All staff at Francesco Hairdressers Group in Streetly Sutton Coldfield  http://www.francescogroup.co.uk/  were behind supporting Friends International Organisation in Cambodia. https://friends-international.org/in-cambodia/

And to help them on their way we were more than happy to provide them with a few ‘sweet treats’ to start the ball rolling, their customers were happy too, relaxing having their hair done, cup of coffee, good natter, putting the world to right with their hairdresser, there are raffle tickets to buy or even better, a bag of your favourite sweets, what could be nicer?

Many young vulnerable children over the years in Cambodia have had to provide some kind of income for the families in very risky situations either by working and living off the streets in tourist areas late at night exposing little ones to the many dangers of sickness, their personal safety, drug abuse and the exploitation of young lives in these harsh heart-breaking conditions.

This charity tries to help, advise, educate and protect these children with their families by providing the guidance that they all need, by reintegration,  these children are able to go back to school, be with their families and help give them shelter. They provide vital support that is needed to get them through the necessary skills in training for when they reach adult hood, advising them of health issues and generally to show that someone out there really cares about them.

Surely, every child has that right to an education, some family care and a healthy safe life.

 

To mark this year’s 70th anniversary, Mencap were delighted in being able to host their special champagne reception

for invited guests to Buckingham Palace.

Guests were welcomed by Jan Tregelles the Chief Executive and the hosted Patron Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex.

The Reception was held in the Picture Gallery where speeches were included with special thanks to

all the guests who have supported Mencap over their many years.

This was such a special day in our lives and for all at Sweet Causes Ltd with many thanks to all our customers who have purchased our sweets over the years.

 A very Happy 70th Birthday Mencap we are very proud to support such a lovely charity with so many kind and considerate people.

 SUPPORTING BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

We would like to introduce two new Bear-ingham chaps who have just recently joined our team at Sweet Causes Ltd. 

                                              GUMMY BEAR                                                                                                                             INTREPID BEAR

                                      

https://www.bch.org.uk/

          Lots of bears, in fact 91, went under the hammer at this year’s Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity at the Big Sleuth Auction on 12^th October 2017.

This year a staggering £257,300 was raised to support this amazing charity.

GUMMY BEAR was designed and inspired by the many coloured fruit gum sweets.  All the different coloured bears represent Bear-ingham as the most culturally diverse city in the UK.

The Artist is: Deven Bhurke

INTREPID BEAR was designed in honour of Bear Grylls as one of the world’s top survival experts and who is also the youngest Chief Scout of the     

Scout Association in the UK. The design includes his survival gear, rucksack and him wearing his scout badge on his sleeve.        

 The Artist is: Deven Bhurke 

Sweet Causes Ltd will be donating these two chaps to new homes shortly, we’ll keep you posted. 

Mencap’s Christmas Carol Service will take place on Friday 15th December 2017

https://www.mencap.org.uk/

at

St Giles-without-Cripplegate in London at 6.30pm http://www.stgilesnewsite.co.uk

After last year’s 2016 tremendous carol service entertaining us all with the Music Man Project and the English Baroque Choir unquestionably who would really want to miss this years’ service?

There was so much energising vigour sweeping through this fantastic church, everyone with beaming smiles from ear to ear, dancing, bopping and happily bouncing all over the place, it would have put Tigger as in ‘T-I-DOUBLE-GUH-ERR’,  to shame.

Without a doubt there’s going to be a big turnout. 

Come on, try it! It makes ya feel just grrreat!

Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! T-T-F-N: ta-ta for now!

An amazing evening was enjoyed by all at the London Palladium on Sunday 15^th October by The Music Man Project. The evening was non-stop energy of joyous entertainment, so uplifting, bringing tears to your eyes. Some 1000 triangles waited patiently under everyone’s seats to be played simultaneously gaining a place in the Guinness Book of Records. The event has now become such a huge success they have all been invited to play at the Royal Albert Hall in 2018

More on this exceptional and outstanding education service specifically for children and adults with learning disabilities can be found on http://themusicmanproject.com

The magnificent David Stanley the founder and director of ‘The Music Man Project’ was there leading the way for those in the audience and on stage who wanted to participate, David projected so much inspirational enthusiastic energy which was just absorbed by everyone in the theatre. http://themusicmanproject.com/welcome-to-the-music-man-project/david-stanley/

‘Music is Magic’ is the title of their new album and can be purchased on amazon or on the Music Man Project website http://themusicmanproject.com/

A well-deserved touching tribute and memories of Brian Rix, who for eight years was the secretary general of Mencap and became chairman in 1988 progressing to the president 10 years later, sadly, Brian Rix died last year 2016.

https://www.mencap.org.uk/lordrix

 

 

Christina and Lucy Groen were fit and raring to go at Mencap’s Greenwich Run on Saturday 22nd July 2017, details of which, plus many more Mencap events to get involved in, are up on their website. You can sign up by registering: https://www.mencap.org.uk/get-involved/events-for-mencap

 Both were there, on hand, to help along the way some of the ‘Team Mencap Runners’ giving them moral support and it looks like they were all giggling to the very end … well I know I never look that happy at the end of any race …  must be our sweets!

Christina said ‘Lucy and I acted as guides for a couple of a colleagues who had a learning disability to get around to for the 5k – It was incredible to help them through the journey! We honestly cannot thank you enough for the sweets, they were definitely needed!’

‘Glad we could help, great to see such smiling faces, well done to all of you’.  

Please spare the time to watch this one-off documentary called ‘Growing Up With Cancer’ airing on Monday 26th June on BBC1 at 7.30pm, which will focus on the Teenage Cancer Trust Unit at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. The documentary will follow five young people through their treatment and includes interviews with hospital staff including one of their Youth Support Coordinator. It really tells their stories from their points of view, demonstrating how incredibly tough it can be but how resilient, positive and inspirational they are.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08wb011

https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/

The documentary has come about while BBC Scotland were making a different programme about the hospital where they were following various patients including Conor, a young man being treated on the Teenage Cancer Trust unit. The BBC team were so blown away by TCT services that they commissioned a documentary purely focusing on the unit and the young people being treated there.

 

We were absolutely delighted to be invited by Teenage Cancer Trust to their head office this week to present a giant cheque for … wait for it… £100,000.

Bob Strong and Sue Strong (I’m the one behind the camera) were very proud and honoured to present the cheque to Joanna Carson TCT Corporate Accounts Executive

Our gratitude, as always, goes out to you our lovely customers who buy our sweets to help and support these young people, thank you so much.

After the presentation we visited the Teenage Cancer Trust Hub located in the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre to see for ourselves the wonderful work these incredible people do and where the money goes to help this charity.

Did you know 7 young people are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK?  Can you ever imagine waking up one day to be told that your teenage daughter, son, grandchild or friend has cancer?  You just don’t want to think about it ever happening, puts a lump to the throat and a heavy sigh to the heart. Well these brave youngsters have had that awful news given to them sometime in their lives and that’s why we and you have been striving to help and support these teenagers.

We got to hear first-hand from all involved including the specialist nurses, youth support co-ordinators and some young people who have received this important care and support that has been desperately needed for patients, also a tour was given to one of the units by Ward Sister Julia Dahlstrom, as seen in the picture with Bob Strong, having a chance to see exactly what medical treatments that are presently available and what future plans are in place to keep improving treatments and how TCT are putting in place to try and reach more young people with cancer all across the UK. 

All bedrooms are equipped with soft furnishings, bespoke furniture, TV, DVD and gaming facilities, and there is dedicated Teenage Cancer Trust Wifi with laptops provided, they also have facilities on T13 which provides inpatient services for 20 – 25 year olds. They have enhanced the environment, refurbishing the bed areas and providing wall art. Their ambition is to help create a dedicated recreation room for the young adults being treated on the ward.

The Teenage Cancer Trust HUB at the Macmillan Cancer Centre, University College Hospital London is an out-patient facility for 13-24 year olds with 8 treatment pods.

It also has a further 8 treatment chairs, and various treatment and consulting rooms and a spacious social area. This includes a gym, DJ booth, computer gaming space, education zone, a family area and cafe. The T12 Teenage Cancer Trust Unit is for 13-19 year olds and has 18 in-patient beds.

This is why your continued support is so crucially important, it will enable the charity to further expand so future generations can benefit.  https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/

 We provided a few special sweet treats to some of the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes on the unit at the University College London Hospital as a special thank you.

          

                                         .

Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat in Staffordshire  http://www.moddershalloaks.com/ is holding a Fund Raising Dinner in aid of Cancer Research on

 Thursday 27^thJuly 2014 at 7.00pm until late

 http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/support-us/do-your-own-fundraising

Making sure you don’t go home empty handed, here’s just a little taster of what prizes are in store for you on evening to bid or buy tickets for: Luxury confectionery hampers by none other, Sweet Causes Ltd, a Hotel stay with dinner at Fairlawns Hotel in Aldridge, Spa Day for two at Moddershall Oaks, Golf for 4 people at Calderfields Golf Club, carvery for two at Calderfields Golf Course, Hydra Facial at Medizen in Mere Green Sutton Coldfield, a pamper party for 6 people with back massage and Prosecco at your own home, signed memorabilia from the England Cricket Team and Aston Villa Football Team, Floristry arrangements and those are just a few to mention with many more prizes and activities to come.

Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat

Moddershall

Stone

Staffordshire

ST15 8TG

Directions: Sat Nav ( ST15 8WF)

For further details and to purchase tickets please contact Jaeger Donnelly at jaegerdonnelly@gmail.com

Tickets are available at £55 each or a table of 10 is £500.