QE HOSPITAL CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION MEET OUR BUDDY ...BUDDY! 10A have adopted Buddy and so for the next two years they will receive regular Pupdates and photographs tracking his progress. He is attending puppy class, learning new skills and developing in confidence. Buddy also has regular playdates with other local guide dog puppies and his best friend is Toby! They even share the same birthday! WALKING THE DOG It costs over £44,000 to train Buddy to be a fully qualified guide dog so 10A have a series of events planned to raise money for him. At the end of the summer term they are planning a staff quiz and a food sale which will include Pupcakes and World Cup Cakes. They have also organised and taken part in a sponsored toy dog walk as part of this year’s enrichment programme. This raised over £200 for the Guide Dogs for the Blind charity. They would like to thank all those who supported them in their fundraising efforts. TV STAR ADIL RAY OBE ANNOUNCED AS ACORNS PATRON Acorns Children’s Hospice is delighted to announce the appointment of Adil Ray OBE as a Patron for the charity. Established in 1988, Acorns offers a network of care for life- limited and life-threatened babies, children and young people and their families, across the heart of England. Toby Porter, Chief Executive of Acorns, commented: “We are absolutely thrilled that Adil Ray has agreed to become an Acorns Patron as we approach 2018, our 30th anniversary of caring for children and supporting their families. Adil is recognised and respected across our region not just for his acting and broadcasting work, but also as an extremely important advocate for many of the things that we value most deeply at Acorns – compassion, inclusion, diversity, and the importance of communities supporting one another. Adil’s engagement and support will be a huge help in raising awareness across Birmingham and the West Midlands for the care provided by Acorns to the children and families that it is our privilege to serve.” Adil Ray OBE commented: “When Acorns opened their first hospice in Selly Oak in 1988, I used to do a paper round in the surrounding streets. In the almost 30 years since then, every year they have done all they can to support more and more kids and their families. I would be delighted if I can now help Acorns as a Patron to continue to provide their special blend of care to any child and family that needs their support well into the future. Just like my paper round back then I look forward to rolling my sleeves up and doing what I can for the inspirational children and families.” In the past year, Acorns has provided care for more than 870 children and over 1,090 families, including those who are bereaved. 45