John Fashanu reveals his son's autism-like learning difficulties as he visits a special school for Hearts and Minds

Football legend John Fashanu revealed his son's autism-like learning difficulties on a visit to a special school for Hearts and Minds.  He was presenting iPads and a defibrillator to Oakfield School in Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, which were obtained through the Hearts and Minds mobile phone recycling scheme by Cheryl Broadfield, through her Give Bobby A Voice appeal.

Read more in the Manchester Evening News here:

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/football-legend-john-fashanu-hit-6039436

Could an iPad help your child too?

If you live in Britain, simply collect 165 old mobile phones and the Manchester-based charity Hearts and Minds will exchange them for a new iPad.

Details here:

Website: : heartsandmindsphones.co.uk/
Facebook: facebook.com/HeartsAndMindsUK 

Twitter: @handmchallenge

Pinterest: Hearts and Minds

YouTube: HeartsAndMindsUK

Google+: Hearts and Minds

More about the charity here: Hearts & Minds Challenge

A marathon race to build a school for autism

Want to get really fit and help children with autism?  Why not join the Hearts And Minds Challenge Marathon Team for the 2013 Manchester Marathon and help raise funds to build a school for autism.

Race date: 28th April 2013

Register: Now!  The sooner you register, the more time you will have to train and be ready.

Here is the link: http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/fundraising/eventregister_details.asp?event=3238

Race details:
Some changes have been made to the route for 2013 with the race village being located at Manchester United Football Club on the E2 Car Park in front of the stadium. The race now starts just a short walk away on the A56 White City Roundabout and finish outside the magnificent stadium of Old Trafford.

Some highlights of the new route:

• The new race village will be situated at Old Trafford football stadium, on the E2 car park in front of the main stand.
• The race will start on the A56 at the White City roundabout, a short walk from the race village at MUFC.
• The marathon route keeps all of the great sections that competitors liked last year and misses the sections that through feedback have been removed.
• The route will be held entirely on main roads
• More of the route in Altrincham where the crowd support was amazing.
• No narrow lanes; open rural sections; underpasses; or muddy areas.
• There is a new finish outside Old Trafford stadium, Manchester United Football Club (MUFC) on Sir Matt Busby Way.

The improved course is even flatter than last year’s race with only 55m of elevation gain, so is great for anyone looking to do their first marathon, or for those looking to set a new personal best time.

Location:
Start and finish: Old Trafford, MUFC
Marathon Start: 09:00

More information: http://www.greatermanchestermarathon.com/

More about the Hearts and Minds charity here:

Website: http://www.heartsandmindsphones.co.uk/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HeartsAndMindsUK
Twitter: @handmchallenge 

Primary school through the eyes of a boy with Asperger's

Who says that kids with Asperger's don't look at the positives? An articulate journey through the primary school years..

Hi, I'm Fionn and one day when I'm famous they will tear down the house and find this and put it in a museum.

On June the 30th after 3 days labour pains and I was finally born. When I opened my eyes I saw Mum and Dad and that's where my story begins.

I had an older brother and sister who used to play with me on the trampoline and the climbing frame. When I went to school I was very young and I found it very hard to make friends. So Mum and Dad brought me to a specialist and I was diagnosed with Asperger's. This helped us all understand about me. At this stage I got another brother and we were really close.

One day towards the end of P2 I had a bad accident. I was on the trampoline with my brothers and a friend, who somersaulted and fell with such force I went up in the air and I landed on my head on the cement. I had a brain haemorrhage and a skull fracture. I was very ouchy.

When I got to P3 I made my first real friends. I sat beside M and we started talking during maths. Then we became best friends and he introduced me to his friends and that's where I met most of my friends today. In P4 I made Communion and had a fantastic party with balloons and coke! After Communion we went on holiday to Italy and had an awesome time. We had a huge villa with a big pool and a beach close.

In P5 I had a great teacher and a great assistant who I forgot to mention earlier. I had a really good year and in the summer holidays I went to Spain for a week and it was beautiful. The sun was out, the sand was hot and the waves were big and I made some friends.

Now I'm in P7 with a great teacher and have had him until the time of writing. We will make our confirmation soon after and go to Manchester after.

More about the Hearts and Minds charity here:

Website: http://www.heartsandmindsphones.co.uk/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HeartsAndMindsUK
Twitter: @handmchallenge  

A School for Autism

The Mobile Phone Recycling Campaign is just one part of the Hearts and Minds Challenge that is raising funds to build an Education Centre for Autism in Greater Manchester. 

 

The mission

To raise the quality of life of individuals and their families affected by autism by ensuring the highest standards in education, care and support leading to employment and equality of living opportunities.

The Aim

The Education Centre will provide help and support for academically capable children with autism so that they can progress to mainstream school and thrive there.

The Plan

Early intervention, a structured education program and tailored support services, so that pupils can succeed at key stages 1, 2 and 3 in mainstream school. To train teaching staff to work with these children, to run a transition program to prepare the children to join mainstream schools, and to give them tools to help them to cope both socially and academically in their new school.

The Education Centre

Will cater for 25 pupils, from age 3 to 11.   Each classroom will have five pupils with one teacher experienced in working with autistic children, and 2 teaching assistants.  There will also be an occupational therapist and 2 speech and language therapists on site to work closely with the children.

The Transition Programme

Pupils will be introduced to a mainstream school in a controlled way over a period of time.  The teaching assistant that has been supporting the child will accompany them. The first visit to the new school will be purely to look around.  Pupils will be slowly introduced to their new classmates and teacher starting with a short 1 hour lesson and increasing gradually over a period of time until they are ready to attend full time.  The teaching assistant will stay with the pupil at their new school, but will still get the support they need from Hearts and Minds.  This will help the pupil with their transition by ensuring continuity, and will also help the mainstream school as they will have a member of staff that knows the needs of the pupil, and has gained valuable experience working with autistic children that can be passed onto other staff at the school.

The fundraising target for the new school campaign is £1 Million.

Fundraising: As well as the mobile phone recycling campaign, the Hearts and Minds Challenge team are holding a number of charity fundraising events throughout 2012:

Manchester Marathon in April
Big Red Bike Ride in June
Trek to Macchu Picchu in August
An Evening with Mrs Brown in September

Donate on-line here: http://www.heartsandmindschallenge.org/donate/

More about the Hearts and Minds charity here:

Website: http://www.heartsandmindsphones.co.uk/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HeartsAndMindsUK
Twitter: @handmchallenge