This is a wee plea for some money – not something there is a lot of around at the moment – but something very important for a very special cause.  [See a bit further down for an update on our activities too!]  Update on Monday 17 Aug: We all managed our sections of the Half IronMan Triathlon on Saturday - Hurrah! It was a memorable day for us all. AND the most recent update on the Bobath Bike Ride on 22 August - Dougal and Hamish did their bit for the fundraising and both rode the whole 20 miles on their own bikes - a fantastic effort! And ask Rory about his Dad's camera and the canal....there's another story....

Wee Alfie, who, as most of you know, was born with Cerebral Palsy (see below for more on CP if you want to know more), has just attended the Bobath Centre (more below too) in Glasgow for a 2 week block. This is a centre specifically for children with CP giving intensive therapy to children, while teaching and inspiring parents and others involved in the children’s development.

We certainly did have an inspiring as well as very beneficial experience there, and we want to help the Centre to continue and expand its wonderful work.

The last 2 and a half years, since Alfie and Rory were born, have been a journey of many ups and downs. It has been hard to come to terms with Alfie’s diagnosis and to realise the impact that will have on his, and our, lives. It has been hard not to compare them both, as Rory takes off into toddler-dom, and Alfie is left behind lying on the floor. It has been hard, indeed is hard, to carry him around all the time.

In the last 6 months or so, we have reached a new place of acceptance, of belief that all will be well for us all, and of happiness. We feel very lucky to have them both, and particularly to have Alfie who so nearly did not make it at all. Life will be different for us all, but it will be just as wonderful and exciting and full of adventure, We are sure of that. Alfie’s smile is just the best smile, and I think that means he is a happy chappy even with his disabilities!

Our visit to the Bobath Centre was another very positive step on that journey and we want to help them and celebrate, really, where we have got to. We are hoping that 2009 will be the year he manages to sit up unaided, and with the concentrated therapy that he received at Bobath, things are looking hopeful.

He is also greatly helped by all the many wonderful people involved in his life and to all of you, we are very grateful!

So, we are doing a few energetic things to try to encourage you to donate a wee bit of your hard earned cash!

Firstly, Dave and Emma are doing the Etape Caledonia cycle Race (or Challenge as I like to say – won’t be much racing from us!) – 81 miles of pedalling round lovely Highland Perthshire on 17^th May.

Secondly, the wonderful Alison (Stewart) has organised Alfie’s Girls to enter the Relay Edinburgh Marathon so Emma will be joining Alison, Iona and Helen on the 31^st May. I am totally grateful to these 3 wonderful women for doing this, for being such a fantastic part of Alfie’s life, and for pestering all their chums to give out the cash!

Emma, Dave and Alison are also attempting a Half Iron Man triathlon as a team on 15 August ~ Alison will swim 1.9 km in Loch Tay (in a wetsuit!), Dave will cycle 90 km and then Emma will run a half marathon to the finish point (accompanied on the last stretch by Dave & Alison with Alfie in a jogging buggy!)

And lastly the Ashcroft/ Burtles bunch are cycling the Bobath Sponsored Cycle on 22^nd August. This is 20 miles from Glasgow to Loch Lomond and will be a real challenge for Hamish and Dougal. We would love anyone and everyone to come and join us on that ride.

Thank you so much indeed for anything you can donate. It will be used to give real help to Alfie and other kids with CP.

The easiest way to to do this is on this website, but if you have any problems, a cheque made out to us (we will then tally it up and pay one big cheque in - honest!) or some cash would be great.

What is the Bobath Centre?

The holistic Bobath approach towards therapy was developed by Dr Karel Bobath and Mrs Berta Bobath in the 1950s and explores ways of encouraging more natural movement patterns that can be integrated into everyday life. This approach recognises that each child is an individual and that therapy requires to be tailored for each child. It is not a rigid regime of exercises. The centre offers a specialist knowledge base to analyse the child’s skills and suggest ways of enhancing their abilities.

The Bobath Centre is a charity and no charges are passed on to the families - more than 600 children from all over Scotland have now attended for therapy. Currently based within temporary premises in Glasgow, Bobath Scotland is currently searching for a site for a permanent, bespoke therapy centre that will allow them to reach out to even more children.

Everyone involved in the care and development of each child is invited to therapy sessions - including parents and siblings, local therapists, teachers and nursery assistants - ensuring the aims for each child are co-ordinated and realistic to their own environments.

www.bobathscotland.org.uk

What is cerebral palsy?

It is a permanent, incurable disorder affecting posture and movement. Any pregnant woman could have a child with cerebral palsy, as there’s no test to identify an ‘at risk’ group. One in every 500 children has cerebral palsy which results from brain damage occurring during birth or in the first two years of life.

Cerebral palsy takes many forms in varying degrees of severity, but invariably results in restricted movement due to muscles being too stiff or too floppy. This affects the development of skills such as using hands for play, communicating and walking. The Bobath concept involves a trans-disciplinary approach involving occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy to give each child the skills to explore the world, communicate their needs and participate as much as possible, not just in therapy sessions, but in all aspects of their lives.