Staff at Little Orchids on a lunch time walk as part of the Walk Away Your Worries’ Campaign which launched on Monday 1st May.

Ellen Hastings, a qualified instructor on reflexology, kindly came to the centre to deliver a fun workshop on reflexology for parents and children with additional needs to learn how to use a gentle non-invasive complementary therapy on the pressure points on the hands and feet. These techniques produce great effects to produce calmness, aid sleep and a natural solution to health concerns.

Little Orchids set up an information stall at the Carers Support, Carer and staff information event on 23rd February.

What a surprise visit, Debbie Sheehan visited the centre on 20/12/2016 to present Maura with a cheque for an amazing £2,500. This money was raised by her daughter Rachel Sheehan who is originally from the city but now lives in San Francisco with her little son who was diagnosed with Beckwith Wiederman Syndrome and Autism. At Easter this year Rachel, her son, family and friends did a sponsored walk to raise awareness and funds. We thank you so much for thinking of us as we rely on fundraising for the day to day running of the centre and to purchase resources required.

We held open consultation  on Thursday 08^th December 6.00 – 8.00pm and open day on Friday 09^th December 9.00 – 1.00pm. 

We asked everyone to come along and give their views on the need of this service. We really appreciated all the Mums, Dads, Grandparents and Professionals who dropped in to fill out petals to complete our orchid.

Staff at Little Orchids have just completed a 4 week Baby Massage training with Parents in the Centre in November 2016 as part of gaining their qualification to receive their professional Diploma in Baby Massage. Staff plan to run the Baby Massage course again after Christmas for other Parents.

We had a brilliant Information night at the centre on 05th December 2016. Thank you to all who came and for giving up your time we hope that each of you gained valuable information to help or guide you. Thank you to all the services that came and displayed what they did and gave parents a wide variety of what is available to them and their families. Thank you so much. We had Action for children, Select kids, Cedar foundation, Artspace, Talking to our babies, Northstar, Rhonda Reilly , Sense, Rinka, and Carers support thank you all again. Xx

Daniel and Edel presenting us with resources donated from Sainsbury's Active Kids as part of being their local charity of the year

We would like to thank Lorraine and Juile Long who kindly held a coffee morning raising an amazing £335.40 for the centre.

Colby Pearce, Principal Clinical Psychologist at Secure Start, gave a presesentation on Therapeutic to the staff at Little Orchids on 07th October 2016

Our Volunteer celebration on Friday 03rd June was a great success and enjoyed by all. Helen McDonnell, Life Coach, gave a great Inspirational talk and the food from Cafe Zest was fabulous.

We would like to thank those parents who attended the training in the centre by Rhonda Reilly which was excellent the parents who attended really felt it was worthwhile. Topics discussed were getting your child ready for toilet training, constipation, sourcing protective bed linen. Very useful website include www.eric.org.uk and www.nice.org.uk

Thanks to all who came to our open night on 24th May 2016 we had a great turn out. A special thank you to Gerard and Paula who spoke on the night about their children's experience attending Little Orchids.

Oakgrove school patrticpated in the YPI program and Little Orchids was 1 of the 4 charities chosen by the pupils for the chance to be awarded £3000. YPI is an inclusive, multi-award-winning secondary school program that strengthens the social sector by engaging youth in social issues, local charities, and grant-making. Maura and Lisa went along to represent Little Orchids and really enjoyed the effort the pupils of Oakgrove made to represent Local charities.

Well done to the Samaritans who were awarded the £3000.