The Bristol Nine by Andy Fraser

JAN 2013

No 82

In This Issue GWAAC campaign for a new helicopter ~ All aboard the Red Bus Ghost Roads on The Downs ~ Blaise Estate ~ What’s On & Community Events Prize Wordsearch ~ Top tips for an easier life ~ The new look BS9 ~ & more stuff

The Editor says Happy New year one and all, I hope Christmas has been good for you ( I write this on 19th December so no idea how it has gone). So here we are in 2013, and a slightly new look for the magazine in terms of the front cover. I hope you like the new logo, which you can read more about inside. I love it, and think it sits well against the front cover photo that, appropriately for the start of the year, is of dawn over Canford Cemetery. My plans this year include having more balance in the magazine between the written content and the advertising, so it is more readable than some more recent issues. So, needless to say, when my main article fell through yesterday (still awaiting head oﬃce approval) I was a bit miﬀed. C’est la vie, at least it is hopefully one in the bag for February. Fingers crossed you will find plenty more inside to entertain and inform you. Including plenty of community news and events which leads me to make a little plea ‐ if you are planning an event and would like a free listing in the magazine PLEASE let me know as soon as possible ‐ every month I receive a comment about an event in the first week of the month from a reader who wanted to go but received their magazine on the 8th! Most people receive their magazine in the first week but if your listing is in the previous month as well we have all contingencies covered! Finally I hope you enjoy the magazine ‐ please do let me know what you think of the new look. If you want to get in touch here’s the details ‐

Telephone ‐ 0117 968 7787 / 07845 986650 Email ‐ andy@thebristolnine.co.uk Post ‐ 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY Twitter ‐ @BS9Andy Right, time to wrap some presents! Cheers, Andy

Useful Numbers & Information Gas Emergencies 0800 111 999 Electricity Emergencies 0800 365 900 Water Emergencies 0845 600 4 600 Avon & Somerset Police Non‐Emergencies 101 (new number) Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 Southmead Hospital 0117 950 5050 Frenchay Hospital 0117 970 1212 BRI / Children’s Hospital 0117 923 0000 NHS Direct 0845 46 47 Bristol Blood Donation 0117 988 2040 The Samaritans 08457 90 90 90 Alcoholics Anonymous 08457 69 75 55 ChildLine 0800 11 11 National Rail Enquiries 08457 48 49 50 Telephone Pref Service 0845 070 0707 Mailing Pref Service 0845 703 4599 Bristol Care & Repair ‐ home safety checks & handyman 0117 95 4 2222 Postal Services Westbury on Trym Post Oﬃce 9 ‐ 5.30 Mon to Fri, 9 ‐ 4 Sat Henleaze Post Oﬃce 9 ‐ 1 , 2 ‐ 5.30 Mon to Fri, 9 ‐ 12.30 Sat Westbury on Trym Parcel Collection 7 ‐ 1 Mon to Fri, 9 ‐ 12 Sat Late Post ‐ there is a late post box at the main

Post Oﬃce sorting depot on the A38 at Filton. Currently the late post is at 7pm, Local Libraries Henleaze ‐ tel. 903 8541 Mon 9.30 ‐ 7.00, Tues 9.30 ‐ 5.00 Wed 9.30 ‐ 5.00, Thur 9.30 ‐ 5.00 Fri 9.30 ‐ 7.00, Sat 9.30 ‐ 5.00 Westbury on Trym ‐ tel. 903 8552 Mon 9.30 ‐ 5.00, Tues 9.30 ‐ 5.00 Wed 9.30 ‐ 5.00, Thur ‐ closed Fri 9.30 ‐ 7.00, Sat 9.30 ‐ 5.00 Sea Mills ‐ tel. 903 8555 Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat 9.30 ‐ 1.00 , 2.00 ‐ 5.00 Wed ‐ closed, Thur 9.30 ‐ 1.00 , 2.00 ‐ 7.00 Public Transport Visit the excellent Bristol City Council website www.travelbristolorg to plan out your routes in, around or out of the city ‐ whether you are planning to go by bus, train, ferry, air, bike, car or foot. Recycling and Household Waste The Household Waste and Recycling Centre on Kingsweston Lane, Avonmouth for pretty much everything. The Avonmouth centre is now open winter hours from 8.00am to 4.15pm, 7 days a week.

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Computer Corner with Mrs PC When to replace an old computer. I often get calls from people who have computers that are old and running slowly, who need a hand to speed them up. There are always ways of speeding up computers. You can clean them internally or even physically‐ getting the dust out can help! They run better if they don’t have so much to clog them up. You can add extra Ram, or brainpower, or extra storage, however, there comes a point when it isn’t worth the cost of doing this. If it takes 2 hours to clean up your computer, plus the cost of extra parts, you have to question whether it is worth it, or whether the money is better spent on a new model.

Time for an update? There are no rules set in stone about this, and it depends a lot on what you want to be able to do with your computer. If you are only really using email and the Internet, and have plenty of time, and are very patient, an old computer will not be a problem. There may be times when you will have to wait for your computer to start a programme or find the page you want. If you are used to waiting, it really isn’t a problem. You may find that the age of your computer becomes a problem when it is too old to run more modern programmes or cannot open attachments or read documents which have been created on more modern

machines. Older machines don’t have so many USB ports and some don’t have card readers for uploading your photographs. This can make life more diﬃcult, if you need to use a mouse and a printer which plug in to USB and you only have one port! Personally, I prefer not to wait around, and love having a fast and responsive computer that I can multi task with. Modern computers are so much more fun as well, and are designed to be used as music players, TV or DVD players, games machines, phones (using Skype). You can browse the Internet eﬀortlessly and write emails and documents all at the same time as all of the above without any waiting at all. I love showing people how to have more fun with their computers! It is really hard to keep up to date with all the latest computers and laptops. The specifications seem to change and improve almost monthly. It is really hard to define an old computer. If you spoke to a sales assistant in PC world, they might say that the one you bought 6 months ago is now old! As a general rule, I think anything over 3 years old is old, but usable, and anything over 5 is perhaps rather ancient. If you want me to be more technical, anything prior to i3 as a processor is past it’s best. (In other words a Core 2 processor or anything older than this). I have spent a bit of time researching laptops in the last few weeks for my Mum who has been resisting a new laptop, and have found some excellent ones for under £400. I can’t wait for her to see all the benefits of it, and the speed. She is however, not as excited as me, as she fears she may not know how to use it. I will need to find her a Mrs PC to teach her. It’s true what they say, it’s so much harder to teach your own family, even for me!

Allison Bolster Personal Counselling BA, PGCE, MEd, PG Dip Couns, MBACP Have you thought about having personal counselling? You may be worried or depressed about a personal, relationship or work-related issue. Perhaps you are struggling with a deep-seated difficulty that you have carried since childhood. Maybe you are going through a traumatic life event such as bereavement, divorce or illness, and are finding it hard to move forward. Or it could be that you simply can’t work out the root of your problem, but would like help finding out. This is where personal counselling can help. Contact me for more information, or to arrange an initial low cost consultation, on allisonbolster@gmail.com, or on 07799624856. Or visit my website at allisonbbolster.wordpress.com.

Hamilton’s Natural Dry Carpet Cleaning We don’t leave you with a wet carpet. Carpets are DEEP CLEANED, PILE LIFTED and left totally DRY. Toddler and pet safe, non-toxic and environmentally kind. For a no obligation survey and quotation please call Michael on 0117 908 9843 or 07976 060424 michael.hamilton@blueyonder.co.uk www.hamiltonscarpetcleaning.co.uk

Here at Bluebird Care we currently have a number of carer vacancies in North and West Bristol. If you are interested in finding out more, have a valid driving licence and access to a vehicle, please get in touch with Jo on 0117 950 5855 to arrange a me to come in for a chat. We are a rapidly growing care company, and we offer top pay rates, free uniform , ini al and ongoing training. No experience is required for carer posi ons, and e can offer an immediate start Our mission ‐ is to "assist those in care to live as comfortably and securely as possible". We believe we are different from other care companies in the following ways. * We talk about "customers" We remember that we have to be good enough every single day, to deserve the opportunity to provide care to our customers. * We always provide care we would like our family to have. * Our care workers are the lifeblood of our business and we always value them and treat them with respect.

Around the Blaise Estate During the last two months we have been following the visit to Blaise of a keen tree gazer, who is introducing his friend to some of the more interesting trees to be found within a short distance of the museum. We left them walking toward the museum where their attention is now drawn to a magnificent Lebanon Cedar situated at the rear of the building. They look at the huge girth of about 22 feet at 4 feet above ground and speculate as to its age. They think over 200 years. In fact a more factual estimate is 240 years, so it existed well before the house was built in 1795. The Lebanon Cedar was introduced from the Lebanon in about 1640 and can be found throughout the country as a favoured parkland tree. Nearby a young Lebanon Cedar has been planted and the visitors note that it has not yet developed the attractive tabulate shape of the mature tree. In fact, it is not until after about 100 years, that it assumes this attractive and unusual shape. After spending some time admiring this tree their attention is drawn toward the house and another rare tree which is actually growing on the terrace of the Museum. This is a Lucombe Oak which originated in Lucombe’s nursery in Exeter somewhere between 1763 and 1830. It is a hybrid and has about 75% Cork Oak and 25% Turkey Oak. The glossy dark evergreen leaves which the tree retains during winter, fall in the Spring. The two friends are very surprised at the very close proximity of the tree to the House, and speculate that the reason for this is that as a young tree it was allowed to remain in place when the Picture Room was added to the main house in 1832, and has remained ever since. Almost adjacent to the tree is the conservatory. This is a listed building designed by John Nash and now full of shrubs financed by the Friends of Blaise. After admiring these for some time they approach the Dairy Garden. Here again a wonderful surprise is in store. Not one, but two magnificent Ginkgo Biloba trees, probably better known as Maidenhair trees. Here is something completely diﬀerent. Ginkgos were

the dominant form of tree some 200 million years ago before the Conifers and Broad Leaved trees we know today had evolved. The large male tree on the far side of the pond is considered to be one of the first introduced into this country from Japan about 240 years ago. The other a female is adjacent to the fence and is about 100 years old. Each autumn both have a gorgeous butter colour before the leaves drop in December/January. The fruit of the tree has well known medicinal properties.

The two friends know some of the more recent history of the Ginkgo trees, particularly, its miraculous recovery from the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima in 1945, where six trees growing between 1‐2 km from the centre of the blast were among the few living things to survive, whilst almost all other plants and animals in the area were destroyed. The Ginkgos though charred, survived and were soon healthy again and the trees are alive to this day. There are many more interesting trees and areas of the woods they would like to explore and agree to return for another visit. In the Café they see the display financed by the Friends and decide to discover more information on their activities. If after reading this article you would like to learn more about the Friends visit our web site on www.friendsofblaise.co.uk

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Louise’s tips for an easier life New Year, new you, new start, new leaf, new resolutions It’s out with the old and in with the new, new new… I am a firm believer that the beginning of a new year is an excellent time to take stock; to reflect on last year’s events and establish some new resolutions. Last year I used eight sub‐headings to help me focus my thoughts: Friends & Family, Relationships, Health & Fitness, Travel, Education & Self‐Development, Spiritual, Finance and finally House & Home Establishing resolutions I could actually stick to was quite a challenge, so a friend and I sat down to do it together which made the task more fun! We committed our Resolutions to paper ‐ I folded a piece of A4 into eighths (that’s in half, in half again and in half again!) and wrote a heading on each section. We made sure we reviewed it every few months throughout the year ‐ we all know how much easier jobs are when you’ve got a helping hand. It is so rewarding to see how the changes I set out to make have had an impact. Spring cleaning is a high priority in my House & Home section. As William Morris said ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’. Once Christmas has been packed away for another year, I go through each room and scan it. I make a focused eﬀort to remove items that are no longer beautiful or useful, by recycling or taking things to charity when appropriate. Cold, wet afternoons are an ideal time to go through those cupboards and sort

out those piles of paperwork; it really does make you feel so much better to have everything in order, and it will leave you with more time to work on your other Resolutions for 2013. Having a real blitz on jobs like these is immensely satisfying, so set aside the time to get the jobs done. If you can complete a couple of the items on your list each month, in 12 months time you will feel you really have achieved. Here’s to accomplishing what you want in 2013. Happy New Year! 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.

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Westbury-on-Trym £395,000

Stoke Bishop £490,000.

A classic 1930's family home offering stylish extended accommodation and located in this popular road in Westbury-on-Trym and in the Elmlea School. Catchment area. The roomy extended accommodation briefly comprises: Entrance Hall, Sitting Room, Dining Room, Extended Kitchen/Dining Room with dishwasher, oven, induction hob, microwave, fridge and granite worktops, Utility Room, Downstairs Shower Room/ Cloakroom, 4 Bedrooms and good size Bathroom. Outside there are gardens to both front and rear.

A substantial extended detached family home. The well presented and very roomy accommodation briefly comprises: Entrance Hall, Cloakroom, Enormous Sitting/Dining Room with windows on 3 sides overlooking the garden, Family Room and a good size Kitchen/Breakfast Room. Upstairs the spacious theme continues with 4 bedrooms, master with en suite bathroom and a generous family bathroom. Outside the house is approached by remote controlled electronic gates which open onto a good size driveway.

Coombe Dingle £330,000

Stoke Bishop £380,000

A spacious four bedroom detached house with large rear garden situated in a quiet corner of Coombe Dingle with scope for improvement. The house is generally well cared for but would in the fullness of time benefit from cosmetic updating in some areas.There is gas central heating and double glazed windows throughout. The large gardens are laid mostly to lawn with mature borders including a number of fruit trees. There is a greenhouse and timber shed. The garden backs onto the Blaise woodland area. No onward chain.

This spacious and contemporary 4 bedroom family home situated in a cul-de-sac on a private estate in Stoke Bishop. The property comprises; hallway, spacious sitting room, dining/ family area opening to the extended kitchen, downstairs WC, 4 bedrooms, family bathroom and en-suite shower room. Double garage, communal parking and front and rear gardens. The property also benefits from shared access to a private swimming pool, gym, squash court and sun terrace. There is a development service charge of £1200 per annum.

24 This month we are looking for cities, and specifically cities beginning with the letter ‘B’. Listed below are twenty five cities from across the globe. Only twenty four of them however are to be found in the accompanying grid. You know what I want ‐ the name of the one city beginning with ‘B’ that’s not in the grid. First prize out of the hat is a splendid hardback world atlas ‐ worthy of a place in any bookcase. Get your answer to me by 31st January to be in with a chance of winning. Answers please by email to andy@thebristolnine.co.uk , by post to 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY, text to 07845 986650, phone to 0117 9687787 or by Twitter to @BS9Andy. Best of luck. Beijing Bristol Birmingham Baghdad Bangalore Bangkok Berlin Bogota Bratislava Bordeaux Busan Baku Berne Bruges Boston Barcelona Budapest Belgrade Baltimore Beersheba Belfast Benghazi Bergen Bologna Brno

Prize Wordsearch

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Swirls & Curls specialise in crea ng beau ful cupcakes, giant cupcakes and cake pops for any occasion. With a variety of flavours and designs to choose from we’re posi ve you’ll be happy with your cakes. You can view our work at www.swirlsandcurls.co.uk or www.facebook.com/Swirls&Curls For more informa on or to discuss requirements please call Kim in Stoke Bishop on 07881 880707

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28 New Scholarships introduced at QEH Juniors QEH Junior School is now pleased to offer Scholarships to its entrants at Year 3 for the first me in its history. A Scholarship stays with the pupil for the dura on of his four years in the Junior School. Headmaster, Mar n Morris, says: “We a ract some of the brightest and best from the Bristol area to our Junior School and now want to recognise their academic poten al more fully, and in a more tangible way. The Senior School has offered generous Scholarships for many years with great success and, with our established academic record, we are now in a posi on to follow.” Like the Senior School, the Junior School has proved immensely popular in and around Bristol. As well as its academic excellence, the school provides strong pastoral care and high standards in drama, sport and music, as well as in the unique ‘QE Award’ – a junior version of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. A further popular feature of QEH Juniors is that it offers pre‐and a er‐school care

un l 6.00pm. Mr Morris says: “Parents tell me they really welcome a value‐for‐money approach to fees and a service that recognises and accommodates their own busy schedules and careers.” OPEN MORNING for Juniors is on Saturday, 2 February 2013 and starts at 10am. For more informa on or a prospectus visit www.qehbristol.co.uk, e‐mail admissions@qehbristol.co.uk or telephone Mrs Carolyn Ma hews, Admissions Registrar, on 0117 930 3068.

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All aboard at Red Bus It’s always a shame when you see a local shop or building lying empty, especially if it has a bit of character and even more so when it is in the centre of the community ‐ a heart waiting to be nursed back to health. The Forresters Arms in Westbury is one example still awaiting resuscitation. However another former pub has, over the last eighteen months, been transformed from sad shell to a vibrant new business, bringing with it good news for the local community and local families. I remember playing skittles in the Progress when I moved to Bristol in the 1980’s, but following closure in 2010 it has been dramatically reinvented as a social meeting place for a much younger clientele. Red Bus Nursery & Pre‐School, the huge baby of businesswoman and mother Liz Hogarth, sits largely and cheerfully on Westbury Lane in Coombe Dingle. It seems to me to be a big bright beacon of optimism and endeavour, and a facility that brings first class child care to local children, employment to local people and a positive landmark to the immediate area.

The old pub seems to have lent itself perfectly to becoming a children’s nursery ‐ big high ceilinged rooms, loads of natural light from giant windows, room for a substantial garden and external play area, a secure roof garden, parking for staﬀ and parents as well as the former pub kitchen that now allows in‐house catering for the dietary needs of the little ones. Big but homely is how Liz describes the premises and that’s a good description. When the seed of an idea that has become Red Bus was first sown in Liz’s mind, the provision of the best possible child‐care was prominent in her thoughts, having a very little pre‐school daughter of her own.

Wishing to move into the child care and education business rather than extensive commuting to fulfil a corporate lifestyle, Liz looked at many nurseries and pre ‐schools here in her adopted home city, and very quickly formed the view of what excellent pre‐school care meant to her ‐ as well as developing contacts, mentors and friendships that have been invaluable as Red Bus has developed. Working with the Early Years team at Bristol City Council Liz has also studied carefully Bristol demographics and the demand for childcare in the area as a part of her decision to “park the bus” here in BS9. In numbers terms Red Bus is licensed to care for 107 children aged 3 months to 5 years, although in practice this number is unlikely to ever occur as Liz and her team offer huge flexibility in terms of hours that care is provided. That of course requires a large number of staff, many of whom are local and all of whom are highly experienced or being supported through ongoing development. The nursery is split into three age groups ‐ under 2’s, 2– 3’s, and pre‐schoolers aged 3‐4. Under 5’s of course can’t sit tests to allow monitoring of progress, yet knowing how your child is doing is understandably stressful for young parents, especially when it is so easy to compare your child with their friends at those inevitable coffee morning chats. Liz and her team recognise this by providing regular and varied forms of communication to mums and dads, through “daily books”, newsletters and learning diaries that are always accessible, as well as feedback from the child’s assigned key worker. The Red Bus has been picking up passengers for almost a year now, so how is it going I wondered? Certainly the atmosphere when I visited was lovely ‐ happy, busy and with plenty of stimulating activity for the kids. “Five months after opening we received our first Ofsted assessment” Liz told me. “We were given a ‘good’ Ofsted rating across all areas of our operations – a well above average score for a new childcare setting. The nursery staff had been told not to expect more than a ‘satisfactory’ rating being so new but instead were praised for their efforts in reaching a higher standard.” Until grandchildren arrive I don’t think I’ll have need to visit Red Bus again but at least driving past it’s big bright façade, all happy colours and little box hedges, will guarantee to put a smile on my face, just as it does for the many local people in the community it now serves.

34 The leaves have fallen, the grass is too wet to even walk on, there is no colour in the borders, there’s no ge ng away from it – winter is no me to be in the garden. That is where you are wrong!!!!! Now is the perfect me to be busy in the garden. Clearing up leaves, turning them into usable compost for next year, pruning shrubs and trees that have got out of hand (especially this year), aera ng and scarifying the lawn, so that come summer you’ve got a lush green carpet to sunbathe on (hopefully), and repairing or replacing ro en fence panels. It’s also a brilliant me to transplant shrubs, plant new trees and add nutrients to the soil, mushroom compost is a great supply of nutrients and acts as a mulch come spring, keeping those pesky weeds at bay. These jobs can seem like a pain, especially at this me of year. Alongside our long standing Landscaping and Tree Surgery departments, we have just added a Landscape Maintenance department, or Johnny, as he’s known to us! Johnny is specialising in planned garden maintenance, everything from lawn care – aera on, scarifying, feeding and mowing ‐ to pa o cleaning, weeding and shrub trimming.

building an imagina ve garden, pruning a veteran oak tree or simply mowing your lawn and weeding your flower beds once a week.

A quick note on Ash die‐back – Chalara Fraxinea There has been a lot of coverage in the media about this disease, which shows in infected trees with the dying back of the leaves at the ps of the canopy and lesions on stems, with the tree eventually dying. Li le is s ll known about the likely speed of spread past recognised sites at the moment. It is known that it is a wind blown fungal infec on spread via spores produced by infected dead leaves. As such it is a good idea to collect any ash leaves and burn them in a controlled manner ASAP. The disease is known to infect as many as 95% of all ash trees, with some small percentages remaining gene cally resistant. At the me of wri ng (late November) there are no confirmed cases further west than Reading, except for newly planted specimens. However, if you do have any concerns that you may have an infected tree, please do no hesitate to contact us and one of our tree surgeons can iden fy the problem and let you know the correct procedure.

For more informa on please contact us:‐ We can oﬀer either a one oﬀ or seasonal “make over” to give your garden that much needed boost or a regular visit once or twice a week/month. With the ability to do all this and with the back up of the rest of the Blackberry Gardens specialist teams, we can now take care of everything in your garden, be it designing, plan ng and

Visit: www.blackberrygardens.co.uk Call: 0117 904 8780 Email: blackberrygardens@yahoo.co.uk

The Gutter press Window cleaning ‐ a necessary evil and one that I suspect most of us get done regularly by a professional if, for no other reason, because the need for it is so visible. Let me make a guess then ‐ that a very small minority of readers get their gutters cleared, even on an irregular basis, and that this is, again, down to the visibility of the issue ‐ or in this case invisibility. It’s not until you spot one of two typical tell‐tale signs that you realise that there is a problem that needs addressing ‐ either the overflow of the gutter during what are, let’s face it, regular English downpours, or the appearance and steady growth of foliage in your gutter that makes it look as if you are cultivating an environmentally green roof. But it’s not that, it is the steady build up over time of leaves, moss, debris oﬀ roof tiles and flat roofs which forms a blocking mass that eventually prevents the rainwater from flowing to, and into, your downpipes. And a mass that provides a fertile bed for any seeds that get deposited by wind or feather onto your roof and get flushed down, ready to germinate twenty feet up. Having had a roof leak a number of years back, possibly caused by the backing up of rainwater that overflowed into our roof gulley, you’d have thought we’d learned our lesson, but by this autumn we had a blocked central downpipe, some splendid vegetation in our front gutters and debris galore in the ones at the back. Time to get a local man in, we thought, and Marc at Aqua‐Tec was just the guy. As well as running a thriving modern window‐cleaning business Marc also has just the kit needed to sort your gutter blockages out. Stage one is to get up the ladder and remove the immediate blockage by hand ‐ which generated an embarrassing

amount of debris as the photo shows. Stage two is the vacuuming ‐ in which Marc looks for all the world like a pole vaulter taking a Vax for a walk. Comical looking yes, but once we saw the amount of debris that was suctioned out we realised that in terms of building management ignoring your gutters is no laughing matter. And that’s it really ‐ pretty low tech, apart from the before and after digital photographs that Marc can show you to demonstrate how much the job needed doing. A simple job then, if you have the right equipment, but one that is often overlooked and isn’t going to go away until the rainwater of an English winter finds another way to get oﬀ your roof.

The Deputy Lord Mayor writes.. I want to start by saying how lucky I was to be invited to the M Shed for the visit of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. Despite the terribly wet weather, Bristol gave them a wonderful welcome at the end of the Queen’s Jubilee year. Some children from Westbury‐on‐Trym Academy were in the children’s choir – sadly no cameras were allowed so there are no photos. That same evening, the City of Bristol College held their Annual Apprenticeship Awards. It was a night that was organised like the Oscars, and the nominated students, their employers and tutors were all eagerly awaiting the results. It is diﬃcult to list all the faculties in the College and the categories included accounting, financial services, painting & decorating, engineering, business admin, warehousing & storage, beauty therapy, hairdressing, hospitality & catering, transport maintenance and repair. It was my very great pleasure to join in this celebration of skills achieved and I awarded the Apprentice of the Year award to a young lady who is a painter and decorator. Any employers reading this may like to look at the College apprenticeships.

The following evening, as a complete contrast, we attended the Diwali celebration organised by the Panjabi Forum International. Invited by Mohindra Chowdhry, who lives in Stoke Bishop, distinguished guests included Charlotte Leslie MP, Cllr Peter Abraham, and me as Deputy Lord Mayor. After the

meal, Bernice and I tried bhangra dancing which was great fun but so energetic!

I attended two more award ceremonies , one was organised by the Tomorrow’s People’s which was a graduation for completion of a 16 week employability course for disadvantaged young people in the Bristol area. The course helped a small group of people to overcome their personal and social barriers to work and education and to set personal goals. The other was a Celebration of Success Awards for council departments; congratulations to the Henleaze Library team for their nomination for the team of the year award. As the Lord Mayor approached Christmas, he had too many invitations to attend concerts and carol services and some were passed to us. Bernice and I thoroughly enjoyed the Screen Music Spectacular at the Colston Hall with the UWE Singers and Symphony Orchestra – advice for next year: look out for this event and buy tickets. The UWE Carol Service at the Cathedral was just a lovely traditional occasion with a collection for Caring at Christmas. Please forgive me if I mention one more event – the Lady Mayoress’ Christmas At Home at the Mansion House . This year, we attended as ourselves enjoying our fond memories of last Christmas when we had the roles of Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress. We also, once again, enjoyed hearing the choirs of Redmaids’ and QEH schools singing from the balcony and again had the parental pride of seeing our daughter, Lorna, in the choir wearing traditional school uniform.

Apps of the month Two new apps for you this month ‐ one a bit silly and one quite useful, especially at this time of the year. Let’s get the silly out of the way. Now this is a bit of a stab in the dark, if you pardon the pun, as I’ve not tried it in anger yet, but Sleep Talk, a 69p app for iOS and Android, sounds great in theory. Put simply, you set it when you go to bed, it comes on at a predetermined time later, and then it listens to you while you sleep. If you mumble, murmur or talk it triggers its recording function. So when you surface in the morning you should be able to listen to all the conversations you’ve had while in the land of nod. It all sounds good, looks stylish and, if nothing else, incorporates a lovely birdsong wake up alarm. If you do talk you can “share” what you say with other users or via social media links. Could be embarrassing, revealing or just plain fun. I’ll let you know next month. On an arguably more useful note, My Fitness Pal is a great example of a number of apps that may well help those of us trying to lose a little around the waistline now 2013 is here. It’s free to download and is a great way to keep a food diary (or put another way, to record how much you shovel down your neck). My Fitness Pal is a calorie counter and diet tracker. As you enter your meals each day it provides a summary of the nutrients eaten and a calorie breakdown. The app also generates a weekly summary. You can keep a food/exercise diary and track your progress. To make the recording process simple there is a database already with a huge selection of food (from all our main supermarkets) and you can scan a bar code to add a particular item to your list. So if you are on a mission to get a little healthier this app will certainly help you become more aware of what you eat and how you balance diet and exercise.

Constituency Matters Lessons to be learnt for utility companies' communications, says Charlotte Leslie MP “There will be few residents in BS9 who haven't been aware of the work going on to replace our Victorian water pipes in recent months. And there will similarly be few who have not been aﬀected, whether it's as a result of traﬃc jams or work going on outside homes. The work is certainly needed ‐ most people agree with that ‐ but there have been real concerns about the way it has been carried out. Certainly that was the message at a public meeting in Henleaze just before Christmas, at which one resident said the work had left the area 'like the Somme'! I organised the meeting to bring concerned residents face to face with the people responsible for the work, including Bristol Water, the city council and contractors May Gurney.

One lady told the meeting that she had been informed of work beginning imminently, only for nothing to happen for three months! And she only found out information by approaching the team of workmen on site. I was keen to put the companies on the spot to ensure that in the future, we do not have weeks and months of uncertainty and frustration for residents. And with the Wessex Water works about to start, I am sure their representatives at the meeting would have left in no

doubt that they will need to have a strong communications strategy in place. They told the meeting that they were unable to work at the same time as Bristol Water since the trenches were in different parts of the road. There were also representatives from Wessex Water who will be doing sewer works once the water works end in March. What was clear from the articulate views of the residents was that they felt they had not been informed with any clarity about the scope of the work and when their street would be affected. An informal show of hands suggested communications had not been handled well by the companies. I would like to see utility companies ensuring that whole communities find out the right information in a timely manner. They need to utilise magazines like our favourite BS9 as well as the Henleaze website, posters in shops, live online maps showing progress and the setting up of liaison groups with residents. And for local businesses affected, the message from the meeting was loud and clear. Make sure the utility companies know about any hardship you have suffered and there will be an opportunity to claim compensation. Already, 15 firms have made claims against Bristol Water, we were told. I will be watching progress of the remainder of the Bristol Water works very closely as well as the Wessex Water operation. It is imperative that our neighbourhoods are never put in this position again. As a postscript, I'd like to thank Wessex and Bristol water for coming to the meeting and hearing residents' concerns first hand. Only then can improvements be made. Charlo e Leslie MP for Bristol North West Office: 184 Henleaze Road, BS9 4NE T: 0117 962 9427 E: charlo e.leslie.mp@parliament.uk W: www.charlo eleslie.com

It’s that me of year again ‐ full of mince pies, Christmas cakes and boxes of chocolates. It’s hard to resist all the goodies that are on oﬀer. We all know what comes next and that is the New Year full of new resolu ons and a chance to make changes. Making the resolu ons is the easy part ‐ its the s cking to them that most of us have trouble with ‐ sound familiar?

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Odd Views of Bristol Not back by popular demand ‐ but almost. Replacing the “Where in BS9?” puzzle each month from now on will be a familiar Bristolian feature taken from an unusual angle or place. No prizes. Just a bit of fun ‐ with the answer on page 92. You’ll recognise the recently closed landmark , but it’s snapped from where?

Befriending the Elderly Well, Christmas is over and the New Year has been welcomed in with due celebration and festivity. Despite the good intentions, I’m sure many of you will have had one or two more mince pies than you meant to – I know I have! But I expect many have also given a bit more to charity or given an extra present, in the spirit of Christmas. I’d like to see that spirit continue a bit longer. We’re still experiencing short days and long dark evenings. Temperatures are likely to drop. This can be a cold, lonely and depressing time of year for older people living on their own. Many of us make an eﬀort at Christmas to ensure they are included in the festivities and there’s lots going on, but in January and February, it’s a much bleaker picture. So do you know an older person who might be on their own more often than they’d like – someone in your own street? If so, why not drop by and say hello, or invite them round for a cup of tea and a chat. It’s the chatting that’s appreciated, although a good piece of homemade cake usually goes down well! And it’s lovely to have something to look forward to. Years ago I used to invite an old lady, living on her own, round for Sunday lunch but I found the weeks slipped by and I hadn’t been in touch, so I made it a regular monthly event and that worked so much better. Now I’m involved with a national charity, Contact the Elderly, that does just this sort of thing; every third Sunday a tea party is held for a couple of hours for a small group of older people who

see very few people during the week. Volunteer drivers each collect a couple of guests and hostesses take it in turn to entertain. It doesn’t take long for friendships to be made and there’s a lot of laughter, sometimes tears too, but troubles can be shared. It’s also a chance to hear about other local activities or events that may be of interest. Groups are springing up all round Bristol. You may have heard about it from the Christmas Appeal on Radio 4. LinkAge, a Bristol charity, has set up something similar on a more individual basis, a Befriending scheme, where people meet up once a week/fortnight to share a mutual interest, eg playing cards or going for a walk. The latest census figures show that Westbury‐on‐Trym has the largest population of older people in Bristol and Henleaze isn’t far behind. Many live independently in their own homes. Current policy nationally and locally is to support people to be independent rather than go into hospital or care homes; it’s what most people want. However, independence must not mean isolation, and we can all help in our own communities. It’s really just being neighbourly. So, whether you’d like to take the initiative yourself and say more than a cursory ‘Hello’ to an elderly neighbour, or would like to become a Befriender, or a volunteer with Contact the Elderly, make that New Year’s Resolution and get in touch. When just a short phone call makes someone’s day, imagine how much a regular chat and a cup of tea are appreciated! To get involved as a co‐ordinator, hostess or driver for Contact the Elderly, get in touch with our regional co‐ ordinator, Helen Ker on Tel. 0117 960 9606. email: helen.ker@contact‐the‐elderly.org.uk or to become a Befriender, please contact Russell Cowan at LinkAge, telephone. 0117 974 1691 or by email: russellcowan@linkagewestofengland.org.uk. Age UK also run a Befriending scheme “Link Up – Age UK Bristol”. Finally, if you are an older person who would appreciate such visits, don’t hesitate to get in touch with any of the above. They’d love to hear from you! Councillor Glenise Morgan

52 CLIFTON COLLEGE SPORTS CENTRE New Year, New You!!! Clifton College Sports Centre, on Guthrie Road, oﬀers a wide range of sporting facilities for use by members of the public and the New Year is the perfect time for you to join up and get active! The Sports Centre is a well‐established facility, housing a well‐stocked gym, swimming pool, racket courts and outdoor tennis courts, enjoyed by many local people. Chris Watts, manager of the Sports Centre, says “We all know that regular exercise has huge health benefits, as well as helping people relax, lose weight and shape up. We have an excellent gym but even the most motivated of gym‐devotees could benefit from a change of scene from time to time and having a swimming pool gives people that choice”. Our team of professional, on‐site personal trainers will also encourage you to try a range of diﬀerent activities until you find those that best suit your tastes and lifestyle.

campus a short distance away is available for just £12 per session. ▪ Fitness classes – a range of instructor‐led classes are available. See our website http:// www.cliftoncollegeuk.com/ccsl/sport/fitness/classes/ or drop in to the Sports Centre to ask about the latest we have to oﬀer. ▪ Professional Personal Training Service – for those of you who want a more tailored fitness program or need that extra motivation, our dedicated team of personal trainers are available on site at competitive rates. We run a range of flexible membership schemes, including annual, monthly options, individual or family options. Our welcoming Sports Centre reception team would be happy to answer any queries you may have. Alternatively, you can call us on 0117 315 7678 or visit www.Cliftoncollegeuk.com

Here’s what membership of Clifton College Sports Centre has to oﬀer you: ▪ Fitness Facility – this houses top of the range multi‐ gym, cardio and weight‐training equipment and is spacious, airy and welcoming. We now also have the latest in Cardio Theatre to entertain you during your workout. ▪ 25m swimming pool ‐ this is kept at 29 degrees centigrade and is accompanied by well‐equipped changing rooms. We run a programme of ‘Adults Only’ and ‘Open’ swim sessions. Also included in the weekly programme is a Sunday morning fun swim session for children and their families. ▪ Squash, badminton and outdoor tennis courts (tennis April – September only) – these are pre‐bookable and, for those of you who like to play tennis year‐round, our fantastic new indoor ‘Bubble’ at our Abbots Leigh

It’s the New Year and it’s time to find the New you! Clifton College Sport Centre, Guthrie Road, Clifton, BS8 3QX Tel: 0117 3157 678

School Reports Elmlea Junior School’s High 5 Netball Tournament For the second year Elmlea Junior School hosted two very successful High 5 Netball Tournaments for eight of our local primary schools. Both of the tournaments took place at the Bristol University Indoor Sports Centre, Tyndall Avenue. The Yr 3 / Yr 4 tournament took place on Friday 9th November. The children became more confident with each game played and their abilities and enjoyment then came to the fore. All the children picked up quickly the tactics of the competitive game and improved their passing, intercepting and shooting. For some of the children this was their first experience of a netball tournament, but the encouragement from their teachers and parents meant they really enjoyed the challenge and experience. St Bonaventure’s and Torwood House again both proved strong competitors.. A close fought match that ended in victory by 4 goals to 3 in favour of Torwood House meant that Torwood House retained the trophy they had won last year.

Children showed their experience of playing before with a very high standard of play on show. They demonstrated a good understanding of teamwork and excellent use of space. There was also a high quality of shooting.. The semi‐finalists were, Elmlea, St Bonaventure’s, St John’s and Torwood House. Elmlea and St Bonaventure’s won their way to the final,, so the hosts were playing last years winners. During the group matches these teams had drawn 5 goals each, so the final was going to be a very close contest. At the end of normal time in the final the score was 2 – 2, so into extra time, and again the teams finished level 3 – 3. So the final was to be decided by a ‘Golden Goal’. After a number of mid court exchanges St Bonaventure’s managed to get the ball into the shooting circle and scored the winning goal. All the children, teachers and parents thoroughly enjoyed watching a well‐contested and exciting final. So for the second year St Bonaventure’s were the winners of the Yr 5 / Yr 6 tournament.

St Bonaventure’s ‐ Yr5/Yr6 Winners Torwood House ‐ Yr3/Yr4 Winners The Yr 5 / 6 tournament was held at the same venue, the following Friday. It was another fantastic afternoon with an exciting climax to the final match.

Both tournaments ended with presentations of trophies and medals to all of the 100 children that had taken part. A massive thank you is due supporters of these tournaments: Elmlea Junior School for their funding. Bristol University Netball Club for providing the umpires

55 and scorers. Ikon Sports for providing all the trophies and medals. Finally all the children, teachers and parents associated with the following schools; Bishop Road, Colston’s, Elmlea, Henleaze, St Bonaventure’s, St John’s, Torwood House and Westbury Park. Ikon Sports provides sports clothing, team kits and equipment for clubs, colleges, universities, sports academies, schools and individuals. www.ikonsports.com

56 G

G Travel Trips for 2013

Tel: 01275 543721 Mob: 07966 486251 Email: ggtravelinfo@gmail.com or merryn.gillam@gmail.com

▪ Wed 10th April - Old Royal Naval College Greenwich (lunch included)

▪ Tues 30th April - National Trust Hidcote near Chipping Campden ▪ Wed 8th May - Yeo Valley Gardens Tour, Blagdon, (Lunch included) ▪ Tues 14th May - Savill Gardens, Windsor Great Park & River Trip (lunch and tea included) ▪ Wed 29th May - Hay on Wye Literature Festival ▪ Tues 4th June - National Memorial Arboretum / Lichfield (afternoon tea included)

▪ Thurs 4th June - Powderham Castle (picturesque setting beside Exe estuary) ▪ Wed 17th July - Winterbourne House & Garden (University of Birmingham) ▪ Tues 6th August - Clarence House Tour ▪ Wed 21st August - National Trust Tredegar House & Gardens ▪ Tues 3rd Sept - WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre ▪ Thur 19th Sept - Buckingham Palace Tour ▪ Thur 3rd Oct - HHA Kelmscott Manor, Lechlade (summer house of William Morris) ▪ Visits to Westonbirt Arboretum & Highgrove to be confirmed

Booking Forms available on request

▪ Tues 20th June - Dewstow Gardens & Grotto (with lunch at Dewstow Golf Club)

Pick Ups at Clevedon, Water Tower Durdham Downs, and Henleaze Road WoT GG Travel, Flat 7, Averill Court, 37A Hill Rd, Clevedon, BS21 7NE

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Pub Quiz Time Just for fun this month, here's a pub‐style quiz for you to have a go at. Just add a pint of mild, an all‐you ‐can‐eat carvery and a dodgy Christmas jumper and you are away… Answers on page 92 Current Aﬀairs 1. Which footballer was recently hurt by a coin thrown from the crowd as he celebrated a winning goal? 2. Which influential Indian musician passed away recently at the age of 92? 3. Who came third in 'X Factor' ‐ but didn't feature in the final show due to allegedly disrupting rehearsals resulting in him going "back to Liverpool"? 4. Which comedian was honoured with an outstanding achievement gong at the recent British Comedy Awards in London, 13 years after he won best newcomer at the event? 5. According to babycentre.co.uk, what is the top UK baby girls name for 2012? Oh No It Isn't 1. Which pantomime features the character Maid Marion? 2. In the panto Aladdin, what is the name of Aladdin's brother? 3. What is odd about the principal boy and the dame in a pantomime? 4. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Sinbad The Sailor and Aladdin all derive from which collection of Middle East tales? 5. What is the name of the father of Cinderella and The Ugly Sisters? General Knowledge 1. In which decade did Butlin`s first holiday camp open in Skegness? 2. What name is given to a female swan? 3. Who was the first singer to get 5 top ten hits from the same album? 4. On which children's TV show would you find Spud the Scarecrow? 5. Which country has Montevideo as its capital? 6. Which song includes the line `She`ll make you take your clothes oﬀ and go dancing in the rain`?

7. Which author wrote newspaper articles using the pseudonym Boz? 8. Which two films that have won best picture Oscar`s in the 1990s have types of animals in their title? 9. On which side of the road would you drive in Australia? 10. Which country in Europe has the oldest Parliament? Gimme 5 Name the five US states that have coastlines on the Pacific Ocean. Round 4 – Connections 1. Who shares the hosting duties of the TV quiz show 'Eggheads' with Dermot Murnaghan? 2. Which chart‐topping Spanish pop group is made up of sisters Lola, Pilar, Lucía, and Rocío Muñoz? 3. Who had a UK number 3 hit in 1988 with "Buﬀalo Stance"? 4. Which character rolls last in the board game of Cluedo? 5. What is the connection between your four answers?? More General Knowledge 1. If you live in Albert Square in the TV show `Eastenders`, what would the first three digits of your postcode be? 2. In the TV show `Blue Peter`, who was the first presenter to actually be called Peter? 3. When Steve McClaren became England football manager who replaced him at his Premiership club? 4. From what type of stone is the Taj Mahal built? 5. Who composed `Moonlight Sonata``? Handel, Mozart or Beethoven? 6. What is xenophobia the fear of? 7. Who played Mr Brown in the film Mrs Brown? 8. What told Dick Whittington to “turn again”? 9. Which month of the year features in the NATO phonetic alphabet? 10. In which country would you find the original Legoland?

ADULT ACTING CLASSES PLACES NOW AVAILABLE WHERE: Redland Girls School, Redland Road, BS6 7EF WHEN: Thursdays from 7.30pm to 8.30pm TUTOR: Alison Mazanec A.T.C.L. L.T.C.L. Speech & Drama, experienced actress in radio, stage and lecturing ● Linked with Bristol’s best Cas ng Agency ● Op onal Theatre Going Club with regular theatre visits and socials. ● Complete newcomers very welcome, brush up your ac ng skills or just come along and have fun. CALL 0117 900 1602 to book your place ‐ just £15 for a 2 week trial

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Volunteer and the rest is history… The University of Bristol is looking for people to help recreate one of its historic gardens. The project will focus on the garden of Clifton Hill House, a Palladian-style mansion located in Clifton. We welcome volunteers with different levels of experience, who will be guided by our team to work on a wide variety of tasks. If you do have experience of working within either a restoration or horticultural environment, we would be especially keen to hear from you, but the only essential requirement is an interest in the project. For further details please email Louise.Hopkins@bristol.ac.uk

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At home with the Herbs With a nod to the classic BBC/ Michael Bond series of the late 60’s, our recipes for the next few months are based on The Herbs. To start with we shall use Basil (Sir Basil in the programme) in Basil Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Ingredients (for 4 people) Enough floury potatoes for 4, peeled and roughly chopped 100g plain cottage cheese 50g low fat crème fraiche 1/2 small white onion, finely chopped 1 celery stalk, halved 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil Pinch of salt Ground black pepper Method Add cottage cheese and crème fraiche in a blender and blitz until smooth. Set aside.

Pop the potatoes, salt, chopped onion, celery and garlic in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender. Extract the celery and discard. Then drain the remaining vegetables well. Add the cottage cheese and crème fraiche mixture, the chopped basil, salt, and pepper to the remaining potatoes, onion, and garlic. Mash by hand until well‐ mixed but don’t worry if there are fine lumps. Reheat over very low heat, stirring often, before serving. This is great with boiled bacon or gammon, baby peas and little carrots.

Sir Basil

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Happy New Year to all Bristol Nine readers. We all hope you had a great fes ve break and that you are looking forward to 2013 with enthusiasm ‐ and for many people, no doubt, a determina on to “get a bit fi er this year.” At Pure we can help ensure that your ini al resolu on turns into real achievement, by working with you towards reaching those fitness goals ‐ whatever age you are, however fit you are now and however much you want to achieve. We are different from the large impersonal gyms where you pay your subscrip on, then get le to your own devices un l your mo va on disappears and you leave having achieved li le. We will work with you all the way, on a one to one basis ‐ encouraging, mo va ng and yes, some mes cajoling you, as you work towards your goals. With a personal trainer at your side there is far more chance of you “ge ng there” than if you try to reach your fitness dreams alone. And as our incen ve gi to you, why not take advantage of our great New Year Offer? Two one‐hour personal training sessions and two months membership of our gym for just £60 (normally £140). (offer open to new members only)

Let Pure help you make 2013 a year for feeling good about yourself. If you are interested please just pop in or give us a call for a chat ‐ no pressure, no obliga on, just friendly help.

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The Bristol Downs Recorder Ghost roads across the Downs Once the Downs were a featureless and trackless terrain, perhaps as wooded as Leigh Woods is now. The first road built across was the Julian Way, the roman equivalent of the M4, which linked London to Wales via Bath and the port of Abona, now Sea Mills. The road is still clearly visible running close to Stoke Road, and carrying on down Pitch and Pay Lane and Mariners Way, and it is easy to imagine the tramp of roman legions on their way to embark for the great fortress of Caerwent and the conquest of the Welsh. The next road was the saxon link to Wales. It began in the city of Bristol at the bridge over the Frome by St John on the Wall, went up Christmas Steps and St Michaels Hill, through Redland and became what we now call the Westbury Road, to link the ancient settlement of Westbury to Bristol, and then on along Passage road to the Aust Ferry and Chepstow. By 1750 it had been lined with an avenue of trees to prevent travellers getting lost. By 1750 There were three more routes across, of which only one remains today. Stoke Road, with an avenue of trees, ran from the top of Whiteladies Road, into Stoke Bishop, and linked with Parry’s Lane The second route, also with an avenue that remains, though the road has vanished, ran from Clifton, along the Promenade, up Fountains Hill and across to the Old Halt where it joined Stoke Road at the top of Stoke Hill. It is not clear when or why this road was abandoned, though it may never have been metalled, but just existed as a grassy route between the trees as it still is today. The third route was the road to the Ostrich Inn which ran from the Westbury Road straight across to what is today the Downs Hall nursing Home, close to Wills Hall. The peculiar circular road in front can clearly be seen in a map of 1840. The road itself is invisible on the ground, but in dry conditions is obvious from the air. The Ostrich was famous for cock fighting and wrestling and gambling, and was well outside the boundaries of the City of Bristol

Dramatic changes came after 1815 when the great civil engineer John Loudon McAdam took charge of the Bristol Turnpike Trust which ran some 180 miles of road. He built Bridge Valley Road in 1822 to link the Hotwell to the Downs, with a gentle gradient that was much easier than Park Street or Constitution Hill, putting a turnpike gate at the top of it. He also constructed Ladies Mile to link this road to Stoke Road, building a very fine little cutting, called Fountains Hill today, to make the connection, and cutting oﬀ the old road to Old Halt. Both these new roads would have been properly constructed with solid foundations, and a fine macadamised surfaces, made of crushed and rolled stone. Incidentally such roads gleamed white against the green turf, and it was only after 1900 that tar was applied to his surface, which was known as tarmacadamising or tarmac. This was done initially to stop the clouds of dust that the new‐fangled automobiles threw up in dry conditions. There was one more ghost road, built by private enterprise by a developer called Baker in 1862 which linked Upper Belgrave Road in Clifton to Ivywell Road, in Sneyd Park where he was building some houses. Its approach from Upper Belgrave Road is marked by a graceful little cutting. But the public objected to this track across what was now public land, and he was

68 compelled to turf it over. Today the same route is followed by a pedestrian path, but in late summer the full width is still clear because the pretty yellow Autumn Hawkbit has still not grown across the line of it.

In 1875, at the instigation of Alderman Proctor, who owned what is now the mansion house the Circular Road was built, linking Ladies Mile round the edge of the Gorge to Savile Road which had been developed along the line of houses that now fringed the northern edge of the Downs. However it is clear that there had been a

path or track along the line of this road as it appears on a map of 1746, giving access to the path down the Gully, at the bottom of which there was a building that may have been associated with quarrying or a limekiln. To complete the story in 1922 the Portway was opened, bypassing all the old routes, and at the time it was opened the most expensive road in Britain. But there was one more ghost road planned. In 1968 approval was given to a huge new roundabout at Blackboy Hill to end the traﬃc chaos where Stoke Road and Westbury road merged into Whiteladies Road. It would have had sweeping slip roads on the lines of the Cumberland Basin, a highways engineer’s dream, but the following year, when trees were planted alongside the proposed line of the slip road, there was public uproar at the scale of what was proposed, and the scheme was abandoned. But the trees remain. If you enjoy the Downs, why not become a Friend? Membership is just £10. Contact Robin Haward at robinhaward@blueyonder.co.uk 0117 974 3385

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71 “I’m losing my job…. Can you help me please?” It is a sign of the mes that during the past 8 weeks, I have received 3 such enquiries. If you refer to the monthly adver sement in Bristol Nine, you will see that planning for ‘life events’ is key to the service we provide. Some mes it is the advice we give when the major shocks come along, that has the biggest impact.

Example Scenario – Mr Baker I am 51 and will be made redundant in February a er 16 years service. My Severance payment will be £58,000. I was earning £45,000 per annum. I am going to take a few months to reflect, as I am considering a career change. I have a staﬀ mortgage with a very low interest rate. I am in the company pension and have been for many years and I have an AVC plan. Can you help me invest the redundancy payment please?

Answer – Yes of course – but not yet. The investment of the money is important but it can wait. A er an ini al discussion Mr. Baker realised there were other issues of far greater importance requiring urgent a en on; He will receive £30,000 of his severance tax free, but will pay tax on the balance £28,000. As a higher rate tax payer, in simple terms he will lose 40% of £28,000. So not only will Mr. Baker lose his job but also just over £11,000 of his severance payment to HMRC! So faced with this posi on the client was recep ve to the following sugges ons: ‐ Take £30,000 severance payment with no liability to tax. ‐ Apply the balance as a contribu on of £28,000 to his AVC. ‐ Having considered the benefits, scheme rules and early re rement penal es from the Company Pension Scheme, I advised Mr Baker to release the tax free cash

sum and pension immediately. This provided a further cash sum in the order of £53,000 + a reduced pension of £8,000 p.a. ‐ I analysed his overall financial posi on including income and expenditure, as we do with all clients and provided Mr. Baker with an indica on of ‘what he needs to earn in a new role to maintain his standard of living’. This helped him significantly in considering his career op ons. ‐ As part of his severance, he was en tled to retain the terms of the staff mortgage for 12 months. ‐ I advised Mr. Baker to u lise an instant access savings account, so he at least earns some interest while he considers his career op ons. ‐ I explained that it would not be appropriate to start construc ng an investment por olio un l he had a me to reflect on what his next career choice would be. We also discussed the need to consider the mortgage posi on as well, especially in 12 months me when his interest rate will rise Mr Baker paid us a fee for our me and tax saving advice. He asked to become a client of Grosvenor Consultancy Ltd. so we can con nue to help him and his family with their financial planning needs, as his circumstances change over the next 12 months and the years ahead. Clearly every client’s circumstances are different and you should not take ac on without seeking competent advice. Tax rules, rates and allowances are all subject to change. The Financial Services Authority does not regulate tax advice and some forms of offshore investments. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Phil James Grosvenor Consultancy Ltd.

GWAAC - Movin’ on Up Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC), which is based in Filton, provide an air ambulance service for the counties of Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, North Somerset and parts of Wiltshire, and is part of the regional 999 emergency response service. We receive no funding from the government or the National Lottery. That means we rely entirely on the generosity of the people we serve. Our current aircraft is a medically kitted‐out and modified Bölkow 105. It has served us well, but our priority is to replace it with the more capable Eurocopter 135, which was designed as a fully medicalised helicopter. We have launched a campaign, called ‘Movin’ on Up’ in order to raise £250,000 to lease a new aircraft.

Why? Our current aircraft, a Bölkow 105, was introduced in 1970 and was not designed as an air ambulance. We are now the only 999 response air ambulance charity in the UK to rely solely on a Bölkow 105. All other charities have migrated to modern aircraft. A Eurocopter EC 135 ‐ GWAAC’s target aircraft ‐ would cut about four minutes from every call out. It will be better for the service, better for the patients and better for the professionals who operate it. GWAAC Chief Executive John Christensen said: “Imagine running a normal ground ambulance service with vehicles dating back to 1970. It would be unthinkable. “Luckily, helicopters are maintained to much higher standards. But even then there are limits.

Great Western Air Ambulance “The most serious reason for needing to upgrade to a modern aircraft is that there is no guarantee that the Civil Aviation Authority will allow an aircraft as old as a Bölkow to continue working as an air ambulance. It is considered likely that the right to operate as an ambulance will be withdrawn within five years. For an air ambulance service in this region to continue we must upgrade to a modern generation of aircraft.”

How will a new aircraft be better? The Eurocopter was designed in the 1990s, with ongoing upgrades, for use as an air ambulance. Some of the other benefits in comparison to our existing helicopter include: • A mother‐and‐child could fly to hospital together; • The ability to land on new hospital rooftop

raised helipads • More space for the patient, equipment and mid‐ air treatment • Higher top speed

How can I help? There are lots of ways that you can get involved. Here are just a few suggestions below: Hold an event in aid of us – whether it’s a coﬀee morning or a jumble sale, every penny counts Take a challenge – run a race or marathon for us Organise a dress down day at work Whatever you decide to do, we will be on hand to help ‐ we'll make sure you get lots of advice, branding and merchandise too. Call us on 0303 4444 999 or email our fundraising team fundraising@greatwesternairambulace.com for more information. Thank you in advance for your support – you will help to keep your air ambulance flying.

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What’s On 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@thebristolnine.co.uk. The deadline for listings in the February magazine is 18th January ‐ any received after that date will be held over until the March 2013 issue. New Year, New friends! Westbury‐on‐Trym WI invite you to their next meeting on Monday 21st January at 2pm in W‐o‐T Methodist Church Hall. We have a varied programme of speakers and outings. Visitors £2. For more information please call 0117 9243032. Following the success of last years Art Exhibition & Sale, Stoke Bishop Village Hall, Stoke Hill, will be holding this years event on 2 March 2013 from 10.30 am to 4pm. The aim is to promote the talent of local artists. As before, there will be lots of aﬀordable art in a variety of media ‐ paintings, drawings, ceramics, textiles & enamels. Admission free, refreshments available all day. FFI Contact ‐ stokebishophallbookings@yahoo.co.uk Jumble Sale , Saturday February 2nd from 10am at Westbury ‐on‐Trym, Methodist Church Hall, Westbury Hill. Proceed to World Church. Admission 50 p. West Bristol Orchestra. A Chamber Orchestra, playing a wide range of Classical Music arranged for the smaller orchestra, meets at the United Reformed Church, Muller Road on Thursdays 7.15pm.to 9.15pm. Additional String players of Grade5+ standard welcomed. Previous experience of orchestral playing is not essential. For more information, please contact the Secretary on (0117) 968 3998. Westbury‐on‐Trym Probus Club . The Association of Retired Professional and Business Men aims to provide a meeting point for retired and semi‐retired professional and business men, to promote social well being through

friendship, companionship and discussion. The club meets on the third Thursday of every month at BAWA, Southmead Road, from 12 midday. A three course luncheon at 12.30 p.m. is followed by a talk followed by any questions. The meeting finishes about 2.45 p.m. A programme of interesting and varied talks has been arranged for the coming year. Ladies are invited to the Christmas and midsummer lunches. Visits and outings are arranged from time to time, such as conducted tours of places of interest, gardens, canal cruises, mid‐week lunches, etc., to which wives and friends are also invited. If you are interested in joining then please contact the secretary by either telephone 0117 9684270 or by email: graham.horne5@btinternet.com Do you, or does someone you know, need support following a relationship breakdown? Over the past 20 years Aquila has helped many people learn to cope and rebuild their lives following separation or divorce. Our next 8‐week self‐help course starts on Monday 21st January in Clifton, Bristol. The course is facilitated by a group of trained men and women who have all experienced broken relationships or divorce. If you would like to know more call Patricia or Sian on 07807 058479, email bristol@hope‐after‐heartbreak.co.uk or visit www.hope‐after‐heartbreak.co.uk University of Bristol Botanic Garden Friends’ Lecture., Thursday 17th January at 7.30pm. “The Impact of farming, urbanisation and alien planting on biodiversity” Human activities such as habitat destruction, urbanization, alien planting and agricultural intensifications are threatening both pollinators and plants with extinction. Jane Memmott, Professor of Ecology, University of Bristol School of Biological Sciences will talk about her current research in Community Ecology and will introduce the audience to some of the problems facing pollinators along with some of the solutions to these problems. Venue: Room B75, School of Biological Sciences, Woodland Road, BS8 1UG. Admission: Free to Friends (on production of membership card). Visitors will be asked for a £5 donation. Further information: 0117 331 4906. www.bristol.ac.uk/botanic‐garden Three‐day Hedgelaying Course. Hedgerows are a vital

Breaks for Carers Local resident DominicMillar got in touch recently with details of a very worthy scheme deserving of some publicity ‐ so I invited him to tell us a bit more. “With an ageing population more people than ever are finding themselves as unpaid carers. If you look after someone who would struggle to cope without your time and support you could be a carer. Often carers give so much of their own time and energy that their health and happiness may suﬀer. The Bristol ‘Breaks for Carers’ Sitting Service gives carers a 2‐3 hr break. Let me give you an example of how it works: Paul cares for his wife Jane who has dementia. Jane has had several falls when on her own and feels anxious if left alone. Paul has health problems of his own and was starting to feel the pressure of not being able to get out; he was also worried that Jane only had him for company. Paul heard about the Bristol Sitting Service from a

friend, Paul and Jane were matched to a sitter called Pam. Pam spends 2‐3 hrs with Jane weekly; they go out to a tea dance locally. I asked Paul how the Sitting service is going and he said: ‘Pam is one in a million, Jane gets on so well with her.’ Are you a carer? Could you benefit from The Bristol Sitting Service? Could you oﬀer your time to help carers please contact Ruth Somerset 0117 9589908 or email ruths@carerssupportcentre.org.uk “

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What’s On part of the British countryside, as both a field boundary and a valuable wildlife habitat. This course (run by the National Trust) aims to introduce the practical skills of traditional hedgelaying management and how best this can be done to conserve the wildlife that rely on them. Join organic Farmer Mike Amos and learn how to lay a hedge from start to finish. Course dates: 20th January, 27th January and 3rd February, from 10:00‐15:00, at Lower Failand Organic Farm, Sandy Lane, Failand BS8 3SN‐ Price: £60 for the full course. Booking is essential, by going online at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/leigh‐woods/things‐to‐see‐ and‐do/events or by phone on 08442 491895. For more information, please contact Victoria Stanfield, 0117 9731645, leighwoods@nationaltrust.org.uk Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society: Next meeting will be on Monday 28th January at 7.45 pm in The Apostle Room, Clifton Cathedral, Pembroke Road BS8. “The Silver Tickets of the Proprietors of the Bristol Theatre 1766‐1925”. This lecture, will be given by Peter Leppard, who completed some research for the Bristol Old Vic on the original silver tickets, who owned them and the eﬀect the jealously guarded right of free admission had on the running of Bristol’s renowned theatre. Sea Mills Garden Club have regular monthly meetings, every 3rd Wednesday, held at Sea Mills Methodist Rooms, Sea Mills Square at 7.30 pm. Our programme of talks for the New Year is:‐ 16 January ‐ Paul Evans ‐ The Gardens of Tyntesfield. 20 February ‐ Mike Smith ‐ RHS Gardens at Wisley & Rosemoor. 20 March ‐ Brian Bailey ‐ The River Severn from Source to Sea. Visitors always welcome at £2 per meeting. Hope to see you there. FFI contact Gail Mitchell 0117 9685350 or Esme James 0117 9682571 Now on sale ‐ the great “East meets West” cookbook from the team at the Holy Trinity Church, WoT. £6.50. Available from The Parish Oﬃce Tel: 950 8644 (9.30am ‐12.30pm), and also from Stoke Lane Cards and Gifts, Charlecombe Court, Stoke Lane and Westbury Veg, Carlton Court, Canford Lane, or contact 9502800 for a

copy. Payment can be made by cash or a cheque made out to Holy Trinity PCC with the words ‘Cook Book’ on the back to help with processing the money. All proceeds to the East End and West End Appeal at the church to effect stonework repairs and also improve access for the elderly and disabled. Organ Elevenses. A record crowd attended Richard Johnson's December concert. In January we are welcoming Huw Morgan, a regular organ soloist and director of music at St. Laurence, Catford. He also directs the Hanover Choir and the Merbecke Choir. Real coffee and scrumptious cake at 10‐30 am followed by short concert at 11. Suggested donation £5 towards the Church Music Fund. All welcome. Just a reminder that Old Sneed Park Nature Reserve will be holding Working Parties in the New Year on Saturdays, 12th January, 9th February and 9th March. We meet at the Reserve off Glenavon Park at 10am for two hours, with a break for coffee and biscuits at 11am. The sun seems always to shine and it's very rewarding work. Please bring secateurs and strong gloves if you have them . The Bristol Branch of the Embroidery Guild are holding an Exhibition from February 15th‐17th at Stoke Lodge Adult Education Centre, Shirehampton Road, BS9 1BN. Open: Friday and Saturday 10am ‐5pm, Sunday 10am‐ 4pm Admission £3. For more details please contact: Sally Wilkinson 0117 9624923 or email to EmbroiderersGuildBristol@googlemail.com Mahjong. Is there an existing Mahjong group in the Bristol 8 or 9 areas which is looking for new players (beginners), or alternatively is there anyone who would be interested in setting up a group? Please contact Lee on 0790 567 2979. Eurythmy group for adults at the Helios Medical Centre, 17 Stoke Hill, BS9 1JN. Thursday mornings from 11am to 11.45, £8.75 per session. Drop in class, newcomers welcome, no prior experience necessary. Eurythmy is a gentle and harmonising form of movement inaugurated by Rudolf Steiner in 1912. Enjoy the balancing and grounding effects of Eurythmy to take you out of the stresses and demands of our modern lives. Get back in

81 HISTORIC TOURS of GOLDNEY or ROYAL FORT GARDENS 2013

What’s On touch with yourself and with what is really important to you. For more information please contact Eurythmy Therapist Rebecca Paten on 0117 9733584 or telephone 0117 962 6060. Family Den‐Building Workshops. Come to Leigh Woods and learn to make a fantastic den out of materials found on the woodland floor. Our experienced instructor will teach you everything you need to know to make a cosy woodland dwelling. Tuesday 12th February 2013, times: 10:00‐11:30, 12:00‐13:30 and 14:00 ‐15:30, in Leigh Woods, Bristol BS8 3PZ. Park on North Road and follow the signs to the event.‐ Price: £3 per person. Booking is essential, online at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/leigh‐woods/things‐to‐see‐ and‐do/events , or by phone on 08442 491895. For more information, please contact Victoria Stanfield, 0117 9731645, or email leighwoods@nationaltrust.org.uk Stoke Lodge Gardening Club winter/spring programme. Jan 4th. Keith Taylor, Wild flowers of the Avon Gorge; Feb. 1st Duncan Coombs, Yunnan in China: a plantsman's paradise; Mar. 1st Victoria Logue, Practical propagation ‐ seeds, cuttings and beyond; Apr. 5th Chris Cudlip, Colour in the garden; May 3rd Diana Redfern, Organic gardening for wildlife. Meetings are held at the University Sports Complex, Coombe Dingle, 7.00pm. Non‐members £3.00 per meeting. For annual membership (8 meetings) contact David Etherington tel. 0117 9681777 or email dave@etherington.com. 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 January 18th when Dr Tony Hughes will be talking about The Dolomites. 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. Wednesdays, Stoke Bishop Village Hall. Adults Yoga Classes and Tots to Teens Yoga Classes, Indian Head Massage, 1‐2‐1's. For full details please visit

www.yogawithsara‐jo.com or ring 07789552052. Groovy Tots, a fun class for active toddlers, where we make movement to music fun. Tuesday at 9:45 & Thursday 9:45 & 10:45 at WoT Village Hall, Eastfield Rd. Boys & girls from walking to pre‐school. First class free. Email enquiries@groovy‐tots.co.uk or call Kate on 07956 673 217. Come and meet Groovy Bear & have some fun. Westbury‐on‐Trym Toddler Group. New members welcomed to join a fun and lively group Wednesdays in term time 9.30‐11.30am at Westbury Methodist Church Hall. Run by group members we have a baby area, crafts, toys and new ride‐ons. For mums and carers, a termly night out! So if you want to come and make some new friends, please book a taster session or for more info www.westburytoddlergroup.co.uk or email westburytoddlers@gmail.com. The joint events group of the Westbury on Trym Society and the Village Hall management invite you to book for two events in January and February 2012. Get your team together for the Great Village Hall Quiz on January 26th, 7.00pm for 7.30, £8.00 to include a light supper. Come along to try to beat our last year's champions! Tickets 962 3241. And make a note now ‐ a half term treat for the family! There will be a conjuring show with tea afterwards for under 8's in the Village Hall at 2.30 pm. £4 per child ‐ accompanying adults free. More Reading Buddies Wanted For January! Would you enjoy oﬀering reading and language support to children for whom English is a second language? Can you help them improve their reading ability, benefiting both them as individuals and the wider class? Can you commit to giving one hour of reading time a week in termtime? We are working with ten schools in the Southmead, Horfield and Brentry areas. Training is oﬀered, and your advanced CRB 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 volunteers. For more information please contact Paul Harrod, at paul.harrod@gmail.com, or on 07576 150706 Henleaze Tennis Club has vacancies for players of all standards and ages. Whether you are an established

‘BS8’

What’s On player looking for a club, someone who is rusty or a student come along and try us out. For further information take a look at our web site www.henleazeltc.com and contact the secretary Pat Thomson 0117 950 5862. Excel Bridge Club meets in Stoke Bishop Village Hall on Stoke Hill every Monday, beginning promptly at 7.15pm. There is a very cheerful & relaxed atmosphere and as we just play 24 boards we are always finished by 10.15pm – in good time for your evening cocoa! For more details ring Ralph Smith on 01275 840006. Come and join us for Soup and Roll. Every Friday from 12 midday till 2pm in the Portland Lounge at The Methodist Church Hall. £2.50, All proceeds to providing disabled access at the Parish Church. Pilates Classes in Henleaze and Westbury on Trym. Classes held at:‐ Henleaze URC, Monday 9.30‐ 10.30 & 10.30‐ 11.30 am (Beginners New January classes); Keith James Physios, Coldharbour Rd, Monday 7.30pm (Pre Natal Pilates ); Henleaze United Reformed Church, Tuesday 6.15 pm (Beginners) and Wednesday 6.15 pm (Intermediate); Westbury on Trym Methodist Church, Tuesday 9.30 am & 10.30 am (Intermediate/ Beginners). Bookings: Zoe Rayne BCPA 07747696938, email zoerayne@adaltapilates.co.uk or visit www.adaltapilates.co.uk. The Bristol Grandparents' Support Group. If you are a grandparent who is going through the trauma of not being able to have contact with your grandchildren, due to family breakdown, a Bristol support group has been set up. We meet every two months at 9, Park Grove, Westbury Park, Bristol, BS6 7XB. FFI please visit www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk, contact Jane Jackson tel. 0117 9246496, mobile 07773 258270, or email jackson.jane@me.com. Do you need to borrow a PA System? Martyn at North Bristol PA Hire has kindly oﬀered his services, and those of a whole bunch of public address and lighting gear, for any community or charitable event being held here in

BS9. Martyn is happy to be contacted to discuss if he can be of help at any appropriate events e.g. fetes, fun days, musical productions or whatever. He can provide music, commentary or just turn up with a PA (and lighting if needed). If you are interested please ring Martyn on 07977 512436 or 0117 987 0534 or check out his website www.northbristolpahire.co.uk. Swirls & Curls Cupcake Workshops running throughout the winter at The Bradbury Hall Kitchen, Waterford Road, Henleaze and Lincombe Barn, Rockland Road, Downend. Christmas workshops and Gift Vouchers are available. For more details please see our advert on page 79 or visit our website www.swirlsandcurls.co.uk Stoke Bishop & Sneyd Park Local History Group meet regularly in Stoke Bishop Village Hall. New members and visitors are always welcome, and there is a charge of just £2 per meeting for visitors. For more details please call Diana Bourne on 968 6575. Westbury on Trym’s Local Produce Market is held every fourth Saturday of the month, from 9am to 1pm in the Car Park of the Westbury on Trym surgery on Westbury Hill. The market features a great range of produce from local businesses including yummy home‐ made cakes, meats, sausages, bacon, free range eggs, fresh fruit and veg and a variety of interesting breads. 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. Calling all Carers. Would you like the opportunity to share your experiences, relax and make new friends? Then come and join the new Henleaze Carers’ Group. The group will meet on the second and fourth Thursday morning of each month, 10am to 12, in the new Bradbury Hall, Waterford Road, Henleaze. For more information please call Mrs M Rudston 942 6095. Ray Bridge Club meet on Tuesday 6.30pm to 9pm at the Sea Mills Methodist Church, Shirehampton Road (new venue) for social rubber bridge. New members always

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What’s On welcome. Please ring 942 7760 or 968 2652 for further details. The National Trust Bristol Centre “Winter Talks 2012/2013” will be held at our new venue: St Monica’s Trust, Cote Lane, Westbury‐on‐Trym, BS9 3UN. On Saturday 19th January at 2.15 pm Rob Rhodes will talk about Managing the Cerne Abbas Giant. Rob is Countryside Manager for West Dorset and will draw on his 10 years experience of looking after the famous chalk giant. He will talk about its management, history, myth and legend and show film clips. There is a charge of £3 for members and visitors (for each talk) to contribute towards the costs. Tea or coffee and biscuits will be available. If you would like a lift, or can offer one, please contact Rosemary Booker, telephone 0117 97333453. Henleaze Townswomen’s Guild meet on the first Wednesday of the month at 7.15pm at St Peter’s Church Hall, The Drive, Henleaze. At our next meeting on 6th February we welcome Lucy Saunders from the British Heart Foundation. Lady visitors are always most welcome to these, and all meetings. Further details can be obtained by ringing Gretta McDade on 0117 9500606. Keep Fit for Ladies. Ladies Keep Fit class every Thursday between 9:45 am and 10:45am at St. Peter's Church Hall, Henleaze. An enjoyable class of mixed ages and abilities with an introduction to the use of balls, scarves, ribbons and clubs. To enjoy movement to music is a pleasure, particularly from a well established pianist. Coffee is available to finish the class. New members are always welcome. Either just turn up at the class or for more information contact Margaret Clarke on Bristol 9501967. Stoke Lodge Ramblers is a friendly walking club. It provides 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. Country Market. Every Friday morning from 10.30 to 11.30 in Westbury on Trym Methodist Church Hall. Homemade cakes, arts, crafts, plants, vegetables, jams and chutneys. Refreshments are also available in a relaxed and friendly environment. For more details contact Sue Sills on 9628306. Volunteer Drivers wanted for the transport of elderly patients to a doctor or nurse once or twice a week at the WoT Primary Care Centre. We operate under the wings of the nationwide Charity RSVP who provide us with liability insurance for these drives and with other practical help. And of course we work closely with the Staﬀ of the Westbury Practice. Please contact Zina Wilson on 0117 907 8744 or bernzina@blueyonder.co.uk for more info or ask Reception or your doctor on 962 3406. 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. Westbury‐on‐Trym Townswomen's Guild meets at 2.15pm at Westbury Village Hall, 1 Eastfield Road (next to the Mouse pub), Westbury‐on‐Trym on the second Monday in each month. We have speakers, whist, table tennis, discussion and social events. New members and visitors welcome. Please contact Anne Trathen, Chairman, on 962 4256 or Margaret Smith, Secretary on 924 1728. New Zumba Gold (seniors) class has just started on weekly Mondays in Bradbury Hall ‐ Trinity Reform URC in Henleaze and only £4.50 each. The class is from 4 ‐ 4.50pm and should be very popular for local residents looking to keep fit and healthy with a fun yet lighter pace Zumba class. For more details please contact Sam Ellis on 07766 101790, www.dancebristol.co.uk

Blossom Gardening Services provide:‐ ►PLANT AND SHRUB CARE ► WEEDING ► WOOD STAINING ► GRASS CUTTING ► PLANTING SCHEMES ► HEDGE TRIMMING If you have any par cular requirement not listed above please don’t hesitate to contact Katherine. I work through all four seasons and to your specifica on whether it’s long term, short term or just for the day. Thank you. For further in forma on please visit www.blossom‐gardening.co.uk or you can email Katherine on info@blossom‐gardening.co.uk or call either of these numbers:

What’s On West of England Bridge Club meets for duplicate bridge on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at The Golden Hill Sports Club, Wimbledon Road from 7.30pm ‐ 10.30pm. New members and visitors always welcome. £4 per evening for members, £5 for non‐members, special rates for juniors/unemployed. Licensed bar. For further details of the club or lessons please contact Gareth Evans on 07921 788 605, email enquiries@woebc.co.uk or visit www.woebc.co.uk. Mums and Tots. Henleaze URC Leonard Hall, Waterford Road, Henleaze. We are a small friendly group who meet every Wednesday afternoon (during term time) 1.30pom ‐ 3.30pm. Grannies and nannies welcomed as well. £1.50 per week to include a cup of tea and biscuits. Do come and join us. Volunteers Wanted. Could you help young children with their reading? Do you have a little time to spare each week? Volunteers are required in almost all Bristol's Primary schools usually for half a day a week during term‐time. Some training will be provided. If you are interested in this worthwhile and rewarding activity please contact Vanessa Kitchen of Community Service Volunteers. Tel: (0117) 9096858 or vckitchen1949@gmail.com. Social Bridge, Tuesdays at 7.30 p.m. at Stoke Bishop Village Hall. New members welcome. Tel Chris on 968 5640. 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. Bristol Film and Video Society exists to bring together those interested in recording and editing video. Do come along to one of our meetings. Held on the first and third Tuesday of each month, meetings are held at the Filton Pavilion, Elm Park, and start at 7:30pm. Have a look at our website for more details: www.bristolvideo.org.uk.

Interested in badminton? Come along to our badminton club at the Greenaway Centre, Westbury on Trym, on Monday evenings from 7pm to 8.30pm. Reasonable standard of play is required. Please telephone Marilyn on 968 7819 for more details. St Peters Church Choir, The Drive, Henleaze. We are always on the look out for new members and would welcome any new voices soprano, alto, tenor or bass. All are welcome. Please contact Reg Parker ‐ Organist and Choirmaster on 962 1230. Henleaze & District Flower Club meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at Bradbury Hall, Waterford Road in Henleaze. Flower demonstrations are held on the second Thursday and practice classes on the fourth Thursday. New members are always welcome ‐ just come along and join in. Westbury Art Club meet on Thursday evenings between 7 and 9pm at The Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road, Southmead. We are a mixed ability group of artists For more details check out www.westburyartclub.org.uk, e‐mail us at westburyart@blueyonder.co.uk or phone our club secretary on Bristol 962 9799. 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. Westbury Harriers Running Club meet for a run every Monday and Thursday at 7pm, Coombe Dingle Sports Centre in Stoke Bishop. We are a thriving club consisting of nearly 300 members aged 7 ‐ 70. Training runs cater for all abilities from beginners to advanced. The club has many members who just run for pleasure, but there is also a thriving competitive structure for those who are so inclined! For more information, just turn up on a club night or contact John on professorterry@gmail.com. Scottish Country Dancing classes for beginners at the

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What’s On Leonard Hall, Henleaze URC, Waterford Road, Every Tuesday, 7.30pm. Tel: Tina 0117 9075462. Classes for experienced dancers at St Peter’s Church Hall, The Drive, every Tuesday 7.30pm. Tel: Cheryl 0117 9590970. Join any time. More details at www.wscbristol.com. 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 614451. Westbury on Trym Allotments & Gardens Association welcomes any new members ‐ just visit the trading hut on Saturdays and Sundays from 10.00am to 11.00am (opposite Somerfield / Texaco on Falcondale Road). Do you love weddings? Westbury‐on‐Trym Village Hall is looking for volunteer wedding helpers for our busy 2011/2012 schedule of wedding receptions. If you are interested, please contact Gill Wilmott on 0117 914 4745 The Bristol Branch of the Association of Wrens meet on the first Friday of every month at Studland Court, Henleaze Road, at 2pm. The Association is open to all serving members of the Royal Navy, as well as retired and ex‐members of the Women’s Royal Naval Service, the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Navy Nursing Service, the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and the Voluntary Aid Detachment. Age is no barrier and all Service personnel are welcome. The Royal Naval Association meets on the 3rd Monday of the month at 8pm for a social evening for retired and serving members of the forces. New members are always welcome to come along to the evening which is held at the Royal Air Force Association club on Eastfield. For more details please contact 9681769. Interested in Plastic Modelling? The Avon Branch of the International Plastic Modellers Society meets on the

third Wednesday of every month at the BAWA club on Southmead Road at 8.00pm. New members are always very welcome. For more information contact Andy White on 0117 3300288 or visit www.ipmsavon.org.uk . Instep Club for Widows and Widowers weekly on Wednesday evenings 8.00‐10.30pm at Stoke Bishop Village Hall, Stoke Hill. New members welcome. Ballroom and Sequence dancing (If you haven’t danced for a long time, don’t worry, we will help you). Refreshments, social activities. Please telephone Fred or Norah on 9682190 for further information. Henleaze Ladies Choir. meets every Thursday afternoon from 1.45‐3.45pm in St Peter’s Church Hall, The Drive, Henleaze. We are a friendly group who sing a varied programme of songs and enjoy each other's company. Why not come along and try a couple of rehearsals and see if you like us? Being able to read music is not absolutely essential as we learn the songs very thoroughly. Stoke Lodge Ramblers is a friendly walking club. It provides 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. New members are always welcome. For further details please visit our website www.stokelodgeramblers.wordpress.com or ring our Secretary on 0117 944 1761. Scottish Country Dancing for beginners and experienced dancers at St. Monica's Trust Hall on Thursdays 7.30pm starting in September. Come on your own or with friends. Contact Trish at 0117 962 3775 or go to our website: www.rscdsbristolinfo.co.uk. Westbury Friendly Club. This is a social club for senior citizens and meets every Thursday afternoon from 2 to 4 pm at the Westbury on Trym Methodist Church Hall, Westbury Hill. Activities include outings, talks, concerts as well as the normal activities of cards, scrabble, conversation and tea. For more details please contact Trevor Green on 9629862.

PREMIER PET SERVICES Total Home Pet Care Services provided by a fully qualified Veterinary Nurse ‐ including Dog Walking, Pet Si ng & Boarding plus other services Ginnie Shearing VN Tel: 0117 9087270 Mobile: 0755 7308763 ginnie@premierpetservices.co.uk www.premierpetservices.co.uk

Professional Groundwork Contractors We undertake all aspects of ground works including:‐ Foo ngs & Excava ons • Driveways & Pa os • New‐Build & Extensions • Drainage & Oversights • Demoli on & Site Clearance. Choose Park Plant Hire for CITB approved drivers, CPCF accredited company, free wri en es mates, compe ve rates, personal, reliable services. For a free no‐obliga on quote please call Chris on 0117 9085432 or 07876 236630. Based in Stoke Bishop.

What’s On Gentle Exercise. We are a small class that meets for an hour on Monday mornings and gently exercise the body, from sitting or standing, to improve posture, balance and flexibility. Everyone, any level of ability, is welcome. Ring 0117 903 8844 or log on to www.bristol.gov.uk/ adultlearning to book your place. Ring Nen on 0117 9556657 for further info. 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. Pub Quiz answers from page 59 Current Aﬀairs ‐ 1. Rio Ferdinand; 2.Ravi Shankar; 3. Christopher Maloney; 4. Sacha Baron‐Cohen; 5.Amelia Oh No It Isn’t! ‐1. Babes in the Wood; 2. Wishy Washy; 3. Both played by members of the opposite sex; 4. Arabian Nights; 5.

Baron Hardup General Knowledge ‐ 1. 1930’s (1935); 2. a pen; 3. Michael Jackson (from `Thriller`); 4. Bob The Builder; 5. Uruguay; 6. Livin La Vida Loca by Ricky Martin; 7. Charles Dickens; 8. Silence of the Lambs` and `Dances with Wolves`; 9. Left; 10. Iceland (The Althing) Gimme 5 ‐ Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington. Connections ‐ 1. Jeremy Vine; 2. Las Ketchup; 3. Neneh Cherry; 4. Professor Plum; 5. Tomato. More General Knowledge ‐ 1. E20; 2. Peter Purves; 3. Gareth Southgate (at Middlesbrough); 4. Marble; 5. Beethoven; 6. Foreigners; 7. Billy Connolly; 8. Bow Bells of London (St Mary‐Le ‐Bow church); 9. November; 10. Denmark. Odd Views of Bristol from page 47 Photo of Filton Airport runway taken from near Berwick Lodge above Clifton Rugby Club The Bristol Nine ‐ The views expressed by contributors or advertisers in The Bristol Nine are not necessarily those held by The Editor. The inclusion of any business or organisation in this magazine does not imply a recommendation of it, its aims or its methods. The Bristol Nine 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 The Bristol Nine and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the Editor of The Bristol Nine magazine.

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Gary Henri has a reputation of being a highly professional salon chain, based in Bristol for 50 years. We offer professional hairdressing for all the family, in our newly refurbished salon, by experienced staff. Our home care ranges include products by Wella, System Professional Alchemy Treatment range, Nioxin, a customised care range for thinning hair, and Moroccan Oil Call or pop in with this advert for a free consultation with one of our experienced stylists. 8 CHARLECOMBE COURT, STOKE LANE, WESTBURY ON TRYM, TEL 0117 9623948