Quote of the Week

Words do two major things: They provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness

Household Hints and Tips

- Don’t put Daffodils in with other cut flowers they release a toxin which kills them.

- Marks left inside cups and mugs from metal cutlery can be removed using either nappy powdered cleaner or toothpaste.

- To bring back the fluffyness in pillows put them in the tuble drier with a new tennis ball on cool for a few minutes.

Children in Need

Children in Need has just been broadcast but did you know that it first began in 1927? It was first a broadcast appeal for children that constituted a five-minute radio broadcast on Christmas Day in 1927. The response was phenomenal and it raised £1,143 18s 3d which was split between 4 prominent children's charities. The first televised appeal was the 1955 'Children's Hour Christmas Appeal', presented by Sooty and Harry Corbett. The Christmas Day Appeals continued on TV and radio right up until 1979, raising a total of £625,836. In 1980 the appeal was broadcast on BBC One in a new telethon format, hosted by Terry with Sue Lawley and Esther Rantzen for the first time. It has continued up to this day and has so far raised in excess of £600 million.

Pudsey has been the mascot since 1985 but he first appeared as a cuddly brown bear, he took on his more familiar appearance in 1986 when he became yellow with a spotted bandage and he stayed like that until he was revamped again in 2007 this was to made him brighter and more appealing.

Children in Need’s vision is that every child in the UK has a childhood which is:

· Safe
· Happy and Secure
· Allows them the chance to reach their potential

They provide grants to projects in the UK which focus on children and young people who are disadvantaged. They operate all throughout the UK and give grants to both small and large organisations four times a year. They help such a wide range of children and on their website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/ there are so many wonderful and tear jerking stories of how people’s money has gone to help those really in need.

So this year try and spare what you can or get involved in any way you are able to raise money for this fantastic Charity that does so much to help those who otherwise would be living without the things most of us take for granted.

Portage Wins Charity Bands

Portage is one of StairSteady’s favourite charities and we particularly support the locally based Rotherham service. Portage is a home-visiting educational service for pre-school children with additional support needs and their families. The National Portage Association was established in 1983 to offer support and information to parents and professionals involved in Portage, and have been at the forefront of developments in support to very young children and their families since then. The Association became a charitable company in 2001.

Portage aims to:

work with families to help them develop a quality of life and experience for themselves and their young children in which they can learn together, play together, participate and be included in their community in their own right

play a part in minimising the disabling barriers that confront young children and their families receiving Portage services

support the national and local development of inclusive services for children

Through our involvement with this charity, StairSteady has become aware of the invaluable help and support that Portage provides to families within the community. Most services are reliant upon donations and funds raised through events and initiatives to maintain their work. Rotherham Portage Service recently entered a competition run by Steel City Marketing, who are based in Sheffield, and were the proud winners of 100 charity bands.

The charity bands are white with blue writing and have the words Rotherham Portage Service on them. Portage is offering a band for a minimum donation of £1 each to raise much needed funds for them to carry on their valuable work within the local community. StairSteady employees were amongst the first people to buy these unique bands! If you too would like to buy one of these bands or make a donation please contact Ruth on 0845 652 88 04. All donations will provide resources for the Rotherham Portage Service to help home visitors working with local families with children with additional needs. Please do what you can to keep this important service going.

Quote of the Week

The reason why most people face the future with apprehension instead of anticipation is because they don't have it well designed.

Household Hints and Tips

- To get rid of cooking smells from your hands rub your hands over a stainless steel spoon under warm running water.

- To get crayon off of walls either warm with a hairdrier and wipe with a damp cloth or spray with WD40 and then wipe over with a damp cloth.

- You can clean your kitchen surfaces with equal parts cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle, it works just as well as cleaners and has no chemicals in.

Quote of the Week

Your family and your love must be cultivated like a garden. Time, effort, and imagination must be summoned constantly to keep any relationship flourishing and growing.