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Twin sisters and MS Together ambassadors, Lina and Laviai Nielsen, took Paris by storm in the Olympics competing for Team GB. 2024 Olympics The Olympics in Paris proved to be a success for Team GB as they came home with 65 medals, finishing in seventh place on the medal table. Twin sisters Lina and Laviai Nielsen were a part of this journey for the country as they competed in the last week of the competition in athletics. Laviai was part of the Women's 4x400m relay race where they walked away victorious with Bronze medals. However, Lina unfortunately tripped during her 400m hurdles semi-final which meant she didn't place, but her sister and biggest supporter was there to help her up and across the finish line. Who are Lina and Laviai Nielsen? Lina was just 13 years old when she woke up and couldn’t move due to numbness down one side of her body. The numbness spread significantly and she began rehabilitation to help her mobility. It was initially believed that Lina had suffered a stroke, but years later at 17 years old, doctors diagnosed her with MS. Fast forward to just days before the Olympics in Tokyo 2020, Laviai pulled out of the competition after reporting numbness, and was later also diagnosed with MS. Speaking to Journalist Lucy Morgan after the Olympics this year, both sisters expressed that they wish to be a ‘beacon of hope’ for others living with MS and other chronic neurological conditions. Lina voiced " To anyone who is dealing with a chronic illness, whether that be rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes, it's not to stop you. It might slow you down, but it doesn't have to stop you. That's the kind of message that we want to spread". The Nielsen twins mindset and determination is inspiring to the MS community and we wish them further success in the future.

Hello, my name is Caroline Williams and I am the Finance Officer at the Brightwell.   I was born and grew up in Banbury Oxfordshire with 2 older brothers. After leaving school with 3 ‘A’ levels ( one in Latin- which is supposed to teach you logic !) – I was offered a chance to train as a Computer Programmer using Visual Basic.  I worked for both HSBC Bank and later Crest Hotels before moving to Bristol for my husband’s job when we married in May 1988. In Bristol I joined a Software House in Queens Square and when I left to have my 1st child in 1991 I was very fortunate to be offered the chance to work for 2 colleagues who had branched out and set up their own Software Company . I continued working part-time in the IT Industry for 9 more years whilst I had my 3 lovely children-whom I am immensely proud of - 2 sons and a daughter.  During this time, I decided to have a complete career change. I resumed my studies and completed the IAB Book-keeping/ Payroll Exams and the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). My claim to fame is that I was the Top Student in an IAB Examination in 2008 ! (maybe the Latin theory did work !) I worked for several Accountancy Firms gaining a wealth of experience before deciding in July 2010 to become Freelance. I absolutely love the variety of my work. In Feb 2020, my mother passed away just before the start of Covid. We managed to move my father who has Dementia (now aged 96) from Banbury to the Hawthorns in Clevedon in December 2020 to be nearer to me. This led to my unexpected hobby of Cold-Water Swimming in Clevedon Lake – where my Father who is aptly named ‘Bob’ is my biggest supporter. You will often see us at the Lake , although my father never remembers anybody from week to week !- but it works for him and makes him happy! I am also now a very proud Nannie – and have 3 Beautiful Grandchildren – following the family tradition again -  2 boys- aged 9 and 6 and a beautiful little girl aged 1. I am very much looking forward to the latest Fundraising Walk to School Challenge and will be getting my grandsons registered with their trackers I started working for the Brightwell in January 2021. During Lockdown my daughter was studying her Masters in Neuro Psychology from her Bedroom and I was always overhearing lectures about people with Neurological conditions. It fascinated me and  we would discuss her studies which I found incredibly interesting. When I saw the Finance Officer Job advertised in November 2020, I decided to apply as I also live locally in Bradley Stoke. My interview with Doro and Steve Cocks was over Zoom and although my background is IT – I  struggled to turn my camera on for the Interview ! It has been so refreshing to work for an organisation that goes above and beyond to help people and I really enjoy my work. The Staff, Trustees and amazing Volunteers are wonderful and the Centre now with the Café addition has a great Vibe to it. I feel very privileged to be part of the Team. Look forward to seeing you all at some point, Caroline Williams.

Please see below updated information from our Counsellor Sasha Leigh, About Counselling Psychotherapeutic counselling provides a secure and confidential[1] space for you to talk to a trained professional about your issues and concerns. Counselling can help with many difficult life problems and challenges. It is also an opportunity to develop new perspectives and deepen existing insights into yourself and your life as a whole. In this way therapy can be an ongoing process of transformation not only for when we are suffering but also for when we need space to navigate life, explore the past and find meaning and hope for the future.   The process involves building a trusting relationship between you and your therapist. They will work with you to explore your unique circumstances, challenges, perspectives, thoughts, feelings, beliefs, values and behaviours so you can develop a better understanding of yourself and others. They will help you make beneficial changes to ease distressing feelings and move to a place of thriving rather than just surviving. A counsellor will give little or no direct advice - they will help you find your own solutions and your own path forwards. ​ About Sasha Sasha is a qualified Integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist and registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. She works to build open and trusting therapeutic relationships and will take time to listen, explore and understand the world from your point of view and at your own pace. You can talk about anything that’s troubling you, confidentially and without judgment, including things you may not have felt able to share with anyone else. Sasha has wide experience working with many mental health symptoms including depression, anxiety, stress and burnout. Whilst she works with all the challenges life can bring, she has particular experience and interest in long-term health conditions and chronic illness, major life transitions and change, grief and loss. She also has specialist training and experience in working with past trauma. Sasha’s experience as a counsellor includes working in NHS primary care general practice in Somerset, with St Peter's Hospice in Bristol and in a trauma therapy service in South Wales where she also currently works. She has over fifteen years of experience with the Samaritans providing emotional support over the phone, face-to- face and via email and has also supported individuals longer-term through Bristol-based organisations such as the West of England Centre for Inclusive Living (WECIL), Changes and Womankind. [1] There are some exceptions for legal and ethical reasons which will be explained to you.   Sasha can offer shorter or longer-term therapy in-person, online or over the phone.  Sessions last 50 minutes. Contribution per session £40 To find out more about the Specialist Clinics we offer, please visit www.thebrightwell.org.uk/therapies/specialist-clinics

In May 2024 a special issue of the prestigious magazine National Geographic was devoted to inflammation. The title chosen was actually Anti – Inflammation and it highlighted many so-called ‘auto’ immune diseases in which inflammation features, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and also, of course, multiple sclerosis (MS). All specialists involved in caring for patients with these diseases agree that they start with inflammation. The internationally recognised Professor Philip B. James MB ChB DIH PhD FFOM Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Chairman of Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Trust (HBOTT) kindly analysed this lengthy report and shared his findings in the latest edition of the HBOTT newsletter. We thought that our members and supporters would also find this a fascinating read, so have shared Professor James’ thoughts… “The article emphasises that inflammation is an immune response that is essential to our lives because it is how the body deals with both infection and tissue injury. Many years ago, I was shown by a Canadian scientist how to see living blood under the microscope – something that is never done by ‘mainstream’ blood specialists because the stains used for blood samples actually kill cells. I saw that the blood of normal healthy people often contains circulating bacteria and sometimes white blood cells can be seen engulfing them. But the same immune white cells also clear up the tissue debris left after a wound that results from an injury. The inflammation having dealt with the problem should stop but if the tissue oxygen levels do not return to normal, the inflammation will continue. The National Geographic journalists do explain that inflammation may get out of control leading to chronic illness but have yet to discover that it is associated with hypoxia - lack of oxygen - although they have realised that auto immune disease may follow injury. However, what has yet to be recognised and taught in mainstream medicine is that the inside of blood vessels – the pipes that carry blood can be injured by particles that enter blood vessels may cause the pipes to leak. This is particularly important for the brain and the spinal cord because the blood vessels form a barrier to prevent harmful agents entering the nervous system. This is where my research started more than fifty years ago – studying the effects of nothing more sinister than bubbles little bigger than red blood cells which are released by decompression in divers - the ‘bends.’ They cause internal damage to small blood vessels and a mild version of the pathology that causes the scars of MS i.e. multiple sclerosis. The editor of the Lancet allowed me 6000 words and 70 references in 1982 to explain this but it was met with silence from neurologists. Still after over 40 years in which patients with MS have run their own treatment in our MS Therapy centres recognised by several governments, the use of oxygen in healing is ignored and sclerosis – the scarring is allowed to continue. Most people realise that giving oxygen is used for emergencies and this should be the case for the first symptoms that are produced by the inflammation of the brain. As in Covid-19 patients. Boris Johnson as Prime Minister was eventually given 100% in hospital. When asked what saved his life he said “litres and litres of oxygen” but, notably, it was not mentioned by his doctors." Click here to view a preview of the magazine, available through Amazon. To find out more about the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy available at The Brightwell, please visit www.thebrightwell.org.uk/oxygen-therapy

This is a great newsletter, full of information and updates. Please have a read and enjoy....

We were delighted to welcome a new group of Corporate Volunteers on 12 July from Zurich, the global insurance company. This was the first time that a team of volunteers had come to help at The Brightwell from Zurich, and we were very impressed with everything they achieved! Not only did the team work exceptionally hard, but they also supplied us with £500 worth of plants and shrubs. They did a fantastic job of planting them on the bank behind the new car parking area, as well as in the main garden borders. The team were really interested to learn about everything we do here at The Brightwell, they enjoyed a light lunch from the Brightwell Café and even bought some Summer Prize Draw tickets! It was a joy to welcome this group to the Centre and we look forward to having them back soon!

Hello, my name is Bhumika, one of the Physiotherapists at the Brightwell. I was born in the famous, historic world heritage city, Ahmedabad, located in the west of India and brought up by a single mother. I have grown up speaking Gujarati (my Mother language), Hindi and English in my hometown. I gained a Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy from Ahmedabad, Gujarat University, in 2011 and I am a member of the Indian Association of Physiotherapists.  I am also a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, here in the UK. I worked for over 2 years in India as an Outpatient Physiotherapist in a private clinic as well as for a charity, with mostly neurological and musculoskeletal related patients. After getting married in 2013, I moved to the beautiful Wiltshire town of Salisbury, and I have lived in Bradley Stoke since 2018. I am the proud mum of my 9-year-old son. He studies at the local primary school, where he is famously known as the “vocabulary man” in his class, as he is excellent at English and spelling! He is a very loving and understanding child. We are a small family and have lots of lovely friends around the Bradley Stoke Community. When I first came to England, I enjoyed exploring lots of different and beautiful places.  My career path, from 2013, was very busy including working in various pharmacies, initially as a counter assistant and then as a qualified dispenser. I found this pharmacy work most enjoyable, and it helped me acquire knowledge about medicine and to understand more about the  NHS primary care system. This time gave me the opportunity to developed my communication, customer facing and  problem solving skills, as well as the ability to work under pressure and  develop my time-management. It took me  a while  to resume my career in Physiotherapy. I found out about The Brightwell through an article in the Bradley Stoke Journal, and was really interested to know more about the organisation. I began volunteering in the physio department in July 2018, once a week. Watching all the Physiotherapists work in their uniforms, inspired me to advance for this role on a professional basis. I began as an employed Physiotherapy Assistant in February 2019 whilst working to get my HCPC registration ( this is a requirement to work as a Physiotherapist in the UK). I gained my HCPC registration during the Covid lockdown, whilst on furlough, and meanwhile I came across a full-time Rotational Physiotherapist job with Sirona, in Weston Super Mare and left the Centre in 2020. The Sirona job role included patient assessments after hospital discharge, who were referred for community physiotherapy services with different pathway systems to help them return home (Discharge to Assess). I used to design a treatment plan to help with their mobility and personal care, also  to address their needs by referring them to the Single Point of Access team or to the district nurses. This was both a challenging and adventurous experience for me, as every day, my work involved  driving to different places in Weston Super Mare from Bradley Stoke.  Over and above this work and travelling, I was still  busy with household chores, childcare, plus juggling with school as my son was classed as the child of a keyworker in school due to Covid restrictions. It was a crazy time! I was exhilarated for the exciting opportunity to work back at the Brightwell after applying for a position as a part-time Physiotherapist,  and have been a part of the team since July 2021. My working days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and my job role includes carrying out assessments, developing treatment plans, helping to maintain or improve our service users symptoms, most of whom have neurological conditions. I had conducted Neuro-Yoga Pilates on Fridays. I see clients for one-to-one sessions and lead a group therapy session every Thursday with one physio assistant. I also supervise and educate Physiotherapy students with day-to-day admin work, client referrals when required and diary management. I enjoy my work and like to liaise with my colleagues regarding patient management and other routine tasks. All members at the Centre are so generous and I feel pride in contributing towards their improved well-being. I am proud to work for the Brightwell and thankful to them for supporting me in my professional role. It is a role with a high level of responsibility and I am always happy to step up to it.  Being part-time also gives me the opportunity to explore other interests and time for personal development. I am also very proud to be a Hindu and am very attached to spiritualism. I like to watch Indian shows and movies, I enjoy cooking and listening to music and to celebrate Indian festivals with the wider community in Bristol. I look forward to seeing you all at the Centre very soon. Love and Best Wishes Bhumika

Dan Rozzell, son of Giselle who is a long-standing member here at The Brightwell, has kindly nominated a team into a charity football tournament through his work, in support of The Brightwell. The Business Fives Bristol Event is a 5 a side Football tournament that will take place on Thursday 29th August. Dan and his employers, Haines Watts (an accounting firm in Bristol), have kindly put forward a team to compete whom will be fundraising for the centre. Alongside this, 10% of money raised through the whole tournament will be donated to the winner’s chosen charity. Dan, the teams captain, expressed that the team selected us as their chosen charity due to the close connection he has to the centre through his mum. The team have been set a fundraising target of £500 and are hoping to exceed this and raise as much as they are able to in the lead up to the tournament. We wish Dan and the rest of the team the best of luck! And thank them once again for their kindness and generosity. The link for their fundraising page can be found here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/hwwestern5aside

Wards Solicitors kindly wave their fee and offer a will writing service at The Brightwell for a donation in return.  £80 donation for a single will, £150 for a pair of mirrored wills. Call Reception on 01454201686 to book in.

The Brightwell is very grateful to be the nominated charity for Wain Homes Severn Valley Ltd for 2024. On Friday 19 July, the Wain team delivered their Annual Charity Golf Day in the beautiful surroundings of The Kendleshire Golf Club in Westerleigh, South Gloucestershire. On the day, after weeks of dull chilly weather, the sun came out and it was the hottest day of the year so far! The organisational skills of the entire Wain team along with Pat  Murphy, MD at The Kendleshire and his fantastic catering and bar staff ensured that the day was a huge success. The players arrived bright and early ready for the day ahead the first tee off was at 8.30am. There was 24 teams playing, in total 95 players and 6 ‘groundcrew’! The Wain team did a fantastic job ensuring that all the players were kept hydrated on the golf course and showed some excellent driving skills with their “drinks buggy”! They also kept all the events of the days running smoothly and ensured all their guests were well looked after. The teams who all donated to take part in  the tournament were made up of Wain Homes staff, Contractors and Suppliers. The  players returned to the Clubhouse and enjoyed a few drinks in the shade followed by a delicious BBQ and buffet. Carl Haley, MD of Wain Homes Severn Valley gave out a variety of awards and prizes, with the usual jokes and banter from those winners and  especially from those who thought that they should have won. It was a great atmosphere! The Brightwell Team was headed up by Victoria, Fundraising Manager, and she was supported throughout the day by CEO Doro, Corporate and Events fundraiser Surabhi and Fundraising Trustee Caz. Not only was this a major fundraising event, but it was really great to be able to introduce new contacts to the The Brightwell, explain about the work we do and  what conditions we support. As well as this being a truly enjoyable day, an opportunity to build awareness amongst potential corporate  supporters, we will also benefit from an incredible donation of £11,000! On behalf of all at The Brightwell, we would like to say a massive thank you to everyone from the Wain Homes Team for your incredible hard work and this outstanding donation!

What is Disability Pride Month? Disability Pride Month happens every July and has been celebrated in the UK since 2015. It’s an opportunity to celebrate people with disabilities, their identities, their culture, and their contributions to society. It also seeks to change the way people think about and define disability, to end the stigma of disability, and to promote the belief that disability is a natural part of human diversity in which people living with disabilities can celebrate and take pride. It's a chance for people with disabilities to come together and celebrate being themselves, no matter their differences. It's also a chance to raise awareness of the challenges they still face every day to be treated equally. The concept of Disability Pride was born out of the Disability Rights movement and based on intersectional identity politics and social justice. The core concept of Disability Pride is based on the idea of reworking the negative narratives and biases that frequently surround the concept of disability. Disability Pride is a response and counteraction against ableism and social stigma. The concept has roots in the same social theory that backs LGBTQ Pride and Black Pride. Disability Pride is a movement intended to celebrate the history of the Disability Rights movement and people with disabilities as positive contributors to society. The Disability Pride Flag The Disability Pride Flag was created by Ann Magill in 2019. The original flag featured a lightning bolt design and bright colours on a black background. The flag was redesigned in 2021 with muted colours and straight stripes in response to feedback from those with visually triggered disabilities to make the flag more accessible. The flag now comprises a number of different elements, each symbolising different aspects of the disability experience. The coloured stripes are placed diagonally across the flag to show how disabled people have to cut across barriers in society.   How is Disability Pride Month celebrated? The first Disability Pride Parade in the UK was held in Belfast in 2014 and Brighton was the first place in England to hold one in 2017. Events are now held locally around the country in July. It's a chance for people with disabilities to come together and celebrate being themselves, no matter their differences. It's also a chance to raise awareness of the challenges they still face every day to be treated equally. The Brightwell Community supports the ethos and ideology of everything celebrated during Disability Pride Month, not only in July but in every month throughout the entire year.

The Atrato Group are an investment and property firm and the landlords of our local shopping centre, The Willow Brook. As part of their commitment to the communities that they serve, Atrato set up the Atrato Foundation. Staff in the Atrato group can nominate deserving causes to receive grant funding through the Foundation. The Willow Brook Centre is the community heart of Bradley Stoke and the Brightwell is so lucky to have been supported by them for many years. Recently due to the dedication of the centres manager Simon Whiting, this partnership has continued to strengthen.  Simon along with his staff and family have fundraised for our charity through a number of events such as the London Landmarks Half Marathon, The Abseil and The Colour Run. A few months ago Simon kindly recommended us to The Atrato Foundation. Their board of trustees approved Simon's recommendation and kindly granted us an amazing £5,000! Simon, along with Marketing Manager Sophie and Supermarkets Director Ollie visited the centre last week to deliver the good news and meet Doro. Simon has gone above and beyond for our charity, we may have to recruit him! We want to say the biggest thankyou to Simon, The Willow Brook Centre and The Atrato Foundation for their extreme generosity and continuous support.