2013 - Childflight

ChildFlight's mission is to provide flights and holidays for sick and deserving children. Children who may require medical treatment abroad or who have missed out on childhood experiences due to illness.

Childflight is operated entirely by volunteers, meaning that 99p of every £1 raised goes towards helping children.


2012 - The Marfan's Associaton

If you haven't heard of Marfan's Syndrome you are not alone. It's as common as cystic fibrosis (you've heard of that haven't you?) affecting an estimated 1 in 5000 poeple, yet few have heard about Marfan's. We hadn't. You likely haven't. And Simon Taylor hadn't. Nor had his parents.

Simon Taylor worked at the beer festival for many, many years. If you are a festival regular there is every chance you would have seen him around. He may have let you in or he may have sold you a pint or two. Sadly, he died suddenly (so suddenly that nobody even knew) towards the end of 2010. It was only the post mortem that revealed Marfan's Syndrome.

With Simon's death coming so close to the 2011 festival it didn't seem appropriate to try to fit something in to 2011, especially considering that Simon's family needed time to grieve their loss.

But here we are, a year on, and so for 2012 The Bent and Bongs Charitable Trust want to help the fight against Marfan's Syndrome by supporting The Marfan Association as one of the main beneficiaries of the festival.

We hope that you will take a moment to read more about Marfan's and spread the word if you know of anyone who you think fits the profile.


2011 - Childflight and The North West Air Ambulance

Childflight

ChildFlight is a children's charity specialising in providing flights and holidays for sick and deserving children. Children who may require medical treatment abroad or who have missed out on childhood experiences due to illness.

Childflight is operated entirely by volunteers, meaning that 99p of every £1 raised goes towards helping children.

The North West Air Ambulance

Not everyone knows that the North West Air Ambulance is funded almost entirely through charity. That's right! Charity! The helicopters, all the equipment they carry, the pilots, the crew and the support team are almost completely funded through charity. If there were no charity, there would be no air ambulance and people would die! It's not an over dramatisation. There are people alive today who simply would not be alive without the air ambulance.

Where minutes count they are the difference between life and death. It's that simple!

And it's not cheap. Between them their two helicopters fly almost 1,500 missions a year, at a cost of one, two, three or more thousand pounds per mission. That's over £4m a year they need to stay in the air.

So when you hand over your tenner at the beer festival, just think ... that might be a tenner that goes towards our donation to the NWAA. And that donation might fund one or two flights. And those flights might save one or two lives. It makes you think doesn't it?


2010 - Meningitis Trust, CRY and Guide Dogs

Meningitis Trust

Meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia (blood poisoning) kill more children under five than any other infectious disease in the UK.

The Meningitis Trust is a registered charity that is working towards a world free from meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia and where those affected receive quality care and support for life. They help to rebuild lives with their vital services that include a 24-hour nurse-led helpline, professional counselling, home visiting and financial support. They also save lives by raising awareness of the disease and through new research programmes.

If you need urgent assistance about suspected meningitis please call the 24-hour nurse-led helpline on 0845 6000 800.

To learn more about meningitis and the work that the Meningitis Trust are doing to fight it, surf over to their website at: The Meningitis Trust.

CRY - Cardiac Risk in the Young

At least 12 apparently fit and healthy young people die suddenly each week from undetected heart conditions.

CRY aims to prevent these tragedies by raising awareness of the conditions that can lead to Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) and Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS, SADS) and through a subsidised screening programme in local communities.

To learn more head over to their website at: Cardiac Risk in the Young.

Guide Dogs

The Guide Dogs need hardly any introduction.

Their aim is that blind and partially sighted people should enjoy the same freedom of movement as everyone else. Why not head over to the Guide Dogs' website to read more about the work they do and maybe support them directly by sponsoring a puppy?


2009 - Derian House Children's Hospice & The Parkinson's Disease Society

Derian House is a local hospice that provides care and support for children diagnosed as terminally ill and their parents. Whilst these lives may be cut tragically short, Derian House ensures that they lead as full and normal a life as possible by offering them the optimum support to cope with their illness, along with the best possible medical care, and as much fun and laughter as they can pack into every single day.

Head over to the Derian House Website for more information about the kind of work they do.

The Parkinson's Disease Society almost needs no introduction.

2009 was the 40th anniversay of The Parkinson's Disease Society. Since they were established in 1969 they have funded research to search for the cause of Parkinson's Disease, to improve medical and surgical treatments, to create better therapies and equipment and, one day, to find a cure.

The society's nurses and specialist advisers offer support and advice, giving people the the confidence to manage the condition and to plan ahead. Additionally their network of over 330 branches and support groups located across the UK offer support and services, enabling every affected by Parkinson's and their families to meet others in similar situations.

Check out The Parkinson's Disease Society Website to read more about the work they do.


2008 - Friends of Fourways and ChildFlight

ChildFlight is a children's charity specialising in providing flights and holidays for sick and deserving children; for example, children who require medical treatment abroad or who have missed out on childhood experiences due to illness.

Childflight is operated entirely by volunteers, meaning that 99p of every £1 raised goes towards helping children.

Please do take a moment to swing by ChildFlight's website to read more about the work they do, including their amazing Florida event, and then take a peek at their photo galleries to see just how your support helps them make a difference.


2007 - The Children's Ward at Wigan Royal Albert Edward Infirmary




2006 - Vision Aid

Vision Aid offers practical help and advice to the families of children with sight dificulties. Started by parents, Vision Aid can offer friendship and support to families who may be feeling confused or isolated caring for a child with special needs.

Any child in the UK who has difficulty with their sight, is partially sighted or has no sight at all, can benefit from Vision Aid's service and support.



2005 - Wigan and Leigh Hospice

Wigan and Leigh Hospice provide specialist palliative care services to individuals facing the challenge of living with a life-threatening illness. They strive to provide care services on as broad a basis as possible and to the highest achievable standards in order to enhance their patients' quality of life.

Why not take a moment to click over to Wigan and Leigh Hospice's excellent website which is packed full of information about who they are, what they do and how they achieve it. It might even inspire you to volunteer a few hours of your time to help them; be it in the provision of care services, help with fundraising, a bit of driving or perhaps something as simple as a spot of gardening. Anyone can volunteer, so ask yourself right now ... what's stopping you?


2004 - Francis House Childrens' Hospice

Francis House offers the families of very sick children a respite from their role as carers and gives the children a loving home from home.

They offer facilities for the care of children within the hospice and also extend their support to the family home. The hospice itself provides a range of experiences and therapeutic services for the children. Parents, brothers and sisters can all stay as well if they so wish.

Do please take a moment to surf by the Francis House Website to get a feel for the facilities they offer and to see how you can help them continue to achieve this.


2003 - ChildFlight

ChildFlight is a children's charity specialising in providing flights and holidays for sick and deserving children; for example, children who require medical treatment abroad or who have missed out on childhood experiences due to illness.

Childflight is operated entirely by volunteers, meaning that 99p of every £1 raised goes towards helping children.

Please do take a moment to swing by ChildFlight's website to read more about the work they do, including their amazing Florida event, and then take a peek at their photo galleries to see just how your support helps them make a difference.


2002 - The Parkinson's Disease Society

Since 1985, the Bolton Branch of the Parkinson's Disease Society has offered a service to people in Atherton and Tyldesley.

They welcome anyone with an interest in Parkinson's whether they want to be active members or just want to keep in touch with someone who can offer information, advice or a sympathetic ear.

They have Welfare Visitors who can visit enquirers and members at home, listen to their worries or questions and help to sort out any problems. They have very good contacts with a wide range of other services to ensure that everyone with Parkinson's get the information, services and benefits they need.

Their Carers' Club meets most third Wednesday's 2-4pm at the Friends Meeting House, Silverwell Street, Bolton. The Branch meeting at 7-30pm on the second Tuesday of most months is held at the Theatre Church, Seymour Road, AStley Bridge, Bolton. There is easy access, good toilet facilities and parking space. They run a transport service for those who need it. They also arrange outings and special events.

For further information please contact:
Bolton Branch: Marie Oxtoby, Welfare Officer - 01204 594004
Welfare Visitor: Jill Strickland - 0161 724 7718
Free National Helpline: 0808 800 0303


 

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