The Bristol Eight - October '14 by Andy Fraser

Oct ‘14 Issue 67

A free community magazine for the residents and businesses of BS8. Delivered each month through 8,000 letterboxes across Hotwells, Cliftonwood, Clifton, Abbots Leigh & Failand

The Editor’s Small Piece Hello there and welcome to the October issue of the magazine. I hope the onset of autumn is a pleasurable experience - it is for me, and I love looking at the changing colours along the Portway and up on Brandon Hill. I’ll be making a bit of a push over the coming months to “up” the content of the magazine, and am delighted this month to welcome new columns from local writers Brian Leith, who “walks Whiteladies” on page 30 and Bruce Fellows, recommending some good reads on page 20. Their contributions sit alongside the existing regular items, prize competition and community events and activities. Fingers crossed fashion and family health will also feature regularly from next month. Anyway, have a great month for now. Cheers, A. E: andy@bcmagazines.co.uk T: 0117 968 7787 / 07845 986650

W. www.bcmagazines.co.uk Tw: @BS9Andy

Opening soon at 68 Whiteladies Road, Cli on, Bristol, BS8 2QA Tel: 0117 4030159 Our friendly, knowledgeable staﬀ are happy to help you select from our range of organic food, supplements, skincare and beauty products. We also have a café and therapy rooms. We are currently recrui ng the following posi ons for our store; store manager, part me store supervisor and sales assistants. We also need a chef and catering assistants for our café. If you are interested in any of these roles, please send your curriculum vitae to a.tanner@handup.co.uk www.handup.co.uk

6 If you are an employer then you will need to prepare for these changes well in advance of your staging date. The rules are too complex to cover in this short ar cle but we are gearing up As a na on we don’t save enough for our to help small businesses through the minefield. re rement and workplace pensions are seen as My firm will be running a series of free seminars a way of ge ng us all to save more. But for employers in the coming months so would this new auto‐enrolment process being rolled like to a end then please just email me out by the Government will have an impact for phil@wilkinsonpartners.co.uk businesses of all sizes. Next month I will look at Cloud accoun ng. If you are an employee then over the coming years you will be auto‐enrolled into a pension Phil Jones is a director of local scheme and will then contribute a percentage of independent tax & accountancy your gross salary into the pension. Your firm, Wilkinson & Partners based employer will also contribute to your pension. on Jacobs Wells Road, BS8. You can choose to opt out of the scheme, but www.wilkinsonpartners.co.uk or your employer cannot force you to do so. call 0117 921 1222. Not all employers are entering into the scheme Helping you take control of your business. at the same me and each employer will receive Are you a small business owner? Come to our a “staging date” which is the date that they Boost! event on 7th October at the UniLit Club, must comply with the changes. For many small Cli on to learn more about becoming an companies this is likely to be between 2015 and employer. Register for free here 2017. boostbristol.wordpress.org.uk

What’s all the fuss about Workplace Pensions?

9Â

The new academic year got off to a fantastic start for Redland High Infants with QEH, with boys joining the Infant School for the first time since 1956. Pupils took advantage of the sunshine at morning break, riding their tricycles, playing with the water ball pit, raiding the fancy dress box and enjoying making new friends. The girls and boys at Redland High Infants with QEH are looking forward to moving into their brand new purpose built classrooms in October. Redland High Infants with QEH offers a co-educational provision for children aged 3 to 7 years old. In Year 3, girls will progress to Redland High Junior School and boys will transfer seamlessly to QEH boys' school. Both schools remain committed to single sex education from Year 3 onwards.

Redland High Infants with QEH Redland Court, Bristol, BS6 7EF 0117 9245796 admissions@redlandhigh.com www.redlandhigh.com Â

10 Prize Wordsearch The theme of the puzzle this month is cars, for no reason whatsoever. And the prize up for grabs is a £20 voucher to be spent on meals and drinks at one of the splendid Lounges that can be found dotted across the city, including Grupo Lounge in Westbury, Deco Lounge in Cotham and Tinto Lounge on Gloucester Road. Listed below are twenty one of our most well known makes of car. Twenty of the names have also been hidden in the wordsearch grid, and these can be found by looking forwards, backwards, up, down or on a diagonal. So see if you can find the missing car manufacturer, let me know who it is and you are in with a chance of winning

the Lounge gift voucher. All correct entries received by 31st October will go into an electronic hat and one winner selected at random. Entries please to 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY, andy@bcmagazines.co.uk or 0117 968 7787 / 07845 986650. Right, here is your list of cars - just find the odd one out. Alfa Romeo Bentley Citroen Dacia Fiat Hyundai Jaguar Kia Land Rover Mazda Nissan Peugeot Renault Seat Skoda Subaru Suzuki Toyota Vauxhall Volkswagen Volvo Thank you to everyone who enters the competition each month. The winner of the August fruit and veg puzzle was Hannah who wins herself a fully loaded cheeseboard. And the winners of the Orpheus Cinema Billy Elliot tickets were Amy Tanner and Emily Mathison. Many thanks to the team at the Orpheus for kindly sponsoring the prize draw.

12 Carers Time is about companionship and bringing people together. It is run by Carers Support Centre, a local charity. It links volunteer companions with family carers and the person they care for so the carer can have a short 2‐3 hour break. Ruth Somerset, Carers Time Co‐ordinator explains. “O en carers aren’t able to take a break and even simple things like ge ng to the shops can become diﬃcult. Carers Time spends me recrui ng the right volunteer as we know how important it is to have someone reliable and friendly you can turn to” Alison thinks Irene is the sweetest chocaholic Alison is a volunteer companion for Irene who has demen a. Irene is cared for by her daughter Helen who gave up work to look a er her elderly mother full me. Helen found that she was ge ng very isolated and depressed and contacted the service so she could get some regular me out. Alison said “It is a pleasure to oﬀer a small amount of me regularly. It gives Helen some me out and it is an absolute joy to sit with her mother Irene, who is the sweetest chocoholic!” Andy and Hazara Singh set the world to rights Andy has worked overseas and visited India and both have lived in the same area in the midlands they spend me talking about Singh’s memories and sharing jokes.

Her weekly sessions give her the flexibility she needs to keep working. Sharan said “Carers Time is an invaluable resource. On the day Andy comes round I don’t get home un l six which is when where I work at closes. Grandad really enjoys Andy coming round and they have formed quite a strong friendship.” Sarah and David always end up cha ng Sarah is a volunteer companion for David, a re red headmaster who has Alzheimers. He is cared for by his wife Merriel. Sarah said “I really enjoy spending me with David. We had planned on watching the football but ended up cha ng all evening instead!”

Merriel is really pleased She said: “I went to play bridge feeling fully confident that they would get on fine. I came back and they were both laughing away.” If you would benefit from a short break or would like to make a diﬀerence by volunteering please contact Ruth Somerset.

0117 958 9908 ruths@carerssupportcentre.org.uk

Singh is cared for by his granddaughter Sharan who is a teacher and works two days a week.

177 Whiteladies Road, Cli on, Bristol, BS8 2RY

Where did the year go? This month the clocks fall back and yet it seems like only weeks ago that we experienced the frenzy of North Bristol’s spring market? Local news? The much debated Residents Parking zones continue to roll out. Clifton Village and Clifton will follow the Cotham North and Redland area which is now up and running. The BS8 restrictions will still go ahead in early 2015. We have a couple of new eateries popping up. One on Whiteladies Road, Bosco Pizzeria and also London’s burger bar, Byron, on the Triangle. The students are back in their droves after the new University year started two weeks ago. Welcome back to all 21,000 of them! Housing news this October? Things have certainly changed in the housing market over the year. The summer months saw things slow down and now we have what feels like an almost ‘perfect’ market. I am loathe to use the word ‘perfect’ but what I mean is that (at time of going to print) certainly in the Sales market, demand is meeting supply and that leaves us with a sensible level market, unlike the one we saw at the beginning of 2014. That said things are very different in the rental sector as strong demand in the Redland area continues to outstrip supply. As always if our Clifton team (a hive of local knowledge) can help you any way with your property needs don’t hesitate to get in touch. Howard Davis, MD Clifton

For Sale £560,000 Clifton

For Sale £330,000 Hotwells

An impressive ground floor period flat with extensive south facing private garden and generous, well presented accommodation.

A mid terraced Victorian house. Three bedrooms, two reception rooms. Benefits from Residents Parking Zone.

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

cli on@cjhole.co.uk

SOLD Clifton

Four storey, architect designed home located very close to the Downs. Three bedrooms and off street parking.

An exceptional, hall floor level Clifton flat ideally located close to Whiteladies Road, the Downs, Clifton village and The Triangle. Grand interior, period features.

To Let £1,400 pcm plus fees Clifton

Let Agreed £715 pcm plus fees Redland

A stunning two double bedroom apartment in the heart of Clifton village. Available 20th October on a furnished basis.

One double bedroom ground floor flat. Garden & allocated parking. V convenient for Whiteladies Road. Newly decorated to high standard.

To Let £1,895 pcm plus fees Bathurst Marina

Let Agreed £1,100 pcm plus fees Clifton

Three bedroom luxury apartment overlooking the water. Listed building converted from grain store. Unique and stunning.

A bright and spacious top floor flat in a quiet residential Clifton road. Two large double bedrooms and period features.

www.cjhole.com Cli on sales 0117 923 8238

16 Mrs PC - Friendly Computer Training

texts, abusive phonecalls, chat rooms or forums, picture messaging and social networking sites.

What are the dangers faced by children online?

Grooming. Some people are not who they say they are! Unfortunately, some adults with a sexual interest in children will use the Internet to communicate with them. Online grooming is when a suspected paedophile behaves in a way that suggests they are trying to contact children for illegal purposes. In the worst case scenario, their online disguise is so good that they then arrange to meet children.

I would like to explore the subject of Internet Safety over the next 2 issues, starting with outlining the dangers, and following this up with some advice and solutions to keep your children safe when they are online or gaming. Children and young people growing up today have never known a world without the Internet and are often a lot more capable than their parents in using technology. Parents can feel anxiety because they sometimes don’t really know what their child is doing online or understand what the dangers are. The way children use the Internet is different from most adults. Their whole lives are arranged online. They talk to their friends, share their thoughts and feelings and empathise with others on social networks, make new friends online, play games and create virtual worlds, organise their social life, post and view videos, and of course, use the Internet for their education – to search and learn about new topics. What risks might a child face? Cyber bullying. This can occur anywhere and anytime, even in the safety of home. The messages can then spiral out of control if they are posted online. Sometimes the sender may unintentionally upset the recipient by not thinking about the consequences of sending the message and acting in haste. It can happen via

Inappropriate websites. Children can accidentally find themselves on unsuitable websites, often by accident and sometimes because they are curious. Losing control over pictures and videos. This can happen if a young person shares an inappropriate photo or video with one friend and they then share it with all theirs, and then it goes viral. Some Apps like Snapchat are used to send photos which then vanish after a few seconds, however they can be captured and saved. The trouble with the Internet is that anything you say or post online is there forever. It is totally unlike human memory, which fades over time. Hacking. This can happen to anyone, and personal information can be stolen, or addresses used for spamming. Viruses. Children do a lot of downloading, and unless they are very careful, they could accidentally allow viruses into the computer. Loss of security. Most smartphone Apps request full access to contacts, and photos and location. Phones come with GPS tracking. In theory this could allow others to track your child. Most schools will teach children and young people how to stay safe, but it is important to educate parents to the dangers as well. It’s a new challenge for parents to face. (continued on page 29)

20 Good Reads - book reviews from Bruce Fellows The nights are drawing in. The Great War still dominates the box. You probably need a novel or two that will entertain but may also make you think a little. Jetting around the world, staying at glitzy hotels, interviewing film stars: what life could be better? Then Max hears a strange knocking in the night. Could it be his doom? But hey, Jack Nicholson knows his name! What is there to worry about? Only that mega-star Johnny Mars has gone off with his girl and try as he might Max can’t fall in love again. Was he worthy of Samantha in the first place? Benjamin Swetkey’s charming Leading Man takes us on a riotous yet ultimately heartbreaking world tour as Max chronicles the lives of the stars in inane magazine features. Is this the way to win Samantha back? Give yourself a treat and find out if he succeeds. Patricia Highsmith never fails. Recently re-published is her excellent sixties’ suspense novel, The Two Faces of January. It’s Athens in winter and Rydal, a young American with father issues helps conman Chester out of a fix, well, a murder actually. Chester’s young wife, Colette, is a beautiful complication and when the inevitable occurs, Chester turns nasty. With her customary magic, Highsmith transforms dangerous rogues into sympathetic

human beings. Surely Rydal’s new father figure won’t remain all bad to the bitter end? Much better known as the master sci-fi writer, Philip K Dick wrote mainstream novels too. The Broken Bubble takes us back to fifties California with a gripping slice of San Francisco life. DJ Jim Briskin loses his job when he refuses to read a commercial for Looney Luke’s used cars. He meets a young couple who are fans and introduces them to his flaky estranged wife. She takes the young husband for a drive and a park and the proverbial hits the whatsit. Funny and quietly tragic, the novel demonstrates how difficult it is to live more or less happily. Also not living happily is Mary Turner, in Doris Lessing’s magnificent The Grass Is Singing, a tale of Southern Rhodesian life in the forties. Brought to live in a tin shack by her farmer husband, Dick, she never comes to terms with her life there, as he has never come to terms with how to make a living from his land. He gets along with his black labour but she cannot manage it, ‘women never can’, a neighbour says and their life together ends in tragedy. If you never have, this novel is quite simply a ‘must read’. In Shani Boianjiu’s recent The People of Forever are Not Afraid we follow the lives of three Israeli women, Lea, Avishag and Yael. They pass notes to alleviate the boredom of school, talk about boys and finally join the army. They train marksmen, guard borders and man checkpoints. In the way of soldiers, they are largely bored and very occasionally terrified. They prepare for events that may never happen but might only be a split second away. This is a riveting novel, written in refreshingly frank and deadpan style one more good autumn read.

26 General Knowledge Quiz Just for fun, here are twenty teasers to test the grey matter. No prizes, just the chance to reassure yourself you have too much nous to audition for a reality TV series. Answers on page 42. 1.

If you suffer from hemophobia what are you fearful of?

What was the exact question on the Scottish Referendum ballot paper?

What are kilderkins and hogsheads?

Where will the 2020 European Football Championships be held?

Who is the current Poet Laureate and who did he/she supersede?

What is the name of the European Space Agency satellite due to land on a passing comet in November?

In which English counties would you find the following castles - Arundel, Corfe, and Leeds?

What is the diameter of a standard Burton’s Wagon Wheel?

Which actress won an Oscar in 1989 for her portrayal of Daisy Werthan in “Driving Miss Daisy”?

10.

If you travelled around the world due east from Bristol which countries would you pass through before returning home?

11.

Name the four founder members of the Social Democratic Party in 1981.

12.

Which is the first element in the periodic table that is not a gas?

13.

What did Thomas Newcomen invent?

14.

Who would your MP be if you lived in a) Cotham, b) Fishponds, and c) Long Ashton?

15.

In which countries would you find the following rivers - the Tigris, the Tiber and the Tallapoosa?

16.

The Windmills of Your Mind, sung by Noel Harrison, was the Oscar winning theme to which classic 1968 film?

17.

What is the national currency of Sweden?

18.

In what way did Tecwen Whittock come to national prominence in 2001?

19.

Name these four animals -

20.

If you multiply the number of members of One Direction by the number of players in an ice hockey team (on the ice in normal play) then deduct this total from the number of pounds sterling (rounded up to the nearest pound) it costs to buy a colour TV licence what number do you end up with?

27Â

D & L Ford Carpet, Vinyl & Laminate Specialists - Mobile Showroom. We have an expert measuring & fitting service with a full range of carpet, vinyl & laminate samples for you to choose in the comfort of your own home. If you would like us to call and give you a free estimate please call on

0117 9663917 or 07944 147485

Bristol NW Foodbank now opera ng in Hotwells Bristol NW Foodbank charity has opened a new outlet at Hope Chapel in Hotwells on Wednesdays. The Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust network of 400+ Foodbanks in the UK. The Foodbank gives out food parcels to families and individuals in crisis. Since March 2011, it has given out 3 days of emergency food to 7750 people, from its outlets in Avonmouth, Lawrence Weston and Henbury. Clients are referred by local care agencies, such as doctors, social services , schools, etc., through the use of a voucher scheme. Debt, sickness, benefit changes and/or delays, unexpected bills, delayed wages and redundancy are common reasons for needing help. Many older people struggle with the choice of whether to ‘heat or eat,’ and every day parents are forced to skip meals so that their children can eat. Client Rachel said, "I have always worked. My hours have been cut recently due to funding cuts, so I can't aﬀord a lot on food. Thanks to the Foodbank for making a diﬀerence to my local area." For info or to support us: email www.bristolnwfoodbank.org.uk Call: 0117 9235343

29 Mrs PC - Friendly Computer Training

(continued from page 16) For those parents who are on Facebook, I would like to ask you to think about how many friends you have, compared to your children. Young people have many more friends than adults because they don’t know everyone that they add to their friendship circle. Sometimes the links are very tenuous. There is competitiveness amongst young people to have many friends. This is not always wise. How many of you know what your children are actually doing online? How many of you have actually played the games that your children play? How many of your young people are online in their rooms with no supervision?

I find it interesting that many parents let their children play games with a certificate higher than their age. Some media include semi nudity, sex, drug taking and violence. There are many resources online to help parents. My aim is not to alarm but simply to raise awareness, but if you are worried, do Google “How to keep children safe online”. I will outline some ideas and solutions to help families with children in my next article.

30 Walking Whiteladies - Brian Leith A regular contributor to the Redland, Cotham & Westbury Park Directory (aka The Bristol Six magazine) local resident Brian Leith has kindly offered to share his musings on this key Bristolian artery with readers of The Bristol Eight. Apologies to eurosceptic readers and fans of UKIP or Nigel Farage. I suggest you skip to the next page for the sake of your blood pressure. I’m an unashamed believer in cultural crossfertilization, so the slow motion transformation of dozy old provincial Bristol into a vibrant European city is, for me, progress. The latest immigrant to Whiteladies Road is the green cross sign at chemist shops – like the one now hanging above the splendid Buxton and Grant near the top of Blackboy Hill. This sign – indicating first aid and medical treatment – is common in many parts of Europe. In France it’s found in a range of styles, from green cross ‘lite’ – a simple cross – right up to green cross ‘ultra’ – an illuminated neon sign incorporating a rotating digital display showing date, time, and temperature. On holiday in France this summer we even spotted a further refinement: an illuminated and flashing sign signifying that the pharmacy is currently open for business.

And it’s useful! Once you get your eye in, you can spot a pharmacy at a thousand yards (ie metres) – very useful for those sunburn emergencies, or that day-after-the-night-before quiche queasiness…

Nobody seems certain where the connection between a green cross and medicine first originated, though I gather that a thousand years ago the green cross was the symbol of the Order of St Lazarus, a medieval brotherhood like the Knights Templar set up during the crusades to fight leprosy. Maybe herbal cures inspired the colour? This derivation seems like a no-brainer, even if the placing of the cross above pharmacies seems to be quite recent. Somehow, I suspect that - like paninis, croissants and lattes – this is another continental invasive destined to take root here. It’s remarkable to think back to the time – not that long ago - when Whiteladies Road was frozen in pre-continental isolation – a black-and-white world where life’s little treats amounted to fish fingers, Dewhurst faggots and a late night Ovaltine. Ah, progress. Who knows what’ll be next? I eagerly await more ‘human statues’ – those colourful street performers dressed up in historical or fantastical costumes who stand so comically still on the shopping streets of cool cities like Barcelona and Berlin, awaiting the generosity of passers-by. They’d certainly be an improvement on our home-grown equivalent, the charity muggers (or ‘chuggers’), who bounce up to you at Clifton Down, full of smiles and false bonhomie, intent on relieving you of a monthly standing order… Maybe we could reverse the cross-pollination and put our chuggers on the next Eurostar to Paris or Brussels? That would certainly help to reduce my blood pressure…

Brian Leith has been walking up and down Whiteladies Road for over 30 years – usually en‐route to and from work (the BBC much of that me). “It’s a microcosm of Bristol – and indeed of the whole UK. All life can be seen here. So these ‘blogs’ are li le glimpses of changing mes in our local community...”. I hope you enjoy them. Feedback always welcome!

Enjoy a clearer view... Do you hate your glasses and contact lenses? Have you considered an alternative solution? For bespoke Laser Eye Surgery and a Consultant Delivered Service contact Bristol Laser Vision at Bristol Eye Hospital.

www.bristollaservision.co.uk 0117 342 1600

Mr Philip Jaycock, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, MB ChB BSc FRCOphth MD

32 Louise’s Tips for an easier life

How was your September – were your pencils sharpened and shoes polished? Last month saw a number of new contacts deciding to seek assistance – some feeling a little overwhelmed and unable to complete the task on their own, whilst others being abroad and unable to do it themselves. To name a few: chasing up a quote for a vehicle repair following a minor collision, research for a forthcoming party (did you know how many mobile ice cream vans there are for hire in Bristol?!), preparing for a temporary to move to America (de-clutter, storage, letting house out, shipping options, what to take), managing a property whilst the owners live abroad, helping to clear out that cupboard that was promised to be sorted but never quite got done....and so the list goes on.

c CLL

P L A S T E R I N G EST 1976 • OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE • INTERIOR & EXTERIOR • QUALITY WORK • COMPETITIVE RATES

CALL: 0117 949 0147 or 07909 937 229 or 07970 596 260 dannymccall2323@hotmail.co.uk

These people have made the decision that they really wanted to make the changes they needed. They were no longer slaves to excuses – “I’m too busy at work”, “I’ve got too many responsibilities right now”. I challenge you this month to list the top 4 changes you want to make over the next 31 days - before the clocks fall back and the days really start shortening. Let’s make the most of these daylight hours! 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

"Don’t be cold, be Cosy" Comprehensive Insulation & Elegant Secondary Glazing We bring traditional properties up to modern standards of insulation whilst preserving their beauty. Our award winning, virtually invisible secondary glazing for opening sash windows is approved for listed buildings and can reduce heat loss from windows by up to 70%. For a free quotation please call 01237 429 826 or visit our website www.cosyhomecompany.co.uk

MOLESWORTHS ‐ THE BBQ SPECIALISTS

Prize winning sausages • Tasty 8 week matured T‐ bones • Gower Salt Marsh Lamb Koftas • Free range Chinese Pork Ribs • Gluten‐free range • Butter lied legs of Gower Lamb • BBQ Boxes and more

101 Henleaze Road, Henleaze ‐ 0117 962 1095 ‐ www.henleazebutchers.co.uk

34 The Downs Recorder - Richard Bland The history and importance of the Water Tower The mediaeval water supply for the City of Bristol was both complex and ingenious, but by the nineteenth century was inadequate for the rapidly expanding city. In 1841 the Merchant Venturers announced a plan to pump water from a spring in the tidal Avon at the bottom of the Gully. They erected a fine pump house on the site that today is occupied by the outfall of the Northern Stormwater Interceptor, opened by the Queen in 1962. They intended to pump the water up to a reservoir on Observatory Hill, inside Clifton camp, and excavated an oval site which destroyed almost all the archaeological evidence that might have existed. In dry conditions the site is still visible. But the reservoir was never built, and the pump house demolished in 1864 to make way for the Port and Pier railway. Instead in 1846 the Bristol Waterworks Company was created, promoted by Dr. William Budd, of Victoria Square, Clifton, who demonstrated that an outbreak of Typhoid in Richmond Terrace in 1847 was spread by contaminated water supplies (until this the standard theory was that diseases spread in the air not in water). The company bought out all the other water suppliers, tapped springs at Barrow Gurney and Harptree, and built an aqueduct that ran by gravity under the Avon to a pumping station in Oakfield Road, Clifton, built in 1848. This pumped water to the reservoir on the Downs from 1850. This system provided ample supplies, which were expanded by the construction of Blagdon Reservoir in 1899, which was linked to the Barrow

treatment works. Chew Lake was added to the system in 1955. The modern tower was built 1954 to improve the pressure of the system. We forget that water in the past was Looking NW from the Water Tower not just needed for domestic consumption. In 1910 there were 18 cattle troughs in the city using four million gallons a year, public conveniences used ten million, but from 1867 water carts were used to minimise the dust on city streets, and by 1910 forty million gallons a year were being used each summer. At that date within the city there were just 35 miles of macadamised highway treated with tar, which, it was said at the time, lessened dust and mud, and might lead to a reduction in the use of water carts. In September 2001 the water main from Barrow under the Avon broke at the bottom of Bridge Valley Road. Luckily the breach simply destroyed the Portway retaining wall - had it gone the other way there would have been a three hundred foot fountain. Luckily too the Bristol system had already also been linked to the Sharpness Canal in the north. This event demonstrated that the basic system set up in the 1860s needed renewal, and the huge works that created traffic chaos in 2013 were a part of the response. 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

(GWAAC4)

Kemps Jewellers Est. 1881

A local family business offering you professional friendly advice. Rings and jewellery, new and old - and a great range of modern secondhand jewellery to complement our existing selection of beautiful traditional second-hand pieces.

The Kemps Christmas Club Make the expense of Christmas easier at Kemps. Place a small deposit on any gift or purchase and then spread the remaining cost up to Christmas. And we also offer complimentary gift wrapping on all purchases.

Do you have any secondhand or scrap gold? Gold prices remain attractive so why not bring it in for a free valuation? Or use your gold exchange to earn 20% more in value when used against any new purchase. Kemps Jewellers & Registered Pawnbrokers 9 Carlton Court, Westbury on Trym

0117 950 50 90 www.kempsjewellers.com

What’s On & Community News Listings for community events, not-for-profit clubs and charitable activities are free of charge. If you have something of this nature that you would like listed please get in touch with Andy Fraser by telephoning 0117 968 7787 or 07845 986650, post details in to 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY or emailing andy@bcmagazines.co.uk (in email or Word format no PDF’s please). All notices must be received by the 12th of the preceding month to guarantee consideration for inclusion. Royal York Gardens Committee presents their 7th Christmas Fayre on the historic promenade of Royal York Crescent. Saturday 6th December from 11 - 3.30. Primarily a fundraising activity for the communal gardens, this annual 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 to add it to your Saturday shopping in Clifton on 6th December, entry is free. 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. Stalls booked before 31st October receive a £5 discount. The Oxfam Bookshop in Clifton Village is holding a selling exhibition of photographic prints of the Clifton Suspension Bridge from 1st of November 2014 until the New Year, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the bridge’s opening. The £7 mounted prints, ideal as Christmas gifts, represent the best images of the bridge from a series of highly popular fundraising exhibitions held at the shop since 2010. The prints include contemporary colour and black-and-white photographs from local photographers Jon Leavins and award-winner Gary Newman, and sepia-toned reproductions of historical photographs. The bookshop is located nearby the Suspension Bridge and is open seven days a week. We hope that the exhibition, showing the many faces of Brunel’s landmark, will help raise funds for the fight against poverty and suffering. Oxfam Clifton Bookshop, 26 Princess Victoria Street, BS8 4BU. The Over 40’s Club is a non-profit making social club. New members always welcome. Our weekly club nights start at 8.30pm every Thursday. We have a varied programme of events ranging from meals out and walks to gliding and badminton. For further information please contact our New Members Secretary Lynn on 07757780201 or visit our website www.bbivc.org.uk

Bristol Cabot Probus Club is for retired and semiretired professional and business men to maintain contact and fellowship with people of similar interests. Meets third Wednesday each month in BAWA Club Southmead Rd, for lunch followed by a speaker on a wide range of interesting subjects. Extensive programme of social events including holidays, day trips, Sunday lunches and skittles to which ladies and friends are welcomed. Contact John Howard-Cairns on 968 3134 for more details. Clifton WI present an evening with Mark Carwardine, zoologist, outspoken conservationist, award-wining writer, TV and radio presenter, wildlife photographer and tour operator. Mark will talk about his fascinating career. 29th October at 7.30pm, at Alma Church, Alma Road, Clifton, BS8 2ES. All welcome, men included, to this evening. Members free, guests £3. For more details please visit www.cliftonwi.co.uk. Civil Service Retirement Fellowship. The Westbury-on -Trym group welcomes all retired Civil Servants and their spouses to their meetings held on the first Thursday of the month at Studland Court, Henleaze Road at 2.00pm, Those people without a civil service background are welcome to join our group as Friends of the Fellowship. For more info phone Beryl Webb on 01454 614 451. The Probus Club of Bristol for semi or retired Professional Business men, meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month at BAWA Southmead Road. At these meetings we have a three course lunch with a speaker. In addition there is a substantial programme of social events to which our Ladies are invited to participate. If you are interested in joining our club, please contact our Membership Secretary Martin Harker on 01275 857324, email probusbristol@hotmail.co.uk or visit www.bristolprobus.org.uk Rotary Club of Bristol – we meet at the Bristol Hotel, Prince Street, Bristol BS1 4QF at 7.00pm for 7.30 pm on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Mondays and at 12.30pm for 1.00 pm on the 2nd and 4th Mondays. Meetings start with a meal and are followed by a speaker. New members are very welcome – for further details visit www.bristolrotary.org or contact our Club Secretary – philfrier1943@hotmail.com. Clifton Rotary Club welcomes new members of all ages and backgrounds - all we ask is that people give 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. To find out more email secretary@cliftonrotary.org.

130 Westbury Road, Westbury on Trym, 0117 962 0008 www.chironcentre.co.uk

For all your complementary healthcare needs

Beliefs So where are our beliefs housed and how are they formed? Our mind is in two parts. Our conscious mind – think of it as the tip of an iceberg, approximately 5% of our total mind power, while the 95% lying below the surface is our sub-conscious mind. Our sub-conscious is responsible for the running of all our body functions, it also holds memories of all our own unique experiences, on which we base our beliefs about ourself and the world around us. Most of our beliefs are formed in childhood, up to the age of 7 our brain doesn’t have the capability to reason so we take in everything we hear as the truth. Our beliefs can be very deep rooted, affecting how we feel about ourself, the way we re-act in different situations, how we react to other people, and what we achieve. When we set goals or intentions we are using our conscious mind, but if we subconsciously hold negative self-beliefs then our larger, stronger, sub-conscious mind may not be in agreement and will stop us achieving our aims. Do you often wonder why some people seem to have ‘all the luck’ – everything goes well for them? Maybe their belief system is in alignment! As Henry Ford once said: - Whether you think you can, or you think you can't - you're right.” How about you – do you think you can, or think you can’t? If you wish to bring your belief system into alignment then contact Joanne Cole or John Crawford to discuss how Inner Child Therapy can help you make the changes of your choice.

To book an appointment with one of our therapists or for further information please contact The Chiron Centre on0117 962 0008 or email info@chironcentre.co.uk

www.chironcentre.co.uk

What’s On & Community News Bristol Brunel Probus Club for retired professional and businessmen meet at BAWA Southmead Rd, once a month to enjoy lunch and a mix of social events, regular speakers, visits and outings, to which wives and friends are warmly welcomed. For more details please ring Fred Martin on 968 3875. Ladies Photography Club. If you enjoy photography, whether a novice or expert, and would like to join a relaxed and informal club based locally then contact Kate Groves - tel. 9625908 The Bristol Philatelic Society meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month in the meeting room of the United Reform Church at the bottom of Blackboy Hill (Whiteladies Road) starting at 7.30 p.m. Contact 0117 956 7853. Don't stay at home all the time - come out and join us! We are the Bristol U3A - a group of lively and interesting people, who run all sorts of groups for enjoyment and friendship, from arts to computers to socials. If you are no longer in full time work and want to make new friends with similar interests, why not come and see what we can offer? Find out more at your local social group: 10.15-12.00 on the third Wednesday and fourth Thursday each month, Browns restaurant, by the museum. Phone Jenny 0117 9043697, www.bristolu3a.org.uk. The Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society: On Monday 27th October at 7.45 pm in the Apostle Room in the basement of Clifton Cathedral, Pembroke Road, Clifton, BS8, Neil Holbrook will speak about “The Roman Countryside in South West Britain” The talk will present some of the early findings from Gloucestershire and set these within their regional context.(www.bgas.org.uk) 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 meeting will be held on Sunday 19 October 2014 at 3pm. The speaker will be John Wadsworth and the title of his talk is “A Journey Around the Zodiac.” John will talk to us about each zodiac sign from a mythical, spiritual and alchemical perspective. This will be a fascinating and enjoyable talk. Come and meet new like-minded friends. For further information, please telephone 01749 678 834 or write to: leasurs@tiscali.co.uk The Railway Children by E Nesbitt - St Alban’s Players

at St Alban’s Church Hall, Bayswater Ave, Westbury Park BS6 7NU on 27, 28 and 29 November at 7.30pm & 3pm matinee on the 29th. Tickets £8; under 16s/ students £5. 0117 924 7266 www.stalbansplayers.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. This year is our 75th anniversary since we were founded, and our forthcoming meetings include: 14th October, the last surviving member of the 617 Squadron, the Dam Busters, Group Captain Johnny Johnson will be talking about his experience, entrance £5; 14th November Gala Dinner (to Commemorate our 75th birthday) at Clifton College with Lord Watson of Richmond CBE as the speaker. Black tie or lounge suits £47.50 to include wine; and 4th December Clifton Suspension Bridge 150 years on. Helen Jeffrey at the Apostle Room of Clifton Cathedral, 7.15 for 7.45. Do come along to any of our meetings, preferably by telephoning the Chairman, Tony Williams on 2393187 or the Secretary, Jenny Haines, on 9628075. An evening of evocative melodies and infectious dances played by Julian Bream Prize winner and Royal Academy of Music graduate Carl Herring. Carl will present highlights from his critically acclaimed albums including masterpieces from Russia, Latin America and Japan. Saturday 25th October at 7.30pm at TrinityHenleaze URC, Waterford Road, Henleaze. Tickets £10 (concessions £7) available on the door Westerly Showband are presently extending a welcome to all adult wind players who have moved, or intend to move, to the greater Bristol area, and who are thinking of joining a band or orchestra. The Band are looking forward to a rapidly approaching concert season and, like all good bands, are on the look-out for new players. Ideally applicants will be of a good standard and have had some brass band, wind band or orchestral experience. If you would like to know more you can look at our website at www.westerlyshowband.com or speak to the Music Director personally on 0117 9561950. Come and join Bristol Phoenix Choir. Rehearsals start at 7.30pm on Tuesday 9th September at St Matthews Church, Kingsdown. Visit our website www.bristolphoenixchoir.org.uk for more information. West Bristol Orchestra. A Chamber Orchestra, playing a wide range of Classical Music arranged for the

What’s On & Community News smaller orchestra, meets at the United Reformed Church, Muller Road on Thursdays 7.15pm.to 9.15pm. Additional String players of Grade5+ standard welcomed. Experience of orchestral playing not essential. For more info please contact the Secretary on 968 3998. REMAP is a registered charity that designs and makes custom aids for the disabled. We are on the lookout for volunteers (engineers, craftsmen, DIY enthusiasts etc) who are willing give up a little of their time to enable a disabled person to enjoy a better quality of life. We design, make or modify equipment to suit their specific needs. Please contact us if you can help - Colin 01275 460288 colin305@gmail.com or Ray 0117 9628729 rwestcott@blueyonder.co.uk Web site www.remapbristol.org.uk More Reading Buddies Wanted Would you enjoy offering reading and language support to children for whom English is a second language? Can you help them improve their reading ability, benefiting both them as individuals and the wider class? Can you commit to giving one hour of reading time a week in term-time? Training is offered, & your enhanced DBS check is paid for by Bristol City Council. You would read with the same children each week and be part of a growing group of over 100 volunteers. For more information please contact Paul Harrod, at paul.harrod@gmail.com, or on 07576 150706 Cards for Good Causes will be running a pop-up multicharity Christmas card shop from 22nd October to 13th December, Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm. We will be at Tyndale Baptist Church, Whiteladies Road, near Clifton Down station and will be selling cards for over 30 national and local charities. Look out for our red banner and Father Christmas signs Get Involved in Netball. The Avon Netball League is well established in Bristol and welcomes all types of players – whether new to netball, taking it up after a few years absence and all the way up to premier division teams that cater for high level players. Independents Netball Club is a friendly team looking to recruit new members, with training on Monday evenings at Red Maids School, Westbury-on-Trym. Please email bristolnetball@hotmail.co.uk for more information. Lip-reading class. An evening lip-reading class to help you cope with your hearing loss runs in Clifton from

6.15pm to 7.45pm every Monday at Redland Park United Reformed Church, Whiteladies Road. Fee is £5 per session. For more details email the tutor, Mary Hall at lipreadingmary@yahoo.com or telephone 07790 283 939. Tai Chi for Health class. Mondays from 10.45am11.45am at GH Health and Fitness, Pembroke House, Pembroke Grove, Clifton BS83DA. Non members and beginners welcome. Sessions £5. For further information contact Sue on 07929 030209, visit www.sueqi.co.uk or just drop in. Quiz Answers from page 27 1. blood; 2. do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?; 3. brewery casks/ units of measure; 4. 13 different countries across Europe; 5. Carol Ann Duffy and Andrew Motion; 6. Rosetta; 7. West Sussex, Dorset and Kent; 8. ; 9. Jessica Tandy; 10. Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan. Mongolia, China and Canada; 11. Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rogers and Shirley Williams; 12. Lithium; 13. the steam engine; 14. Steven Williams, Kerry McCarthy and Dr Liam Fox; 15. Iraq & Turkey, Italy, USA; 16. The Thomas Crown Affair; 17. krona; 18. He was found guilty of conspiring to cheat the makers of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire alongside Charles Ingram; 19. capybara, okapi, aardvark and wombat; 20. 146 - (5 x 6) = 116. Get In Touch - it couldn’t be easier:Telephone: Text / Phone: Email: Post:

0117 968 7787 07845 986650 andy@bcmagazines.co.uk 8 Sandyleaze, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, BS9 3PY Twitter: @BS9Andy

Deadline for inclusion in the November magazine is Tuesday 14th October. 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 adver sers in The Bristol Eight are not necessarily those held by Bristol Community Magazines Ltd. The inclusion of any business or organisa on in this magazine does not imply a recommenda on of it, its aims or its methods. Bristol Community Magazines Ltd cannot be held responsible for informa on disclosed by adver sers, all of which are accepted in good faith. Reasonable eﬀorts are made to ensure the accuracy of the informa on 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 wri en consent of Bristol Community Magazines Ltd.