As we approach the end of the year it’s great to look back and reflect on this, my first full year at Rett UK. I am really grateful for how much everyone has got behind Rett UK this year. We were really struggling at the beginning of the year but I am now really pleased to say we are on budget and our income is well up on the previous twelve months, even after doing the Family Weekend. This is down to the incredible community fundraising and events that you have undertaken on our behalf this year. I am immensely grateful for your support.

Some of the highlights in 2015;

January 2015: Important alliance with Reverse Rett announced with both charities pledging to work collaboratively.

February 2015: ‘To Know Her Is To Love Her Appeal’ supported by Coleen Rooney raised over £15,000 in a few weeks kick starting community fundraising for the year ahead.

March 2015: Regional Day in Enfield attended by over 30 families.

June 2015: A grant of £77,000 from BBC Children in Need secured our transition and sibling support project for 3 years.

July 2015: The Rett Disorders Alliance was announced, increasing our partnership working still further.

September 2015: New website launched with a members section, events calendar, shop, blog and social media feeds, new resources and regular updates on research.

October 2015: 30^th Anniversary Family Weekend with over 90 families attending, 300 delegates listening to presentations from the leading researchers and clinicians working internationally in the Rett community as well as the UK. Our Rett syndrome Awareness Month campaign reached 28,000 people with the first post.

November 2015: 30^th Anniversary Video launched highlighting the difference Rett UK makes. Available to view on the web site https://www.rettuk.org/videos/. The video reached over 32,000 people and  had over 7,300 views. First Monthly E Newsletter circulated – an additional resource for families with latest updates on research, support and fundraising.

December 2015: Rett UK is well placed to forge ahead with developing Regional Hubs in 2016, improving support for our families where they live.  Facebook likes have grown by 41% this year. Our reach and level of engagement has increased significantly too. It all helps in attracting and retaining new support for our work.

Personally, one of the things I am most pleased about is the various charities and patient groups in our community coming together and exploring how we can develop services and resources together which meet the needs of our families. We are stronger together, we will achieve more together and we will get there quicker.

We cannot rest on our laurels though and we need to keep up the momentum with the community fundraising, in particular reaching out to new audiences who want to support us. One of the initiatives we will be promoting next year is Dine & Donate  asking restaurants to add an optional  £1 to customers bills which would be donated to Rett UK. Please help us by sharing posts on social media and perhaps asking your favourite restaurants if they would participate.

Huge thanks to everyone who has supported us this year. Also thanks due to my office team and the trustees who have worked really hard behind the scenes and who I know will continue to do so next year to ensure our families get the support they need, when they need it and where they need it.

Wishing you all the best to your and your family for a very happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas and New Year. I am excited about Rett UK’s plans for 2016 and look forward to seeing what we can achieve together. Becky Jenner, CEO