Emersons Green Voice February 2021

emersonsgreenvoice

February, 2021 Edition—Issue 49

www.emersonsgreenvoice.co.uk

FREE EVERY MONTH IN EMERSONS GREEN, LYDE GREEN, SHORTWOOD & PUCKLECHURCH £50k raised to help Oscar, 4 Fifteenyear-old local lad Robbie is on our TV screens battling it out for the Junior Bake Off title. He says his speciality bake is salted caramel and chocolate cake.

Full story: Page 3

More than £50,000 has been raised so that Oscar Cridge, a pupil at Emersons Green Primary School, can have an operation that will enable him to walk unaided.

PAGE 9

Family’s efforts boost hospice

Covid jabs get under way PEOPLE living in the Emersons Green area have started being vaccinated against Covid-19, as the national programme reaches GP surgeries.

The first vaccinations for residents were administered just before Christmas at Christchurch medical centre in North Street, Downend, for patients of the Downend Health Group, Emersons Green Medical Centre, Leap Valley, Orchard and Three Shires GP practices.

The Healthier Together partnership of ten local health and care organisations, which is organising vaccinations in the area, said that by mid-January, 19 local centres were acting as hubs across the Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset region, along with Southmead Hospital and Ashton Gate stadium, where a “super vaccination centre” has been set up.

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The family of Emersons Green mum Angela Curnow, who died from cancer, have raised a much-needed £11,000 for St Peter’s Hospice.

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February, 2021

emersonsgreenvoice Huge cannabis haul n NEWS

Publisher Gary Brindle 0117 907 8585 07799 461169

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Journalist Linda Tanner 0777 0700579

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Journalist Ken McCormick 07715 770377 ADVERTISING sales@emersonsgreenvoice. co.uk Tel: 0117 907 8585 Tel 07799 461169 EDITORIAL news@emersonsgreenvoice. co.uk Letters to the publication can be sent to the above e-mail address or by post to Letters, Emersons Green Voice, 6 Elkstone Walk, Bitton, Bristol BS30 6JT. The editor reserves the right to edit your letter.

DEADLINES March edition deadline is February 17.

LOCAL INFORMATION South Gloucestershire Council www.southglos.gov.uk 01454 868009 Police www.avonandsomersetpolice.uk general enquiries: 101 Emergency: 999 Fire www.avonfire.gov.uk General enquiries: 0117 926 2061 Emergency: 999 NHS 111 Safer Stronger team sscg@southglos.gov.uk 01454 868009 Anti social behaviour team asbreporting@southglos.gov.uk 01454 868582

Streetcare/litter/vandalism etc streetcare@southglos.gov.uk Environment/trading standards 01454 868001 Well Aware Health and social care information www.wellaware.org.uk Tel: (freephone) 0808 808 5252

POLICE have revealed that 888 plants were found when a cannabis factory was uncovered in a disused Pucklechurch pub.

Seven men who were arrested following the discovery at the former Fleur de Lis pub in Shortwood Road remain under investigation.

A quantity of dried suspected cannabis was also seized on December 6.

Avon and Somerset police have again appealed for anyone with information about the cannabis factory to call them on 101, quoting crime reference number 5220 273 988. Information can also be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The pub, which has been closed since the first lockdown in March last year, is the subject of a planning battle, with an application to build eight homes in the car park submitted at the end of November (P20/23558/F) and developers appealing against the refusal of a previous scheme for nine homes.

Since details were published in last month’s Voice, another 30 objections to the plans and a further two letters of support have been lodged with South Gloucestershire Council.

Concerns have been raised by the council’s archaeological officer that the applicants have not properly assessed an “area of archaeological significance at the core of Pucklechurch village and in close proximity to the Norman church”, adding: “There is a very high potential for the survival of archaeological deposits from the medieval and earlier periods at the site.”

The application is still awaiting a decision from South Gloucestershire Council. The developer also submitted another application in January (P21/00127/F) to turn the pub into a fourbedroomed home and convert the toilet block into a micropub.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE Emersons Green Voice is independent.

We cannot take responsibility for content or accuracy of adverts, and it is advertisers’ responsibility to conform to all relevant legislation. We cannot vouch for any services offered. Opinions are not necessarily those of the editor.

Fishponds Voice is distributed each month to local residents. If for some reason you do not get a copy, please get in touch or collect one from local pick-up points. Feedback is welcomed, call Gary Brindle on 0117 907 8585 or news@fishpondsvoice.co.uk.

COMPLAINTS Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get things wrong. We always try to resolve issues informally at first but we also have a formal complaints procedure. If you have a complaint about anything in the Emersons Green Voice, contact the publisher using the details below. We aspire to follow the Code of Conduct of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), which holds journalists to a high standard of behaviour.

Further details of the complaints process can be found on the Voice website here, or can be obtained by contacting the Publisher.

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February, 2021

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Robbie, 15, aims to win TV’s Junior Bake Off A LOCAL teenager is providing the perfect recipe for cheering us all up during the winter lockdown - he’s appearing in Channel 4’s Junior Bake Off. Fifteen-year-old Robbie was on our screens in the first heat of the popular contest in the week beginning January 11, competing against seven other youngsters in daily challenges to create cakes, biscuits, bread, desserts and pastry.

He was one of four contestants who made it through to the finals week, starting on January 25. The show is presented by comedian Harry Hill and the judges are Liam Charles and Ravneet Gill.

Robbie, who is known as ‘smiler’ in school

Robbie in the Junior Bake Off tent with Harry Hill

because of his beaming grin and happy-golucky nature, won the hearts of viewers by his obvious enjoyment of the experience.

Baking is just one of his hobbies; Robbie is goalie for his local football team, plays cricket, is involved in a drama group and

A CHAT WITH THE STAR BAKER Why did you want to get on Junior Bake Off? Baking has always been a hobby of mine. I saw the advertising post on Bake Off’s Instagram page and thought ‘why not give it a go?’ My mum took the video of me in the kitchen to send in. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get on the show.

Who encouraged you to get into baking?

I have learned lots of baking recipes and tips from my grandma Diane, who’s been making my family’s birthday cakes without fail all my life.

What was it like getting to the location and meeting everyone?

I was quite nervous when driving up into Cobham Hall but once I saw the JBO letters in the distance I was very excited! It was so great to get to know everyone and hear about their baking adventures.

How hard was it to keep it a secret from your friends?

Really hard as I would have loved to tell them what I was up to over the summer. I’m so glad it’s now on TV and I can share it with them.

Did you enjoy meeting Harry and the judges Rav and Liam?

It was amazing meeting Harry Hill and it still feels very surreal that it all happened. He was very funny and we had some hilarious jokes.

Rav and Liam were such nice people and it was a privilege to meet all of them. I learned so many techniques and tips from the judges.

What is your speciality bake?

Salted caramel and chocolate cake. These are my two ultimate favourite flavours and I absolutely love them paired together. I also love baking cinnamon rolls - delicious, especially covered in icing!

Aside from baking, what other hobbies do you have?

I love drama and musical theatre. I played Wishee Washee in our drama group pantomime of Aladdin! I also love playing football and cricket.

loves making short films. He’s also the youngest person on the committee for his village fete where he helps organise the annual raffle.

Junior Bake Off is on weekdays at 5pm and can also be found on All4.

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February, 2021

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First doses of Covid jab

From Page 1 The first vaccinations offered to Emersons Green, Lyde Green and Pucklechurch residents used the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, with the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab also offered from early January.

But the government’s decision to delay second doses of the vaccination from three weeks to 12, to ensure more people could quickly receive a first shot, meant that some patients in the area had second appointments cancelled.

Mangotsfield resident Ray Isaac, a volunteer driver with Kingswood Community Transport, was one of the first to receive a vaccination, on December 23.

But his appointment for a second dose of the Pfizer/ BioNTech jab, on January 13, was cancelled.

The decision to delay is controversial because, while evidence has been found that a longer gap can increase the effectiveness of the Oxford/ AstraZeneca jab, Pfizer says its

vaccine has only been tested with a 21-day gap.

Ray, 82, was philosophical about the delay, saying: “I would have liked to have the second one but I suppose they’re trying to do the right thing so I don’t mind.”

He said he hoped the change would mean other people such as his wife, who is under 80, could get the vaccination more quickly.

The Healthier Together partnership is calling on people not to call their surgery to ask when they will be given the vaccine but instead to wait to be contacted.

The group said: “Staff are working tirelessly to ensure the necessary measures are in place for those most at risk to get their vaccine first. We are doing everything we can to stick to our timelines however we may need to cancel or amend appointments depending on delivery of the vaccine.”

A spokesperson for the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, which is part of the Healthier Together

Mangotsfield resident and Kingswood Community transport volunteer Ray Isaac received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination at the Christchurch Medical and Dental Surgery in Downend partnership, said each group of surgeries, known as a Primary Care Network (PCN), was planning vaccination days according to planned deliveries, with some organising them on consecutive days and some aiming to use an entire delivery

of vaccines in a day.

The spokesperson said people who had been invited to have a jab at the Ashton Gate stadium centre but felt it was not convenient to travel there could wait to be invited to their local GP site.

Rapid testing on offer as case rates double RAPID tests for Covid-19 are now available to anyone living or working in South Gloucestershire.

Critical workers and community volunteers – including nursery workers, funeral directors, staff in

essential shops and bus and taxi drivers – are being offered weekly tests, as the programme to find people who have the virus but no symptoms is expanded.

It comes as the number of cases of coronavirus in the area stands at more than double a

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month previously – and the total number of residents who have died with the virus passes 280.

The council says the rapid testing programme is aimed at finding people who have coronavirus but no symptoms, so that they can isolate and prevent the virus spreading.

The test involves taking a sample of saliva to look for signs of Covid-19, returning results within an hour.

The first testing site was set up at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre on January 18 and a second site in Kingswood was expected to be set up in the week beginning January 25.

They are separate from the testing sites in use for people who are experiencing symptoms, including one in Mangotsfield and one at UWE’s campus.

Rapid tests can be booked online at beta.southglos.gov.uk/ book-rapid-flow-test/.

The most recent Office for National Statistics figures as the Voice went to print showed

that during the week to January 14, a total of 50 Covid-19 cases had been confirmed in Emersons Green, along with 47 in the ONS’s Pucklechurch and Westerleigh area.

Another 42 cases had been confirmed in Downend, 28 in Mangotsfield, 31 in tStaple Hill North and 41 in Staple Hill South and Kingswood North West.

Case rates had fallen in most areas from the previous week – when Emersons Green had 65 new cases – but were more than double the level a month previously, when Emersons Green and Pucklechurch & Westerleigh both had 17 confirmed cases over a seven-day period.

For South Gloucestershire, the number of confirmed cases in the week to January 14 was 1,144 – down from 1,284 a week previously but more than twice the total of 541 four weeks before. Since the start of the pandemic, 11,756 cases have been confirmed.

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February, 2021

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More children in schools during Lockdown 3 AS many as one in three children are attending lessons some schools in the area, as they face new challenges in the third lockdown.

It comes as the amount of home learning organised online for other pupils is stepped up, with more live lessons via video links and increased contact and interaction, with more work being uploaded and marked than in the first lockdown last March.

Schools are also organising laptops, through both government schemes and

donations, to give to families who do not have the necessary technology at home.

At Blackhorse Primary School, 139 pupils – one in three – are attending school, including 40 classed as vulnerable.

About one in four pupils is still attending Barley Close Community Primary School in Mangotsfield.

Head teacher Jo Williams said: “This has increased from the March lockdown. We have spoken to all our vulnerable families and offered a place.”

Will Roberts, chief executive of the Castle School Education Trust, which runs Downend School and Mangotsfield School, said about one in every ten pupils was in school.

He said numbers were higher this time partly because more key workers were going to work, and partly because the first lockdown had shown it was “advantageous” to have vulnerable children in school, and the best way to organise this safely.

Mr Roberts said it was difficult to fund and to find

devices for all the staff and pupils who need them.

He said: “We have had our deliveries of government ones, which arrived after Christmas, but still not as many as we would ideally have. So we’re not being prescriptive about the style of learning, because if it’s all live learning you need a particular device all of the time. Parents sometimes need more flexibility over what device they can use.”

CSET schools were set to start Covid-19 testing for staff from January 18.

Why it’s time to ‘zip up those hero suits’ AT Blackhorse Primary, children and staff are more than prepared for a little adversity.

We teach the children from a very young age that success isn’t about natural talent or luck, it’s about opportunity, practice, tuition and determination! The slogan ‘zip up the hero suit’ is worn on the back of every child to remind them that when things get hard, they have the inner strength to be able to power on through and succeed.

This new lockdown has required children, staff and parents alike to ‘zip up their hero suits’ to find the inner strength and determination needed as the school moves to a second period of socially distanced schooling for some, and home schooling for most.

On January 4 our staff were gearing up to welcome all the children back to school. We predicted that the national picture was looking increasingly grim and used some of our INSET day to finalise plans for any school closure in the future. However, we were still all devastated when, less than 24 hours after telling us it was fine, Boris Johnson announced that all schools would close.

This left an enormous job to be done – organising home learning resources and deciding who we could accept into school

as essential workers. In my 14 years as a headteacher it was one of the most stressful days of my career. Some headteachers I know went straight back to school after the announcement on Monday evening and worked through the night.

But at this point that the whole community showed their inner strength and determination to get the job done.

The staff were incredible. They know the risks which they face by being in school but every last one just rolled up their sleeves and set about moving learning online, whilst also teaching in school – including daily live video call lessons, video tutorials and even daily individual calls to hear children read.

We quickly established that access to tablets and laptops was a barrier – with the DfE only providing a woefully inadequate three for the whole school. So the community ‘zipped up their hero suits’ and solved the problem – with parents offering to donate old tablets, cash and even buying new tablets to donate, so that every child would have access to a device they didn’t have to share with others.

We wanted the children (and their parents) to remember that they are stronger than they think, so asked the children to send in videos of themselves striking a superhero pose and declaring that ‘I’ve got this!’ to be cut together as a rousing video to share with the community.

Simon Botten, head teacher

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n NEWS ROYAL Mail has thanked customers for their "patience and understanding" after a combination of coronavirus cases and increased demand delayed some deliveries.

The Voice understands that at least nine members of staff based at the Fishponds delivery office in New Station Way, which serves the BS16 postcode area, had positive tests for Covid-19 in the run-up to Christmas, with more staff having to self-isolate after being advised by Test and

February, 2021

Mail delays continue Trace – all as the service had to handle "exceptionally high volumes" of parcels and mail.

Delays have continued into January and, while the area did not appear on the Royal Mail's national list of 28 postal districts worst affected by the virus, people living in the BS16 postcode area, which includes Emersons Green, Frenchay, Downend, Staple Hill and

Mangotsfield, have commented on social media about delays, with some complaining of going up to a week without deliveries.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Across the UK, our people are working hard to deliver as comprehensive a service as possible to all our customers, in challenging circumstances.

Every single letter and parcel is important to us. Like most

organisations, we have a number of employees who are self-isolating in line with government guidance. This has a direct impact on our staffing levels, especially in areas where there are higher levels of local outbreaks. We are working hard to deliver as normal a service as we can, drawing in extra resource and offering additional overtime where possible.

"We remain grateful to all our customers in these areas for their patience and understanding."

Calling all Young People!

Emersons Green Town Council wants to improve youth provision within the Emersons area. We are working in partnership with Creative Youth Network to ascertain the needs and desires of young people in the area.

Creative Youth Network will be engaging with young people through a variety of means, including surveys, detached work and focus groups.

The outcome of the consultation will directly influence how the Town Council prioritises projects and facilities for young people, including potential capital projects, so the impact is real!

If you are a young person aged between 11-19 living within the Town Council area (covering the wards of Badminton, Blackhorse, Pomphrey, Emersons Green and Lyde Green) please take a few minutes to complete the survey at the link (https://www.creativeyouthnetwork.org.uk/emersons-green-youth-survey) or using the QR code. By completing the survey, you will be entered into a prize draw for a £25 Love to Shop voucher!

If you would like to get more involved in deciding what youth provision will be available in your area, you can also register your interest on the survey.

If you want to get in touch about the survey, or with any questions or ideas, please contact: Ellen.Wilson@creativeyouthnetwork.org.uk INTRODUCING… Councillor Steve Bassett Emersons Green is a far cry from the industrial Midlands where I originated. After gaining a diploma in community and youth work I went on to complete a degree in Education, BPhil (Ed) at Birmingham University.

While working in Bristol city children services I worked with looked after children and young people subject to court orders, so I have a wide experience of young people and the challenges they face.

I think it is important to put something back into the community you are part of. I have four grandchildren and see all children as the foundation of our future as a community.

Our young people deserve the best we can offer. If we wish to enjoy living in a place like Emersons Green we need to provide for our young people.

Among my interests are, cycling, running and hill walking, all I should add, within any government lockdown rules in place at the time.

All Town Council meetings are open to members of the public and are currently held remotely by Zoom or Skype. Please see our website for meeting agendas, including joining instructions, or contact us on clerk@emersonsgreen-tc.gov.uk Planning Committee meeting 10.30am 1 February Full Council meeting 7.00pm 11 February Planning Committee meeting 10.30am 15 February Finance Committee 7.00pm 25 February

clerk@emersonsgreen-tc.gov.uk / www.emersonsgreen-tc.gov.uk Tel: 0117 3026989

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February, 2021

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Family raises £11,000 for hospice

WHEN cancer claimed the life of an Emersons Green mum, her family were determined to help the hospice which made her last days more comfortable.

Angela Curnow’s family hope the more than £11,000 they have raised carrying out Bristol’s answer to the Three Peaks Challenge will be just the start of their support for St Peter’s Hospice, which desperately needs donations after losing an estimated £2 million in income during the pandemic.

Angela, a payroll supervisor at Bristol University, died in November, just nine months after being diagnosed with cancer. She was 55.

In the final weeks of her life she was referred to St Peter’s Hospice, the Bristol area’s only adult hospice.

Her daughter Hollie, who lives in Bromley Heath, said the family was “incredibly grateful” to the hospice staff for making her mum’s last days comfortable and settled, and for supporting the family through a terrible time.

She said: “It would have been so difficult without them. I would want other families to have the support we had.”

When Hollie learned that St Peter’s Hospice had lost half of the annual £4 million income it receives from its charity shops, fundraising campaigns and donations due to coronavirus restrictions, she and the family decided to do something to help.

With her partner George, dad Russell, brother Josh, his partner Charlotte and Russell’s

Angela Curnow

Hollie Curnow with dad Russell, brother Josh, partner George and aunt Mandy on the Bristol Three Peaks walk sister Mandy, Hollie set about organising a fundraising event.

She said: “Originally we thought about doing the actual Three Peaks Challenge (Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike) but with all the travel restrictions we thought it was better to do something closer to home.”

When they learned there was a Bristol Three Peaks walk - taking in Knowle Hill, Maes Knoll and Blackberry Hill in the Mendips, south of the city, they quickly set about preparing for the 16.7-mile challenge, and did it in December, completing the challenge supported by relatives and friends who were on hand with refreshments and encouragement.

Hollie said her mum had been a well-loved person who

had not told a lot of people about her illness. As well as support from many friends, the family’s fundraising was boosted after being shared by the hospice’s social media account.

Hollie said: “We set the target at £1,000 and thought that would be a good amount to raise.

It very quickly got to £1,000 and, in a couple of days, to £5,000.

“We thought £10,000 was very ambitious but we reached that during the walk, so it spurred us on.

“Mum would have been thrilled with the amount that was raised for the hospice, because of how much she valued her experience there.

“She definitely would have been proud that we all got together at such a difficult time

to do something positive.

“I didn’t want to wallow in my own grief but to do something where we could be together and talk about mum and think about the good times.”

Russell has also raised more than £600 for Macmillan Cancer Support, after Angela asked him to help the charity.

To donate to the family’s St Peter’s Hospice fundraiser, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/ josh-curnow.

Donations to Macmillan can be made at justgiving.com/ fundraising/russellcurnow To find out more about the St Peter’s Hospice When it Matters Most campaign to raise £2 million, visit stpetershospice. org/support-us/make-adonation/.

Lockdown forces Metrobus service cut WEEKEND metrobus services are being cut back in response to the effects of the latest lockdown.

Operator First says the m3x service on Saturdays is being reduced from every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes “due to low customer demand”.

The change will be from January 30.

James Freeman, managing director of First West of England, said: “We are regularly monitoring what is needed to get our customers moving safely and reliably.

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These altered timetables will ensure that the number of buses in operation meet the needs of those who must undertake essential travel in line with Government guidance.

“We remind all customers that it is a legal requirement to wear a face covering when travelling by public transport, unless you fall within the Government’s specified exemptions and everyone should adhere to this to help protect each other. Social distancing measures remain in place on all

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our buses and we also encourage customers to take advantage of contactless payment if possible, to make boarding faster and safer.

“We’d like to thank all our customers for their ongoing patience and cooperation.”

First says the change is in response to advice from the Department of Transport and has been taken after consultation with the transport authorities including WECA. It is expected to stay in place for the duration of the lockdown period, although all services remain under constant review.

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February, 2021

n NEWS

Rajastan Royal wins takeaway crown

A DOWNEND takeaway has been named the region's best in the annual Asian Curry Awards.

Rajastan Royal in Westbourne Road took the West of England Takeaway of the Year title at the awards, which were announced at a virtual ceremony in December.

As well as celebrating exceptional food, the awards, which are in their 10th year, also recognised those who worked hard to help their communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Free meals were delivered for key workers and homeless people during lockdown under the Food 4 NHS Project led by Rajastan Royal manager Naseem Talukdar, involving teams from takeaways and restaurants across Bristol.

Naseem said: “This is a proud moment for our team and our customers, who voted for us.

“We have worked hard over the Covid-19 period and it’s great to get such recognition.”

Organised by the Asian Catering Federation, the awards cover a range of national cuisines, including Chinese, Bangladeshi, Indian, Thai and Middle Eastern.

Rajastan Royal chef Afjal Khan with the award The judging panel, chaired by Curry Club founder and Good Food Guide author Pat Chapman, included chefs, restaurateurs and food critics, including Bristol food writer Emily Knight.

Hundreds of establishments across the country took part.

Fishponds resident Naseem is also a project manager for charity Plastic Pollution Awareness and Action Projects, which looks

at alternatives to single-use plastic in the food industry.

He also campaigns for greater support for homeless people, organising the provision of hot meals and essentials for people on the street, and works with campaign group UK Curry Connect to raise awareness of skills shortages in the Asian catering.

Naseem, who has received a Bristol High Sheriff’s Award in recognition of his contribution to the city, said: "It’s a great boost to confidence to receive such an award and we couldn’t have done it without the support of people in our community.

"We’ve received lots of positive messages, both in person and online. This event is an opportunity to see what others are doing in the industry and keep on improving our work."

Asian Curry Awards chairman Yawar Khan said: "The team at Rajastan were deserving winners, as they have given back to their community over the years and have upped this support since the coronavirus outbreak.

"In turn, their community showed their appreciation and voted for them to win this award."

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Thanks for all the support - Oscar, 4 A YOUNG pupil at Emersons Green Primary School will have life-changing surgery this year thanks to fundraising.

Four-year-old Oscar Cridge has cerebral palsy and needs specialist spinal surgery at Bristol Children’s Hospital to be able to walk without a frame.

The operation isn’t available to him on the NHS so parents Emma and Shaun need to raise almost £100,000 to pay for the operation and associated rehab, hydrotherapy, new specialist splints whenever he grows, and adaptations to their house.

Luckily a huge fundraising push over Christmas means they have enough to pay for the initial operation this summer.

Musician Darren Sims, known as Daz, heard about Oscar and decided to donate the proceeds of a Christmas single

to his cause. Put The Fairy On The Tree made it to number 19 in the official UK download charts. Sales of the single, plus donations, mean over £50,000 has been raised so far.

This is welcome news to his family, who face several months of Oscar having his legs repeatedly plastered into new positions to try to straighten them, after which they’ll need to pay £3,000 for splints that will fit the new angle of his feet.

Oscar may need to stay off school during this treatment to avoid the risk of missing hospital appointments if he or a classmate catches coronavirus.

The operation would be life-changing for the youngster, whose biggest dream is to have a kickabout with his friends.

Once he can finally do so, he’ll have all the right kit. Bristol

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Rovers, Bristol City and Bath City football clubs have each given Oscar his own club strip with his name on it, and he’s been invited to lead the Rovers team out on to the pitch once public matches resume.

In the meantime, he’s found fame elsewhere. Last month he appeared on The One Show as part of a surprise thank you to Daz, as well as on Sky News.

Shaun, 37, said: “It’s such good news that we’ve come so far with the fundraising. It feels like

we can relax a bit and focus on helping Oscar before another big push to raise money.”

Once Oscar has had his surgery, Emma, 31, will be able to have her own surgery that’s on hold until Oscar needs less physical support. Reconstruction surgery following breast cancer treatment means she won’t be able to pick up Oscar for months.

Money for Oscar’s operation and rehab can be donated at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ shaun-cridge-5

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10

February, 2021

n NEWS

What the council says the Newlands Bridge linking Emersons Green and Lyde Green will look like after the work

What the bridge looks like now

WORK on a £6.5 million project to improve links between Emersons Green and Lyde Green has begun.

South Gloucestershire Council says the Linking the Greens project will not only improve physical links, including pedestrian and cycling routes, but will also “promote cultural links between the two areas” through public art.

The first stage of the project will focus on transport, and the first evidence of it was the placing of concrete barriers on the Avon Ring Road underneath the Newlands Bridge - the footbridge next to Emersons Green retail park - which is set to be refurbished under the scheme.

Drivers were being advised that the ring road dual carriageway would be reduced to one lane in each direction until early to mid February.

Newlands Bridge • build a new footpath into Lyde Green • build new steps at the northern end of the Newlands Bridge • improve lighting on the Ring Road Path • finish the Pucklechurch to Ring Road shared-use path • build a new cycle/pedestrian path next to the Emersons Green skate park.

However, the project does not include work to improve the BMX track next to the skate park, which Gordon Clapp, who helped raise £100,000 for the skate park in memory of his son, had called on the council to carry out in 2019.

The council is planning to involve residents in the art programme, which is expected to take place next year.

It hopes the improvements will encourage more people to consider “active travel options” - walking or cycling - rather than driving for local journeys.

The work is being funded via developer contributions, the south Gloucestershire Council and the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership.

Linking the Greens: work gets under way The refurbishment of the Newlands Bridge will include replacing the parapets, resurfacing, replacing movement joints, installing some security fencing to reduce anti-social behaviour and strengthening columns, although the bridge will remain the same width and the main structural elements will remain in place.

Work to build a new speed table on the access road to Sainsbury’s was due to take place next, starting from January 25, as part of a traffic calming scheme, with new signs for cyclists on the Ring Road Path, which runs alongside the ring road, being installed from the same date.

Other works, all set to take place later in the year, are: • improve the shared-use foot and cycle path from Lyde Green to Emersons Green via the

Council cabinet member for strategic infrastructure Steve Reade said: “We are committed to encouraging people to use sustainable and active travel and one of our key priorities over the next four years is investing in cycling and pedestrian facilities across South Gloucestershire.

“The infrastructure improvements planned for Lyde Green and Emersons Green will enable people to consider cycling and walking as credible alternatives for local journeys.

“The Linking the Greens project is all about enhancing the links between the Lyde Green and Emersons Green but not just the physical links but the cultural too, through an exciting public arts programme.

“We hope this scheme will strengthen a sense of community between the two areas and help people get to know the area they live in.”

For more information about the project, including a full list of the work to be included, visit www.southglos.gov.uk/ majorroadworks.

Early work was taking place at the bottom of the structure

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emersonsgreenvoice

February, 2021

11

n NEWS

New business left in lockdown limbo A NEW business has been left high and dry by lockdown rules which mean it cannot open – or claim any financial support or relief.

Mitch Hoare and dad Mike's plans to set up cafe, bar and lounge Mokka at a former Downend bike shop started before the first lockdown last year.

They invested £100,000 and spent months over the summer transforming the building next to the roundabout at the top of the high street into a venue where people could meet, eat and drink.

They fitted out the interior, set up Covid security measures, put insurance and licences in place and took on 16 staff, including two chefs from a fivestar hotel.

But just as they were about to open to the public at the start of November, the second lockdown was introduced – and since then, the tier system and third lockdown have kept the venue shut.

Mitch Hoare inside new Downend cafe, bar and lounge Mokka And because Mokka has been unable to trade, they are ineligible to claim any support grants, furlough payments or business rate reductions offered to other businesses by the government.

The family also runs the Grapevine in Mangotsfield and Foresters in Downend, where Mitch's brother Vinny is the landlord. Sisters Jade and Baily were also set to join the team running Mokka.

Mitch says that all they are asking is for Mokka to be treated the same as businesses that were already trading.

The business was due to open to the public on November 6 and had held test openings with family members on October 30 and 31 – the day Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the second lockdown, starting on November 5.

Mitch said: "Because the business hadn't traded for a

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single day, we're ineligible for any of the benefits.

"Everything was ready to go – the chefs were in, the menus were done, the licence and fire regulations done and we had tested the food with the family.

We had the whole team of 16 in place and the rota was done.

"We've set up the till systems and internet – the business has multiple bills set up and those companies don't want them to stop.

"We stocked up the spirits and the fridges – it's just dead money sitting on the shelves.

"We were trying to open but because of the lockdown we couldn't. I just don't understand how every other company can be getting the reliefs and benefits when we are in the same position as them."

The Voice has contacted the government's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to ask why the rules bar businesses like Mokka from any support.

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emersonsgreenvoice

12

February, 2021

n PETER'S VISION

Caring for your eyes

A

S I write this our topsy turvy times seem to be continuing. We’re all hoping for enough normality to have the family Christmas that means so much to so many of us, as well as keeping safe too! At least the prospect of a vaccine is seemingly nearer each week that goes by, which keeps our hopes alive and now looks more like a light than just a flicker at the end of the tunnel.

Our quest for sourcing the latest technologies for you our patients continues unabated.

Those of you who regularly wear glasses will understand my excitement at this one. At last, we can look forward to wearing our glasses with the often required face mask or covering and be able to see clearly too! This new lens, our anti-fog lens, is a super and exciting development. Whatever

you wear your glasses for, we’ve now the anti fog lens for you.

Amazingly even when we hold this lens over a boiling kettle it stays fog free! Now this was just for demonstration of how amazing the lens is of course, and not something we’d recommend you try at home. The hallelujah moment for us glasses wearers is that if the lens can stay fog free in steam it will be amazingly clear going in and out on cold or wet days, as well as when wearing a face covering. These conditions used to be the nemesis of spectacle lenses, but no more!

It was road safety week recently, a timely reminder that seeing clearly for driving is of vital importance. I appreciate that the world of routine eye checks has only recently been returning to normal, but it is our individual responsibility that we all make

sure we can see clearly whatever we’re doing, particularly if our negative actions, such as driving without clear vision, could have catastrophic consequences for others too.

You & your loved ones are most welcome to come and see us whatever your eye care needs.

Whether you’d like regular glasses or anti fog glasses for near, far or both, our expert teams are ready & waiting to help you! We just ask that you telephone first to book a time to come in, to help us keep you all safe. Please call our Henleaze practice on 0117 962 2474 or our Fishponds practice on 0117 965 4434.

I’ll end on a cheerful note, I sincerely hope you all have an enjoyable Christmas and a relaxing family time. My thoughts and best wishes are with all of you particularly those who, as we

have, lost a loved one this year.

Here’s to a bright future and a Happy 2021 for us all!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Peter

Peter Turner is a Senior Optometrist at Turners Opticians in Bristol, and also works part time as a Senior Optometrist at the Bristol Eye Hospital.

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February, 2021

13

n NEWS

Volunteer army steps forward once again PEOPLE who need help to get through the latest lockdown are being reassured that it is still available.

Volunteers who came together at the start of the pandemic are continuing to operate support networks for anyone who is in quarantine because of coronavirus, is shielding because they are clinically vulnerable and have no social bubble, or is facing food poverty.

Many groups formed from people coming together on social media to offer or ask for help, and groups such as the BS16 Covid-19 Community Care Group and Hack The Problem community volunteers are offering help with groceries, prescriptions and other essential support via their Facebook pages.

Other networks were the result of existing organisations coming together.

In Staple Hill and Mangotsfield, the Salvation Army, Staple Hill Community Hub and Mangotsfield Residents Association, along with local councillors Michael Bell, Ian Boulton and Katie Cooper, have been working together with volunteer helpers and donors, including a group of bikers collecting and delivering donations to care homes and the NHS. Ian said: "Since Lockdown 1 we, with the

Members of the Tuesday Move It Club received presents from the Staple Hill Community Hub after it had to cancel their annual Christmas party. The hub is providing parcels for people facing food poverty and support for those isolating or shielding. help of our amazing community volunteers, have been kept consistently busy providing support to our Staple Hill and Mangotsfield residents, and we plan to continue our efforts through Lockdown 3 and beyond.

"Through the Staple Hill Community Hub and the Salvation Army we are continuing to be able to provide emergency food parcels to residents who are facing food poverty."

Hub chair William Lee said the community was continuing to offer help, with around 30 people answering a call for volunteer food parcel deliverers in December.

Food donations have been coming from individuals and businesses, including a wave of donations in the run-up to Christmas and a recent donation of food worth £300 from Sainsbury's Local in Downend.

William said: "I'd like to say a big thankyou to everybody who has helped."

Anyone who needs help with food and lives in the Staple Hill and Mangotsfield area can get help by visiting the Salvation Army in Staple Hill High Street between 11am and midday on Tuesdays or Thursdays.

People can also contact the Staple Hill Community Hub by calling 07467 097175, emailing hello@staplehillcommunityhub.org. uk or messaging the hub's Facebook page.

People can also contact Michael on 0787 5631817, Ian on 0756 243 7598, Katie on 0759 633 8107 or Clive Heath of Mangotsfield Residents Association on 07560 716 8700.

Donations can be made at the Salvation Army at the opening times mentioned above or via the Bean Tree Cafe in Page Park. Longlife food such as tinned beans, pasta, rice and breakfast cereal is particularly useful.

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emersonsgreenvoice

14

n NEWS FROM OUR MP

February, 2021

Bridge will strengthen bonds between Emersons Green and Lyde Green Chris Skidmore writes for

Emersons Green Voice

INVESTING in our infrastructure is essential for our future. It provides new jobs and helps us to grasp future opportunities that there will be as we recover from Covid-19.

That’s why, as the local MP, I am pleased to see works getting under way on the £6.5 million Linking The Greens project to strengthen and promote the physical and cultural links between Lyde Green and Emersons Green.

Pedestrian and cycling infrastructure improvements will include the refurbishment of the Newlands Bridge over the A4174 Avon Ring Road, a new and improved shared-use path from Lyde Green across to Emersons Green Retail Park via the existing

footbridge, a new footpath into the Lyde Green residential area, construction of new steps at the northern end of the bridge and a new cycle/pedestrian corridor adjacent to the Emersons Green skate park.

The project will also involve safety improvements in the wider area, such as the completion of the B4465 Pucklechurch to Ring Road shared-use path, a new traffic calming scheme on the Sainsbury’s access road and some new lighting on the Ring Road Cycleway.

I continue to champion the need for a new school to serve the growing Lyde Green community and to support South Gloucestershire Council’s bid to secure the necessary government

funding.

It was exciting to see the council begin consultation last summer on the design for the new ‘all-through’ Lyde Green School, which will have a 420 pupil primary phase and a 900 pupil secondary phase, aiming to take its first pupils in 2022.

The school facilities, including its sports pitches, will be available for community use outside of school hours. The new buildings will also be constructed to high environmental standards that seek to minimise carbon emissions.

I will continue to campaign for further infrastructure to be funded out of the record £100 billion the Chancellor is setting aside for capital investment this year.

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emersonsgreenvoice

February, 2021

15

n LYDE GREEN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

So glad to do our bit to support people in need WORKING with Coffee At Lyde, Lyde Green Community Association were pleased to be able to facilitate the community with Christmas food boxes. These helped to support families who would usually receive free school meals and might be finding things tough during the school holidays.

The food was funded by a crowd funder appeal on social media and raised over ÂŁ700.

These were put together by Coffee at Lyde staff, the centre staff team and some fabulous volunteers.

Both Coffee at Lyde and Lyde Green Community Association are glad to do our bit, to help where we can.

We were also very excited to announce our Christmas hamper giveaway.

2020 has been really tough and it has been especially hard on some of our community. We think Christmas is the perfect time of

Christmas hampers given to people nominated by the community year to provide extra support to those who deserve it.

We asked the community to nominate someone who they think deserved an extra special something.

By getting in touch with a little bit of information about their nominee, we were able to tailor the hamper to people nominated.

Donations were given by the community and staff team members, and volunteers helped to package up the hampers ready for delivery. We would like to thank everyone who was involved.

We are proud to be open for exempt activities which comply with government guidance. These include blood donations (pre-

n NEWS

Barley Close staff's big effort STAFF from a school in Mangotsfield raised a magnificent ÂŁ4,000 for a charity which helps children who care.

The team from Year 5 Elephants class at Barley Close Community Primary School - Tracey Eatwell, Katy Cripps and Julie Williams - all took part in the 12 days of Christmas challenge to raise Katy Cripps money for the Bristol-based Young Carers charity.

Over the course of November and December they took part in 12 separate fitness activities either 12 runs, 12 cycles or 12 fitness classes.

Mrs Eatwell runs the Young Carers group for children attending Barley Close who look after family members at home.

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Barley Close staff members Tracey Eatwell and Julie Williams with their medals The group recently received a bronze award from the charity, recognising the hard work and support they offer to the children and their families.

In recognition of their fundraising challenge the staff members were each given a Christmas robin medal.

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booked only), religious services, mental health support groups and tutoring for at-risk children.

We consider these activities essential to support the local community and the surrounding areas in these difficult times.

We are continuing to support our regular hirers whilst some of them are providing online classes. We are working with local volunteer groups to support the community during Covid-19 and share information as much as we can.

Like everyone, we are hoping 2021 will allow us to continue to do the work that we do in the community and we look forward to when we can welcome you back to the community centre.

Please check out Lyde Green Community Association Facebook and website page, www. lydegreenca.org, for information on how you can help in the community and more.

Appeal for crash witnesses POLICE are trying to trace witnesses and video footage as they investigate a crash in Hambrook that left a driver fighting for his life.

The man, who is in his 50s, was taken to hospital with what police described as "lifethreatening injuries" after his black BMW left the Filton Road and crashed at about 5.10am on January 2.

He remained in hospital more than ten days after the incident, by which time his condition was described as "stable".

Avon and Somerset Police want to hear from the drivers of any other vehicles which may have been involved in the collision, from anyone who saw what happened or who has dashcam footage from the time of the crash. Witnesses should call 101 and quote the incident reference number 5221 000 588.

Got News? Call Jayne On 0788 0731148

emersonsgreenvoice

16

February, 2021

n LOCAL HISTORY

Handel Cossham: A fortune mined from beneath our feet His name can be found on roads, a hall and even a hospital – but how much do you know about Handel Cossham?

Mangotsfield Residents Association member and historian David Blackmore looks at how Cossham became one of our area's leading industrialists Part 1: HANDEL Shepherd Cossham was born on March 31 1824 in Thornbury High Street, the son of the town's carpenter and joiner, Jesse Cossham, and his wife, Sarah.

It was often said that Handel – named after the composer it is said his father greatly admired – was born in the same house as

his father, grandfather and great grandfather, and it now carries a plaque proclaiming it as the birthplace of this "non-conformist Preacher, Industrialist, Geologist, Politician, Educationalist and Public Benefactor".

After moving to Ryeford, near Stroud, when he was a year old, he returned to Thornbury in 1830, attending the local Dame school and Sunday school.

Documents drawn up when he later donated a hall to the people of Thornbury stated that he left the town in 1845, "to fight the battle of life", moving first to live near a colliery in Yate, where he worked as a clerk, and gained knowledge of mining and geology.

Although he studied mining, working “almost night and day”, he found time to preach at the colliery.

In January 1848 Cossham married Elizabeth Wethered, his employer's daughter, going into partnership with her father and

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brothers. They set up business at Parkfield – between Pucklechurch and what is now Lyde Green – and Shortwood in 1851.

Over the coming decades, as coal fuelled the industrial revolution, the business prospered.

In 1863 Speedwell and Deep Pit at St George were acquired by the partnership and in 1864 the Kingswood Colliery followed. They also took out a lease on Brandy Bottom, near their Parkfield mine, in 1871, sinking the New Pit shaft and building its horizontal engine house.

The shaft at Brandy Bottom colliery had been first sunk in 1837, with much of the work done by young children, whose small size enabled them to get along the narrow passages, where they would pull heavy tubs of coal along using chains.

Coal hauled up at Brandy Bottom was loaded on to wagons, initially on the Dramway, a horse and gravity railway that delivered it to barges on the river Avon for use in Bristol and other cities.

Cossham connected Brandy Bottom underground to his nearby Parkfield Colliery and at some time renamed the complex as ‘Parkfield South': as a long-standing member of the Temperance Association, the name Brandy Bottom had to go.

In 1864 Cossham purchased the bulk of the 210-acre Hill House Estate, in Staple Hill. It was broken up and auctioned ten years later, divided into some 60 building lots and auctioned off.

The fields sold off are now bounded by present day South View, Park Road, Salisbury Road and Burley Crest, with other roads now standing at the edges of the estate including Park Road, West Park Road and Clarence Avenue.

In 1879 his in-laws decided to sell up, and Cossham snapped up nearly all of their shares, forming a limited liability company, the Kingswood & Parkfield Colliery Company Ltd, which came under his control along with Charles S Wills, of the tobacco family.

He was soon a wealthy man, having also bought the mineral rights of the St George area in 1875. The company now controlled almost 3,000 acres of freehold minerals, yielding a daily output of nearly 1,000 tons of coal and employing over 1,500 workers.

Unusually for a mine owner,

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Portrait of a young Handel Cossham, in 1848 Cossham was concerned for the welfare of his workers and introduced many safety measures, such as stone or brick-lined shafts, before legislation made them compulsory.

He was held in high esteem by his colliery workers, building ranks of local pennant stone cottages for them in what is now Cossham Street, Mangotsfield, and the 'Parkfield Rank' in Pucklechurch.

After Cossham's death in 1890 his mining interests were held in trust for his wife, who died in 1896.

His coal interests in the area were acquired in an auction in 1900 by the Bedminster, Easton, Kingswood and Parkfield Collieries Ltd, which had been specifically formed for this purpose.

But the company was soon struggling, with all of the region's mines on the decline after the opening of the Severn Tunnel in 1886, and consequent availability of cheaper coal from South Wales, making them uncompetitive.

By the First World War, Brandy Bottom had closed and the other pits were being operated by a receiver, before being bought by Somerset Collieries and renamed the East Bristol Collieries Ltd. The Parkfield Colliery was almost exhausted and closed in 1936, by which time just 80 men worked there. The site was auctioned the following year, including the manager's house, buildings and around 20 acres of land.

In Part 2 next month: Cossham the preacher, educationalist, politician and benefactor *Thanks to www.thornburyroots.co.uk

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n AVON & SOMERSET POLICE ON KNIFE CRIME

Knife crime: A new way forward

I THINK it’s fair to say that the past year has been full of ups and downs and has left many of us wondering where our ‘normal’ life went. 2020 challenged all of us in so many ways and this was especially true for us in the police, as we adapted quickly to new legislation to help manage the Coronavirus pandemic, and had to juggle this alongside our normal day to day duties to keep our communities safe.

Whist the pandemic did mean some types of crime such as burglary and road traffic incidents reduced temporarily, other crime types, particularly those which affect the most vulnerable members of our community such as domestic abuse, did unfortunately increase.

Despite the added pressure the pandemic has brought to our service, we haven’t taken our foot off the pedal when it comes to keeping our young people safe. Last year, we ran a successful project with a number of schools in Avon and Somerset which led to the creation of short, animated films exploring issues around knife crime.

The films, produced by secondary school aged children in partnership with students at UWE Bristol, are all original and thought provoking, and explore a range of themes such as the role of social media, bullying, speaking out if you suspect someone is carrying a knife, and the cyclical, retaliatory nature of knife crime. The films can all be viewed at www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/

By Sergeant

Ruth Gawler

knifecrime and are a great starting point for conversations with young people about serious violence.

Some of the young people involved in the above films also made a documentary, in partnership with a local film maker, which explores how agencies must work together and listen to young people if we are to break the cycle of violence and calls for sustained, long term investment in youth services. The film, called Knife crime: A new way forward, can also be viewed via the link above.

No matter where they lived and went to school, the young people involved in this project told us time and time again that their main concerns were the lack of safe spaces for them to go to and their need for trusted adults to speak to.

It’s no secret that engaging young people in activities that interest them is a successful way to divert them away from crime and anti-social behaviour and we’re thrilled that our successful Crime Prevention Through Sport initiative has received the funds needed to continue throughout 2021. We have partnered with Somerset Active Sports Partnership

(SASP) and West of England Sports (Wesport) who will help us to manage and administer the fund, meaning we benefit from their expertise and can join up with partners to ensure the smooth delivery of sporting activities for young people which will help to divert them away from unfavourable behaviours and into more positive and beneficial activities.

In Emersons, I know the local community were understandably shocked and alarmed by an incident on the railway path in Kingswood in December, where a woman jogger was stabbed in the leg.

A few days after the incident we arrested a 14-year-old boy who was later released under investigation and our enquiries continue. Neighbourhood officers in partnership with officers from Operation Remedy have stepped up their patrols on the path to increase visibility and feedback from users of the path has been very positive about how reassuring they find this police presence.

As we look further ahead, we are forming a multi-agency partnership to look at long term solutions to the issues on the railway path working with our partners in Bristol City Council and Sustrans amongst others. I am hopeful that we will find solutions to ensure this much loved path remains a safe and sustainable space to exercise and commute.

emersonsgreenvoice

18

n NEWS

Chance to inspire scientists of future A COMPETITION has been launched in Emersons Green to inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists and environmentalists.

The National Composites Centre at the Bristol & Bath Science Park is launching a virtual poster competition to all Year 8 pupils, with the winning team given the chance to visit the high-tech centre at to see how the materials developed there shape our lives.

Students need to imagine that the year is 2121 and that they are designing a city on a new planet to for humans to inhabit with the Earth close to becoming inhabitable due to the effects of climate change. Students will have access to a 30-minute online talk with an expert from the NCC to help them with their poster design.

Francesca Andrews, learning and development adviser at the NCC, said: “This is an exciting competition that will get young students thinking about the ways we can all reduce our negative impact on the environment, as well as raising awareness of sustainability, STEM and the role of composite materials. Now more than ever, we need to develop our scientists of the future.

“The great thing about the competition is that it can all be done online, now that we find ourselves in another lockdown, but it’s also a really fun and creative learning activity for them which we hope will be welcomed. Classmates can get together on Zoom or other platforms to talk through their design ideas too.”

Schools who would like their pupils to take part can find out more at the National composites centre STEM poster competition website, at bit.ly/3qD16Tf. The submission deadline is February 5, with the final taking place on March 17.

A Virtual Event

February, 2021

n CRAFT COLUMN Pocket hugs With Liz Freke of Hattie’s Hooray’s WE usually create a February make with Valentine’s Day in mind, but with the current pandemic, we thought many people would appreciate receiving a pocket heart hug. These are so simple to make and ideal for a home school activity

1. Take your oddment of felt and fold in half. Cut half a heart shape with the fold on the left hand side, so that when you open up the felt you have a full heart shape. Take your next oddment of felt and draw around your heart shape and cut out – you now have two hearts the same size and you can use these as templates if you are going to be creating more than one heart (you need a pair of hearts to create one heart hug).

– they can even be sent in the post to surprise a loved one.

You will need: Oddments of felt Embellishments Needle Different colour cotton thread Toy wadding Fabric Scissors Sewing Pins

4. Using a running stitch, sew around the outside of your heart roughly 0.5cms from the edge of the felt, removing the pins as you go and stopping when you are roughly 5cms away from where you started.

5. Push a small bit of toy wadding into the gap just light enough to make your heart protrude slightly.

10 am Sunday 21/3/21 Walk, Run or Ride for BUST – Bristol’s only Breast Care charity Everyone is welcome to help raise money for BUST to support the Bristol Breast Care Centre patients.

How do I enter a virtual run, walk ride for BUST? easy!

E-mail simoncawthorn@gmail -All will be explained Invite a friend(s), decide how, where and what distance, arrange sponsors & start training Record the event ( phone, watch or App)

10 am 21/3/21 To advertise, contact Gary on 07799 461169

2. Place one heart on top of the other and pin together around the edges using sewing pins.

3. Now thread a sewing needle using 3 lengths of the same colour cotton, this will make the stitch thicker and make the colour pop on your heart.

Email: sales@emersonsgreenvoice.co.uk

6. Now close the gap by continuing your running stitch around the edge until you have reached where you started.

7. You have now created your basic heart and can decorate and embellish it however you like! We used 3 lengths of cotton to create a face on one heart and then used backstitch to create lettering. You can also decorate with anything of your choice – fabric glue will ensure your embellishments stay put.

Got News? Call Jayne On 0788 0731148

emersonsgreenvoice

February, 2021

19

n NEWS

Science park unveils electric vehicle charging hub AN electric vehicle charging hub which can deal with six vehicles at a time has been opened at the Bristol and Bath Science Park.

South Gloucestershire Council has installed the EV hub, complete with a solar canopy, as part of the Revive vehicle charging network.

Part of the Go Ultra Low West (GULW) project, it has one fast (7-22kW) and five rapid (50kW) charging points, with 12 bays for vehicles using or waiting to use the chargers.

To use the charge points, users can sign up to Revive at www.revivecharging.net.

Council cabinet member for the environment Steve Reade said: “South Gloucestershire Council has recognised the important role it plays in supporting growth in electric vehicles in our region and this new charging hub is a great starting point.

“We want to help people adopt greener travel choices

Steve Reade at the new charging hub and we encourage the use of electric vehicles as part of the mix of more sustainable options available.

“We are also demonstrating that we are serious with our climate change goals and it is hoped that these improvements will give residents and businesses the confidence to invest in electric vehicles and in turn to help lower carbon emissions.

“As electric vehicles become

more and more popular, we will continue to explore options for further public charging locations across the region.”

Funding to install EV charging points across our region has been awarded to GULW by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles.

South Gloucestershire is working with other West of England councils to install around 120 EV charging bays as

part of the Revive network, 40 of them in South Gloucestershire.

But the council has been accused of dragging its feet in installing EV chargers.

Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Adrian Rush said that while the new hub was welcome, “one EV charging hub doesn’t make up for the fact that EV charging provision across South Gloucestershire is woefully inadequate.”

He added: “According to the Department for Transport’s statistics, South Gloucestershire has just 64 publicly available electric vehicle charging points – a lower number per capita than any of our neighbouring councils.

“Further afield, Cornwall has 219 EV charging points - three and a half times as many as South Gloucestershire, but only twice the population.”

For more information about GULW visit travelwest.info/ goultralowwest

THINKING ABOUT A RECEPTION PLACE IN SEPTEMBER 2021?

View our Virtual Open Event to discover what Colston’s can offer your child

Visit www.colstons.org/visiting-colstons

To advertise, contact Gary on 07799 461169

Email: sales@emersonsgreenvoice.co.uk

Got News? Call Linda On 0777 0700579

emersonsgreenvoice

20

February, 2021

n NEWS

Top honour for policing the pandemic THE officer in charge of the region’s police response to coronavirus has been honoured for her work.

Avon and Somerset Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Watson was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in the New Year Honours list.

The award recognises her role in leading the policing response to the COVID-19 health crisis, which has included enforcing lockdown restrictions and cracking down on speeding drivers on quiet roads to providing back up ambulance drivers for the overstretched NHS. ACC Watson said: “I always wanted to make a difference and it is an honour to serve the communities of Avon and Somerset.

“To receive the QPM for following my vocation makes me feel extremely grateful and proud.

“There are many others

whose dedication and support have been key to how we have coped with policing during this pandemic, not least our communities, who have given up so much to follow the regulations and guidance.

“I want to take this opportunity to say thank you.”

ACC Watson joined Avon and Somerset Police in 1987. In more than 30 years’ service she has pounded the beat in uniform, worked as a detective in the CID and commanded the East Somerset police area.

Her career has included working with the Director of Public Prosecutions to create a pilot programme to tackle domestic abuse by addressing perpetrators’ behaviour at an early stage.

She has also worked to improve access to drug treatment for offenders and is the Avon and Somerset lead for gender, which has seen her supporting a campaign to demystify the

effects of the menopause in the workplace, with more than 400 officers and staff members now trained to provide support to colleagues.

As an assistant chief constable her current responsibilities include overseeing the force’s investigations and operations and chairing the Local Resilience Forum, which brings different agencies and organisations together to plan and prepare for civil contingencies and major incidents.

Also awarded the QPM is Superintendent for Bristol Andy Bennett, who is recognised for his work tackling hate crime and bringing policing and communities closer in the city.

He said: “I am humbled to receive this award, particularly at a time when so many are working tirelessly to help others during the pandemic. I also want to recognise those members of the community who have been prepared to take a step

Vets4Pets Bristol Emersons Green

Avon and Somerset Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Watson forward, to talk to us and help to break down barriers so we can move towards our goal of truly representing the diverse citizens of Bristol.”

The QPM is awarded to police officers for distinguished service or gallantry.

Your Vet and Practice Owner: Carla Puime Costoya MRCVS

Inside Pets at Home

We’re open 7 days a week!

Vets4Pets Bristol Emersons Green

Inside Pets at Home, Emersons Green Retail Park, Bristol, BS16 7AE

Call us: 0117 910 9352 or visit: vets4pets.com/bristol-emersons-green Open 7 days a week: 8.30am - 7pm Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm Sat, 10.30am - 4.30pm Sun

To advertise, contact Gary on 07799 461169

Email: sales@emersonsgreenvoice.co.uk

Got News? Call Jayne On 0788 0731148

February, 2021

n ON THE TREATMENT TABLE

emersonsgreenvoice

21

I’m no longer a couch potato I THINK I must be one of the very few people who have actually found a small benefit in the misery of the recent lockdowns prompted by the pandemic.

After telling people for years that I used to be fit and once played lots of sports, I thought that it was about time I pulled my finger out and did something to flex my muscles again. So, in joyous 2020, I completed the BBC’s Couch to 5K Challenge and it was brilliant. I downloaded the app and there was Olympic gold medallist Michael Johnson telling me when to run and when to walk, three times a week for nine weeks, until I could run a 5K – easy! Nearly anybody could do it.

Now I run a 5K once or twice a week. It takes about 30 minutes and I really do feel better for it.

I wanted to share some advice about running as a lockdown lifeline but admit that I’m no expert – luckily, I know someone who is.

I have treated Jack Pitcher for years, since the days when he was a top non-league football striker.

Now he’s such a great runner that he finished in the top 50 in the 2020 virtual London Marathon. So Jack, it’s over to you…

“As soon as I entered the room for my last treatment with Tim, he said to me: ‘I’ve just been talking about you, I want you to be our expert.’ I’m not sure I’ve ever really considered myself to be an expert in anything so my initial response was to laugh. But he then went on to explain what he meant and it all made a bit more sense. So here goes.

“You could say I’ve been running all my life. Until a few years ago, I used to run around after a

football but now leave the ball at home. Running became my main sport in 2017 when I met my wife Emily – she was a member of a club and running in lots of races, which sounded exciting. I’ve always been very competitive, so it didn’t take long for me to get involved.

I started off having to chase her round but, after a few months of more focused training, my base fitness started to come back and I managed to catch Emily up – much to her frustration!

“My running really started to pick up and became that much more enjoyable when Emily and I joined Emersons Green Running Club at the start of 2018. I always used to think that everyone at a club would be extremely experienced and serious runners and that I would feel a bit out of place. But I couldn’t have been more wrong – everyone was extremely welcoming and there were group sessions for all different standards and abilities.

“Tim asked me to come up with a running tip to share in this blog, so here it is: join a local running club. I admit I’m biased towards Emersons Green,

but there are many great clubs in this area, such as Bitton, Staple Hill, Frampton Harriers, Stanbridge Fliers and Active Soul – to name but a few.

“Whatever your motivation, I guarantee you’ll meet lots of other like-minded people and the social side of running will make it that much more enjoyable. Even in the past year at Emersons, we have had monthly challenges, virtual events and, when permitted, properly run club nights that have all really helped to keep members motivated during an extremely tough year. So what are you waiting for?”

Thanks for that Jack. Hopefully you will inspire a new batch of local runners who will be pounding the streets and parks in 2021.

Don’t forget that, despite this

with Tim Button, Doctor of Chiropractic at Cleve Chiropractic and Next Step in Mangotsfield

0117 957 5388

drtimbutton@ clevechiropractic.com www.clevechiropractic.com facebook.com/clevechiro twitter.com/clevechiro

latest lockdown, we’re still open at Cleve Chiropractic. We’re Covid safe and have all the necessary PPE and sanitisation protocols in place.

Please stay safe and remember that we’re here to help whenever you need us.

A Team approach to healthcare.

Supporting Premiership Football, Rugby, 2012 Olympics and World Athletic Championship 2017 Chiropractic & Physiotherapy Back & Leg Pain, Sciatica Sports Massage Headaches & Migraines Trapped Nerves Repetitive Strain Injuries Occupational Injuries Sports Injury Specialist Competitively priced

The practice of pain relief Member of the British Chiropractic Association

CLEVE CHIROPRACTIC 20A Cossham St, Mangotsfield, Bristol BS16 9EN

Contact

0117 957 5388

w w w. c l e v e c h i r o p r a c t i c . c o m

To advertise, contact Gary on 07799 461169

Email: sales@emersonsgreenvoice.co.uk

Got News? Call Linda On 0777 0700579

emersonsgreenvoice

22

Emersons Green Voice

LOCALSERVICES Advertise your business

Give Gary a call on 07799461169 CLEANING

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ELECTRICIANS

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Our electricians can also provide extra sockets, low voltage halogen lighting, electrical testing, landlord certificates, kitchen and bathroom electrical work, garden lighting and all your electrical needs

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CARPENTRY

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PHILIP PERKINS

General Carpentry & Floor Fitting Kitchens, all wood flooring, LVT flooring, Door hanging

A family run business Contact Alan on 07411834534 or 01179374887

Carpentry General Carpenter/Kitchen Fitter (Member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen)

• Kitchens supplied & fitted or supply only • Full kitchen or fronts only • Worktops • Fitted Wardrobes • Door Hanging • Skirting • Stairs & Balustrades • Laminate & Wood Flooring • All aspects of general carpentry work

Call Nick on 0117 2872371

CALL FOR A QUOTE - NO JOB TOO SMALL

0117 9373941 OR 07788 115945 To advertise, contact Gary on 07799 461169

Email: sales@emersonsgreenvoice.co.uk

0117 303 9000

Got News? Call Jayne On 0788 0731148

emersonsgreenvoice

February, 2021 GARDEN SERVICES

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Boiler installation, servicing and repairs 10 Year Warranty’s available Finance also available

0797 6711 290 or 0117 935 2332 FOR A FREE QUOTATION

Mark’s Gutter Cleaning Gutter Clearing Gutter Cleaning Fascia Cleaning Call or Book online

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HOUSE & RUBBISH CLEARANCE

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WIGS

Wigs Bristol

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07592 003 Tel: 07592 506 003003 Tel: 07592 506 Tel:Tel: 07592 506506 003

We have been supplying all types of wigs and hairpieces for fashion and medical purposes for 45 years.

Wigs can be purchased off the peg or made to measure in hair or synthetic fibre.

1/4 Load 1/4 £89 1/4 Load Load £89 £89 Half Half £139 Half Load Load Load £139£139 3/4 Load 3/4 £179 3/4 Load Load £179£179

We stock many styles and makes.

Full Load Full £199 Full Load Load £199£199

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To advertise, contact Gary on 07799 461169

56746

www.wigsbristol.com

Email: sales@emersonsgreenvoice.co.uk

Got News? Call Linda On 0777 0700579

m hise l, e. ing

as ble.

If you are caring, a team player, and can empathise and communicate well, join our local care force.

We’ve seen an increase in demand for care and support workers and have lots of vacancies available. The work is incredibly rewarding, and you will help and support others to be as independent as possible.

You’ll learn on the job and be provided with training and opportunities to gain qualifications.

Find your next role at: www.proudtocaresouthglos.org.uk If you’d like an informal chat before applying, email: proudtocare@southglos.gov.uk

South Gloucestershire  www.proudtocaresouthglos.org.uk 

proudtocare@southglos.gov.uk

Bristol  www.proudtocarebristol.org.uk 

proudtocare@bristol.gov.uk

North Somerset  https://bit.ly/ proudtocarenorthsomerset 

proudtocare@n-somerset.gov.uk

o learn who are

and the local area our local

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