We’re pleased to kick this edition off by sharing the exciting news that the BTRS headquarters have moved to a new home at No.31 Otley Road in Headingley.

The idea for No.31 came about as part of our core strategy to develop the services and reach of BTRS as we grow. We saw a need to move to a multi-purpose location, a place with a high-street presence where we could both run the charity and provide a welcoming and relaxed environment for our supporters.

In 2016 Helen Brown (pictured), a retired nurse, retail manager and long-time supporter of BTRS who tragically lost her friend Lisa to a brain tumour in 2015, was brought in to manage the move. Eventually, after eight months of searching, we finally found the ideal location. No.31 opened in December

2016 offering coffee, cake and a different kind of charity shop space.

The vision for No.31 was to create an understanding environment for our supporters and their families and that’s just what we did. It has fantastic disabled access along with a therapy room upstairs where patients can come to talk or simply take some time out to relax. The shop tells the story of BTRS, offering artwork and photography by supporters such as Rais Hasan, Sue Edwards and Jill Martin as well as the usual donated items.

Helen is now our shop manager and uses her experience with Lisa, and as a nurse, to make all our visitors feel welcome.

The shop is open 7 days a week (Monday to Friday 9.00 – 4.00, Saturday 9.30 – 4.00, Sunday 10.00 – 2.00).

Hello and welcome to the BTRS Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE...We Move to a New Home

A Camino ChallengeBig Bike Ride Success

BTRS NEWSLETTERAUTUMN 2017

Hats off to all our Flat Cap Friday Supporters!March is Brain Tumour Awareness month and, as a proud Yorkshire charity, we got the word out in the way we know best, by running our annual Flat Cap Friday campaign. The event activity was simple, all our supporters had to do was don a flat cap and host their own BTRS fundraising event on any Friday in March.

Continued on Page 2...

Flat Cap Friday fundraising in action

Page 1

BTRS hasa new homeat No.31!

Anderson Green hita Hole-in-One for BTRSAnderson Green is one of our fantastic corporate supporters. The team chose to fundraise for BTRS after one of their highly-regarded senior engineers, David Heraty, was diagnosed with a tumour.

David is a keen golfer so the Leeds team decided to raise money in a way that would do him proud, by hosting a charity golf day. Big thanks go to Sharon who organised the event, everyone who took part had a fantastic time and altogether they raised £4,700 for BTRS. Huge congratulations go to everyone who took part.

Six members of the Anderson Green Sheffield team also ran in the Yorkshire Half Marathon on 9 April 2017. Although the heat took its toll on the group, they all kept going and successfully completed the route. Their hard work paid off, though as the group has raised over £1,000 for BTRS.

Our very ownCalendar Girls pose their way to 10KBack in 2016 the lovely ladies from the Rhubarb and Custard Morley Women’s Institute bared all for a nude charity calendar in aid of BTRS. The idea was sparked after the ladies went to see The Girls, the Calendar Girls based musical penned by Gary Barlow, at the Leeds Grand Theatre.

In true Calendar Girls style the ladies covered their modesty with props including flags, umbrellas, fruit and flowers. We’re thrilled to announce that the 2017 calendar, which was also sold in the new BTRS charity shop at No. 31,

was a huge hit and sales have resulted in a phenomenal £10,337 being raised for BTRS.

Huge thanks go to all the ladies for this daring fundraising effort which is helping those fighting a brain tumour in Yorkshire right now.

On 23rd April Gemma Jones ran the London Marathon for her little boy Iuan with the aim of raising £3,000 for BTRS.

Iuan was diagnosed with a brain tumour on 10 September 2014. Although benign, Iuan’s tumour was severe and has left him with life-long side affects. He’s had five surgeries so far which have only succeeded in removing less then 50% of his tumour.

Although he’s experienced lots of highs and lows over the last two and a half years, Iuan is positive in nature and wanted to do something to raise money and awareness for other children like him. Through a number of fundraising activities Iuan and his family have raised over £3,500 for BTRS.

His Mum, Gemma, took things even further by completing the London

Marathon in Iuan’s name. Here’s what she said of her achievement:

“I thought I was fairly well prepared and didn’t think I would have much issue completing it as long as my knees didn’t get too painful but after standing around in the sunshine huddled together with 1000s of other runners I was too hot and felt sick from the 3rd mile. I normally start feeling the tiredness around mile13 to15 so I literally couldn’t see how I was going to finish as I couldn’t cool myself. Anyway I did it!”

She continued: “I was told ‘When your legs can no longer run, run with your heart’. Thinking about what Iuan and our friends have gone through spurred me on and there wasn’t a thing in the world that was going to stop me from crossing the finish line! I’m so grateful for everyone’s love and support.’

Gemma Jones runs 26.2 miles for her son Iuan

From Page 1...The campaign kicked-off at the Flat Cap Friday launch event at No.31. Our lovely customers gathered together to get snapped in our photo booth, listen to some live music, drink tea and eat cake and, of course, wear a flat cap. The event set the tone for the rest of the month where activities were hosted all over Yorkshire by our wonderful supporters.

People taking part were encouraged to share their flat cap selfies on the Flat Cap Friday social media hash tag with one lucky person being selected as the winner of a free two hour tour courtesy of Yorkshire Trike Tours. We saw some truly fantastic selfie entries and wish we could’ve given a prize to each and every person who shared a picture with us.

Events were also covered by some of the local media including BBC Radio York and the Made in Leeds TV channel. They filmed our very own Sorrell talking about why Flat Cap Friday is such an important event in the Yorkshire charity calendar.

Thank you to everyone who took part to make this years’ Flat Cap Friday such a successful event. Not only did everyone’s combined fundraising efforts raise awareness for BTRS and everything we do, but they also resulted in a fantastic £2,000 being raised with donations still coming in.

Activities have already started for next year, We’ll be hosting a ‘Design Your Own Flat Cap’ competition at schools across Yorkshire in partnership with AW Hainsworth and Kempadoo Millar. If you’re interested in putting this forward to a school near you, please contact the Fundraising Team on 0113 340 0111 for more information.

Anderson Green’s keen golfers ready for action

The lovely Rhubarb and Custard ladies pose with their calendars

Gemma and Iuan after she completedthe London Marathon

@BTRSacrossYorksBe sure to follow BTRS online...

Page 2

Another big fundraising success atThe Big Bike Ride 2017On Saturday 20 May 2017 around 100 cyclists took part in the annual BTRS Big Bike Ride. The ride, which started in Wetherby, ventured through some of North Yorkshire’s beautiful countryside, much to the delight of many of our new riders.

The day was a huge success with everyone completing the route in record time. The last rider came through at around 2pm, almost two hours earlier than in 2015 - we think the threat of afternoon rain spurred everyone on!

In total the event raised a magnificent £8,151.14 for BTRS so a big thank you goes to all our cyclists and volunteers who helped the day run so smoothly!

Next year’s event has been booked for Saturday 2 June 2018, we’re even looking to change the long stretch along the A168 at the end of the route, to make your cycling experience with us even better!

Sometimes supporters tell us about planned charity challenges that are so truly awe-inspiring that they bring tears to our eyes. The story of Martin, Jake and Harry Moorman, along with Harry and Jake’s cousin Daniel Jones, was one of those moments.

Their challenge was to walk The Camino, a 490 mile trek from the French Pyrenees to Santiago in North West Spain.

Their story? It’s a very personal one. They wanted to give back to the neurosurgeon and colleagues at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) who operated on Jake twice after he suffered a number of brain haemorrhages in 2014 and 2016. His surgery was extensive (one operation lasted seven hours) and life-saving. The family are thrilled to report that Jake was discharged in June 2016 after being given the all-clear.

They were all so grateful for the fantastic work (and not to mention support) of everyone involved at LGI that they wanted to give something back to say a massive, massive thank you.

On 1 May 2017, the boys completed the route. Their journey

was impressive as The Camino took them a month to complete. It had been a gruelling 28 days though, as they walked an average of 20 miles a day with no rest days in-between in tough conditions. To date they have raised over £14,600 for BTRS which is truly spectacular.

It wouldn’t be right to talk about their journey without hearing from the boys themselves, here’s what Martin had to say about the challenge:

“This was an epic challenge and one of the best things I’ve ever done and the fact that my two boys felt the same made it all the more special. Just one year ago Jake was in a wheelchair after surviving life threatening neurosurgery in 2014 and 2016, carried out by Paul Chumas and his team at LGI. For him to ‘walk 500 miles’ just one year on was so special. He wanted to carry on walking at the end and so did I! We can never fully repay the work of LGI and BTRS, but they have given Jake the opportunity to enjoy the best of futures and we are so grateful. The fact that so many people backed us and helped us to raise over £14,600 is very much the icing on the cake.” 

The Moorman Boys Take on the Camino

Page 3

The boys enjoying the beautiful scenery en route

Enjoying the sunshine!

Saturday2 June 2018Saturday2 June 2018www.btrs.org.uk/bbr

BTRS Support NewsBTRS provides a support service for patients and their families. 

We have a dedicated Patient Support Specialist – Samantha Wilson. (RGN) Sam is a nurse with over 20 years experience caring for and supporting patients and their families following a brain tumour diagnosis. Sam works closely with other health professionals and organisations who are involved in a patients journey. She has an appreciation of what patients and their families are going through.

How Can We Help You?

Be sure to visit www.btrs.org.uk for all the latest charity news, fundraising events and updates!

Meetings are professional, friendly and informal, enabling patients, families and friends to have the opportunity to

chat with people with a shared experience. Most months we have a guest speaker who is able to share their

knowledge and expertise with the group on relevant key topics. Social events are organised each year which are

funded by BTRS.

When: The first Thursday of the month. 6.30 - 8.30 p.m.Where:The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Wellington Street,

Leeds LS1 4DL

BTRS provide a counselling service for patients and relatives.

We recognise that it can help to talk to someone who is not a member of the family or a friend. Counsellors are

trained to listen and to help people explore their thoughts and feelings in a safe confidential setting.

The overall aim of counselling is to provide an opportunity for you to work towards living in a way you find more

satisfying and resourceful.

SupportGroups

Counselling

Telephone Contact

Sam is able to support patients and their families via telephone or email contact. Continued support is

provided as needed through an arranged telephone clinic.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy uses the power of suggestion to create changes to our thoughts, feelings and behaviours. The

process itself alters your state of consciousness in a way that occupies the conscious part of our mind. During this

process, your heightened sense of awareness is able to accept positive suggestions. Hypnosis is very natural.

Patient Grants

BTRS are able to award patients a small, one-off payment to help with costs caused by or related to their brain

tumour diagnosis. Examples of this are, extra clothing, help with paying utility bills, or funding towards a vital

piece of equipment. A health Professional can apply for the grant on behalf of the patient if their assessment

identifies a need.

New for 2017

BTRS will shortly begin hosting a benefits clinic in our Support Suite at Number 31, our Charity Headquarters in Headingley. More information will be coming very soon!

If you would like to discuss any of the services that BTRS provide, please contact Samantha Wilson (Patient Support

Specialist on 07539 457239 or email sam@btrs.org.uk)

Page 4