News Release

Royal visitor will see cheque presented to children's charity Brainwave at Inner Wheel Association Conference in Plymouth

April 2013:HRH, The Countess of Wessex GCVO will attend the National Conference of the Association of Inner Wheel Clubs in Great Britain and Ireland on 23 April at the Plymouth Pavilions where she will see President of Inner Wheel, Dr Sheila Halliday-Pegg present a cheque to Brainwave CEO Phil Edge to mark the adoption of Brainwave as its Charity of the Year.

The Countess has been President of Brainwave for 10 years and will receive a memento from four year old Xavier Bleasdale who has Downs syndrome as well as a charming posy from Mrs Margaret Sismey a member of the Inner Wheel committee. The charity works with families like the Bleasdales to deliver home based individual therapies and exercises to help children with disabilities and Developmental Delay reach their full potential.

One of the largest women's voluntary organisations in the world, with 200,000 members, Inner Wheel has chosen Brainwave as its Charity of the Year and pledged to raise £30,000. Brainwave caught the interest of the organisation because its ethos embraces many of the qualities that Inner Wheel values - a friendly service based around the family, providing hope for children and their parents where particular difficulties exist. Results are achieved at relatively low cost with a reduced dependence on long term social care.

This year the international theme adopted by Inner Wheel is "Be a Friend" - a premise that will resonate with the 2,000 women expected to attend this year's Inner Wheel Conference. During the Conference Brainwave's South West Community Manager Paul Smith will give a short presentation on the Charity to the assembled delegates explaining how Brainwave is able to helpchildren with a range of conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, genetic conditions including Downs syndrome, as well as Autism or General Development Delay.

The Brainwave Centre in Somerset was set up in 1982 and Brainwave has two further Centres in Witham, Essex and in Birchwood, Warrington as well as satellite clinics in Ireland and Scotland.

Places on the Programme are available for children at all three Centres. For more information seewww.brainwave.org.uk; email:enquiries@brainwave.org.ukor phone: 01278 429089.

Press information regarding Brainwave: Jane Adkins, Tel: 01935 813114 or email:jane@aheadforpr.co.uk.

Press information regarding Inner Wheel: Thelma Pacsoo, Tel: 01943 830670 or email:t.pacsoo@btinternet.com

Editor's notes

1. Brainwave's team of physiotherapists, occupational therapists development therapists and teachers seek to transform the lives of children with disabilities. By working with parents, giving them relevant therapy equipment and teaching them correct handling skills, they are empowered to actively participate in their child's development.

2. Families are invited to the Centre for a two day Initial Assessment where the child is assessed and a Programme designed for the child. On the second day the family are shown how to undertake the exercises, which they then carry out at home, returning to the Centre every 4-6 months when the exercises are adjusted.

3. Brainwave was set up in 1982 and moved into the Centre in Huntworth Gate, Bridgwater in 1986. This Centre operates as the Charity's head office.

4. Brainwave currently has over 550 families on Programme nationally.

5. See the charity's videos athttp://uk.youtube.com/BrainwaveCentre.

6. Brainwave uses mainstream neuroplasticity techniques in its Programmes. Most of its therapists are NHS trained.

7. Brainwave's President is HRH The Countess of Wessex GCVO and the Vice Presidents include Lady Gass, Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant of Somerset.

8. Though Inner Wheel is not intrinsically a fund-raising organisation, members throughout Great Britain and Ireland raise in the region of two million pounds annually for charities both at home and abroad, as well as very many hours spent in hands on service in their own communities.

9. Other Speakers at the Conference include Lord Mayor of Plymouth Cllr Michael Wright; President of International Inner Wheel Carole Young; Oriental Ceramic expert Lars Tharp and Gail Stuart, daughter of Eric Morecambe. The Military Wives Choir, receiving a cheque on behalf of SSAFA will perform.