South Bristol Direct Local Magaizne February 2021

SOUTH BRISTOL’S MONTHLY MAGAZINE

February 2021

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Mikes letter Welcome to February edition of Direct Local,

Well January was a rite off wasn’t in! Let’s hope this month brings better times for everyone. Especially for the parents that are juggling home schooling and full time jobs. But on a lighter note February does bring two of my favourite times of the year.

Valentines Day and Pancake Day, both area good reasons to eat either chocolates or copious amounts of sweet pancakes-yum.

Or if your a savory person a drizzle of lemon juice.

However if you read our horoscopes and romance is not on the cards for you this year then thank god for Netflix or Disney+ is a good choice as there is literally tons of great shows to watch at the moment and nothing goes better with a binge worthy box set than a huge bag of popcorn and your favourite bottle of beer or wine on theses cold winters evenings.

Anyway take care Bristol and let’s hope March is a better month for everyone!

24.

Disclaimer The opinions expressed in Direct Local do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publisher or their agents. Whilst every reasonable care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information included within this publication, the publisher takes no responsibility for errors or omissions in Direct Local.

The content of Direct Local is not to be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. Please pass to a friend, recycle or compost. All adverts designed by Direct Local are the property of Direct Local please contact us if you wish to reprint them in other publications as a small release fee Is applied. Use of adverts designed by us will need written permission first.

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This week..

6.Holiday Rush 8. Horoscopes 10. Your Garden in Feb 12. Super Sweetcorn Fritters 14. Make th best of your tax relief 16. Puzzles 18. 5 Smart Home Gadgets 20. Charity Vegetarian 22. Out and about in Brislington 26. Dinner Parties, love them or Hate them 28. Voting begins

www.directlocalbristol.co.uk The team EDITOR Michael Davies WEB DESIGNER Matthew Clarke

JOURNALIST

Lisa Davies PROOF READER Elisabeth Davies Advertising sales Tel: 0117 325 8029 MOB: 07500 017 236 Email: info@directlocalonline.com Regular editoials By: Andrea Sexton, Martin Powell Daren Bane Kayleigh Penny Peter Abraham Andrew Varney Distribution: South Bristol Magazines are delivered to homes and businesses to reach 20,000 people each month.. @directlocal

18.

Those who flout Covid regulations and attempt to drive to Devon and Cornwall face being caught on camera.

Police in Devon and Cornwall have announced this week they are using automatic number plate recognition to make sure only essential journeys are being made during lockdown.

This weekend the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police Shaun Sawyer said ANPR cameras across the region would be used to help enforce Covid-19 regulations.

As well as static cameras at the roadside in locations across the region, every officer in the force has access to an ANPR app on their devices which allows them to access live information about vehicles they pass.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall Alison Hernandez said: “I welcome the force’s use of ANPR to monitor vehicle movements and make sure the only journeys being made here are essential ones.

"Using this technology helps us see where certain vehicles have come from and allows officers to further investigate their reasons to enforce the law.

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Holiday rush has started in the South West

Retired people in the South West have been booking holidays for later in the year in large numbers after receiving their vaccinations, according to the region’s leading coach operator Bakers Dolphin.

“We are finding they are less strong for overseas, but people are keen to get into Italy, Spain and Austria on tours as soon as the regulations allow.”

Since last March Bakers Dolphin has found that people are willing to book ahead and then change if necessary or have a refund when circumstances dictate. They know their money is safe as Bakers Dolphin is a bonded company, and are flexible with a choice of money back, re-booking or refund vouchers when tours Amanda Harrington, Sales and Marketing Director for Bakers Dolphin said: “It seems as have been cancelled due to restrictions. if the first thing people do when they return home after receiving the Covid-19 protection The coach operators are now expecting 2021 is to start booking a holiday to look forward to. to be a bumper year for holidays once the vaccine roll-out is completed and Government ends all restrictions.

“We are also getting so many requests for day excursions that that we are rushing out a special Day’s Out brochure in the next few Amanda Harrington said: “The strongest takeup is for holidays in July, August and beyond weeks with ideas for trips to Stately Homes, but we still have people keen to go away at gardens, museums and great scenery.

Easter if they possibly can.” Bakers Dolphin prefer bookings to be made through their web“Many people missed out on holidays and site: www.bakersdolphin.com but telephone now want to get away as soon as they can. bookings are still being taken by staff working It is difficult for us to plan at the moment as from home. Shops in Broadmead and Westonwe do not know when restrictions will be super-Mare are currently closed. lifted. Bookings are very strong for resorts in Cornwall and the South West and also for Scotland.

6 Confidence is returning that the tourism market will bounce back after Easter with online and telephone bookings rocketing in the last week.

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WHATS DOES THIS MONTH HOLD FOR YOU? Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18 Although things aren’t moving very much for you at the moment, this will change.

New ideas, new interests, are very much on their way for you. You are very strong and independent person, and sometimes find people difficult, try and be aware of being sensitive to other’s needs, and occasionally A little more flexible and possibly tolerant with others.

Keywords. New things on wait, sensitivity and flexibility.

Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20 Our current situation is very challenging, and it is very likely you are feeling stuck and lightly stressed, so try and make some time for yourself as well as looking after everyone else. Look for opportunities to find laughter, this is a great stress reliever, and brings positive energy to those around you too.

Keywords look after you as well as others.

Aries Mar 21 - April 19 This could be a good time to learn something new, or revisit something you learn’t a while ago. Your intuition would be good work with at this time, so as you don’t miss out on any useful information, knowledge, or finding opportunities for new things. Keywords.

Intuition and opportunities Taurus Apr 20 - May 20 If you are feeling a bit held up and stuck, be aware that things will begin to change for you. Patience could be your best friend at the moment, and look out for ways to work with achieving your goals, and working with change. It may be a good time to do a reflective overview of your ideas and goals.

Keywords. Overview and changes Gemini May 21 - June 20 If you are feeling a bit fed up and things are repetitive, remember nothing stays the same.

Try and find the positives about being at home. Find a new hobby or maybe fixing things that have been forgotten. Look after yourself, and maybe try some new things maybe new foods, or new TV programmes, et cetera.

Keywords. Be positive, and look after yourself Cancer June 21 - July 22 If you’re finding it hard going at present, due to current circumstances, Give yourself some time to look for new interests, hobbies, or sorting out things that have been put on hold. You are not alone in this situation, try and make the most of Being indoors, and being able to sort or change things in your home environment, or get on with new interests or resume old ones.

Keywords. Look for opportunities, and new ideas.

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Leo Jul 23 - Aug 22 If you feel your inspirations have left you, it won’t be for long. Try not to over think things, and you may find you have one of those light bulb moments, which will give you a new zest for things and help relieve some obstacles. When conversing with people, try to keep aware of their feelings as well as you are having your own opinions.

Keywords. Inspiration and communication.

Virgo Aug 23 - Sept 22 If things seem to be getting to you of late, remember you have a character that is strong and resilient in many circumstances.

You are very good at overcoming adversity.

So take a step back, and give yourself some you time, and begin to look after yourself more.

Keywords. Overcoming difficulties and you time Libra Sept 23 - Oct 22 We are all in challenging times at the moment, but some things seem to be weighing heavily. Remember nothing stays the same, and things will soon change, so make the most of being able to put your attention on sorting things through.

Keywords. Clearing and renewing.

Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21 Your home environment and friends and family are highlighted at this time, and it does feel very much like the obstacles can be a bit more difficult than usual, try and find ways to stay in touch with your friends and family. In regards to things for your home environment, as with most things follow your intuition. Also try to be aware of the needs of others at this time.

Keywords communication and intuition.

Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21 You may have felt very stuck, both physically and emotionally. Try and go with the flow and be aware that nothing stays the same, and things will soon begin to move. There may be a few things that will change for you, this may have been on your mind for a while, and the time this year may be the right time to bring changes to fruition.

Keywords. Obstacles, Patience and changes.

Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 19 Have you been putting off sorting some things out? If so now could be a good time to start to clear stuff this will help things to start shifting in more ways than one.You may find also by doing some sorting and clearing, that it clears your mind too. keywords: Listen and sensitivity Contact Marie to find out whats in store for you this month on: 07949 800354

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Your Garden In February If you’re a keen gardener February is a month filled with anticipation. The first signs of life are beginning to emerge as plants shake off their winter dormancy and wildlife begins to wake. Light levels are increasing, temperatures are rising and splashes of colour are beginning to creep back into the garden.

Spring is on its way and there is plenty of preparation to do.

Plant shrubs and trees February is the ideal time to plant new shrubs and trees while they are still in their dormant state. Make sure the ground is not frozen or water logged before planting. Stakes and rabbit guards should be put in place at the time of planting to prevent damage to the root ball or bark. It’s also a good idea to check ties and stakes on existing plants and replace, tighten or slacken where necessary.

Plant of the month: Camellias Why should you plant them?

Welcome in the spring with Camellias-these hardy shrubs have glossy evergreen leaves and display flowers that brighten up your winter. An early riser in terms of plants waking up from the winter snooze. Camellias burst into flower in February just as the rest of the garden is starting to blink its eyes at the sunshine.

How should you plant them?

Camellias are easy to grow and flower relliably-the most important thing is choosing the right spot. Although a hardy shrub their flower buds are susceptible to frost once they start to develop so plant in a sheltered spot and wrap with fleece when frost is forecast.

3 Essential gardening jobs for February Prune plants Prune late flowering shrubs such as fuchsia, hydrangea, buddleja and ceanothus. Using sharp secateurs, cut just above an outward pointing bud. Aim to remove about a third of the height of the shrub and try to maintain an even shape. Check other shrubs and remove any dead, diseased or damaged branches to keep the plant healthy. Try to avoid pruning early flowering shrubs until after they have flowered.

Give the lawn a light mow If the weather is warm you may need to start mowing. Set the cutting height on your mower to its maximum and only mow when it’s dry.

Re-cutting lawn edges will also give an instant lift to the appearance of the garden.

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Camellias like to grow in acidic soil so need planting with ericaceous compost. feed with ericaceous plant food to keep the leaves glossy and green and water well once the flower buds appear-although the flowers wont break until February. The buds will begin to develop in autumn.

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Super sweetcorn fritters

Ingredients 25g Plain flour 1 large egg, beaten ½ heaped tsp baking powder 165g sweetcorn, drained or defrosted 4-5 stems of chives or 1 spring onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Serving suggestions and adaptations:

Method

1. Place 1/3 of the sweetcorn and the rest of the ingredients except the oil in a jug or small bowl and blend to make smooth with a stick blender .

2. Stir in the remaining sweetcorn.

3. Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan on a

medium- high heat and drop in 4-5 spoonfuls of the batter. Fry for about 1 ½ minutes until golden on the underside, then carefully turn and cook for approximately a further 1 ½ minutes.

4. Drain briefly on kitchen paper before serving.

Repeat with the remaining batter, adding the extra oil. Makes 10-14.

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• •

Add ¼ tsp chilli flakes for a bit of heat!

• •

Add 1/8- ¼ tsp salt for adults

Replace the sweetcorn with peas. Crumble in feta, add a few chopped mint or basil leaves.

Serve with a sweet chilli dip or a yogurt and chive dip

•

Use 85g sweetcorn with 85g diced halloumi for extra protein

•

Add a few fresh chopped mint leaves to pea fritters

•

Freeze for up to two months in an airtight container.

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Make the best use of tax reliefs and allowances to help secure your financial future We will give ourselves the best chance of achieving our financial goals if we focus on what we can control: how and where we invest our money, how much tax we pay, the size of our retirement fund.

Effective financial planning should be a year-round activity to help create long-term financial security for ourselves and our family.

ISAs ISAs have become one of the most popular ways to save.

The ISA allowance for this tax year of ÂŁ20,000, was a very welcome step in encouraging individuals to invest for their future. However, as interest rates in the UK are lower than ever, money held in Cash ISAs is failing to achieve the very basic objective of keeping pace with inflation, resulting in real losses for savers.

Individuals yet to use their ISA allowance, need to carefully consider their options to ensure that they are maximising this valuable opportunity to generate tax-efficient capital and income for the future.

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Pensions

Saving into a pension is an attractive prospect.

The advantages extend further than just drawing benefits and passing money on to loved ones: the government still rewards savers by giving them tax relief on their pension contributions.

Subject to certain limitations, for every 80p you contribute to a pension, the government automatically adds 20p in tax relief. Higher earners can claim extra tax relief through their annual tax return, so a ÂŁ1 pension contribution can effectively cost just 60p.

Those wishing to make their retirement plans a reality should consider fully utilising their annual allowance for this tax year. Unused allowances can be carried forward from the three previous tax years.

To receive a complimentary guide covering Wealth Management, Retirement Planning or Inheritance Tax Planning, contact Stephanie Beddis on 01454 440524 or stephanie. beddis@sjpp.co.uk.

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5 smart home gadgets that make living Life is anything but normal right now—and 2. An Amazon Echo speaker to help you at home staying at home day after day with no end in sight can be a struggle. However, there are some products that make living in lockdown easier, including a few of our favourite smart home gadgets.

From turning on the lights from your phone to asking Alexa to make you a pot of coffee, here are the 10 smart home devices you need during the lockdown.

1. A set of Tile trackers so you don’t lose your stuff

From setting reminders to turning on the lights, there’s not much an Amazon Echo Dot speaker can’t do. It’s ideal for living in quarantine since you can use it to control your home, make calls to friends and family, entertain your kids, catch up on podcasts, and more.

Spending more time at home doesn’t make you less prone to misplacing your stuff, which is why you need an easy way to keep track of it all. Tile trackers come in all shapes and sizes, connect via Bluetooth, and can be stuck to remotes, hung on a set of keys, tucked inside of your wallet, and more.

3. A smart plug to control your home

When an item goes missing, open the Tile app on your smartphone or tablet to play a loud tone on the Tile that’s attached to your missing time. Follow the sound and voilà—in a matter of seconds you’ve located your remote that’s been lodged in the couch for days. Tile also syncs with Amazon Alexa, so you can say “Alexa, ask Tile to find my keys.”

You can also use Tile to find your lost phone.

For example, if you misplace your phone inside of your home (hey, it happens to the best of us), you can click any of your Tile trackers to play a tone on your phone.

We recommend the Tile Essentials Kit to keep track of a variety of knick-knacks in your home. The Essentials Kit comes with one slim wallet insert, two Tile Stickers that adhere well to remotes, and one Tile Mate that can be attached to a set of keys.

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Now that you’re likely spending more time at home, you can make your days run easier with the help of a smart plug. A smart plug turns your everyday electronics (think TVs, lamps, and speakers) into devices that can be controlled from your phone, or with the help of Alexa and Google Assistant.

in lockdown easier...

4. A Facebook Portal so you can make interactive video calls

5. Our favourite affordable smart robot vacuum to help you clean less As you spend more time indoors, you’ve probably noticed that you’re cleaning more than you were pre-pandemic (especially if you’ve got kids around). If the constant cleaning is bringing you down, let a smart robot vacuum do the work for you.

The Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30C is an a ffordable, easy-to-use smart robot vacuum that includes two magnetic boundary strips that can be used to keep it from wandering off into sensitive areas.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, you’ve probably spent a lot of time video chatting with friends and family. However, a dedicated video-chatting device like the 10-inch Facebook Portal makes quarantine makes video calls so much better with augmented reality effects, good sound, and even better video quality. The person you’re calling will need to have WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger installed on their smartphone or tablet, or use Facebook Portal to answer your call.

From the app, you can dictate cleaning schedules, initial cleanings, and check on the battery status. If you don’t have your phone on you, the 30C can also be controlled via Amazon Alexa or Google Home Assistant by saying, “OK Google, ask RoboVac (robot name) to start cleaning” or “Alexa, ask RoboVac (robot name) to stop cleaning.”

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Charity Vegetarian for Life Invites You To Join Its Free Monthly Virtual Vegan Luncheon Club for Over 65s.

Open to vegans, vegetarians, and meat reducers aged 65 and over, the club offers attendees the chance to learn new dishes, get tips from an experienced vegan chef, and meet like-minded people from across the UK. The club takes places through Zoom video-conferencing on the fourth Tuesday of every month.

Recipes are provided in advance, so you have plenty of time to get the ingredients.

Cook that morning and then join Vegetarian for Life Chef Justina, along with attendees from across the UK, at 1pm.

Justina is a Culinary Arts Management graduate who brings knowledge and passion for sustainable, plant-based eating. She has managed a variety of groups of chefs and created her own menus, working in both Italian and theatre restaurants. Justina is passionate about experimenting with different/unusual flavours and baking. She enjoys travelling and seeking inspiration in cuisines around the globe.

Justina says: “The virtual lunch club is not only a place for food lovers, but also for like-minded people to share their stories and laugh. It cannot be easier to meet friendly faces than in the comfort of your own home with a plate of warm food in front of you. It might sound strange at first, but I promise that it is really fun when we all get to enjoy the same food as if we are sitting at the same table�.

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Recipes take a different theme each month - from a Pies & Pastries Week, boasting Mushroom & Ale Pies and Puff Pastry Tartlets, through to One-Pot Wonders such as Carrot, Ginger & Orange Soup and Versatile Stew you'll get to make and enjoy a wide variety of tasty dishes.

The next club on 26 January is a Burns night celebration; all things chocolatey in February; and bread-making basics in March.

Attendees have told the charity, which supports older vegans and vegetarians: "It was a lovely lunchtime meet up, with lots of pie!" and: "It was really nice to attend for the first time yesterday. Thank you."

Prospective attendees are invited to join the Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/ groups/252282776191719 where they can socialise with others and watch a demonstration of the dishes being made.

They can email ellie@vegetarianforlife.org.uk to find out more, or to book your place and get the Zoom link and password. Or call the VfL office on 0161 257 0887.

If technology and Zoom in particular are new to you, visit https://www.abilitynet.org.uk call 0800 048 7642, or email enquiries@abilitynet. org.uk for help. If you're already tech savvy, all you'll need to do is open the Zoom link in your internet browser and join the meeting.

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Out and about in Brislington West

Another round-up of local news from your hardworking Lib Dem team:

Victory at Wyevale We are delighted to report the great news regarding the application for tree felling at the site of the former Wyevale Garden Centre.

Following a huge number of objections from the public, much larger than usual, the application was withdrawn last week. This proves that when we work together, we can make an impact. However, considering the developer’s track record, we still need to be vigilant as to what is going on at this site. With this in mind, we will be having a meeting with the land agent for the owners of Wyevale and the Bristol City Council tree officer as soon as we can. Furthermore, the BCC enforcement team is now involved with the owners around all their previous breaches of planning regulations at Wyevale.

Yellow Railings Consultation Results Our consultation on the sudden appearance of bright yellow railings on West Town Lane has now finished. Following discussions with local residents and council officers a couple of weeks ago, we were able to halt all work on site until the opinions of residents had been sought, something BCC had neglected to do.

We delivered letters to local residents asking for their views. The results are as follows: • • • • 22

Leave the hoops in place. (11%) Remove the hoops and reinstate the grass as before. (44%) Replace the hoops with less visually-intrusive concrete or wooden posts. (22%) Tarmac the area and turn it into a car park. (22%)

We are delighted there is a clear majority (78%) in favour of keeping the green space.

We have now forwarded these responses to BCC so that hopefully, we can get a scheme which the majority of local residents want rather than one that has been imposed without consultation.

12-Day Litter Pick Challenge We have now completed our 12-Day Litter Pick Challenge, covering over 30 different streets right across Brislington West and collecting in excess of 35 bags of litter! Of course, the need for litter picking never stops and we will be organising our regular community litter picking action days just as soon as we can. Once again, thank you to everyone who stopped to give us words of encouragement and to everyone who told us how they have been inspired to do the same. #keepbrislingtonbeautiful

Blocked Drains Everywhere!

Both of us live in Brislington and that means we regularly spot issues that need dealing with. During our 12-Day Litter Pick Challenge, we were shocked to see the huge number of blocked drains across the ward. Almost every drain on Kensington Park Road was completely blocked with mud, gravel and litter.

These have now been reported and will hopefully be cleared soon. If you notice a blocked drain, please send us the exact location and we can report it for you.

eScooter Update

Trees, Trees, Trees!

At Full Council this month Andrew asked the Mayor the following question about the eScooter scheme in Bristol:

We recently had a meeting with the head of the Tree Bristol Team who is responsible for new tree planting following the work of the Environment Agency in Nightingale Valley.

“We recently saw the launch of the eScooter Most of the replacement trees, around 32, trial for Bristol. It’s been billed as a low-carbon will be in the valley. However, there is funding alternative form of transport to get around for 20 street trees across Greater Brislington Bristol. Unfortunately, you can only use to replace trees that have been lost. 12 sites them in the city centre so they are unlikely to have already been identified and we suggestencourage the vast majority of Bristolians to ed several other sites for some of the remainchange their travelling habits. To really make ing 8 trees. These will now be inspected to a difference, they need to be available at our check for suitability. We’ll keep you posted. park and ride sites and other key suburban locations so that people have a real choice Driving Test Centre Relocating in how they travel. Would the Mayor be able to investigate the possibility of extending the The Bristol Driving Test Centre at Flowers coverage of the scheme and report back on Hill will be closing on 19 February. The his findings because as it stands, it’s a missed DTC will then move to a temporary site at opportunity and the eScooters are likely to Jubilee House on Croydon Street, opening end up as nothing more than a novelty for on 3 March. The Department for Work and tourists?”

Pensions will also be vacating the Flowers Hill site by the end of March. As we reported here Unfortunately, the Mayor was unable to say previously, the site has been earmarked for when the scheme would be coming to new housing. However, it’s unlikely any work Brislington. However, there are plans for a on the new development will start for at least huge expansion in the north of the city. Once a year. You can keep abreast of the latest again, our part of Bristol is being left behind. news by following the Flowers Hill Housing We will keep pushing to make sure Brislington Development Facebook Group we set up last is included in future expansions. year. https://www.facebook.com/groups/48768 9002398624/?ref=share Motorway Traffic in Brislington Andrew’s second question to the Mayor was about signage on the Callington Road:

Keeping in Touch

We believe in keeping residents up to date on important local issues and publish a quarterly newsletters, ‘Focus on Brislington West’ but “The Mayor may be aware that road signs unfortunately, we are currently unable to on Callington Road currently advise drivers heading for the M4 motorway to travel into the deliver a paper version due to new govcity along the A4 through the densely-populat- ernment guidelines during the pandemic.

However, we have a digital version of our ed suburb of Brislington West, where congestion and pollution is already a serious newsletter and if you would like to receive it, please register using this link: http://www.brisissue. I’m sure the Mayor would agree with tollibdems.org/efocus. You can also see back me that it would be more sensible to copies of our newsletters and complete our encourage this motorway-bound traffic to he online surveys on our website: https://www. ad out of the city and onto the ring road bristollibdems.org/brislington_west. instead. That is after all, the purpose of ring roads. Could the Mayor say when the road Best wishes, signs will be changed?”

Although the Mayor was unable to say when the signs would be changed, he appeared to agree that this was an issue that needed looking at. Removing motorway-bound traffic from the Village and the A4 could help to reduce congestion and pollution in the area.

Jos Clark, Liberal Democrat Councillor (Brislington West) Email: cllr.jos.clark@bristol.gov. uk Mobile: 07584 370429 Andrew Varney, Liberal Democrat Councillor Candidate (Brislington West) Email: andyvarney@hotmail.com Mobile: 07544 667968 23

Deeper than Brexi Sure, everyone expected the first weeks of Brexit to be a fiasco. What isn’t these days?

But I don’t think anyone expected the initial victims to be fishermen (after all the commotion about fish!), Percy Pig and musicians.

The disaster around food supply chains is a fairly predictable consequence of a government that always prioritises messages over detail. Signing a deal on Christmas Eve and implementing it on New Year’s Day was always a terrible idea (remember that the EU offered them a 2-year transition period), and inevitable led to key issues being forgotten or miscommunicated. The fact that M&S cannot send its sweets (which are produced in Germany) to its own stores in the Republic of Ireland without paying VAT twice is a ridiculous but inevitable consequence of spending 30 years building up integrated supply chains and then trying to unwind them over a holiday weekend.

The government was offered a deal on mobility that includes 90 days of visa-free travel, including short-term work. They turned it down – in favour of 90 days of visa-free travel for leisure but not work. Very lovely for Boris Johnson’s dad but utterly useless for most of us. Tragic for those people, such as touring musicians, who want to visit a number of cities and countries for short periods. This means sacrificing a successful British industry for pure ideological reasons.

It betrays a basic dislike of foreigners and of British people who want to spend some time abroad.

This is the same government that has withdrawn from the Erasmus student exchange This has practical consequences for all of programme and presided over continual cuts us – in December you could spot a bargain to teaching languages in schools, as schools from a company in any EU country and see have to cope with increasing pressure to do it arrive in a few days. Now you might face ‘more with less’ by combining ever greater a Customs bill of tens or even hundreds of focus on exam results with inadequate inpounds. For nothing. vestment. It’s not just formal education that is under pressure, but the softer links between It is tragic that decent working people will lose schools and cities – an area where Bristol their jobs, and work will move overseas, due has a grand tradition, with some of the UK’s to a failure clearly to set out what needed to oldest twinning relationships with Bordeaux happen, and to allow people to prepare. It is and Hannover becoming harder to sustain. obviously possible to move to less integrated supply chains, even if the new Customs No-one gains from stopping young people Declarations, are an expensive administrative studying or British musicians performing. burden that no-one wants – but the economic Central Government should recognise this recession that this causes is as much cockand negotiate a more sensible solution – up anything else. Supply markets will adapt. now, not in 2024.

The failure to allow musicians to perform (without an expensive work permit) says something deeper. This was planned 24

Rob Logan Labour Candidate for Brislington West

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Dinner parties, you either love them or you hate them?

If you can’t go to a restaurant, then why not bring the restaurant to you? Dinner parties, you either love them or you hate them?

Depending on what mood I’m in, I’m 50/50 on the whole thing? Throwing a dinner part is great, if you don’t mind the cooking and the dining room prep that goes into it.

I quite like cooking and there’s noting more satisfying than a well laid table! You can control who sits where, what food will be served and generally how the evening will go.

During these difficult times in lockdown, our favourite places to eat have been closed.

Some may never reopen again sadly. So why not bring some of that ambiance and excitement to your own home?

That is if course if you don’t mind running the gauntlet of the dinner party? Being invited to a dinner part is a different ball game. You’re away from your own turf so you have to be on your best behaviour (boring).

You may be sat next to someone who will annoy the life out of you (my worst nightmare) and you have to be nice because it’s not your house and the chances are you’re really good friends with the host so don’t want to embarrass them!

Then there’s the food. Now for a food critic, I’m a pretty fussy eater. So I always try and ascertain what will be on the menu before I agree to attend a dinner party. Anything with beans, peas, too much egg, or an overall lack of meat then I’m not going. So if your’e a vegan or a vegetarian reading this and you’d like me to come to one of your dinner parties, then don’t bother asking because I won’t come! If I can’t find out what will be served then its game of Russian Roulette for me!

Once you’ve established that the food isn’t going to make you vomit or kill you, you then just have to get through the rest of the evening without embarrassing yourself, your host or more importantly your other half!

Article by Peter Abraham Food and Restaurant Critic.

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Voting Opens as Our Health Heroes A record number of public votes are expected, to crown the 5th Our Health Heroes Awards national winners, recognising the extraordinary people at the heart of our NHS and social care workforce.

Never has there been a tougher task for the Our Health Heroes Awards expert judging panel, than to arrive at this year’s shortlist of awe-inspiring finalists, from over 600 nominations. Out of the heartbreak of the last twelve months, come stories of pure courage, passion for preserving life, and a devoted innate kindness, by our nations’ healthcare support workforce.

John Rogers, Chief Executive, Skills for Health, said: “In any given year, trying to identify a “winner” of Our Health Heroes is, of course, near impossible. But after 2020, our NHS, health and social care staff in their entirety are truly deserving of an award.

Reading through the submissions is humbling and emotional, in recognising the outstanding contribution by so many across the sector, over the last twelve months, and as we speak.”

These unsung heroes, often working behind the scenes, have never asked for a medal, glory or even recognition, in fact, most if asked, simply brush it off by saying "it’s just part of my job". Yet, it is these individuals who form the backbone of our NHS, social care, and independent healthcare organisations, and without whom, our health system simply could not function.

John adds: “The vaccination programme is a huge endeavour, but its benefits will take months to have a positive impact on the current stresses across our health and care systems, yet we will watch as staff continue to rise to the ongoing challenges.

If we did not already know this, then all this year’s Our Health Heroes nominations make it very clear, that the sheer commitment, compassion and unwavering resolve of our NHS people will carry us beyond the pandemic and on to better times.”

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With a shortlist of 15 exceptional finalists, Skills for Health together with partners NHS Employers, UNISON and Bevan Brittan, are now encouraging both members of the public, as well as health and social care colleagues, to have the final say on who should be crowned national winners at the virtual Awards ceremony in March. And the finalists are…

Apprentice of the Year sponsored by UNISON: • Sofia Goodchild, Apprentice Partnerships and Integration Administrator, NHS Castle Point and Rochford CCG • Isa Ullah-Khan, Apprentice Healthcare Assistant, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust • Janine Pring, Apprentice Respiratory Physiologist, North Bristol NHS Trust Outstanding Contribution sponsored by NHS Employers: • Cordy Gaubert, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust • Janis Hostad, Education and Development Coordinator, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS trust • Dr Amit Arora, Consultant Geriatrician, University Hospital of North Midlands Operational Services Support Worker of the Year sponsored by UNISON: • Marie Smith, Ward Clerk, St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust • Laura Hurford, Learning and Development Senior Administrator, Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust • Tina Hughes, Domestic Assistant, 2gether Support Solutions, East Kent Hospitals University NHS FT

2021 Finalists Announced Clinical Support Worker of the Year: • Claire Petford Norton, Healthcare Assistant, Milton Keynes University Hospital • Eileen McCullough, Support Worker, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust • Thomas Gregory-Smith, Community Support Worker, Older Adult Community Mental Health Team, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust Independent Health and Social Care Worker of the Year: • Joshua Mizen, Specialist Support Worker, Thompson’s Homecare Staff have been placed under extreme and unprecedented stress and, in many cases, pushed to the limit. But the pandemic has also • Steve Singh, Driver/Support Worker, Sahara reminded us that the NHS cannot function without the entire team. When the stakes Care Ltd have never been higher, the porters, cleaners, administrative staff, IT technicians, Vote for your winners here! reception, and security staff – and the many other roles often overlooked for praise or Voting opens today, Monday 18th January, awards – have risen to the challenge.” and closes on Monday 8th February.

• Peter Morris, Gardener, St Raphael’s Hospice

The judging panel included representatives from Skills for Health, NHS Resolution, NHS England and Improvement, and category sponsors NHS Employers and UNISON. Rebecca Smith, Managing Director, NHS Employers said: “NHS Employers is proud once again to have the opportunity to sponsor the Outstanding Contribution award, to ensure we recognise all our teams, who go above and beyond for our patients every day.

“This is a wonderful way to shine a light on those whose contribution and dedication deserves to be recognised and celebrated, but who often go unacknowledged, and it’s especially welcome now, at a time when the COVID-19 crisis continues to place an unprecedented strain on all our staff.”

Sara Gorton, Head of Health, UNISON said: “Now more than ever, it’s vitally important the work of the entire NHS family is recognised and celebrated. The past 10 months have been extremely challenging.

“The Our Health Heroes Awards rightly focuses on those unsung employees whose crucial work is often overlooked. UNISON is proud to sponsor the operational services support worker and apprentice of the year categories at this year’s awards.”

Finalists and nominees will be celebrated at a virtual awards ceremony with sector leaders, colleagues, friends and family on March 23, where the national winners of the individual categories will be awarded gold, silver and bronze, and the winners of the Integrated Team of The Year, Learning and Development Project/Team of the Year, Independent Health and Social Care Worker of the Year, Health and Wellbeing Employer of the Year, and Digital Innovation Person/Team will be announced.

Follow #OurHealthHeroes on Twitter for all the latest updates.

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