Miles of smiles - an important appeal from the heart

I know its been nearly 3 months since I've been blogging here, but there's time for updates in the future - right now I really need your help, to enable a very special little boy get the care he truly needs...

Back in June I wrote on here about little Miles Griffiths and highlighted the charity that providing support for him - this week I got news from his grandma of an extremely worrying development in his care.


Please, please read and show your support by signing the petition at the link below - thankyou so much

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keepmilesinfootprints/

http://www.causes.com/causes/534650?m=4d513973





Hi Paul. I'm contacting you to ask if you would be kind enough to help my family again (!)......As you may recall I have an 8 year old grandson, Miles Griffiths. He currently lives in a childrens nursing home, Footprints, in Canterbury, Kent and has been supported by the wonderful Charity Kent Kids whom you highlighted on your blog. Social Services then stepped in to help financially.


In their infinite wisdom (for reasons of economy ) Social Services have now decided that Miles should be placed in foster care and have lined up totally unsuitable foster carers over-riding my daughter and her husband's wishes. Whilst these foster carers are very pleasant people, they have no experience of caring for a severely mentally and physically disabled child. Miles is recieving excellent care at Footprints, he is well, happy and settled. It is nothing short of cruel to disrupt him and he would simply not understand what was happening to him.

Miles cannot speak for himself so we are acting for him, he is not an unwanted child, he is much loved and cherished by his family.


We have launched a petition called Keep Miles At Footprints.



Please, please consider signing this petition and if you are a Facebook member, joining our cause.

Links below:-

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keepmilesinfootprints/







Original Blog :

No matter what kind of day I've had, there's one thing that's always guaranteed to bring on instant happiness.


Every time I see my little boy's face light up with wonder, beaming a huge smile back at me, suddenly all the troubles of the world just melt away.

1) Miles of smiles miles-of-smiles.org.uk



You may well have seen the link on the right hand side of this blog as I first featured this charity a month or so ago after a fellow writer on dooyoo told me all about it as it provides much needed care for her grandson.

Kent Kids Miles of Smiles was founded in March 1993, with the sole aim of spreading some sunshine into the lives of sick and disabled children. It's a small regional British charity that has really struggled for funding during the recession, so I'm more than happy to give it any extra promotion that I can.


The lady in question kindly gave me her permission to publish an extract from the deeply moving message she wrote to me - I think you'll agree it's much more powerful and personal than anything I could write here myself

I just wanted to mention a charity very close to my heart, Kent Kids, Miles of Smiles. They are a Kent based children's charity, who have supported my young grandson, Miles Griffiths, for over 18 months. Miles was born with spastic quadriplegia, he is 8 this year but cannot sit, mobilise, speak or even swallow due to his condition.

He is fed via a jejunostomy tube into his bowel (as his stomach does not work) and his care needs are so great that my daughter was unable to continue caring for him at home. She has two other children and was becoming ill with the sheer hard work involved after 6 years care giving with little or no help.









We try to do our bit for the charity and support their fundraising ventures, but as you can imagine the current recession has hit the charity's donations very hard. If you would consider highlighting Kent Kids on your blog, I would be very grateful