| PRESS REPORTS |
| Belfast Telegraph - Wednesday, January 17 2007 |
| Paisley on crusade to save school |
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| Ian Paisley joins charity organiser Brendan McConville and past pupil Daniel Murphy at Stormont in their bid to save the Buddy Bear Trust in Dungannon | ||
By Emily Moulton
Ian Paisley has vowed he will make saving an independent special needs school from possible closure his personal crusade.
The DUP leader made the comments after the Belfast Telegraph revealed the future of the Buddy Bear Trust in Dungannon was hanging in the balance because funding was drying up.
The school, which has been operating since 1989, relies heavily on student fees, which are paid by the education and library Boards, as well as donations.
Currently the school has only two students and there are fears that it will not survive past the end of this year unless urgent action is taken.
But Mr Paisley, who was instrumental in setting up the school, said he would help save it after he was reunited at Stormont with former pupil Daniel Murphy at Stormont, who he met when the school first opened.
Speaking after the reunion, Mr Paisley said: "The Government is obliged to do something. Over the years they have left it to the voluntary people to raise the money and they have not even assisted them.
"I hope to talk to the Prime Minister. This is something that has to go to the highest level.
"I was here at the very beginning. I remember people telling us these children could not be helped, but they have."
Mr Paisley said he was delighted to be reunited with Daniel and to see firsthand how Buddy Bear has helped.
Since it began in 1989, the school has helped more than 200 children and it wants to help more.
| Education Minister, Caitriona Ruane at UTU Conference in Newcastle with officials and chair of Buddy Bear School |
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Be a Buddy Brendan McConville welcomed the opportunity to thank the UTU for their support over the years for Buddy Bear and for working so hard to place the needs of teachers and pupils on the agenda of the Assembly. Brendan invited schools to log onto the website and to send emails to raise awareness of parents of children with Special Needs to the option of conductive education as another method of teaching children with cerebral palsy.
Guinness Book of Records Everyone is invited to help put Buddy Bear in the Guinness Book of Records for the number of hits on the website. Be a buddy. |
Mrs Caitriona Ruane MLA, Education Minister, Mrs J Reid, former President UTU and Mrs Avril Hall-Callaghan, General Secretary UTU, Mrs Bhalject Ghale, President of NUT and Brendan McConville, Chairman of Buddy Bear Trust |
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Save Buddy Bear School for Children with Cerebral Palsy. Caitriona Ruane who was recently appointed Education Minister was at the UTU Conference when Brendan The Education Minister talked to Mrs Sally McKee, Chair of GTCNI and former President of UTU and Brendan who is also a member of the General Teaching Council NI about the dedication and sterling work of teachers especially the teachers involved in education of children with Special Needs. |
| Brendan MCConville Chair of Buddy Bear and Member of GTCNI with Mrs Caitriona Ruane MLA, Education Minister and Mrs Sally McKee, Chair of GTCNI and former President of UTU |
| Ulster Unionist Party Buddy Bear School gets our Number 1 - February 8th, 2007 |
| Buddy Bear School gets our Number 1 |
Donaldson, Elliott & Armstrong
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Billy Armstrong
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A delegation of Unionist candidates visited the
Buddy Bear School in Dungannon to pledge their support for the retention of
the school, which has educated children with cerebral palsy since 1993.
Amongst the delegation were, Kenny Donaldson and Tom Elliott, Ulster Unionist
Party Assembly candidates for Fermanagh and South Tyrone and Billy Armstrong,
Mid-Ulster.
In a statement, the UUP candidates said: "We are all united in supporting the Buddy Bear School. Parents of children with cerebral palsy and other Special Needs should have a choice when selecting a school. Parents are entitled to be informed about the great work of the Buddy Bear Trust in teaching children with cerebral palsy.
"We have pledged our support for the Buddy Bear School and we will strive to honour our word when the Assembly returns. It appears that the Buddy Bear School is only able to help a limited number of children because the Education Boards and Hospital Trusts do not have to inform parents. We will look at this issue when the Assembly reconvenes.
"Buddy Bear crosses all political boundaries. Cerebral palsy can impact on any family regardless of political, cultural or religious background. We have no difficulty in working with fellow MLAs in striving to secure the future for the Buddy Bear School.
"We feel The Buddy Bear School must be protected until the Assembly is able to make a long term solution. A North/ South Conductive Centre of Excellence similar to the Autism Centre in Middletown may be one way of making progress. Children with cerebral palsy from all over Ireland are entitled to be helped.
"We would urge companies, firms, suppliers, clubs, organisations and schools to include the Buddy Bear Trust in their fund raising activities. We all know of the generosity of the people from Northern Ireland and we would urge everyone to be a buddy to the School.
"We had the privilege of seeing the school and meeting one of the youngest children, Ella from Coalisland. Who in the Education Board, local Government or the Assembly will say to Ella's parents that she was denied the chance of independent living because the Education Boards went strictly by the book in not informing parents about conductive education. We all have a moral obligation to help children particularly children in need. What greater need is there than a child who can be helped but because of red tape the child is left imprisoned by cerebral palsy.
"We will look closely at the regulations when the Assembly returns to ensure that the Buddy Bear School is given every chance to stay open and that parents are fully informed about all the options. Surely common sense and decency should be applied when dealing with parents of children with special needs. The Buddy Bear School has been helping children for almost 18 years. It works in partnership with other Schools and has always welcomed Board Officers and Inspectors.
"We intend to raise this matter with the Members of the Council and the Members of the Education and Library Boards as I have no doubt they support the Buddy Bear's work with children who suffer from cerebral palsy.
"We are all family men and we can only guess at the pressures on a parent when he/she learns that the child they have been praying for has cerebral palsy. Why does anyone want to add to his or her burden? Surely common sense demands that they should be supported in everyway possible. The Buddy Bear School is only providing for our children what is being provided in the rest of the UK. Parity of treatment for all is needed. Our children deserve the best. Boards spend over a billion on education each year, surely the fees of 5 or 6 children from the five education Boards is not too much to expect without a major debate. Three Boards have paid the fees for over 12 years so why the fuss now? Why are parents not told about the Buddy Bear School? It is not in competition with any school, Special or otherwise. The Teachers Unions welcome the additional resource. We will raise this matter at the highest level of Government."
UUP candidate Kenny Donaldson indicated that he will be working closely with representatives of the Buddy Bear Trust in attempting to source grant-aid from outside funding sources."
Mr Brendan McConville thanked the visitors for their support and interest in the school.
Brendan said: "We are delighted that the future decision makers and leaders of the Country have pledged their support for children who are unable to help themselves.
"Buddy Bear and the children it represents brings out the good in people. Hopefully those in the Education Boards and Hospital Trusts will give parents full information and not hide behind the letter of the law. It would be a shame if the work of the Dungannon people and the politicians and church leaders who helped set up the school was lost because information was not willingly given to parents. Boards are urged to send children with cerebral palsy to the school to remove any fear or stress from parents. We will raise this matter at the highest level for the Voiceless Buddy Bear Children," said Brendan.
| Ulster Unionist Party - February 8th, 2007 |
| Armstrong gives support to Buddy Bear Trust |
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Billy Armstrong
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Billy Armstrong, Ulster Unionist Candidate for Mid-Ulster and MLA since 1998 and Tom Elliott and Kenny Donaldson, Ulster Unionist Candidates for Fermanagh and South Tyrone has voiced their support for the Buddy Bear Trust which provides a Conductive Education provision for children with Cerebral Palsy, the only school providing conductive education for children both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The Ulster Unionist Candidates pay tribute to Brendan McConville, Chairman and the members of the Buddy Bear Trust for their dedication and commitment to continuing this excellent education provision.
“Cerebral Palsy impacts on 1 in 400 children irrespective of politics and The Buddy Bear Trust has found that those children taught using Conductive Education as provided in the Peto Andras Institute in Budapest have made huge strides forward in their abilities and therefore are much more able to lead a more ‘normal’ life.
“It is unfortunate that the Education and Library Boards have so far failed to give The Buddy Bear Trust its utmost support and too many parents of children with Cerebral Palsy across Northern Ireland have not been informed of its excellent facilities. This has meant that pupil numbers at this independent charity school remain at such low level and questions arise over its future.
“The Buddy Bear Trust has my committed support for their endeavours to highlight their plight to Tony Blair Prime Minister. It would, of course be ideal for an Education Minister of a devolved Assembly in Northern Ireland to give financial support the Buddy Bear Trust, and we, in the Ulster Unionist Party aim to raise this issue in any future Assembly.”
| RedOrbit - Monday, 22 January 2007 |
| Buddy Bear School is Facing Risk of Closure |
By Emily Moulton
Funding for the Buddy Bear Trust in Dungannon is drying up and the independent special needs school may not survive unless urgent action is taken.
Chairman Brendan McConville is worried the school may not make it past the end of this school year because it only has two students and is now taking his concerns to Stormont.
Mr McConville was due to meet with DUP leader Ian Paisley, who has been a supporter of the school since it opened in 1989.
Buddy Bear is a non-profit independent school which specialises in Conductive Education, a holistic practice which uses therapy to educate children with motor neurone disorders such as cerebral palsy.
It relies heavily on student fees which are paid by the relative Education and Library Boards.
For the past 10 years, three of the province's Education and Library Boards have sent children to the facility. However, in the past few years the numbers have dwindled, causing concern amongst the school's staff including principal Ildiko Veres.
Their concerns have been further heightened by claims the Southern Education and Library Board are preventing a six-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer from attending the school because of red tape.
The board is insisting Keiran Johnstone's condition be reassessed before it agrees to fund his placement at the school.
Keiran's mother, Ann Marie, moved to Northern Ireland from Newcastle last October after being told about the school.
Ms Johnstone claims she was assured the board would fund Keiran's placement at the school and cannot understand why the SELB is refusing to accept Keiran's statement of special needs, which was awarded via the High Court in England in 2004.
A spokesman from the SELB said because of legislation, the board was required to carry out its own assessment.
"If a child moves to Northern Ireland from England with a statement of special educational needs, the Board has a legal duty to commence the statutory assessment process, with parental consent," he said.
It is understood the re-assessment process takes 18 weeks.
Mr McConville said he was shocked to learn about Ms Johnstone's plight and that the Boards were not telling parents Buddy Bear existed.
"We only discovered that the Boards were applying the letter of the law when dealing with parents of children suffering from cerebral palsy/motor disorders and only telling them about grant aided schools," he said.
"The Buddy Bear Trust had thought that the Boards and the Health Trusts had a moral responsibility to give parents as much information as possible to enable them to make informed decisions."
(c) 2007 Belfast Telegraph. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
| UlsterHerald - Tuesday, 5 December 2006 |
| First Communion for Demi Lee |
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| First Communion for Demi Lee |
A YOUNG Drumquin girl, who has cerebral palsy was surrounded by her family and friends for her first Holy Communion recently.
Demi Lee Hackett, who is a pupil at Buddy Bear School in Dungannon, was guest of honour at the special Communion Mass celebrated by Fr Kevin Mullan, PP.
Family friends form all over Tyrone and further a field attended the service with Demi Lee.
Ildiko Veres, principal of the Buddy Bear Trust School in Dungannon, which specialises in teaching children with cerebral palsy was a special guest along with Brendan McConville, chairman of the trust. Demi Lee's classmates also joined in the celebrations.
After the service, Maire Reid, grandmother thanked Fr Mullan
for organising such a "very family friendly Mass and service" which
allowed family members and friends to join in the readings and prayers.
"It was a wonderful family service for such a beautiful special girl
who has touched the hearts of the family and the entire community," she
said
Miss Veres, principal, paid tribute to the dedication of Ms Reid and family for their efforts in taking Demi Lee to the Buddy Bear School every day for the last four years.
"It is a credit to Marie and the family that they struggled so hard with the Board to pay the fees to enable Demi Lee to benefit from conductive education at the Buddy Bear School. There are no miracles at the Buddy Bear School. Success is achieved by hard dedicated work by the child and the conductor and the family at home."
CHOCOLATE BUTTONS
"Demi Lee can now walk with the help of a special walking frame and can initiate steps. Demi Lee no longer has to eat mashed or liquidised food as she has been taught to chew.
"We take these actions for granted but for a child with cerebral palsy they have to be taught which takes time and special training." said Miss Veres who was trained in the world famous Peto Institute in Budapest.
"The success of the hard work by Demi Lee, Miss Veres and Ms Reid is very evident at this family party," said Brendan McConville. "Demi Lee can eat chocolate buttons. This is great progress for a child who resisted a spoon being put in her mouth to feed her.
In addition to her physical disabilities Demi Lee has a severe visual impairment, with which she is also trying to cope. Trust in her family and the principal is vital. Thankfully for the Buddy Bear Trust, Miss Veres has not only great talent but great understanding of the challenges."
TYRONE PEOPLE CHAMPIONS
Mr McConville continued, "The Tyrone Community, which helped raise funds when Demi Lee was two years of age can now see that their efforts are well rewarded. Demi Lee has made great progress and with the help of God she will continue to improve at the Buddy Bear Trust School in Dungannon".
Demi Lee with the help of the Tyrone Community was able to go for a while to Summerset to the British Institute for Brain Injured Children because there was no provision in Northern Ireland before the Buddy Bear School opened in 1993.
POLITICAL SUPPORT NEEDED
"We intend to raise the matter with the politicians and potential government ministers as it would be unforgivable and a great disservice to parents of children with cerebral palsy if the Buddy Bear School had to close because parents are not given all the information about the options available. The staff of Special Schools are to be commended for their professionalism and care of children. The Buddy Bear Trust is not in competition with them but wishes to continue to work in partnership with all professionals," said Mr McConville.
"The Buddy Bear Trust has been advised by Ann Marie Johnstone who sold her house in England three years ago to enable her to take her child to the Peto Institute to Budapest that the Education Boards do not give parents information about the Buddy Bear School to allow them to make an informed decision about the best type of education for their child.
"Mrs Johnstone was featured on ITV Newcastle and hopes to be on Stephen Nolan Show to highlight her case with the officers in the SELB that her child should be entitled to attend the Buddy Bear School.
"Mrs Johnstone has moved from England to Dungannon and her son is enrolled in the Buddy Bear School. She claims that the SELB has ignored all her requests to have her son placed in the Buddy Bear School. Mrs Johnstone simply wants the best for her son and to be given the same opportunity as Demi Lee and the other pupils who attended the Buddy Bear School" said Mr McConville.
"The Buddy Bear School was established by the Dungannon and wider community with the help of all the politicians and church leaders. Everyone worked as a family to help a few children with special needs to be educated using conductive education. It would be a great loss to the community and to children if the Buddy Bear School were forced to close because parents were not given information. While Boards have no legal responsibility to give information they have a moral responsibility to give parents as much information as possible. A qualified conductor, who is a recognised teacher manages the school, which has received good Inspection Reports from the Department of Inspectorate.
"We intend to ask the future decision-makers in the Assembly to ensure that parents of children with disabilities are given as much information as possible about all the options and therapies available including the Buddy Bear School.
We value the dedication and professionalism of teachers particularly those involved with children with special needs. The Buddy Bear Trust will continue to work in partnership with all those involved in the education and welfare of children with special needs," – said Mr McConville.
PUBLICITY NEEDED
The Trust is hoping that individuals, clubs, organisations, schools, pubs, hotels and businesses might organise fundraising events for the Buddy Bear Trust. The events would be publicised in the local press, which would help to inform parents of children with special needs about the school. It would also raise funds to enable the school to remain open until the Boards send children to it.
Your help could make a lifetime of difference to a child and to a family.
| UlsterHerald - Tuesday, 16 January 2007 |
| Buddy Bear School is facing a risk of closure |
By Emily Moulton
The long term future of an important resource for severely disabled children in Northern Ireland is hanging in the balance, the Belfast Telegraph has learned.
Funding for the Buddy Bear Trust in Dungannon is drying up and the independent special needs school may not survive unless urgent action is taken.
Chairman Brendan McConville is worried the school may not make it past the end of this school year because it only has two students and is now taking his concerns to Stormont.
Mr McConville was due to meet with DUP leader Ian Paisley, who has been a supporter of the school since it opened in 1989.
Buddy Bear is a non-profit independent school which specialises in Conductive Education, a holistic practice which uses therapy to educate children with motor neurone disorders such as cerebral palsy.
It relies heavily on student fees which are paid by the relative Education and Library Boards.
For the past 10 years, three of the province's Education and Library Boards have sent children to the facility. However, in the past few years the numbers have dwindled, causing concern amongst the school's staff including principal Ildiko Veres.
Their concerns have been further heightened by claims the Southern Education and Library Board are preventing a six-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer from attending the school because of red tape.
The board is insisting Keiran Johnstone's condition be reassessed before it agrees to fund his placement at the school.
Keiran's mother, Ann Marie, moved to Northern Ireland from Newcastle last October after being told about the school.
Ms Johnstone claims she was assured the board would fund Keiran's placement at the school and cannot understand why the SELB is refusing to accept Keiran's statement of special needs, which was awarded via the High Court in England in 2004.
A spokesman from the SELB said because of legislation, the board was required to carry out its own assessment.
"If a child moves to Northern Ireland from England with a statement of special educational needs, the Board has a legal duty to commence the statutory assessment process, with parental consent," he said.
It is understood the re-assessment process takes 18 weeks.
Mr McConville said he was shocked to learn about Ms Johnstone's plight and that the Boards were not telling parents Buddy Bear existed.
"We only discovered that the Boards were applying the letter of the law when dealing with parents of children suffering from cerebral palsy/motor disorders and only telling them about grant aided schools," he said.
"The Buddy Bear Trust had thought that the Boards and the Health Trusts had a moral responsibility to give parents as much information as possible to enable them to make informed decisions."