July:

New hospital binned: Plans to build a �13million community hospital in Clevedon were scrapped just weeks before work was due to start on building the facility at Millcross. NHS North Somerset and NHS South of England announced the scheme was no longer affordable and therefore had to be cancelled. The move caused anger among swathes of people, including those who had worked hard to support the scheme.

Good and the bad of YOUR town: More independent retailers, maps of the town centre and a loyalty card scheme were all put forward as ways of revitalising Nailsea’s shopping centre following a survey by Action for Market Towns. As a result, Team Nailsea, made up of members of the town council, chamber of trade and shopping centre bosses, set about overseeing improvements.

Town will get a second post office: A shop owner in Portishead was given the go-ahead to run a Post Office Local from her Village Quarter premises. This was welcome news for residents who had for years had to put up with long queues at the growing town’s only other post office in the High Street.

Olympic fun and games: As Olympic-fever swept the country, schools and organisations across North Somerset got into the spirit of the sporting spectacle with activities and events put on to honour the occasion. Pictured are pupils from Portishead Primary School holding their own Olympic torches.