REAL-LIFE SUPERHERO

A local award-winning prosthetics company creating affordable, advanced and stylish bionic limbs recently hit Hollywood’s red carpet when 12-year-old bionic boy Chase Merriweather showcased his Hero Arms at the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever World Premiere...

Bristol-based robotics company, Open Bionics, has teamed up with Disney to create a Hollywood moment for 12-year-old bionic boy Chase Merriweather. Since its inception in 2014, Open Bionics has been turning disabilities into superpowers as founders Joel Gibbard and Samantha Payne made it their mission to develop affordable, assistive devices that enhance the human body. Today, the company is known globally for using 3D printing and 3D scanning, along with clever software and design, to make advanced, affordable and accessible bionic limbs.

This winter, it was revealed that Open Bionics had teamed up with Disney to create a Hollywood moment for 12-year-old bionic boy Chase Merriweather

Chase was only four-years-old when he lost all four limbs to sepsis. His parents, Chad and Chisa Merriweather, suffered through every parent’s worst nightmare when Chase was taken into hospital and started the fight for his life.

Eight years later, Chase has just received two bionic arms. Not only are these Chase’s first pair of arms since his amputations, these are state of the art 3D printed bionic arms created by Open Bionics.

Chase is the first person in the world to wear the newly launched Black Panther design Hero Arms. Working with the Marvel and Disney teams, Open Bionics was able to bring Chase to the World Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in Hollywood for a once in a lifetime experience. The film is the sequel to 2018’s Black Panther, which starred the late Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, the king of the fictional African nation of Wakanda, a country with incredibly advanced technology.

Open Bionics spotted Chase’s videos about his prosthetic online and worked closely with Disney to surprise him with an invitation to go to Los Angeles and meet the cast and crew on the purple carpet. Chase said: “The surprise was so incredible because Black Panther is one of my favourite Marvel movies.”

Chase’s father, Chad, said: “I was full of emotions. I have always known Chase to have a very vibrant personality and opportunities like this one warm my heart. Black Panther’s story means a lot to people and Disney has done a great job in uplifting the community.”

According to Chad, the surprise of seeing his son now having two bionic arms was immense in itself: “There was just natural joy and recognition that now he will be able to do dual-handed tasks. I know people look at Chase as an inspiration. And while he was in complete awe when meeting the cast, to see those actors tell my son that he is also an inspiration just for being who he is… we were at a loss of words.” Chase added: “I got to meet my all-time heroes on the carpet and that was a dream come true.”

Open Bionics co-founder Samantha Payne stated: “This was an incredible moment for Chase. He has been an active Hero Arm community member for around a year and we loved seeing his posts online. Our team has been following him for a while so of course it made sense that he should be the first to get the Black Panther covers. He’s extremely athletic, confident, and just a cool dude. We’re thrilled that the team at Marvel and Disney invited us to join them at the WakandaForever world premiere. It’s a night we’ll all never forget.” n • openbionics.com. Images courtesy of Open Bionics

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NEWS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS

Saddle up for Tour de Bristol cycle challenge

A charity cycle raising money for the region’s only adult hospice is set to return to the streets of Bristol and South Gloucestershire on 15 April 2023.

Hundreds of cyclists are expected to take to the roads for Bristol’s biggest bike ride, the Tour de Bristol. This much-loved event challenges riders to use their pedal power to raise vital funds for St Peter’s Hospice, helping to provide medical care, advice, support and comfort to patients and their families during the most difficult of times.

Join in to ride in memory of a loved one, for fun and fresh air, or to smash a personal goal. Cyclists of all abilities are catered for with routes covering distances of 40k, 65k and 100k. Participants set off from the Centre for Sport at UWE and head into the beautiful countryside of South Gloucestershire, travelling through the villages of Olveston and Littleton-upon-Severn. The 65k route stretches further into Gloucestershire towards Berkeley and, for racers who like an endurance challenge, the 100k route passes through Wotton-under-Edge, touching the outskirts of the Cotswolds.

The entry fee helps to cover the cost of putting on the event, so the sponsorship you raise, and donations made will go towards supporting Hospice patients and families across Bristol.

• If you’re inspired to get on the saddle, registration is open at: tourdebristol.co.uk

World-renowned pianist performs at Redmaids' High School

Last month, Redmaids’ High School welcomed worldrenowned pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason to the school to deliver a masterclass to students and a concert to the wider school community.

As a teenager, Isata won the Elton John scholarship to attend the Royal Academy of Music; Elton was so impressed with her playing that he paid her music college fees and invited her to perform with him. Now in her twenties, Isata is a well-known and talented concert pianist who has performed at countless concert halls around the world, winning a European Concert Halls Organisation (EHCO) “Rising Star Award” in 2021 and is now the Artist in Residence with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

During the masterclass, several Redmaids’ High students had the opportunity to perform for Isata and other students from Redmaids’ High and local primary schools, playing pieces by Debussy, Poulenc, Shostakovich and Gershwin.

In the evening, Isata was joined by the New Bristol Sinfonia who accompanied her in performing Dohnányi's Variations on a Nursery Tune. Redmaids’ High student Grace, a talented percussionist, was delighted to be invited to join the percussion section of the orchestra for this high-profile occasion which made the evening even more special.

“Age is not a barrier...”

An 81-year-old has told those thinking of going back to education later in life to “have courage and go for it” as she graduated with a master’s from the University of Bristol. Eulinda Antonette Clarke-Akalanne – known as Antonette – spent her career helping others, before following her dream of studying at university in her early 70s. She did a foundation year and a degree in Anthropology at Bristol, and recently graduated with Master’s in Black Humanities. Despite severe visual impairment, the grandma of seven, who grew up in Barbados, wrote a compelling thesis on the difference in opportunity for black people with darker and lighter shades of skin. Antonette said: “It is wonderful to be graduating again, with my son watching. Age is not a barrier to university studies. It is only thinking that makes one think, so have courage and go for it. Achieving your goals any time in life brings contentment, a sense of achievement and happiness. And if I can do it, so can you!” Antonette left Barbados aged 18 after Enoch Powell visited her school to talk about work opportunities in the UK. After emigrating, she was a psychiatric nurse and social worker, and as a midwife delivered 1,000 babies, all while raising three children. In retirement, she was a respite foster carer and Citizens Advise advisor, but always felt something was missing. She took a Foundation Year in Arts and Humanities then a BA in Anthropology, a subject that had always fascinated her. That was followed by an MA in Black Humanities at the University’s Centre for Black Humanities. Antonette said: “In Barbados we learnt British history but never anything about African history. So I never learnt that there were African kings and queens, or about the Benin Bronzes, or that the richest person ever –Mansa Musa of Mali – came from Africa. It fascinated me to learn that African history didn’t start with slavery.” Antonette is a big advocate for adult education and has helped eight friends to go to university later in life. She said: “I love learning and mixing with younger people. The energy they have, the feeling that they are all going somewhere is a type of vibration, a shoot of electricity. Life is for living. My philosophy is to live life to the fullest. And I intend to do that until the end of my life.”

The Bristol Wanderers raise £10k for local charity

For 10 years, Bristol Audi has supported local charity rugby club, The Bristol Wanderers. The team was formed by ex-Bristol players Paul Beet and Simon Martin and is made up of former rugby players from the local area.

Each year, the team hosts fundraising events to raise money for local charities including Children’s Hospice South West, Bliss, Jessie May Trust and Gympanzees, to name just a few.

The team’s target is to raise at least £5,000 per year. To date, the players have raised over £100k spread across various causes.

This year, The Bristol Wanderers have chosen to help The Avon Centre, an equine and nature-based activities charity on the outskirts of Bristol, opposite Blaise Castle. Formerly known as The Avon Centre for the Disabled, the charity is working to expand its objectives to include disadvantaged as well as disabled people. For over 30 years, The Avon Cente has provided proven therapeutic benefits of horse riding to children and adults with a wide range of complex special needs.

Along with the support of Bristol Audi and Paul’s own company Astra Group, Matt Wring of Southern Communications Ltd helped The Bristol Wanderers reach their target by completing a sponsored 101-mile run along the Cotswold Way, which took place over four days. With the support of Southern Communications Ltd, Matt raised over £5,000, which also went towards The Bristol Wanderers donation to The Avon Centre.

Last month, The Bristol Wanderers were finally able to present a cheque for £10,000 to The Avon Centre to help their efforts in supporting people from the Bristol area.

• monmotors.com/audi; astrasec.com; southern-comms.co.uk