Emersons Green Voice November 2021 by Emersons Green Voice

emersonsgreenvoice

November, 2021 Edition—Issue 58

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SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Have your say on new Council budget South Gloucestershire Council wants local people to have their say on its new draft budget for 2022 to 2023. The council provides hundreds of services from looking after vulnerable people, keeping the streets clean and collecting our waste to maintaining the road network and investing in our schools. The total net budget is more than £360 million in 2022/23 and proposals include increases to children’s services funding worth more than £10 million over the next four years. There are also proposals for continuing financial support for those hit by the impact of Covid-19, and investing in facilities and infrastructure to improve communities and travel. The moves are part of the council’s focus on supporting residents as the country emerges from the pandemic.

Social care

The budget includes a 1.99 percentage point rise in general Council Tax, and a two-percentage point Adult Social Care Levy. This will specifically help contribute towards the increasing demand for social care services. These services include helping older South Gloucestershire residents live safely and well in their own homes, or recover from a hospital stay.

Savings

The council is committed to making savings and ensuring it delivers value for money services to residents. It aims to make savings of £18 million over the next four years by: · Adapting to different ways of working, building on what the council has learned by working flexibly over the past two years.

· Adopting new technologies and automating systems where this can improve the way it works and improve its online offer, for example, so that more residents can access the support they need at any time. · Ensuring council charges reflect the cost of delivering services and are comparable with other local authorities’ charges, for example how it charges utilities companies to compensate for disruptive roadworks on commuter routes. · Implementing improved cost recovery, where the council can charge to cover the cost of providing some services, such as recovering its full overheads against pre-application planning fees on large developments.

View from the Leader of the Council, Cllr Toby Savage

Help to thrive South Gloucestershire Council Leader Cllr Toby Savage said: “These budget proposals outline in considerable detail how we will work to ensure that young people in South Gloucestershire get the best start in life; how we will work with communities, the voluntary sector and individuals to help them to help themselves to thrive; how we will promote sustainable, inclusive communities, supported by the infrastructure and growth they need; and how we will do this while continuing to demonstrate that we can deliver value for money. “We aim to do all of this while tackling the biggest challenges of our time, namely responding to the climate and ecological emergencies and to playing our part in eliminating the inequality gaps that exist in our society.”

WELCOME - We’re proud to partner with The Voice, a great local publication, for an autumn special edition that brings you our latest news. You can read about our new draft budget and how you can have your say, the work of our fantastic StreetCare teams, our record school buildings investment programme, and other important council news. We are looking forward positively to a post-pandemic future where we continue to support local residents, businesses and communities across the district. The draft budget is a significant part of planning how we will meet the needs of people in South Gloucestershire in the years ahead, so your feedback is important. Last year, residents’ comments made through our budget consultation also informed our new Council Plan priorities. We will continue to ensure that we fulfil our Council Plan commitments and work towards the priorities that you helped to shape, in ways that represent value for money. Please let us know what you think.

How to have your say on the draft budget: View the budget at www.southglos.gov.uk/ budget and then send your comments by 9 January 2022: • By email: consultation@southglos.gov.uk

• By completing an online survey or download from the council website: www.southglos. gov.uk/budget • By writing to: Freepost RTXL-YJXJ-BXEX, South

Gloucestershire Council, Corporate Research & Consultation Team, Council Offices, Badminton Road, Yate, Bristol, BS37 5AF • By telephoning 01454 868009.

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Sprucing up our streets Progress on potholes South Glos Council’s StreetCare teams have filled in almost 12,000 potholes in the last year. Thanks to quieter roads, they were able to fill in more than ever during the pandemic. Of the 11,868 potholes filled in 2020, nearly 3,000 of these were completed as a priority, in 24 hours, with around 6,000 filled within 14 days Local resident Pete meets and thanks the South and the less urgent Glos Council StreetCare team who fixed potholes in his area within 24 hours. within 12 weeks. Speedy potholes work has impressed local people. Pete from Patchway said: “I was delighted after reporting two potholes very recently that they were both fixed within 24 hours. I had spotted them while walking around Patchway and was concerned particularly for cyclists.” A pothole in the road needs to measure at least 300mm by 300mm and be 40mm deep to be considered in need of attention. The council is investing a record £174m in highways over the next four years.

Council StreetCare services: value for money It’s official! An independent study has found that the council’s StreetCare services provide ‘value for money’. The report also highlighted the resilience of the services which adapt to residents’ needs. The research, by the Future Highways Research Group, included analysis of StreetCare’s activities, compared Cabinet Member for Comwith other local authorities, along munities and Local Place with an independent peer review. The Cllr Rachael Hunt litter picking in Kingswood Park. group was especially impressed with the ‘one team’ approach and close collaboration with partners. Cabinet Member for Communities and Local Place Cllr Rachael Hunt said: “I would like to send a big thank you to all of our StreetCare staff for their ongoing efforts across South Gloucestershire which have resulted in these positive findings. We constantly strive to deliver high quality services at the very best value for money for our residents, so it’s fantastic to see that our StreetCare division’s hard work has been recognised as helping deliver such a well-respected, effective and proactive service.”

Keeping our communities clean and tidy From overgrown to gleaming, Tower Road South in Cadbury Heath gets a makeover! Cleaning up the little roads is a really positive step for local residents. The council has a Clean Team dedicated to keeping South Gloucestershire’s neighbourhoods and major routes neat and tidy.

A path on Tower Road, Cadbury Heath: Before and after.

First ‘through-about’ opens up South Gloucestershire’s first ‘through-about’, the conversion of the Wraxall Road roundabout on the A4174 Avon Ring Road, is opening up to traffic. The through-about (a round-about with three lanes for traffic through the middle), will reduce congestion and increase traffic flow at the busy junction, helping to reduce delays at peak periods by managing the volumes of traffic. It will also improve air quality near the roundabout and future proof the roads network for the additional housing and development schemes coming forward in the area. Work started on the £5.9m project in summer 2020. Both approach roads have been widened. There are also additional traffic lights, a resurfaced junction with new road markings, safety barriers and acoustic fencing. The council will pause to monitor the performance of the new junction layout before deciding whether to roll-out these improvements to more areas.

Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Environment and Strategic Infrastructure, Cllr Steve Reade at the new ‘through-about’.

emersonsgreenvoice

November, 2021 Edition—Issue 58

www.emersonsgreenvoice.co.uk

FREE EVERY MONTH IN EMERSONS GREEN, LYDE GREEN, SHORTWOOD & PUCKLECHURCH

Green for go Children adding flowers to the hazel sculpture at the Three Greens Festival held in Emersons Green Park Report: Page 7

Pupils tackle camp challenges Pucklechurch Primary’s Year 6 pupils did their school proud at their activity week camp at Mill on the Brue in Somerset. PAGE 17

Giuseppe is cooking on gas!

Police step up patrols PEOPLE in Emersons Green and Lyde Green can expect to see more bobbies on the beat this month. Police have pledged to increase high-visibility foot patrols in both of areas because of serious, though unconnected, incidents. In Emersons Green, officers are investigating an

incident where a man with a dog tried to kiss a boy who was on his way home from the park. In Lyde Green, the area around the basketball court at Snowdrop Drive, next to the Park and Ride, has been identified as a potential crime hotspot. Reports: Pages 4 and 6

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hurt after man grabs emersonsgreenvoice Boy and tries to kiss him n NEWS

Publisher Gary Brindle 0117 907 8585 07799 461169

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 Our December edition deadline is Novemer 11. 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 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

POLICE say a boy was hurt when a man tried to kiss him while he was out in Emersons Green. The 12-year-old victim told officers he was with another boy and a girl near Emersons Green Park when he was approached and grabbed by a middle-aged man walking a dog at around 7pm on October 17. An Avon and Somerset police spokesperson said: “The male spoke with them before attempting to kiss one of the boys. “The trio managed to run away and seek assistance from people at a nearby address. “The victim sustained a small cut to his ear and a mark on his forehead, but otherwise sustained no other physical harm in the incident. He will be able to access support services.” Police say the suspect was white and aged between 40 and 50, and was wearing a “farmer’s cap” with grey squares on it, a blue waterproof jacket, jeans and a black and green T-shirt. His dog is believed to have been a German shepherd, a spokesman confirmed. Neighbourhood Inspector Clive Summerill said: “We are taking this incident extremely seriously and members of the public can expect to see an increased high-visibility police presence in the area, with extra patrols planned. We’d like to reassure the public that at this time we’re not aware of any other similar incidents recently having taken place. But we would urge anyone who has experienced something like this to make sure they report it to the police. “The victim and his friends did the right thing in getting to a place of safety and telling an adult what had happened so we could be contacted soon after the incident.” Anyone with information about the incident, which happened at the Emersons Green Lane side of the park, or who believes they recognise the suspect’s description, should call 101 and give the crime reference number 5221 243 438. Information can also be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Patrols in Lyde Green: Page 6

Argos store to close EMERSONS Green’s Argos store is set to close. The retailer is set to move operations to the nearby supermarket run by parent company Sainsbury’s from November 17, with the standalone shop closing the day before. Posters informing customers of the move are in the shops at Emersons Green Retail Park. Sainsbury’s bought Argos in 2016 and announced last year that it would close 420 Argos stores as part of a £600 million restructuring programme, which will also see the supermarket close its meat, fish and deli counters, with a total loss of 3,500 jobs. By the end of the process only 100 standalone Argos branches will be left in the UK.

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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November, 2021

n NEWS AN Emersons Green charity shop had an unexpected windfall when an early 90s games console sparked an eBay bidding war. The unused Super Nintendo Entertainment System or SNES was donated to the Sue Ryder shop in Emerson Way and sent on to the charity’s eBay store after its potential value was spotted. The console, which originally sold for £150 and came with five Super Mario games, was put up for auction with a starting price of £149.99 and listed as “brandnew, unused, unopened and undamaged item in original retail packaging”. At the start of the final day of the auction, bidding had reached £330. The price continued to rise steadily until, with just over two minutes of the auction left it passed £1,000. Then, in a frantic final few seconds the price rose to £1,850.00, £1,995.00 then £2,045.00 A Sue Ryder spokesperson said the charity was “incredibly grateful” to the supporter who donated the “brand new”. She said: “Sue Ryder only

Early 90s games console makes charity shop £2,000

receives an average of 37 per cent of its funding from statutory sources, so we rely on the kind donations of our supporters to make sure we can continue to provide compassionate end-of-life, bereavement and neurological support.

“To make sure we can make the most out of special donations, like the Nintendo SNES, we list these items on our eBay store to give more people a chance to bid and therefore, raise more money to support Sue Ryder’s work”. Emersons Green gamer

Conor McGeachie said the high price was because “as-new” SNES consoles, which were discontinued in the UK in 1998, rarely came up for sale. He said: “Due to its rarity and ever-growing value, collectors are wanting to get it now, while it’s still a ‘reasonable’ price. “With the pandemic, there has been an increased uptake in all things gaming and so many prices of older systems have skyrocketed as people are looking for a hit of nostalgia. “This is an incredible number for the charity to obtain, as well as a valuable piece of gaming hardware for the lucky buyer. “With that in mind, I think it may be time we all search our attics. “Who knows, maybe you’re sitting on a small fortune!”

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n NEWS POLICE are making extra “high visibility” patrols in Lyde Green as part of a scheme aimed at cutting crime and antisocial behaviour. The area around the basketball court at Snowdrop Drive, next to the Lyde Green Park and Ride, is one of five places in South Gloucestershire identified as a “hotspot” area by Avon and Somerset police and identified for extra attention. A police spokesperson said that in one incident in May this year, a member of the public spotted three teenagers in the area who fitted the description of suspects for a previous robbery, one of whom had a knife. The spokesperson said: “The play area adjacent to Snowdrop Drive was part of the hotspot patrol plan, and officers quickly responded to speak with the youths. The three of them ran from police, and following a foot chase, they were detained nearby. “Following a stop search, a 14-year-old male was found in possession of a 10-inch ‘zombie knife’, and a 16-year-old male

November, 2021

Lyde Green targeted for police hotspot patrols was found in possession of cannabis.” One teenager was arrested and has since been charged with possession of a bladed article, while the other has been referred into a youth alcohol and drug programme. Since the incident the force has been using part of a £660,000 fund from the Home Office to pay for extra patrols. Officers say that in the 72 hotspots across the force area where the extra foot patrols have been carried out, an estimated 99 fewer violent crimes have been committed, based on past history. Police’s lead for serious violence, Superintendent James Raphael, said: “We know that high visibility policing is what the public want from us. Providing a regular presence in locations where crime often takes place is

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invaluable, not only in reducing crime but also helping people to feel safe.” Police say Lyde Green has also been a hotspot for illegal use of privately-owned e-scooters. E-scooters are classified as motor vehicles under the current law and anyone using one needs to have a driving licence and insurance to use one in a public place. However it is not possible to get motor insurance to ride a private e-scooter, which means they cannot be legally used anywhere except on private land, with permission form the landowner. The only exceptions are the Voi scooters available for hire under an experimental scheme organised via the West of England Combined Authority. A recent crackdown has seen up to 40 privately-owned

e-scooters confiscated by police in the wider area, including one which was “spotted doing a wheelie” through Page Park in Staple Hill, and found to be capable of reaching 40mph. Emersons Green neighbourhood beat manager PC James Rochford told a local community engagement forum in October that police have introduced a ‘two-strikes’ policy for people they stop on private e-scooters, with a warning the first time and confiscation and prosecution the second. • Police are investigating an incident in Emerson Way, on October 2 when a 21-year-old woman and a 53-year-old man were assaulted and threatened by another man, shortly before 7pm. Anyone with information is being urged to call 101 and quote the crime reference number 5221 230 053.

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November, 2021

n NEWS

Festival celebrates all things green

UP to 300 people took part in a festival to bring together the people of Emersons Green and Lyde Green, and celebrate nature. The Three Greens Festival was held in Emersons Green Park at the end of September. Starting with a street parade from the Langley Arms car park to the centre of Emersons Green, a crowd snaked into the park, with some people wearing fancy dress and carrying natural items like flowers, leaves and twigs, which were added to a hazel welcome sculpture at the entrance by the library. They were serenaded by the Brigstowe Village Band, which specialises in folk music from the 19th century. Throughout the day there were wildlife trails, tours, talks, games and demonstrations of activities such as apple pressing and woodworking, with an evening concert finishing the event, organised by the Friends of Emersons Green Park. The festival’s name came from the names of the two areas and its green environmental theme. Lead organiser Chris Sunderland said: “To see the parade approach the festival site with their fancy hats and flowers in their hands was one of the most emotional moments of my life. Months of planning had built to that moment. “The children placed their flowers in the welcoming hazel sculpture, while the band played. What more beautiful sight is there than that? And a great relief to me, as I realised that

A hobby horse dances to the music of the Brigstowe Village Band at the Three Greens Festival this completely new festival on the calendar was going to truly engage the community and celebrate our relationship with the Earth. “The power of what we were doing came home to me when I spoke to some people who had just returned from one of the wildlife trails. They were exiles from Hong Kong who had come to live in Lyde Green. They told me how fascinated they were with the nature they had seen and how it had helped them feel at home here.” Chris said people loved the varied music and also loved to join in the activities. He said: “Apple pressing makes apple juice real and the children loved the apple scratter. Our wood working workshop created a fine tray and captivated its audience.” Chris praised the people who did the “vital unseen

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work” to set up the festival, including erecting tents, serving tea and cakes and moving hay bales. He said: “As far as I know Emerson Green has not had anything quite like this before. More established communities have their fetes and festivals, but

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we did not have ours. Well, now we have. “Will we do it again? Everyone is saying we should. I have a sense that festivals are a key to the revival of community. We need loads of them.”

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n NEWS

RECYCLING collections in South Gloucestershire will not return to normal for “a couple of months”, the leader of the council has said. Driver shortages that are partly behind the recent fuel crisis have also affected the ability of South Gloucestershire Council to collect rubbish from people’s homes. Garden waste collections resumed at the start of August, after disruption in some areas during the last two weeks of July. But contractor Suez is still mixing up recyclables when it collects them from the kerbside, because the driver shortage means it cannot send out as many vehicles. Council leader Toby Savage provided an update on the situation during an interview with the BBC, in which he assured residents that Suez was sorting out the items back at the depot at its own cost. He said: “Instead of having a whole range of vehicles doing the collecting and properly sorting it out at the kerbside, we’ve having to put it all into one vehicle and then sort it back at the depot.

November, 2021

Recycling collections won't be back to normal for months

“We’re very keen to get back to normal. I think there’s still a couple of months to go before we’re able to get back to a normal waste collection system, and that’s because the drivers are currently being recruited. And in turn, their pay and their conditions have been significantly improved. “We are now seeing those extra people coming forward wanting to be drivers but they

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do need to be trained, so it’s a solution that we’ll see in the next couple of months but it isn’t an immediate solution.” Cllr Savage said he could not guarantee that the extra cost to Suez of sorting recyclables at the depot would not ultimately fall on council taxpayers. Contractors such as Suez could try to recoup any extra costs caused by the driver shortages when they renegotiate

their contracts with the council, which could ultimately mean residents pay more. Cllr Savage said: “I can’t say for certain whether they will or whether they won’t, because what we don’t know is how long the current difficulties are going to last and ultimately how much is going to cost. “But in terms of waste specifically, we have a contract with Suez that runs until 2025, so I would not be expecting any significant renegotiation of that contract in advance of that date.” Cllr Savage said people with green bins will have their subscriptions extended to make up for the disruption, rather than getting a cash refund. He said people "shouldn’t lose out". By Amanda Cameron, Local Democracy Reporting Service

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n NEWS ENGINEER Giuseppe Dell’Anno is emerging as a fans’ favourite to win this year’s Great British Bake Off. Giuseppe, who has spent eight years working at the National Composites Centre in Emersons Green, has been named star baker twice in the first five weeks of this year’s Channel 4 series. The father-of-three was moved to tears when he became the first contestant in this year’s Bake Off to receive a ‘Hollywood handshake’ on week 3. He was congratulated by the show’s hard-to-please judge, Paul Hollywood, for his focaccia during the show’s Bread Week, and was also named star baker for the episode. Giuseppe made full use of recipes from his native Italy, also making ciabatta breadsticks and a fruit and vegetable-themed milk bread showstopper. After Paul shook his hand and asked him for his focaccia recipe, Giuseppe was seen wiping his eyes, and later said: “I got a little emotional in there because I never thought I would get one.”

Giuseppe is star baker twice – and wins coveted handshake He told fans on Instagram that Paul was not the only big fan of his focaccia, saying: “I got my dad’s seal of approval for this, which to me is as precious an accolade as Paul’s handshake. “Magic memories in those flavours and a lot of history in my great grandmother’s pan.” Giuseppe then topped that achievement by winning the star baker during the show’s German Week, with the judges rating him higher than the show’s German contestant Jurgen Krauss. Although Jurgen received a Hollywood handshake himself for the episode’s biscuit round, Giuseppe won the technical challenge to create a Prinzregententorte layered cake and the judges preferred his showstopper, a three-tiered yeast-based cake called a Gugelhupf. Afterwards Giuseppe joked

on Twitter: “Gugelhupf has quickly become one of my favourite cakes. I’m definitely making it again. Perhaps single tiered…” He has also contributed to a spin-off book for series 12 of the series, A Bake for All Seasons. Giuseppe rose to the role of chief engineer at the National Composites Centre in Emersons Green after joining in 2013 as a research engineer. He was also an industrial fellow at Bristol University between 2019 and July 2021. All episodes of the Great British Bake Off, which is showing on Tuesdays at 8pm on Channel 4, have been pre-filmed – but the final result is a closely-guarded Giuseppe at work during the Bake Off’s secret to be revealed in the bread week final show in November.

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November, 2021

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The nervous system – the game changer A well-adjusted spine is the key to nervous system that works well. This helps your resilience in these winter months; helping you shrug off that cold, move better and enjoying a sense of ease in the

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Immune system boosters Sunlight: Always in short supply at this time of year, so when the sun is out get some on your skin, vitamin D from sun exposure vastly improves your immune system function. Supplements: I recommend Vitamin D3 daily as standard going into November. Diet: Enjoy what you enjoy but go steady on the sugar and booze. These are well known Immune system suppressors. Increase your vegetable intake, aim for a colourful plate of food at each meal. For those of us with a sweet tooth opt for Strawberries – they

are a great source of Zinc, an excellent protection from bacterial infections, like that first rumbling of a sore throat when that cold is on its way. Showers: If you’re feeling brave, start or finish your daily shower with 1-2 minutes on cold, this stresses the immune system in a way that causes it to function better. Movement – motion is lotion The most underused mood booster, guaranteed to beat the winter blues. This is a great time to take up a new exercise class or renew that membership. I recommend anything that gets you breathing deeply and gives you a light sweat. Do it 2-3 times a week. Yoga is a personal favourite, but a winter walk/run is hard to beat. Whatever you enjoy make a commitment to yourself for the next 4 weeks and see how you feel at the beginning of December, you won’t regret it.

Emotional wellbeing – connection Staying connected to people we love and receiving their care in return is an essential part of maintaining your health and wellbeing. Making time for regular zoom chats or even better in person

Matt Sutton coffees or walks in the park could become a part of your healthy weekly habit on the run up to Christmas. Get yourself checked by our Chiropractors, you won’t regret it; people swear we have magic in our hands! Come and see how we can help you beat the winter blues, stay well and live a fuller happier life.

A Note from Sutton Chiropractic: We want you at your best, safely - the clinic is using PPE to keep everyone safe as we continue serving the community’s wider health needs.

SPECIAL OFFER: New patient consultation £20 If a previous patient consultation free of charge

Rates: £38 a session (adult) £22 under 16 years old or blocks of sessions at a discounted rate starting of £31 Christchurch Family Medical Centre, North Street, Bristol BS16 5SG T: 0117 214 1636 W: www.suttonchiro.co.uk FB: @suttonchiro E: reception@suttonchiro.co.uk

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November, 2021

n NEWS

Memorial match raises £32,500 for charity MORE than 2,000 people crowded into Mangotsfield United's Cossham Street ground for a very special football match. The fourth Martin Belsten Memorial Match at the end of September raised more than £32,500 for the Bristol Rovers Community Trust, which provides a wide range of social inclusion, health, education and sports participation projects in the community. Former Rovers players including Rickie Lambert, Aaron Lescott, Steve Phillips and Jake Gosling took on a supporters club side which opened the scoring but eventually lost 3-1 to the Legends 11, for whom Lambert scored twice. The final whistle then saw fans allowed on to the pitch to meet their heroes for pictures and autographs, and players joining fans in the bar afterwards. The family-friendly charity match was organised by Rovers fan Ash Belsten, from Kingswood, in memory of his grandfather Martin, who took him to his first ever Rovers match and died in 2016. Ash said: "I’m really pleased with how the day went – it was a superb turnout from the Gasheads and will have given the local

Ash Belsten with the supporters' club side. Picture: B.East Photography

Rickie Lambert meets Rovers fans after the final whistle. Picture: B.East Photography

economy, especially hospitality, a much needed boost! "The amount raised was just over £32,500 for the community trust, which will be hugely invaluable for them. "A huge thanks to everyone who contributed in making the day a huge success." Community trust chief executive Adam

Tutton said the amount raised – which was matched by a donation from Rovers president Wael Al-Qadi – was "absolutely outstanding". He said: "What Ash has done for us is incredible. He works full time and it was arranged around that." The event was due to be the last memorial match organised by Ash, although it may now return in 2023 after Ash takes a break.

BECOME THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF Join us at our Whole School Open Morning

Friday 19th November

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November, 2021

n NEWS

Covid test results thrown into doubt PEOPLE living in the Emersons Green area are among thousands who may have been given false negative Covid-19 test results. NHS Test and Trace has suspended testing at a private laboratory run by Immensa Health Clinic in the Midlands, as it investigates how an estimated 43,000 people received negative PCR results after previously testing positive in a lateral flow test, which can be carried out at home. People who had PCR tests carried out at the testing site in Cossham Street, Mangotsfield, in September and early October are among those who have now received text messages from the NHS Test & Trace saying: "There may have been an issue with the result. We apologise for any inconvenience caused." The text advises anyone who has Covid symptoms to take another test and selfisolate until they get the result. Those whose tests were more than ten days ago are told "there is no further action for you to take". One Downend resident who received a text message after taking a PCR test said: "After my negative result I continued to go out working and shopping – it's worrying to now find out that I could have been infectious

The Mangotsfield testing site all that time. My son had a negative PCR test after a positive lateral flow and went to back school, which was the official advice. A few days later he had another positive lateral flow test – this time followed by a positive PCR test. He was in tears after realising he had been in school with Covid." South Gloucestershire Council is not collecting figures for the number of school pupils testing positive for coronavirus, after the responsibility for reporting them was taken away from schools in the summer. The council issued a statement which said: "NHS Test and Trace estimates that around

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43,000 people may have been given incorrect negative PCR test results between September 8 and October 12, mostly in the South West. "They will be contacting people that could still be infectious to advise them to take another PCR test. Close contacts who have symptoms of Covid-19 will also be advised to take a test, in line with national guidance. "This is an isolated incident affecting one laboratory and all samples are now being redirected to other laboratories which are operating normally. Testing availability is unaffected around the country." South Gloucestershire Director of Public Health Professor Sara Blackmore said: “We would like to assure our residents that there is no evidence of faults with any of the test kits themselves, and the public should definitely remain confident in using them and in our other laboratory services. "With winter on its way, we are expecting an increase in respiratory illnesses such as cold and flu in addition to Covid-19. Anyone who is unwell is advised to stay at home to reduce the risk of passing illness on to others." For further advice on testing visit www. southglos.gov.uk/testing or call 119.

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November, 2021

n NEWS

Drug dealer ordered to hand over profits A DRUG dealer who supplied cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine to students has been ordered to pay back more than £60,000 he made from his illegal business. Ashley Hawkins, 33, was jailed for seven years and two months last year, after he was convicted of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, possessing a stun gun and a knuckle duster. He was brought back to Bristol Crown Court in September after an investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act was carried out to find out how much he had made from dealing. Avon and Somerset police said the investigation found Hawkins, who lived in Stanier Road on the Siston Hill estate, was calculated to have made a profit of £321,814 as a result of his criminal activity. The investigation found that he had assets worth £61,845 available for confiscation and a judge ordered him to hand it

Cash found by police

Ashley Hawkins over. The money included more than £50,000 in cash Hawkins had hidden in the home he shared with partner Rebecca Withey, 27, who was given a twoyear prison term last year for her part in the operation. Police said they would be able to apply in the future to confiscate any further assets found to belong to Hawkins, up to the total of £321,814. The couple were caught after a police raid in May last year uncovered drugs worth thousands of pounds on the

street, cash and expensive goods, including Rolex watches, at their home on the estate off Carsons Road. A court heard the dealing operation targeted university students, with Hawkins advertising the drugs on social media. His 27-year-old brother Alexander Hawkins, of Lyde Green, was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and given an 18-month community order after pleading guilty to possessing criminal property. Police financial investigator Bryony Dixon said: “This was

a complex investigation which resulted in the recovery of thousands of pounds worth of drugs and cash, thanks to the hard and diligent work of officers from Operation Remedy and Bristol CID. “The resulting Proceeds of Crime Act investigation and the outcome at court ensures Hawkins will not financially benefit from his offending. “We hope it sends out a strong message that we’ll use all available powers to catch those who deal drugs in our communities and ensure their crimes do not pay.”

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November, 2021

n PETER'S VISION Accents or full technicolour?

“When it comes to eyewear, why compromise? Style & comfort come as a pair.”

57 Henleaze Road

768 Fishponds Road

Bristol BS9 4JT

Bristol BS16 3UA

0117 962 2474

0117 965 4434

AUTUMN'S here, which always brings a good splash of colour to the trees around us as they prepare for winter. This also means that for many of us, it’s time to enjoy watching the latest Bake Off series on TV. Maybe just a few of us (I hope it’s not just me...) also watch for the glasses Prue wears too. You can be certain that they won’t be dull or boring, and probably a little over the top for some! We’ve long been fans of both the baking and glasses on the show. For the last couple of years we’ve stocked Prue’s own range of colourful glasses as well as our own collections ranging from true technicolour glasses, through glasses with accents of colour, to the timeless classic tortoise-shell and even black glasses. I’m still wearing my mid-season Ray-Ban’s in a deep sea blue colour, which is my take on an accent of colour. My colleagues at Turners Opticians wear sophisticated purple, royal red and even gorgeous green frames. We really are all spoiled for choice now when it comes to glasses that not only look amazing but also feel great to wear. I read a patient's story recently, which ran true to the experiences quite a few of my patients have reported over the years. It was one of hiding their visual difficulties in plain sight. And yes, the title, as it was designed to, caught my eye. This patient wrote about the difficulty they had experienced as a child, in class, seeing the school board. Too shy to speak up, they struggled on. As often children can, they managed to hide the true extent of their difficulty for weeks, until one day the teacher called them forward and said ”why not sit here for a few days”, pointing to the front seat by their desk. This, I thought, was a lovely and delicate way to offer assistance to a child who needed to be directed to an opticians’ for glasses. As a young school child myself I had the same experience. Of course, being the son of an Optometrist I didn’t have to wait long before I was swiftly in the opticians’ chair and then given glasses, through which I saw the world clearly again! It serves to me at least, as a good reminder of not assuming our children can see as clearly as we may think they can. Unfortunately, as many others also experienced, my first pair of spectacles were not full of colour as they are today. If only we had had the choice then, that we do now! When it comes to your eyes, we’d love to see you and for you to experience the world class eye care we firmly believe you deserve. Don’t forget, whether it’s for reassuringly thorough eye care, or for glasses with a little or a lot of colour, we’re here when you need us, six days per week. Just get in touch and we’ll be happy to see how we can help you. We continue to offer COVID safe ways to choose your new glasses too! To help us keep you all safe, we’re still asking you all to telephone first to book a time to come in. Please call our Henleaze practice on 0117 962 2474 or our Fishponds practice on 0117 965 4434.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

eyecareteam@turnersopticians.co.uk www.turnersopticians.co.uk Turners Eye Care Ltd T/A Turners Opticians Incorporated in England & Wales Reg No. 8201460 Subject to availability, T&C’s apply.

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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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November, 2021

n NEWS Beauty pageant finalist

n ADVERTISING FEATURE

A TRANSPORT manager at Sainsbury’s distribution centre in Emersons Green is set to compete in the final of a national beauty pageant. Santa Tokele has won a place in the final of Miss Galaxy UK 2021. She recently won the competition’s Bristol title in September and will head to the Park Hall Hotel near Chorley in Lancashire for the national final. Originally from Latvia, Santa moved to the UK to study fashion and textile design, and has lived in Downend for five years. In her free time pursues her passion for textiles, making scarves, redesigning dresses, and sketching new clothes. Santa, who has never competed in a beauty competition in the UK before, said: “I am so excited to have made it to the final, it is a great achievement and I cannot wait to meet all of the other girls!” Finalists will be judged in four different sections: an interview for judges to find out more about their personalities, followed by fashion wear, swimwear and evening wear rounds. The winner of Miss Galaxy UK will travel to the USA to compete in the Miss Galaxy International final next summer.

Expansion plan for library SOUTH Gloucestershire Council is asking people for their views on plans to expand Emersons Green Library. The council wants to create a new children’s reading room and “innovation space” in the building, with meeting and working areas. A consultation on the scheme runs until December 13, and more information can be found at the library, online at the consultations section of the council’s website and by calling 01454 866 895.

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Visit artists, makers and designers in BS16 OUR festive event is shaping up nicely and we have lots of new artists, makers and designers as well as many of our loyal experienced traders who previously exhibited with us. Taking into account the chill that may be in the air in December and also the more relaxed Covid restrictions, we have encouraged the formation of small clusters of exhibitors – tempting even more of our community to brave the elements and come and support our local businesses! As well as our individual venues, many driveways and front gardens are being shared and we now have a few community venues to visit. Mangotsfield Secondary School, Lyde Green Community Centre, Crosshands pub, and Ridgeway Studios and more to be confirmed. The creative talent in BS16 is continually growing with more businesses being discovered offering a wealth of products, styles and techniques, there is something for everyone’s tastes. A snapshot of these exhibitors can be viewed on our website www.bspoke16.co.uk or you could visit a few beforehand at our increasingly popular Pop-Up Shops that have been kindly been offered at The Wooden Walls in Staple Hill on a Thursday and Snuffy Jacks, Fishponds on a Wednesday, both at 10am - 2pm. These businesses have suffered through the pandemic yet are going out of their way to support other small traders. Deadlines for exhibitors close on the 1st November and maps will be made available online and from our community venues from the middle of November. Visit our website, follow us on Facebook or drop us an email at bspoke16@gmail.com to get on our mailing list.

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November, 2021

n NEWS

Model Lex visits Mangotsfield SINGER and model Lex Gibbon visited Year 9 students at Mangotsfield School to talk about mental health, body image and cyber bullying. School head of creative arts Zoe Giblin said: "Lex has been tipped for huge success in the music industry. "She was the first plus-size teenager to walk the catwalk in London, New York and Paris Fashion Week. "Lex was badly bullied at school, which led to

her having her own mental health/body image issues, so she feels she is in the perfect position to speak to young people about these very important issues. "Our Year 9 students gave her their full attention and engaged well with these pertinent topics." Lex performed some of her songs live to our students, followed by a talk and a question and answer session.

HEDGEHOG HOUSE SCHEME Thank you to all of you who applied to our hedgehog house scheme. Our hedgehog houses are now in situ in their new homes, ready to provide warm and safe accommodation for our hibernating residents this winter. We partnered with the Splinters workshop at the Brandon Trust, who designed and manufactured the houses out of recycled pallets. We think they did a great job!.

All Town Council meetings are open to members of the public and are held at the Town Council offices on Westerleigh Road. Please see our website for meeting agendas. Open Spaces Committee 7.00pm 2 November Planning Committee 10.30am 8 & 22 November Full Council 7.00pm 11 November Finance Committee 7.00pm 25 November Us the QR code to find and contact your local Town Councillor

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

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November, 2021

n NEWS

School’s ‘wonderful’ return to Year 6 camp CHILDREN from Pucklechurch Primary School pushed themselves to the limit with activities at a residential camp. The school’s Year 6 pupils spent a week at the Mill on the Brue outdoor activity centre at Bruton in Somerset in October, taking part in activities including axe throwing, raft building, making camp fires and tackling an assault course and zip wire. Deputy head teacher Jamie Thompson said: “It was wonderful to be back on a residential camp again in the picturesque Somerset countryside, after such a disrupted last couple of years in school. “We were lucky to enjoy glorious autumnal weather for the whole week. “All of the children loved getting to challenge themselves; each child tried at least one new activity or experience every day. “Throughout the week, the children worked brilliantly in their teams to overcome various challenges. “They were a credit to themselves and their families as they very much lived the Pucklechurch vision of ‘Aspire, Believe, Achieve,’ whilst at Mill on the Brue.”

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n NEWS FROM OUR MP

November, 2021

Recognising the power of books

Chris Skidmore writes for

Emersons Green Voice

AS the local MP I hear so many comments from local people about the importance of local facilities and services and that they grow in size as the community welcomes new homes and residents into the area. I am therefore really pleased to see South Gloucestershire Council consulting on the expansion of Emersons Green Library. The proposals are for two separate extensions to the existing building – one to create a dedicated children’s library and other to create an “innovation space”. As an author myself and a parent of three small children, I recognise the power of books and reading to inspire the next generation. A love for reading at a young age can do so much to equip children for later life. At Emersons Green library, children’s books account for over

half the books borrowed from it and over a quarter of its members, 37%, are under 16. The library’s proposed new “innovation space” aims to develop a space that gives people access to explore new technology, use craft equipment and computer programmes to support their work, home or education. People would be able to come together and use the space, to cowork, meet, learn and share their knowledge and skills. The council would offer courses to teach people various subjects. The consultation is open until December 13 and details can be found on the council’s website. You can also call 01454 866 895 or send an email to consultation@ southglos.gov.uk with your comments and feedback. I have also submitted my Member of Parliament response

to the council’s consultation on improving the A4174 roundabout junctions. ‘Through-abouts’ have been shown to work elsewhere in the country, but Wraxall Road will be the first such junction in our area. I have argued that there should be some time taken to evaluate how effective this scheme is, and allow people to become familiar with it, before agreement is made on the other roundabout junctions. The A4174 ring road is the transport backbone of our local economy. We must invest in it not only to protect existing jobs, but also to provide the jobs of the future – and must do so carefully and in consultation with local people. As our local MP, transport investment is something I will continue to champion.

DO YOU HAVE A CHILD DUE TO START SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER?

If so, please let us show you around our wonderful school! Open afternoons every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Contact the school office on 01454 866 750 or email elmparkprimary@sgmail.org.uk to book an appointment

Reception Open Events

Is your child due to start school next September?

We would love to welcome you to Elm Park Primary School. Come along and enjoy a guided tour led by our Head Teacher and Reception Class Teacher. See our wonderful school and let us show off the amazing learning opportunities we provide. We offer personalised tours every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4pm – 5pm. If you would rather come when the school is in action, we would love to invite you to our open morning on Tuesday 19th October at 9:30am. ‘Elm Park is a happy and friendly school. Pupils love learning because teachers make it fun. The Early Years is a welcoming and interesting place for children to learn. Staff care deeply about their pupils and are sensitive to their needs. Leaders and teachers share a passion for igniting pupils’ enthusiasm and nurturing talents.’ OfSTED November 2019 Please contact us by phone 01454866750 or email elmparkprimary@sgmail.org.uk to book a place for one of our open afternoons or to join us at our open morning. If you are unable to make the days/times above, please contact us and we will find an alternative time to show you around.

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November, 2021

n NEWS

Anniversary fireworks set to be spectacularAbacus Pre-School Open Da Saturday 2nd October 202

THE 50th Downend Round Table Fireworks display is set to be the biggest in the event's history. Organisers say the display technicians are planning some spectacular explosions for Bonfire Night, Friday November 5. The Voice reported last month that the area's biggest outdoor event of the year, which regularly attracts up to 10,000 people, Comeis set meet the team for coﬀee and cake morning at Abacus preto return to the King George V playing fields after being cancelled last and see the fantastic opportunities we have for children to learn t year because of coronavirus restrictions. Regulars will notice some differences in this year's event. There play.

will be no stage and performers, to minimise crowding around a single point, with music instead being relayed by speakers around the site. The number of entrances to the display is also being reduced to two PUPILS at a available Mangotsfield primary school have been finding Spaces for children aged 2 - 4 new years.

– one on Westerleigh Road and one on the Farm Road/Sutherland artistic ways to express themselves. Avenue side. Gates will open at 5.30pm, with the children's display The Year 6 pupils at Barley Close Primary School have been part of starting at 6.30pm and the main display at 8pm. A bonfire is also an art project, with lessons led by professional artists who specialise in Special appearance from Peppa Pig, face painting and ba planned, depending on the weather, near the park's basketball court. a variety of mediums, from sculpture and watercolours to stencils and The bars, fun fair and food stalls will stay open until around 10pm. street art. The display raises up to £20,000 per year for good causes and Each week the children have had a chance to learn and apply a new You will be able to see the pre-school set up with activities which w this year Downend Round Table will put all of the money raised into skill, working with artists Non, Chi, Lucianne Lassalle and Sophie on ahas daily basis its local fund for community groups, projects and causes, which Galliers.and ask the team any questions you may have a recently helped local scout and guide groups and Christians Against As well as producing their own stencil art and making clay portraits childcare at Abacus pre-school.

Poverty, which provides support and advice to get people out of debt. the school bus, which stands on the playground and is used as a Tickets for the display are on sale online at downendrt.ticketsrv. creativity space for pupils, was treated to a street art makeover. co.uk/tickets/ and can also be bought on the door, priced at £8 for Head teacher Jo Williams said: "The children loved being part of Time: - 12pm over-16s, £6 for children aged three to 15 and £25 for families of two the project, which was funded10am by the Youth Endowment Fund, and are adults and two children. Under-threes are free. proud that the bus willUnited be here forReform many years Church, to come." Address: Mangotsﬁeld, Cossham St

Artistic ways at primary school

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n LIBRARY NEWS n WHAT’S ON News from Downend, Emersons Green & Staple Hill libraries Rhyme Times / Storytimes Rhyme Time is a FREE weekly singing and nursery rhymes session for younger pre-school children. It is available in all of our libraries. Currently we are operating a booking system for these sessions so please contact your local library for details. Most libraries also run FREE story time sessions too, for older pre-school children. At Staple Hill Library this is on Mondays at 10.30am (no booking required for this one) and at Emersons Green Library it is at 9.30am on Tuesdays (but booking is required). Digital Champions FREE computer and WIFi use is available in all of our libraries. A scanner is also available at Emersons Green & Staple Hill libraries. You can also print from the PCs for a small charge. It is not necessary to book any of these services and they are available 8am – 7.30pm seven days a week (see Open Access below). We can also provide assistance with computer and other IT queries. Our friendly Digital Champions are available (by appointment) in all of our libraries if you require some assistance using your laptop, tablet or IPad. At Downend Library a longer IT Course is also available for FREE and is provided by SGS College. It covers a wide range of topics including setting up emails, on line shopping and security and how to make video calls to your family & friends. To book this phone 0117 9092296 or email cindy.corbett@ sgscol.ac.uk At Staple Hill Library a basic IT Skills course is also available through Community Learning. For details of the next course please contact 01454 864613. Open Access Open Access is our system that lets you into our 12 main library buildings at times when they are unstaffed. Library members need to complete a short one-off induction to register and be a minimum age of 16 years. As mentioned above this service is now back to being available 8am – 7.30pm seven days a week. For more details visit www.southglos. gov.uk/libraries. Contacts details Downend.library@southglos.gov.uk EmersonsGreen.Library@southglos. gov.uk StapleHill.Library@southglos.gov.uk

Sunday November 14 n FESTIVAL OF REMEMBRANCE at Staple Hill Salvation Army, Broad Street, Bristol BS16 5LN at 5pm. Tel: 0117 9569733 - featuring Staple Hill Band, Choir and children. November 27 n ST JAMES CHRISTMAS FAIR, 11am to 3pm in the Church Hall, Richmond Rd, Mangotsfield. Crafts, games, raffles and home-made cakes. Visit Santa in his grotto for £3.50, with a gift. Entrance is Free. November 28 n ST JAMES CHURCH MANGOTSFIELD TOY SERVICE, 10.30am in church. Please bring along a wrapped gift, labelled with the age and sex the gift is suitable for. We would like new toys suitable for preschool children but no soft toys, please. All toys will be given to social services to be distributed to local families. December 10 n LUNCHTIME CONCERT, St Mary’s Church, Manor Road, Fishponds, 12.30-2pm; performance from 1-2pm. Monthly concerts on the second Friday of the month return after an 18-month break, with a performance from Bristol Veterans Band. Entry is free – retiring collection towards expenses.

Regular Events Every Week day n MATHS TUITION IN EMERSONS GREEN. AM/ PM week days. Years 1-11 (primary/secondary), GCSE, 11plus, problem solving. 1-1 and group sessions. Email numerikstutoring@ gmail.com, facebook.com/ NumeriksTutoring. Enhanced DBS. Safeguarding trained. FREE assessment. Monday n MEDITATION SESSIONS IN FRENCHAY The pandemic has made us more mindful of our lives, what we miss and how we connect with others and nature. We are restarting meditation groups at Frenchay chapel with an introductory Talk on Meditation practices. It will relate to ways we can achieve peace and happiness - including an award winning programme element to share and discuss. Free to anyone, 4pm Sunday 5th September at Frenchay Chapel. We look forward to seeing you. Or just come along to the sessions that run from 3rd Monday each month at 7pm Frenchay Unitarian Chapel BS16

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November, 2021

1ND from 20Sept for the Personcentred Group Meditation and 1st Wednesday at 7pm from 6th Oct for the Kundalini movement meditation. Blessings to you. For more information contact Andrea on 07791119658 homewards.ma@ btinternet.com. Wednesday n THE WOMEN’S SECTION OF THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION We meet the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 2pm at the old school hall now known as the YOU Foundation by the car park in Page Road Staple Hill. Speakers, quiz’s and handy craft afternoon finish’s with tea. We have also planned fund raising events and are looking for any one willing to give us ladies a hand. If you are interested please telephone Madeleine Bills Secretary. 0117 9560805. n MANGO JAMS PARENT/ CARER AND TODDLER GROUP meets every Wednesday at Lyde Green community centre, 9.15am to 11.15am. Warm and friendly group run by volunteers from St James Church: everyone welcome to attend. n DOWNEND TANG SOO DO meets at Christchurch Parish Hall, North Street on Wednesday evenings from 7.30-9pm. Suitable for beginners and ages 10+. First class is free. More details from Ian on 07817 744689 or at the Downend Tang Soo Do Facebook page. Thursday n BRISTOL MALE VOICE CHOIR has returned to regular rehearsals and is looking for new members in its tenor, baritone and bass sections. You don’t need to be a reader of music, but if you can hold a tune, and enjoy singing , whatever the style of music in our wide-ranging repertoire, then come along to our regular Thursday rehearsals held from 7 till 9 at St Andrew’s Methodist Church, Elm Park, Filton, Bristol BS34 7PS. We are a sociable and friendly choir. We will rehearse observing whatever Covid requirements are in force and we look forward to seeing new singers as well as experienced returning singers. For more information go to our Facebook page, our website - www. bristolmvc.org.uk - or contact our secretary on 07941 040472. Friday n TAI CHI FOR PARKINSON’S. Weekly beginners Tai Chi &

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Qi Gong class for people with Parkinson’s disease, their families and carers. We meet for Tai Chi, tea and cake at Lincombe Barn, Downend. BS16 2RW. Time: Fridays (term times) 10.15 – 12.15 including tea / coffee break. Contact: Claire - Claire@ Taichibodyandmind.co.uk (07769 857672) or Sarah - buqiworks@ gmail.com (07815 662844) n PAGE PARK UKULELE CLUB, Bean Tree café, Fridays at 1pm. All abilities welcomed. Places £4 each. For further details call or text ‘Ukulele’ to Ben on 07910 668258. Sunday n EMERSONS GREEN BAPTIST CHURCH is now up and running again, after Covid, at the Emersons Green Village Hall every Sunday at 10.30am. Do come along. It would be great to see you. The church is now getting ready for their Christmas programme this will include the following:Sunday 28th November 10.30am11.30am in the Village Hall is the Children’s Christmas Craft Service. There will be crafts to make and songs to sing with a short Christian message. Do come along if you are able. It is FREE but all children must be accompanied by an adult. We look forward to having our regulars back as well as many new people. Emersons Green Christmas Eve Family Carol Service 4pm at Emersons Green Village Hall. The service lasts for 45 minutes and there is an opportunity to sing all your favourite Carols. (Limited Spaces). Everyone is welcome at both of the above.

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November, 2021

n MANGOTSFIELD RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION WHAT a great piece from Clive, our chair, last month: I’m sorely tempted just to write "what he said" this month! About 1,000 wild flowers have been planted in the Dame School garden by our local cubs, scouts and a few (too few) dedicated residents. Add these to the wildflower seeding our local scouts carried out last month and I think we can look forward to a fantastic display next spring/summer – we can only wait and see. We are about to build our flower planters thanks to Michael Bell, our local councillor, securing funding to buy the materials needed. We’ll advertise a 'build, deploy, plant' day in the coming weeks. I know it’s getting a bit late in the year now, later than we’d like, but it will be another job on our list ticked off. Our village Remembrance Service will be face-to-face again this year, and will take place on Sunday November 14 at 12.30pm, at the War Memorial. As Clive mentioned last month, we are planning some small but hopefully effective improvements to our Christmas Nativity scene

Sowing the seeds for a brighter Mangotsfield at the Dame School, and to the tree lights. They will go up in early December, and we will hold our Dame School Nativity carol concert on December 17 at 6.30pm. All are welcome to come along. At our recent meeting, we unanimously agreed to go ahead with the book swap library idea. It's the brainchild of local resident Sally Rendall, who attended the meeting and had this to say: "My idea for a community book library was so well received that we hope it will be constructed for all the community to use, to donate and borrow books, sewing patterns, recipes, jigsaws. "Basically the people of Mangotsfield will let it evolve to suit us all." Our next meeting is on Friday November 24, and we want to make it more of a social event, so

look out for more information over the coming weeks. There is rumour of early mulled wine and mince pies: let’s hope it’s true. A reminder that the next South Glos Council community engagement forum is on November 2. It’s still an online meeting – we aren’t back face to face yet, unfortunately. We’d like it to be more community-led and we need your help so please join us. You can join the meeting by emailing CommunityEngagement@ southglos.gov.uk. As always, we’d love more people to get involved, so if you’d like to or you need any help then please email MangotsfieldRA@ gmail.com, via the ever-popular Mangotsfield Matters Facebook page or by calling Clive on 07507

168700 or me on 07918 701881. In the meantime, stay safe and look out for one another. Chris Amos, Secretary

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November, 2021

n LOCAL HISTORY

Coal mining in Emersons Green

Historian and Mangotsfield Residents' Association member David Blackmore looks at what was once the area's biggest industry WHAT became known as the great Bristol Coalfield was first discovered about the time Kingswood Forest, under an order of 'dissaforestation', was reduced in size to about 4,500 acres of wood, scrub and waste land in 1228. It was a considerable belt, about four miles wide, running due north and south. The whole area later became filled with numerous coal pits and diggings. Some were thoroughly worked out, then abandoned: John Smith of Nibley wrote that in the late 1500s the 7th Lord Berkeley of Rodway Hill House "scarcely escaped with his life" during a hunt when his horse drew up short at an old, unfilled pit. In the early years the area was divided into 'liberties', where local lords of the manor claimed the right to cut wood or dig coal. In 1669 there were 73 such liberties in the forest. At the end of the 1600's William Player had a 'liberty' in the Mangotsfield area, covering 571 acres, which passed to Philip Langley of Rodway Hill House. In 1741 there was also a pit near Pomphrey Hill, run by a Mr Fryar, who also kept the Crown Inn in St James Place. The early workings were shallow, dug from the surface and rarely exceeded 100ft in depth, until the introduction of the steam pumping engine from about 1750, by which time increasing demand meant there were over 140 collieries in and around Bristol. Many of the present day roads in Mangotsfield were formerly footpaths leading to the various collieries and pits in the area. The three pre-1750 Sheppard's pits on Mangotsfield Lane (now Mangotsfield Road) and others in the Staple Hill area worked the 'Cock', 'Chick' and 'Hen' coal seams in the Middle Pennant series. By 1843 only one remained. Church Farm Land Pit, also known as Buller's Pit, worked

the "Mangotsfield Great" and "Mangotsfield Little" seams. Little more than 100 yards away was Church Farm Deep, run from 1870 by the Mangotsfield Colliery Company, with the Deep shaft was sunk to 285ft in 1881 and a new beam pump installed, making it an engine pit for drainage. The Engine House still stands in Emersons Green, with its inscription "I.A.W. 1881" presumably meaning Isaac White, who had an "ill-starred passion for mining speculation". The pits closed in 1891. Nearby was the multi-titled Bristol Wallsend, Mangotsfield Common, or Mangotsfield New Colliery. The former name references the 18th century Wallsend-on-Tyne colliery, which had such good-quality coal that the name "Wallsend" was adopted by collieries in other parts. But the magic certainly did not rub off on this venture, as the 2ft 4in "Mangotsfield Great" vein, at 100ft, was of poor quality and abandoned, after 40 years, in 1907. Not a trace of the colliery remains today, as the site has been covered by houses in Windsor Place and the lower end of Richmond Road. However, there are probably former miners' cottages in Windsor Place dating back to before 1670, and a converted garage which may possibly be a colliery building. Three pit shafts on Gladstone Street, Staple Hill, were known collectively as the Staple Hill Pits and worked the deeper part of the Lower series of Sheppard's veins. Their workings eventually interconnected, and flooded in 1852-53. Soundwell Upper Pit was also known as Upper Whimsey or High Pit; when workings at three other pits eventually interconnected this pit became known as the Downcast Pit. Soundwell Middle Pit was also known as Centre Pit, then Upcast Pit. St. Stephens Close has been built on the old pit area. Soundwell Lower Pit or Old Pit on Chiphouse Road was subsequently known as the winding shaft. At Pucklechurch, the first shaft was sunk at Brandy Bottom around 1837, while nearby Parkfield Colliery was sunk in 1851, under the ownership of Handel Cossham. Coal was reached at Parkfield in 1853 but only the upper series of coal veins – the Hard, the Top, the Hollybush and Great veins – were

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The engine house for the Church Farm Land Pit, also known as Buller's Pit, still stands in Colliers Break, Emersons Green

The Bristol Wallsend Mangotsfield colliery worked. The quality of the coal mined was extremely good, and was used for gas manufacture and house coal, and by 1896 the colliery employed 292 people underground, and 49 on the surface. Cossham's company took out a lease on Brandy Bottom in 1871, sinking the southern shaft or New Pit around this time. Brandy Bottom was then connected underground to Parkfield and used for hoisting coal, pumping and ventilation. It is thought that coal hoisting at Brandy Bottom ceased sometime before the First World War, and the pit was then used for ventilating Parkfield and acting as an emergency exit. Bristol had faced everincreasing competition from South Wales as the ports of Cardiff, Newport and Swansea developed, and the opening of the Severn Tunnel in 1886 had spelled the beginning of the end for our local collieries, which could not compete with the cheaper fuel available from South Wales.

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Parkfield and Brandy Bottom closed in 1936 as a combination of flooding, increased pumping costs and decreasing reserves made the pit uneconomic. Shortwood Colliery, part of the same complex, closed at the same time, with alternative employment for the many Mangotsfield men who worked there found at the Shortwood Brick Works, clay pit and a number of small stone quarries. Due to the increasing housing developments in and around Mangotsfield there was little likelihood of coal mining ever recovering its position as a major industry within the parish. Although as late as 1949 samples of good quality coal were excavated around Mangotsfield, the quantity was considered insufficient to justify full-scale operations. Prospectors had not exhausted all the possibilities, and open cast working was considered, but was never progressed. Brandy Bottom was made a Scheduled Ancient Monument in January 2001. Next month: Life in the pits

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emersonsgreenvoice

November, 2021

n NEWS

School sport is back as 700 take part MORE than 700 children from ten primary schools across the area took part in the first interschool sporting event since the start of the pandemic. The Mangotsfield and Downend Olympiad legacy event - known as the MaD Olympiad - is organised by the Castle School Education Trust Sports Partnership, based at Mangotsfield School, and Blackhorse Primary School. The event on September 23 started in the morning with a parade by 15 Year 3 classes, who then took part in a multi-skills and athletics morning event. In the afternoon Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils took part in an interschool athletics competition, with medals, trophies and school pride on the line. Retaining the overall Key Stage 2 winners shield, won the last time the event was held back in 2019, was Mangotsfield CE Primary School.

Members of the winning Mangotsfield CE Primary School team After Year 3 pupils took part in racing, jumping and throwing events, a 30-strong team of competitors from the school picked up a "large haul" of individual medals, plus third place overall in Year 4, second place overall in Year 6 and first place in Year 5.

Mangotsfield Primary School PE coordinator Sophie Leonard said: "It was incredible to see so many children back enjoying schools sport. "Our young athletes performed admirably. "It was fantastic to see so many Mangotsfield learners

enjoying the variety of events - ably assisted by a handful of ex-pupils now of Mangotsfield Secondary School. "Thank you to CSET and Mr Botten from Blackhorse Primary School for organising, and we look forward to returning in Term 6."

n LYDE GREEN OPEN SPACE COLUMN

Remember, remember we are into November AS Autumn is in full swing, we remind all you budding gardeners to get ready for the winter. Bag up all those leaves and ‘leaf’ to rot – this will create lovely mulch when it breaks down. Other jobs to do can be to plant trees and shrubs, as November is the perfect time. Don’t forget your roses too: November is prime time to plant them. Try not to plant where any previous rose bushes were, as you will find they may get diseased. Halloween is October end, and along with it comes plenty of pumpkins. Cucurbita pepo is from the squash family and has many, many uses. As Halloween passes, let’s think about what we can do with our pumpkins. There are some great ideas to utilise your old pumpkins and

lots of inspiration can be found online. Some of our favourite ideas are to cook the seeds to eat. You can pre-boil for 10 minutes then cook on Gas Mark 4 (180C) for about 15 minutes – the birds will love them too! Why not try burying your old pumpkins without seeds, unless you want your own pumpkin patch next year. This will do wonders for your soil and the bugs in the ground. Bonfire week is approaching too, so please remember to check your piles for hedgehogs and any other animals before lighting. Wood ash from the fire can also be useful for the garden and lawn. The calcium in the ash is a great additive to the soil, and the ash will raise the pH levels. Lyde Green is not known for its great soil, so a good scatter

and rake-in will work wonders. We must mention the spring bulb planting and thank everyone who took part. We can’t wait for spring, to see all the planters in bloom. Our outdoor activity will slow over the winter months, due to the weather and short days, but that won’t stop us behind the scenes. We are working on projects as you read this, and will continue through winter. Finally, a reminder that our group meetings are usually on the first Monday of the month at the Lyde Green Community Centre, so please pop along if you can make it: details will be posted on our Facebook page nearer the time. We are always looking for members to assist with project planning, finance/fundraising and general gardening maintenance

around Lyde Green, so if you feel you can lend a hand with anything, please get in touch on Facebook or send us an email to lgopenspace@gmail.com . Thank you all for your continued support. Laurence Binks Chair Lyde Green OpenSpace

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November, 2021

in MaD Olympiad

The Bromley Heath Junior School team Josh Boulton, from Pucklechurch Primary School, said: “Our pupils had a fantastic time. They really valued getting to represent their school and competing with other children. "It was a really valuable experience for all the pupils and we believe it will raise aspirations in school. They were well

Blackhorse Primary School pupils celebrating their achievements at the MaD Olympiad supported by the Young Leaders and cheered on by every school.” Bromley Heath Junior school head teacher Tracy Serle said: "An amazing day was had by all, and a fabulous opportunity to come together as a wider community after such a long time." The Tynings School teacher

Esme Davies said pupils had a "great time" at the event. CSET Sports Partnership Lead Wendy O' Donnell thanked Blackhorse Primary school for its support in organising the event and South Gloucestershire Council leader Toby Savage, who presented medals and trophies to the children.

She added: "Mangotsfield Secondary School received great feedback from the primary school teachers about our 67 Year 7 and 8 leaders who supported the event, describing them as 'exemplary', 'very smart' and 'engaging'. "We are all looking forward to next year!"

n LYDE GREEN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

Our salute to Rona the Rattlesnake! IT was great to be able to hold our annual general meeting in person this year at Lyde Green Community Centre. We would like to thank those who were able to attend. Some words of encouragement, appreciation and future plans, came from Kelly Adams, chair of Lyde Green Community Association. Before the AGM we held an event welcoming Rona the Rattlesnake to the community space, which is located to the right of the community centre building. Kelly mentioned how this is “symbolic and relevant, in bringing the community together during the challenges of the previous year”. Each rock was painted by the members of the community to create a shape of a snake and placed in the ground for all to see. We enjoyed free face painting, snake balloons, hot dogs and

Rona the Rattlesnake burgers, and welcomed everyone to enjoy this event. We look forward to a number of Halloween events being held over the half term by volunteers, the staff team and Coffee at Lyde. Please pop into the centre,

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call us or visit us online to find out what we have going on. A mention for the upcoming Christmas Fayre we are organising. We have already had lots of interest from businesses and people wanting to book a

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table at the Fayre, which will be held on Saturday 11th December. Please contact us if you would like to find out more. Keep an eye out for information about all the Christmas events that we have coming up. Finally, we are on the look out for a treasurer and secretary to join our board of trustees. If you would like to join the team, we would love to hear from you. Volunteers are also required, no matter what your skill set is - we welcome everyone, so let us know if you would like to help us out, no matter how little time you have. Help is always welcome on a variety of tasks, events, activities and much more. Please do get in touch with us via Facebook, email info@ lydegreenca.org  or call 0117 957 0410. For party or event bookings contact Bookings@lydegreenca. org.

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emersonsgreenvoice

n ON THE TREATMENT TABLE

Winter's on its way and I've already had 'world's worst cold' IT’S that time of year again – the daylight hours are shorter and the sun often seems reluctant to come out and cheer us all up! Thankfully help is here, in the form of vitamin D. Because of the reduced amount of sunlight during the winter months, some people find that they need a little extra help to get them through the gloomy days. Studies have shown that vitamin D3, for example, can boost the immune system and help to reduce the impact of respiratory infections. (We have adult and kids doses of vitamin D supplements to buy in the clinic.) And there are other effects of reduced sunlight at this time of year. You’ve probably heard this called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Certain skin conditions like eczema often play up as we spend

more time indoors in our cold weather clothes. In our clinic you’ll see all the chiropractors, physios and sports therapists using our powerful red light therapy box. It’s a technique that can boost your mood and is great for your skin, as well as helping with winter aches and pains. Other benefits can include detoxification, improved circulation, weight loss and the lowering of blood pressure. Another little winter tip if, like me, you’ve recently had the ‘world’s worst cold’…try a natural remedy. My favourite is hot water with fresh lemon juice, thyme and manuka honey stirred in. I’m not, of course, suggesting that this is in any way a cure for ‘man flu’, although it won’t do any harm! On a different note, there’s been a few changes at the clinic. We’ve had to say goodbye to

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

Luke Almond, a world-class sports therapist who has started an exciting new phase of his career. Luke has begun a Masters in chiropractic degree conversion course in Bournemouth, but the good news is that he will be coming back to Mangotsfield to treat his patients every Saturday while continuing his studies. He obviously couldn’t stay away! To compensate for Luke’s departure, I’m delighted to welcome Lucy Brazier, who will be taking over the bulk of his sports therapy duties. We know Lucy well as she has worked at Bristol Rovers for five years. She specialises in soft tissue therapy, sports psychology and rehabilitation – and we know we’ve taken on an extremely talented therapist who will be very popular with our patients. Due to an increased demand on our services, we have added Mary Maggs to the reception team. She is helping out with administration and telephone answering to make the customer experience at Cleve Chiropractic even more enjoyable. Last but by no means least on the staff news front, we are delighted to congratulate Jack Withey and his wonderful partner Beth on the birth of their new baby girl. I’m looking forward to helping guide Jack, who is part of

with a substitute for Tim Button, Doctor of Chiropractic at Cleve Chiropractic and Next Step in Mangotsfield!

0117 957 5388

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

our chiropractic team, through all the joys and pitfalls of parenthood – I’m sure he’s already enjoying all the lovely moments of becoming a new father. Finally, I’d like to say a hearty ‘well done’ to all of our patients who completed the London Marathon. We’re so pleased to be part of your journey, helping you return to normal life after Covid and raising huge amounts of money for charity. Don’t forget that, if you’re recovering from an injury or you want some extra help with your fitness goals, we’re here for you. Just give us a call and we’ll set you on the road to success

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The practice of pain relief Member of the British Chiropractic Association

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

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November, 2021

n SPORT

First win of the season for Mangos THE past month has seen some mixed results for Mangotsfield United, but the main thing was that the club secured their first win (and indeed, points) of the season to lift them off the bottom of the Southern League Division 1 South. The club’s first point of the season came in a 1-1 away draw at Willand Rovers. The Mangos took an early lead when Wayne Nderemani nipped in between two hesitant home defenders to stroke the ball home. The Mangos defence stood firm throughout the second half, but a very late surge from Willand saw a corner palmed into his own net by Mangos keeper Cameron Pike, deep into stoppage time. So it was very nearly all 3 points, but in the end the Mangos were forced to settle for one. One week later, the Mangos went down 2-0 away to Wiltshire-based Highworth Town in a disappointing defeat,

but even then it went to the wire, just like Willand the week before. Highworth had taken a seventhminute lead through Harrison Edwards, but the Mangos stayed in the game until deep into added time when, for the second week running, they conceded a late goal and Highworth were able to wrap up their victory. Next up was a 5-0 home defeat against Hampshire outfit AFC Totton, who lived up to their 2nd place league position on a wet night at Cossham Street amid the petrol crisis, which saw a number of other long-distance games cancelled. The Mangos competed well early on but a hat-trick by Brett Williams and another goal from Jack Hoey saw Totton lead 4-0 by the break, and it was all about damage limitation after that, with Totton bagging a fifth goal near the end through Lewis Waterfield. The elusive first league win of the season for the Mangos

finally came on October 3, when Cinderford Town went down 3-1 at Cossham Street. The home team made a great start & were 2-0 ahead by 19 minutes thanks to goals by Andre Freckleton and Wayne Nderemani, but although Harry Emmett pulled one back before half time, the Mangos stood firm after the break. Owen Humphries made it 3-1 with eight minutes to go, wrapping up that much-needed first league win. The less said about the next game – a 6-0 home Southern League Cup defeat to Melksham Town - the better, as the Mangos ended the match with just nine men, following two red cards. The Mangos then returned to Willand Rovers, this time in the FA Trophy, and once again, the hosts bagged a stoppage time goal to spoil the Mangos’ party, despite Joe Cattermole giving the Mangos the lead in the first half. Dave Smale

Fixtures Oct 23 Melksham Town 3pm Home Oct 30 Lymington Town 3pm Away Nov 6 Paulton Rovers 3pm Home Nov 9 Bristol Manor Farm 7.45pm Away (Gloucestershire FA Trophy) Nov 13 Bideford 3pm Home Nov 16 Evesham United 7.45pm Home

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November, 2021

n NEWS

Metro mayor visits industrial estate WEST of England Mayor Dan Norris visited an Emersons Green manufacturer to talk about skills. Mr Norris, whose Mayor responsibilities include skills, met some of the 55 staff at Knorr Bremse on the Emerald Park

East industrial estate, and talked with representatives of Make UK, a national organisation championing and representing the needs of manufacturing businesses. Knorr Bremse supplies commercial vehicle

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visits to businesses across our region I see good examples of workplaces, equipment and job roles being adapted to meet the needs of a world in which climate change is not a bolt-on, but a fundamental part of everything we do. “My ambition is to bring 23,000 new green jobs to the West of England. These are central to ensuring we play our part in tackling the climate and biodiversity emergency. “It was good to get the thoughts of Make UK and Knorr Bremse about what’s needed here in the West of England.”

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OSBORNE & SONS All work guaranteed.

0117 967 9028

To advertise, contact Gary on 07799 461169

Email: sales@emersonsgreenvoice.co.uk

Call Tony 0777 6188595 tony1osborne@yahoo.co.uk Find us on Facebook osborneandsons

emersonsgreenvoice

November, 2021 CARPENTRY & INTERIORS

CLEANING

MARK EVANS

Electricians & Alarm Specialists

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

A family run business Contact Alan on 07411834534 or 01179374887

Vinney Green Farmhouse Emersons Green BS16 7AF

Experts in



Full housge rewirrainnteed at

  

a all work gu ces the best pri



CARPENTRY

29 ELECTRICIANS



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

PHILIP PERKINS

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

0117 956 0695 / 07770 233475

• 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

enquiries@markevanselectrical.co.uk

CALL FOR A QUOTE - NO JOB TOO SMALL

Trusted Trader

0117 9373941 OR 07788 115945 DECORATING SERVICES

SJM DECORATING Professional Decorating Local Qualified tradesmen Internal & External Decorating Fast, reliable & friendly service Fully insured

Free Quotations

Call Scott 07515 523 623 0117 3824411

www.sjmdecorating.freeindex.co.uk

ELECTRICIANS

GARDEN SERVICES

D. ATTWELL LANDSCAPING & TREE SERVICES All Garden Works Undertaken All Foliage Removed – Roots Destroyed Patios Laid – Slabbing – Decking Block Paving – Gravelling – Fencing Wood Chippings – Clearance – Garden Walls Drives & Patios Jetwashed & Resealed • FULLY INSURED • LICENSED WASTE CARRIER

For a FREE quote call 07960 681 921 d.attwellgardenservices@hotmail.co.uk

GARDEN SERVICES & FENCING

FENCING

DAMAGED OR NEED REPLACING Call Nick on 0117 2872371 0117 303 9000

To advertise, contact Gary on 07799 461169

For all your Property and Garden Maintenance Give Todd Marsden a call on

0797 6711 290 or 0117 935 2332 FOR A FREE QUOTATION

Email: sales@emersonsgreenvoice.co.uk

FENCING

DOWNEND FENCINICGE) (ERECTING SERV types of e - All 45 years experienc arance etc. cle , irs pa re , ing nc fe L AL SM O TO NO JOB

TEL: 0797 3381663

GUTTER CLEANING

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

www.marksguttercleaning.co.uk Tel: 0117 3708528 Mob: 07543056558 Based in Downend, Bristol

Got News? Call Linda On 0777 0700579

emersonsgreenvoice

30 HOUSE & RUBBISH CLEARANCE

November, 2021

PLUMBING & HEATING

Garden, Clearance House, Garden, Office Clearance House,House, Garden, OfficeOffice Clearance

House, Garden, Office Clearance - all Plus all other Plus All Your Other Waste Removal Needs too! House, Garden, Office Clearance -- Plus other House, Garden, Office Clearance Plus all other Plus Plus All All Your Your Other Other Waste Waste Removal Removal Needs Needs too! too! On-average Average cheaper than a skip. On OnAverage cheaper cheaper than than aa skip. skip. removal On average cheaper waste removal On cheaper than aa skip wastewaste removal -Average On average cheaper than than skipa skip

07592 003 Tel: 07592 506 003003 Tel: 07592 506 Tel:Tel: 07592 506506 003 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 Full Load Full £199 Full Load Load £199£199

www.junkmonsters.co.uk www.junkmonsters.co.uk

OVEN CLEANING

We would be pleased to help you with your

Boiler/Heating systems installed Unvented Cylinders Electric Boilers Underfloor heating Boiler repairs Boiler servicing Gas & PAT safety testing

0% FINANCE AVAILABLE*

CREST HEATING & PLUMBING

BOILERS, BATHROOMS AND GENERAL PLUMBING

OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE HONEST & RELIABLE

TEL: 07765 250816

56746

PLUMBING & HEATING

0117 9600269 info@blueflameservice.co.uk www.blueflameservice.co.uk FULLY ACCREDITED WITH

07878249260 phil@andersonheatingservices.co.uk

*FINANCE PROVIDED BY INPROVEASY

PLUMBING

PLUMBING & HEATING

Tel: 0117 9676268 info@arheatingservices.co.uk

* TAPS, WASHERS * BALL VALVES * LEAKS, WASTES * OVERFLOWS, DRIPS * LEAD PIPES * TOILETS, FLUSHES

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

518308

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS From as little as

£18.30 +VAT

Per month EMAIL

sales@ emersonsgreenvoice.co.uk To advertise, contact Gary on 07799 461169

629179

Email: sales@emersonsgreenvoice.co.uk

Taps, Washers Toilets, Cisterns Leaks, Blockages Tanks, Overflows Lead Pipes, Stopcocks….etc… OAP DISCOUNTS and NO VAT

0117

957 5092

WIGS

Wigs Bristol

LOCATED IN DOWNEND

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. We stock many styles and makes.

Please book an appointment on:

0117 956 6556 www.wigsbristol.com

Got News? Call Ken On 07715770377

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Celebrating almost £3 million of school building improvements

Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Employment Cllr Erica Williams visits Blackhorse Primary School.

Children at the new entrance of Frampton Cotterell Primary School.

The council is carrying out more maintenance improvements to school buildings than ever this year, with an investment of just under £3 million. Work has been completed at a number of primary and junior schools across South Gloucestershire over the summer holidays. This is part of our record £78 million investment into

schools over a four-year period. Projects already completed include: Blackhorse Primary School in Emersons Green: Replacement of existing lighting to LED and the installation of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system as part of the Public Sector Decarbonisation

Integra Kitchen Unit Manager at Manorbrook Primary School with new dishwasher Scheme. Frampton Cotterell Primary School: Refurbishment of the main entrance canopy and replacement of various windows. Manorbrook Primary School in Thornbury: Brand new electric catering appliances which have replaced older gas models.

A stronger voice for your community

Housing completions

New parish and town councils: Have your say

South Gloucestershire saw a record 1,650 new homes built during 2020/21, despite the impact of the pandemic on the construction industry. This success means that more individuals and families in the district will now have homes to rent and buy. Of these new homes, 403 are classed as ‘affordable’, including 305 for social renting, eight for affordable rent and 90 for shared ownership schemes. This represents over 40 per cent of the total number of affordable new homes completed in the last year across the entire West of England region. The new homes are on both large and small-scale developments. Both the overall number of new homes and those which are affordable completed in the past year are above the council’s targets. Construction in the district has remained resilient. Not only does this keep people employed locally, but offers the prospect of housing being available for the next generation of South Gloucestershire residents close to where they grew up. The growth in available housing supports local businesses to attract and retain staff who contribute to the local economy and strengthens the community. The council works closely with housebuilding companies, large and small, to help ensure their schemes fit with its aspirations for high-quality, sustainable new homes, which provide a good choice to meet the needs of everyone in our communities and create good, safe and inspiring places for people to live and work.

Did you know that being part of a parish gives you a stronger voice regarding what happens in your community? South Gloucestershire residents now have the chance to comment on proposals on changes to town and parish councils, including the creation of four new parish councils, through a Community Governance Review consultation. The deadline for responses is 31 December. The review will look at how things currently work locally and examine how they can improve to meet communities’ rising expectations. Among the consultation proposals, this includes: • A new Town Council for Kingswood • Staple Hill & Mangotsfield, Charlton Hayes, and Stoke Park & Cheswick to be Parish Councils • Oldbury-on-Severn Parish Council to have additional councillors • Tytherington Parish Council to have additional councillors and name change to Tytherington and Itchington Parish Council • A name change for Westerleigh Parish Council to Westerleigh and Coalpit Heath Parish Council. You can have your say through the council’s website: www.southglos.gov.uk/consultations

Record new homes: providing ownership and affordable housing choice

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Calling community heroes

Do you want to celebrate an unsung community hero? Why not nominate them for the South Gloucestershire Council Chair’s Community Awards? The annual awards recognise and celebrate the valuable contribution that local, unpaid volunteers and community groups make to life in South Gloucestershire. You can nominate anyone in South Gloucestershire who gives up their time for a good cause, such as those who help keep our parks clean and tidy, the befriending volunteers who brighten people’s days, or the helpful neighbours who have supported those self-isolating. The next celebration of community work and volunteering takes place in January. The Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Mr Edward Gillespie, will attend the awards ceremony and select one of the winners to receive a special Lord Lieutenant’s Award. You can nominate your community hero up until 19 November on the website: www.southglos.gov.uk/communityawards or email communityawards@southglos.gov.uk

Keep in touch Sign up for our weekly enewsletter at  www.southglos.gov.uk/newsletter If you are not online and would like a printed copy, please call us on  01454 868009 Follow our social media channels at  southglos.gov.uk/twitter  southglos.gov.uk/facebook Or contact us at  southglos.gov.uk/contactus or call  01454 868009 www.southglos.gov.uk

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