New Members
A huge welcome to our new members: michmart, auntyP, sorceress, stuartdenley, mairiw21, FCdC, Joolsy, mrstumble, Kirsty, stinkerella mum, janeq and cattyjane.
If you haven’t already posted please come and introduce yourself – don’t be shy, our community will make you very welcome.

Charity Application
We have heard from OSCR (the regulatory body for charities in Scotland) and they are now dealing with our application, I have to send them some financial information of how the organisation has been funded over the last 2 and a half years, then hopefully we’ll hear soon after if our application is successful.
Becoming a registered charity will not only give us formal credibility, but also open more doors for our fund raising efforts. If you are interested in joining the organisation please let me know so I can send you an application form – membership is free.

ESP Annual Meet 2009
I am looking for suggestions for a venue for our 2009 annual ESP Meet. In our first year we had a get-together at Alton Towers and our 2nd gathering was held at Gulliver’s World, Warrington. The 2009 annual meet will be decided by popular choice. In previous years the meet has taken place during the Spring/Easter break, but if more members would find the summer break easier then we’ll change it.
I have set up some polls on the main forum for you to cast your votes and make any suggestions. I know it may seem like a long way off – but believe me, it comes around really quickly.
The annual meet is a great opportunity for a day out with the kids, where you can meet some of the other parents and carers that you’ve spoken to on the forum.

Christmas Shopping
Yes, I know it’s a thought! But ESP can help. We have a comprehensive selection of online retailers participating in the ESP Mall and via the ESP Easyfundraising pages which can make this time of year a bit easier on you and your pocket. The way it works is very simple – you just click on any of the links provided to the online stores and automatically ESP is awarded commission for any purchases you make – at no extra cost to you.
easyfundraising is a shopping directory listing some of your favourite online stores including Argos, Next, Amazon, Debenhams, John Lewis, Toys R Us, HMV and over 600 other top name stores. Whenever you shop with any one of them using the links provided on the easyfundraising site, you'll generate a free donation for us of up to 15% of the purchase price every time! It really is that simple!
It doesn't cost a penny more to shop and raise funds in this way. In fact you can even SAVE MONEY as many retailers give exclusive discounts, special offers and even 'e-vouchers' when you shop through the easyfundraising site. All you need to do is register for free at http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/extraspecialparents and use easyfundraising every time you shop online.
You can also raise funds for us every time you search the Web - with easysearch, a search engine with a difference!
When you search with easysearch, you'll raise funds for us with every search you make! Make just 10 searches a day with easysearch instead of Google or any other search engine and you could raise around £20 a year - or more - for us. It's that easy! What's more, easysearch combines the strengths of several search engines together - Yahoo!, MSN, Ask.com and many more - making it a 'super' search engine! easysearch tracks down the most relevant and accurate results from across the Web, which means you'll find what you are looking for quickly and easily every time - in one 'easy' search. Please set our unique easysearch page - http://extraspecialparents.easysearch.org.uk - as your homepage and use it every time you search the Web.
Please also share these links with your friends and family so they can shop, save and also help raise funds for ESP.

The Forums
The forums are an invaluable tool for all our members, please take full advantage. We’re here primarily to help you talk to other parents who are dealing with the same issues, parents often share hints and tips, give and get advice. It is also a place to chat about just about everything in the Members Lounge. Don’t be shy, everyone just mucks in.

Debbi Robertson
Secretary/Treasurer
www.extra-special-parents.org
www.espkids.org