The Orchard Partnership

22/04/2026

Exciting news for our local Wiltshire community groups, clubs, and organisations! 🌟

Are you looking for new and effective ways to raise money for your cause? 💰

Wiltshire Council is launching the brand-new Wiltshire Community Lottery this summer, and your organisation is invited to get involved! This is a fantastic opportunity to fundraise through an online weekly draw where your group receives funding directly from every ticket sold.

You are invited to attend a launch event to find out everything you need to know about joining in. 📋

📅 In-person Launch: Tuesday 28 April 2026
⏰ Time: 10.30 am for an 11.00 am start
📍 Location: Conference Suite, County Hall, Trowbridge, BA14 8JN

💻 Virtual Launch: Wednesday 29 April 2026
⏰ Time: 5.30 pm
🌐 Hosted via Microsoft Teams (joining link sent upon registration)

You do not have to attend to be part of the lottery once it launches, but it is a great chance to ask questions! If you cannot make either session, a recording of the virtual event will be made available afterwards.🎥

Please complete the registration form to confirm your attendance at either event.
Wiltshire Community Lottery Good Causes events registration form:

https://surveys.wiltshire.gov.uk/Interview/f7debca7-d6ba-4595-9c77-f28ea448c3bd

20/04/2026

Help keep your little ones protected this spring! 🌻🧸

If your child is eligible for a seasonal COVID-19 vaccination, getting them vaccinated is the best way to keep their immunity topped up and protect them from serious illness.

We are currently booking appointments for eligible children, so please get in touch with us to secure their spot. 📞 Call your usual surgery branch to book an appointment

Our friendly nursing team is here to make the experience as quick, easy, and stress-free as possible for you and your child. 👋🏥

17/04/2026

Step into spring with the Mere-athon Walking Weekend! 🥾🌿

We are excited to share this fantastic local event happening from the 23rd to the 25th of May. The Mere-athon is a wonderful opportunity to discover the charm of Mere on a relaxed walking weekend. Walking is a brilliant way to boost your physical and mental wellbeing while connecting with the local community.

Here is what you can look forward to:

🚶 Enjoy six enticing walks in and around this beautiful historic town
🌳 Take in peaceful countryside, hidden paths, and wonderful views
👟 A perfect chance to stretch your legs, explore somewhere special, and enjoy great company along the way
🏅 Fancy a challenge? Complete all of the walks, which is about 18 miles, and earn a medal!

This brilliant community event is being organised by Mere Town Council with support from the Mere Footpath group and the Wiltshire Towns Fund.

For more information and to book your place on one or all of the walks, please scan the QR code found on the attached poster.

15/04/2026

March was an incredibly busy month at The Orchard Partnership, and we want to share a huge thank you to our hardworking reception team who have been supporting our community!

Our latest management report for March 2026 shows just how much work goes on behind the scenes to keep our patients connected:

📞 Our team answered 6,281 inbound calls from our patients.
💬 We also made 5,366 outbound calls to follow up on your care and provide updates.
✅ We successfully answered 90.9% of all calls that entered our phone queue (the remaining 10% were those we called back but couldn't reach).
⏲️ The average wait time for those who queued was only 2 minutes and 50 seconds.
📱 Our team completed 417 successful callbacks, helping you avoid a long wait on the line.

Mondays continue to be our busiest day, particularly during the 8:00 am peak. As a reminder, calling slightly later in the morning or using our online services like SystmConnect can often help you save time!

We are so proud of our team's dedication to providing a high-quality service. Thank you for your continued patience and support!

13/04/2026

Working together to make every appointment count 💙

We know that finding the right appointment can sometimes feel like a challenge. Across primary care, we are balancing ever-increasing demands, complex challenges in the wider healthcare system, and seasonal pressures, especially around busy holiday periods.

We really do want to help as many of our patients as possible, which is why making every single appointment count matters for us all more than ever.

When you call us, our reception team will usually ask you a little bit about your clinical need. This is simply to make sure we are navigating you to the right healthcare professional and the right type of appointment as quickly as possible.

To put the current demand into context, we want to share some figures from the first quarter of this year (January to March 2026). During this time, we lost 6,573 minutes of clinical time to missed appointments.

📉 That equates to 377 wasted appointments.

You might think that a missed appointment gives our busy clinicians a welcome break to catch up. In reality, it actually generates more work for our teams. When someone does not turn up, our staff often need to try and contact them to establish why, ensure there are no welfare concerns, and spend time re-booking any necessary follow-ups.

We understand that life happens and plans change. If you cannot make your appointment, please just let us know as soon as you can. Even a little notice allows us to offer that valuable time to another patient who really needs it.

Thank you so much for your continued support and understanding as we work together to care for our community.

10/04/2026

Following on from our post about the wonderful Talk and Play initiative, we want to share some fantastic local sessions where you and your little ones can put those communication skills into practice! 🎶🧸

Wiltshire Libraries run free Rhyme Time sessions that are perfect for babies and toddlers. They are a brilliant way to support early language development through fun songs, rhymes, and movement. Plus, they offer a lovely chance for parents and carers to meet other local families.

Here are the regular Rhyme Time details for the libraries closest to our surgery branches:

Wilton Library (Great for our Wilton and Fovant families)
🎵 Fridays: 9.30 am to 10.00 am

Amesbury Library (Closest for our Shrewton families)
🎵 Tuesdays and Fridays: 11.00 am to 11.30 am

Warminster Library (Closest for our Codford families)
🎵 Wednesdays: 3.15 pm to 3.45 pm

Salisbury Library
🎵 Mondays: 9.30 am to 10.00 am
🎵 Wednesdays (term time): 9.45 am to 10.15 am

Booking is often advised for these popular sessions, so please check with your local library directly or visit the Wiltshire Council Libraries website to secure your spot.



This video gives you a lovely preview of what a weekly Rhyme Time session looks like at Amesbury Library, so you know exactly what fun to expect before you go.

Join Ina from Amesbury Library for our weekly rhyme time for babies and toddlers.

08/04/2026

Spring is finally here, and it is time to top up your protection! 🌱💉

If you have a weakened immune system, you can get extra protection against COVID-19 this spring. Viruses can change, and your immunity naturally fades over time, so getting your spring booster is the best way to keep yourself safe.

You are eligible for a spring COVID-19 vaccination if you are:
🛡️ Someone with a weakened immune system
👵 Aged 75 or over
🏠 A resident in a care home for older adults

📞 If you fall into any of these categories, please get in touch with our reception team to arrange your appointment.

Let us enjoy a healthy and happy spring together! 🌼

06/04/2026

Happy Easter Monday! 🌷🐣

Just a quick reminder that our surgeries are closed today for the bank holiday. We hope you are having a wonderful, relaxing weekend!

If you need medical assistance while we are closed today:
🚑 For life-threatening emergencies, always dial 999.
📞 For urgent medical advice, please call NHS 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk online.

We will reopen as normal tomorrow morning. Our phone lines are always very busy the day after a bank holiday, so if you are able to help us manage the rush, we would be incredibly grateful:

💻 Try using the NHS App or SystmConnect for non-urgent requests, admin queries, or ordering prescriptions.
⏰ If your query is not urgent for that same day, avoiding the 8.00 am rush and calling just 30 minutes later often means a much shorter wait time.

Thank you so much for your patience, and we look forward to seeing you from tomorrow! 🌼

02/04/2026

Wishing all of our wonderful patients a very happy and restful Easter weekend! 🌷🐣

We just wanted to share a quick reminder regarding our opening hours over the bank holiday. Our surgeries will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday to allow our hardworking team some time to rest and recharge with their families.

If you need medical assistance while we are closed, please remember:

🚑 For life-threatening emergencies, always dial 999 immediately.
📞 For urgent medical advice that is not an emergency, please call NHS 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk online.

When we reopen on Tuesday morning, our phone lines and services are expected to be exceptionally busy as we catch up from the long weekend. We kindly ask for your patience and understanding if things take a little longer than usual.

To help us manage the high demand and save you time, here are a few ways you can help:

💻 Please use the NHS App or SystmConnect for non-urgent requests, admin queries, or prescription orders whenever possible.
⏰ Try to avoid calling exactly at 8.00 am if your query is not urgent for that same day. Calling even just 30 minutes later often means a much shorter wait in the phone queue!

Thank you so much for your continued support and cooperation. We hope you have a lovely, relaxing Easter break! 🌼

01/04/2026

Every little chat helps your child grow! 🗣️🧸

We are excited to share the wonderful Talk and Play initiative from Wiltshire All Together and the Family Hub. This programme is all about helping our little ones develop their speech, language, and communication skills through fun, everyday moments.

To support this, the BBC's Tiny Happy People resources are absolutely brilliant. They offer simple, free ideas that fit easily into your daily routine to help build your child's communication skills. Here is a quick overview of what you can find:

💬 Fun activities to help build your child's vocabulary, like chatting about the colours of clothes while sorting the laundry.
🎶 Tips on using nursery rhymes and singing to develop listening and memory skills.
🧸 Easy games like peek-a-boo or building blocks that encourage back-and-forth communication and eye contact.
🧠 Expert advice and short videos explaining how children's brains develop during these crucial early years.

You do not need any special toys or equipment to make a big difference, just your time and attention!

There are also some fantastic local resources and events right here in Wiltshire where you can practice these skills and meet other families:

📚 Wiltshire Libraries run regular, free Rhyme Time and Story Time sessions across the county, which are perfect for toddlers and babies.
🎈 Your local Family Hub hosts wonderful stay-and-play groups where your little ones can mix, mingle, and learn to communicate with others.
🌳 Our beautiful local parks are great for a sensory nature walk, providing endless opportunities to talk about the new sounds, textures, and sights around you.

You can find lots more information, local support, and access to all these resources by visiting the Family Hub website today:

🌐 wiltshiretogether.org.uk/familysupport
📺 Explore the BBC resources directly here: bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people

30/03/2026

Calling all unpaid carers in our community! ☕🤝

Taking a moment to relax, connect, and enjoy a cup of tea with others who understand your experiences is so important for your wellbeing. Carers Together Wiltshire runs a fantastic network of regular Carers Cafes and support groups across our local area.

Here are the regular meet-ups happening nearby:

📍 Amesbury Carers Cafe
🗓️ Third Wednesday of the month, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
🏠 Community Room, Bowman Centre, Shears Drive, Amesbury SP4 7XT

📍 Salisbury Carers Cafe
🗓️ Third Tuesday of the month, 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm
🏠 The White Hart Hotel, St John's Street, Salisbury SP1 2SD

📍 Mental Health Carers Cafe
🗓️ Last Wednesday of the month, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
🏠 The White Hart Hotel, St John's Street, Salisbury SP1 2SD

📍 Salisbury Parent Carer Group
🗓️ First Wednesday of the month, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
🏠 Cosy Club, 49 New Street, Salisbury SP1 2PH

📍 Carer Corner
🗓️ Tuesday (every 4 weeks), 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
🏠 Riverside Sanctuary, 2 Watt Road, Salisbury SP2 7UD

📍 Whiteparish Carers Cafe
🗓️ Third Tuesday of the month
🏠 Whiteparish Memorial Centre, Whiteparish, SP5 2SU

📍 Tisbury Carers Cafe
🗓️ Fourth Tuesday of the month, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
🏠 Harry's - on the Square, The Square, High Street, Tisbury SP3 6JP

📍 Mere Carers Cafe
🗓️ Third Monday of the month, 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm
🏠 Angel Corner Tea Room, Angel Lane, Mere, BA12 6DH

📍 Broad Chalke Carers Cafe
🗓️ Second Wednesday of the month, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
🏠 The Chapel, High Road, Broad Chalke, Salisbury, SP5 5EH

To find out more about any of these wonderful groups, please visit: https://carerstogetherwiltshire.or.uk/events

27/03/2026

Connecting with family in nature this summer 🌳✨

We are so pleased to share a wonderful opportunity for our families to step away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy quality time together. The Secret SEN Neurodiverse Camp Out is a relaxed and intimate weekend specifically designed to help families with additional needs build stronger bonds while surrounded by the beauty of the Wiltshire countryside.

Located at Stockton Park, this event offers a gentle wild camping experience where the focus is on fun, connection, and creating lasting memories. It is the perfect setting to relax, get back to nature, and support one another in a calm and understanding environment.

There is a huge range of inclusive activities to help everyone connect:
🧘 Family yoga and arts and crafts
🕺 Silent disco and dance workshops
🏹 Traditional games like rounders, football, and archery
🐾 Fur and fangs animal displays and bubble workshops
🧱 Messy clay sculpting and junk modelling
⛺ A dedicated sensory tent for when you need a quiet moment

If you would like to join in without the hassle of pitching your own tent, pre-erected bell or dome tents are available to book so you can simply turn up and start relaxing.

🗓️ Dates: Tuesday 25 August and Wednesday 26 August 2026
📍 Location: Stockton Park, Stockton, Wiltshire

To find out more and book your spot, please visit the website:
🌐 https://www.thesecretcampout.com/secret-sen-camp-out

For any questions, you can contact the organisers:
📞 Tel: 01985 850970
📧 Email: slush@spurgeons.org and Spurgeons

Imagine arriving at your chosen campsite and finding a beautiful bell tent, pitched ready for your arrival. Inside you’ll discover it’s equipped with everything you need to enjoy a comfortable stay ‘under canvas’. All you need to do is book your tickets and then book with us, and turn up and...