The BVF is pleased to announce that the long-awaited merger with the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland came to a satisfactory conclusion on September 30 2004. The BVF will continue to operate much as it has done before but under the auspices of the Vascular Society. Both parties see this as a major step forward for vascular research and the fight against vascular disease. We hope that you will continue to support the BVF and help to raise further funds.
To celebrate this merger, the Vascular Society/BVF are organizing a dinner at Merchant Taylors’ Hall, London on May 11 2005. The dinner will be preceded, as in previous years, by a meeting of the London Vascular Debating Group (theme to be decided). Those of you who have attended this event before will know how entertaining it is, so please note your diaries accordingly. There will also be a trade exhibition to which companies will be invited. To register your interest, please contact either Jeanette Robey at the Vascular Society ([email protected]) or Karen Lody at the BVF ([email protected]).
In order to satisfy both ends of the country, there will also be a Vascular Ball held at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead on September 10 2005. Tim Lees, consultant vascular surgeon at the Freeman Hospital, is kindly leading the organizing committee for this event. No doubt he would appreciate some extra help, so please contact Tim at [email protected], if you have any useful contacts or to register your interest.
2005 Owen Shaw Award
Having been one of our benefactors for many years, we were very sad to hear of the death of Mr Owen Shaw earlier this year. However, the Owen Shaw Award will continue in his memory and the deadline for applications is January 31 2005. Funds of up to £3,000 are available for a study related to the rehabilitation of amputees. The aim of the study should be to devise better methods of helping patients to early mobilization. Anyone who works in the field of amputee rehabilitation in the UK is eligible to apply. Please contact Karen Lody on [email protected] for an application form.
BVF Golf Day
A drizzly start did not dampen the enthusiasm of the 46 players who took part in the British Vascular Foundation’s fifth annual golf tournament at West Hill Golf Club, Brookwood, Surrey, on September 28. The BVF was delighted to welcome four ‘vascular’ teams this year – Guy’s & St Thomas’, Royal Bournemouth, Frimley Park and St Mary’s (Paddington). Sadly, none of them carried off the BVF Charity Shield this time. However, the nearest-the-pin competition, sponsored by Bard, was won by James Gossage, from Professor Burnand’s Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital team, who picked up a magnum of champagne for his efforts. We hope he shared it with his team members!
This year, companies had the opportunity to sponsor holes at the event and the charity is most grateful to Woking Nuffield Hospital, Lloyds TSB Corporate (x2), Gate-a-Mation Limited, Bard and Medtronic UK for taking up this offer.
After an excellent lunch and prize-giving, a raffle ensued with some tremendous prizes donated by both businesses and individuals. The prize-giving and raffle was kindly officiated by Keith Parry, Secretary of PGA South Region. To add to the excitement, an auction also took place, which included tickets to the 2005 Volvo PGA Championship and a round for four people at Wentworth, generously donated by PGA South Region.
The event raised over £2,000 for the BVF and we are extremely grateful to the staff at West Hill Golf Club, the prize donors and the golfers. By all accounts they enjoyed themselves immensely and are keen to come back next year.
DON’T FORGET – If you are awarded a ballot place in the 2005 London Marathon, please join the BVF team. If you don’t get a place, and can raise at least £1,000, you could try for one of the BVF’s Golden Bond places. Please contact the BVF office in either case.
For those who find a full marathon too daunting, why not try the Flora London Half Marathon on 13th March 2005 at Silverstone and Liverpool. Details at www.london-marathon.co.uk.
Support the BVF this Christmas
If you would like some good quality personalized cards this year, please visit www.christmas-charitycards.co.uk/bvf. The BVF will receive 40% of the retail value of all cards purchased online.
Choose from a wide selection of Christmas gift vouchers at www.vouchers4charity.org.uk and the BVF will receive 3% of the purchase value. Just nominate the BVF as your chosen charity when you order, with no fees or delivery charges.
Alternatively, if you like to say it with flowers (or chocolates!) please visit www.charityflowers.co.uk, where the BVF get 15% from every order as long as you mention BVF in the source code.
