www.upourstreet.org.uk
Tel: 0117 954 2834 Post: Beacon Centre, City Academy, Russell Town Avenue Bristol, BS5 9JH contact@upourstreet.org.uk www.upourstreet.org.uk Twitter: @upourstreet Facebook: Up Our Street Charity no: 1081691 Company no: 04023294 Business Development Officer Emily Fifield Tel: 0117 954 2837 Communications Officer Tamsin Harcourt Tel: 07903 089 002
Community Engagement Celia Davis (Mon-Wed) Patrycia Pinkowski (Thu-Fri) Tel: 07947 830 973 Finance and Office Manager Tracy Parsons Tel: 0117 954 2834 Manager Stacy Yelland Tel: 0117 954 2836 or 07810 506 980
HAVE YOUR SAY The stories in this section are all about having a Political Voice. That is not about supporting a particular political party, it is about having influence over decisions that affect your life or your community.
GET INVOLVED The stories in this section are all about Civic Participation. This means the different ways that people can and do get involved in their community.
WORKING TOGETHER The stories in this section are all about Social Capital. This means the way that people work together to share skills and experience and build strong networks.
Don’t forget...
Community Researcher and Evaluation Officer Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley Chair of trustees Sally Caseley Deputy chairs Amy Harrison Dominic Murphy Trustee board Joyce Clarke Nic Ferris Thom Oliver Hannah Pepper Mike Pickering Noelle Rumball Ricardo Sharry Jane Westhead
Listen to Up Our Street on BCfm 93.2 and Ujima 98fm every Wednesday at 8.45am Follow us on Twitter @upourstreet or join the Up Our Street group on Facebook
Inside this issue Up Our Street news………...…..…....…page 3 Thank You Awards.....…….…..pages 4 and 5 Have your say ..……..…...………..pages 6 to 8 Get involved….………………...….pages 9 to 11 Active Citizens…………………..……..…..page 12 Working together………...…...pages 13 to 15 2
Up Our Street
Planning update...…..……….………..page 16 Empty properties…..……….…….…..page 17 Tidy BS5 business pledge….…......page 18 Community noticeboard.…...…….page 19 Food review…..………………….……...page 20 Advertising…………….……...pages 21 to 24 www.upourstreet.org.uk
UP OUR STREET - People changing the world. One street at a time. Welcome to the Winter 2017 edition of Up Our Street magazine. I’m Ric Sharry and I was voted in as Chair of Up Our Street when Sally Caseley stepped down at our AGM on 19 October. Sally will stay on the board, and we would all like to thank her for all her hard work over the past five years. She has helped steer the organisation through some tricky times and is certainly a tough act to follow. I have lived in Barton Hill most of my life, and first got involved in community work back in the
Community at Heart days, championing and representing young people’s issues. We have just hosted our seventh annual Thank You Awards, and I was blown away by some of the stories. It was a night of celebration and you can see some of the photos on page 4 and 5. Read on to find out what Up Our Street has planned for the months ahead (including Active Citizens training on page 12), and if you feel inspired by what you’ve read, please get in touch with the team.
Join Up Our Street at Lawrence Hill roundabout for our annual Carols in the Underpass on Wednesday 13 December from 4pm. We’ll be singing with members from the Allsorts Choir who are based in Barton Hill (please join in) and handing out mulled wine, hot chocolate and snacks. We will have our traditional mince pies, plus some tasty savoury treats from Somali Kitchen. It’s a way of bringing some festive cheer, getting people together and sparking conversations.
www.upourstreet.org.uk
Singing together in 2016
We are delighted to welcome two new board members, Nic Ferris and Hannah Pepper, who are both local residents. Check out our Renter’s Rights magazine, out now! This free magazine aims to inform tenants in the private rented sector about their rights and encourage them to use them. Pat from Up Our Street has been doing some targeted work with communities as part of our Bristol Values project. She is helping to organise an event for Roma families and is setting up a ping pong tournament at Borderlands, a refugee charity. We will be holding a Neighbourhood Conversation about Stapleton Road at the end of November/beginning of December. Sign up to our ebulletin or keep an eye on social media for details. Save the date of 24 March for our next Festival of Solutions, venue to be confirmed. We will be focussing on the theme of environment. As we go to print we are preparing to run an “Understanding Whiteness” workshop with Collective Liberation Project. It’s sure to provoke some difficult conversations, we will report back in the next edition. Check out www.thecollectiveliberationproject.com to find out about their work. Up Our Street
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THANK YOU AWARDS
Up Our Street Thank You Award Winners 2017 Abdul Raoof Malik Aisha Thomas Andy Rooke and Mike Edney Anndeloris Chacon Anne Malindine Anthea Sweeney Bristol Stars Dadcast Daha Mohiadin Daud Dave Harris David King David Redgewell Edson Burton Elly Rendall Fatuma Hussein Florent Ntagenyera Friends of Netham Park
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Up Our Street
Grace Allen Halima Kulane Hannah Crudgington Iona Hartshorn Jamie McKee and Mohamed Ahmed Janet Rees Josephine Harris John Martin John Peters-Coleman Jose Barco Jules Mabushi Khadra Abdullaji Maff Tucker Mohamed Abdi Sayaqle Mohammed Elsharif Muriel Lewis
Nura Aabe Paola Sileno Patricia Barnes RADE Rea Christopoulou-Irving Rob Ash Robert and Rosemary Holland Ros Beauhill Ruth Pickersgill Ruth Cochrane Saed Mohamoud Ali Shantel Planter St Lukes holiday lunch club volunteers Steve Riley Tania Paterson Tasha Rees Victoria Tiley www.upourstreet.org.uk
THANK YOU AWARDS
Best Business Award Old Market Assembly & the Wardrobe Theatre Sponsored by Bristol Spaceworks
Clean and Green Business Award Leisure CafĂŠ on Stapleton Road Sponsored by Bristol Waste
A big thank you to our supporters who helped pay for the Thank You Awards
Thanks also to Whitehall Printing, University of Bristol Cabot Institute, Knightstone Housing Association and Pak Butchers.
And finally, a very special thank you to our comperes Pat Hart and Neil Maggs, to Thangam Debbonaire MP for presenting the awards, Fran at Evoke Pictures for photography and Var at Telling Tales films. www.upourstreet.org.uk
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HAVE YOUR SAY
Now that Neighbourhood Partnerships have come to an end, how do local residents have a say in decisions made by Bristol City Council? Up Our Street talked to Easton councillor Ruth Pickersgill. There will be at least four open meetings a year, where local people can come and hear what the Council, police, Network Rail and other organisations are doing, and express their views to their local councillors. These meetings will also be an important part of deciding the priorities of the area. The first Community Space was held on 10 October at Felix Road Adventure Playground. One of the meetings will involve local people voting on where they want the new Community Grants spent. This is a small amount of funding for local groups that want to make a difference in the area. It replaces the Wellbeing Grants.
Community space meeting at Felix Road
The councillors are establishing a new Easton and Lawrence Hill group to replace the old Neighbourhood Partnership. Its key role will be to make recommendations on the priorities for spending the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). This is money that comes from new developments in the area and can be used to benefit local people. We are looking for local people to get involved, particularly people with skills like chairing, taking minutes etc. The group will include eight to ten local residents from different parts of the area, and representatives from business and community groups.
Up Our Street, Barton Hill Settlement and other local organisations have formed an Inner City Network to discuss how to work together to meet the needs of the area. They meet on the first Thursday of every month, contact stacy@upourstreet.org.uk if you Contact cllr.ruth.pickersgill@bristol.gov.uk for more would like to get involved. information about the community partnership.
Celia from Up Our Street has been visiting the LPW Lads Club at Barton Hill in recent weeks, to develop a very special radio show for BCfm. In November, the usual Up Our Street radio show will be presented by a group of young people – their show will highlight all the things they love (and think could be improved) in their neighbourhood. The lads have interviewed local people about what’s important to them covering topics from football to parks, and of course have chosen tracks they enjoy. Celia has been working with the group to record and edit their own features for the show. Youth workers from LPW have been really impressed with how seriously the lads have taken this project.
Celia and Lad’s Club with Harriet from BCfm
The show will be aired on BCfm on Monday 20 November at 2pm, and you can catch up by visiting www.bcfmradio.com/communityaccess and searching for the show on that date. 6
Up Our Street
www.upourstreet.org.uk
HAVE YOUR SAY
Throughout October Up Our Street created a Play Zone on the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, with a blackboard, giant xylophones and plenty of painting. The idea was to challenge how the space is used, especially issues of conflict that arise on the path between pedestrians and some cyclists who travel very fast on the path. The Play Zone was part of a project called URBACT, which looks at how cities across Europe can respond to challenges relating to urban resilience. The Railway Path in Easton and Lawrence Hill is an interesting site, as it provides a traffic free route to the city centre, whilst also providing a vital green space and wildlife corridor. Increasing use of the path raises challenges for resilience issues as different demands are placed on a space. We received loads of feedback from the community about how the path could work better. Some suggested that a code of conduct and guidance about whether to walk on the right or left hand side might improve safety. There were many comments made about slowing down cyclists, for example lit up speed signs and the creation of a ‘slow zone’ near the city centre. We loved how much people celebrated the path and got involved – thanks to everyone who participated!
Getting playful on the path
Up Our Street will now use the feedback from this project to develop a proposed Code of Conduct and messaging for the space, and implement some of the other ideas that were shared. If you’re interested and would like to get involved, please email celia@upourstreet.org.uk. We will be holding a public meeting to share what we have learnt in late November/early December, details will be confirmed in our ebulletin and on social media, or keep an eye out for posters.
Did you know that five people a week die prematurely in Bristol because of the air we breathe? This, and other shocking statistics were discussed at our Neighbourhood Conversation about Air Pollution on 11 October. As part of Healthy City Week, Up Our Street brought local residents together with researchers, council officers and campaigners to find out what can be done to improve the air quality in inner city Bristol.
who travel from outside Bristol and cause problems which are felt most by people that live in the inner city area, who contribute the least to the problem. Bristol City Council is working on proposals for a Clean Air Zone. This may see a charge for diesel vehicles entering the city boundary. The plan could be controversial but drastic action is needed to ensure the air in our community is safe.
To find out more about air pollution in Bristol, visit The event triggered some lively debate, particularly www.claircity.eu/bristol. Thank you to Bristol Green around themes of inequalities of the impacts of air Capital Partnership and Urban ID for supporting this pollution. By far the biggest contributor to harmful event. air pollution is the use of diesel vehicles, and people www.upourstreet.org.uk
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HAVE YOUR SAY
Correct at time of going to press. Source: www.travelwest.info
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Easton Safer Streets is a community-led design programme being undertaken in Easton in partnership between Bristol City Council and Sustrans. It is funded by the Cycle Ambition Fund, which is money from national government. Throughout 2016 Sustrans carried out a series of community engagement events including 24 interactive workshops held across Easton. The consultation report produced by Sustrans summarises the view of 855 participants at workshops and 1,094 comments online. In addition to the on-street workshops and online mapping, meetings and workshops were held with local schools During 2016 Sustrans gave presentations to the Neighbourhood Partnership, the local traffic and transport sub group and the disability forum, and met local businesses. June 2017 Bristol City Council wrote to all residents affected by the scheme (nearly 5,000) asking for feedback on the proposals. The scheme was amended after feedback. August 2017 some residents raised concerns about the plans and the method of consultation. They formed a group called Easton Voice and created their own questionnaire. To date this has received 883 responses. October 2017 the scheme is on hold while the plans are reviewed by Bristol City Council cabinet members. Spring 2018? The scheme is scheduled to go through the formal Traffic Regulatory Order process and local residents will have another chance to comment on the changes. Up Our Street
Our local Councillors tell us that they have received all sorts of responses to the scheme. Some residents are in favour as they feel it will make it safer for them to walk and cycle and reduce air pollution. Some argue that it is not practical to close roads to cars, and that it will just displace traffic onto other roads. Some residents like some parts of the scheme but not other aspects. It has become a very emotive debate and sometimes divisive. We know from our own experience at Up Our Street how difficult it is to run a truly inclusive consultation process and make sure that all views are heard. As we go to print, the scheme seems to be in deadlock, showing how difficult it is to come to a consensus when there are so many different viewpoints. For more information, visit the websites below.
www.travelwest.info/easton
www.eastonvoice.org.uk www.upourstreet.org.uk
GET INVOLVED
Up Our Street went to talk to Arletta Michalska and Sue Cohen from the Junction 3 CIC, to talk about some of the things residents have been doing to build community in the Junction 3 development that was completed five years ago.
group there as a volunteer. “There are so many families in the building now, and it’s great to come Community activists were involved in bringing together to play people together over the development of the site outside. We are well before the buildings we see today at Junction 3 making the most were built. Some went on to to set up J3 CIC. Sue of this little green Cohen was one of the founder members. The group space that we of volunteers formed because they wanted “to Forest school at Junction 3 have. We do all bring together communities riven through by the sorts of activities M32 motorway.” The group has evolved over time like leaf printing, making hot chocolate. For and now supports residents from Junction 3 and Christmas we are planning to make decorations out the wider community in a range of activities. of natural materials.” She says that Knightstone “A couple of years ago we talked to local residents have been supportive, and helped them put in a and asked them what they wanted to see happen” shed on site to store equipment. “But it did take a year to get permission!” she adds laughing. says Sue. “Some of the main things that came up were pop-up markets, ESOL classes and gardening, Find out more so that’s what we did. We were also able to secure Look out for Forest School activities in the run up to some funding from Knightstone Housing Christmas. These will be advertised in the library. Association to pay for Forest School training for You can also join in the Knit and Natter at Junction local residents.” 3 Library on Tuesdays, 11.15am to 12.30pm. These This is where Arletta comes in, she lives in one of activities are open to all, you don’t have to be a the flats at Junction 3 with her two boys aged 5 and Junction 3 resident. You can get in touch with 7, and helps run a regular after school Forest School Junction 3 CIC at junction3.cic@gmail.com Once again residents have been getting out there and cleaning up their neighbourhood. Thank you local litter pickers, you really do make a difference! Ali from Redfield got in touch with Up Our Street in September after seeing a post on Facebook and set up a litter pick on Church Road. Litter picking at Twinnell House and Wills Drive
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Parents at Twinnell House and Wills Drive in Easton decided to hold litter pick before one of their regular Playing Out sessions in October. The children turned it into a competition to see who could pick up the most. In a very short time the group picked up four black bags full of rubbish, making their outside space look much cleaner.
Thereza, Ali, and Emma in Redfield
Feeling inspired? We can lend you all the kit you need to organise a litter pick on your street. Get in touch with Celia at Up Our Street on 0117 954 2854 or celia@upourstreet.org.uk. Join the Tidy BS5 group on Facebook to link up with others in your neighbourhood. Up Our Street
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GET INVOLVED Did you know that keeping active and in touch with other people as you become older, helps to improve your health and wellbeing and reduce disease and ill health? Loneliness in older age often starts when a partner dies, or through divorce or separation. It can also occur when friends, neighbours or close family move away and the person no longer has people to do things with. Up Our Street talked to some organisations who work with older people about how they tackle loneliness.
David Mowat has been older people’s worker at St Lukes Church for the past two and a half years. He has been a community worker in Bristol since the 1990s. “When I visited sheltered accommodation back in the early 90s they had wardens, there was quite a lot of self-care, residents used to organise their own activities. You look at those same places now and the population has changed a bit, the core group that were active then are older and more infirm, some have moved out. The warden service has been reduced.” He also feels that the systems that have been put in place to protect older people living in sheltered accommodation have led to a sense of division from the rest of the neighbourhood. David thinks that simple strategies could help tackle this. He has been hosting a breakfast club in Rowan Court for the past 18 months. “I pop to Lidl and pick up supplies and make bacon butties in the community room for residents. There’s a good regular group now. I’ve got to know people, if I notice someone’s not there I go and ring on a few doorbells, encourage them to come down.” David is looking for volunteers to run breakfast clubs in other sheltered housing sites in the area. “It’s just a couple of hours a week, but social activities like this are so fundamental to people’s wellbeing.” If you would like to talk to David about setting up a similar club, please give him a ring on 0780 436 3170.
Gemma Holden, a Community Navigators Bristol Coordinator, got in touch to tell us about a new plan to train up volunteers to support older people.
“Community Navigators Bristol offers free signposting and support to older people who want to feel less isolated and more involved in their local area. Friendly, trained ‘navigators’ find out what matters to the older people and share information about what’s happening where they live. Whether it’s meeting people, becoming more active, rekindling old hobbies, volunteering or learning something new, the community navigator can point the older person in the right direction. If the older person feels nervous, the community navigator can come along with them the first time they try something new. There are navigators based all around Bristol, including Barton Hill. They have expert knowledge about what’s available in each local community and can share that with the older person.” The service is funded by Bristol Ageing Better and launched in September. If you’d like to sign up as a volunteer, please contact Gemma on 0330 838 2588 or community.navigators@nhs.net
Up Our Street thought it was also important to point out that loneliness is not inevitable. This is Doreen and Vida, we met them in Easton when we were out taking photos for our special Renters Rights magazine. They have known each other a long time and are a brilliant advertisement for the power of friendship. As we learnt from the Wellbeing Survey, connectivity is one of the things that residents value most in our neighbourhood. Thank you for your time ladies! 10
Up Our Street
www.upourstreet.org.uk
GET INVOLVED
The winter months can be cold and dark, when all we want to do is stay inside behind our front doors. Up Our Street has been talking to some local residents who want to change that, and bring a little colour and cheer into the winter months.
Helen Leckie lives in the Dings and helps to organise a giant advent calendar in front windows. This December will see windows light up for a third year running. Helen told us what she enjoyed about the event:
“It was really lovely to see so many different people
in the community take part: long term residents and those who have moved in in the last year, people from different countries, old and young. Some people enjoyed using their creativity, other people bought lights and stick-on decorations, some people decorated their entire house, while others did something simple in the window. It was great that Julie's Cafe and Emmaus were on board for a second year, and Trunki, the Barley Mow (our local pub) and Pip N Jay, our parish church took part in the first year.
The couple scheduled to do Christmas Eve were expecting a baby around that time, so I prepared a backup for their day (the 'For Unto Us a Child is Born') - amazingly their baby was born early and they still managed to do their window.
There has been a lot of goodwill generated with the windows - it has been a talking point among neighbours and a good way of getting to know people.”
Fran Harkness is organising a Window Wanderland in Easton over the weekend of 20 and 21 January. “Window Wanderland is coming to Easton and we need you to help us light up the trail! We are inviting households and businesses to create displays for their windows, forming a neighbourhood trail that can be enjoyed by the whole community. Your windows could explore family culture, scenes from a favourite film, interests and hobbies or anything you feel passionate about. Keep it simple or go all out: as long as it’s family friendly, anything goes!”
Stay tuned for more information about open evenings, creative sessions, launch parties and more.
Celia from Up Our Street is working with Fran to host a community meal on Friday 19 January from For more information on how to take part as a 5.30pm to 8.30pm at Easton Community Centre. We will have materials available for you to make a household, business, artist or volunteer, please creative display for your window ready for the trail. email eastonwindowwander@gmail.com www.upourstreet.org.uk
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WORKING TOGETHER
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Up Our Street
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WORKING TOGETHER
The scaffolding has gone up, but it’s still business as usual at the Trinity Centre. Up Our Street went to talk to Sarah and Edson about what goes on in the converted former church, and the challenges of looking after a historic building as well as fulfilling their charity mission to make arts accessible for all. “There are still people who think of Trinity as just a gig venue, but it has always been more than that” explains Sarah Bentley, Marketing Officer. “Trinity’s mission is about arts for everyone. We still have the big gigs, but we are always trying hard to keep a balance between private hire and our charitable activities.” First opened as a community venue in the 1970s, the former Holy Trinity Church first opened as a community venue in 1978. Trinity Community Arts was formed in 2002 to take to take on the running of the space; since 2003 they have been fundraising to invest in the building, registering as a charity in 2011.
Team Trinity
funded by Arts Council England. “We wanted to create a programme to connect communities, and involve them in creative activities.” explains Edson. “It’s all about enabling artists and communities to come together. We have had some world class artists come to Trinity, producing work that provokes conversations, stuff that our communities After a major fundraising effort, with grants secured care about.” Edson tells me that recent research from Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic England and shows that government arts funding reaches only match funders including Bristol City Council, and 8% of the population nationally.“ The arts are often donations from the public, the £625,000 seen as something exclusive, only for a select few. refurbishment project can go ahead. This is the final At Trinity we are able to attract very local audiences, part of Trinity’s major repair works and part of a often people on low incomes, we are making art wider programme to renovate this historic building. accessible.” “We have had a great response to the appeal, and Through the Trinity Community Initiative, they are we’d like to thank everyone who has supported us. also able to offer free space for community groups, Every donation adds up, so if you’ve downloaded including Awaz Utaoh (a social group for older the Trinity Anthem or bought one of our prints, you South Asian women), Gerry’s Attic Dance (a dance have helped make this happen.” says Sarah. “The company for the over 50s), and Hype Dance (street money will transform the building and make it safe dance classes for local teenagers). In 2016/17 Trinity and secure for the future. We will have a new roof provided nearly 4,000 hours of free and subsidised and will be restoring the original stained-glass space to local community groups. windows and crumbling stonework and towers to Perhaps the most visible of Trinity’s community their former glory.” projects is their well-established community garden, Most importantly, the works mean that Trinity is safe where lots of community activities take place, from the ‘buildings at risk register’. “This is really including their very popular Garden Party in the important, as if we did end up back on the at-risk summer. Weekly activities include a toddler stay and register, makes our future less certain; it could lead play, an after school club, and Growing for Health, to the building leaking and basically falling apart which offers structured activities for people with over time. If that happened, Trinity just wouldn’t be mental health issues. There are also drop-ins if you able to stay open to the public, we would have to want to try your hand at gardening, including a close our doors.” says Sarah. shared meal with other gardeners. But restoring the building is only part of the story, Edson Burton is Engagement Officer for the IGNiTE programme at Trinity. IGNiTE started in 2016 and is
Although the scaffolding is up, Trinity still has 10% of the costs to raise. Find out more about donating to the appeal and what is happening here: www.3ca.org.uk/activities/heritage
*“only 8% of the UK population regularly attend publicly funded culture” Warwick Commission Report, 2015 www.upourstreet.org.uk
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WORKING TOGETHER
Can sport play a part building community? Up Our Street talked to Paul who runs the Wing Chun Kung Fu group at Felix Road Adventure Playground. It was kick-started by funding from Sport England a year ago, and now has a dedicated group of regular members, but they are always open to new people. The classes run on a Monday evening. The session for young people aged 9 to 18 is from 6pm to 7pm, and the adult session is 7pm to 9pm. The group follows the Wing Chun style from the Wong Shun Leung lineage, which became wellWing Chun Kung Fu at Felix Road known as the style practised by Ip Man and Bruce Lee. Paul has many years’ experience in youth work, and moved to Bristol just over a year ago. He physically and emotionally. That’s what I’ve learnt started practising martial arts himself at 15. So what over the years. I’ve made deep friendships with does he feel are the benefits of martial arts? people around the world that I would never have “Not only are we teaching a high level of skill that’s had the opportunity to meet, through practising martial arts.” authentic to the Wing Chun style, but we’re also seeing a lot of soft outcomes for young people. If you would like to try a free session of Wing Chun Things like increasing young people’s focus, Kung Fu please call or text Paul on 07956 304 542. patience, cooperation, confidence, self-esteem… A Or visit www.wingchunyouth.com for more lot of people put that on posters, but because of information. our years of experience of working with young people, we know how to do that. An example of that might be getting a young person, who has never felt they have had any power, to teach an adult something that they have learnt.” Paul says they have had great feedback from schools and parents, who say they have seen a real difference in their young people. “We’ve had feedback from schools and various agencies saying ‘I don’t know what you’re doing but carry on doing it!’ because young people who have found it hard to focus in school are focussing more, cooperating more, and are more confident to speak in a group.”
We asked Paul what he felt was the highlight of the last year. “Seeing how popular the class has become and watching the adults and young people develop, and seeing the ownership they feel for the Wing Chun school. Seeing how generous they are at teaching each other and sharing the skills that they have learnt.” He firmly believes that there are deeper benefits that just learning the physical moves. “Our Kung Fu family is made up from all different walks of life. Through the interaction and the practise of the martial arts it genuinely breaks down social barriers. People have to start understanding each other on a quite profound level, both 14
Up Our Street
L-R Maria, Saed, Sarah, Brendan, and Carla Meet the new Network team. They will be out and about in Easton, Ashley and Lawrence Hill meeting and listening to people who want to connect with others in their communities, share their ideas, skills and passions and kick start some new activities. Contact Brendan on 0117 955 6971 for more information or email brendantw@bartonhillsettlement.org.uk www.upourstreet.org.uk
WORKING TOGETHER
The women of Somali Kitchen are celebrating after securing an amazing £5,800 in donations at a recent crowdfunding event. Pat from Up Our Street has been working with the group to help them turn their plans for a social enterprise into a reality. Pat worked with Suad and Sahra from Somali Kitchen to help them put together a budget and presentation for The Funding Network event in October, organised in partnership with Quartet Foundation. The event was a little like ‘Dragon’s Den’, with six local groups pitching their ideas for funding to an audience of potential donors. Up Our Street provided the first £200 sponsorship and then it was up to Suad and Sahra to win over the audience. They gave a compelling and passionate presentation, talking about their plans to raise awareness of the negative impact of fast food in their community and to encourage families to
Somali Kitchen summer pop-up prepare and cook healthy food together. The audience definitely responded, and Somali Kitchen smashed their own fundraising target. The group will use the money to run community cooking workshops and pop-up events. They are also interested in working with local schools. Pat will continue to work with the group to help them take things to the next stage. Find out more about Somali Kitchen on their Facebook page, search for ‘Somali Kitchen’.
Keep in touch Join our Facebook group of over 1,100 local residents, just search ‘Up Our Street’ Follow us on Twitter @upourstreet Sign up for our ebulletin on our website upourstreet.org.uk Thank you to Ellie Shipman for sending these great photos of the Fun Palace event at Wellspring Healthy Living Centre in October. Fun Palaces are an annual weekend of arts and science action created by, for and with local people. Residents in Barton Hill were busy customising Yo-bikes, making giant pompoms and making stencils. www.upourstreet.org.uk
Got a story idea? Let us know! Up Our Street
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PLANNING UPDATE
There are some big developments planned as part of the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone, and this is starting to have an impact on surrounding areas. It means that property developers are now looking at sites and empty properties in Barton Hill for building more housing. Here’s a round up of what we know so far...
This is a proposed mixed-use development on Silverthorne Lane in the Dings, which will overlook the Feeder Canal.
This is a proposed £300m development by the University of Bristol for a new campus on the site of the old Post Office sorting office next to Temple Meads. The University carried out a series of drop-in sessions at Engine Shed in June and July this year, to hear views from the local community. Up Our Street spoke to Neil Bradshaw, Project Manager. “The feedback we received was on the whole very positive and constructive. We have committed to being a truly civic university and the year ahead will involve a year of open dialogue to ensure we make this a reality. Our key message is that we are always listening, and we are interested in what communities have to say.”
As we went to print Tetlow King Planning were preparing a planning application for the redevelopment of the site to provide 164 new one, two and three bedroom homes, 7,900sqm of office space and 286sqm of complementary A3 restaurant/cafe uses.
As we went to press, University of Bristol were preparing to submit an outline planning application. They aim to start construction in 2019, with first students starting in 2021.
You can find out more at www.bristol.ac.uk/ TempleQuarter
Up Our Street will be keeping a close eye on developments, so watch out for more news in the next few editions, as proposals like this could have a massive impact on our neighbourhoods. We are very interested to see how University of Bristol puts its promises of inclusivity into practise and hope to organise a Neighbourhood Conversation on the topic in 2018. 16
Up Our Street
Find out more at www.silverthornewharf.co.uk
There are also several Neighbourhood Planning groups in our area, set up by residents who want to work together to respond to planning applications that affect where they live. If you are interested in joining, please contact Up Our Street on 0117 954 2854 and we will put you in touch with your local group or visit www.bristolnpn.net
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PLANNING UPDATE Owned by: Bristol City Council. History: The tenants hall was a social club for Barton Hill residents. After years of falling memberships, it closed for good in 2015. Up Our Street worked with Bristol City Council to hold a public meeting to see if any local community organisations would like to take it on. Wellspring Healthy Living Centre applied to list the building as an ‘asset of community value’ in May 2016, but found that the amount of work needed to refurbish the building meant that the project wasn’t viable for them. Bristol City Council is now hoping to work with community-led housing or a housing association to develop the site. It is not currently for sale on the open market. Current status: On hold
Owned by: The Sikh Resource Centre History: The home of Barton Hill Primary School until the school moved to a new building in 2006. It was sold on the open market in 2009 by Bristol City Council to the Sikh Resource Centre for £165,000. There were five bids received at the time, and this was the highest bid. As it was sold on the open market there were no covenants for ‘community use’. In 2012 the Sikh Resource Centre received a Tudor Trust grant of £61,022 towards the costs of refurbishment. The building was advertised for sale in summer 2017 with a guide price of £1m. According to the estate agents “The site offers significant potential for residential redevelopment, either by demolishing or converting the existing building, subject to obtaining all necessary consents” (Maggs and Allen website) Current status: Sold subject to contract Owned by: Ray Namdjou, from Warmley History: The Russell Arms operated as a local pub until it closed in April 2017. There is a flat above the pub which is still rented out. Mr Namdjou applied for planning permission in August this year to demolish the pub and build three two-bedroom houses on the site (reference 17/04319/F). The standard consultation period expired on 13 September 2017. Comments on the application were made by Living Easton, the Planning Solutions Group and one local resident. CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) has suggested applying to list the building as an asset of community value. At the time of going to press, Bristol City Council say the planning application is pending, as they need more information from the applicant. Current status: Planning application pending www.upourstreet.org.uk
Up Our Street
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COMMUNITY NEWS
BUSINESS PLEDGE
Through the summer, Celia from Up Our Street was out and about on Stapleton Road with Bristol Waste, Clean Streets Campaign, Bristol Horn Youth Concern and local Councillors in a bid to tidy up the street. We had hundreds of conversations with people who live and work or run businesses on Stapleton Road, trying to solve problems with waste management and reward those businesses who do their bit with the Tidy BS5 Business Pledge. We would like to say thank you to all the businesses who have signed the pledge so far (listed below) If you have a business in BS5 and would like to get involved, please contact celia@upourstreet.org.uk
1st Choice Florist Al Madina Halal Butchers Al-Noor Awale Café Baba Ganoush Bikkle Island Bravo’s English and Take Away BRB Supermarket Brother Shop Brunel Associates Dandos Daz Mini Market Direct Eye Care Opticians Easton Day Night Chemist Easton Job Centre Plus Easton Post Office Elite Solicitors Ltd
Everyone Active Easton Leisure Centre Fadhi-Wanaag Fish Port Gam Gam Genesis Georgina’s Salon Global Communications Home Gate Hotspot Iron Grill Burgers Islam in Bristol Istanbul Supermarket Jeevan’s Sweets Leisure Cafe Maka Malik’s
Masala Bazaar Monte Carlo Café Morgan & Sons Nawroz Piri Piri Raselle Reham Food Store Roud Fabrics Shibis Satellites Space 238 Star Cafe Tee’s Caribbean Three Blackbirds Tovey’s Seafood Ltd United Supermarket and Post Office Victory Stores
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How is the project going? Now that we are in the final section between Greenbank cemetery and Easton Way, things are looking great. We have installed the new pipe and fittings from the cemetery to the end of Greenbank Road. We have also successfully pressure-tested the new pipe, which is 800 meters in length. This week, we have installed a new pipe within Belle Vue Road, and next week we are moving in to the High Street.
How have residents reacted? The feedback from customers in the affected areas has been positive so far. We are having some difficulties with non-residents parking, but we are working on solving this. What’s coming up this winter? Mainly more of the same. We will be working along the High Street, Albion Road, St Marks Road, Oxford Place, Lower Ashley Road and across Easton Way.
How can people find out more? Any problems? You can find out more on the Bristol Water Luckily, we haven’t had any big surprises so far. website: www.bristolwater.co.uk/eastonmain, Although, we are having some issues with parked Or call customer services on 0345 702 3797 cars and caravans/mobile homes, and this has slowed the production down a little bit. 18
Up Our Street
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COMMUNIITY NEWS
Copy deadline for Spring edition of Up Our Street magazine is 13 January 2018. Get in touch with Tamsin tamsin@upourstreet.org.uk or 07903 089 002 www.upourstreet.org.uk
Up Our Street
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Up Our Street went to visit Ben Moss, one of the founders of Bristol Wood Recycling Project. The workers cooperative is looking for a new site, as the land they lease is being redeveloped by University of Bristol. We arrive at 11am, which turns out to be tea break time. “Tea breaks are taken very seriously here,” says Ben with a smile “we also eat lunch together.” BWRP has contracts to collect wood waste from building sites. Around 25% is reused and the rest is chipped and incinerated to provide energy. Since 2004 BWRP have diverted 4,000 tonnes of Ben Moss at BWRP wood waste from landfill. They have nine paid staff and a team of credit: www.callumburnsphoto.com around 40 volunteers. They have become well-known for their furniture made from old scaffolding planks in their on-site workshop. Despite being given notice to leave, Ben remains optimistic. “It will work out, it always does, and we always knew [this site] was a temporary thing.” The project first came to the site in 2004. Over the following 13 years the land passed from Bristol City Council to private developers, briefly back to the council and then University of Bristol bought the land for the new Temple Quarter campus. Ben says that Bristol City Council staff have been very supportive in helping them find a new home, but says that long term BWRP would like to buy their own land, to give them more security. “Our major aspiration would be to buy a place, using money raised by crowdfunding. We could have a mixed use site, room for other social enterprises.” And what motivates Ben? “The joyfulness of being here, doing something positive on so many levels, for the planet, for people’s wellbeing. It’s the values that life should be about.” You can keep up to date with BWRP’s search for a new home on Facebook or visit www.bwrp.org.uk.
FOOD REVIEW
Up Our Street was lucky enough to try some of Nirmal’s delicious food at the recent ‘community space’ meeting with the councillors. Nirmal runs the kitchen at Felix Road Adventure Playground, serving up freshly cooked and tasty food to children and parents. “When you serve a child and you know they will go home with good food inside them, the smile on their face makes it all worth it, you can’t put a price on that” says Nirmal. At after school sessions children can buy a meal for just a pound, so it’s affordable too. “We are trying to encourage the children to try healthy choices, and different types of food, we cook Asian, Chinese, all different styles.” There are also regular opportunities for children to get involve in making food, with outdoor pizza making proving very popular “parents have a go too, they love doing it!”
Nirmal is also keen to remind us that “when you buy from the café, you are also supporting the playground, 20
Up Our Street
Nirmal in the kitchen at Felix Road and we really appreciate the community support.” The café is open when the playground is open: Termtime: Monday to Thursday, 3.30pm to 5.30pm, Sundays 1pm to 5pm. In school holidays: Monday to Thursday 12pm to 5.30pm. Find out more about the playground on their new website: www.felixroad.weebly.com. Or call 0117 902 2222. www.upourstreet.org.uk
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Up Our Street
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Property Licensing Newsletter for Private Residents and Tenants
Issue 14 October 2017
Private Housing Team
Licensing Scheme Updates Eastville and St George
Stapleton Road Area
During the period 1st April 2017 – 3rd October 2017 we have received 182 licence applications. 117 of these applications were from properties which hadn’t made an application when they should have.
During the period 1st April 2017 – 3rd October 2017 we have received 22 licence applications. 9 of these applications were from properties which hadn’t made an application when they should have.
As part of our coordinated approach in dealing with other related issues in the area 63 referrals have been made to partner agencies. Some of these partnerships include Housing Benefits, StreetScene and the Police.
As part of our coordinated approach in dealing with other related issues in the area 79 referrals have been made to partner agencies. Some of these partnerships include Housing Benefits, StreetScene and the Police.
If you have any issues in your rented property and live in either of these Licensing areas please contact us.
Landlord Found Guilty On Wednesday 13th September 2017 Saleem Nazir was found guilty of 17 offences in relation to renting out a substandard house in multiple occupation at 437 Stapleton Road, Easton Bristol. Mr Nazir owns 437 Stapleton Road, renting the ground floor as a commercial property and letting the first, second and third floors as residential accommodation. The City Council had been in discussions with Mr Nazir since 2015 encouraging him to make the application for the licence and requiring him to make improvements to the fire detection and prevention systems. In October 2016 he was prosecuted for failing to obtain a property licence and for failing to return a Notice of information and for not providing the tenancy agreements. After the first prosecution officers returned to the property to determine if works had been completed and to determine if the property was still licensable. During the most recent visit they identified the conditions for fire safety were so poor the fire brigade were asked to visit and as a consequence they served a Prohibition Order preventing any one sleeping or resting at the property. Mr Nazir’s case has been referred to Bristol Crown Court for sentencing on the 25th October 2017. He has two previous convictions that carried suspended sentences. The convictions for the Housing Act offenses have activated these suspended sentences. The Crown Court will decide if it is now appropriate for Mr Nazir to serve a custodial sentence. BD9946 Bristol Design, Bristol City Council.
Council Tax Reduction – scheme for 2018/19 Council Tax Reduction is a discounted scheme that is operated by all English councils to support low income households with the cost of their council tax. The council is reviewing the scheme for 2018/19. It is forecast that the scheme would cost £41.8million in 2018/19 if current levels of support are maintained. Which exceed the current budget for the scheme by £4.1million and represents an additional financial pressure. Given these circumstances the council is not proposing to maintain the current scheme. Changes can only be made for working age households. Pensioners are protected from any changes by regulations. Consultation on this matter has now closed with feedback expected around 31st October 2017.
Property Licensing Scheme contacts: Amy Chick (Caseworker) 0117 352 5074 amy.chick@bristol.gov.uk Jen Clark (Caseworker) 0117 352 1806 jen.clark@bristol.gov.uk Anne Welsh (Caseworker) 0117 352 1153 anne.welsh@bristol.gov.uk Ben Jones (Caseworker) 0117 352 1845 ben.jones@bristol.gov.uk Private Housing Team (100TS), Bristol City Council, PO Box 3176, BRISTOL BS3 9FS