Brian Vernon Fund

Brian’s now enjoying some painting at home

Brian’s first trip out after coming home ….

September 2018 – News Flash!

We have amazing news … and we are in tears of joy and cantquite believe it has happened but someone known to us has donated £5000 for a car.. they wish to remain anonymous but we cant thank them enough – we are just waiting for the cheque to clear and then we will be looking for that much needed car.

The crowd funding page is still open and we have £50.00 so far which will go towards the insurance and if any more is donated this is what it will be put towards …

We are so excited Brian loves going out in the car!!

THANK YOU !!!!!!!!

So September is here and the family have been bust caring for Brian.  We have appointments nearly every day and the house is always bustling with people.

The good news is that we have two carers helping us out during the day Leigh and Victor both lovely people and everyone gets on very well.

We have started a crowd funding page to see if we can raise money towards a car as we know that it will be a long haul.  To give you an idea we made £6.00 at the local mini market the other day it will take many sales to get £5,000.

Brian has managed to get an infected rig (the tube in his stomach for fluids and medicines) and we have been treating this.  Today Stella from Nutricia came to change the tube it is very cleaver how it is completed and she is excellent at her job.  For now he has a clean and healthy tube.

Hospital:

We have just returned from hospital as Brain collapsed at recent consultants meeting when we were discussing his epilepsy.  They found an infection in his lungs and blood which we had thought was there and now he is on antibiotics.

Trips Out:

Brian has been able to go to the meridian centre somewhere he has not been in 3.5 years he even came to visit his daughter  at the mini market stall.  See pictures … we can’t wait to get him out to more places.

At the moment Brian is recovering well …..

Well folks it has been a long time since we have updated our Blog and the reason is that it has been as hectic as hell.

We have continued to fund raise through completing our car boot sales and mini markets and managed to raise enough money for:

We then continued to fund raise for a car and managed to get to £2,500 towards the £5000.

All Change:

So in June social services came to review Brian and decided that they would no longer provide any care for Brian overnight just the day.  This was a complete shock to us as a family as Brian still has seizures in the night and cannot do anything for himself.  As a result of this the care home where he was staying gave us 28 days notice to leave as they felt they could no longer care for him with these constraints.

We were so shocked but even though we appealed and challenged this we were advised that this was their decision. Adult Social Services has a £6.5 million deficit in East Sussex and they have to get the money back.

So we had 28 days and we were at the stage of reading our building regulations (we were on page 28 of 44) ready to start our build following a lengthy planning dispute with the neighbour.  There was no way we were going to get everything completed in time so we had to have a plan B.  Brain was coming home he was not being sent anywhere else.  We decided to clear out the lounge of furniture (possessions are not important) and make the conservatory a lounge.  We needed to have a ceiling hoist put in so we spent the £2500.00 we had saved for the car.

In addition to this we had a family friend do some concreting outside for free and we purchased a new wide front door and had two doors removed as well as having a ramp installed up to the front door and between the now bedroom to lounge.  We obtained a bed, mattress and arm char.  We also met with a recruitment agency and started to recruit staff who would come in and work with Yvonne during the day to care for Brian.  You must have two carers each time you hoist, wash etc..

The other major change was that Sharon Brian’s daughter gave up her home and her job and moved in to be a full time carer.  She now is unpaid Waking Night Carer 7 nights a week, this has been proved to be a good thing as Brian has already had seizures at night something that adult social services said did not occur.

Fundraising:

As everyone knows we still need to raise funds but of course being carers now means our time is so much more limited so we (one of us) continue to run the mini market on a Friday and hopefully maybe the odd boot sale.  We really need a car for Brian to get out and about but if you are over 70 you are not entitled to mobility allowance.  Crazy as you still need to get around …

Home:

13th August was a very eventful day  – Brian arrived home but not before scaring the life out of us by having a seizure just as he was leaving meaning they he arrived home 3.5 hours later than he should  have been.  Thank you Derek Watts for driving him and waiting around for all those hours J

Brian was overwhelmed as were we when he first arrived home.  I think the realisation of what he had been missing was so much but we spent a lovely night together and we are so proud of him.

More to follow about Brian in the coming months ….

“The journey of Life is with many twists & turns but with faith & courage No obstacle can stop you from Reaching your Goal!
Keep Faith, Peace & Kindness in your Heart and You will always Shine!”

Hello All,
Sorry we have not updated our blog recently but here you go ….
As we approach the end of one of year and into another we wanted to thank everyone for their help, support and donations. It has to be said we are extremely sad to have celebrated another Christmas without my dad at home and on Boxing day when he was able to get a sentence out and say ‘can I come home?’ – it took all our strength not to burst in to tears – it is what we want more than anything in the world and whilst he understand all that we say I am sure he is thinking what the hell are my bloomin family doing hanging around about getting me home.
Anyone that knows our family will know the love we have for each other, we truly believe possessions are not important as long as you have each other. We have met so many people on this journey and we have so much respect for all of those who have found themselves in the same place as us, not to mention all those lovely people who have and are supporting us and continue to visit our market stalls each week and keep buying

So here is a little update of where we are:
Planning Permission:
Our neighbour appealed on many grounds (all can be read on the planning portal), we were shocked by this and even more shocked as we were only looking to raise a garage flat roof by three foot to hold a ceiling hoist – there are no windows etc…
We of course need to challenge this and will through the correct channels whilst considering other options. Personally, for me I find it hard to comprehend sending a Christmas card to a family wishing them all the best and happiness in 2018 when actually they are the ones standing in the way of a families happiness, a wife who wants her husband of nearly 50 years home, a daughter and son that want to spend time with him and of course the opportunity for his 3 grandchildren to travel 3 miles to see him instead of 20 miles.

In the meantime I have to tell the world how proud I am of my wonderful parents, my mother travels for 4.5 hours each day using the buses to get to see my dad – she is amazing and I am immensely proud of how she has coped with everything that has happened.
My dad who now has seizures on a regular basis and cannot walk but still remains positive and tries so hard in all the activities he completes.
These are some of the most important people in my life and I have been brought up with their morals, beliefs and values … I don’t think I could have asked for better role models in my life and will always remain immensely proud of my parents.
So on to other news ….
Fundraising:
Our fundraising efforts continue and we can be found at Peacehaven Mini Market that happens on a Friday plus boot fairs on a Saturday or Sunday – The good news is we have raised enough for the adaptation, ceiling hoist and the first piece of equipment (we have even bought this) and we continue to fund raise for a car so that at least my father can go out at the moment he is stuck inside a brain injury rehabilitation home with no way of going anywhere! It’s very sad they say that a person improves the more they see the outside world but this just never happens for him!
I had to share the photo below spot our Christmas market attire… naughty little elf’s we were! What you cannot see is that we have bells all over those jumpers – we drove everyone mad! J

So for the good news that 2017 brought us:
Dad got a wheelchair after waiting 1.5 years we were delighted as was he so he is at long last able to get around!
He has started to sleep through the night so we were able to take down some tablets he was on and most of all his brain started to allow him to do a few things – see below (do excuse the face its often concentration!)
We hope you enjoyed our little update and would like to wish you all a Happy New Year and all the best health, happiness and fun for 2018!!
Love the Vernon Clan aka Yvonne, Sharon, Paul & co xxx
Dad painting for the first time since he had his brain injury!

I think he was not so impressed with flower arranging!
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This little duck came to visit and gosh was Dad interested … he couldn’t keep his eyes of it! Maybe he thought he would have a duck egg for breakfast – he does like a cooked breakfast

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THANK YOU HOUSE PROJECT PEACEHAVEN – written by Sharon, Brian’s Daughter ….

Two Saturday’s ago (29th July) we received a telephone call at 8:30am in the morning. Upon answering the call it was from the House Project they had held their committee meeting the day before and reviewed my email explaining about what we were trying to do in order to raise £6,500 for a ceiling hoist and wondered if the House Project may be able to help.

Jean Farmiloe was on the end of the line and she said she was pleased to be able to confirm that it was a unanimous vote and they had seen how hard we were working to try and raise the funds and wanted to confirm that they would be funding the rest of the hoist! I thought I had misheard but she repeated it as yes for once in my life I went quiet (I was in total shock!), in the background I remember my boyfriend saying are you ok what has happened to your dad! But it wasn’t dad it was the best news we could have wished for and to be honest I hadn’t realised the pressure of what we had been doing until at that moment I became a sobbing wreck.

I hopefully gained a bit of composure and said thank you about a million times and rambled on to poor Jean whilst she explained something about getting signatures for cheques. The call ended and I sat in silence for all of 1 minute and then told Richard what had happened and then said – I’ve got to tell mum…

Picking up the phone I dialled her number, she answered sleepily and I said I had news, good news and told her – she went quiet and starting sobbing … so there we were two people sobbing together at each end of the phone but with the biggest smile you can imagine.

Personally I can’t say thank them enough they have made our lives a bit more bearable and to top it all just as I was picking my mum up outside her house on the way to see my dad who should turn up but Jean with a cheque. We jumped in my car and quickly got to Seaford to pay the money in to the bank, the whole banking team know what we have been doing we are there every week paying in monies and they follow our progress on what we have made at each weekend’s car boot sales or Peacehaven Mini Market sales. Even they were delighted!

The last thing that happened on this day was that I was able to say to my dad, …. Dad we have the money for the ceiling hoist the House Project just donated lots of money to us…. The smile on his face was amazing and I will never forget it.

Thanks you to all the committee members (I’m sorry I don’t know your names) you don’t know how much it meant to us getting that call on a Saturday morning! x

WHEELCHAIR CAR

Whilst we wait for the planning decision and knowing that we have the money for the adaptation and ceiling hoist we have decided to continue with our fundraising as I would like to get a second hand vehicle that we can push a wheelchair in to… At the moment unless we have hospital transport we don’t get the chance to take dad to see see his family or the outside world. We think that these can be obtained for £4000 – £5000 so we are going to continue and see if we can get one for this or cheaper if we can..

So we are still selling all our donation to get there ….

July
The great news is that we have reached £5500! – wahooo … only £1000 to go now!!!!
To say we are happy is an understatement – we have felt like shouting it from the roof tops….
My last update was in March so I wanted to give a bit of an update on what has been happening since then …
Brian:
Brian (known to me as pops) has been a little poorly as he has caught an awful cough and cold it affected his eating and drinking but I am pleased to be able to say that his eating has returned although nothing put him off his good old chocolate cake (Mr Kipling does do exceedingly good cakes in his eyes!). We are still struggling with his drinking but he is improving slowly.
In June my mother and father celebrated 49 years of being married. It was so lovely for them to spend the day together! I have to say my father has been through something so dreadful but at the same time my mother has had to adapt to these changes. The love that they show is amazing and there is not a day that goes by where they do not see each other – I have attached a picture of mum and dad in his room at Chasley Trust – I am so proud of both my parents and how they have handled what has happened to them.
Fundraising:
Well the Vernon clan have really been on it and we can be found every week at the Peacehaven Mini Market every Friday 08:30 – 12:00 with all our donated goods. We have quite a following now and people pop in with donations and of course a coffee and a natter (they make very good cakes their as well – can you see a theme developing).
In addition to this we are selling at boot sales on a regular basis throughout the summer.
Over the last two weekends we were able to run a tombola, book, cd and dvd sale at the Telscombe Town Council fayre (it was just like a village fayre) and what made me prouder was that my eldest niece Madison was dancing there with Harlequins (my father would have been so proud if he could see it – when I tell him he always smiles and nods his head as he loves his grandchildren!
We also were at the Lions Fayre in Saltdean, the local arts and craft group allowed us to share their stall. At the same time my boyfriend ran a book and dvd stall at the Peacehaven Big Park Fayre that was on the same day.
We cannot thank our friends old and new who have donated the goods that we sell – you are all amazing and every time we receive something we are so grateful – special thanks has to go the girls in my office J
What Next:
Well the other exciting news is that we are in planning – we are waiting for the decision – it has taken from mid-May and we should know by end of August on their decision. It has to be said I never knew that it would take so long! If I had I am sure I would have started this sooner.
We need £6500 by the time the builders need to start so that the ceiling hoist can be bought.

Dates for the diary:
Every Friday – Peacehaven Mini Market, Community Hall, Meridian Centre
Nearly Every Sunday – Brighton Race Couse Boot Fair – but only in good weather …
26th August 11:00 – 16:00 – Book Fayre at Paradise Park (this garden centre have supported is from the start and we think they are amazing!)
THANK YOU EVERYONE – OUR COMMUNITY & FRIENDS ARE TRULY AMAZING

great news ….. we just got our hands on a second hand but great condition quick move ! At a fraction of the price of a new one the remaining money goes towards the hoist fund getting us a giant leap closer to affording the hoist

March is here already:
So it is some time since we have updated everyone on the progress so far with Brian and of course the fund raising efforts that continue.
We have had a couple of months with some amazing highs and some real lows which I suppose is to be expected on this journey.
So let’s get the lows out of the way first:
Dad over Christmas was amazing but managed to catch a sickness bug that floored him and ended up with him being admitted to hospital and put in an isolation room at the District General Hospital, Eastbourne. During this time his rig (the tube in to his stomach) decided to disintegrate which meant it fell out – to be honest it was time for it to be changed but this was not possible due to him being ill.
Well he started to recover and the operation was scheduled three times, the first was cancelled as the worker for the home fed him breakfast as he had not realised that Dad was nil by mouth, the second was due to an emergency so third time lucky and it was fitted!
During his hospital visit he lost 7kg … so as soon as he was back at Chasley it has been a case of building him back up and feeding him anything he could eat. We are working on it still he is not quite there but improving!
In addition to this Dad fell out of bed when the 121 carer turned his back on him and we found ourselves straight back in hospital being checked out for a suspected broken eye socket, cheek and nose – luckily it was none of these but the bruising on the face made him look like Shrek.
So to the good news:
The architect has been to visit as well as the OT and is all good to go for the adaptation (we have scrimped and saved and have the money for this). We are very excited and cannot wait to get my father back home where he belongs in the heart of the family who truly love him…
So as I type this the plans are being drawn up ready to go in for the last review by OT and then for planning permission. We as a family have started to clear out the sheds, garages etc – wow there is lot to go through when someone has acquired 49 years of possessions and to be honest it’s hard with memories as well as you just want to keep everything but it’s not possible.
We have raised enough for the quick move and have £712 towards our £6,500 for a ceiling hoist.
Donations of goods to sell have been coming in thick and fast, it is hard to book/work enough sales in our spare time to be able to sell all the lovely donations but we are doing our best and cannot thank everyone enough.
The sales we have coming up are:
– Every Friday we can be found at the Peacehaven Mini Market, 8:30 – 12:00, Meridian Centre, Peacehaven – do come and see us or visit our stall – we never know what we will be selling so you may find something you like or just come in for a chat we don’t mind!
– Saturday 25th March: We will be supporting the Horticultural Society Mini Market in Peacehaven as Dad was a keen member – so pop on in from 08:30am
– Sunday 2nd April: You will find us in Eastbourne as the Indoor car boot sale, Eastbourne Sports Park, Sussex Downs College, Cross Levels Way, BN21 2UF. The doors open at 8:45 for buyers and it is £0.50p to attend – do come and find us its always very busy
– Sunday 14th May: Paradise Park, Newhaven – we will be selling all the books that are donated in the Foyer – come and grab a bargain – we have so many and they are all cheap £0.50 and £1.00
– General Sundays if the weather is good will be Bootfairs at Peacehaven Dell, Seaford Martello Fields or Brighton Race Course
We are very aware we have about £6000 to raise now and we are all very determine to do this so watch this space it will happen as there is no room for us to not succeed.
Lastly, I would like to say a massive thank you to my wonderful Mum – she has lost her husband and gained a different husband but throughout this situation she has remained strong and I am so proud of her. I just hope that when I am her age that I show the strength, resilience and character that she does..
Viva Le Vernon’s – Failure is not an Option!!!
Love to all you wonderful people – and really from the bottom of our hearts thank you again!!!

we have a little appearance in the Tates of Sussex news letter

Click to read article

Nice little article on us in the local paper thanks to Paradise Park

Massive thanks to everyone who helped by donating or buying from our stall / Ebay as we have now reached our goal to get the first piece of equipment for Brian

Blog: 17^th November 2016

This weekend and next week is going to be a very exciting time for us as things are really starting to move along.

Come and join us:

We will be selling toys, dvds, bric a brac, donations that have been given to us etc   to raise funds for Brian’s equipment.

Friday 18^th November 2016:

Peacehaven Mini Market, Community Hall, Meridian Centre, Peacehaven

09:00 – 12:00

Saturday 19^th November 2016:

Horticultural Society Mini Market, Community Hall, Meridian Centre, Peacehaven

09:00 – 12:00

Brian was an active member of the horticultural society and loved his garden and allotment.  Sadly we have had to release the allotment but we are so supportive of this Peacehaven society.  Each year they have an annual show and lots time and effort goes in.

We are proud to be able to support something so dear to his heart!

Sunday 20^th November 2016:

Eastbourne Indoor Car Boot Sale, Sport Centre (next to the DGH Hospital)

09:00 – 12:00

Next week we will have two meetings planned from architects to start to talk about what we can have built/adapted in the house.  This is very exciting but also very scary as well as we know this is when we will find out the length of time and just how much it is going to cost.

We will try to provide a little more about Brian in future blogs so you get to see just what he is up to and then we will try and share a little more each day.

Wish us luck with the selling!

PS… thank you for donating so much to us to sell we are forever overwhelmed by the generosity that is being shown by you all… Much love the Vernon Clan