DSA News

AnEUploidy workshops in Split, Croatia

Thursday, 08 July 2010 15:08

‘AnEUploidy' is the acronym of an Integrated Project (IP) funded by the European Commission
within its Sixth Framework Programme under the thematic area ‘Life sciences, genomics and
biotechnology for health'. This four years long project aims to contribute to the understanding of the
molecular basis and pathogenic mechanisms of aneuploidies (see http://www.aneuploidy.eu). It is
coordinated by Stylianos E. Antonarakis from the University of Geneva Medical School, Switzerland
and groups the multidisciplinary skills of 18 European and Israeli research groups.

With the aim of furthering the primary objectives of this project, the members of this consortium plan
to organise twice during its lifetime an international workshop. The second of these AnEUploidy
workshops will be held in Split, Croatia, September 16-19, 2010. It will also include 14
eminent invited speakers, outside the consortium. It should allow the members of the aneuploidy/
CNV community to share views, progress, and ideas. It will also include a half day lay language
presentations to Down syndrome associations, health specialists and parents.

For further information please click here.

Affiliated Group receives Queen's Award

Monday, 07 June 2010 15:04

queensawardlogo

The Swindon Down's Syndrome Group has been announced as one of 103 UK volunteering groups to win this year's The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, the MBE for volunteer groups.

The prestigious National Honour recognises outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups voluntarily devoting their time for the benefit of others. It sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, with the work of those awarded being judged of the highest standard.

The Swindon Down's Syndrome Group has received the Award for voluntarily supporting families in Swindon since 1984 and their work has grown extensively throughout these years. In addition to providing support and information, they provide weekly speech and language therapy, resource packs for schools and pre-schools, training days, sports lessons with specialist coaches, coffee afternoons, outings, trips and parties.

Winners of this year's Award were selected from 341 groups nominated by members of the public who have been helped personally or witnessed the benefits of a group's work in their community.

The Swindon Down's Syndrome Group will receive a certificate signed by the Queen and an exclusive commemorative crystal, presented by Her Majesty's representative in Wiltshire, John Bush at a special ceremony. The group has also received an invitation for representatives to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in the summer.

Speaking of their success, Kim West, Jo Messenger and Nicky Parker from The Swindon Down's Syndrome Group said:

"We are honoured and humbled to have received this prestigious award for the work that we do for supporting our people with Down's Syndrome and their families in the Swindon area".

The nomination was made by Cliff Puffett and supported by their Patron Howard Taylor.

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service Main Award Committee Chair and former broadcast journalist Martyn Lewis CBE said,

"Outstanding volunteer groups across the UK all too often go without recognition for the truly amazing work they do, despite the vital part they play in helping bind our communities together. It's a great pleasure to celebrate the efforts of The Swindon Down's Syndrome Group with The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service and help raise awareness of all they do for the benefit of others."

More than 850 groups around the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man have now won the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, over the eight years since it was created by Her Majesty to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002.

Coalition Cuts Begin

Monday, 07 June 2010 11:17

CHILD TRUST FUND - scrapped

The coalition government have announced that ALL payments to the child trust fund are to be stopped by January 2011.

Orginally the scheme was set up for children born on or after 1 September 2002 to provide long-term savings to help with adult expense. The scheme has been the single most successful savings policy to date.

At present, new parents receive a minimum £250 voucher to invest for their children (£500 if income is below £16,190) which they can access at age 18. A further payment is made when the child reaches age . This top up will now be scrapped as of 1st August 2010.

From April 2009, if you received Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for your child, your child received an annual payment of £200 if their DLA award included the highest rate care component and £100 if they were entitled to any other rate of DLA. These payments were paid directly into the CTF account starting from April 2010. These payments are now scrapped.

I have an existing fund - what happens now?

If an account has already been opened, it will continue as usual and the child will not be able to touch the money until age 18.
Family and friends can still add up to £1,200 a year into the account and it will be tax free.

From 1st August this year, payments at birth will be reduced from £250 to £50 for better off families and from £500 to £100 for those earning less than £16,190. Payments for those aged 7 and those receiving Disability Living Allowance will stop.

All payments will cease from 1 January 2011.

Helen Wild
Welfare/Benefits Adviser for DSA

Job vacancy - Policy and Campaigns Officer

Tuesday, 31 August 2010 00:00

Job Title: Policy and Campaigns Officer

Location: National Office, Teddington, Middx

We are looking for a bright, creative and enthusiastic individual with experience of policy research to work on issue-based campaigns. Reporting to the Communications, Campaigns and Policy Manager you will be responsible for undertaking research and policy analysis to inform the organisation's campaigns.

This is a full time (35 hours a week) role. If you have the skills and experience we are looking for, please complete the application form and send with a covering letter to

Lesley Alabaf Human Resources Manager, Down's Syndrome Association, Langdon Down Centre, 2a Langdon Park, Teddington, TW11 9PS,

Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ,

Fax 0845 230 0373.

For an informal chat about the role, please contact Sheila Heslam on 0845 230 0372.

The closing date for applications is 10th September 2010.

Please click here for the full job outline and person specification.

CLOTHES RECYCLING SCAM

Wednesday, 11 August 2010 00:00

If you receive this flyer please throw it away. It is a CHARITY SCAM and therefore FRAUD.

The Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) DOES NOT currently raise funds by recycling clothes via a third party.

Job vacancy with Down Syndrome International

Monday, 09 August 2010 00:00

TRUST AND CORPORATE FUNDRAISER
(4 months Fixed Term Contract)

Salary: £27,500pa
Teddington (Greater London)

We are looking to recruit a Trust and Corporate Fundraiser, who will be based at our International Office in Teddington, Middlesex. Reporting to the DSi Manager, the key responsibilities of this new role will involve identifying and researching potential grant funding opportunities, generating income from new sources, developing proposals for projects that could attract new funding, donor management, maintaining and developing relationships with existing and new supporters, and other associated tasks to ensure the proper functioning of the team. Candidates should have experience of achieving major grant funding from trusts etc, with an understanding of financial reporting standards within the voluntary sector.