And so this is...

Christmas...

Firstly I need to apologise, I feel as though I have been ignoring you as I haven't updated this editorial since the end of November. However I haven't been idle, think of me working away in the engine rooms or somewhere like that! If you're looking for the Breadmakers film you can still find it here on our site. It's been an amazing year for me and one where I never imagined that I would be looking after all this information for you. Please let me know if you're having difficulty finding your way around or need any other help.

...and what have I done?

Well I think we have achieved a considerable amount over this past year. I suppose a lot of my time has been spent on improving communications and the way the site works. I would like to remind you all to check your details and please let me know if you have problems logging on. I can easily give you your log on details again or go through the process with you.

A Present

Everytime I hear this it brings me to my knees. Written by Phil Coulter for his first born son who was born with Down's Syndrome and performed here by Luke Kelly. So beautiful, so painful and so exquisite.

Looking back

What I love about this work is the serendipitious ways in which information comes at you. You can start off by being quite objective and focused in your approach and then all of a sudden you're off! Chasing strands of dreams, hopes, angst, despair, joy, frustration, violence, sorrow, elation... you can add your own appropriate emotion. So this is the way I see this job (on a good day!) - we're on this rollercoaster ride with our children and we're experiencing these emotions as life throws them at us. We're here to help you along the way by supplying information, ideas, contacts, suggestions, thoughts and more.

...and forward

Our work on the Transition Section is gathering pace, we're visiting colleges, talking to all sorts of people and hopefully the final result will appear early in the New Year.

What I would dearly love to happen in the New Year is to see some of you starting to use the discussion pages to air your problems, successes, tips, questions, etc. For those of you who are further down the road, just think how many times someone has made a suggestion which you have followed up on, something you hadn't heard of before, something which has made a huge difference to your child's life! I can think of several times that this has happened to us and Luke's life has changed as a result of that information being passed on. So please, please share stuff with us! Please let me know if there is something about this that worries you or you're not sure about.

Whilst I'm at it, I would also love to have some volunteers to start a blog about their life and their children and would ask anyone who has always harboured a desire to 'tell it the way it is' to get in touch. The blog can be set up anonymously to protect you and your child's identity. Come on now, don't be shy!

Tips

I have just created a new section in the discussion area for you to share any tips you have. I recently came across a treatment for Blepharitis, which affects children with Down's Syndrome, and wanted to share it with you. I then realised I didn't have a proper place to put it, hence the new section!

Finally

I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas, enjoy the time with your friends and families and may we all find Peace in the New Year.

Remember if you read something here a while ago and want to find it again you can visit the newsletter page and have a browse through the old editorials. You will find occasional references to Luke throughout my text, you can find out more about us in the Glossary.

You can, as always, write to me using the 'Contact Us' link at the top of this page.

Best regards,

Nick Radclyffe

Updated on: 22/12/2008