The Bristol Nine - January 2015 by Andy Fraser

Jan ‘15 Issue 105

A free community magazine for the residents and businesses of BS9. Delivered each month through 12,000 letterboxes across Stoke Bishop, Sea Mills, Coombe Dingle, Henleaze, Westbury on Trym and Sneyd Park.

The Editor’s Small Piece As usual it seems slightly odd writing to wish everyone a happy new year at a time when Christmas is still three days away. That’s the way it is with publishing deadlines I guess. Anyway I hope that 2015 is kicking off in a positive way for as many readers as possible. Before 2014 is consigned to a historical entry on Wikipedia can I just proffer my thanks to everybody involved in organising any number of local events in and around the 2014 Christmas celebrations, whether it was carol concerts, nativity plays, Christmas fairs, fundraisers and volunteers working for any number of worthy causes. Until you get involved it is impossible, I think, to realise just how much time and effort is involved in “doing stuff” for our community - and those who do selflessly put themselves out for the benefit of others deserve praise, gratitude - and a dose of good weather! So, here we go again - another year, another dozen issues to lovingly craft (or haphazardly cobble together, as it sometimes seems. I hope you enjoy the first instalment, with a cover photo taken looking from Seawalls towards Leigh Woods on a beautiful Bristolian morning a couple of weeks back. Cheers for now,

Do Get In Touch andy@bcmagazines 0117 968 7787 07845 986650 8 Sandyleaze WoT BS9 3PY @BS9Andy

It’s Back ‐ The Great Village Hall Quiz Westbury on Trym Village Hall, Eas ield Road, Saturday 24th Jan 2015, 7 for 7.30pm. Tickets £8.50 includes light supper, fully licensed bar. Maximum 8 per team.

Bookings 0117 962 3241 wotvillagequiz2015@gmail.com

Useful Information Gas Emergencies Electricity Emergencies Water Emergencies Avon & Somerset Police NonEmergencies Crimestoppers Southmead Hospital BRI / Children’s Hospital NHS non-emergency Council Dog Warden Services Bristol Blood Donation The Samaritans Alcoholics Anonymous ChildLine National Rail Enquiries Telephone Pref Service Mailing Pref Service Bristol Care & Repair - home safety checks & handyman

0800 111 999 0800 365 900 0845 600 4 600 101 (new no.) 0800 555 111 0117 950 5050 0117 923 0000 111 0117 922 2500 0117 988 2040 08457 90 90 90 08457 69 75 55 0800 11 11 08457 48 49 50 0845 070 0707 0845 703 4599 0117 95 4 2222

Postal Services Westbury on Trym Post Office 9 - 5.30 Mon to Fri, 9 - 4 Sat Henleaze Post Office - new hours! 8.30am - 6pm Mon to Sat Westbury on Trym Parcel Collection 8 - 3 Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri, 8 - 8 Wed, 7 - 2 Sat Late Post - there is a late post box at the main Post Office sorting depot on the A38 at Filton. Currently the late post is at 7pm. Local Libraries Henleaze - tel. 903 8541 Mon 9.30 - 7.00, Tues 9.30 - 5.00 Wed 9.30 - 5.00, Thur 9.30 - 5.00 Fri 9.30 - 7.00, Sat 9.30 - 5.00 Westbury on Trym - tel. 903 8552 Mon 9.30 - 5.00, Tues 9.30 - 5.00 Wed 9.30 - 5.00, Thur - closed Fri 9.30 - 7.00, Sat 9.30 - 5.00 Sea Mills - tel. 903 8555 Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat 9.30 - 1.00 , 2.00 - 5.00 Wed - closed, Thur 9.30 - 1.00 , 2.00 - 7.00

Public Transport Visit the excellent Bristol City Council website www.travelbristolorg to plan out your routes in, around or out of the city - whether you are planning to go by bus, train, ferry, air, bike, car or foot. Local Churches St Mary Magdalene, Stoke Bishop www.stmarysb.org.uk 0117 968 7449 Methodist Church, WoT www.westburyontrymmethodistchurch.org.uk 0117 962 2930 Baptist Church, Reedley Rd, WoT www.westburybaptist.org.uk 0117 962 9990 Holy Trinity Parish Church, WoT www.westbury-parish-church.org.uk 0117 950 8644 Sacred Heart Catholic Church, WoT www.sacredheartchurch.co.uk 0117 983 3926 St Peter’s Church, Henleaze www.stpetershenleaze.org 0117 962 4524 Trinity URC, Henleaze www.trinityhenleazeurc.org.uk 0117 962 9713 The Community Church, WoT www.the-community-church.net 0117 946 6807 Recycling and Household Waste The Household Waste and Recycling Centre on Kingsweston Lane, Avonmouth for pretty much everything. The Avonmouth centre is now open Winter hours from 8.00am to 4.15pm, 7 days a week .

The Silver Line is the new and only free confidential helpline providing information, friendship and advice to older people - open 24 hours a day every day of the year. Call anytime on 0800 4 70 80 90.

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The Downs Recorder - Richard Bland Unbuilt Bristol; the great Blackboy Hill Roundabout saga The roads on the Downs have been a matter for debate and re-organisation as long as the Downs have existed. For the Romans it was easy- they built the Via Julia, the roman equivalent of the M4, straight across. In Saxon times the key route was the road to Westbury, and beyond to the Welsh ferry at Aust. In Georgian times toll-roads were built, and in 1820 the new Bridge Valley Road was linked to the top of Whiteladies Road, where the old route to Westbury met the new route to Stoke Bishop. The Victorians added Circular Road and Saville Road, and in the twentieth century carriages gave way to cars and trams and buses.

Tram at Blackboy Hill - photo courtesy of Paul Townsend, brizzlebornandbred on flickr Then in March 1961 the City Engineer decided to create a modern road structure for the city, with an outer ring-road linked by spokes to the new inner ring road around Broadmead, and by a Parkway, later the M32, to a planned motorway to the north which would link to Wales by a bridge. It was bold, imaginative, and very expensive. It did not include the M5, or a bridge at Avonmouth, so much traffic coming from Wales would come through Westbury to Blackboy Hill, which even in those far off times was a complex and difficult junction which created traffic

jams with great frequency. So the plan was to build a giant new multi-lane roundabout with slip roads at Blackboy Hill. The scheme would use two hectares of Downs land, and include the felling of nine trees. The Downs Committee considered the scheme, rejected it, was threatened with a compulsory purchase order, and finally in July 1966 agreed a modified scheme with pedestrian subways. Then the Bristol Civic Society together with the Western Daily Press began a campaign of opposition. The concept of public consultation was largely unknown in those days. In March 1967 a three day public enquiry was held, and there was a lot of confusion about the actual traffic use. Decisions were delayed by the need to decide on the route of the M32, but in August 1968 it was announced that the University had given land on the northern edge of the Downs to compensate for the land that would be lost by the scheme. At the same time trees were planted on the alignment of the proposed roads, three of which remain. It was then discovered that the proposed land grant by the University was land that for years had been part of the Downs, and the public felt deceived and were appalled at the size of the project as shown by the trees. The Minister turned the scheme down, and a final effort came in June 1970 involving the destruction of St John’s school, which was still operating. Today it is about to become bijou residences, and they aren’t cheap. By 1973 the highways plans did not mention Blackboy. The existing system came into effect some fifteen years later, as it did not involve the loss of any Downs land, it merely created a complex one-way system. And the traffic jams remain. If you enjoy the Downs, or use if for your sport, why not become a Friend? Membership is just £10. Contact Robin Haward at robinhaward@blueyonder.co.uk 0117 974 3385

Constituency Matters - with Charlotte Leslie MP First of all, can I wish all readers of BS9 magazine a very happy 2015. It promises to be an exciting year! One of the most pleasing things about both living in and representing a community like BS9 is the wealth of independent businesses, and just before Christmas we were proud to announce the winner of our Independent Shop of the Year competition. Around 30 shops were nominated in al, with around 800 satisfied customers voting for their favourite. It was a close thing, but our overall winner was Sew and Sew in Canford Lane, run by Jude Truckman. I had the chance to visit Sew and Sew and what a marvellous shop it is, epitomising the spirit of independent retail combining excellent service, specialist knowledge and, if you are a knitter or keen on craft, absolutely everything you would need under one roof.

Jude was given her award by Lord Mayor Alistair Watson and Ken Simpson from the Federation of Small Business with one lucky customer who voted for her being given £100 to spend in the shop. Jude said: “As a small specialist shop selling haberdashery, craft, ribbon and wool we have customers from all areas of Bristol. Our customers range from the experts in knitting to the new ones who want to learn, crafters and card makers. To win Independent Shop of Year for BS9 area was fantastic. We work very hard to help customers find just the right shade of ribbon, buttons or pattern. Young mums just learning to knit come in for one to one help when they get stuck,

they bring their mums when they visit and for them it is what they grew up with, a proper haberdashery.” It is so important that we continue to support shops like Sew and Sew as well as others such as Up and Running, Jaydene, Molesworth Butcher, Number 7 Kitchen, Stoke Lane Cards and Gifts, and R&J Ashford. They really do offer so much to our communities … other than the fantastic services and specialist knowledge they offer, they also create vital jobs and they bring people together in a way that online shopping never will. I have already had several letters expressing concern at the city council’s plans to change our ward boundaries in Henleaze and Westbury which would, in effect, shunt part of Westbury village into the Henleaze ward. Both communities have very distinct characters and I am very concerned at the way hundreds of years of history and strong local identity seem to be being ignored as part of an administrative exercise by faceless bureaucrats at City Hall who seem to have very little empathy with the communities. I seriously doubt whether some of them would even know where Henleaze and Westbury are! It is clear already from the letters I have received that local people have huge concerns and I want to support them and ensure their voice is heard. I will be spending a considerable amount of time between now and the end of the consultation looking at the proposals along with Westbury ward councillors Geoff Gollop and Alistair Watson, to try to make sure that a common-sense solution is found. I will also be spending a lot of time gathering opinion from all residents. In the meantime, I would urge everyone to write letters to the papers and most importantly, take part in the consultation, and let local councillors know your views. Charlotte Leslie ‐ MP for Bristol North West Oﬃce: 184 Henleaze Road, BS9 4NE 0117 962 9427 ‐ www.charlotteleslie.com E: charlotte.leslie.mp@parliament.uk

New Year’s Resolutions with AMD Solicitors The new year is a great time to get round to the things you meant to do last year. Start this year as you mean to go, organised and prepared for every eventuality. Or, failing that, perhaps aim to get one or two things off that never ending ‘to-do’ list. Here are some ideas for getting 2014 off to an organised start. Make a Will We can tell you how your estate will pass if you don’t draw up a Will, but we would much rather not. The intestacy rules were largely drawn up in 1925 and can be wholly inappropriate given the complexities of modern families. A properly drawn up Will will enable you to make decisions about where your assets will pass in the event of your death and will hopefully provide peace of mind for you and your family. Lasting Powers of Attorney By drawing up a Lasting Power of Attorney you could be saving your family significant costs and work at a future point. Losing mental capacity (through a stroke for example) is sadly an increasing reality of modern-day life as life expectancies rise. A Lasting Power of Attorney enables trusted family or friends to make decisions on your behalf should you lose the ability to do so yourself.

Advice Making a Difference

If you lose capacity without appointing attorneys your relatives(GWAAC4) may face an expensive and timeconsuming application for a deputyship order. Call Claire Nelson on 0117 9898516 for advice and assistance with Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney. Resolve that dispute In our experience, the sooner you tackle any kind of dispute the more straightforward you are likely to find it to resolve. Whether you have commercial or home-life issues, our dispute resolution experts will help you to reach agreements in the most amicable way possible. Negotiation or mediation may help to resolve your dispute. If court proceedings become unavoidable our solicitors will advise and represent you, supporting and leading you throughout the process. For advice on dispute resolution contact John Todd on 0117 9621205. For help with family disputes contact Anne Thistlethwaite on 0117 9621205. Contact us AMD Solicitors are an award winning firm with four local offices: 100 Henleaze Rd, Henleaze, Bristol, BS9 4JZ 15 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4DS 139A Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2PL 2 Station Road, Shirehampton, Bristol BS11 9TT

Call us on 0117 9621205 Email info@amdsolicitors.com. www.amdsolicitors.com Copyright AMD Solicitors

The Bristol – Get Fit Challenge Could 2015 be the start of a new healthy lifestyle? Losing weight and starting an exercise programme can sometimes be a daunting prospect especially if you feel you have a lot to lose. You have thought about it for a while but where to start? Anna Rebello, course leader working alongside Forever Living, invites you to join The Bristol – Get Fit Challenge. “People are proven to be significantly more successful in changing their habits, achieving their ideal weight and maintaining it in the long term when they are part of a group of people with similar goals. Members keep each other motivated, accountable, and inspired! It’s simple: those who commit are more likely to succeed and get the absolute best results. Starting in the BS9 postcode a group is forming of people who want to work as a team and start making positive changes to living more healthily. The programme starts with a 9 day cleanse of the system, known as The C9. This helps to jump start your journey to a slimmer healthier you and the first step in establishing lifelong habits that will help you achieve true and lasting weight management. An effective easy to follow programme, which will kick start your weight loss plan, putting you on the right path to take control of your health. Jump Start your Journey You will look better and begin to eliminate stored toxins that maybe keeping you from absorbing the maximum nutrients in your food. Also you will also begin to feel lighter with more energy and motivated as you prove you can take control of your appetite and see your body Some typical results a er 12 weeks. These can vary widely depending on the individual and commitment level. Body Fat Total Inch Loss Weight Loss Brandon ‐7% 22” 31lbs Jason ‐10.9% 22” 33lbs Anne e ‐7.2% 20” 24lbs Jus n ‐13.6% 28” 48lbs (Data obtained from a Forever Living Trial)

begin to change. Once you have seen how easy it is to achieve success you won’t be able to resist continuing on to the next stages. Following on from the 9 day cleanse, the next 30 days the group members will start the F.I.T.1 programme. The aim is to change the way you ‘think and feel’ about nutrition and exercise and teach you how to make your weight-loss sustainable. It takes 28 repetitions to develop a new habit and those involved will feel they have created a whole new lifestyle during this stage. The final stage is the F.I.T. 2 programme. This will help you build lean muscle, tone your body and complete your transformation. Together, these three programmes will help YOU get F.I.T. and look and feel better.”

“In 8 months I’ve gone from feeling fat, miserable, and uncomfortable with very li le confidence to energised, body confident and amazing. This is a programme I would highly recommend for maximum results.” says Jenni Lauren.

“ I really believe, challenges are far easier when faced with support. We will meet regularly, share success, motivation tips, and new recipe ideas.” Anna goes on to say. “I was overweight after having my son Ben for years. I love helping people feel better about themselves. The first group will start in January, however if this isn’t the right time for you don’t worry - keep this article and pin it on your notice board! I plan to start a new group every month throughout 2015. Later in the year, it will be exciting to publish some success stories”

Don’t think about it, just do it! Register your interest by phone or text on 07976 850922. Or e‐mail me on annarebello@flp.com

No Prize General Knowledge Quiz 1)

What is the capital city of Ecuador?

Which is the most common language spoken in India?

Who was the Liberal Party leader before Jeremy Thorpe?

In what year was the Spaghetti House siege in London?

What characters did Ant and Dec play in Byker Grove?

The pre-decimal threepenny bit had how many sides?

What is the literal translation of “chilli con carne”?

Which is the worlds largest rodent?

In which James Bond file did Blofeld make his debut?

10)

Henry Blofeld commentates on which sport for the BBC?

11)

How old is Phillip Schofield?

12)

If you travelled due south from London to the South Pole how many countries would you pass through (exc. the UK and Antarctica)?

13)

George Ezra recently had a hit record with a song named after which European capital city?

14)

Which clubs play at these English football grounds - the King Power Stadium; the Goldsands Stadium (pictured); the Keepmoat Stadium; Greenhous Meadow; and the New York Stadium?

15)

If something is described as “vertiginous” what does this mean?

16)

Who drove a red and white Ford Gran Torino in a cult 1970’s detective series?

17)

Name these chemical elements by their chemical symbols - B; Mo; K; Au; Pu

18)

Which army rank comes above Lance Corporal and below Sergeant?

19)

Susan Anne Sulley and Joanne Catherall were singers in which 1980’s pop group?

20)

In which centuries were the construction of the following iconic buildings completed - the Leaning Tower of Pisa; London’s Tower Bridge; the Taj Mahal?

Answers on Page 92

Living and working in BS9 for 10 years and now contactable on 01454 617 392

The Young Enterprise Company Programme Young entrepreneurs from Bristol Free School hit the streets for Small Business Saturday. Students from Bristol Free School took part in a Young Enterprise trade fair at St. Nicholas market on Saturday 6th December. 17 teams from schools and colleges across the West of England, participating in this year’s Young Enterprise Company Programme, set up stalls to sell their Christmas themed products. This is their first experience of selling in a market environment and, on one of the busiest shopping days of the year, saw some of the teams making well over £300. At the end of a busy day of trading, prizes were awarded by George Ferguson, The Mayor of Bristol, for the Best Team, Best Trade Stand and Best Customer Service. George tweeted after the event; “A big thanks to St Nicks Market and Young Enterprise for helping young people learn to trade. What a great day!”

the day and were very pleased with the profit they made which came to £246.48. The Young Enterprise Company Programme offers students aged 15 – 19 the opportunity to set up and manage their own business with the help and support of a Business Mentor from local businesses. The teams devise, plan, produce and market a product or service and compete against other schools to showcase their final product at an Area Final, held annually in May. For more news and updates follow Young Enterprise on Facebook and Twitter @YEWestofEngland.

Students from Bristol Free School represented the BS9 area and sold candles made out of recycled tea cups and glasses. They were supported by their teacher, Mr Harkin, who was there throughout the day to provide advice and guidance for the students. Despite the cold weather, the students enjoyed

Young Enterprise are always on the lookout for local business people to act as business mentors to support young people in the BS9 area. In addition to the Company Programme, Young Enterprise also run one day Employability Skills Masterclasses where volunteers work with a small group of students for a day whilst completing an exciting business challenge. If you would like to get involved or for more information, please contact Julie Money on 07918 561352 or Julie.money@y-e.org.uk.

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How to avoid a financial cat fight on divorce The marital vows, "…for richer for poorer…un l death do us part" do not sadly ring true for everyone. For divorcing couples, spli ng up the marital assets is tough, but made far worse if the couple cannot agree on what is the extent of the marital pot. This is the problem which conserva onist Miss Li Quan, and her husband, Stuart Bray encountered upon their divorce. The couple met in 1990 and married in 2001. During the course of their rela onship, Bray came to share Quan's passion for saving the Chinese ger and in 2002, the couple set up a trust called Chinese Tigers South Africa Trust (CTSAT). The Trust was largely funded by Bray but whilst Quan provided no funding, she contributed cultural exper se and her contacts. Crucially, neither Quan nor Bray were named as personal beneficiaries of the Trust. For the next twelve years, the couple worked relessly on a variety of ini a ves to save the Tigers. However, growing disagreements over this helped contribute to their rela onship deteriora ng and in 2012, Bray removed Quan as director from the UK arm of the Tiger Project.

A month later, Quan issued a pe on for divorce and applied to the English Court for financial se lement. However, the couple had rela vely few assets apart from CTSAT, which had sizeable assets of approximately £25million. Quan argued that CTSAT was established, not only to advance the cause of the Tigers, but also to provide financial support for herself and her husband as a long term insurance/ pension policy. These claims were fiercely disputed by Bray, who argued, amongst other things, that CTSAT was likely to run out of cash in a couple of years and that it was not intended to benefit the couple personally. A er a lengthy hearing, the Court ruled that there was no evidence that the couple intended CTSAT to benefit the couple personally either in the past, present or future. The judge found that Quan was blinded by her desire to seek revenge on Bray and had fabricated informa on where she thought it would assist her case. Accordingly, whilst Bray had ‘won the argument’, the ruling meant that neither Bray nor Quan would be en tled to any part of the £25million assets within CTSAT, which instead, would be used to save the Chinese ger. A happy outcome for the gers, at least.

How can Veale Wasbrough Vizards (VWV) help? Unsurprisingly, most divorces do not involve Chinese gers, and many will not include charitable trusts but it is not uncommon for couples to disagree when deciding who owns what, between husband and wife. Over the course of a marriage, financial aﬀairs tend to become entangled for numerous reasons, including, one party receiving an inheritance or the couple making diﬀering levels of contribu ons, both financially and otherwise. Raising children is the most obvious example of this. Therefore, it is important to receive the correct advice following a rela onship

breakdown to ensure that you do not miss out on what is righ ully yours. Our team of family lawyers have many years' experience in dealing with marriage and rela onship breakdown and we have the knowledge and exper se to deal with the full range of disputes. For pragma c advice, tailored to your needs contact Sally Rushton on 0117 314 5329 or at srushton@vwv.co.uk . Alterna vely contact Emily Roskilly on 0117 314 5298 or at eroskilly@vwv.co.uk.

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A local family business offering you professional friendly advice. Rings and jewellery, new and old - and a great range of modern secondhand jewellery to complement our existing selection of beautiful traditional second-hand pieces. Beautiful gift ideas for ladies and for gents, as well as watches & watch repairs. Do you have any secondhand or scrap gold? Gold prices remain attractive so why not bring it in for a free valuation? Kemps Jewellers & Registered Pawnbrokers 9 Carlton Court, Westbury on Trym

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High Five for the Junior Netballers For the fourth year Elmlea Junior School hosted 2 very successful High 5 Netball Tournaments. Both of the tournaments took place at the Bristol University Indoor Sports Centre, Tyndall Avenue. The 2 tournaments had a similar format with 8 teams for the Year 4 event and 10 teams competing in the Year 5/6 event. On both afternoons the teams were divided into two groups for round robin matches which then determined the play off positions. The Year 3/4 tournament took place on Friday 7th November. A mix of excitement and nervousness amongst the children was apparent in the early part of the afternoon. As the children became more confident with each game played, their abilities and enjoyment came to the fore. All the children learned quickly; rules, tactics, passing, intercepting and shooting. For some of the children this was their first experience of a netball tournament, but aided by the encouragement from their teachers and parents they were all having great fun at the event. St. Bonaventure’s and Elmlea again proved strong competitors and it was the result of their play-off match that determined the winners of this tournament. A great match ended in victory for Elmlea who beat St. Bons 6 – 1. Elmlea retained the trophy they had won last year. On Friday 14th November the tournament for the Year 5/6 children was held. All of the children were excited and keen to give their best in the qualifying rounds. During the group matches the children showed good footwork and passing, a very high standard

of play on show. Understanding of teamwork, use of space and the quality of shooting showed that all the children had been practicing for this tournament. After the group matches the schools contesting the first four positions were, Elmlea, St Bonaventure’s, Stoke Bishop and Henleaze. It proved to be a fantastic afternoon with outstanding play from all children but St, Bons were clear winners beating Elmlea 4-0 and so retained their trophy, Elmlea 2nd, Henleaze 3rd and Stoke Bishop 4th. 'The tournament was a great opportunity to join up with other children who live in Bristol to play compe ve netball.' Petrina, age 11, St Bonaventure's RC Primary All the teachers and parents watching thoroughly enjoyed watching both tournaments and gave tremendous support to their children. Both tournaments ended with presentations of trophies and medals to all of the 140 children that had taken part. A massive thank you is due to supporters of these tournaments: Elmlea Junior School for their funding. Bristol University Netball Club for providing the umpires and scorers. Primate Sports and KP Badges and Trophies for providing all the trophies and medals. Finally all the children, teachers and parents associated with the following schools; Primate Sports provides sports clothing, team kits and equipment for clubs, colleges, universities, sports academies, schools and individuals. www.primatesports.co.uk

Shaun Hunt, funeral director from Co‐opera ve Funeralcare at Westbury‐ on– Trym, pictured here, as part of Funeralcare community work presen ng Elmlea Infants School Head Teacher Inge Fey and school governor David Regan and pupils with 300 Be‐safe, be‐seen, reflec ve badges plus Hi‐Vis vests. And also a cheque for £300.00 from the Co‐opera ve community fund, for purchase of new library books.

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New Year, New Home!! If you’re thinking of selling your property in 2015 and would like a FREE no obliga on market appraisal from our experienced team, please call either our Cli on or Westbury on Trym oﬃces. We are an Independent Estate Agency successfully selling our clients property throughout North West Bristol. Happy New Year from all at Leese & Nagle.

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Book Reviews Over the last 105 issues of the magazine I’ve come to realise that the local area possesses an awful lot of people more creative with pen & paper or keyboard & mouse than I could ever hope to be. A couple of years back I attended a one day course at Stoke Lodge aimed at setting the attendees up as creative writers. “Write a book in a day” I think it was called. I came away safe in the knowledge that the old saying “everybody has a book in them” is fiction rather than fact, and that I was better suited to the follow up course “write a half-baked short article in about 3 days”. And the reason for me thinking this? Stamina, willpower, dedication attributes you seem to need as a prerequisite for setting off on the path to being a published author. And attributes I don’t possess. It’s not that unusual for the postman to deliver me an unsolicited package, posted somewhere locally, containing a crisp new book with, or without, a “Walks from Bristol’s Severn letter asking if I Beach Line” by Andrew Swi was interested in reading the arrived without warning through my door recently. aforementioned

tome with a view to “doing a little review”. I don’t read enough generally so this is usually a good excuse for me to settle down in a comfy chair and pick up the book. After all if someone has been kind enough to send me a free copy of something they have lavished with their love, creativity, perseverance and stamina then the least I can do is “give it a try”. A few years back I ran the half marathon (yes I know, hard to believe) and plodded around in a time so fast that they were beginning to reopen the Portway not far behind me. The reason I say this is that despite my stamina and perseverance I produced a time that was very unimpressive. I finished but I wasn’t very good. “What sort of tangent is he off on now” I can hear large parts of BS9 muttering. Well what I am trying to do is draw a parallel with the subject of this article - books written by local authors - by concluding that not all of the books I have been kindly asked to review have been best-seller material. Indeed one or two have caused me to resent the time I have spent reading them. But you know what? I don’t think that really matters. My 13 mile run brought me huge personal satisfaction, far more than I could ever have imagined and more than anyone else can really appreciate, even though it didn’t quite get me a place at the London Olympics. And in the same way I am sure that anyone who has the motivation, patience and ambition to write a book will derive a huge sense of pride in achieving that feat. Even if it a turkey in other people’s eyes. (Con nued on page 40)

40 (Con nued from page 39)

So to everyone who has succeeded in writing a book, whether it is fiction or fact, and whether it has been launched by a publisher, self-published or even just run off on the printer for friends and family, I salute you. Which sort of brings me on to the remainder of the article, for which I apologise to all concerned. This was due to appear in the pre-Christmas issue so that the authors royalties would flood in and get them a slightly-larger-thannormal festive bird. For in the last couple of months I’ve received quite a number of books to review, an action I have singularly failed to clear. So in lieu of a review just now I thought I’d at least make readers aware of some of the offerings available from the literary members of our community.

Amberley Publishing have produced a series of local history books to which author and BS9 resident Anthony Beeson has contributed two fine volumes - “North Bristol Through Time” (covering Sea Mills, Stoke Bishop,

Sneyd Park & Henleaze) and “WestburyOn-Trym to Avonmouth Through Time”. For lovers of local history these books, which include a wealth of fascinating “then and now photo” comparisons, will be a real joy, and for those interested both volumes will be reviewed in full next month. Staying with local history I have also received a copy of “Walks from Bristol’s Severn Beach Line” by Andrew Swift, published by Akeman Press. The cover refers to Bristol as “one of the best cities in the world for exploring on foot and the Severn Beach Line - once hailed as one of Britain’s most scenic railways - is the gateway to some of its finest sights”. Again lavishly illustrated with photos, maps and drawings old and new this looks a similarly fascinating guide to our lovely city. On a fictional note “The Witch, The Dragon and The Angel” trilogy were hand delivered to me by prolific BS6 author Paul R Goddard. I’ve just started the first of these, “Witch Way Home?” and if it proves to be as entertaining and ebullient as the author himself , who can clearly spin a good yarn, then the series will be a good read. I’ll let you know next month. Described as “a masterpiece of imagination in a sage of multidimensional magical realism” the trilogy are available from Clinical Press.

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Louise’s Tips for an Easier Life It’s time to think about what you would like to achieve in 2015. Do you remember the headings I suggested from last year - Friends & Family, Relationships, Health & Fitness, Travel, Education & Self-Development, Spiritual, Finance, House & Home. Touching on the first heading - how many of us wrote in Christmas cards ‘must catch up in the new year’? I certainly did and it my intention to telephone those family and friends by the end of the second week of January and make a date to meet up. So often we have great intentions and then life takes over, we feel our diaries are sufficiently full that we just don’t have time to go and see people – even if it’s just for a cuppa. Perhaps in House & Home you have an area that needs attention. Here is one client’s experience: “The bookshelves were overflowing and the walk-in cupboard was anything but walk in. I had ignored the chaos in my study for far too long. It was time to get help. Enter Louise England!

Over several hours, Louise cheerfully and skilfully helped to restore order. Together we went through books and papers, turned out drawers and banished cobwebs. Louise helped decide what to keep and what to bin. She took things for shredding and charity, and organised the removal of a van load of recycling. I would highly recommend Louise to anyone who has an overwhelming task that they’ve been putting off. Her assistance turned a task I’d been dreading into a pleasure.” Make 2015 your year to act on your intentions. Louise England is a Lifestyle and Home Assistant and her service aims to free-up your free time. Her passion is to make a positive difference to people’s lives by helping them sort things out and complete jobs in their homes quickly and efficiently. Website: www.louiseengland.co.uk Mobile: 07780 474256 Email: louise@louiseengland.co.uk Twitter: @L_England

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Henleaze Garden Club Jane Voke, founder of the hugely respected Henleaze Garden Club, is packing away her trowel and kneeler and moving onwards to allotments new. Here are a few words from Jane telling how the seeds of the club were planted and how it has developed and matured. “Henleaze Garden Club ...Thanks for a FABULOUS ten years! When I moved to Henleaze one of the first things I looked for was a garden club to join, but it soon became apparent that there wasn’t one. My husband Conrad, getting a tad fed up with me moaning about this lack of facility, suggested that I set one up ... and the seed was sown.

first meeting no one could have prepared us for the huge volume of interest as over 200 people lined up outside the hall wishing to join this new club. Ten years on and the club is thriving. I have booked a variety of speakers each year, ranging from Cacti enthusiasts, to Horticultural TV & Radio celebrities and it’s fair to say they have all have been thoroughly enjoyable in their own way. The club has hosted Gardeners Question time, where 300 people sat and watched a little black cat creep in and walk across the stage, as the GQT panel did their live broadcast and the audience stifled back a chuckle.

Fuelled with enthusiasm, I had a vision of a gardening club where members and visitors would be welcome at monthly meetings, where a speaker would talk about anything entertaining (in my eyes) but connected, sometimes by a thread, to horticulture. I also wanted coach trips to places not on most people’s radar, a quarterly newsletter, friendly sales table, raffle, annual plant sale and a jolly good sociable Christmas event. I wanted no stuffy constitutions or AGM’s, no restricting formalities but uppermost I wanted it to be a fun and friendly club and of course I wanted it to be a success! Conrad suggested, as I wanted to adopt a more informal approach, that I be known as ‘The Big Cheese’. And together with a small organising team we set about forming the club. A hall was booked, a year’s programme of speakers, an article was put in a local newspaper and I went on local radio to promote the Inaugural meeting of the Henleaze Garden Club. At that very

Jane and Carol Klein at a recent HGC mee ng Each year we have visited some delightful gardens and been blessed with some glorious weather. We’ve also visited National flower shows and also the spectacular private gardens of HRH Prince Charles at Highgrove House. In May we have held the clubs plant (Con nued on page 50)

Henleaze Garden Club (Con nued from page 47)

sale in my front garden, where members have donated plants and cakes, with monies raised boosting club funds. At our December meetings we have socialised over a buffet & glass of wine whilst being entertained by a quiz or speaker. To those who know me well, I am a community spirited soul and genuinely feel that the HGC has a firm place within Henleaze and plays an important part in many people’s social calendars. I view the club as my baby, I’ve nurtured it and watched it grow and it has gone from strength to strength. And today it is possibly in the healthiest state it has ever been in. With that in mind after a huge amount of deliberation I’ve decided to relinquish my position of ‘Big Cheese’ and I will be handing over the reins from 1st January 2015. I feel I need a new challenge and I’d like to do something else that makes a difference, however small. I am very happy to say that the existing organising team will take over the running of the HGC. I am confident that the club will enjoy continued success under their control.

I’ve had the best ten years chasing my dream, in an area I feel passionate about ... gardening. I’ve met some super people, had Roddy Llewellyn sat on my sofa pre garden club meeting, talking about the price of Turkish Delight which was surreal . . I’ve shared a cuppa over my kitchen table with Bob Flowerdew , Anne Swithinbank, and others . . and had the king of massive veg Medwyn Williams want me to put him up and make him a cooked breakfast (thankfully a local B&B obliged) and then there was the rather eccentric Exmore Bush man Johnny Kingdom and his hysterical talk - the images still live with me now.. There are so many people I would like to thank for their help and understanding over the years. The various members of the Organising team, the tea ladies, my neighbours when the traffics been rather manic on plant sale days, and all of you who have supported the club, I can’t thank you enough. Of course there would be no HGC if it wasn’t for Conrad sowing the seed in my head and encouraging me to pursue my dream ten years ago. I send sincere good wishes to all involved in the next decade of the Henleaze Garden Club. Happy gardening to you all . . its the root to a happy soul . .. Jane Voke

Care in the dormant season is o en very specific to the tree and landscape it coexists with. The tree has ways to cope, although the changeable weather can be hard to predict. The onset of colder temperatures brings new threats to the trees health. Winter drought can be a problem if the trees roots can’t draw enough water from the frozen ground, we can be on hand to assist. By adding a layer of organic mulch at the base of the tree you can help keep the ground frost at bay. Frost damage to old wounds and tears can exacerbate the problem crea ng further damage or weakening the structure. Correct pruning can limit this. Pruning in the dormant season is a good way to preserve your trees size, aesthe cs and health. Winter pruning can consist of weight reduc on to the limbs to prevent snow damage and removal of dead or dying branches. Here I am heading up and about to start the end weight reduc on to a pine in Sneyd Park.

For advice or a free es mate please call me ‐ Sam Muscat, Crest Tree Services Ltd 07968 354 747 or email cres ree@gmail.com

The Veg Growers Diary - with ‘Reg Patch’ You don’t have to have green fingers to grow green vegetables . . . Overall veg aren’t that fussy OR difficult to grow provided you tick more than a few of their ‘must have‘ boxes In this new column I will endeavour to enlighten you each month on the ‘how’s & why’s’ of vegetable growing, taking you through the growing year, and trying to convert many of you, who think carrots come out of a tin and spuds with earth on are dirty devils! ... into home grown experts.

So firstly. . . Why should we grow our own vegetables? Well for one they simply taste better...whilst vegetables bought from supermarkets tend to be very consistent in size and uniformity (which isn’t always the case with home grown) they would have been picked many hours and often days previous, and in transit from soil to plate, will have lost a lot of their flavour, condition, not to mention nutritional value. Plus we can control if and what chemicals we may use on them. By increasing the amount of fresh fruit and veg we eat, we improve our overall health and well being. And being able to pop to the garden and pick our own, for ease will help us achieve happily our 5 a day and more. Growing your own involves a certain amount of planning, a great activity

during the winter months when seed catalogues are plentiful and the kettles always on! It’s often a lot more economical when seed can be saved. I know an old chap whose runner beans are from plants given to him over 25 years ago and he saves his seed each year. It’s well understood that the more active we are the healthier we will be, and what better way of exercising than in the open air, and for free! Gardening activities can be ranged for all levels of ability and we can give as little or as much time to it as we are able, tailoring our plot size accordingly. Success can also be achieved from a grow bag or pot on a patio. It’s also been proven that gardening can help with mental and emotional well being. If you’re in any way interested in what chemicals are facing you on your plate then gardening organically is the way forward. This is a form of gardening where NO chemicals are used and the grower simply relies on Mother Nature to do her stuff. For every pest there is a predator, and by encouraging as many beneficial predatory insects into your garden you’ll be well on the way to an oasis of harmony in the food chain. Aphids may munch on your broad bean shoots but ladybirds are partial to the odd aphid consuming an enormous amount each day! Thus eliminating the aphid problem. A few simple tools are all that’s required to get you started on growing your own, a fork, spade, hoe and a trowel and a hinge on your back is a bonus! Think about where to site your plot and next month we will start in earnest . . .

Happy New Year! Happy New Finances? And so, as the last remaining couple of mince pies are polished off and the grandchildren are packed off home for another year, our thoughts turn to 2015. A me perhaps to reflect for a moment. On loved ones both past and present. On a magical holiday me when humanity comes together in compassionate embrace. On the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special. And then, as we look forward, or in my case downwards at the few extra pounds I put on over the holiday period, it is me for the dreaded New Year’s Resolu on! Perhaps people reading this have already broken theirs!? Forget daily trips to the gym or a zero tolerance policy to cream buns. The best New Year’s Resolu on you can make is to sort your finances out. The great thing is you don’t actually have to do too much. My proposal is certainly a lot easier than abstaining from a slice of cake every me you have a cup of tea. You simply phone or email me on 0117 9665699 richard.higgs@wealthwest.co.uk . I pop around for an hour or two for a chat (ironically probably over a slice of cake and a cup of tea). And then I go away, sort it all out and come back with all the answers. So if you have concerns over: ▪ Cash Deposits and Savings ▪ Investments and Shares ▪ Inheritance Tax and Trusts ▪ Long‐Term Care ▪ Pensions ▪ School and University Fees ▪ Mortgages and Insurance Then get in touch for an ini al discussion of your op ons on 0117 966 5699 or richard.higgs@wealthwest.co.uk Happy New Year! For an informal, ini al chat please feel free to contact me on richard.higgs@wealthwest.co.uk or 0117 966 5699 or through the website www.wealthwest.co.uk. Hope to see you soon. “The percep on of financial advice is it’s first and last about money. For Wealth West it’s so much more than that. It’s also about helping people in the local community and giving back. It’s about doing what is right for the client with integrity and going out and making a difference to people’s lives. Welcome to the family” Richard Higgs, Chartered Financial Planner

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Friends of Blaise - Patrick Clarke As we enter the year 2015 it is difficult for me to realise that I have now been writing articles about Blaise for over 5 years. I hope that they have proved of interest and have inspired readers to visit the Estate and enjoy all it has to offer. As well as this, I hope that at least some readers have shown a greater interest, by joining Friends of Blaise. It was in 1982 that several local people, concerned about the continued deterioration of the Castle, decided it was time for action. It had been severely damaged by fire in 1965 and remained surrounded by a high fence and classified as a dangerous building. There were even suggestions that it should be demolished and left as a small ruin just above the foundations. There were stories of a well at the base, but I have never been able to find any proof that this ever existed. Certainly, we know that it is the last of a long line of buildings on this site dating back to Neolithic times. Early paintings of the Castle show very few trees on the hill, so that it was a clearly visible landmark, probably used by vessels coming up the Bristol Channel. A painting in the Blaise Museum shows vessels approaching the entrance to the Avon with the Castle in the background. Since 1982 it has attracted thousands of visitors and the Friends will be opening it again this summer from April to September. Over the years there have been various suggestions of how better it can be used, but its comparative remoteness and lack of any basic facilities have always made this difficult. However, in 1922 a young married man working on the Estate, like many today, was unable to find a suitable home and was offered the use of the ground floor

of the Castle. He moved in and remained for the next four years. A description of his life and experience at that time is contained within the Friends display within the building.

The Lottery Grant Project Committee for Blaise looked at possibilities for increased use, but was unable to substantiate any significant investment, which could not be used to better advantage elsewhere in the Estate. So the Castle remains as a reminder of past glories and continues to be the centre piece of the Humphry Repton designed Landscape. Now and in the foreseeable future it must remain as an interesting relic, and I hope that the Friends will be able to open it to the public for many years to come. Perhaps, a New Year resolution for readers will be to join the Friends of Blaise, support them in the work which they do and help ensure that the building is at least open to the public every summer, for many years to come. Details of the Friends can be found on their web site, www.friendsofblaise.co.uk

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Westbury Chiropractic Clinic, established in 1987, is well known in the city of Bristol and is recognised by all major healthcare providers and most health insurance companies. The clinic is run by David Aberdeen, an experienced chiropractor who has practised in Westbury on Trym for the past 25 years. He has a particular interest in problems involving the feet and the jaw and his work has been featured on television. For more information, and to read what people have said who have received treatment, please see our website. The clinic is situated at the top of Westbury Hill where there is ample parking.

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Alex Black and Adam Dorrofield are north Bristol based cabinet makers, skilled in designing, manufacturing & installing beau ful custom made furniture. From a bedside cabinet to a fi ed library, a toy box to a table, they will make your furniture dreams a reality. Please contact us for a no‐obliga on chat about your project ideas.

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Gardening with Cathy Lewis - winter protection While you’re tucked up warm and cosy in your home, spare a little thought for the plants in your garden, particularly those that were never really designed to cope with British weather. Parts of BS9 are quite high and exposed to strong south-westerly winds. Frost and biting winds can freeze plants to the core, turning the water in their cells to ice which, once defrosted, can leave them a blackened or mushy. Frozen ground makes it impossible for roots to take up water, while waterlogged soils cause roots to rot. The danger’s not over with the approach of spring, as buds on early flowering plants such as Camelias and Magnolias can be damaged by a rapid thaw from the early morning sun. The majority of plants in our gardens will no doubt survive without any help from us. However they’re likely to do better if they are planted in the right place so that they have shelter if they need it, with a thick mulch of organic matter in late autumn to keep the soil frost-free. Half-hardy plants such as Penstemons should be left untrimmed to protect the new shoots in spring, while Agapanthus and Zantedeschias will benefit from an extra-thick blanket of bark, sand or straw.

Glass frames and cloches are used to protect South African plants at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden

With a little tlc, even exotic plants can survive the worst that winter can throw at them. Bananas need to be encased in chicken wire stuffed with straw, and covered with polythene and fleece. Less vulnerable plants can get away with a simple blanket of horticultural fleece or hessian, while smaller plants can be covered with a bell-cloche to keep the elements at bay. Tree ferns need their crowns protecting with a good handful of straw, topped off with a waterproof hat to shed the rain. Plants in pots are best grouped together for mutual protection and moved close to a south facing wall of the house. Alternatively put them in a greenhouse or garden shed during the worst of the winter months. If your pots aren’t frost-proof wrap them a layer of bubble wrap and raise them on feet to help Cover pots with bubble wrap drainage. and vulnerable plants with fleece to prevent frost damage

If this all sounds a bit of a chore, remember prevention is better than cure. Hopefully we’ll have another mild winter and our plants will survive quite happily, ready to bring colour and interest back to our gardens once spring arrives. Cathy Lewis Dip. PSGD Cathy Lewis Gardens & Design Professional garden design, consultancy & maintenance. Tel. 07985 008 585 www.cathylewisgardens.co.uk

65Â

Piano Lessons with Sophia McKett Its never too late to start to play! Be inspired with specialist coaching.

From beginners to Advanced level pupils, adults and children alike are all welcome. Coaching for college/ scholarship auditions is also provided. Centrally located in Clifton. Accompanist work is done too. Limited availability. Benefit from a professional approach from over 15 years of experience. Qualifications: Masters in Music, Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, Moscow.

www.sophiamckett.wordpress.com Tel. 07989 539 075 e mail: soniawick@yahoo.com

Grupo Lounge Prize Wordsearch

@BS9Andy. Right, here’s what you are looking for:-

Taking it easy and enjoying good food and drink in relaxing surroundings that’s what it’s all about at the Grupo Lounge, who have kindly sponsored the prize wordsearch this month. Listed below are twenty one words or phrases linked to the Grupo Lounge experience. All bar one are hidden in the wordsearch grid, so you just have to discover the one that is missing. The answers can be found forwards, backwards, up, down or on a diagonal. Send your answer in by January 31st 2015 after which one correct name will be pulled from the hat to win the prize of a £20 Grupo Lounge gift voucher. Entries please by post to 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY, phone 0117 968 7787, text 07845 986650, email andy@bcmagazines.co.uk or tweet to

Babycino

Berry Delight

Board Games

Brunch

Cruiser

Friendly Staff

Garnacha

Gluten Free

Gold Cider

Grupo

Hero Burger

Large Latte

Lounges

Lovelounging

Panini

Pastries

Relaxed

Retro

Roof Terrace

Tapas

Vegan Options

The winner of the car themed October wordsearch competition was Emily Burt from Portishead who wins a Loungers gift voucher. The winner of the terrific No Man’s Grace meal for two offered by this great restaurant in the November magazine was regular entrant Margaret Wrench. Thank you to everyone who took the trouble to enter, and better luck next

time.

203 Whiteladies Road, Cli on, Bristol, BS8 2XT

CJ Hole Cli on is delighted to announce its own home move! For the eagle eyed you will have spo ed that our gorgeous new oﬃce is now at 203 Whiteladies Road, Cli on, BS8 2XT. You will find us at the top of Blackboy Hill. We can’t resist showing you the photos and would be delighted to welcome you in! A new year and a new start. We have just done it and many more of you will want to move home this year. It’s important to plan ahead, take a good look at what’s happening in the market place and make sure you choose the best team to guide you through the process. Securing the right agent, financial advisor and solicitor is key to a successful sale, purchase or let. Here at CJ Hole Cli on we have experts who have lived and worked in BS9 for many years. We are very proud of our wealth of experience and local exper se. Every one of our team would be happy to share their wisdom on any property issue you have ‐ no strings a ached (promise)! Alongside these pictures of our sparkling new oﬃce, we present just a few of your gorgeous proper es that we have sold and let in the last few months. Happy New Year Howard Davis ‐ MD Cli on

Cli on le ngs 0117 946 6588 www.cjhole.com

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Kev’s Tip of the Month Christmas is over! So now is a great me to get that red spare room decorated! Call Kev.

71 Major Changes Proposed for Local Ward Boundaries - have your say The Boundary Commission is currently carrying out an electoral review of Bristol City Council with the aim of recommending ward boundaries that mean each city councillor represents approximately the same number of voters. The commission is currently conducting a consultation on their draft proposals which closes on 16 February 2015. The largest topic of significant interest to BS9 readers will probably be the recommendation to include parts of Westbury Village in the proposed new ward for Henleaze. Full details can be accessed via the Boundary Commission website www.lgbce.org.uk/current-reviews/ south-west/bristol/bristol and from this click on “Have Your Say”. In favour or opposed to the changes? Make your voice heard, submit your opinions.

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Yoga Classes in BS9 at Stoke Bishop Village Hall BS9 1EX (upstairs) Wednesdays 2.00pm to 3.15pm General Yoga Class 3.30pm to 4.45pm Gentle Yoga with back care 6.00pm to 7.00pm Beginners Yoga with back care 7.30pm to 8.45pm General Yoga Class 1‐2‐1's | Indian Head combined with Faceli Massage 60 mins Workshops in January, April, July and October These workshops are a lovely way of looking at our lifestyles and encouraging health using a variety of levels in Yoga and combining them with discussions which are s mula ng fun and inspiring for everyone. Please contact Sara‐Jo for further details: 07789 552 052 | sjcamer@icloud.com www.yoga‐health‐educa on.org.uk

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Mrs PC - Friendly Computer Training January is often the time for people to make New Year’s resolutions, and these often include trying to lose weight or start exercising. Diet books fill the bookshelves and magazines are full of ideas to help. Technology is also available to motivate you. If you have a smartphone, you can use Apps to help you in your quest to lose weight and/or become fitter. There are many to choose from. If it is weight loss you are after, one of the best Apps is My Fitness Pal. It can become quite addictive! You can record your calories with it. You can scan the barcodes of your food, and find most foods and their calories by using the massive database online. The App helps you to set your weight loss goals. The calculator will forecast your weight according to the calories you have eaten. This is available in graph format. You can also deduct calories if you have recorded exercise in the App. The App will tell you if you are short of certain foods or nutrients, and help you to have a balanced diet. It is easy, fast and free. It cleverly remembers what you tend to eat. You can post your achievements online and become part of a weight loss community. Medical studies show that keeping a food journal DOUBLES your weight loss! There are many tools to help you record your exercise. RunKeeper is a free App to motivate and record exercise. Track your runs, walking or cycling. The App can track users by GPS, and see how fast they are travelling, what their pace is and what their average pace is as well as timing the activity. It can be programmed to give announcements and review progress – you can choose how frequently you want this to happen. RunKeeper can access your music and let you listen to your favourite playlists and the announcements will override your music. You can upload

achievements to Facebook and share them with your training partners. All your training is stored and is interesting to look back on and compare over time. When you have finished your activity, you can see a map of where you have been and all the changes in elevation, as well as a graph of your elevation. When I have it turned on, I do find that I try harder! If you are a serious athlete or have particular goals, Strava is another amazing free tool. It brings an element of competition to solo riding (both bike and run versions are available), Strava tracks you, but crucially also allows you to compete virtually with other racers over the same segment of road or path, at different times. It’s also a good way to discover new routes and rides near you. Couch to 5k is a free NHS App designed for the novice runner. It is designed to get you off the sofa and running 5km within nine weeks. Its simple step-by-step, dayby-day programme gently guides total beginners from walking to cruising around a 5km race. Moves is a simple and free app that helps you track your daily movement – whether you ran, walked, cycled or sat in the office all day. It requires almost no effort on your part. There’s no need to enter data or wear a movement tracker – just carry your phone with you and monitor your progress (or lack thereof!) Hope that you might try using one or several of these suggestions in 2015. Wishing you all a very happy and healthy new year!

Ever thought about star ng, developing or even ending your nursing career at St Monica Trust? A significant employer in Bristol and North Somerset, ST Monica Trust employs a workforce of over 1,100 of which almost 10% are registered nurses. St Monica Trust’s four re rement villages have award winning facili es and provide services for older people across Bristol and North Somerset. Within our purpose built, state of the art care homes we provide general nursing care, end of life care, specialist demen a care and short‐ term reablement services. These interes ng and varied environments oﬀer many opportuni es for nurses ‐ whatever stage of their career they are at. Some of our nurses have chosen to join us on our preceptorship programme, others come at the end of their career to gain the flexibility they want, having re red from the NHS. A number opt to develop their nursing and/or management career, enjoying the challenge of being part of a nurse‐ led team. With a real focus on resident‐centred care our nurses tell us that their job sa sfac on comes from ge ng to know the residents well, building rela onships with them and their families.

Heather joined us six months ago in Westbury on Trym, having previously been a nurse at Thornbury Hospital, and talks of St Monica’s “real commitment to the resident experience”. She is thriving in the change of environment:

“there is a real can‐do culture here. It is the norm for everyone to want to, and more importantly be able to, go the extra mile. I love the focus that is put on quality and not just cost.” Kate joined us six months ago at our Sandford Sta on re rement village site in North Somerset, having been a nurse at Weston General Hospital. She talks highly of the training and development opportuni es that are offered to nurses; “It’s not just the mandatory training you get to do; if you show an interest in something and there is the need in the service, you are encouraged and supported to develop those skills.” In fact the Trust is currently rolling out a bespoke knowledge and skills framework for all nurses to promote, support and reward their learning and development. A compe ve package is offered for our nurses including: • generous shi enhancements (100% for bank holidays, 42% for weekends, 26% for nights) contributory pension scheme (up to 7.5% of salary) • compe ve occupa onal sick pay (a er 12 months service) • life assurance at 4x salary • free on‐site parking • childcare vouchers •37 days holiday per year including bank holidays (pro‐rata) • work‐life balance (the majority of our nurses work a maximum of 8 hours per day). • savings on shopping scheme • subsidised gym and pool membership (where available on site and in the community) • subsidised restaurants So, if you are a nurse looking for something different this year, look no further. We have opportuni es in Westbury on Trym and Sandford for preceptors, full and part me nurses (night and day) and bank nurses. For more detail go to www.stmonicatrust.org.uk/ jobs

What’s On & Community News Listings for community events, not-for-profit clubs and charitable activities are free of charge. If you have something of this nature that you would like listed please get in touch with Andy Fraser by telephoning 0117 968 7787 or 07845 986650, post details in to 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY or emailing andy@bcmagazines.co.uk (in email or Word format - no PDF’s please). All notices must be received by the 12th of the preceding month to guarantee consideration for inclusion.

Westbury on Trym Women’s Institute meets on the 3rd Monday of the month in the Methodist Church Hall, WOT (next to the car park) at 2.00pm. We have a programme of varied speakers, outings, discussions etc. New members and visitors always welcome. For more information please contact: Sue Murphy – Tel: 950 2826.

Clubs and Companionship

Do join us for Parish lunch at St Mary’s Church Stoke Bishop, every Thursday from 12.15. 3 course buffet lunch

The Over 40’s Club is a non-profit making social club. New members always welcome. Our weekly club nights start at 8.30pm every Thursday. We have a varied programme of events ranging from meals out and walks to gliding and badminton. For further information please contact our New Members Secretary Lynn on 07757780201 or visit our website www.bbivc.org.uk

Civil Service Retirement Fellowship. The Westbury-on-Trym group welcomes all retired Civil Servants and their spouses to their meetings held on the first Thursday of the month at Studland Court, Henleaze Road at 2.00pm, Those people without a civil service background are welcome to join our group as Friends of the Fellowship. For more info phone Beryl Webb on 01454 614 451.

Knit and Natter. We invite you to "knit and natter" every Thursday between 10am and 12 at the Methodist Church in Westbury on Trym. It is a sociable and informal time when you can chat while pursuing your choice of crafts. If you prefer we can provide patterns for knitting for charity. Tea and coffee will be available.

Instep Club for Widows and Widowers meet weekly on Wednesday evenings 8.00 - 10.30 at Stoke Bishop Village Hall, Stoke Hill. New members welcome. Ballroom and Sequence dancing (If you haven’t danced for a long time don’t worry, we will help you). Refreshments, social activities. Please telephone Mary on 968 3170 or Wilma on 962 8895 for further information.

Men at St. Peters (MASP) is a bi-monthly group which meets Saturday mornings at St Peter’s Hall, Henleaze. The meetings start at 8.30am with a full English breakfast. This is then followed by entertaining and interesting talks by a guest speaker. New members are always welcome. In conjunction we also provide well directed “Keep Fit” sessions for men every Tuesday morning. Further information may be obtained from Chris McCarthy tel 962 3545. Bristol Cabot Probus Club is for retired and semi-retired professional and business men to maintain contact and fellowship with people of similar interests. Meets third Wednesday each month in BAWA Club Southmead Rd, for lunch followed by a speaker on a wide range of interesting subjects. Extensive programme of social events including holidays, day trips, Sunday

lunches and skittles to which ladies and friends are welcomed. Contact John HowardCairns on 968 3134 for more details.

Stoke Bishop Townswomen's Guild are now meeting in the Hulbert Room, St Mary's Church, Mariner's Drive, Stoke Bishop. The Hulbert Room is reached via a path to the left of the steps just past the church; our meeting are on the 1st Thursday of the month at 2.00pm. Further details from Maureen at 9685638 or Sheila at 9147159. Westbury-on-Trym Probus Club provide a meeting point for retired and semi-retired professional and business men, to promote social well being through friendship, companionship and discussion. The club meets on the third Thursday of every month at BAWA, Southmead Road, from 12 midday. If you are interested in joining please contact the secretary on 968 4270 or email: graham.horne5@btinternet.com.

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What’s On & Community News The Probus Club of Bristol for semi or retired Professional Business men, meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month at BAWA Southmead Road. At these meetings we have a three course lunch with a speaker. In addition there is a substantial programme of social events to which our Ladies are invited to participate. If you are interested in joining our club, please contact our Membership Secretary Martin Harker on 01275 857324, email probusbristol@hotmail.co.uk or visit www.bristolprobus.org.uk Rotary Club of Bristol – we meet at the Bristol Hotel, Prince Street, Bristol BS1 4QF at 7.00pm for 7.30 pm on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Mondays and at 12.30pm for 1.00 pm on the 2nd and 4th Mondays. Meetings start with a meal and are followed by a speaker. New members are very welcome – for further details visit www.bristolrotary.org or contact our Club Secretary – philfrier1943@hotmail.com. Calling all Carers. Would you like the opportunity to share your experiences, relax and make new friends? Then come and join the Henleaze Carers’ Group. We meet on the second and fourth Thursday morning of each month, 10am to 12, in Bradbury Hall, Waterford Road, Henleaze. For more information please call Mrs M Rudston 942 6095. The Fielder Club is an association for local women - though friends and family are welcome at all events. Membership is £5 p.a. to cover delivery of quarterly programmes of events such as lunches, theatre, visits, talks and walks. Weekly/monthly sub-clubs of Badminton, Book Group, Bridge, Discussion Group, Scrabble, Skittles and Whist plus coffee Thursday mornings at Cafe Mundo and twice-monthly pub lunches. Come along and meet new friends! Details from Gloria on 0117 239 3376 or Anne on 0117 907 7425. Henleaze Townswomen's Guild meet on the first Wednesday of the month (except Aug) at St Peter's Church Hall, The Drive, Henleaze. Lady visitors are always most welcome to attend. Further details can be obtained by ringing Shirley Phillips on 0117 962 2243. Westbury on Trym Townswomen's Guild has

moved. We still meet on the second Monday of each month as usual, but our venue is the WoT Methodist church in the Portland Room and starting time is 2.00pm. We have speakers, whist, coffee mornings and social events. New members and visitors always welcome. If interested please contact Angela Morris, Chairman, on 968 6473 or Margaret Smith, Secretary, 924 1728. Henleaze (Morning) Townswomen's Guild. This is a recently formed Guild and we meet from 10.00am – 12.00 noon on the third Thursday of every month at The Eastfield Inn, Henleaze Road. New members and visitors are most welcome. Further information can be obtained by ringing Elaine Anderson on 907 5279. Clifton Rotary Club welcomes new members. All we ask is that people give their time, are interested in making new friends, building business contacts and using their skills to help others. We meet Wednesday lunchtimes at Redland Lawn Tennis and Squash Club. Please find out more about us by visiting www.cliftonrotary.org or emailing secretary@cliftonrotary.org Bristol Brunel Probus Club for retired professional and businessmen meet at BAWA Southmead Rd, once a month to enjoy lunch and a mix of social events, regular speakers, visits and outings, to which wives and friends are warmly welcomed. For more details please ring Fred Martin on 968 3875. Interest Groups Stoke Lodge History and Archaeology Group from 2015 we meet on the second Thursday of every month (instead of the first Thursday) at the Friends Meeting House in Hampton Road, Redland, BS6 6JE at 7.30. We host of rich diversity of lectures – our 2015 programme includes lectures on ley lines and also on crime in 18th Bath. New members are always made very welcome. For further details please contact Annette Martin on 0117 979 3209 Twytford Art Club. We are a small group of artists of mixed ability, we meet at the Public hall, Station Rd., Shirehampton, 10am to 12am Mondays and Wednesdays, chose your day or days. New members are warmly welcome, help and advice given. For more

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What’s On & Community News information visit www.shirepubhall.org.uk then click hall users. Or contact John Case: Tel: 01179507916 or email jcase@blueyonder.co.uk Local winemaking and social club are looking for new members to join us. Meeting the second Wednesday of every month at the Common Room, Studland Court elderly peoples residence on Henleaze Road, from 8pm to 10pm. Small friendly group now in our 37th year, with a varied programme of wine making, tastings and social events. For further information please contact the club secretary Liz Johnson on 0117 950 8370. The Lawrence Weston Badminton Club play at the Greenaway Centre Greystoke Ave in Southmead on a Monday night from 7.00pm until 8.30pm. Our players are of a good standard, both male and female, and we are a very friendly club. We would welcome new players – please contact Marilyn on 0117 239 1005 for more details. New Dimensions meets every month and we have talks on a wide range of alternative and holistic subjects. The meetings are held at the Friends’ Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 6JE. Admission: £5 (including tea/coffee/biscuits). The next meeting will be held on Sunday 18 January 2015 at 3pm. The speaker will be Kim Moore -Cullen and the title of her talk is “Mediumship and a Life with Spirit.” Kim is a highly gifted international medium, meditation teacher and healer. For further information, please telephone 01749 678 834 or write to: leasurs@tiscali.co.uk The Bristol Branch of the English Speaking Union welcomes guests to their meetings which are held in the Apostle Room of Clifton Cathedral at 7.15 p.m. for 7.45 p.m. There is ample parking and entrance is £5. The aim of the English Speaking Union is to encourage friendship and global understanding through English. Our forthcoming meetings include on January 6th "Refugees in their own country- an insight into everyday life in Georgia" with Annie Syrett, and on February 12th "800 years since the Magna Carta" Sir Robert Worcester, founder of MORI polls and Chairman of the 800 Magna Carta

Committee. Do come along to any of our meetings, preferably by telephoning the Chairman, Tony Williams on 2393187 or the Secretary, Jenny Haines, on 9628075. The Bristol Philatelic Society meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month in the meeting room of the United Reform Church at the bottom of Blackboy Hill (Whiteladies Road) starting at 7.30 p.m. Contact 0117 956 7853. We are the Bristol U3A – an organisation of lively and interesting people who run all sorts of groups for enjoyment, friendship and learning. If you are no longer in full-time work, we offer a wide range of over 100 different activities, including art, computing, languages, music, walking, and science. Please visit one of our social groups, phone Barbara 0117 9629331, meeting at the Eastfield Inn, Henleaze, on 5th Jan; or phone Jenny 0117 9043697 for meetings at Browns Restaurant by the Museum on 21st & 22nd Jan, all start at 10.15am. Details: www.bristolu3a.org.uk. Don’t stay at home, come and join the Bristol U3A! Social Bridge for Improvers Stoke Bishop Village Hall Thursday afternoon 2 - 4 p.m. Further details about Robert can be found at BridgeTuition.co.uk. For further info contact stokebishophallbookings@yahoo.co.uk Do you like reading? Our Book Group meets on the last Thursday of the month at Westbury Library, from 2.30pm til 4pm. We would love you to come and join our lively group. For more information call Sue on 959 4365. North West Bristol Camera Club are an enthusiastic group of amateur photographers who meet each Wednesday at 7:45pm at Westbury Fields. New members of any level of ability are most welcome. For details contact Pete on 07870 589555. Excel Bridge Club has been based right in the centre of “Bristol Nine” for over 20 years. It meets in Stoke Bishop Village Hall on Stoke Hill every Monday, beginning promptly at 7.15pm. There is a very cheerful & relaxed atmosphere and as we just play 24 boards we are always finished by 10.15pm. For more details ring Ralph Smith on 01275 840006. Stoke Bishop & Sneyd Park Local History

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What’s On & Community News Group New members and visitors (£2 charge) always welcome. Please ring Jenny Weeks for more information - 0117 968 6010. Like making Airfix models? Avon Branch of the International Plastic Modellers Society meets on the third Wednesday of every month at the BAWA on Southmead Road at 8.00pm. New members are very welcome. For more information contact Andy White on 0117 3732798 or visit www.ipmsavon.org.uk Scottish Country Dancing for beginners and experienced dancers at St Monica’s Trust Hall on Thursdays, 7.30 pm. New dancers welcome; come on your own or with friends. Contact Margaret, 01275 794638 or Graham 01275 854782, or visit www.rscdsbristolinfo.co.uk Would you like to learn to play Bridge absolutely free?. I am starting new sessions in the Autumn offering bridge tuition in the WOT/ Coombe Dingle area to complete beginners. Please ring 9091714 or 07837 300073 or email tc.stygall@gmail.com. Ray Bridge Club meet every Tuesday 6.30pm to 9pm at the Sea Mills Methodist Church, Shirehampton Road (new venue) for social rubber bridge. New members welcome. Please ring 942 7760 or 968 2652 for further details. West of England Bridge Club meets for duplicate bridge on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Golden Hill Sports Club, Wimbledon Road, Henleaze from 7.30pm 10.30pm. New members and visitors welcome. £4 per evening for members, £5 for non-members, special rates for juniors/ unemployed. Licensed bar. For further details please contact Alan Williams on 07538 509670 or visit www.woebc.co.uk. Social Bridge, every Tuesday at 7.30 p.m. at Stoke Bishop Village Hall. New members welcome. Tel Chris on 968 5640. Westbury Art Club meet every Thursday evening from 7pm to 9pm at The Greenway Centre, Doncaster Rd, Southmead. We are a mixed ability group of artists For more

details visit www.westburyartclub.org.uk, email us at westburyart@blueyonder.co.uk or phone our club secretary on Bristol 962 9799. Westbury Walkers is a group of walkers who assemble at Lloyds Chemist Canford Lane Westbury on Trym. We meet usually at 9.30am on a Tuesday morning. New walkers always welcome. If you would like details of any of our forthcoming walks please contact Jean Maish 0117 3301194 / 07789 741892, email jmaish@blueyonder.co.uk, or Pam Henderson 0117 9624329 / 07837 857033. Stoke Lodge Ramblers provide a varied range of walks that will suit all levels of walking ability. Walks are scheduled for the first and third Thursdays & Sundays of every month. A number of social events are also held. www.stokelodgeramblers.wordpress.com or ring our Secretary on 968 4140 for more information. Music, Theatre and Concerts Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston in Concert. Benefit for Parkinson’s UK, Westbury On Trym Village Hall, Eastfield Road, Westbury on Trym BS9 4AG. Friday 27th February. 8pm (doors 7.30). In the space of 2 short years, Miranda Sykes & Rex Preston have emerged to become one of the most sought after duos on the English folk & roots scene. The striking combination of the flame headed double bass player & virtuoso mandolin player create music that Folk Roots say is “A musical partnership made in heaven. Scintillating, sensitive and brilliant!”. The duo are embarking on an extensive tour of the British Isles in support of their arresting new CD “Sing A Full Song”. Tickets £12-00 from Drmikecohen1@gmail.com - 0117 9623706. Saturday January 17th at Holy Trinity Church, WOT. Organ Elevenses with Nigel Nash. A very welcome return from Nigel, for many years Director of Music and organist at the Parish Church. Come for coffee and cake from 10.30 and see and hear the recital at 11am. Suggested donation to the Organ Fund £5, children free. Out There Music Bristol - Winter Concert. Enjoy uplifting performances from OTMB Community Choirs, Orchestra, Chamber

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What’s On & Community News Choir and Children’s Choir. Programme to include music from Swan Lake, William Tell Overture, Eric Whitacre and songs Including , Sing, Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Something Inside So Strong, Happy Ending, Pompeii and Singin' In The Rain'. St George’s Bristol on Sunday 8th February 7.30pm. Tickets £10 (£6 under 18’s) available from St George’s box office 0845 40 24 001 www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk Concert in aid of Changing Tunes. Westbury on Trym Methodist Church Orchestra are a group of instrumentalists of all ages who play for morning worship once a month. Our rehearsal time is before the service from 10am. If you play any orchestral instrument, but particularly violin, you would be very welcome to join us. Experience of orchestral playing is not essential, but you will need to be able to read music. We are a friendly and helpful group, who enjoy playing together. Parts are always provided for personal practice. To find out more, telephone 9686589. West Bristol Orchestra. A Chamber Orchestra, playing a wide range of Classical Music arranged for the smaller orchestra, meets at the United Reformed Church, Muller Road on Thursdays 7.15pm.to 9.15pm. Additional String players of Grade5+ standard welcomed. Experience of orchestral playing not essential. For more info please contact the Secretary on 968 3998. Gardening & Horticulture Sea Mills Garden Club have regular monthly meetings, every 3rd Wednesday, held at Sea Mills Methodist Rooms, Sea Mills Square at 7.30 pm. Our forthcoming programme of talks is: 21 January - Ed Drewitt ”My Visit to Madagascar”; 18 February - Bob Buck “Wildlife in the Garden”; 18 March - Mary Payne “Minimum Effort for Maximum Effect”. Subscriptions due January 2015 Unchanged at only Single - £12, Double - £22. Visitors always welcome at £2 per meeting. Hope to see you there. FFI contact Gail Mitchell 0117 9685350 or Esme James 0117 9682571 Henleaze Garden Club is a thriving club for anyone interested in anything to do with

gardening! With a healthy membership of 200 we meet the first Wednesday of each month in the main hall at St Monica's, Cote Lane, with a summer break when the club (GWAAC4) arranges coach trips. Expert speakers, a quarterly newsletter, and great Christmas event. Annual individual membership is £20 plus a £1 per visit, visitors are most welcome at £5 per visit, both to include refreshments and raffle. www.henleazegardenclub.co.uk or contact Brian Dury 9621227 for more info. Henleaze & District Flower Club meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at Bradbury Hall, Waterford Road in Henleaze. Flower demonstrations are held on the second Thursday and practice classes on the fourth Thursday. New members always welcome. Volunteering REMAP is a registered charity that designs and makes custom aids which enable a disabled person to enjoy a better quality of life. We design, make or modify equipment to suit their specific needs. No charge is made for our services. Please contact us if we can help - Colin 01275 460288 colin305@gmail.com or Ray 0117 9628729 rwestcott@blueyonder.co.uk Web site www.remapbristol.org.uk Do you love weddings? Westbury on Trym Village Hall is a very popular wedding venue and has another busy wedding schedule set for 2015. Would you like to put your skills into action? If so, why not become a wedding volunteer and help organise these happy events. If you are interested, please contact Alison on 0117 9493766. More Reading Buddies Wanted For January! Would you enjoy offering reading and language support to children for whom English is a second language? Can you help them improve their reading ability, benefiting both them as individuals & the wider class. Can you commit to giving one hour of reading time a week in term-time? We are working with 11 schools in the Southmead, Brentry and Horfield areas. Training is offered, and your enhanced DBS check is paid for by Bristol City Council. You would read with the same children each week. For more information please contact Paul Harrod, at paul.harrod@gmail.com.

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What’s On & Community News Health & Wellbeing Ladies Badminton. A friendly group that meets on Tuesday mornings is looking for some more players. Westbury Village Hall, Eastfield Road, 9.45 am to 12 noon. Please contact Anne on 909 1714 for more details. Bristol West Diabetes Group invites you to attend our meeting on Thursday 15 January 2015 at 2 pm. Our Speakers will be V. Jane Davies and Beth Rougier who are both Dieticians, speaking on the topic 'Healthy eating and diabetes'. We meet at the Primary Care Centre in Westbury on Trym, Westbury Hill, BS9 3AA. Please ring Anne on 9621311 for further information. LinkAge Contemporary Dance (55+). Do you ever get the feeling you just want to dance but don’t get the opportunity? Here’s your chance. Feel energised in a new way and ignite your creative ideas. Open to all abilities. Every Monday 10am-11am, Bradbury Hall THURC. £4. Contact LinkAge on 0117 3533042 for more information. LinkAge Tai Chi (55+). Are you looking for gentle active activity to keep your body and mind active? This is the class for you. Frank leads this relaxing and healthy session in a fun environment. Beginners welcome. Every Tuesday 10am-11am. Studland Court, Henleaze. £3.50. Contact LinkAge on 0117 3533042 for more information. LinkAge Zumba Gold (55+). Come along to a fun and friendly dance and exercise class inspired y music from around the world. No experience necessary so come and join Cressida for an hour of dance. Every Tuesday 1-2pm. St Peters Church, Henleaze. £3.50. Contact LinkAge on 0117 3533042 for more information. Get Involved in Netball. The Avon Netball League is well established in Bristol and welcomes all types of players – whether new to netball, taking it up after a few years absence and all the way up to premier division teams that cater for high level players. Independents Netball Club is a friendly team looking to recruit new members, with training on Monday evenings

at Red Maids School, Westbury-on-Trym. Please email bristolnetball@hotmail.co.uk for more information. Moves Fitness - exercise to music for all ages and fitness levels at St Peter’s Church Hall, Henleaze from 10am to 11am every Wednesday morning. The session consists of structured routines which are highly enjoyable and designed to promote overall fitness and mobility. You put as much energy into it as you feel like on the day, and you should leave feeling great. This is a friendly welcoming class - come and give it a try. £5 per session. Phone Jane on 9681042 , visit www.movesfitness.com or just turn up. Pilates Classes at Henleaze URC, Monday 9.30-10.30 & 10.30-11.30 (mixed ability), 11:30-12:30 (Postnatal),18:30-19:30 (beginner), Tuesday 9:30-10:30 (improver), 10:30-11:30 (beginner), Wednesday 18:1519:15 intermediate); Southmead Community Centre 12:10-12:50 (mixed ability). For bookings please call Leanne on 07817 189474 or visit www.pilatesdowntime.co.uk New Year. New Resolution. Why not try Tai Chi? This Chinese exercise system can improve health, vitality and wellbeing. Friendly local classes with an experienced teacher at The Greenway, Doncaster Rd, BS105PY. 11-12 Tuesday or Friday. New beginners class 2-3 Wednesday. Contact Karen: 0117 9424167 Kyoto Shotokan Karate Club trains at Avonmouth Rugby Club on Thursday evenings. Contact Steve or Tyra on 0117 9688424 for more details or visit the clubs website www.kyoto-skc.co.uk or Facebook page www.facebook.com/ KyotoShotokanKarateClub Pilates classes and well being therapies in Henleaze. Lovely airy studio offering all levels of Pilates, adult ballet fusion and salsa classes. Also we have a fully equipped beauty room to pamper you after your workout. For more info www.mindbodystudio.co.uk or call Efuah 07881825142. Henleaze Tennis Club has vacancies for players of all standards and ages. Whether you are an established player looking for a club, someone who is rusty or a student

What’s On & Community News come along and try us out. For further information take a look at our web site www.henleazeltc.com or contact the secretary Philip Price Tel: 07787 566246 Email: philpriceqs@gmail.com Lip-reading class. An evening lip-reading class to help you cope with your hearing loss runs in Clifton from 6.15pm to 7.45pm every Monday at Redland Park United Reformed Church, Whiteladies Road. Fee is £5 per session. For more details email the tutor, Mary Hall at lipreadingmary@yahoo.com or telephone 07790 283 939. Exercise to music every Tuesday, 2pm 3pm, at Filton Folk Centre, Elm Park, BS34 7PS. Come along, have some fun whilst getting fit. All abilities welcome. For further information contact Eileen Scott 07969929733 / (email scottyartois@hotmail.com). Also visit www.emdp.org (Exercise, Movement & Dance Partnership) Tai Chi and Qi Gong is a simple but powerful form of exercise for strength, balance and mindfulness. The Bristol School of Tai Chi has lots of daytime and evening classes in Henleaze and Bishopston starting from the 12 January. Check out our website for times and locations as well as lots of photos and video. Any questions contact Ben Milton 0117 9493955 www.bristoltaichi.com Citygongfu - martial arts, health & fitness. Wing Chun Gongfu for adults and children. Adult evening classes are on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00pm at the Exercise Club, 213 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2XS. For more information or to book a place on the children's class, please get in touch with Chuin via citygongfu@gmail.com or visit our website via citygongfu.com which has further details. We also have a Facebook page which you are welcome to join. Tai Chi for Health class. Mondays from 10.45am-11.45am at GH Health and Fitness, Pembroke House, Pembroke Grove, Clifton BS83DA. Non members and beginners welcome. Sessions £5. For further information contact Sue on 07929 030209, visit www.sueqi.co.uk or just drop in.

Zumba Gold Class @ Horfield Parish Church Hall every Weds 2pm-2.45pm (£4.00 per class) for the mature movers aimed at age 55+ (All other ages including Beginners) Zumba Class @ Orchard School every Thurs 7pm-8pm Contact Georgina for further details on www.bristolzumba.com or tel: 07545 625 089. Playgroups, Pre-School Etc Messy Church. Westbury on Trym Methodist Church will be having their next Messy Church on Sunday 8th February 4 5:45pm. Crafts, games, Bible themed activities on the theme of God's love. Free with tea provided. All ages welcome. For more details contact Caroline 9684894.

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Simon Lee Aesthe c Medical Clinic Simon Lee’s Aesthe c Clinic owned by Consultant Plas c Surgeon Mr Simon Lee (MBBS MSc FRCS plas c surgery) celebrated their 3rd anniversary this December by hos ng an educa onal and informa ve open evening. There were live demonstra ons and Mr Lee spoke of how and why he opened this centre of excellence in December 2011. He emphasised that he had spent a long me selec ng and cri quing all Medical Aesthe c devices from around the world. Following Simon Lee’s me culous research the Clinic subsequently oﬀers an extremely unique por olio of ‘World Class treatments” based on some breakthrough scien fic advances. ▪ Coolsculp ng‐ Fat freezing technology; ▪ Fraxel:Repair ‐ Frac onal Laser skin resurfacing; ▪ Ultherapy‐ Non‐Surgical facial li ing; ▪ Pelleve radiofrequency ‐o en referred to as the magic wand; Quiz Answers from page 22 1. Quito; 2. Hindi; 3. Jo Grimond; 4. 1975; 5. PJ and Duncan; 6. twelve; 7. chilli with meat; 8. the capybara; 9. From Russia With Love (1963); 10. Test match cricket; 11. fifty two; 12. seven countries (France, Spain, Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo and Ghana); 13. Budapest; 14. Leicester City, AFC Bournemouth, Doncaster Rovers, Shrewsbury Town and Rotherham; 15. it is extremely high or steep sided; 16. Dave Starsky from Starsky & Hutch; 17. Boron, Molybdenum, Potassium, Gold and Plutonium; 18. Corporal; 19. The Human League; 20. 14th century (1372), 19th century (1894), 17th Century (1653).

▪ Soprano XL ‐ Pain free Laser Hair Removal. The event included pa ent videos of some of these treatments and live treatment demonstra ons of Dermal Fillers, Skin Peels and the new Dermapen FNS‐ a frac onated micro‐ needling treatment used to improve skin quality and acne scarring. The Clinic offers a range of injectable treatments, skin care, light based treatments and other skin restora on treatments. Simon Lee also emphasised the importance of clinical skill and experience when delivering these treatments and spoke with pride of the experience and exper se of his clinical team; Ensuring that pa ents receive the most honest and educa onal advice. The Clinic offers free of charge ini al consulta ons with the Clinic team. Simon Lee’s Clinic is located in the affluent area of Cli on, at the bo om of Cotham Hill. The Open evening offered such insight in to what individuals can do to help restore and enhance areas of concern.

Deadline for submission of entries for the February 2015 issue ‐ Friday 16th January 2015. Be on me ‐ be in!