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This Month..
The team
4. Role of special constable 6. We need you to get nominating 8. Mothers Day 12. The former grange school 14. Proposals to introduce some restrictions 16. Recipe of the month: Inside out trifle 18. Recipe of the month: Fridge raid egg fried rice 20. Due Diligence part 1 22. Sovereign Housing Association 28. Future Proof 30. How to convert a garage into an extra room 33. Movies March 36. Your garden 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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EDITOR Michael Davies Journalist Lisa Davies PROOF READER Elisabeth Davies
Website: www.directlocalbristol.co.uk Regular editorials By: Andrea Sexton, Martin Powell Daren Bane Kayleigh Penny Andrew Varney kierstan Lowe Corinna Ingram Molly Pownall Susan Uzel Distribution: South Glos Magazines are delivered to homes and businesses to reach 20,000 people each month..
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Avon and Somerset Police and the Role of a Special Constable
The last Police Officer you saw could have been a Special Constable from Avon and Somerset Police
In their day job they may have been leading a project to build the new school close to you, driving the train you took on your commute to work, working self-employed from home during the day or answering the call you placed to book your travel insurance for your break away. Our volunteers come from all walks of life. One of our Special Inspectors Kelly MacBryde gives an insight to why she joined the organisation. I’ve been a Special for 14 years, and the time has flown by! I'm enjoying it just as much now as I did when I first joined! I found out about the Special Constabulary when I saw a "Could You" advert on the TV and was interested to find out more. I was working in an office and I thought that doing something completely different would be a good idea (and it was!). The idea of working as part of a larger team, learning new skills and taking myself out of my comfort zone all appealed to me.
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I'd always thought that Special Constables just policed low key events but as a response officer in Bristol, I attend the same jobs as my regular colleagues. As a Special Constable, you never know what's going to happen and jobs rarely turn out to be what you're expecting, you often formulate a plan of how to deal with an incident and then have to change it completely when you get there. I thought I might miss going down the pub on a Friday night but now I'd rather volunteer for a shift, I could end up with a suspect in custody or helping someone having a mental health crisis get to A&E. I love the camaraderie and the fact that everyone looks out for one another, you work with so many different people, there's rarely a dull moment! Why not come along and make a difference, to support the communities in which we all live and work. Find out more https://www.avonandsomerset. police.uk/apply/jobs-and-volunteering/special-constabulary/
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We need you to get nominating your Young Heroes
We need you to get nominating your Young Heroes We are thrilled to announce that the nominations for the Bristol Young Heroes Awards 2022 are now open.
We’ve been beavering away over the last few months to ensure that they are better than ever. We have 10 categories as well as our High Sheriff Award.. This year our special awards night will take place in person at We the Curious on Friday 15th July. Demand for tickets is always high and for those unable to get one of the hottest tickets in town we’ll be streaming the event thanks to our wonderful friends at UWE & Sounds Commercial. There are 10 categories in which young people can be nominated and the process is super simple. Visit our website, watch our helpful tips video and then complete the online form. We want to see as many young people recognised for their efforts as possible this year. Nominations are open until 18th March, and we can’t wait to hear about the amazing young people who work hard to make Bristol better!
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For more information about the awards and to nominate a young person https://communityofpurpose.com Meet one of our previous finalists One of the previous finalist who attended the 2021 Bristol Young Heroes Awards was Maddi Nichols from South Bristol, who was nominated for the Action Hero Award, aged 17. Maddi said: “Being part of the nomination process was an amazing experience, It was lovely to be recognised and also to meet loads of amazing young people. I learnt a lot about myself and what I want to achieve and be a part of in the future. It was loads of fun attending the awards night and I got to speak to loads of interesting people." “Since the awards, I’ve attended the follow on programme Positive Pathways. I have learnt so much about myself through this programme and it has inspired me to run a similar awards for my cadets." Do you know a young Bristolian aged 11-19 who has overcome difficult circumstances, made a difference to the lives of others, or achieved something extraordinary in the past year?. Nominate someone at www.communityofpurpose.com/nominate/
Nominate someone at www.communityofpurpose.com/nominate 7
Mother's Day is important so treat them well Mother’s Day is an important event every year, but particularly this year, as many of us will have spent almost a year away from ours by now. That’s a year of missed coffee dates, missed home-cooked meals, missed hugs and — for a large chunk of us — missed childcare opportunities. And so, in 2022, it feels more important than ever to show our mums just how much we love and appreciate them. This year, Mothering Sunday falls on March 27th (put it in your diary now) and this year we’re determined to head into the day calm and confident in our gift choice, rather than worried that the last-minute gift we picked out some favourites. Buying presents for your parents can be intimidating, Our advice? Go with your gut. Though it feels a bit cliché to get your mum a candle, book, perfume or a pair of slippers, chances are, she’ll love it (who wouldn’t?).
Yankee candle shade & tray sets. 8
We Make Bristol: Personalised My Mum Loves Print
We Make Bristol: Shea Butter Olive Oil Hand Cream 100g
Bristol Blue Glass Pendant M&S Tea in Mayfair Hamper
Hotel Chocolat Happy Mother’s Day H-Box
Beautiful flowers from your local florist
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BRISTOL LIGHT FESTIVAL RETURNS FOR 2022
Bristol Light Festival will return this year to fill the city with light and colour, and showcase Bristol as the vibrant, playful and creative city that we know and love. From 1st - 6th March, Bristol Light Festival will feature six world premier works, brand new for Bristol, alongside some of the best of the UK’s talent, all making their Bristol debut at carefully selected locations across the city centre. Visitors can wander and explore the city’s streets to see the light art works come to life and enjoy Bristol’s wonderful retail and hospitality businesses along the way. Bristol Light Festival will appear along some of the city centre's well-trodden paths as well as in some unexpected locations. At each spot visitors will be able to see, experience and play with installations that are visiting the South West for the first time. This year’s festival will benefit from a successful grant application from the Arts Council England which will support the delivery of a selection of daylight and green energy installations, adding a new dimension to the event and the opportunity for those visiting and working in the city to experience some of the artworks throughout the day. By day and night, the event is the perfect opportunity for friends, colleagues, and families to meet.
This is the second festival brought to you by Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District (BID), supported by 760 local businesses. This year's festival is also in partnership with Redcliffe & Temple BID, Arts Council England, Bristol’s City Centre & High Streets Recovery and Renewal programme, which is funded by Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority’s Love our High Streets project and Cabot Circus. Festival is being curated and produced by Bristol-based Creative Director, Katherine Jewkes.
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Everything is free to attend and open to everyone across the full week. We can’t wait to welcome you to explore Bristol through light.
More information on our society can be found on our website: www.bristolgsos.co.uk Or via our facebook page, @BristolGSOS. 11
The former Grange School site in Warmley progresses South Gloucestershire Council has agreed £3.84 million of funding to create new gymnastics and netball facilities on the former Grange school site in Warmley. The work is currently underway on the site to enable new homes, a new primary school and improved walking and cycling infrastructure to connect the new developments to the wider community. This latest addition of new sports facilities will add further enhancements to the development and is also a big step forward in aiding Majestic Gymnastics’ efforts to find a new home. The planning application is due to be submitted soon for the refurbishment of the former school sports hall. The proposed works include the addition of a single storey extension, the addition of a café, improved accessibility and general re-purposing of the existing facilities. The existing building fabric will also be repaired and upgraded. The site is already home to the Digitech School and on the southern part of the land, the council has identified the location for a new two-form entry primary school, which will ultimately accommodate 420 children. The aim is for the school’s construction to begin in 2023 and for the first pupils to be able to start lessons in September 2024. 12
The northside playing field will be redeveloped for housing, generating between 150-200 units. 35 per cent of these properties will be affordable and a further proportion will be custom/self-build homes, for which there is a growing demand in South Gloucestershire. We anticipate that, subject to the formal planning process, people will be able to move into new homes here in 2025. Work is continuing to progress well on the wider site, a contractor has been appointed for the initial demolition works including removal of fire damaged elements. Detailed design of the new bridge, including the btaining of planning consent, is underway and we are aiming for installation by the end of Spring 2023. Leader of South Gloucestershire Council Cllr Toby Savage said: “We’ve held a long-standing ambition to redevelop this brownfield site in Warmley and I am delighted we have been able to approve this funding which will provide excellent new sports facilities alongside the plans for new housing and a brand-new school. The Council has been working hard to help the outstanding Majestics Gymnastics Club find a new home and this decision is certainly a step in the right direction.
“The vision for this new community is for it to be socially inclusive, connected to the wider area and have a range of recreational opportunities and open spaces for the benefit of the people of Warmley. The mix of different types of homes will help meet the need for quality houses for local people and the next generation of this growing community. “As plans come forward and planning permission is sought, the community will have the opportunity to have their say on proposals. We are already engaged with local people, which has helped shape our vision for the site and how it links to the wider Warmley area. We look forward to further developing the detailed plans and to sharing them with the community.” Candice Littleton and Michelle George, owners of Majestics Gymnastics, said: “It is fantastic news that the Council has been able to make this substantial investment to deliver brand new and exciting sporting facilities at the former Grange School. We are truly grateful for all the effort the Council continues to put into helping us find a permanent home, with this investment being a very big step.”
The new sports elements will cost £3.84 million and are part funded by a Section 106 developer contribution of £435,000. The total investment for the Grange site is now £10.51 million including grant funding of £4.65 million from Homes England and £2.02 million from the Brownfield Land Release Fund via the West of England Combined Authority’s (WECA) One Public Estate programme.
Why not read our other publications online! South Bristol North Somerset North Bristol South Gloucestershire www.directlocalbristol.co.uk 13
Consultation on proposed controls on HMO conversions
South Gloucestershire Council is consulting with the public on proposals to introduce some restrictions on the rights of homeowners to convert existing housing into Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in parts of Filton.
However, some residents have expressed concerns that an uncontrolled further increase in HMOs could significantly change the nature of the community and put more pressure on local roads and other infrastructure.
Under national planning law, smaller conversions do not always require planning permission. The proposed changes to local planning rules would cover two areas in Stoke Park and Cheswick wards and to the east of Southmead Road and Gloucestershire Road North.
South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Environment and Strategic Infrastructure, Cllr Steve Reade, said: “HMOs play an important role in providing housing that is affordable to many people in South Gloucestershire and we see them as continuing to play a role in doing so.
HMOs are an important part of the housing mix, providing an affordable option for people, particularly on lower incomes, to live close to where they work or study. They are typically subdivisions of larger houses, where rooms are rented to at least three people who are not part of the same family, who have shared access to facilities such as bathrooms and kitchens. HMOs rented to five or more people are required by law to be licenced and inspected by the council. Permitted Development Rights under national legislation mean that for smaller conversions, to create up to six separate rooms for rent, landlords do not need to seek planning permission from the local authority. Permission is required if an HMO will have seven or more rooms for rent. Planning law does, however, provide councils with an opportunity to restrict permitted development rights in defined areas so that they can limit the growth of HMOs where they deem it ‘necessary to protect local amenity of the well-being of an area’. The council is seeking community feedback on proposed measures, which could be made as an Article 4 Direction, which would locally amend the rights of landlords under the Town and Country Planning Act (1990). The proposal is being made to restrict the automatic right to create additional HMOs in specific areas in Stoke Park, Cheswick and Filton. The area already has a significant number of HMOs, which are used by students as well as those working nearby at some of the region’s major employers. 14
“What we are looking at with this proposal are measures that will allow the council to assess any and all future proposals to create this form of accommodation, to identify their potential impact on the surrounding community and to decide whether to allow them to go ahead. We are not proposing to stop the creation of all new HMOs in these areas, but we do want to have more control over the way our communities grow and change. “I would encourage local residents to look at the consultation materials and to let us know their views through the consultation period.” The consultation on the proposals will run for six weeks. All residents in Filton who live in the two areas that would be covered by the proposed measures will receive a letter from the council outlining the issues. Further details about the proposals are available by clicking here
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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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Vegan coconut curry
Fridge-raid egg fried rice
Ingredients Tomato purée 1 garlic clove
2cm ginger, peeled 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes 4 tsp rapeseed oil 2 spring onions, finely chopped 100g fresh or frozen diced mixed vegetables 40g cooked bacon 1 tbsp tomato ketchup 1 tbsp soy sauce 250g pouch of microwave rice (or leftover rice) 1 egg Coriander leaves, to garnish
Method
In a small bowl, blitz together the tomato purée, garlic, ginger and chilli flakes, if using, with a stick blender until you have a coarse paste Heat 3 tsp of the oil in a large nonstick wok or frying pan over a high heat Stir-fry the spring onions and vegetables for 2-3 mins, until just starting to colour Add the bacon and fry for a further minute, then add the spice paste and cook for 1 minute more. Add the ketchup, soy sauce, remaining oil and rice, and stir-fry for 2 mins or until piping hot Crack in the egg and leave to cook a little, then stir in vigorously If you prefer the egg chunkier, allow it to set for a little longer, then stir through
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Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with the coriander, if using
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DUE DILIGENCE – QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD For the first part of our series on Due Diligence, we look at what questions you should ask your Letting Agent. However, you choose yours, albeit a household name, fancy logo or personal recommendation, remember that ignoring red flags because you want to see the good in people or want to short circuit the process will cost you later. Ask those all-important questions now! How safe is my money? Letting or property management agents, in England, who hold clients' money, must join a "client money protection scheme". This is important because it means that your money and your tenants' money is always protected! Agents must: Hold clients money in an account with a bank or building society authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Get a certificate confirming membership of the scheme and provide it to anyone who asks, free of charge. Display the certificate in any office where they deal with the public and on their website – there are large fines for non-compliance!
Ratio of properties/rooms available to people looking Top 5 local employers Different areas and the tenant types they attract Rentals in different parts of the city and how these have changed in recent times and what has affected them Any student/social housing areas and the effect this has on rents/crime/tenant turnaround Any Article 4 or Selective Licensing areas How do they select good quality tenants? One of the most important aspects of renting your property and somewhere that a good quality Agent can really add value, is tenant selection. Tenant selection is an art form and a good quality Letting Agent will have this process nailed! Once you have the science covered (in terms of right to rent, affordability, referencing etc.) then the art and experience comes into play and, a good Agent here, will be worth their weight in gold. Ask your Agent where they advertise to find good quality tenants, how they appraise them, who they speak with, to ascertain their character - this information is priceless and a good and experienced Letting Agent will happily share this information readily with you.
Show me the stats! Good, local, agents are experts in their field and should have area, tenant type, local employer, rental, and demographic specific information to hand, always and, the readiness of this information, will indicate whether they have their finger on the pulse or not. In addition to questions about their business (how many properties they manage, how many members of staff manage them, their void rate, their level of bad debt and how many full or partial deposits they have had to keep to offset damage caused by tenants or non-payment of rent), be sure to ask them for local information like: 20
BE ASKING YOUR LETTING AGENT Procedures and policies
What do their inspections cover? Periodic Inspections are important, yet so many landlords and letting agents are slap-dash and leave things to chance. Inspections should include checks on: • • • •
The condition of the property. The safety of the tenants. Adherence to the contract. That everything works and is in good order? Any people/animals/infestations/issues at the property of which you were unaware.
Be assured of sound procedures and policies, • that all staff members are conversant with. Nothing highlighted this better than the recent Covid pandemic - the fallout of which is still Also, check the central heating system and affecting lots of Landlords and Tenants. What the radiators to make sure that they work; policies and procedures do your Letting check the seals around the bath and the Agents have and can they name them shower (a stitch in time saves nine readily? The procedures are only as good as water leaks are the people using them, so they should be at expensive); check each their fingertips – make sure you check before room and compare it it’s too late! against the inventory, taking fair wear and tear The complexities of compliance? and usage into account; check the white goods to The growing demands of the private rental ensure that they all work sector means that Agents and Landlords are and are all being looked having to comply with more rules and after correctly; check up regulations than ever before. This puts in the roof (are there any pressure on their time, resources, and leaks, infestations, things finances. As a landlord, the "buck" stops with you wouldn't want to you; you cannot contract out your see). We also encourage responsibility. tenants to be present, wherever practicable, According to the Residential Landlords as this is always a great Association (RLA), the number of laws opportunity to touch base www.kpa.co.uk governing the private rental sector has with them. increased by 32% since 2010, now with 178 regulations affecting those operating in the A quality agent will welcome these questions rental market. and recognise that they form part of your due diligence process, as a responsible landlord. Penalties for non-compliance are often large, It will also set the scene perfectly for your with some attracting prosecution and even future professional partnership! a custodial sentence. A good quality Letting Agent should work alongside their landlord, having an excellent grasp on compliance. Helping Landlords stay abreast of up-to-date compliance and ensuring that they safely work within the guidelines, is one of the most important tasks for the modern Letting Agent - make sure that yours understand what this means for you.
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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. 22
“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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FareShare South West supports food waste reduction policies FareShare South West, an independent part of the FareShare UK network, is the largest food redistribution charity in the region, and works with nfront-line charities, schools and community groups to ensure surplus food reaches those that need it most in our communities.
Milk is the third most waster product in the UK, and predicts this adaptation will save millions of their own pints of milk being discarded each year.
Every year, 250,000 tonnes of food processed, packaged and ready-to-eat is wasted by producers, manufacturers and retailers in the UK supply chain for reasons ranging from inaccurate demand forecasting, packaging errors, damage in transit or retailer rejections. FareShare South West provides a flexible and easy way of working together to ensure good quality surplus food never reaches a bin.
"At FareShare South West, we celebrate any news that food companies have changed their processes to reduce food waste. We and FareShare UK want to see more food following the food waste hierarchy and going to feed people first, before going to animal feed, anaerobic digestion or worst of all, landfill. We are encouraging more South West food companies to ‘do the right thing’ with surplus food - whether that is changing guidelines in store, or giving their in-date, large scale surplus to us at FareShare South West."
As a charity, FareShare South West supports any initiatives by food suppliers to reduce wastage. Recently, the supermarket chain Morrisons announced 90% of their own brand milk will no longer include a 'Use By' date.
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Ben Evans is the Food and Logistics Manager,
To talk to FareShare South West about sustainable solutions to your surplus food, email Ben Evans direct on ben.evans@faresharesouthwest.org.uk
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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. 26
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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Communication You will have one-to-one communication with the website designer. Along the process, the designer will give you a link to see the website at each stage of its process before it’s ready for launch
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Bristol Beacon announces ‘Future Proof’ programme Make Space For Creative Development
Bristol Beacon are proud to present an eighteen-month, talent development programme, called ‘Future Proof’, a flagship mentoring scheme for the next wave of 18-25 year olds ready to make moves into and focus their creative journeys towards the music industries. Professionals at Bristol Beacon and from the wider music industry will be on hand to help develop and support the next generation of upcoming musicians and artists, who will also have the opportunity to feed into the evolving vision for Bristol Beacon. The scheme will be running for the first time in 2022/23 and starts next month, in March 2022, and will run right up to Bristol Beacon’s reopening in 2023 - following the major transformation of the venue in the last few years. Through the collaborative ‘Future Proof’ programme, both the members of the collective and those at Bristol Beacon, itself, will positively learn, develop and change. The cohort will be supported in their development through advice and guidance from industry professionals, a personal development plan, an opportunity to give feedback, ideas and ask questions, be given the tools and experience to connect and collaborate with other like-minded creatives and have resources at their fingertips. There will be 1-2-1 mentoring sessions for those involved, who will be paired with an experienced industry professional. In addition, there will be group sessions, a personal grant of up to £1000, which can be spent on studio access, equipment, and other creative costs and seed funding of up to £1000. Another perk will be free access to all of Bristol Beacon’s shows, industry workshops, masterclasses and training. 28
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Deadline for applications: Thu 17 Feb 2022
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Week commencing Mon 23 Mar 2022: Group Induction Sessions
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Mar – Jul 2022: 121 Mentoring Sessions & Monthly Group Sessions
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Sep 2022 – Mar 2023: Development of Creative Ideas starts, ongoing 121 Mentoring Sessions & Monthly Group Sessions
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Apr – Oct 2023: Final Development of Creative Ideas
Bristol Beacon’s Creative Producer, Owen Parry said of the scheme: “This special project has come at an exciting time where we can work alongside early-stage creatives in the lead-up to our venue’s exciting reopening. The idea is that through these relationships, we can learn and grow together by supporting each other’s development. We look forward to connecting and collaborating with local music creators and welcome applications from all backgrounds. The project we have designed will help open up access to exploring careers in music for people aged 18-25, particularly those who are traditionally underrepresented; and to facilitate creative innovation with new and diverse ideas.”
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How to Convert a Garage into 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. 30
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.
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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THE CINEMA REVIEW MOVIE REVIEW THIS MONTH
THE DUKE 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.
BATMAN
Two years of stalking the streets as the Batman (Pattinson), striking fear into the hearts of criminals, has led Bruce Wayne deep into the shadows of Gotham City. With only a few trusted allies Alfred Pennyworth (Serkis), Lt. James Gordon (Wright) amongst the city’s corrupt network of officials and high-profile figures, the lone vigilante has established himself as the sole embodiment of vengeance amongst his fellow citizens. When a killer targets Gotham’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Selina Kyle/aka Catwoman (Kravitz), Oswald Cobblepot/aka the Penguin (Farrell), Carmine Falcone (Turturro), and Edward Nashton/aka the Riddler (Dano). As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans becomes clear, Batman must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit, and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued Gotham City. 33
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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Take a break and try to solve theses puzzles Here are this months puzzles designed to test your mental skills during your lunch break or after tea.
Good luck! EASY
MEDIUM
HARD
EXTREME
REACH ROOM SCREW SEASON SEPARATION SUMMIT UNDERLINE AMBIGUITY CONSTITUTION CONTRADICTION CROSS DISCREET DUTY FILE FRANK GENERATE GROUNDS INTERACTIVE JOURNAL LABORATORY MANUFACTURE PLANET PRICE PROMOTION
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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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HOROSCOPES 38
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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