PLEASE VOTE FOR US TODAY

This is the last day for people to vote for us as a contender for charity of the year with Grange Mortgage and Protection Services. If you haven't done so already please vote for us, it only takes a minute or two and could make a huge difference to us. Thank you.
http://www.grangemortgages.com/the-search-is-on-for-our-charity-of-the-year/

Event publicity

We are always grateful when the local media support us by sharing our story and updates. Today we were featured on the on-line edition of the Chronicle and Echo.
http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/local/mum-visits-100-northampton-primary-schools-in-a-year-to-tell-brave-son-s-story-1-6546278

First meeting of the year

On Saturday we went bag packing at Sainsbury's where our volunteer, Janine, modelled our new t-shirt.

In the afternoon we met up with the charity families to paint pottery with Paint n Glaze. Unfortunately due to illness only half the families were able to attend but those that did enjoyed themselves. The children are looking forward to having their pottery returned once it has been glazed.
Here is an example of one of the children's artwork.

The children busy getting creative.

Start of a new year: 2015

After celebrating the Christmas holidays away from the office we have now recharged our batteries and are getting geared up for more childhood cancer awareness raising within Northamptonshire and fun with the families.

Already we have been able to help one family who needed household items after their son was returning home from a long stay in hospital. Thanks to the generosity of our charity supporters we were able to organise the delivery of the required items within 48 hours of receiving the phone call. This was the first time we had been asked for this sort of support and we were so glad it was a success.

The start of the new year also means we will be welcoming more families to our next monthly meeting after recent referrals. We are really pleased that health professionals are beginning to value and recognise the importance of what we are doing.

On the 17th January we will be bag packing at Sainsburys Northampton between 10am-12pm and then enjoying the afternoon with the charity families painting pottery with Paint n Glaze.

Last post of 2014

We thought we would end the year with a couple of photos from the Christmas party that took place yesterday. Unfortunately due to illness and other commitments not all of the families could join us but the ones that did had a great time jumping on the bouncy castle, dancing to the music and saying hello to Father Christmas.

Review of 2014 so far

Alfe's Cause is made up of a small team. This year we have become a registered charity and been lucky enough to have been supported throughout the year by Time for Tots magazine, Northampton town centre Sainsbury's, the Wellingborough branch of Lloyd's, the Northamptonshire Community Foundation and work in partnership with Be Child Cancer Aware. This support has enabled us to continue monthly activity meetings with the families and welcome newly diagnosed families to the charity, deliver care packs to the children's wards of Northampton General hospital and raise awareness of childhood cancer.   

This year two of the team have driven to 167 schools within Northamptonshire (We lost count of how many miles that equals.) Of those 167 schools 138 of them sent out the Be Child Cancer Aware cards and our leaflets for us. 

For people who like numbers this equals 32,500 cards been sent out around Northamptonshire:

30,487 have gone to primary schools

90 to children centres

1400 to a secondary school and the remaining 523 have been given out when we have attended events to fund raise. 

Thank you to everyone that has supported us and we hope you will continue supporting us in 2015.

The reasons we do this are simple:
1) Early diagnosis can save lives.
2) Families have the right to know the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer.
3) Once upon a time we were parents who thought it would never happen to their children either but we and many other families are proof that sadly childhood cancer does exist.

We are looking forward to our Christmas party with the families on Saturday.

Merry Christmas to everyone and healthy and happy new year wishes to you all x

We'll be glowing with happiness

We are delighted and feel very lucky to have received confirmation that Alfe's Cause have been chosen as the local charity to benefit from the Northampton Blacklight Run on the 7th March 2015.
More details about what will be happening on the day and how you can register to be involved can be found at: http://www.blacklightrun.co.uk