Meriden Mag

See inside for all the Village news and summer events, including details of our Open Gardens and Picnic in the Park, the long term plans for the quarry restoration and all the usual articles. There's so much going on - something for all ages to enjoy.

Meriden Open Gardens

Sunday 2nd July 11.am – 6.pm

£5 per head - children go free. Come and explore lots of beautiful gardens, big and small.

Main ticket and maps sales at Meriden Village Hall 208 Main Rd CV7 7NG Or in advance from Sue 01676 522540

Please come along and support this lovely village event.

*Plant sales* Refreshments * *Tombola* Raffle*

All proceeds to Cancer Research

Big Picture Show at the Village Hall

Saturday 17th June 7.30pm

See inside for details

SATURDAY 22nd JULY 2023

2.00 to 4:15PM

BALSALL & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

74th ANNUAL FLOWER and PRODUCE SHOW ST PETER'S HALL, HOLLY LANE, BALSALL COMMON FREE PARKING PLANT SALES RAFFLE

REFRESHMENTS AND HOMEMADE CAKE

Warwickshire Watercolourists’

Art Exhibition

Bank Holiday 26th– 28th August 2023

Berkswell Reading Rooms

Meriden Road Berkswell

CV7 7BE

10.00am -5.00pm daily

Free Entrance July 11

Over 200 items of unique art work on display for the first time, most for sale, (cash or cheque only) together with a wide range of prints and cards

This year’s special raffle prize – an original Trevor Boult painting, kindly donated, with proceeds to Dementia UK

Refreshments available; proceeds to charity.

Ample free parking & disabled access

Additional free parking available in the rear car park at ‘The Bear’.

For further information please emailWarwickshireWatercolourists@gmail.com see back cover for poster see back cover for poster

Firebird Singers Update

At present, we are busy rehearsing for our next two concerts at the Manor Hotel.

On Sunday 11th June, we present “On Top of the World”- Songs to make you feel good. This concert is the last in our season supporting Coventry and Warwickshire MIND. In the autumn issue of the Mag, I will be very proud to tell you the amount we have donated to this very good cause.

Our 10th September concert is entitled “Divas & Legends”, self-explanatory. For the 2023-24 season, I am delighted to announce that we will be fund-raising for the Air Ambulance. We hope you will join us to support both of these worthy charities.

As usual we are indebted to the Manor Hotel for the use of their beautiful Aylesford Suite for our events. All tickets cost £8 each.

Please see the poster on the events page at the front of the Mag.

Valerie Martin 01676 522963

I spent the whole morning building a time machine, so that’s 4 hours of my life I’m definitely getting back! -

Olaf Falafel

Chocolate is vital for our survival. Dinosaurs didn’t’ eat chocolate and look what happened to them!

Sat 17th June – “Fisherman’s Friends – One and All” (12A)

Sat 17th June – “Fisherman’s Friends – One and All” (12A)

Following the meteoric rise to fame of the Cornish SeaShanty group, this sequel continues their story – and fame is never plain-sailing. After the highs of performing on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, the group struggle with their second album. During a divisive tour in Southern Australia, they will trace their ancestors embracing a new community and discovering their musical DNA…

Following the meteoric rise to fame of the Cornish SeaShanty group, this sequel continues their story – and fame is never plain-sailing. After the highs of performing on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, the group struggle with their second album. During a divisive tour in Southern Australia, they will trace their anc estors embracing a new community and discovering their musical DNA…

A light hearted summer film – just the thing for the holiday season.

A light hearted summer film – just the thing for the holiday season.

We have a summer break in July and August. Details of the screenings from September onwards will be published, as usual, in the autumn Meriden Mag.

We have a summer break in July and August. Details of screenings from September onwards will be published, as usual, in the autumn Meriden Mag.

Tickets are available from Chris Copper - £6 each. Telephone 01676 522645 / 07721 342127 or Email - chriscopper42@me.com

Tickets are available from Chris Copper - £6 each. Telephone 01676 522645 / 07721 342127 or Email - chriscopper42@me.com

NB. Dates may be subject to change so please check when booking.

NB. Dates may be subject to change so please check when booking.

Used Stamps Wanted

A charity called Medical Missionary News would be very grateful to receive the used stamps off your envelopes. Please leave at least 1” all around when cutting them. Please hand them in at Lloyds Chemist on the Green. The money raised will be used to buy medical supplies for war-torn countries overseas. Thank You.

Ansley Chimney Sweep

Paul Amos 07732 349252 paulamos26@live.co.uk

Registered Chimney Sweep

Registered HETAS Installer www.ansleychimneys.co.uk Reg no. 3231

DYSON BLINDS

We offer tailored made-to-measure blinds for any window solution. We have a wide selection of fabrics, woods and colours at competitive prices.

Meriden Surgery 01676 522252

School House, 200 Main Road, Meriden, CV7 7NG

Dr M Bhandal

Dr T Nadeem Dr R Horsley (Partners)

Associates GPs Dr.A Omokanye, Dr A Blaggan Dr N Hudders www.balsallcommongrouppractice.co.uk

Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8.30am to 6pm Wednesday 8.30am to 12.00noon

For details on how to obtain medical help when the surgery is closed, please phone

Goodbye - Reflections on nearly 39 years of medical work.

It is with mixed feelings that I prepare to leave the Balsall Common and Meriden practice.

01676 935000

I qualified from Glasgow University in 1984 and began work as a junior hospital doctor on 1st August that year. Nobody in my family had ever been a doctor. Several subsequent years of hospital posts followed, included working in a leukaemia unit, a tuberculosis hospital, delivering babies and working in a gynaecology unit, a post in a children’s ward and also jobs in A+E and in elderly medicine.

Then came a year of being a GP-in-training in central Scotland. I loved the variety of work and the fact that there was continuity of care and that you could really make a difference to some lives.

After finishing the GP training, I spent a year working in Australia, six years in London, then four years in North Tyneside before I relocated again (with husband and 3 children) to the Midlands.

I have worked at the Balsall Common & Meriden Practice since 2001 in various roles and know 3 generations of many families now. I have really enjoyed most of the work, being a small part of people’s lives and trying to provide holistic healthcare. I will be sad to leave my wonderful colleagues whose altruism and dedication, especially during the pandemic, helped so many people.

In 1984, there were no computerised records in hospitals or in primary care. Emails didn’t exist. Mobile phones didn’t exist. Emergency hospital admissions from a patient’s home sometimes meant that I had to find a public callbox to phone for an ambulance as not all people had house phones. In parallel to the technological advances, there have been medical advances related to new drugs and techniques which enable quite different lives nowadays.

The medical innovations mean however, that the work is far more complex with patients often on multiple drugs for several significant illness. People can, for example, live alongside cardiac failure and renal failure now whereas these conditions significantly shortened lives in 1984 I do find it a struggle trying to manage with 10-minute appointments nowadays due to the complexity. I wish we all had the resources to provide longer appointments.

Thank you to so many patients who have wished me well and sent cards etc on discovering that I am leaving. I will pop back to the practice from time to time and may well bump into many of you again in Balsall Common or in the surrounding area. If you recognise me, please come over and say ‘hello.’

Shortly after retiring, my husband and I are going to the north of Scotland to go hillwalking for a week with 18 friends. Then we have 2 weeks of peace in Orkney where I want to photograph the birdlife with my new telephoto lens.

Aspects of work I will miss? Interactions with patients, teaching medical students, the camaraderie of the NHS team and the challenge of new educational opportunities which improve patient-care.

Things I won’t miss? Government targets which can be tick-box lists, huge hospital waiting lists, and too much admin which spills over into nights and days off.

It has been a great privilege to have such a diverse and enjoyable career. Thank you to all my former patients for your partnership over the years.

Aileen Dr Aileen K Carlile April 2023

Unfortunately, the Practice has also had to say goodbye to one of our Salaried GPs Dr Khan. We wish him the very best in his future roles.

Welcome

The Practice would like to welcome our new Maternity Locum Doctor, Dr Rai. Dr Rai will be working at the Balsall Common Surgery Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

New Service Operating

New Service Operating

Are you experiencing muscle or joint pain?

Are you experiencing muscle or joint pain?

You can now see a Specialist Physiotherapist at the Balsall Common Surgery

You can now see a Specialist Physiotherapist at the Balsall Common Surgery

The Physio will support you in being referred for further treatment, helping with pain relief, managing/improving your condition and discuss any worries or concerns. Please ask one of our receptionists to book an appointment.

The Physio will support you in being referred for further treatment, helping with pain relief, managing/improving your condition and discuss any worries or concerns. Please ask one of our receptionists to book an appointment.

COVID VACCINATION UPDATE 03.04.2023

We are in the process of arranging the vaccination of patients in the COVID Spring Booster campaign. This Campaign will vaccinate:

*Care Home Patients * Patients 75 and over * *Immunosuppressed Patients*

You will be contacted by the Practice to arrange an appointment or home visit please do not contact us for an appointment.

If you wish to decline this vaccine or have any questions, please email nhsbsolicb.balsall.covid@nhs.net

Changes To Our Appointment Booking

We now offer all urgent on the day appointments as face-to-face appointments. All appointments are to be booked via telephone only. Telephone appointments are available as a pre-bookable option; however these are now unable to be scheduled as an urgent on the day appointment option.

General Practices are open and we are here for you when you need us. To keep you and everyone safe appointments are being triaged, this helps us to give you the correct type of appointment that you need whether that is for patients to be seen in person, a telephone consultation, video consultation or advice from your local Pharmacy.We are continuing to follow all National Guidelines that are provided for all GP Practices across the UK along with the ever-changing COVID 19 regulations. We are continuing to encourage our face covering policy, this is to continue to protect our Staff and visitors that are attending the Practice. All up to date Practice Information can be found on our website www.balsallcommonsurgery.co.uk

ALPHAFIT – Each letter of the alphabet has been removed from the grid just once Replace them to complete the crossword.

We hope that you enjoy doing these puzzles. If you want the answers, just email me chrisbannister56@aol.com If you can offer any puzzles, please send them to me. Thanks.

We hope that you enjoy doing these puzzles. If you want the answers, just email me chrisbannister56@aol.com If you can offer any puzzles, please send them to me. Thanks.

Greetings from Sue, Carol and the Meriden Committee!

We hope this edition of the Meriden Mag finds you all well. Hopefully, by now, spring will have finally sprung and the prospects for a spectacular summer are becoming more than a distant dream! A number of Meriden folk have been anxiously waiting for improvements in the weather so they can spend more time in their gardens in preparation for our Open Garden event on Sunday 2nd July. More details later in this article.

At the time of writing, we are recovering from a lively fundraiser at the Heart of England Social Club where Keith Slater had us on our toes dancing the night away and we raised over £1,000 for our chosen charity. Many thanks to all those that supported us with raffle prizes, joined us on the night and of course to all the team at the Club. Last year, with your support, Meriden raised over £18,000 for CRUK. Somewhat smaller than Dame Deborah James (“Bowelbabe”), whose legacy fund to date has raised over £11.3 million and has already supported CRUK to resource vital projects to the tune of around £4 million. But, big or small, every penny that is raised for CRUK counts, if we all do what we can, “together we will beat cancer sooner” so thank you once again.

As mentioned earlier, this year will see the return of the ever-popular Cancer Research Meriden Open Gardens on Sunday 2nd July. Please see poster on events page at the front of the Mag. Currently there will be more than 10 gardens, large and small, to explore. Some are old favourites but we also have some exciting new additions – the final map hasn’t been printed yet so there’s still time to join in if you want – ring Sue! As usual there will be plant sales, plenty of refreshment stops, tombola and raffle opportunities. The gardens will be open from 11am to 6pm and entrance to all of the gardens will only be £5 (children free). Advance tickets, including map and brochure, will be available in early June from Sue (01676 522540) and Carol (01676 522888) and on the actual day at the Village Hall (208 Main Road, CV7 7NG) and any of the individual gardens. Full details will also be available on posters around the village and on Facebook nearer the time. Please support us, come along, and enjoy a wonderful day out.

Our fundraising efforts will continue throughout the year but two events that can be put in the diary – our regular Autumn “In the Pink and Blue” event at the Manor Hotel on Sunday 22nd October and our Christmas Party on Saturday 9th December. Full details will be published nearer the time so keep your eyes open for information later in the year.

As always, we look forward to seeing you at any, or all of our events. Have a great Summer.

Sue & Carol

Maxstoke Castle Open Day B46 2RD

Sunday 11th June 2023

Castle and Gardens will be open between 11.00am – 5.00pm

Tickets available on the day

Adults £9

Concessions £6 (over 65 and 8-17 years)

You nger child ren admitted free of charge

Proceeds to St Michael and All

Angels Church Maxstoke, and the

National Gardens Scheme

Balsall Common Country Market

First Saturday of the month in the British Legion.

Other Saturdays in the Jubilee Centre.

We have lovely home baking, preserves, plants, seasonal vegetables, crafts and home-made cards.

Café is now OPEN!

Hampers can be ordered and delivered countrywide Contact 01676 523007 Meriden W

1918 – 2023

Meetings are held on the first Monday of the month

7:30pm at Meriden Village Hall, Main Road CV7 7NG

We love to support and showcase local people in our choice of speakers and the next few months are no exception. Our Summer meeting plan is: -

We are Meriden WI. We embrace diversity, inclusivity and ethnicity, along with the National Federation of Institutes.

If you are interested in making new friends, learning skills or joining in activities, then please do come and join in the fun.

We have monthly sub-groups covering darts sessions, book club, walking and lunch club. Book club is readin g ‘Cider with Rosie’ by Laurie Lee in June. We also enjoy theatre trips, visiting art galleries and joining in with other local WI groups. In March, we were delighted to welcome Jen Jones who captivated us on her story of why and how she started up a dog walking service 12 years ago. A gentle story, with a rod of iron running through - the demonstration of a single parent laying out a new life to fit in with her small family. She has recently moved into Meriden and has also just joined our WI. See photo on right.

In April, we were privileged to hear a woman’s life story of ‘The Joy of Transgender parenting’. Her title sounded a dichotomy, until she relayed her and her son’s story. What strength of character she showed throughout the adversity of her daughter becoming her son.

Our May meeting was our Annual Meeting, when a resume of the year is highlighted and changes to the committee are discussed. Our current President, Samm Bain, is stepping down. She has helped boost the membership and we are grateful for the effort she has put in.

5th June – Carmen Watson, C.E.O. of Pertemps is our speaker.

3rd July – Nick Martin, a local wildlife photographer will talk to us about British wildlife.

7th August – A social evening with games, a quiz and a buffet.

For more information, please email us at meridenwi@hotmail.com or call the secretary, Della Mannix, on 07920 014909