News and upcoming events
Latest news and information about events taking place in the South West region
News Update
Beathe Easy Week 2010 events
We're delighted to let you know about the following events taking place around the Region to support and promote Breathe Easy Week 2010
BLF BE Bath and District - awareness event and tombola at the Royal United Hospital, Bath - all week
BLF BE Blackdown Hills - awareness event at the Co-Op in Honiton, on Tuesday 15th June from 10am. Bring and Buy at the Village Hall, Hemyock on Saturday 19th June.
BLF BE Bournemouth and Poole - awareness stands at Bournemouth Hospital and Poole Hospital
BLF BE Braunton and District - awareness event at Caen Community Primary School, including promoting the week at four assembly sessions - all week
BLF BE East Devon - awareness stand at Boots the Chemist in Exeter - all week and awareness raising event at Bedford Square, Exeter on Friday 18th June.
BLF BE Helston - stand at Helston Motor Show, Sunday 20th June.
BLF BE North Cornwall - awareness raising at Morrisons supermarket, Bodmin, Wednesday 16th June from 10am.
BLF BE North Wilts - picnic at John Coles Park, Chippenham on Sunday 20th June at 2pm.
BLF BE Plymouth - awareness stand at Derriford Hospital, Thursday 17th and Friday 18th June, 10am-2pm.
BLF BE Salisbury - awareness event at Salisbury Hospital.
BLF BE Swindon - awareness event at Asda Walmart, on Monday 14th June from 10am; awareness event at Swindon Outlet Village on Thursday 17th June from 10am; awareness event at Asda, West Swindon on Saturday 19th June from 10am.
BLF BE Taunton - awareness event at Morrisons supermarket, Taunton Wednesday 16th June from 10am. Awareness stand at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton - all week.
BLF BE Teignmouth - street collection in Teignmouth, on Friday 19th June, 10am - 2pm.
BLF BE Torquay - awareness stand at Babbacombe Fare, Wednesday 16th June.
BLF BE Weston super Mare - awareness stand on the Promenade, Weston super Mare, Sunday 27th June from 10am
BLF BE Withywood - awareness stand at Redcatch Park, Knowle, Bristol on 
Sunday 27th June at 12 noon.
SW Regional launch of the Childrens Charter at Hartcliffe and Withywood Community Partnership at Wednesday 16th June 10.30am.
Guernsey - awareness stand at Queens Road Medical Centre, Guernsey, Channel Islands - all week.
Weston super Mare Red Balloon Walk - Sunday 13 June
With much disruption to Weston Super Mare with the Pier being rebuilt and the whole sea front having an upgrade, The South West held its annual "Red Balloon Walk".
The South West office staff, Dr Steve Holmes SW committee chair, Breathe Easy members, health care professionals, friends, relatives and carers all joined together once again to have a stroll along the sea front to raise awareness of BLF.
It was a lovely day if a little breezy, and we were joined by the Lord Mayor of
WSM councillor Phillip Judd and his lady wife to start us on our way. Air Liquide staff Heather Chaytor and Rob Davidson joined us and raised over £60 in sponsorship. Thank you to all those who attended and supported this event.
Launch of BLF Children’s Charter in the South West region
Hartcliffe & Withywood Community Project kindly hosted the launch of the Children’s Charter in the southwest region. Local residents and community groups joined Dr Steve Holmes, BLF regional chair, and Liam Williams, Programme Director for NHS Bristol, to talk about how best to promote the campaign in the area.
Question: Do you feel comfortable using a computer?
If so, read on about the Somerset Respiratory Network
The Somerset Respiratory Network is open to anyone with an interest in, or have a link with, respiratory (lung) conditions. this includes clinicians, patients, carers, managers, and organisations in the public, private, voluntary, and third sectors. The Somerset Respiratory Network, co-ordinated by NHS Somerset will, in the main, be a ‘virtual’ network where the majority of communications will be electronic. This will include a Respiratory Web Page (currently under development) within the NHS Somerset website.
NHS Somerset is holding an event with a limited number of places, the first to be organised for the Somerset Respiratory Network. Once you have booked a place at our event and/or registered interest in the Somerset Respiratory Network, you may receive information by email which may be of interest to you, and we may also occasionally ask you for feedback on respiratory related topics. To book and/or register as a member of the Somerset Respiratory Network please complete the information requested here.
SOMERSET RESPIRATORY NETWORK EVENT
Respiratory Network Event Booking Form
Anne jumps out of a plane...
Anne (a different Anne!), Treasurer of Breathe Easy North Cotswolds, completed a sponsored parachute jump at South Cerney Airfield on Saturday 15th May 2010 to raise funds for the 
BLF and the Breathe Easy group. The event was brought forward a day due to the weather; Anne raised a fantastic £450, and we hope she enjoyed this unique experience. Well done and a huge thank you to Anne.
Fashion and Fundraising
The fabulous and glamorous Torquay boutique Maggie and Co hosted another fashion extravaganza in aid of The British Lung Foundation at The Imperial Hotel, Torquay, on Thursday, 22nd April. Over one hundred outfits were shown on the catwalk including menswear supplied by Hoopers Ltd. Local radio station, Palm 105.5fm, featured items about the show and covered the event live. The speaker at the evening show was Dr J M Goldman MD FRCP. The event raised over £5,800 and donations are still coming in - this is a fantastic achievement and we'd like to thank everyone who helped make the event such a success.
Spinning for the BLF
A huge thank you to Charmaine Dudfield (Boody) and friends who spin-cycled a massive 107 miles EACH recently to raise funds for the British Lung Foundation and Breathe Easy North Cotswolds. Well done to all and hope everyone has recovered - we understand it wasn't easy. Many thanks again to everyone who took part on the day. Boody has a lovely shop in Stow on the Wold - Daisy Dix - pop in if you're in the area.
Another leap into the great blue sky!
BLF BE Teignmouth supporter Clare is following the regional trend, and will be jumping from 15,000 feet at Dunkerswell Airfield on Saturday 17th July. If you'd like to sponsor Clare, please contact the Regional Office on 0117 300 4080, or email Clare - . We'd like to thank Clare for organising this amazing event and thank her for taking the plunge in support of the BLF and BLF Breathe Easy Teignmouth.
Elvis Tribute Night - raising the roof and funds for the BLF
On Saturday 19th June, Gordon Hendricks - "Elvis Presley" - winner of Granada TVs Starts in Their Eyes will be performing at the Irish Club, Horton Road in Gloucester to raise funds for the BLF - doors open at 7pm. The event has been arranged by Gerald, a supporter of the organisation, and who lives with a lung condition. If you'd like to come along, a few tickets are still available - please ring 0788 8661745, they cost £9 in advance or £11 on the door. Gerald has worked really hard to set up this extravaganza, so please do come along!
New Group development
We're looking to develop new Breathe Easy Groups - if you are a health care professional and would like to discuss how we can work together to provide support for people living with a lung condition, please contact Marilyn Crump, BLF Development Officer - 0117 300 4084 - email
Don't forget to look at our Regional Newsletter - click on the link below. If you'd like to receive your copy via email, please let us know by emailing or telephone 0117 300 4080.
