Up Our Street Spring 2019

Cricket world cup comes to Easton

Page 7

up our street Easton + Lawrence Hill + Redfield + St Judes + Whitehall + Old Market + The Dings + Barton HIll + Newtown + Greenbank Places of Possibility Page 9

Small grants make a big difference

Pages 14 and 15

Your free community magazine Spring into volunteering Pages 8 and 9 www.upourstreet.org.uk

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Up Our Street Spring 2019

up our street

Contact the team

Business Development Officer Emily Fifield Tel: 0117 954 2834 Email: emily@upourstreet.org.uk Communications Officer Tamsin Harcourt Tel: 07903 089 002 Email: tamsin@upourstreet.org.uk

Community Engagement Officers Khalil Abdi Email: khalil@upourstreet.org.uk Saliha Ahmed Tel: 07947 830 973 Email: saliha@upourstreet.org.uk Patrycja Pinkowska Tel: 07986 949 493 Email: pat@upourstreet.org.uk

Finance and Office Manager Tracy Parsons Tel: 0117 954 2834 Email: tracy@upourstreet.org.uk Interim Director Brendan Tate Wistreich Tel: 0117 954 2836 Email: brendan@upourstreet.org.uk Post: The Beacon Centre, City Academy, Russell Town Avenue, Bristol BS5 9JH Charity no: 1081691 Company no: 04023294

Our Trustee board Ricardo Sharry (Chair) Amy Harrison (Deputy chair) Noelle Rumball (Treasurer) Saed Ali Sally Caseley Joyce Clarke Nic Ferris Thom Oliver Poku Osei Hannah Pepper

Stay in touch Join the Up Our Street Facebook group. 1,330 members and growing!

Find us on Twitter @upourstreet And follow us on Instagram!

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Hear Up Our Street on the One Love Breakfast Show every Wednesday at 8.45am. on BCfm 93.2 and online at www. bcfmradio.com

Up Our Street Spring 2019

Ricardo Sharry Chair of Up Our Street

welcome

to the spring 2019 edition of Up Our Street.

If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to get more involved in your community, we hope you find some inspiration in these pages.

This is a year of change for Up Our Street, as we are continuing our talks with Felix Road Adventure Playground and Easton Community Centre about how we can work more closely together. Find out more on page 9.

HAVE YOUR SAY

pages 4 to 6

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

pages 7 and 8

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

pages 9 to 11

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.

Up Our Street would like to thank our funders for supporting our work in Easton and Lawrence Hill

The opinions and information contained in this publication are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of Up Our Street.

Advertisers are not endorsed. www.upourstreet.org.uk

UP our street news

Brendan joined Up Our Street in January as Interim Director while Stacy is on maternity leave. Brendan was most recently working on The Network Project at Barton Hill Settlement and is a local resident, so already knows our neighbourhood well. He has lots of knowledge about community-run buildings, and is a voluntary director of Coexist, which managed Hamilton House on Stokes Croft.

We are pleased to report that Stacy has added another baby boy to her family. We look forward to meeting the new arrival soon.

Khalil and Brendan

Khalil is working with us as a Community Engagement Officer, with a special focus on waste and flytipping. His part-time post is funded by Bristol Waste.

Calling women of Easton and Lawrence Hill!

Up Our Street is hosting a very special Festival of Solutions on 9 March (more on page 13). The event will be a celebration of women, creating a space where women from our communities can come together to meet, chat, learn, build relationships and make new connections.

We are working with parents from Hannah More Primary School to make this day really special. The day will begin with a free yoga class before the main session for those who like to get energised on a Saturday morning (must be booked in advance).

We’ll hear from inspirational women from our neighbourhood and beyond. Women who are passionate finding solutions and making change will share their journeys, joys and struggles.

This is your chance to share ideas and get advice from others who have walked a similar path. We

want the spirit of the day to encourage sharing and learning with plenty of opportunities for chatting and networking. Pat from Up Our Street and Carla from the Network will be available throughout the day to talk about the ways both organisations can support women in our neighbourhood. All this and a delicious free lunch cooked by Somali Kitchen and free creche for preschool age children (must be booked).

Book your free place on Eventbrite or call Pat at Up Our Street on 0117 954 2834.

making connections

Saliha worked with local resident Fran, to hold a community meal in January to launch this year’s Window Wanderland trail. Residents enjoyed a delicious meal cooked by Felix Road Adventure Playground while getting creative and making window decorations to brighten up the dark January evening and see their neighbourhood in a new light. www.upourstreet.org.uk

Is there something you’d like to see in Up Our Street magazine?

Get in touch on 0117 954 2834 or

contact@upourstreet.org.uk Up Our Street Spring 2019

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HAVE YOUR SAY

How can we ensure a brighter future for our Parks? Public parks are at the very heart of our communities, they act as ‘green lungs’ for our cities and define our sense of place. In July 2018 a consortium of local partners was awarded grant funding by Nesta through the ‘Rethinking Parks’ programme in order to establish a Parks Foundation for the Bristol and Bath area.

The main partners are Bristol City Council, Bath & North East Somerset Council, Bristol Parks Forum, and The Natural History Consortium, working alongside Quartet Community Foundation and Bristol Green Capital Partnership. This collaborative approach will test how public giving, volunteering and social enterprise can be encouraged to benefit parks for public use and enjoyment.

What difference will it make?

The Bristol & Bath Parks Foundation aims to make a difference by opening up a new route to charitable giving including individual and corporate donations, gifts and legacies. It will not replace the role of the Council in managing

and maintaining our parks, but identify projects that enhance and add value to our public parks and green spaces. It will be about connecting parks with people and valuing the role and contribution of volunteers.

How will it be structured?

The Foundation will be an independent charity (a Charitable Incorporated Organisation), with a board of trustees that contribute a broad range of skills and experience.

What is the timescale for the Foundation?

The aim is to have a charitable structure registered in early 2019 and to develop a five year business plan and fundraising strategy.

The aim is to launch the Bristol & Bath Parks Foundation at the Festival of Nature in June 2019.

How can I get involved?

We are planning a neighbourhood conversation about parks and green spaces in Lawrence Hill and Easton, date tbc. Contact Saliha on 0117 954 2835 or saliha@upourstreet to find out more.

help your councillors set priorities for local spending

£££ 4

Up Our Street Spring 2019

Wednesday 6 March City Academy CAfe 6.30pm to 8.30pm

£££

www.upourstreet.org.uk

HAVE YOUR SAY

Chocolate Factory

It was a not so silent night on 19 December for Generator, the developers of the Chocolate Factory in Greenbank. Around 70 people joined in with ACORN’s alternative Christmas carols to protest about the lack of any affordable housing on the site.

Up Our Street spoke to Anny, ACORN’s Bristol Organiser “Now that work has started on site, ACORN members are re-doubling their efforts on this campaign. We have been door-knocking in Greenbank and there is a real strength of feeling. People do want to see the site developed, but they are worried that the rents on the new flats are out of reach of the average renter in Bristol.”

Greenbank resident Lily agrees “I’ve been renting in Greenbank for about year after several years of sofa surfing and generally insecure housing. I live very close to the site and it seems really wrong that we have people living in vans on the street right alongside this development of expensive housing.”

ACORN has called on Bristol City Council to refuse to deal with Generator on future developments if affordable housing is not included. They are also calling for change in national planning law to make it easier for local councils to enforce affordable housing provision in private developments.

Up Our Street contacted Generator to ask if they wanted to comment on the issue of affordable housing at the Chocolate Factory. They replied: “We currently have no further comment to make at this time.”

Find out more about joining ACORN and their campaigns at www.acorntheunion.org.uk or find them on Facebook

Library conversations

Up Our Street has been hosting a series of conversations to explore with local people how their library can be further brought to life to complement, add value and support other assets in their neighbourhood. We talked about how small changes could make a difference to local users. Ideas such as a wider selection of books reflecting the demographics of residents in the area, induction sessions for people who have recently moved to the area and extended access after closing hours were suggested. More ambitious ideas to reimagine libraries were suggested including green spaces built within libraries, galleries housing special collection

• Hear about different projects suggested for Lawrence Hill and Easton • Ask questions and discuss the proposals • Help councillors choose which projects to take forward to the next stage • Councillors will take three or four projects to the Area Committee.

www.upourstreet.org.uk

owned by art institutions and universities and a complete redesign of libraries by young people.

Up Our Street will be hosting further conversations about future libraries in the community and at J3. We are keen to hear from residents who don’t currently use the library to get in touch. Contact saliha@upourstreet.org.uk or 0117 954 2835.

What is CIL CIL stands for Community Infrastructure Levy. It is money that companies pay when they are developing a site. The local council uses the money to improve infrastructure - that’s physical things like roads and buildings. It is not a grant fund and can’t be used for ongoing staff costs.

Up Our Street Spring 2019

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HAVE YOUR SAY

Is time running out to tackle dirty aiR?

Pressure is growing to clean up Bristol’s dirty air. In January it was reported in the national press that the government has threatened Mayor Marvin Rees with legal action if he does not meet new deadlines for a plan to tackle air pollution in the city.

But Bristol City Council has hit back at the government, saying that they need more time to make sure that a Clean Air Plan does not harm the poorest in the city. A spokesperson said “We are fully committed to tackling air quality in Bristol. We are currently carrying out technical modelling work to explore fully all possible options... We are therefore looking at the bigger picture including measures to cut congestion and improve public transport, infrastructure and traffic management.

Bristol is an inclusive city and we are determined that any proposed solutions do not have a negative impact on people on low incomes. Each authority has different challenges and priorities and we are working to identify a solution specific to Bristol. We already have a number of initiatives and sustainable transport plans being developed so we need to make sure one policy doesn’t affect the whole framework. We look forward to working with government to achieve our shared goals.”

So while national and local government wrangle about the best way to tackle air pollution, what’s happening on a local level?

Local campaign group RADE (Residents Against Dirty Energy) is calling for people to sign their pledge to move away from wood burning.

According to research, one eco-rated domestic wood stove emits more harmful particulates than many diesel vehicles.

one eco-certified wood stove Produces the same amount of particulates as 18 modern diesel cars OR 6 modern Heavy Goods Vehicles data from “Potential Air Quality Impacts from Biomass Combustion” Air Quality Expert Group (UK), 2017 6

Up Our Street Spring 2019

RADE originally formed to fight a diesel generator plant proposal in St Philips Marsh.

Since then they have focused on ‘static’ burning - burning wood for fuel. This is what they say aboout themselves on their website: “We are funded by ourselves, so we all chipped in £300 to buy 10 Luftdaten Particle Sensors for example. We have no political affiliations and are open to anyone who lives locally and is willing to accept we live in the here and now and need to use the best available technology.”

Find out more about RADE at www.radebristol. com or find them on Facebook.

What about the school run?

Bristol School Streets is a group of parents, carers and other interested parties, based in Bristol, who are starting a campaign to ask the council to implement school streets. They are concerned about the spike in air pollution around schools at drop-off and pick-up times.

School streets is a council-run initiative successfully trialed in London and Edinburgh, where streets in selected schools are closed to motor vehicles for 45 minutes at either end of the school day. The aim of school streets is to improve the environment for walking and cycling, and improve air quality. It is still possible to drive to school, just not right up to the school gates.

Could schools in Easton and Lawrence Hill get involved? Find out more at www.facebook.com/ cleanairparentsnetworkbristol

You’ll also find lots of useful facts about air quality in your area and information about council plans at www.cleanairforbristol.org www.upourstreet.org.uk

Traders working together

GET INVOLVED

The Cricket World Cup is coming to Easton in March! Local businesses have teamed up with Gloucestershire Cricket to run a free family friendly event on Saturday 9 March. St Marks Road will be closed to traffic for the day, making lots of space for games, food and more.

Pete from Gloucestershire Cricket said: “We are hugely excited to have the Trophy Tour visit St Mark’s Road, which captures the essence of community in Bristol. Through the planning stages we have already seen the local area come together, united by the excitement to deliver a fantastic event, and cannot wait to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in cricket when the Trophy arrives.

We hope this will be a continuation of a strengthening relationship between Gloucestershire Cricket and the local community

of Easton, an area which already sees numerous school and community sessions take place year round.”

Contact Abdul Malik on 07747 722 334 to find out more and get involved.

A new team of volunteers is forming, to bring back Easton Arts Trail. The trail will run for a weekend in June (dates tbc) and there will be lots of volunteer opportunties, so get involved!

Registrations for artist/makers will open in March. Search ‘Easton Arts Trail on Facebook.

lighting up the dark The weekend of 26 and 27 January saw Window Wanderland return to the streets of Easton. Sixty houses took part with some lovely colourful displays. Fran and the organisers would like to thank everyone who took part and says her ambition is to involve even more people next year - maybe even up to 100 houses!

She would also like to give a big thanks to sponsors Bristol Waste, Raised in Easton and Dela, who provided funding for the community workshops. www.upourstreet.org.uk

Up Our Street Spring 2019

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GET INVOLVED

We have gloves, pickers and all the kit you need to organise your own litter pick.

A big thank you to the staff at DVSA who teamed up with Tidy BS5 volunteers to litter pick in Lawrence Hill before Christmas. Find out more about long term plans to tackle waste and flytipping on page 16

Get in touch with Up Our Street on 0117 954 2834 or contact@ upourstreet.org.uk

Green Shoots from seed fund

Could you spare 30 mins a month?

Join the volunteer team who do a fab job updating the Up Our Street community noticeboards.

We currently need volunteers for our boards at Barton House, Lawrence Hill Health Centre and Kingsmarsh House.

Contact tracy at up our street to find out more 8

Up Our Street Spring 2019

Residents of Bloy Street and Camelford Park were successful in securing money from our Festival of Solutions seed fund in 2018. Up Our Street has been working with both groups of residents to develop their ideas to improve their neighbourhoods.

The Bloy Street group said they wanted to add some much needed colour to their grey square and improve zoning with seating/planters whilst also allowing young people to continue to use the space. In the first weekend of February the railings will be prepped and painted to bring some colour to the space. The planters will go in after that.

Camelford residents have decided to move away from adding large planters in favour of a series of smaller boxes which will transform the front of the houses into a haven of nature, enabling wildlife to live more freely in the inner city. We have connected the group with Avon Wildlife Trust who will be advising on good plants to encourage pollinators. www.upourstreet.org.uk

Places of possibility

WORKING TOGETHER

As the days grow longer and warmer, we’re excited to share some updates about new possibilities springing up for Up Our Street.

Late last summer Up Our Street began a series of conversations with Easton Community Centre and Felix Road Adventure Playground to look at how we might work together to better serve our neighbourhood in years to come.

These early conversations generated loads of fresh ideas and new energy. Together we planted a seed for something stronger and better that we could achieve with our powers combined.

To keep doing the things we’re currently doing, whilst also unlocking new and exciting possibilities for the area.

Our Shared Vision

Places of possibility where people of all ages of Easton and Lawrence Hill are able to participate, act, connect and share the unlimited potential of themselves and their neighbourhood Each organisation has a unique history, providing services and shared places for people of all ages.

We’ve found strong common ground in our commitment to Easton and Lawrence Hill and

www.upourstreet.org.uk

our shared vision for a connected more resilient community where people have unlimited potential and places are full of possibility.

We are still in the early stages of exploring what this might look like and the path that will take us there. We look forward to the journey ahead and to engaging further with residents and organisations in our community in the months to come. Our doors are always open if you’d like to come by for a chat, ask some questions or share ideas.

We will continue to provide updates and keep you informed of opportunities to get involved and help shape the future of these three organisations and the communities we serve.

Up Our Street Spring 20192019 Up Our Street Spring

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WORKING TOGETHER

Rethinking Refugees

ACH has teamed up with First Bus to give local refugees the opportunity to become bus drivers through a special training programme.

The two-week course, which is funded by First Bus, saw a group of 11 candidates complete employment masterclasses with ACH, which cover a range of customer service skills, before getting behind the wheel at the First Bus training depot in Lawrence Hill.

First has guaranteed interviews for all 11 participants and successful candidates will go on to complete the formal six-week training to become bus drivers in the region and operate both single and double decker buses across all service routes.

To find out about ACH’s work with employers, visit www.ach.org.uk/businesses

STOP PRESS: ACH is proud to report that 9 out of 11 learners secured full time bus driver jobs with First Bus following the training programme - decent salaries, not just entry level jobs!

More than just a veg box...

Redfield resident Ellen works for Real Economy.

She got in touch with Up Our Street to explain how profit from their trading arm is used to help tackle food hardship and isolation in the city.

How does it work?

Customers order locally or ethically sourced products online in the Real Economy shop.

As well as fresh fruit and veg, you can order meat, dairy, kitchen cupboard essentials, sweet treats and cleaning products. All products are sourced from local farms, small independent local businesses and ethical suppliers. Orders are delivered to collection points across Bristol every Thursday. Locally that’s Easton Community Centre, Junction 3 Library and Cafe Conscious in Barton Hill.

What’s the wider impact?

All suppliers receive a fair margin that allows them to make a decent living. Any profits made by the trading are invested in the Real Economy Centres, which provide access to healthy food and social engagement for people facing food hardship. Currently there is a centre in Southmead and a pilot project at Sims Hill.

Participants share a weekly communal lunch 10

Up Our Street Spring 2019

as well as social activities such as growing food, cooking or craft sessions. Those facing food hardship can also access subsidised food shopping paid for by the Solidarity Fund. You can choose to add a Solidarity Fund donation when you place an order.

Through something as simple as people’s weekly shopping we aim to tackle some large issues, such as a food system that disconnects people from where their food is produced and places huge power in the hands of supermarkets, as well as growing food insecurity and social isolation in what most consider a thriving city.

Find out more at www.realeconomy.co.uk www.upourstreet.org.uk

WORKING TOGETHER

Holi Festival: A celebration of Love Souvik got in touch with Up Our Street to share the story of Holi, which this year falls on 21 and 22 March.

“Holi is a spring festival, which originated from the Indian subcontinent and spread to other areas of Asia and parts of the Western world through the diaspora from the Indian subcontinent. It is also known as the “festival of colours” or the “festival of love”. The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring at the end of winter, a time to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. It is also celebrated as a thanksgiving for a good harvest. Holi is an ancient Hindu religious festival, where people smear each other with colours and drench each other, but has become popular with non-Hindus in many parts of South Asia, as well as people of other communities outside Asia.

It was widely believed on the Indian continent during the ancient period that the spring season brings viral fever, cold and pox, due to the change in weather. The playful throwing of natural coloured powders, called ‘Gulal’ has a medicinal significance as the colours are traditionally made of Neem (Azadirachta), Kumkum (Turmeric with slaked lime), Haldi (Turmeric), Bilva (Indian Bael), and other medicinal herbs prescribed by Ayurveda doctors. Thus this act has become a celebration festival within the Indian diaspora across the globe.”

women are Cracking it!

Up Our Street went along to meet the women only IT group at Baggator.

This friendly group has been running since before Christmas, learning about all things computer related, everything from staying safe online to internet shopping and Instagram. On the day we dropped in, there was also a lively discussion going on about the best place to find Turkish coffee!

Funding from software company Sword Apak pays for the tutor, but she is keen to stress that it’s a very informal session with women working at their own pace and learning the skills that they have identified themselves. The long term aim is for the group to look after Baggator’s website and social media accounts.

If you would like to learn some new tech skills in a friendly environment, drop in to Baggator from 1pm to 3pm every Wednesday. There is no need to book. www.upourstreet.org.uk

learn arabic with Refulingua After a successful pilot, local charity Bridges for Communities is rolling out Refulingua to a wider audience. The project trains recently arrived refugees to teach spoken Arabic to anyone who would like to learn. Rose from Bridges for Communities said “We aim to enable refugees to take a step towards employment in the UK, and to grow in confidence as they teach others their language - and to enable British people to gain an insight into a new language and culture as they learn Arabic and interact with their refugee tutor.

Lessons are £10 for one hour lesson. Please contact www.bridgesforcommunities.com/refulingua Up Our Street Spring 2019

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THE NETWORK UPDATE Whilst many were hibernating during the cold winter months, Resident Networkers living across Easton and Lawrence Hill wards have been busy building community and igniting change in their neighbourhoods.

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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead

In December, both Beaufort House and Harwood House held their ‘Winter Warmer’ events. Over 80 people were involved in the celebrations; drinking hot chocolate, hunting glow-sticks, lighting sparklers and eating marshmallows dipped in the chocolate fountains. Harwood House later spontaneously morphed into an impromptu outdoor block party, with many parents commenting on how their children would have been sat in their flats, watching TV if they had not taken part. Instead they were running around, connecting with new friends and enjoying the outside space.

Also committed to fighting the frost, Hanover Street residents ‘greened’ their street, installing planters and window boxes they had collectively made at a community event hosted by students from UWE and The Network. Held at the Netham Pavilion, the resident-led, environmental improvement project saw neighbours making friends, learning new skills and commit to building community, starting on their very own doorstep. Kerry, a resident involved, said “Doing something positive will benefit everyone who lives on and uses my street... I have met new neighbours and enjoyed the event.”

December also saw the launch of the Women of Greater Kurdistan Group. Sarah from The Network was proud to work with Taban and Tara and see them realise their dream of the group. Twelve Kurdish women attended the launch and all said what an amazing opportunity the group will be for them as a community of women. Please contact us to find out when the next meeting will be held.

provoked so much enthusiasm and commitment that it is now a monthly event. To get involved, meet new neighbours and make a difference, come to Barton Hill Settlement on the first Saturday of every month, from 10am to 11.30am.

As well as events and groups, the team have also been engaging with people in the area through a series of pop ups on the street and in community venues. We were able to connect with a wide range of residents, particularly tenants living in flats and the homeless community, ensuring that we hear from everyone in the neighbourhood. Carla, our Easton Coordinator, will continue a series of pop ups in the high rise blocks in the coming months. Catch her in Lansdowne Court on Tuesday 12 March from 2pm to 3.30pm.

In January, a one off litter pick in Lawrence Hill

GET IN TOUCH If you’d like to develop an event or project in your neighbourhood, find out what others are already doing or learn more about The Network Project, we would love to hear from you! Contact info@ thenetworkbristol.org.uk or find us on Facebook @thenetworkbristol.

The Network Partners 12

Up Our Street Spring 2019

www.upourstreet.org.uk

festival of solutions 2019

It's All About Women Inspiring women from Easton and Lawrence Hill

Saturday 9 March, 11am to 3pm

Hannah More Primary School women’s Poetry * Panel Discussions Free Creche * Networking Delicious lunch from somali kitchen This free event is open to all women in Easton and Lawrence Hill. Hear from inspiring speakers, make new connections, and find out how you can get more involved in your community

Book your place at www.eventbrite.com or call Up Our Street on 0117 954 2834 www.upourstreet.org.uk

Up Our Street Spring 2019

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Small grants make a big difference...

The Up Our Street small grant fund is now open for applications for 2019! It is called the Endowment Fund because every year we only spend the interest earned on the capital investment. This means that the fund will be available for many years to come, it is a lasting ‘endowment’ or gift to the community.

The fund is open to people who live in Barton Hill, Newtown, the Dings and some parts of Redfield and Lawrence Hill. Check the map to see if you can apply. We also accept applications from community organisations who run projects which mainly benefit residents in this area.

What can the fund pay for?

Residents can apply for up to £300 to help pay for something that will improve their life. This could be developing new skills or career prospects.

Groups can apply for up to £1,000.

The main criteria is that the activity must mainly benefit residents in the Endowment Fund area.

The Endowment Fund covers the area inside t If you want to check whether you can apply, O please contact Tracy at Up Our St

DADCAST used their grant to buy new equipment for their youtube channel which supports postive images of fatherhood, and took a dad’s trip to Bristol zoo.

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Up Our Street Spring 2019

www.upourstreet.org.uk

In 2018 Up Our Street awarded a total of £12,973 in small grants £2,600 to individuals and £10,373 to community groups

St Lukes Coffee Pot group in Barton Hill used their grant to pay for wheelchair friendly coach trips for older people.

the black line marked on the map.

Or need held completing the forms, treet on 0117 954 2834

In 2018 Up Our Street gave grants to these groups Barton Hill Boxing Club BS5 Volunteering Carole’s over 50s Bingo Dadcast WTMD Easton Community Children’s Centre Friends of Hannah More POD Action Group Priormade St Lukes Coffee Pot Studio Meraki The Lamplighters Unique Voice CIC www.upourstreet.org.uk

The lamplighters used the grant to help pay for artworkshops in community venues across Barton Hill

Download the application form at www.upourstreet.org.uk The deadline this year is 11am on Monday 13 May. Applications will be assessed by a panel of local residents. You will find out whether you have been successful by 20 June.

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what’s the Deal with neighbourhood enforcement?

In November the Neighbourhood Enforcement Team (NET) made some changes to the way they work. There is a lot of demand for their services but the changes mean that the team can provide a more responsive and effective service, particularly with regards to fly tipping and waste cases.

Up Our Street talked to Lindsay Hay at Bristol City Council to find out more: “We have introduced a duty officer system to check all new reports and cases to ensure they include the required evidence to enable enforcement action to be taken. If someone is able to give a good description of something they have witnessed including dates, times, the appearance of an offender and where they are believed to live or work that is very helpful too.

Reports received before 4pm will be dealt with the same day. We will contact people to let them know what action can or can’t be taken. If evidence is missing we can explore options and next steps and we also check if individuals are willing to give witness statements etc.

NET are now automatically informed of flytipping reports with evidence at the same time as Bristol Waste are notified to get it cleared (this has previously caused a delay in response times).

The duty system operates 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Bristol Waste also search flytips for evidence and pass this to NET to follow up.

Flytippers are issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice (currently £200) or if the flytip is large or the fine isn’t paid the offender will be prosecuted. We are currently prosecuting four people for flytipping and have fined over 70 people.

The new system is allowing us to target officers to deliver more planned operations. For example this month we have carried out commercial waste operations in a number of retail areas which have recurring waste problems. Since November we have trebled the number of commercial waste notices served and are systematically fining those businesses which don’t comply. Businesses now need to prove how they dispose of their waste and, if they use commercial waste bins, these have to be labelled (to show who they belong to), must be locked, have wheels fixed and shouldn’t have waste stacked against them.”

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Up Our Street Spring 2019

What Counts as evidence?

Anything that could help identify the person who dumped the waste such as an addressed letter, business logos, or a car registration number.

Khalil has joined the team at Up Our Street to focus on waste and flytipping across our neighbourhood.

“The enforcement team are active and are working to fine people who dump on our streets, but they need the evidence from the community. I want to let people know that you can report anonymously.

So don’t just get angry and post photos on social media, send a report to the council instead. We all need to do our bit together.”

REport it!

Online at www.bristol.gov.uk/streets-travel/flytipping

or call 0117 922 2100 www.upourstreet.org.uk

easton safer streets underway

As we go to print, work has started on some of the Easton Safer Streets scheme. This includes upgrading informal crossing points and widening sections of the footway on Bellevue Road and installing speed cushions on York Road. The footway improvements on Bellevue Road, Greenbank Road and Washington Avenue are due to be completed by the end of February.

The York Road works are due to start on 28 February and should take take two weeks to install.

The statutory consultation on the waiting restriction (double yellow lines) element of the scheme ended on 1 February. This will see double yellow lines introduced on street corners.

LOCAL NEWS ROUND UP

An exact date is yet to be confirmed with the contractors but the schemes by May Park school and Villiers Road should be built during the Easter holidays. The Bannerman Road scheme will probably be built during the summer holidays due to the level of disruption the works will cause during term time.

EXCHange Is saved!

The Exchange on Old Market is celebrating becoming Bristol’s first community-owned live music venue. They launched a community share offer in the autumn which raised £300,000. This money will be invested into the building. The Exchange is run by a community benefit society, a type of cooperative where all members have an equal say.

Finally some good housing news

November saw tenants move into 14 affordable homes on Whitehall Road. Mayor Marvin Rees helped to cut the ribbon. This is the first 100% affordable housing development in Bristol to be delivered with support from the Council’s Affordable Housing budget.

The three-bedroom homes, delivered by housing association and house-builder Curo and contractor Clayewater Homes, are being let through Bristol City Council’s Home Choice scheme on secure affordable rent tenancies below the Local Housing Allowance rate.

...STOP PRESS...STOP PRESS...STOP PRESS...

Get news about Easton and Lawrence Hill every two weeks from Up Our Street.

Sign up to our free ebulletin at www.upourstreet.org.uk www.upourstreet.org.uk

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ACORN is hiring!

ACORN is a community-based union tackling injustice across the country, bringing people together to support each other to improve their lives and their communities.

Bristol Head Organiser £16,00 to £19,000 pa, 35 hours per week Bristol Member Defence Team Coordinator £16,000 pro rata, 21 hours per week

Nominations now open! www.bristoldiversityawards.co.uk Nominees just need to work or live in the Bristol (BS) postcode area and they must be working to benefit Bristol’s communities.

For more information and to apply please visit acorntheunion.org.uk, applications close end of February.

Easton and Lawrence Hill Wards Local Councillors’ Drop-Ins 2019 If you have a problem with Council services or other local issues and wish to raise it in person with your local councillors, please come to one of our monthly drop-ins (no appointment necessary): Saturday 1pm - 3pm at: Easton Community Centre, Kilburn St, BS5 6AW on: 12 January, 9 March, 11 May, 20 July, 14 September, 9 November.

(Drop-ins for Easton ward residents only e.g. Easton, Greenbank, Whitehall and Redfield) Saturday 1pm - 3pm at: Barton Hill Settlement, 43 Ducie Road, BS5 0AX on: 9 February, 13 April, 8 June, 10 August, 12 October, 14 December.

(Joint drop-ins welcoming anyone from Easton ward and also Lawrence Hill ward e.g. Barton Hill, Old Market, The Dings, St Judes, Upper Easton and St Philips Marsh).

The Community Shop at 2 Roman Road is available for community meetings and events. Get in touch on 07747 722 334

Don't forget!

Deadline for next edition of Up Our Street is 12 April.

Ruth Pickersgill RuthEaston Pickersgill Easton (Labour) (Labour)

Afzal Shah Easton (Labour)

Hibaq Jama Lawrence Hill (Labour)

Margaret Hickman Lawrence Hill (Labour)

07584 480583

07775 026 384

0778 6732945

0778 3532216

cllr.hibaq.jama@ bristol.gov.uk

cllr.marg.hickman@ bristol.gov.uk

(no texts)

cllr.ruth.pickersgill@ bristol.gov.uk

(text only)

cllr.afzal.shah@ bristol.gov.uk

Get in touch with story ideas tamsin@upourstreet.org.uk or call 0117 954 2837

Printed by Bristol City Council Labour Members’ Services

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Up Our Street Spring 2019

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FOOD REview: Salama Moroccan Bazaar

Up Our Street dropped in to Salama Moroccan Bazaar on Stapleton Road. It opened in October last year and is run by husband and wife team Samir and Sabah. Over coffee and mint tea, Sabah told us that “It’s been Samir’s dream to open a place like this, ever since he came to the UK fifteen years ago. From the age of seven he was working in his grandad’s coffee shop in Morocco, and we’re aiming to bring a bit of that atmosphere to Easton.”

She also says that they are keen to be

family friendly. “A lot of the cafes along this road are seen as very male places, but we are seeing more women coming in, which is great. We want people to know that everyone is welcome here.”

As well as delicious Moroccan sweets, we also enjoyed a traditional savoury pancake. Sabah says the plan is to offer a whole range of hot food when the kitchen is fully up and running.

Find Salama Moroccan Bazaar at 50 Stapleton Road (opposite the Leisure Centre).

COuncillors Corner

by Easton Councillor Ruth Pickersgill If, as councillors, we had a magic wand to wave to sort out one seemingly simple problem in our area, I am sure we would all aim it at the piles of rubbish around our bins and the flytipping on our streets. We all work very closely with Bristol Waste Company and the Neighbourhood Enforcement Team to try and address these issues. In my experience, once flytipping is reported, it is cleared pretty quickly, but it is really hard to identify the culprits. If there is CCTV, it is not always clear, and even manually going through the bags for clues.

Even so, so far this year, 6,379 people have been fined in Bristol for littering, 51 for commercial waste infringements and 17 for flytipping However, with cuts to Government funding for Bristol, resulting in reduced staffing, the Council really cannot sort this problem on its own. This disgraceful pile of rubbish (right) appeared in Robert Street a couple of weeks ago - ironically right under a ‘No flytipping’ notice.

It was reported quickly by a local business to a www.upourstreet.org.uk

councillor. As a result, the Enforcement Officer was there that day investigating the source, and had it cleared away - but for how long?

A number of local residents (you know who you are - and huge thanks to you all) report flytipping daily, and this is helpful. But they shouldn’t have to be doing it on their own. We ALL need to be reporting environmental crimes, and to be willing to put forward statements to help enforcers to identify culprits. We can also act as role models, educate locally, and put pressure on friends, neighbours and local businesses (as we know there are a small number who consistently refuse to manage their waste properly), in any way we can, to get them to treat our streets with more respect.

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Want to provide more for your family?

Improve your work and pay with free career coaching, training and support

Find out more at www.futurebright.org.uk For residents in paid work and receiving benefits or tax credits

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Sponsored Article

Children in care in your area want YOU to know... it’s not like the Dumping Ground at all!

The Fostering and Adoption team recently had the pleasure of meeting with the Children in Care Council of Bristol to get their views on being in credit: shutterstock care and how to recruit more foster carers.

These are some amazing children, ranging from James (10) to Precious (17). They meet regularly in Easton to represent the voice of some 680 children in care in the city on a range of matters. They were funny, engaging and bright, resilient and strong. They have come from backgrounds and have stories most of us cannot imagine - or want to. These children live in all corners of Bristol and it may even be that a fostering family lives in your street and cares for these children. We are always in need of more foster carers and this is what the children and young people we met would like you, the public, to know. These are their own words...

“People think that we live in care homes when we tell them we are in foster care, but we don’t. We live in a family with a mum and a dad, sometimes foster siblings, sometimes our own siblings.” Tom “I want people to know that I still see my mum, and I can phone her when I want.

My foster mum is really supportive and my mum and her get on cos my mum knows it’s the best place for me at the minute. I think some people think you don’t get to see your family once you go into care but it’s not true. I see my little sister every Saturday - we go into town together or bowling.” James “A good foster carer is someone who makes sure you are involved in the whole family, not stuck upstairs on your own; my foster family has taken me on holiday. We went to Portugal this year, it was my first time on a plane.”. Denver

“Sometimes people think I am in care because I misbehaved and am naughty, but it’s because my mum couldn’t look after me properly, she loves me, she just couldn’t do it.” Tyra “ I had a white carer first and she really didn’t know how to help me look after my hair and skin, but now I am in a long term foster placement with a black carer and she is great. She knows exactly where we can get the right stuff.” Precious “At first I didn’t like people at school knowing I was in care, because I thought they would think I had been bad and that my mum and dad didn’t want me. Now I am proud and I have stood up in front of the whole school and talked about being in foster care, because my fostering family is great and I love them very much.”

Sophie

Bristol City Council needs people from Easton and Lawrence Hill to come forward to be considered as foster carers who can offer children and young people positive and stable futures. The Children in Care Council would urge you to ‘check it out’!

There is an information event in the café of St. Pauls Learning Centre on 14 March from 6pm to 7.30pm so please come along. Contact fostering.adoption@bristol.gov.uk or call 0117 353 4200. www.upourstreet.org.uk

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Take Part FREE drama activities for ages 10 - 18!

FREE THEATRE TRIPS

Want to see a show? Join one of Travelling Light’s regular theatre trips.

FREE TASTER WORKSHOPS

From clowning to stage combat.

Travelling Light can offer a free skills session at your youth group!

To get involved contact:

takepart@travellinglighttheatre.org.uk 0117 903 1649 www.travellinglighttheatre.org.uk

Could you be a Trustee for Travelling Light?

Travelling Light is an award winning theatre company based in Barton Hill.

We are looking for volunteers with an interest in theatre for young people and experience in education, community engagement or finance to join our Board of Trustees and our artistic and finance committees.

To find out more get in touch: dienka@travellinglighttheatre.org.uk | 0117 3773169 www.travellinglighttheatre.org.uk /jobs-and-opportunities 22

Up Our Street Spring 2019

Your local school with a big green space!

Easton CE Academy currently has spaces in their Reception and Nursery classes and welcome visits all through the week. The Nursery is expanding and can now offer places for children from their third birthday.

Why not visit and see for yourself all that Easton CE Academy has to offer?

Easton CE Academy Beaufort Street, Easton, BS5 0SQ Phone: 0117 377 3070 Email: school@eastonce.org (Part of DBAT – Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust) www.upourstreet.org.uk

www.upourstreet.org.uk

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