Save Meldreth Manor School From Closure

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Sending this on behalf of the 'Save Meldreth Manor' Group

How Lucky Are You?

How lucky you are to be able to walk

To pick up a phone and be able to talk

To grasp an object with no one to aid

To live in a world where you are not afraid

What a gift it is to have sight and to see

All the wonderful colours between sky and sea

To run in the park and kick up the leaves

With rain on your face in the autumn breeze

What joy it is to watch as you dance and sing

For this gift to our children we would give everything

So how can you help our children today?

What is it that we are trying to say?

It is simply to help us to win this campaign

Meldreth & Orchard Manor need to remain

If you could only see the transformation

As these children learn basic communication

It takes a lot of patience and specialist care

There is not another place that can compare

Teaching the young to learn how to have fun

And help them move on when the teaching is done

All praise to SCOPE for the quality of care

But now we need SCOPE to listen and prepare

A proposal to save such a wonderful place

As Meldreth & Orchard can be SCOPE’s saving Grace

JJM

07.09.15

Save Meldreth Manor School from closure

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Sending this out on behalf of the 'Save Meldreth Manor' group. 

DO NOT LET MELDRETH END

I arrived in silence, shrouded in darkness, I did not smile

Settling into my new home was going to take me a while.

My teachers and helpers patiently showed me the way

Working tirelessly with me through every long day

Showing me how to “speak” with a blink of my eye

A sign never noticed by all the people passing me by.

Then a twitch of my finger became a wave of my hands

I was signing my needs and soon making demands.

They taught me to smile and then discovered I could shout.

I was being taught what communicating was all about.

My shout became a scream and then a howl of delight,

So loud that people came rushing to discover my plight.

Then they understood and the joy spread around

I do have a life and my lost voice has been found.

Now I can shout when I am happy and my life here is fun,

“Biking” at speed with the wind in my hair and my face to the sun

Sensing the motion of waves as we cross the Learning Curves dip

I feel the cold water splashing and the rocking of the ship.

I love ringing the big bell and the deep vibration of sound

And the freedom of fresh country air as I am wheeled around.

I paint pictures on canvas describing my life in colours I can’t see

But I can feel the textures and they feel so very good to me.

Holding my hands you guide me as we whisk and we bake

Then I smell the most wonderful aroma of biscuit and cake.

In an echoing hall Music Therapy, the beat pounding my head

Waking my mind that you all once thought was dead.

I am alive and living in a world made just for me

Don’t take it away now and make me unhappy

There are not many places that offer such devotions

To my health and wellbeing while safeguarding my emotions

Thank you SCOPE for being both my saviour and my friend

Please listen to my prayer now and “Do Not Let Meldreth End”

Thank you

JJM 01.09.15

3 weeks to 'E' Day!

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The Election is 3 weeks today.

Having decided to stand and to do it 'my way' as an Independent I created a website, designed the leaflets and with help from friends these are now being delivered to as many houses as possible across the ward (this ward has over 3300 electors spread across 8 Parishes). Now I need YOUR help. With only 3 weeks to go I need you to Like/Comment/Share on FB posts with local friends to help get my name known across the Ward. 

Both leaflets can now be seen on my website www.joannafrancis.org there is also an A5 window poster should anyone be happy to declare they are supporting me as a Candidate, not just any Candidate but the M&S (meticulous and selfless, check out my Tag Cloud :-) ) of Candidates!!!

Below is My Promise to residents of the ward but representing the ward is only half of the role. There are decisions to be made that affect the whole of the District. I doubt there are any other Candidates in the District that research things as thoroughly as I do. You can be certain that I will ALWAYS be fully informed before voting on issues that affect all of us.

So in 3 weeks time, please vote to elect me to UDC. I want to represent you.

Neighbourhood Planning

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I have registered to speak tonight at UDC's Planning Policy Working Group meeting. This meeting starts at 7pm and I believe it will be broadcast live at www.audiominutes.com/udc (or it can be listened to later at your convenience). I am the Steering Group Co-ordinator for the Chesterfords Neighbourhood Plan but I am speaking as an individual (not on behalf of the group) in relation to Agenda Item 7 and the new funding towards Neighbourhood Planning.

With only 3 minutes allowed for speaking I may not get across everything I wish to say but if I don't make the effort to attend and speak I wouldn't be heard at all. People can make a difference if they try and you don't have to belong to a Party to be an effective Councillor!

Meet the Candidate - 15th April

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Chesterfords Community Cafe is a fitting place to begin the 'in-person' element of the campaign.

Come and say 'hello' at Chesterfords Community Centre, there will be tea/coffee and homemade cakes provided.

I appreciate many people will be at work, I can always be contacted by email joanna@joannafrancis.org or phone 01799 530903 if there is anything you wish to discuss.