McCarthy & Stone, the UK’s leading retirement builder, has donated specialist fencing from its new development in Bradley Stoke to the town’s Cricket Club so they can safely secure their cricket practice facilities.  Bradley Stoke Cricket Club was in desperate need for some fencing to secure the new cricket nets the club had recently purchased. When Mark Wilson, chairman of Bradley Stoke Cricket Club, contacted McCarthy & Stone to enquire about any spare fencing, the developer offered a helping hand.

 Mark commented: “We have just spent £9,000 on new cricket nets and they were getting damaged as the fencing we had around them was not up to the job and we’d also experienced a small amount of vandalism.  We had looked into buying some fencing but money at the club is tight and we just didn’t have the spare cash to purchase any.  I noticed that McCarthy & Stone is building a new development just down the road from us and they had security fencing all around the site which was being replaced. When I went to enquire about the fencing, the site team generously donated some to us.”

“It’s made such a huge difference to our club. We can now rest easy knowing our practice facilities are well protected and we are really appreciative of this help from McCarthy & Stone.  It is fantastic that a company new to Bradley Stoke has chosen to support us to such an extent and we wish them every success with their venture in the town. ”

Aileen King, sales and marketing director for McCarthy & Stone, commented: “We were really pleased that we were able to help Bradley Stoke Cricket Club. McCarthy & Stone is committed to building relationships in the communities in which it builds, and we hope the fencing will help protect the clubs’ recent investment in new nets.”

 McCarthy & Stone Retirement Living apartments are designed exclusively for the over 60’s who want a more manageable and secure living environment. Plans for 50 Retirement Living apartments have recently been approved for Bradley Stoke on Savages Wood Road.  Each apartment will be designed especially for retirement living and special care and attention will be paid to incorporate features such as 24 hour emergency call points, electrical sockets at a raised height to reduce bending, illuminated light switches, a camera entry system, easy grip lever taps in the bathroom and kitchen and energy efficient heating.

For further information, please contact McCarthy & Stone on 0800 919132 or log on to www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk

Local mum Liz Butler and her 8 year old daughter, Emma, plan to go out to Thailand next July 2012 for 10 days. They will be working as volunteers through ” LOVE THAILAND “ in a orphanage in Chaing Mai, in North Thailand. The orphanage is called ” Care Corner Orphanage ” which house abandoned children, including children suffering from AIDS and those rescued from child prostition. The children here experience the love of a family. Fear and rejection become a distant memory for them.

They will also be working with other volunteers through ” LOVE THAILAND “ with a tribe from Burma. The ” Karen ” Tribe are persecuted by the Myanmmar ( Burmesr ) goverment due to their ancestor’s collaboration with the British during the World War II. They are tortured, raped and killed on sight. Liz and Emma will also be working with ” Karen ” refugees who escaped Burma and have settled on the Thai border.

We have covered at least two trips for LOVE THAILAND in previous years and Liz and Emma are joining in this ongoing battle to raise awareness and funds to assist these people.

The orphanage needs financial support and partners in the good work being done there. The ” Karen ” children need food, clean water, blankets, mosquito nets, medicines and other necessities of life. Groups of volunteers through ” LOVE THAILAND “ have already built a new home to cater for 50 ” Karen ” children and also a community well so that the village can tap into running stream water.

Liz’s sponsored headshave takes place this Sunday 27th November at Holy Trinity Church Rooms at midday, she is also planning a fundraising bag pack at Tesco on 19th and 20th December so if you see her please dig deep!  Volunteers are also needed to help with  upcoming activities, please email Liz with your details if you are willing to help, or require more information at lizzmaui@yahoo.com.

Vintage clothes, 50s makeovers and a knicker-making workshop are just some of the exciting treats on offer at a Pop Up Swap Shop coming to Bristol next month in aid of the British Red Cross.

The fun event, at Hamilton House, Stokes Croft, Bristol, takes place on 11th December between 10am and 6pm and will raise money for Red Cross work in the UK and overseas. Open to all, entry is free and swap shop customers can bring as many items as they like of good quality second hand clothing or accessories to swap for credit in the shop.

Credit can buy other swap shop items as well as a special selection of second hand clothes from the Red Cross shop in Staple Hill. Meanwhile in the miniature market customers will be able to take advantage of special offers on vintage clothes and unique hand-made items such as jewellery, fascinators and vintage homewares, from a range of local stallholders.

To top it all off, vintage stylists will be on hand to do 50s style hair and makeup, which shoppers can then record for posterity by popping into the event’s very own vintage portrait studio, taking their images home with them. Meanwhile afternoon tea, including cucumber sandwiches and homemade cakes, will be served by a glamorous array of 1950s housewives.<

In addition to all these fun events, ‘Flo Jo’s Upcycling Knicker Making Workshops’ take place at 12pm and 3pm for a price of £25. Advance booking is essential for these workshops, where the ladies will be on hand to guide you through making your own pair of lovely frilly pants!
The Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are as part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and individual emergencies. The Pop Up Swap Shop will be spreading awareness of the work of the Red Cross and raising lots of money for this fantastic cause.
Red Cross community fundraiser Jessica North says: “We hope lots of people come along to this unique event where they will have the chance to completely immerse themselves in all things vintage, retro and delightful. The money raised will help the Red Cross continue to be there for vulnerable people in crisis here in the UK and overseas.”
If you would like to book a place on ‘Flo Jo’s Upcycling Knicker Making Workshop’, book a stall at the event, donate items or just find out more, please contact Jess: jnorth@redcross.org.uk

A group of local ladies are hoping that the weather remains mild as they plan their latest fund raising adventure – walking around the town in their nighties! Next Friday (25th November) around 25 women will be donning their pyjamas/nightwear and walking the streets around Bradley Stoke starting at 8.30pm from the Baileys Court Activity Centre.

The Play Pitch Pre-school has been fundraising for 8 years to build an outside play area for the children. The work has just started on this and will take about 6 weeks to complete. Therefore, the ladies are now fundraising to buy equipment for the new outside space. They will be collecting money on the night with buckets during the walk and also raising sponsorship beforehand. Please come and support the ladies on their walk or if you can’t make it, donate/sponsor them by contacting Hannah Tidcombe by e-mail htidcombe@yahoo.co.uk.

The walk is a 5 mile loop from the Baileys Court Activity Centre, along Bradley Stoke Way, then along Brook Way back up Baileys Court Road to the Centre.

We have just been contacted by a local resident who is organising a charity quiz night this Saturday 19th November to raise funds for Merlin’s Magic Wand, a charity that grants wishes for seriously ill, disabled or disadvantaged children, a charity close to organiser Gary Ford’s heart. See more about them here.

He is looking for more teams to join in his football quiz to be held at the Mile Straight Sports & Social Club, which is just after the Filton College WISE Campus in Stoke Gifford (near Sainsburys). It costs £10 per team of 6. Give Gary a call on 07788 410588 if you are able to join in the fun to help this worthy cause.

It was a perfect evening, chilly but clear, for tonight’s stunning firework display organised by Kimbolton Fireworks and funded by Bradley Stoke Town Council.

I for one thoroughly enjoy the spectacle of simply hundreds of local residents, families and excited children flocking together along Bradley Stoke Way heading for the Jubilee Green to watch the annual display, which started on time this year (probably because we were running late!).

Entry collections from this year’s display will be split between the Bradley Stoke Scouts and the Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group which are the chosen Mayor’s charities for the ongoing year. If you missed it, we have uploaded some photos from this year’s display onto our Flickr site (see link from the home page).

Small (revenue) grants are awarded to local groups to develop projects and provide activities that meet local needs. Categories of work include art and culture, children and play, community safety, developing communities, enhancing the natural and built environment, learning activities, promoting equality and tackling poverty, sports and for supporting vulnerable people.

The 2012/13 Small Revenue Grants went live for applications on Monday 24th October with a closing date of 5th December 2011. This gives applicants just over 4 weeks left to complete their application.

Further information and criteria can be found on the South Glos Council website:
www.southglos.gov.uk/Communities/CommunityEngagement/CommunityGrants

If you are a local non-profit making group or organisation and could do with some extra funds check out the website to see if you are eligible to apply for a grant.