The Bradley Stoke Journal

A man who has worked for the past five years at Everything Everywhere (formerly Orange) in Aztec West has set off on a 10,000km charity cycle ride from London to New Delhi.

Srinivasa Alluri, 38, is the founder and President of the Manavata charity, which aims to create and promote a healthy, happy and harmonious world.

Mr Alluri, who previously lived in Orchard Gate, Bradley Stoke, started the non-profit, non-religious, charity 20 years ago, with the aim of supporting humanitarian projects, like caring for under privileged children, empowering individuals to live independently and promoting environmentally friendly initiatives.

The challenge will take him through 13 countries (UK, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and India) and he hopes to complete the marathon journey in 100 days.

The ride started from London on 25th June and Mr Alluri hopes to reach New Delhi by 13th October. He will be accompanied by other riders for various sections of the route but no other participant will complete the full journey.

Read on to find out how you can support the charity ride »

A family fun day and a five-a-side football tournament are being held at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre (BSLC) this Saturday (2nd July), to raise funds for equipment at a local children’s hospital.

The combined event, organised by the Willow Brook Centre and CJ Hole estate agents, will raise money the Cots for Tots Appeal, which is seeking to raise £1 million for intensive care equipment needed by the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michael’s Hospital, Bristol.

This will be the second running of the combined event, following a successful inauguration last year, which raised money for the Help Toby Walk appeal.

The family fun day runs from 12 noon to 4pm in the overflow car park at the Leisure Centre.

The football tournament, for the Bradley Stoke Community Shield, is open to any team from the local community and entries have already been received from the Willow Brook Centre, Tesco Extra, the Leisure Centre, the Aztec Hotel, the local police and Bradley Stoke Town Council.

The football action gets underway at 4pm, preceded by an opening ceremony performed by Bradley Stoke’s local flag waving troop, the South West Winterguard Academy.

The tournament will end at around 9:30pm and will be followed with a trophy presentation by Cllr Charlotte Walker (Vice Chair of Bradley Stoke Town Council).

For further information, contact Mark Wathern of the Willow Brook Centre on 01454 205040.

Read on for a list of local business that are supporting the day »

Bradley Stoke Mayor Ben Walker has raised £10,005 for his chosen charity, St Peter’s Hospice, during his year in office which came to an end last night at the Annual General Meeting of the Town Council.

A cheque for the record amount, raised throughout the year at a number of events, including the Community Festival and Fireworks Display, was presented to Wenda Hillier, one of the charity’s Community Fundraisers.

Cllr Walker said:

“It has been an honour to serve as Mayor this last twelve months and it is an even greater honour to present such a large cheque to this very worthy cause. I’m very grateful to everyone who has donated and supported our events throughout the last year.

Wenda Hillier of St Peter’s Hospice replied:

“We’d like to thank Ben for choosing St Peter’s Hospice as his charity of the year, as well as the people of Bradley Stoke for taking on his challenge to raise vital funds for us.”

“The cost of providing our unique and specialised service free of charge to the people of Bristol is over £6 million per year, so every penny raised by the people of Bradley Stoke will make a huge difference to people with terminal illness.”

The formal business of the meeting saw eight new Town Councillors sworn in following their election on Thursday 5th May. For the first time in the town’s history, all 15 members of the Council are Conservatives.

Read on to find out who will serve as Mayor in the coming year »

The Brantano shoe store at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook Centre is running a ‘New for Old’ money-saving promotion that promises to also help a baby charity and people in the third world.

Anyone taking an old pair of shoes (in any condition) into the store before Sunday 10th April will be given a £10-off voucher that can be used when spending £40 or more before the end of April.

For every old pair of shoes received, Brantano will donate 20p to the baby charity Tommy’s, which funds research and provides information on the causes and prevention of miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth.

According to Brantano:

“… your unwanted shoes could be delivered directly to an African trader who will repair, clean and polish them back to their best. The shoes will then be sold locally for an amount which, although modest, helps maintain and strengthen this essential cottage industry.”

Full terms and conditions of the promotion are available on the Brantano website.

Related link: Willow Brook Centre Store Directory

Abigail Newton Smith, the young cerebral palsy sufferer from Bradley Stoke who travelled to the USA for an operation that it is hoped will help her get around without a wheelchair, has had her first physiotherapy session just three days after undergoing the selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) procedure at the St Louis Children’s Hospital.

Local people and businesses rallied round to raise the £36,000 required to pay for Abigails’s travel and operation in response to the Footsteps 4 Abigail appeal started by her parents Carrie and Tim Newton Smith.

Writing on the appeal’s blog, Carrie and Tim say the physiotherapist was “really pleased with Abigail’s dedication on her first day”.

The blog also includes photos and short video clips taken before and after the operation.

Abigail has also started her own blog: Abigail’s  Thoughts

The strong-willed nine-year-old was featured in a BBC1 Inside Out West documentary [viewable here on YouTube] before leaving for the operation and a follow up report, including footage from the USA, is planned for a future programme.

Related links:

• Footsteps 4 Abigail website
• Footsteps 4 Abigail Facebook page

Abigail Newton Smith, the cerebral palsy sufferer from Bradley Stoke who is about to travel to the USA for a life-changing operation, was featured on  BBC1′s Inside Out West programme last night (Monday 29th).

Nine-year-old Abigail, who attends Bowsland Green Primary School, is due to undergo the selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) operation at the St. Louis Children’s Hospital on 16th December.

The Footsteps 4 Abigail appeal, which has been running since the Summer, has raised £36,000 to pay for her surgery, which is not currently available on the NHS.

Abigails’s Mum, Carrie, told The Journal:

“The last six months have been tough with so many weekends spent doing numerous fundraising events and when we weren’t physically at them we were planning for the next event.”

“Trying to maintain some degree of family life during such a stressful and emotional time has been a challenge, but we have been committed and are passionate about changing Abigail’s future.”

“She doesn’t want to spend her life in a wheelchair and have the doom of surgeries ahead of her. Abigail has always been a fighter and wants the best she can from life. She wants to be as independent as she possibly can.”

Read on for details of the final fundraising event in the campaign »