the online community newspaper for Nailsea people, their family and their friends

February 2018

Our town is a very nice town

Nailsea - caring town which keeps on giving

Our caring community has many good causes and charities close to its heart but here are some of the current campaigns to help others.

Luke’s Army for Muscular Dystrophy UK

A four-year-old Nailsea schoolboy was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy last September.

In the past few month friends and supporters of mum Lisa Cramphorn have raised more than £21,000 for research into the disease which affects mostly boys with approximately 20,000 new cases diagnosed each year worldwide.

Duchenne MD is a rare muscle-wasting condition which decreases the life expectancy of sufferers.

On Friday, February 2, Nailsea schools, pre-schools, childminders and businesses joined the Go Orange fundraising and awareness day.

All were contributing to the Just Giving online platform set up to find a cure for Duchenne MD.

Click HERE to contribute.

Emmerdale soap star and London-based comedienne Louise Howells who went to school in Nailsea and is close friends with Lisa has rallied support and contributed more than £3,000 to the funds.

Louise did a sponsored Sober October to collect monies.

Childminder Jo Jones instigated orange arts and crafts for her small charges and Butterfly Travel baked orange cakes.

At Nailsea School staff and pupils paid £1 to come dressed in mufti but at Golden Valley Primary School head teacher Kevin relented and also allowed a combination of yellow and red clothes to be worn.

Photos from the Santa’s Run – see photos at Gallery 2017 – added monies and the next big fundraiser is an M&Co charity fashion show on Tuesday, February 27, at Trinity Centre, Nailsea – see poster.

Lisa said: “We thought Luke just needed a physio.

“We knew he wasn't running or climbing stairs like his brother was at his age but we certainly didn't think anything serious was wrong.

“To go from that mind set to then finding out that he had a progressive muscle wasting disease - where there is currently no cure - rocked our world.

“Life suddenly looked very different and it took everything we had to get up in the morning and continue being parents.

“Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare muscle wasting condition affecting mainly boys.

“It decreases their life expectancy because it hits all muscles like heart and lungs as well as the ones that provide limb movement.

“The only thing that kept us positive was our doctor telling us not to give up hope because the medical advances in this area are progressing at a rapid rate with emerging treatments on the horizon.

“This work can only continue with the charity donations made through organisations like Muscular Dystrophy UK and all the work they do raising the profile of the disease.

“They are funding a number of exciting research projects and clinical trials but each project costs around £6,000 a month to fund.

“Some of these potential treatments are aimed at slowing down the progressions and keeping the boys mobile for longer, but research being led by people like Prof Dame Kay Davies even aims for a cure of this horrible disease.

“Our hope is that with the money raised, Luke and other boys will be able to turn around and say ‘I used to have Muscular Dystrophy’.”

Gillian Jones, the charity’s regional development manager, said: “We’re so grateful for all the schools and businesses in and around Nailsea who have taken this cause to their hearts and joinied us with Go Orange.

“It is thanks to fundraisers like these that we are able to continue to fund pioneering research into potential treatments for muscle-wasting conditions, as well as supporting families like Luke’s.”

Run Bristol 10K for Oli

Mum Jenny takes up the story. She said: “At 3.30am on Christmas morning every parents’ worst nightmare came true for us.

“The police at our door to tell us that our son had been involved in an accident.

“There were no other parties involved except for a parked car.

“He came off his motorbike and sustained massive head injuries.

“What happened remains unclear and we may never know.

“What we do know is that three young men heard the impact of the accident and turned back on themselves to find out what had happened and called the emergency services.

“To them we are eternally grateful.

“We were told at this point that his injuries are life changing and no one can predict how or if Oli will recover.

“We were completely devastated.

“Oli was cared for in the intensive care unit at Southmead hospital by an amazing team of nurses and doctors and received 1:1 care while sedated for several weeks.

“Oli is now out of intensive care and is beginning to make sure and steady progress in his recovery.

“He is now waiting to go to the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit where he will have access to intensive therapies.

“He has a long road to regaining his independence.

“We have been and continue to be supported by our wonderful family including daughters Laura, 20, and Aimee, eight; and neighbours and even strangers.

“A group of whom have decided to run; walk; crawl the Bristol 10k on Sunday, May 13, with an aim of raising money for Southmead Hospital Charity, and in particular the Intensive Care Unit.

“Anyone is welcome to join us, cheer us on or sponsorship via the Just Giving page Running 4 Oli any amount gratefully received.”

Click HERE for more details.

More than 40 runners have signed up already and more than £2,000 has already been pledged.

PHOTOS: Oli Pearce and the scene of the accident on

Christmas day. North Somerset Council highways

department has since filled in all the pot holes

Nailsea people have been rallying round to support the family of motorcyclist Oliver Pearce who was seriously injured in a freak accident on Christmas day.

Oli, aged 22, was on his way home in the early hours from his job as a bartender at Aqua restaurant at Portishead when he crashed into a parked car on Trendlewood Way.

And it was just a few hours later that officers knocked on the front door of Jenny and Rickie Pearce to tell them the terrible news.

Claire Tavener - in memoriam

Nailsea has been devastated by the untimely death of Claire Tavener.

Her friends have turned their grief into something positive for her two small boys.

The 27-year-old mum who worked at the Old Farmhouse died from multiple stab wounds at her Brendon Gardens home on January 8 this year.

Her husband Andrew Tavener, aged 45, a tree surgeon, has already appeared in court charged with murdering his wife and is currently remanded in custody.

Holy Trinity church set up a book of condolences and has opened every weekday morning since to comfort those affected by the tragedy.

Many have lit memorial candles and filled pages and pages in the book.

A Go Fund Me page set up with the original goal of raising £1,000 for Claire’s small sons exceeded that amount in hours and now stands at more than £14,000.

To contribute click HERE.

A fundraising event at Grove Sports & Social Club to remember Claire and add to this fund is on Saturday, April 21.