Local Charity Special : Noah's Ark Childrens Hospice

Ask any parent their worst fear and they will most likely tell you that it is their children becoming ill. Sadly every year in Barnet, some children will develop terminal illnesses, suffer horribly and die. For their parents, brothers, sisters, wider family, friends it will be a traumatic and life changing experience. I cannot imagine how awful it would be to be faced with that stress every single day, knowing the person you love most in the whole world (because we all love our children more than anything), faces such a struggle and will die well before they ever have a chance to reach their potential.

Families often struggle to cope with the stresses and strains of such an experience. No one can easily cope with such pressure. Relationships suffer, siblings are relatively neglected (and if they complain are made to feel guilty), finances and working life can often also suffer, leading to further stress and worry. Parents have to support their sick children, but are often in need themselves. There is no magic wand, but there are organisations who can help to ease the burden. One such organisation is Noah's Ark Childrens Hospice. They are a small local charity,  working to help life-limited children or young people, and their families, living within the communities of Enfield, Barnet, Camden, Haringey and Islington.

They provide all manner of services and support to families with terminally sick children and have recently acquired land in Byng Road, Barnet for a purpose built Hospice. Much of what they do is family support, respite and assistance with the praticalities of such a situation  (which can all be too much for people going through such a traumatic experience). Like many small local charities, they receive scant funding from government for this important work and rely on the generosity of local people.

The charity was this years Barnet Mayoral Charity, having been selected by Mayor Tony Finn as one of his two charities. Being selected as a Mayoral charity raises the profile of projects and can be a major help in raising funds. There are many ways local charities can benefit from fundrasing activities. One way that we can all make a difference is to leave a bequest in our last will and testament. My dearly departed mother did this and as a result, I've realised what a fantastic thing it is to do.

She didn't specify which charities should benefit and suggested that her children choose ones to which they had a personal attachment. Recently her solicitor wrote out all of the cheques and we have been distributing them. I have five brothers and sisters and we chose a whole range of different beneficiaries.

For me it was an easy choice (if such things can ever be easy). As my big sister Valerie works as a hospice nurse in the USA, I know exactly how challenging the work is. The Noah's Ark Childrens Hospice seemed a perfect choice. As it was the Mayors Charity, I contacted Councillor Finn and yesterday had a visit from our esteemed Mayor when he collected the cheque on their behalf. We had a good chat about the work of the hospice and why he chose it. I explained how my mother had been a successful businesswoman. She had a stroke late in 2000 and after that had been virtually housebound. She'd always supported a wide range of charities and felt that having had a successful career, she should give something back to the community. Myself, my brothers and sisters all supported this decision. Councillor Finn asked if I could write a few words about my mother, so he could say a few words when he handed over the funds. Here's what I wrote :-
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Laurie & Celia Tichborne moved to  Mill Hill in1948 and set up a crash repair business called Mac Metals Ltd in Bunns Lane Works, Mill Hill shortly after. They ran the business successfully until retirement in 1984. Laurie passed away in 1987, Celia passed away in August 2008. As they had an extremely happy and rewarding life in Mill Hill, raising six children and running a successful business, they both supported many local charities. Upon her passing Celia made a substancial bequest in her will for the benefit of charities chosen by her children. The family were pleased to choose Noah's Ark Childrens Hospice for the fantastic work it does supporting terminally ill children and their families. We wish Noah's Ark Hospice the greatest success in their project to build a new hospice in Byng Road.
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There are many reasons why leaving a bequest is a great thing to do, especially to local charities. As well as the obvious good which it does for the community, it is also extremely tax efficient. When you draw up your last will and testament and you assess your financial situation and that of your beneficiaries, ask yourself this. Is there any scope for helping a few of the people in society who really need it ? If there is, then why not write a bequest.  It doesn't have to be huge, for many local charities, a couple of hundred pounds would make a big difference. As for most of us, the biggest asset when we pass away is our home, consider whether say 1% of this would be missed by your beneficiaries. If your house is worth £250,000 then that would be £2,500, and  that could make a huge difference. Would your children/ relatives really miss £2,500 if they got a cheque for £247,500?

Oh and on a slightly more cheerful note, you don't have to die to donate to Noah's Ark. You can click right here for the details on how to make a donation right now :-

http://www.noahsarkhospice.org.uk/howtodonate.htm

And one final note, sadly all of the money bequested by my mother has been divvied up and donated.

Londons Brave firemen Vs Londons Biggest Embarassment AKA Brian Coleman

Some clips really do need no comment at all.

Brian Coleman is full of GRIT *** Updated ***

************ Urgent Update ******************
Oh Dear - Since this blog was originally posted, the Barnet Roads (or should that be Ice rink) supremo Councillor Daniel Thomas has told the Ham & High that the London Borough of Barnet is RUNNING OUT OF GRIT !!!!! Now if you click on the conversation between Paul Ross & his worshipful Highness Mayor Brian Coleman below on Radio London 94.9 this morning, you will hear Coleman categorically state that there's plenty of GRIT. If you go on the radio, giving large about what a marvellous job you are doing, and less than 8 hours later you are shot down in flames, let's just say you are made to look a tad foolish.

I am writing a new song to commemorate the bad weather. Can you complete the Chorus? If I can ever actually get out of the house and to the studio, I may record it and post it here :-

The Borough of Barnet is out of Grit, out of Grit, out of Grit,

The Mayor of Barnet looks a Total ___, Total ___, Total ____,

The Borough of Barnet is out of Grit, out of Grit, out of Grit,

cos Brian Coleman is full of ____, Full of ____, Full of ____,

Yup, childish I know, but as I lose another days money, the kids have another day off school at home and the  roads and pavements become ever more like Queens Ice Rink, I've got to pass the time of day somehow.

Seems like I'm not the only one unimpressed with Brian Coleman and Barnet - The following was in the Ham & High article.

Richard Madeley publicised his frustrations with Barnet Council on his Twitter page.

The star wrote: "Grrr:still no sign of any gritters here. Looks like our council's f***** up again." to his 10,000 followers.

******************** End of Update ******************* Original Post >>>>>>

For those of you that missed it, Don't Call Me Dave has very kindly produced a clip of the Mayor of Barnet making a plonker of himself whilst being interviewed by Paul Ross on BBC London 94.9 this morning - well worth a listen.



As to the title of this blog. Have I ever mentioned my dyslexia?

Where was Brian Coleman when the new leader was elected

Newspaper reports say that both Mayor Brian Coleman and the Deputy Mayor were "on Mayoral business" so couldn't vote in the Barnet Leadership Elections last night. I was intrigued. What engagements did they have to keep?

I thought I'd check the Mayors online diary, but rather oddly, because this has never happened before, it isn't up to date. The last engagement was on Sunday 29th November.

Have a look for yourself (Click Here). I'd hate to think that there is some dodgy conspiracy here, to spare Brian Colemans blushes for not bothering to turn up.

The myth of the Ryanair Council

Following on from yesterdays discussion regarding Barnet Council Leader Mike Freer's plans to turn Barnet into a "Ryanair" council. Mike Freer really doesn't understand the Ryanair business model at all. Lets have a look at a few things a "real" Ryanair Council might do.

* Abolish the post of Mayor & sell the mayoral limo. A Ryanair council doesn't need this sort of extravigance.

* Cut the number of Councillors by 2/3rds. Ryanair only employs people it really needs.

* Slash the salaries of senior Council officers. Ryanair Pilots are paid far less than their equivalents at full price airlines.

* Abolish expensive and wasteful self publicity programs. Does the CEO of Ryanair have a blog paid for by the company.

* Ban expensive jollies such as trips to the USA and Cannes in France, which cost the taxpayer tens of thousands of pounds over the last few years

Having looked at where a Ryanair council may save costs, lets now look at why Ryanair are probably one of the worlds most successful Airlines.

* They do what they are supposed to extremely well (ie they fly you from A to B). In none of Mike Freer's discussions does he talk about delivering the basic services he's supposed to properly.

* They recognise that the customer has a choice. Poor saps such as us who live in the London Borough of Barnet have no choice whatsoever.

* They provide the service which their customers desire for less money than their competetors. A quick review of the Council Tax rates of other London Council's shows that Barnet are an expensive option.

* They have a clear focus on what they are supposed to provide. Adult social provision is the most basic service which a council can provide.

There is a rather sad little article in yesterdays Evening Standard. There is a rather unpleasant and insensitive quote from one of our Tory Councillors

Conservative councillor John Hart said: "With council tenants, it has been a lot of 'my a**e needs wiping, and somebody from the council can come and do it for me'."

May I point out to Councillor John Hart that there are many people in Barnet who require the Council to wipe their arse for them. They are the victims of strokes, senility, dementia and Alzheimers disease. My own father in law required the provision of these services for several years. Having seen council carers in action, I think it is disgusting that their efforts are dismissed in such a crass manner. Mike Freer explains further planned changes

"Just as Ryanair and easyJet passengers choose to spend their budget on either flying at peaktime or having an in-flight meal, recipients of adult social care in Barnet will choose to spend a limited budget on whether to have a cleaner or a respite carer, or even a holiday to Eastbourne. "

It is quite clear from this statement that Freer hasn't got a clue about the lives of people with disability. If someone cannot function without a cleaner and a respite carer, he is legally not allowed to remove the service. It's called a duty of care. As to the holiday in Eastbourne, if someone is severly disabled with no access to a normal holiday and no relatives to take them, it is only right and proper that the council provides such a break. Mr Freer doesn't talk about cutting down on council executive jollies to the USA and Cannes in France, so why pick on the weakest and most vulnerable.

Freer has no objection to Brian Coleman trousering over £100,000 from the public purse, being shipped around in a mayoral limosine and getting more luxury hampers from GLA suppliers than the rest of his GLA colleagues put together. Sort that out first, leave the poor and disabled who need carers to wipe their arses in peace.

New Mayor slates Tory colleague on Barnet Council

Rather strangely, I didn't receive an invite to the inaugeration of the new Mayor last night. I was extremely pleased to hear that he took time out to slate one of his fellow Tory Councillors in his acceptence speech. For those who didn't follow the saga, one of his council colleagues (who's name I know but can't say for legal reasons) ran a rancid blog called "Barnets Third Eye". The author of the blog went under the anonymous handle of Boombastic. As if this foolish man's blog was bad enough, he also posted a message of support on a blog advocating the violent abuse of children.

The blog was pulled, under orders from the rulers at Barnet Tory HQ, after famously posting pictures of all of the Barnet Council Labour group with the following caption (this is saved from the blog).



The new Mayor clearly isn't impressed by his colleagues behaviour and criticised bloggers whom he claimed pulled down civic institutions by attacking officers and councillors, as demonstrated by this awful blog.

The Marmite Mayor declared “I will not put up with it!”

From this, can we conclude that it was the New Mayor, rather than Tory group Leader Mike Freer, who was responsible for carpeting "Boombastic" and getting his obnoxious log removed?

Regular readers will know that the Barnet Eye regularly praises Councillors of all parties who do a good job, such as Mill Hill Tory John Hart. We trust that the Mayor is happy for us to attack those who are doing a lousy job and need some help!