Does This Booth Make My Bum Look Big?

I could easily do this job in less than a minute. Question - "Am I fat?" Answer- "Yes" or "No". Obviously I'm joking (no, I'm not!) but what will they come up with next? Dentist in a bus stop? Chiropractor in a car park? I suppose this at least brings a service to the people when they are unlikely to go to a clinic for a test.

Salubritas et Eruditio

This is the Coat of Arms and Insignia of Cheltenham. This one is above the main entrance to the Municipal Offices but there are others around town.

So what does it all mean? Well, starting at the top and working down, the pigeon at the very top is sitting on a blue stripped sphere and this represents the discovery of the fountain of spa water by a pigeon that made Cheltenham famous. This is sitting on top of a wreath of Oak leaves. The two open books, either side of the silver cross, on the blue band represent education, particularly Pates Grammar School and Cheltenham College. The silver cross shows religion. The two pigeons represent the flock that gathered at the spa water spring. The Oak tree at the bottom is there to represent the tree lined Promenade and streets that Cheltenham is also known for. And finally the towns motto - Salubritas et Eruditio means "Health and Education".

And so ends today's lesson! Does your town or city have a motto?

Scrooges Hospital

Cheltenham General Hospital has been in the news locally of late due to the powers that be removing Christmas trees. As part of the action plan to reduce hospital infections, such as MRSA, Christmas trees have been taken out of clinical areas like Oncology. To answer the many cries of "scrooge!" the Gloucestershire Health Trust have pointed out that all wards still have their trees. As one patient commented in the local paper, Gloucestershire Echo, surely there are more germs on shoes trooping in and out of the hospital than on a few Christmas trees. The photo doesn't do justice to the size of the General, although its not the biggest hospital in the world. This old part, on Sandford Road, was built in 1849 and inside is quite claustrophobic. Newer areas are light and airy and make for a relatively modern hospital. The NHS Trust employs hundreds of people and treats tens of thousands a year. Whenever I've been under the care of the hospital I've always been impressed by the dedication of the staff, both medical and civilian.