We are very sorry to say that due to unforeseen circumstances we have had to cancel this meeting which was due to take place this coming Thursday.  7.30 p.m. 8th November 

We are hope that Daniel and Tania Start who were to be our guest speakers will be able to come on a re-arranged date to be announced in due course.

We apologise for any inconvenience and for giving such short notice .

Nick Stevens

Chairman, Friends of Freshford Committee

As part of the proposed redevelopment of the Freshford Memorial Hall to include a Doctors' surgery extension, the Hall Development Group is required to produce a travel plan. This needs to take into account patterns of use of Freshford Memorial Hall car park, and propose ways to address demand for parking at peak times.

In order to gain a better understanding of the different ways in which people travel to the Hall car park, the reasons for their visit and the demands on parking it would be helpful if you could take a few minutes to answer this survey. It should take less than 5 minutes. If you are a parent of children at Freshford Primary or Pre-school please complete the alternative questionnaire which will be circulated to you separately. Please provide your response by Sunday 7th October.

Freshford Memorial Hall Travel Plan questionnaire - click here to complete

Thank you.

Those of you who use the Beckington Family Practice will have received a letter outlining the current position of the Freshford Surgery. Having clarified the extent of the works needed to Younghusband House and in the knowledge that the building is fundamentally unsuitable to act as a modern surgery premises into the 21st century, the Beckington Family Practice have concluded that it is not practical or viable to reopen the old Freshford surgery. The Beckington Family Practice are therefore  applying to NHS England for their permission to formally close the surgery. 

The Memorial Hall Development Plan includes plans for a new surgery, as defined in the current Community Right to Build process that is in progress. Whilst the Practice has found themselves unable to continue using the current surgery building, this does not prevent the development of the Hall from proceeding.
 

One aspect that is extremely important is community support for a future Surgery in Freshford. This is a key indicator for the NHS when considering funding.

Evidence of Community support for the Surgery is being partly gained via a questionnaire that was provided with the letter from the Surgery. It would be very helpful if everyone provided written support for retaining a Surgery in the village whether you currently use the Beckington Family Practice or not. That support can be provided by completing the questionnaire, copies will be available at the Hall and the Galleries or by providing your written comments via the prescription drop point in The Galleries, or by email to the Practice Manager, Robert Slade on robert.slade1@nhs.net.

To help further understanding and to answer any questions, an open forum is being held by the Surgery at the Memorial Hall on Wednesday 12^th September at 7.30pm.

This open forum is being fully supported by both the Memorial Hall and the Parish Council.

To understand more about the situation and hear directly from the Surgery please do come along to the meeting – especially if you have questions that you would like to raise.

Whilst these are difficult times, the question would seem to be more what can we, as a community, do to help retain the presence of a Surgery in Freshford. After all, this is not just a Freshford facility but a facility serving the wider community.

This is an opportunity to hear the facts, and also to move forwards. We are a community with a recent history of achieving success against massive odds – The Galleries – why should we not be successful in retaining a Surgery in the community?