This is an old version of the ERIC blog.
Click here to read this blog on the new ERIC website.
The experience James Hatton gained volunteering with ERIC’s Fundraising Team helped him find work as a fundraiser for a local hospice: a dream he’d had since finishing university. Find out more about the long-lasting impact of his time at ERIC.
This week we’re in full celebration mode at ERIC. We’re celebrating because it’s Small Charity Week and today is Volunteering Day. For a small charity like ERIC, volunteers make a huge difference to our work. We’re celebrating a special volunteer today. Continue reading
On April 5th 2015, ERIC’s fundraising appeal will air on BBC Radio 4. The appeal will be presented by ERIC supporter, author and comedian David Baddiel.
Beccie Allen, 20, explains the impact that her wetting problems had on her childhood, including the soul destroying bullying she experienced at primary school. She shares how the committed support of teaching staff helped to turn the situation around and enable her to become the person she is today.
Working on the ERIC Helpline and hearing first-hand how having just one child with a continence issue (wee and poo problems) can overwhelm whole families, I have often wondered what it must be like to head up a charity with a cause like ERIC’s. So, I managed to get Jenny Perez – ERIC’s Director – to squeeze me into her busy schedule and talk to her about being ERIC’s Director. What follows is Jenny’s candid response…
Having responsibility for what happens in a charity that is reliant upon funding can lie heavy on the shoulders of those that head it up, but this didn’t deter Jenny from applying for what has now been her job for over 4 years. How do you raise the profile of a charity that deals with children’s wee and poo? It’s not the most heart-wrenching of causes and doesn’t conjure up appealing images to work with, but for Jenny ERIC’s work was attractive and having young children of her own, she had an insight into the impact that childhood continence can have on families.
Keeping all the balls in the air and being ready to catch one if it starts to fall is how Jenny describes the main function of her job and having a finger on the pulse of the organisation is essential as she carries responsibility for the day-to-day workings of ERIC. She needs to ensure that ERIC performs effectively and efficiently and that the funding alongside the budgeting works.
‘Director’ is the job title but within that are a number of roles – decision maker, office manager, figurehead, manager of the senior management team to name but a few! However, this all adds to the variety that Jenny enjoys so much about her job and the contact with people that it affords her. She also enjoys working for a charity and the opportunities it gives to speak out about childhood continence, raising its profile and lessening the stigma around this complex issue.
Some of the more challenging – but nonetheless stimulating – areas of being ERIC’s Director are matching the aspirations that ERIC (the charity) has with the funding that is available and also managing people’s expectations within that, be they service users, professionals or staff. Having to spend time concentrating on the paperwork side of her job means that she has less people contact and this can be quite a challenge because for Jenny – people are what it’s all about!
When setting budgets, Jenny needs to bear in mind that ERIC’s biggest spend is staff, then she looks at the cost of services already provided and any opportunities to develop more. She assesses these costs so that she can set budgets at a realistic level. A recent success that adds to the annual budgeting exercise for the next three years has been to secure funding for an ‘ERIC Nurse.’ Jenny has cultivated this exciting project from its beginning – an inspirational innovation that has the potential to develop ERIC’s work at a dynamic level.
Jenny finds that networking offers opportunities and partnerships based around raising ERIC’s profile and giving it a voice, and can enable the charity to provide extra services in a more cost-effective way. How does Jenny foresee growth for ERIC in the future? Well, using volunteers across the country, being well-represented at NHS level and creating new business and funding opportunities are all potential growth areas that she is excited about. Being ERIC’s Director requires vision and Jenny has plenty of that – her ultimate vision being that ERIC becomes a household name!
Thank you Jenny for sharing with us what it’s like to be ERIC’s Director!
Jayne M
Remember our World Record attempt last month? Well here is the video – I think it’s pretty funny, let me know what you think! And remember, if you fancy doing something fun or wacky to help raise awareness and funds for ERIC – just get in touch!
It really was a brilliant day and although we didn’t break the record, we had a hilarious time trying!
in June 2012, ERIC supporters Mark and Mark challenged the Guinness World Record for the fastest time for a team of two to pop 100 balloons. The challenge was t raise awareness and funds for ERIC’s STOP the Issue Ballooning campaign which encourages families to get help for childhood continence problems, sooner rather than later. The world’s largest E-balloon race was also launched to raise money for ERIC.
Natasha
Today’s post comes from Crescent, ERIC’s longest serving volunteer. Crescent has been volunteering for ERIC for 6 years now and we are so grateful for her support.
My Dad has been running races since the beginning of time and after many years I have finally worn him down into slipping on his familiar trainers for ERIC at the Bristol half marathon. Some might say that’s great, another supporter. Others might ask why’s it taken you so long? There in lies my younger brother; I suppose you could call him my Dads’ running manager as he chooses which charity they’ll be fundraising for.
You see even though we knew someone who had continence issues, in his opinion ERIC isn’t a real charity and not a worthy cause! Let’s just see who he’ll be calling when he starts potty training. His children that is.
When it comes down to it continence problems are a subject which gets swept under the carpet. Yet you can see an advert on the telly of four ladies that lunch talking about their constipation issues (http://tinyurl.com/64y5ck) but a child or a teenager? No. That’s far too embarrassing or awkward to see.
Anyhow I digress, as the 30th of September approaches and bottles of cream to relieve muscle pain start appearing around the house, I’m sure that the donations will arrive. And maybe that will convince my brother otherwise that people do believe childhood continence is an issue which needs to be confronted and taken more seriously.
Crescent
Crescent’s Dad’s just giving page is here http://www.justgiving.com/mrowenruns/eurl.axd/0e886df4bcb4f34484f10377652759d7
A big part of my job as Fundraising Manager here at ERIC is encouraging, cajoling and bribing people to fundraise for us through challenge events, collections and any way that they or we can think of! It seemed right for me to set an example and put my money where my mouth is so last week I took part in 2 events and hope to have raised around £300 for my efforts (though thanks to the kindness of my friends it’s still trickling in!)
My colleagues here know that I love singing and am a enthusiastic member of the wonderful UpFront Choir here in Bristol. We meet every Thursday and sing rock songs – it’s the highlight of my week! We had a concert (with live band) last week to sing some of the hits that we’ve covered (inc. Road Rage, Honky Tonk Women, One Day Like This and my favourite, Walking on Sunshine). The Soundworks in Southville really rocked for the evening and the appreciative audience donated £130 to ERIC when we passed the bucket round. Thanks to Chris and Wendy for enabling ERIC to benefit from this great evening.
A couple of days later I took part in my first ever sporting event of any kind – Try-a-Tri in my home town of Portishead. It was HARD with all the wind and rain but an uplifting achievement and now I can relate to the feeling of exuberance that so many of our supporters describe after completing a ‘challenge’.
So, runners, swimmers, cyclists and swimmers – could you do something for ERIC? Give us a call – we’ll talk you into it!
Caroline
We had a wonderful time at Cumberwell Golf Club’s Captain’s Day on Saturday!
Event organiser and Club Captain, Rob Sandel, said he chose ERIC to receive funds raised from the day because ‘we wanted to support one of the less well known causes, and are aware of the big difference ERIC makes to so many children’. Rob is a Deputy Headteacher at St Keyna Primary School, so really understands the impact a wetting or soiling problem can have upon a child and their family.
Despite the challenging conditions, over 100 players took part in the competition on the day – each competing for the highly regarded ‘Captain’s Day Trophy’. Competitions at each hole included ‘Nearest the Pin’ and the ‘Longest Drive’. The club hope to raise £1000 to support ERIC which is a phenomenal effort!
Our smaller ERIC supporters were treated to a drive with Rob on the golf buggy which was a particular highlight –they delivered bacon butties to the players around the course! A great day was had by all, and our warmest thanks goes to Rob and all at the club for making the ERIC team so welcome!
Sarah
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