IN THIS ISSUE P.4 P.8 P.13 P.16
Pam’s Past Times Community What’s On Funding opportunities Do you recognise anyone?
Calling Southmead Residents From the North Bristol Trust - NHS Team
By Suzanne Daggar EDITOR On Thursday 5th July 2018 the NHS turns 70 and we’re all invited to Southmead Hospital to celebrate by sharing stories, and tea and cake, in the atrium of the Brunel building. We are also invited to celebrate with tea parties at our own venues so do let The Mead know if you’re planning one so we can put it in our next issue. Our community has a special relationship with the hospital because members of our families not only have a long history of working there, but have watched as it’s grown on our doorstep from a 64 bed workhouse to the 800 bed workhorse it is today. The Foundation Stone for the Barton Regis Union Workhouse was laid in 1900. It then became a military hospital in the First World War, and in 1924 was named the ‘Southmead Infirmary’ as it began to expand across the tiny area next to it called Southmead. Later it became known as Southmead Hospital.
The name was retained for the current brand new hospital after a public vote in 2013; ‘Southmead’ won over other titles such as ‘Bristol Brunel’. There’s lots going on to celebrate the NHS in July - events will be listed in our What’s On pages. This special edition of The Mead wishes the NHS an up-coming Happy Birthday, but also reminds us that our links with our namesake hospital began well before 1948. Thank you to everyone who has sent in wonderful memories and anecdotes this month, the Hospital would love to receive more so please dig deep for your gems to share. Do you recognise this little patient? Read her story on page 2.
Are you a former member of NBT staff, or did your relatives work here back at the foundation of the NHS? Are you one of several generations who have worked in our hospitals? Were you the first person to undergo an innovative procedure under our care, or were you in the operating theatre when a surgeon carried out a world first? Were you born at one of our hospitals around the same time as the NHS was born; are you also preparing to celebrate your 70th birthday this year? Whatever your connection to the NHS or its 70th birthday, we are keen to hear your stories and experiences and see any memorabilia you have. For the the birthday week we are planning to run a display in the Brunel building at Southmead Hospital; if you have old photographs of our sites, staff or services, or if you have medical equipment, uniforms or any other kit from past decades please get in touch. We are working with the Southmead Development Trust at Greenway to collect your items so do phone there on 0117 950 3335 and ask for the SDTNHS Celebration team, or contact us direct via email: NHS70@nbt.nhs.uk or phone 0117 414 3840. Thank you.