Gepco Van Bokhorst is a vet in the Netherlands, but he is also an Ambassador for CliniClowns, a European Clowndoctor organisation. His role as an ambassador is to support clowning organisations across Europe by taking part in fundraising events to raise money and spread the word about the fantastic work of Clowndoctors.
Hearts & Minds were delighted when Gepco contacted them to say he and his wife Angelique had signed up to do The Big Stroll at the legendary Edinburgh Kiltwalk on 18 September to raise money for their Clowndoctors. They are hoping to raise £2500 and this will be boosted by 50% by the generosity of Sir Tom Hunter.
Gepco explains why they wanted to come and support the Edinburgh charity:
“My role with the CliniClowns in the Netherlands: I am one of the ambassadors. These are volunteers who go into the country to receive cheques, supervise, and start sponsor activities and give presentations.
“The policy is that (paid) clowns should be with the children or people with dementia. So, most of the money can be destined for the clowns working in the field. I have felt involved in the founding of the CliniClowns organization and have seen it grow to its current size with 40 people working in the office and more then 100 clowns employed.
“I have also been closely involved with the CliniClowns Circus for 6 years. This circus was meant for families with a multiple disabled child. So, the whole family had a fun event. This was a very special and valuable time for me to experience the impact of Medical Clowning up close. I have seen miracles happen. (See the photo a friend took with me and a girl who does not respond to people and could hardly move her arms according to her caretakers). Every time it gives me goosebumps and I realize how important medical clowning is.
“In 2017 after giving a presentation for the European Federation of Healthcare Clowning Organisations (EFHCO) I heard about Hearts & Minds and immediately adopted Dr. Wallop. Your charity is a bit smaller and reminded me of the earlier days of the CliniClowns.
“Scotland: I have been visiting the Highlands since my last year in university. I have also spent holidays in Scotland with my family and children. It feels like coming home. I received once a Gordon kilt as thanks for saving a dog (I am a vet). The kilt belonged to the lady’s late husband. Once I had worn this kilt, it again felt like coming home. Last year, I had a red kilt (Ramsay) made so that I could marry the love of my life in it: Angelique.
“The Kiltwalk is a challenge we like, not only the walk but also everything that has to do with fundraising (t-shirt, leaflet, video etc.) and the most important reason is you as a small charity can use it very well, especially when Sir Tom Hunter tops it with 50%. And of course, I can wear my wedding kilt again!!”
Sean Donnelly Interim CEO, Hearts & Minds said:“We are so grateful to Gepco and Angelique for coming all the way from the Netherlands to support our Clowndoctors and I am looking forward to joining them on The Big Stroll in my kilt and red nose too!
These funds will go directly to Clowndoctor visits to hospitals and schools and will bring moments of joy and laughter that last long after the Clowndoctors have been.
● With 100 days to go until the UN climate change summit COP26, 13 ambassadors are encouraging the country to follow their green footsteps and play their part in tackling climate change
● The first tranche of ‘One Step Greener’ ambassadors include Edinburgh’s Sara Thomson of The Leith Collective
● Nation to nominate everyday climate leaders to be part of the 26 ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors who symbolise the best in UK climate leadership and whose stories will be showcased at the crucial summit in November
People from across the country will have the chance to showcase their stories at the major climate summit COP26 in Glasgow, as a search for everyday climate leaders gets underway today (Saturday 24 July).
In the lead up to COP26 with less than 100 days to go, the UK Government is calling on people from all walks of life to join the ‘One Step Greener’ movement on social media by sharing how they are doing their bit for the environment, championing climate leaders in their communities, and inspiring others to follow their lead. Whether big or small, one or many, green steps around the country can culminate in a large collective impact in helping make Britain a more sustainable and greener place.
The nation will also be able to nominate people in their communities who they think are making a big difference in the fight against climate change. They will have the chance to become ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors and showcase their stories at COP26 this November – which aims to be the most inclusive COP ever.
Those nominated could be family members, friends, colleagues, community leaders or entrepreneurs: anyone who is taking action to tackle climate change and inspiring others to follow in their green footsteps.
Leading the charge are 13 inspiring people, announced today as the first ambassadors for the ‘One Step Greener’ initiative, who will be launching the search for another 13 extraordinary individuals ahead of COP26 – making 26 everyday climate leaders in the UK to mark the 26th climate summit of its kind.
The ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors will come from all walks of life in their pursuit of a greener future, as they come together with government, businesses, community groups, schools, and citizens in taking steps to tackle climate change.
Prime Minister Boris Johnsonsaid: “The UK has made huge strides towards a greener future, with new records in renewable energy and new targets for slashing emissions. But there are also thousands of people across the country doing their bit too, from embarking on green careers and building sustainable businesses to reducing their use of plastic and taking part in conservation projects.
“We can all do our bit to help tackle climate change. That’s why we’re challenging everyone to go one step greener in the next 100 days and win the chance to become an ambassador ahead of COP26 in Glasgow this November.”
COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma said: “In my many meetings with ministers and governments around the world we discuss the big changes which urgently need to be made to tackle climate change.
“Setting ambitious emissions reductions targets, supporting developing nations, and protecting nature are all vital if we are to keep temperatures from rising above 1.5C.
“But there is a role in tackling climate change for everyone, and it is heartening to see all parts of society embracing their responsibility to safeguard our precious planet, no matter how big or small a step.”
The Leith Collective founder Sara Thomson said:“I couldn’t be more delighted to be named a One Step Greener Ambassador ahead of COP26. This is a great opportunity to tell us about what you, or someone you know, is doing to be one step greener. It could end up with you joining us to help tackle climate change at COP26.”
World leaders will meet in Glasgow with the aim of agreeing how to tackle the urgent threat of global climate change. The UK is working to prevent global temperatures rising above 1.5C and to protect the planet and people from the intensifying impacts of climate change, which unchecked will lead to further catastrophic flooding, bush fires, extreme weather, and the mass extinction of species. The UK has been leading the way and shown that green growth is possible. The UK was also the first country to commit to reduce carbon emissions by 78% by 2035 and is on course to be the fastest G7 country to decarbonise cars and vans by 2030.
British female racing driver Alice Powell has become one of the first ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors. Yesterday, Powell arrived in her ground-breaking Envision Virgin Racing Formula E Car racing car which is redefining the green future of motor sport.
There she met with the Prime Minister’s Spokesperson for COP26 Allegra Stratton to discuss her involvement as an Ambassador for the ‘One Step Greener’ initiative. Alice and the Envision Virgin Racing team will also host COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma at the London ePrix, an annual race of the single-seater, electrically powered Formula E championship.
The ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors have been announced today to cover all parts of the UK and include:
Dame Jackie Daniel – NHS Trust CEO
Dame Jackie began her NHS career as a nurse before moving into management and has been a Chief Executive Officer for 20 years leading a range of acute, mental health and specialist trusts.
She was appointed as Chief Executive of Newcastle Hospitals in March 2018 and since then, the Trust has retained its outstanding CQC status and became the first NHS organisation to pledge to reach Net Zero Carbon.
She was recently named as one of the top five chief executives of the year in the HSJ awards for 2021.
Dame Jackie Daniel said: “COP26 will be a defining moment in the global effort to tackle climate change and I am honoured to be named a One Step Greener Ambassador.
“Climate change poses a major threat to people’s and the planet’s health which is why the NHS in England has committed to become the world’s first carbon net zero national health system. I hope I can encourage the public to do their bit to protect our planet as well as nominating others who are going One Step Greener.”
Hugo Chambers – Sustainable Sourcing Manager and Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at Sainsbury’s
Hugo’s job at Sainsbury’s is to help reduce the impact of our food on the planet, whether that’s lowering the carbon footprint of products such as coffee or cheese or ensuring the palm oil in their products do not contribute to the deforestation of tropical forests. Outside of work, Hugo also tries to make greener decisions where he can such as cycling to work and trying to eat a more healthy and sustainable diet.
Hugo Chambers said: “My passion for protecting the environment is central to the work that I do, which is to help reduce the impact of our food consumption on the planet, whether that’s by helping to reduce the carbon footprint of products, or ensuring that palm oil in our products doesn’t contribute to the deforestation of tropical forests.
“I hope that as a One Step Greener Ambassador, I can help inspire and encourage people up and down the country to lead healthier, more sustainable lives as the UK gets ready to host COP26 in November. Who are you going to nominate to be a One Step Greener Ambassador?”
The full list of 13 are Sara Thomson (The Leith Collective), Dame Jackie Daniel (NHS), Alice Powell (Envision Virgin Racing), Hugo Chambers (Sainsbury’s), Jasmine Allen (SSE), Toby McCartney (MacRebur), James Lloyd-Jones (Jones Food Company), Emer Rafferty (youth environmentalist), Ade Adepitan (Paralympic medalist and TV presenter) , Max La Manna (low-waste chef), Rob Thompson (Odyssey Innovation), Ash Dykes (adventurer and extreme athlete) and Buffy Buroughs (Green Gathering Festival).
Nominations will close on 1October and the final 26 ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors will be announced on 7 October, 26 days before the crucial summit begins.
Invisible illness promoter William Cuthill is honoured with a national awardfor his work as Teapot Trust Ambassador
Perth boy William Cuthill, aged 13, who has raised over £5,000 for the Teapot Trust SCIO, has been named ‘Inspirational Young Person 12 – 14 Years’ in the renowned GSK WellChild Awards 2021.
Yesterday, William attended a star-studded private party at London’s Kew Gardens, organised by WellChild and met the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry.
Teapot Trust SCIO founder and trustee Dr Laura N Young nominated William Cuthill for the award because she has been amazed by the dedication William has had to the charity, when he’s juggled schoolwork, his health-condition and time in hospital for medication and appointments.
Dr Laura N Young MBE with 13-year-old William Cuthill outside the Royal Hospitalfor Children and Young People Edinburgh
William, who has juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), is one of many children who might look fine on the outside, but internally their body is having a struggle to function normally without constant medication.
This condition causes William to have very painful joints, like rheumatoid arthritis in adults with low mobility and energy. He must see many consultants, two of whom also nominated him for his award, since they see how, despite the number of times he is in pain and to and from hospital, he is always positive and looking for ways to promote the art therapy offered by Teapot Trust SCIO.
Founder of the charity, which supplies art therapy to children with long-term health conditions Dr Laura N Young MBE, said, “The efforts and lengths to which William has gone for us are exceptional for any young person and would be worthy of honouring.
“However, he has done this work whilst struggling with his own health condition with days not feeling great, such as low energy and pain.
“William soldiers on, thinking of everyone else but himself. He is a very special boy who would be astounded to properly understand how much his help has been appreciated.
“He is one of those few people who gives without question. The knowledge of the appreciation of his efforts will no doubt spur him on, but will, we hope, also make others aware not only of what he endures but also what he contributes despite this.”
William Cuthill artwork
So far, William has raised more than £5,000 for the charity, which considering the dire consequences of Covid-19 on the charity sector, has been quite amazing. The charity would like to thank members of the community who have sponsored William and purchased his artwork.
Over the last three years, Teapot Trust had the privilege of William appearing at events; he has added to a lovely atmosphere by piping guests in; then, impressing potential donors by speaking, talking about how he used his art therapy time and the value it has been to him.
Most children of his age would shun such an environment and the mere idea of ‘public speaking’. Unbeknown to William it is an immeasurable task to get people on side and aid their understanding of what it is like for a child to live with a health condition.
Teapot Trust commended him for being able to do this and for his honesty at how his life is impacted; not many people can do this, let alone a young person. His ability to connect and empathise with other children with chronic conditions is remarkable.
As a Junior Ambassador he has also attended time-consuming Board Meetings, not simply as an observer for 10 minutes, but sitting through the whole session and contributing valuable points from a service user’s point of view.
His mother has taken time to help him read and understand papers which would normally be well outside the norm for a child of his age.
William also gifted his school Science Project to Teapot Trust.
William’s work cleverly refers to ‘a child’ with JIA, rather than to himself, to protect himself amongst his peers. The life-sized model knee he created showcases a Baker Cyst alongside his inspiring text, raising the profile of an invisible disease and the challenges children are faced with on this journey.
William has talked about this model which has given the Teapot Trust staff and a wider audience beyond this, a much greater understanding of what can go wrong in a joint. He has also bravely revealed how isolating and lonely it can feel to suffer in silence.
William was picked from hundreds of nominations from across the UK to win the category of Inspirational Young Person in the WellChild Awards which celebrate the resilience of children living with serious illnesses or complex conditions.
Venture Trust is delighted to announce Donnie Campbell as our latest ambassador.
Donnie is the record holder for a complete round of all 282 Scottish Munro’s in 31 days and is one of Scotland’s top running coaches. His main sport is ultra mountain running and has won races all over the world, representing team GB at the world trail running championships and also running across the Namib desert in 9 days.
Donnie has an incredible amount of motivation, stamina and self-belief and he wants to push others to be the best they can be.
Mike Strang, Interm CEO at Venture Trust, said: “Donnie is a shining example of what hard work, motivation and self-belief can achieve. As an ex-marine turned ultra-mountain runner, Donnie is well placed to inspire the people we work with who may not have had the best start in life. We are delighted to have Donnie on board.
“Donnie’s appointment is particularly timely as we recently launched an Outdoor Therapy service which specifically provides mental health support to veterans struggling with their transitioning to civilian life and looking for new goals and aspirations.”
At Venture Trust, we work with people to gain the life skills, stability and confidence needed to reach their potential.
Through person-centred support in communities and experiential learning in the Scottish outdoors we challenge individuals to reflect on beliefs, attitudes and behaviours so they can unlock skills and learn new, more positive, ways of approaching situations.
By adapting to environments like the outdoors, people we work with increase resilience, develop understanding of how to interact others, and improve impulse control in challenging situations. We have personal development programmes for young people, those involved in criminal justice and ex-service personnel struggling with civilian life.
Donnie is an inspiration to those facing and overcoming challenging circumstances and shares the belief that we can build skills through new experiences in the outdoors and getting out of our comfort zone.
Donnie says: “My achievements are about building mental stamina as much as physical stamina; once you reach difficult circumstances, you know you have been through it before, and you can get through it again.
“The circumstances I’ve faced in life might be different, but by offering the right support and opportunities to learn out in the wild, I believe everyone working with Venture Trust has the chance to rise from their challenges and become the best version of themselves”.
Growing up in the Isle of Skye, Donnie is used to being in the countryside and surrounded by nature. He joined the Royal Marine Commando at age 17 and went to Iraq at age 18, facing many challenges at a young age. Donnie left the marines to study Sports Coaching and Development and wanted to use his enthusiasm and coaching skills to encourage other people to reach their goals.
Mike concludes: “We are really excited about working with Donnie and hope that together we can really inspire people to try new experiences, especially in the outdoors, and push themselves to achieve their goals and reach their potential”.
TV’s Trisha Goddard takes up new role to raise awareness of healthy bones in response to new research
Presenter and Journalist Trisha Goddard is sharing her experience with breast cancer to raise awareness of the life-changing importance of strong bones, as new research reveals a worrying lack of action among the public.
Osteoporosis will affect half of women and 1 in 5 men over 50, but despite this, new research by You Gov and commissioned by the Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) shows that only 40% of Scots under 55 actively try to prevent it.
The condition weakens bones, making them more likely to break and affects 3.5 million people in the UK.
In 2008, Trisha was warned that her bones would lose strength as a result of her breast cancer treatment – unless she took decisive action.
Today, Trisha is sharing the lessons from one of the toughest periods of her life as a message of hope for people of all ages: that by taking action to strengthen your bones, we can all live better in older age and avoid the pain and disability of osteoporosis.
Trisha said: “I never really gave osteoporosis or my bone density a thought until it came to my breast cancer treatment. My surgeon explained that the medication I would be on for the next ten years would affect my bones.
“While I was ill, the hospital tested my bone density and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that at the age of 50, it was still really good. All the weight training and powerwalking I had done for half my life had paid off. There was no need for me to be prescribed any additional medication to help preserve my bones through the cancer treatment.
“After five years of being on breast cancer medication, my surgeon checked my bone density again. Great news! I’d barely lost any of my bone density. My surgeon happily explained that this was a direct result of me continuing to weight train, power walk and stay active.
“All that time, my aim had been to stay physically and mentally strong. Without even realising it, not only had I maintained my muscle strength, I had also maintained my bone strength.
“I’m not going to pretend it was easy – far from it – but a little bit of exercise most days was what got me through cancer. I’ll always have worries about my health, but it gives me peace of mind knowing that I’m in control of my bone health.”
Despite the huge impact for individuals and society, the research shows that 54% of people living in Scotland have never even had a conversation about bone health. In comparison, 69% actively try to maintain a healthy weight.
Trisha continued: “The whole experience made me realise how important it is, not just for cancer patients, but for everyone to look after their bones.
“Bone health is so overlooked when it comes to wellbeing. It absolutely brought home to me that prevention is better than cure. That’s why I’m joining forces with the Royal Osteoporosis Society to raise awareness of the importance of bone health.”
The ROS has announced that Trisha is to become an Ambassador for the charity as part of its mission to bust myths and improve the bone health of the nation.
More people die of fracture-related causes than deaths caused by lung cancer and diabetes.
The disease costs the NHS £4.5bn per year, a figure set to rise as the population ages. The ROS has warned this may climb even higher following the effects of lockdown, as the research shows that worryingly over a third of people in Scotland (37%) have exercised less during the pandemic.
Craig Jones, Chief Executive of the Royal Osteoporosis Society said: “Trisha is living proof that the fatalism about osteoporosis and broken bones being just part of getting older is plain wrong.
“There are many things that can increase your risk of osteoporosis, and sadly some cancer treatments are one of them. Many people will need to take a drug treatment for their bones to counteract the effects of their cancer treatment which will reduce their risk of bones becoming fragile.
“Thankfully, taking weight-bearing exercise, getting enough vitamin D and eating the right foods can also make a big difference, not just for cancer patients but for everyone who wants to proactively manage their bone health.
“It’s typical of Trisha’s openness and can-do attitude that she’s sharing this inspiring message about how to age better and stop osteoporosis in its tracks.”
The popular presenter launched her 30-year career in television in Australia, before becoming a household name in the UK, where she fronted her celebrated BAFTA-winning talk show, which ran for 12 years.
Trisha is a life-long advocate for mental health services, and her time in the public eye has been characterised by her willingness to share candidly her own experiences to support people who are battling adversity.
Trisha is poised to return to our screens this summer as host of a new, more holistic version of Channel 5’s show, You Are What You Eat. Trisha will also be part of campaigning efforts by the ROS to raise awareness of bone health and work towards its goal of a future without osteoporosis.
