Norwood's £33m man

BDO Stoy Hayward partner Andrew Viner is Norwood’s new treasurer, overseeing a recession-trimmed £33 million budget. He succeeds Russell Tenzer, who held the post for 13 years.

Mr Viner, 38, will operate alongside the charity’s corporate services director, Philip Bunt, and chair Norwood’s corporate services committee.

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Norwood’s big spend

How Norwood spent £35 million in the financial year to March 2008 is detailed in the welfare charity’s newly released annual review.

The vast majority — £31.68 million — went on running its services. The remainder was used for raising funds (£2.58 million) and management (£742,000).

Over £15 million was spent on providing adult services at the Ravenswood Village in Berkshire, close on £8 million on learning disability support in London, £6 million on special education services, £2.28 million on children and family provision and £470,000 on fostering and adoption.

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Queen to open new Ravenswood facility

The Queen is to visit Norwood's Ravenswood village for people with learning disabilities next month.

Norwood president Richard Desmond told the charity's annual dinner at Grosvenor House on Monday that The Queen would tour the Berkshire facility on December 11.

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Young Norwood attracts legal aid

A new brief for London lawyer Rachael Davis is the co-chairmanship of Young Norwood.

The 26-year-old restructuring and insolvency specialist with Olswang began her involvement with the charity two years ago through the Young Norwood lawyers' committee, which she went on to co-chair.

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Norwood chief probes health minister

Norwood chief executive Norma Brier pressed Health Minister Ivan Lewis over funding concerns when he toured the charity's facilities in Hendon and Finchley on Tuesday.

Mrs Brier highlighted the problem of attracting sufficient local authority support to cover those in need of Norwood's services. She said afterwards: "We are delighted that the minister has recognised the importance of what Norwood is doing to assist people with learning difficulties to lead more fulfilling lives."

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Mark Pollack through to second Backgammon Series qualifier

Mark Pollack has won the second qualifier in Norwood's Backgammon Series, sponsored by the Pears Foundation, finishing ahead of Roxanna Maynard and Michael Flesch. The previous tournament raised £80,000 for the children and family-services charity, and qualifiers are continuing for the next grand final.

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Charity gets Hope

The North-West London-based Hope charity, supporting children with special educational needs, is the latest addition to Norwood’s umbrella of children and family services.

Hope’s Centre for Cognitive Education was opened in 1996 by British parents of special needs youngsters who had been helped by Professor Reuven Feuerstein’s Jerusalem institute.

As part of the merger, Hope trustees’ chair Harry Simmonds will join Norwood’s corporate services committee, and fundraising chair Ian Fagelson will become a Norwood trustee.

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Changes planned for Ravenswood

Changes are planned to Norwood’s Ravenswood Village residential community in Berkshire in line with revised government policy that only those with complex disabilities should be placed in such communities.

The moves also reflect the findings of an internal review which have been shown to staff.

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Sarah Fattal

The 17-year-old student volunteers at Unity, Norwood’s recreational, play and youth service for children with disabilities. She is based at Hendon at the Kennedy Leigh Centre and Pears Wing for Children

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