We pride ourselves on having happy homes, where residents and their families can enjoy spending quality time with each other and develop new friendships along the way.
Our homes in Bristol are located close to local shops and amenities, and benefit from strong connections with community groups. We offer a busy and varied activities programme that includes something for everyone and ensures residents get the most out of every day.
We care for individuals with a variety of care needs including Residential, Nursing and Dementia Care.
Our homes in Bristol: Osborne Court Care Home, 0117 321 9289 Bishopsmead Lodge Care Home, 0117 321 9269
Call our friendly team today, or visit: www.fshc.co.uk
Home-cooks to bring new flavour to city’s newest dining hall as part of All About the Cooks take-over - offering Thai, Brit-Mex and Mumbai Street Food over three nights this month
Nick-named “Etsy for food”, All About The Cooks is an online marketplace founded in Bristol, which makes it deliciously easy for people across the city to eat real food made by local people, all in the comfort of their own homes. For a very limited time only, the team are taking All About The Cooks offline and offering an IRL (in real life…) series of pop-up supper clubs at Bedminster’s new dining hall, Kitchen by KASK, at the end of February.
Kitchen by All About The Cooks will launch on Thursday 23 and run until Saturday 25 February at the ever-changing North Street dining hall. Three home-cooks from the city will bring their home-perfected and unbeatable flavours and dishes to the venue, for an unmissable extended weekend of mouth-watering moments. Tickets are on sale now at: https://allaboutthecooks. co.uk/kitchen-by-kask/
Each evening will kick off at 7.30pm, showcasing the best of the home-cooked food scene - with a drinks menu curated by the team behind KASK, Kitchen by KASK’s sister venue, which was recently named in the UK’s top 25 independent wine bars.
At its core, All About The Cooks enables home-cooking enthusiasts hungry to share their love for home-cooked food with even hungrier local people, with menus and dishes from across the world, all prepared right here in Bristol. Kicking off the supper club series at Kitchen by KASK will be Nawa from Brentry, who will be sharing her joy and passion for home-cooked, family style Thai dishes on Thursday 23 February.
Guests can expect to tuck into authentic Thai Spring Rolls, made with mixed vegetables and omelette, served with creamy basil dipping sauce or a delicious vegan alternative made with fried tofu. Main course will see Chicken Pad Thai and Massaman Tofu Curry on the menu before guests tuck into a Thai mango Sticky Rice for dessert - a heavenly sweet dessert extremely popular in South East Asia.
On Friday 24th February, Ballymaloe trained cook, Rhiannon, will be combining her love for traditional British cookery with her many years of travel and work in Mexico, to prepare the ultimate Brit-Mex feast. The Clifton-based home-cook will be offering up Totopos (nacho chips) with a trio of homemade salsas to start, traditional Mexican Chocolate Mole with chicken thighs, guacamole, pico de gallo, pickles, zesty salad and corn quesadillas for main - and pudding will be a delectable cherry pie and custard, so come hungry!
The final evening, Saturday 25th February, Mrunal who lives in Southville will be bringing her sensational street food delicacies from the streets of Mumbai to North Street.
With an option of tangy and spicy Chilli Chicken or Aloo Tikki Chaat - spiced potato patties topped with chickpea curry - to commence the evening, the main event is a (very tough!) choice between Butter Chicken or Dal Makhani with naan, jeera rice, poppadoms, salad and chutneys. If there’s still room, dessert is a fresh and fruity Mango Cheesecake or Carrot Halwa.
Tickets are on sale now over at https:// allaboutthecooks.co.uk/kitchen-by-kask/ with two courses available for £27 or three at £30.
All About The Cooks isn’t just about sharing home-cooked food from local cooks with local people - it’s about sharing stories, memories and a love of real food, which makes people feel good. With Bristol’s rich food culture and cuisines from across the world rooted within one city, All About The Cooks is ready to unite a food-loving city with its own local cooks.
To find out more about All About The Cooks, please visit their website www.allaboutthecooks.co.uk.
Bristol’s much-loved restaurant BANK is starting Spring afresh with an allnew menu, offering fire-cooked sharing plates - perfect for intimate dinners, big group banquets and everything in-between.
The Totterdown-based, independent restaurant has welcomed a new and bespoke fire kitchen, which has inspired the refreshed menu - and brings the new iteration of BANK and its offering to life.
The new fire kitchen is a bespoke build from Somerset-based fire-cooking specialists, Country Fire Kitchen.
BANK’s expert kitchen team, led by former head chef at The Ox, Seven Lucky Gods and Four Wise Monkeys, Jack Briggs-Horan, has been busy curating the new menu over several months.
The addition of the fire kitchen has led to a delectable, seasonal menu, which will be available noon ‘til night. The new offering will focus on a single and curated menu of seasonal and local produce, cooked over roaring flames, imbuing the ingredients with a flavour, scorch and smoke that only comes from cooking with fire.
For the first time since opening, BANK will also be offering up delicious roast dinners with artisan ingredients sourced locally. Available every Sunday - roasts will be cooked over open flame on the bespoke kitchen setup.
Enhancing the flavours of the seasonal produce through grilling, roasting and smoking, the mouth-watering dishes include bone marrow, topped with oxtail rendang and pineapple salsa, served alongside grilled focaccia, as well as their ratte potatoes smothered in whipped cheddar and marmite, sprinkled with furikake.
Dan O’Regan, founder of BANK, said:
“Over the past 18 months, we’ve loved serving Bristol with amazing brunch, small plates, coffee, and cocktails. We’ve had so much support, great press, and even some award nominations, all of which has helped us discover our identity as part of the Bristol food scene. In the last few months we’ve been working on shifting our efforts to serve one menu throughout the day and evening that focuses on incredible, seasonal dishes, designed for sharing.
“We’ve got an amazing new fire kitchen, and our new menu will be focussed around the art of cooking over live fire. Guests will be able to enjoy the new menu for both lunch and dinner, and we are so excited to welcome people to BANK with their nearest and dearest to try out our new menu.”
The new BANK menu will be available from Thursday 2nd March with BANK offering 25% off lunch on the first Thursday and Friday. To stay in the loop with news and offers then sign up to the BANK newsletter on www.bankbristol. com, follow them on Instagram at @ BankBristol. Book a table online: www. bankbristol.com/book.
FEBRUARY 17
The Amazing Bubbleman
Description: Louis Pearl has been thrilling audiences worldwide for over 30 years with the art, magic, science and fun of bubbles.
Venue: The Redgrave Theatre
Redgrave Theatre, Percival Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3LE
FEBRUARY 18
Free Entry - Ska And Reggae Party
Description: A Night Of Ska & Reggae - playing all the classic hits, from the charts to dancehall, Toots to Trojan, Bob Marley to Buju Banton, Specials to Sean Paul
Venue: Supreme Sports Lounge
Meriton St Bristol BS2 0SZ
Groove Jacks LIVE
Description: Live music from the Groove Jacks. Free entry!
FEBRUARY 19
Description: Yee-Haw! – It’s going to be a sea of stetsons, boots and spurs when the UK’s biggest live classic country and western music show rides on into town.
Venue: Playhouse Weston 126-130 High St, Westonsuper-Mare BS23 1HP
Oli Boorman
Description: Playing a collection of hit songs, along with some original material, we’ll have a night of singing and laughter. Sure to have something for everyone!
Venue: The Bear Inn 66 Walliscote Rd, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1ED
Bristol Channel at Sunset Description: Photography Adventures, along the Bristol Channel at Sunset, offers photographers the opportunities to develop or practice new or current photography skills.
Venue: Bristol Channel Portishad
Venue: Hawks House St Mary St, Thornbury, Bristol BS35 2AB
Charley Bowers
Description: Even heroes have heroes and for the internationally-admired animator, director, producer and Aardman Animations co-founder Peter Lord, one is Charles R (Charley) Bowers (1877 – 1946) – not only an accomplished cartoonist, creator of hundreds of the Mutt & Jeff animations beloved by audiences in the 1920s.
Venue: Watershed 1 Canon’s Rd, Bristol BS1 5TX
Curzon Special: Enys Men
Description: A wildlife volunteer on an uninhabited island off the British coast descends into a terrifying madness that challenges her grip on reality and pushes her into a living nightmare
Venue: Propyard 39-46 Feeder Rd, Bristol BS2 0SE
Monty Python’s Book Shambles
Description: Be part of the participating audience at a recording for a Monty Python-themed future edition of the chart-topping podcast.
Venue: Bristol Old Vic King St, Bristol BS1 4ED
Backstreet Comedy Club
Description: Backstreet Comedy Club is a new addition to Bristol’s c omedy scene, bringing you the best stand up comedians of Bristol and South West and the most hilarious new acts on the scene. Every show is also headlined by a top level local comedian.
Venue: Golden Guinie
19 Guinea St, Redcliffe, Bristol BS1 6SX
AirHIIT
Description: et fitter, leaner and stronger in just 30 minutes! Classes are suitable for all fitness levels.
Dave (New Vision Health And Fitness) has been our trampoline fitness instructor for over 4 years now and in that time has helped multiple people achieve their fitness goals.
Venue: Aithop
Patchway Trading
Estate,Unit 5 Britannia Rd, Patchway
Bristol BS34 5TA
Home I’m Darling
Description: The sellout smash hit National Theatre and Theatr Clwyd production HOME, I’M DARLING returns to Theatre Royal Bath. Every couple needs a little fantasy to keep their marriage sparkling.
Venue: Bath Theatre Royal Saw Cl, Bath BA1 1ET
Life Drawing
Description: Welcome to Purdie Life Drawing at The Jam Jar! Come along and check it out! This is a fun, friendly and relaxed session designed for everyone! All abilities are welcome and you don’t need any prior experience.
Venue: The Jam Jar,Unit 4a, The Old Malt House, Little Ann St, St Jude’s, Bristol BS2 9EB
Book Folding Workshop
Description: A 2 hour tutorial with all equipment, instructions and the embellishments provided to enable you to make one of these beautiful designs. A wider range of colours and decorations available on the day.
Venue: South Bristol Sports Centre West Town Ln, Brislington, Bristol BS14 9EA
Red4Wed
Description: Gathering for photo opportunity and promoting World Encephalitis Day Red4Wed, with the lighting up of the council houses in red
Venue: Bristol City Council College Green Bristol BS1 5TR
Hungry Ghosts launch
Description: ‘An astonishing novel –linguistically gorgeous, narratively propulsive and psychologically profound’
Venue: Bookhaus 4, Rope Walk, Bristol BS1 6ZJ
FEBRUARY 23
The Garnett Girls
Description: e are so excited to have Georgina Moore join us in Portishead to tell us all about her stunning debut novel The Garnett Girls A beautiful, sweeping tale of family and sisterhood, the secrets we keep and the people we keep them from.
Venue: The Poacher
Portishead
106 High St, Portishead, Bristol
BS20 6AJ
The People’s Comedy
Description: The People’s Comedy formed in 2018 with the aim of platforming comedians with a message (think counter-culture, alternative, original) and ensuring that they’re paid for their craft.
Venue: The Red Lion
206 Whitehall Rd, Redfield
Bristol
BS5 9BP
Portishead Camera Club will hold meetings every Thursday at 7:30pm to approx 9:00pm
Please visit our website for the open meeting dates. The first meeting will be free to non-members.
Come along to make new friends, discover how to take better pictures and appreciate the company of like-minded people.
The club seeks to help its members enjoy their photography, explore new techniques and invites expert speakers to share their camera skills.
So, whatever you use to take your family or holiday pictures, the Camera Club can help you.
Regular competitions and outings provide great learning opportunities. .
www.portisheadcamerclub.co.uk
Why not read our other publications online!
South Bristol
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North Bristol
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www.directlocalbristol.co.uk
Superhero duo Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne, together with Hope’s parents Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures, and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.
er Wilkinson will headline the harbour alongside four time ‘Best DJ’ award winner A.M.C, new Hospitality collaborative act LINK and many more stellar names in Drum and Bass. Signup for Hospitality’s Siren special, here: https://bit.ly/ HospitalityOnTheHarbour23-signup
Siren takes place at Bristol’s iconic harbourside, from Thursday 27th to Saturday 29th July.
Tom Hoyle, Co-Founder of Siren said: “Hospitality and Sequences are really bringing an incredible line-up to Bristol this year. After last year’s sold out event it is obvious why we have so many big names in drum and bass eager to grace the Amphitheatre stage again. This is going to be a legendary day for DNB in Bristol’s 2023 summer calendar.
Saturday’s packed bill of drum and bass giants will join jungle and DnB duo Fabio & Grooverider, who take to the Siren stage on opening night as part of their pioneering collaboration with The Outlook Orchestra, with support from David Rodigan, local boy Gardna, and more still to be announced.
Guest headliner Wilkinson will lead the Hospitality stage line-up on Saturday, alongside A.M.C, DJ Marky, Flava D, LINK and more… 2022 saw the release of Wilkinson’s 3rd solo studio album ‘Cognition’, the most successful drum and bass album of the decade, cementing him as a key front runner in the dance music scene. The man behind one of the biggest DNB singalong anthems of all time ‘Afterglow’ - Wilkinson has also worked with artists like Rag N Bone Man, The Prodigy, Ed Sheeran, Chase & Status, Wretch 32 and Naughty Boy scooping himself ‘Best Single’, ‘Best Album’, ‘Best Video’, ‘Best Producer’ and ‘Best Live Act’ at the National Drum & Bass Awards 2022.
Making their Bristol debut at the Harbour is new Hospital records collaborative act LINK. This newly-launched collective consists of four of the hottest artists in the scene right now. Expect a cross-genre showcase blasting out the sounds of old-school hardcore to precision cut drum & bass, and everything in between. All respected in their own right - Whiney, Unglued, Lens and Degs each bring their unique sound to the dancefloor, carving themselves out as trailblazers of the underground.
Hospitality staple, Flava D’s first venture into drum & bass came in the form of her track ‘Return To Me’, which featured on Hospital Records’ annual compilation ‘Sick Music 2019’ and was selected as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record In The World. The Bournemouth-born producer has established an internationally-successful career playing and releasing all flexes of UK garage, grime and bassline. With the success of her label debut, the imprint welcomed her back to release ‘Human Trumpet’ and she became a regular name at their events and festivals worldwide.
Technical craftsman, lifelong drum & bass curator and Hospitality special guest A.M.C is bringing his renowned razor-sharp, four-deck performances and physical, impassioned mixing style to the mainstage. Four-times Best DJ winner in the Drum&BassArena Awards 2019-2022, A.M.C has worked with distinguished labels like Ram Records, Monstercat, UKF, Drum&BassArea, Charge and Dim Mak to name a few. A.M.C’s announcement for the harbour comes fresh off the back of his incredible sold-out headline show at London’s Electric Brixton this month.
This amalgamation of worlds is a must-see event for any dance music fan, near or far. Enjoy two days of D&B classics and jungle hits at the 2nd year anniversary of Siren. Look out for the second stage lineup announcement for Hospitality On The Harbour x Sequences still to come, plus a huge announcement for the final event in the series due to take place on Friday 28th July with a very special headliner announcement coming soon.
Harbour Residential Care Centre is celebrating achieving ‘Good’ ratings in all areas from the Care Quality Commission (‘CQC’) following a recent inspection. The purpose-built care home in Portishead is a 20-minute drive, and soon to be a 15-minute train ride, from Bristol.
The Home routinely engages with the local community and welcomes new entertainment and activities to promote and support the wellbeing of its residents. As a care provider that seeks out opportunities to forge meaningful connections, Harbour Residential invites the local community to join in its celebrations.
The report highlights the Home’s strong levels of safety, care, support, training, infection control, and cleanliness. The warm and attentive environment within Harbour Residential, promoting dignity and respect, was noted repeatedly in the report - “There was a positive, person centred culture within the home. People were happy with the care they received and built strong relationships with staff. People felt able to talk with staff if they had any issues or concerns.”
Wayne Price, Home Manager at Harbour Residential Care Centre, commented “We constantly seek to improve in everything that we do, and will continue to do so. Our utmost priority remains the care and comfort of our residents and we are so pleased that our team’s continued hard work and efforts to provide this have been recognised within the report.”
“We are also pleased to share that this report has appeared alongside our Home resuming the provision of nursing care as we expand our offering. We have welcomed an experienced nursing team to the Harbour family and have begun accepting nursing enquiries, in addition to the residential, dementia and respite care we already provide. We are so grateful for the local community’s continued support, and hope to see you at our Home’s recently refurbished café very soon to celebrate with us!”
Clifton suspension bridge is probably Bristol’s most famous landmark. The Clifton Suspension Bridge was designed by the Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The bridge, which is about 1,532 metres long, connects Clifton in Bristol to Leigh Woods in North Somerset. It can offer some amazing views when you walk, drive, or cycle across it – including when the hot air balloon festival is taking place. It was also the location of the first modern bungee jump in 1979, although the act itself wasn’t actually legal.
Bristol has a lot to offer visitors, with many interesting facts to discover about the city, its history, and how you can enjoy Bristol today.
Bristol is a port city, and the location of Bristol harbour made it the ideal place for maritime trade. Tobacco, wine, and cotton were some of the commodities that passed through the city. Of course, there is also a darker side to this history. From the 1600s to the 1800s, Bristol was also heavily involved in the slave trade. Many buildings and landmarks in the city have been named after Edward Colston, a prominent politician, philanthropist – and slave trader. However, they are slowly being changed, such as in the case of Colston Hall, a concert hall that has been renamed Bristol Beacon.
Another interesting maritime fact is Bristol’s connection with piracy – that’s why pirates often sound like they have West Country accents! Blackbeard is thought to have been born in Redcliffe, near Bristol Harbourside.
Bristol is a fantastic hub for arts and culture. It has some prominent venues for all kinds of arts, including Bristol Beacon, where you can attend music concerts of all types, and The Comedy Club. Bristol Hippodrome is home to musicals, theatre, pantomime, stand up comedy, and more. You’ll never be bored if you’re looking for fun and interesting live shows to watch in Bristol.
Bristol is also the birthplace of some famous people in arts and culture. Hollywood star Cary Grant was born in Bristol, and his first job in theatre was working at the Hippodrome. Graffiti artist Banksy is also from Bristol, and his works can be found at various spots around the city. Even Darth Vader is from Bristol – Bristolian David Prowse provided the physical side of Darth Vader though not his voice.
Most cities are the birthplace of some interesting inventions or inventors –although some are more interesting than others. Bristol has given rise to some fascinating things, from confectionary to scientific breakthroughs. Bristol is the originator of the drink Ribena, as well as home to Fry’s Chocolate, which was the first company in the world to make chocolate bars and modern chocolate Easter eggs.
On a slightly more sophisticated note, the world’s first IVF baby was conceived in Bristol (although she was born in Oldham, Greater Manchester). Tarmacked roads got their start in Bristol too, where Scottish engineer John Loudon McAdam began remaking roads after joining the Bristol Turnpike Trust as a surveyor in 1816. And almost 90 years later, Bristolian P.J. Kerswell would invent the detachable motorcycle sidecar.
Every year, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta takes place in the city. Teams from the UK and around the world take part in mass ascents, with up to 100 balloons taking to the sky at the same time. The event has been taking place for more than 40 years and often draws crowds of more than 100,000 to watch the balloons take flight over the four days of the festival. You can see standard hot air balloons, but also a variety of balloons with special shapes, many of which are made by the Bristol balloon makers Cameron Balloons.
150g Plain white flour
4 Eggs
150ml Semi-skimmed milk
30g Unsalted butter
2 tbsp Tomato purée
125g Mozzarella, torn
6 slices Salami Milano
2 tbsp Green olives, roughly chopped Basil leaves, to garnish
150g Leafy salad
Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/ gas 6, with a 20cm ovenproof frying pan inside to heat up
Whisk together the flour, eggs and milk to make a batter, then season
Carefully remove the pan from the oven and add the butter, swirling until melted
Pour in the batter and return to the oven for 13-15 mins, until puffed up and golden
Meanwhile, mix the tomato purée with 2 tbsp water to loosen
Remove the pancake and allow to cool for a few minutes, before brushing over the tomato paste, then sprinkling over your toppings
Return to the oven for 8-10 mins until the cheese has melted
Scatter the basil leaves over the pizza pancake, before serving with the salad on the side
In a far-flung corner of Bristol, on Kingswood high street, lies one of the city's best kept secrets - Share Bristol Library of Things. Well loved by those who know it, but a mystery to most Bristolians due to the location and the absence of a marketing budget or PR team, this eco-conscious not for profit is hoping to change all that in 2023.
The library in Kingswood boasts over 500 different things to borrow, with a few hundred members who regularly borrow everything from gardening equipment, to DIY tools to camping stuff. But complaints are common from people elsewhere in the city - everyone wants the equivalent of all their neighbours' sheds, lofts and understairs cupboards in their area.
The volunteer team behind Share Bristol are hoping to open their second site on East Street in Bedminster, but need a few local people who know the area well to get on board and help make it a reality.
The benefits for Bedminster could be huge - Share Bristol's aims are lofty and numerous. The claim is that a library of things contributes to the circular economy - encouraging people to donate the things they don't use, which are repaired and serviced by volunteers, and then borrowed and used over and over again.
Anna Perry, a volunteer director of Share Bristol, said: 'Most people have loads of things that they only use a few times a year, sitting around cluttering up their homes. By donating something to the library, you're getting it out of the house, but can still borrow it whenever you want.'
The team promise that an annual membership will be really affordable, with a cheaper rate for those on low incomes, and that everything is free to borrow after that membership fee is paid. One of the team's guiding principles is that a library of things should help people get their hands on the things they need, regardless of income.
And the plan is that the library on East Street will be spacious enough for people to gather and learn how to use the things on offer - from sewing machines to niche DIY tools.
But the Share Bristol team say this won't happen unless local people get involved, so they have put out a plea for people in the Bedminster area to get in touch with them and offer to lend a hand. You can contact them on hello@sharebristol.org. uk or via www.sharebristol.org.uk .
250g Ricotta
300g Greek style natural yogurt
125g Plain flour
1 large Egg, beaten
1 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
250ml Semi-skimmed milk
100g Mascarpone
50g Icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
Zest of 1 orange
100g 70% cocoa dark chocolate, chopped
Line a sieve with kitchen paper, tip in the ricotta and yogurt, place over a bowl to drain, then set aside.
Put the flour in a bowl and make a well . Add the egg, butter and about a quarter of the milk. Mix, gradually drawing in the flour from the edges to form a smooth batter, adding more milk as needed. Pour in any remaining milk, along with 50ml water, stir well and set aside. In a bowl, combine the ricotta mixture with the mascarpone, sugar and most of the zest. Fold in the chocolate, saving 2 tbsp to garnish.
Lightly grease a nonstick frying pan and set it over a medium heat. When hot, add just enough batter to cover the base, tilting the pan to give a thin, even layer. Cook for about 1 minute until the base is golden and the edges are crisp, then flip and cook the other side. Keep warm while you make the rest — about 11 more.
Spoon or pipe the ricotta mixture down the middle of each pancake and roll up. Sprinkle with the extra chocolate, zest and icing sugar.
National Act of Kindness Day is February 17th and it's a great opportunity to spread joy and positivity. On this day, people from across the country join forces to show kindness to their families, friends, peers, co-workers, and strangers alike. Whether it's simply doing something nice for someone else or taking the time to make others feel appreciated and supported, National Act of Kindness Day is a great time to make an impact in your community. Here is 25 different random acts of kindness to try
We have been investing in HMOs in the wonderful city of Bristol since 2016 and in 2020 we opened an HMO letting agency. We did this because, we couldn’t find the service that we were looking for, in the current market. Everything was a compromise and, we didn’t believe that we should be paying good money and having to make compromises in the level of service that we received – that just didn’t compute for us. So, this was how our lettings agency, KPA Property Management was born; because we knew that if we felt this way, then there would be lots of landlords and investors who thought that way too and, as they say, the rest is history!
There are a few things that we get asked A LOT and, the one that we get asked repeatedly is, “what actually is an HMO?” So, let’s have a look at what they are and, why landlords and investors choose them as a property business model.
HMO stands for a House in Multiple Occupation. The legal definition of an HMO is a house rented by 3 or more people from 2 or more households (I will overlook houses with lodgers for this article). A household is defined as either a family or a couple (married, unmarried, civil partnership).
3 tenants - A couple + 1 friend… HMO
4 tenants – 2 couples… HMO
5 tenants – Friends living together at Uni… HMO
HMOs can be rented in different ways too. Some are rented by the room (on single room contracts) whereas others are rented to an entire group (on a standard house contract with multiple tenants). Different rental methods have different implications for the landlord, for example, if you rent by the room you will need to pay council tax and it is very common that you will offer bills all rolled into the price.
Anybody! Although who might live in your HMO will depend on the type of property you are creating and the area it is in. Some HMOs are extremely high end (often labelled co-living) and positioned as a lifestyle choice for working professionals; other HMOs are “student digs” and are lived in by university students; others might be aimed at contractors/blue collar workers in the local area and of course, you have social housing properties rented to council tenants or social housing companies.
Near big employers, city centres and universities are great places for HMOs, as a quick and dirty metric you can look at the number of people who are looking in an area/postcode on Spareroom.co.uk to get a feel for demand, although this is not a perfect science it can be a good start.
Who would want to live in your HMO is a critical part of analysing a deal, but that is for another time!
Like all property models, there are places where HMOs work best and places where they don’t. It will usually come down to tenant demand, population density and local amenities. If there is sufficient demand and good transport links, an HMO will usually work.
HMOs are one of the higher cash flowing property models, which make them attractive to investors. In fact, one HMO can yield as much as several single or family lets.
By taking a 3/4 bed family house, refurbing it and renting it to 5/6 individuals you can create more rental income from a single building. If you get it right, your HMO can return £1000£2000 net per month and be relatively stress or hassle free.
However, as with all the high cash flow models, they come with increased risk, increased costs and if you manage them yourself, they require more time than a standard family let.
When executed correctly, HMOs are a brilliant property model creating great returns and maximising a portfolio. When done badly, they can land you with £10,000s of fines, council investigations, armed police raids, personal threats, and very costly voids/arrears!
Rental yields for HMOs can be impressive and significantly higher than other property models. Demand is high in certain areas, with City rents being beyond the reach of many and tenants new to an area choosing co-living, as a way to make new friends and renting well into their thirties and beyond.
With this in mind, it’s easy to see why Property Investors choose HMOs, as there is a plentiful market for them, and they achieve good returns.
However, HMOs are stringently regulated and compliance heavy and they are certainly not easy money. Many Landlords find it hard to keep up to date with ever changing compliance and are constantly concerned about falling foul of regulations and getting into hot water with their local authority. If you are going to invest in them, then do your homework, have robust systems, choose your tenants carefully, fully reference them and manage the property diligently, from the outset and throughout.
We are extremely familiar with all aspects of HMOs, they are our bread and butter and if we can help in any way, then just give us a shout!
With over 400 UK-based charities entering this year, the 6th annual Charity Film Awards has announced its finalists and Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) is one of them.
Almost 40,000 votes were cast by the public in the first round, which decided the charities that would make it through to the final. GWAAC says thank you so much to everyone who voted for Jasmine’s video.
How you can help your air ambulance charity win a Smiley Charity Film Award
Jasmine’s video, which is in a category based on GWAAC’s annual turnover, is placed against 15 other excellent causes working with a similar budget when they made their film.
Each category has two different awards up for grabs. One is to be decided by a panel of judges and the other is settled by you, the public. Both awards include bronze and silver prizes too.
GWAAC needs your help to win the People’s Choice Award. Even if you voted for Jasmine’s video the first time around, the count has reset, and everyone needs to register a new vote for their favourite film (hopefully Jasmine’s).
To watch, and vote for our film, please click here: Stay with us. It couldn’t be easier with only an email address needed to register your vote. Voting closes on Sunday 19 March.
Your vote will help GWAAC raise awareness of the lifesaving work it does in the region and it could open doors to more donations for the charity; donations that will ensure GWAAC can be there for people like Jasmine.
the Smiley Charity Film Awards
The Charity Film Awards have been created to celebrate the success of film in fundraising, to increase exposure of charity films, and to encourage donations for good causes.
The Smiley Movement is a platform for change with a vision: to inspire positive change in society by highlighting the people – and organisations – doing good in our world.
The panel of expert judges – which includes high-profile names from entertainment, business, media, academia, and social enterprises — will select winners from each category. Categories are divided by charity turnover, film length and corporate cause.
The winners of the 2023 awards will be announced at a gala ceremony in central London on Tuesday 21 March 2023.
A funding bid has been approved by Cabinet for a new pilot project to support neurodiverse young people, who find it hard to leave their home, to access short breaks.
Bristol City Council has secured over £740,000 of funding from the Department for Education (DfE) for a new and innovative pilot project which aims to help children and young people (CYP) with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), who find it hard to leave their home, to engage in activities.
The new ‘Pathway to Short Breaks’ project aims to break the cycle of anxiety, by pairing CYP aged seven to 18 with a specialist engagement worker, who will support and encourage them to try out new activities while building their resilience using techniques for managing anxiety. The Pathway to Short Breaks pilot project will have places available for upwards of 80 children and young people.
Councillor Asher Craig, Cabinet lead for Children’s Services, Education and Equalities said: “We know that the long periods of isolation and lockdowns during the pandemic negatively affected our children and young people, who were unable to practice the social and emotional skills needed in daily life, so we are looking at innovative ways to address this.”
“This new programme is one that parents and carers of neurodiverse children and young people have told us is needed. Children and young people are withdrawing themselves from situations and environments that cause anxiety, to a point where the place that they feel safe is a very small area, sometimes just their bedroom. We have worked with families whose children are withdrawing themselves from daily life due to anxiety to help us better understand what is needed to break this cycle and support these children and young people to access Short Breaks.”
Funded by the DfE’s Short Breaks Innovation Fund, Bristol City Council’s Pathway to Short Breaks project will allow for engagement workers and well-being practitioners to support children and families. This will be coupled with specialist neurodiverse youth groups, focused on wellbeing support, enabling anxious young people to engage with the wider community, their peers, and short breaks.
Short breaks are activities for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), helping to build independence skills. Short breaks provide opportunities for disabled children and young people to spend time away from their families and have fun. They also provide families with a break from their caring responsibilities. However, for some children with social communication and interaction needs or autism, they are unable to access short breaks because they struggle to leave their homes.
This new project will act as a bridging service, supporting children and young people to access short breaks.
It will work by developing positive and trusting connections through the Pathway to Short Breaks project to identify areas of special interest or an activity to expand the children and young people’s experiences.
The Pathway to Short Breaks project will be delivered in-house by the Bristol Autism Team, where a multi-disciplinary team, consisting of a clinical psychologist and a team of wellbeing practitioners and engagement workers will be working alongside external partners FACE, Neon Daisy and Horus Wellbeing.
The Pathway to Short Breaks project is set to commence in April 2023 and will run until March 2024, where children accessing the project will be transitioned into existing services. The project also builds on the council’s work to support families of SEND children, including delivering additional school places, holiday activities and investing in support.
Thank you to all the local residents who took part in the recent consultation on the redevelopment plans for the former White Hart pub in Brislington Village, which include an 80-bed care-home and some key-worker flats, along with restoration and community uses for the listed pub. We know that some people are concerned about the perceived lack of parking provision, the height of the new building, and issues of overlooking of neighbouring properties and biodiversity loss along the Brislington Brook. We hope the developers will look seriously at this initial feedback before submitting their final plans to the planning department. We will keep you updated.
Community litter pick:
A lot of people have been in touch about the amount of rubbish littering our street. We have raised these concerns with the council and are also relaunching our regular litter-picking sessions. Our first litter pick of the season will be on Saturday 4 March starting at 11am. We plan to meet at the Stockwood Road entrance to the Brislington Park and Ride and then head down Hungerford Road towards Hungerford Open Space. We will provide litter pickers, hi-vis, and bags. Hope to see you there.
These past few months have been tough for so many as prices of essentials continue to rise. Remember, you are not alone. If you are struggling to put food on the table or to pay your energy bills, please reach out. If you just need some basic advice around money management and budgeting, please reach out. You do not need to be in crisis before asking for support, it’s better to ask the questions and get advice before you get to that point.
There is cost of living advice and signposting on the Bristol City Council website or you can call 0800 694 0184 for free between 8:30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Don’t forget about Bristol’s network of Welcoming Spaces too. There are 94 open across the city, including Brislington. They are places for you to keep warm, socialise with others and access support. https://www.bristol. gov.uk/residents/people-and-communities/cost-of-living-support
A number of organisations in the city are running advice drop-in sessions in venues across the city to support residents during the cost of living crisis. If you’re in need of some housing advice, or guidance on dealing with the cost of living crisis and rising energy costs, visit the Housing Matters website to find out where and when you can drop in: https:// housingmatters.org.uk/drop-in-sessions/
Citizens Advice Bristol advice assistants are on hand at several of the city’s Welcoming Spaces to provide practical guidance around benefits, money, debt and energy. Citizen’s Advice Bristol website can signpost you to specialist legal advice if you need more assistance: http://www.bristolcab.org.uk/ get-advice/cost-of-living/
Changes Bristol provide both online and face-to-face advice sessions to support your mental health and emotional wellbeing. Visit Changes Bristol online for more information on their services: https://changesbristol.org.uk/support/support-groups/find-a-group/
Hundreds of Brislington West residents have signed up to receive our monthly newsletter via email. You can register using this link: http://www.bristollibdems.org/efocus.
By Jos Clark, Liberal Democrat Councillor
(Brislington West) Email: cllr.jos.clark@bristol.gov.uk Mobile: 07584 370429
& Andrew Varney, Liberal Democrat Councillor (Brislington West) Email: cllr.andrew.varney@bristol. gov.uk Mobile: 07584 183381
People in South Gloucestershire are being encouraged to stand for election as a councillor and help represent their local area.
Nominations papers for candidates for elections to South Gloucestershire Council as well as parish and town councils are now available. The submission of nominations will commence from 27 March and the deadline is 4pm on 4 April.
The local elections in South Gloucestershire will be held on 4 May this year, when 61 district councillors covering 28 district wards and 492 councillors for 50 parish and town councils will be voted on by an electorate of more than 211,000. This includes deciding on the representatives for the newly created parish councils for Charlton Hayes, Stoke Park and Cheswick, and Staple Hill and Mangotsfield, along with the new town council for Kingswood.
Being a councillor is a varied and highly fulfilling role where you help make decisions on the issues that matter to local communities. It’s a great way to make a real difference, whether that’s by supporting individual residents with particular issues or helping to shape your local community by driving new ideas. Councillors represent local people’s views on a wide range of matters such as planning applications, transport, education, social care, waste and recycling services, the climate and nature emergency, and keeping streets and open spaces clean and tidy.
People from all backgrounds and experiences who can reflect the communities they serve are needed. You do not have to be a member of a political party to stand for election – you can also be an independent councillor.
Training will be provided and councillors are paid an allowance.
There are a number of eligibility criteria that need to be met by anyone wishing to stand as a candidate for South Gloucestershire Council or one of the area’s parish and town councils. You can find the full set of qualifications and disqualifications and details and guidance on standing for election is available on the Electoral Commission website (www.electoralcommission.org. uk/) including links to the various forms that need to be filled in and submitted.
South Gloucestershire Council will also be holding hour-long briefing sessions for prospective candidates on 22 and 23 February (online) and in person at Kingswood Council Chamber on 6 and 9 March.
For more information, visit https://beta. southglos.gov.uk/stand-for-election, call: 01454 863030, email: electoral. services@southglos.gov.uk or write to: Electoral Registration, PO Box 1953, Badminton Road, Bristol, BS37 0DB
In North Somerset, plenty of free and low-cost activities are available that won't break the bank. The local library is free to visit, with over 2.5 million items such as books, digital resources and learning materials for you and your children to borrow. You can check out up to 20 items at a time – definitely something for everyone! To find out more about this great service, go to www.librarieswest.org. uk . If needed, there are plenty of other support systems available with regards to food and finance help - so you can take advantage of these fun activities without worry!
A number of free library events and activities will also be taking place during half-term, from children’s story-telling, board game afternoons, junk modelling, Lego clubs and more. Visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/libraryevents for the most up to date details.
Enjoy some amazing walks this half-term along the region’s many beaches, parks, woodlands and North Somerset’s public rights of way. Check out www.northsomersettlife.co.uk for inspiration on new walks to try – and if the pennies stretch, enjoy a drink and a bite to eat along the way and support local North Somerset businesses.
This month, Weston-super-Mare will be transformed by a series of pop-up illustrated artworks as part of a new, expanded programme for GLOW Light Festival 2023, taking place from 15 to 18 February.
Created by a stellar line-up of national artists, the light installations will spill out from the main festival site at Grove Park into popular town centre locations where they can be enjoyed free of charge by residents and visitors to Weston.
Families can also explore the art, architecture and history of Weston-super-Mare by following a tour of the town this half-term. Several walks have now been uploaded onto the Super Weston website, including Weston Woods, Weston Wallz street art trail, and the Historic England Heritage Tour. All tours are level and on pavements, making them wheelchair, pushchair and dog friendly. See the interactive maps at www.superweston.net/explore/tours.
Deputy Leader said: "We’re very lucky to live in a beautiful region with plenty to keep the children entertained right here on our doorstep. Check out your local social media sites for more ideas on events happening near you. If you can, please support our local businesses during half-term who equally are facing tough times right now. And don’t forget that if you’re financially struggling, additional short-term support is available via our welfare provision scheme. We’ve also recently announced a package of Council Tax support. Visit the North Somerset Council Cost of Living website pages for more information on the help and support available.”
Cllr Catherine Gibbons, the council's executive member for children’s services added: "We don’t want any child to go hungry this half-term. If feeding your family is a concern during this school holiday, help is available. Food vouchers of £60 have already been paid to care leavers and families eligible for free school meals.
Cllr Mike Bell, North Somerset Council's This was intended to provide help towards the cost of food between last October to March 2023, particularly during school holidays. This applied to over 5,000 children and young people with North Somerset Council committing £300k to help. The Money Saving Central has also created a helpful round-up of places where children can eat free or for £1 next week. Visit www.moneysavingcentral.co.uk/kids-eat-free for more information.”
Anyone needing additional short-term support can find out more about North Somerset Council’s welfare provision scheme at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/ wps. Applications can be made by phone on 01934 888 035 or 0800 138 5665 (10am to 4pm Monday to Friday).
For more information about Cost of Living help and support, including childcare costs, housing support, energy and heating advice, visit www.n-somerset. gov.uk.
Hengrove Community Centre Fortfield Road
BS14 9NX
Tuesday 9.30am
Sarah: 07879 443888
Bridgefarm Primary School East Dundry Road
BS14 0LL
Wednesday 5.30pm and 7pm
Sarah: 07879 443888
slimmingworld.co.uk
Christ Church Hall Petherton Road
Hengrove
BS14 9BP
Saturday 9:30am
Keesa: 07399 597267
Here are this months puzzles designed to test your mental skills during your lunch break or after tea.
Good luck!
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7 differences between these two pictures. Are your eyes good enough to see them all?
Proper technique in fitness walking can make your workout more effective and enjoyable while helping to prevent injuries.
POSTURE
Keep your head upright, looking ahead. Your chin should be in a neutral position, not to high or tucked in towards your chest. Your shoulders remain back and relaxed, not hunched over.
Keep feet close to an imaginary line in the center of the pavement in front of you.
Stand upright with feet slightly apart. Lean forward at the ankles (like a ski jumper). Transfer your weight forward and as you do, put your right foot out in front of you and catch yourself before you fall forward. This is your stride length. You should maintain the same stride length regardless of the type of walk you do (Strolling - 3 mph; Brisk/Fitness walking - 4 mph; Racewalking - 5 mph
STRIDE
Always keep at least one foot on the ground. The heel strikes the ground first, following with rolling onto the ball of your foot, finishing with a strong push off the toes (trailing foot). Focus on quicker rather than longer strides. Avoid slapping the ground with your feet and concentrate on smoothing out the movement.
This makes your walk a total body exercise. You will burn an additional 5-10% calories. Let your arms bend at the elbows and swing them in step with your feet in an arc from your waist to the front of your chest; your hands should reach just below chin level. Your forearms should brush your hips to keep your stride.
A Bristol charity is making some serious moves to help fix the UK’s housing crisis. They’re building low-carbon ‘micro homes’ in people’s back gardens and it’s pretty cool. Just look at John Bennet, 58. He was homeless and living on the streets, but he now has his own space thanks to this pioneering program.
Built using wood chip boxes, John’s new home is one of two houses built by We Can Make in Knowle West.
John said: “We’re literally building our community from the bottom up. It’s giving people different choices, better choices, about how things can be. We are the pioneers.
“No one’s ever tried to do this before. Hopefully what we’ve done is make it easier for everyone else who comes after. This could be the future for a lot more people like me.”
For Toni Gray, the dream of owning a home was out of reach until We Can Make came to the rescue.
Before then, she and her daughter were living in cramped conditions at her parents’ council house. She wanted more space but everything was just too expensive. Fortunately,
Toni’s parents stepped up to help by letting them build a two-bedroom home in their back garden. Now, this young mum has the place she and her daughter have been dreaming of—thanks to We Can Make!
Melissa Mean, director of We Can Make, said: “The UK seems permanently stuck in a housing crisis. Instead of relying on big commercial developers to fix a problem they helped create, WeCanMake shows another way is possible – about what can happen when the power and resources to make good homes are put in community hands.
“Our two homes in Knowle West are just the start. Our toolkit for unlocking micro-sites through community-led opt-in densification is designed so other neighbourhoods can use it. Imagine 33,000 new affordable homes across the country – all inserted exactly where people need them most – helping elders to downsize, and ease pressure on overcrowded families.
“It opens up a new way to scale with real impact, one where communities are in control.”
The plan for Knowle West council estate in Bristol, created by the community-led housing land trust, has just been approved by Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), Michael Gove.
This exciting development will result in 150 additional homes being built across a 5,000 home-estate − representing an uplift of three percent. Cabinet Member for Housing Bristol City Council, Cllr Tom Renhard, expressed his delighted at this transformative development saying: “As a council, Bristol recognises that we need to go beyond ‘business as usual’ in order to tackle the housing crisis.”
“We Can Make offers an innovative and additional way to unlock land and deliver high quality, affordable homes where people need them most. We think it is an approach that can scale-up, both in Bristol and in helping set a new model for estate regeneration across the UK.”
The charity estimates that its scalable model for building homes in existing council sites could result in a further 33,000 affordable homes being built across England - creating a real solution to Britain’s housing crisis.
The low-carbon homes are made from woodchip building blocks, which can be slotted together on site.
Jonathan Lewis, programme manager at the Nationwide Foundation said: “To combat the housing crisis, we need innovation and flexibility. We’re proud to fund and support WeCanMake.
“Often, projects that test completely new solutions are seen as a risk the first time they’re tried. We’re confident that the homes in Knowle West, and the people living in them, are tangible proof that this model works.
“The next step is to shout about what has been achieved and take the learning to other areas so that more affordable, decent homes can be created for and by local communities.”
Married couples are being urged to consider giving the gift of Marriage Allowance to their husband, wife or civil partner saving up to £252 a year.
More than 2.1 million couples currently benefit from Marriage Allowance, but HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) estimates that thousands more couples are missing out because they don’t realise they may be eligible, particularly couples where one partner has retired, has given up work to take on caring responsibilities, or is unable to work due to a long-term health condition.
Taxpayers earning less than £12,570 a year can transfer up to £1,260 of their Personal Allowance to their higher-earning partner, to reduce the amount of tax they pay. They can also backdate their claim to include any tax year up to April 6, 2018, which could be worth up to £1,242 in tax relief.
Couples can use the free Marriage Allowance calculator on GOV.UK to check if they are eligible for the tax relief.
Angela MacDonald, the Deputy Chief Executive and Second Permanent Secretary at HMRC talked about the Marriage Allowance Tax Relief: says “We want to make sure everyone who’s eligible for this relief is able to get it. It might be that couples haven’t realised they’re entitled if their circumstances have changed, such as one of them having stopped work or taken a lower paid job. People can apply for free at GOV.UK and keep every penny of their claim, which will reduce the tax paid by the higher-earning partner.”
You can claim back up to four years’ worth of the tax boost. Below is each tax year and the value of the allowance:
2022/23 - £252
2021/22 - £252
2020/21 - £250
2019/20 - £250
2018/19 - £238
The Marriage Allowance is a valuable benefit that could bolster family finances during challenging financial times. This relief, alongside other benefits and allowances, provide an opportunity to make ends meet in the face of rising costs of living.
Changes in circumstances can end up making a couple newly eligible for Marriage Allowance, even if they didn’t qualify right when they got married. If a couple has been married for some years now, it’s worthwhile for them to double check and see if their current circumstances mean that they are now eligible for this allowance.
These include:
• One partner retiring and the other remaining in work
• A change in employment
• A reduction in working hours which means their earnings fall below their
• Personal Allowance
• Maternity, paternity, or shared parental leave
• Unpaid leave or a career break
• One partner studying or in education and not earning above their Personal Allowance
Also if a spouse or civil partner has died since April 5, 2018, the surviving person can still claim by contacting the Income Tax helpline on 0300 200 3300.
In April, millions of households in England will see a 5% hike in their council tax bills. Furthermore, the rest of the UK is likely to experience similar hikes. This increase comes on top of other rising living expenses such as energy tariffs and food prices.
The local authorities set Council Tax in England, Scotland, and Wales as a compulsory charge on properties. This money goes towards providing essential services in the area. The property’s value is the basis of what determines which “band” they are classified into. For example, in England, the property’s value on 1 April 1991 would be taken into consideration when determining the band. Higher bands correspond to more expensive properties.
The government has increased the amount that councils in England are allowed to put up council tax without having to hold a local referendum.
Those with social care duties can raise council tax by 5%, while others can put it up by 3%.
Most councils are expected to impose the biggest increase they are allowed to without consulting residents.
The Treasury expects 95% of eligible councils to push ahead with the 5% rise.
For the average Band D council tax of £1,966 in England, a 5% increase would equate to a yearly increase of £98.30, or an additional payment of £8.19 each month.
If you wish to understand how much you are paying in England or Wales in taxes at the moment, look up your property on the government website.
This website should provide information as to which tax band your residence is under and what council collects it.
Additionally, there should be a link to the council’s web page, with your current tax bill and information regarding potential increases come April when such decisions have been made.
Council tax helps fund a number of local services, including:
Rubbish collection
Street lighting
Libraries
Police and fire services
Youth clubs
Parks and recreation facilities
Local Councils derive the majority of their funds from council tax. On average, almost half (49%) of funding comes from this source, according to Institute for Government. Additionally, local police and fire authorities levy council tax to finance their services and 27% of total funding is generated by business rates.
Central government grants complete the picture, covering the remaining 23%. In England, an additional charge is levied which assists in paying for care homes and other adult social care services.
Who pays council tax?
As a rule of thumb, anyone who is over 18 and owns or rents a home has to pay council tax, but there are exemptions and discounts based on individual circumstances.
Someone living alone, for example, is entitled to a 25% discount.
A property occupied solely by students is exempt, and you won’t get a bill if you’re living in halls of residence or a care home.
If you work away from home and your property is empty, you can get a 50% discount.
The key thing to remember is that it is the occupant of the property who is liable for the bill, so tenants rather than the landlord have to pay.
The South Bristol Enterprise Support (SBES) programme is a free initiative designed to help small and medium-sized businesses in the South of Bristol. Funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the West of England Combined Authority, the scheme brings together advice, mentorship, business support, and funding opportunities for new entrepreneurs and existing SMEs. The project will run until March 2021.
Deputy Mayor Cllr Craig Cheney commended SBES on its success: “we’ve had tremendous response from entrepreneurs of various disciplines including bakers, engineers wine retailers– they have all benefited from our programme’s support." With 250+ businesses already recruited, SBES is proving an invaluable tool for business owners in Bristol.
Duncan Silvey, co-director of HumanKiND Festival - a sustainably-led events business in Bedminster - which has benefitted from the support, said: “SBES and SSE have helped us by validating our project.
“Having an outsider looking in to help us to look objectively at ourselves, that’s the real value…it really helped align our strategy for how to do things both physically and digitally and think about those audience groups we want to attract.”
