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Ana Da Silva

Freelance Broadcast Journo - Based in Bristol - Reporting stories across the UK

Greatest Hits Radio (Bristol & The South West) •

Food banks: "If it wasn't for them I don't know where I'd be... I wouldn't be here"

Food banks: "If it wasn't for them I don't know where I'd be... I wouldn't be here"

A Bristol food bank has told us it is bracing for the worst winter yet after demand for food parcels have increased by almost half across its sites, since last year.

Based in Avonmouth, the North West Food Bank provides food parcels for people living in areas including Avonmouth, Lawrence Weston and Henbury.

The UK's biggest food bank network - the Trussell Trust - of which they are part of, tell us food banks
Greatest Hits Radio (Salisbury) •

Salisbury vets sound alarm on new bug affecting dogs

A new stomach bug is alarming vets in Salisbury and leading to some dogs being hospitalised.

Dr Adam Sheridan at Endell Vets, near the city centre, says they've treated dozens of dogs with haemorrhagic gastroenteritis in the last two weeks.

They all showed similar signs of vomiting and diarrhoea, leading veterinarians to suspect it's being caused by an e-coli bacteria.

He's advising pet owners to be extra attentive to what dogs eat and drink, and has urged owners to not let dogs eat poo or dr
BBC News •

Delays for DBS checks in Bristol causing recruitment issues

Avon and Somerset Police said the force had experienced an increase in DBS applications in the summer and it was affecting the processing times.

"Overall police performance is strong, but some applications can take longer to process at the police stage, which is the stage 4 part of the process. Delays are primarily due to extra demand for DBS checks and resource shortages Avon & Somerset," a spokesman said in a statement

"We are working closely with the force in supporting them to return to ag
BBC News •

How the hollow chocolate Easter egg was produced in Bristol

The firm made chocolate by mixing cocoa fat with cocoa powder and sugar, which they poured into egg moulds.

Hugh Evans, chocolate historian and archivist at Fry's, said there was "pride in this history" that has now become a tradition.

"It is a shame that this chocolate manufacturing base in Bristol is gone," he said.

The company was founded by Joseph Fry in Bristol in 1728 and moved to Somerdale in Keynsham in 1923.

The Somerdale factory - which featured the Cadbury's logo after Fry's was b
Greatest Hits Radio (Salisbury) •

4,500 attend Winter Solstice at Stonehenge

Around 4,500 people gathered at Stonehenge this morning to celebrate the Winter Solstice.

The sunrise at 08:09 marked the end of the longest night, and the days getting brighter from here on end.

The poor weather meant the sunrise didn't quite peak through the grey clouds.

However, it didn't stop thousands from attending and celebrating with pagan sounds and chants heard throughout the sunrise and in the hours that followed.

A further 100,000 people around the world watched the sunrise throu
Greatest Hits Radio (Salisbury) •

Wiltshire Police still not investigating crime "effectively"

Wiltshire Police's performance in investigating crime and supporting victims has "deteriorated", according to a review by the police inspectorate.

The review published today (20th December) follows a damaging report dated July 2022, which outlined multiples areas of concern within the force and resulted in Wiltshire Police being put under 'special measures'.

The main causes for concern highlighted in the initial report included "failing to protect vulnerable people from harm" and lack of "adeq
Greatest Hits Radio (Salisbury) •

Emergency homeless shelter in Salisbury runs out of beds in less than 24 hours

Emergency homeless shelter in Salisbury runs out of beds in less than 24 hours

A homeless shelter in Salisbury has run out of beds within less than 24 hours after an emergency plan was activated due to severe cold weather.

The SWEP (Severe Weather Emergency Plan) was trigged in Wiltshire yesterday (7 December), after the Met Office confirmed the region would experience negative temperatures for more than three consecutive nights.

Julia Mitchell, Service Manager at homeless charity Alabaré, to
Greatest Hits Radio (Salisbury) •

Salisbury Hospital has had 500 vacant roles for "majority of the year"

Salisbury Hospital has had 500 vacant roles for "majority of the year"

As many as 500 roles have been vacant at Salisbury District Hospital for the "majority of this year", according to its Chief Executive.

Stacey Hunter, Chief Executive at Salisbury District Hospital, told Greatest Hits Radio low staff levels is one of the biggest issues it faces.

"We've been running with that number of vacancies (around 500) certainly over the majority of this last year.

"Having the right numbers of people
Greatest Hits Radio (Gloucestershire) •

Rainbow Square: "The community are starting to have pride in where they live"

Rainbow Square: "The community are starting to have pride in where they live"

If you’re from Gloucester you might have seen how throughout the month of May an entire area of the city centre has been transformed.

Adjacent to Nettleton Road, which received a makeover back in 2018, houses on St Kilda Parade and Station Road are now popping with colour and displaying two huge murals created by artists from Bristol and London.

It's all the creation of local artist and landlady, Tash Frootko, who's
Greatest Hits Radio (Salisbury) •

Novichok: "Because we too were attacked, we have particular empathy to what's happening to Ukrainians", says Dean of Salisbury

Novichok: "Because we too were attacked, we have particular empathy to what's happening to Ukrainians", says Dean of Salisbury

The Salisbury Novichok attack of 2018, which left four people critically ill and one dead, has influenced our feelings of empathy towards the people of Ukraine, says the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral Nick Papadopulos.

Today marks four years since the Novichock poisonings of the first victims - former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia - in Salisbu

Video reports 📱

@ghrnews

A dog trainer and an XL Bully owner tell us how they’re preparing ahead of a possible transition period which could see things like muzzling and neutering #xlbully

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