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Recent News
The Romance Dance
Following the great success of our Winter Masquerade Ball, we are throwing a Valentine's Disco on 10 February 2012 from 6pm-9pm at the Activity Centre for our adult members. For £10 members can enjoy an evening of music, dancing, food and drinks with up to two carers (who can attend for free).
To find out more about the Romance Dance, or to book your tickets contact reception in person or by calling: 0191 2678118.
One last chance for Wish 11
The Evening Chronicle’s Wish 11 competition is almost at an end; the last tokens have been printed and we’re now trying to collect as many tokens as possible to give us a share of a £50,000 kitty.
Last year you collected enough tokens to raise £443 towards equipment for the Music Room at the Activity Centre; needless to say this year we're hoping to do even better in our mission to buy equipment for the Hydrotherapy Pool. Every single token returned to us before Monday 13 February will help to boost our share in the fund, in turn assisting people with limited mobility to enjoy their hydrotherapy experience at the Activity Centre.
We would like to thank everyone who been collecting for us, and ask that if you have any additional tokens that you send them to us before Monday 13 February.
Please send your tokens to:
Rob Molineux,
Alan Shearer Activity Centre,
West Denton,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE15 7LT.
Or to:
Moira Ashman,
St Cuthberts Care,
St Cuthbert's House,
West Road,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE15 7PY.
Winter Wonderment
Stilt walking elves, Magic Mickey, Santa Claus, and Alan Shearer, joined forces last week to produce a wonderful afternoon of festive fun for over sixty children who attended our fantastic Alan Shearer Activity Centre Christmas Party.
Children from schools all over the region came to join in the fun, including the Thomas Bewick School, Sacred Heart Fenham, Percy Hedley School, and Beaumont Hill Academy. The Alan Shearer Activity Centre was decked out in its finest Christmas decorations to greet them, together with a sparkling tree in the foyer.
The children, including Mencap's Carlisle members, were thrilled to see patron Alan Shearer who had come especially to greet them and wish them a merry Christmas.
During the party the children had their faces and arms painted for the occasion by artists from Angelique, enjoyed a magical afternoon of party tricks and fun by Magic Mickey, and played in the Centre's ball pool and sensory cave.
Meanwhile Santa Claus held court in his special grotto, and spent time with all the children, ensuring that each one received a lovely gift.
After enjoying a delicious buffet tea in Browne's café, the children sat down to listen to a special reading of The Night before Christmas, especially read to them by Luke Taylor of the Seven Stories gallery.
Join us for Carols by Candlelight
In keeping with tradition, St Cuthberts Care will play host to Carols by Candlelight; our Christmas service held for the charity and St Catherine's Nursing and Residential Care Home.
Father Michael Whalen of The Holy Name Church Jesmond will officiate, with carols being sung by the Sacred Heart High School choir.
Adults taking part in the Live and Learn programme at the Alan Shearer Activity Centre will also sign and sing a traditional Christmas classic.
We extend an invitation to everyone to join us at St Cuthberts House, West Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE15 7PY on the 13 December at 4pm for carols and refreshments. If you would like to attend please contact Nicola Milne 0191 242 4809.
Sporting Colour
At the Alan Shearer Activity Centre the head gardener has always got his work cut out, not only with a range of sensory gardens to tend to, but also a woodland walk.
So imagine his delight when Gateshead Council agreed to give his team member Sean Hudson six hundred winter bedding plants from its nursery based in Lobley Hill, absolutely free.
The bedding plants, a range of colourful pansies and polyanthus, have been put to good use by the Centre's gardeners, all around the grounds. Now, when visitors arrive, they are welcomed by vibrant hanging baskets and pretty plantings in the borders and along the verges.
In addition to this kind-hearted donation, the Centre has received the generous offer of 800 tree whips from the Woodland Trust, which will be delivered this month. A further 400 tree whips are promised in March 2012. These will go a long way to creating an even more attractive environment for the many birds and insects that inhabit the Woodland Walk.
The Alan Shearer Activity Centre team is always on the look out for free plants and bulbs from organizations that may have a surfeit. Please contact them if you think you can help.
Time to start clipping those coupons again!
October sees the launch of the Evening Chronicle’s Wish11 competition which, like last year, is offering nominated local charities a share of a £50,000 kitty.
Last year over 250 clubs and charities took part, all receiving a share of the money. Our supporters collected enough WISH10 tokens to raise £443 towards equipment for the Centre’s Music Room but this year we’re hoping to do even better. To ensure we receive as large a share as possible, we need to collect the most tokens and we can’t do it without your help!
All money raised this year will be used to purchase a mix of specialist inflatables and buoyant, waterproof interactive sensory equipment for the Centre’s Hydrotherapy Pool. Centre Manager, Rob Molineux, already has his eye on some ‘’funky new equipment” that he hopes to have in place for spring next year.
Please help us to collect Wish11 Tokens and don’t be shy about pestering your friends! Please encourage your friends, families, schools, churches and anybody else you know to collect on our behalf as well. Every single token collected will boost our fund and will assist people with limiting mobility to turn their therapeutic hydro-experience at the Alan Shearer Activity Centre into a fun one too.
WISH11 tokens will be appearing in the Evening Chronicle from Thursday 6 October so start sharpening those scissors and get ready to cut! You can forward tokens to the Centre or contact us at any time for more information.
Please send your tokens to:
Rob Molineux, Alan Shearer Activity Centre,
West Denton, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE15 7LT.
Telephone 0191 267 8118. Email: enquiries@alanshearercentre.org.uk
Or to:
Moira Ashman, St Cuthberts Care, St Cuthbert’s House,
West Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE15 7PY.
Tel: 0191 228 0111. Email: moira.ashman@stcuthbertscare.org.uk
These are not just gardeners... these are M&S gardeners
With perfect timing - the one sunny day in an otherwise showery week - a team of Marks and Spencer Managers led by John Heatherington, Regional Finance & Operations Manager, arrived at the Alan Shearer Activity Centre to help establish St Cuthberts Care's latest venture.
What has, until recently, been a large area of waste ground adjoining the Centre's gardens is being transformed into our very own vegetable garden.
The team of 17 volunteers came from M&S branches all across the UK prepared for some hard graft. They brought not only their own tools, but also a fabulous gift of £1,000 worth of plants, seedlings, compost and willow fencing. M&S has also enlisted support from local businesses for signage when the garden is finished.
All the produce from the new garden will be used to benefit St Cuthberts Care's services. It will provide fresh vegetables for use in the kitchens of the Alan Shearer Centre and in our children's and old people's homes. Any extra produce will be offered for sale on our 5p Bus, bringing a valuable, healthy resource to people with little or no income.
It wasn't just vegetables on offer though. The team somehow found time to set out some home-grown seedlings and summer bedding plants in the Centre's garden too.
Thanks again to everyone involved.
If you are interested in helping with our vegetable garden project and volunteering your time, you can contact us here on our website, or by telephone on 0191 228 0111.
Austin welcomes Ant and Dec to the Centre
Chief Executive, Austin Donohoe, was on hand to welcome Ant and Dec on behalf of the charity and to show the two Geordie celebrities around the Alan Shearer Activity Centre.
The visit to the Centre was their first together since Ant joined Dec as Patron of St Cuthberts Care in April this year.
School children and other guests were overjoyed at meeting the country’s favourite TV double act. Ant and Dec stopped to chat and mingle with guests, posed for photographs and ensured everyone received personalised signed autographs, including the staff team.
Austin said: “We’re delighted to welcome Ant and Dec on board as Patrons. They are ideal role models for our young people and I’m very grateful for them being able to find time out of their busy schedule to pop along and to meet some of our guests.”
Eggcellent gifts again this Easter
Many thanks to everyone who thought of us this Easter and donated lots of fabulous Easter eggs for our members and guests.
The Centre's Deputy Manager, Rob Molineux is pictured with three ladies from local Co-operative Funeral Care Projects - Viv Lewens, Liz Taylor and Clare Tows, who donated an amazing 200 eggs! Their project collected over 950 eggs in total from clients and local businesses for distribution to a number of local charities.
Thanks also to some regular supporters of the Centre, Newcastle Rhinos Motorcycle Club, who once again turned up in force with their donations.
A Happy Easter to all our friends and supporters from everyone at The alan Shearer Activity Centre.
Free activities and short breaks announcement
delights Alan Shearer
St Cuthberts Care Chief Executive, Austin Donohoe made three important announcements at an event held at the Alan Shearer Activity Centre on Monday, 4 April.
New patrons - Alan Shearer, his wife, Lainya and former SCS Chairman, Mike Browne - joined Austin as he revealed details of the charity’s plans to give away free overnight stays at the Alan Shearer Short Break Centre. Speaking to the gathered guests and media, Austin said,
“Respite care is something carers cannot do without and some could be pushed to breaking point if access to respite care is reduced or taken away. We couldn’t stand by and let that happen. As a charity we are able to take action and have chosen to lend our support by offering these free short breaks.”
In addition to the short break give-away, Austin also announced that the Alan Shearer Activity Centre was now free, making the centre and its unique facilities, designed specifically for disabled adults and children, readily available to everyone.
Finally, it was revealed that everyone at St Cuthberts Care were delighted to have secured an eminent list of patrons. Joining Lainya and Alan Shearer and Mike Browne are Lady Elsie Robson and Ant McPartlin who joins his showbusiness partner, Dec on the board of patrons.
Following the announcements, Alan Shearer described his pride in the centre and his delight that it was providing such a valuable service.
“I can’t tell you the satisfaction I get out of driving along the A69 and seeing a sign for the Alan Shearer Centre. I’m told nearly 700 or 800 people use this place a week, so to see my name above that door and to come in here and see the kids that are using it and the satisfaction that they get out of it and putting smiles on their faces, I can’t tell you what that does for me.”
Pupils and teachers from five local schools – all regular users of the centre - were also at the event and seven year old Bobbi Watson from Thomas Bewick School presented Lainya Shearer with a bouquet.
The event wound up with a tour of the centre, including the new Music Room and Craft Room, and media interviews with Alan Shearer.
Please Note - The free short breaks offer ended in May 2011.
For details of the free activities available at the Alan Shearer Activity Centre and how to book, click here.
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