Festive fun in Leatherhead!

Christmas bargains galore, including decorations, gifts, candles and cards at QEF’s new pop-up Christmas shop in Leatherhead high street.

It’s open NOW and will be trading right through to Christmas Eve. Everything is brand new and Christmas themed. Items on sale include:

• Christmas trees and planters
• High quality decorations, including some made by QEF Vocational Services trainees and partners
• Gifts for the garden and house
• Christmas cards

In addition to offering all these Christmas essentials, the shop is promoting QEF festive events, including the Santa Cycle and the Christmas Carol service and highlighting our horticulture “QEF Home and Garden” social enterprise programme.

Guaranteed to offer festive charitable fun to the Leatherhead community this year, the shop is well worth a visit!

WIN a makeover for your garden and kids can win a prize by designing a new face for Santa!

QEF Retail returns to Banstead

Our retail trading division is growing fast with a new shop now open in Banstead High Street, a welcome return after too long away. 

Each QEF shop is run by a full-time manager and a great team of volunteers, selling a wide range of donated goods, but the new Banstead shop has a special focus on fashionable clothing and what’s especially different and unique about it, is that it’s more in line with a fashion boutique than the traditional image of a charity shop. 

In its previous existence it was a high-end clothing outlet, and the window display, fittings and overall style still reflect this heritage while fitting comfortably into the Banstead High Street location’s environment. 

A grand opening event saw Jordan and Andy, residents at QEF Neuro Rehabilitation Services (NRS), jointly cutting the ribbon to declare the new Banstead shop open. NRS, which is just round the corner from Banstead High Street, already has very strong links with the local community, and everyone is looking forward to these increasing as the shop’s presence raises awareness and offers something back in terms of bargain fashion too!

Donations – especially fashion items – are welcome, but be sure to pop in for those bargains.

ILS wins award for innovative activities

This year’s Surrey Care Awards saw QEF Independent Living Services bring home the award for ‘Most Innovative Activity Programme’ as well as Toni Hodges presented with the award for ‘Ancillary Worker of the Year’.

The gala ceremony at Epsom Downs Racecourse, hosted by Michael Aspel and Alvin Stardust was held to recognise care professionals and home carers contributions. Awards went to carers in a variety of roles and services to raise the profile of social care in the county and to showcase good practice, innovation and outstanding contributions to care.

These awards recognised the dedication and drive of ILS in its client involvement, community presence and person centred approach as well as Toni’s dedication and hard work.

At QEF we pride ourselves on our activities, and the way that ILS provide residents of all abilities with a fulfilling daily programme that sees 90% of them successfully move back into the community or supported living. Encompassing daily living skills from cooking, money management, communication skills and self advocacy, the programme has really made a difference to people’s lives.

Additionally, our Life Coach Department that the ‘Most Innovative Activity Programme’ award recognises supports weekend and evening leisure activities ranging from wheelchair ice skating, swimming, bowling, cinema trips, football matches and many more things that residential care provision can offer in innovative ways.

Anthony Hunt, one of the residents here at Dorincourt commented: “Before I came to QEF I couldn’t cook for myself. Since arriving, I have already started cooking new things and trying new foods with the Life Coaches. This is a life skill I can take away with me. Even though I have been with QEF for only a short amount of time, I have already achieved a lot because of the sessions and activities. The programme has helped me to think more for myself and look towards the future with more understanding about what I want to do with my life.”

The changes in residents that we witness first hand are always hugely rewarding, but we’re also very grateful to the Surrey Care Awards for this recognition and would like to take this opportunity to thank them.

Guinness & Oyster Luncheon – Silent Auction, Pre-bid Opportunity

We are fortunate to have some truly fantastic Silent Auction items at this year’s Guinness & Oyster Luncheon on Thursday 28 November 2013.

Below is a taster of some of the items available. To view the entire selection and full details, click  silent auction prizes  Please check in regularly, as additional items will become available as we approach the event day.

Lot 1:  A day with the Red Arrows - Donated by BAE Systems
Lot 2: A weekend for two at the famous Gleneagles Hotel - Donated by Diageo plc
Lot 5: A case 2003 Chateau Pontet-Canet Paulillac
Lot 6: Two VIP tickets for the Cheltenham Gold Cup 2014 - Donated by Diageo plc

If you would like to place a bid in advance of the event day, please email maxime.sabatini@qef.org.uk quoting LOT number, item, bid price and your contact details.

Our sincere thanks to the individuals and organisations who have kindly donated these items.

Radio Banstead Video

Great video about our Radio Room at NRS.  It is amazing to see the value of integrating  skills within a fun framework made possible by the generous support of the British Board of Film Classification.

Garden for Joy Summer Raffle 2013 Winner

Congratulations to Mrs Sue M from Surrey who has won 8 nights, 5-star accommodation, Garden Route Holiday Tour of South Africa in our Garden for Joy Summer Raffle 2013.

Thank you to Symphony World Travel.

Record Breaking Ladies Autumn Lunch

This year’s Ladies Autumn Lunch in aid Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled People (QEF) is on course to smash last year’s record; the initial estimate is more than £31,000.

The event held in the Duchess’s Stand at Epsom Downs Racecourse raised funds specifically for QEF Neuro Rehabilitation Services, which provides a range of therapies for adults who have acquired brain injury from sickness, accident, stroke or other neurological conditions.

To describe QEF’s work Kevin Read, father of 21 year-old Andy Read, bravely faced the room full of more than 400 women and told them of his son’s terrible life-threatening car accident last year.  Andy survived but doctors were not convinced that he would ever progress beyond a ‘persistent vegetative state’.

Kevin described the situation, “After five weeks in a coma, Andy began to wake up. Eight months after the accident, he was able to sit up in his wheelchair, smile, and put his thumb up or down. He can’t speak but he learned how to spell out words on an alphabet chart. He spelled out to us, “Kill me. I want to die”.”

QEF was chosen as the best place to support Andy’s rehabilitation.  Nearly a year on, he can move around in a powered wheelchair, he’s relearned how to chew and swallow food, and he can communicate using the latest tablet computer as a communication aid.  He is also beginning to walk a little and expresses his delight with a beaming smile.  He now sees a future for himself.

Andy’s moving story is typical of the work undertaken by QEF, the success it can achieve and the very reason for the fundraising.

Guest speaker, journalist and biographer, Penny Junor, paid tribute to Kevin and QEF before enthralling lunch guests with personal glimpses of the lives of Charles and Diana, Richard Burton, John Major, Maggie Thatcher and William and Kate, of course not forgetting Harry.  The presentation was spicy, humorous and revealing and did no harm in promoting her new book Prince William – Born to be King.

Penny said, “I really enjoyed the day and I was amazed with how much work QEF does to support disabled people.”  Penny also toured the 50 stands located in the Oaks hall providing a great variety of exclusive clothing, jewellery, food and some wonderful gifts – and could not resist picking up some gifts for her and her family.

Director of Fundraising, John Chamberlain, said, “Our Ladies Lunches have become increasingly popular and this year’s Autumn Lunch with such an entertaining guest speaker, a superb lunch and an exclusive shopping experience really demonstrated why. But the real stars for us are the sponsors and guests who support us so generously.”

Santa Cycle

We are delighted to announce the launch of our brand new event for Christmas 2013 – the QEF Santa Cycle! Taking place on Sunday 8th December along Barge Walk, Hampton Court, this is a fun event not to missed for all the family.

All proceeds from the event will go towards creating new ‘Bugzi’ wheelchairs for severely disabled young children. For full details and to book your place, please click here.