Fishponds Voice January 2022

fishpondsvoice January, 2022 — ISSUE 82

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Meet Frome Vale's first aiders FROME Vale Academy has unveiled a team of pupil first aiders who patrol the playground at break times to be ‘first responders’ if another pupil is hurt or upset.

Staff chose from 30 applicants after all pupils received basic first aid training.

Principal Jan Saunders said: "The first aiders are one great example of how we develop children as citizens."

Banksy gorilla goes digital 'Digital shares' in Gorilla in a Pink Mask, a Banksy mural formerly on a Fishponds building, are being offered for sale online.

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Centre campaign

School drops Colston name THE Stapleton school founded by slave trader Edward Colston is to change its name.

Colston’s School was set up by the Bristol-born merchant, MP and philanthropist in 1710 and has carried his name ever since.

But the toppling of Colston's statue in the city centre during a Black Lives Matter protest last year prompted the school to launch a consultation on whether to make a change, which received more

than 2,500 responses.

And while 81% of the 1,096 members of the public who responded said the independent school should retain the Colston name, the school said current and recent former pupils, as well as staff, were "more inclined to see a change in the name of the school as a positive step".

Neighbours have launched a campaign to save the Vassall Centre from redevelopment.

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GP speaks out Fishponds GP Dr Katrina Boutin has urged people to show more understanding towards NHS staff.

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EDITORIAL Ken McCormick 07715 770377 news@fishpondsvoice.co.uk

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LOCAL INFORMATION Bristol City Council

http://www.bristol.gov.uk 0117 922 2000

Police

www.avonandsomersetpolice.uk general enquiries: 101 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

Fire

www.avonfire.gov.uk General enquiries: 0117 926 2061 Emergency: 999

01454 868001

Well Aware

Health and social care information www.wellaware.org.uk Tel: (freephone) 0808 808 5252

January, 2022

n NEWS

Gunpoint burglary POLICE are trying to trace two men after a Hillfields resident reported being burgled at gunpoint.

The incident happened at around 11am on November 24 at a house in Rosedale Road, between Briar Road and Gorse Hill.

An Avon and Somerset police spokesperson said: "Armed officers were deployed to the location due to reports of weapons being present.

"A tour of the area proved negative and enquiries to locate two male suspects are ongoing.

"Police believe this was an isolated incident and that there is no threat to the wider public.

"The victims are being offered safeguarding support."

Police confirmed that the weapon reported by the resident was a gun and that the incident was being treated as an aggravated burglary.

Anyone with information about the incident is being asked to call the police on 101, quoting crime reference number 5221 276 637.

'Fake' officer charged A MAN has been charged with impersonating a police officer after an incident on Fishponds Road.

Police say 20-year-old Thomas Cox is alleged to have driven along the road on December 12 and tried to encourage a male motorist to pull over by using blue and red flashing lights.

Cox, of Quantock Close in Warmley, has also been charged with driving while disqualified and without insurance.

He is due to appear before Bristol Magistrates Court on January 11.

Avon and Somerset police have stressed that emergency services in the UK do not use any forward-facing red lights.

In October the force published details of a new officer verification process to help check whether an officer is genuinely who they say they are, assuring people that officers will provide their name and collar number to anyone who asks and will call the control room on their police radio asking an operator to confirm their identity.

People are being encouraged to call 101 themselves if they prefer – or 999 if they feel in danger.

More details about officer verification are available online at bit.ly/3oQPIVN.

COMPLAINTS

Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get things wrong. We always try to resolve issues informally at first but we also have a formal complaints procedure. If you have a complaint about anything in the Kingswood 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 obtained by contacting the Publisher.

A member of the

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: Fishponds 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 in Fishponds and the surrounding areas. 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 Brookfield Publishing on 07540 383870 or email news@fishpondsvoice. co.uk. This month 9,000 copies will be distributed in Fishponds and the local area.

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January, 2022

3

n NEWS

School will drop Colston name after 312 years

From Page 1 Chair of governors Nick Baker said: "After a lengthy period of consultation, consideration, and reflection, it became clear that those with a closer connection to the school would prefer to have a name that was more relevant for the pupils and staff of today and tomorrow.

"It is hoped that a new identity will do more to reflect the values and ethos that the school stands for today and to make it even more welcoming to the local community it serves."

The school's board of governors said the change "will not erase the school’s history" and insisted that teaching about the transatlantic slave trade and Colston's role in Bristol’s history "will remain a key part of the school’s curriculum".

They said the school was "very different" to the one founded in 1710 for boys from poor families, now teaching boys and girls from the ages of three

to 18, with about a quarter of its pupils from black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds.

They said: "Colston’s School has borne the name of Edward Colston for over 300 years, not because of any attempt at any stage to glorify or celebrate the man, but because Edward Colston paid for the school to be established. This school was not named after Colston, rather it was named by Colston.

But they said toppling of Colston's statue in 2020 had made it clear that "the name Colston has become a symbol of the city’s extensive links

to slavery and will forever be associated with the enslavement and deaths of African men, women and children".

Headmaster Jeremy McCullough said: "It is an exciting new chapter for the school, and I am proud of our pupils and staff for engaging in this complex discussion and for being a part of the future they want to see."

The governors said students, former pupils, parents and staff would be involved in the process of choosing a new name, which will be announced next summer.

The decision was welcomed

by the two city councillors whose Eastville ward includes the school.

Marley Bennett said: "I have been really impressed with Colston School's handling of this complex issue, in consulting current school pupils and former alumni.

"Personally, I have long considered the continued commemoration of slave trader Edward Colston to be perverse, but I do appreciate there are a range of sincerely held views on the issue."

Lorraine Francis said: "There has been a lot of controversy about the name Colston for decades, so well done to the governors for accepting that it’s time for change.

"However, what is more important is that children at this school (and all others in Bristol) are finally taught the truth about Colston and how he made his money, instead of the whitewashed version of history that has been taught for so long."

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January, 2022

n NEWS

Concerns over Vassall Centre plans PEOPLE living near the Vassall Centre in Oldbury Court have raised concerns over plans to redevelop the site.

Owner Bristol Charities wants to demolish the existing single-storey 1940s complex, which provides accessible work spaces for businesses, charities and non-profit organisations, and replace it with a variety of two and three-storey homes, with new workspace and community facilities.

The charity – which is carrying out consultations ahead of a formal planning application – says it wants to create a "vibrant new neighbourhood centre for multigenerational living and working".

But people living in nearby Vassall Road, Little Hayes, and Willow Bed Close have formed a group aiming to save the Vassall Centre – and say the plans would "take away a hugely valued community asset, replacing it with a high density residential development".

They said: "The buildings on the site are of historical importance."

The group said the building provides "unique open access ground floor space and services", has won awards and "shown the way forward in disability provision to the rest of the country".

Members say the Bristol Charities plans would leave less than 10% of the current

Bristol Charities' initial plan for the site, with replacement work spaces in yellow and housing in brown, green and blue amount of ground floor work space available to tenants and have called for ways of saving the current buildings to be explored.

They have also raised concern over the scale of the replacement buildings.

The group said: "Most buildings are proposed to be three-storey, completely out of character with existing neighbouring housing.

"A building of that height will dominate the entire area, blocking light and invading privacy."

They said the proposals would reduce the on-site parking by over 50%, which would "increase competition for existing street parking by local residents and visitors".

The group is encouraging people

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who share their aims to email them at savevassall@gmail.com.

Bristol Charities chief executive officer Anne Anketell said: "Plans and designs are still at an early stage and we had lots of ideas and comments at the first sessions held before Christmas, which we have been reviewing in detail in order to help shape and inform the next stage of our designs.

"There will then be further opportunities for local residents to review and discuss designs before they are submitted to the local planning authority."

She said the new Vassall Centre would be "highly sustainable and accessible" and an independent accessibility consultant was being appointed to work on them.

Frome Vale ward councillor Amal Ali said the centre needed refurbishment and she welcomed the opportunity for new funding and "sorely-needed supported and affordable housing".

But she said that as well as residents, current tenants had raised concerns over space and rent.

Cllr Ali said: "I will be in frequent contact with Bristol Charities, the current tenants, and local residents to ensure all their concerns are taken into account and addressed."

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January, 2022

5

n NEWS

Children thrive at 'outstanding' kindergarten A FISHPONDS kindergarten has been given an 'outstanding' rating by Ofsted.

An inspector from the education watchdog said staff at Willow Tree Little Kindergarten, based at Avanti Gardens School in College Road, "bring children's learning to life".

Ofsted gave the kindergarten, which has 25 children aged two to five on its roll and is run on Steiner principles, the top rating in every category after visiting in September.

In her report, inspector Joanne Neenan said: "Children thrive in this exceptionally warm and welcoming setting.

"They arrive excited, happy and eager to start the day. Practitioners greet them enthusiastically and are genuinely pleased to see them.

"The kindergarten is extremely calm.

"Practitioners are attentive and responsive to children's needs. Children respond exceptionally well, and their

The Willow Tree Little Kindergarten teaching team – left to right: Susy Olivares, Rose Douglas, Lily Clark, Floredia Hrissikou, Sara Canamero-Escobar

behaviour is exemplary.

"Practitioners know the children extremely well and plan exciting activities that engage all children. They notice when a child needs more support or challenge, and quickly provide what they need to ensure all children reach their full potential."

The report praised the "highly effective" management team,

staff who provided "excellent role models" and "highly motivated" children.

The inspector said: "Children are deeply engaged in their play.

They make excellent progress in this incredibly nurturing environment."

The report praised learning in maths, vocabulary and the world around them, as well as safeguarding measures and

communication with parents.

Kindergarten manager Elodie Rummage said: "I am thrilled and proud that the hard work of our exceptional kindergarten team has been recognised in this way.

"It has really given us a boost, particularly after a tough couple of years in the pandemic."

Lead teacher Lily Clark said: "As teachers we know that we do all we can to provide a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment for all of the children at our setting.

"We work hard to build strong relationships with the families of our children too, and the parents recognise how special the home-from-home environment that we provide is.

"The validation of our approach by the OFSTED rating will help us to reach more families and continue to provide an exceptional standard of early years care to the Fishponds community."

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January, 2022

n NEWS

GP speaks out on violence to NHS staff A FISHPONDS doctor has called for more understanding towards NHS workers amid a rise in "violent and aggressive" behaviour from the public.

Dr Katrina Boutin, GP at Old School Surgery in Fishponds, spoke out as part of a campaign

by Bristol NHS health and care organisations asking people to be kind and respectful.

The campaign, called It’s not OK, comes as the trust which runs Bristol's city centre hospitals reported a 46% increase in incidents of violence and aggression, both verbal and physical, from 881 in the year to March 2020 to 1,284 in 2020/21.

Since April this year the rate has risen still further, with 917 cases in the eight months to the end of November.

Dr Boutin said: “Unfortunately, we are still seeing too many cases where patients become violent and aggressive with our clinical

or reception staff, which is extremely distressing for them.

"Staff in GP surgeries are working harder than ever to see and speak to as many patients as we can in the face of extremely high levels of demand.

“We want to make sure that you see or speak to the person who can best help you with your concerns and that we prioritise those who have the greatest clinical need.

"We understand that this can be frustrating at times if you have to wait longer than you’d like for an appointment, but aggressive or abusive behaviour makes things even more challenging for us.

"We would really appreciate your patience and understanding."

Extra demand for services, short staffing and frustrations over booking appointments have added to the pressure at surgeries.

And a recent meeting of the Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, which funds NHS services in the area is coordinating the anti-abuse campaign, heard there was “significant anger and upset” among doctors in the region over government plans to force GPs to offer more face-to-face appointments.

Chief executive Julia Ross said health chiefs needed to remain focused on “the right thing to do” for residents and not be “buffeted by all the noise”, although she accepted not everyone had fully embraced digital access to surgeries because Covid-19 had forced the changes to happen suddenly.

A CCG spokesperson said: "Whilst the majority of patients and visitors to healthcare settings are respectful and appreciative, there has continued to be a worrying rise in abusive

Dr Katrina Boutin.

Picture: Bristol Design behaviour during the pandemic."

The CCG said violent, aggressive and abusive incidents can have a "lasting impact" on NHS staff and called on patients and relatives to remember "they are people, too".

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January, 2022

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n NEWS

A CCTV camera at a nearby store captured footage of Payne (below) approaching the woman, raising his hand and shoving her to the ground before walking off.

Jail for shoplifter who shoved Big Issue seller to ground A SHOPLIFTER who shoved a teenage Big Issue seller to the ground when she challenged him for stealing has been sent to prison.

Police condemned the 'particularly cowardly and unnecessary act of aggression' by Ashley Payne, of Fishponds, who has been jailed for 44 weeks after admitting a total of 23 offences.

Payne, aged 32, carried out a crime spree in Staple Hill and Fishponds between the end of August and the middle of November.

Avon and Somerset police said he assaulted the 19-year-old Big Issue seller after she challenged him for shoplifting outside a store in Straits Parade, Fishponds.

The attack was captured on a nearby CCTV camera.

Payne also assaulted a 41-year-old shop worker in a separate incident and admitted a total of 16 counts of theft.

He was sentenced at Bristol Magistrates’ Court the day after his last offence.

Sergeant Andrew Bradshaw, of the Fishponds Neighbourhood Policing team, said: "We’re pleased with the custodial sentence given to Payne by the court for the series of offences he committed in our local community over a two-month spell.

"The attack on the 19-year-old woman was a particularly cowardly and unnecessary act of aggression – all because she challenged him for stealing from a local store.

"It has taken persistence and hard work by the neighbourhood team and our colleagues in the Detainee Investigation Team to investigate this series of offences and gather the evidence needed to secure these convictions."

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January, 2022

9

n NEWS

Nursery children confident and secure - Ofsted CHILDREN are confident, motivated to learn at a Fishponds nursery, according to Ofsted.

An inspector visited One The Nursery at 1 Hawkesbury Road in October to assess its quality of education, children's behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and overall effectiveness.

The report, which has now been published, rated the nursery as 'good' in all categories.

One The Nursery has 88 children aged from babies to three year olds on its roll, with up to 45 attending each day, and is run by 100 Acre Wood Limited.

In her report inspector Victoria Nicolson said: "Children arrive happy and keen to go into nursery.

"Children are confident, motivated to learn and keen to explore the resources and activities available to them.

"Older children take on challenges; they confidently complete the assault course in the garden, demonstrating how they can balance and jump off the equipment.

"Children develop secure relationships with the staff and they demonstrate feeling secure.

"Younger children snuggle into staff as they sit on their laps for a cuddle and to look at a book."

Staff and children at One The Nursery in Fishponds after their good Ofsted report The report said the nursery provided "an interesting and varied curriculum that builds on what children know and can do, using their interests".

The inspector said: "Staff know children well; they assess their progress and plan enjoyable activities that children are keen to take part in.

"They encourage children, follow their interests and engage them in play.

"Partnerships with parents are good and well established. Staff work closely with parents to get to know their children and to share information about their children's day at nursery. Parents say that they are happy with the care that their children receive, and that they are well informed about their children's learning."

The report also praised work to ensure children with special educational needs or disabilities had the right support to make the progress they were capable of.

The inspector recommended more support for newer and less confident staff.

Senior nursery manager Kirsty Price said: "The One The Nursery team work so hard to create an environment where our children are nurtured, inspired and have fun every day, so we’re very happy that our Ofsted report reflects this.

"We’re particularly proud of the comments the inspector made about our secure relationships that we have with the children and how our children are confident explorers.

"I’d like to say a huge well done to my brilliant team, as well as our lovely parents for all of their support always. One The Nursery wouldn’t be the same without them.”

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January, 2022

WILL & PROBATE ADVICE

This January make a difference to those you love After a second difficult year for us all, it has highlighted how the most important aspect of our lives is the people we love and care about.

Covid-19 has also highlighted the importance of being able to shop locally. With local services such as Simpson Solicitors staying open – providing a safe place for “in person” meetings and offering a FREE Home Visit Service for people in our area who needed to stay at home.

2022 will hopefully be much better. Now is the time get your legal affairs in order, to make a big difference to those you most love.

It is only by having an up-to-date will and power of attorney in place, that if you became seriously ill you can make sure your wishes are followed.

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Not having up-to-date lasting power of attorney can mean those you trust (who would most want to support you) are left feeling helpless and unable to make sure you got the support you would want.

Our local experts, Simpson Solicitors, can help you prevent leaving behind these sort of problems for your family. Being a regulated law firm you’ll have the peace of mind that everything is done properly for you. Making sure your wishes are clearly recorded with legally valid documents; to support those you intended preventing family fallout.

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January, 2022

n NEWS THE group behind plans to build a lido at Eastville Park has released a picture showing how the finished scheme could look.

The Eastville Park Lido Steering Group has confirmed that it will make an expression of interest in setting up and running an outdoor swimming facility and a cafe under the city council's Future Parks scheme.

The council says it is looking for "community-led ideas for enhancing parks and green spaces to help improve health and well-being in Bristol".

Individuals, groups and businesses were invited to submit an expression of interest proposal by December 31.

Another expression of interest, reported in November's Voice, is being made by the Friends of Eastville Park, based on the Community Hub and Activities Centre the volunteers are creating at the park's Nissen hut.

The lido steering group wants to use the old bowling green on a fenced site opposite the Nissen hut. Confirming their plans, the steering group issued a statement which said: "Over the last two years we as a group of local residents in BS5 and BS16 have been looking at how to improve facilities in Eastville Park. We use our park often, even three times a day. We began an open conversation with local residents who wanted to create a community hub.

"We were strongly inspired by the old Eastville Park swimming baths and the history of outdoor swimming in the park."

The group said a survey of park users had "shown strong local support for a Lido with Cafe in Eastville Park".

They said: "This would make

11

Group reveals what Eastville Park lido could look like we felt that we needed to come together to provide what the community needed."

When plans for the lido were unveiled earlier this year the steering group estimated the overall cost of the scheme, including buildings for changing rooms, a cafe, reception and function room, would be about £1.6 million. The group says the project would be a not-for-profit enterprise, with money "being funnelled back into the park" .

The group said: "The aim would be to make it an affordable entry fee and be managed by the community. As residents we would be happy to work with the Friends of Eastville Park group on this and with any other local people who are interested in joining us."

The Parkie: Page 17

The image released by the Eastville Park Lido Steering Group the Park safer and more inclusive of all people in the community from whatever walk of life.

"The old swimming baths in Eastville Park were bombed in the war, and never reinstated.

With a lack of staff time and money available from the local council, we, as a group of residents, have worked on new plans to deliver an Eastville Park Lido for the local community.

"Having looked at figures for construction, service connections and proximity to neighbouring houses we believe that the second bowling green site which has been fenced off and is an underused space within the community, would be perfect to include a community café and outdoor swimming facilities.

"Services for the community would be open 6/7 days a week and throughout the year.

It would be run by people within the community with the experience and knowledge to do so, with a mix of paid staff and volunteers.

"The primary purpose of

the Lido project is to promote community health, well-being and cohesion for Eastville and the greater North-East region of Bristol. We also aim to find ways to safeguard and enhance the open space and infrastructure, by developing a high level of resident involvement.

"With the council parks department experiencing cuts

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12

January, 2022

n PETER'S VISION

Back to the Future?

NEW YEAR NEW LOOK!

“When it comes to eyewear, why compromise?

Style & comfort come as a pair.”

57 Henleaze Road

768 Fishponds Road

Bristol BS9 4JT

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0117 962 2474

0117 965 4434

FIRSTLY Happy New Year! I hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas break despite the ongoing pandemic, which has no doubt had an impact on us all in one way or another. As things continue to be unsettled, I think I’m going cautiously with my New Year's resolutions. This year for me, it's going to be about focusing on family time, keeping everyone safe at home and work and making sure that when we (one day…) exit the pandemic we’re in great shape to continue providing the best eye care that we can.

On a cinema trip, a few weeks ago now, there was a trailer from an 80's classic film Ghostbusters. You’ve probably seen that it’s been re-released for the next generation (our kids!). Now I’ll admit to not being the biggest film buff out there, but there are some films that love 'em or loathe' em they do stick in your mind! It brought back memories of many good and definitely not so good films that we grew up watching. A popular one, a familiar trilogy involving time travel in a Delorean, gave me food for thought.

The film; Back To The Future. Which of course is quite a clever title in itself. I remember reading about the meaning in this title, whilst looking for something else, and then being so absorbed in it that I forgot what I was trying to find in the first place! I read that back to the future can be taken to mean don’t dwell on the past and focus on what you can control and move forward.

I thought that this was quite a good thinking point, and perhaps relevant to so many aspects of our lives at present. Certainly for us at Turners Opticians, as we continue to care for our patients in ever advancing ways, I’m not dwelling on the past and definitely moving forward! One example is a new range of glasses lenses we’re releasing this January. The latest tech means that we can all not only benefit from sharper vision, our new lens adds another level of visual comfort too!

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. A visit to Turners Opticians gives you so much more than just a sight test. Don’t forget, whether it’s for reassuringly thorough eye care, or for glasses with a New Look for the New Year, 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.

To advertise, contact Shaun Tel 07540 383 870

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.

Email: sales@fishpondsvoice.co.uk

Got News? Call Ken On 07715 770377

fishpondsvoice

January, 2022

13

n NEWS

Banksy work put on digital sale as NFT AN ART company is offering people 'digital shares' in a mural by Banksy which was removed from a building in Fishponds Road.

The stencilled image of a gorilla holding a pink mask first appeared on the side of the former North Bristol Social Club in Eastville in 2001.

It was removed from the side of the building, now the Jalalabad Islamic Centre, in September 2020 by street art restoration company Exposed Walls, with the agreement of the centre's owner Saeed Ahmed.

Mr Ahmed had it painted over shortly after he bought the building in 2011 but Exposed Walls removed the concrete and bricks on which it was sprayed in one piece, restored the painting and framed it.

It was put up for online auction in October 2020 then removed from sale.

Now Exposed Walls, which owns the work by the world famous Bristol street artist, has put the picture for sale as an "NFT edition". It is inviting people to buy an NFT or 'non-fungible token', a unique securely-stored piece of digital data, which represents ownership of a physical section of the painting.

An Exposed Walls spokesperson said that rather than each NFT being a percentage share of the painting it would represent a

"fractionalised" physical part of it, such as a nostril or eye.

He said: "The idea is that the collectors will try to collect the whole image."

The spokesperson said that once the sale was complete one of the NFT holders would win another Banksy piece, depicting refugees, which had been sprayed on a door in Scotland and had a "potential value" of around £750,000.

But he could not say how many NFTs were being sold or how much each one would cost.

NFTs have been a craze among tech investors and collectors, with the most expensive selling for more than £50 million, despite many people being bemused as to any benefit the owners get from them.

The spokesperson added: "Exposed Walls tends to focus on works that are on the verge of being lost to history, as was the case with Gorilla in a Pink Mask.

"Our intention is for this piece to one day be housed in a museum."

Exposed Walls says it will give a proportion of the proceeds of the sale to wildlife charity The Gorilla Organization and Bristol charity Developing Heath and Independence, helps "disadvantaged people and those living on the margins of society turn their lives around" through initiatives including supported housing and drug treatment.

The Voice has asked Banksy's representatives for the artist's view on NFTs.

A WARM WELCOME AWAITS AT QUARRY HOUSE NURSING HOME Providing top quality, best value, holistic care Quarry House in Fishponds offers safe and nurturing care We are now enabling close contact visits in the home, every resident is able to have an essential care giver, and there is no isolation required for new residents from the community.

We still have a varied activity schedule which keeps life interesting and happy.

We also ensure: • Strict Infection Control measures approved by Public Health England are fully implemented • Care staff wear PPE at all times and we have ensured a high volume of supply • Skilled nurses are on site 24/7 and respiratory equipment is at hand • Safe face-to-face visits where possible

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Got News? Call Ken On 07715 770377

fishpondsvoice

14

January, 2022

n ADVERTISING FEATURE

Helping you get the most out of life SUTTON Chiropractic in Downend helps you and your family get back to doing the things you love. As such, we love New Year’s resolutions.

It’s a time when new hobbies emerge or you commit further to something you love. This could be walking those extra few steps a day, training for a race later in the year or taking up that dance class you have always been tempted by.

Whatever it is, we want you to excel at what you do, and enjoy it. So we thought we’d put together a few tips that can help you get the most out of your newfound hobby or achieve that long-standing goal.

1. Address the whole picture The different aspects of your health support and strengthen

each other when given equal attention. If one area is neglected whilst another is vigorously pursued, the whole picture can unravel. Simplicity and balance are the key. Here are the five cornerstones of optimal health, address these and you’ll be able to make changes that last: • Healthy spine and nerves • Regular exercise and movement • Joints and muscles in good alignment • A varied diet of fresh natural foods • Relaxation/mindfulness 2. Start with a good foundation In an effort to get healthier our exercise levels increase throughout January/February, however many people develop

Matt Sutton injuries from this as they have missed one of the fundamental components listed above. The most common issue is when the spine, neck or pelvis are out of alignment at the start of the get fit phase and injuries start to develop. It’s not uncommon for these to spread to the knees, elbows and shoulders too.

This is why the body must be assessed and helped back to proper alignment. Ensuring that you can carry your fitness regime further into the year. A sound body can produce wonderful results in your overall health, especially when linked with the other parts of the optimal health approach.

3. Consistency is key We are creatures of habit and the quality of our habits

determines the results.

Essentially this means what you do today, sets you up for tomorrow. This could be preparing food for the week ahead, getting to bed earlier or planning an exercise slot into your schedule. Keep consistent in the pursuit of your health goals and the changes will come.

Getting support can really help keep you on track, and this could be in the form of a gym partner, running/walking groups or a local slimming world.

If you’d like to find out more about how we can help you get back to doing the things you love, or setting the best foundation for activities you’re taking up, we’d love to help. We want you at your best and would love to see how we can help for 2022. Remember, keep it simple, start with a good foundation and be consistent.

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Email: sales@fishpondsvoice.co.uk

Got News? Call Ken On 07715 770377

fishpondsvoice

January, 2022

15

n NEWS

School streets plans unveiled for primaries TRAFFIC could be banned at school run times and two roads made permanently one-way as part of a scheme to improve safety.

Bristol City Council has announced plans for School Street zones outside Chester Park Junior School and Minerva Primary Academy to "create a temporary walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting zone" to keep vehicles away at pick-up and drop-off.

The Chester Park scheme would create a traffic-free zone on a section of Abingdon Road from Moorlands Road to the junction of Acton Road from 8.30-9.10am and 2.50-3.30pm on school days, during term-time only.

But as part of the proposals a one-way system would be introduced northbound on Acton Road, which would be operational at all times.

The Minerva Primary Academy scheme in Hillfields would involve closing The Greenway and a section of Cherrytree Crescent to "nonessential vehicles" between the same hours on weekdays during school term times.

It includes the introduction of a permanent one-way system on The Greenway from Hillfields Avenue to Summerleaze, and on Cherrytree Road.

Announcing a consultation on both schemes, which runs until January 7, the council said: "The aims of the proposed scheme are to tackle congestion, unsafe parking and air pollution at the school gates and to make it safer and easier to walk, wheel, cycle

Minerva Primary Academy held a Halloween scoot and cycle event to encourage more families to ditch the car on the school run and scoot to school.

"It should also reduce the impacts of school traffic for local residents.

"Residents living within the area will be able to exit the School Street zone in their vehicles at all times, but we will ask that they avoid re-entering the zone during the short period of times the scheme is in operation. Emergency vehicles and Blue Badge holders will have access to the School Street zone at all times."

The idea has been welcomed by school leaders.

Chester Park Federation head teacher Mike McNama said: "We are excited to be offered the opportunity to make the roads around Chester Park a safer place for the children and parents when dropping off and picking up.

"This will benefit residents, as fewer parents/carers will block driveways.

"We will work alongside Bristol City Council and all stakeholders to do all we can to make sure the scheme runs as smoothly as possible.

"As well as making the area directly outside of the school

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safer, we will continue to promote active travel for all our families.

"Over recent years, there have been a number of near misses and negative interactions relating to parking. I have written to parents and carers about the importance of parking and driving safely for over four years, in school newsletters, to promote safety for our community.

"We have previously introduced a parking pledge which related to parents and carers parking safely and a short

distance from the school.

"We have a lot of families who walk, cycle or scoot to school on a daily basis and we look forward to increasing this number and promoting the health benefits."

Welcoming the Minerva scheme, Kate Richardson, the executive principal of the Cabot Learning Federation, which runs the school, said: "We are delighted to have been successful in the school streets scheme.

"The community at Minerva Primary Academy have been working hard to ensure our pupils know how to stay safe both inside and outside of school, the closing of the streets at these key times will complement this very important work."

More details and surveys asking for views on both schemes can be found at the consultations section of the city council website, bristol.citizenspace.com.

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fishpondsvoice

16

January, 2022

n NEWS

Arsonist jailed for Covid passport campaign

AN Eastville man who set fire to a city centre nightclub in a "misguided" terror campaign against covid vaccine passports has been jailed.

Owen Marshall, of Royate Hill, set fire to SWX in Nelson Street two months after handdelivering a letter threatening to “burn” the venue.

More than 130 firefighters fought the blaze, which caused damage and loss of revenue estimated at hundreds of thousands of pounds to the club and nearby businesses.

Avon and Somerset police looked through hundreds of hours of CCTV from the area around the nightclub to track the movements of the man seen starting the fire back to a shop in Fishponds Road, where he had been filmed buying a box of matches.

CCTV from the shop of Marshall, 29, was used in a public appeal for information

which led to his identification and arrest.

He had used the matches to ignite a petrol-soaked towel he had pushed through the letterbox at SWX. Marshall had also been recorded on CCTV the day after the fire, delivering a letter to the home of Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees. The letter claimed responsibility for the arson attack and said it should be a warning to other venues.

Two weeks later Marshall threw a brick through the window of the Barley Mow pub on Barton Road, St Philip's.

Attached was a note warning the management not to enforce vaccine passports, claiming they were "a breach of human rights".

In August Marshall sent a letter to another Bristol nightclub, Lakota, saying "your club will sustain substantial damage like SWX” unless covid passports were "aborted".

He was sentenced to six years in prison on December 8 at Bristol Crown Court after previously pleading guilty to charges of arson being reckless as to whether life is endangered, criminal damage and making threats to cause criminal damage.

Investigating officer PC David Stevenson said: "Owen Marshall's actions were motivated by the completely misguided belief the venues he targeted were about to introduce covid vaccine passports.

"His obsession with Covid restrictions ultimately led him to carrying out the extremely reckless attack on SWX and it is only through sheer luck no one was physically harmed.

"Staff had been at the venue just hours before and they could easily still have been inside when he used an accelerant to start the fire.

"The attack has had a

Owen Marshall devastating impact on the club and the three businesses based below it, with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage and lost revenue caused."

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fishpondsvoice

January, 2022

17

n FRIENDS OF EASTVILLE PARK

An exciting year in store at the Community Hub NOW, I’m not saying kingfishers can be remotely compared to buses in any way, shape or form except maybe when bus liveries try very hard to imitate the wonderful colours that this amazing bird displays year-round.

But a visit to the park is always made that little bit more special when, one day, just as you’d given up all hope of ever spotting one, they appear in numbers perched on branches or flashing past in flight along the river valley in all their glory.

Word gets out very quickly by word of mouth or through the wonderful photographs posted on our Facebook group page and, within a very short time, we see an influx of enthusiasts and fellow photographers intent on capturing the bird that has over the years rightly become something of an icon for Eastville Park’s diverse and wonderful world of nature.

This small selection demonstrates not only the infinite beauty of the Kingfisher but also the amazing skills of the photographers who bring them to life in pictures so that we can all appreciate just how perfectly formed this bird is.

The park took a bit of a battering in early December, as gale force winds brought down several trees across pathways and on the river. It was certainly an unusual experience walking around a completely deserted park early in the morning and looking up at a group of crows flying at supersonic speed with the wind behind them then turning into the wind and disappearing high up out of sight in the matter of a few seconds – they looked to be having a whole lot of fun! Meanwhile, the ducks and swans were seeking safe shelter in the lee of the islands and doubtless envious of the crows’ antics above them.

The wind had also whipped up the lake and debris was being churned and blocking the outlet to the river. We keep rods on hand so, after a bit of poking through, the water was able to get on its way again.

Few could forget the week when the park and all roads around were covered in drifts of fallen leaves several feet high,

blocking paths and providing an instant playground for children as they ran through and threw themselves into the heart of this living mass of fun!

If the sheer volume of leaves was remarkable, so too was the vivid cauldron of reds, brown and orange as the piles of leaves moved around each other like an image from a kaleidoscope. Within an hour or so, fully laden trees were turned to skeletons under the onslaught, as natures’ season changed once again.

We were very sad not to have been able to bring Santa’s Grotto to the park again this year.

Having had to cancel the previous two years, we were really looking forward to coming back bigger and better with our legendary volunteer elves putting on an event that has always been a great success.

We felt that this winter was our best opportunity to press on with the renovations to the Nissen Hut that are so desperately needed to make ready for the next phase in the Friends’ journey: building our long planned Community Hub and Activities Centre that we hope will be at the centre of life in the park and prove to be a fantastic resource that brings the community into the park for activities and events all year round.

At the time of writing, we are well on our way to completing the first phase, which has involved stripping everything out, insulating, fixing electrics and relining the interior.

Our roof repairs have proved successful too – not a drop has found its way in and the building is already quite cosy, even before heating has been installed!

We are installing a new kitchen along with windows and doors in January, then we can go about decorating ready to re-open sometime in February.

The Hub will be an amazing space for use by groups for a wide spectrum of activities and we are already receiving huge interest for bookings throughout 2022.

If you are looking to hire a space on a regular or one-off basis, you simply won’t find anything that has the character, function, affordability and warm welcome

To advertise, contact Shaun Tel 07540 383 870

Friends of

EASTVILLE PARK

that The Hub will be able to offer.

It’s been a long, slow, hard but rewarding journey for us to get to where we are now but we are sure that we can bring the whole community along with us on the next part of that journey.

The Hub is at the heart of our expression of interest to the Future Parks initiative, and our passion and love for creating something of real value is what drives us.

As a constituted community group – soon to be a Community Interest Organisation (a step along the road to charity status), we cannot produce for the foreseeable future significant profits to subsidise the parks department or council budgets for maintenance of parks, but we can support ourselves and sustain the Hub though our own fundraising activities, rentals and grant monies, which demonstrates a cost-neutral impact on council parks budget.

What we do offer is the

Email: sales@fishpondsvoice.co.uk

commitment, energy and passion of volunteers with an exciting vision that brings this space back to life with added value for the community along with improved modern facilities. It places intrinsic value on what little is left of Eastville Park’s heritage – buildings that have history, with stories written into their walls and deserve sympathetic restoration to preserve them for years to come We’ll be having a very big party in early Spring to celebrate the re-opening of Eastville Park Community Hub and extend a very warm welcome to you all.

Come along and celebrate with us as we set out on our new journey together.

If you’d like to know more about booking The Hub for activities during 2022, please get in touch with us at friendsofeastvillepark@gmail.com.

The Parkie

Got News? Call Ken On 07715 770377

January, 2022

18

n NEWS FROM OUR MP

Those setting the rules should practise what they preach I HOPE that despite the latest covid restrictions you and your loved ones are having a very good Christmas and festive period, especially after so many of us were not able to celebrate in the way we would have liked last year.

It’s clear that not everyone made the same sacrifices last Christmas. I have been shocked and appalled by the revelations that there was a Christmas party in Downing Street in breach of Covid rules at the time.

I’ve heard heart-breaking stories from people who couldn’t visit dying relatives in hospital last year, who had to hand over gifts to their elderly parents on the doorstep, or who spent Christmas alone.

If we are to beat this virus, and new variants, we all need to make sacrifices. It can’t be one rule for the elite and another rule

for everyone else. The very people who set the rules should be the first to practice what they preach.

I know that the Government promised the removal of restrictions last time would be “irreversible”, and it’s a shame this has not been borne out to be true.

Labour has supported the new measures as we believe it’s right to follow the advice of the public health experts, rather than play politics with people’s lives.

But alongside common-sense precautions to protect people from new variants of covid, like mask-wearing, we also need to address the economic impact of further restrictions.

For example, we need to increase the rate of sick pay, so people who have possible covid symptoms can afford to self-isolate; at the moment, this is something many people just can’t

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afford to do.

Labour has also questioned the extortionate cost of PCR tests for people travelling to and from abroad, with too many companies seeking to make a quick buck from this market.

Although the success of the vaccine rollout and the booster campaign has put us in a stronger position than we were this time last year, the threat of new covid strains means we all have a role to play in protecting ourselves and others.

We know that vaccines remain effective against all covid variants, so I would urge everyone to get vaccinated if you have not done so already, and get your booster jab once you become eligible, as this is still the best way to allow us to enjoy our freedoms whilst tackling the risk posed by covid.

I do hope that 2022 will be a much better year for us all than

Kerry McCarthy MP for Bristol East

writes for Fishponds Voice the last two years, and I wish you and your families all the best.

As always, please contact me if there are any issues I can help with at kerry.mccarthy.mp@ parliament.uk 0117 939 9901.

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fishpondsvoice

January, 2022

19

n HISTORY

A uniform mystery from a century ago Mike Jempson on a family's attempts to find out more about a mother's nursing career GLENSIDE Hospital Museum frequently receives requests to help clear up mysteries about people and artefacts that may, or may not, have something to do with the hospital.

Sometimes the museum has to reach out in the hope that someone somewhere else can provide an answer. One such case concerns the uniform worn by Elizabeth May Turner way back in the 1920s.

Elizabeth was born out of wedlock in the Hay-on-Wye workhouse in December 1901.

Her mother Rosa was in service in the nearby village of Clyro in Radnorshire, Wales.

Clyro Court was home of the Baskerville family, and while Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was staying nearby he heard reports of farmers’ futile efforts to track down a big dog attacking sheep at night. It became the inspiration for one of Sherlock Holmes’ best known cases, first published at the time of Elizabeth’s birth but discreetly relocated to Dartmoor.

Oblivious to such drama, she was brought up by her widowed grandmother, Sarah Ann Turner, in Wern Ddu high up in the Black Mountains. Elizabeth would ride a pony to school for the few years she spent in formal education.

A bright little girl, she passed an entrance exam to attend grammar school in Abergavenny, an opportunity thwarted by lack of funds.

After the bitterly cold winter of 1917, she and her grandma moved from the isolation of the Brecon Beacons down to Wattsville in the valleys, not far from Crosskeys, where her future husband lived.

But by 1924, when she married Reginald Edwards in Gwent, her

Elizabeth May Turner address was 15 Redcatch Road, in Knowle.

Two of her children, Dale, 76, and Jessemine, 95, have been trying to piece together what brought their mother to Bristol.

Her anecdotes convinced them she must have been on the staff at Glenside Mental Hospital. She spoke of working with the police in Fishponds rounding up ’women of the night’ to get them tested for sexually transmitted diseases. One night she came across a woman dressed only in a fur coat and shoes.

They believe their mother had started her working life by training at at the Monmouthshire Asylum in Abergavenny, later called PenY-Val Hospital under the NHS. It made sense to think she worked at Glenside, but she had also mentioned Stapleton, Stoke Park and Frenchay.

Her dementia in later life prevented them from ascertaining her actual workplace, but this lovely photograph of Elizabeth gave them hope they would find

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it. Unfortunately neither Glenside Museum nor the Bristol Archives, who hold staff records for the hospital, have been able to trace her either by name or uniform, and Frenchay Hospital staff records are still held under seal.

An archivist at the Royal College of Nursing says Elizabeth is wearing a standard outdoor nurse’s cape from the period, but nothing that would immediately identify where she was working.

One possibility is that she was on the staff of Stoke Park Hospital, a complex of buildings stretching back from the iconic yellow Dower House, now converted into flats.

By the 1920s it had become

a National Institution of Persons Requiring Care and Control, with more than 1,500 residents.

Run by the Reverend Harold Burden and his new wife Rosa, the Stoke Park Colony, as it was known, had a 55-bed hospital, where Elizabeth might well have been a nurse.

It housed the Burden Neurological Institute, originally set up to provide surgical treatment of the "mentally defective", which eventually transferred to the now closed Frenchay Hospital and thence to Southmead.

On marriage Elizabeth returned to Wales, where Reginald had a burgeoning career with Dewhursts the butchers. It would take them to Prestatyn, where twins Pauline and Jessamine were born, and thence to Colwyn Bay, where they were joined by brother Gordon.

They moved to Chester and during the war years Reginald worked with the Ministry of Food on meat hygiene and distribution.

In autumn 1945, now living in Southport, Elizabeth gave birth to Dale, before they moved to Charlton Kings, near Cheltenham.

Her ‘late blessing’ is now researching the family history.

However the mystery of Elizabeth’s uniform remains, unless fresh clues emerge as more staff records come to light.

Glenside Museum is open on Wednesday mornings and all day on Saturdays. More details are available at www.glensidemuseum. org.uk, where an Eventbrite booking link can be found in the 'Visit Us' section.

Pilates classes in Fishponds Suitable for all levels

Mondays 19:15 at The Life Church Wednesdays 8.45 and 10.15 at Lincombe Barn Saturdays 9.15 at All Saints Church Hall Please contact Emily to book your place on 07974252486 email: info@teachmepilates.co.uk or find me on facebook and Instagram: Emily Osborne Pilates

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Glenn works in a residential home.

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To find out more, get in touch with our Proud to Care Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire teams. We work closely with care providers across the area and can help you explore your options, explain the opportunities available and introduce you to employers.

Everyone is welcome, with or without experience, as we’ll offer all the relevant training and support.

www.beproudtocare.co.uk

January, 2022

fishpondsvoice

21

n COMMUNITY NEWS

n NEWS

ON a cold Saturday afternoon on December 19, 1936, Mrs Fitz Randolph from the National Union of Towns Women’s Guild met a group of ladies in the Old School Hut in Oldbury Court.

She chaired the meeting, elected a president, chairman and committee members. Fishponds TWG had arrived.

The president was Mrs Murray and they met on a second Monday of the month at 7.30, with an annual subscription of two shillings. The first meeting was a talk on thrift rug making, followed by community singing.

December that year was a momentous time for everyone, as nine days earlier the King had abdicated.

The Crystal Palace had burnt down earlier in the year, and Stanley Baldwin was the prime minister.

The ladies would have worn mid-length fitted woollen dresses, probably cut on the bias, and worn a hat. They would have shopped at the Co-op, Home and Colonial or the corner shops. They would have paid in £sd, and the farthing and halfpenny were in use. Bing Crosby would have been singing Pennies from Heaven.

It's very different today, but the support and friendliness of the members has not changed.

On December 7 we celebrated a Christmas and birthday tea at the Beechwood Club. We were joined

by Simon Phillimore and Emma Blackmore from the Sense Children's Hub at Woodside Family Centre, Kingswood.

For more than 12 years the members of Fishponds have given Christmas gifts to the centre. Maureen

POLICE have questioned a man in his 40s over an incident where a man was punched in the face in Staple Hill High Street.

The assault, which left the victim needing hospital treatment for a broken jaw, happened at about 1am on September 26, and in December police released CCTV pictures of a man they wanted to identify in connection with their investigation.

An Avon and Somerset police spokesperson said that following the appeal, which was shared on the Voice's Facebook page, a man in his 40s had been identified and had attended a "voluntary police interview".

Enquiries into the incident are still underway.

Anyone who witnessed it but has yet to come forward should call 101 and quote the crime reference number 5221 224 176.

Man questioned over High Street assault

Fishponds Townswomen’s Guild 85th birthday

Bennet, deputy chair and a member for 35 years, with president Maggi Bulgin and Pearl Jay - both members for 31 years - presented the gifts to Simon and Emma.

We enjoyed our celebrations and each member was given an angel knitted by members of the knitting group to take home.

We meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 2pm, at the Beechwood Club in Beechwood Road.

We are part of the National Townswomen’s Guild and 21 members attended the carol service at Bristol Cathedral on December 3, in the presence of HRH The Princess Royal, who is the Townswomen’s Guild's patron. Our chair, Jean Keel, met the Princess Royal before the commencement of the service.

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23

n NEWS

Orchard brings hundreds of trees to park

VOLUNTEERS rolled up their sleeves and pulled on their boots to plant hundreds of trees in Hillfields Park.

A big planting session organised by Hillfields Community Garden on December 8 saw an orchard of 18 fruit trees, 300 other trees and 200 bulbs and planted by a team of 30 volunteers.

The project was organised with the city council's One Tree Per Child scheme.

Local volunteers were joined by staff from Abbots Leigh-based company Coronation Wealth Management who gave up their time to help.

Hillfields Community Garden co-founder Becca Mills said: "We had an amazing day planting trees - it was a fantastic community event, which will have a huge impact on our park.

"We can't wait to see the trees grow and eventually bear fruit!

"This was our last volunteer

event at the park for the year.

Thank you to everyone in the community who has come along to or helped at our events.

"It has been an amazing year, everyone has worked so hard to grow and expand the project.

"We are delighted at what we have achieved this year and we are bursting with plans for next

spring!”

Hillfields Community Garden runs four regular groups, which are currently on a winter break: Gardening for Wellbeing, volunteer days, Wild Women and Mini Explorers.

In the last 12 months 21 groups and community events were attended by more than

400 people in the Community Garden.

At the most recent Wild Women group, run by Nicky Sweetland, attendees got into the spirit of Yule by making beautiful wreaths from foraged evergreens.

The group is a mutual support group for women who are experiencing menopause or perimenopause.

Sessions focus on sharing experiences and information, connecting with nature, gentle exercise, and creative/art projects.

For more information on the sessions email hillfieldswildwomen@gmail.com.

Groups are set to start up again in February, with more events in the pipeline for the spring and summer.

For more details visit the website hillfieldsgarden. fishpondsbristol.uk/ or the Hillfields Community Garden Facebook page.

nW HAT’S ON IN OUR AREA January 8 KINGSWOOD Y'S MEN CLUB COFFEE MORNING, raising funds for local charities, Staple Hill Methodist Church (main entrance), 10am until noon. Further dates on January 29, March 5 and April 2.

January 14 LUNCHTIME CONCERT BY THE CONCORDE CLARINETS, St Mary’s Church, Manor Road, 1pm-2pm. No admission charge but a retiring collection to cover expenses. Tea/coffee served from 12.30pm.

February 3 n SPEAKER MORNING AT LINCOMBE BARN. Coffee available at 10.15am, talk 10.45am until 11.45am. Subject: Downend in Bloom, with Jackie Baker. Entrance to hear talk, £2.50. Refreshments extra. Please do come along - you will be made to feel very welcome.

REGULAR EVENTS n BRISTOL U3A: Have you reached a point in your life where you have fewer responsibilities and more time for yourself? Would you like to take part in activities where you can share skills, abilities or hobbies whilst having fun and making new friends? Why not

become a member and find an interest group to join. Go to www. bristolu3a.org.uk for details.

Monday n SOCIAL BADMINTON every Monday at Kingswood Leisure Centre from 2-4pm. Intermediate level, all welcome. n EDDS & TALES Baby & Toddler Group Every Monday, Christchurch Parish Hall, North Street, Downend.

10.00 - 11.30 (term time only) £3 per family (first visit free) including drinks, snacks and craft activity ALL WELCOME - Just turn up Join our Facebook group Edds and Tales n SINGALONG 4 ALL - Mondays 10.30/11.30, Grace court, Dial Lane, Downend BS16 5UP. £4 ...£1 tea n bikkies Tel: Barbara 07816839141. n SOCIAL BADMINTON every Monday at Kingswood Leisure Centre from 2-4pm. Intermediate level, all welcome.

Wednesday n BRISTOL SCRABBLE CLUB meets Wednesday evening at 7.15pm at Upper Horfield community Centre (next to Eden Grove Church) New members welcome- first visit free so come along and give us a try.

For more info contact Sheila on 01179570792 or shinett@ blueyonder.co.uk.

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January, 2022

24

n MAYOR'S VIEW

Delivering for Bristol in 2022 I’D like to begin by wishing readers a happy new year.

The new year provides an opportunity to reflect on the year that has passed, and also look ahead to what the coming year might bring. And though we face undoubted challenges and uncertainties ahead as a city, I’m ambitious about what we can collectively achieve for Bristol in 2022.

One of my priorities has been to transform the council into an organisation that is focussed on delivery, rather than being focussed inwards. Nowhere is that more in evidence than in our commitment to deliver the homes that Bristol urgently needs. This year we’ll continue to accelerate house building across the city to fulfil my pledge to deliver 1,000 affordable homes a year by 2024.

This includes our flagship redevelopment of Hengrove Park, community-led housing and sustainable homes heated by air source heat pumps in Lockleaze, and the completion of Castle Park View to name just a few developments coming forward this year.

All these developments help us fulfil our ambition to provide everyone with a safe and secure home. We have more than 16,000

people on our housing waiting list. This is the most important intervention we can make to improve people’s life chances.

On transport too, we are consulting on how we can improve our transport network to help people travel around the city. Our plans for the number 2 bus route will allow buses to run more frequently and more reliably help people from Stockwood to Southmead and beyond to access the city centre. And of course we’re continuing our work to deliver a long-overdue sustainable mass transit system to connect people to people, people to jobs, and people to opportunity.

We will ensure children in Bristol have access to a school that inspires a love of learning, and sets them up with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life. And we’ll start work on our city’s first Youth Zone, an £8.4 million hub for young people to play, grow and learn.

We know we need to respond to these challenges in the face of a climate and ecological emergency. Here too, we are leading the way – from developing homes that don’t rely on fossil fuels for the power and heating; to bringing forward £1 billion of

Each month Bristol mayor Marvin Rees shares his views with Fishponds Voice

investment through City Leap to decarbonise our energy, transport and heating systems, making it easier for everyone to live a lowimpact life.

The work we do this year will help make sure Bristol meets the challenges we’re facing now, and ensure that we’re building a city that’s fit for the future. We have an exciting year ahead, and I’m excited to getting even more done with partners and communities across the city.

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January, 2022

25

n THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH

A hopeful New Year in a changing world

S

EASONS pass and new ones come. For some people that can be exciting, a time to move forward into new things to leave disappointments and pain behind. For others this can be threatening, as the familiar things around us that gave us security are left behind. In every New Year there is always for me a sense of a restart, thinking through what I have done and what I can do differently to make things better for me and others. Personally, I resist the pull to form a long list of New Year’s resolutions as these often can start well but tail off quickly.

I much prefer to reposition myself and remind myself what is important and make sure I focus on that.

It is so true in our busy lives that the urgent or pressing

needs can overtake the really important things in life which can remain undone, and we can be left with regrets that we did not make the most of the opportunities to show love and compassion and be the people God intended us to be. I like to think of the New Year as a time to declutter my life from the busy but not so important things to take hold of those moments that may never return, to be in the present with myself and others. I see it also as a time to declutter my mind from old thinking, maybe letting go of past hurts and pain and regrets and look forward with hope and gratitude to what is ahead, making the most of what time I have, so that the past does not continue to define my future.

You may ask how can we be optimistic about the

future, not just in changing seasons and years, but in such an ever changing world.

Well, the words of an Old Testament prophet spoken, many years ago at a time of a great national upheaval, give us that confidence. Jeremiah, whilst lamenting the fall of his city, said these amazing words: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations 3:22,23. These words have been sung and prayed over by the succeeding generations and given great comfort to many. It is true we can look to the Lord afresh each day, his love and grace is open to us to receive.

His faithfulness is indeed great.

He is near to the broken hearted and to all who call on him in

Tony Davies Leader, Waterbrook Church

truth. So, I wish you a Happy New Year and may you know that, in an ever changing world, the Lord and his love remain unchanging. As the bible says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Hebrews 13 v8.

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January, 2022

n PLANNING MATTERS WITH CHRIS GOSLING

This is no job for Cinderella PLANNING enforcement has traditionally been known as the Cinderella element of the service.

Without some kind of back-up for those who choose to flout the rules, there is little point in having a planning system at all.

After all, planning permission is required for a reason – it applies to developments that can affect other people and the environment.

I had a recent experience with a nearby council which left it clear what has become of their enforcement service. I had won an appeal for a new house to be built in brick, in a village where about half the houses were brick and the other half rendered. Due to the location of the proposed house I had recommended brick. The site was sold after the appeal and, although the shell of the house was the same as the inspector had allowed, the builders had rendered the walls.

In itself, this was not the end of

the world, but after the work that had gone in, I decided to bring the discrepancy to the council’s attention.

I would have been happy had they made an assessment of the change in the context of the characteristics of the village.

Instead they replied that the builders had the opportunity to apply for a house with a render finish instead of brick. Had they done so, it is possible that they would have received planning permission for this and the case would be closed. The same logic could have been used to justify not applying for permission for the house in the first place, let alone taking the time and trouble involved in the appeal.

While it is not expedient to take enforcement action in every case, I was surprised by the lengths the officer went to to justify the council‘s lack of action.

Nationally, the number of enforcement notices served is

continuing to fall: recent figures show it has reached its lowest level since recording began in 1997. This could mean more issues are being resolved before the 'nuclear' option of serving an enforcement notice. At the same time, the number of civil penalties has increased as an alternative to criminal prosecution for various infringements under housing legislation.

Even so, it seems that many rogue landlords have decided to push ahead with subdividing properties and letting them out, possibly knowing that action against them will be slow or non-existent. Much of the enforcement action that results in civil penalties is occurring in London: nationally only 7% of local authorities are responsible for 71% of the total. Two thirds do not resort to this measure at all.

Horror stories of unfit and unsafe accommodation make good headlines, and heavy fines

can be imposed, with the threat of individual public shaming seen as a deterrent. This is a worthy focus for enforcement action, although the latest figures show only 43 landlords on England’s rogue landlord database.

Ministers have previously suggested there could be up to 10,500 of them nationwide.

We need a fully functioning enforcement service to root them out. It is not a job for Cinderella.

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January, 2022

27

n HOME CARE & FUNDING

Tom Jackson, Commercial Lead

Support for homeowners to improve energy efficiency from Bristol City Council THIS winter, many of us are feeling the hike in energy prices, meaning it’s now much more expensive to heat our homes, especially now the colder weather is with us.

Making essential home improvements such as adding insulation, installing double or triple glazing, or upgrading your heating system can help you to save energy at home and reduce your energy bills.

The End Fuel Poverty Coalition estimate that the increasing cost of energy will result in an additional 488,000 households classed as being in fuel poverty.

Knowing where to begin when it comes to improving the energy efficiency of your home can be confusing, challenging, and costly. For home energy advice, the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) is a Bristol based charity supporting people and organisations across the UK to tackle the climate emergency and end the suffering caused by cold homes.

Find out more about the services provided here www.cse.org.uk or call 0117 934 1400.

Bristol City Council’s Energy Service Bristol has comprehensive advice on energy saving measures, as well as details on applying

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28

January, 2022

n NEWS

Outlaws series 2 'will turn up heat' FISHPONDS residents waiting for a sight of an Oldbury Court pub in a hit TV comedy thriller face a wait to see it.

The BBC has confirmed that The Outlaws, directed by Bristolian actor and comedian Stephen Merchant, will return for a second series in 2022.

But the corporation has not been able to say when the second series, which has already been filmed, will hit our screens.

It means people will have to wait a little longer to see Hollywood legend Christopher Walken, who plays veteran conman Frank in the series, perform a scene filmed at the Oldbury Court Inn. The scene was filmed in July and the Oscar-winning actor drew a crowd of onlookers outside the pub, as he shot the scene after saying hello to landlord Steve BRISTOL will go to the polls in 2022 to decide whether to scrap the mayoral system, after opposition councillors had a resounding victory in City Hall.

A majority of elected members of Bristol City Council backed a motion on December 7 to hold a legally binding second referendum.

The referendum in May will offer Bristolians the choice of keeping an elected mayor or going back to the committee system of governance that was in place ten years ago, before George Ferguson became the city’s first directly elected mayor in November 2012.

Critics of the mayoral system say it has put too much power in the hands of one person and undermined the role of local councillors, whereas opponents of the committee system say decision-making before the

Thomas.

The series follows seven strangers from different walks of life forced together to complete a Community Payback sentence in Bristol.

Series one finished abruptly and the second series will follow directly on from the events of the first.

Stephen Merchant said: "I am overwhelmed by the wonderful response to The Outlaws. Audiences have fallen in love with the characters as much as I have, and my Twitter feed is inundated with people asking for updates on Series Two, so I’m delighted to confirm the entire gang will return for more adventures.

"If we made the Outlaws sweat in Series One, we’re really turning the heat up second time round."

Christopher Walken filming in Bristol

City to vote on mayoral system mayor was too slow and nothing got done.

The committee system saw full council appoint cross-party committees to make decisions on specific matters such as transport, but retain the power to set the annual budget and make other large decisions. A core executive of members of the majority party retained the right of veto.

The motion was brought by the Liberal Democrats with the support of the Green Party.

After an impassioned debate, the motion passed with the support of almost all opposition members, with 41 votes in favour of holding a referendum next year against 24 votes from the Labour group.

Presenting the motion, Lib Dem councillor Alex Hartley pointed to “disasters” such as Bristol Energy and Bristol Arena as evidence the mayoral model was “not working as hoped”.

Bristol Energy lost nearly £50million before it was broken up and sold last year. Full council voted in favour of an arena on Temple Island in 2016, but Mr Rees overruled the decision saying it should be in Filton instead.

Cllr Hartley said: “It is fundamentally wrong that one person can overrule the will of a majority of elected councillors as happened over the arena.

“One person now effectively rules with absolute power."

But Labour group leader

Steve Pearce said the motion and the debate amounted to ‘navel gazing’ at a time when the city was facing multiple crises, including a housing shortage, the Covid pandemic and the climate and ecological emergencies.

“This is the most important decade of human civilisation,” Cllr Pearce said.

“We need clear and decisive action not the bargaining of parochial interests.

“Today we’ve been reduced to talking about expending energy, time and no small amount of treasure on belly-button fluff.”

It is estimated that it will cost the council roughly £700,000 to hold the referendum.

By Amanda Cameron, Local Democracy Reporting Service

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fishpondsvoice

January, 2022

n SPORT DOWNEND Boxing Club sent two Western Counties champions to the England Boxing National Youth Championships.

The 18-year-old pair of Jay Holloway, of Kingswood, and Jude Moore, of Hillfields, represented the Fishponds club in just one of a number of competitions at every level keeping boxers from the Harry Crook Centre very busy.

Jude opened proceedings at the Spiceball Leisure Centre, Banbury, in the under 64kg category in a quarter final on November 26, facing Brady Cronin of Hoddesdon boxing club, Hertfordshire.

After three rounds of quality boxing that saw both lads tested, a unanimous points win took the Downend boxer to the next day’s semi-finals.

Semi-finals day was Jay Holloway’s turn at under-60kg, having received a bye through the initial stages. He faced the experienced Reece Gannon of Towerhill, Liverpool, who was a veteran of 47 contests, while this was Jay’s 17th outing.

29

National Youth Championships are a learning experience

Jay Holloway and Jude Moore The Downend boxer went after his opponent from the first bell, finding success with some big shots throughout. As the contest progressed, however, Reece’s experience began to show through and saw him take a well-deserved points decision, following a great learning experience for Jay.

Jude’s semi-final was against the talented Odel Kamara of the Salisbury club, Liverpool.

A wonderful contest saw great skills from two top-level competitors.

On this occasion it wasn’t to be for Jude, as the decision and ultimately the national title went to Liverpool.

Jude was naturally disappointed, having previously won both the schoolboy and junior versions of the competition, but a top-four finish is still a fantastic result.

Also taking place in Banbury were the later stages of the Senior Development Championships.

Downend's Usamah Zaman had a busy time winning his way through the regional rounds, commencing on November 14 with a points win over Ricky Barrett of Sweatbox.

This was followed by another points win on the 19th over Kiall Goodhall of Factory Gloucester, concluding with the Western Counties championship the following day against Joe Egan of St. Austell, which was won on points by the Downend boxer.

The pre-quarter final at Banbury finished with everyone scratching their heads.

Usamah, 21, boxed beautifully behind long shots, seemingly scoring clearly and often, and evading the aggressive Royal Navy boxer who came forward relentlessly, but seemed to land a lot of his shots on the gloves and arms.

After three rounds, however, the decision went to the Navy.

Shrugging his shoulders afterwards, Usamah said: "I thought I’d won, but there’s always another day."

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January, 2022

30

n NEWS

School holds first winter fair A FISHPONDS school has held its first Winter Fair.

Avanti Gardens Parent Teacher Association staged the fair in December inviting families and members of the local community along.

Local businesses and individuals sold handcrafted wares and there was a raffle stall and food stalls in the school’s theatre

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hall and dining hall, with music, singing and entertainment, and a Santa’s grotto.

School house captains nominated charities and raised money with a bring and buy stall, after asking parents for donations.

Principal Ashley Milum said children, parents, staff and local businesses and the community had all pulled together, and gave special thanks goes to the PTA who worked to make the event happen.

He said: "It has been great to have the community together in a covid-safe fashion.

"Community is important to us as we look to further serve the community of Fishponds."

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atom electrical specialist domestic installers

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All types of domestic electrical work undertaken, from changing a light fitting to full rewires.

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For an efficient, friendly, reliable, local electrical service...

call Oliver on 07747866436 or 01179602974

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FREE Quotations www.atomelectrical.co.uk info@atomelectrical.co.uk

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AERIALS

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

GARDENING

D. ATTWELL

LANDSCAPING & TREE SERVICES For All Garden Works

www.theaerialman.co.uk

• Digital Aerials • Fully Guaranteed • Repairs • Satellites • Free Quotes • OAP Discount • Additional TV Points • Humax Recorders

Patios – Decking Gravelling – Fencing Wood Chippings – Jetwashing Foliage Removed – Roots Destroyed Garden Walls & General Building

• FULLY INSURED • LICENSED WASTE CARRIER

For a FREE quote call 07960 681 921

Affordable Prices - Reliable Service

0117 967 9028

CENTRAL HEATING SPECIALIST

d.attwellgardenservices@hotmail.co.uk

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

GLOBE HEATING Central heating specialist

• FULL HEATING SYSTEMS • BOILER CHANGES • SYSTEM UPGRADES

• CONVERSION TO COMBI • FINANCE AVAILABLE

BOOK YOUR WINTER SERVICE TODAY! t: 0117 3690 072 www.globeheating.co.uk e: info@globeheating.co.uk

To advertise, contact Shaun Tel 07540 383 870

HOUSE & RUBBISH CLEARANCE

House, Garden, Office Clearance

Free Quotes Inspection and Testing Landlord Certificates New builds and Extensions Extra Sockets and Lights Fire Alarms, Smoke Detectors

www.ElderwoodElectrical.com Office - 0117 9322379 Mobile - 07725 058581 Email: sales@fishpondsvoice.co.uk

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

Tel: 003 Tel:07592 07592 506 506 003 1/4 Load £89 Half Load £139 3/4 Load £179 Full Load £199

www.junkmonsters.co.uk

Got News? Call Ken On 07715 770377

fishpondsvoice

January, 2022 HOME HELP

31 PLUMBING

PAINTING & DECORATING

CHRISTIE HOME HELP Providing a friendly, tailor-made service to suit your needs.

Cleaning, Cooking, General Household Chores and Garden Tidying.

Based locally, DBS checked Call: 07484306331

HYPNOTHERAPY

J L Painting & Decorating Jason Lee Qualified Painter & Decorator No Job too small Free No obligation quote Telephone:

07474573780 0117 2792264 e: jl.painting.decorating@outlook.com

PLUMBING & HEATING

Taps, Washers Toilets, Cisterns Leaks, Blockages Tanks, Overflows Lead Pipes, Stopcocks….etc…

OAP DISCOUNTS and NO VAT

0117

957 5092

PLUMBING

Want to

Feel relaxed and free from anxiety and stress Have a good night’s sleep Stop smoking, lose weight Overcome fear of flying, dentists or other phobias Get relief from migraine, irritable bowl syndrome

Hypnotherapy can help For more information and a free initial consultation contact Gerry Monaghan Solution Focused Hypnotherapist

Tel/text: 07599 207 299

www.gerrymonaghanhypnotherapist.com

LOCKSMITHS

NIGHT & DAY

LOCKSMITHS 24HRS Contact Dave Staynings

0117 925 6828

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

UP TO 10 YEAR FINANCE PLANS AVAILABLE Contact us via:

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

0117 9600296 or 07970122137 info@blueflameservice.co.uk www.blueflameservice.co.uk FULLY ACCREDITED WITH

Mobile:

07765 208690 OVEN CLEANING

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PLUMBING

ADVERTISE HERE

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS From as little as

£20

.00 +VAT

Per month EMAIL

sales@fishpondsvoice. co.uk To advertise, contact Shaun Tel 07540 383 870

Email: sales@fishpondsvoice.co.uk

CREST HEATING & PLUMBING

BOILERS, BATHROOMS AND GENERAL PLUMBING

OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE HONEST & RELIABLE

TEL: 07765 250816

56746

Got News? Call Ken On 07715 770377

Rajani Superstore WWW.RAJANIS.CO.UK

Maggs Lane, Fishponds Trading Estate, Bristol, BS5 7EW www.rajanis.co.uk Tel: 0117 965 5201

THE LARGEST STORE IN FISHPONDS

STAY WARM THIS WINTER We have in stock

HEATERS WOOD BURNING LOGS KINDLE LOGS

COMPLETE RANGE OF

FIREWORKS

VISIT OUR INSTORE CAFE WHICH SERVES SANDWICHES, LUNCHES, FULL ENGLISH BREAKFASTS HOT AND COLD DRINKS

OPENING HOURS:

Monday to Saturday 9am - 6pm Sunday and Bank Holiday 10am - 4pm

IN STOCK