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We are incredibly grateful to PJ’s Track Days  for hosting a fantastic fundraising event in support of The Brightwell . Held at the iconic Castle Combe Circuit  on Tuesday, 12th August , this open pit track day brought together motorsport enthusiasts for a cause close to our hearts - and it did not disappoint! The energy on the day was electric, with participants enjoying the thrill of the track while helping raise much-needed funds for our charity. Thanks to everyone’s generosity and the dedication of the organisers, an amazing £1,700  was raised - every penny of which goes directly towards supporting the work we do at The Brightwell. The feedback from the day has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, Paul from PJ’s Track Days was so impressed by the turnout and spirit of the event that he’s even considering running two track days  next year - a testament to the success and enjoyment shared by all who took part. To everyone who helped organise, attended, drove, volunteered, or supported in any way - thank you . Your support means the world to us and makes a real difference to our community. Stay tuned for next year’s plans!

Bradley Stoke Town Council is bringing back its Trail, but with a new theme – Bugs in their Habitats! The trail will run from Friday, 8 August to Tuesday, 26 August 2025 across Bradley Stoke. The trail invites families, friends, and nature enthusiasts to enjoy a creative, wildlife-themed walk through the community, all while raising money for brilliant causes. To join the Trail, simply purchase a Bug Trail map for £3 (Available from Tuesday, 5th August), which guides you through a walkable route filled with fun activities and surprises for all ages. All profit goes directly to the Mayor's Charities: the Brightwell Centre, Diabetes UK, and Mamas Bristol. It's a perfect way to explore the outdoors, learn about nature, and support local organisations doing vital work. Downloadable maps can also be purchased online at the Eventbrite website. Please click here. The Brightwell is so grateful to be one of the Mayor’s Charities. We hope each enjoys this great activity in the sunshine, this month!

When and where 24 Sept 2025, 19:00 – 22:00 Bradley Stoke, Wheatfield Dr, Bradley Stoke, Bristol BS32 9DB, UK About Doors open at 6.30pm. Eyes down at 7pm. A fun evening with 6 prize bingo games, 2 cash bingo games and 2 silly bingo games. A Bingo exclusive raffle will take place on the night. Feel free to come on your own to make new friends, as a couple or with a larger friends/family group. Suitable for all ages from 10+. You are welcome to bring your own drinks (alcoholic or soft drinks) and nibbles to the event.  Buy Tickets

Professor Chris Ponting and Sarah Chadfield, image Channel 4 news Adapted from a Channel 4 News article by Kathryn Samson, 6 Aug 2025. Scientists said the findings offer the first robust evidence that genes contribute to a person’s chance of developing the disease. Please click here to see the full YouTube video We’re a long way from a diagnostic test or cure for ME, but the world’s largest genetic study into the disease is celebrating a breakthrough. The University of Edinburgh’s Institute of Genetics and Cancer has found a genetic link in the DNA of people with ME, compared to the general population. Scientists said the findings offer the first robust evidence that genes contribute to a person’s chance of developing the disease. The Decode ME study, uncovered eight areas of genetic code in people with ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome) that are markedly different to the DNA of people without the condition. The DNA of more than 15 and a half thousand people across the UK was analysed in the five-year study led by Professor Chris Ponting. Channel 4 was the first broadcast team to be given access to the results of the study, and they joined Professor Ponting three weeks ago, as he went to meet Sarah Chadfield, one of its participants. Sarah’s story Sarah was an active school teacher before being diagnosed with moderate ME twelve years ago. Simple tasks can now trigger days of suffering. She says her chair has become the centre of her world. “It is like my body’s in distress” she says, “and it’s screaming at me. It’s not exactly pain, it’s deeper than pain, and I just have to sit down.” It’s estimated that around four hundred thousand people in the UK suffer from ME. But many feel the disease is misunderstood – by friends, family and the healthcare profession. Something Professor Ponting is hoping the initial results of this study can change. He’s come to tell Sarah what they’ve found. Please see the video from the link in the first paragraph, or click here to read this fascinating article in full.    Therapy for ME and CFS at The Brightwell. Doro Pasantes, CEO at The Brightwell, explains: “We have lots of members living with ME and CFS, who regularly have sessions of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Many have been coming to us on a weekly or fortnightly basis for many years. The reported benefits are mostly focused on the significant reduction in fatigue and brain fog.  Users advise us that they experience higher  energy levels after their Oxygen sessions, plus a feeling of wanting to do more improves the overall well-being of our members living with such conditions.” If you would like to  find out more, please call 01454 201686 or email hello@thebrightwell.org.uk Please also visit www.thebrightwell.org.uk/oxygen-therapy

MS-UK  offers a range of online sessions and activities, and we thought some of these might be of interest to our Brightwell Community. For August, they are introducing new sessions, including courses, creative workshops, supportive peer groups and weekly classes. If you miss these sessions, they can be watched back on demand. Four Week Mindfulness Course 13 August 10am Introduction session Wednesday 13 August at 10 am The suggested donation for this session is £7 This session is an introduction to our four-week mindfulness course, providing an opportunity for those interested in finding out more about our upcoming course starting in September, which will take place on Wednesday, 03, 10, 17 and 24 September 2025 at 10-11:30 am. Please note – To join the next course, attendance to this introduction session is required. Click here to find out more and to book Get creative, improve your wellbeing!  18 August at 2.30 pm Join us on the third Monday of the month, 2:30 pm to 4 pm UK time for a 90-minute drop-in session to improve your wellbeing through creativity. We’ll start each session with some grounding to settle into the space. We’ll then discuss the monthly theme and music, poetry, and works of art related to it. You’ll also have opportunities to connect with other people with the same interests and are affected by  multiple sclerosis  (MS). Click here to find out more and to book Pain and MS  27 August at 2 pm This session offers a supportive introduction to understanding and managing chronic pain, including the differences between acute and persistent pain, with a focus on neuropathic pain. Samantha Mason from Pain Concern will share insights into the charity’s resources, such as podcasts, leaflets, and their Pain Matters magazine, while highlighting practical self-management strategies like pacing, mindfulness, and building support networks. Click here to find out more and to book Nutritional strategies 28 August 4 pm In this informative and practical session, registered nutritional th erapist Jenna Cox will explore how targeted, evidence-based dietary strategies can support the management of these common comorbidities. With a strong focus on improving both physical and mental well-being, Jenna will provide realistic and actionable nutrition tips that can be adapted to your lifestyle. Click here to find out more and to book Register for your free account here. https://ms-uk.org/register/

CALLING ALL CARERS! Following a very successful talk in June from the Sirona NHS Falls Prevention Team, we are pleased to announce details of the next 2 Brightwell Carers’ Sessions, which will be held at the Centre, as follows: Thursday, 11 September 2 – 4 pm Practical Hints and Tips for Carers We are hoping that this will be a useful and informative meeting, touching on a wide range of information and issues relevant to Carers We will be touching on a wide range of issues, including Various aspects of dealing with health care services for the person you care for. Entitlement to benefits. Registering with Priority Services Registers for utilities, Organising aids and adaptations. Emergency Information Plans. 3 rd  Party Mandates. Lasting Powers of Attorney. Carers Assessments. An open discussion at the end of the session will provide an opportunity to share information and experiences, and to identify any of these areas that members may wish to focus on in more detail at future sessions. This is a free session and refreshments will be available. The session will be led by Wendy Patterson, Volunteer Facilitator, ex-Carer and Retired Counsellor. Our November meeting Our November session will be on Thursday, 13 November, from 2- 4 pm. The focus for this session will be Physical & Emotional Well-Being for Carers. This session will focus on the importance of looking after yourself as a carer, both in terms of your physical and emotional health and well-being. There will be time to reflect on your own individual needs, discussion of some suggestions for positive improvements (as well as the things that can get in the way!!) and the opportunity to develop your own individual plans for caring for yourself. Wendy will be facilitating both of these sessions and will allow time at the end of the sessions for informal tea and chat. Any Carers who are interested in attending either or both of these sessions will find that a very warm welcome awaits. It would be really helpful if you would let Reception know, as soon as possible, if you do intend to come along, as this helps us in both planning the session itself and in making sure we have appropriate room space available. Please call 01454 201686 or email hello@thebrightwell.org.uk . Getting Involved and Feedback We are keen to hear your views and suggestions about how the Centre can best support Carers, so whether or not you can come along to these sessions, we would love to hear from you. You can contact Wendy by leaving a message at Reception, or look out for the short survey form we are planning to make available in the next few months. Carers Information Point Don’t forget to take a look at the leaflets and information now available on the poster and in the information racks at the Carers Information Point. This can be found beyond the Café.

On Monday, 21 July, the Physio Team planned and ran a Taster Session for a new Dance Class. This idea was led by Audrey, one of our Physios, supported by Amrik, our Lead Physio. Audrey dances and competes in both Street and Hip Hop competitions and also teaches dance. The class was attended by 9 participants, some standing, some seated and some wheelchair users. Audrey started with a warm-up, taught the class a number of different moves and by the end of the hour-long session, everyone was doing a synchronised routine! Audrey had planned a great playlist, which gave the session lots of energy and had everyone moving to the beat and singing along to the tracks! One participant commented, “ It was such good fun, I used to do a lot of dancing and miss it. I can’t believe how quickly the hour went, and I loved it when we all got the routine right!” We are hoping to run this class as a regular feature part of the classes we offer at the Brightwell. More information will follow soon!

Doro, Helen, and Victoria were delighted to welcome Centre Squares Winterbourne  to The Brightwell on Wednesday, 23 July. It was an absolute joy to gain insight into the world of square dancing! We learned all about its fascinating roots, the unique dance calls, vibrant outfits, and toe-tapping music. A special thank you to Margaret Nash, who, through her involvement with the Bradley Stoke Lions, has done so much for The Brightwell. We’re honoured that she chose us as Centre Squares’ charity of the year! We had such fun meeting members of the club, who were not only lovely, warm people, but were fabulously dressed for the occasion! They also shared a heartwarming story about an upcoming wedding celebration, safe to say, love (and dancing!) is in the air. On behalf of our members, volunteers, and staff, we want to give a huge thank you to Centre Squares for raising an incredible £500 . That’s no small achievement for a group of just over 30 members. We are beyond impressed and truly grateful. Curious to know more? Centre Squares  meet every Tuesday at the Winterbourne Community Centre. You can reach out to Margaret at 01454 773370  for more details. And as for us—we’ll be doing a little happy dance of our own to celebrate this amazing gift. Thank you, Centre Squares!

We’re thrilled to announce that we have raised over £32,000 so far, thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, fundraisers, and raffle participants. That means we’re just under £8,000 away from our goal, with time running until August 11th. We’re so close! A huge thank you to everyone who has supported this campaign - whether you’ve donated, shared on social media, or told your neighbours about it. We couldn’t have made it this far without your ongoing support and dedication. But we’re not stopping now! Please help us maintain the momentum in these final weeks by: -          Donating whatever you can to help us reach our target -          Sharing the campaign link with friends, family, and your social networks -          Telling your neighbours and community about our cause -          Hosting or joining fundraising events or raffles -          Spreading the word wherever possible to keep awareness high   Together, let’s reach our £40,000 target! Support us here: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/40k-for-40-years Thank you so much!

On Thursday, 17 July, Doro, our CEO, was delighted to welcome Anna Smith, CEO of the Quartet Community Foundation, to the Centre. Quartet Community Foundation is one of 55 Community Foundations across the UK, that give millions to worthy causes every year.  Quartet is the local community foundation for the region, covering the old Avon boundary – Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. They connect people and companies with causes they care about and run grant programmes to give to those organisations. Last year, Quartet gave over £5 million to good causes across the region. Quartet has a long history with The Brightwell, donating over £12,000 since 2018, but this is the first time that a representative has been able to see the centre first hand. Doro was delighted to show Anna the Oxygen Chamber and introduce her to our wonderful oxygen operator, Keith Taylor BEM! Anna was also able to see an exercise class and one-to-one physiotherapy in action, as well as to take in the community atmosphere in the Café, which makes The Brightwell so special. It is difficult to get across in writing just how incredible our community is, the range of people that we see and the breadth of therapies that we provide. There is no substitute for seeing the centre at work and we are so grateful to Anna for taking the time to come and see us. We wish Anna and all at Quartet well and look forward to future partnerships!

We’ve got some amazing prizes in this Summer Draw. Not long to wait either, the draw is on 11 August! Don’t miss out! Prizes Include 🎉 Summer Prize Draw! 🌞 Just £2 per entry for your chance to WIN: 🏡 2-night accessible cottage stay (for 6)💪 1-week Nuffield Health family pass🍷 Wine tasting set for 2🍫 Box of chocolates🏊 Riverside Leisure Club pass for 2🥃 Bottle of Baileys! Winners drawn  Monday 11th August  - don’t miss out! Enter now and treat yourself this summer! ☀️✨ BUY TICKETS HERE!