Charity Appeal

[Giddy Goat]

Got this from an emailed newsletter from HolidayLets, and if you haven't seen it, thought it worth flagging up to forum members. Worked all my life for the NHS and know how needy some of the families with disabled kids can be.

Thanks.

"We have recently adopted a charity called Second Space. They organise holidays for parents of disabled or terminally ill children. These holidays take place in holiday homes (often out of season) which have been donated by the Owners.

For many of us it is hard to comprehend the pressures and confines put upon parents who find themselves caring for an ill or severely disabled child. Research has shown that a break can make an enormous difference empowering parents so that they can continue with their caring duties.

If you feel you can help this charity, they would be very keen to hear from you. Please contact amanda.sidwell@secondspaces.net or call 0207 7929043. I believe they are predominantly looking for UK based properties."

[alexia s.]

What a brilliant idea.
I do have unhappy memories of the time we offered to take a blind boy from the UK for a holiday with us in France. I wasn't prepared for the psychological problems that we met & it was a very difficult time for us. The parents should have warned us.
HolidayLets are suggesting something quite different & I think that that would be fantastic.

[Ross Hugo]

Hi everyone,

The correct email address is amanda.sidwell@secondspace.net and not secondspaces.net.

Apologies for that. Have a good Christmas.

Kind regards, Ross

[Alan Knighting]

Jane,

It sounds like a great idea but, is it real? A Google search for secondspaces.net brings up nothing and a Google search on secondspaces returns nothing relevant.

Alan

[Ross Hugo]

Alan,

You old cynic you.

Company registration No 4803513
Registered Charity No 1100720

I do understand the concern.

www.secondspace.net

Hope this helps.

R

[Alan Knighting]

Ross,

You old cynic you.

Of course I am. The idea caught my eye and I was interested in learning more so I did a Google search, and drew a blank. What with all the scams around and bearing in mind how easy it appears to be to alias web addresses I had my doubts. The website must have been "on the blink" earlier but it's fine now.

I do think it is a great idea but they seem to be looking for properties in the UK at the moment. If it is ever extended to include France I could well be interested, during the shoulder months.

Alan

[alexia s.]

Ross,
He's a very young cynic.

[Ross Hugo]

Alexia,

I stand corrected but he can't be that young, he's made 1476 posts!

For now,

Ross

[Giddy Goat]

He's young, but an insomniac.

[Alan Knighting]

That all reminds of Poirot. He was called an "old and stupid French detective". His answer was that he was not French, he was Belgian. When Peter O'Toole was called a "stupid old fart" he denied suffering from flatulence.

At my age, what else have left I to do except "post"?

Alan

[Ciaram]

Sounds like a brilliant idea. Although our holiday home is in Wexford in the South East coast of Ireland it's only a short hop on the ferry from Wales so maybe they'll have poeple interested in us.

Not to confuse you all, yes I am the ciaram who is looking for a gite complex in France but we also have a holiday home in my home county of Wexford - or the Sunny South East as we like to call it - although not as sunny as South East France! Anyway sits there empty most of the time. In fact it's only this year - after your encouragement on LMY that I've decided to actively promote it for rent this year. Did it a bit half heartedly last year (don't have pictures, never mind a website) and got 3 weeks rented but this year one of the families I rented it to last year is taking it for the whole month of August so I've got renewed motivation. It's our 'second home' in a true sense so that's why we've been reluctant to rent it but of course it will be one of the casulties if / when we find the right property in France!

Will let you know how it goes with the charity.

[Windy]

How odd!

I was talking with a friend who recently lost a relative to cancer about tryng to set something like this up, and then came across this thread, which sounds like someone is doing exactly what we discussed (i.e getting owners to donate an off peak break - we talked about callling it www.givethemabreak.com)

Anyway I looked on the web and there is no website where Ross pointed us - just a holding page.

Has this folded now?

(And if so should we, with all the resources and great people who are around here, be trying to set something up again?)

Best wishes

John

PS
- Just found saw this on a google search

********
Second Space is a new charity with a new idea! People throughout the country with second homes donate a week to families who care for children with PMLD or terminal conditions. Parents can go with or without the child.
*******
This was actually a *fairly* recent post from a university affiliated group in Scotland....guess they didn't take the time to register the website or keep up with the payments....and capitalism wins again!

What a shame!!!

Anyone know of any other similar existing schemes?

[davey2187]

I have donated a week to the http://www.pwh.org.uk/ which was recently auctioned, for rememberance day last year I auctioned a week on www.arrse.co.uk and I am in the process of giving a week to a wounded soldier and his family just back from Afghanistan

[Bellywobble]

I offered a week to a children's hospice. I had a nice email saying they would pass the offer to their bereavement team, but months later have never heard back from them

[Giddy Goat]

You're both very generous and what a shame BW that the hospice didn't get back to you. Talk about looking gift horse in mouth!