Headway Cambridgeshire

Mr Hayes, who is Shadow Minister for Lifelong Learning Higher & Further Education, became involved with Headway after becoming an MP in 1987 and actively supports the charity by holding regular fund-raising events, which include his annual parliamentary cricket match, to help raise its profile.

Mr Hayes suffered a serious head injury in his early 20s from which, mercifully, he made an excellent recovery. Now he wants to help others who face the same trauma and are less fortunate than him.

He was nominated for the award by Ellee Seymour, Chair of Trustees at the Cambridge-based charity, who said she was thrilled that Mr Hayes’ long standing commitment to them had been recognised at the Charity Champion Awards.

Commenting on winning the ePolitix Disability Champion Award, John Hayes said: "I am flattered and honoured to receive the ePolitix Disability Champion Award 2008, for highlighting and supporting the excellent work of Headway."

"But it’s the people at Headway who support those with head injuries and their carers who are the real heroes – I am extremely grateful to Headway for nominating me for the Disability Champion Award."

Ellee Seymour said: "We are delighted that John Hayes' excellent and long standing work on behalf of Headway, locally and nationally, has been recognised through the ePolitix Charity Champion AWards 2008, which has culminated in John winning the ePolitix Disability Champion Award."

“John has been working closely with Headway for many years and his contribution to raising our profile and fund raising has been invaluable. We feel very privileged to have John’s support whose personal experience has led him to help inspire others about the needs of survivors of an acquired brain injury.”

Picture caption; John Hayes MP, receives the award from Esther Rantzen with Ellee Seymour, chair of trustees for Headway Cambridgeshire, and Andrew Gardner, Chief executive of Headway Cambridgeshire.


Headway- the brain injury association is a UK-wide charity that offers support and services to brain injury survivors and their families and carers. There are over 100 Groups and Branches giving support at local level. Headway UK, the umbrella organisation, provides information through its publications, website and Helpline. It also campaigns for the introduction of measures that will reduce the incidence of brain injury and for improvements in care for those affected.

· Every year, more than a million people attend hospital A&E departments in the UK following a head injury.

· Around 135,000 people will be admitted because of the severity of their injury.

· The major causes of head injury are road traffic accidents, falls and accidents at home or at work.

· The people most at risk are in the age-group 15-29 and over 65. Those aged between 15 and 29 are three times more likely to sustain a brain injury than any other group.

· Males are two to three times more likely to suffer a brain injury than females. This rises to five times more likely in the 15-29 age range.


The effects of brain injury are often devastating.

· They may be physical: loss of co-ordination, muscle rigidity, paralysis, epilepsy, difficulty in speaking, loss of sight smell or taste, fatigue and sexual problems.

· They may be cognitive: problems with memory, attention and concentration, low tolerance of noisy or stressful environments, loss of insight and initiative.

· They may be to do with behaviour and personality: anxiety, depression, loss of motivation, difficulty controlling anger, and impulsivity.

· More people are surviving severe brain injuries because of advances in medical knowledge and surgical techniques. People who have survived a brain injury generally have a normal life expectancy. This means that there are an ever-increasing number of people living with the long-term effects of brain injury.

· It is estimated that across the UK there are over 500,000 people living with disabilities as the result of head injury.



*******



For further information please contact Ellee Seymour, Headway Press Officer on 01353 648564 - 07939 811961 or Craig Jackson, Press Officer to John Hayes MP on 01406 351393 or 07960 158535.