News & Events

News & Events

• On 30th April 2008, Eilis Manning retired from her post as Joint Co-ordinator.  We marked the occassion by holding a small function at which Eilis and her colleagues and friends were able to reflect on her contribution to Adopt.  A big thank you goes out to all of you who very generously donated money towards Eilis' retirement gift.  She was presented with a large bouquet of flowers on her arrival, and after a few speeches she received her other gifts - a silver tray with an inscription recognising her contribution to post-adoption services, a £200 cheque and a Tom Tom Sat Nav.  Any of you who know Eilis will probably know just how useful the sat nav will be with her tendency to get lost!  She had a great evening as did all who attended.

• On Wednesday, 16 May, 2007, we opened our new Ballymena support group and are delighted with its success. We would like to invite anyone in the Northern Trust area who has been touched by adoption to come along and join us.

• Our first ‘birth mothers’ only’ support group opened on Monday 2 July 2007. We are very excited about the potential of this group, as our first meeting proved very successful. Having birth mothers only together created a very unique environment. We shall hold a birth mother only group on the third Tuesday of every other month from 7 30pm to 9 00pm. If you are interested in coming along, please contact Kate on 02890 319500 for details.

• Mid September, our Tracing Officer, Kathleen McClure, was featured on the front page of the Belfast Telegraph’s Job Section.

• Adopt would like to say a very big THANK YOU to all those firewalkers who took part in our annual firewalk. We had a brilliant evening and raised much needed funds. We would also like to thank the Park Plaza Hotel staff for providing the venue free of charge and for their excellent standard of service. Thanks are also due to Stenaline for their generous support.

• We held our annual raffle, immediately after our AGM on 26th March 2008 and raised a total of £555.

1st prize - Sunday Lunch for 2 at The Templeton Hotel (kindly donated by the hotel) - Winner: Liz Doherty.

2nd prize - 6 bottles of fine wine (donated by Sam McClelland, Treasurer) - Winner: Claire Feenan.

3rd prize - DVD Player (free gift with stationary order from Viking) - Winner: Siobhan Kennedy.

4th prize - Bottle of Whiskey (donated by Allen Mercer) - Winner: Valarie McVeigh.

5th prize - Bottle of Port (donated by Allen Mercer) - Winner: Claire McCluskey.

• It has been agreed by the committee that we should rename the organisation.  The purpose of doing so is to have a name that clearly states what we do, i.e. post adoption support.  If you have any ideas please pass them onto Kate at the office.

WHATS HAPPENING AT THE MO...

• Volunteer Opportunities - we have various volunteering opportunities at Adopt and would be keen to hear from individuals who are genuinely interested and reliable. If you are interested in bringing or gaining experience in, administration, computing, fundraising, public relations or group facilitation, please call the office. In return for volunteering your time, not only will you be gaining valuable work experience but Adopt will give you the opportunity to use your initiative and creativity, cover all your expenses, assist you in creating a personal development plan and provide appropriate training, where necessary, to help you achieve your goals, support you with regular supervision, value your input and provide a pleasant working environment.

• Adopt continue to participate in the new adoption legislation consultations, along with the Department, and other voluntary and statutory agencies.

• Newry & Bangor Support Groups - We have closed down both these groups for the moment, as the numbers were quite low for both and we felt being part of a larger group would be of more benefit. Those who attended these groups are now attending the Belfast Group and already they are indicating how much more beneficial the larger group is.

Up & Coming Events

• Renaming the organisation - The committee have decided to rename Adopt.  The reason for this is that many people find the name Adopt misleading, and perhaps more fitting for an adoption agency.  We are aiming to decide on a name that will more clearly state what we do, i.e. tracing, intermediary work, and group and one-to-one support.

• Fundraising - We are in the process of organizing a Murder, Mystery Evening. More details will be released as arrangements are confirmed. We are always looking for volunteers to help us raise funds. If you are interested in getting involved in a worthwhile cause and having some fun at the same time, please contact Kate at the office.