Latest news with #PeteWhite
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Café for people living with cancer opens
Volunteers who have been affected by cancer are giving back by running a new community café and support group. The café has been opened by Gloucester charity Charlie's, which provides free holistic therapies to cancer patients. "I would live in such a dark place without it, they're like my second family," said Pete White who has multiple myeloma and prostate cancer and will volunteer at the café. It is hoped the venue, in Barnwood, will give people living with cancer an opportunity to meet others going through similar experiences. Mr White has been volunteering with the charity since 2017 and says Charlie's has been fantastic in providing him with support. He now looks forward to helping others at the café, who are also struggling with the impact of cancer. "We all support one another, if someone has some bad news, there's always someone to give them a hug," he said. More news stories for Gloucestershire Listen to the latest news for Gloucestershire Charlie's was founded by Jo Sutherland after she was diagnosed with breast cancer 20 years ago. She said the café was "going to be phenomenal" and the volunteers would "understand where you're coming from". "It's not just a café providing food. We want it to be a real community café." Ness Holbrook is the family and youth worker for Charlie's and works with young people that have been impacted by cancer. She holds sessions at schools and colleges, but now hopes to bring young people to the café. She said: "People will be able to come along, find out a bit more about us and then maybe come to the therapy centre and access support. "It will just be that nice space, but also somewhere for us to meet with other organisations and other people in the community." Paul Mount, whose sister died from breast cancer 23 years ago, got involved with the charity in 2018 by offering a room, and later a warehouse, for the charity to run monthly meetings. He has now donated the room which is being used for the café. "When Jo came to me looking for support I thought this is perfect because I wanted something to get involved in and to try and help," he said. Volunteers hope the café will help them generate an income for the charity so it can keep providing support to those who need it. Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. More on this story Cancer charity making 'huge difference' Charity marks decade of work with 6,000 poppies Related Internet Links Charlie's
BBC News
4 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Gloucestershire charity opens café to support cancer patients
Volunteers who have been affected by cancer are giving back by running a new community café and support café has been opened by Gloucester charity Charlie's, which provides free holistic therapies to cancer patients. "I would live in such a dark place without it, they're like my second family," said Pete White who has multiple myeloma and prostate cancer and will volunteer at the café.It is hoped the venue, in Barnwood, will give people living with cancer an opportunity to meet others going through similar experiences. Mr White has been volunteering with the charity since 2017 and says Charlie's has been fantastic in providing him with support. He now looks forward to helping others at the café, who are also struggling with the impact of cancer."We all support one another, if someone has some bad news, there's always someone to give them a hug," he said. Charlie's was founded by Jo Sutherland after she was diagnosed with breast cancer 20 years ago. She said the café was "going to be phenomenal" and the volunteers would "understand where you're coming from". "It's not just a café providing food. We want it to be a real community café." Ness Holbrook is the family and youth worker for Charlie's and works with young people that have been impacted by cancer. She holds sessions at schools and colleges, but now hopes to bring young people to the café.She said: "People will be able to come along, find out a bit more about us and then maybe come to the therapy centre and access support. "It will just be that nice space, but also somewhere for us to meet with other organisations and other people in the community." Paul Mount, whose sister died from breast cancer 23 years ago, got involved with the charity in 2018 by offering a room, and later a warehouse, for the charity to run monthly meetings. He has now donated the room which is being used for the café. "When Jo came to me looking for support I thought this is perfect because I wanted something to get involved in and to try and help," he hope the café will help them generate an income for the charity so it can keep providing support to those who need it.
BBC News
27-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Shropshire RAF veteran urges people to seek early help for PTSD
An RAF veteran is urging people to seek help for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as early as White served in Afghanistan in 2011 as a communications engineer, and part of his role involved monitoring video and images of dead soldiers and 38-year-old said he was "effectively watching people lose their lives in horrific ways", and left the armed forces in 2017 after a diagnosis of PTSD and White, who lives in Newport in Shropshire, said it was "quite common" for people not to get help for the mental health condition until "decades" after. Originally from Billingham in Teesside, Mr White joined the RAF in returning to the UK following service in Afghanistan, he said he "was feeling incredibly low, I was angry, I was losing sleep, I was having horrific memories of what had happened"."It kind of ruined a lot of different aspects of my life." Mr White said when he became a father in 2021, he found it "really difficult.""When my son cried and screamed as kids will do, that would cause me to have flashbacks and see things from my past that were really troubling and upsetting," he said."There were times where I came quite close to not being here anymore." According to charity Combat Stress, which provides treatment and support for UK veterans, on average it takes people 13 years between leaving the armed forces and seeking their help for mental health issues. The mental health organisation said the majority of those they helped were veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Mr White is also keen to emphasise that it is not just an issue facing veterans, describing PTSD as "quite insidious.""When I talk about my symptoms, they sound obvious that something is wrong," he said."But actually, they're so sneaky and manage to weave themselves into the fabric of your life that by the time you get to the level of where I was, to you, it seems very normal." Now, he is urging people to get help and support - either from charities like Combat Stress and Samaritans, or by going to their GP."The sooner we can say 'hang on a second, I went through this, I don't know if it's causing issues, but I should talk to someone about this,' that would be great," he said."As brutal and as impossible as it can feel sometimes, please don't give up."If you have been affected by the issues raised in this story you can visit the BBC Action Line for support. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fordingbridge Twinning Association welcomes guests from France
The Fordingbridge Twinning Association hosted more than 40 visitors from Vimoutiers, Normandy, for a packed weekend of events. Arriving on Thursday, May 8, the French guests were welcomed with a civic reception, featuring speeches from the Mayor of Fordingbridge, Councillor Pete White and the twinning association leaders. They were treated to handbell ringing, a beacon lighting and a tribute of remembrance by the town crier. The Hyde Band concluded with the national anthems. The following day, the visitors enjoyed a guided tour of Breamore House, its museum, bluebell woods, and the renowned "miz-maze." The day ended with a ceilidh featuring local band Murphy's Lore. Everyone, including the French guests, joined in with the dancing. The VE Day festivities, organised by Fordingbridge Town Council and supported by local groups such as Avon Valley Shed and Fordingbridge Rotary, came to a close on Saturday, May 10, with a Picnic in the Park. READ MORE:Salisbury reflects on VE Day in Guildhall Square ceremony Fordingbridge welcomes French visitors for sun-soaked twinning weekend (Image: Supplied) The day began with a guided walk in the New Forest, followed by a fish and chips lunch. The afternoon was filled with music, stalls and various entertainments. The evening ended with a dinner accompanied by local dance music. The French visitors were seen off on Sunday morning with a brunch, music courtesy of New Forest Rhythmix, before catching their coach home via the Portsmouth Ferry. The weekend's sunny weather was an unexpected delight, with many returning to France sporting suntans. The next twinning event will be from Friday, October 17 to Sunday, October 19, when the Fordingbridge residents head to the "Foire de la Pomme" in Vimoutiers. Anyone interested in joining the twinning association or other local groups such as Avon Valley Shed or Fordingbridge Rotary can contact Derek Ayling for more information. The Fordingbridge Twinning Association said: "The French guests enjoyed these formal events and were pleased to join in. "Everyone joined in with the dancing, along with much laughter. "The weather was fantastic over the whole four-day visit, which caused much amusement with people returning to France with suntans. "They don't usually expect that when they visit the UK."
