A Cute Christmas wish!

I didn’t think I’d be blogging again before Christmas but I thought this was too cute not to share! Whilst looking after my 7-year-old niece yesterday she drew this Christmas picture! How cute!

Here’s what it says “Giving Voice is the best at Christmas because it helps you speak in the Happy New Year 2013, the year coming. Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year everyone. Love from Toni Anne Seago. oxoxox”

I think it’s lovely that Toni has recognised that Giving Voice will continue to support (and raise awareness of) speech and language therapy in the New Year! 

On another note, here’s me feeling festive in my new Giving Voice t-shirt from RCSLT. Get one of your own from the Giving Voice website. Don’t forget if you want to find out more about getting involved in the Giving Voice working group contact emma.barnes@rcslt.org.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Giving Voice, Oranges and Jelly Babies

On Sunday, I spent the day in South Shields supporting the 54,000 runners in the Great North Run.  We set up next to the 11 mile mark with a large Giving Voice banner, some Oranges and Jelly Babies. My sister and I were also wearing pink hoodies with a Giving Voice t-shirt over the top.

We had a large Giving Voice banner which was mounted onto some hardboard and a pole so that it would be visible on camera.

As the cameras came past with the elite runners I positioned the banner in view of the camera and my parents were sitting at home watching it on TV. The camera passed us  4 times and my parents report that on one of these occasions we made it to the TV J It was quite quick but a few of my family and friends text me to tell me they saw us with our banner J

As people were running past they were looking at the banner so it was potentially seen by all of the runners.

We gave out more than 100 oranges (cut into quarters) as well as 6 bags and 3 boxes of Jelly Babies (whilst wearing our Giving Voice t-shirts). Everyone was so grateful and it was so rewarding raising morale of the runners so far into the race J

All in all we had a fantastic day and got the Giving Voice logo (and message) out there to some more people. Even the rain didn’t put us off J

Me, my niece and Sister supporting the campaign

Giving Voice at the Great North Run

My brother-in-law is running in the Great North Run on Sunday and I am going along to support him. My sister lives in South Shields so we will be supporting near her house, around the 11 mile mark. I thought this would be a good opportunity to spread a little more Giving Voice awareness so I will be taking a large banner along with me. Also, my sister has been in the background on the TV coverage a few times over the years when the elite runners go past, so hopefully we can get the banner on TV! My sister and I will also be wearing T-shirts with the Giving Voice logo on.

I’m going to buy some oranges to cut into quarters to give out to the runners as they go past (just to be nice J)

I’ll be on the side lines all day and hopefully I can engage some other supporters in a Giving Voice conversation (before it starts etc).

If you are going to be supporting people at the GNR, why not take a banner, leaflets or wear a t-shirt (with GV logo, see previous blog entry) to try and spread the word a little further. If you aren’t going to the Great North Run, why not watch it on TV and see if you can spot us with the Giving Voice banner (you can let me know if I was successful!)

The Giving Voice banner might not make it to TV, but if nothing else, some more people will see the logo at the event itself. Good luck to everyone who’s running this year. Now let’s just keep our fingers crossed for a dry day!

Making a Giving Voice T-shirt

Another simple idea:

What you will need:

• Plain white t-shirt
• Computer and printer
• GV logo from the GV website
• Transfer paper (5 sheets for £2.50 from Asda)
• Iron

When I held the street fair events I did so wearing a t-shirt with the Giving Voice logo on. I printed this myself so thought I’d share this with you so others could do the same. It’s simple to do and not too expensive.

I bought some transfer paper from Asda and got 5 sheets for £2.50. These sheets are A4 in size and the logo looks good when printed onto them.

I got the logo from the Giving Voice website and made it A4 size in Microsoft word. I typed ‘Speech and Language Therapy Transforms Lives’ myself in a broader font to ensure it would iron onto the t-shirt ok.

You need to make the logo a mirror image (or select print mirror image if your printer allows) to ensure it is the right way when ironed onto the t-shirt.

Then you iron the transfer onto the front (and back?) of the t-shirt and you’re ready to go!

A simple way to get the logo noticed by more people. You never know who might see you wearing it and it can be a good conversation starter (making more opportunities to Give Voice!)