News from Redwalls
In October Tijen turned 21 and had a cracking party at the Sandy acre Community Center with all her friends and family. David's day was celebrated in the Chopsticks Chinese Restaurant with an all you could eat lunch. The prawn eating competition left 3 bloated, 2 stuffed and 1 unable to leave the restaurant until last Thursday YIKES! Over Christmas there was a visit to the Peter Pan Pantomime and The Snow Queen on Ice. There was also some volunteering as Santa's Elves at the Kent Kids grotto on Canterbury Market and the best snow ball fight ever in which no one was left un-pelted including the Manager. But for some the absolute highlight of this Christmas season was meeting Peter Andre at the Blue Water shopping center, he even promised to talk to his Manager about supporting the charity, we wait in hope. New arrivals include Dean who is due to move over from Footprints when he turns 18 and new staff, Louise, Chloe, Dominique, Callum and Benjamin. Further additions include new pets Snowy the rabbit and the budgies. Ongoing fundraising for a new Sensory Room includes Amin's themed restaurant nights, keep your ears and noses open for Bangladesh Night coming to you from Little Sylet. Also a sponsored Leg waxing... OUCH. And powered wheelchair football match...OUCH again. Next birthday party is in Ashford nightclubbing, by invitation only I'm afraid, sorry to disappoint. Planned trips to the London Aquarium and National History Museum will also
be happening. We hope London is ready for the Redwalls crew

Kent Kids Miles of Smiles is pleased to say that we still work closely with Kent Police College, and in September of last year we took PC Paul Snedden, below is an extract from an e-mail I received from him about his time with us and thought it would be nice to share it with you all.

Firstly being a Police Officer and primarily a Custody Sergeant for the past 5 1/2 years I come into regular contact with detained persons who have specific individual and differing needs as well as expectations. However, these tend to be the same, namely alcohol and/or drug related problems, mental health issues and to a lesser extent religious and cultural issues. I have got used to such issues as a Custody Sergeant and all in all they are not difficult to address appropriately,looking after the detained person and upholding their rights and needs.

On my visit to Kent Kids I spent time with several young people from Redwalls (their care home for young people) with profound and multiple physical and mental disabilities and they need full time care. I spent time with several young people, half a day with a lovely young lady in her 20s with Downs Syndrome and Autism, a 17 year old boy who is blind, needs support when walking and has speech and learning difficulties, a young man in his 20s who is in a wheelchair but is a very intelligent young man and a young man of 22 who has beaten all health odds to still be with them.In my everyday life inside and outside of work, I do not normally come in to contact with people with such profound physical and mental disabilities, as a
result my two day placement at Redwalls was an education. It has broadened my knowledge,
understanding and awareness of the different, diverse and very important needs of individuals in our communities with such profound and multiple physical and mental disabilities. With this I have learnt how to deal with people like the residents of Kent Kids Miles of Smiles, demonstrating, understanding, compassion, respect and fairness but being firm if necessary. Not
forgetting the people who care for them I saw first hand the difficulties they come across out in the community, for example no suitable access/disabled toilets in a park in Ashford, the mens toilet being closed and then being turned away from the bowling alley in the park upon
asking if one of our disabled young people could use the toilet. Clearly my time at Kent Kids Miles of Smiles will benefit me both personally and professionally. The two day placement reiterated to me the importance in everyday life of simply and clearly communicating with people directly. Finally witnessing first hand the interaction between the carers and residents as well as being involved myself and being part of it reminded me of the importance of patience, listening, understanding, dignity, individuality, independence and having fun. I would like to say a big thank you to you all for making me feel welcome and showing me what life is all about at Footprints and Redwalls, for the residents in particular but not forgetting the staff. Thank you for talking to me, explaining things, and answering my questions

Paul Snedden

Hello everyone and welcome to 2010. As I wrote in the Summer 2009 issue, the last year has been very difficult for us, fundraising is hard enough at the best of times, but we have also had to contend with the recession and it has affected us hugely. I think the best example of this is when the fundraisers spent two days at Leeds Castle doing a bucket collection, there were 6000 people at the event on each day, we collected 7 (no I haven???t missed any noughts off the end of that figure). I will say that through this difficult period the care and commitment to the children/young adults has not been compromised in any way. Footprints and Redwalls still remain loving, caring and fun filled homes in which the quality of life of our youngsters is our main concern. If there is any way in which you can help please get in touch, it doesn???t have to be big scale, just holding a raffle at your place of work or having a collection box on site would be a great help, could you afford a couple of pounds a month to set up a standing order, if enough people do this it will make a difference.

I hope you find the rest of the website interesting and informative and it would be lovely to see some of you at the many events we hold through the year.

Liz Thomas

I would like to start by wishing you all a very Happy New Year, and by saying thank you to the
KM Group for all their support over the last year, By following us all year and attending all of our events they have given us the opportunity to raise our profile, and reach further into the
community then ever. Fundraising at the moment is probably the hardest its been for some time, but with the support of all our supporters in this newsletter and those who we simply
don't have the room to fit in we are still able to provide the much needed care that our very special children and young people need. Without you all we simply could not do that, your support means that we can help more children and young people every year. In the year to come we have some exciting things lined up, we will have our usual annual events like the Easter Egg Hunt, Golf Day and the Music in the Garden event that has grown each year and become a hit with you all. Also some new events such as the Kent Kids Bazaar, School Competition and the Inca Trail Trek which I myself will be taking part in along with 14 other people.
I look forward to seeing you all over the coming year and to celebrating a successful fundraising year.

Liz Baxter
Head of Fundraising