Mansfield boy given Life saving Leukaemia drug

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/leukaemia-wonder-drug-cures-british-6576878

Pit ponies blog. transcription of memoirs of George Jelly.

Please take a few minutes to view a blog that has recently been created by my daughter Lauren

She has transcribed from a small book, written many years ago by George Jelly, some fascinating insights into the lives of pit ponies and their drivers.

Very interesting read indeed :-)


http://30yearspitponies.blogspot.co.uk/?m=0

Jill Elaine Ward (Nee Nash), Mansfield Woodhouse,Notts

If you have found this page then it could be that you have googled my mothers name.

Sadly I lost my wonderful mum just over a week ago after she lost her valiant fight with the Ataxia which eroded her life away little by little over the last 7 years of her life.

I intend to write something here as a fitting tribute to the most amazing,caring and genuine person I have ever (and may ever!) have the privilage of meeting. Until then I have simply posted a few pictures and this poem that i wrote which tries (but entirely fails) to sum her up :-)

The mum I still knew

It was sometimes hard to see you mum, the mum I used to know

You’d lie there quietly on your bed did you notice as I’d come and go?

I often feared it was not you, that all you were had gone

But when I thought a little more I knew that I was wrong

Those eyes that gazed into my own the day my life began

That loving gaze was always there from little child to man

Those arms I see once carried me and tucked me in at night

Those lips once kissed me as I slept and made my pain alright

Those hands once held mine o’ so tight and kept me safe and sound

Those legs that worked so very hard when you carried me around

Those ears that heard my very first word and listened to my fears

The heart that kept me locked within in our passing years

And oh that smile that lovely smile you always loved to share

and being such a giving soul you always had one free to spare.

And so I see it is you mum and you’d not gone away

And even now as we have to part you’ll still be with me every day

Rest in peace mum, your memory will live on eternally in our hearts.

Jill Ward (nee Nash). 14th March 1944 - 12th July 2012

Mansfield Woodhouse Christmas Fayre Cancelled due to Weather.

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Sad to report that this years Mansfield Woodhouse Christmas Parade and Market have now been cancelled due to the awful weather conditions that have been with us for over a week now.

This will be the first time that Scarlett hasn't been tasked with towing Santa's sleigh in the last 3 years :-(.

Mission accomplished.Santa Claus delivered to Grotto as requested :-)

Well it was a bit of a rush the other day to say the least.Up at 07:30, dressed,washed,cleaned out rabbits (just 2 of them!),got ids up (always fun at the weekend...seem to be glued into their beds!). Checked car,loaded boxes of bits to sell for Leukaemia Research on my stall at the Christmas fair,then,after a VERY swift fried breakfast it was off on our way.

As is usual in situations when time is at a premium, my route was littered with the obligatory 38 tonners doing 40MPH,several tractors a la trailers doing about 20-25, and the occasional "Sunday Drivers" who, due to their belief that you can only enjoy a drive at under 50mph, will happily sit behind affore mentioned lorries/tractors for miles on end without seizing any oppertumity to overtake, no matter how safe it is!.

After finally working my way through the rolling road block that is the A17/A617, I arrived at my first port of call, Kings Mill Hospital, and there I had 2 jobs to do.The first job was to manufacture a number plate out of (this sounds like a blue peter project doesn't it ?) a piece of yellow card,a laminating sleeve,a black marker pen and some artistic licence !. After that was completed I then located an item that had been left at the Dept for me by Peter from the ITC Dept (Thanks Peter!).....mored of that later :-)

After getting back to the car i then discovered that my bubble machine had tipped over in the boot and had not only emptied its entire contents of soap suds into the carpet, but this had also now left me needing to locate some more mixture for use in the parade. I decided to detour to the local Tesco xtra store.

"We only sell bubble mixture in summer" the lady at Tesco's told me!......."Why" i asked, "don't people blow bubbles in winter?".We left the store and stopped only to top up the fuel tank which was reading a little low.

We arrived at Mansfield Woodhouse at approx 11:05, and immediately went to my parents house to give Scarlett a quick wash as during the trip over from Sleaford she had aquired an awfully dirty coat of filth.
My parents had already left to go to the house down the road that is the storage location for Santa's sleigh, and due to that fact i had no access to my dads pressure washer.....damn!.
Looking around the back yard I found a bucket of rainwater which i took, dropped in a small amount of car wash liquid (which i had in the boot luckily) and then performed the worlds quickest handwash !.

Once the car was presentable we drove the few hundred yards down to Snata's secret transport storage depot (a garage on Rose Lane...whoops...it's not secret anymore!), at which point we hitched up the sledge and after a quick systems check (lights!) we drove over to the carpark of the Greyhound pub our pick up point for Saint Nick.

Unfortunetly Santa was not present at this location when we arrived, but after sending off a scout (my dad) to locate said Mr Claus he arrived a few mins later in his civis and using his "Off duty" name of Bill!.

One slight problem which was noted at this point was that "Mini Me" ,my son who was dressed as a raindeer with flashing nose, became slightly suspicious of the bloke who claimed to be Santa, so we sent him off with his sister to have a five minute walk around the shops on the high street and hey presto, when he arrived back,Bill had gone, but a rather convincing Santa was now sat in his sleigh!. Just as I was quietly congratulating myself as having pulled a master stroke of desception n convincing Mini me of the arrival of the "real" Santa, he looked at me as only a 6 year old can and said "It's OK dad, I know it's not the real Santa 'cos I saw the suit in his Morrisons plastic carrier bag.......damn, i had been rumbled !.
Not to lose this battle of whits I came out with a corker of a reply,"Actually Andy it IS the real Santa, but...well you know how Spider man and Super Man only dress in their "Super" clothes when in action? Well Santa is the same, he only gets his red gear on when on duty...otherwise people would be forever stopping him and putting in never ending requests for presents!.....
"Mmmmm....., i never thought of that dad........but don't worry, i won't tell anyone else that this is THE Santa....we'll keep it just between ourselves!". Sorted ! :-)

After dressing  myself up into a passable copy of the STIG from BBC top gear (this was what the package was that Peter had left for me at my Dept!) we started the engine.....and waited.

The parade came past the entrance to the Greyhound carpark, and we slid gracefully into the back of it,lights on,Stig at the wheel and Santa doing a fine job waving to the kids along the way.

10 mins later we arrived at Turner hall and parked up.Santa left the sleigh, i cahnged back into my civvies (after a struggle with the catch on the helmet!) and we then set up the charity table selling Chritmassy bits and bobs for Leukaemia Research (we made £60).

We arrived back home at 8pm after a smashing fish supper from the Chippy on Vale Road...very nice!, and that,as they say, was that...until next year perhaps :-)

Mansfield Woodhouse Christmas Parade and Market tomorrow :-)

I have Just been giving Scarlett a quick wash down before her job on Saturday when she will be towing old Santa Claus through Mansfield Woodhouse on his way to the Christmas Fair at Turner Hall.

There is a rumour that someone special may be driving Scarlett on this special mission...here is a clue:

Rearrange these letters into a famous drivers name.....G I T S ?.....(Think "Top Gear") :-)

I just hope that it doesn't rain like it did last year...made my Antlers droop something rotten ! :-)

Ho Ho Ho !

Ryan Cano's having a Christmas Party!...are you going ?

If you live within a reasonable distance of Mansfield Woodhouse (situated next to Mansfield,Notts, but far more exclusive!)then you may fancy kicking off your festive celebrations by attending Ryan Cano's Christmas Party.
The party is being held at the Working Mens Club on Slant Lane in Mansfiled Woodhouse on Friday the 20th November and kicks off at approx 7pm.
Entry is £1.00 for adults and £2.00 for the kids, although the kids will all get to see Santa and be given a pressie....damn,wish i was a kid again ! :-).

If you have read about Ryan's story in this blog on an earlier post you will know that this is being held for a good cause, and sounds like a great night out to me!.I haven't been in this club since i was about 13...and that was a long time ago :-)

Here is a link to Ryan's webpage. Click HERE to go...........there!

I wonder if i could lie about my age?..................... :-)

Local lad Ryan Cano needs your support...can you help ?

Just read a notice about a concert that is being held at the Coopers pub in Mansfield Woodhouse on the 9th October to raise awareness of the plight of and help for a little lad named Ryan Cano who is fighting not only Leukaemia but also a condition called Haemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis’. He is a very brave and determined little guy and he and his family need your support in his ongoing battle.

If you are not too far way and fancy listening to a great local band on the 9th October, and also help this family please make a note in your diary :-)

To go to the Ryan's appeal page click HERE.

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My name is Andy Ward :-)

Not sure why I posted this.May be something to do with the fact that I did what most people do at some time whilst surfing the net, and typed in my own name....my name appeared quite a long way down the list, so I just wondered if naming this blog entry "My name is Andy Ward" , would push me up the ratings list :-). How conceited is that ....lol !

Anyway, my name is Andrew Ward,I am 43 years (old?) and my home town is a village/town called Mansfield Woodhouse in Nottinghamshire. Just thought i would tell you that also....:-).

Andy

This weeks ups and downs, and being a reindeer.

Ok, sorry for the large gap between the cars MOT and, well, everything that has happened since !, and some of it very important news.

Actually I have just realised that I have not posted owt on this blog about my little job the weekend before when me, Andy junior and Scarlet towed Santa through Mansfield Woodhouse to his grotto during the annual Christmas parade and fair.Great fun, but sadly blighted by the constant rain that resulted in myself and "mini me" getting drenched to the skin, and Scarlets antlers becoming very soggy ! (you need to see pictures to understand!).Strangely enough when we drove back home at around 7.30PM that evening it started to snow as we drove along the A17, and by 9.30PM, when I went out again to visit the local Tesco for a bottle of milk, there was a good 1" covering on everything, including the roads !.....if only it had fallen a few hours earlier and approx 40 miles North West !.

Anyway, back to this week,lets start with Monday.Erm, ok Monday was pretty normal really apart from the fact it was a half day due to me doing a little chauffeuring when I took a friend up to Birmingham for a hospital appointment.

Tuesday was pretty uneventful, but then we get on to Wednesday, more specifically Wednesday @12pm when I had my (previously cancelled twice!) meeting with a senior manager at the hospital to discuss my idea of hosting (in association with Anthony Nolan) a bone marrow donor recruitment drive as well as discussing the possibilities of setting up a programme for collection of cord blood from the maternity unit if at all feasible.

The meeting went very well, and I left feeling extremely optimistic about the whole thing.Lets just hope that the new year will bring some good news about my enquiry, and that soon a new donor clinic will be available to all those that would like to become involved in the East Midlands.

Thursday was my last day at work before the Crimbo break and to be honest I was feeling absolutely knackered with pains in my neck, a sore throat and felling very tired!, so much so that on the Friday morning I was down at the doctors to have a chat which resulted me being asked to go for a blood test on the 29th.

Not sure if it related, but I had a flu jab last Thursday, so perhaps that is also contributing to my current feeling of having a dose of "man flu" which of course we all know is the worst thing that anyone can feel...unless you are a woman of course !

Apparently I need to fast for 12 hours before the blood is taken as they want to check my cholesterol level at the same time, probably due to me mentioning to the doc about my love of a good Full English fry up :-).Come to think of it I am about due for a blood test now as I am supposed to have one every 6 months anyway.

The pain in the neck could be down to a little accident that I had on the 26th November whilst working in an operating theatre at the hospital.I was talking to a rep from a medical device company on a phone in the recovery area and, whilst moving between the said phone and a piece of equipment that i was getting the serial numbers from, I passed under a ceiling mounted microscope, forgot to duck, and almost knocked my ruddy head off...ouch !. I had tenderness on the side of my head for a week or so, but the pain in my neck remained after that had gone, so perhaps I managed to get some sort of "whiplash" as a result.Funny thing was that as I was leaving I mentioned my little episode to a member of staff and was told that it was not the first time that this had happened that day !.I think they need to put something soft and bright over the thing to prevent another accident like mine.

Today is Sunday.Saturday was pretty boring, I am currently waiting for 3 parcels to be delivered, 2 from Ebay and 1 from Glen.The one from Glen contains the final cut of the DVD that documents our trip in September, and I am really looking forward to seeing that :-).

Post office van just came into the street and then left without stopping.....oh well, just keep waiting i suppose.

Merry Christmas anyway.....nearly !

:-)