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Support Wendy Smith's Fund Raising Cruise From London To Llangollen

At Easter 2010 Wendy Smith is planning to commence a fund raising cruise from London to Llangollen, arriving during September on narrowboat Serenade. Please keep an eye out for her.

This will be Wendy's final fund raising trip, due to problems with deteriorating health.

Wendy is probably best known on the canal for working for several years in the Shady Oak on narrowboats Nutmeg and Charles, which were both used for raising money for charities.

Wendy has spent several years raising funds and now aims to promote a new group in North Wales and gain funds to open a drop in centre. It's the NWAS (North Wales Advice and Support) centre for people and families with disabilities and diseases.

Wendy spent a number of years and as a former community town councillor and identified the local need. She also hopes to raise the awareness of rare conditions like vascular diseases and other items such as lots of different types of epilepsy, arthritus etc. This project has been entirely funded by herself and family over a number of years.

The idea of NWAS originally stemmed from Wendy Smith and her Parents Muriel and Charles Hawes. This followed some very rare personal tragedy which hit their family.

Wendy was first diagnosed with a rare blood disease in 1960 “Hencoch Schonlein Purpura” and spent a year in hospital. During 1972 her father Charlie had a major accident which left him disabled spending almost four years in several hospitals. This made medical history with lots of operations performed on his left arm. Later with partial brain damage little outside support was given to the family in any shape or form.

Wendy has conducted studies and met with organisations and outside bodies. A clear need has been identified for such a facility as the one now planned. Whilst lots of assistance and information is available from many organisations on a daily basis everyday advice and support is often minimal. People suffer from frustration, lack of advice being given with people being pushed from pillar to post when trying to gain access to benefits and correct assistance.

Sometimes families and sufferers just need someone to talk too. Outsiders who may be sympathetic or even listen and understand, someone who is not judgemental can sometimes be of great assistance and ease the burden.

During dark times families are often in despair, especially if they have lost or are about to lose a loved one. They may be placed under extreme pressure either from family, peer pressure, or financial problems. Sometimes a cup of coffee someone cracking a joke or even a smile can make the world of difference.

Wendy says:

"The adjacent is a photograph of my late father's arm Mr Charles Hawes left arm which was tethered during an accident on 1st February 1972 involving a plant machine in Bedfordshire. The picture shows it sewn into his stomach allowing the flesh to grow onto it. This operation took place at Roehampton Hospital. He also spent time in both Bedfordshire and Westminster hospitals over a four year period. Following gas gangrene he was placed into a hyperbaric de-compression chamber to kill off the disease. He later had much skin grafting from other parts of his body.

He gained use of some of his fingers after much personal physiotherapy and managed to become self sufficient in gaining a living via starting his own business and odd jobs etc. He however, used to burn his arm regularly due to having no feeling in the flesh being from his stomach. Many such incidents took place, like when he was trying to fry an egg sandwich whilst his wife was at work.

Much support was dependant of his family his grandchildren used to help in school lunch breaks by cutting up his sandwiches and meat etc. He couldn’t tie shoelaces and simple tasks although looked ok with his jacket on. Much support was needed when it was later found he’d also, suffered slight brain damage.

He gained nothing in terms of counselling, financial assistance or any other help from outside. To make matters worse the accident happened the day following his own mother’s death when he was called out to repair a machine.

The owner of the machine had no insurance and my fathers own accident policy had just expired. It was also found he had insufficient stamps to qualify for any kind of benefit.

The story highlights the importance of Health and Safety and also, not to judge what we see as someone who has no physical difficulties.

My father’s wishes were to help others and highlight such incidents."