General News Items

NEW JUMBULANCE

THE NEW JUMBULANCE

SHOWN TO THE PRESS IN LONDON AND

ENDORSED BY CHRIS HOLMES MBE ON 7 MARCH 2009

BLESSED AND DEDICATED IN HARPENDEN AND ENDORSED BY RT HON PETER LILLEY MP

Throughout March the new Jumbulance went on tour to Berkshire, Hampshire, Yorkshire, Scotland and Wales.

It has now successfully completed several holidays to Lourdes, Austria, Germany and within the UK with very positive and pleasing comments all round.

Stretcher Bed Appeal for the New Jumbulance

The response to this has been magnificent with many kind people making contributions, some in memory of named individuals, and others simply as donations, all of which have been recorded on a plaque which is in place on 'J1'.  Thank you to all those who helped.

2009

Already we have a busy schedule for the main season with holidays and pilgrimages not only to venues used in previous years but also to some new ones.  In addition to this we provided transport for the disabled jockeys to Cheltenham Races in April, the wheelchair participants to and from the London Marathon, another trip for the Wheelchair Dancers to Holland (their report below) and we were also fortunate to be asked by the Make a Wish Foundation to help grant a wish for a young girl and her family in providing the transport from their home in Newcastle to Southampton so that they could go on a cruise.

One new group for us this year will be Reading Crossroads who are group based in Tilehurst offering respite for carers who will be travelling to Lytham-St-Annes in September,  www.readingcrossroads.org

A second new group will be P.O.P.S.Y, this is a Support Group for Parents and Carers of children with ‘special needs’ that was set-up to help others in a similar position and they will be travelling by Jumbulance to Eurodisney in September, www.popsy.org.uk

The flexibility afforded by our new Jumbulance make it possible to widen the appeal of our special services.

Midi The Midi makes day outings for care and residential homes and disability groups more accessible.  With Summer here already there are endless opportunities and places of interest in the UK, all of which are accessible by Jumbulance. Do contact Nicola in the office should you be thinking of making a booking 01582 831444. We are pleased to acknowledge that the Jarvis Group of Harpenden have agreed to sponsor the Midi for 2008 and 2009.  The Trustees extend their grateful thanks for this support. "I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to the Trust for a super day out on Friday at Woburn. The weather was kind to us and everyone had a super time" - Karen Stafford, Harpenden Mencap . Sport for the Disabled   The World Handcycling team to Hyde Park for the Tour de France 2 day eventThe Disabled Jockeys to Cheltenham Races The Wheelchair Participants in the London Marathon I