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--------------------------------------------------------------- Evening News 17th JulyYellow and green day for special school pupils
Last updated: 17/07/2010 06:30:00
While Norwich City fans took the opportunity to don their team's colours, the day was in fact to raise money for The Hamlet Centre, which sports a yellow and green logo and is fundraising for a £1.3m children's centre. The non-uniform day was the brainchild of Heather Allinson and her daughter Sophie, 15, and son Max, 13. The teenagers' sister Lucy, 10, a pupil at the Clare School, has been going to The Hamlet Centre for more than nine years and they wanted to help fundraise. Mrs Allinson, 45, from Rockland St Mary, said: “Lucy really loves going to the centre and it is heart-warming tosee how excited she is before she goes. “We were talking about how we could help and came up with the idea of the yellow and green day, as they are the colours of The Hamlet Centre logo.” Clare School headteacher Nigel Smith said Norwich's central area special schools were taking part, with The Parkside School, in College Road, and Harford Manor School, in Ipswich Road, holding their non-uniform events on the same day. Mr Smith, an Ipswich fan who reluctantly wore the colours of his rivals, said: “It's a nice idea for the pupils to realise that it's not just about taking and that it's also about giving to the community as well.” Earlier this year The Hamlet Centre launched an appeal to raise £1.3m. It has teamed up with the St Raphael's Club and will use the money to revamp the club's Johnson Place premises and turn it into a base for its children's services. The move will also have the knock-on effect of freeing up more room for its adult services in its current, but cramped, home in Ella Road. Michael Rooney, chief executive of The Hamlet Centre, said: “We feel particularly grateful and touched that schools that are so close to the sort of services that we are providing are being very supportive of us. “I'm sure they have their own issues, so for them to be prepared to think about us and help us is just fantastic.” So far the centre has raised £680,000 and is hoping to phase the building work so that some can start soon. Supporters include Sainsbury's Pound Lane store, the Trafford Arms pub, in Grove Road and Thorpe St Andrew School sixth form. Trusts which have recently donated substantial sums towards the new centre include the Lady Hind Trust, the Rackham Charitable Trust, the John Jarrold Trust, the Geoffrey Watling Charity, Norwich Consolidated Charities and Anguish's Educational Foundation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Evening News....Norwich's Hamlet Centre raises another £35,000 since launch of campaign
Last updated: 03/06/2010 11:00:00
The Hamlet Centre Trust needs to raise £700,000 towards its £1.3m plan to turn the St Raphael Club, in Johnson Place, into a new base for its children's activities and service. Since the charity officially unveiled its plans at the end of April, £35,000 has been pledged by various organisations and individuals, including an anonymous donation of £3,000. Chief executive Michael Rooney said: “Ever since the launch there seems to have been unanimous support for us. “Everybody is saying nice things like we're a good organisation, it's a fantastic project in a much-needed area, providing really good services and people want to support us.” The Hamlet Centre, which helps both adults and children with special needs, does not have enough room at its existing Ella Road site to be able to cater for the two expanding services. For example during the school holidays, including this week which is half-term, the centre can only accommodate its children's activities, so its adult users are unable to come into the centre during that time. By teaming up with the St Raphael Club, whose members will also benefit from the improved facilities, the Hamlet Centre will be able to provide a state-of-the-art centre for its children's services, while freeing up room to improve what it offers for adults in Ella Road, Thorpe Hamlet. So far almost £600,000 has been secured towards the plan, including £550,000 from the government, but £700,000 is still a massive amount of money to find and Mr Rooney is very aware of the huge effort that will be needed to raise that much. He said: “It's that combination of being determined to do it but it is daunting as well. “The month of June is quite crucial to us because we will hear back about a big bid we have put in for and it could be that if successful that will unlock other funding.” The centre will be setting up a friends and families group to co-ordinate all the support for events and fundraising by individuals and groups, for example someone has already pledged to do a sponsored cycle ride around Norfolk while a school is planning a non-uniform day. Donations can be made online at www.justgiving.co.uk/hamletcentre/Donate. Alternatively, donation forms can be downloaded at www.hamletcentre.org.uk or the centre can be contacted by telephone on 01603 616094, or at The Hamlet Centre, Ella Road, Norwich NR1 4BP.
--------------------------------------------- Eastern Daily Press Saturday 24thHamlet Centre unveils ambitious new plans
------------------------------------------------------------------------- Evening News Friday 23rd April Norwich care charity in £1.3m appeal
Last updated: 23/04/2010 14:39:00
The Hamlet Centre is bursting at the seams in its existing home in Ella Road, Thorpe Hamlet. Now it has teamed up with the St Raphael Club, in Johnson Place, to turn the venue into a new base for its children's activities and services. The £1.3 revamp of the centre will allow the charity to expand the help, support and activities it offers to children, while at the same time freeing up more room at the Ella Road centre for it to improve its adult services. The partnership between the two charities means the St Raphael Club members will also benefit from using an improved building. So far almost £600,000 has been secured towards the plan, but the Hamlet Centre is now appealing for the city's support in helping it to raise the remaining £700,000 funds. Chief executive Michael Rooney said: “The centre isn't big enough to cater for two expanding services and clearly the need is there for both. “During the school holidays it is really, early important for the children who go to schools like the Clare School, Parkside and Harford Manor, to have some fun and a break from a school environment. “It's also incredibly important for families with disabled children to have a short break. “We hope this will be a flagship centre which will show that Norwich and Norfolk are leading the way in providing high quality services for people with special needs.” From helping young people with independent living, to developing learning at all ages, the Hamlet Centre is a vital lifeline for many families bringing up children or helping adults with additional needs. It offers a fun place for people to get involved in arts, crafts and messy play, as well trips to the cinema, skiing, horse riding or a meal out. Its popular summer play schemes and half-term short breaks are much in demand, but it can be hard to find the room for both children and adults in its current home. Luke Mouncey, 28, from Rollesby, has been going to the Hamlet Centre for eight years. He told the Evening News that he loved “everything” about the centre. He also uses its out-of-hours service and said: “We go the cinema to restaurant and on boat trips.” This afternoon the Hamlet Centre Trust will formally launch the fundraising appeal at the St Raphael Club. The charity also hopes the refurbishment of the St Raphael Club, which is in a prominent place on the roundabout at the top of Grapes Hill, will help to regenerate the area. The revamped venue will house the charity's popular toy library, as well as a secure outdoor play space, a dining room and meeting space, quiet room and quiet sensory room, playroom, soft play area, and an arts, crafts and IT room. Because many of the people helped by the Hamlet Centre have special needs, it will also be equipped with state-of-the art toilet and care areas. Space restrictions mean the centre is not able to invite the wider community to use its resources as much as it would like. Joan Welsby, its manager for adult services, said: “We want to be able to integrate much more with the local community and make ourselves more of a community resource. It's wonderful for the students to develop their social skills within the wider community. “Also, and the most crucial thing, is that at the moment we are having to say no to some people who desperately want places here. “I hate having to say no because there are very few other places for them to go. “Hopefully I won't have to say no any more and that will be brilliant.” At the moment the charity is trying to work out how much it will need to raise just so it can start work on the project. The Hamlet Centre started out as Norwich Toy Library, which was founded in 1972. It initially operated from the Vauxhall Centre, which is next to the St Raphael Club. Mr Rooney said: “The Vauxhall Centre has a strong tradition of helping people with disabilities so we are looking forward to returning to the area. “We are also hoping that people in Norwich and Norfolk will be able to support us in our fundraising campaign.” Ways to donate: Standing order forms are available from the Hamlet Centre, Ella Road, Norwich NR1 4BP and are available to download at www.hamletcentre.org.uk For a sponsored event, to find out about payroll giving, and any other means of donating, contact the centre by calling 01603 616094 or by email at admin@hamletcentre.org.uk. Alternatively, set up a just giving page at www.justgiving.com/hamletcentre, registered charity number 1000653. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mobile Toy Library Bus visits to Sure Start Children’s Centres All children and adults with an additional need, all children under the age of 5 years and all professionals working with either of these are welcome to visit the toy bus and choose toys from the following visits below. These stops may be subject to cancellation if severe weather occurs or if the Sure Start Centre changes or cancels a visit. We are closed between the 30th August and the 10th September and no visits will occur during this time. Earlham Early Years, Cadge Road, Earlham, Norwich Every Thursday 9.30-10.30am East City Children’s Centre, Ducketts Close, Tuckswood, Norwich Every Tuesday 9.30-10.30am Catton Grove Sure Start, Catton Grove, Norwich Fortnightly on a Wednesday- first and third Wednesday of every month 11am-12pm 2nd & 16th June 7th & 21st July 4th & 18th August More dates to follow City Children’s Centre, Johnsons Place, Norwich Fortnightly on a Friday (and every Friday during school holidays) 1.45-3.45pm 4th & 18th June 2nd, 16th & 30th July 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th August More dates to follow Nelson Infant School, Nelson Street, Norwich Fortnightly on a Thursday school term time. No visits during school holidays. 1.30-3.30pm 10th & 24th June 8th & 22nd July 16th September Necton Village Hall, Necton Every 4 weeks on a Tuesday 11.30am-12.30pm 22nd June 20th July 17th August 14th September More dates to follow Sandringham Centre, Marham RAF, Marham Every 4 weeks on a Friday 10-11.15am 2nd July 27th August 24th September More dates to follow Narborough Community Centre, Narborough Every 4 weeks on a Friday 11.30am-12pm 2nd July 30th July 27th August 24th September More dates to follow Swaffham Sure Start, White Cross Road, Swaffham Every 4 weeks on a Friday 11am-12pm 18th June 16th July 13th August 17th September (Please note there is no visit on the10th September) More dates to follow Poringland Community Centre, Poringland Fortnightly on a Tuesday 10.45am-12pm 1st, 15th & 29th June 13th & 27th July 10th & 24th August We are closed for 2 weeks 21st September More dates to follow Brooke Village Hall, Brooke Fortnightly on a Tuesday 1.45-2.45pm 1st, 15th & 29th June 13th & 27th July 10th, 24th August We are closed for 2 weeks 21st September More dates to follow
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