2012

We’ve organised 47 events in 18 different countries, cycled, run and walked thousands of miles and raised a whopping £16million … and all this in just two decades! To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Norwood Challenges programme, the Charity is calling on the whole community to go the extra mile to raise vital funds to help make this year’s events the biggest and best yet.

Singer, Britain’s Got Talent judge and LA fitness Creative Director, Alesha Dixon has teamed up with Norwood and the Down’s Syndrome Association, for this year’s annual LA fitness Capital to Coast Cycle Challenge for Charity, which takes place on Sunday, 1st July.

The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP commended Norwood’s ‘important work’ as he helped the Charity to raise £14,000 at its third annual YN Current Affairs Reception. More than 150 young people attended the exclusive fundraising and networking event, which was held at the London offices of law firm Norton Rose.

A bit of brain power and a lot of goodwill helped Norwood to raise an incredible £12,000 at its annual Supper Quiz. More than 200 people packed into St Michael’s Banqueting Hall in Golders Green to take part in a quiz, which was organised by the Enterprise Committee and hosted by regular quizmaster Alan Dedicoat. The aptly named Michael’s Winners walked away with first prize, while a special True or False round was won by Ron Fogleman.

More than 100 adults who use Norwood’s services dressed to impress at a costume party held last night in celebration of the Jewish festival of Purim. The evening was kindly hosted by the Jewish Community Secondary School (JCoSS) in East Barnet, and pupils were on hand to welcome guests with drinks and snacks.

A panel of fashion experts, including TV personality Lowri Turner, joined 130 guests to help Norwood raise £20,000 at its annual Ladies Lunch yesterday. The event was organised by the Charity’s Food & Thought Committee, and was held at Haven Bistro & Bar in Whetstone High Road. The popular venue generously sponsored the event, allowing all proceeds to go directly to Norwood to help the thousands of people with learning disabilities, and children and families in need who rely on its life-changing

A coalition of charities and local authorities hailed the success of an event to boost fostering within the Orthodox Jewish community. Fostering in the Community, held last Wednesday at Hasmonean Boys School, in Hendon, was organised by a partnership group which included charities Norwood and Ezer Leyoldos and fostering services at the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Hackney.

Fundraisers supporting Norwood made the most of the sunshine on Sunday for the Norwood 10 Bridges walk. The 6.5 or 13-mile journey, starting near Vauxhall Bridge, and finishing beyond Tower Bridge, raised more than £15,000 for the Charity, which supports people with learning disabilities and children and families in need.

Children and young people who use Norwood’s Kennedy Leigh Family Centre in Hendon are being offered a feast for the senses thanks to a new inclusive sensory garden. The state-of-the-art play area was officially opened by the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Lisa Rutter, this morning, and was attended by children at the nursery, their parents, and staff. The project was made possible by funding from the Borough of Barnet, Waitrose, and Lea’s Garden, along with money raised from parents.

Norwood is calling on the Jewish community to dig deep this Pesach and help it support people to gain the freedom to fulfil their potential. Due to Government spending cuts, the Charity now has to raise £10million in voluntary income each year and is aiming to raise £100,000 through its annual Passover holiday appeal.

Venture capitalist Jon Moulton’s bleak economic forecast failed to dampen the mood at the annual Norwood Business Breakfast this morning, as he helped the Charity to raise £72,000 for its vital work.

www.jweb.org.uk is the only free online directory of resources for members of the Jewish special need community throughout the UK.
It’s a one-of-a-kind place for the Jewish learning disabilities community to meet and share opportunities, ideas and support. Like so many great ideas, jweb is about collaboration and about people communicating with each other.

Norwood and UJIA Birthright have joined forces to lead the UK Jewish community’s first trip to Israel for young people with physical and learning disabilities that is free for all participants. The UJIA Birthright-Norwood ‘Limitless’ programme is a 10 day trip that departs on Monday 5 March after nearly two years of careful planning.

A group of talented artists with learning disabilities were given the chance to exhibit alongside world-famous glass sculptor Dale Chihuly at a top Mayfair art gallery last night, during Norwood’s annual Patrons Cocktail Party.

Listen to today's BBC Radio Berkshire interview with Ravenswood residents and Linda Looney, Business Development Manager of Social Enterprise talking about a recent art show at the Halcyon Gallery.

Norwood, one of the UK’s leading social care organisations, has been chosen by top international law firm SJ Berwin as one of its Charities of the Year alongside Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and NSPCC. The legal giant, headquartered in London, has set itself a £1million Charity Challenge for 2012 and will distribute the proceeds between the four good causes.

Norwood is one of 70 signatories to an open letter to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, calling for cross-party action on reforming social care for older and disabled people.

A group of young professionals trekked and cycled through the snow, sand and mountains of Sicily over the May Bank Holiday weekend to raise over £75,000 for Norwood.

A group of 21 runners took to the Capital’s streets for the Virgin London Marathon on Sunday 22nd April, in aid of Norwood. The event has so far raised an incredible £80.000 for the Charity, which supports people with learning disabilities and children and families in need.

A group of intrepid trekkers have raised an incredible £150,000 for Norwood following a trip of a lifetime to the Sahara Desert. The 37 fundraisers braved sandstorms, the searing heat of the midday sun and freezing nights as they walked 80km from Cheggaga Dunes to Mahamid during the four day challenge.

A snapshot of the Jewish community’s main organisations last year revealed that women comprise only a fifth of all JLC member organisation trustees, a quarter of chief executives and just a quarter of members of the Board of Deputies. The Commission on Women in Jewish Leadership (CWJL) was established to make the community stronger by addressing this gender imbalance in Jewish communal leadership.

Norwood went mobile this week as the Charity received the keys to a new van which will be used to help it run its work projects for adults with learning disabilities. The van was made possible thanks to a generous £50,000 donation from the Patsy Bloom and Robert Blausten Charitable Trust.

Norwood and UJIA Birthright joined forces to lead the UK Jewish community’s first trip to Israel for young people with physical and learning disabilities that was free for all participants. The UJIA Birthright-Norwood ‘Limitless’ programme was a 10 day trip that started on Monday 5 March 2012 after nearly two years of careful planning.

The impact of the current recession and Euro crisis on the British economy was amongst a range of topics up for debate at the YN Business, Finance & Entrepreneurs committee’s first dinner last night. More than 200 young professionals attended the fundraiser at Le Méridien Hotel Piccadilly, which raised over £44,000 for Norwood.

Norwood celebrated emerging young talent at the second annual YN Property Awards last night, which raised an unprecedented £80,000 for the Charity's vital work. More than 350 young property professionals attended the fundraiser at the Hilton London Metropole, which was generously sponsored by Derwent London and Pilcher Hershman.