Tyrone GAA Senior Team are Buddies to Children with Cerebral Palsy.
The children, parents and all associated with the Buddy Bear School for children with cerebral palsy joins with all in the County and elsewhere in wishing the Minor and Senior Tyrone GAA Teams every success in the All Ireland Finals on Sunday.
" We are delighted that manager Mickey Harte and the inspirational Senior Team took time out from their training on their the journey to the All Ireland to be photographed with Buddy Bear, our mascot and with Daniel Murphy a former student who is lobbying the Assembly and helping us to raise funds to keep the school open as it urgently needs donations.
Daniel who is a Down supporter worked hard every day for 14 years at the only Buddy Bear Conductive Education School in Ireland to overcome the crippling effects of cerebral palsy is proud that an Ulster Team is in the All Ireland Final.
Daniel like the Tyrone Team understands the effort of daily training and the determination that is needed to be successful as there are no miracles at the Buddy Bear School but hard work under expert advice from the Principal Conductor, Miss Ildiko Veres." said Chairman Brendan McConville
All the Ulster Teams agreed to be photographed with Buddy Bear and Daniel and to encourage their local clubs to raise funds for the Buddy Bear School as they recognised that cerebral palsy can impact on any family. We certainly need funds now.
It took Daniel 14 years to learn to walk alone onto a park to stand with the Champions of each of the Ulster counties for a photograph with Buddy Bear. Daniel is now independent but we need your funds to give the other children the chance of their freedom from cerebral palsy.
We hope that clubs, firms and individuals will help us with sponsorship until we can convince the First and Deputy First Minister to provide the financial support and assistance recommended by the Assembly at its meeting on 19 Feb 2008.
Almost 9000 CHILDREN ON BOARD WAITING LISTS
It is a shame that the Minister of Education did not agree to take up our offer of making Conductive Education part of the state system for educating children with cerebral palsy particularly as the Minister knows that at June last 8,971 pupils were at stage 3 of the 5 Stage Code of Practice waiting to be assessed by a Board Psychologist- an increase from the previous year of 8,783.
In 1993 the Community responded to the needs of children with cerebral palsy when Buddy bear brought Conductive Education from the Peto Institute to Northern Ireland. The UK is embracing Conductive Education. Wolverhampton University and the Birmingham Foundation provide Honours Degree courses for teachers in Conductive Education but our Education system seems to be trying to close the only recognised and inspected Conductive Education School. When did the Department provide funds for teachers to receive a diploma in Special Education?
The Buddy Bear School needs sponsorship to remain open until the parents meet First Ministers, Mr Peter Robinson and Mr Martin McGuinness.
Who can stand by and allow a child to be trapped by their own body when they can be helped with Conductive Education?
The community opened the Buddy Bear School in 1993. We are asking the community for help again".
Children with Special Needs: Public Meeting 2 Oct 2008 at 8.00pm
Parents of children with special needs particularly cerebral palsy, members of the Community, Clubs, Friends, Politicians, Councillors and Church Representatives are invited to attend to public meeting in the Bank House Hotel, Irish Street Dungannon on Thursday 2nd October at 8.0pm to establish a Support Group.
Please contact the school for additional information. Donations may be made to the Buddy Bear Trust at Ulster Bank Dungannon
Brendan McConville
Chairman 07867786804
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