News 1 October 2016

NAILSEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE OPENS

All the photographs from the opening with comedian Andy Ford are in the Gallery 2016. To view the slide show click HERE

NAILSEA BIKE SHOW

Photos of people and bikes from the magnificent 7th International Bike Show at the Royal Oak, Nailsea. To see if you have been caught on camera click HERE

HALLOWEEN FIRST

Halloween and bonfire night dates on What's On page. The Big Apple Day at the Tithe Barn pics at in Gallery 2016 click HERE

The Nailsea episode went out on Friday morning, October 7. To watch on BBC iPlayer click HERE to view lots of familiar faces and streets in our town (or village)

Click images to read more

Who put kettle on in Nailsea

Never in my life have I been to so many coffee mornings in one day!

Here is a brief look at the lovely people from Nailsea and nearby raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support by joining in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

Among those putting the kettle on were the Patient Participation Group (PPG) at Tower House Medical Centre, Niki Matyjasik and friends at The George, Backwell and Sarah Jezard and her friends at Backwell Parish Hall.

Tickenham Golf Club professional Sarah Sutcliffe and lady captain Sal Mansfield organised the clubhouse event because both of their mums have been seriously affected by cancer.

Sarah said: “Everyone has been, is or will be affected in some way by cancer at some point in their lives.

“So it's not just for our mums, but everyone's mums, dads, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, friends and maybe the person walking next to you on the street.”

In June this year, Sarah, Sal, Jayne Baker and Alison Hodgson did the MacMillan Longest Day Challenge.

This involved playing 72 holes of golf in 12 hours raising more than £3,000 for MacMillan Cancer Support.

And their Friday coffee morning added a further £250.68 on the day with a few more promises due in tomorrow, said Sarah.

We heard the chink of china first at Fairfield School PTA and then at the beginning of the week Tesco Nailsea set up a stall selling cupcakes and raffle tickets at its Mad Hatters tea party.

On Thursday afternoon an inflatable tea cup called Muggy arrived from the Golden Hill store and then supermarket staff ran around Nailsea shaking a collecting bucket before Muggy and mates set off for Weston pier.

Pastor Paul Carter and friends entertained a hall full of coffee drinkers at Nailsea Baptist church centre at Silver Street and at Crown Glass shopping centre the china tea services were out for more fundraising in many stores.

Nikki finished the day with more than £150 with further donations coming in and others are still counting.

Last year £25 million was added to the charity coffers and this year Macmillan hope it will be even more.

A Macmillan spokesman said: “There are now 2.5 million people in the UK living with cancer. By 2030, it will be 4 million people, and we want to be there for them all.

“One in three of us will get cancer, and it will be one of the toughest things we’ll ever have to face.

“Our goal is to make sure no one faces cancer alone. We provide medical, emotional, practical and financial support, as well as campaigning for better cancer care.

"And because cancer affects more than just those facing it, we’re there for friends and family too.”

The first ever coffee morning was in 1990 and since then it has raised a phenomenal £138 million for Macmillan.

More photos/amounts raised will be added as they come in, thank you everyone.

The only way is up

A fundraiser from North Somerset has set herself the challenge of climbing the world’s tallest mountain to keep our air ambulance flying.

Laura Durrant a former report with the Clevedon Mercury is now press officer at Great Western Air Ambulance Charity, and is passionate about the charity and the work it does.

This passion will see her trek 19,000ft up Kilimanjaro to raise money GWAAC.

Laura, who also volunteers for Sunshine Hospital Radio in Weston-super-Mare, signed up as she wanted to test herself.

She said: “This is a really big challenge for me, and will take me right out of my comfort zone.

“However knowing that I am raising money for such a vital charity will help me through.

"In my job with GWAAC I am constantly inspired by the amazing work that the crew do – they are there for people who are seriously ill or injured, saving lives.

“The thought of this vital lifeline not being there is scary – but if people don’t raise money then it would not exist.

"I want to do my bit to ensure the crew can continue to save lives for years to come.”

Laura will be trekking for seven days, and will face challenges such as extreme weather conditions, fatigue, and high altitude as she nears the summit.

The money she raises will help to keep the air ambulance operational, ensuring more lives are saved.

To sponsor Laura clIck HERE.

GWAAC receives no day to day funding from the Government or National Lottery, and relies on the generosity of the public to raise the £2.3million needed each year to stay operational.

The crew attend serious incidents across the region by helicopter or by critical care car.

When someone is seriously ill or injured time is of the essence, and they need expert help fast. This is where GWAAC comes in.

The service they provide is reliant on the brilliant team of pilots, critical care paramedics, and critical care doctors who specialise in pre-hospital care and trauma medicine.

From emergency caesareans to roadside amputations or treating cardiac arrests, it’s the skill and dedication of the team that means one patient in five – a patient otherwise expected to die – survives.

Last year GWAAC which serves Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, North Somerset and parts of Wiltshire was called to Nailsea 19 times, and of those three times were on Christmas Day 2015!

In total is its critical care team attended 1,655 jobs: 632 by helicopter and 1,023 by one of its specialist cars.

It needs to raise £2.3million each year to stay operational but to date receives no day-to-day funding from the Government or National Lottery.

And then we were

Nailsea Medical Centre, Backwell and Nailsea Medical Group and Long Ashton Surgery officially merged on Friday, October 1, under the new name of Tyntesfield Medical Group.

The new 15-partner practice will serve the primary health care needs of 31,000 patients across North Somerset.

The new name was chosen by staff to reflect the location of Tyntesfield House as an iconic landmark associated with the communities of Nailsea, Long Ashton and Backwell.

Dr Jon Rees said “We have been working closely together for more than a year now to ensure a merged practice was the right thing to do for our patients before taking this significant decision.”

With increased pressure to save money in the NHS many in primary health care see sharing resources as the way forward.

No jobs were lost in the restructuring but some new appointments have been made.

Former police officer Lawrie Lewis has been appointed as executive manager; Gemma Harding from Brockway becomes clinical services manager and Kathy Turner who is based at Long Ashton is support services manager.

It is anticipated some changes in the way patients make appointments will be made so the three surgeries operate the same system.

For the time being Tower House Pharmacy is expected to keep the old name.