VIEW

Independent voice for community/voluntary sectorWebsite: viewdigital.org

Issue 12, 2013

Oxfam inplea asSyriancrisisworsens

VIEW

SEE PAGES FOUR AND FIVE

A mother with herchild in war-tornAleppo in Syria

Image :Sam Tarling

VIEW, issue 12, 2013 Website: viewdigital.org

VIEW

On pages six and seven of this issue wetake a look at FareShare, which delivers food to a number of

community and voluntary organisations inNorthern Ireland.

There is no doubt whatsoever that FareShare is doing a remarkable job in ensuringthat food, which may have ended up on a refuse tip, is distributed to groups, who in turnmake sure that it is then targeted at those mostin need, including the homeless.

The produce is all good quality and withinits best-before-date. It’s just that it can’t be soldfor trivial reasons, such as having damaged packaging or being from a seasonal line. FareShare collects the food from a range of supermarkets who support the initiative.

The whole question of food distribution tothe needy raises a number of other questions,though. Too many people in Northern Ireland,the rest of the UK and the Republic of Irelandare now dependent on charitable gestures tostop them from going hungry. In a society with

plenty, why are we still dependent on food donations? Also, in the present economic climate, the plight of the homeless and otherswill surely become worse. With the best will inthe world, charitable food donations can onlyever meet part of an ever-growing need.

Our streets are now filling up with morehomeless people and many families are havingto cut back on vital neccessities in order to make ends meet.

Adding to that scenario is the proposedimplementation of the ‘Bedroom Tax’ as part ofthe Welfare Reform Bill in Northern Ireland.This Bill, if passed, could lead to more peoplebecoming homeless. We are facing an ever-growing reliance on charities to step in andcrisis manage. In essence, a sticking plaster solution to a problem that needs a fundamentalexamination of the distribution of resouces. On a totally different matter, VIEW is nowholding a series of media workshops for thecommunity and voluntary sector.

Full details on the workshops can be found

on our website at www.viewdigital.org.Theclasses have been designed to support organisations to both upskill and empower theiremployees in their outreach and communications work.

Arranged into stand-alone sessions orgroups of related areas, our workshops cater forall levels of experience, from beginner throughto those holding frontline media roles. Our teamof established practitioners is geared towardsequipping professionals with “best practice”skills to implement both in their day-to-daywork and strategic planning.

So, whether you are new to social mediaplatforms, simply want to fine-tune certain aspects, need to learn how to develop an integrated social strategy, prepare for a broad-cast interview or even shoot your own in-housevideos and create a portfolio of content at nextto no cost, VIEW is on hand to ensure you usethe media to your advantage.

Please contact Una Murphy, email: [email protected] for more details.

Editorial VIEW, the online publicationfor the community/voluntarysector in Northern Ireland.

VIEW editor Brian Pelan

CONTENTSCONTENTSFood delivery

Pages 6-7 Lucy Golloglyreports on FareShare,which delivers food tocommunity and voluntary organisations

Social justice

Pages 8-9 ClodaghO’Brien, from the Advocacy Initiative, reports on new researchin the Republic into theissue of social justice

Comment

Pages 10 Harry Reid,campaigns manager forRNIB NI, talks about therole of the Digital i strategy in helping the visually impaired

Comment

Pages 12 John McMullan, CEO of theBryson group, looks atthe ‘independence’ of thethird sector

My story

Pages 14 James McCullough (left) tellsVIEW about his struggle to get betterafter he acquired a braininjury at work.

Big Picture

Pages 16 The Welcomeorganisation, who helpthe homeless, sent VIEWa powerful image (above)to highlight the plight ofsome migrants

1. How long have you been in yourpresent position?

I joined The Prince’s Trust in early 2009, so I’mapproaching my fourth birthday.

2. What attracted you to the position?

Helping young people. Until I joined the Trust Iworked in the private sector and never reallyconsidered the third sector as a career opportunity. As a volunteer I have been involvedwith The Boys’ Brigade, The Duke of Edinburgh’sAward and Belfast Activity Centre, so I have acertain affinity to the needs of young people.

3. What are the main areas of workthat the Prince's Trust is involved inNorthern Ireland?

Throughout the next year we will support 4,000disadvantaged young people across NorthernIreland – young people who may have struggledat school, been in trouble with the law, beenthrough the care system or who are facing long-term unemployment. Our role is to supportthem and give them the skills and confidence toget into employment, education or training.

4. Is it difficult to motivate youngpeople to take part in the Prince'sTrust?

The biggest challenge is to get young peoplethrough the door. After the first few hours onany of our programmes you can see a youngperson’s confidence starting to build. We nowemploy five young people who have completeda Prince’s Trust programme. They are now outdirectly meeting young people and encouragingthem to take part in a programme.

5. Do you think the name, Prince'sTrust, is a help or a hindrance in promoting your work in Northern Ireland?

We have a great brand that is supported byeveryone. For our young people they want tobe part of a programme that people know andrespect and for funders it gives them the confidence that we are a national organisationwith the systems and processes to match.

6. What projects have you lined up forthe future?

In March we will launch the Fairbridge programme in Northern Ireland. This is a verysuccessful intervention for young people thatother organisations struggle to engage with. Wehave been operating the programme in the restof the UK for many years and thanks to fundingfrom DEL and HSBC we are now close toopening a dedicated centre from which we willdeliver the programme.

7. How much of a role does PrinceCharles play in promoting the organisation?

Our Patron HRH Prince Charles is incrediblypassionate and knowledgeable, not just aboutour work, but about the issues that young people face. He spends a considerable amountof time listening to young people and visitingour programmes. He uses his knowledge to ensure we are delivering effective solutions.

8. How difficult is it to attract fundingin the present economic climate?

Generating unrestricted funds from individuals

and companies is always tough. We have a smallnumber of individual patrons who make a realdifference to our work each year. There is a realbalance to be struck between private sectorand public sector funding. We also seek to useour private sector income to leverage publicsector support. It is a partnership that worksand that delivers better value for everyone.

9. What do you like most about yourrole?

I am blessed with a terrific team who have areal passion for supporting young people.

10. What do you like least about yourrole?

Not being able to identify enough positive outcomes for our young people. We are investing considerably more of our resourcesinto identifying and securing positive outcomesfor young people but more can be done to encourage the public, private and voluntary sector to work in partnership to address thiscritical issue in our society.

11. Can you tell our readers the nameof your favourite book?

I love Bevis The Story Of A Boy by Richard Jefferies. It is one of the few books I have readmore than once.

12. What would you like to do if youcould choose any job?

A few years ago I took a year out and went onthe Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. Itwould never pay the mortgage, but a life exploring the oceans would have an appeal.

Website: viewdigital.orgVIEW, issue 12, 2013

ProfileWe talk to Ian Jeffers, Director of Prince’s Trust NI,about his role and the challenges facing the organisation. (www.princes-trust.org.uk)

Throughoutthe nextyear wewill support4,000 disadvantagedyoung peopleacrossNorthern Ireland

‘

’


The Syria refugee crisis is accelerating with adramatic increase in the numbers of peopleflowing across borders, aid agency Oxfam Ireland warned as it launched an appeal tohelp up to 120,000 people.

In Jordan alone there has been a three-fold increasein the daily rate of people crossing from Syria in the lastweek. The agency said that extreme winter weather wascompounding misery for refugees, with an increase inrespiratory infections and pneumonia recorded in clinicsin Lebanon and Jordan

Oxfam and its local partners have been distributingblankets and mattresses, heaters and gas oil to help thenew arrivals stay warm during the harsh winter. It needsto raise significant funds to reach more refugees beforewinter takes its toll.

An estimated 670,000 people have fled violence inSyria to neighbouring countries since the onset of thecrisis in March 2011. Recently, there has been a sharp increase in numbers fleeing intensified shelling and fighting.

Francis Lacasse, Oxfam’s Syria crisis response man-ager, said: “Families have arrived exhausted and traumatised. Some have faced bombs and bullets to gethere. Now, they are trying to get through one of themost brutal winters in the last two decades with almost nothing. Oxfam is trying to help thousands of familiesthrough this difficult winter period; but we could domuch more if we had more funds.”

People wanting to donate to Oxfam’s Syria appealcan donate by calling 0800 0 30 40 55 (Northern Ireland) or 1850 30 40 55 (Republic of Ireland), online atwww.oxfamireland.org or at any of Oxfam’s 50 storesaround the country. £25 can buy enough blankets for two families,keeping children warm at night; £55 can buy a set of warm winter clothes for awhole family; £75 can buy mattresses for four families so theydon’t have to sleep on freezing floors.

Jim Clarken, Chief Executive of Oxfam Ireland, said:“We cannot put an end to the fighting. But with the rightdetermination and resources, we can help make thingsbetter for the many Syrian families who have lost almosteverything.”

Oxfam: Syrianfamiliesurgentlyneed oursupport

Samira (above) arrived in Lebanon from Syria recently. She is livingin a self-made shelter with just one room, which she shares with 12other people.

She has made an appointment to register with UNHCR butcould wait months between registering and receiving any aid.

In the meantime she has no food, barely any blankets and isliving in squalid conditions.

Samira’s home is made from one wall of breeze blocks and finished with plastic sheeting and cardboard boxes. The floor is wetand icy cold, outside snow melts into the ground creating icy mud.

“ thinki Some mone

“ and th

“ and o

“ was t

I can’t stop thinkin ‘


“I cannot get any sort of sleep at night. I just can’t stop ing about how to feed my children and how to protect them. etimes I try and sell things that I have in order to get someey for food for the children. “I am 45 years old and a widow. I have eight children, five boys

hree girls. My eldest child is 31 and my youngest is 13. “All of my boys are here but two of my daughters are in Jordan

one of my daughters has stayed in Syria with her husband.“We decided to come to Lebanon because of the fighting that aking place.

“The shelling and the shooting were happening whilst we weretrying to live peacefully in our homes.

“It has been eight months since I left my home. “I have no idea what happened to it; we just had to leave it be-

hind and escaped because of the fighting.” “At first I was very reluctant to move to Lebanon, I changed my

mind a lot but finally I decided to come here.“We couldn’t get any food anymore, we couldn’t live our lives,

we lost our jobs and we worried that we couldn’t stay alive.”Image: Luca Sola/Oxfam

g about how to feed my children’

Fare way to Share food w

Despite rising food prices, as much as half the world’s food issimply thrown away. Now a Belfast-based organisation is putting some of that ‘surplus’ food onto the plates of thosewho desperately need it.

FareShare (Island of Ireland) diverts food away from the rubbishtip and delivers it to charity and community organisations working withhomeless people and other vulnerable groups throughout Northern Ireland.

Based in Weavers’ Court in south Belfast and managed by theCouncil for the Homeless in Northern Ireland, it’s one of 17 depotsacross the UK. When VIEW visited on a cold, wintry morning, thewarehouse was crammed with a huge variety of fresh and frozen food, including rice, pasta, soup, vegetables, meat, and even ice lollies.

But as Méabh Austin, the project’s Strategic Development Officerexplained, the warehouse is actually relatively Spartan on a Mondaymorning, as they wait for deliveries from food producers and supermarkets to come in. The food is all good quality and within itsbest-before-date. It’s just that it can’t be sold for trivial reasons, such ashaving damaged packaging or being from a seasonal line.

Established in March 2011 and partly funded by the Food Standards Agency and the Public Heath Agency, FareShare currentlysupplies food to 61 organisations – and that number is growing all thetime. Recipients include the East Belfast Mission, the Methodist CityMission, Mindwise in Carrickfergus and Lighthouse in Ballymena.

Méabh said: “In the first year we diverted 154,000 meals fromlandfill. We were able to work that out using Food Standards Agencyguidelines, so if you lined up all the plates they would stretch fromBelfast to Bangor.”

The food comes from around 40 local producers, including Avondale, Gilfresh, Premier Bakeries and Dale Farm, and supermarkets,including Sainsbury’s. The organisation is in talks with Asda, and has alsotaken food from Tesco and Lidl.

The benefits to businesses are obvious – FareShare takes foodthat they would otherwise have to pay to dispose of as landfill, savingthem money, reducing their carbon emissions and doing their publicimage no harm either.

Méabh said: “The more food producers that we can get on board,the more food we can get out to community food members – thecharities that benefit from the food.”

As well as Méabh and Operations Manager Simon Geddis, there isone other paid staff member, but the project depends on volunteerswho receive training in forklift truck driving, food hygiene and healthand safety.

Volunteers Liam McCarville from Belfast and Jim Hamilton fromComber were working in the warehouse when View visited. Liam said:“I’m a volunteer with Volunteer Now. I make up the food parcels forthose who need them.” Jim Hamilton, a former government press officer, said: “My last job was in the DoE so I knew a bit about Fare-Share and I was interested in doing something that helped people.”

Méabh said that FareShare is making a real difference to charities and community groups struggling with budgets.

For more information on FareShare, email:[email protected] or call 02890 246440.


A team of workers getting the food ready for delivery from Fare

Lucy Gollogly reportson the FareShare organisation which delivers food to the charity and community sector

The more food producers thatwe can get on board, themore food we can get out tocommunity food members‘

’

with those who need itWebsite: viewdigital.orgVIEW, issue 12, 2013

Share’s depot in Weaver’s Court, Belfast, to charity and community organisations Image: Kevin Cooper


Shining alight on theneed forsocial justiceClodagh O’Brien, from the Advocacy Initiative in the Republic of Ireland, looks atnew research it carried out

Social justice advocates strive to influence policy to create a more inclusive and equitable Ireland. Often this work is done quietly andwithout fanfare. With this new research we wanted to shine a light onthe diverse range of advocacy being carried out across the country andcelebrate the many successes that can go unnoticed.

The Advocacy Initiative’s new study ‘Mapping of Social Justice Advocacy inIreland’ revealed that social justice advocacy is alive and kicking in Ireland, butfaces significant challenges in 2013 and beyond.

For the first time this research shows the breadth and depth of social justice advocacy in Ireland; who is doing it, how they are doing it and whatstrategies are most effective for change.

The research was carried out in two phases. The first used a postal survey of a representative sample to measure the breadth of advocacy, whilethe second utilised an online survey of organisations identified in Phase 1. Thiswas complemented by five case studies of effective social justice advocacy by arange of organisations.

The Initiative is grateful to the authors of the research, Candy Murphyand Patricia Keilthy of CMAdvice, for all their work.

The authors discovered that 39% of non-profit organisations surveyedare engaged directly in social justice advocacy, the majority doing so at locallevel followed by 30% at national level. “This was an interesting figure for us, asoften we see advocacy through a national lens. This shows that there is a lot ofactivity at a local level that is quite different to the work being done nationally,”said Anna Visser, Director of the Advocacy Initiative.

The advocacy being done across Ireland is very diverse with activitiesranging from insider strategies to protests and public awareness campaigns.There is a 50/50 split between internal and external advocacy with the samefor unplanned and planned. However, planned advocacy is on the rise, with 44%conducting information and awareness raising work, 19% focusing on policy implementation and 18% on developing new policy. Public awareness activitieswere identified as the dominant activity followed by networking, participationin local committees and lobbying.

The main targets of advocacy are the general public followed by localcommittees and city and county council structures, while the key methods tomobilise the public were information meetings and media engagement.

“When we asked respondents about the policy making processes in Ireland today, the picture that emerged was not a particularly positive one. 84%stated said it was fragmented, 89% disagreed that values underpinning policymaking was explicit, just over half said there was no evidence base in decisionmaking and 68% believe there are few specialists in the process. In addition,over the past three years for most people their workload has increased andbecome more difficult, particularly in rural areas and for those working incommunity development and social services,” Ms Visser added.

A recent forum in Dublin, attended by more than 70 social justice advo-cates, focused on what works in social justice advocacy and gave an opportu-nity to share experiences and learning with others. Key lessons that came fromthe forum included: keep the message ruthlessly simple, clear and compelling stories are essential, risks need to be taken in campaigns and there is value increating strong political alliances.

You can read the full report and view photographs andcartoons from the event on the Advocacy Initiative website at:http://www.advocacyinitiative.ie/learn/tools/executive-summary-mapping-study-of-social-justice/

The Advocacy Initiative is a project involving organisations,such as The Wheel, St Vincent de Paul, Trócaire, the IrishCancer Society and the Disability Federation of Ireland. It wasfounded three years ago to promote social justice advocacy inIreland and is funded by Atlantic Philanthropies. Participants in discussion at the recent 3rd Knowledge Exchange


e Forum which was held in Dublin Image: Paula Geraghty

Trudging recently through thepowdered blanket covering Karl MarxAllee in the former eastern sector ofthe now unified German capital ofBerlin, it’s hard to imagine anywhere

else in Europe either more redolent withhistorically vivid ghosts or pivotal to theContinent’s uncertain future.

Later, the chill twists into a sub-zero grip,when, near the Brandenburg Gate, the slabshove into view that combine to form the city’sstark memorial to the victims of the Holocaustin World War Two.

I make a mental note to check out if thecity houses any kind of memorial to the victimsof the Nazis’ T4 programme, that saw themurder of hundreds of thousands of peoplewith disabilities, labeled ‘useless eaters’, whoselives were systematically terminated for theircrime of physical, mental or sensoryimperfection.

Such thoughts are for a future visit. Thepurpose of this sojourn was to secure Europeanpartners for Digital i, an embryonic Belfast-based initiative, with global reach ambitions,focused on harnessing the potential of thecreative use of digital technology to enable blind

and partially-sighted people to meet a widerange of their needs.

The aspiration of the initiative’s creators isthat, once the funding is secured, Digital i willemerge this coming autumn as an independententity guided by a board of trustees drawn froma wide spectrum of organisations.

The recent cross-party endorsement bymembers of the Assembly’s All Party Group onVisual Impairment augurs well for hopes for theswift establishment of this initiative.

So, too, does the momentum acrossgovernment departments to seek out andsupport true innovation in the disability fieldthat is expected to follow in the wake of theupcoming launch of the Executive’s DisabilityStrategy Action Plan.

Such support will assist Digital i to fulfil itsmission to: Provide blind and partially-sighted peoplewith training designed to create high levels ofdigital literacy amongst a constituency that haslargely been excluded from the digitalrevolution that is gathering ever moreimportanc.; Seek to encourage sustainable self-employment by nurturing digital entrepreneurs

amongst those with visual disabilities. Promote more informed and positiveattitudes concerning blind and partially sightedpeople’s capabilities. Establish a regular world-class podcastproviding information and analysis designed toencourage participation in all walks of life bythose with sight difficulties. Engage in international collaborationsincluding Eye Openers: The International Festivalof Ideas; Creativity; Digital Arts & The SpokenAnd Written Word. Undertake research into the benefits to blindand partially-sighted people’s mental health ofaccess to digital technology as a vehicle toconsume and create digital content.

The Berlin trip yielded a dozen partnerorganisations from a range of EU memberstates who join a number of North Americanones previously attracted by the possibilitiesopened up through collaboration in theapproach Digital i seeks to pioneer.

While cyper-punk novelist William Gibsonwas surely correct in observing that ‘the futureis already here, it’s just not evenly distributed’, itseems that Digital i will play a key redistributiverole.

Harry Reid, campaigns manager for the RNIB in Northern Ireland,writes on the efforts to secure funding for the Digital i strategy

Comment

The future is already here, it’sjust not evenly distributed


Digital future: Young partially-sighted children gaining confidence through technology at a recent RNIB NI Digital ArtsSummer School at the MAC in Belfast

‘’

Edwards & Co. solicitors advises charities and the voluntary sector in Northern Ireland

on a wide range of legal issues including charity creation, charitable status and

constitutional matters, trading and commercial arrangements, employment law,

finance, fundraising and property law, as well as dealing with the Charity Commission

for Northern Ireland.

Our team offers a full range of legal services including mediation, criminal law, clinical

negligence and personal injury claims, as well as family/matrimonial work.

Practical advice and a sensitivepersonal approach. We prideourselves on our unrivalledcommitment to clients’ needs.

Contact Jenny and Teresa: Edwards & Co. Solicitors, 28 Hill Street, Belfast, BT1 2LA.

Tel: (028) 9032 1863 Email: [email protected]

Web: edwardsandcompany.co.uk

Iread with interest two web articlespublished in recent weeks by the Guardian(22/1/13) discussing the weakening ofvoluntary organisations’ independence andtheir willingness to challenge government. These are not new issues and have been

reflected by many commentators as theunwillingness to ‘bite the hand that feeds’.

Perhaps the difference this time is thesuggestion that the growth in contracting byvoluntary organisations, with government todeliver public services, increases governmentalcontrol, thereby eroding independence ofaction, or voice.

It is clearly a point that needs debate, butin a context that compares the nature of grantaid and contracted earned income. While bothmay result in similar outcomes; ie work carriedout; they are fundamentally different.

Grant aid is and remains, until fully spent,public money and is completely restricted onhow and what it is spent on. Payment for acontracted service begins as public money, butchanges to earned income when payment ismade for a service delivered. Earned incomeenjoys much less restriction and flexibility inapplication than understandably public fundsmust have.

Essentially, grant aid, which is not spent onthe purpose it was awarded for, remains publicmoney and is subject to ‘claw-back’, whilepayments for services delivered that have beencontracted or tendered may provide incomeabove the cost of provision.

For charities this income is known as ‘NetIncoming Resources’ (profit), with the flexibilityto deploy for other charitable purposes – theessence of social enterprise. This secondapproach allows the service commissioner, iethe government, to concentrate on outputs andoutcomes whilst using competition (tendering)to provide best value for money.

I am not suggesting a hierarchy of funding,just that they are different, are appropriate indifferent circumstances and impact differentlyon independence of action.

I am not sure either method restrictsindependence of voice or action, as suggested inthe Guardian articles. To take a recent localexample: the National Trust seemed willing topursue a judicial review to a DoE planningdecision that it thought was wrong, while still inreceipt of at least some government grant aid. Isuspect the Guardian articles were moreconcerned that the new contractingrelationships and possible gagging clauses incontracts would, or could, act as impedimentsto independence.

A specific example used in one of thearticles was the potential unwillingness toreport possible underperformance of the GBWork Programme.

I find that argument somewhat self-defeating as the significant public awareness of

performance issues suggests that any suchrestrictions have not been effective.

Additionally, the strong legislation andclarity of binding rights around contracts allowfor more formal challenges and greaterprotection than is the case with the greatersubjectivity associated with grant aidapplications and awards.

Personally, I am more concerned about anemerging development in respect of publicservice delivery, which may be more likely in NIreland than other UK regions. To be specific,the potential for protectionism, ie the in-sourcing of service rather than out-sourcing, orthe in-housing of services previously contractedout. Having discussions with public sectorofficials on the implementation of newprogrammes and being told that their view wasin-house delivery, means it is at no cost, orchallenging public bodies that bring a service in-house, claiming better value without competingto demonstrate such, fills me with apprehensionthat this will only worsen as significant publicfinance cuts, on a par with other UK regions,eventually bite locally.

In summary, the point I would like to makein this short article is independence is onlyeroded if we allow it to be and my experiencewith the Third Sector in N Ireland is that we areskilled at not letting that happen.

However, in strengthening independence,greater independence is a function of self-financing and resource generation. That is theessence of the enterprise element of socialenterprise.

Becoming more enterprising and self-sufficient is not something the Third Sectorshould fear, but should embrace and strivetowards.

In my view it provides significant freedom,flexibility and importantly, greater socialleverage that will become even more importantas we face a less certain and turbulent socialand economic future.

Follow John on Twitter:@johnatbryson

Guardian articles1, Charities afraid to challenge publicpolicy amid retribution fears –www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jan/22/chari-ties-public-policy-funding-fears

2, Voluntary sector independence'under direct challenge'www.guardian.co.uk/voluntary-sector-net-work/2013/jan/22/voluntary-independence-di-rect-challenge

John McMullan, Chief Executive of the Bryson Group, looks at the argument that funding may inhibit charities from speaking out

Comment

The independence of thethird sector – fact or fiction?

Grant aid, which is not spent on the purpose it was awarded for, remains publicmoney and is subject to ‘claw-back’


He thinks the way he drives is impressing you. What he’s actually doing is putting your life at risk.

Fact: Most female deaths and serious injuries are caused by male drivers.

So next time you’re in the passenger seat put your foot down, tell him you’re not impressed. Because more often than not it’s a case of he drives - she dies.

Iam 46 years of age, living in Larne and married with two girls and one boy. I was along-distance lorry driver before my injuryoccurred. I drove all over Europe and I really enjoyed it. It was a good life. It did affect family life but we always made

up for it at the weekends by doing things together. We have an interest in horses and wewent regularly to show-jumping events.

I thought life could not get any better.Everything was going so well. We were making agood living and had a great future ahead of uswith holidays every year.

I changed jobs from doing European workto working for a local firm in Mallusk, CoAntrim. I was delivering goods to shops. I was inthe back of a trailer loading it one day in 2005when I was hit on the side of the head with asteel beam.

My life changed so much after I had thataccident. It was unreal. I went from someonewho was kicking life in front of them to someone who was needing help all the time. Ihad memory problems, balance issues. I lost myjob and my driving licence. I just seem to begoing through so much. Every corner I turned Iseemed to be losing something, including my independence. At the time it was horrendous.

Everything was a struggle – both financiallyand coping with family life. I was also constantly

battling with serious headaches. I couldn’t

deal with noise or bright lights. I found it hardto deal with family life and would often end up sitting alone in a room in our home.

Thankfully, things started to change when Iwas put in contact with the Community BrainInjury Team and referred to Cedar’s Brain InjuryService in 2008. With the support of my keyworker, Rhona, I began to rebuild the confidence that I had lost and to think about abetter future. I was encouraged to gain qualifications in Maths,English and IT, while trying out various work placements as I realisedI would not be able to return to driving HGVlorries.

During my time with Cedar I was supported to become a volunteer with theNational Trust at Patterson’s Spade Mill. I beganleading tours.This experience proved crucialwhen I went for a job interview and successfullygained paid seasonal work at the mill.

A further boost to my confidence came in2010 when I regained my driving licence. This increased my independence and reinforced thatmy life was improving despite being unable to


New hope: James McCullough is now helping other people

Former long distance lorry driver James McCullough had his whole life infront of him when he acquired a brain injury. He tells VIEW how getting involved with the Cedar Foundation helped to turn things around for him

My story

My life changed somuch after my

accident. It was unreal. I went fromsomeone who waskicking life in frontof them to someonewho was needinghelp all the time

return to my previous driving career. I believethat my new skills and interests have given mehope for a different future.

Before leaving Cedar I was referred totheir social networking programme to help memeet new people and try new activities. I wasput in contact with other Cedar service usersin my area and we began to plan activities andmeet up regularly, which I really enjoyed.

If I have learnt anything since acquiring my

brain injury; it’s to be open to new opportunities. Without this attitude I wouldn’thave progressed to where I am today. This issomething I hope to share with those I supportthrough the Peer Volunteer Programme.

Cedar delivers a range of servicesthat enable people with disabilities toget the most out of life. Contact themat (028) 9066 6188

‘’

Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Servicewww.nibts.org

Someone like Joshua. He’s 7, but when he was born blood transfusions saved his life.

Give life tosomeone youdon’t know!

Text Blood to 60081 orCall 0500 534 666

gro.stbin.www

0050llaCoolBtxeTTe

g

66643508006otdo

ro18


An image in a derelict building in NorthernIreland which depicts the issue of migrantworkers ending up destitute, trapped inpoverty and homelessness. The image wascommissioned on behalf of the Welcomeorganisation which helps homeless people.

Photographer: Donal McCann

If you would like your community/voluntary organisation to be selected forThe Big Picture in the next issue of VIEW,send images to [email protected]

The Big Picture


Photographer Kevincooper has more

than 25 years experience in Press

and Prphotography. Kevin

works to a widerange of clients in

community andvoluntary sector

organisations as wellas the trade union

movement.

Kevin cooper

PHoToLinE

For quoTaTions

conTacT

E: [email protected]: 028 90777299

M: 07712044751

For more details, click on:http://ocnni.org.uk/files/Leaflet%2815%29.pdf

Babies headto theatre forday of BabbleTHEATRE company Replay is to open thecurtains on a show aimed at babies at thisyear’s Belfast Children’s Festival.

Babble, for babies, aged up to18months old, and their grown-ups called is performed inside a portable performancespace. It’s on at the MAC in Belfast onMarch 9 to March 12.

Tickets are available to purchase athttp://www.themaclive.com or the BelfastChildren’s Festival site at www.belfastchildrensfestival.com" .

Other dates for Babble are: Roe ValleyArts Centre, Limavady, April 2;Marketplace Theatre, Armagh, April 4, andDown Arts Centre on April 6.

Please contact Anna Newell at Replayon 028 90 454 562 for further details.

The Belfast Children’s Festival is runby Young at Art, a not for profit children'sarts organisation.

Set up in 1998, its mission is to bringartistic brilliance and adventure to childrentoday and inspire creativity and curiosityfor their future.

Alongside the festival, Young at Art isworking with communities, artists andschools to help children and young peopleto experience the arts

. If you interested in the arts,and aged 14 years or over, youcould sign up as a festival volunteer. Visit youngatart.co.ukfor more details Drama: Babies and minders invited to Babble show at MAC

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