Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Cagefactor.com -> Nicolas Cage Forum -> General Nic Cage Discussion -> Nicolas Cage supports Baths Royal United Hospital Fundraising Campaign
Post Info TOPIC: Nicolas Cage supports Baths Royal United Hospital Fundraising Campaign
mara


a grateful fan

Status: Offline
Posts: 3360
Date:
RE: Nicolas Cage supports Baths Royal United Hospital Fundraising Campaign
Permalink  

Remember this event? And the premature babies Nic was holding in the pic below? Well, apparently one of them is set to become a star on its own right! Congrats to the parents for the good health of their baby...


FEATURES; DN Yo! Features
Joe Sixpack: Adventurer seeks to re-create centuries-old Arctic Ale
682 palabras
5 de febrero de 2010
PDN
FINAL
54
inglés
(c) Copyright 2010, Philadelphia Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.

IN 1852, the British government dispatched Royal Navy Cmdr. Edward Belcher and a fleet of five ships to the Canadian Arctic to search for the lost expedition of Sir John Franklin. They came up empty, and four of Belcher's ships - including the H.M.S. Resolute - were abandoned in the ice.

Years later, the Resolute was discovered adrift, salvaged, returned to Britain and disassembled. Its timbers were used to craft a pair of matching desks for the queen of England and the president of the United States.

If the story sounds familiar, that's because you may have seen it in the Nicolas Cage movie "National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets."

What you almost certainly have never heard, however, is the story of the ship's beer.

A Bethlehem, Pa., homebrewer with a thirst for history has unearthed that story and will attempt to re-create the beer this summer during his own Arctic expedition.

"I want to tell the world this great story," said Christopher Bowen, "because it really hasn't been told the way it should've been told."

The beer was Allsopp's Arctic Ale, a bottled barleywine brewed in Burton, England. Made with just under 12 percent alcohol so as to survive the frigid temperatures of the north, it was described by Belcher as "a valuable antiscorbutic" for its ability to fight scurvy.

With all that alcohol, it aged especially well.

In 1895, a British admiral who had carried bottles to the north during a separate expedition two decades earlier marveled at its staying power.

"The special qualities which rendered this ale so valuable for the purposes of the expedition were its strength and nutritive qualities," wrote Adm. A.H. Markham. "Its color is a rich brown and its flavor is suggestive of old Madeira. It is today as sound as on the day of its birth 20 years ago."

Samuel Allsopp & Sons continued to brew the beer into the 20th century, but eventually the bottles dwindled and finally disappeared.

In 2007, a 155-year-old bottle from Belcher's expedition showed up on eBay and fetched an astonishing $500,000 bid. That offer turned out to be bogus, but it caught Bowen's imagination.

"I started reading everything I could about the beer and the expedition," he said.

A married father of two, Bowen, 43, is a financial planner and an avid home brewer. He won the Great American Beer Festival's pro-am contest two years ago. He's also an amateur historian and curator of a brewing-history exhibit in his hometown.

And he's a recreational motorcyclist.

"Somehow," Bowen said, "I decided to put together all of my interests and create an adventure."

This summer, Bowen and two riding partners will hop on their bikes and head 2,000 miles north to the upper reaches of Hudson Bay. They'll set up camp, collect glacial water and, using 19th-century methods, brew 100 gallons of Arctic Ale outdoors.

"I did a good bit of research to come up with the original recipe," Bowen said.

While it's fermenting, they'll continue their trek another 1,200 miles north to desolate Beechey Island, where Franklin buried three of his crew members.

Then they'll bring the beer back to Pennsylvania, dry-hop it and age it in oak barrels.

It's bound to be a great yarn, and Bowen will bring along a documentary film crew to record the events.

Meanwhile, Bowen has begun revealing details on his Facebook page (search for "Arctic Alchemy"), creating a buzz in homebrewing circles.

Some day, Bowen hopes, a bottle of this 21st-century Arctic Ale will make its way to the Oval Office. There, he imagines, the president will raise a toast while seated at the Resolute Desk.

"Joe Sixpack" by Don Russell appears weekly in Big Fat Friday. For more on the beer scene in Philly and beyond, visit www.joesixpack.net. Send e-mail to joesixpack@phillynews.com.




__________________
mara


a grateful fan

Status: Offline
Posts: 3360
Date:
Permalink  

Another pic & blurb from Bath hospital

http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/4724977.Melksham_couple_meet_Nicolas_Cage/

__________________
Rawya


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 45
Date:
Permalink  

How wonderful these children in his lap
Has been written on those cubes next to him made me feel Nico correctly the word inconclusive River agreed to concerns overwhelmed clemency to its name Iaaai

__________________
Rock & Ross
FFA


Newbie

Status: Offline
Posts: 2
Date:
Permalink  

Thank you!.. It was great to have Nicolas there to support us & raise awareness of the Campaign, and as you have found out from your research the story has spread like wild fire!.. so hopefully we will soon be able to complete our fundraising target and get the intensive care unit our special babies deserve.

All the best

X



__________________
mara


a grateful fan

Status: Offline
Posts: 3360
Date:
Permalink  

Even more:

Hundreds pack RUH for Hollywood star cage
870 palabras
22 de octubre de 2009
BTHC
default
22
inglés
(c) 2009 Bath Newspapers Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Hundreds of people packed the entrance to Bath's Royal United Hospital as Hollywood star Nicolas Cage dropped in to back a charity appeal today.

The 45-year-old actor visited the hospital with his teddy bear as part of the Ted's Big Day Out celebrations.

The Oscar-winner joined mascot Big Ted to raise funds for the Forever Friends Appeal's campaign to fund a new neo-natal intensive care unit.

Along with Heartbeat star Jason Durr, he met staff and patients, and pledged his support to the appeal.

Cage, who is in the process of selling his two homes in the Bath area, was taken on a tour of the existing NICU unit where he was able to see the cramped conditions which have sparked the appeal for himself.

There he heard about the fundraising efforts of the team, before being publicly interviewed in the packed main entrance by city MP Don Foster.

Cage, who next month will be switching on the city's main Christmas lights, told The Bath Chronicle afterwards: "It is a beautiful thing to see the dedicated staff working so hard to support the tiny premature babies.

"Parents need to be able to spend time with their children, and at the moment conditions are too cramped for them to be able to do this comfortably.

"This magical bonding time between a parent and child is so important, and the new NICU will enable this to happen.

"I feel so privileged to be here supporting this amazing cause."

Cage, who was accompanied by his wife Alice Kim and four-year-old son Kal-el, joined in on the spirit of the day by bringing his own teddy along.

He said: "This teddy belongs to my little boy Kal-el, and is very special to us both.

"It seemed very fitting to bring him along today to show my support."

Durr, who is best known for his role of PC Mike Bradley in the popular ITV drama, has first hand experience of the NICU.

Along with his wife Kate he spent a week in the unit in July, after the birth of his twins Felix and Velvet.

The babies are now three months old, and Durr said he would be eternally grateful to the nurses in the unit.

He said: "I know only too well how cramped the unit is, and how much a bigger one is needed.

"The nurses are like angels on earth, and they do such an amazing job.

"They looked after my twins so well, and for that I am eternally grateful.

"However they need more room, and the parents need to be able to have more space to spend time with their babies.

"The new unit will be so incredible and so good for the babies.

"I am delighted to be able to be here to support the appeal."

Ted's Big Day Out raises much-needed funds for the hospital, and is extra special this year as it is the 10th anniversary of the appeal.

People across Bath dusted off their teddies to take them to work and school and many dressed in blue and silver to raise money.

The entrance to the hospital was transformed into a stage for the RUH Has Got Talent competition.

Chief executive James Scott took on the role of Piers Morgan to judge the four singers taking part.

Unlike the real show no buzzers were pressed, showing that staff at the hospital have talent.

Entertainment was provided by the RUH Choir, while stalls selling cakes, baby clothes and branded t-shirts proved popular.

Volunteer Roxanne Poulteney has been supporting the appeal for several years.

She said: "Ted's Big Day Out is a great way to raise awareness for the cause and have a bit of fun at the same time.

"We really want to make sure the unit is built as soon as possible.

"All the staff in the department I work in put in huge amounts of effort and people are always so generous and willing to get into the spirit of the day."

Appeal mascot Big Ted made his way around the city in a branded Renault Megane Dynamique.

He visited schools and businesses to meet supporters and their teddies.

Appeal head of fundraising Tim Hobbs said: "We are thrilled to have receiving such fabulous support from both our celebrities and from so many people throughout the area, to raise the last 25 per cent of the funds required to build the new unit for our premature babies.

"Having such special guests is also a nice way of saying thank you to the staff at the RUH who work tirelessly throughout the year and showing them that their efforts are recognised outside the confines of the hospital.

"Everyone is having a lot of fun while raising money for this pioneering and sustainable new unit."

The appeal is raising the final £1.5 million in its Space to Grow campaign to fund the environmentally-friendly new unit which will benefit around 500 tiny babies and their families a year.

For more information on the appeal call 01225 825825 or visitwww.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk.



__________________
mara


a grateful fan

Status: Offline
Posts: 3360
Date:
Permalink  

More aneqdotes on the Bath thing:

Hollywood and TV stars take Bath by storm but for one little boy big Ted is the highlight of his day
595 palabras
22 de octubre de 2009
BTHC
default
22
inglés
(c) 2009 Bath Newspapers Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Health reporter Laura Tremelling joins Big Ted on his grand tour of the city

The sight of a 5ft teddy at the end of your bed is enough to make anyone rub their eyes.

But for one small patient at the Royal United Hospital, it was not a dream.

When Big Ted pitched up at the children's ward, the little boy had just awoken from his anaesthetic - and it was all a bit surreal.

He had to be reassured that he was not dreaming and there really was a life-size teddy waving to him.

I accompanied Big Ted as he visited schools and businesses across Bath.

Climbing into the passenger side of the branded Renault, I met Jade Deverill, who was playing Ted for the day.

Jade, a researcher for the appeal, has worn the giant bear costume on many occasions, and said it was fun, if a little bit hot.

The first stop of the day was at Bathampton Primary School, where the children were to be surprised during assembly.

Helping Jade into the costume, I was told I would have to guide her to the room, as she could hardly see where she was going.

Walking into the assembly, Big Ted was greeted with equally big cheers from the pupils, who were all dressed in blue and silver and clutching their smaller teddies.

They had all been learning about the neo-natal intensive care unit, and ward sister Katherine Bowland had given them a talk the week before.

Four-year-old Otis said: "Big Ted was brilliant, and much bigger than my teddy."

Charlie, 10, said: "It is important to look after the little babies because they can't look after themselves."

Next we went to engineering firm Rotork, where employees had all dressed in the anniversary colours. One employee had gone the extra mile by making a hat out of tin foil.

In reception, two large teddies sat on the sofa to greet visitors.

Organiser Jo Drake said: "This year, Rotork is a corporate sponsor of Ted's Big Day Out.

"We were pleased to get involved and raise money for such a good cause."

On arriving back at the hospital, we had half an hour to visit the children's ward before Heartbeat star Jason Durr arrived.

Here, Jade offered to let me try Big Ted's head on.

After putting it on, and feeling slightly claustrophobic, I decided to let Jade have it back again.

Big Ted was a hit with the children, especially one little boy, who followed him around wide-eyed.

When Jason Durr arrived, we were shown into a room to interview him.

He showed a real gratitude towards the staff, who had cared for his baby twins Felix and Velvet.

His description of the nurses as "angels on earth" really summed up the importance of the fundraising campaign.

After the interviews we went outside to wait for Nicolas Cage, who was running late as he was caught up in traffic chaos on the M5.

We were told he was arriving in a Land Rover and so, when one turned up, security guards directed it into the chosen space.

However, the driver turned out to be a patient looking for a parking space, and was very confused when cameras were pointed at him.

Minutes later, another Land Rover arrived and Cage stepped out.

And just like that giant bedside bear, he was for real.

-- Edited by mara on Saturday 24th of October 2009 07:05:26 AM

__________________
mara


a grateful fan

Status: Offline
Posts: 3360
Date:
Permalink  

That´s so nice of you to let us know about your feelings on the visit, and of your campaign too. Thanks for that! And good luck with your appeal, it´s a worthy cause!




-- Edited by mara on Saturday 24th of October 2009 07:04:21 AM

__________________
FFA


Newbie

Status: Offline
Posts: 2
Date:
Permalink  

I just wanted to say on behalf of the charity I work for 'The Forever Friends Appeal' at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK thank you so much to Mr Cage for coming down to our hospital to support the NICU 'space to grow' Campaign which is raising funds to build a new and environmentally sustainable premature baby unit, the first of its kind in the UK. 

Mr Cage has said in many press interviews that he loves Bath and its historic setting and has been welcomed into our community and anything he can do to give thanks back he will. I just wanted to let you guys know on the forum how much we appreciate his support, he is so honest and down to earth and really got behind one of our methods of fundraising, our 'Buy a Baby Brick' campaign, where you can purchase a 'virtual brick' to help build the unit, for £10, a row for £100 and a wall for £1000. Nicolas was very enthusiastic about the scheme and was asking everyone to join him in helping us towards our target of £6.1 million, of which we have only 25% left to raise!

Check out our website for more info www.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk  


Attachments
__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Cagefactor.com -> Nicolas Cage Forum -> General Nic Cage Discussion -> Nicolas Cage supports Baths Royal United Hospital Fundraising Campaign
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse 		Powered by ActiveBoard