Join Our Santa Challenge!

Wear a Santa Suit for the Day

Thursday December 1st, 2011 to Sunday December 25, 2011

The Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund are looking for fun people to raise much needed funds for children with disabilities in the North East by spending the day dressed as Santa! This event is open to everyone regardless of whether you are at work, in the gym or minding the kids, it is not a specific event so use your imagination and have a good time.

Registration is £15 to cover the cost of the Santa suit which we will provide you with and you will also receive a fundraising pack. There is no minimum sponsorship, please raise as much as you can, however we would be grateful if you could raise over £30.

We have chosen Friday 9th December for our event however if you can’t make this day and would still like to take part, then simply choose a day of your choice.

If you’re not a bah humbug and would like further information or to register, please call Emma on 0191 2016066 or email emma.watson@ncjmedia.co.uk

A Spooky Invite!

As the clocks go back and winter is upon us, why not enjoy a couple of nights out with friends and family in support of the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund?!

On Monday 31st October, As You Like It in Jesmond will be hosting a spooky Halloween extravaganza. The evening will include burlesque, live music and living art from 7pm til late.

Tickets are priced at £5, with VIP tickets with a cocktail on arrival costing £10 and VIP dining with 4 course, gourmet meals costing £30. To get your tickets, call 0191 281 2277.

On Friday 5th November, Novos RFC will be putting on a fantastic bonfire and fireworks display, with food and drink available. The display, which will take place at Sutherland Park in Benton, will begin at 7pm.

Entrance to this event will cost £3 for adults and £2 for children. Parking at the event is priced at £10 per car.

Both of these events are guaranteed to be fantastic and, best of all, will raise much needed money for the fund to enable us to provide equipment for local children with disabilities this Christmas.

A Big Thank You

Many thanks for your continued support - it is much appreciated by ourselves and, more importantly, by the children and families we help.

We have seen a 30% increase in applications this year and are therefore struggling to supply all of the specialised equipment the children require. Your support has never been more crucial!

If you could help us raise money from a event at work or with your friends and family over the next couple of months, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Here are a few suggested events:

• Cake sales
• Fancy dress parties
• X Factor competitions
• Come Dine with me
• Strictly Come Dancing
• Sponsored swim or silence (always popular with parents!)

We're looking forward to seeing all of your fun and innovative events and the best will published in the Evening Chronicle.

Once again, thanks for your support!

Special Day Out Makes All The Difference To Lila

Two-Year-Old Is The Guest Of Honour At Day Of Fun

Smiling Lila put her worries behind her as she was treated to a day of fun and face painting.

The two-year-old, who has the most severe form of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip where the ball and socket of the joint do not develop properly, was the guest of honour at a specially organised play day.

Lila Forester-Melville, who recently we recently treated to an all-terrain mountain buggy, and big sister Molly were invited to be pampered ahead of a family fun day this weekend in aid of the charity. Party organisers, Castles In The Sky, entertained the youngsters as they played with toys and had their faces and hands painted at the Runamokka cafe in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside.

Lila and Molly's mum Jos said: "Molly and Lila had a great time and Lila has benefited so much from the work of the Sunshine Fund. Without the help of charities like this, parents like us would find it really hard to get out and about with a disabled child." Amanda Glendinning, owner of Castles In The Sky, said: "We just wanted to make a nice little gesture and offer an extra day out for Lila and Molly."

The fun will continue on Saturday with a fundraising family fun day at the Shiremoor Centre from 10am-2.30pm.

Text to Donate to our £300,000 Appeal

On Friday 15^th July we launched our £300,000 Appeal, supported by Ant & Dec and Pam Royle.

You can now donate to this appeal by text. Simply send ‘ECSF11’ and the amount you wish to donate to 70070. For example, to donate £10, text ‘ECSF11£10’.

Sending the texts are free, only your donation will be taken from your bill.

If you are a tax payer, you can also gift aid your donation. If you do so, for every £10 donated, we will receive a further £2.50.

All money received from text donations will go towards the appeal, helping to buy specialist equipment for children with disabilities in the North East.

Alternatively, if you wish to donate online you can do so here or if you would like to support us in another way please call us on 0191 2016090 to discuss.

Toon Washed Out, But Kids Have Fun

THERE was plenty of sunshine despite the weekend’s heavy rain as youngsters enjoyed a day to remember.

Disabled children had a great day watching the football at St James’ Park, courtesy of IT specialists ITPS.

The firm provides the Evening Chronicle’s charity, the Sunshine Fund, with £10,000-a-year to help provide ill children with the specialist equipment they need. On Saturday they gave two lucky youngsters a day out in their corporate box at St James’ to watch the Magpies take on Fiorentina in a friendly match.

The game ended up being called off after an hour’s play due to the torrential rain, but it didn’t dampen the families’ spirits as they chatted and enjoyed refreshments.

The two children were Jessica Jade Pearson, 10, from North Shields and Harry Bucknall, 12, from Whitley Bay, who has cerebral palsy. They were both accompanied by their families, who were also able to chat about what they had both been going through.

Jessica, who has received a cheque for a trike to help with her mobility problems, said: “We had a fantastic day and loved being in the box. The best bit was Newcastle didn’t concede any goals. It was a shame about the rain though.”

Harry, who received a power wheelchair through the Sunshine Fund, said: “The highlight of the game was the thunder and lightning but the best bit of the day was being invited to be in the box.”

Garry Sheriff, MD of ITPS, said: “ITPS do a lot of activities that benefit the children in general. What’s unique about the box is that it allows the children to enjoy time with their families.”

Also going along were Angela Carrington from The Bigger Picture, which does photography for the Sunshine Fund, and Jerri Murtagh, from Echo 23, who looks after the Fund’s Tweeting.

Caroll Pattison, fund director, said: “The families get a lot out of it. Not only do they get a relief from the daily grind, but also meeting with other families so they can talk to people who understand.

“ITPS loved it because they like to see where their money goes and how it helps. They give us £10,000 a year which is fabulous. They love supporting us, but for them to meet the children who benefit from the support makes a big difference to them.

“The families also shared experiences.”

Real Big BBQ Fun

Sunday July 31st saw scores of barbeques held across the region for the Real Big BBQ, with donations being given to The Sunshine Fund.

A big thanks to everyone who took part!

Here are some photos from the event:

Bar Boss Helps Sunshine Fund With Real Big BBQ

A generous bar boss has donated a day’s takings to the Sunshine Fund.

Ryan McGee, who owns McGee’s Bar, on Camden Street, North Shields, hosted a Real Big BBQ in aid of our charity.

McGee’s was one of scores of barbecues that were held as part of the regionwide event that took place on Sunday July 31^st.

The mass event saw hundreds of fundraisers hold simultaneous barbecues on the same day, with everyone who attended donating money, which the organisers passed directly on to the Sunshine Fund.

Ryan had an extra treat in store for those who attended his barbecue, as he arranged for JD O’Neill and band, who recently released the Sunshine Fund’s official charity single, You’re My Sunshine, to entertain the crowds.

Real Radio created a perfect summer soundtrack for The Real Big BBQ and their Breakfast Team was kept busy visiting barbecues across the region.

Specially-created Sunshine Cocktails were enjoyed on the day as everyone who hosted a Real Big BBQ was sent a fundraising pack containing the ingredients needed, as well as recipes from renowned local chef Terry Laybourne.

We would like to say a massive thank you to all those involved with the event!

Ant and Dec Bring Us Sunshine

TV FAVOURITES Ant and Dec recently threw their weight behind a Chronicle fundraising drive for needy North East children.

The comedy duo were at a glitzy ceremony in Newcastle to help launch the Chronicle Sunshine Fund’s appeal to raise £300,000 this year.

Money raised will pay for much-needed equipment for disabled youngsters in the region at a time when public sector cuts are starting to take their toll.

Ant and Dec, patrons for the charity, spoke of their pride at what had been achieved – but asked North East people to show their support once again.

Applications for help to the Sunshine Fund have increased by 30% as the economic climate sees vital services axed.

The bash at the Quayside’s Vermont Hotel was also to unveil the Fund’s official song – You’re My Sunshine – by North Tyneside outfit JD O’Neill band Band.

It is hoped the single, available at HMV, will fetch £10,000 in sales.

The TV stars heard from families caring for disabled children before fund director Carroll Pattison took to the stage to thank all guests for their support.

Dec said: “We have all seen first-hand tonight how important the fund is and what amazing work the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund does with families here in the North East and cuts to public sector funding have made it more important to raise money.

“Now, more than ever before, families are turning to the Sunshine Fund for more and more help.”

Ant said: “The equipment is not cheap and the fund needs more supporters to ensure disabled children don’t have to do without equipment that literally changes the quality of their life.

“As patrons of the Sunshine Fund, we want you all to really dig deep, please, and give your support to ensure we meet every request and give disabled people the best support possible.”

ITV’s Tyne Tees presenter Pam Royle hosted the event. She said: “These are families with a disabled child who have received funding for vital equipment from the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund; equipment such as specialised wheelchairs and trikes.

“They give disabled children a sense of independence and freedom because it means they can get out and about and play with their friends and not rely on family members to be there with them.
“It is also in many instances a case of improving their health and wellbeing.”

We would like to thank everyone who attended our fabulous launch event, in particular Ant & Dec, Pam Royle, and the Sunshine Families.

The Sunshine Fund would also like to thank Christine Nugent from Business Travel who donated £250, along with several other North East businesses.

To donate to the £300,000 Appeal go to: http://www.sunshinefund.co.uk/

Here are some pictures from the event:

Sunshine Run Success!

Our 10th annual Sunshine Run took place last week and was a huge success.

We would like to say a big thank you and well done to all of the runners!

Below are a few articles that appeared in the newspapers about the run.



And finally, here are a few pictures of our brilliant Sunshine Runners!

A Victory For the Sunshine Fund!

The Evening Chronicle sportsdesk and William Hill wowed us this year and delivered more vital funds for the Sunshine Fund.

Throughout Newcastle United's campaign in the Premier League, FA Cup and Carling Cup this year, we teamed up with the UK's leading bookies with a charity bet each match.

The Evening Chronicle's chief football writer, Lee Ryder, managed to score a magnificent £1204.38 for the Sunshine Fund!

Thank you to all those involved, especially Lee and William Hill.

Newcastle Nightclub's Donation Helps School



John Gillen from Liquid and Envy with Hadrian School pupil Hanifa Khanom



Pupils and teachers at Hadrian School in Newcastle are now enjoying top of the range, specialised equipment, thanks to the Sunshine Fund.

Around £7,500 was donated by Newcastle nightclub Liquid and Envy which bought vital pieces such as a cover for the school's hydropool, four specialised double buggies, a nest swing and standing frames.

Liquid and Envy picked the Sunshine Fund as their chosen children's charity through a grant giveaway scheme organised by the Echo Trust (Entertainment Organised for Children's Health).

We would like to say a massive thank you to the Echo Trust and Liquid and Envy nightclub for helping us to help children like those at Hadrian School!

Ready? Set? Go! - The Sunshine Run is Approaching!

It's that time of year again... the annual Sunshine Run is approaching!

This year will be the 10th anniversary of the 5k run organised by the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund.

The annual race will celebrate a decade of raising thousands of pounds for disabled youngesters and their families across the North East.

With the help of sponsors ITPS and supporters the Gateshead Harriers, we are this year hoping to raise £30,000.

With 300 runners already signed up, there is still room for more. We have 100 places left for those wishing to take part in the race.

Double paralympic champion Stephen Miller will be on the starting line, offering support and encouragement to runners at the event which starts at 7pm on Wednesday 29th June, along Newcastle and Gateshead Quayside.

A host of entertainment has been organised for the evening, in order to spur runners on.

You can register for the race online, here. Alternatively, you can call into our offices and collect an entry form. Simply fill in the form and return it, along with a cheque of £15 (£13 for club runners) made payable to The Sunshine Fund.

Good luck!

Summertime Fashion Show - The Most Stylish Event Of The Season

Join As You Like It, Jesmond on Sunday the 22nd of May 2011 for the most stylish event of the season...

The debuting SUMMERTIME Fashion Show will exhibit the Jules B Summer 2011 Collections for Men and Women as well as an exclusive Toywatch display with one night only promotional offers throughout the range.

With Cupcakes and Canapés on arrival at 7pm and entertainment by LiveWire this promises to be a night not to be missed for anyone that has a fashion conscience in Newcastle.

Tickets are £10 which includes a cocktail & cupcake reception, free prize draw entry and contribution from each ticket to the fabulous Sunshine Fund Charity. A £20 VIP ticket includes all of the above plus access to the VIP area and complimentary savoury canapés.

To book tickets call As You Like It on 0191 2812277

Wine Tasting at As You Like It

A fantastic wine tasting evening is taking place on Monday 6^th June at As You Like It in Jesmond from 7.30pm. In addition to a wonderful array of wines will be fabulous Mediterranean canapés provided by As You Like It, plus brilliant live music by the very talented Jamie O’Neill.

Marta Mateus, managing director of Marta Vine Ltd said: “I am delighted to host such a special wine tasting evening with As You like It to raise vital funds for the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund”.

Marta Vine is an exciting new wine supplier in the North East of England that specialises in the little known world of Portuguese wines. After carefully selecting a good selection of wine, Marta now has a catalogue of 38 wines that appeal to a variety of tastes and focus on quality and value for money. Marta deals directly with Portuguese producers which means the customer receives the best wines, with minimum transportation at the lowest possible price. Come along and discover new wine from the old world and broaden your wine knowledge and enjoyment with Marta Vine Ltd.

Carlene Golightly, community manager at the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund said “What a fantastic evening this will be. Great wine, food and music." 

Carlene continued: “We are delighted to be working again with As You Like It who have been so supportive of the Sunshine Fund and we are delighted to have a new supporter in Marta Vine Ltd”.

The Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund raises money to help change the lives of disabled children in the North East. This year we are aiming to raise £300,000 to ensure we have sufficient funds to meet the needs of the children.  So come along have a great evening, and know that your support will be making a real difference to the lives of disabled children.”

Tickets for this fabulous evening are £15. Call As You like It on 0191 281 2277 to book your place or alternatively, pay at the door on the evening. 

Are You Up For The Apollo Schools Project?

The Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund is looking for 10 schools to take part in an exciting new community project. The Apollo Schools Project is aimed in particular at year 10/11 students who would like to show their creative side to raise funds on behalf of the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund.

Carlene Golightly, Community Manager of the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund said: “The aim of the project is for participating schools to devise and implement innovative ways to raise funds on behalf of the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund. The school would set their own fundraising targets and look at what events and activities they could hold throughout the coming year. It is likely that the pupils involved will be from Year 10 upwards with the support of their Teachers."

Carlene continued: “We are delighted to say we have three schools already on board who are busy developing new and existing activities to help reach their fundraising targets. Having met with the schools the enthusiasm from the students and teachers has been fantastic and the activities they are planning are fun and will engage with colleagues within the school and externally. This project will also help students develop key proficiencies in time management, communication and leadership skills. The Evening Chronicle are keen to capture some of these events to show how innovative the students are and what a great community spirit there is within our local schools.”

The Sunshine Fund will provide schools with the necessary forms, support and advice. This is a great project for schools to be involved in and will instill in students a sense of achievement and pride knowing that they have helped to change the lives of disabled children in their community. At the end of the year we will be inviting the nominated school members to a special awards evening and we will be awarding a first, second and third prize for the most innovative idea and the most money raised.

One of our Apollo Schools is Thomas More RC School in Whitley Bay. Pictured are some of the year 10 students who are taking part in the Project. Jill Forsten, ASDAN Tutor said: “Our year 10 students are really proud to be helping such a worthwhile charity. They are hoping to make a big difference to the lives of children with disabilities in the North East. This project will also help the students work towards the credits needed to successfully complete their Certificate of Personal Effectiveness Level 2 and Wider Key Skills. They are a fantastic bunch of young people who we are very proud of!"

If you would like your school to be part of this exciting project please contact Carlene Golightly on 07794 938609 or email carlene.golightly@ncjmedia.co.uk. 

Newcastle sk:n Clinic Hosts Yummy Mummy Event To Help Disabled Children In The North East

Newcastle sk:n clinic is hosting an event in collaboration with the  Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund. The event is being held to find the North East Yummy Mummy Of The Year 2011,  with £1500 worth of sk:n clinic treatments up for grabs for the Mummy deemed the yummiest. Mums across the region are urged to participate by describing, in no more than 50 words, why they deserve to win. Registration is £5 per Mum, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Sunshine Fund to help disabled children in the North East.   

Sarah Hetherington, clinic manager of sk:n in Newcastle and a Sunshine Ladies Business Group supporter said: "We are delighted to support the work of the Sunshine Fund and hope that many Mums come forward. 

"We have a fantastic prize up for grabs and are looking forward to pampering the most deserving Mum with treatments across our broad range of expertise. The winner will be spoilt with an array of treatments and the best thing is that we get to support a great cause in the process. All Mums who enter will be invited to our clinic on Grey Street and will receive a free goody bag, free skin assessment and a lovely glass of bubbly."

Carlene Golightly Sunshine Fund Community Manager said: "We’re thrilled that sk:n clinics has been able to support us by hosting such a fantastic event. 

"The Sunshine Ladies Business Group get together every month to share business ideas and also ways in which their organisation can support the Sunshine Fund.  This year, grant applications from individuals and organisations who look after disabled children have risen by 30%, therefore we need to raise as much money as possible to ensure we meet the needs of disabled children in the North East".

To find out how you can enter please call 0191 261 0011 or email newcastle@sknclinics.co.uk and we’ll send you a form. The winner will be notified by 30th April.

If you would like to find out how you can help support the Sunshine Fund and make a real difference to the lives of disabled children in the North East, please contact Carlene Golightly on 07794-938609 or email carlene.golightly@ncjmedia.co.uk.

Johanna Smith - How the Sunshine Fund Has Helped Our Family

Following on from our previous post about the amazing support we've received from ITPS, Johanna Smith shares her story about her son, Isaac, and what the Sunshine Fund has meant to her family.

The Sunshine Fund have been part of our lives since my son Isaac (pictured with his hippocampe) was 3 years old and we made our first grant application for a specially adapted trike. He’s 8 years old now and last year we were awarded our second Sunshine Fund grant to purchase a Hippocampe, all-terrain wheelchair.

Isaac had a rocky start to life. He was born 10 weeks prematurely and as a result of this he has complex cerebral palsy and a hearing impairment. Despite his severe physical disabilities he has got a real lust for life, he has lots of friends and enjoys outdoor activities. The Hippocampe has made it possible for the family to go to the beach, go camping, caving and on country walks. These are all things that would have been very difficult with a standard wheelchair and would have become virtually impossible as Isaac and his wheelchair get heavier and bigger.

The family really noticed the difference this winter when there was lots of snow. Before when there was thick snow or ice Isaac hardly left the house except to go to school. This year he was able to use the Metro to get to an important hospital appointment that he would otherwise have missed because our car was snowed in. He was able to go out and about in the snow and enjoyed throwing snowballs and building snowmen.

Johanna continued “It has made a huge difference to us as a family and stopped Isaac from being isolated through the bad weather. More importantly the Sunshine Fund grant has supported us to live the life that suits us as a family. We found the process of applying for the grant to be very straightforward and the staff are really friendly and helpful.

I am so very grateful to organisations such as ITPS for their tremendous support in helping my Son and others like him. I would like to encourage more businesses and individuals to support the Sunshine Fund financially. It’s a vital local charity that makes a massive difference to disabled children and their families’ lives.

Families want their children to get the most out of life but it can be a real struggle to get the equipment they need to achieve this. It’s great to know the Sunshine Fund is there to help when you really need it most, I don’t know what we’d have done without it.”

There are lots of ways individuals, companies, schools and other groups can support the Sunshine Fund. If you would like to find out more about the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund and how you can make a difference to the lives of disabled children in the North East please email carlene.golightly@ncjmedia.co.uk or call Carlene on 07794938609.

ITPS Helping Disabled Children Across The North East

For the past seven years ITPS has been a major financial supporter of the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund. Their support has provided so many children with equipment that has made an incredible difference to their life and that of their families.

ITPS is a locally based company that provides innovative, cost effective IT solutions and support packages to a wide range of diverse clients. Their success is down to the quality of the services they offer and the excellent ongoing care and support they provide to their customers.

Garry Sheriff Managing Director of ITPS said: “ITPS chose to support the Sunshine Fund as it is a local charity, close to our hearts. It’s hugely rewarding to see the benefits our continued support has made to disabled children within the North East. We have been supporting the charity for seven years and to date have donated in excess of £80,000. During this time, it has never failed to astound us just what sort of a difference our help can make to a child”.

Carol Pattison Sunshine Fund Director said: “ITPS are just an amazing company and their support has provided thousands of pounds worth of equipment that many families may not have been able to afford. The difference a piece of equipment can mean to a disabled child and their family is incredible. On behalf of the Sunshine Fund and most importantly the families whose lives you have changed, we would like to say a very big thank you.”

The Fashion Fix & Baby Lynch Goes Full Out To Help Disabled Kids

Event management students at Newcastle College are hosting a fashion show with a difference in aid of the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund. The Fashion Fix will be held on Thursday 31^st March 2011 at 8.30pm, in one of Newcastle’s most prestige night spots Baby Lynch, which is located on the Diamond Strip near Central Station. All proceeds are being donated to The Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund, to help raise money towards providing vital equipment for local disabled children.

The students are teaming up with Best Vintage fashion boutique to create a fun night that will include a fashion show and an opportunity to shop until you drop and get your hands on a great selection of vintage clothing and unique handmade jewellery.

Caroll Pattison, Fund Director of Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund said: “What a fabulous way to raise money on behalf of the Sunshine Fund. The Students are so enthusiastic about supporting our work and Best Vintage is a fantastic boutique full of unique clothes and jewellery. I am sure everyone will have a great night."

Hayley Kell, Best Vintage Manager, said: “We are delighted to support such a worthwhile charity and to know that the money raised will benefit disabled children living in the North East."

Tickets for the evening are £6 to attend the event, or why not go VIP and be treated to a cocktail reception, free goody bags and a private front row view of the catwalk. The night boasts a jam packed schedule with live music, the opportunity to buy clothes straight off the catwalk, sample cocktails at very reasonable prices and a chance to win one of the many fantastic raffle prizes.

Tickets are available from Best Vintage, High Bridge Street Newcastle or email sophieluhr@yahoo.co.uk or chrissywood_xx@hotmail.com for more information. You can also visit ‘The Fashion Fix’ on facebook for more information.