This is a time of simultaneously great opportunity and great threat for the voluntary sector.  As a result of the financial measures taken by the Government during the worldwide recession, the current year estimate for our country’s national net debt is nearly 80 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, which is double the Chancellor’s previous ‘golden rule’ limit of 40 per cent.  The consequential difficulties faced by public sector finances are well known.

In Surrey, a significant phased reduction in government revenue funding is expected, amounting to 10 per cent of the budget.  For 2010/11 Surrey has been given the lowest increase in County Council funding in England.  Some Council-funded services are facing reductions of up to 30 per cent over the next few years.  As Headway Surrey obtains about 60% of its funding from Surrey County Council, Health and the Local Authorities, we are monitoring the situation very carefully, and working very closely with Council colleagues.

But financial stringency also presents us with real opportunities.  Headway Surrey, like most third sector organisations, offers outstanding value for money to all those who pay for our services for two main reasons:

·        We have wonderful volunteer staff, working alongside our paid staff, and we obtain funds from other sources through fund-raising and the generosity of our donors

·        We keep our overheads and running costs to the minimum

This means that we can deliver more services for each “statutory pound”, or indeed “private pound”, of funding than other providers.  Examples at Headway Surrey are the Friday drop-in and our Helpline services.  When you add the values, passion and commitment of our staff and our striving to improve continuously the quality of our services, we have much to offer our clients, whether they are funded by the public or private purse.

To maintain the range and quality of our services, fund-raising is now more important than ever.  Headway Surrey are hugely grateful to all our donors, who over the past year have included the fantastic Clandon Regis Golf Club who have raised nearly £14,000, and our wonderful runners in the London Marathon who raised £9,800 last year  We are fortunate to have many other donors, and we are profoundly grateful to you all.  Please continue your efforts on our behalf in 2010.  We need you!

Jenny Griffiths OBE

Chair

The past year has been one of the most exciting and eventful in the history of the Headway Surrey. Our mainstream work, both in the Centre and in the community, has gone from strength to strength and we have taken further steps to develop new facilities. The Befriending Service, has made a tremendous impact on those with whom we work and the Friday "Drop In" is attracting more and more people from across the county.

The highlight of the year, undoubtedly, was the opening of the new Resource Centre in North Road, Stoughton. After years of planning, negotiation and finally, construction, we moved into the new building in June.

Having lived in temporary accommodation – albeit very nice but expensive temporary accommodation – for the previous year, it was great to come back home to Stoughton. The new building, which sits in the middle of a brand new residential development, brings with it a whole package of advantages.

In comparison with the old Headway House, which was much too big, it has been built to match the needs of Headway Surrey today. It is comfortable, modern and extremely user friendly. The members and visitors who use the building certainly seem to think so.

The new building represents the hugely successful outcome of a far-sighted vision promoted by our Trustees over quite a number of years. As a result of their aspirations the package they managed to negotiate and implement has resulted in a Centre which enjoys running costs at a fraction of the old building.

The Centre is extremely environmentally friendly (we generate our own electricity thanks to roof-mounted solar panels) and should have little or no maintenance costs in years to come. We have no mortgage or rent to pay and the development will contributed substantially to the wellbeing and stability of the organisation in the future.

Important though they are, however, buildings do not, in themselves, make an organisation. Headway Surrey’s strength over the years has been its people – its members, volunteers, trustees, staff and friends.

It goes without saying that we were all a little sad at having to say goodbye to one of the people who played a huge part in this effort. After 15 years as a member of the Council of Management – five of them as Chair - Roshan Bailey decided to stand down at the last AGM.

Members of the Council of Management attended a special lunch in Guildford recently to thank Roshan for her commitment and contribution and to award her Honorary Life Membership of Headway Surrey.

So – what will be tomorrow’s challenges?

In truth, our major concerns currently relate to external influences over which we have very limited control.

The big question revolves around the provision of social care for the residents of Surrey – including our members. The national economic situation combined with sweeping changes in health and social services in the County, both economically and structurally, are making forward planning for organisations like Headway Surrey extremely difficult.

I am confident that Headway Surrey, as in years gone by, will come through. It will not, however, be without a lot of ongoing hard work. The one thing which will carry the organisation forward is its reputation for genuinely caring about its members, understanding their needs, and providing services which are truly relevant and which relate to constantly changing circumstances.

We will need to be responsive to change and, when necessary, provide an authoritative voice on behalf of the people we support. After all – Headway Surrey is really all about people.

So, who is who? The staff are:

Joy Harding, PA to Chief Executive and Administrator. Apart from supporting Oliver, Joy is responsible for the office and business administration.

Lee Bennett, Services Co-ordinator. Lee supervises all of the member related services both at Headway House and in the community. He is also co-ordinates our volunteer-based activities and the Carers’ Support Group.

Ashleigh Perfett, Support Worker and Befriending Co-ordinator. Although you will find Ashleigh around the Centre a lot of the time, she actually concentrates, to a great extent, on our community-based clients. Ashleigh also co-ordinates our highly active Befriending Service.

Hayley Cook, Support Worker, joined us recently when she moved to Surrey from Kent. Hayley works across both our centre-based and community-based activities.

Sue Freestone, Support Worker. Sue is a Guildfordian who has a number of years experience working with people with special needs, especially the elderly, and in social care. Like Hayley she works across both the centre-based and community-based services.

They are the people who, year after year, commit to running the Virgin London Marathon on behalf of Headway Surrey.

This is no small commitment. Although our runners come from all sorts of backgrounds and range from complete novices to veterans – they are all focussed on doing their best. This is no walk in the park – preparing yourself to get round the 26.2 mile course can take months of training and is a real test on the individual’s stamina and perseverance.

From Headway Surrey’s point of view they do a great job in raising our profile in the community and there is the obvious benefit of the funds they raise on our behalf. Last year’s runners raised nearly £10,000.

This year’s Headway Surrey heroes are: John Cooper, from Wokingham; Sarah Williams from West Kensington; Jessica Lee and Robert Judd from Guildford; Edward Manning from Battersea; and Andrew Fulbrook from Shamley Green.

If you would like to support our runners on April 25, 2010 contact, Joy Harding on 01483 455225 or at enquiries@headwaysurrey.org. You can also contribute sponsorship on the Just Giving web site. If you decide to use Just Giving please ensure that you name Headway Surrey in full, otherwise we may not receive the contribution.

The members have been given the opportunity to actually handle and discuss a wide range of historical objects – from stone-age knives and axe heads to Victorian toys and fabrics.

The members, and staff, have been fascinated and have appreciated the chance to get a bit closer to their community’s history.

The sessions were organised by the museum’s Heritage Access Officer, Cassie Herschel-Shorland, under a project called "Different Stories: New Perspectives" funded by Renaissance South East, through the Surrey, East and West Sussex Museum Development Service.

Cassie has promised to return in the not-too-distant future.

We have always been an organisation which is driven by the needs of the people who use our services. Over 120 people are currently members of the organisation and we really could do with more.

Becoming a member means that you can vote, at our AGM in October, when our Trustees are elected and where major decisions affecting the future of the organisation are taken. You will also receive our regular newsletter and will be kept up-to-date with what is going on at Headway House.

Perhaps, most importantly, it is the perfect way to demonstrate your support for Surrey’s only charity specifically aimed at supporting people who have had a brain injury.

Membership currently costs £22.50 a year, which includes the cost of sending out Headway News.

For further information contact Joy Harding on 01483 455225 or e-mail enquiries@headwaysurrey.org. You will also find details on our web site; www.headwaysurrey.org.

A native Scot who worked in the financial sector, Jim came to Headway Surrey after suffering his brain injury more than five years ago.

"It is crucial that the Council of Management should have a good grasp of the issues faced by our members and the issues affecting them during a period of incredible change in health and social care in Surrey. Jim has a truly balanced outlook which, combined with a well developed sense of humour, should bring a great deal to the table," commented Chief Executive, Oliver McGeachy.

The meetings provide a great opportunity to meet others with similar experiences, to share issues affecting you and to find advice on problems which might be arising.

The meetings are held at Headway House, North Road, Guildford, GU2 9PU and start at 7.30 p.m..

Dates for the diary:

March 10, April 14, May 12, June 12, July 14, August 11, September 8, October 13, November 10 and December 8.

For further information contact Lee Bennett on 01483 454433 or check out our web site – www.headwaysurrey.org.