The Bristol Eight May 2013

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May 2013

No 51

This Month - Arboreal Advice - Prize Wordsearch - Little White Space - Quiz - Downs Trees - 5 star Book Review - What’s On & Community News - PC Tips

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Freshlookcleaning

The Editors small piece

Commercial Cleaning Specialists Greetings dear reader and a happy May to you. The month of Bank Holidays, warm summer sunshine, the FA Cup Final and, in this household at least, an attempt to climb Snowdon ‐ an ill‐thought‐out teenage plan that we agreed to in a moment of madness. Hopefully there will be no phone signal at the top which will make certain members of the climbing party realise that having your phone or iPad with you at all times isn’t a prerequisite to a fun day out.

If you are reading this and thinking “why on earth aren’t I advertising my business in this cracking little publication” then help is at hand ‐ in terms of a plethora of ways to get in touch.

Telephone 0117 968 7787 / 078425 986650 Email: andy@bcmagazines.co.uk Post: 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY Twitter: @BS9Andy (soon to become @BCMAndy) Right, out of space! Hope you enjoy the magazine.

Andy

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Useful Information & Contacts Gas Emergencies

Electricity Emergencies Water Emergencies Avon & Somerset Police Non‐Emergencies

Crimestoppers

Southmead Hospital Frenchay Hospital

BRI / Children’s Hospital NHS Direct

Bristol Blood Donation The Samaritans

Alcoholics Anonymous ChildLine

National Rail Enquiries Telephone Pref Service Mailing Pref Service

0800 111 999 0800 365 900 0845 600 4 600 101 (new number) 0800 555 111 0117 950 5050 0117 970 1212 0117 923 0000 0845 46 47 0117 988 2040 08457 90 90 90 08457 69 75 55 0800 11 11 08457 48 49 50 0845 070 0707 0845 703 4599

Bristol Dog Warden 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 The Household Waste and Recycling Centre on Kingsweston Lane, Avonmouth for pretty much everything. The Avonmouth centre is now open Summer hours from 8.00am to 6.45pm, 7 days.

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130 Westbury Road, Westbury on Trym,

For all your complementary healthcare needs

Homeopathy for Children and Families – Stephanie Woolley Homeopathy is an ideal way to support your child’s immune system, helping with illnesses they encounter as they grow. It is useful for a wide range of complaints including behavioural issues, colic, teething, coughs, colds, earaches, allergies, skin conditions and breathing difficulties.

Homeopathic medicine is holistic and while treatment by a professional homeopath is recommended, over-thecounter remedies can be used for minor ailments and injuries. Here are some suggestions of useful remedies to use in everyday family life: 

Arnica is a useful remedy for bumps and bruises which are a normal part of an active child’s life.

It takes away the pain and helps with shock and healing 

Rhus-tox is a good choice for sprains and strains especially when the pain is worse when first moving but eases with further movement

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Cantharis is a great remedy for burns, including sunburn seek medical assistance for severe burns)

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Cocculus is useful as a remedy for travel sickness and jet lag, where there is nausea, dizziness and an empty feeling.

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Ledum can be used with puncture wounds, including insect bites, where the affected area is swollen, blue and cold but feels better for cold

TASTER DAY – Saturday 1st June 2013, 2.00‐5.00pm Come and have a taste of complementary therapies. Only £5 for a 20 minute taster.

FREE entry, tea and cake! Please book in advance to secure your place Our website www.chironcentre.co.uk gives full information about each therapy we offer, so please do look us up, give us a call on 0117 962 0008 or email us on info@chironcentre.co.uk

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Quiz Time Can you name…

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the two actors who starred in the 70’s drama “The Persuaders”?

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the profession of Manfred von Richtofen (d. 1918)?

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the most common bird in the UK?

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the tube station between Victoria and Westminster?

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the worlds longest river?

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the world’s longest running stage play?

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the highest mountain in all of Europe?

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the “home town” of the pork pie?

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the first UK number 1 single this century ?

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the first Briton in space?

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the decade Henry VIII was born?

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the cost of a colour TV licence?

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the capital city of North Korea?

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the only WWII battle to take place “in” South America?

the German pilot who landed in Moscow’s Red Square in 1987?

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what the initials IBM stand for?

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the number of full time students living in Bristol in term time?

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the actress who plays Tracey Beaker?

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the approximate circumference of the Earth?

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the most popular car colour in the UK?

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the alternative name for the aubergine?

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Her Majesty the Queen’s middle names?

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Ed Milliband’s constituency?

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the world’s largest manufacturer of motor vehicles?

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the average house price in Bristol?

Answers on page 44

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In the kitchen - with The Herbs This month’s recipe is inspired by the aristocratic totty from the BBC series of the 60’s “The Herbs” ‐ Lady Rosemary (married to Sir Basil).

Rosemary and garlic bread Ingredients 1 tsp sugar 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing 300ml/10½fl oz warm water 3½ tsp dried yeast 500g/1lb 2oz strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting For the topping 1 garlic bulb 200g/7oz butter, softened 1 small bunch rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method 1.

Place the sugar, oil and warm water into a bowl.

Add the yeast and gently stir to dissolve the

yeast.

2.

Pour the flour into a bowl and make a well in

the centre. Gradually add the yeast mixture to

the flour, mixing it in with your hands until all

the liquid is absorbed. It will be quite lumpy at

this stage. Knead the dough until smooth, then

roll into a ball. Put some oil onto your hands

and roll the ball around to cover it with oil. Place

the oiled ball of dough into a large floured dish.

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5.

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Cover with a cloth or some cling film and leave in a warm (but not hot) place to rise for one hour. The dough should have risen to three times its original size in this time.

While the dough is rising, make the topping.

Preheat the oven to 180C/365F/Gas 4. Place the whole garlic bulb into a sheet of kitchen foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap up the foil around the garlic to create a sealed package and place into the oven to roast for one hour, or until the garlic is cooked and tender.

Remove the garlic from the foil and allow to cool. Transfer to a bowl and add the butter and rosemary. Mash the garlic well and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Rub a pizza pan or baking tray with olive oil.

Roll the dough into one large 2cm/1in thick rectangle. You may bake the loaf like this, or cut the dough into smaller pieces to make individual loaves.

Place the bread onto the oiled pan or tray and prick it all over with a fork. Spread the roasted garlic and butter mixture over the dough, then leave to prove for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 230C/445F/Gas 8. Transfer the dough to the oven and bake for 15‐20 minutes, or until golden‐brown and risen.

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Louise’s tips for an easier life Getting ready for Summer

I recently read an article about Bobbi Brown, founder of Bobbi Brown cosmetics (www.bobbibrown.co.uk) who lives near New York with her husband and three sons. She made some interesting points and here are a few that I’d like to share with you.

She keeps her bedroom as a happy, simple place that she can escape to. An uncluttered refuge. As long as she knows her house is clean and everything is in the right place, then she can get through the day and keep her mind clear too. She admits that in reality this means spending part of every Sunday cleaning out the leftovers and takeaways from the fridge, but she can then start every new week with fresh, healthy food.

She’s also had to get good at saying no to many new projects because she needs so much time and energy for her life as it is. She’s someone who puts her family ahead of work – she already had a small child when she started the company so she had to learn to get her work and home life balance right from the beginning.

I recognise that we are all different and what works for Ms Brown won’t work for everyone, but I think we could all take something from what she says.

The weather has finally warmed up and we can dare to think about summer! The change of the seasons requires a few changes around the house. Maybe stocking the fridge with more fresh and healthy food as local produce comes into season and is available in the shops – asparagus and new potatoes anyone?

This could be the start of a healthier regime as we can finally removed the thick jumpers and just wear shorts and skirts. You might even have booked a holiday in the sun and are contemplating the beach – perhaps even a bikini diet is being thought about?

So it’s time to make sure your winter clothes, coats and shoes are clean and packed away. Now is a good opportunity to take a look at your summer wardrobe and go through all those t‐ shirts, tops and bottoms. With your own critical eye (or with the help of a friend!) decide if each item still fits, is in good condition and if you still like it. With your friend on hand you might even decide to swap a few pieces of clothing and the rest will be gladly received by your local charity shop.

As Bobbi Brown says, if everything in your home is in its rightful place and the fridge is well stocked, you too can get through the day – or should that be the month of May!

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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Planning Applications & Trees Ian Monger of Ian Monger trees writes:“But we’re not felling the tree!” is a common response when a Planning Officer tells a planning applicant they need a tree survey.

Like listed buildings, trees have value to the public. Leafy’ streets are healthier and more pleasant places to live. But it’s in the eye of the beholder, which is why the council applies national and local policy to their decision. The council has a legal duty to consider trees before granting planning permission and will refuse consent if it is concerned about them.

Tree roots don’t grow deeply; most are in the upper metre of soil, and can extend outwards for a distance equal to a tree’s height or more.

Roots need oxygen to live. Squeeze the air out of the soil by using it as a car park, and

roots can suffocate and die. Wash out a cement mixer a few times and the tree can be poisoned. Physical damage to large roots will let in disease and shorten a tree’s life. It can take years for the effects of damage to be seen. People will point to the trees that seem to have survived an onslaught. Some trees do survive. But trees don’t like change, and I’ve seen trees that have kept out of trouble for 200 years killed in a few short weeks for a new extension, and because of a lack of awareness or care.

If a tree survey is needed, it’s needed early on. It says how significant your trees are and what constraints they put on development.

You will need to show the council that your proposal falls outside of something called the ‘Root Protection Area’ – usually the council’s default position, but there may be room for manoeuvre. There could be other factors at play, or engineering tricks you can use, which mean that a tree won’t be harmed, but it’s for you to demonstrate this. The council won’t come and survey your property for you.

To stand the best chance of success your application should detail measures to stop damage being done during the build. Usually this means temporary fencing to keep builders off of the roots, along with a clear ‘Arboricultural Method Statement’ that sets out how things will be done

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Little White Space There is little that I miss about the corporate world I left behind 7 years ago ‐ not the suit, briefcase, security pass, tedious meetings, doing staff appraisals for team members that I’d inherited but would never have chosen, back‐ stabbing, gossip and the two 45 minute drives on the M5 every day. Nope, no regrets turning my back on that.

However…

In many ways putting the BS8 and BS9 magazines together is a very sociable experience, but on occasions it can be quite lonely, sat at home in my office communicating with the world by phone, email, text and tweet. Please don’t feel sorry for me, I love working in my slippers, listening to my music when I want, and popping out to the bank every so often (aka having a coffee). But just occasionally I remember how nice it was having work colleagues around me, being able to kick back and chat , share an idea or ask for an opinion.

And every now and then I’ve wondered if I might benefit from and be more productive “having a little office” in one of those serviced offices you can hire.

So maybe it was meant to be when Suzy and Elise from Little White Space contacted me recently, enquiring about advertising their new venture in the BS8 (where they are based) and BS9 magazines. Their press release stated that:‐

“Little White Space is a brand new, contemporary workspace in Bristol offering space to hire for product launches, exhibitions, galleries and retail marketing events as well as meeting, training and desk space within shared offices. Located in Clifton village, voted “the most beautiful shopping

quarter in Bristol”; Little White Space has desk space available on the first floor which can be rented by the day, week or month; offering a bright and friendly business environment with access to wireless broadband, power, catering point, space for meetings and the opportunity to network with like‐minded professionals.”

“Can I come and meet you and have a look round?” I asked, “Absolutely, and bring a laptop and join us for the day, we’ve a desk free” was the response. So I did, and discovered that the name and press release pretty much summed it up.

Upstairs is bright, spacious and perfect for people who want a base for a day to work at or from. Two cheery souls were based there on the day of my visit ‐ hi Mike and Tim ‐ who use the office area as their base in Clifton and who were well versed in exploiting the computing, printing and coffee‐ making facilities to the full. I just plugged myself in, connected up to the wireless connection and cracked on with a very productive day.

Downstairs is a “little white space” available to hire for anything from a day up to a month for promotional events ‐ Art Gallery, Training Days, Meetings, Product Launches, Pop up Shops etc.

Their official opening is imminent and I’m sure LWS will become a hugely popular venue and well ‐used workspace in the heart of Clifton.

Would it work for me? I have no doubt it will ‐ my Thursday there felt in some ways like a day out,

19 albeit a productive one ‐ and one I plan to repeat, as it is incredibly reasonable to hire your own little space. Having an occasional “base” in BS8 will help me connect with the area more and I hope the results of that will come through in future BS8 magazines.

Pantry (recommended by Elise and Suzy) which was excellent (scrambled egg and chorizo on sourdough toast ‐ mmm mmm). And secondly there is one of Bristol’s permanent ping‐pong tables right outside Little White Space. Might have to pop a bat into my laptop bag, just in case.

Rates Hot Desks ‐ from £20/day Workstations ‐ from £30/day Offices ‐ from £50/day Shop Front ‐ from £250/day Excellent discounts on multiple days/weeks/months Enquiries For further information or to make a booking, please contact Suzy or Elise on 0117 381 2012 or via email at suzy@littlewhitespace.com or elise@littlewhitespace.com

There are a couple of downsides I perceive though. Firstly a whole new range of shops to explore (i.e. drink coffee in) ‐ I kicked off in Lahloo 14 Clifton Down Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4AD

Tel: 0117 9428734 Mobile: 07974 711 493

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Nathan’s Garden Diary Welcome back to the garden diary, things really are in full swing now.

Garden maintenance Tie in rambling and climbing roses as near to horizontal as you can. This reduces the flow of auxins in the stems and stops there from being a main leader bud. When this happens new flower buds break further down the stem giving you a better display.

If you have a variegated shrub, keep an eye out for any leaves that have reverted back to plain green. Variegation is, to my knowledge, is achieved by humans. So when a shoot starts returning to it's natural colour, you should follow that stem back to where it is variegated, and neatly cut off the natural stem. If you leave it, you run the risk of the whole plant slowly revert to it's natural colour.

Keep on mowing!

Keep on dead heading daffodils, and tulips. Leave foliage to die down naturally. It may look a bit messy as they do, but it's important that all the food in the leaves goes back into the bulb, as this will give you a good show next year. (A good tip to help stop daffodil blindness is to feed them once a week with tomato fertilizer, like Tomorite,

just after the flowers have faded, until the leaves start to turn yellow.)

Vegetable garden Plant out leek seedlings. Preferably the soil should have been well prepared in the Autumn, but working some well rotted compost into the soil now will be ok.

Sow French beans outside where they are to grow. Erect a decent support, and plant two seeds at the bottom of each upright. When they germinate, weed out the weakest seedling and mulch the remaining plant with well rotted manure, as these are hungry plants!

Keep successional sowings of lettuce going for a constant supply of salad, and sandwich fillers!

Young pea shoots make for a tasty sandwich filler too.

Later on in the month, plant out outdoor tomatoes. Incorporate well rotted manure into the planting holes, backfill, and give them a good soak. Feed every week when fruit starts to set.

Hope you have a great May. I'd love to see some of your garden photos. Why not send me a photo of your garden, or your vegetable patch and I'll add it to the Victory Gardens Facebook page.

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The Downs Recorder A new tree plan for the Downs is being created by the city Tree Department, and it is a good time to look at a few of the most interesting and unusual trees on the Downs. There are in all over seventy different species which have survived from various previous tree plans.

The rarest tree on the Downs is the Cluster Oak, which is one of only about six in the country. It originates from a tree found in the Savernake Forest near Marlborough in the Second World War. It is a natural sport of the Common Oak, which comes true from seed. Essentially the leaves are distorted, and grow very slowly. The original tree still exists, and there are one or two grown from it in Wiltshire. Our tree stands in the triangle outside the Lord Mayor’s House, and is just a small rather dull looking Oak tree, which must have been planted in the 1950s.

Close to it on the same triangle are two more unusual oaks from North America. The Red Oak is very vigorous, and, though young, still dominates in the autumn when its very large leaves turn a brilliant red brown. Nearby is a Scarlet Oak, smaller, and, despite its name, less brilliant in the autumn. In the same area there is a very fine Hornbeam which is part of the great Beech avenue down the Promenade. In a nursery in winter Beech trees and Hornbeam can readily be confused, and this tree was clearly planted in error probably in 1920.

The Coronation Oak just at the top of Bridge Valley Road was planted in 1902 to celebrate the coronation of Edward VII and has become a very fine tree. And while we are talking Oak trees, there is a Sessile Oak, self‐ sown right on the cliff edge on the little path that leads south from the Peregrine Watch point. This oak is very common in the northern Britain, but quite scarce round here. Its acorns grow directly off the shoot instead of on a little stalk.

The oldest tree on the Downs is probably one of the magnificent Common Limes near Clay Pits Road. Lime trees grow more slowly than most deciduous trees, and the measured girth of one of these trees suggests that it is over 200 years old, though there is a Horse Chestnut

near Parry’s Lane, which, alas, has the bleeding canker disease, with a five metre girth implying a similar age.

The large pollard Beech that stands all on its own near the Water Tower is of similar size and age. The ring of evergreen Holm Oaks around the Water Tower were probably put in when the reservoir was completed in 1850 to act as a visual screen.

Ladies Mile and Stoke Road were planted with Wych Elms in about 1880, and they all died from Dutch Elm Disease from 1975 on, all except one, which still stands magnificent close to the junction of Circular Road and Ladies Mile. A couple of years ago it looked a bit sickly, but last year’s rain seems to have enabled it to recover‐ and this year it is covered in flower. The Elms were meant to be replaced by native Small‐leaved Limes, but some of the Limes on Ladies Mile are Large‐leaved Limes, some are Silver Limes and a few I think are Caucasian Limes. In the 1880s, as part of the plans of the Committee for the Improvement of the Downs, the Black Pines were planted along the edge of the Gully, and in a ring to form the Seven Sisters, to celebrate the completion of the filling of a great quarry that extended from Stoke Road to the ring.

I don’t know what the Landscape Design experts on the Council will come up with, but whatever it is it should add to the fascinating glimpses of plans of the past that is part of the joy of the Downs. If you enjoy the Downs, why not become a Friend? Membership is just £10.

Contact Robin Haward robinhaward@blueyonder.co.uk or call 0117 974 3385 for more details.

Richard Bland

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Reading Upside Down The digital world may have its critics but it can be hugely rewarding too in terms of the opportunities it brings, the avenues it opens up.

One such example is in the form of electronic books. Nowadays it is easy and inexpensive via e‐readers to access a world library of books ‐ browse, buy, read then review, all at the touch of a finger. On the production side of the literary world too, digital media has transformed the way books come about, and now anyone can create and retail their memoirs without the need for a book deal or a publisher. Self‐publishing has become a huge force in world of the written world. Putting the power of self‐publicity to the hands of the masses doesn’t however guarantee the production of quality products ‐ just look at YouTube for the evidence! You really have to sort the wheat from a world of chaff.

All of which leads me nicely onto “Reading Upside Down”, a debut novel, written and self‐published

by BS9 author Jo Platt, and one which is firmly planted on the wheat side of the harvesting analogy. It is a beautifully crafted look at those emotions, occasions and events that most readers will have some experience of, relating to love, rejection and social embarrassment. It is in essence a simple book about love ‐ looking for it, finding it, losing it, expressing it and repressing it (and not necessarily in that order) and the humour And awkwardness that goes with the whole romantic thing.

Fluffy? Well … sort of, but Jo has created such a splendid cast of characters, whose actions and conversations are so true to life, so believable, that as well as a thoroughly enjoyable and very funny read, “Reading Upside Down” grabs you in an emotional way as well. The ditsy, the

misunderstood, the effortlessly capable, the embarrassingly dotty, the socially inept, the hopelessly romantic and the just plain hopeless ‐ all these people play a role in the book as Jo’s novel starts calamitously at one wedding and ends eventfully at another.

I met Jo to have a chat with her about the book, and she is as charming and disarmingly “all over the place” as Rosalind, the leading lady in her book. All the characters are based on “bits” of people Jo knows ‐ family, friends and acquaintances, but the book is not autobiographical, which is perhaps as well given some of the cringeworthy moments Ros becomes embroiled in.

Without spoiling the book for you, I read it with a growing hope, but no corresponding conviction, that the outcome would be the one I wanted, so that I could “punch the air” when the female lead got what she wanted/deserved. (If indeed she ever knew what she really wanted) Did she? You’ll have to shell out £1.53 of your hard earned pennies for the book, and download the free kindle app from www.amazon.co.uk, to find out.

Both, I suggest, are very wise investments.

To round off, Jo is a Twitter convert, which brings us nicely back to how much the digital revolution has altered the way we do things, say things, market things and pass opinions on things. I promised Jo a review of “Reading Upside Down” in Tweet form i.e 140 characters max. Here goes.

“RUD. Lovable heroine journeys from one wedding to another wedding via the car crash that is her domestic, work & love life.

Buy it”

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Apps of the Month Two fun but also useful apps for you this month.

Firstly, for fans of Countdown there is an app called “6 Numbers” which pretty much replicates the mental arithmetic part of the show. At each level you will be given a target number that you have to try and reach, and six numbers with which to reach it. Simply (!) combine your numbers with the mathematical processes +, ‐ , x and / to reach the target number. It’s fun, slightly addictive and also a great way of getting youngsters enjoying playing with numbers. “6 Numbers” is free to download for iPhones, iPad and Android.

“Bypost” is a great app that smartphones seem to be designed for. Again it is free across all platforms, as are a couple of similar products, although understandably there is a charge for the service as you are creating a physical product. The app allows you to turn photos taken on your phone into photo‐quality postcards, and then post them from wherever you are to wherever you want. You get to write your message on the back of your chosen image, just like a conventional postcard, then address it, either free text or from your contacts, and “send it off”. This involves you accessing bypost’s payment page where you can set up an account and buy credits. Cards cost between 89p and £1.29 to send depending on how many credits you buy, to post anywhere in the world.

No queuing for stamps, “just snap, tap and send” as the sales blurb says. Brilliant.

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Fran Sawtell is our Care Manager. She has several years experience working within the Health and Social Care environment, particularly supporting young people within their own homes, and is NVQ4 qualified in Health and Social Care. She has worked her way up from Personal Assistant to Registered Care Manager and believes that this has developed her knowledge in seeing the bigger picture in providing an individual, personalised, high quality service in care and support.

As the Care Manager it is Fran’s responsibility to ensure the safe and legal delivery of service to our customers within Bristol. We feel able to achieve this through recruiting staff who are passionate about their work, training and developing staff to be able to fulfil their roles and responsibilities and by building open professional relationships with the team, customers and in a multi agency working environment. Fran aims to provide a flexible service offering the customer the care they need in the home they love.

Bluebird Care Bristol West Redland House 157 Redland Road Bristol BS6 6YE Tel 0117 950 5855 bristolwest@bluebirdcare.co.uk

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Prize Wordsearch - Chickens Chickens. Guaranteed to put a smile on the most hardened of faces. This month they might put a smile on your face as they are the subject of the prize wordsearch. Simple to enter, all you need to do is try and find out which of the chickies listed below is not also hidden in the wordsearch grid (forwards, backwards, up, down, or on a diagonal). Find out the missing fowl, let me know which it is and first out of the magic hat will win a family cket to Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park, near Cheltenham ‐ a great family

day out at the working farm of BBC Countryfile’s favourite farmer. Get your entries in by 31st May please ‐ to 07845 986650 / 0117 968 7787 / 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY / andy@bcmagazines.co.uk or @BCMAndy. Best of luck.

Here then are the feathered friends you are looking for.

Scots Dumpy Dorking

Ixworth

Marsh Daisy

Norfolk Grey Orpington

Rosecombe Sebright

Sussex

Barred Rock

Derby Redcap Sicilian Bu ercup Provencale Bresse Cochin Jersey Giant Australorp Frizzle Legbar Wyando e Marans

Orpington

Wyandotte

Barred Rock

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Computer Corner with Mrs PC Keeping your Internet experience simple (and tidy)

When you switch on the Internet, what is the first thing you see? Is it a useful page for you to be seeing, or do you have to search for the one you want? If you look at your email online, is this the first thing you see? I expect email is something that you want to check frequently, so if you have to search for it, enter your password, and email address, you are working too hard! Do you lose your most frequently visited pages, or forget, or have to write down a list of web addresses and is it sometimes hard for you to find what you most want? If so, you are not alone, but it doesn’t have to be this way!

Each browser (Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari, Firefox etc) will give you a slightly different way of viewing Internet pages. Most of them will allow you to set a “home page”. A home page is the first page that you will see when you open up the Internet. You should choose the website that you visit most often for your home page. You shouldn’t open the Internet and see a page you never use! If you want to learn how to do this‐ Google‐ “How to set a home page using xxxx the browser you are using” and follow the instructions.

On some browsers you can set more than one home page. This is useful, as it means that your most frequently visited pages can be saved and used each time you use the Internet. It might be slightly slower to open 4 pages instead of one, but I think it is worth the wait!

Modern browsers allow you to look at many pages at once‐ the one that fills the screen, and “tabs”‐ or the top section of each page that you have open. You can click on each “tab” to switch between pages. This is useful if you want to compare things easily or multitask. The “tabs” that I set are BBC news, Facebook and a national newspaper. I often set the BBC website for beginners using the Internet for the first time, as it

is such an extensive site. I also include Google, and then anything that students want‐ sometimes shopping, or banking or occasionally horse racing or some other passion! Regular readers of this column will know that I am not a fan of webmail, and don’t like to use it for beginners, but if there is no alternative set up, I also set mail as a page, but I set it so that you never have to type in your email and password to get in.

Most beginners will only need between 3‐5 pages set at first, but once they are fully fledged, they will want to visit more and more sites. This is where saving a list of webpages becomes useful.

On some browsers for example Firefox and Safari, this is called “Bookmarks”. On Internet Explorer, it is called “Favourites”. This allows you to save as many webpages as you want, and you can return to them without ever typing in the address again‐ so it saves a lot of time, and you are guaranteed to arrive at the correct page each time without having to Google it!

Many people know how to save their favourite web pages. Some browsers make it easy. Take a look at the address bar at the top of your browser and have a look at the right hand side. You will see a star. If the star is in outline with a white centre, you have not saved the page you are looking at. If the star is yellow/blue, you are looking at a page that you have already saved. To save a page using the star, just click the star‐ it’s easy to save webpages this way! Unfortunately you have no control of where the computer decides to save your page when you save in this way.

If you don’t take control of what your computer

37 does, you can run into difficulties! Most people’s Favourite / Bookmarked pages tend to a massive long untidy list. This makes it hard to find the right page. The list needs tending every so often as well. You might save a whole pile of pages when researching something in particular, but the pages are not relevant a few months or years later. It pays to do your housekeeping, and delete old and irrelevant pages every so often. Look at your list and right click anything on your list you no longer need, and choose delete.

Problematically, there is also a choice of 2 places where the pages can be saved: The Bookmarks (or Favourites) toolbar or Bookmarks Menu. You can use a combination of both.

The Bookmarks Toolbar will save your website pages just below the address bar of your browser.

Take time to rename them so that you don’t end up with a massive long name when a simpler one will suffice. When you save John Lewis for example, the name that you save would automatically be: “John Lewis | iPads, TVs,

Furniture, Fashion & More”‐ rather long‐winded!

Save your Top 10 here‐ e.g: Banking, Supermarket, Train or air travel, eBay, sports.

You can also make folders on the toolbar menu and store more webpages in each folder.

The Bookmarks Menu saves a long list that you can access by clicking on the Bookmarks Toolbar at the top of your browser, or in Chrome, on the top right hand side of your screen where there are three little lines, and then clicking Bookmarks.

The menu can be kept tidy by making lots of folders to keep webpages in. I have ones labeled: Family, Travel, House, Pets, Hotels, Shopping etc. and each one contains several different sites. You can make as many folders as you like and keep as many pages as you like inside.

If you would like some help with creating order out of chaos on your computer‐ look no further!

People are far more productive in tidy offices, and the same is true of tidy computers… Spring is here ‐ is it time for a Spring Clean of your computer?!

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Dr Christopher Sharples Come and join our friendly surgery We have two surgery sites and you are welcome to use either for your convenience: Sneyd Park Surgery at 8 Rockleaze Avenue, Sneyd Park, BS9 1NG, Tel: 01179683284 and also at Shirehampton Health Centre, Pembroke Road, Shirehampton, BS11 3SB tel: 01173167900 • New pa ents welcome • Easy access to our comprehensive range of services including “on the day” and evening appointments • Female GP available • Online registra on and prescrip on requests • Close to main bus routes • Medico‐legal assessments by arrangement We also have rooms for rent at Sneyd Park Surgery.

Please contact the Prac ce Manager

www.sneydparkshirehamptonsurgery.co.uk tel: 01179683284 or 01173167900

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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 andy@bcmagazines.co.uk.

The deadline for listings in the June magazine is 20th May ‐ any received after that date will be held over until the July 2013 issue.

Wild Girl, Tuesday 28 May, 1pm, Saturday 1 June, 2pm £8 Adults, £6 Children, £30 for family of five.

The Bristol old Vic in association with the Theatre Orchard project presents 'Wild Girl' by John Retallack.

A wild girl appears from the woods Who is she?

Who will decide what is best for her? Or is that up to the wild girl herself? Wild Girl is a play about what a child might do if she had the choice.

Booking is essential. Book on line at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/leigh‐woods or ring 08442 491895. For more information contact Victoria Stanfield at leighwoodsevents@nationaltrust.org.uk

Bristol Zoo Gardens are organising a charity Zumbathon that is taking place on Sunday 12th May. The charity Zumbathon will be a 3 hour Zumba fitness‐ party within the Zoo grounds. Money raised will go to protect the last remaining populations of Madagascar's endangered lemur species. For more information about our charity Zumbathon please visit: www.bristolzoo.org.uk/zumbathon

Vintage Antiques Fair, Saturday 18th May ‐ 10am ‐ 4pm, The Refectory, City of Bristol College, Ashley Down, Bristol, BS7 9BU. Beautiful stalls selling antiques, collectables, vintage clothing and retro items art and handmadecrafts, upcycled furniture Light snacks and refreshments available £1.00 entry (under 16's free). 200 free car parking spaces on site (Glos Country Cricket Ground Car Park).

Quilt Show on August 30th and 31st 2013 10.00am ‐ 4.00pm in The Academy School, Channels Hill, Westbury on Trym, Suppliers, sales, tombola and raffle.

Bristol Brunel Probus Club has been providing a forum since 1993 for retired professional and businessmen to meet and maintain contact. We meet at BAWA, Southmead Rd, once a month to enjoy a good lunch and we also get a great deal of pleasure from a good mix of social events, regular speakers, visits and outings, to which wives and friends are warmly welcomed. We are seeking new members and particularly those who are newly retired. If you are interested and would like more information please telephone Fred Martin on 0117 968 3875.

The Probus Club of Bristol. We are one of the senior Probus Club in this area for semi or retired Professional Business men, who 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 additional there is a substantial programme of social events to which our Ladies are invited to participate. If you are interested in joining our club or would like to come to any of the next events: On 12th June 2013 a visit to Dunster Castle on the Steam Train from Bishops Lydeard, on 23rd June a three course Sunday Lunch at Stonehouse Court Hotel and on 10th July the Bath Canal Boat trip including a buffet lunch, please contact our Membership Secretary Martin Harker on 01275 857324 or E Mail probusbristol@hotmail.co.uk. For more information, including past reports on events and our current programme, visit our web site www.bristolprobus.org.uk

Bristol Mahjong Club meets every Thursday 2 p.m. ‐ 5 p.m. at the King's Arms, Whiteladies Road, Bristol (Top of Blackboy Hill). Experienced players and beginners welcome. British Mahjong Rules. Please contact Lee ‐ Mob: 0790 567 2979 / E.mail: neeliej@hotmail.co.uk

'Don Giovanni' at St Mary Magdalene Church, Stoke Bishop. Tessitoura perform Mozart's darkly comic opera at 7.30pm on Sat 15 June Tickets £15 inc glass of wine from Church Office 0117 968 7449.

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

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What’s On & Community Events players of Grade5+ standard welcomed. Previous experience of orchestral playing is not essential. For more information, please contact the Secretary on (0117) 968 3998.

University of Bristol Botanic Garden special Summer Evening Tour is on Tuesday 11 June 7.00‐8.30pm (Refreshments 6.30pm). The tour presents an excellent opportunity to hear of new developments and learn about plants of seasonal interest. Venue: The Holmes, Stoke Park Road, Stoke Bishop, Bristol BS9 1JG. Admission: £7.50 (including guide and refreshments) Booking required: http://shop.bris.ac.uk Further information: www.bris.ac.uk/botanic‐garden Tel: 0117 331 4906

We have a lot going on in the Old Sneed Park Nature Reserve during the Spring and Summer. After the Bird Walk on Saturday, 4th May, there will be two mini bio‐blitzes, to record as many species as possible living on the reserve in 2 hours. The first is on Tuesday 26th May from 6pm to 8pm and this will meet at the Woodland Trust entrance at the bottom of Bramble Lane. The second is on Saturday, 1st June from 2pm to 4pm, meeting at Glenavon Park entrance. This will try to record as many flora and fauna as possible within different areas of our reserve. These two events will be led by Richard Bland and equipment will be supplied. Both events are free and children are very welcome. Contact Richard if you have any queries on 0117 9681081.

The Bristol Group of the Alpine Garden Society meet once a month in the Methodist Church Hall on Westbury Hill at 7.30pm for talks, plant sales, social occasions and refreshments. Our next meeting is on May 17th when Val Brooks will be talking about Lake Garda and Mt Baldo. A friendly society where new members are welcome ‐ annual subscription or £2 for visitors. For more details please ring Marion Monahan on 0117 950 3422 or email marionmonahan@myguide.net.

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.

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 and Sundays of every month. Those on Thursdays are either medium walks of 5 ‐ 7 miles or short walks of 4 miles. Sunday walks are approximately 8 ‐ 11 miles. A number of social events are held throughout the year. New members are always welcome. For further details please visit our website www.stokelodgeramblers.wordpress.com or ring our Secretary on 0117 968 4140.

Zumba and Zumba Gold classes every Weds 5 ‐ 6pm and 6.30 – 7.30pm in WOT Village Hall. Appropriate for men and women of most ages and fitness levels. No dance experience or partner required ‐ just a love of music, movement and fun! £5 or £20 for 5 sessions. Cash on door. Booking strongly advised due to limited capacity ‐ visit www.bristoldancezumba.co.uk for more details.

Redland Green Bowling Club invites both novices and players to come and play at Redland Green where tuition is available with qualified coaches. FFI please ring Jean or Gerry Wickham on 9624466.

Team members needed. At Bristol Child Contact Centre in Henleaze children of all ages spend time with the parent they no longer live with, in a session supported by our volunteers. Most of the ‘contact parents’ are fathers, so we would especially welcome more men to join us. The volunteer team prepares the hall and toys, serves refreshments, welcomes parents and children, listens non‐judgmentally when needed, and keeps everyone safe and happy. If this appeals to you, and you’d be free to join our Saturday volunteer rota every 4‐6 weeks, do get in touch for further details.

You will get an enhanced DBS (new name for CRB) check, training and support, plus the satisfaction of maintaining a much‐valued service which helps families stay in touch after separation. For more information visit www.bristolchildcontactcentre.org.uk and/or ring Helen Gamsa on 07511 290505.

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What’s On & Community Events Stoke Bishop & Sneyd Park Local History Group are keen to welcome new members and visitors (£2 per meeting) to their programme of meetings. Next meeting is a behind‐the‐scenes visit to the M‐Shed on Weds 15th May. For more details please contact Jenny Weeks on 968 6010.

Stoke Lodge History and Archaeology Group meet on the first Thursday of every month at the Friends Meeting House in Hampton Road at 7.30pm. We have speakers on a varied range of topics, many of which have a strong emphasis on local history. New members are always made very welcome. For further details please contact Annette Martin on 0117 979 3209.

Calling all would‐be bridge players. Would you like to learn to play bridge absolutely free. I am re‐running my "Bridge for Complete Beginners" sessions and would like to hear from you. If you are interested, please contact Terry Stygall Tel. 9091714 , Mob. 07837300073 or by email at tc.stygall@gmail.com .

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, Bristol. FFI please visit www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk, contact Jane Jackson tel. 0117 9246496, mobile 07773 258270, or email jackson.jane@me.com.

New Dimensions meets every month and we have talks on a wide range of esoteric 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 talk will be held on Sunday 19 May 2013 at 3pm. The speaker will be Kathleen Knecht and the title of her talk will be “Bodytalk – Improve your Health in Two Minutes.” ‘Bodytalk’ is a comprehensive health care system which combines the philosophies of many therapies, such as Acupuncture, Chiropractics, Chinese Medicine and Kinesiology. For further information, please telephone 01749 678 834 or write to: leasurs@tiscali.co.uk

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.

Bristol & Clifton Dickens’ Society will meet at Westmoreland Hall, Redland, on Thursday 9th May, 7.30pm, for a dramatised production of Nicholas Nickelby. For more details please contact Eveline Fitt on 0755 2939392 or email eve.fitt@btinternet.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.

Quiz Answers from page 10 1. Nile, 2. The Mousetrap, 3. Mt Elbrus in Russia; 4.

Melton Mowbrey; 5. “Seasons in the Sun, Westlife; 6.

1490’s (1491); 7. Pyongyang; 8. The naval Battle of the River Plate; 9. silver; 10. eggplant; 11. Alexandra Mary; 12. Doncaster North; 13. General Motors; 14. £171,000; 15. Roger Moore & Tony Curtis; 16. fighter pilot; 17. the wren; 18. St James’s Park; 19. Helen Sharman; 20. £145.50; 21. Mathias Rust; 22. International Business Machines; 23. 35,000; 24. Dani Harmer, 25. 24,900 miles.

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