Chair raised over £13000 for two charities

Well done to former Ladden Brook councillor Howard Gawler for raising around £13,000 for his two chosen charities while Chair of South Glos Council. The charities were the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) and the Hosanna Primary School Support Group based in Yate, which helps children at a school in Kampala, Uganda.

Howard set a new standard for daredevil methods of fundraising by Chairs when he did a tandem sky dive (see photo on the left). Having handed over his chain of office on Wednesday he can now enjoy his retirement.

Calling all community heroes

It's time to make your nominations for the Chair's Community Awards 2015.

The annual awards recognise and celebrate the huge contribution local unpaid volunteers make to our communities. The celebration will take place in March and you have until Friday 9th January to nominate your local "community hero". You can do it online at www.southglos.gov.uk/communityawards, call 01454 863019 or email communityawards@southglos.gov.uk

Chair skydives for charity

Last Sunday Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council, and Ladden Brook ward councillor, Howard Gawler plunged 10,000 feet from a plane to raise money for charity.

Howard took part in a tandem skydive to raise funds for the South Gloucestershire based Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC), one of his chosen Chair’s charities for the year. He has now raised almost £2,000 in total, 50 per cent of his target for the year, the majority of which is thanks to this parachute jump.

The tandem skydive saw the Chairman free-falling through the air (without the parachute deployed) for 5,000 feet at around 120 mph, before safely parachuting to the ground. Howard was harnessed to a professional parachute instructor throughout the descent and his niece Sarah Farthing (from Wick, South Gloucestershire) also took part.

Howard said: “The skydive was a fantastic experience! I must admit I did get rather nervous as the plane began circling before our jump, but as soon as we were falling through the air it was far too thrilling to feel any fear."

“The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity doesn’t receive any government or National Lottery funding, which means they rely entirely on the generosity of local people to continue operating. There is still time to pledge some money to this worthy cause, so please visit the dedicated Just Giving page to make a donation.”

Council Chairman to skydive for charity

Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council, and Ladden Brook Ward Councillor Howard Gawler, will plunge 10,000 feet from a plane on Sunday 7 September to raise money for charity.

Howard will be undertaking a tandem skydive to raise funds for the South Gloucestershire based Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC), one of his chosen Chair’s charities for the year. This will involve him free-falling through the air (without the parachute deployed) for 5,000 feet at around 120 mph, before safely parachuting to the ground. He will be harnessed to a professional parachute instructor at all times throughout the descent. Howard's niece Sarah Farthing, from Wick in South Gloucestershire, will also be taking part in the skydive.

Howard said: “I’m really looking forward to my debut skydive in aid of this very worthy cause, the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. Any one of us may be thankful for the air ambulance’s life saving services at some point in our lives and I’m proud to give them my support."

“The charity doesn’t receive any government or National Lottery funding, which means they rely entirely on the generosity of local people to continue operating. I hope to raise as much money for them as possible, so please visit the dedicated Just Giving page to sponsor my jump or to make a donation.”

To make a donation please visit the Chair’s Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/ChairsCharity2014 You can find out more about the Great Western Air Ambulance at www.greatwesternairambulance.com

Howard Gawler elected Chair of Council

Ladden Brook Councillor Howard Gawler has been elected chair of Council for 2014/15, having served as Vice-Chair for the last year.

The Chair and Vice-Chair of the council are elected each year at the council’s annual meeting and represent the council at civic functions, as well as chairing full meetings of Council.

Cllr Gawler said: “I am very much looking forward to the year ahead. I will be supporting two South Gloucestershire-based charities during my year in office; the Great Western Air Ambulance which provides such a lifeline to people in need and the Hosanna Primary School Support Group. The group is based in Yate, in association with Brimsham Green School, and helps primary school children at Hosanna Primary in Kampala, Uganda.”

Success for Paul's Place and Coalpit Heath Cricket Club

The People's Millions application made by Coalpit Heath Cricket Club in partnership with Paul's Place received the most votes last Thursday and they received a cheque for £89,300 during the ITV West local news on Friday night.

Plans are now going ahead to build a ramp down from the cricket club to the pitch and refurbishment of the cricket club.

Paul's Place is the nominated charity of the Chair of Council, Sandra O'Neill, who is the member for Charfield ward.