Sparks (charity)
Encyclopedia
Sparks is a children's medical research charity. Their sole remit is to fund research across the whole spectrum of paediatric medicine. Their vision is a world where all babies are born healthy and stay healthy.
and Arsenal and Wales star Wally Barnes; Ryder Cup golf captain Dai Rees
; and cricket legend Jim Laker
, to start a charity to help sick children.
These eminent sportsmen were lucky enough to be making their living by playing the games they loved and were only too pleased to help those children who might never have the opportunity to play sport at all. Jim Laker
was the first Chairman of Sparks and fellow cricket icon Sir Alec Bedser
the first President. Sir Alec was succeeded as President by another inspirational British hero, Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader. It was the birth of a long and illustrious lineage of famous names in Sparks's history.
Today, that distinguished lineage is continued with the involvement of such household names as Martin Johnson CBE, Sir Matthew Pinsent, Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Trevor Brooking
CBE, Lawrence Dallaglio
MBE, Jason Leonard
OBE, Colin Montgomerie
OBE, Tim Foster
MBE, Ray Clemence
MBE, Gabby Logan
and Kenny Logan
and many, many more.
Sparks contributed to the research that led to the development of a vaccine
for polio that has virtually eradicated the disease worldwide.
Sparks built upon this success to fund research into other disease and played a significant role in the development of the rubella vaccine
and the discovery that folic acid
can help counter the risk of babies being born with spina bifida
.
In 1991, Sparks became an independent charity, funding ground breaking paediatric medical research projects across a wide range of conditions affecting babies and young children. Childhood cancers, meningitis
, spina bifida
, muscular dystrophy
, infant brain damage
, club foot
and all the dangers associated with premature birth
are just a few of the research areas where Sparks is active.
The pioneering projects Sparks fund are carried out at leading teaching hospitals and universities throughout the UK and have made significant contributions to treatment breakthroughs being used by doctors all over the world.
with regional fundraisers across the UK. HRH Princess Michael of Kent
has been their royal patron since Sparks became an independent charity in 1991.
The councils and officers of the charity are Chairman David Mills, Deputy Chairman Simon Waugh, Company Secretary David Metcalfe ACIB, and the Hon. Treasurer Julian Wilkinson FCA. The Trustees are Tim Brooke-Taylor
, Sir Trevor Brooking CBE, Floella Benjamin
OBE, Roger Uttley
OBE, Hugh Edmeades, Guy Gregory, Michael Higgins, Gabby Logan
, David Orr, Frank van den Bosch, Victoria Glaysher and Chief Executive John Shanley FCCA.
Sparks is a registered charity, and hold the registration number 1003825 in England
and Wales
and number SCO39482 in Scotland
.
, spina bifida
, brain damage
, cystic fibrosis
, cleft lip and palate, juvenile idiopathic arthritis
and childhood cancers.
took part in a Radio 4 appeal to help Sparks launch George's Appeal in memory of 9 year-old George Yeomans who died from neuroblastoma
. Sparks aims to raise £2million by 2010 to continue the search for better treatments and hopefully find a cure for the condition.
is the charity's President for 2011.
Past Presidents of the charity include husband and wife Gabby Logan
and Kenny Logan
.
In January 2009, Olympic Gold medalist James Cracknell
took part in the Amundsen Omega 3 South Pole Race with his TV presenter friend Ben Fogle
and Dr Ed Coats as members of Team QinetiQ. The trio were raising funds for Sparks in memory of Cracknell's niece, Eva, who died at six days old after suffering oxygen deprivation at birth. Team QinetiQ finished in second, 20 hours behind the long distance ski experts in the winning Norwegian team Missing Link.
History
Sparks was founded in 1960, when Duncan Guthrie enlisted the support of some of the leading sports personalities of the day, including Jimmy HillJimmy Hill
James William Thomas "Jimmy" Hill OBE is an English association football personality. His career has taken in virtually every role in football, including player, union leader, coach, manager, director, chairman, television executive, presenter, analyst and match official.-Early life:Hill was born...
and Arsenal and Wales star Wally Barnes; Ryder Cup golf captain Dai Rees
Dai Rees
David James Rees, CBE was one of the Britain's leading golfers either side of World War II.The winner of many prestigious tournaments in Britain, Europe and farther afield, Rees is best remembered as the captain of the Great Britain Ryder Cup team which defeated the United States at Lindrick Golf...
; and cricket legend Jim Laker
Jim Laker
James "Jim" Charles Laker was a cricketer who played for England in the 1950s, known for "Laker's match" in 1956 at Old Trafford, when he took nineteen wickets in England's victory against Australia...
, to start a charity to help sick children.
These eminent sportsmen were lucky enough to be making their living by playing the games they loved and were only too pleased to help those children who might never have the opportunity to play sport at all. Jim Laker
Jim Laker
James "Jim" Charles Laker was a cricketer who played for England in the 1950s, known for "Laker's match" in 1956 at Old Trafford, when he took nineteen wickets in England's victory against Australia...
was the first Chairman of Sparks and fellow cricket icon Sir Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
the first President. Sir Alec was succeeded as President by another inspirational British hero, Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader. It was the birth of a long and illustrious lineage of famous names in Sparks's history.
Today, that distinguished lineage is continued with the involvement of such household names as Martin Johnson CBE, Sir Matthew Pinsent, Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Trevor Brooking
Trevor Brooking
Sir Trevor David Brooking CBE is a football player turned manager, on-air analyst, and administrator.Brooking attended Ripple Infants School and left Ilford County High School with 11 O-levels and 2 A-levels....
CBE, Lawrence Dallaglio
Lawrence Dallaglio
Lorenzo Bruno Nero "Lawrence" Dallaglio, OBE is a retired English rugby union player and former captain of the English national team. He played as a flanker or number eight for London Wasps and never played for another club, having arrived at Sudbury as a teenager...
MBE, Jason Leonard
Jason Leonard
Jason Leonard OBE , also known as "The Fun Bus", is an English former rugby union prop forward who held the world record for winning the most international caps until 2005, when it was surpassed by Australia's scrum-half George Gregan...
OBE, Colin Montgomerie
Colin Montgomerie
Colin Stuart Montgomerie, OBE is a Scottish professional golfer, often referred to by one of his nicknames 'Monty'. He has had one of the finest careers in European Tour history, having won a record eight Order of Merit titles, including a streak of seven consecutively from 1993 to 1999, and 31...
OBE, Tim Foster
Tim Foster
Timothy "Tim" James Carrington Foster MBE is a British rower. He began rowing at Bedford Modern School and competed in the Junior World Rowing Championships in 1987 and 1988. In the latter he competed in a pair with a Matthew Pinsent. He became the first British rower to win gold medals at two...
MBE, Ray Clemence
Ray Clemence
Raymond Neal "Ray" Clemence, MBE is one of English and European football's most decorated goalkeepers ever and was part of the Liverpool team of the 1970s.-Scunthorpe United:...
MBE, Gabby Logan
Gabby Logan
Gabby Logan is a television presenter and radio presenter, as well as a former Wales international gymnast. She currently hosts programmes for BBC Sport, mainly focusing on football.- Early life :...
and Kenny Logan
Kenny Logan
Kenny Logan is a rugby union footballer who played wing for London Scottish.- Career :As a schoolboy, Logan had football trials as a goalkeeper for Dundee United and Hearts. He left school at 16 and began his rugby career with Stirling County, making his senior debut at 17.In 1996, he joined Wasps...
and many, many more.
Sparks contributed to the research that led to the development of a vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
for polio that has virtually eradicated the disease worldwide.
Sparks built upon this success to fund research into other disease and played a significant role in the development of the rubella vaccine
Rubella vaccine
Rubella vaccine is a vaccine used against rubella.One form is called "Meruvax"....
and the discovery that folic acid
Folic acid
Folic acid and folate , as well as pteroyl-L-glutamic acid, pteroyl-L-glutamate, and pteroylmonoglutamic acid are forms of the water-soluble vitamin B9...
can help counter the risk of babies being born with spina bifida
Spina bifida
Spina bifida is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through...
.
In 1991, Sparks became an independent charity, funding ground breaking paediatric medical research projects across a wide range of conditions affecting babies and young children. Childhood cancers, meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
, spina bifida
Spina bifida
Spina bifida is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through...
, muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy is a group of muscle diseases that weaken the musculoskeletal system and hamper locomotion. Muscular dystrophies are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue.In the 1860s, descriptions of boys who...
, infant brain damage
Brain damage
"Brain damage" or "brain injury" is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. Brain injuries occur due to a wide range of internal and external factors...
, club foot
Club foot
A club foot, or congenital talipes equinovarus , is a congenital deformity involving one foot or both. The affected foot appears rotated internally at the ankle. TEV is classified into 2 groups: Postural TEV or Structural TEV....
and all the dangers associated with premature birth
Premature birth
In humans preterm birth refers to the birth of a baby of less than 37 weeks gestational age. The cause for preterm birth is in many situations elusive and unknown; many factors appear to be associated with the development of preterm birth, making the reduction of preterm birth a challenging...
are just a few of the research areas where Sparks is active.
The pioneering projects Sparks fund are carried out at leading teaching hospitals and universities throughout the UK and have made significant contributions to treatment breakthroughs being used by doctors all over the world.
Administration
Sparks is based in central LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with regional fundraisers across the UK. HRH Princess Michael of Kent
Princess Michael of Kent
Princess Michael of Kent is an Austrian-Hungarian member of the British Royal Family. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of King George V....
has been their royal patron since Sparks became an independent charity in 1991.
The councils and officers of the charity are Chairman David Mills, Deputy Chairman Simon Waugh, Company Secretary David Metcalfe ACIB, and the Hon. Treasurer Julian Wilkinson FCA. The Trustees are Tim Brooke-Taylor
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Timothy Julian Brooke-Taylor OBE is an English comic actor. He became active in performing in comedy sketches while at Cambridge University, and became President of the Footlights club, touring internationally with the Footlights revue in 1964...
, Sir Trevor Brooking CBE, Floella Benjamin
Floella Benjamin
Floella Karen Yunies Benjamin, Baroness Benjamin OBE DL is a British actress, author, television presenter, businesswoman and politician...
OBE, Roger Uttley
Roger Uttley
Roger Miles Uttley OBE MA is a former English rugby union player.- Career :He played 23 games for England both in the second row and the back row, 5 times as captain, 4 tests in the Lions back row on the undefeated 1974 tour to South Africa.Roger was born in Blackpool, and played first for...
OBE, Hugh Edmeades, Guy Gregory, Michael Higgins, Gabby Logan
Gabby Logan
Gabby Logan is a television presenter and radio presenter, as well as a former Wales international gymnast. She currently hosts programmes for BBC Sport, mainly focusing on football.- Early life :...
, David Orr, Frank van den Bosch, Victoria Glaysher and Chief Executive John Shanley FCCA.
Sparks is a registered charity, and hold the registration number 1003825 in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and number SCO39482 in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Areas of research
Sparks funds research into a variety of conditions affecting pregnant women, babies and children such as pre-eclampsiaPre-eclampsia
Pre-eclampsia or preeclampsia is a medical condition in which hypertension arises in pregnancy in association with significant amounts of protein in the urine....
, spina bifida
Spina bifida
Spina bifida is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through...
, brain damage
Brain damage
"Brain damage" or "brain injury" is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. Brain injuries occur due to a wide range of internal and external factors...
, cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
, cleft lip and palate, juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most common form of persistent arthritis in children. JIA is a subset of arthritis seen in childhood, which may be transient and...
and childhood cancers.
George's Appeal
In February 2009, Ronnie CorbettRonnie Corbett
Ronald Balfour "Ronnie" Corbett, OBE is a Scottish actor and comedian of Scottish and English parentage who had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the British television comedy series The Two Ronnies...
took part in a Radio 4 appeal to help Sparks launch George's Appeal in memory of 9 year-old George Yeomans who died from neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid cancer in childhood and the most common cancer in infancy, with an annual incidence of about 650 cases per year in the US , and 100 cases per year in the UK . Close to 50 percent of neuroblastoma cases occur in children younger than two years old...
. Sparks aims to raise £2million by 2010 to continue the search for better treatments and hopefully find a cure for the condition.
Celebrity involvement
Jason LeonardJason Leonard
Jason Leonard OBE , also known as "The Fun Bus", is an English former rugby union prop forward who held the world record for winning the most international caps until 2005, when it was surpassed by Australia's scrum-half George Gregan...
is the charity's President for 2011.
Past Presidents of the charity include husband and wife Gabby Logan
Gabby Logan
Gabby Logan is a television presenter and radio presenter, as well as a former Wales international gymnast. She currently hosts programmes for BBC Sport, mainly focusing on football.- Early life :...
and Kenny Logan
Kenny Logan
Kenny Logan is a rugby union footballer who played wing for London Scottish.- Career :As a schoolboy, Logan had football trials as a goalkeeper for Dundee United and Hearts. He left school at 16 and began his rugby career with Stirling County, making his senior debut at 17.In 1996, he joined Wasps...
.
In January 2009, Olympic Gold medalist James Cracknell
James Cracknell
James Cracknell, OBE is a British rowing champion and double Olympic gold medalist and adventurer. Cracknell is married to TV and radio presenter Beverley Turner; they have three children. In the New Year Honours List, 2004, he was appointed OBE for services to sport...
took part in the Amundsen Omega 3 South Pole Race with his TV presenter friend Ben Fogle
Ben Fogle
Ben Fogle is an English television presenter, adventurer and writer.-Early life:Fogle is the son of actress Julia Foster and broadcasting veterinary surgeon Bruce Fogle...
and Dr Ed Coats as members of Team QinetiQ. The trio were raising funds for Sparks in memory of Cracknell's niece, Eva, who died at six days old after suffering oxygen deprivation at birth. Team QinetiQ finished in second, 20 hours behind the long distance ski experts in the winning Norwegian team Missing Link.