Helen Donovan

@BristolAirport The queue to get from the roundabout is getting longer. The time to get from the roundabout to the terminal building is getting longer - 15 mins so far in almost stationary traffic. Then £6 to drop off. Crazy! #sortitout #customerservice #makeiteasy

Our car park will be busy next week. If you can’t book a space, please arrange alternative transport to the airport. Options include the A1 & A3 Flyers to Bristol & Weston and coach services to the South West & Wales. More info 👉 bit.ly/3WMJ04u Safe travels! ✈️🚍

After the effect of 'Mr Bates vs the Post Office', let’s hope Toby Jones is also working on new TV dramas about water pollution, climate change, covid, PPE contracts, the refugee crisis, the cost of living, energy prices, and the NHS

Absolutely thrilled to say this is out in the world today - new podcast The Rest Is Entertainment, in which I talk all matters showbiz with the brilliant @richardosman

@bathhalf Apologies to the Marshall by Widcombe Parade who was doing her job and not letting me over the foot bridge to the station. I don’t normally swear at people I’m not related to. Sorry.

We have been notified by network rail that the rail will be back live by 10AM, we are also aware of a train coming from London via Chippenham and Swindon arriving at 10:45 to Bath Spa, please make your way as quick as possible to the 11:10 start.

We are aware of delayed trains inbound from London due to a broken-down train. If you’re arriving at the start later than 11:10 we will be unable to facilitate a later start.

Busy evening at Twerton Park. Smile. @BathCityWFC @BathCity_FC

A great day today despite the results, watching @Lionesses alongside @GasGirlsWFC, then getting valuable pre-season minutes in the legs. Just one more pre-season outing to go, next Sunday at @wellscityladies before the big kick off on September 3rd at Twerton Park! ⚫️⚪️ #Romans

This game will also be in partnership with @HerGameToo, to celebrate Women’s Football! Join us for a watch-along for the Women's World Cup Final, followed by our game versus Bath City. Her Game Too will be providing fun in the bar area with face painters, selfie boards, and treats from 11am. Huge thanks to the sponsors for this event: @BristolRoversSC @JustEatUK @GRITConsultancy Crystal Business Finance - SW TwoSix DBD Security #hergametoo #gasgirls #gas

WE ARE #FIFAWWC FINALISTS FOR THE FIRST TIME! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿👏

I don’t think enough people have seen this. It’s Kurt Vonnegut talking to his wife about going out to get an envelope (we’re here on earth to fart around):

@Hanifkureishi I can’t add anything to the comments nor offer words of comfort to take the pain away. But, I can appreciate your writing, your sharing and the glimmers of hope that are appearing. xx

Late at night, around ten thirty, the nurses come in, turn the big lights on and give me my medication. They usually check to see if I’ve had a shit, and if I have, they clean me up and change me. Unlike you, I’m handled and turned and washed by complete strangers every night. It is no longer humiliating. I have no dignity left. What bothers me is being among strangers, the nurses know one another and often chat as they work on me. They are kind and professional. But they change around a lot and I cant get to know them. It is strange to me, someone who has spent their life doing exactly what they want, to now be in this straight jacket, to have no agency or independence. To be helpless and powerless.  Hanif xx

A HAIRCUT AND A SHAVE Sachin takes me out of the hospital and into the filthy street, clogged with traffic. Outside, in my wheelchair, I feel frail and vulnerable. People are literally looking down on me. I cannot believe that they don’t know what is it like to wake up and find that you cannot use your hands; what that is like, what an ending that is. I’m pushed into the barber shop where a friendly Syrian gives me a shave and a haircut.  Im shocked by my appearance, I look thin if not emaciated. My eyes and nose are bigger than before. But I have been successfully shitting after taking a barrage of laxatives and my appetite has returned. I had a halloumi sandwich for lunch, which is more than I’ve eaten since I’ve come back from Italy. I feel warmer. Things are looking up. Isabella, as I told you last time, said I should not only talk about my miseries. She was getting too many concerned texts from people. But there was not much else to say. I’ve now been in this new hospital, on the neurological ward, for a week and even I have to admit that it is certainly an improvement on the last place. It’s quieter. There are no half-naked demented people crawling along the floor, dragging their piss bags, howling and trying to escape the ward. It is much more relaxed, though I’m not sleeping better. I am tired for most of the day, but outrageously, I start to wake up around eleven O’clock, while listening to Martin Amis’s superb Money as an audiobook. I’m awake until about one, and then I fall asleep, afraid of my dreams. If it’s bad enough living in a hospital, I don’t want to have nightmares on top of everything else. My friends visit me most days, some of them come early, others come late, and some just walk in at random times. Sometimes there are four people in this little room at once, people who in other circumstances wouldn’t meet. Carlo says my life is not so banal, since he considers my friends to be interesting; writers, intellectuals, artists, journalists, directors, TV people, and so on. The liberal elite are in an out, crossing over with one another in this squalid little room, leaning against the wall, trying to find a chair, sitting on the edge of the bed, eating chocolate, and talking either about Barbie or Oppenheimer (Barbie easily being preferred to Oppenheimer). The rest of the conversations are about books read recently, holidays and the failure of the Tory government - how bleak and uninteresting everyone finds Keir Starmer. Apparently I’ve got quite a party going on here, but since I refuse to be cheered up, I can only vaguely enjoy it. I prefer it if Carlo is here when other people come, since he can do the heavy lifting in the conversation. He has plenty to say; he likes to talk. Until today, when I started to eat again, I’ve been too weak to say much. It costs me a lot to speak. But I can feel some of my strength returning now. I don’t know if that is better or worse. What I want to do is start going home since I live only fifteen minutes from the hospital. I haven’t seen my house since the Christmas holidays. I could do a sort of day release. Holidays are the topic I hate most, since people say things like; ‘I’m away now, off to Tuscany for two weeks, but I’ll be in to see you as soon as I get back’. Think how many nights that is I will have to get through.  They assume I’ll still be sitting in this drab, bleak little room in my nappie, and they will be right. Im going nowhere. No wonder I feel like shit.

LISTEN | Double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes 🏃‍♀️ex @SheffieldEagles player @paulbroadbent8 🏉 & retired Barnsley swimmer @KirtonJames 🏊‍♂️ on mentoring youngsters through sport with @DameKellysTrust ‘On Track to Achieve’ programme. 🎧👉 bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0… @BBCSheffield

@WhistleblowingT Left after 20 yrs and haven’t looked back. CYP, Sport or Educational charities might suit and allow you to follow your passions. Initially the slower pace and lack of preparation was a shock but you get yourself back. Good luck!

The Bath Kids Lit Fest Programme is HERE! 📢 From 29 September – 8 October, Bath will be buzzing as your favourite authors, illustrators & creators bring books and stories alive 📖 See What's On! 📷 bit.ly/3p891wL

It was a brilliant day. So much change and optimism! Well done to all!

I’m ⁦@Foyles⁩ for ⁦@wesstreeting⁩ talking with ⁦@jessphillips⁩ about his new book. I notice there’s a piano. Will there be a sing-along? #loveasingsong

📣 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘂𝗽! Our Recruitment Day at Twerton Park is just 7 days away! We're looking for new players for our First and Development Teams for the 2023/24 season. Visit bathcityfc.com/bathcitywomen to sign up now ⚫️⚪️ #Romans

Look at these lovelies winning an award @CreativeBath Well deserved and congratulations! @Bathfestivals

It will be a brilliant opportunity to celebrate the commitment to the programme of the fabulous young people and their Athlete Mentors!#AQAUnlockingPotential @DameKellysTrust

@veezugroup Thank you.

@HelenDonovan Thank you for bringing this to our attention. In order for us to investigate, please send us details using our feedback form feedback.veezu.co.uk/veezu

@veezugroup sent two cars today. We only booked one. The office says we’ll be charged for waiting time for the second car sent in error. Really?