine and St Andrews.
Group Sponsored Walk: Pittencrieff Park, Sunday 13th June @ 2.00pm
Families come along and do there own thing. No planned walk – so no pressure! Bring a Picnic/meet other families. Sponsor forms will be sent to families. Those wishing to attend, please phone Stella on 01383 733653.
Member on Sponsored 10K Run ! & Fundraising Members:
KS is donning her running shoes to raise funds for the group, in May. Wishing her all the very best. Thanks Karen!
LT and LS will be participating in a Summer Fete at Pitreavie School on 21/08/04
Linda will be running a bric-a-brac stall; while Lynn has offered to do some delicious baking for the stall, with all profits going to our group. Many thanks go to both Linda and Lynn!
Ppostgraduate Student Research
Stella read out a letter detailing this research. Members were invited to take information away.
Carers Strategy Group
The Carers’ Strategy Group is running a Carers’ Drop In on 16th June in the Dean Park Hotel, Kirkcaldy. For more information contact Fife Carers’ Centre on 01592 642999.
RESOLVE ASL (Additional Support for Learning)
For information on Scotland’s Independent additional support for learning mediation service, contact Sandra Mitchell, Development Officer on 0131 222 2456
Guest at our April Meeting
Susan Fisher, Chief Speech and Language Therapist, discussed how the S< service has had to examine how to deliver services and imminent changes, in light of the Education Depts’ presumption of mainstreaming within Fife. This was extremely interesting, and members found the information very beneficial. Susan was thanked kindly for attending the group and briefing members on the positive changes she mentioned.