Letters for Livvi - I've been "Touched By Olivia"

Livvi's Place 1st Birthday Celebrations

2010-11-26T14:59:00.000+11:00

Big thank you to all our lovely neigbours, supporters and friends who shared the first birthday of Livvi's Place with us last Saturday. Special mention to the gorgeously talented Jay Laga'aia who entertained the kids for the afternoon and put smiles on all of their faces. The Dorothy Cowie School of Dancing performed a beautiful dance routine that made our hearts sing and toes tap.

We celebrated with delicious cakes from Planet Cake and The Cupcake Factory learnt aboout wormy friends thanks to Bunnings, and had some fantastic giveaways in our free raffle thanks to Corner Cubbyhouse, Anime, Taronga Zoo and Birkenhead Point who have donated a $350 spending spree as the major prize for our Facebook competition "Letters to Livvi". Head over to www.facebook.com/touchedbyolivia and post your review of our playground for your chance to win!

All in all, a fantastic celebration, with thanks to City of Canada Bay for helping make it happen.

Inner West Courier loves Livvi's Place

2010-09-28T14:48:00.005+10:00

We've had more accolades! Inner West Courier has a lovely article and another picture of our very handsome Ambassador, Jay.

Showing Livvi's Place the Love

2010-09-24T08:58:00.002+10:00

Just found this blog from November 2009 - we love hearing about how much people love our playgrounds! Make sure you post here or link to us if you want to share the love!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009

Livvi's Place
Here is a great link (in the title) for anyone who lives or is likely to travel near Five Dock in the wonderful inner west suburbs of Sydney. We took the twins today (it only opened last week). I felt quite teary seeing so many families - and at least 3 others - who had children with special needs - enjoying the first all abilities playground in Australia. The equipment is great - and I felt that the other families (those with 'regular' kids only) were also very happy and comfortable to mingle with the special needs kids. A lovely inclusive environment in my local community. YAY!! Thanks so much to the Touched by Olivia Foundation. Next time I will take my camera so you can see how much fun the brats and their Mum and Dad had on the equipment.

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2009/11/livvis-place.html

Justine Perkins nominated for NSW Volunteer of the Year

2010-09-22T15:49:00.002+10:00

http://www.nswvolunteerawards.com/news/touched-by-olivia-interview-justine-perkins

Touched by Olivia - Interview with Justine Perkins

By Emmet O’Cuana, The Centre for Volunteering

Following the tragic death of their infant child, John and Justine Perkins were inspired to create a charity dedicated to helping young families of children born with disabilities, or serious medical conditions.

Their story is a remarkable one for their willingness to invoke the memory of their deceased daughter Olivia in order to achieve their aims, not to mention the extraordinary success that followed. As young parents, with a two-year old child to raise, the couple felt that no one else should have to face the difficulties that they had encountered.

Olivia was born suffering from a rare disease that is classified as a vascular malformation. In order to allow her to breathe properly a tracheotomy was performed. John and Justine had been looking forward to taking their daughter home when she passed away.

Determined to honour the memory of their child, the couple used their professional contacts to help set up the Touched By Olivia Foundation, a grassroots organisation that relied on donations and a staff of volunteers to accomplish its aims.

The Touched By Olivia Foundation raises funds to assist the Sydney Children’s Hospital treat diseases and conditions that perhaps do not command as much attention as cancer, but are no less insidious in their cost to young lives.

The Foundation also provides assistance for families who face an uncertain future due to the continuing need for medical assistance for their child. From home care to playgrounds, these children are denied access to a ‘normal life’, something which can be very daunting for their parents. The Foundation not only provides a network that offers advice to families, but has created Livvi's Place a customised playground for children that caters to all kinds of kids, regardless of their specific needs.

The Foundation lobbied its local council to give planning permission for the first Livvi's Place, with a cost of over one million dollars. They organised special events to spread their message of providing care in the community for the most vulnerable, such as the Butterfly Ball and Family Fun Fairs. This allowed the Foundation to promote facilities such as Livvi's Place on a national level, a project which will be managed on a community level, with John and Justine acting in an advisory role now that their campaign's initial momentum has taken hold. In the past four years the Foundation has successfully raised $750,000. Over the next year, two further Balls will be dedicated to raising funds exclusively to help Sydney Children's Hospital provide medical care to sick or disabled children.

Justine offered advice to other start-up charities hoping to raise funds for their cause: Serious thought should be given to the goals of the organisation. It is very hard work, very personally demanding and sometimes a lot of guilt can come with it too, due to the time and effort given by volunteers.

"I just feel that I can never repay them personally, but I also hear that 'what you have given us the opportunity to do, speaks louder than words, so [much] louder than a weekly pay packet'. You’ve just got to get your head around that and accept that people are going to do it because they want to do it,"said Justine.

Many people may consider that the work of the Foundation is rightly the responsibility of the public health authority. However, Justine argues that in lieu of waiting for government action, communities should stand up and do what they can to solve problems. "John and I have this philosophy, don’t ask why, just ask why not?" Their cause has attracted considerable media interest, with Jay Laga'aia acting as a spokesperson for the Foundation and singer Damien Leith agreeing to perform at their Butterfly Ball. Justine attributes their success in this regard to a combination of luck and determination.

The Touched By Olivia Foundation continues to grow from strength to strength. John and Justine's story proves that volunteering can make a positive difference to the lives of many people within the community.

"I’m just so thankful and grateful to the people who have supported us. We are only as good as our volunteers and I recognise that. We’ve been very blessed."

Justine Perkins, of Drummoyne, is a nominee for the 2010 NSW Volunteer of the Year Award.

Friday Night Special

2010-09-17T21:54:00.001+10:00

"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does!" William James

Livvi's Place wins Australian Playground of the Year!

2010-09-16T09:42:00.001+10:00

From John Perkins, Founding Director of Touched By Olivia Thursday 16 September at 9:41am.

"It is with a great sense of exhilaration that we are thrilled to announce that Livvi’s Place Timbrell Park last night, at a gala event in Adelaide, won the PLA award for the ‘Best Playground in Australia”. This is the most coveted award by all organisations involved in playgrounds around Australia

The success of Livvi’s Place Timbrell Park is being evidenced on a daily basis by its enormous popularity. On the weekend just past, it is estimated that over 1000 people visited Livvi’s Place. ( whereas the old playground attracted 80 people per weekend on average). We also continue to get regular stories on how the playground is changing the lives of families with disabled kids

Once again, an enormous thank you to all of our supporters who have enabled our first Livvi’s Place to become a reality."

Weekendnotes profile's Livvis Place @ Five Dock

2010-09-14T13:41:00.001+10:00

We love to see reviews online - everyone loves Livvi's Place!

http://www.weekendnotes.com/timbrell-park/

Touching Strangers

2010-09-10T20:37:00.002+10:00

It's often the case that "strangers" become engaged with the Foundation and our objectives. Sometimes, it's hard for those entrenched to step back and remember the reasons we became involved. This beautiful interview Louise Crossley conducted with Founding Director and Olivia's mum, Justine Perkins, is a timely reminder of just how far-reaching Olivia's touch has become.

Perkins welcome a baby brother

2010-08-29T13:33:00.001+10:00

Super Mum Justine Perkins gave birth to little Henry John on Friday. Inner West Dad of the Year, John Perkins, is stoked with the V3: Perkins Wallabies and impressed with his wives thoughtful Fathers Day gift. Mum looking gorgeous, baby is divine!

Thought of the day - from Tuija Seipell

2010-08-15T21:41:00.001+10:00

Anyone with creative ideas, energy, staff and money, can give to kids in his or her neighborhood. Who knows what could happen, if we as individuals, companies and cities paid as much attention to our kids’ play environments as we do to our own? - Tuija Seipell

Communities creating change - Touched By Olivia and Canada Bay Council

2010-08-11T11:41:00.004+10:00

The creation of the first all abilities Livvi's Place is the end result of a strong partnership between our Foundation and the Council - we worked together to build something for ALL the children.

Council has designed a fantastic brochure explaining each piece of equipment and the elemental thought that went into it. If you'd like a full copy emailed to you, contact john.perkins@touchedbyolivia.com.au.

Home of the next Livvi's Place? Yamble Reserve, Ryde

2010-08-10T14:52:00.002+10:00

Beautiful green grass, gorgeous hedges and lavender bushes. The kids had a lovely time playing chasing and statues in the sunny Yamble Reserve yesterday.

Twins Love Livvi's Place

2010-08-10T10:29:00.006+10:00

"I just wanted to say thanks for such a wonderful playground. I have attended a couple of the fundraisers leading up to it and know that it must have been a huge effort. I have 5 year old twins - one of whom has Down Syndrome. She LOVES the park and manages pretty well at 'regular' playgrounds - so long as there is a swing! We are lucky to live in Five Dock - so close to Livvi's Place. We took the twins there today for the first time. The equipment is fantastic but I was especially taken by the atmosphere - there were at least 3 other children with 'special needs' that I could see. It was great to be out and about with a truly diverse range of people from our community. It brought a tear to my eye to see so many families participating so easily in the very ordinary activity of taking the kids to the park. We made a few new friends today too. Thanks again." Shelley

Making childrens lives happier, day by day

2010-08-08T08:44:00.004+10:00

We love getting inboxed with beautiful emails from playground fans. This one really tugs at our heart strings....

I just wanted to say what an amazing park you have created in Five dock, my little girl has cerebral palsy and has never been able to use swings etc, but we went to your park today and she had the time of her life! A MASSIVE thank you for building it I have told the spastic centre about it and they will spread the word to their other clients. I wanted to also ask you about the birds nest swing, how expensive was it to build? i would love one in my backyard!"

Livvi's Place at Five Dock, and future sites, will help children of all abilities to get out and do what all children are built for - PLAY. If you haven't already been, drop by.... there's even fun to be had for the parents.

Quotable quotes

2010-08-05T16:13:00.002+10:00

Once every few years a project comes along that catches our imagination as something that is worthy of special attention because of the uniqueness or importance as a community facility. This playground is just such a facility.

This is a quotable quote - why? Recently John Murphy, MP quoted the judges of Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia engineering excellence awards in Parliament. What is it that is catching our imagination? It's a world without boundaries, where kids play side by side, regardless of their ability. It's play that wheelchair bound parents can participate in. It's a place that everyone can feel safe and happy in.

It's Livvi's Place.

Ryde Council earmarks next Livvi's Place

2010-08-04T07:39:00.001+10:00

On 28 July 2010, Mayor Michael Butterworth stated Ryde Council supports the creation of an All Abilities Playground @ Yamble Reserve. Stay tuned!

Our maiden post

2010-08-04T06:30:00.000+10:00

Touched by Olivia is a charity, formed in the honour of little Olivia Perkins.

In November 2006, John and Justine Perkins tragically lost their baby daughter Olivia, at just 8 months old, to a rare illness. Their life, as they knew it, came crashing down with the immense sadness and numerous other mixed emotions that followed. This most devastating time of John and Justine's life however has brought with it new meaning. A gift, if you like, with a message - a message to positively enhance the lives of children and their families in a significant way.

Founding the Touched by Olivia Foundation is a step towards realising the dream that will become Olivia's legacy. In her short life, Olivia touched many hearts. It is John and Justine's hope that Olivia will continue to touch many more lives through the work undertaken by the Foundation

John and Justine's dream of spreading Olivia's touch is happening daily, with the creation of Australia's leading All Abilities playground, Livvi's Place, the establishment and ongoing funding of a research fellowship at Sydney Children's Hospital into lymphatic disease and the purchase of state of the art laser machines, and the creation and implementation of our indoor Livvi's Place at Macarthur Square in partnership with Good Beginnings.

Every day, John and Justine are overwhelmed with the support they receive and words of thanks from parents utilising the programs that the Foundation are running. This blog is a home to share Olivia's touch with the world.