Bristol Weekly Magazine 19th - 26th January 2023

GREY HAIR SILVER LINING

Spotting your first grey hair should not be cause for self-loathing but rather embraced as a mark of coming sophistication, says mobile barbering pioneer Giuliano Dore. “Grey hair is a natural occurrence; however, styling is the key,” said Giuliano, founder of Get Groomed who offer corporate and individual mobile haircutting services.

“Adopting a modern haircut can transform not only your look, but also your outlook regardless of your hair colour. So even if you have grey hair, th ere’s a silver lining to that.

“You need to face the music and look for ways on how you can best wear your grey hair to your advantage.

“After all some of the world’s most high-profile heartthrobs are silver-haired – look at George Clooney, Mark Ruffalo, or Barack Obama.”

Giuliano, who founded the business with Sabrina Vjaykumar in 2017 which covers Birmingham, Manchester, London, Kent, and Guildford in West Surrey, says grey hair is currently in vogue.

“Going over to the silver side has been considered a legitimate stylish hair colour for a while and it’s currently having a moment with the younger crowd.

“They may be using artificial methods to get the look, but for the older guys who have it naturally, the key to rocking it is by accepting it and by being confident with it.”

Giuliano says one way to do this is to make use of hair products that can help bring out the best features and angles of grey hair.

“A lightweight gel or mousse will give you a more natural look and will accentuate your shine rather than mask your silver tones; but make sure your product isn’t too thick.

“A pomade will thicken nicely but remember to choose a silky finish for a more contemporary spin for this look.

“Grey hair can look dull when neglected so don’t forget to blow dry; the more voluminous your hair, the more youthful and appealing it looks.”

Giuliano says it is also important to dress the part to complement the look.

“Embrace a minimalist, less-is-more style and go for classic pieces and timeless colours. And dress age-appropriately; not like you’re trying hard to be one of the boys.”

Get Groomed provides barber on demand services to individual clients at their homes or in their hotel if they are away from home.

The service is also used by corporates as a company perk for staff. Clients include 3 Monkeys Zeno, Car Finance 24/7, PitchBook, Oscar Recruit and Pareto FM as a company perk for staff. Details of corporate sessions can be found at www.gogetgroomed.co.uk

BRISTOL LIGHT FESTIVAL 2023

Exciting new light installations have been confirmed for this year’s light festival in Bristol, organisers have said. The interactive trail will highlight iconic landmarks with works from international and local artists. Locations on the trail that will feature seven new pieces include the Floating Harbour, Temple Church, The Corn Exchange and Quakers Friars. The festival runs from 3 to 12 February between 17:00 GMT and 22:00.

An event spokesperson said there are some brand new commissions, with many of this year’s installations never having featured in Bristol bef ore. With varying themes and interactive techniques including mermaids, lights, voices, mirrors, lasers and sounds, they added the festival “will have something for everyone”.

Organisers have also been working with an organisation called Guide.AI to make a free audio guide available in 12 languages which visitors can download.

Bristol Light Festival creative director, Katherine Jewkes, said the calibre of artwork available to see and experience “is something quite special”.

“The combination of internationally acclaimed artists and leading local talent will offer visitors some real treats as they explore the event,”

“There is a real love for Bristol amongst the artists and an excitement to bring their art to the city.”

Head of Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District (BID) Vicky Lee said her team are “thrilled to have such a fantastic line up of content and to bolster Bristol’s creative reputation”.

“The event embodies everything that Bristol represents and showcases it as the vibrant, playful and creative city that we know and love,”

WHATS ON

JANUARY 20

The UK’s Biggest 80s Night!

Description: Expect to hear: Wham! // Duran Duran // Frankie Goes To Hollywood // Erasure // Culture Club // Spandau Ballet // Queen // Madonna // Howard Jones // Tears For Fears // Simple Mindsbut to name a few. 11pm - 4am. 5 hours of 80s heaven! Tickets: £6 each or 4 for £20 (group booking)

Venue: Club Tropicana Saint Thomas Street Bristol,BS1 6JJ

Florence & The Bare Souls

Description: Live music is great, but when it’s performed by people as talented as this bunch it ceases to become something you enjoy and becomes something you feel instead. https://www. youtube.com/playlist...

Venue: The Canteen Hamilton House, 80 Stokes Croft, St Paul’s, Bristol BS1 3QY

The Terraplanes Duo

Description: Little bit of laid back blues from Nick & Ed from The Terraplanes Blues Band

Venue: The Old Mill 1 High St, Portishead, Bristol BS20 6AF

JANUARY 21

JANUARY 22

The Crochet Cafe

Description: Come and learn to crochet a variety of garms, sellyour artwork, drink brew and have a yarn! All levels of experience welcome!

Venue: The Cloak and Dagger 182, 184 Cheltenham Rd, Cotham, Bristol BS6 5RB

White Bear Comedy Club

Description: Hosted by Alex Stevens, White Bear Comedy Club is a fortnightly event featuring the best comedic talent across the whole UK Comedy Circuit. The line up features a fantastic mixture of comedians and is surely one you wouldn’t want to miss!

Venue: The Room Above 8BS, 133 St Michael’s Hill, Bristol BS2 8BS

Bristol Honda Pitbulls 2 V Basingstoke Buffalo

Description: Pitbulls 2 are back and celebrating pride as they take on the Basingstoke Buffalo in NIHL 2 Action Saturday

Venue: Planet Ice Bristol, Merlin Road, Cribbs Causeway, Bristol

Barry Steele and Friends Description:

Venue: Playhouse Weston 126-130 High St, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1HP

Walk and coffee

Description: We’re planning a casual walk for members new and old to catch up and get to know each other. Provisionally, this is going to be around the Harbourside in Bristol with a meeting point to be confirmed. Plenty of coffee shops on the way for vegan coffee and cake! New members welcome. Alcohol free social

Venue: Harbourside BS1 Bristol

Rallycross Winter Championship

Description: Round 6 of the Winter Championship for the Rallycross classes. RXSWB & LWB

Venue: Mendip RC Raceway Accommodation Rd, Bleadon, Weston-superMare BS24 0AP

Sketch meet

Description: A meet to sketch either at the Beacon or surrounding area. Meet point in the Beacon cafe on the ground floor

Venue: Bristol Beacon Trenchard Street BS1 5AR Bristol

JANUARY 24 JANUARY 25

Breastfeeding Support Circle

Description: We are trained Breastfeeding support advisers, here to offer our services to those of you who are wanting to get any kind of advice on the subject, whether you plan to breastfeed and would like to know how to get started or a pro at this new skill and want a community/village to chat to. We are here for you.

Venue: Skyboat Cafe 4 Harcourt Rd Redland, Bristol BS6 7RG

An Introduction to Makaton

Description: This 3-hour session will be delivered at Our Community Base in Kingswood and will aim to introduce Makaton and increase your understanding of how it can be used to communicate with your child.

Venue: The Kingswood Centre New Cheltenham Rd Bristol BS15 4FS

Burn’s Night

Description: his Burn’s Night, Join us for a special kind of Whisky Tasting! The Clockwork Rose team will be serving up a masterclass of classic Scotch cocktails along with traditional Scottish food, paired to each drink! Hosted by Whisky Specialist (and our good friend) Joe Ellis, take a trip through the range of The Macallan Whiskies as he talks through the history and creation of this world renowned spirit. Tickets include a tasting of each whisky, and their cocktails, as well as the food pairings for each one! Please contact us after your purchase (thecaptain@theclockworkrose.com) with any allergies or dietary requirements.

Venue: The Clockwork Rose 16 St Stephen’s St Bristol BS1 1JR

Buffoon Comedy

Description: We’re on every Thursday. Buffoon Comedy brings you a night of laughs from The Boardroom just off St Nicks market. Our focus is to bring you some of the best upcoming comedians from Bristol and around the UK. The line up include new acts and upcoming comedians in the circuit, as well as known headliners working on new material

Venue: The Boardroom Bristol Market Chambers, 20 St Nicholas St, Bristol BS1 1UB

ALLIUM

Description: ALLIUM: Fourpiece alternative rock band from Bristol. https://open. spotify.com/artist/672Ls5F2iZCDCTUBswDzuH... https://www.facebook.com/ alliumband/ https://linktr.ee/alliumband

Venue: The Thunderbolt 124 Bath Road Bristol Yoga for Anxiety Intensive Description: Understand how and why anxiety arises and how the science of yoga can have such a powerful role to play in alleviating anxiety.

Venue: Bristol School of Yoga 16 Backfields Ln, St Paul’s, Bristol BS2 8QW BS20 6AJ

UPCOMING EVENTS

LIVE WRESTLING 4 FEB

Saturday 4th February Wrestling Society will return to The Somerset Hall, Portishead for an evening of Action packed, fully interactive, family friendly Live Wrestling.

Featuring 7 matches including Championship matches, tag matches and women’s matches.

Some of the Wrestlers Announced to compete are The current wrestling society heavyweight Champion, The saint who is undefeated.

High flyer Joey Scott, Fan favourite Saime and Sahin.

We are also excited to announce we have 2 local wrestlers battling it out, The Stallion Chris Bronson Vs Charlie Sterling who are both from Bristol and have gone on to have successful careers in the UK.

We are also excited to have 2 womens wrestling matches that evening which will include Nadia Sapphire, The Bad girl Chantal Jordan, Aluna Blue & Nightshade.

We are so excited for the females in our division to showcase there athletic ability and show they are just as tough as the men.

Doors open at 6.30pm and show starts at 7pm. Get your tickets at wrestlingsocietyuk. eventbrite.co.uk

BABYLON

From Damien Chazelle, Babylon is an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles led by Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Diego Calva, with an ensemble cast. Babylon is a tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, tracing the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.

AVATAR 2 THE WAY OF WATER A MAN CALLED OTTOY

BRISTOL ARENA DELAYED BUT THE SIZE OF VENUE TO BE INCREASED

The much-anticipated opening of Bistol’s new arena has been delayed until 2025, the developers behind the project have confirmed. The YTL Arena, being created from the conversion of the huge Brabazon Hangar at the old Filton Airfield, won’t now open for its first gig until late 2025 or early 2026. However, the venue will be even bigger - YTL Developments has said.

The capacity of the arena is to be increased from 17,000 to 19,000 by improving the design, the Malaysian firm added. The YTL Arena was originally pencilled in for a 2024 opening but that has since slipped and, for the past year or so, there had been no confirmed date for opening.

The company has blamed “delays resulting from the impact of Covid” and the general challenges in the construction market for the postponement.

It’s been a while since Bristol tried to bring the Eurovision Song Contest to the city, but there hasn’t been much progress on the YTL Arena. YTL said they are yet to start actual work to convert the hangar into the arena, but said they have been “making good progress” on the arena’s development and are “talking with major contractors”. YTL Arena chief executive Andrew Billingham said preparation work has been done.

“We have been making good progress on the development of YTL Arena Bristol and are now entering the final stages of design and talking with major contractors,” he said. “Work has begun on key pieces of infrastructure required including new road connections, establishing new power supplies and site preparation works.

“The train station at Brabazon is an important element and discussions continue on how this might be brought forward,” he added. The logistics of the train station at the Filton Airfield development site have been controversial, with a debate about who will pay for it and how many trains will end up running every evening to transport people attending events at the arena.

The arena will include exhibition and convention halls; banqueting capacity for 4,000 people; and a flexible hub for entertainment, film, TV and music rehearsals. YTL Developments also received approval from South Gloucestershire Council to create a 15-acre sustainable public park at the centre of Brabazon last year.

Mr Billingham said “Despite the delays to the opening date, YTL was “totally committed” to opening the arena.

Because of Covid and some other construction market issues, we’re now looking at a late 2025 or early 2026 opening date,” he said. “But YTL is still 100% committed to building Bristol’s first major indoor music arena and entertainment complex. We’ve made some design improvements that will allow us to increase the maximum capacity of the arena from 17,000 to 19,000, with over 2,000 premium seats.”

YTL has been working with Bristol-based interior designers Studio B on the arena plans. Studio B is a Clifton-based design agency which won the job to design the arena and the spaces around it. Its founder Kyle Clarke said winning the contract was the “highlight” of the year.

“Since we received the instruction, we’ve been completely consumed with designing selected spaces within the arena to completely blow the customer experience through the roof,” he said. “There isn’t another arena in the country that will come close. Huge hats off to the YTL Arena team for working with our relatively small, young, ambitious Bristol studio.

“Together, we’ve got exciting plans to bring in other local artists and small businesses, harnessing Bristol’s endless skill and talent to ensure the arena feels proudly part of the city,”

5 BEST PLACES TO GO SHOPPING IN BRISTOL

When you’re looking for somewhere to do your shopping in Bristol, you’ve got plenty of options.

You can find everything from classic high street retailers to quirky independent stores, all within easy reach. If you want to find a mix of different shops, the Bristol Shopping Quarter is a great place to start.

With a range of different stores all in one place, you’re sure to find something that catch your eye.

1 BROADMEAD

Broadmead is part of the famous Bristol Shopping Quarter, together with prominent malls like Cabot Circus, The Arcade Bristol and The Galleries. The pedestrianised thoroughfare is lined with Independent and designer stores, resulting in a diverse shopping experience.

Continue on to The Arcade Bristol, where you can find cafés, beauty parlours and gift shops in a Grade II-listed Victorian building.

2 CABOT CIRCUS

Cabot Circus is an all-weather shopping centre in Bristol. It has the best selection of international brands and local designer boutiques. Containing over 140 stores, the highlight is a large Harvey Nichols department store. The curved glass ceiling and semi-outdoor design make Cabot Circus suitable for any weather. If you get hungry, there’s plenty of restaurants to choose from – everything from fast food to fine dining.

3 WAPPING WHARF

Wapping Wharf is a floating neighbourhood in Bristol’s historic harbourside. While it’s most popular for its eclectic food offerings, you can also find plenty of independent shops and beauty studios lining its tree-lined streets.

CARGO has dozens of local traders occupying converted shipping containers. Handmade jewellery, vintage clothes, home décor, and artworks are some of the many things you can buy in Wapping Wharf. There’s a yoga studio, massage parlour, and barbershop if you want to take a break from shopping. You’re also within walking distance of landmarks such as the Brunel’s SS Great Britain Museum and M Shed.

4 ST NICHOLAS MARKET

St Nicholas Market occupies the Grade I-listed Exchange Building on Corn Street, about a 5-minute walk of Castle Park and Bristol Bridge. It’s one of the city’s oldest markets, having operated since 1743.

You can find around 50 stalls offering clothes, jewellery, books, records, artworks, and greeting cards, just to name a few. If you’re feeling hungry, head to the back of St Nicholas Market to the Glass Arcade – expect dozens of small eateries

5 CLIFTON VILLAGE

Clifton Village is a classy shopping district with Georgian townhouses lining its leafy streets. It’s a relaxing place to shop, with a mixture of classy boutiques, antique stores and cafés. There are also independent record shops for fans of classical music, while vibrant bars and restaurants are concentrated around the nearby Whiteladies Road.

A must-visit is Clifton Arcade, where you can find dozens of small shops selling jewellery, pottery, vintage clothes, and homeware, all housed in a restored Victorian-era shopping arcade.

Clifton Village is less than 2 miles northwest of Bristol’s city centre.

SAUSAGES WITH RICH ONION GRAVY

Peel and dice 2 large Co-op sweet potatoes and place on a baking tray

Drizzle with 1 tbsp vegetable oil from your storecupboard, mix and season Add 8 Co-op Butcher’s Choice pork sausages to the tray

Cook for 30 mins, until golden Meanwhile, slice 1 Co-op Honest Value brown onion

Heat another 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan and cook the onion over a low heat for 5 mins, until softened Pour in 100ml Co-op South African red (or any red wine you like), bring to the boil and simmer for 2 mins Add 4 tsp Co-op Honest Value gravy granules along with 280ml boiling water, and stir to dissolve, then simmer for 2 mins more

Serve the sausages and potatoes with the onion gravy poured over

FAST PHO

Ingredients

300g 2 beef medallion steaks, at room temperature

1 tsp sesame oil

1 chicken stock pot

1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder seasoning

1 tsp reduced salt dark soy sauce

1 tsp grated ginger

200g egg noodles 100g savoy cabbage, thinly sliced

1 red or yellow pepper, thinly sliced

225g can bamboo shoots in water, drained

1/2 carrot, thinly sliced into strips

2 spring onions, thinly sliced diagonally

1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced

Method

Rub the steaks with the sesame oil and season with black pepper

Heat a nonstick frying pan over a high heat

Cook the steaks for 2 mins on one side without moving, then flip and cook for another 2 mins, until caramelised on both sides

Take out of the pan and set aside to rest

Bring 1.5 litres of water to the boil in a large saucepan

Add the chicken stock pot, 5 spice pow der, soy sauce and grated ginger, and simmer for 1 minute

Add the noodles and cook for 3-5 mins, until tender

Stir in the cabbage, pepper, bamboo shoots, carrot and spring onion, then cook for 2 mins, until the cabbage has wilted

Divide the broth between four bowls

Thinly slice the steaks and place on top Serve scattered with the chilli and sprigs of coriander

FIVE EASY DRIVING SAFETY TIPS TO START YOUR 2023

It’s that time of year again when we all make resolutions for the upcoming year. This year, Road Safety UK is urging drivers to prioritise road safety in their resolutions. Every day, five people die in accidents on UK roads, and 84 more are seriously injured. We are asking drivers to think about how they can prevent accidents and make road safety a priority in 2023. New Year’s is the perfect time to start thinking about road safety, with the end of the holidays, the start of a new school term, and longer winter nights. Let’s resolve to make UK roads safer for everyone in 2023!

1. BEFORE A JOURNEY

Take a few minutes to plan and check your route before you set off. This will help ensure you don’t get lost, and by leaving five minutes early you won’t end up rushing and making risky decisions.

2. PAY ATTENTION

Give the road your full attention. Don’t be distracted by passengers, mobile phones or deep thoughts.

3. HOLD BACK

Make a pledge that you won’t react to the actions of other drivers. Nobody’s perfect, so don’t waste time and increase risk by trying to rebuke another road user. Focus on holding back and staying safe.

4. CHOOSE YOUR SPEEDS WISELY

The speeds you use are entirely your own choice, so ensure you make wise decisions to keep your speed both legal and appropriate for the conditions. Time and space are two commodities you can never have enough of when driving.

5. BE ALERT

Don’t drive tired. Around 25% of all fatal or serious injury crashes are sleep related, so if you feel exhausted, or become tired on a long drive, then stop and rest.

NATIONAL HUGGING DAY 21/1/23

The National Hugging Day is a day for people to portray their emotions in public.

The best way for people to celebrate this day is by giving out hugs to everyone who needs it. You can give hugs to your family members or even to strangers on this day. Hugs are known to have a mental and physical healing effect that will make you feel better.

Some things you can do to celebrate this day include the following:

GIVE SOMEONE A HUG

National Hugging Day can only be celebrated if you give someone a big hug. Hugs are known to have tremendous mental health effects. You can give a hug to a friend, family member, or even to a stranger. Make them feel loved with these hugs and let them know that you care about their well-being.

SEND A LOVING MESSAGE TO SOMEONE

The other way for you to celebrate this day is by sending a loving message to the people who are not close to you. if your loved one lives far away, you can send them a loving message that will have a great impact as the hug would have.

EXTEND A HELPING HAND

National Hugging Day is intended to help people portray their emotions in public and the best way to do this is to help the people who need your help. Such people include the vulnerable, sick, and elderly. Use this day to help them with tasks that they cannot handle on their own such as shopping.

POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA

If you have enjoyed celebrating this day, the best thing for you to do to share your experience with others is by posting on social media. You can post on social media platforms with photos and videos of how you were able to show emotions to others. In addition, you can share photos of the people that you hugged on this day

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT HUGGING!

Most people use their right hand when going in to get a hug or receive a hug.

Hugging releases oxytocin. This essential hormone influences growth and social well-being. When you hug someone, the level of oxytocin in your body will increase and this can help reduce depressive or stressful feelings.

Hugs can help in lowering blood pressure and improves the condition of the heart,

The average person spends around 3.17 seconds on a hug.

DUE DILIGENCE – THE PEOPLE PUZZLE

In property circles we are all familiar with the phrase “due diligence” but it is often talked about in terms of “the deal” – the bricks, mortar, facts and figures of the deal. Equally as important but often overlooked, is due diligence on the people you are working with. Here we take a look at “the people puzzle” and why checking out people, as well as property deals, is every bit as important.

We have all seen the posts on social media, you know the ones, the ones which make those of us who have been in business a while cringe. They are asking for money or JV partners, and they usually talk of amazing deals which “just cannot be missed” and are “only available today”. Further, most of us have come across the self-styled “property gurus,” sharks and unscrupulous people, who are out to con the unsuspecting of their hard-earned cash.

What is interesting though, is that when we hear the stories, we always think “this would never happen to me…

I would never fall for this” and yet people do and, it’s often not just the newbie investors who fall for the patter and the stories, it’s the experienced ones too. In this article we are going to look at the practical things we should be doing to check out the people in the deal, whilst also looking at some of the psychological principles too.

THE PRACTICAL CHECKS AND QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF:

• Google the individual and the company (if there is one)

• Check out both company and individual on Companies House

• Request details of their background, experience, and track record

• Ask to speak to past clients or people who have invested or worked with them

• Search for them on social media and online forums

• Talk to people in your network – ask about the individual and the company

• Do all the usual due diligence on the deal itself – does it stack?

• Does their body language match their spoken language – what’s your “sense of them?”

• Do you feel comfortable with them?

• When things go wrong, as they often will, do you get a sense that they will be solution focused and working side by side with you or will they be finger pointing?

• Are they excessively flattering or overly charming?

• When you’ve spent time with them (over coffee etc.) how do they treat others?

• Are you compromised? More on this below.

In addition to the more tangible criteria above, I am a huge advocate of listening to your gut instinct. The message, which comes from somewhere deep inside the sum of your accumulated experiences, knowledge, and journey through life. Unfortunately, as human beings, we can all be compromised and, when we are, we can over-ride our gut instinct. The best examples of this are from things we do all the time – from that piece of cake we eat when we’re supposed to be watching calories, to the item we bought, that we haven’t budgeted for – we’ve all done it and we are past masters at it!

So, how do we prevent being compromised? The answer is in knowing yourself, your triggers and having a plan – someone to sense check with, time to stop and think, a network to bounce ideas off.

SOME OF THE HIGHLY CHARGED EMOTIONS, WHICH MAKE US OVERRIDE OUR GUT INSTINCT ARE:

• Excitement

• Greed

• Desperation

• Fear

Only you will know how you will feel, when you are in the grip of one of these emotions. When you feel that you may be, it’s time to stop, think, evaluate, and maybe sense check with someone outside the “deal” that you know and tr us

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER:

· Time – many successful transactions and partnerships are built over time. Are you being coerced into moving too quickly because a deal is “only available today” or does it feel as though someone is trying to short circuit the natural flow and rhythm of the relationship? Ask yourself what’s the urgency? Why do I need to decide now? What will be different tomorrow?

• Influence v manipulation – know the difference between the two. Who benefits?

• Is one party over reliant on the other and is the partnership equitable?

• Ethics – do both parties share the same ethos?

• Do you like them? We touched on this before. Property Investors that we talk to are often surprised when we say that we don’t work with people we don’t like. If you don’t like someone, then your instincts are trying to tell you something, in our experience, you ignore them at your peril – several decades of business has taught us this one!

Last, but not least, if it feels too good to be true, the chances are that it is! Take the time you need to assess, sense check and stop, look and listen. If something still doesn’t feel right, then move on, there is always another deal and lots of super ethical people out there to partner with, that will feel right!

FUNDING BID FOR EIGHT PEDESTRIANISATION SCHEMES

Proposals to seek £5.2 million funding for making walking and cycling easier in eight areas across Bristol will be considered by Bristol City Council’s Cabinet next week.

When it meets on 24 January, Cabinet will decide whether to request funding from the West of England Com bined Authority for projects that aim to reduce the impact of traffic on our high streets.

Eight projects have been put forward as schemes that could be delivered using a proportion of the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement set aside for Liveable Neighbourhood projects in Bristol.

The projects would pave the way for safer walking and cycling routes and would be located in the city centre, Ashley Down, Clifton, Redland, Easton, and Eastville.

If the funding is secured, it would go towards delivering permanent pedestrianisation schemes in Cotha m Hill, Bristol’s Old City, and King Street, as well as closing Overton Road where it meets Gloucester Road in Ashley Down, to through traffic.

It would also go towards engaging residents and businesses to find out how they would like to make the timed road closures that are now permanent on Princess Victoria Street in Clifton and Denmark Street in the city centre look and feel more established before construction work begins. On top of resurfacing work and new signage, this could include continuous pavements, planting and more.

The funding would also cover working with residents and businesses in Redland to shape plans for a timed road closure on Chandos Road as well as working with residents around Rosemary Lane in Easton on plans to close a section of the street to through traffic, to link up two green spaces and make walking and cycling to May Park School easier and

A request to fund cycle parking and dropped kerbs on St Mark’s Road in Easton, as part of a wider scheme, would also be put forward.

Councillor Don Alexander, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “We’re looking to transform a range of neighbourhoods across the city that are dominated by cars and other larger vehicles so we can open them up more for community use.

“Rebalancing our streets will encourage more people to embrace active travel, especially for shorter journeys, and make areas look more attractive while also supporting hospitality venues.

“Our overall ambition is to improve Bristol’s transport network to create cleaner air and better, more reliable bus services, improved walking and cycling routes, alongside our ongoing plans for an underground mass transit system.”

To find out more download the cabinet report.

CHOCOLATE PATH REPAIRS

A major milestone has been reached in the work to stabilise Cumberland Road, which will enable Bristol’s Chocolate Path to reopen by the end of May.

The council’s contractor, Griffiths, has installed all of the concrete piling to hold the ground in place under Cumberland Road, the Chocolate Path and a section of the Harbour Railway.

This means work can now take place to rebuild the wall along the New Cut and reinstate the Chocolate Path and heritage railway line. In preparation for this, a concrete slab needs to be installed by Griffiths across the piling and a supporting ground beam put in place along the base of the river wall.

Councillor Don Alexander, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “It’s great news that the most complicated part of the stabilisation project is complete, meaning Griffiths can move onto reinstating the Chocolate Path and Harbour Railway.

“We had hoped the repairs would be finished around February of this year. However, because of obstructions underground, the piling works took longer than expected. We are now on track to reopen the Chocolate Path towards the end of May.

“Thank you for bearing with us while we restore this important part of our city’s harbourside infrastructure, as part of our ongoing multi-million-pound investment.”

OUT AND ABOUT IN BRISLINGTON WEST WITH JOS AND ANDREW

NEW THREAT TO OUR LOCAL BUS SERVICES:

Local bus services are at risk once again. This week, the West of England metro mayor Dan Norris brought forward a paper that will see a massive cut to supported bus services including the 178 Brislington P&R to Keynsham and Midsomer Norton, 96 Brislington to Hengrove, 513/514 Brislington circular, and many more. These services will be replaced by Demand Response 18-seater buses, which require advance booking. We will let you know the outcome of the meeting in next week’s update. If you want to read more about what is being proposed, here is the link to the meeting paperwork: https://westofengland-ca. moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=141&MId=581&Ver=4

BRISLINGTON GREENBELT TO GO - LAST CHANCE TO COMMENT:

Time is running out to have your say on Bristol City Council’s Draft Local Plan. In the plan, Brislington will not only see massive redevelopment on brownfield sites, but also the loss of much of our Green Belt, stretching from the existing Park and Ride down to and including the former Wyevale Garden Centre. (The Allotments on Bath Road would be retained).

We completely support brownfield redevelopment but believe building on our precious Green Belt is unacceptable. Please follow the link below and have your say. You have until Friday 20 January, 2023. https://www.bristol.gov. uk/residents/planning-and-building-regulations/planning-policy-and-guidance/ local-plan/local-plan-review

Consultation on the draft Temple Quarter Development Framework - have your say:

The four Temple Quarter partners, Homes England, Bristol City Council, the West of England Combined Authority and Network Rail, have developed a draft Development Framework to help guide change at Temple Quarter as the city looks to deliver up to 10,000 new homes and thousands of jobs to benefit Bristol and the region. A new consultation has just been launched to gather feedback from the public on the proposals. The consultation is open until Wednesday 8 March 2023. Please read the proposals and respond to the consultation and share this with your friends and neighbours. You can read a summary of the proposals and complete the questionnaire online:

https://www.ask.bristol.gov.uk/hubpage/bristol-temple-quarter-development-framework-consultation-12

YOUTH CLUB ON WHEELS IN BRISLINGTON WEST:

Our Youth Club on Wheels is now back out on the road. It is in Brislington every Monday, 3:30-5:30pm, delivering social action work and then staying on to deliver Open Access Sessions, 6:30 –8:30pm. All from the Lynwood Park Area.

SUPPORT OUR LOCAL POOL:

We are so lucky to have the fantastic Jubilee Pool on our doorstep. Here’s how you can help raise funds for the pool to ensure it’s long-term future:

ENCOURAGE EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO BECOME MEMBERS TOO.

Give a one off donation to support immediate funding needs or set up a regular donation: https://localgiving.org/appeal/ FOJPWinterEnergy/

Fundraise by running your own event at school, work or with family and friends When shopping on Amazon, log in through Amazon Smile and select Friends of Jubilee Pool (Bristol) as your chosen charity. We will receive a donation from them with out you having to do anything else.

Take part in this month’s Jubilee-athon! Last year’s 24 hour sponsored relay swim The Jubilee-athon was a great success, so it’s happening again. Over 24 hours we’ll try and swim continuously, with at least one person in the water at all times.

We aim to smash the overall distance covered in 2022. Don’t panic you don’t have to swim for the whole 24 hoursthe time is bookable in hour slots. Jos has already booked her slot! If you don’t think you can swim for a whole hour why not create a team or swim with your family to divide the time? Last year we raised money to aid us in taking on the pool - and we did it! Now we need to raise funds to help with energy efficient improvements to our heating and air handling systems, professional fees to quantify the major structural works that are needed and expertise in grant funding.

We are aware money is tighter this year, but we still hope you can all get sponsorship. We would like everyone to aim for at least £40 each. each. To find out more and to sign up, go to jubileeathon2. eventbrite.co.uk

Become a member if you’re not one already and use the pool (they need about 300 more members to significantly reduce the projected deficit): https://my.leisurecentre.com/centre/jubilee-swimming-pool/memberships/sign-up?_ ga=2.49192111.86581320.1665064242936839603.1663243815

FOSTER CARERS URGENTLY NEEDED IN BRISTOL:

Fostering is looking after someone else’s child to provide them with a safe, nurturing home when their own parents are unable to care for them.

In Bristol we have seen the number of people coming forward to foster going down recently and we urgently need to recruit more.

Fostering with Bristol City Council is hugely rewarding and helps keep children in Bristol close to their community, schools and important people. We celebrate all types of foster carers from all backgrounds. You don’t need to be married, own your own home or have any qualifications.

If you can provide a safe and welcoming home, have compassion, kindness and a sense of humour, you have what it takes to foster.

YOU’LL RECEIVE:

dedicated support from an experienced team

regular contact with other foster carers training and development opportunities up to £458 a week per child

free access to Everyone Active leisure centres and free events

To find out more visit www.bristol.gov. uk/foster or call Bristol City Council’s fostering team for an informal chat on 0117 353 4200

Hundres 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

A happyplace to live

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.

WORK TO START ON THE BUILD OF PORTISHEAD SKATE PARK

Work on Portishead's new skatepark is finally going to begin at the end of the month! The Portishead Wheels and Skatepark Group has managed to raise the £360,000 needed to build the new park at the Lake Grounds. Construction is expected to start on January 31.

North Somerset council said: “We couldn't have done it without the generosity of our community, local businesses, and donors. Plus, we received grants from North Somerset Council, Portishead Town Council, and £112,000 from the National Lottery”.

Thankfully, we also have planning permission and landlords consent from North Somerset Council, who owns the lake grounds. We even have a design for the new wheels park thanks to our chosen contractor - Maverick. We can't wait to see the finished product!

We’re hoping that the skatepark will be done by May. The concrete park - which will also be accessible for wheelchair users - will have a bowl and a street

The park will not only be for skateboarding but also for scooter, rollerblade and BMX users. A spokesman for Portishead Wheels and Skate Park said: “We are so excited and pleased to announce that we have hit our target and raised all the monies needed to get started on building our new wheels and skate park here in Portishead at the Lake Grounds.

“We couldn’t have done this without everyone’s support and generosity. We will be breaking ground in the next couple of weeks and our builders, Maverick Skateparks, will then begin building the park on January 31, which means it should be completed by mid to late May, in time for the summer holidays.”

Planning permission was granted on appeal for a skatepark at the Lake Grounds in 2011. However, the project never moved forward because North Somerset Council at the time refused to grant landlords consent.

in partnership with North Somerset Council

GEARING UP TO HOST FIRST-EVER CLUTCH PRO TOUR EVENT

The Manor House Golf Club will be the destination for some of golf’s rising stars this summer when the celebrated Wiltshire venue will play host to Europe’s leading development tour for the very first time.

The club’s acclaimed par-72 parkland course – set within 365 acres of picturesque rolling countryside on the southern edge of the Cotswolds – will welcome the 2023 Mizuno Next Gen Series, presented by Clutch Pro Tour in June for three days of scintillating action.

The official feeder tour to the European Challenge Tour, the Clutch Pro Tour Tier One event will visit the Castle Combe venue for the first time ever from June 5-7. On June 5, The Manor House will host a pro-am where amateurs will have the opportunity to play alongside a Clutch Tour player in tournament conditions before the professionals take centre stage to compete over 36 holes the following two days.

Former European Ryder Cup stars Andy Sullivan and David Howell are among the high-profile players to have previously played on the Clutch Tour, and The Manor House joins current DP World Tour venue Galgorm Castle and former venues St. Mellion and Moor Park on the schedule.

A course which offers golf on another level, with 365 acres of breathtaking rolling countryside as its backdrop, The Manor House’s beautifully manicured fairways are lined with mature oak and beech trees and will provide a tough challenge for the next generation of golfers as they compete in the sixth Tier One event of the season for a prize fund of at least £60,000.

The event will arrive at the Wiltshire course – built on a limestone base that provides natural drainage for excellent conditions all year round – following a year of investment. A major sustainable bunker renovation project is currently underway as BunkerMat technology is introduced on the majority of its 80 bunkers to improve sand retention on the steep slopes

The Manor House’s greenkeeping team also recently completed a project to help prevent erosion on the bank of the greenside lake of the second hole, and the club has purchased a new Gambetti sprayer for turf care purposes.

Golf club manager, Andy Ryan, said: “We are delighted to be hosting the Mizuno Next Gen Series, presented by Clutch Pro Tour in June and are looking forward to welcoming everyone for what promises to be a great few days of golf.

“After recent course investment, and with further improvements set to take place ahead of the event including the completion of bunker work, the course will be in an excellent condition and will provide a real test for the game’s next stars.”

The club is now taking bookings for golf breaks through the winter. Packages start from £140 per person and include bed and breakfast in a standard room, a £35 per person allocation to use towards dinner, use of the driving range and 18 or 36 holes of golf.

A range of attractive fourball packages are also available from now until the end of March. Starting from £57.50 per person, visitors will be able to enjoy a bacon roll and hot drink upon arrival before playing 18 holes of golf with a buggy.

For more information on The Manor House, please visit: The Manor House.

For more information on the Clutch Pro Tour, please visit: Clutch Pro Tour.

TRAINING WORKSHOP: END OF LIFE CARE CONVERSATIONS AND PLANNING

A training workshop for people who have to care for and support people at the end of their lives is being held near Bristol.

Called “end of life care conversations and planning” the workshop will be held at Bristol Memorial Woodlands on Thursday March 9. It will be run in partnership with Gentle Dusk, which specialises in end of life care and planning.

It follows the success of previous bereavement workshops at Bristol Memorial Woodlands organised with Mireille Hayden, founding director of Gentle Dusk and is free to professionals who work in the sector.

Said Mireille Hayden: “We will be looking at why it is difficult to talk with clients about dying and end of life care; discuss how people can record their wishes and make a care plan and reflect on what is important to people as they near the end of life.”

The workshop has been successfully run for professionals from a variety of backgrounds including social work, medical staff, doctors and nurses; supported accommodation and care home providers, community organisations, faith groups and carers’ organisations. The workshop is engaging and participatory and has received very positive feedback:

The half-day workshop aims to build the skills and confidence of professionals in initiating conversations about end of life care and increasing their knowledge of end of life care planning.

This event is at Bristol Memorial Woodlands, Alveston on Thursday 9th March from 14:00 to 17:30. The training is free for all professionals working in the Bristol and surrounding area.

Places are limited and can be booked by emailing your name, title and organisation to mireille@gentledusk. org,uk. For more information visit www.memorialwoodlands.com

EMPICA SEES IN THE NEW YEAR WITH A TRIO OF NEW CLIENTS

Bristol’s long established PR agency Empica has started 2023 with a clutch of new clients, including three owner-managed and family-run businesses with ambitious growth plans.

Empica, which has been established in the region for more than 30 years, has been appointed by eco-friendly screen-printer Samedaybags.com, mobile barbering company Get Groomed and independent financial advisors Manning Gee Investments Ltd to help publicise their products and services.

Samedaybags.com, based in Raglan, Monmouthshire, has tasked Empica with supporting a new brand launch this month and amplifying its fast turnaround promotional products.

The business, started 10 years ago by husband-and-wife Melvin and Helen Green, has grown to over £1 million turnover and employs 15 people.

Melvin Green said: “Having grown steadily for 10 years, and survived the pandemic when so many of the exhibitions, conferences and events that we were supplying were cancelled, we felt the time was right to bring in the expertise of Empica to help build our profile in new markets.

Empica is a full-service PR and communications agency based in Bristol with a global reach. It has an in-house team of 12 comprising former journalists, copywriters, PR professionals and marketing communications specialists, working for clients of all sizes and across a wide range of sectors.

London-headquartered Get Groomed, which provides mobile barbering services, have appointed Empica to support their push into new geographical locations across the UK and strengthen their London offering. Founded in 2017 by Giuliano Dore and Sabrina Vijaykumar, the business offers mobile barbering services to corporates and individuals.

Manning Gee Investments, run by Samuel and Naomi Gee, are a Bristol-based business that help individuals with financial planning. They have appointed Empica to publicise equity release options for people who have most of their assets tied up in property.

Commenting on the agency’s success, Martin Powell, Managing Director of Empica, said: “We are delighted to begin the new year on a high and welcome a raft of new clients to Empica, including Samedaybags.com, Get Groomed and Manning Gee Investments.

“There are a wealth of owner-managed and family-run businesses in our region that are keen to press ahead with their growth plans in spite of the challenging climate they find themselves in – and they see media exposure and effective communications as a key part of their marketing strategy.”

“We are expanding rapidly and Empica are helping us to get noticed, celebrate our successes and bring in new business.”

Care workers and employers will be on hand at two recruitment events to encourage local people to find out more about the work and potentially take up some of the jobs available now to deliver care across South Gloucestershire.

They will be promoting vacancies and are hoping to talk to people who live or could work in Thornbury, Winterbourne, Yate, Chipping Sodbury or Frampton Cotterell, where there are currently a number of vacancies.

Local people who are looking for full time work, something to fit around their family or study commitments, or a new direction are encouraged to come along and find out if they could be a care worker, how a job in care could work for them and to get answers to any questions they may have for local employers and people who already work in care.

Local care providers will also be able to hold informal interviews at the events, so attendees could even leave with a provisional job offer, subject to the appropriate checks.

Care workers are vital in maintaining and improving people’s quality of life and they are also crucial in supporting people who are well enough to leave hospital after an illness or surgery, for example.

As part of the campaign, which has launched today on social and in local media, people who currently work in care have described why they decided to do the job, the type of people who could do it and the satisfaction they get from supporting people to live fulfilling lives.

Andrew provides support to people in their own homes. He said: “I did hospitality for over 20 years and got to a stage where I kind of fell out of love with that and needed to move on and make a change. I needed something different, I needed something that was a bit more challenging. I didn’t have any caring experience apart from looking after my children.

The company I work for do great training. It gives you the tools to go into people’s houses to give them the care that they need. I go in and change that person’s outlook. It’s definitely an area that more people are needed and more caring people are needed. If you enjoy meeting new people, you’re really caring and you really enjoy helping people, I think care work is definitely a job you should look into.”

Ceri, who works in a care home, said: “It’s a very worthwhile job, definitely. You do make a difference. It’s not like any other job. You have to give a lot because that’s what care is, but sometimes you get something great back that can make you feel good.”

Anita, who works in a care home, said: “We have a few people to look after here to give them the opportunity to live the best life they can. This is a home. It’s nice to create a home. You need to be very patient, positive. Mainly, you need to be interested in people. You get out as much as you put in. You can certainly make a difference to people’s lives.”

South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for adult social care, Councillor Ben Stokes, gave his full support to the campaign. He said: “If you’re friendly, compassionate and good with people, a job in care work would be something for you to consider, and you could be a great asset to the care workforce in South Gloucestershire.

“We have a growing number of older people who need some support, but who want to be able to stay in their own homes. Others need more help and choose to live in care homes where they rely on care workers, but are able to live full and fulfilling lives. Ultimately, that’s what they want and what we all want for our loved ones.

“Care workers are vital to our local health and care system, local people and our local communities: they help people recover from hospital stays, to settle back home and to maximise their independence.

“We are investing Government funding allocated to us in order to support the local health and care system and improve discharge from hospitals. And we want to show how important, valued and vital care workers are to our communities and individuals, helping people recovering quickly from hospital stays, settling back home and maximising their independence.”

Details of the two local recruitment events to find new care workers are below:

• Tuesday 7 Feb, 11.30am – 3.30pm at Turnberrie’s Community Centre, Bath Road, Thornbury BS35 2BB

• Wednesday 15 Feb, 12.30pm – 4.30pm at Yate Active Lifestyle Centre, Kennedy Way, Yate BS37 4DQ

The events will give you the chance to:

• find out if you could be a care worker

• discover how a job in care could work for you

• ask questions directly to our local care employers

• have an informal job interview ‘on the spot’

You can either register for the events online or just turn up on the day, it is completely up to you.

Visit www.proudtocaresouthglos.org.uk for full details and to register if you wish to.

These events are being run by South Gloucestershire Council with a number of local care employers as part of the Proud to Care campaign.

In this short video, care workers Andrew, Ceri and Anita explain why they are proud to care in South Gloucestershire: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=5CZODnLHQyI