The Bristol Eight - December 2013

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Dec 2013

No 58

In this issue - Festive Quiz - Apocalypse in Hotwells (a book review) - Christmas wreaths Mrs PC on the latest threat to your computer - Prize Wordsearch - anniversaries on the Downs

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4 The Editor’s Small Piece Hello there and welcome to the last magazine of the year, a festive one which I hope you will enjoy. December is a hectic one with plenty going on around the area ‐ church services, carol concerts school fairs and the like

As the year draws to a close I’d like to say a huge thank you as ever to the people who deliver your Bristol Eight each month ‐ a small team who get the magazine to you whatever the weather (and boy was it wet last month).

So thanks to Paul, Muriel, Tara and John and his team. Thanks also to all the generous local companies and individuals who choose to use the magazine as a method of bringing their businesses to your attention and without who the Bristol Eight wouldn’t exist. And finally a big thank you, and festive best wishes, to all readers ‐ you are hugely supportive and that support is very much appreciated.

And finally just to let you know there is not going to be a February Bristol Eight magazine next year so please bear that in mind when planning your events, activities and advertising. The January issue however should be a bumper one however, so if you were keen to get your business moving in the new year do please get in touch. Advertising starts from as little as £21 + VAT and that will get you through 7,000 letterboxes across Clifton, Cliftonwood, Hotwells, Abbots Leigh and Failand. Do give me a call if you’d like to chat about how the Bristol Eight might help you in 2014. Until then I hope you have as great a Christmas break as possible. Cheers.

Andy To get in touch ‐ T: 0117 968 7787 / 07845 986650 P: 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY E: andy@bcmagazines.co.uk Tw: @BS9Andy W: www.bcmagazines.co.uk

(Front cover ‐ dusk at high tide, Sea Mills)

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6 Useful Information & Contacts Gas Emergencies

Electricity Emergencies Water Emergencies Avon & Somerset Police Non‐Emergencies

Crimestoppers

Southmead Hospital Frenchay Hospital

BRI / Children’s Hospital NHS non emergencies Bristol Blood Donation The Samaritans

Alcoholics Anonymous ChildLine

National Rail Enquiries Telephone Pref Service Mailing Pref Service

Bristol Dog Warden

0800 111 999 0800 365 900 0845 600 4 600 101 (new no.)

0800 555 111 0117 950 5050 0117 970 1212 0117 923 0000 111 (new no.)

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 922 2500

Postal Services

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

Clifton ‐ tel. 903 8572 Redland ‐ tel. 903 8549

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.

Recycling and Household Waste

Household Waste and Recycling Centre on Kingsweston Lane, Avonmouth is now open Winter hours from 8.00am to 4.15pm, 7 days.

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Bob Mole Renewable Energy & Domestic Electrical Services Part P registered

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems Generate electricity for your own use and be paid as part of the government’s ‘Feed In Tariff’.

Generate electricity, export it to the National Grid and be paid.

Electrical Design & Installation Re-wires, partial re-wires, circuit extension & modification. Fuse board upgrades.

Electrical Inspection & Testing

Landlord Certificate, P.A.T. Pre-mortgage surveys.

Henleaze based with references available. All work guaranteed and warranty-backed.

For free estimates and friendly honest advice

contact Bob Mole Tel: 0117 327 0237 Mob: 07946 408 434 E: moler@me.com Visit: www.moler-wwp.co.uk

Registered Number 22793

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10 Computer Corner with Mrs PC Wishing you a Cryptolocker‐free Christmas!

My very best wishes for a very happy Christmas! I sincerely hope that it isn’t spoiled by computer problems! More and more people take advantage of the Christmas break to get online and there is usually a lot of internet traffic at this time with folk shopping, Facebooking or Skyping their loved ones. or catching up on TV shows using iPlayer.

However, a timely warning to all Windows users. There is an extremely nasty virus called Cryptolocker which puts you at great risk, despite any antivirus software you have. It is a new breed of virus, much nastier and cleverer than any seen before and it is brand new. I know of one infection in Bristol already, but there are probably lots more!

The virus usually arrives as an attachment, usually a fake PDF file. If you click on it, it will infect your computer. It is known as a Trojan, and it invades your computer, encrypts all your files: documents, photographs, movies and music etc and you will no longer have access to anything on your computer. Once the infection is complete, there will be a window that tells you that your files have been encrypted and basically holds you to ransom.

You have 72 hours in which to send around $300 in Bitcoins to the makers of the virus, or

your data will be destroyed. If you pay, they send you the encryption key and you get your data back. The makers have made millions! It is possibly just the start of a new wave of viruses, which will be modeled on this one.

There is yet no‐one that can remove and destroy the virus and get your files back. The encryption is so strong.

How to avoid Cryptolocker.

Make sure you keep your computer up to date.

This means your Internet Browser, Java, Adobe, Windows itself and of course your antivirus programme.

Do not click on any suspicious email attachments. The malware can be deployed by hacked and malicious Web sites and exploits outdated browser plugins. Be careful where you browse and what you click on!

Back up your data regularly. I suggest that you back up onto an external hard drive and also to an online backup such as Carbonite. The virus is so nasty that it can encrypt your back ups if they are on your network or connected to your computer when it is infected, so beware!

You have been warned, and I am afraid Mrs PC can’t help you if you get this virus.

On a brighter note, you may wish to take advantage of Nasa’s Santa Tracker website, which starts tracking him down from 1st December.

Happy Computing and stay safe online!

Best wishes, Mrs PC.

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12 Research Participants needed Research participants needed for a new study into online intervention for low mood.

Hi! I'm running an internet research study investigating a new way of helping people who are feeling down, have low mood or are depressed. All contact is via the internet!

Are you interested in participating in this online psychological intervention study for low mood?

Please contact Vick Stephens, Trainee Clinical Psychologist: vs9494@bristol.ac.uk for further information.

The intervention requires people to look at faces and choose whether they look happy or sad, for approximately 15 minutes on 5 days. A similar design was featured on a recent TV episode of Horizon. Participants will also complete 4 surveys. The intervention study is

open to anyone with good English ability from anywhere in the world! (NB. some exclusion criteria apply). Participants can enter a gift voucher raffle to win the equivalent of £10, £15, £20, £30 or £50.

The study is being run in collaboration with the psychology departments at the Universities of Bristol and Exeter in the UK, supervised by Professors Marcus Munafo and Ian Penton‐ Voak. It has received ethical approval from the University of Exeter.

More information can be found on either of the study webpages www.facebook.com/ or www.facebook.com/ happyproject lowmoodstudy

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14 HUSH Hairdressing ‐ Bristol’s Leading A safer alterna ve to chemical hair colour

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HUSH Hairdressing is an organic and mineral‐ based salon that combines a modern, caring approach with the latest skills and organic technology, to achieve stunning, natural looks. The highly experienced team uses only natural, plant‐based products that are ammonia, sulphate and chemical‐free and cer fied organic.

The salon offers a range of services and organic treatments by directors, Glenn Holmes and Mark Andres, and four senior stylists, including organic colour, precision cu ng, permanent straightening and smoothing systems, hair extensions, bridal and occasion hair and nail services.

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HUSH Hairdressing 27‐29 Baldwin Street, Bristol 01179 300 350 info@hushhairbristol.co.uk www.hushhairbristol.co.uk

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Codeword Time with Teazel

Each letter of the alphabet corresponds with a number from 1 to 26, but they are not in order.

You are given three letter/number matches to start with, as shown in the smaller grid below. Insert these letters into the correspondingly numbered squares in the larger codeword grid and you are on your way.

No prizes ‐ answers are on page 44.

If you like the puzzle why not check out Teazel in your app store?

Get more on your mobile & tablet. Search for 'Teazel' in your app store ‐ © Teazel Ltd 2013

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18 Fun Festive Quiz When I was younger we always used to love doing a family quiz on Christmas Day, one from the newspaper I recall, and I still enjoy exercising the grey matter every now and again. For those kindred spirits amongst you here is a little Christmas‐themed puzzle with, I hope, something for all the members of the family. No prizes, just the potential to gain a slightly smug warm feeling (or not, if you are rubbish at quizzes).

9.

Which is the first of Santa Claus’ reindeer when listed alphabetically?

10.

Which British monarch first addressed the nation and Commonwealth on Christmas Day?

11.

What did Spike Jones & His City Slickers want for Christmas in 1947?

12.

The ghost of which former business partner visits Ebenezer Scrooge in his sleep in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol?

1.

Which racecourse plays host to the big Boxing Day King George Vi Steeple Chase?

13.

The Boys of the NYPD Choir are mentioned in which classic Christmas pop song?

2.

“Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League was the Christmas number one in what year?

14.

“Frosty wind made moan” is the second line of which popular Christmas carol?

15.

How many mince pies does the average person in the UK eat over the Christmas period?

16.

Who was Piella Bakewell who made her UK public debut in 2008?

17.

John Eric Bartholomew appeared on our Christmas Day television screens every year from 1969 to 1980 (except 1974) in what guise?

18.

Which Pacific island welcomes Christmas in first because it is in the world’s furthest forward time zone?

19.

Bing Crosby sang ‘White Christmas’ in which film?

20.

Charlie Chaplin died on Christmas Day in what year?

3.

largest by weight?

Somalia, Oman and Yemen are the largest producers of which fragrant festive product?

4.

What are commonly believed to be the names of the three wise men?

5.

Which city donates a Christmas tree to be displayed in Trafalgar Square each year?

6.

Nine what feature in the Twelve Days of Christmas

7.

In what year were most of the unofficial Christmas Day truces held on the WW1 battlefields?

8.

In Delia Smith’s Traditional Christmas Pudding recipe which ingredient is

Answers are on page 44.

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We now have a great range of modern secondhand jewellery to complement our existing selection of beautiful traditional second-hand pieces. Do come in and have a look. Â

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Kemps Jewellers & Registered Pawnbrokers, in the heart of the village 9 Carlton Court, Westbury on Trym 0117 950 50 90 or shop online at www.kempsjewellers.com Â

22 Downs Recorder - Richard Bland Yesteryear

I love anniversaries. They are a chance to pause and recognise the way in which the past not only lives on, but in many ways limits and controls us.

There was an excellent book published recently on Unbuilt Bristol, the schemes that never made it and the different world that we would now inhabit if they had. And an anniversary encourages the ‘what if’ speculation; suppose that Bridge Valley Road had never been built, or the Portway for that matter.

Construction of the Portway ‐ 1923 (photo reproduced with kind permission from Paul Townsend at www.bristolpast.co.uk)

So what can we look forward to next year? Well most significantly of all of course the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Suspension Bridge. The monument was first envisaged in 1754, 260 years ago, by William Vick, who left the money in his will to fund a bridge over the Gorge.

What a vision, what madness, and yet this is now the universal and defining symbol of Bristol.

270 years ago the last two murderers, Burnet and Payne, were hung at the gibbet that stood at the top of Gallows Acre Lane, now pathetically renamed Pembroke Road. The Gibbet stood where now lie the ruins of a water fountain, and a rather stunted Copper Beech. Theirs were such ordinary English names, and brutal as they may have been, it is worth recalling that capital punishment for murder was still the law of this land fifty years ago.

180 years ago the first, and last, dinosaur was found in a quarry on the Downs, and can be seen

in the museum today. It was a thecodontosaurus, and only the fourth dinosaur ever found and its discovery helped the extraordinary process by which our ancestors slowly and reluctantly began to realise that the world had not been created in 4004 BC, but was millions, hundreds of millions, years old. What fundamental a change in mind‐set there has been in the brief span since its discovery.

90 years ago sheep grazing ceased, though its formal abolition came two years later. And still the water trough, hewn out of a single block of pennant sandstone dragged up from the valley of the Frome, sits on the grass by Ivywell Road, a memorial to the thousands of sheep down ten centuries whose ceaseless nibbling gave the Downs their form and botanical structure. The end of grazing was an ecological disaster, changing the plant life of the Downs fundamentally because mowers could never do what the sheep had done, keeping the turf short, but enabling the creation of a unique assemblage of limestone loving plants.

70 years ago much of the Downs was a vast tank park and repair depot churned up beyond apparent repair, covered in nissen huts; And one June day they all vanished. The rest of the Downs surface was scattered with white pyramids of stones put their four years earlier to deter an enemy landing from the sky.

40 years ago the Portway was closed to traffic because of the threat of a huge block of unstable rock at Sea Walls. It was not just closed for a Sunday morning in October, it was closed for the best part of two years. What did we do, however did we get to work? And recall that it was only the opening of the Avon M5 bridge that enabled the closure of the Portway; till then all the M5 traffic trundled Down Rownham Hill and crossed the Cumberland basin. Innocent times.

And on November 26th 2003, just ten years ago, Concorde’s last flight swept majestically over Brunel’s bridge.

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

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The mysterious trusts

world

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By Shelley Faulkner, solicitor with AMD Solicitors Setting up a trust, but why?

Before I began working in the field of private client law, I found it difficult to see why anyone, in the 21st century world of regulation and bureaucracy, would want or need to set up a trust. The concept of giving money away to somebody (or bodies) to hold on behalf of somebody else, seemed to me to be both creating complexity now and potentially storing up costs and trouble for the future.

I now appreciate that there are many situations in which setting up a trust is the logical and sensible decision to take. Here are a couple of examples to show why.

Say you are married for the second time, with children from the first marriage. You understandably want your current spouse to be able to continue living in your home after your death. However you also want your children to eventually receive the funds you have built up in your lifetime; you do not want them to lose out because you have chosen to remarry. The way to achieve this is to set up a trust in your Will.

The trust can provide your wife with a home for life, and your children with the funds on your wife’s death.

Here is a second example of a logical reason for creating a trust. Say you have

Advice Making a Difference

suffered an injury in a car accident and (since the fault was another driver’s) been awarded compensation.

If you simply bank the compensation, the funds will be taken into account if you apply for state benefits, and you may lose out on income as a result. If you set up a ‘personal injury trust’, and put the compensation you have received into the trust, the funds will be ignored in the calculation of most benefits.

Setting up a personal injury trust is not in any way unethical, since the legislation has been set up with the stated aim of allowing those who have received compensation for an injury to preserve it to meet their future needs, by means of setting up a trust.

Funds for children There are many other examples of sensible reasons for setting up a trust. Where money is to be held for children, or for an adult who is suffering from a mental illness, for example, the creation of a trust is vital.

The world of trusts is, contrary to my former belief, in fact very much a practical and indispensable aspect of modern-day life.

For advice on trusts, probate, wills and all private client issues, please contact Shelley and the other members of our team of specialist private client lawyers telephone 0117 9621205 or email probate@amdsolicitors.com or call in at 15 The Mall Clifton or 100 Henleaze Road Henleaze www.amdsolicitors.com Copyright AMD Solicitors

26 Puzzle Walks . . .

Regular readers will know that the magazine occasionally features puzzle walks around the local area, aimed at encouraging people to get up and explore on foot some of the less well‐trod parts of out area.

Now a north Bristol‐based author and illustrator has launched her own new publishing venture on a similar theme ‐ and very nice the results are too.

The Explorewalks UK series is the idea of Clifton resident Julia Killingback. To start the series, Julia has released Clifton and Victorian Clifton, both co‐written with the well‐respected local historian, Michael Pascoe, but she is already working on two more titles – Cliftonwood and Hotwells – due out next Spring.

Each of the guides points out places of historical, architectural, artistic and natural history interest along a circular route, as well as sharing anecdotes about past events and people, stories from legend, fun facts and a page‐by‐page quiz devised with families in mind. In addition, the books are packed with illustrations, including original drawings and photographs by Julia, old paintings, archive documents and clear route maps that

offer shorter or flatter alternatives for those with less time or stamina.

Julia says: “The idea of the Explorewalks UK books is to show and share interesting details of all the lovely features we tend to miss when we just hurry by, and to make the walks enjoyable for all interests and ages through the use of stories, pictures, pointers to the unusual and the ‘I Spy’ style quizzes. They are also designed to appeal to ‘armchair walkers’ and to serve as colourful souvenirs of Bristol, too.”

Many local volunteers helped Julia to test out the maps and directions and all reported back on how much they enjoyed their new discoveries. Bristol’s Mayor, George Ferguson, has also endorsed the series, saying he hopes they will encourage more residents and visitors to leave their cars behind and explore the city on foot.

The guides are available from many local shops, information outlets and tourist attractions, including Stanfords bookshop, Destination Bristol at Harbourside and Bristol City Art Gallery and Museum, Queens Road. Copies can also be ordered online from www.tangentbooks.co.uk.

The books are priced at £7.99p each and the price includes a donation to the Wallace and Gromit Grand Appeal for Bristol Children’s Hospital.

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28 Louise’s tips for an easier life Louise England’s 12 Days of Christmas!

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Louise England gave to me….

12 Carpets cleaned

11 Errands executed

10 Tidy wardrobes

9 Offices organised

8 Birthday parties

7 House moves

6 Decorators deployed

5 Charity shop collections

4 Cleared cupboards

3 Hours of help

2 In‐trays filed

And a clutter clearing session for me!

Just a reminder that gift vouchers are available and they make an ideal Christmas present. From just £25 you can give the present of a professional organiser/de‐ clutterer for the day. To purchase please send me an email or give me a call, and I will send the gift certificate by post.

So how are your preparations coming along?

I know some of you are doing well as you’ve got in touch and I’ve been able to take away some of your stress. But for those of you who are in a bit of a head spin – most importantly don’t panic! Take a deep breath, and as I mentioned in my article last month, it’s all in the planning, so find a piece of paper and a

pen.

Make a masterplan with the headings of What, Who (delegate, delegate, delegate) and When so you can fill in the ingredients of your Christmas and feel calmer. So much can be done in advance e.g. buy non‐perishables early, dig out your decorations, clean out your fridge, freezer and food cupboards to make room for what’s to come. Cross off any chores on the list that aren’t strictly necessary.

There’s no need to make Christmas a chore – people start complaining about it months in advance – if you start off with a negative attitude, you can guarantee it won’t be a happy event. Just remember, the secret to a perfect Christmas is to forget about trying to make it perfect in the first place – get it into perspective, make it as special as you can, but set boundaries.

It’s not about how much you spend or how much you do – it really is about being with those you care about, and enjoying that time together.

Merry Christmas!

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.

www.louiseengland.co.uk Mobile: 07780 474256 Email: louise@louiseengland.co.uk Twitter: @L_England

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30 Book Review - No Turning Back If you fancy something dark, thought‐ provoking, tense and local from Father Christmas this year then you could do worse than write to the big man for a copy of ‘No Turning Back’, a post‐apocalyptic page‐turner from local author Andy (AP) Cruickshank.

Set largely in Bristol, and much further afield (don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling it for potential readers) the story is told through the eyes of Michael Green, a pretty average kind of bloke who witnesses, but avoids quite by chance, pretty much every aspect of his life ‐ his home, his social circle and the society he lives in – being destroyed by forces beyond everyone’s control.

He then has to pick his way, mentally, morally and literally, through the rubble of everything that his previous life was based upon, to see where, and indeed if, he would emerge from a living nightmare. A nightmare hard to contemplate, but one which ’No Turning Back’ skilfully makes you think about. It took me a little while to get into the book ‐ I wasn’t initially keen on the first‐person diaristic style and some of the characterisation beyond that of the narrator is a bit thin ‐ but as the story became grimmer and the Bristol‐based settings came to life (no pun intended) the book got a grip of me and in the end I just had to finish it.

With nods, intended or perhaps just in my interpretation, to ‘Lord of the Flies’, ‘War of the Worlds’ and James Herbert’s ‘The Rats’, the depiction of the breakdown of society, and the contrasts between those who fight for their own survival against those who fight for the greater good, is thought provoking and at times unsettling. And the conclusion? Well, let’s just say life on Earth isn’t always a case of “all’s well that ends well”.

Andy Cruickshank’s novel is well worth a read and is available online through Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk) but will also be available in hard copy locally from the author as I believe Andy will be having a stall at the Westbury Christmas Fair on 14th December. I’d suggest this could sit well in many a Christmas stocking.

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Christmas Prize Wordsearch

A festive theme for the prize wordsearch this month, where the prize is a £25 shopping voucher to hit the sales with.

In the list below are twenty three words you would commonly associate with Christmas. All bar one of them are also to be found in the wordsearch grid (in any direction) but one of them is missing. Find the missing word, let me know what it is and you are in with a chance of winning the prize.

Please send you answer in, by New Year’s Day, by post (8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY), email (andy@bcmagazines.co.uk), phone (0117 968 7787), text (07845 986650) or Tweet (@BS9Andy). Best of luck and enjoy the puzzle.

Tinsel Baubles Christmas Tree Holly Ivy Turkey Presents Giving Receiving

Gold

Frankincense Myrrh Manger Baby Jesus Mary Joseph Stable Figgy Pudding Family Love Happiness

Parties Crackers

The correct answer from the November wordsearch was former Chancellor Dennis Healey, and the winners name will be announced next month.

In the meantime the winner from the October competition, who correctly spotted that The Great Escape was the missing film, was Teresa Lambert.

Teresa wins herself a family ticket to The Orpheus.

Congrats Teresa, and thanks the record number of entries. Better luck this month ‐ keep trying.

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Fit for Life Pilates Pilates Matwork Classes at Spin City, Hampton Lane, Cli on Down BS6 6LE, commencing week beginning 6th January 2014

• Monday 8 pm Beginners Pilates • Thursday 9.15 Pilates for New Mums

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Also available, Les Mills Body Balance, a blend of Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates, set to calming and inspiring music. Usually only available in a health club environment, this is a rare opportunity to access Body Balance without paying membership fees

• Tuesday 7 am and Friday 6 pm

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35 The Garden in Winter – By Falkland Li le of Blackberry Gardens

What a miserable sounding ar cle! This is the me of year when perhaps the garden is most forgo en, le to its gloomy shades of grey, green and brown under the leaden sky. A black crow on a leafless branch.

Pa os become slippery.

But fear not! More than any me other me of the year, the winter is when you can see the size, layout and structure of your garden. It is the me to assess its triumphs and its failures, to measure it, plan improvements before the warm weather returns. We can afford to head indoors and inspira on from good gardening books or catalogues.

The ques on to ask is what stage is your garden at? It might be overgrown with evergreen shrubs and brambles, or might be a simple, empty lawn. Measure it and draw a rough sketch. Does it need hacking back and controlling or do you want to install your own design with paths and plants? Keep an eye on the suns progress across the garden on a frosty day. Do you want the sunniest corner for sun loving plants, or for yourself to sit in? Note the coldest corners, where the frost lingers. These shady corners can be great for ferns and bulbs.

Bulbs can s ll be ordered and planted before Christmas, including both Garlic and Tulips. There is an old saying of Garlic 'planted on the shortest day, harvested on the longest' as it requires the cold months of the year to form good bulbs next year.

Plant individual cloves four inches now and each will form a full bulb by midsummer. Ordering Tulips is a good an dote to gloomy winter evenings. I have just spent the evening with a tulip catalogue, a hot bath and a glass of wine. The wine was helpful in making bold colour choices, all of which I will have forgo en by next spring. Plant them up to two mes their depth before the end of the year to ensure flowering.

Let the frost do the work for you in the garden. If you dig over a vegetable or flower bed you can leave it as large clods that will break down during frosty weather. The soil will rake down easily to a fine lth with the effect of the frost. New lawns can be laid as turf throughout the winter in all but the fros est

weather. There is also the me to plant bare root or containerised fruit trees, roses and shrubs. These will slowly establish themselves over the dormant season and should require less watering than those planted during spring me.

Birds are welcome and fes ve visitors to our gardens during the winter. They are a racted to red, orange and yellow berries. If you have any berries on your shrubs such as pyracantha, hawthorn, roses or holly, it is worth leaving these to the birds to feast on rather then pruning them off. The winter is a valuable me to supply seeds and fat balls for the birds. If you do feed the birds then keep it up as they become par ally reliant on the treats. Listen out for the dis nct sound of sparrows which roost communally during winter.

The garden can be a place of cool serenity when the house is in full to burs ng with fes vi es, and an escape route for when the in laws arrive. Store drinks and root vegetables outside the kitchen door to gain gain space in the house. If you are stuck for a Christmas present then a winter flowering shrub can be just the thing. Many winter flowering shrubs are strongly scented as it is too cold for large flowers to be formed. Instead they have evolved scent glands which are exquisite on a sunny, frosty day. The best are Chimonanthus praecox 'Wintersweet' has a spicy scent, Viburnum bodnantense 'New Dawn' is heady when cut and bought into the house. Winter‐ flowering honeysuckle Lonicera fraggran ssima is also excellent and easy to grow.

Lastly ‐ turn off the garden tap to prevent it from bus ng in the frost. Top of the season to you from me and all at Blackberry Gardens

For more informa on please contact us at Blackberry Gardens Visit: www.blackberrygardens.co.uk Call: 0117 904 8780 E‐mail: blackberrygardens@yahoo.co.uk

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130 Westbury Road, Westbury on Trym, 0117 962 0008

For all your complementary healthcare needs

Pilates

Pilates is a body conditioning routine that may help build flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance in the legs, abdominals, arms, hips and back. It is great for postural problems as it helps to strengthen the ‘core’ muscles that stabilise and support the spine. Pilates allows for different exercises to be modified in range of difficulty from beginners to advanced and intensity can be increased over time as the body conditions and adapts to the exercises.

Joseph Pilates observed that when there was a weak or misaligned area in the body a person tends to over compensate another area. Therefore it is crucial to correct the misalignment and re‐ educate the body to prevent further injury.

Benefits of Pilates: ‐ * Improved flexibility * Greater strength and muscle tone * Better posture * Increased bone density * Less incidence of back pain * Mobilises neck and

shoulders reducing stiffness * Boosted immune system * Lowered stress levels * Greater joint mobility * Flatter stomach and trimmer waist

Spine Stretch This is a great stretch for the back and the hamstrings. This stretch will be particularly helpful if you suffer with lower back pain. It is also great if you sit at a desk or do a lot of driving for a living.

1.

Sit up tall on your sitting bones. Your legs are extended about shoulder width apart, and

your feet are flexed.

2.

Inhale and extend your arms out in front of you, shoulder height.

3.

Exhale as you lengthen your spine to curve forward. You are going for a deep C‐Curve.

4.

Allow a deep release in the hips as you keep your shoulders down and reach your fingers

toward your toes.

5.

Inhale and reach a little further as you enjoy the fullness of your stretch.

6.

Exhale and initiate your return by using the lower abdominals to bring the pelvis upright.

Roll up through the spine to sitting.

For more information please call Samantha Cleverly The Chiron Centre, 130 Westbury Road, W‐O‐T, Bristol.

0117 9620008 or 07786 961772

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38 What’s On & Community Events Listings for community events, not for profit clubs and charitable activities are free. If you have something that you would like listed please get in touch with Andy by telephoning on 0117 9687787 or 07845986650 or emailing me your notice, in Word or email format, not in PDF format, to andy@bcmagazines.co.uk (strict maximum sixty words).

Important Listings Notice The deadline for listings in the January magazine is 18th December ‐ any received after that date will be held over until the March 2014 issue as there is no February issue

One‐Off Events ‐ December

Sun. 1st Dec, 1‐4pm. Christmas Fair at Christ Church Primary School in Clifton (BS8 3AW). Stalls selling festive fare inc. Christmas trees, toys, cards & gift‐ wrap, toiletries, jewellery, cakes and books. Santa's Grotto and activities to keep the children occupied, including craft room and face painting. Christmas carols courtesy of the Bristol University Brass Ensemble. £1.00 entry (under 16s free).

Wednesday 4th December from 4pm. Henleaze Christmas Festival will take place on Henleaze Road, Waterford Road, Dublin Crescent and Cardigan Road.

For more details on this great annual event please visit www.henleazechristmasfestivbal.co.uk or see our Facebook page.

Thur 5th Dec. Christmas with Jane Austen and Friends. Acclaimed actress Angela Barlow will bring Jane Austen to life with her talk, Jane Austen and Character: An Actor's View. There will be music, a raffle, seasonal refreshments, and books from the Durdham Down Bookshop. The £5.00 ticket will include a glass of mulled wine and Christmas nibbles.

Tickets available from Henleaze Library, Northumbria Drive BS9 4HP 903‐8541

Sat 7th Dec. Bristol Concert Orchestra offers a concert at St George's Bristol under conductor Stefan Hofkes. The Overture & Polonaise from Rimsky‐Korsakov's Christmas Eve, the first Bristol performance of Britten's Movements for a Clarinet Concerto with soloist Nicholas Shipman, and Rachmaninov's 2nd Symphony. This hour of sensory

indulgence will warm both heart & soul on even the coldest December night. Tickets priced £8‐£15 (concessions £2 discount), children £1 are available online from www.bristolconcertorchestra.org.uk or from St George's Bristol in person or by phone: 0845 40 24 001

Saturday 7th December. Royal York Gardens Committee present their annual Christmas Fayre on the historic promenade of Royal York Crescent. This event in the heart of Clifton Village is becoming increasingly popular with its delightful mix of festive stalls, carol singers, BBQ, mulled wine / cider and more. Make time between 11am and 3pm to include it in your Saturday shopping in Clifton. If you would like a stall at the event please contact the committee either by e‐mail,rycgardencommittee@yahoo.co.uk or calling 07725 109760. Pitch / Stall prices £20 / £25.

Sun. 8th Dec. City Voices Bristol choir perform ‘Great Joy’ – a concert of Christmas cheer at 7pm at St George’s Bristol. Box Office 0845 40 24 001. £1 of every ticket sold, and the retiring collection, will go to our nominated local charity ‘Alive’. Tickets £10, £8 and £6 (£8, £6 and £5 concessions).

Friday 13th December and Saturday 14th December at 7.30pm. Celebrate! ‐ a feast of music and words for Christmas with Bristol Bach Choir. Come and join us at the start of Christmas for an evening of festive music and poetry. Hear new settings of traditional carols together with more familiar offerings such as Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols and Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium. The glorious music is complemented with a varied selection of seasonal readings. We will be performing for two nights at St George’s, Bristol. Tickets cost £10‐20 and are available online at www.bristolbach.org.uk or by phoning 0117 214 0721.

Saturday 14th December there are two Christmas Fairs on the streets of Westbury ‐ from 10am to 1pm around the Stoke Lane shops, and then between 2pm and 6pm in the village centre around Canford Lane and High Street. Father Christmas will be appearing at both events and there will be lots of events, stalls and entertainment for the whole family.

Saturday 14th December 2013 7.30pm. Out There Chamber Choir Christmas Concert, Redland Parish Church, Redland Green Road BS6 7HE. Programme to include: Bruckner, Leonard Cohen, Tavener, Whitacre, Bob Dylan and a selection of classic and Christmas music. In aid of Redland Green Church Hall

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40 What’s On & Community Events £7 (£5 under 18s) tickets available from: admin@outtheremusic.net, 07754 518254 www.outtheremusic.net

Monday 16th December at 7.30pm. Join in the Christmas spirit with Bristol Cabot Choir when they return to Bristol Cathedral for their annual Christmas Concert featuring a selection of traditional and modern carols. The finale will be the wonderful ‘Hallelujah’ chorus from Handel’s Messiah. The concert takes place at Bristol Cathedral, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TJ. Tickets are £14 and £12 (reserved), £10 (unreserved). A £5 student discount is available on all tickets. Tickets can be obtained via tickets@bristolcabotchoir.org or by calling the Choir’s ticket line on 0117 968 6822. Tickets are also available to buy online via the choir’s website www.bristolcabotchoir.org

Regular Monthly Events

Bristol Philatelic Society meet at 7.15p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month at the United Reform Church meeting rooms in Whiteladies Road.

On Thursday, 14th November starting at 2.00 pm there is a Members' meeting when items of interest, queries and new acquisitions are shown. For further information: John Roe 0145 477 6975

Like making Airfix models? The Avon Branch of the International Plastic Modellers Society meets on the third Wednesday of every month at the BAWA club on Southmead Road at 8.00pm. New members are always very welcome. For more information contact Andy White on 0117 3300288 or visit www.ipmsavon.org.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 £3. The aim of the English Speaking Union is to encourage friendship and global understanding through English. Please look at our web site esu.org/ Bristol to see what we have been up to this last year and do come along to any of our meetings, preferably by telephoning the Chairman, Tony Williams on 2393187 or the Secretary, Jenny Haines, on 9628075.

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. Previous experience of orchestral playing is not essential. For more information, please contact the Secretary on (0117) 968 3998.

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 contact the tutor, Mary Hall, by email on lipreadingmary@yahoo.com or telephone 07790 283939.

Back to Netball at Coombe Dingle! Ladies ‐ enjoyed playing Netball at school? Stopped playing and would love to start again? Looking for a new, fun activity? Come and join us every Friday 9:30‐10am at the University Sports Centre, Coombe Dingle. Only £2 a session.

For more info visit www.englandnetball.co.uk/Back‐to‐Netball or contact Sue Anderson on 0787 2407216.

Zumba Gold Class @ Horfield Parish Church Hall every Weds 2pm‐2.45pm (Gold Class) £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 625089.

Zumba Light 5pm/ Zumba Fitness 6.30pm. Westbury ‐on‐Trym village hall. Weds. £5 on door. Just drop in with water and a sense of humour! Phone Marie on 0117 9634104 for more details or visit www.bristoldancezumba.co.uk

Miscellaneous Activities and Notices

Cards for Good Causes Multi‐charity Christmas Card Shop is now open at Tyndale Baptist Church, Whiteladies Road, Clifton. The pop‐up shop is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm until 11th December. Staffed by local volunteers, we sell a fantastic range of cards for 25 national and local charities (Great Western Air Ambulance, St Peter’s Hospice and The Guild of Friends of the Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital). Just follow our red Santa sign on Whiteladies Road, opposite Redland Library, to find us.

Clifton Rotary Club welcomes new members of all ages and backgrounds ‐ all we ask is that people give

41 Gardeners Corner with Cathy Lewis - Christmas Wreaths Create festive, hand‐made wreaths using greenery from your garden

Wreaths and garlands made from natural greenery knock spots off fake shop‐bought ones – they look and smell lovely and are fun to make. All you need are some twigs, garden twine, secateurs, your choice of greenery and a little know‐how.

1 Twist and weave three or four bendy twigs together to make a circle, approx 25cm diameter. Willow, dogwood or the basal shoots from lime trees all work well. Secure the twigs with a few pieces of twine and add a loop at the top for hanging.

2 Now the fun bit … scour your garden and hedgerows for greenery. I use the off‐cuts from Christmas trees together with holly and ivy as the basis of the wreath, as well as evergreen herbs like rosemary and sage to add scent and texture. For a splash of colour, include variegated holly, Viburnum flowers, sprigs of Hebe or whatever else you can find in your garden.

3 Gather together a fat bunch of greenery, putting the colourful stuff at the front and the conifers at the back. Tie it all together with a generous length of twine.

4 Now place the bunch on top of your circle at a slight outwards angle. Tie it in place, but don’t worry if it seems a bit wobbly at this stage.

5 Create another bunch and tie it in place so that it overlaps the first bunch. Work your way around the circle. Finally, fill in any gaps with bits of greenery, snip and tidy as required and secure the loose bits of string on the back.

6 My preference is for 100% organic wreaths although you can jazz yours up with red ribbon, sparkly pine cones or dainty spray‐painted twigs.

The finished wreath – 100% organic and smelling lovely!

Hand‐made wreaths are available to order, price £20. Please phone for details.

Cathy Lewis Dip. PSGD Cathy Lewis Gardens & Design Professional garden design, consultancy and maintenance www.cathylewisgardens.co.uk Tel: 07985 008 585

42 What’s On & Community Events their time, are interested in making new friends, building business contacts, using skills to help others and try new things you would never normally have thought of doing. Please find out more by emailing secretary@cliftonrotary.org.

Do you, or does someone you know, need support following a relationship breakdown? Over the past 20 years Aquila has helped many people learn to cope and rebuild their lives following separation or divorce. If you would like to know more call Sian on 07807 058479, email bristol@hope‐after‐ heartbreak.co.uk or visit www.hope‐after‐ heartbreak.co.uk.

The Bristol Grandparents' Support Group, for grandparents who are going through the trauma of not being able to have contact with your grandchildren, due to family breakdown. We meet every two months at 9, Park Grove, Westbury Park.

Visit www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk for more info or contact Jane Jackson tel. 0117 9246496, mobile 07773 258270, or email jackson.jane@me.com.

The Bristol Eight is published by Bristol Community Magazines Ltd (Co. No. 08448649, registered at 8 Sandyleaze, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, BS9 3PY). The views expressed by contributors or advertisers in The Bristol Eight are not necessarily those held by Bristol Community Magazines Ltd. The inclusion of any business or organisation in this magazine does not imply a recommendation of it, its aims or its methods. Bristol Community Magazines Ltd cannot be held responsible for information disclosed by advertisers, all of which are accepted in good faith. Reasonable efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this magazine but no liability can be accepted for any loss or inconvenience caused as a result of inclusion, error or omission. All content is the copyright of Bristol Community Magazines Ltd and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of Bristol Community Magazines Ltd.

Get In Touch ‐ it couldn’t be easier • Telephone ‐ 0117 968 7787 • Text / Phone ‐ 07845 986650 • Email ‐ andy@bcmagazines.co.uk • Post ‐ 8 Sandyleaze, Westbury on

Trym, Bristol, BS9 3PY • Twitter ‐ @BS9Andy

Quiz Answers from page 18 1. Kempton Park; 2. 1981; 3. Frankincense; 4.Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar; 5. Oslo; 6. nine ladies dancing; 7. 1914; 8. Currants; 9.

Blitzen; 10. George V in 1932; 11. two front teeth; 12. Jacob Marley; 13. Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl; 14. In The Bleak Midwinter; 15. twenty seven; 16. The Bake‐O‐Lite girl in Wallace & Gromits ‘Matter of Loaf and death’; 17. he was Eric Morecambe; 18 . Christmas Island; 19. Holiday Inn; 20. 1977

Codeword Answers from page 16

Get in Touch!

E: andy@bcmagazines.co.uk P: 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY T: 0117 968 7787 M: 07845 986650 Tw: @BS9Andy

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Benefit Concert for Fight For Sight QEH Theatre, Berkeley Place, Cli on, BS8 1JX Friday 7th February at 8pm (doors 7.15pm).

Tickets £14 from mike@westburysurgery.co.uk Tel. 0117 962 3706 www.philbeer.co.uk www.facebook.com/philbeermusic

Phil Beer is one of the most popular ambassadors for acoustic roots music. His impressive track record also includes touring with Mike Oldfield and being a member of the feted Albion Band from 1984‐1991. Show of Hands became a full‐time partnership in the early 90s, a band that has gone on to sell out the Royal Albert Hall three times and who were voted Best Live Act, by the public, at the 2004 Folk Awards.

Fight for Sight has been funding research into blindness and eye disease for more than 40 years. There has been major progress in this time but there is still much more to do.

Currently clinical trials are in progress using gene therapy to prevent progression in an inherited eye condition called choroideremia.

Two patients in Bristol have already had this pioneering treatment and proceeds from this concert will raise much needed funds for this work to continue. This promises to be a wonderful night of music, songs and stories ‐ so please try and come.

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