Maisey appreciates the work of The Brian Kennedy Trust

by **Tony Bennett** 07.09.12 18:32

As far as I can make out, the 'Children Today' Charitable Trust was set up in 1994; whether or not Brian Kennedy was involved at that stage, I don't know.

But now, if you click on 'Brian Kennedy Trust', it clicks on to the 'Children Today' website, and as can be seen, its head office is in Cheshire.

The Brian Kennedy Trust does good work for disabled children, as can be seen from the last article here, as Maisey expresses her appreciation for her new bed.

Maybe I have simply got Brian Kennedy all wrong. His reported intimidation of witnesses, his Melissa Little-aided artists' sketches of sinister-looking men, his 'phone calls to Martin Smith, his appointment of Edgar & Cowley and the establishment of a shell compamy, ALPHAIG, his dinner party with Robert Murat and two lawyers, and his turning up at Portimao Police Station flanked by Francisco Marco and Antonio Gimenez Raso from Metodo 3 are perhaps all just part-and-parcel of his natural goodwill to all mankind and his undoubtedly worthly charitable endeavours.

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The Children Today Charitable Trust is a Registered Charity No. 1137436.

The Brian Kennedy Trust

Sale Shark Attack!

When Children Today was first approached by Linda Miles, Director of [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], in August 2011, I was more than a little curious to learn more, as I had no prior knowledge of any previous connection with Brian Kennedy, owner of rugby premiership club Sale Sharks, or the trust that bears his name.

However, all was revealed in a subsequent meeting with Linda, when she explained that Brian, who is passionate about helping very young children with disabilities, wanted to give very practical help in the form a generous donation to support our work with children in the North West.

With so many children waiting for equipment, it was a very difficult task to decide which particular children should benefit from the Trust’s donation. In common with Children Today, The Brian Kennedy Trust recognises the very significant value of early intervention, by way of specialised equipment provision, in a disabled child’s life, so the three Ms were chosen: Marley, Megan and Maisey.

Marley, now age 3, is from Blackpool and has Cerebral Palsy. He needed a specialised tricycle at a cost of £900.00

Marley’s condition meant that he had increased muscle tone (tension) and weakness down his left side of his body. As a result, he had altered patterns of movement and was unable to stand or walk independently. He was only able to move around by “bottom shuffling” and could only stand and step for short periods with encouragement and assistance from an adult.

We recently spoke to mum and she’s delighted with Marley’s progress since his new bright orange tricycle was delivered. Marley is already starting to pedal independently and loves being out on his tricycle. Mum still has to help him steer but he is only three. There’s lots of time to learn more new skills.

Marley’s new, bright orange tricycle has made a world of difference to him and his family.

Update on home visit to meet Marley and his mum

Linda Miles and Alan Dodd (Children Today's Chief Executive) rolled up on a sunny afternoon to meet Marley, his mum and dad, and nanna, not long after Marley had returned from pre-school.

Being tired and very hot and bothered, the very last thing that Marley probably wanted was having two visitors.

However, as soon as we suggested he show us his Theraplay tricycle, in the orange of his favourite team, Blackpool F.C., and wearing a hat to match, Marley very quickly became a picture of contentment and didn’t stop giggling. Marley loves his trike!

Mum explained that in the short time since the trike had been delivered, Marley was now starting to walk, albeit still needing help and a hand to hold but this was a great improvement. There was also very clear definition to the muscle development in both his calves and thighs. Hopefully, Marley’s “bottom shuffling” will soon become a thing of the past.

Both mum, Hayley, and dad, Scott, said the trike “makes such a huge difference” to Marley and in such a short space of time.

The glorious Blackpool sunshine meant we were able to talk lots and take lots of lovely photos and we’re delighted to be able to share these with you.

Without a doubt, Marley was an absolute star!

Megan is 5 and is from Stoke-on-Trent. Megan also has Cerebral Palsy and needed a specialised tricycle at a cost of £875.00.

Megan’s Cerebral Palsy affected all four limbs but mainly her lower half. She couldn’t pedal a regular bike due to poor balance and stability and needed a specially adapted tricycle to enable her to cycle independently.

We spoke to Megan’s mum recently and was delighted to hear that Megan loves her new tricycle – it’s “absolutely brilliant”. From day one, Megan could almost ride her tricycle independently and no longer had to rely on mum to push her old bike with stabilisers when she went cycling in the park with young cousins. She was always left trailing behind.

That’s definitely not the case now. Megan wants to go out “all the time” and mum tells us that the tricycle has made a “massive, massive impact” on the lives of Megan and their family. There’s always a huge “beaming smile” on Megan’s face when she’s riding her bright pink trike! Very soon, her cousins will have to ride faster to keep up with Megan.

This tricycle has very obviously given Megan a “massive confidence boost”. Even in a relatively short period of time, she has become much more independent, is enjoying being outside in the fresh air and exercising, she’s happy and is now able to join in again. This is clearly evident from the lovely photo Megan’s mum has sent us. Linda and Alan will also be visiting Megan and her mum very soon and we look forward to seeing even more lovely photos.

Megan can now enjoy being a little girl and concentrate on her newly-found abilities rather than her disabilities.

Maisey, age 4, is from Wigan and was treated for a hypothalamic tumour in her left cerebral hemisphere. Maisey needed a height adjustable bed at a cost of £4,230.00.

Although Maisey’s condition was treated surgically and with chemotherapy when she just 2, Maisey was left with right-sided hemiplegia, was non-mobile and had developmental delay in all her gross and fine motor skills.

In order to use the hoist that been installed at home to lift Maisey safely and comfortably, or to transfer her from bed to the bathroom or to carry her to her Panda chair, Maisey needed a height adjustable bed. The cost of this chair was prohibitive, so the family approached Children Today and another charity for help with the funding.

As the nominal upper limit for our funding is usually £1,000.00 per item, we were anxious to find suitable co-funding or match-funding in order to reach the £4,230.00 required to fund Maisey’s new bed. Fortunately, the family was able to secure a pledge of £1,000 from a local charity and The Brian Kennedy Trust very generously funded the balance. Without this timely intervention, the family would still be endlessly applying to charities for help and the hoist that is so vital to Maisey’s every day needs would remain unusable.

Maisey’s new bed has now been ordered and the family are excitedly awaiting its arrival. Linda and Alan are looking forward to visiting Maisey at home once her new bed has been delivered. Hopefully, then we’ll have lots of lovely photos to share with you.

Update on home visit to meet Maisey and her mum and dad (3rd September 2012)

Linda Miles and Alan Dodd made a trip to Wigan yesterday afternoon to meet Maisey and her mum, Emma, and her dad, Mike, on the last day of the summer holidays before the start of the new school term.

Although Maisey was busily watching television when we arrived, she jumped at the chance of showing us her fabulous new, all singing-all dancing specialised bed. Dad carried Maisey into her bedroom, full of lovely sensory equipment and toys, and set her down on the bed. Maisey’s smile was beaming! She loved her new bed from the moment it was delivered. Maisey’s grandparents even bought her new bedding to celebrate!

Previously, Maisey’s single bed was positioned at floor level to prevent her from falling out and hurting herself and it was incredibly difficult for mum and dad to lift four year old Maisey out of bed. It wasn’t really fit for purpose and Maisey desperately needed a larger specialised bed.

Maisey’s new bed, delivered in June, is fully articulated, allowing her to be positioned more appropriately and enabling her to sleep more comfortably and safely, with raised padded sides to prevent any risk of her falling. As the bed is height adjustable, Emma and Mike can now use the hoist positioned above the bed that is so essential to transfer Maisey more easily and safely to get up out of bed and to use the bathroom.

Maisey was quite happy to pose for photographs for us and giggled all the way through. Emma and Mike joined her on the bed, as Linda looked on – their delight was clearly evident.

Without the very significant contribution from the Brian Kennedy Trust, Maisey would, no doubt, still be waiting for her new bed, the cost of which was £4,230.00.

Thoughout the visit, Maisey’s six month old baby brother, Stephen, was fast asleep, only to wake up – bright eyed – as we were about to leave.

It is always a pleasure to help children like Maisey and their families. Just one piece of equipment “makes such a difference” to their lives. When asked how long Maisey’s bed would last, mum replied “Forever!”

On behalf of the Trustees and Staff at Children Today, I would like to thank Linda for all her hard work and the Brian Kennedy Trust for their very generous support in helping us to fund this specialised equipment for Marley, Megan and Maisey, and look forward to working together again in the near future.

This was one very welcome Sale Shark Attack!

Brian Kennedy Trust

Linda Miles, Director of the Brian Kennedy Trust, and I made a trip to Wigan yesterday afternoon to meet Maisey and her mum, Emma, and her dad, Mike, on the last day of the summer holidays before the start of the new school term.

Although Maisey was busily watching television when we arrived, she jumped at the chance of showing us her fabulous new, all singing-all dancing specialised bed. Dad carried Maisey into her bedroom, full of lovely sensory equipment and toys, and set her down on the bed. Maisey’s smile was beaming! She loved her new bed from the moment it was delivered. Maisey’s grandparents even bought her new bedding to celebrate!

Previously, Maisey’s single bed was positioned at floor level to prevent her from falling out and hurting herself and it was incredibly difficult for mum and dad to lift four year old Maisey out of bed. It wasn’t really fit for purpose and Maisey desperately needed a larger specialised bed.

Maisey’s new bed, delivered in June, is fully articulated, allowing her to be positioned more appropriately and enabling her to sleep more comfortably and safely, with raised padded sides to prevent any risk of her falling. As the bed is height adjustable, Emma and Mike can now use the hoist positioned above the bed that is so essential to transfer Maisey more easily and safely to get up out of bed and to use the bathroom.

Maisey was quite happy to pose for photographs for us and giggled all the way through. Emma and Mike joined her on the bed, as Linda looked on – their delight was clearly evident.

Without the very significant contribution from the Brian Kennedy Trust, Maisey would, no doubt, still be waiting for her new bed, the cost of which was £4,230.00.

Thoughout the visit, Maisey’s six month old baby brother, Stephen, was fast asleep, only to wake up – bright eyed – as we were about to leave.

It is always a pleasure to help children like Maisey and their families. Just one piece of equipment “makes such a difference” to their lives. When asked how long Maisey’s bed would last, mum replied “Forever!”

Alan Dodd
Chief Executive Officer

Pictured below are Mum and Dad, Emma and Mike, with Maisey and Linda Miles, Director of the Brian Kennedy Trust.

by **PeterMac** 07.09.12 18:52

Good people can be blind to the harm they do.
OXFAM and many other charities, Geldoff, Bono, et al have inflicted long term damage not just on individuals but on whole populations and societies, in the sincere but misguided belief that they were helping.
So it works that way round.

It is also true that evil people like to be seen to be doing good, to turn away the wrath of those who see through it. Himmler was a loving father and kept canaries and so on.

One should perhaps judge each individual act, and try not to extrapolate to the person or the personality, until the accumulation of evidence show the contrary to be the case.

It may therefore be that Kennedy genuinely and blindly believes everything he has been told, and has been given only one "Version of the truth". It is likely that he has never sat down to study the evidence and to realise that the things he has been told contain serious internal inconsistencies. He probably has no time to review it all himself. He is too busy making windows.

by Woofer 08.09.12 0:58

Many untoward things can go on behind the charitable mask. See this in the Independent :-

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

For instance, abusers often follow careers or associate themselves within the very organisations that are supposed to be helping. What better place !

Also of interest is that JWs place themselves above the law when it comes to the abuse of children - they protect child abusers, much the same as the Catholic church has done. Not making accusations, just found it interesting.

by **Tony Bennett** 08.09.12 9:02

Woofer wrote:Many untoward things can go on behind the charitable mask. See this in the Independent :-

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

For instance, abusers often follow careers or associate themselves within the very organisations that are supposed to be helping. What better place!

And then, right on cue, up comes this very story today on the BBC website:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

And this is an extract from the news item in the Independent about the cardiologist paedophile:

QUOTE

The charges relate to the period from 1995 to 2008, during which Professor Bonhoeffer, now aged 50, made frequent trips to Kenya doing charitable work. From 2005 he travelled with the medical charity Chain of Hope, founded by heart transplant pioneer Sir Magdi Yacoub, which provides treatment to children with heart problems in the developing world.

Professor Bonhoeffer chaired its medical board and sponsored a number of boys and youths in Kenya and paid for their education.

At 3pm on 31 August 2008, Professor Bonhoeffer was found in a flat at the Mater Hospital in Nairobi by Witness Z, a representative of the Chain of Hope due to give evidence at the hearing, who was making an unannounced visit accompanied by a nurse.

According to the charges, Professor Bonhoeffer was "in a bedroom with Kenyan male children and young male adults" to whom he had provided sponsorship and gifts. He "came out of the bedroom and to the door of the flat in a state of sexual arousal", the charges state. Photographs taken on the same day are alleged to have been found on his camera showing him next to a boy "bare chested and lying on a bed" which were "inappropriate" and "sexually motivated".

More than a decade earlier, Professor Bonhoeffer, an accomplished musician, apparently gave violin lessons to the child of a couple whose home he regularly visited while he was working in Paris. The charges allege he sometimes shared a room with the boy and on one occasion when the boy was aged 10 he went into his room while he was apparently sleeping and "caressed his whole body including...

REST SNIPPED - UNQUOTE

by Olympicana_Reloaded 23.09.12 0:25

Tony Bennett wrote:
Woofer wrote:Many untoward things can go on behind the charitable mask. See this in the Independent :-

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

For instance, abusers often follow careers or associate themselves within the very organisations that are supposed to be helping. What better place!
And then, right on cue, up comes this very story today on the BBC website:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Heart specialist is guilty of molesting young boys

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Philipp Bonhoeffer guilty of sexually motivated conduct

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

by Ross 23.09.12 0:35

PeterMac wrote:OXFAM and many other charities, Geldoff, Bono, et al have inflicted long term damage not just on individuals but on whole populations and societies, in the sincere but misguided belief that they were helping.

I agree completely with the first part, but seriously doubt the second part.

by **tigger** 23.09.12 6:40

Ross wrote:
PeterMac wrote:OXFAM and many other charities, Geldoff, Bono, et al have inflicted long term damage not just on individuals but on whole populations and societies, in the sincere but misguided belief that they were helping.
I agree completely with the first part, but seriously doubt the second part.

At last! A voice in the wilderness..
Imo it should read 'certain that this would revive their waning careers by the publicity so created'.

by LEACHATE 23.09.12 8:23

There's 1 problem with Brian Kennedy- why did they meet privately with Murat - I am speculating, but it was to agree to leave the child in the Murat garden and pay for the costs of having a driveway build over her--- Stephen D. Birch

by dragonfly 23.09.12 17:01

Woofer wrote:Many untoward things can go on behind the charitable mask.
.

Now then now then, Jingle jangle jingle jangle

by Ross 23.09.12 17:29

Sometimes they hardly bother hiding it. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] setting up the Boy Scouts for example.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

by **PeterMac** 23.09.12 18:07

He did warn about the "silent evil" !

by littlepixie 23.09.12 19:35

Woofer wrote:Many untoward things can go on behind the charitable mask. See this in the Independent :-

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

For instance, abusers often follow careers or associate themselves within the very organisations that are supposed to be helping. What better place !

Also of interest is that JWs place themselves above the law when it comes to the abuse of children - they protect child abusers, much the same as the Catholic church has done. Not making accusations, just found it interesting.

I have it from the horses mouth that they don't. They respect the Law and would not hesitate in reporting someone to the Police. I do not think Brian Kennedy is a practicing Jehovahs Witness.