Beads of Courage for Sick Kids – Edinburgh Vintage Fair – Previously Scotland’s History Festival – Cycling on St Andrew’s Day – Bookshop Manager job at Fruitmarket Gallery
A programme designed to boost the bravery of sick children has welcomed donations totalling nearly £10,000.
The Royal Hospital for Sick Children was the first Scottish hospital to adopt the Beads of Courage programme.
The programme sees young patients in the oncology and haematology service at the RHSC receive a strand with beads spelling out their name. Beads will then be added for each procedure the children go through, such as blood tests, lumbar punctures, chemotherapy and overnight stays.
Last month, the programme, which has been funded by Be Child Cancer Aware, received donations from charitable organisation Spifox Too, sixth year pupils at Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools as well as the family of current patient Melissa Crouch.
The three donations totalling £9,750, ensure that this innovative and positive support tool for children with cancer can continue.
During a visit to the hospital, Steph Dorward, Suzanne Graham and Hannah Ross from Spifox Too, met eight-year-old Tabitha Lawson, a pupil at Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools, along with ward staff.
Jenny Tomes, clinical psychologist, NHS Lothian, said: “’Using the Beads of Courage is a wonderful way of helping children to cope with procedures by rewarding their courage, encouraging coping strategies, and providing a focus for discussion of their experiences.
“It’s great to see how well the scheme has been received by the children and we’d like to reiterate our thanks once again for these generous donations which will enable the scheme to continue.”
John Drummond, Chairman of Be Child Cancer Aware, said: “Coming to terms with cancer or haematology disease is a very difficult and confusing time, especially for children. Beads of Courage gives children a tangible way to show what they go through and how brave they’ve been.
“The programme gives the children the power to take control and should never be underestimated.”
Steph Dorward, from Spifox Too, added: “It was a great opportunity for three of us from the Spifox Too Committee to be able to see the Beads of Courage programme in action, thanks to all that facilitated the day and the visit certainly underlined the fantastic work that all at RHSC do.”
***
A vintage fair is coming to The Hub today. Traders, a tea party and hair styling.
More details here.
***
More fun and games from the History Festival today. At 11:00 you can go on a cycle tour with a difference.
Meet under the North Bridge, behind Waverley Station, 39 Jeffrey Street Edinburgh eh16 6nf
Lycra in favour of all things tartan to celebrate St Andrew’s Weekend.
The bike charity, Weathered Cyclist, is staging 3 Tartan Rides across
Scotland, to bring cyclists together for a purely social ride, to
ceilidh like there’s no tomorrow and to raise thousands of pounds for
charity in the process.Tickets are on sale for the three Tartan Rides in Inverness, Edinburgh
and Glasgow.The first ever Tartan Ride in the world took place on St Andrew’s Night
2012 in Glasgow. Tartan Ride organiser and Founder of Weathered Cyclist,
Ali Campbell said, “We originally organised the Tartan Ride for Glasgow
Bike Station, but after what was a legendary night, we felt that we
wanted to organise events across the country under the auspices of a new
charity… Weathered Cyclist. We are extremely pleased that this year we
are helping to launch three new initiatives that fit completely with the
Weathered Cyclist ethos”.
Riders bedecked in our national cloth will ride through each city, with
a few refreshment stops along the way. The rides are social, never
intended to be challenging. It is about encouraging people to keep
riding through winter. It is about the pure enjoyment of riding a bike.
Each ride will benefit a local charity.
FRIDAY 29TH NOVEMBER – INVERNESS
Velocity Bike Café and Workshop are the hosts and by joining in, riders
are helping to fund Velocity’s ‘Bike Fix Fund’, giving people on
low-incomes access to Velocity’s bike maintenance courses, learning how
to fix and maintain their bicycles, therefore providing a cheap and
sustainable mode of transport. Tickets are £15, which includes a place
on the Inverness Tartan Ride, as well as food and a ceilidh at The North
Kessock Hall.
SATURDAY 30TH NOVEMBER – EDINBURGH
This cruise through the capital will help to fund Edinburgh Bike
Station’s ‘Balance Bike Scheme’, the aim of which is to donate 2 balance
bikes to every nursery across Edinburgh, to encourage a whole generation
of children to learn cycling skills, to enjoy a more active lifestyle
and help create a cycling city. Tickets are £25 which includes a place
on the Edinburgh Tartan Ride, as well as dinner and a ceilidh at The
Grassmarket Community Project.
SUNDAY 1ST DECEMBER – GLASGOW
The second Glasgow Tartan Ride will help to fund Glasgow Bike Station’s
‘Earn-A-Bike’ scheme, allowing marginalised people from within the
community to learn the basic skills to overhaul and refurbish a donated
bike. Tickets are £25 which includes a place on the Glasgow Tartan Ride,
as well as dinner and a ceilidh at West Brewery.
***
There is a maternity cover job on offer at The Fruitmarket Gallery who are looking for a bookshop manager. More details here.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
