Project HappyChild NEWS

1st June 2002

[for ongoing updates, see Latest Site News]

Hi there! Big day for us, we hit four-and-a-half-million visits this morning. I was just printing off a souvenir copy of the main welcome page when I realised today is exactly four years since my first attempts at webpages went on line. Those of you who've been with us since the begining will realise how far things have progressed since those first very-uncertain pages! My thanks again to Martin Lockey, Kevin Nash and Jackie Milton who between them made it possible for Project HappyChild to have its own website and domain name, back in March 1998.

Visit levels (according to the site counter) are now currently running at somewhere between 200,000 and 240,000 per month. However our ISP, Force9, has this month made "webalizer" stats available - based on their stats for the last few days, our monthly "hits" level is now running at something approaching one million per month! From 93 countries so far identified, though we'll need a full month's stats before we get anything like the true picture.

ACCELERATED LEARNING: The "big news" of course this month is Michael Tipper's in-depth interview with Dominic O'Brien, eight times World Memory Champion. This interview is of significance not only because of the huge free "Accelerated Learning" area on the site here - but also because of its relevance to children with dyslexia and ADD.

This world-famous individual (whose recent feat of memorising an astonishing 54 consecutive decks of playing cards, will be entered into the Guinness Book of Records) was classifed as a dyslexic child with ADD and had to overcome many challenges on his path to success. Dominic is now using the knowledge he gained along the way, to help others: "His total belief in this issue of balance, coupled with his research into the brain, neuro-feedback and photic-stimulation have led him, with a colleague, to develop the unique Brainwave Conditioning System™. This is a system that has been used to help condition peak performance in athletes and sportsmen and is now being used to help in the treatment of dyslexia and ADD, resulting in extremely rapid changes" ..... click here to read this extraordinary article for yourself.

The article also gives Dominic's direct e-mail address and contact details, due to the increasing waves of enquiries being received here, from public and press alike, asking how they can get in touch with him.

SPECIAL NEEDS: We were delighted to learn mid-way through the month that Pathways Development Group in Seattle have received CE Mark certification for their interface for the Nintendo® N64 console. This means that this wonderful invention which allows disabled kids to play the N64 on an equal footing with their able-bodied friends, can now be sold in the United Kingdom and Europe, as well as other areas of the world.

Click here for details of the interfaces and switches currently available to allow disabled children to use the NES, SNES and N64 consoles.

GUESTBOOK: Two new entries have been added to the site guestbook this month, the first an appeal from Bishop Teddy Nshome, struggling to meet his budget for the orphanage, children's home and hospital for poor children in Kitwe, Zambia. He needs to raise a total of around Ł6000, and would greatly appreciate any donations towards this.

The second appeal comes from the TCI Nursery in The Gambia; the school is struggling to stay afloat and provide food for impoverished children, despite Christian volunteers working in the school. Please see their Guestbook entry for details of the help they are seeking.

SCHOOLS INTERCHANGE: Links to Schools and Universities in the Kingdom of Tonga, an archipelago of islands in the Pacific, are now available through Schools Interchange - click here. Tonga is one of the world's few remaining constitutional monarchies, and indeed the only one in the Pacific.

Speaking of monarchies, the celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee (50 years) is of course on Monday and Tuesday of this coming week. Coupled with the first England match tomorrow in the World Cup, there are flags everywhere you look locally, England flags and of course endless streams of union jacks (or union flags) flapping in the breeze.

Spare a thought this weekend for kids who know nothing of street parties or football or even freedom - there are all too many of them out there. Take a look through the worldwide Appeals areas on the site, when you have a spare moment some time.

SPONSORED EVENTS: Our thanks to Penny Knopp at the National Eczema Society for sending details of the "Sponsored Wrap" which schools and companies can do any time of the year, to raise funds for the NES. All of us know kids who suffer from eczema - why not do a "wrap" day (or a "dressing down" day) to help this charity dedicated to providing practical support and funding research to find a cure for this distressing condition which affects all too many children. Contact details (and how to get your "wrap packs") given on our main Sponsored Events page [scroll down].

Well, that's all for this month! Everything is progressing at the usual hectic pace, we're still being snowed under with virus-carrying e-mails and the pagebuilding schedule gets seemingly ever longer, but no doubt it will all get done over time. We just never anticipated the site getting *quite* this busy before the French, Harry Potter, Pokémon and English pages were completed! - but we'll be continuing with all these (and the Schools Interchange resources) after the Golden Jubilee holiday.

Best regards,

Penny.

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