Josephine Togher, a native of Galway, is taking part in the Comber Foundation Volunteer Programme this July 2012.

Josephine will travel with a group of 8 health care professionals to volunteer with adults with disabilities who have moved from long term care in orphanages and institutions into group homes in the community.

To raise funds towards Comber’s work, she is holding a Charity Tea Dance in Ard Ri House Hotel Tuam on the 6^th of May from 15.00- 18.00.

PJ Murrihy will provide music at the event. For more information call Josephine on 087 9009370 

We would like to extend an invitation to all- volunteers past and present, friends, family and anyone who would like to share this special evening with us!

Tickets cost £40 and can be booked by emailing info@comber.ie or calling Fiona on +353 86 8186107

or for attendees from Northern Ireland and the UK call Emma on +44 777 185 1198.

We encourage you to book your ticket as soon as possible to avoid disappointment!

We have got fantastic guests on the night, including the MC John Daly.

Entertainment on the night will come from Andi Mac and there will be swing dancers so get on your dancing shoes! Please see this link for more information

Please note: discounted accommodation is available on a limited basis, just mention us when you book.

We look forward to seeing you all there!



The Journey from Institutionalisation to Inclusion

Lessons Learnt & Future Directions

This seminar has been funded by the Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) under its ‘New Ideas Scheme’ and is supported by the Irish Embassy in Bucharest.

Venue: Faculty of Psychology and Science of Education, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

Date:    March 16^th 2012

Please click here to download the programme outline. 

Registration for this event is FREE and early booking is advised.  Please email registration@comber.ro  to book your place.

Please include the following information: name, organisation, and position held.  Closing date for registration is March 9^th 2012.

We look forward to welcoming you to our event.



Celebrations at the Day Centre:

On the 5th of December 2011 Giurgiu Social Centre celebrated the International Day of persons with disabilities by inviting clients (from the community and from Comber homes) to a short musical celebration.  Children from a local folk dance group had danced and sang carols. 

Mr. Dumitru Beianu (President of County Council), Mrs. Teodora Avram (manager of DGASPC Giurgiu) expressed their feeling and thoughts regarding the benfits of the new service for persons with mental health problems.

Local disability group celebrates International Day for Persons with Disabilities

One of Comber’s partners, local parents Group, ASCHF Giurgiu, also celebrated International Day for Persons with Disabilities on December 5^th 2011 in Giurgiu.  A musical and artistic celebration took place with local high school students

Members of ASCHF-R, Mrs. Ionela Tudor (president), and Elena Tudorica spoke movingly at the event, as did Mr. Ionel Muscalu (Giurgiu County Council) and Baptist priest Viorel Dumitru (Santa Treime Church). 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tw5AuwmrUPw

http://giurgiuveanul.ro/

If you would like to read more please click on the link below.

Read More

Belfast Giants assist the phones4change appeal!

Support the phones4change appeal at the Belfast Giants v Coventry Blaze game on Saturday 22^nd October at 7pm 

Since the year 2000 the Belfast Giants have won the hearts of the people of Northern Ireland and the ice hockey phenomenon has only gained momentum since then.  The team has used their position to support many different charities and make a positive impact on the community around them. 

Belfast Giants players have come out today to show the team’s support of the new phones4change appeal being rolled out in every school in Northern Ireland, and being supported at their game versus Coventry Blaze. Oakwood Integrated Primary School, Derriaghy, pupils Jack McIlvenny, Thomas Somerville and Fiona Mellon join the Giants today as one of the many primary schools across Northern Ireland who has already registered to support the appeal.

Todd Kelman, the manager of the Belfast Giants, commented on the appeal:

We are delighted to endorse a scheme which makes such a huge difference on three different fronts.  Firstly, the phones4change appeal recycles unwanted mobile phones, which helps to protect our environment.  Secondly, the appeal helps schools to obtain much needed educational equipment.  And finally, the appeal helps support the incredible work being done by the Comber Foundation to improve the lives of disadvantaged and disabled children and young people in Romania and Eastern Europe.  We encourage schools to register for the appeal, and also our supporters to donate their old, unwanted phones at the game on Saturday to help make a difference.

When the Belfast Giants take on Coventry Blaze on Saturday 22^nd October at 7pm in the Odyssey Arena, there will be collection boxes for any old, unwanted or even broken mobile phones to support the phones4change appeal.  The proceeds of this collection will directly support the work of the Comber Foundation to improve the lives of disadvantaged and disabled children and young people in Romania and Eastern Europe.

The phones4change appeal is a major mobile phone recycling initiative being rolled out across Northern Ireland to help teachers equip their classrooms with state-of-the-art technology at no cost to the school.  In return for as few as 20 used mobile phones a school can benefit from new equipment.  This equipment is chosen by the school for their particular needs, whether it be a new interactive whiteboard or new sport’s equipment.  The process is straightforward, to register your school simply call us on 0845 301 1057, or register online at www.phones4changeappeal.org and we will deliver as many collection boxes as you need.   When the box has the target number of phones you just call us, we collect the box and the order for your school’s equipment is processed by us.

The proceeds from the collection at the game, and the ongoing school campaign will help the Comber Foundation, which was founded in 1990 in Comber, County Down.  The Comber Foundation works tirelessly to ensure that every child and young person with disabilities in Romania and Eastern Europe has full participation and inclusion in their community.  The Comber Foundation supports adults with intellectual and physical disabilities to leave institutional care and live in the community for the first time.

Fiona Dowling, the Executive Director of the Comber Foundation, commented on the impact of the phones4change appeal:

We are delighted to have the Belfast Giants showing their support for the appeal.  The proceeds of the phones4change appeal are vital to our work in Giurgiu, South Romania.  16 young people moved into two community homes in Giurgiu on 1^st September this year.  These remarkable young adults have lived in institutional care since infancy and this is their first experience of normal life in their local community.  With the help of the phones4change appeal we aim to support 24 more young people with disabilities to move to the community before Christmas.  We hope that we will have great success in collecting many unwanted, old mobile phones at the game and, of course, that the Giants will be victorious!

So would you like to get a range of educational equipment for your schools while making a difference to the lives of people with disabilities?  If the answer is yes then register for the phones 4change appeal and start collecting today!  If you are attending the Belfast Giants versus Coventry Blaze game on Saturday 22^nd October at 7pm in the Odyssey Arena, then don’t forget to bring your old, unwanted or broken mobile phones to help support the work of the Comber Foundation.

Belfast Giant players show their support for the phones4change appeal, alongside pupils, Jack McIlvenny, Thomas Somerville and Fiona Mellon from Oakwood Integrated Primary School, a school which has already registered to support the appeal.  To support this appeal please bring any unwanted, old or broken mobile phones to the game versus Coventry Blaze on Saturday 22^nd October at 7pm in the Odyssey Arena for collection.  Don’t forget to register your school to join the phones4change appeal online at www.phones4changeappeal.org or by calling 0845 301 1057, to get state-of-the-art equipment for your school and to support the work of the Comber Foundation.

Ireland’s first ever International Disability Film Festival, is coming to Dublin City this October with a selection of stunning films from around the world. It will be showing in the following venues:-

The IFI, Temple Bar and axis Ballymun and will also take place in Galway at the Eye cinema.

It celebrates the progress made by people with disabilities while increasing awareness and understanding of the many challenges still faced across the globe, Abära opens on Thursday, October 20th and continues until October 23rd. For further information you can visit Abära's website at www.abara.ie

We here at the Comber Foundation are delighted with the success of our Volunteer Programmes 2011. This Summer saw a total of 14 professionals from various disciplines volunteer their time to work in Giurgiu, Romania for a total period of 10 weeks. The energy, commitment and dedication the teams displayed during their time in Romania was outstanding and we sincerely thank them for making a huge difference in the lives of the those with whom they worked.

Group 1 travelled over to Giurgiu on the 24^th of June to the 29^th of July. They were: Sarah Meaney, Charlotte Spink, Florentina McCarty, Greta Kaempf. They were joined by two returning volunteers Jacklyn O’ Boyle, and Triona Collins.

The team of 6 worked primarily in the new day centre, Comber homes and local parents group ASCHF. The team covered momentous ground while there were there, working in the new day service, delivering occupational therapy sessions within the local parents group ASCHF, holding group education sessions on disability to local high school students and participating in the local Special Olympics Club.

Volunteers worked with residents from the Comber homes, accompanying them on community outings and conducted multiple social evenings in the Comber homes. Also, with help of paint donated from the Romanian Helpline Appeal and the artistic talent of local high school students, the team touched up the therapy room as you can see from the photos.

Vital to the success of our programme is the partnership with local high schools which resulted in a group of young teenagers volunteering their time to interpret for the volunteers. Their dedication was, as always, inspiring and they play an indispensible role for our volunteers in ensuring the programme is a success.

Group 2 arrived in Giurgiu on the 5^th August until the 9^th September. This group was led by returning volunteer Caitlin McKinley as team leader. A total of 8 volunteers worked tirelessly over the 5 weeks. They were: Orla O’ Keefe, Jenny Gannon, Alice McKeown, Ailish Breen, Heather Colson- Osborne, Clare Brosnahan and Carole McGuinness.

The team worked within the new day service alongside our Romanian staff members, in the parents group ASCHF and with the residents of the Comber homes. Some of the activities volunteers delivered was physiotherapy, occupational therapy, addressing communication needs for the children involved in the local parents group ASCHF. A number of  home visits were carried out to those unable to access the therapy room. The team also carried out hoist training in our new Gradinari homes with local staff members.  Volunteers accompanied residents on a number of social outings, including trips to the local pizzeria.

A huge component of the volunteer programme is the invaluable contribution the local high school students make to our programme. Group 2 carried out information sessions with students, including how to  make the most out of their volunteering experience and how to develop their CV’s.

We are delighted with the feedback we have received from everyone both in Ireland and in Romania who participated in the programme and are looking forward to the continuation of the programme in 2012.  



We would like to say a big thank you to George Hook without whom this event would not be possible.

Comber Foundation would also like to thank all of our supports and sponsors most sincerely for supporting our second Golf Classic.  We appreciate your continued support in making this event a great success. The event raised an amazing €8,000, which will support our work in Giurgiu County, Romania.

Comber has been working in Romania, helping to restore the dignity and independence of children and adults with disabilities who have been brought up in large scale institutions. We do this by creating homes in the community for these young people. Since 2006 we have opened eight new homes and a further three more will open in the coming months. In total we will have accommodated 64 beneficiaries in these homes and have transformed their young lives far beyond their dreams.

We are very appreciative of all our sponsors and friends. We do hope you will stay in touch with Comber in the future and continue to support our work with some of Romania’s most vulnerable people. All monies raised go directly towards providing homes.