BRISTOL WEEKLY MAGAZINE
24 February - 3 March 2022
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This week.. 4. Dress of the year 6. 10 venues kids eat free 11. The movie review 18. Your garden in March 20. 3 fantastic walks in Bristol and Bath 22. Disability Equality Commission 24. Focus on 26. UK’s top 50 gastropubs 28. Netflix for seniors 32. Top tips for working with trades 34. 10.5 k grants support 38. Funding available for SMEs 40. Cutting corners 46. Horoscopes March 48. UK’s Best @directlocal
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Duchess of Sussex dress announced as Fashion Museum’s Dress of the Year 2021 A Giorgio Armani dress as worn by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex for the CBS television special Oprah with Meghan and Harry will go on display at the Fashion Museum Bath from 22 February. The black and white silk georgette dress has been selected as the Museum’s Dress of the Year 2021. One of the defining pop-cultural moments of 2021, the highly anticipated two-hour television interview aired in nearly 70 countries and drew an estimated 60 million viewers worldwide. The Duchess wore a long, black triple silk georgette dress with deep front, lotus flower embroidery and matching belt from Giorgio Armani’s Spring/Summer 2022 Cruise Collection, which is still available to buy in America. It’s well known that members of the Royal family often use outfits to send a message through their choice of style, colour or motif. It was reported that the Duchess chose a dress with a lotus flower design because of the flower’s symbolic association with rebirth, self-regeneration and spiritual enlightenment, and its ability to flourish despite seemingly challenging conditions. Visitors to the Fashion Museum will soon be able to see a version of the famous dress for themselves when it goes on display as the final item in the headline exhibition, A History of Fashion in 100 Objects. Each year, the Fashion Museum invites a top name from the fashion industry to select a Dress of the Year that encapsulates the prevailing mood of fashion, represents the past year, and captures the imagination. This year’s selectors are Dazed magazine’s Ibrahim Kamara and Gareth Wrighton. The pair’s Dress of Hope was selected as Dress of the Year 2020, and they went on to have a monumental year, with Kamara appointed Editor-in-Chief of Dazed and Wrighton appointed Art Director. Kamara was also honoured at the 2021 British Fashion Awards, winning the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator. 4
Ibrahim Kamara and Gareth Wrighton said: “In today’s hyper-stylised pop culture, the Dress of the Year now has the potential to also be ‘meme of the year’ and we both latched upon Meghan and Harry’s now iconic interview with Oprah as the definitive anti-establishment moment that will forever endure in the British collective consciousness. “Meghan’s wrap dress by Armani, worn to showcase a divine pregnancy, framed the Duchess in black against the bountiful landscaping of Tyler Perry’s Hollywood garden. This look now, through sheer association with a viral television moment, is firmly engrained in our pop culture psyche.”
Rosemary Harden, Fashion Museum Manager, said: “This is a fabulous addition to the Fashion Museum collection. There are moments in history that are all about the dress and Meghan’s interview with Oprah was just such an occasion. The softly structured Armani dress with beautiful appliquéd lotus flower motif was part of a carefully curated look, guaranteed to send messages, and to imprint itself in our consciousness time and time again. Thank you to Ibrahim and Gareth for this landmark selection for the Dress of the Year Collection, and to Armani for most generously gifting the dress to the Museum.” Councillor Dine Romero, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Communities and Culture at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “We’re delighted that this iconic dress will be added to the Fashion Museum collection to represent a key moment of 2021. We look forward to seeing it on display at the Museum, where local residents and visitors will be able to admire it up-close.” Click here
in partnership with North Somerset Council
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10 venues kids eat free this February half-term
It’s half-term in Bristol and the South West so we have compiled a list where kids can eat free – or for £1 – this half-term.
6. Kids eat free this half-term at Farmhouse
1. Order an adult main at Bella Italia up until
February 27, and you can treat your little one to a Piccolo main from Bella’s kids’ menu for just £1!
meal at a Sizzling pub after 3pm and you’ll get a kid’s main meal for £1. Check out The Yeoman, The Blue Bowl, The Turnpike or The Lamb Inn.
2 Kids eat free this half-term at The Real
9. Hungry Horse and kids can enjoy a free
Greek. On Sundays one child gets a free meal for every £10 spent by an adult at The Real Greek – whether it’s half term or not The kids meal includes a main, drink and a dessert and there’s a restaurant at Cabot Circus..
3 Kids also eat free this half-term at
Dobbies from 12 noon every day until February 27 – there are garden centres in Clifton and Thornbury.
4. Brewers Fayre is also running a kids eat
free promotion where two under 16s can fill up on breakfast with one full paying adult. There are Brewers Fayre pubs at Bristol Concorde, Lewins Mead and Gordano Gate.
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Inns which owns Redwood Farm and Winter Stream.
7 Morrisons is running a ‘Feed the Family for
£10’ offer which includes two adult mains, two kids’ mains and four drinks.
8. Treat the whole family to a weekday
brekkie – try the Lodekka, Brunel or Talbot Inn.
10. Yo Sushi! has a deal on until February
25 where children can tuck into its Mini Ninja children’s menu absolutely free when an adult spends £10.
It’s worth double checking with the venue before you head on out as regional variations might apply.
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Whats on this week
Neck Deep Live in Bristol
Date: Saturday 26th February Description: JNeck Deep have rescheduled their UK and Ireland tour due to the Date: Friday 25th February developing situation regarding COVID-19. All Description: Our traditional Jazz & Folk clubs run on alternate weeks. Enjoy traditional tickets remain valid. Sat 26 Feb 2022 @ 7:00 pm | O2 Academy Bristol, Bristol live jazz or folk from the local Professional TICKETS musicians that keep their respective scenes https://tidd.ly/38o4oTt so vibrant and fresh. Soak in those ol’ timely tunes whilst you sip hand-crafted cocktails & Venue: O2 Academy Bristol dine with our regular pop up kitchen, Green Pizza Co. Join us in our cosy covered garden. THE MODERN ROOM Get yourself snug by the wood burner and enjoy these magical events Date: Saturday 26th February Free entry Description: The Modern Room takes its Bar and Kitchen open from 5PM name from those clubs pushing the more Live music from 7PM to 9PM. modern side of Northern Soul, funkier, rhythmical and more danceable, usually with Venue: Aesop’s 114 St Marks Road Easton a room dedicated for the modern taste. BS56JD Bristol Northern Soul from the mid 70’s forwards ,Expect Northern Soul Classics and rarities Yoga4anyone played in some of the best Modern Rooms around the globe. Date: Friday 25th February Description: Yoga classes - for all ages and Venue:Golden Lion 244 Gloucester Road abilities - no experience necessary BS7 8NZ Bristol I believe that yoga is for anyone - whatever BINGO NITE your age or ability. It can bring huge benefits both in body - improving strength and flexibility - and in mind - alleviating stress and Date: Saturday 26th February Description: Bingo with Cash Prizes anxiety.s. £8 per class or £35 for a block of 5 (no need to take consecutively). Venue: Masons Arms, 124 Park Rd Bristol Book at yoga4anyone.setmore.com RIDAY NIGHT JAZZ / FOLK & FOOD
Venue: The Flamingo Centre, 175 Southmead Room 237 Road, BS10 5DT Date: Saturday 26th February Description: Luke Slater (Mote-Evolver/ The Wandering Cinema Ostgut Ton) Black Amiga Faery Date: Friday 25th February A key player in the global techno scene, Luke Description: The Wandering Cinema are Slater has been a firm fixture back! Tickets now on sale for Garden Cinema on all the right electronic line-ups since the pop up this February half term. 11.30am we early nineties. He’s never stopped to will be screening ‘Song of the Sea’ a beautiful smell the proverbial roses. Born in Berkshire, he’s a major player with a sound and punk mythical tale about the last seal child. After lunch we will putting on Roald Dahl’s adaption attitude that’s impossible to miss and yet of the wonderful ‘Matilda’. As well as the films despite all of that success, he’s always kept hisartistic feet on the ground. It’s with great there will be some fun and prizes. Don’t be pleasure to invite Luke to Room 237 first the late for miss Truchball first and long overdue time! Venue: The Pavilion, Redcatch Park, Knowle BS4 2RD Bristol 8
Venue: The Loco Klub, Temple Meads BS1 6QH Bristol
Ride out to west bay
BBC Gimber
Date: Sunday 27th February Description: Ride out to west bay. meet at 10 to leave by 10.15. head to west bay chips and coffee. hopefully see a few of you there.
Date: Monday 28th February Description: It’s that time again the lovely of of Scarlet Lantern will be host BBC 3 Gimber addition
Venue: Fowlers Motorcycles, 2-12 Bath Road BS4 3DR Bristol Parchment Craft Card Making Class Date: Sunday 27th February Description: Absolute beginners, intermediate or experts to join a monthly Sunday class in Bristol of fellow enthusiasts with qualified and active member of the Academy of Independent Parchment Tutors. Pattern and parchment supplied, tools may be borrowed. Venue: Headley Park Primary School, Headley Lane BS13 7 Bristol And Not Or - Avsluta (Live) Date: Sunday 27th February Description: And Not Or is back for the second instalment of a new monthly Sunday event series focusing on ambient and rative yoga practice. Utilising the versatile space in Strange Brew, a spectrum of live audio and visual artists and DJs will soundtrack an extended Sunday afternoon and evening split into two sessions. Tickets https://hdfst.uk/E71762 Venue: Strange Brew, 10 - 12 Fairfax Street Bristol Rallycross Winter Championship - Rd 7 Date: Sunday 27th February Description: Winter Championship for the Rallycross classes. RX - SWB & LWB. Open practice 8.00 - 9.30 Drivers Briefing 9.30. 4 qualifiers (best 2 to count) 3 Leg finals Open to members and non-members. Members £ 7.00 Non-Members £10.00 Juniors £ 1.00 Additional class £2.00 Booking in and payment online via the website - www.mendiprcraceway.co.uk. Venue: Mendip RC Raceway, Accommodation Rd BS24 0AP
Venue: Unity Street, Bristol, BS15 Bristol Light Festival Date: Tuesday 1st March Description: Bristol Light Festival will return from Tuesday 1 - Sunday 6 March 2022 to fill the city with light and colour The full programme features 14 captivating artworks across the city centre, all making their first appearance in Bristol. It’s free to attend and open to all. Visitors can wander and explore the city’s streets to see the light artworks come to life and enjoy Bristol’s wonderful retail and hospitality businesses along the way. We can’t wait to welcome you to explore Bristol through light. Find out more: Here Download the map: http://ow.ly/2sk550I38gp Venue: Bristol City Centre Douglas Fairbanks Club Screening Date: Wednesday 2nd March Description: Free Admission After a two year absence the regular South West Silents Club Screening returns! Douglas Fairbanks (1883 – 1939) is one of the major icons of the silent era. Having recently shown one of his early swash buckling films at Arnolfini we are fastforwarding to his last great swashbuckler; coincidentally the last great silent drama from Hollywood and his own emotional farewell to the silent film era that he helped make great. Doors open at 7:15pm for a 8:00pm start. Venue: The Lansdown Pub, Clifton, Bristol
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Saver s Monday ce
Welcome to Bristol
pri Reduced , all tickets day!
Films & Performance Times: Week Commencing Friday 14th January
Friday 14th
Saturday 15th
Sunday 16th
Monday 17th
Cinema Opens: 4.25pm
Cinema Opens: 10.15am
Cinema Opens: 11.45am
Cinema Opens: 4.25pm
Scream (18) (2hrs.20m) 5.10, 8.00
Scream (18) (2hrs.20m) 5.10, 8.00
Scream (18) (2hrs.20m) 5.10, 8.00
Scream (18) (2hrs.20m) 5.10, 8.00
Licorice Pizza (15) (2hrs.35m) 4.40, 7.45
Licorice Pizza (15) (2hrs.35m) 4.40, 7.45
Licorice Pizza (15) (2hrs.35m) 4.40, 7.45
Licorice Pizza (15) (2hrs.35m) 4.40, 7.45
The King’s Man (15) (2hrs.35m) 4.45
The King’s Man (15) (2hrs.35m) 4.45
The King’s Man (15) (2hrs.35m) 4.45
Spider-Man: No Way Home (12A) (2hrs.30m) 7.35
Spider-Man: No Way Home (12A) (2hrs.30m) 1.45, 7.35
Spider-Man: No Way Home (12A) (2hrs.30m) 1.45, 7.35
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (12A) (2hrs.10m) 4.50
West Side Story (12A) (3hrs.) 1.00
West Side Story (12A) (3hrs.) 1.00
Clifford the Big Red Dog (PG) (2hrs.) All Tickets £4.00 12.00
Clifford the Big Red Dog (PG) (2hrs.) All Tickets £4.00 12.00
Disney’s Encanto (PG) (2hrs.10m) All Tickets £4.00 2.15
Disney’s Encanto (PG) (2hrs.10m) All Tickets £4.00 2.15
Tuesday 18th Cinema Opens: 4.25pm Scream (18) (2hrs.20m) 5.10, 8.00 Licorice Pizza (15) (2hrs.35m) 4.40, 7.45
Ron’s Gone Wrong (PG) (2hrs.), 10.30am
Spider-Man: No Way Home (12A) (2hrs.30m) 7.30
Thursday 20th Cinema Opens: 4.25pm Scream (18) (2hrs.20m) 5.10, 8.00 Licorice Pizza (15) (2hrs.35m) 4.40, 7.45
Wednesday 19th
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (12A) (2hrs.10m) 4.50
Cinema Opens: 12.45pm Scream (18) (2hrs.20m) 5.10, 8.00
Spider-Man: No Way Home (12A) (2hrs.30m) 7.30
Licorice Pizza (15) (2hrs.35m) 4.40, 7.45
High Frame Rate
The Electrical Life of Louis West Side Story (12A) (3hrs.) Wain 1.00 (12A) (2hrs.10m) 2.10 Event Cinema Royal Opera House Spider-Man: Tosca No Way Home (12A) (3hrs.25m) (12A) (2hrs.30m) Doors open at 6.30 for 7.00 3.15 start
3D performance
covid policies change Tuesday 21st from 10th december
Cinema Opens: 12.15pm
The policies and procedures surrounding Covid-Secure guidance changes from Friday 10th December. Click here to read our updated procedures, as we continue to manage
Autism Friendly Show
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (12A) (2hrs.10m) 4.50 Spider-Man: No Way Home (12A) (2hrs.30m) 7.30
Subtitled Show
No Free Tickets
You no longer need to check-in or leave your details.
Physical distancing guidelines will still apply in the cinema.
Enhanced cleaning and hygiene is here to stay.
All venues will have QR posters should you wish to check-in, and you can continue to leave your details when you book online if you would like to.
Although all rows of seats will now be in use, there will still be a 1seat gap between you and anyone else, so no need to share an arm rest with anyone just yet.
More cleaning time is being left between shows, and our enhanced cleaning regime will be in place permanently. Please continue to use the hand sanitiser provided.
Face coverings are mandatory for people of the age of 11, unless exempt. You can take your mask off to eat & drink when seated in the auditorium but must replace if you are not actively eating or drinking.
the situation in a steady, safer manner.
This weeks BBFC advice for 12A rated lms
Cinema Information
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain contains infrequent strong language. Spider-Man: No Way Home contains moderate violence, threat. West Side Story contains moderate violence, discrimination, sexual threat, implied strong language.
UKScottCinemas
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ScottCinemas
A WTW-SCOTT CINEMAS GROUP VENUE
ScottCinemasUK
Cinema doors open daily 15 minutes before the first performance of the day and opening times can be found above. The Box Office for the days performances closes 15 minutes after the last film of the evening has commenced.
www.scottcinemas.co.uk
Our App is available for Android and iOS from App Stores now
THE CINEMA REVIEW MOVIE REVIEW THIS WEEK
THE DUKE
Award-winning director Joe Wright envelops moviegoers in a symphony of emotions with music, romance, and beauty in Cyrano, re-imagining the timeless tale of a heartbreaking love triangle. A man ahead of his time, Cyrano de Bergerac (played by Peter Dinklage) dazzles whether with ferocious wordplay at a verbal joust or with brilliant swordplay in a duel. But, convinced that his appearance renders him unworthy of the love of a devoted friend, the luminous Roxanne (Haley Bennett), Cyrano has yet to declare his feelings for her — and Roxanne has fallen in love, at first sight, with Christian (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.).
Kempton sent ransom notes saying that he would return the painting on condtion that the government invested more in care for the elderly he had long campaigned for pensioners to receive free television. What happened next became the stuff of legend. Only 50 years later did the full story emerge Kempton had spun a web of lies. The only truth was that he was a good man, determined to change the world and save his marriage - how and why he used the Duke to achieve that is a wonderfully uplifting tale.
CYRANO
Sign up to our newsletter https://scottcinemas.co.uk/newsletter 11
Have you had enough of COVID? Staying at home and too much daytime TV, not seeing anyone,
Try us this Summer, starting with our Open Day on Saturday 16th of April or any
Why not restart life and join our bowling club at VICTORIA PARK this Summer
Monday afternoon or Tuesday evening.
Learn to play bowls in a friendly atmosphere and at your own pace and with people who would welcome you.
Be brave and walk through the gate to a new sport, ask for Brian or Alan
You can join our practice days on Monday afternoons and Tuesday evenings, throughout the Summer and then socialise further in the bar with hot and cold drinks available VICTORIA PARK is a bowling club for all, playing friendly games against likeminded clubs in and around Bristol with occasional games against clubs on the coast. These games are played on Wednesday afternoons and Weekends. For those who want more competitive bowling, we play in the Bristol Leagues on Thursday evenings and Friday afternoons, and enter all local cup competitions.
Victoria Park Bowls Club Play Lawn bowls - A sport for all
Comes and try a different sport Friendly and Competitive A game for all ages Open from April to September 2022 Monday 1-3pm or Tuesday 6-8pm Free Coaching Bar available New members will be very welcome For more information Tel: 07792 126344 Email maybgolf2@gmail.com Visit: Nutgrove Ave Bedminster BS3 4QF 12
READY TO LOSE WEIGHT, YOUR WAY? MAN v FAT is coming to South Gloucestershire with our exciting MAN v FAT Challenge programme. Working in partnership with South Gloucestershire Council, we’ve got funded places available for men in the county! MAN v FAT Challenge is a flexible, supporting male weight loss programme, where you can participate at a time and at a place that suits you! Weekly challenges are set based on the core areas of nutrition, exercise and building healthy habits. You’ll receive weight loss support, routine and accountability from your teammates and an experienced coach as well as weekly progress reports showing how you’re doing and regular newsletters to inspire you. We’re ready to welcome you on board now! Take a look at the website www.manvfat.com/south-gloucestershire for more details!
CHALLENGE 13
Inside out trifle Ingredients
Method Line a 15cm round cake tin with 2 layers of cling film then tip in the defrosted berries Put the jelly in a heatproof jug, add 140ml boiling water and stir until melted
250g frozen summer fruits, defrosted and well Add 100ml cold water, and mix in the liqueur, drained if using 1/2 x 130g pack strawberry jelly, cut into squares
Leave to cool completely, then pour into the tin and put in the fridge to set
2 tbsp fruit liqueur (optional)
Line a 2 litre glass bowl with 2 layers of cling film
3 x raspberry and vanilla Swiss rolls
Cut each Swiss roll into 8 slices
75g white chocolate
Reserving 6 slices for the trifle base, cover the inside surface of the bowl, packing the slices in tightly
250g vanilla custard 300ml double cream 2 tsp vanilla extract Strawberries, halved (optional)
Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the base doesn’t touch the surface Spread the chocolate over the Swiss roll slices in the bowl, then put in the fridge to set Beat the custard, cream and vanilla extract together, until the mixture holds its shape Spoon two thirds into the Swiss roll bowl Lift the jelly out of its tin, gently turn over and lay on top of the cream Spread half the remaining cream over the jelly, then arrange the reserved Swiss roll slices on top Carefully invert the trifle and turn it out onto a serving plate Top with a final dollop of cream, and scatter over the strawberries, if using.
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Tel: 0117 962 4553
Computer Repair Data Recovery Virus Removal Gaming Hardware Bespoke Pc’s Built www.cjcomputing.com 57 Westbury Hill, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, BS9 3AD Opposite the free Carpark on Westbury Hill
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Prosciutto and mozzarella toasted sandwich with spring green pesto Ingredients
Method
8 slices crusty bread 1 tbsp olive oil 125g lighter mozzarella, cut into 12 slices and patted dry with kitchen towel 12 slices prosciutto crudo 4 sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
Put all the pesto ingredients in a food processor, along with 1 tbsp water, and blitz into a coarse paste
For the pesto 40g spring greens, stalks removed, shredded 40g walnut halves 25g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1 garlic clove 2 tbsp olive oil
To make the sandwiches, brush each slice of bread with olive oil on 1 side and place, oiled-side down, on a board Spread each slice with the pesto Top 4 each of the slices with 3 pieces of mozzarella, 3 slices of prosciutto and a scattering of sun-dried tomato, followed by the remaining bread, oiled-side up Heat a large nonstick frying pan over a medium heat Fry the sandwiches (in batches if you need to) for 1-2 mins on each side, pushing down with a spatula, until the mozzarella is starting to melt and the bread is golden Cut each sandwich in half to serve
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Business Advice Professional business advice to help set you on the path to growth and success. This is included within our services as standard.
Free Initial Consultation We offer a free initial consultation to assess the level of accountancy services you require.
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YOUR GARDEN IN MARCH
Spring is finally here! The warmer and sunnier days during March provide the opportunity for an increasing range of gardening tasks. It’s a great time of the year as new life bursts forth and the garden begins to transform. Preparation of seed beds and borders should be well under the way this month as well as cutting back winter shrubs and generally tidying up the mess that the winter has left behind. Whether you’re preparing for shrubs and bedding plants or sowing seed for vegetables. Once all the tidying is done you’ll be in a better position to plan the seasons planting.
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The essential gardening jobs for March Sow seeds and plant onion sets, shallots and potatoes. As the soil begins to warm you can start to sow broad beans, salads and sweet peas. If bad weather is forecast, be sure to cover seedlings with clothes to protect them. March is also the time to plant out onion and shallot sets – cover with fleece or netting to protect from birds. Early varieties of potato such as ‘Rocket’ and ‘swift’ , can be planted. If they have been kept in a light and frost-free environments, they should be ‘chitting’ (a slight sprouting from seed potato). Chitting before planting can encourage earlier and heavier cropping.
Feed As the warmer weather promotes fresh growth, a general garden fertiliser should be applied to help boost roots, green foliage and encourage more fruits and flowers from your plants. It can be applied around the base of plants by scattering straight from the box and left to be watered in the rain. Unfortunately, the warm weather will also see weeds start to grow as well. Weeding isn’t the most popular of jobs but its best to pull any that start to appear while they are young to prevent spreading.
Scarify the lawn
Plant of the Month: Pansy/Viola Why Should you plant them? One of the most popular bedding plants, pansies and violas are hardy annuals that have a stunning array of colours to choose from. Bringing the joy of spring to your garden during the colder months, they grow happily in borders or containers as well as providing great ground cover.
How should you plant them?
Plant them in moist, well-drained soil in a spot with good sunlight to encourage Do some lawn preparations before the flowering. tough little plants that are growing season gets well under way. Choose extremely hardy, they prefer cooler tema dry day and give the lawn a rake to remove peratures and need watering regularly. They the remnants of winter before cutting with are also very versatile - plant them in beds, the mower blades set at the highest position. borders, containers and hanging baskets Then aerate with a garden fork or aeration machine. This helps drainage and gets oxygen to the roots. Finally, apply a top dressing of spring lawn feed to add nutrients.
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3 fantastic walks in Bristol and Bath Willsbridge Mill and Valley is so popular that dog owners head to it from lots of different suburbs of Bristol including Keynsham and Bitton. This circular walk takes you along the Siston Brook and towards the mill, which is from the 18th century and is home to a lovely tea room and ice cream parlour, which are both dog friendly. They do a fantastic cooked breakfast! The mill also has a charming community garden next to it, which is perfect for putting your feet up if you just want to get away from it all. The walk itself is flat in most parts, easy to follow and even has cut throughs down to the brook for paddling hot paws. And the best bit yet is that the walk follows the old Dramway, which was used for carrying coal. You’ll spot various signs and monuments giving you a clue as to the place’s history, which definitely adds interest to your daily dog walk! You may even hear the woodpeckers that are known to frequent this area too! There’s a car park on Long Beach Road, which is free to use and well signposted to and from the Dramway and mill. There’s also space for a few cars right next to the mill, which are reserved for those with disabilities. BONUS! If you walk through the mill’s community garden and along the road for a bit, then it’s also possible to walk across fields and hills within the area of Willsbridge Valley. Here, you can enjoy a circular route from Willsbridge Mill; but this time with epic views across the surrounding countryside!
1. Willsbridge Mills 20
2. Conham River Park
Leap Valley in Downend is one of the lesser-known dog walks in Bristol, but is a charming escape from the hustle and bustle. There are various routes you can take of different lengths including a 0.9 mile walk (taking just 25 minutes), a 2 ¾ mile long walk (taking about an hour) and a 4 mile walk (which is two hours long).
Another of the best dog walks in Bristol is Conham River Park in Brislington. This gentle flat walk follows the River Avon Trail for roughly 45 minutes. But you could keep walking further if you want, which will take you towards Bath and Pulteney Bridge.
3. Leap Valley Whichever way you go, you’ll come across streams, tiny bridges, woodlands, country lanes, wildflower meadows and apple and damson orchards, which all help to make this dog walk fun and varied for both you and your canine pal.
This is a popular route with other dog walkers, families and cyclists though, so it’s best to keep your dog on a lead when it’s busy. But they are allowed off lead along the paths when it’s safe to do so. Another great thing about this dog walk is Beese’s Riverside Bar. It’s only open during the warmer months, but it’s home to a charming riverside beer garden and tea room. You have to get a boat across the river to the bar but it only costs 50p for a return and takes just a couple of minutes. And of course, dogs are allowed on the boats and in the gardens, so you can easily make a total doggy day of it if you want! There’s a free car park at the entrance to Conham River Park. It’s a little on the small side, but you shouldn’t have any issues with parking on less busy days or during off-peak times.
While you’re in this area, don’t forget to check out The Beehive Coffee House along the Downend highstreet. This charming tea room is dog friendly and is the place to be for epic freakshakes!
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Bristol appoints disability equality commissioners Disabled people appointed for Bristol’s first Disability Equality Commission will start work to encourage disability equality in every part of the city. The 11 commissioners will join the recently appointed commission chair, Alun Davies, to address inequalities and injustice faced by Disabled people. The Disability Equality Commission will work with Disabled people and organisations and city partners to help improve the lives and opportunities for those living in the city. Following a rigorous and open recruitment process, the successful 11 commissioners started their four-year term this month (February). They all self-identify as Disabled people and were appointed to the commissioner role either as an individual or to represent a Disabled people’s organisation. It is the organisation as a whole that has been appointed so the representative may change, as long as they are a Disabled person. Councillor Asher Craig, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Children Services, Education and Equalities, said: “Congratulations to our new disability equality commissioners. This is an exciting time and the commissioners will play an integral role in talking to people to help us understand what our strategic priorities need to be to ensure equality for Disabled people in Bristol. “Our aim, and the commission’s purpose, is to make Bristol a city Disabled people will be proud to live in.”
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The commission will be chaired by Alun Davies who was appointed in September 2021. Alun has 40 years of experience as a national and local activist for equal rights and opportunities for Disabled people. Alun, who has a visual impairment, added: “I could not be more pleased with the team of commissioners who have been appointed. Individually and collectively they bring with them an incredible range of expertise, knowledge and skills. We all accept that our ambition for Bristol is a huge challenge and we will have to be realistic about what we can achieve and when. With this group of people, however, I am convinced that we can make significant progress to our goal in the first four years.” “Our first task is to go out and listen to Disabled people about their experiences and priorities. We will do this over the spring and early summer. In the autumn we will produce an action plan based on what we have been told which will clearly set out what we want to do in the first four years.” The commissioners are: Organisation members: Centre for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People Bristol Disability Equality Forum West of England Centre for Inclusive Living Bristol Reclaiming Independent Living Individual members: Beth Richards Gordon Richardson Leah Martindale Lynn Parfitt Marie Mighty Megan Belcher
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FOCUS ON: Jublee Pool Update
Budget update:
In the event, it was he who decided to postpone the setting of the budget without Following last Tuesday’s indecisive budget putting it to a formal vote. We believe that the meeting, the Lib Dems are calling on the best course of action now is for the Mayor Mayor to seek cross party consensus on to seek cross-party negotiations with all the alternative proposals ahead of the next groups in the Council with a view to agreeing meeting on 2nd March. alternative proposals acceptable to all. We have therefore written to the Mayor to offer At the meeting the Mayor decided that he was the assistance of our group in achieving this not prepared to accept the budget as aim. amended by Bristol’s elected Councillors so he can either choose to bring back that Jubilee Pool update: amended budget, bring his original budget back, or bring alternative proposals. Much One of the budget amendments that was was made before the budget meeting of debated at Full Council last week was for a Councillors’ responsibilities with regard to loan mechanism to prevent the closure of setting the budget - but in the event, we were Jubilee Swimming Pool. The Liberal denied a say on the budget as amended. Democrats voted unanimously in support of The Mayor sought to claim the opposition this amendment but every Labour councillor parties were playing politics, by implication voted against. The good news is, the suggesting that even the process of proposamendment passed with cross party support. ing amendments and pursuing the standard The bad news is, as we mentioned earlier, budget procedure was thwarting the Council’s the Mayor has refused to accept the duty to set a balanced budget. democratically expressed wishes of local councillors so there now begins a period of behind-the-scenes discussions. 24
We fear that the Jubilee Pool amendment will be dropped but we’ll keep you posted. Callington Road Nature Reserve litter pick: A hardy few braved the elements and turned up for the litter pick and bramble bash at Callington Road Nature Reserve on Saturday. Well done to everyone who attended. Hopefully, the next event will have better weather! Unsightly mess on Sandy Park Road: Local residents are rightly annoyed with the constant mess at the junction of Winchester Road and Sandy Park Road. We reported the problem to the Neighbourhood Enforcement Team (NET) last October and officers spoke to the local businesses and residents concerned. Unfortunately, the situation deteriorated again with rubbish, shop furniture and fixtures and illegally parked vehicles blocking pavements and attracting vermin. We submitted a new report to NET last week and I’m pleased to say they acted promptly and we are hopeful they can sort out this unacceptable situation as soon as possible. East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood: Lots of local people have responded to the East Bristol liveable neighbourhood pilot consultation so far. Participation from people outside the pilot zone is also welcome and there are a number of ways to get involved: By filling in the general survey: Here Dropping comments on the interactive map: Here By completing the survey for local business: Here Clean Air Zone:
The vehicle checker has been developed by the government to help drivers plan and check whether they will need to pay the charge in each zone. Businesses can also use it to check their vehicles by uploading a spreadsheet of the registration numbers of all the vehicles they own. Bristol’s zone is in the central area where pollution is highest. No vehicles are banned but older and more polluting vehicles will be charged to travel inside the zone: Here 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
Bristol’s Clean Air Zone has now been added to the national clean air zone vehicle checker. The government’s online tool tells motorists whether they will need to pay to travel in Bristol’s zone when it’s introduced in late summer.
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GOLFERS SERVED UP A TREAT AS THE CASTLE INN IS NAMED IN UK’S TOP 50 GASTROPUBS Golfers visiting The Manor House can combine time on one of Wiltshire’s finest courses with delicious country fare from The Castle Inn, recently named number 37 in Estrella Damm’s Top 50 Gastropubs. The Castle Inn, located in the ‘prettiest village in the UK’ of Castle Combe, has been praised for its ingenuity and use of traditional gastropub hearty dishes, all made with the very best local ingredients. Situated in the heart of the village, the 12th-century pub offers 12 unique en-suite bedrooms and a modern take on British cuisine with delicious homemade food and local beverages, while maintaining a relaxed atmosphere which is perfect for groups of golfers. The Castle Inn provides a comfortable setting for golfers to unwind after a day on the fairways of the stunning Peter Alliss and Clive Clark-designed course. The delightful championship-standard 18-hole layout is immersed in the enchanting surroundings of the Cotswolds, with 365 acres of breathtaking rolling countryside as a backdrop, offering some of the most idyllic scenery which can be seen on an English golf course. The mature oak and beech trees that line the beautifully manicured fairways, together with the immaculate greens and the River Bybrook meandering through the middle, bring both drama and beauty to the parkland course, which is rightly considered one of the best in the south west.
Jamie Barnett joined The Manor House team as head chef of The Castle Inn in May 2021 and has since added personal touches to the conventional pub meal, while building a brand-new team with a wealth of hospitality experience. He said: “At The Castle Inn, we are taking a relaxed eating approach and offer something for everyone, which is what makes us so popular among golfers. Our fresh, homemade dishes, coupled with a pint or two of local beer, always go down well with groups visiting The Manor House. “I’m incredibly proud of my team which continues to go from strength to strength. Each and every one of them deserves to be rewarded with accolades such as this. To get this level of recognition is a testimony to their hard work and creativity, especially after two years of hardship for the hospitality industry.” Otherthan the golf course and The Castle Inn, The Manor House’s opulent 14th-century country house hotel sits at the heart of the estate, featuring the Michelin starred Bybrook restaurant, as well as a dedicated gin bar and 50 individually styled rooms and suites, located in the main house and accompanying picturesque rows of cottages. Golf break packages at The Manor House start from £205pp and include bed and breakfast in a Cosy room, a £35 per person allocation to use towards dinner at The Castle Inn, use of the driving range and 18 or 36 holes of the best golf in Wiltshire. Packages at The Castle Inn start from £140pp 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. For more information on The Manor House, please visit: The Manor House golf breaks
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The new "Netflix for seniors" that can help reduce loneliness Living Memories Online offers access to hundreds of hours of archive films and newsreels from the 20th Century… ● "Netflix for Seniors" can help older people stuck at home to step back in time, triggering memories and reducing feelings of isolation ● Also helpful for people living with dementia or in residential care to bring back memories and encourage reminiscence with families, friends and carers ● "When I watch these films and chat about them they make me feel younger again", says 84 year old Noelle Ingham
It’s been launched by Living Memories C.I.C., a not-for-profit social enterprise, to reduce isolation and help improve the health and wellbeing of older people. As well as sparking memories, the old films encourage elderly people, including those with dementia, to reminisce with families, friends and carers. These archive films give a fascinating insight into all aspects of life in the past. For a monthly subscription of just £5, individuals, care homes and other organisations can search for films by decade, topic (such as home, travel and work) and subject (eg. fashion, shopping, cars).
They can make a collection of their own favourites, which can be shared with other With millions of vulnerable elderly people users. They can also access online stuck at home and with limited social reminiscence resources to help trigger contact, a new online service could offer them conversations. a valuable lifeline. Brian Norris, founder of Living Memories Dubbed "Netflix for Seniors", Living Memories CIC, says: Online brings memories back to life through archive films and newsreels from the 20th "Archive films are a wonderful way of Century capturing everyday life at home and prompting older people to share memories work as well as important national events. and life experiences. 28
Long-term memory is usually one of their strengths, so reminiscence encourages them to communicate and feel more confident about themselves. Living Memories Online makes reminiscence activity much more widely available. Living Memories was developed by Brian and his wife Leonore after long practical research with older people, including those with dementia. It already publishes DVDs and reminiscence resources and for some time has been running Tea and Memory groups where archive programmes and newsreels are shown to community groups. Brian says: "At the group sessions we found that many older people, including those living with dementia, who had previously been reluctant to talk started to reminisce about their lives and shared experiences, to make new friends and get to know their neighbours." NHS social prescribing nurses in Brian's local area of East Devon started referring people to the sessions, and demand was so high that Brian and Leonore decided to develop Living Memories as an online service that could be used by care homes, local memory cafés and in people's own homes. The pandemic gave added urgency to get their new project up and running nationally. The Abbeyfield Society, a charity which operates over 450 retirement houses across the UK, has already signed up to use Living Memories Online for its residents. It is also partnering with Living Memories to create virtual and live Tea & Memories reminiscence groups around the UK in the communities in which Abbeyfield operates. Abbeyfield Society Chief Executive, David McCullough, said: “The new excellent Living Memories Online streaming service helps us engage older people within our own Abbeyfield homes and also to connect with local communities to reach elderly, lonely people. It is an exemplar of the strategy for people to come together and open up friendships and initiate conversations, particularly in these difficult times of the pandemic. It is exciting to be finding new ways to be creative and to have a positive impact on people’s lives. We know that our residents’ wellbeing is lifted from the testimonies we have received.”
At Abbeyfield Residential House in Tavistock, Devon, they recently ran two Tea & Memories trial sessions using the new Living Memories online platform. Graham Osborn, former Chair of the Abbeyfield Society Trustees in the Devon town ran both sessions. The first, which centred around a film called Marvellous Milk, was for a small group of six residents: “It was a roaring success, with the event almost running itself with just a little direction from me as the residents’ enthusiasm triggered lots of memories which led to others and so on. There was plenty of involvement, laughter and overall enjoyment and after 45 minutes, which went so quickly, we ended for a cup of tea - with milk! "We had nearly a full house of residents present, so there was a vibrant and stimulating environment with much laughter and discussion about the past. The topic from the Living Memories was on a 1958 film excerpt entitled Lovely Launderette. My vice-chair on the House Committee was helping out and I know she was quite surprised at the interaction between residents, some of whom normally are very quiet, but as she said to me afterwards, they came to life when talking about events some 60 years ago." "I encouraged the residents to describe what this reminiscence means to them and they told me how watching the films immediately brings a smile to their faces as they start to remember those ‘good old days'. One told me how "with the demanding challenges we face as we get older it is refreshing and stimulating to be taken back in time and to experience once again individual precious memories of joyful opportunities and adventures - moments that we never wanted to end."
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Accessing your Pension Money sensibly and avoiding Pension scams Whether you have a defined benefit or defined contribution pension scheme, you can often start taking benefits from the age of 55. You could use this to help top up your salary if you are still working or to enable you to work fewer hours or even retire early. You may also be able to release a cash sum from your pension too.
One particular scam to be wary of and avoid is companies claiming they can access your pension money before the age 55. Accessing your pension before age 55 is viewed as an unauthorised payment in most circumstances. The tax you will pay for accessing can be up to 55%, as well as charges of up to 30% by the firm which does it for you.
Often the first 25% of the fund will be tax-free if taken as a cash sum. The remaining 75% would be counted as income and taxed in the usual way. So care needs to be taken as could push you into a higher income tax bracket for that financial year.
If a website or marketing brochure advertises that you can or should access your pension before the age of 55, it is unlikely they will be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and any advice or guidance they give you will be unregulated. This means you will not be able to complain to a regulator if anything goes wrong.
Which part of your pension you take also effects what levels you can contribute back into a pension in the future. If you just take the 25% tax free lump sum, you can continue to contribute up to £40,000 per annum into a pension. However, if you take out any of the remaining 75% taxable portion of your pension, the amount you can contribute into a pension each year reduces to £4,000 per annum. Pension Scams to avoid Pension scams have increased recently due to the Coronavirus impact on the economy and people having financial difficulties due to job losses. One particular scam to be wary of and avoid is companies claiming they can access your pension money before the age 55
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There are two instances when you can legally access pension money under age 55. The first is if you’re too ill to work or if you have a serious illness which means you are expected to live for less than a year. The second is when you have a protected pension age lower than age 55. An example of someone who might have a ‘protected retirement age’ might be a professional sportsperson. If you are planning to access your pension and are unsure of the rules or how to do so, make sure you seek professional advice and consult a regulated financial adviser. You can check if the advisory firm is authorised and regulated to give financial advice by going to the FCA register on their website.
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DUE DILIGENCE – TOP TIPS FOR WORKING However, bear in mind the old saying ‘one man’s meat is another’s poison’. Endorsements are subjective, and you must check them out, judging not only the finished work, but also how the tradesperson handled the whole process, from running the budget, logistics, attendance, on-site facilities, and regard for neighbours in terms of noise, mess etc. Ask your potential trade for a list of previous clients – contact them direct and prepare in advance a list of questions to ask them. 2. Clarity of communication and how they present themselves When you’re interviewing trades, there are some simple things to remember. Be aware of how they present themselves and consider the quality and condition of their tools, vehicle and equipment. They should request a detailed spec to help them put together a quote. Most problems occur with variations from the original spec and the extra cost of implementing those changes, so be sure you’re happy with the spec before you hand In the third and final part of our series on Due them to your trade. Then agree on all the Diligence, we look at the professionals we details and costs upfront. Once you decide work with in our property businesses and give on a tradesperson, have a contract drawn up some Top Tips when working with Trades. specifying staged payments, never paid in cash, and only made at the stage completions How can I find a professional tradesperson, agreed in the contract. who’ll do a decent job, for a fair price and won’t let me down? 3. Worth the wait This is a really good question and one we get asked a lot. The answer to this question, unsurprisingly, is to ensure that you use only “A List Trades.” When you find these superstars, treat them well, recognise their worth and never let them go! We are not going to pretend that finding them is easy, it’s time consuming and, as the saying goes “… you have to kiss a lot of frogs.” Here are some of our top tips, together with some from our very own superstar builder Jason Mallock-Long, of Pearl Property Group, to help you, in your search for “A Listers.” 1. Word of mouth This is the best kind of referral, because it means that someone you know was happy enough with the end result to make a recommendation. 32
Most good trades will be busy, so expect to have to wait for them and schedule your project in. Be wary of anyone who can start immediately. We’ve often had to wait six months or more, and believe me, it’s worth the wait! 4. Buy cheap meat and smell what you save Don’t be tempted to buy solely on price – do your homework, know the value of the work, the cost of the materials (remembering that different types and qualities of materials will have different price points) and approach several trades, so that you will have different quotations to consider. When looking at different quotes, remember to check the Wquality and detail of the quote so that you know exactly what you are being quoted for and that the tradesperson has understood your brief.
WITH TRADES Top Tips, from a builder’s perspective We spoke to Jason Mallock-Long, of Pearl Property Group, to get his top tips on working with trades. Jason is an absolute gem of a builder and definitely an A Lister. Here is what he had to say:
5. Will they solely be working on your project? This is one of the biggest “bug bears” that we hear, and this comes from a lack of communication at the outset. Often small companies will work several jobs at the same time, meaning that there will not be someone permanently on site at your project and there may even be gaps in attendance. Ask the question and, if this type of working doesn’t suit you, then move on and find someone else. Make sure that you discuss timescales and the importance of them, before work commences, in order to avoid frustration and mismatched expectations later down the line. Lastly, when you find those elusive “A listers” treat them well, communicate with them well, book them in early, give them the respect they deserve and don’t let them go!
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Know what you want. Before you instruct a builder make sure you are clear about what you desire. Never assume anything.
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Always get quotes based on identical specifications. Things change, which is fine, but ensure everyone’s quotes are adjusted accordingly.
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If you don’t know ask!! Communication is king.
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When getting quotes think things like – “would I be happy for this person(s) to be in my house, sat having a chat over a cup of coffee?” If the answer is yes, then they are going to be approachable, and not make you feel like you don’t want to ask a question.
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Ask for a schedule / cost of rates for any works that will be deemed an extra, before you start. (Daywork rate for each trade)
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Always have an appropriate JCT contract in place before work starts.
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View the builders current and finished projects and always ask for references.
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£10.5k grants support employment and skills in Bristol and Gloucestershire Three community projects for Bristol and Gloucestershire residents are celebrating after receiving a share of just under £10.5k project funding. Sovereign Housing Association, working with not-for-profit digital fundraising platform The Good Exchange, gave grants between £485 and £5,000 to online community group Advantages of Age, social enterprise FixX and Young Gloucestershire. Each project focuses on either increasing employment opportunities or helping people grow their skills. FixX, based in Hartcliffe and Withywood, will use its grant towards refurbishing a disused building into a community bicycle repair workshop. David Cousins, Managing Director at FixX, said: “We work with young people to improve their confidence, purpose and resilience through bike mechanics training. As part of our programme they earn a bike that they have worked on themselves. They are then able to progress to supportive employment opportunities through our bicycle delivery service. 34
“We are delighted to be working with Sovereign to develop training and employment opportunities in Hartcliffe.” Jade Innes, Social Impact Officer and Employment and Training Manager at Sovereign, added: “With the Office for National Statistics reporting nearly 1.3 million UK job vacancies between November 2021 and January 2022, it’s been a fantastic time to invest in employment and training-focused projects like these. “We want our residents and communities to be able to use these resources to grow their skills and use the experience to help them reach their goals and thrive.” Julian May, Head of Collaborative Funding for The Good Exchange, added: “We are delighted that Sovereign has been able to use The Good Exchange fundraising platform to quickly and easily identify, shortlist and select the 17 charitable and community organisations that have received employment and skills grants.”
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24/01/2019 11:54
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How to Convert a Garage in to an extra room
Many of us dream of a home gym, or an extra place to chill out away from the noise and chaos of family members. Others want a place where they can invite friends over and make more noise without disturbing others. Either way, we all wouldn’t turn out an extra room in the house to do whatever we want with. One space in the house we don’t consider is the garage, if yours is just standing stale collecting dust, it might be the perfect solution for you. We’ll look into how to convert a garage into a room with these interesting and inspiring garage conversion ideas. Ask household members Before you begin idealising your perfect garage space, make sure you check with other members of your household that this is okay, maybe ask them if they have any ideas or even want to help you reach your goal! This way there are no arguments and everyone is on the same page, you may even also get the job done quicker. Have a clear-out We’re all somewhat guilty of hoarding. Whether it be clothes you never wear but can’t bear to let go of, or dusty boxes of old toys or arts and crafts. This stage is crucial, as you need to be firm on your choices on what to keep and what to throw away. 36
If your garage is quite full, the harsher you are the better use you’ll get out of a larger and well organised area. Consider donating items in good nick to charity, and disposing of other items such as clothes properly at your nearest clothes bank. Decide what you want your space to be There are endless possibilities when it comes to deciding what you want your new spare room to become. Some of the top garage conversion ideas we love the sound of include: Home gym: Perfect for getting away after a long day and sweating it out, it saves money in the long run as you aren’t tied to a monthly gym subscription, and reduces petrol costs to get there. With Garolla’s insulated garage doors, you don’t have to worry about the winter months, keep up your fitness routine all year round. Games room: No matter your age, we could all have some fun with a games room. A place to keep the Nintendo Wii or other gaming console, a snooker table and darts board, or even just a board games room. This is a great way to dedicate a space where you and your guests can have some fun. Plug in a drinks fridge and you’ll be the most popular host!
Home cinema: Big fan of movies? Convert your home into a cinema room with a large mounted TV screen or projector and a sofa. It doesn’t take much to get a great ambiance. Hook up your screen to some decent speakers and with our roller garage doors being insulated against sound too, you can be sure you don’t disturb the rest of the house when you decide to watch a late-night film. Chill out zone: Feel the need to have an extra living room? Sometimes we need that extra space for some time alone, or if you and your household don’t always like watching the same things. Maybe you need a quiet room to read in or do yoga in the mornings, with Garolla’s thermally efficient garage doors you can be sure to get your meditation on in comfort. Insulate the room Many garages are cool, with concrete floors and walls causing a cold atmosphere, making it hard to relax. Insulate the walls of the garage to keep heat in. There’s no need to insulate your garage opening when you install one of Garolla’s insulated garage doors. This will keep the heat in, and the cold out. Laying down carpet will also help keep your garage from becoming too cold, and using electric heaters in the harsh winter periods can aid further.
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Install lighting If you haven’t already got adequate lighting, you should install a new light to match this with your home’s decor, especially if the garage is connected to the rest of the house. Low lighting above a pool table will look sleek and professional. Lamps with an orange and warm tone will help make the environment cosy. Decorate the room Paint the inside of your room to create the perfect atmosphere. Note that light colours brighten a room and make it feel larger and more spacious. Whereas dark colours bring a more closed and intimate feel to the room. Then either lay down carpet over the concrete floor or you can use another material such as laminate or tile for easy cleaning. Add furnishings to complete your room with the appropriate theme.
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Funding available for SMEs in the digital “We want to hear your ideas, learn about technology sector your products and services and provide The UMBRELLA competition is open for applications from Monday 21 February to Monday 14 March. To learn more about the competition or to apply, visit https://www.umbrellaiot.com/ umbrella-competition/ Once entries close all applications will be judged by a panel of industry experts including Professor Joseph McGeehan CBE from the University of Bristol, Thomas Clapton, Group Technology Development Manager at Babcock International Group, and Marc Funnell, Director of DETI (Digital Engineering, Technology and Innovation) at the National Composites Centre. Cllr Toby Savage, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said: “South Gloucestershire is already renowned for innovation and pioneering work thanks to the likes of the Bristol & Bath Science Park, South Gloucestershire Tec Arc, Bristol Robotics Laboratory, the National Composite Centre, and the GKN Technology Centre to name a few.
opportunity for them to develop.” Up to £250,000 worth of funding is being made available to small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Gloucestershire, the South West region and the wider UK. The funding will be distributed via grants to SMEs in the digital technology sector by South Gloucestershire Council through the UMBRELLA competition.
The competition, which opened to applications on Monday 21 February, is supporting SMEs to help them further develop innovative products that can make a real difference tackling issues facing the region. The Council is looking for applications, products and services that use digital technology to help with issues such as improving biodiversity and the environment, achieving zero carbon targets in public buildings and using technology to support council services. The competition is being funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund.
“The launch of the UMBRELLA network was a world-first and created an impressive network As well as financial support, successful that can accelerate collaboration between SMEs will also receive technical support and established businesses and innovation hubs. be able to trial their products through the region’s UMBRELLA network. “With the UMBRELLA competition we are reaching out to small and medium sized The network was launched last year and companies here in South Gloucestershire provides a digital platform for the testing and further afield and inviting them to join this of products and services in areas such as collaboration. robotics and wireless communication, in a real-world environment. UMBRELLA is one of the world’s largest programmable testbeds, connecting South Gloucestershire’s five innovation hubs: Bristol & Bath Science Park, National Composites Centre at Emersons Green, the University of the West of England, Bristol Robotics Lab, and Future Space.
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WHERE SPEED CAMERAS WILL BE THIS WEEK With reports of mobile speed cameras increasing, never get caught speeding again with a full list of sites to expect a mobile speed camera at anytime.
SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Click any of the areas on the map to go staight to the police speed camera website page.
NORTH SOMERSET
BRISTOL
BATH & NORTH EAST SOMERSET
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Cutting corners on building sites continues to cost lives warning
News that the number of construction-related injuries in the UK is on a slow overall decline is welcome news, but employers and contractors are still cutting corners and endangering lives, according to personal injury specialist Lee Hart.
Lee, partner at national law firm Clarke Willmott LLP, says the new study by construction site storage experts at SiteStak, shows that despite improved health and safety awareness, there are still too many accidents resulting in serious injury or death. The study, using published data from the Health and Safety Executive, shows injuries and ill health to workers is costing the UK construction industry approximately £1.29bn a year, with male construction workers seven times more likely to be injured.
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“Not only is this a staggering cost financially to industry but it is devastating to those seriously injured and the families of those killed,” said Lee, a member of Clarke Willmott’s accredited personal injury team, who specialise in catastrophic injury and fatal accident claims. “The report acknowledges that huge strides have been made to safety on construction sites over the last decade with non-fatal injuries in UK construction having decreased by 45.56%, but there are still too many accidents and more can be done. “Despite improved health and safety awareness, employers and contractors are still cutting corners, often to save costs, and are endangering life and limb. We are still seeing plenty of cases where an employer’s negligence and breach of statutory duty has shattered lives.” The SiteStak survey also revealed male construction workers are seven times more likely than women to have a non -fatal accident or injury at work – and not just because there are more male workers. In 2019/20 there were 395 non-fatal accidents per 100,000 male construction workers compared to just 52 non-fatal accidents per 100,000 female construction workers.
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Take a break and try to solve theses puzzles Here are this weeks puzzles designed to test your mental skills during your lunch break or after tea. Click the NEW download symbol below to download our puzzles to your phone or computer and complete at your own leisure. The answers will be published on our website every Thursday afternoon.
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HOROSCOPES 46
Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18
Taurus Apr 20 - May 20
Clear communication would be a real asset to you at this time. There is something you have either put on the back burner or chosen to ignore but it is something you would be wiser to deal with at this time. Whatever is going on for you that is difficult, remember you have a lot of resilience and inner strength, and you will find the right way to deal with things. Keywords: Clear communication & Resilience
You could get one of those wonderful lightbulb moments, when something inspiring or enlightening suddenly makes sense. You may find the need to bring some harmony to a difficult situation. There could be some small but interesting changes that are coming your way. Keywords: Sudden Realisation & Changes
Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20
Gemini May 21 - June 20
You feel that something may not have been dealt with fairly, this could be a situation with a family member or someone close to you. Step back and try and see the situation from all sides and try to bring some change and balance back. Keywords: Fairness & Change
Be careful in situations that could become volatile, especially in communication, try to be a listener as much as possible. Otherwise things could get into a bit of a tangle. Know that you can deal with and rise above a difficult situation. Keywords: Listen & Inner wisdom
Aries Mar 21 - Apr 19
Cancer June 21 - July 22
If you are involved in meetings at this time they may not run as smoothly as you would like or not even happen at all. If the situation feels difficult remember to keep calm. You may also feel time for spring-cleaning, both on the physical and emotional levels. Keywords: Calm & Clearing
Relationships are a high point this month, as well as possible a small refresh in the home. If something is a bit hard going at the moment, you will find that you will have the strength and endurance to go through this relatively plain sailing Keywords: Opportunities & Relationships
Leo July 23 - Aug 22
Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21
If something isn’t moving as quickly as you would like, this could be a good time to sort and clear what needs doing. As this can make way for new things and ideas. Keywords: Clearing & New ideas and things
This may not be one of the easiest times, as you feel as though you need to be on your guard. A situation would be worth stepping back from, and trying to see it from a different perspective. This month would be good for you to follow those instinctive feelings, and work with your intuition. Remember also you are a lot stronger than you think. Keywords: Protection & Intuition
Virgo Aug 23 - Sept 22
Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21
Balance and harmony are very important to you, somebody doesn’t always bring your sensitivity to the fore, as this will be an asset in this situation. You may also think of starting a new interest, that will involve collecting things or gathering information. Keywords: Sensitivity, connecting & Gathering
There is something you’ve been putting off that you need to sort out and this would be a good time to do so. You can do the same with some spring cleaning, both in your physical environment and possibly emotionally too. Once you have sorted a few things out it will give you the space to be able to carry on with some hobbies and a few relaxing things that you have not had time for. Keywords: Time and hobbies
Libra Sept 23 - Oct 22 It does seem as though study is on your mind at present. You may find yourself either researching or seeking information regarding things of interests to you. You may also feel the need to clear things both emotionally and within your living spaces, as you feel there maybe new things on the way. There is possibly an issue that you will have to deal with later in the month. Keywords: Study & Clearing
Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 19 Your social life won’t be busy this month. A few things look to change for you, so be prepared. Could be a time for reflection and from this some study or research or new interests or hobbies, may come from this. Keywords. Learning and changes
Forecasted by Marie Hayward Disclaimer This zodiac is for entertainment purposes only please do not take the predictions seriously Marie take no responsibility for your actions
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Bristol coaching firm named UK’s best A local business coaching firm has much to celebrate after a trio of award wins began with them being named the Best UK Firm from over 200 businesses in contention. ActionCOACH Bristol, founded by Business Growth Coach Gary Keating in 2015, received the award for Best Clients Results across the South West and Wales whilst Gary himself was hailed as UK Coach of the Year - no mean feat with the impressive competition from business coaches nationwide supporting thousands of businesses through an incredibly challenging 12 months. ActionCOACH Bristol aims to create profitability for all of Bristol and the surrounding area by advising business leaders on how to take their next steps with their company. Although former professional musician Gary Keating has performed business miracles worldwide, he still calls Bristol home. “I’ve been around the world and worked in a lot of amazing places but my passion for building a legacy in the city that I love brought me back to Bristol.” In the past few years, Gary and his team have dedicated their time to business owners across Bristol, most recently helping them negotiate the challenges thrown their way by the pandemic. 48
With both group and one-to-one business coaching sessions, including the 150 hours of coaching they gifted, the firm has provided a lifeline to many businesses across the region. Jane Carvell has recently been promoted to the role of Head Coach to support the future development of the business. “It is amazing to see the determination, passion and willpower shine through in the business owners we coach,” said Jane. “That’s what really makes it worthwhile. Receiving these awards is the icing on the cake. A lot of the businesses we work with not only survived the pandemic but are now thriving.” Although the award is a fantastic reflection of the incredible performance of ActionCOACH Bristol, Jane is confident that 2022 will be an even more prosperous year for the firm. “Our work in Bristol has just started. After just over six years we’re already the UK’s best, working with over 100 local businesses. Bristol is a thriving, innovative and special entrepreneurial community, and I strongly believe that Bristol can become the go-to place for business enterprise.” To join one of our free seminars visit bristol. actioncoach.co.uk or sign up for a 30-minute complimentary coaching session by emailing: jodiemurray@actioncoach.com
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