Headstrong-Friends meet at Butlins
The third Headstrong-Friends event took place at Butlins, Bognor Regis (11-14 August 2006), which was chosen for its good quality accessible accommodation and family-friendly activities. The aim of the weekend was to bring together children and young people affected by neurological conditions and their families to have fun in an informal and supportive environment.
The weekend was a huge success with families enjoying themselves and being able to gain support and exchange information with other families, staff and experts on hand. Thirteen young people with neurological conditions attended, alongside ten siblings and twenty-three parents and carers.
Activities included a Gala dinner and disco, indoor games (due to unseasonably cold weather), personalising baseball caps, messy play, crafts and collages. There were also workshops for parents on behaviour management, benefits and education. These were provided by expert speakers in each area.
The children and young people, aged between five and 20 years old, have a range of neurological conditions including brain tumour, stroke and encephalitis. The majority of them also had other medical conditions as a result of their neurological condition, including significant sight loss, mobility problems and epilepsy.
The weekend was staffed by four Brain and Spine staff and ten volunteers. The volunteers included many professionals with a great deal of experience of working with children, including a paediatric nurse, two play specialists, a social worker and the director of a special school.
All food, travel, accommodation and activities were provided free of charge to the families thanks to the generous support of the Lewis Family Charitable Trust and Barbara Ward Children’s Foundation. Toys and craft materials were very kindly donated by Woolworths and RD Industries.
An evaluation of the weekend revealed that all participants found it to be beneficial and valued the opportunity to exchange views and share information in a friendly and informal atmosphere. All of the families said they would like to attend a similar event next year, which would give them the chance to meet again, update one another on their progress and give each other further advice and support. The event would importantly provide a rare opportunity for the family members to relax and enjoy a small respite from their every day lives.
