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Magical Moon Entertainment presents... a 1 hour magical Encanto dance show kindly sponsored by Capri Gems Cleaning Services. Click here to Buy Tickets When and where 12 Aug, 13:00 – 15:00 Bradley Stoke, The West of England MS Therapy Centre Bradbury House, Wheatfield Dr, Bradley Stoke, Bristol BS32 9DB, UK About Calling all Encanto fans out there! Magical Moon Entertainment presents a magical hour of Encanto themed dance for your children to enjoy. Meet and greet Mirabel and Isabella including photos Goody bag for each child to take away Door open 1pm Show starts 1:30pm Break Finish 3pm Children will be sat on the floor so please feel free to bring a cushion to two! There are limited tickets due to space in the Centre and to ensure as many children can enjoy the show as possible we are asking that just 1 adult accompanies your party if possible. Refreshments available to purhase on the day. This fundraiser is kindly sponsored by Capri Gems Cleaning Services, your fantastic local cleaning service, which means that every penny raised through this fundraising event will go towards providing life-changing therapy. Our therapies enable our members to minimise symptoms of their chronic conditions & live a fulfilled, independent life for as long as possible. Tickets are non-refundable. Limited Parking is available on site or on-street parking just outside the grounds.

We are delighted to welcome Classeq Ltd to The Brightwell 100. In early May, Nick Sanders from RH Hall, also Brightwell 100 members, introduced us to Nick Burridge, National Sales Manager for Classeq. Nick Sanders had kindly told Nick Burridge about his visit to The Brightwell, in early 2023, and all about the work we do in supporting those living with neurological conditions. Nick S also advised that we were opening our own café for our service users and the local community. Classeq, who are based in Milton Keynes, manufacture and distribute top quality commercial dishwashers and glass washers, kindly offered to donate a commercial dishwasher for the Brightwell Café. Steve Fitt, our Facilities Manager, and Nick B, discussed all the suitable options. the best dishwasher option for us was chosen, including a water softener. The following week, the new dishwasher was installed and set up. All the team at The Brightwell are amazed at how speedy and quiet the new machine is. On Wednesday 21 June, we were delighted to welcome Nick Burridge to the Centre to have a look at the new piece of equipment in situ and to have a tour of the Centre. It was a delight to meet Nick and he has promised to try and help us grow our Brightwell 100 network, by introducing contacts to us. The photo shows Nick Burridge, Steve Fitt and Caz Blake-Symes, Brightwell 100 Co-ordinator Everyone at The Brightwell would like to thank Nick, Andy Salter, MD at Classeq and Glen Dawson, Head of Marketing for their generosity and interest in our charity. To find out more about Classeq please visit www.classeq.co.uk The Brightwell 100 is a growing network of corporate sponsors supporting The Brightwell either through financial donations for specific projects or through donated services or goods. Further details can be found at www.thebrightwell.org.uk/brightwell-100

A few months ago, it was discussed that it would be very beneficial for The Brightwell to have its own on-site defibrillator. There were two very important reasons for this. Primarily, to potentially save the life of anyone using, volunteering, or working at the Centre who might have a cardiac arrest. Many if not most of our service users have pre-existing health conditions, so we obviously have a duty of care to them and having a defibrillator to hand reduces the time in which we can start any possible emergency treatment required. Secondly, we want to encourage clinics and practitioners to use our excellent facilities. Some of these clinicians/practitioners have a check list of standards that we need to meet. Due to the facility being purpose-built we already meet most of the criteria. This new on-site defibrillator strengthens our case for them to use our therapy rooms. The advantages of having clinicians onsite benefits The Brightwell by providing much needed income, the ability to be able to offer additional specialist therapies for our users and to increase awareness of the charity via these clinics. Victoria Hocquard, Head of Fundraising, secured funding for this new defibrillator from Westfield Health, for which we are most grateful. We would also like to thank Rotary Club of Bristol Breakfast for their kind dnation, which enabled us to buy and install the purpose-builr storage cabinet. The new piece of potentially life-saving equipment is in a wall mounted case in the vestibule. It meets all the latest standards and is simple to use. Let’s hope we never need to use it, but it gives peace of mind to know it’s there.

Many of us living with neurological conditions will be very familiar with the issues and challenges caused by our illnesses not being fully visible or obvious to others. We found this very interesting article, adapted from the June edition of MS Trust’s monthly newsletter, which highlights some of the everyday problems encountered. Many MS symptoms seem invisible to other people. They may affect you greatly, but no one seems to notice. This can be very frustrating and upsetting. It can be surprising sometimes. You might be clinging onto your shopping trolley for support, feeling dizzy or fatigued but no one seems to notice. Another time, your lip is set and your expression is grim but do they ask how your pain is today? So, why don’t people see some of the more visible signs of so-called invisible symptoms? Which MS symptoms are invisible? These symptoms may not be visible to other people: Not everyone will experience all symptoms, but many will be recognised by most living with MS. anxiety bladder symptoms bowel difficulties cognitive symptoms depression dizziness fatigue pain sexual issues for men and women sight problems Why don't people realise? There are lots of reasons why people around you might not notice your invisible symptoms. They don’t know you have the symptom People aren’t mind readers so perhaps we expect too much from them in figuring out what’s going on. Will they guess that a grim expression means that you are in pain? Or will they assume that you are just thinking about work or your dinner? If they don’t know, is it reasonable to expect them to guess and guess correctly? They don’t remember Maybe you have already explained your MS symptoms to someone, but they don't ask you about them at a later date. Have they forgotten that you can't walk for long when they plan an outing on foot? Or are they being mean? Many people focus on their own lives and worries and don’t have head space for remembering anything more. It’s not that people don’t care, they just don’t get around to thinking about it. They don’t notice You may feel that your MS symptoms are really obvious. So-called invisible symptoms can be so bad that they show up on your face, especially if you are in pain. Surely if you are holding onto something for support it must be a dizzy day or a fatigue day or both... It can be puzzling that others don’t notice something is wrong. As before, it may be because people are in their own world and not looking outward enough to see what’s happening to you. They don’t understand Perhaps you’ve told them about your symptoms and they’ve remembered what you said. However, they don’t really understand how these symptoms affect you in everyday life. It may be worth thinking back to when you were first learning about MS. Had you heard of spasticity? Could you explain nerve pain? These are quite difficult concepts to get to grips with. For most people, these things will be outside their personal experience. You might need to explain several times or in different ways so they understand how they affect you. They put two and two together and get five! People can be very quick to jump to conclusions. If you are wobbly on your feet walking up the High Street after pub closing time, they may assume you’ve had too much alcohol. If it’s 10am, they may still assume the same thing. The chances are that they will not consider MS balance symptoms as a possibility. You are doing a great job of hiding it Many people with MS prefer to cover up how much symptoms are affecting them. Some worry that they shouldn’t make a fuss. Others find that invisible symptoms are easier to hide and this can be helpful if they don't want to disclose their diagnosis to everyone. Perhaps you are doing a better job of hiding your symptoms than you realised! If everyone assumes you are OK when you really aren’t, perhaps being more open about your symptoms would be better? What could you do? You could wear a T shirt that says “Can you see my invisible symptoms?” It might help! On the other hand, you might like to: Explain more about how MS affects you and emphasise that it includes invisible symptoms. Add in gentle prompts and reminders like “You’ll remember that I can’t walk further than the High Street without a sit down, so can we stop at the bench on our way?” Highlight when symptoms are playing up by being open about your limitations, for example, “I know I said I wanted to walk into town but my fatigue is really bad today. I’d like us to take the bus so I can use my energy for shopping once we get there.” Try different ways of explaining your symptoms. Muscle stiffness may be an easier concept to understand than spasticity, for example. Avoid hiding your symptoms so much. Being more open about the impact of your MS is not the same as making a fuss so perhaps some plain speaking will make a difference. How can other people help? If you are the friend, family or colleague of someone with MS, you could make a difference by: Being supportive. MS is a complex condition where different people experience different symptoms some of which may not be obvious to you. Avoiding saying “But you look so well!” Many people find this hugely frustrating as they may look OK on the outside, but they are feeling really ill on the inside. Asking open questions such as “How are you today?” This allows someone with MS to choose from a whole range of possible answers from “really good” to “really struggling” and gives them the option to give some detail if they’d like to. Asking if there is anything that you can do to help right now. You could follow it up by encouraging them to tell you when you can help in the future. It can be very reassuring to know that you can call on someone if needed. Trying to learn about invisible symptoms so that you understand better. Listening! Accepting that invisible symptoms are very real to the person who is experiencing them. To view the full article and to view other useful links please click here Don’t forget that there is always help and support at The Brightwell whether that support might be from a member of staff, a volunteer or another Centre user – it’s always good to talk.

Bingo Niht on Wed, 19 Jul | At The Brightwell in Bradley StokeBradley Stoke 6 Prize Bingo Games, 2 Cash Bingo Games and Silly Bingo! BYO drinks and snacks for a great night out. When and where 19 Jul, 19:00 – 21:30 Bradley Stoke, The West of England MS Therapy Centre Bradbury House, Wheatfield Dr, Bradley Stoke, Bristol BS32 9DB, UK About A bi-monthly popular fundraising event for The Brightwell. Come along for a bundle of laughs and maybe even win a great bingo or raffle prize. Tickets can be ourchased from Reception or Buy Online

Physiotherapy is our most popular therapy, with over half of our members enjoying the benefits. It is offered five days a week in our well- equipped gym area by qualified and experienced therapists, who have specialist knowledge in treating neurological conditions. Whether you have been newly or recently diagnosed, we offer specialist neurophysiotherapy that will benefit you. We pride ourselves on offering a friendly yet professional environment where supporting you as an individual is of the utmost importance. Unlike a hospital or clinical situation there is no time limit to the number of sessions you can attend. Many of our physio users have been with us, attending weekly sessions, for many years. What is neurophysiotherapy? Neurophysiotherapy treats people with neurological conditions. These are conditions associated with the central nervous system – the brain, spinal cord and nerves. People with neurological conditions can often have complex problems including: Muscle weakness Stiffness Balance problems ·Sensory changes. These conditions can have a huge impact on the body’s function, and on day-to-day activities. Neurological disorders and diseases Our physiotherapists see a huge range of disorders and diseases. Some of the more common disorders we see include: ·Multiple Sclerosis ·Stroke ·Guillain barre syndrome ·Parkinson’s disease ·Polyneuropathies ·Motor Neurone Disease ·Muscular Dystrophy ·Functional Neurological Disorders How can I get physiotherapy at The Brightwell? For further information please visit www.thebrightwell.org.uk/physio Or call us today on 01454 201686 to book in your General Assessment with a physio specialist.

Back in early January 2023, during a particularly cold snap, we were experiencing issues with our boiler and heating system. Even though when Bradbury House was built in 2011, the heating system was the best quality at that time, it failed. Caz Blake-Symes, Brightwell 100 Co-Ordinator and Trustee has known Craig and Sadie Timbrell for over 20 years. Craig is Managing Director of INTOHEAT Ltd. Therefore, when this crisis happened, Caz made the call. Because we have vulnerable users, most of whom are living with chronic neurological conditions, it was essential that we kept the Centre warm. Steve Fitt, the Centre’s Facilities and Business Support Manager, had the urgent task of seeing if we could have the system repaired. Steve spoke to several suppliers who looked at the problems. Unfortunately, it was obvious that the system needed replacing rather than being repaired. This was an unexpected and unbudgeted occurrence. INTOHEAT made several visits to the Centre, supplying labour and call outs free of charge plus offering the parts at discounted prices. This represented over £1,000 of value to the charity for which we are very grateful. The system was repaired and is now fully functional, plus the relevant safety certification was provided. Craig commented” We are delighted to have been able to help and find out more about The Brightwell and the support it offers as a charity. We look forward to being a member of the Brightwell 100 and developing our relationship in the future.” INTOHEAT Ltd is a Mechanical & Electrical building services company based in Bristol, Liverpool and Exeter, operating nationally. Thankfully based in Thornbury, not far from us here in Bradley Stoke. Further information can be found at www.intoheat.co.uk The Brightwell 100 is a growing network of corporate sponsors supporting The Brightwell either through financial donations for specific projects or through donated services. We are exceptionally grateful to INTOHEAT and all our Brightwell 100 Members. Further details can be found at www.thebrightwell.org.uk/brightwell-100

Over the past 12 months, Woodstock Homes have been incredibly generous in supporting us through a variety of different projects including, the new outdoor terrace, physio uniforms, merchandising, and marketing materials. However, their most recent contribution has made a huge difference to many of our staff and volunteers. In the past, we have used donated IT hardware, or where this has been purchased, the specification is now outdated. Across most departments, there has been a need to upgrade pcs, laptops, and monitors to improve efficiency and reduce frustration through slow devices and limited functionality. The brand-new equipment included: 2 Video Conferencing Monitors for our CEO and one for a member of the fundraising team to ensure that Team calls are much easier to set up and look very professional. 8 new Dell Monitors were also purchased, which will be used across the charity including in Reception, in the physio department as well as for the admin team. 3 Desktops and 6 Wireless Keyboard and mouse sets have also ensured reliability and efficiency to the users who are all delighted with their new equipment. The photos show some of our staff members enjoying their newly purchased items. The featured employees shown in the photos include: Amrik - Lead Physiotherapist, Doro our CEO, Libby - Community and Events Development Officer, Shelley – one of our Reception team, Victoria - Head of Fundraising (working from home) Victoria enthused “I can honestly say that having the new setup is a game-changer for me. The speed of connection, especially to the office VPN is absolutely fantastic. After struggling with my own second-hand equipment for several years, having a kit I can rely on, that whizzes along and doesn’t have any foibles or quirks is amazing. Added to that I can do Zoom and Teams calls seamlessly without using my mobile, this has all increased productivity and relieved my frustration with slow and old tech, so much. Thank you to Martin Newman and all the Woodstock Team.” This IT upgrade has made such a massive difference to everyone involved here at The Brightwell. To find out more about the Brightwell 100 click on one of the following links. Brightwell LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/the-brightwell Brightwell website www.thebrightwell.org.uk/brightwell-100 Brightwell 100 webpage www.thebrightwell.org.uk/brightwell-100 Brightwell 100 Blog www.thebrightwell.org.uk/blog Or call Caz Blake-Symes on 07970 038135

We have an urgent need for a defibrillator to be used at The Brightwell. There are two very important reasons for this. Primarily, to potentially save the life of anyone using, volunteering, or working at the Centre who might have a cardiac arrest. Many if not most of our service users have pre-existing health conditions, so we obviously have a duty of care to them and having a defibrillator to hand reduces the time in which we can start emergency treatment. Secondly, we want to encourage as many clinics as possible and practitioners to use our excellent facilities. Some of these clinicians/practitioners have a check list of standards that we need to meet. Due to the facility being purpose-built we already meet most of the criteria. However, an onsite defibrillator would strengthen our case for them to use our therapy rooms. The advantages of having clinicians onsite benefits The Brightwell by providing much needed income, the ability to be able to offer additional specialist therapies for our users and to increase awareness of the charity via these clinics. After much research and taking expert advice from the Great Western Air Ambulance Service HeartSafe, our preferred choice is as follows HeartSafe Rucksack With HeartSine Defibrillator Heartsine 500P Product overview Voted as the UK’s no.1 defibrillator by HeartSafe The UK continues to experience unprecedented demand for its Emergency Ambulance Service. Very few people ever survive a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) due to the delays in obtaining an AED (Automated External Defibrillator). In addition, after obtaining an AED, people often panic during an intense, difficult few minutes. Subsequently, the poor quality of CPR provided by those assisting further impacts the likelihood of survival. Survival rates can increase from 5% to over 60% if prompt action is taken and the most appropriate AED is chosen. HeartSafe have already provided and supplied 1000’s of the Unique British AED, the ‘HeartSine Samaritan 500P’ with live accurate CPR feedback. Quite simply, they claim it to be the AED most likely to save a life when used by a person with little or no training as well as trained personnel. The kit Includes: · Carry case · Enhanced Resus Kit · USB Stick Training Video · 5 x directional labels COST: £1398.00 If you would like to sponsor this item or would like further information about The Brightwell 100 please contact. Caroline Blake-Symes |Trustee and Brightwell 100 Coordinator Email: caroline.blake-symes@thebrightwell.org.uk Mobile:07970 038135 Further information can be found on the following pages: www.thebrightwell.org.uk/brightwell-100 www.linkedin.com/company/the-brightwell www.thebrightwell.org.uk/blog

Everyone at The Brightwell is incredibly grateful to Peter Coleman, Chairman of the Howards Motor Group, as well as to his team, for their generous and continued support. Peter and his fellow Directors, Chris Lee, Managing Director and Jonathan Coleman, Executive Director, pictured above, initially donated to The Brightwell via the Big Give in December 2021. That donation was used towards funding the installation of the new accessible electric door leading from the recently extended café seating area to the new terrace and garden, all of which represented part of a significant project in 2022. The photo below shows Caz, one of our members and Trustees, making good use of the easy access onto the patio and gazebo area, having enjoyed the sunshine back in the late summer. Howards then helped again with a significant donation as part of the charity’s “Project Green” strategy. At present the charity is working very hard to reduce their spiralling energy costs and to commit to reducing their carbon footprint by the installation of LED lighting. Peter Coleman commented” We are so pleased to be able to support this excellent charity. We have seen first-hand, from working with Caz over many years, how the debilitating effects of MS can dramatically change someone’s life. Having visited The Brightwell back in the summer, I was impressed by the positive and supportive atmosphere and the very friendly welcome!” The Howard’s second donation has ensured that as of mid-January 2023 all the centre’s outdoor lighting has been changed to LED and where possible to include motion sensors. This will significantly reduce the electricity consumption compared to the previous high usage outdoor light fittings. The photo below shows the newly installed lighting as well as a great view of the terrace, gazebo and gardens. Howards celebrated 50 years in business in 2022, and now represent 11 brands with 23 showrooms in Weston super-Mare, Taunton, Yeovil, and Dorchester. Both within the world of motor manufacturers and in terms of customer service they have an outstanding reputation and from our own members interest every dealership employs a Motability specialist. For further information about the Howards Group, please visit www.howardsgroup.co.uk If you would like to find out more about The Brightwell 100 please contact Caroline Blake-Symes, Trustee and Brightwell 100 Coordinator, mobile:07970 038135, email: caroline.blake-symes@thebrightwell.org.uk Web: thebrightwell.org.uk/brightwell-100 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-brightwell

We just wanted to send a Christmas greeting and an update regarding The Brightwell 100. This corporate fundraising initiative was set up in February this year and has been a great success already. Donations have also been made in terms of donated services and we are grateful to Blackfriars Auto Services for helping us out in an emergency. Thanks to generous donations we have been able to support the Oxygen Generation project, which was a massive fundraising challenge led by Victoria Hocquard, Head of Fundraising, with donations being given through Trusts and Grants. We started creating our own oxygen in August and this now guarantees supply and quality as we are now independent from a supplier and even despite the increased usage of electricity, we are still making significant savings. This project was supported by Shiptheory and MBS Land and New Homes. The new outdoor terrace area has been a fantastic addition to the Centre, and has developed way beyond our initial hopes with accessible electric doors leading out onto the new terrace which has been fully landscaped and the addition of a large covered gazebo has been the icing on the cake! In terms of Brightwell 100 supporters this was thanks to Woodstock Homes, Bristol Mortgages Online and Craig West Turf and Landscaping. Other projects have included new LED motion sensor lights for the outside car park area which will be installed this month thanks to the Howards Group who also paid for the electronic doors as part of last Christmas’s Big Give. Woodstock Homes have become very involved in our community at the Centre, via The Brightwell 100. Through very generous donations, they have sponsored much of the new terrace, new physio uniforms marketing and merchandising materials on an ongoing basis plus most recently much needed IT equipment. Our most recent new member is AJH Governance who have paid for the urgently needed repairs to some physio equipment and oxygen masks for new service users. We regularly post updates on the following platforms Website: www.thebrightwell.org.uk/brightwell-100 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-brightwell/ Brightwell blog: www.thebrightwell.org.uk/blog Our next significant project is to raise money to convert all the interior lighting to LED to avoid dramatic increases in electricity costs and to further commit to our sustainability strategy. Details of this alongside our latest Brightwell 100 Wishlist can be found on our webpage. Our new café area is almost complete and will be open in January 2023. Our new meeting rooms are fully operational and as Brightwell 100 supporters, preferential rates will be applied. If you would like to find out more about becoming a Brightwell 100 supporter please contact Caz Blake-Symes on caroline.blake-symes@thebrightwell.org.uk or call 07970 038135.

We are delighted to welcome Adele Haysom MBE, Governance Consultant of AJH Governance, to The Brightwell 100. Adele works in the specialist field of advising schools, academies, educational trusts and even Councils on the governance of schools. Adele is the Chair of Trustees of The Lighthouse Schools Partnership, which is made up of 3 large secondary schools, 24 primaries and at any one time has over 10,000 pupils on roll plus nearly 2,000 staff. This work is carried out on a voluntary basis and she has been volunteering in schools at this strategic level since 2004. In 2018, Adele gained recognition as a National Leader in Governance and set up her own consultancy business using her extensive knowledge and experience to support other schools and colleges. Since that time, she has worked all over the country supporting governing bodies, as well as offering outstanding training programmes. In 2021 Adele’s commitment was recognised by being awarded an MBE for services to education, and she actually received her medal on the weekend of the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. One of Adele’s close friends lives with Secondary Progressive MS and benefits from the services and support that The Brightwell offers, so Adele is a keen supporter. Adele’s donation will be used for the replacement of battery charging unit for the very important Electronic Lifting Cushion, some new straps for one of the frequently used tilting tables and some masks for new users of the Oxygen Chamber. Thank you Adele and welcome to our community, there will always be an open invitation for you to come and see us here at the centre! To find out about becoming a Brightwell 100 member please visit www.thebrightwell.org.uk/brightwell-100