Breathe Easy Coventry is a support group for people affected by lung conditions including their friends, family and carers. Find out more about Breathe Easy.
Where?
Central Hall, Warwick Lane, Coventry, CV1 2HA
View a map of the venue location.
Please contact the Midlands office before going to your first meeting by telephoning 0116 249 5780 or emailing midlands@blf-uk.org. They will give you the group's contact details so that you can check the meeting is on.
Meetings 2012
10 February - Dr. Anita Sullivan, Respiratory Consultant - Bronchiectasis
9 March - Fiona Spence, Nutritionist - Nutrition for Lung Disease
13 April - Emma Nicklin - Air Products - Oxygen Therapy (TBC)
11 May - Jaspreet Singh - Expert Patient Programme AND West Mids Fire Service - Safety Checks
8 June - Sandy Walmsley - Respiratory Nurse Specialist
13 July - Nick Grimshaw - Pulmonary Rehabilitation AND Dr Jerry Horn - Lead Respiratory Practice Doctor
10 August - Ian Jarrold, British Lung Foundation - Current Research Into Lung Disease
14 September - Dr. Woodhead - Interstitial Disease of the Lung (Pulmonary Fibrosis)
12 October - Lynda Wells and Susan Townsend - Specialist Respiratory Nurses
Meet the Committee
Ann & Peter Crowley
Peter is the current "Chair" of Breathe Easy Coventry. He offers a warm welcome to all members, & ensures that bookings for the room are made & paid! He is a keen photographer with many year's experience & is responsible for doing any BE photography as well as making a video of willing guest speakers to build up a library for any members who may have missed a talk.
Peter has spent a working lifetime with the Alvis Car Company, & is still on call to help with restoration of classic Alvis cars. He is also a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society
Ann works as "Chair's" secretary, doing letters , some web-site update, providing the agenda & writing up the minutes of each meeting, or making notes on talks where guest speakers are shy of the camera! 
She also meets members in the foyer each month & helps with the tea.
Ann did some nurse training in her past, and worked in mental health (voluntary sector) prior to her retirement. She has chronic bronchiectasis & asthma.
Cynthia Goddard
Cynthia was instrumental in the group's launch, and she continues to support the group in running raffles, fundraising, and welcoming new members. Vera & Eric Graham
This enthusiastic and caring couple assist the group in a variety of ways. Lending a hand wherever it is needed, Vera is also the phone contact for the group. Eric is one of the first people that a newcomer to the group will meet. He stands in the entrance of Central Hall to greet newcomers and to show them to our meeting room. 
Eric and Vera help to ensure that no-one is left alone in the group; Vera helps at the signing-in desk at meetings, and they bring a quiet warmth to everyone that they meet and chat to.
Both of them have chronic lung conditions. Eric dealing with his long-term COPD and Vera with asthma. This has not stopped them leading a very useful, active and interesting life. As well as working at Morris Engines (25 years), Courtaulds, and Armstrong Whitworth, they have travelled all around the world.
They continue to do much voluntary work, for their church, St John's Ambulance, Coventry Older People's Forum, and of course for Breathe Easy!
Janet Jones
Janet is a founder member of the group and a very enthusiastic and hard working committee member.
Janet is responsible for all publicity & liaising with the BLF in the running of the group.
Janet also has taken on the job of Speaker Secretary. Along with this, she cheerfully greets all members old and new at the signing in desk. In her spare time ..... Janet also updates some of the web-site!
Stephen Ash
Stephen is Breathe Easy Coventry's Treasurer. He joined the group at the beginning of 2011, and has found Breathe Easy very informative and also a lot of fun.
Stephen has suffered with asthma since childhood.
With treatment and good management this is now well controlled and he has been able to take up a very active lifestyle , enjoying Tai Chi, contemporary dance, Ashtanga Yoga, and Zumba. As Stephen puts it, "I like moving about!" Currently Stephen works as a concierge with service responsibilities, and he has previous experiences of care work.
Rosalind Brown
Rosalind first heard of the group through the local press and she has been coming to Breathe Easy Coventry from almost the very beginning. A non-smoker herself, Rosalind has been having 
investigations into a long standing lung condition, and is receiving support from the group while she awaits a diagnosis.
Her enthusiasm for the group has led to becoming a member of the committee. Now she may be seen welcoming folks at the door, making tea or running the raffle, happy to lend a hand wherever it is needed. We all welcome her cheerful help.
Brian Brown
Brian is the group's Social Secretary, and he hopes to arrange some events outside of meetings this year including a lunch out, so that members can just 
enjoy one another's company.
Brian worked at the Belgrade Theatre behind scenes before his retirement.
He has also worked as a treasurer in a social group previously and so brings group experience to Breathe Easy.
Latest News
Group celebrates 2nd birthday
On Feb 10th 2012 Coventry Breathe Easy celebrated its 2nd birthday, with 32 members present & in happy spirits, despite the cold winter weather! The group held their AGM with appointment of new jobs for the committee, who were voted back on.
The guest speaker:- Dr Anita Sullivan a Respiratory Consultant, came from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, to address the group on her special interest, 'Bronchiectasis". She was very well received & was able to answer many questions. A small buffet followed.
Roy Goddard
It was with a profound sense of loss that Coventry Breathe Easy Group, learned of the death of Roy Goddard in January.
Roy had been an inspirational member of the original steering committee who worked together to begin the Coventry Group in 2010.He continued working with the group weeks before his death.
Despite his advanced COPD (& later Lung cancer), Roy was full of enthusiasm & willing to take on numerous tasks that the setting up & running of a group entailed. He never complained about his condition, & complete with oxygen cylinders was to be seen at every event, cheerfully smiling & with a kind word for everyone who he met.
Roy had worked in senior positions in Social Services, & along with his wife Cynthia, had fostered many children over the years. They adopted one of these children who has sight & hearing impairment along with a heart condition. They have also kept a close bond with another of the foster children who has autism & severe learning difficulties.Now 20 years old this young man & his adopted sister are very much part of the loving family which include 3 of Roy & Cynthia’s own children .
Roy, a man who never stopped giving time & energy & care to so many others is greatly missed by us all.Our sympathies go out to Cynthia & his extended family.
BE Coventry at Media Training Day
Four members of Breathe Easy Coventry recently attended a media training day, aimed at helping the group to understand how to make best use of local media to promote Breathe Easy and the British Lung Foundation. Pictured are Peter Crowley, Ann Crowley, Malcolm Benny and Janet Jones.
World COPD Day
In the week leading up to World COPD Day 2011, Breathe Easy Coventry were invited to have an information stand at a health fair at the Britannia Hotel. The day was very successful, with Janet, Ron, Rosalind and Brian speaking to about 30 people between them - including the Lord Mayor, Kieran Mulhall. Several visitors to the stand expressed an interest in becoming members of Breathe Easy Coventry, and others took information to pass on to relatives who have a lung condition.
Coffee morning 'given thumbs up'
Breathe Easy Coventry’s firs
t informal coffee morning took place on Friday 11th November 2011. It was off to a flying start with 16 members attending. The laughter and chat was fuelled by numerous cups of coffee and hot chocolate… which warmed us on a dreary November morning!
There will be two more coffee morning taking place in December and January, on the 2nd Friday, between 10.30a.m and midday, at 'Conroy's Coffee House’ in Corporation Street, Coventry (near the Belgrade Theatre). The Coffee House have very kindly allowed us free use of a downstairs, with accessible toilets, and the staff are warm and friendly.
These gatherings have been given an universal 'thumbs up', and our thanks go out to Janet and Ron for organising them.
Everyone is welcome , and we hope to see you next month.
BE members involved in COPD research
Breathe Easy Coventry members have been helping out with three local studies into COPD. The studies are being conducted at Coventry University, Warwick University and University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire.
Group lunch
Members of BE Coventry are shown here at a recent lunch, held at The Saracen's Head, Baslall Common.
'Fit as a Fiddle' in Coventry
Breathe Easy Coventry recently held a stand at Coventry Irish Society’s ‘Fit as a Fiddle’ Wellbeing Day. This was an excellent opportunity to promote Breathe Easy and the BLF. Not only did the group give out lots of information, but they were also able to put posters up in the venue, and make some useful contacts, including potential speakers.
