Small Steps e-news!

July 2011

Small Steps School for Parents helps parents to help their own children who have cerebral palsy or other forms of motor and sensory impairment. For more information go to www.smallstepssfp.org.uk or to make a donation, please click here. On behalf of all of Small Steps children, families and staff, thank you for your ongoing support.

Welcome to our July e-news

Do keep in touch by email or visit Small Steps on Facebook or go to the Small Steps website. Welcome to the last Small Steps e-newsletter of this academic year!...

Dates for your diary

Wednesday 20th July - Tuesday 6th September - Summer break
Wednesday 7th September - Sessions begin - Autumn term

Small Steps is looking for a new home!

As many of you now know, after 14 years of being housed in Greenmead School, Small Steps has been asked by the local authority, to vacate our current premises by December at the latest. So we need your help! We need an empty suitable (large, accessible) premises in South West London. So if you know of anything that could be suitable please let us know. View our 'Need a new home' flyer here.

London Triathlon 2011 - 30th/ 31st July 0
On the weekend of 30th and 31st July a team of nine Small Steps parents and friends will compete in the London Triathlon at the Excel Centre to raise vital funds for the Charity. The team are now training hard and they need your support! PLEASE sponsor them at their fundraising pages (links below)... and put the dates in your diary to come along and cheer the team on!
Sponsor Adrian Stanley for the Triathlon here.
Sponsor Nick Pell for the Triathlon here.
Sponsor Adrian Stanley for the Triathlon here.
Sponsor Julia, Andy and Anne-Marie here.

Meet one of our Triathletes Ron Miao (Dad to Noah) ...

"Noah and our family have been the beneficiaries of an incredible organisation - Small Steps.

As you may know, Small Steps focuses on infants and toddlers with developmental difficulites. It is an organization that is funded only by charitable giving. It receives NO direct government support and must fund each year's operating budget of £250,000 by fundraising. The staff's dedication to and enthusiasm for the children and their families is nothing short of amazing.

I am at it again for 2011. This year is my second year in raising funds for Small Steps. While my ultimate goal is to help secure permanent funding for Small Steps, the current economic environment means realistic short term goals are the priority. Last year with your help, I was able to raise an incredible £14,000. This year I hope to raise £20,000 for Small Steps.

This year I hope to complete the triathlon, barring any injury, in under 2:20 (2010 result was 2:22.32). Thank you for your support."
Sponsor Ron Miao for the Triathlon here.

Help Paul raise £1 million for Small Steps!

Paul Mott is Dad to Sam, who previously attended sessions at Small Steps. Over the past few years, Paul has tirelessly fundraised for Small Steps, from organising lavish Dinner Dances to running numerous marathons in extreme conditions around the world.

And now he is at it again! Paul is running 3 races in the next 6 months in England http://www.tra-uk.org/thames_ring.php, Spain - http://www.alandalus-ut.com/ and Greece (The Daddy) - http://www.spartathlon.gr/therace.php

Please, please show your support for Paul by sponsoring him at his 'Sandblasters' fundraising page: http://www.justgiving.com/sandblasters/
Thank you so much!

Virgin London Marathon 2011 update!
Many congratulations to Ben McGuire of Virgin Management and Jacqueline Reynolds, friend of April's Mum and Dad, who both ran the London Marathon on Sunday 17th April in aid of Small Steps. Ben raised over £4,400 and Jacqueline raised over £1,270. Thank you both so much!

Trustee Drinks Evening and AGM Summer Party

Thanks to everyone who joined us a the Trustee Drinks evening and the AGM Summer Party. We had a very enjoyable time on both occassions, catching up with parents, donors, fundraisers, volunteers and staff. Guests viewed the 'almost' completed Small Steps DVD, which got some very positive feedback. We hope to have the finished DVD available for everyone early next term.

AGM3

A message to parents bringing visitors to sessions...
We would like to remind you all that whilst Small Steps welcomes visitors to sessions, it is important that you let the team know you wish to bring someone as early as possible. Our observation space is limited and often other visitors are booked in to the diary long in advance. Whilst we always do our best to accommodate everyone, it will not always be possible. Please call us on 020 8704 5935 to discuss prior to your session. Thank you for your understanding.

Philanthropic Students Win £3000 for Small Steps!
Year 8 students at Ursuline High School were thrilled to win £3000 for Small Steps in the final of the Youth Philanthropy Initiative on Friday 13th May. As part of the project, run by the Institute of Philanthropy, groups of students identify the social needs in their community and research local organisations which support people who need help in their everyday lives.
This year, Ursuline students selected seven local charities and each form group visited their chosen charity and talked to staff and those benefitting from the charity’s work, before working in teams to prepare and give a presentation on why their charity was the most worthy of support. The team supporting Small Steps: School for Parents were thrilled to hear that their charity had been chosen to receive the £3000 prize money. Anita of Small Steps said of winning the £3000 prize . We would sincerely like to thank the students at Ursuline for their donation and all their hard work for the project.

Richmond May Fair and the Kew Midsummer Fete A huge thanks to everyone who donated cakes and supported us at the Richmond May Fair and purchased doughnuts from our stall at the Kew Midsummer Fete. We had 2 successful days fundraising and we are delighted to have been nominated as one of the 5 local charities to receive profits raised at the Kew Fete. Fantastic news!


Small Steps is indebted to all the organisations and individuals who provide financial and in-kind support to the Service... thank you all. In this newsletter we would particularly like to thank: Mandy Baker for her 50th birthday donations Ingles Charitable Trust - Sponsoring Monday afternoon sessions Charlotte Grobien of 'Give it Away' for another large donation Rachel Pain (Joe's Mum) for doing a sponsored 10k for Small Steps Everyone who makes a monthly standing order donation Zoe Day and the patrons of the Bricklayers Arms for their fundraising Phil Evison and the Arab Boy Pub for organising the weekly Small Steps quiz April's Grandparents for donations from their Summer Garden Parties The Kew Rotary for their fundraising Quiz night Victoria Brown who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of Small Steps Annabel Lewis for organising a fundraising Captain Tortue sale And to a number of local schools for their fundraising efforts: Kings House School, Harrodian School, Putney Park School and Godolphin and Latymer School

Small Steps, School for Parents Greenmead School St Margaret's Crescent Putney London SW15 6HL REG CHARITY NO. 1089161 Tel: 020 8704 5935 info@smallstepssfp.org.uk www.smallstepssfp.org.uk To unsubscribe from this e-newsletter, click here.

Small Steps Family & Friends e-news!

July 2011