Up Our Street Jul-Sep 10

July to September 2010

Do you have a story or photo you’d like published in Up Our Street?

We always love to hear from local people so contact us on 377 3638 or stacy@eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk

G

olden Ages Social group for older people in Ea ston. M Road Church on Tuesdays (10.30am eets at Tudor Thursdays (10.30 to 4pm) and am to 4pm). Com e along and enjo lunch (£3) and ta ya ke part in flower arranging, light ex quilting, knitting er cise, and computer clas ses.

y nerg E e Ho m urse Free ning Co roup Trai Energy G on st n Easto y, 7pm, Ea tre n l 15 Ju unity Ce n 19 o m Com meetings 16 lar Regu ugust and A mber Septe

hire Equipment

with your Want help allotment? n with Q&A sessio Foster expert Tim 12 July 9 pm 6.30pm to n Avenue Russell Tow Allotment f City y car park o b e c n a tr n e ( Academy) 91 Tel: 985 30

p Housing Resident grou a range of Solutions has to ilable for hire a v a t n e m ip u q e up s community gro per day, BBQ: £10 Folding gas (£10), deliver y, r e d n li y c s a g new g p (£5), cleanin u t se d n a p -u pick utensils (free). g in k o o c ), 5 (£ ay, PA: £10 per d t u o b a lk a W nd set up (£5). a p -u k ic p y, r e l deliv watt, 5 channe 0 0 3 t, h ig e w Light me DSP and 5 m a r g ro p 6 1 r, mixe qualiser. band graphic e 6m, up to 50 x m 8 : e e u q Mar ing, £100 per d n ta s 0 8 r o seated to 80 seated p u , m 6 x m 2 day. 1 200 per day. £ , g in d n a st 0 or 12 k-up (£20), ic p d n a y r e v li £ 20 d e antle marquee erect and dism (£50). on 914 1481.

Contact Tony

t Club r A y a Saturd 12pm o iving 10am t ng Healthy L ri .

Wellsp eam Street, B , Centre ask making, puppet ,m d Mosaic n, pottery an olds. ar io animat or 7 to 14 ye 1429 f making Sarah on 304 t Contac

E ADVIC L O T S BRI EAST ERVICES S m 11.30a o t m a 9.30 ays Tuesd it y mmun o C n o East Centre et n Stre Kilbur B TS ?

UR DE O Y H IT IAL HELP W ONFIDENT C , FREE DVICE DEBT A 5 6971 95 EBAS -

o rs reen Do Bristol G eptember n 2S s in Easto 11 and 1 like to find home me, or o ld to their h ld like oup wou r y g G r y e g n r e e Easton En stalled renewable ments. If you wou tact in rove s con that have iency imp ments with other ic ff e y g r e prove made en energy im roup@gmail.com r u o y e r ergy.g to sha easton.en

SJB Bellydance – Stephi Briggs Local bellydance instructor Stephi teaches regular classes at the Netham Pavilion. Stephi’s popular weekly classes are suitable for beginners and also those with some bellydance experience. The classes focus on learning the core moves and steps of this beautiful dance and with fun choreographies to Arabic music. Bellydancing is fantastic for improving posture, coordination, boosting confidence and working those core muscles! It’s suitable for any age, shape or size and is open to both men and women. Stephi is planning to start another class for those who are more experienced and are looking to improve their existing skills.

Classes are held every Wednesday, 7.45pm to 8.45pm, Netham Pavilion, Redfield. If you’d like further information about the above or you are interested in ad hoc workshops, hen parties or 1‐2‐1 tuition contact Stephi on 07709433643 or info@sjb‐bellydanceinbristol.co.uk

Ever cooked backwoods?

Easton’s only Scout group has been busy again this past few months. Scouts demonstrated their Backwoods Cooking skills for the editor of the national scout magazine (Backwoods Cooking is wrapping the food in a large leaf, sealing it with clay and cooking it in the hot embers of a fire). The highlight of the evening for Jomo Zendae Cambell (right) age 7¾ was when he became a Cub Scout.

He had to repeat the Cub Law and Promise then shook hands with his left hand.

The Scouts were awarded £1000 from Sport Relief to take the group on various activities like archery, climbing, caving and more during Scout camp in September. To be part of these exciting activities, why not join?

Boys and girls are welcome.

Why do Scouts shake with the left hand?

Beavers, Cubs and Scouts use the left handshake for badge presentations or during ceremonies and leaders will offer a left handshake as a greeting. The reason for this is that when the founder of scouting Baden Powell was a soldier in Africa he saw lots of tribal chiefs who carried spears and shields. He noticed that it was a sign of great trust to offer your left hand when shaking hands because you had to put down your shield and yet leave the other person with a spear in his hand. That is why the left handshake is used by all Scouts as a sign of trust.

128th Scout Group would like to thank everyone in Easton for collecting and donating Tesco and Sainsburys vouchers.

THINGS TO DO MENTORS NEEDED East Bristol Youth Inclusion Project is looking for volunteer mentors to work with young people aged 10-16. You should be able to commit to a minimum of six months involvement in the project. Full training and support is provided.

For more information and an application pack contact Louise Jenner on 955 6971 or louise.jenner@catch-22.org.uk

Art classes at Wellspring in Barton Hill

Painting and Drawing Monday (2pm-4pm) Art and Textiles Monday (6.30pm-8.30pm) Animation Club Tuesday (4pm-5.30pm) Pottery Tuesday (7pm-9pm) Bartones Choir Tuesday (7.30pm-9.30pm) Knit and Natter Wednesday (10am-12pm) Jewellery Wednesday (6.30pm-8.30pm) Wellspring Art Group Thursday (1pm-4pm) Dreamtime Art Group Friday (10am-12pm) Saturday Art Club Saturday (10am-12pm)

Barton Hill community walkabout 15 September, 10am to 12pm. Meet outside shops on corner of Beam Street at 9.45am. This is a joint walkabout with housing associations, police, residents and the Council. They will be walking around Barton Hill to identify issues, concerns and hotspots that require action. During the walkabout they will record everything raised and look to agencies to respond. A Somali interpreter will be present. Contact Terry on 317 0705.

Beaver Scouts (age 5 ¾ to 8), Contact Faye Davis on 907 0263.

Cub Scouts (age 8 to 10), Contact Phil Kevern on 07802716452.

Scouts (age 10 to 14 ½), Contact Mahesh Dewan on 07788100683.

Adult volunteers needed (helper, leader or committee member), Contact Duncan Biddulph on 07766482850.

All adults will be CRB checked.

THINGS TO DO THIS SUMMER Summer Holiday Activities Tuesdays and Thursdays 1pm to 4pm Netham Park, off Avonvale Road, Redfield Fridays 1pm to 4pm City Academy, Russell Town Avenue Contact Rob House on 955 6971

Phoenix 52 Get Creative

Play Rangers provide FREE outdoor activities for children aged five to 13 in your local parks and green spaces.

All sessions run from 3.15pm to 5.45pm Mondays - Gaunts Ham Park, Lincoln Street Tuesdays - Netham Park, Avonvale Road Wednesdays - St George Park Fridays - Urban Park, Barton Hill Have fun and play safely It’s all FREE Contact Rob House on 955 6971

Sunday 11 July Netham Park, 12pm procession, 12.30pm to 5.30pm festival Carnival procession complete with Brazilian Samba band and South African Vuvuela Horns leading the way from the Urban Park to the Netham.

Easton For t n Everyone e Free art activities for children of all ages, giant g r a S C I L C o mmunity D C games, peep through photo boards, cake stalls ay Fair t f a and a story telling tent. There will be something r C r e S aturday 17 Ju mb for everyone. This year ly Septe 8 1 y a 2 p d m s r – d u there will be a buskers 8pm r Sat onwa E e 10am a corner so come along and st r o t n Communit s y Cen y Centre detail r sing acoustically to the Trinit o S f e e p e a g t e i 17 s for details o crowds! e op p ee pag S Contact info@phoenix52.co.uk

h g Lunc The Bi ly 18 Ju m nch.co u l g i b he www.t

Barton Hill Settlement Summer in the Urban Park Picnic - 30 July, 13 August, 27 August BBQ - 6 August and 20 August From 12pm All welcome Come and join us for fun and food in Barton Hill’s Urban Park Contact Community Work Team on 955 6971

Sponsored by Leadbitters

Summer BBQ and Disco Friday 13 August, 7pm to 11pm, Barton Hill Settlement main hall, 43 Ducie Road. 50p admission A fundraising event organised by Barton Hill family trips

Hannah More Primary School Summer Fair Friday 9 July 1pm to 6pm Fun for all the family Contact Ruth on 903 9936

We have been hearing a lot from people using the Neighbourhood Management Shop that they are struggling with gas and electricity bills.

Here are some people who can help:

Bristol Debt Advice Centre Are you struggling to pay your gas and electricity bills?

Are you in debt or do you owe money for past bills?

If the answer is yes then help is at hand....

For the past five years the Energy Advice Project at the Bristol Debt Advice Centre has been helping people who are in fuel debt or who find paying their bills difficult .

They can help by: Making charitable applications to Energy Trust Funds to get debts cleared.

Providing energy efficiency advice to help you reduce your bills.

Negotiating with suppliers and giving advice on payment arrangements and options.

Self help sessions so you can stay out of fuel debt.

HELP IS OUT THERE Free Business Support Sessions

We are working with top solicitors Burges Salmon to organise free 45 minute business support sessions for small and start up businesses in the area.

Sessions will be held at The Old Bank on Church Road and will cover things like how to set yourself up as a sole trader, your legal responsibilities, dealing with landlords and dealing with debtors.

You must book your appointment in advance.

Session times

Thursday 2 September, 1pm to 4pm Thursday 7 October, 1pm to 4pm Thursday 4 November, 1pm to 4m Thursday 2 December, 1pm to 4pm

To book an appointment contact Tracy on 377 3638.

If you would like further information or to speak to a trained Energy Debt Advisor contact 954 3544 or energy@bdac.org.uk.

Warming Bristol Communities

Advice for residents who are experiencing problems such as high gas and electricity bills, cold and draughty rooms or damp and condensation. A previous energy project showed that Black and Minority Ethnic communities were experiencing most problems paying energy bills so this project is targeted at these communities. If you need help talking to your energy supplier, making improvements to your property or making fuel bills more affordable, then this project can help.

If you or someone you know could benefit from free advice contact 0800 512 012 and ask about Warming Bristol Communities.

Free Home Energy Audit A street energy advisor from Easton Energy Group will give your home an energy audit, which will identify ways you can save energy (and money) and make your home warmer. If you want to take advantage of a free energy audit contact easton.energy.group@gmail.com

Free cycle parking stands for your organisation (community groups, schools, health centres, churches, charities and small businesses).

Contact Life Cycle UK on 353 4580 or visit www.lifecycle.org.uk Saturday 18 September - CLIC Sargent at Trinity CLIC Sargent, the UK's leading children's cancer charity, based in Bristol will be holding an event at Trinity Arts Centre on Saturday 18 September.

Celebrating the families they've helped, and all the support they receive locally, there will be something for everyone - stalls selling books and CDs donated by HMV, as well as local traders selling arts, crafts and clothing, entertainment for children and families and talented local musicians and performers. Open from 10am with free entry, join the rest of the community and help celebrate this important charity and their fantastic supporters.

HELP IS OUT THERE Jobs vacancy bulletin for young people The Dings Youth Project has been gathering information about jobs and further education for young people who are not in education or employment already. This includes things like how to apply for jobs, help filling in application forms and help with interviews.

They want to get email addresses for young people so they can send out job vacancy bulletins.

If you or someone you know want to find out more or send your email address contact Kinny Chinangwa (Dings Youth Project Manager) on 955 6971 or kinnyc@bartonhillsettlement.org.uk

Nowość Polscy Konsultanci w Wellspring Dzięki staraniom lokalnej społeczności, w maju została otwarta nowa usługa w Wellspring Healthy Living Centre na Beam Street w Barton Hill.

Konsultanci Jakub i Anna mają za zadanie zidentyfikować bariery, które utrudniają dostęp do usług zdrowotnych dla Polskich imigrantów, a także wspierać osoby chcące uzyskać porady związane ze zdrowiem, planowaniem rodziny, nauką angielskiego, szkoleniami zawodowymi, lub ciekawym wolontariatem. Konsultanci mogą pomóc zarejestrować się w przychodni, umówić na wizytę u lekarza, a także udzielić wsparcia osobom mającym problemy rodzinne, chcącym rzucić palenie, lub walczącym z innymi nałogami.

W lipcu i sierpniu Konsultanci zorganizują warsztaty, na których będziecie mogli dowiedzieć się, jak skutecznie umówić się na wizytę u lekarza przez telefon, jakie są Wasze prawa jako pacjentów, a także jak radzić sobie ze stresem – zarówno w pracy, jak i w domu.

Zatem, jeśli masz jakikolwiek problem związany ze zdrowiem, chcesz poszerzyć swoja wiedzę na temat dostępnych usług, lub po prostu poznać nowych ludzi – zadzwoń do Jakuba lub Anny na numer 0117 304 1426. Możesz także spotkać się z nami w Wellspring Healthy Living Centre. Zwykle pracujemy w poniedziałki i piątki przed południem, w czwartki po południu, i przez cały dzień w środy.

Zapraszamy!

Extra resources for areas with large numbers of migrants Five voluntary sector organisations in Lawrence Hill have been successful in securing funding from the Council's Migration Impact Fund to help provide additional services to migrant communities. The funding comes from the revenue that migrants pay upon entering the UK. The idea is that this stream of funding is used to relieve pressures on public services who have experienced an increase in demand. It is also to enable migrant communities to be able to access adult learning facilities, employment opportunities and information advice and guidance services. Upon arriving in a new country migrants are often in need of advice services, which help them learn more about the systems in the UK, for example how to apply for a driving licence. The services to benefit are: Muslim Women’s Lunch Club Barton Hill Settlement runs activities for Muslim women who are refugees or asylum seekers. Muslim Women’s Lunch Club runs every other week on Fridays from 12.15pm during school term time. There is a crèche for your children. Call Lucy on 955 6971 or come and see her at the Settlement.

For the Somali community Somali Resource Centre offers help to find out more about life in the UK and how to get the help you need. We speak Somali and are open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm.

Call Abdullahi on 907 7994 or come and see him at Barton Hill Settlement, 43 Ducie Road.

Help and advice for all The Neighbourhood Management Shop is a drop-in service to help anyone with any problems you might be having like filling in forms, understanding letters, making telephone calls and sorting out your benefits. We also help you find out how to take part in public life. We are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4.30pm (12pm on Fridays). We are based at The Old Bank, 108 Church Road. Call Mubarig or Mandy on 353 2020 or come in and see them at the Shop.

Learn English Have you recently arrived in the UK? Do you want to improve your English skills? Do you need information on local services? 11 week course for newly arrived immigrants.

Learn about your rights and who can help you with housing, money, health, education, employment and more. Contact Zoey at Beacon Centre on 935 1471.

Future of the Easton and Lawrence Hill Neighbourhood Management Board and Neighbourhood Forums

For those of you who have been following the progress of Community at Heart and Easton Community Partnership over the past few years you’ll know there have been a lot of changes! We have had the Easton and Lawrence Hill Neighbourhood Management Board and also Bristol City Council’s new Neighbourhood Partnership meeting so it’s taken a while for us to work out how all these things will fit together.

At its May meeting, the Easton and Lawrence Hill Neighbourhood Management Board agreed to work with St Pauls Unlimited to ‘take ownership’ of the new Neighbourhood Partnership which will mean just one strategic meeting in the inner city. The next step is to work with St Pauls Unlimited and the Council to consider the membership of the Neighbourhood Partnership.

The Neighbourhood Forum will be one meeting for the whole of Easton and Lawrence Hill every six weeks. The Forum will meet in Lawrence Hill and then Easton alternately and will be open to all residents. This will be the main place for you to bring issues and speak to officers. In July we are having two meetings but from September they will be every six weeks.

We will also carry out ad‐hoc work in the community as issues arise, for example public consultations and emergency responses to important issues. If you have a problem and you don’t know how to sort it out, please contact us.

To join our mailing list and find out more contact us on 377 3640 or francois@eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk

Your Neighbourhood Forums Come and report problems one to one with officers and hear what ʼ s happening in your area All meetings will be attended by the Council and police.

EASTON Thursday 8 July, 6pm to 8.30pm, Netham Pavilion, off Avonvale Road, BS5 9RN LAWRENCE HILL Tuesday 13 July, 6pm to 8.30pm, Hannah More Primary School, New Kingsley Road, BS5 0LT In May we held the first round of Neighbourhood Forums and lots of issues were discussed: 1. Residents fed back to the Council traffic team about their priorities for minor traffic works 2. Proposals for a Showcase Bus Route on Stapleton Road were reviewed 3. Residents heard about plans for relocating the Wild Goose Cafe to Stapleton Road 4. Issues were raised about parking in Barton Hill 5. Police and residents agreed priorities and action including tackling drug dealing, prostitution, street drinking and criminal damage to cars 6. Waste and street scene team reported back about work to tackle fly tipping and graffiti Overleaf you can read about some of these things and find out what residents had to say.....

UPDATE FROM NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM Greater Bristol Bus Network Changes to Stapleton Road and Fishponds Road Residents raised concerns about a number of the proposals, in particular plans to ban the left turn from Stapleton Road onto Easton Road, banning turning onto Lansdown Road creating a rat run on Villiers Street and concerns about banning a left turn onto Robertson Road. We arranged a follow up meeting for residents so that they could discuss their concerns with the Council in more detail. By July, the Council hopes to have agreed a proposed way forward that could see Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) start to be prepared and works such as bus stop upgrades commenced. Advertisement of the TROs is expected by the end of the year, confirming the location of bus lanes, banned turns, and any changes to parking and loading restrictions.

We will print more in Up Our Street as we hear it and the GBBN report will be available from the Neighbourhood Management Team and in our office at The Old Bank, 108 Church Road. You can also find out more on www.bristol.gov.uk and search for Greater Bristol Bus Network.

UPDATE FROM NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM - Minor traffic schemes

At the last Forums, residents were asked to put forward their preferred ‘minor traffic schemes’ to be considered by the Neighbourhood Partnership. They choose: improved parking outside Easton Community Centre on Chelsea Road, a new pedestrian crossing on Avonvale Road opposite the Netham, a request for traffic calming on Goodhind Street, review of parking restrictions in St Philips, removing yellow lines on Heber Street and pedestrian crossing on Devon Road. Contact us on 903 9975 for more information.

From Queen Victoria to Wild Goose Wild Goose Cafe provides hot food and support to homeless people. They are relocating to Stapleton Road in the Autumn. Drop in Manager Alan Goddard came to the Neighbourhood Forum in May to hear resident’s concerns about increased street drinking and the wider impact on Stapleton Road. Alan explains more below: “The Crisis Centre, which runs the Wild Goose is a Christian organisation which has been based in City Road, St Pauls for 25 years. We feed around 300 people each day who are either homeless or live in hostels or similar. When people are ready for help we try to help them as much as possible with their journey. Over the past year we have helped 312 people off the streets. Most of these people have moved to other parts of the country. Many have gone to rehab to address their addiction, to supported housing or are living in the community. We offer counselling, group support and a 16 week life skills course. We also go into schools on a regular basis and talk about how to say no to drugs as well as giving personal testimony. This is an area that I would like to see developed to give our children the best chance in life. We are very strict in our operations. If people drink outside our drop in centre they will not be served in the centre. This does work. We are also very fair but strict in the way our clients behave inside and outside the drop in centre. We have a zero tolerance to any antisocial behaviour and because of this it is extremely rare that we have any problems, hence we rarely have to call the police. We have two full time staff, four part time staff and over 140 volunteers. At present our drop in centre is open 11am to 2pm and 8pm to 10pm, Monday to Friday and 9am to 12pm on Saturdays. We are not yet sure what our opening times will be when we move to Stapleton Road.”

Alan is happy to be contacted to answer questions from anyone living or working in the area around the Queen Victoria on Stapleton Road.

Contact Alan on 942 3088.

Barton Hill Settlement Chief Executive, Joanna Holmes, attended the Neighbourhood Forum in May. Here’s an update on plans for the local community centre.....

Onwards and upwards for Settlement We all know that money is tighter these days and that over the next few years funding to community organisations is going to be harder to find. As a result, organisations have to think more creatively about how they raise money to keep important services running.

Barton Hill Settlement has been doing just that. The Settlement has been going for nearly 100 years offering a wide range of community activities such as lunch clubs, trips, training and resident groups, family centre services, drug and alcohol services, a youth project, play rangers, open access computers and volunteering opportunities. Around 1500 people use the Settlement every week and it is a really important part of life in Barton Hill. Staff and volunteers were keen to look at ways they could make sure they could keep providing activities with less funding around.

To make sure this happens the team has come up with a five year plan for developing the site to increase the potential for generating their own money through hiring out rooms. At the moment the Settlement is already home to ten community organisations and hosts meetings every day and evening. This offers a real opportunity for the Settlement to generate its own money and be more sustainable.

The first phase of the plan will start this year with support from CommunityBuilders who have provided funds of £1.18m to kick start the regeneration of the buildings. This is a 50% grant and 50% loan from the Government to help community organisations become more self sufficient. In August the Settlement will start work From top: The Dug Out, The Farmhouse and the modernising the farmhouse building and creating more space to main hall rent to other providers. The Settlement will build on its existing hub for a wide range of community organisations. The external face of the farmhouse (facing Ducie Road) will remain the same, as residents were keen to keep that feature, and the plan is to use the back as a cafe.

The second phase of the work will start in around three years time and will involve turning the main hall into a high quality conference facility. Some work was carried out earlier this year, funded by CapacityBuilders, to decorate the hall and spruce it up for the short term. In the longer term this will become a conference facility to bring other charities and companies into Barton Hill to rent the space. The final stage of the development will involve modernising and improving The Dug Out on Barton Hill Road. This is home to Barton Hill Boxing Club and will be turned into a high quality sport and leisure facility for local people. The Settlement is keen to see the Boxing Club remain in Barton Hill so will be making sure any change to the facilities at The Dug Out meet their needs.

It’s all very exciting and will make a big impact on making sure the Settlement continues to provide services to local people. To find out more call Joanna on 955 6971 or pop in and see one of the team at Barton Hill Settlement.

In 2011 Barton Hill Settlement will celebrate its 100th birthday. They will be running a programme of events throughout the year and want to hear from you. Do you have any memories of the Settlement from years gone by? Has it played a role in your life or your family’s?

Get in touch with the Settlement on 955 6971 to find out more.

SOVEREIGN HOUSING ASSOCIATION Sovereign attended our Neighbourhood Forum in May and provided local people with an update The final phase of building new affordable family homes in Barton Hill is now underway. Sovereign will be providing 47 homes over the next year and a half. This will complete 151 new family homes for the area. These final two developments will provide a mixture of two, three and four bed houses and two bed apartments.

How can I apply for one of these homes?

If you are interested in an affordable rented home it’s important to get yourself on the housing register as early as possible. You also need to keep your details up to date. Affordable rental homes will be advertised via choice based lettings on Homechoice Bristol (contact the council on www.homechoicebristol.co.uk or 0117 922 2400).

Former Winstanley House In June Sovereign started developing the former Winstanley House site, opposite Barton Hill Primary School. The development will provide 26 affordable family homes (11 for affordable rent and 15 for Rent to Homebuy).

Leadbitter, the developer, is working with young people at Barton Hill Primary School to design a poster on the dangers of a building site. The development will be complete in June 2011.

Avonvale Road (where the old shops are) The final development will be on Avonvale Road. The old shop units are due to be demolished in July to make way for 21 family homes. The development will take a year to complete and will finish in early autumn 2011. The majority of homes will be for affordable rent with six homes for Rent to Homebuy.

Above: Artists impression of Winstanley House site Below: Artists impression of Avonvale Road

Listening Posts Keep your ears peeled for an exciting new project in Barton Hill; you will not be hearing things there really are voices on your street. The listening post project will launch this autumn. Listening posts will play recordings recounting local people’s memories and stories of life on the hill. Four posts will be installed this autumn and five more in 2011.

The listening post project is being developed in partnership with local artists Kerry Russell and Tracey Graham (inBristol studios), artist David Cotterell, Wellspring Healthy Living Centre Arts Project, Barton Hill History Group, Bristol Museum and Sovereign South+West.

Contact Terry at Sovereign on 317 0705 for more information.

Residents raised concerns at the Forum about trees being cut down on Holmes Street and outstanding work in the Urban Park. We will be feeding back any progress at the July meeting for Lawrence Hill.

A PLACE TO PRAY There is currently an application submitted to Bristol City Council for a ‘change of use’ to a disused warehouse on Aiken Street in Barton Hill.

The plan proposes to turn this building into a mosque and community centre. The three main functions of the building will be: a mosque for prayer for men and women, a space for women to meet, socialise and learn (replacing the old rooms on Avonvale Road) and space to hold after school lessons for all children in the area. At the moment the building is leased by the mosque group, which is made up of volunteers from the community. The community is financing the whole project through donations from local families. There has been no money from the Council or Government. The group will need to raise more funds to make the building useable and to buy it. We have been advised that the Central Area Planning Committee will be considering the application in July.

The Central Area Planning Committee is made up of elected ward Councillors. The meeting is a public forum that anyone can attend. To make a statement at this meeting it must be submitted in advance. The Committee will then make a decision on the planning application with the assistance of the planning officers report and verbal presentation. The planning system allows for conditions to be attached to planning permissions which can, amongst other things, control hours of use of premises and the amplification of sound both in and outside the premises.

Members of the mosque group attended the Neighbourhood Forum to answer questions from residents. If you would like to know more about the plans for the mosque you can contact Tawfiq Mosque on 07581303391 or info@tawfiqmasjid.com. To find out more about the planning application and date for the committee meeting contact the Council planning department on 922 3000.

OLD SCHOOL TO RE-OPEN AS COMMUNITY CENTRE THIS SUMMER

Narinder Kaur, Director of Sikh Resource Centre, attended the Neighbourhood Forum in May and provided this update for residents: After 22 successful years based on St Marks Road, the Sikh Resource Centre is moving to bigger premises in Barton Hill. The centre organises a range of activities for the Sikh community including a day care for South Asia elders, activities for young people, IT courses, sports sessions, GCSE revision classes and activities for women. Over the past few years the centre had been finding that its premises on St Marks Road was too small for the number of people wanting to get involved. In January 2010 they started looking for somewhere bigger and found that the old Barton Hill Primary School on Queen Ann Road was on the market.

They secured a loan from the bank and won the tender for the building from the Council and were able to buy it. As the building had been shut for three years it was in a very poor condition and had suffered a lot of vandalism. It has taken a team of volunteers and workers a lot of time and effort to get the building up to a decent standard. They hope to have at least 60% of the building open in July.

They have found that the building is bigger than they realised and they will have spare space available for other community organisations to use and they hope that local organisations will get in touch and see how they can be involved.

For more information contact Narinder Kaur on 952 5023 or src5@btconnect.com St Luke’s Church for the 21st Century Plans are afoot for changes to this long standing landmark in Barton Hill. Here Rev Debbie Frazer tells us more: “St Luke’s church was built nearly 170 years ago, largely by donations from the owners of the Cotton Factory. It is an historic building in the heart of Barton Hill and Christian worship, baptisms, weddings and funerals have taken place there for nearly two centuries. St Luke’s present congregation continues this tradition and seeks to be a spiritual heart in and for the community. However, we recognise that life in Barton Hill is very different today than 100 years ago and in order to continue to meet the spiritual needs of people living in the area we need to rethink the way we use this beautiful and historic building. The picture below shows what we are planning to do. The present halls will be replaced with community space that will be more accessible and user friendly; there will be disabled access into the church building as well as office space for a local organisation called Aspire. Aspire works with long term unemployed people, helping them acquire skills and get back into work. The plans are ambitious and we will need to do a lot of fund raising over the next few years but we believe that St Luke’s Church is worth saving for the community of Barton Hill and generations to come.”

Contact Debbie on 955 5947 to find out more.

Photos: Plans for St Luke’s (left) and St Luke’s Church today (right).

LinkAge in Lawrence Hill and Easton What has it done so far?

LinkAge started in this area in September 2008. It came about because organisations (Guinness Care & Support, Monica Wills Trust, Anchor Society, the Council and NHS) wanted to see better services and activities for older people and pooled their resources to make it happen.

LinkAge is based at Lincoln Gardens in Lawrence Hill. In the last 18 months it has been busy organising: - nail cutting and foot therapy in Lawrence Hill and a home visit service - two tea dances at Easton Community Centre - strawberry tea at Padmore Sheltered Scheme - Singalong Sweethearts at Lincoln Gardens - Knitters & Natters at Lincoln Gardens - older men’s group at Wetherspoons Pub, Redfield - volunteering and befriending scheme for lonesome Kathe and Jacqueline older citizens from LinkAge - showing films in Rosevear and Lincoln Gardens - gentle exercise sessions in Baynton House - promoting the taxi sharing service to local people - set up assisted gardening scheme with Community Service Volunteers (CSV) - planning a major elders arts event with Easton Arts Trail - helped fund the Indian Association to run their lunch club - helped fund computer classes at Golden Ages Club - funded Senior Sambistas to run dance / music at sheltered schemes The LinkAge Advisory Group meets every couple of months and helps decide what work we do. If you would like to attend the meeting or have an input in LinkAge please contact Kathe on 304 1726.

Personally going strong after 12 months Kevin Rogers is a local resident living on Whitehall Road. He had been using services at Wellspring Healthy Living Centre and decided he would like to be more involved in the centre. He is now celebrating 12 months as a member of the Wellspring Board.

Kevin has had a busy time since joining, taking up the position of Chairman of the personnel sub group. This means that Kevin oversees the coordination of Wellspring’s staffing matters. Kevin said: “It has been an interesting 12 months.

One of our jobs has been reviewing Wellspring’s staffing after reductions in funding but I have enjoyed the challenge and look forward to the next year.”

The Wellspring Board is made up of a majority of local residents. They make decisions around staffing, services, spending and accessibility for different community groups. Ian Lawry, Chief Executive, said: “It is vital that local residents are at the heart of decision making for whatever Wellspring does.”

Kevin added: “We are always looking for other residents to join us on the Board and I would encourage anyone that might be interested to get in touch with Ian.” Contact Ian Lawry on 304 1416 or ian.lawry@wellspringhlc.org for an informal discussion.

Bright Grant for Family Centre New, energy efficient lighting is being fitted at Easton Christian Family Centre on Beaufort Street thanks to a One Planet Living Grant from B&Q. “We are trying to run our building in a way which is kinder to the planet” said Hilary Howard of ECFC. “This grant from B&Q will help us to reduce our carbon footprint while still having a bright and welcoming building for our community to enjoy.” The new lighting is to be fitted in rooms used by the ‘Childsplay’ stay‐and‐ play sessions and the community café.

Drop in and visit the centre on Beaufort Street or call them on 955 4255 for more information.

GOLDEN OLDIES STILL IN TUNE Golden Oldies promotes independence for older people and gives people who may be lonely and vulnerable events and social occasions to look forward to. In the local area they run fun daytime singing sessions to bring people together.

HAPPY AND HEALTHY SERVICES FOR DRUG USERS Nilaari Agency is a community based drug treatment provider. Anyone in the community can access the services at Nilaari. One target group for Nilaari is Black and other minority communities who misuse or are at risk of misusing drugs and alcohol in Bristol.

Nilaari has been commissioned to carry out a piece of work to look at ways of improving the experiences of BME people with dual diagnosis. This means they have problems with drugs and/or alcohol alongside mental health issues.

Research continues to highlight the high proportion of BME people who are sectioned, detained or spend a long time in psychiatric hospitals. A high percentage of these individuals will have dual diagnosis. The work Nilaari is doing includes linking with statutory and voluntary services. They will also be talking to service users and their carers especially individuals who find it hard to engage.

If you have experience of mental health services either as a carer or a service user, contact Nilaari so that they can hear your story on 0117 952 5742 or free phone from a landline on 0800 028 0985.

Below: Nilaari, 184 Stapleton Road

Come along on FRIDAYS from 10.30am to 11.30am at Salvation Army on Hassell Drive and get singing!

A £1 contribution is requested to help support the session. Tea and coffee available.

Contact Golden Oldies on 01761 470 006 to find out more.

Golden Oldies is supported by LinkAge and Bristol City Council.

SPIRITUAL SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES

Members of Bristol Baha’i community are running spiritual education classes for children aged five to nine.

Every lesson covers a spiritual quality like honesty, love, service or obedience. The lessons are taught using a simple method that has proven effective for children worldwide: songs, memorizing prayers and quotations, stories, games and colouring. The classes are open to children from all backgrounds whose parents feel that it would benefit them.

A parent/carer and toddler group runs at Bristol Baha’i centre every Monday from 10am to 12pm. Adults are welcome to call in for a drink and to discuss parenting and the challenges and rewards of bringing up a child. There are toys for babies and a play area for children.

Contact Bristol Baha’i on 941 3247 or call in and see them at 8 Church Road.

What has your neighbourhood policing team been up to lately?

Message from Inspector Julie Bowle, Neighbourhood Inspector covering the community of Easton.

“On Friday 28 May 2010 the community of Easton was deeply affected by the alarming incident that afternoon following a dispute between two men on Stapleton Road. This culminated in a number of shots being discharged in the street by one of the men, causing an injury to the other person’s arm.

The man is recovering and the police arrested a man on suspicion of attempted murder.

Specialist firearms officers were quickly at the scene, supported by your local officers including those from your Neighbourhood Policing Team. It was necessary to cordon the area to allow evidence to be gathered.

The victim is not thought to be part of any gang, and the police do not believe the incident to be gang-related.

Police have also said they would like to thank the local community for their cooperation and support that day and further appeal to anyone with any information to please contact Bristol Police CID on 0845 456 700 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police and our partners will continue to support initiatives with the local community to make Stapleton Road a safer place and to feel safer. A multi-agency plan is in place to coordinate local resources in tackling the issues that really matter to local people. This includes targeting those who cause harm in our neighbourhood right through to street cleansing.

In direct response to local concerns, additional police officers will be patrolling your community, supporting your local Neighbourhood Team led by Sergeant Andy Whelpton and I’ve asked them to speak to local people and ascertain views on whether you would welcome an opportunity to meet the police to discuss any concerns. Additionally, your neighbourhood team and I can be contacted directly on 0845 456 7000.” Inspector Julie Bowle, Avon and Somerset Police

COMMUNITY LINKS Vickie Thomas has been a Community Liaison Officer working with Muslim women’s groups in Bristol for the last year.

“I have been working with women to demystify the police and procedures and break down any barriers between the police and the community. I have been meeting with women’s groups to discuss issues that may affect women and their families such as drug awareness and internet safety. I have had the privilege to work with our diverse communities and have seen some really great work being done by organisations and volunteers to make Bristol a safe and welcoming place to live. I am really interested to find out what issues affect Muslim women in Bristol and what we can do to provide culturally sensitive support and guidance.”

Prior to being a Community Liaison Officer, Vickie has served on response teams in east Bristol and on the burglary investigation team, she is also a Police Link Officer for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Vickie can be contacted on 0845 456 7000 or victoria.thomas@avonandsomerset.police.uk

Staying safe outdoors this summer With the warmer months now here Avon Fire & Rescue Service is urging people to take care when having a BBQ. BBQs may be fun and enjoyable, but if something goes wrong they can quickly get out of control.

Advice for a safe BBQ includes:

 Never leave a BBQ unattended and keep it well away from sheds, fencing, trees and garden rubbish.  Keep children and pets away from the cooking area.  Don’t drink alcohol if you are in charge of the BBQ.  If you are using a disposable BBQ ensure it has fully cooled before putting it in a bin.  When using a gas BBQ the tap should be turned on only when cooking. Never use petrol or paraffin as it could create a sudden burst of fire. Only use approved BBQ products.

For more information on staying safe when having a BBQ log on to www.avonfire.gov.uk

Recent results of CCTV evidence in Barton Hill, St Judes, Easton and St Pauls

INNER CITY CCTV UPDATE Sponsored by Bristol City Council

Incident

Action

Outcome

Four persons seen at a park hiding a package

The police were informed and found a quantity of drugs

Police recovered the drugs and arrested a person

CCTV observed large number of visitors to the property

Police were informed and discovered an amount of drugs

A number of residents are now on police bail pending prosecution

CCTV surveillance supported police intelligence

A number of flats were raided

An amount of class A drugs were recovered

Rubbish from recycle bins dumped on site

CCTV operators recorded a contractor carrying out the fly tipping

Advised caretaking team who cleaned up the mess and the matter was followed up by the waste team who sent the contractor a warning letter

A male attempted to steal a motor bike Police were advised and attended the scene

The male was arrested for attempted theft

Young people in a block were compromising the security of the block

Housing officer informed, who liaised with police and one young person was interviewed and warned

Acceptable behaviour contract was signed, which has corrected behaviour problems

Drug dealing was identified as taking place at a property

Police were informed and stopped a person who had bought drugs from this property

Property was crack house and has been closed and there is on going action against the tenant

Drug dealing on the streets

CCTV has identified drug stash points

Police were able to make arrests

Estate Management Supervisor for Bristol City Council, Mike Wilson, answers your questions....

If you see an incident occurring “Not all incidents are captured on CCTV, however with your help we can identify the issues that matter to you and prioritise them to ensure the service you receive meets your expectations. If you see a serious incident happening, you should first contact the police and then the CCTV control room. For those who do not have an intercom, you should call 903 9900, this line is for emergencies only.”

If your vehicle is damaged in a car park “We cannot release information directly to you about the incident but we can advise if we have recorded the incident. Incidents should be reported to the police who can request information to support their investigation if we have captured the event.”

Security in high rise blocks “The intercom controlled doors are there for your security. You should not let people in without first checking that you know them. If you are getting problems with people buzzing your intercom there are two things you can do. First you can turn your intercom off and second you should report such incidents to the CCTV operatives or direct to the Estate Management Service on 922 2200 (option 4). CCTV operatives control the secure door entry intercoms, if you buzz them for entry, your conversation will now be recorded in the interest of security.

If you lose your door entry FOB we will only allow you entry for two weeks after we know that it is lost. After this you will need to purchase a new FOB at a cost of £10.”

Newtown area “Due to a reorganisation in the Estate Management Team we now have a new Senior Housing Officer. Emma Wilkinson has taken over the management of the Newtown area.”

COMMUNITY SAFETY

CALLING ALL RESIDENTS OF FOX ROAD AND WARWICK AVENUE

A community clear up took place in Fox Road and Warwick Avenue in April. Safer Bristol, Bristol City Council Clean and Green, Streetscene Enforcement and other partners worked with residents to clear out ten tonnes of general waste, sofas, TVs and bikes. The Council waste management truck was kept busy, five skips were filled and there was a deep cleanse of the area.

This followed the family fun day that took place in February where residents had the chance to tell Safer Bristol, the police, Councillors and other partners what was important to them in the local area (whilst the kids enjoyed themselves!). The clear up was in direct response to issues raised at the fun day. Also, more litter bins have been installed, there have been further structural improvements and there is regular cleansing.

If you are a resident of Fox Road or Warwick Avenue and want to play a greater role in making decisions about what happens in your area, contact Safer Bristol (Neil Burwell on 07795446429 or Lloyd Allen on 07825315628 or neil.burwell@bristol.gov.uk).

DROP IN TO BRISTOL’S NEW ONE STOP ADVICE SHOP Citizen’s Advice Bureau has renovated a run-down shop on Quay Street in the city centre into a new advice centre. The impact of the recession has seen more people than ever look to the CAB, with over 7,000 individual clients helped last year. To improve the service the CAB provides and make it as accessible as possible, the new Advice Point will help make queues outside the CAB’s Broad Street office a thing of the past.

In the new system, people will go to Quay Street where their advice needs will be assessed. Advisers are being trained to quickly assess a client’s needs and guide them through the services available. It is expected that a third of people will receive sufficient information at this first point of contact, with clients who need one given an appointment at the Broad Street offices.

A range of organisations will use the new Advice Point including Severn Four Credit Union, St Monica Trust, Tomorrow’s People, The Shaw Trust and Age Concern. CAB will run a drop in session for Armed Services and ex-Service personnel and their families every Wednesday afternoon from Bristol Advice Point. This service is for debt and benefit advice. A highly successful CAB project for people diagnosed with cancer, funded by MacMillan Cancer Support, will see clients by appointment on Tuesday afternoons.

A free telephone will be installed at the Advice Point for people to access Bristol City Council services and six public access computers will be available for clients to find information online.

You can visit the new Bristol Advice Point for drop in advice on Mondays to Fridays, 9.30am to 4.30pm, with triage sessions (assessment and interview) 9.30am to 1pm.

Bristol Advice Point, Quay Street, BS1 2JL.

Football in the Urban Park A request from resident to resident The Urban Park in Barton Hill is for everyone. One local resident has raised concerns about older children playing football in the area set aside for toddlers in the park.

Please could we all encourage people to play football in the events green area which is perfect for playing football and avoids endangering toddlers playing in the park.

Easton For Everyone Community Day Saturday 17 July 2pm – 8pm Easton Community Centre Kilburn Street Five a Side football tournament Films on gang culture and Easton life Self defense workshop, street art and street games Multicultural food from the community and maybe even a free haircut from local barbers!

Easton for Everyone is a group of local residents exploring community based solutions to the problems of street crime and violence. Building on previous well attended and diverse meetings, they want to bring together local people of all ages and ethnicities to have some fun whilst looking at ways to take action together to make our community safer. There will be workshops on self defense, street awareness and positive alternatives for young people potentially at risk of gang involvement. With a bit of food, films and football thrown in, they are hoping this will be a positive step towards a stronger community. When people meet and discuss common problems we can break through the isolation and the feeling of “what can I do on my own?” Alongside other positive community initiatives, the group aims to help improve safety and solidarity in our neighbourhood.

To get involved with helping to organise the event or to register interest please contact eastonforeveryone@riseup.net or call 0117 377 3638 and leave your contact details.

Residents will have seen that the new shops are finished on Avonvale Road and Costcutter opened for business at the end of April. We know there are still a few things to finish on the site, including some litter bins, which we hope to have sorted soon. We are also working with agents to fill the empty premises as soon as possible.

Here Gurvinder Kaur from Costcutter tells us more about their plans....

Gurvinder Kaur has just finished a Business Studies degree at Bath Spa University. Her family run the Costcutter shop in the new development on Avonvale Road in Barton Hill and she hopes to use her studies to help develop the business.

Who runs the shop?

My mum and dad took over the franchise of the Costcutter shop in Barton Hill in January 2004. We were looking for a business and it was recommended to us by a friend. It was the first time the family had managed a shop and I have been involved since it opened. The family business has grown and last year we opened a new Costcutter store in Bedminster. My sister Kiranjit also runs a shop in Hengrove.

What are the best things about running a shop in Barton Hill?

When we first moved to the area there were problems with security and anti‐social behaviour outside the shop. Things have definitely improved since the work was done to improve security around the blocks and the CCTV. Now we feel part of the community ‐ we know a lot of people and it is about more than just selling groceries.

What are your hopes for the new shop?

We see the new shop as a new business for us – we haven’t just moved the old shop to the new premises! We want to expand the range of stock that we sell and improve our service to customers. For example, we have introduced new sections selling Polish and Somali foods. If people have suggestions of items they would like us to sell we would be happy to hear them. We are really pleased that our old customers are still coming to the shop but also really happy that a lot of new people are now using Costcutter. It’s good being in the row of new shops and we hope that it will get even busier when the other shops are occupied as well. We have tried to maximise the floor space and have got bigger freezers and chillers so that we can offer more fresh foods – people have said that they like the new layout.

In the past there have been some problems with residents accessing the gas and electricity pay point – what are your plans to avoid this happening in the new shop?

In the old shop the gas and electricity pay point terminal didn’t work very well, but hopefully the new one will be more reliable. Next year Costcutter is planning to bring in a terminal that is integrated into the till ‐ this should make it easier for customers.

One of the most important things for residents is good quality produce at a fair price. Can you tell us what systems will be in place in the new shop to ensure this?

Although we have to buy most of our stock through Costcutter, we are working with other suppliers to source things more cheaply so that we can pass savings on to customers. We hope to operate more like a supermarket and be able to sell more stock at a cheaper price.

What about a free cashpoint?

We know that the community want a free cashpoint and it is part of our lease with Community at Heart that we should try to get one. We are looking at several options at the moment and expect to be able to provide one later in the year.

What are your concerns about the future?

We need to make the business a success and we plan to improve our service in every way – the things we sell, our prices, how we relate to customers.

How can residents provide feedback on the new shop?

We are really keen to know what people want from the new shop and would like people to give us feedback and suggestions for how to improve things. Customers and residents are welcome to come in and talk to us or to write with suggestions.

90 YEARS OF LIFE AROUND STAPLETON ROAD

COMMUNITY INTERVIEW

Edna Portingale is 90 years old and has lived in Perry Street in Easton for 81 years. Edna was born in Perry Street and only moved to Stanley Street for eight years when she got married. Her husband worked at Thrissell Engineers and was born in Beaufort Street. Edna has been involved in Stapleton Road Chapel since she was three years old and still goes there every week. Up Our Street met Edna to find out how life has changed in the area during that time.

Easton Road was built in the 1970s but until then Stapleton Road was one long, bustling shopping street. What have been the main changes to the area over the past 90 years?

“There have been lots of changes. You used to be able to get everything you needed on Stapleton Road and people would come from all over to shop there. People would even get the train from Cardiff to Stapleton Road to do their shopping. There were marvellous shops, drapers, china shops, glass shops, doctors and dentists.

There were even three cinemas! There was a Lanes [well known drapers] and you used to pay your money at the counter and they would send it to the back of the shop in a cup on a wire and then you’d get your change sent back. If the change was only a ¼ farthing sometimes you’d get pins instead! There was a tram which went to Zetland Road and Knowle and horse and carts were going up and down the street all the time. The Wagon and Horses pub was around then and that was were they used to store the horses. Children used to play in the street on Stapleton Road as there were no cars. We used to play marbles in the gutter, skipping, hop scotch and creep mouse. We used to swing from the lamp posts but when the policeman came we ran away! Whenever there was any manure left on the street by the horses everyone used to come out with their buckets and collect it for their gardens. The horse and carts would deliver bread and milk. When Stapleton Road was one street we used to walk the length of it and always bump into people we knew. You would know the names of all the shop keepers and have a chat with them. There were lots of pubs then too although maybe that wasn’t such a good thing! Trinity Library was still there and what is now Trinity Centre was a church. There used to be lots of public toilets, there was one by the police station, one in Armoury Square and one on Robertson Road. I don’t know what people do these days as there are no public toilets anywhere. Where Rawnsley House and Lansdown Court are there were houses with cellars but they were knocked down to build the flats.

People weren’t happy about it at the time as the new flats weren’t as friendly as you didn’t see your neighbours. I used to know all the people who lived on Perry Street. I suppose people were home more often then as women didn’t go to work like they have to do now. People’s front steps were made of brass and they would come out a polish them till they shone!”

If you’d like to share your memories of the area contact us on 377 3638.

HANGING ABOUT IN THE DINGS Residents of the Dings in St Philips got together in May for a day of planting and getting their hands dirty. Sally Caseley from the Dings Community Association successfully applied for some funding from Quartet to buy materials to make hanging baskets for the streets in the area. The residents bought supplies of plants and baskets and advertised the planting day locally. 15 people turned up and they made about 25 baskets for the area. The baskets were being hung on the houses and at least 20 more people came out and commented how nice they looked and requested a basket for their house. A small donation of £2 was requested from residents to be given to the local youth club. Sally Caseley of Dings Community Association said: “Even though it has been hard work in both time and effort, the rewards of neighbours meeting new neighbours, and seeing the streets being brightened up with baskets, has all been worthwhile. I am sure in a month or so when all the flowers come out there will be rivalry over whose basket has the best blooms!”

If you’re interested in doing a similar thing in your area contact us on 377 3640 and we can point you in the right direction.

LOCAL HERO LEON RATTIGAN

Leon Rattigan, 22, grew up in Barton Hill and is now living in Manchester as part of the national wrestling team and hopes to represent Great Britain in the Olympics in 2012. Up Our Street caught up with his mum Lesley, who lives on Granville Street, to find out how Leon is getting on and to wish him luck for his Olympic ambition!

How did Leon get into wrestling?

“It all started when I used to go to Universal Gymnasium on Redcross Street near Old Market. When he was 11 I used to take Leon along with me. The trainer there was Amir Esmaeli who had been an Olympic wrestler for Iran. He spotted a talent in Leon and took him under his wing. Amir was dedicated to helping young wrestlers and he did so much for Leon. He used to take him to competitions all over the place and pay for his entry when I was struggling as a single mum. When he was 15 he did get a grant from Community at Heart’s sports team to help with travelling expenses to competitions as well.”

How did he get to wrestle for the Great Britain team?

“When Leon was 15 he was spotted at one of his competitions by the Great Britain team and was invited to go to Manchester once a month to train with them. Sadly Amir died in 2005 but Leon continued wrestling and in 2006 he was offered the opportunity to move to Manchester to be with Team GB permanently and to train for the 2012 Olympics. It was hard for me to let him go as he was only young but I realised that this was an amazing opportunity for him and he had a real talent. From February to April he was training in Russia where wrestling is more popular. He has to train every morning, afternoon and evening and watch what he eats and drinks. It’s a full time job training. He definitely has more discipline than I did at his age! Wrestling is more than just being strong. He has to practice his fitness, technique and strength.”

What are his plans for the future?

“Since he started wrestling Leon has achieved so much. This year he was nominated for BBC Points West Olympic Hopeful at the Sports Personality of the Year Awards, the first wrestler ever to be nominated. He has got British Gold in his weight (96kg) and was British Wrestler of the Year in 2008 and 2009, 5th in Olympic qualifiers in 2008, English Senior Champion in 2008, 2009 and 2010, British Senior Champion in 2008/2009, 7th in European Championship in 2008 and 2009 and Bronze medallist in Spain and Italy in 2009. On 22 May he won the first qualifying tournament for the Commonwealth Games in India this year. The second tournament is on 26 June and if he wins that as well then he will be off to India in the summer. I’m so proud of everything he’s achieved and it shows what you can do if you work hard enough.”

Your neighbourhood – your say This summer Bristol City Council is seeking your views on two important land use plans which will shape the future of your local area and how land will be used over the next 20 years.

Site Allocations and Development Management – Suggested sites in the city which may be developed to provide new homes, jobs or shops in your area. It also proposes land to be protected.

To find out how you can comment visit www.bristol.gov.uk/siteallocations or call 0117 903 6725 Area Green Space Plan – Proposals for better access to a range of quality parks, green spaces and facilities. Some plans also identify specific sites that could be sold and developed in order to generate some of the money needed to invest in and maintain our green spaces. To find out how you can comment visit www.bristol.gov.uk/agsp or call 0117 922 3719 Events are being organised through your Neighbourhood Partnerships and you will be able to see both the Area Green Space Plans and Site Allocations and Development Management Document in more detail and have a chance to comment on what you see. Consultation is open until 29 October.

The event for Ashley, Easton and Lawrence Hill will be on 22 September, 12pm to 8pm at Salvation Army, Hassell Drive.

PARKS AND GREEN SPACES 30 parks and play spaces have been remodelled and improved by the Council over the past few years as part of the £2.65m Play Pathfinder project. The aim of the project is to encourage children to play outdoors. Fun and exciting opportunities to play are at the heart of a happy, healthy and enjoyable childhood. Better outdoor play opportunities are good for children, good for families and good for communities. The new, creative designs reflect young people’s own ideas and feature landscaping, new equipment and natural play facilities and artworks - all incorporated into natural landscaping. Parks to benefit in our area include Netham Park, Felix Road Adventure Playground, Owen Square Park and Rawnsley Park. Now let’s all keep our fingers crossed for a hot summer so we can enjoy these great parks and green spaces!

Above: Felix Road Adventure Playground (contact 955 1265 for opening times and activities)

Netham Park We've come a long way - Netham Park is Redfield has seen a transformation from an industrial site and tip site, through to Civil Defence Training Centre, footie fields, sports hub and now a fully-fledged local park. An investment of over £2.5m from a range of funding bodies including Sport England, Football Foundation, England & Wales Cricket Board, Community at Heart, Department for Children, Schools and Families, Clear Skies, and Bristol City Council has created a leisure and recreational facility for east Bristol that is second to none. There is also a new kiosk run by Diamond Catering serving refreshments seven days a week from Netham Pavilion. The Council has now applied for a Green Flag Award for Netham Park. The Green Flag Award® is the benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales. Inspectors visited the park in May and the results should be out in July so at time of going to press we were waiting with fingers crossed!

Notice the Netham...keep an eye on this prized Above: Tony Hicks and Connor Bidder who opened green space. Sadly a number of plants have been pulled the park up and thrown around and new plants have actually been Below: Children enjoying the new facilities stolen and taken away. This has been reported to the police but if everyone could keep an eye out to make sure that it doesn’t happen again and if you see anyone doing this, please report it to the police.

Want to get involved?

Friends of Netham Park is a group of residents who love their local green space and want to protect it for the future. They meet to discuss concerns or do fun activities like bird identification walks.

Contact Alec on milnealec@hotmail.com

Call Sue Lutkenhouse at Bristol Parks on 922 3719 for more information about Netham Park.

SCHOOLS AND LEARNING

After-school fun at Hannah More Primary

‘More 4 Kids’ is the name of Hannah More’s after-school club. This friendly group is open every day after school until 6pm. Children from all local primary schools are welcome to attend and the club is currently investigating transport options to bring children from elsewhere. The club room has just had a fantastic makeover with a brand new kitchen, smart furniture, a flat-screen TV, sofas, bean bags and more thanks to local law firm Burges Salmon. The club specialises in cooking, art and craft and creative activities. There’s also a set of scooters to encourage outdoor play - and of course the children make fantastic use of the ‘Hannah More Kingdom’ – the school’s fantastic outdoor play area. The club also operates in the school holidays, when children from over a dozen local schools arrive for action-packed days of holiday fun.

If you would like to know more, call the school on 903 9936. They offer a special £1 trial after-school session to all new children.

Gardening at Hannah More Children are busy potting and planting, seeds are sprouting and the grass is growing at Hannah More Primary. Since the new grounds opened just before Christmas, classes have been hard at work planning their own raised vegetable beds. Now parents are involved too, thanks to a grant from ‘Active Bristol’, and there’s also help from local gardening project ‘Grofun’ who are working with Year 4 children on a ‘Plant to Plate’ programme. This will enable children to follow the whole growing process, right through from sowing seeds to harvesting their own produce. Other classes are looking forward to pulling up their potatoes next month and sampling autumn raspberries after the summer break. The greenhouse will provide opportunities to grow vegetables and herbs that are frequently used in Somali and North African cuisine and there are plans to use produce from the gardens in a new cookery club. The gardening project links really well with the school curriculum, integrating science, design and technology and literacy in this new outdoor learning experience. And the children will try some healthy, homegrown foods as well!

The grounds at the front of the school are also getting a facelift, courtesy of a team of volunteers from the BUPA office in Bristol. Their ‘Team Challenge Day’ will help to renovate the front and side of the school, including developing a community vegetable plot.

If you would like to get involved in gardening at Hannah More, please do get in touch.

You can call the school on 903 9936.

Gardening Service Let us take away the pains and strains of weeding, mowing and pruning your garden and if you provide the plants we’ll even plant them for you.

A regular visit by one of our locally employed team will have your gardens looking good by summer, giving you some well deserved time to sit and relax.

All this for just ÂŁ10 per hour Neighbourhood Solutions Enterprises Ltd is a local social enterprise run by residents, which employs local people to carry out a range of outdoor jobs.

WE NEED MORE GARDENERS TO JOIN OUR TEAM IF YOU WANT TO WORK FOR US GET IN TOUCH Call us on 07827549364 We will be happy to talk through your requirements

Registered Company No: 6792191

JOB ADVERT PR & Communication Officer Salary: £25,146 per annum Fixed term contract for 12 months to cover sabbatical 37.5 hours a week, 25 days annual leave Some evening and weekend work Good communications is at the heart of all we do. We need to be able to communicate well with a wide range of people. We are looking for someone who has experience of getting information across to a diverse community in creative and traditional ways .

Ideally you will have a good understanding of the Easton and Lawrence Hill communities. You will be organised, reliable, self motivated and a team player. We work hard and we want to do our best for the people of Easton and Lawrence Hill. If you want a rewarding job, working with lots of interesting people and making change happen, then this is the job for you.

We want to build a staff team that reflects the diverse community we serve. We positively welcome applications from all communities living and working in the inner city.

Closing date: 5pm Wednesday 7 July Interview Thursday 15 July For an application pack contact Tracy Parsons on 903 9975 or officemanager@eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk (we prefer to send the information by email if possible) Community at Heart company number: 4023294

If for any reason you have trouble reading this newsletter come and see us at The Old Bank or call 0117 377 3638.

Disclaimer: The opinions and information contained in this publication are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of Easton and Lawrence Hill Neighbourhood Management.

ADVERTISING RATES

Delivery of an insert £50 per 1000 Rate 1: large organisations / businesses Full page £250 + VAT Half page £150 + VAT Quarter page £75 + VAT Rate 2: small organisations / community groups Full page £200 + VAT Half page £100 + VAT Quarter page £50 + VAT Deadline for next issue is 27 August This newsletter is printed on 100% recycled paper.

Please dispose of it responsibly after you have finished with it.

Contact us WANT US TO TEXT YOU ABOUT LOCAL MEETINGS? SEND US A TEXT ON 07903089002 Easton and Lawrence Hill Neighbourhood Management Team Neighbourhood Management Shop Mandy and Mubarig - 0117 353 2020 mandy@eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk mubarig@eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk Tracy Parsons Office and Finance Manager 0117 903 9975 officemanager@eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk Francois Jensen Neighbourhood Facilitator 0117 377 3640 francois@eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk Stacy Yelland (until 20 August)* Communications Officer 0117 377 3638 stacy@eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk Penny Germon Neighbourhood Manager 0117 903 9879 penny@eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk *Please note, Stacy Yelland will be on a 12 month sabbatical from 20 August.

Easton and Lawrence Hill Neighbourhood Management The Old Bank 108 Church Road Redfield, Bristol, BS5 9LJ Check out our new website www.eastonandlawrencehill.org.uk