fishpondsvoice May, 2017 — ISSUE 28
FREE EVERY MONTH IN THE GREATER FISHPONDS AREA
Good news: shop's open again Bad news: it's lost £36k income THE CLIC Sargent charity shop on Straits Parade in Fishponds has reopened, five months after arsonists struck. The charity estimates it has lost more than £36,o00 in income because of the enforced closure caused by the fire and burglary. An appeal followed which has raised more than £1,000. The reopening ceremony was performed by 23-year-0ld volunteer Mellissa Nunn, who benefited from the work of CLIC Sargent when she was treated successfully for leukaemia at the age of 17. She said: “It was really good to hear that people were donating and the local community was getting behind our appeal. I’m proud to reopen the shop and just really excited to start volunteering again.” Jason Webster, from the charity, said: “The fire appeal is a great example of real community spirit here in Bristol. It’s fantastic to see how everyone rallied together to support the shop and our charity in our time
Inspector hears McDonald's case A planning inspector has held a seven-day inquiry into the refusal of planning permission for a large McDonald's on Fishponds Road. PAGE 3
Travellers leave Eastville Park A big clean-up has taken place at Eastville Park after more than 20 travellers' vans spent 12 days on the site before being moved on by the city council. PAGES 8 & 9 Mellissa Nunn, who started volunteering at the CLIC Sargent shop after recovering from leukaemia, cuts the ribbon at the reopening of need. We can’t thank everyone to hear about the arson attack enough.” and burglary suffered by their Bristol East MP Kerry Fishponds shop. I am delighted McCarthy MP said: “CLIC to see their doors are open again, Sargent is an incredible charity. and encourage everyone who can Their work started right here in to support their work.” Bristol, and so I was devastated Report and pictures: Page 5
'Support school funding calls' A Fishponds head teacher has urged parents to support campaigns to increase funding for schools, which are facing a real-terms cut in their budgets. PAGE 15
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And now for the good news HOW heart-warming it is to see the CLIC Sargent shop on Straits Parade opened by a young woman who has benefited from the charity's work. Well done to Mellissa Nunn, for volunteering at the shop both before and after the arson attack. Now let's all support the shop and help it make up some of the nearly £40,000 income it has lost. Mellissa's tale is one of many positive stories in this month's Voice, where, as always, we highlight a number of local people going the extra mile for good causes or for the good of the community. Pensioners Rita Blanchard, who's leading another campaign on buses, and Bill Quinn, who's planning a wing walk, are just two examples.
fishpondsvoice Publisher Gary Brindle 0117 907 8585 07799 461169
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LOCAL INFORMATION Bristol City Council http://www.bristol.gov.uk 0117 922 2000
asbreporting@southglos.gov.uk 01454 868582 Streetcare/litter/vandalism etc streetcare@southglos.gov.uk
Police www.avonandsomersetpolice.uk general enquiries: 101 Emergency: 999
Environment/trading standards 01454 868001 Well Aware Health and social care information www. wellaware.org.uk Tel: (freephone) 0808 808 5252
Fire www.avonfire.gov.uk General enquiries: 0117 926 2061 Emergency: 999
DEADLINES
NHS 111 Safer Stronger team sscg@southglos.gov.uk 01454 868009
June edition deadline is May 24.
Anti social behaviour team
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If you have news to share, please contact us via email, Facebook or Twitter or you can write to us at 6 Elkstone Walk, Bitton, Bristol, BS30 6JT. Our email address is news@fishpondsvoice.co.uk. If you are planning an event, we will be happy to list it free of charge in our What’s On pages. We hand-deliver more than 7,500 free copies to homes in the area every month. If your street is not covered yet, you can also pick up the Voice at libraries and cafes in the area. You might have seen that we have a new sibling – St George & Redfield Voice – as well as our sister papers in Downend and Filton. The Voice series now has 15 titles in Bristol and South Glos, with a total of 136,000 copies delivered to homes each month. Our blend of reliable local news and trusted local advertisers is proving successful and many councillors and others have praised our contribution to building communities.
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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. 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.
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McDonald's: it's the final showdown DOZENS of Fishponds residents of all ages turned out for the opening of the seven-day McDonald's public inquiry. The hearing at City Hall was into the fast food giant's appeal against the refusal of planning permission for a large restaurant, drive-through and takeaway in Fishponds Road. Planning inspector Martin Whitehead reopened the inquiry, which had to be adjourned last year because the firm's lead barrister was taken ill, on April 20 and it was due to conclude on May 2. The Say No to McDonald's in Fishponds group (NoMacinF) held a demonstration before the start, then packed in to hear the opening statements from McDonald's, Bristol City Council and the group's chairman Mike Jempson. Over the following days, witnesses for all three parties were examined and cross examined and the inspector
NoMacinF protesters outside the inquiry at City Hall visited the site of the proposed development, a former tile warehouse. Measurements were taken of the distance from the site to schools and a youth club. The council's barrister, Emma Dring, said planning permission had been refused because of concerns about
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highway safety and the impact on residents, including noise, light pollution and smell. While the amenity issues could be dealt with by planning conditions, the road safety could not, she said. Planning officer Catherine Tyrer acknowledged there were some benefits to the proposed
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development, which would improve a derelict site and bring employment, but said these were outweighed by the risks to the safety of drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. Mr Jempson said the original planning application had given rise to 495 written statements and a petition signed by 1667 people, and more objectors had come forward since. Risks to the health of children and young people and concerns about air pollution were big issues, as well as the impact on traffic and on people living nearby, he said. Mr Jempson said the McDonald's would be principally a drive-through and takeaway, with only 20 per cent of customers predicted to sit in. This would mean frequent traffic movements on the already congested Fishponds Road. Mr Whitehead is expected to announce his decision in about six weeks.
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New bid to knock down pool building A FRESH attempt is being made to demolish the derelict Speedwell Baths building. The developer Crossman Homes has put forward a proposal for a five-storey block of 31 flats on the site. The building, on Whitefield Road, hasn't been used for more than a decade and has been the centre of controversy, with some suggesting that it should be reopened as a swimming pool for East Bristol. Simon Ellis, of Crossman Homes, said retaining the building is not financially viable due to its poor state of repair. "This was clearly demonstrated in the recent comprehensive discussions with Bristol City Council planners where we sought to work with them to achieve a viable scheme whilst satisfying conservation requirements in terms of retaining the front elevation. "After we presented a number of different options together with associated costs, the Local Planning Authority accepted that it was not feasible to retain any part of the existing building, in spite of its Local Listing status." This isn't the first application that has been made to demolish the building. Planning permission for developments on the site was sought in 2007, 2009 and 2016. All of these either expired or were withdrawn.
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Customers throng into the reopened CLIC Sargent shop on Straits Parade, which has been given a new, modern front as well as an updated interior following the fire damage
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Mellissa reopens arson-hit shop A CHARITY shop that lost nearly £40,000 of income after arsonists forced its closure is now open again. CLIC Sargent in Straits Parade, Fishponds, had been shut since the fire in November but opened its doors once again for business on April 22. The ribbon was cut at the opening ceremony by volunteer Mellissa Nunn, who has supported the shop after she was successfully treated for leukaemia at the age of 17. Mellissa, 23, who started volunteering in 2013, said: “I wanted to give something back. I’ve seen and felt the impact of the work CLIC Sargent do, I wanted to repay the favour. “Volunteering has made me more confident, it feels like I’m part of another family; we are all there for the same reason. All the volunteers feel a part of the shop
so the fire felt like a real personal loss." Mellissa was joined at the reopening event by Jason Webster, head of trading at CLIC Sargent, as well as other shop workers and customers. The closure, after a burglary and fire on November 12, meant an estimated £36,700 loss of income for the charity. An appeal has since raised over £1,000. Jason Webster said: “The fire appeal is a great example of real community spirit here in Bristol. It’s fantastic to see how everyone rallied together to support the shop and our charity in our time of need." CLIC Sargent supported 619 families in the South West last year. To donate to the appeal go to: www.justgiving.com/ campaigns/charity/clicsargent/ fishponds-arson-attack or text Mellissa Nunn, left, and CLIC Sargent shop manager Hannah Sprawls ‘SHOP67 £5’ to 70070
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Quite nice enough now ... FISHFEST, a popular festival that started in 2009, has decided to call it a day. Co-founder Kate Brooks said organisers felt they had paved the way for other initiatives including Make Sunday Special, Sunday Cinema, 80s nights and 'People’s University'. "Although we’ve really enjoyed running our event over the years, we’re moving on to other things now," she said. "Our small thrown-together community festival was a bit of an oddity when we started but now Fishponds is such a fantastic, active community- we feel our job has been done in helping make Fishponds quite nice! There’s a lot of fondness for Fishponds even from those who’ve moved away."
FRIENDS of Page Park say they have been bowled over by the number of volunteers who turned up to take part in this year's The Big Tidy Up. Around 50 people of all ages rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in during the event, which
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took place on March 25. Work included clearing rubbish hidden under hedges, washing down tables and benches, washing down the bandstand and cleaning play equipment.
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Bill leaves buses behind to stand on wing of a biplane HIS wife and daughters think he's mad - but travelling at 130mph on the wing of an aeroplane will be a breeze according to Fishponds pensioner Bill Quinn. For that's exactly what the 73-year-old plans to do this summer to raise money for charity. Bill, a former bus driver, is planning to collect at least ÂŁ1,500 for Cancer Research and Southmead Hospital's oncology department. He decided he wanted to give something back after he was successfully treated for bladder cancer in 1999. "I had bladder cancer 18 years ago and at that time they were doing a new type of operation called a neobladder, which means your bladder is removed and replaced by skin from
another part of your body. It was successful and I've now survived for 18 years! I have check-ups every 12 months but I've been clear ever since." The septuagenarian, who used to drive the 48 and 49 buses through Fishponds and Downend, said: "I've always wanted to do something and have helped out at various charity events but I thought I needed to do something more before I got much older. I did consider a parachute jump but while I was looking at that I came across an ad for a wing walk. I thought 'Why not go mad and do one of those?' "I will be standing on top of a biplane which will go up to about 400ft travelling at 130mph - but I'll be strapped in!" The news wasn't exactly met with enthusiasm by Bill's wife
Linda and his two daughters, Caroline and Julie. "I'm fine about it but my wife and daughters think I'm mad. They know what I'm like; I'm always a bit mad. I expect I might be a little bit nervous the day before but I'm well up for it and just want to get on and do it." Daredevil Bill could even become an internet star: "I'm having cameras fitted on the plane and I'll be given a memory stick with the footage on. I was thinking of putting it on YouTube. I might become a global sensation, it's worth a try!" Bill's wing walk will take place on Saturday July 29 at 11.30am at Compton Abbas in Dorset. Domate online at www. justgiving.com/fundraising/ billswingwalk or pop into the Railway Tavern in Fishponds Daredevil Bill Quinn which has sponsorship forms.
Store is robbery target - twice
A STAPLETON convenience store was robbed twice in eight days. The first incident at McColl's on Frome Valley Road was at 7.20am on Sunday, April 16, when a man wearing a large dark coat, loose fitting blue jeans and a hat walked in and threatened a member of staff before stealing a quantity of money. The store was then targeted at 6am on Monday, April 24. A man wearing a face covering entered the store and demanded money. He fled in the direction of Frenchay Park Road having stolen cash and scratch cards. He was wearing a blue hooded top, a white baseball cap, navy blue jogging bottoms which had white stripes down the sides and green gloves. Police ask anyone with information to call 101, giving the reference 5217090343.
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'Despicable' tricksters sent to jail TWO men who claimed to be from ‘Age Concern’ in order to burgle elderly people’s homes were each jailed for six years. Miles Connors, 46, of Reading, and Thomas Reynolds, 32, of Slough, carried out three offences in Kingswood and Fishponds in July 2016. A 75-year-old woman in Fishponds let them in, but they left empty-handed when she became suspicious. Similar incidents in Kingswood involved a 92-year-old woman and an 80-year-old woman. The judge issued the pair with Criminal Behaviour Orders, to come into effect on their release from prison, barring them from visiting South Gloucestershire and 'cold calling' door-to-door. His Honour Judge Hart described the offences as "despicable, predatory, heartless and cowardly".
May, 2017
Relief as travellers move on EASTVILLE Park is now back to its former glory following the departure of travellers who had been illegally occupying the nature spot. More than 20 caravans and vans set up home on April 13 after gaining access to a field near Muller Road. Following reports from park users of aggressive incidents, the travellers were served with a trespass notice by Bristol City Council five days later and eventually moved off the site on April 25. Council workers then set about a thorough a clean-up operation including placing bark in the woods which had been used as a makeshift toilet. Richard Scantlebury, chairman of Friends of Eastville Park, said: "It's a relief they have gone. "They left about four truck loads of rubbish and a transit van which has now been towed away. They had been using the
woods by the M32 roundabout as a toilet and most of that area has had to have bark thrown over it and most of the toilet paper removed. "It's back to almost how it was before they moved on there. You can tell by the grass that has been flattened that the area had been occupied but it's about 90 per cent back to how it should be." Mr Scantlebury said the situation had raised questions about the site's security which now needed to be addressed. "There had been tree trunks placed along Muller Road as a deterrent but all the travellers did was move some of the rotted trees and drive in. Apparently the council is going to put some large rocks in and I think they will be looking at this issue fairly closely in the coming months." A Bristol City Council spokeswoman said: “We are looking at security options which are suitable for the park space.
However, it is difficult to deter people who are determined to get access to land, and on other sites we have had security locks removed from gates.” The occupation of the park by the travellers led to numerous complaints from residents of anti-social behaviour. Inger O'Callaghan, head teacher of Glenfrome Primary School, phoned police because she was concerned for the safety of pupils and parents walking through the park. A junior parkrun due to take place on Easter Sunday was cancelled because caravans had parked over the route. The same group of travellers have relocated to the Downs. They have been served trespass notices and the city council has started legal action to remove them. The incident will not affect Love Saves The Day, a two-day music festival which will take place at the park on May 27-8.
Historic time for school CHILDREN, staff and families are saying farewell to Chester Park Junior School this month. The school is moving to its new buildings off Abingdon Road in June, when a revamp of the old buildings for the expansion of the infant school will begin. The children have an additional week's holiday so that the staff can prepare the new classrooms. The Friends of Chester Park Junior School are holding an open morning on Saturday May 13 when any ex-pupils can make a nostalgic visit to the old school. Photographs and memorabilia will be on show and commemorative merchandise on sale at the event, from 10.30am to 12.30pm, which aims to celebrate the school's history. Refreshments will also be provided.
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May, 2017
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after illegal invasion of Eastville Park
Friends of Eastville Park at work
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THE occupation of the park by travellers has been especially upsetting for the Friends of Eastville Park, a group set up last year to improve the open space. The organisation's main aim is to revamp the children's play area and a working party has now been set up to achieve this. Chairman Richard Scantlebury said: "The play area needs a lot of work. It's been neglected over the past few years so it's our main task for this year and next is to improve it. "We're aiming to create a play area which will be suitable for all ages and abilities. "We've now established a working party to consult, plan and put together some funding." The Friends have already applied to a crowdfunding scheme called the Better Bristol Campaign, which was set up to raise more than £1million for good causes in the city. Work to improve and clean paths is ongoing and includes partnership work with ParkWork, an organisation which offers training and skills development to help people into work while at the
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same time improving the maintenance of Bristol's parks. A grant of £200 from the Bristol Ornithological Club will pay towards putting up bird boxes around the park. The group is also planning some volunteer Sunday events to clear rubbish and is hoping to get support from Bristol Waste for this initiative. Planned council cuts of £450,000 to the annual city parks budget has put additional pressure on Friends groups which now have to work towards raising their own money to run and maintain Bristol's open spaces. Eastville Park will play a large role in creating money for the city's park as it hosts large events such as Love Save The Day later this month and Tokyo World, in September. "Maintenance for parks is pretty much cut to the bone," said Mr Scantlebury. * The Friends of Eastville Park will hold their AGM on Saturday May 20 at All Saints Church Hall in Fishponds. It starts at 5.15pm and will be followed by a quiz night and a fish and chip supper.
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From Staple Hill tunnel to Hollywood ... A FISHPONDS short filmmaker who chose the setting of the Bristol to Bath cycle path for her latest horror film has been making waves in Hollywood. Gabriela Staniszewska, 35, filmed I Should Have Run for just £200. But it would appear a small budget is no indication of quality as the four-minute movie has already won six awards and a rave review by Blumhouse Productions, the Hollywood studio responsible for the Paranormal Activity, Insidious and Sinister series. The studio - makers of recent horror box-office hit Get Out - showcased the film on their website with the introduction: “Blumhouse.com is thrilled to premiere the frightening new horror short I Should Have Run. Directed by talented newcomer Gabriela Staniszewska, I Should Have Run took the festival world by storm last year, winning multiple awards and gaining many accolades.”
Filmmaker Gabriela Staniszewska pictured in I Should Have Run Gabriela, who appeared in the film as well as writing, filming, directing, producing and editing it, said: “We had a very small crew of only four people and shot the film over three nights in rather chilly conditions. But the location was fantastic! The Staple Hill tunnel has always creeped me out and I’m glad I got a
chance to use it for a horror.” Gabriela studied American Studies with Film at Kings College in London before completing a Masters degree in production at the Central School of Speech and Drama. She has since worked on various film projects including Blaise (2012), a zombie film set in an abandoned mill on the outskirts of Bristol. Another notable short film was The Spring which was made in 2014 on a budget of just over £1,000 and was filmed in a lockup at the back of her family's business, Ridgeway Road Auto Engineering in Fishponds. I Should Have Run has so far won six awards on the festival circuit, including Best International Fiction at the Cardiff Mini Film Festival 2016 and the Final Girls Award for Best Female Director at the Unrestricted View Film Festival in London, as well as the coveted Best Sci-Fi/Horror award at
Imagine This Women’s Film Festival in Brooklyn, New York. It has so far appeared at 24 film festivals around the world including the Bristol Film Festival in March 2017. The film tells the story of a woman walking home alone at night down the cycle path when she encounters something strange and terrifying. When she is asked a question, her sheer terror causes her to lie - with disastrous consequences. Gabriela said: "I Should Have Run deals with themes of depression and grief, the mistakes you make along your journey, the lies you tell yourself and others and ultimately the dire consequences of those lies." Gabriela is currently working on her first horror feature, and continuing to look at the way horror can be used to express psychological issues and emotional hardship. She said: “Horror is a very unsubtle way of talking about very subtle things and is an excellent medium through which to discuss mental health issues - it is ethereal, unmanageable, terrifying and difficult to grasp. Horror also allows for a certain poetic licence, which is absolutely necessary when trying to shine a light on mental health issues.” The film can be viewed online at http://www.blumhouse. com/2017/03/31/horror-shortfilm-debut-i-should-have-run/ For more information on Gabriela Staniszewska visit gabrielastaniszewska.com or see her Facebook and Twitter pages: https://www.facebook. com/gabstaniszewska/ and @ gabstaniszewska
Staple Hill tunnel is the setting for her chilling horror film
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Project aims to help ethnic minority elders A £15K PROJECT is under way to break down barriers for ethnic minority elders needing mental health counselling. Social enterprise Oasis-Talk, which provides 2,000 mental health sessions across Bristol and South Gloucestershire every month, wants to understand what barriers are in place that stop people seeking help. Black and ethnic minority communities are more likely to be affected by depression, particularly people over 50, yet take up of free NHS therapy is much lower for older people than those of working age. The Elders Project, funded by a grant from Bristol Ageing Better, aims to find out the reasons for this, and connect people who need help to the right services. Local community groups aimed at black and ethnic minority people across the city will be visited as part of the project, and asked about their encounters with mental health services in Bristol
and how these could be improved. Taster sessions on topics including stress and mindfulness are also being offered at groups, so members can see whether attending a longer free course might be of help to them. One of the groups that will benefit is Opoka, an EasternEuropean support centre in Montpelier. It is hoped that over the course of the nine-month project, 100 people will be given access
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to mental health support who wouldn’t normally have got in touch. Oasis-Talk Relationship manager Ruth Richardson said uptake of mental health counselling was low among older people from ethnic minorities and the project aimed to change that. She said: “Lots of these people grew up in another country before coming to Britain, so don’t have English as their first language. “We’re finding so far that
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one of the main barriers is a cultural difference in how people talk about mental health. In English it’s common to talk about mental health in addition to physical health, but this isn’t true everywhere. “It’s important that people have access to counselling or group services in their own language, with someone who can understand the subtle differences words can have in different cultures. For instance, in Somali there isn’t a word for depression. “By going direct to people where they feel comfortable, we cut out the bureaucracy. We have no waiting list, whereas if people go and see their GP and wait to be seen through the NHS there’s usually a wait of eight weeks or more.” Anyone wanting to take part in the project and share their own experience, or wanting a visit to their own community group, can contact elders community worker Shazia Riaz on 0117 970 9423.
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Distress as estate's buses are axed again PENSIONER Rita Blanchard faces a bill of £24 a week for taxis to and from her doctor's surgery now that the bus service between Lodge Causeway and Fishponds has been axed again. The removal of the 16 route and changes to the 17 also mean that many people living in Hillfields feel isolated. Bosses at bus company First withdrew the services on April 30, just 16 months after they had reinstated buses to the estate, saying they had “listened to feedback from residents in Hillfields”. Mrs Blanchard, 79, who led the campaign to get the buses back in 2015, said First's action was unbelievable. “We are distressed, dumbfounded and distraught,” she said. “We feel we are an estate that is being left out of everything. Why are we being penalised?” Mrs Blanchard said residents had come to her door, some in tears, begging her to fight again, and she had organised a new petition, which had already drawn nearly 500 signatures. Shops in Lodge Causeway, as well as Morrisons in Fishponds, had helped, and Hillfields councillors Anna Keen and Craig Cheney had raised all complaints with the bus company, but to no avail. First said the route was not commercially viable. South Gloucestershire Council sought another operator, but could not find one that could run the service for the budget available. Councillors Keen and Cheney said they were disappointed and "felt very let down" by First's change of heart. They said they would continue to campaign for bus services for Hillfields and to work with residents to find alternative transport.
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May, 2017
Self-help group is MUMS from Fishponds have set up a feeding support group and would love to get others onboard. Called Feeding Support in Fishponds, the group offers advice and support about feeding your child, whether they are breast, combination or bottle fed. They also look at weaning as well as various other parenting issues which crop up during sessions. Members meet every Thursday from 1.30-2.30pm at Fishponds Baptist Church, in the Sticky Fish preschool entrance during term time. As well as the chance to talk to other mums, the group offers 'peer supporters' and a member of staff from Little Hayes Children's Centre. One of the founding members, Fishponds mum-oftwo Jodie Thame, said: "We are a group of local mums who set the group up as Fishponds did not have a support group. In those first weeks of having a baby it's
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really hard to get out and about and having to travel to Downend or Kingswood for support groups can be a real struggle. "The group started as a Facebook post asking if there was enough support for this type of group in Fishponds and about 30 mums came back to say there was. From that a few people met up and we managed to get the children's centre involved who said they could provide a member of staff to come along to the sessions." Other mums involved in setting up the group are volunteers Lucie Montgomery, Eleanor Kelly and Sara Headeach; peer supporters Jo Ball and Mali Kedward, and Gaynor Younger from Little Hayes Children's Centre. Around 15 mums attended the first session at the end of February, many finding out through the group's regularly updated Facebook page and leaflet drops.
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proving a lifeline for mums
Jodie Thame, third from left, and other mums at the meeting Jodie said: "We get a lot of first-time mums who are either breast feeding, combi feeding or bottle feeding. It's not just about breast feeding because we don't want to alienate any mums who are bottle feeding. We all have similar issues whether the children are breast or bottle fed.
"We talk about all sorts of issues and once you are in the room, it's a private space for everyone to support each other. It's good for mums to hear from other mums who have already 'been there' and have had lots of different experiences. "We also have professional
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support from the children's centre which means staff can help with things like whether the baby has latched properly and more complex issues. We have a good range of experience and expertise. "It's a really friendly, chilledout environment and it's been
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much-needed in Fishponds for a number of years." Jodie said the main challenge was funding. "We are self-funded and rely on donations to pay for refreshments and room costs. At the moment it's donations only as we really don't want to pressure mums into thinking they have to put anything into the box. Room costs are really low but we need to start covering our costs. We are thinking about funding options like applying for grants but aren't quite at that stage yet. "We've been doing really well but are trying to put the word out in Fishponds that we are here. We want to get as many people as possible to come in the lead up to the summer because if we don't get enough funding in place then we will have to close over the summer holidays. If that was the case we would look at meeting up at a park so it wouldn't cost anything but we'd still be able to support each other." To find out more, look at the group's Facebook page - Feeding Support in Fishponds - or turn up at one of the sessions.
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fishpondsvoice
May, 2017
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n NEWS PARENTS in the Bristol area are rising up in protest against school funding cuts. A march is planned for May 20 to highlight the issue, which is likely to be a major topic in the general election campaign. More than 300 people attended a Fair Funding for all Schools at the Holiday Inn in Hambrook last month organised by parents from South Gloucestershire. A meeting for Bristol campaigners will take place on May 11 at The Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road. Debbie Coker, principal of Fishponds Church of England Academy, has urged parents to back the protests. She said the school was facing a budget cut of about £100,000 because of the way the Government funds schools, reductions to local authority funding of children with special needs and increases in pension and national insurance contributions. In a letter to parents, she promised to keep them informed
Head teacher urges parents to join campaign on school funding about how the school would manage the budget pressures. “ There are many campaigns going on around the local area … and I would ask that you show your support to these campaigns as our children cannot be educated effectively without the appropriate funding,” she wrote. A website set up by teaching unions and based on Department for Education data schoolcuts.org.uk - gives figures for all schools in England and the cuts they can expect in the next three years. Bristol Metropolitan Academy, Bristol Brunel Academy and May Park are set to face the biggest reductions. Huw Williams, who is leading the Fair Funding for all Schools campaign in Bristol, said: “The level of cuts being proposed for Bristol schools
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is going to have a huge impact on our children's education and life chances. The meeting on May 11 is open to anyone who is concerned about how thousands of pupils and future pupils will be disadvantaged by the new funding formula alongside general cuts to education. The meeting is being held in Southmead but all are welcome. This is part of building a campaign to defend school funding.” So what’s it all about? Doesn’t the Government keep telling us that it is spending more on education than ever? Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, agrees but only because there are more schools and more children than before. Individually, almost all schools are facing a squeeze
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on their budgets that is going to get worse, even before the introduction of the proposed new National Funding Formula in April 2018. (Publication of a consultation on this has been delayed until after the election.) Increased contributions, wage rises and the apprenticeship levy mean that in real terms schools are set to have about eight per cent less money, according to the National Audit Office. These constraints will force them to make tough choices: cutting jobs, reducing the curriculum and stopping trips and after-school clubs. Many head teachers say they are torn between wanting parents to be aware of the financial realities yet trying to reassure them that schools will do their very best for the children with the money they have available.
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fishpondsvoice
May, 2017
17
n NEWS BUS company First has provided £100 of plants in Downend - for the sake of spending a penny. Drivers on the number 5 service use the village centre public toilets when their buses complete their route at the Westerleigh Road stop. They told their managers about the community garden outside the conveniences, which has been created by Downend in Bloom and equipped with large grey planters made by the community group Men and their Tools - and the firm agreed to fund the flowers. Alan Barrett, general manager of First Bristol, said: “The facilities at the Downend in Bloom community garden on Westerleigh Road are greatly appreciated by many of our drivers at the end of the service 5 route. “The work that the Downend in Bloom team have done on the patch of land is remarkable; they’ve completely transformed it. Anthony Green, who drivers Service 5 regularly, brought this project to our attention and since then it has been a pleasure to work with Downend in Bloom
Bus firm backs community garden
and make the donation.” Alan continued: “The Downend in Bloom team is full of incredibly enthusiastic individuals that are passionate about brightening up the area they live in. We look forward to seeing their fantastic work really come to life over the summer months as many of our buses
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travel through the area and we hope to support them further in the future.” Kate Conner, of Downend in Bloom, said she was delighted to hear from Anthony about the bus company’s donation. “This project of planters has been a continuation of improving the forecourt area of Westerleigh
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Road toilets since 2013/14. The original shrubs were removed, which revealed the ‘secret toilets’ that were hardly visible to passers-by at that time. “The contribution to our project has made the area a relaxing, attractive, and nice space for the use of the community.”
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18
May, 2017
n NEWS
Personal trainer Elliot puts his stamina to test A PERSONAL trainer from Downend will put his stamina to the test when he embarks on a gruelling five-day cycle ride to Paris. Elliot Cooke is taking a team of seven on his journey to raise money for two charities - the British Heart Foundation and Off the Record Bristol, which helps young adults with mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. The 20-year-old, who is based at Impact Gym in Staple Hill, got the bug for charity work after setting up a gym challenge back in November which raised ÂŁ800 for Macmillan Cancer Support. But he decided he would up the ante by pushing himself even further. "The planning has been quite similar but the gym challenge wasn't as intense as what we're doing this time," he said. "It will be a real challenge for all of us which is the whole point
Team member Louise Towler with Elliot during one of their training sessions
as we didn't want it to be easy. We will be averaging 80-90 miles a day so that will be quite tough."
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Elliot's team mates are Chuck Knight and Andy Li, both from Emersons Green, Louise Towler,
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from Fishponds, Elliot's brother Alex, from Downend, Dan Brady, from North Common and Adrian Cunnington, from Weston-superMare. Elliot said: "I put the team together straight after my other challenge had finished. I knew everyone on the team before apart from Andy but not many of the others knew each other. I put a post out on Facebook and asked people to email me saying why they wanted to take part. "We've got a real mix of people. Chuck and Andy are very keen cyclists and cycle most days. Louise is training for Ironman so she's a keen cyclist but we're all pretty fit. "I do most of my cycling training at weekends and so far have been doing about 40 miles at a time. I also box and do a lot of training for that. It's a nightmare getting us all together to train so we do a lot of separate rides however we have some set
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fishpondsvoice
May, 2017
19
n NEWS dates coming up where we will all meet up as a big group." Elliot said it was a group decision to support the British Heart Foundation but he had a personal reason for wanting to raise money for Off the Record Bristol. "I've struggled with mental health and had to use the charity several years ago when I attended cognitive behaviour therapy sessions run by them. I can confidently say the work they do is amazing. It's a small charity but they do a lot of work and offer a lot of services, which is great." The team will leave Impact Gym on June 19 at 7am and will travel down to Dover, covering 215 miles and taking two and a half days. They will then relax for the 90 minute ferry ride before starting day three where they will pedal to Berck. After an overnight stay, day four will see the group covering 85 miles to Beauvais before the final stint on day five where they will cycle into Paris, heading for
the Eiffel Tower which will serve as their finishing line. After a well-earned two days in the French capital, the team will make their way back via bus and Eurotunnel with their bikes carried by their support vehicle. Elliot has set up an internet funding page for donations but is also organising a series of events, including raffles and pub quizzes, which will pay for the team's expenses. Elliot said: "I'm also running bootcamps at the gym every Sunday from 10-11am and the money raised will go towards our accommodation. We didn't want to ask people for money which will cover our expenses as we want it all to go to charity." To find out more about Elliot's bootcamps search for Pursuit Fitness Bristol on Facebook. If you would like to donate to the team, please visit https:// mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/ pursuitfitness You can find out more about the charity Off the Record Bristol by visiting www.ofrbristol.org.uk
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Fancy that! Choir dresses to impress
FANCY dress and fun have helped Fishponds singers contribute to a charity fund-raising success. The Riff Raff choir and The Raff Pack raised more than £2,000 for Comic Relief by having fancy dress rehearsals in Fishponds, Southville, Bishopston and Clifton. The singers have previously supported Children in Need and The Grand Appeal and Riff Raff, a pop and rock choir, was formed in March 2010 and The Raff Pack was formed in October 2016, with an open door policy – no auditions, and no sheet music – making it accessible to all.
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20
fishpondsvoice
May, 2017
n NEWS
Mum is shortlisted for business award
A MUM from Fishponds has been shortlisted for a business award recognising those who achieve while juggling family life. PR consultant Angela Belassie, of PR The Write Way, has been nominated for Entrepreneur of the Year in the Super Achievers awards. Run by Pitman Training, the awards celebrate the achievements of working mums, students, PAs and young achievers. Mum-of-one Angela, 39, said: “I’m delighted to be shortlisted for the award. It’s lovely to receive such recognition.” The awards are open to a voting system so the general public can help decide who the Super Achievers should be. Angela worked as a journalist for 10 years and volunteered for the award-winning social enterprise Twenty Ten Club, an organisation which showcases the achievements of over 100 black female business role models from around the world. She saw their work develop over the years and accompanied the founder, Octavia Goredema, when she was awarded an MBE at Buckingham Palace. She has also volunteered for SAFE, which tackles human trafficking. During this time she became aware that smaller businesses and organisations struggled
to get widespread press coverage. She set up PR the Write Way to help address this. She said: “I want to show my daughter that it is possible for women to have children and still run a successful business.” This year's judging panel is made up of Claire Barratt, mother of five and entrepreneur of ClaireaBella, Lucy Brazier, international speaker and director of Marcham Publishing, John Adams, author of Dad blog UK, Diane Rose, director of CPD Assessment and Membership at the Professional Development Consortium, and last year’s reigning PA of the Year Jennifer Corcoran. The awards aim to showcase the success of people who strive to achieve, have a positive impact on their colleagues, families and the local economy. The categories include working mum of the year, dad of the year, inspiration achiever of the year, PA of the year, boss of the year and entrepreneur of the year. Pitman Training Worcester offers courses and qualifications with one-on-one student support in subjects including office, IT, administration, finance and business, which are recognised by employers. The teams also offer free career clinics and CV advice.
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Angela Belassie of PR The Write Way
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fishpondsvoice
May, 2017
21
n ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Traditional pub - all are welcome THE Star reopened its doors two and a half years ago now and we are growing from strength to strength. The first eighteen months were tough, building up a new clientele from scratch at a time when bars are shutting down on a daily basis due to a fall-off in trade nationally. The Star has a great history; the earliest licence I have managed to trace for it, dates back to 1854. It was named after the nearby Star mine, and in its earliest days also had a laundry/washroom at the back to facilitate the miners. The water for this washroom was collected in a huge raised pond at the back of our present skittle ally. The pond was dismantled sometime in the late fifties. Charles King Jnr, the third licensee of the Star, rented a field out the back and facilitated a changing room for a fledgling football team called the
Black Arabs, later to become Bristol Rovers. The skittle alley at the Star was completely refurbished and we now have four teams playing here during the season. Our garden was redesigned and developed, and although we still have other improvements planned, it is maturing into a very beautiful and peaceful oasis in a city setting. It was always our hope that the Star would become a community bar encompassing all walks of life in Fishponds. We base our whole ethos on old traditional values, guaranteeing friendly and sometimes eccentric service, in the hope we make people feel welcome from when they step inside to when they leave. We do believe we have achieved this. Our clientele includes families, workers, business people and many different nationalities, all of whom
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get on and respect one another. The Star is an old world traditional bar without the distraction of internet or televisions; we encourage an atmosphere where conversation can flourish. We do have televisions here, but they only go on for important rugby matches, or if requested, yet they can be idle for months at a time. This has made the Star a conversational bar, a place where you can make friend easily. We got rid of the fruit machine here, and by consensus some of the more biased tabloids as we felt they could be anti-social in nature. We never had a juke box, instead we built up a huge eclectic
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collection of vinyl with music from the thirties to the present day. The Star is a live music venue and unlike most other venues that stick to one or two genres of music, here we promote all genres, with some incredibly talented and original musicians. We have hosted traditional Irish, music, folk, reggae, blues, bluegrass, jazz, swing, rhythm n’ blues, punk, Afro, Latin, Gypsy and fusion. We promote up and coming musicians/singers through our Open mic and Female Singers nights. Our plans for the future are to continue to develop the Star as a community bar and also as a venue for musical excellence and variety.
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fishpondsvoice
22
May, 2017
n ON THE BEAT
You are our eyes and ears when trouble looms IT’S been great to see the sun shining over recent weeks and it certainly makes for more enjoyable foot patrols! Last month we reported that a man in his thirties had been arrested and charged in connection with some of the car break-ins which had been taking place at the Oldbury Court Estate and Channons Hill Retail Park - he received a suspended sentence. The same man has now been arrested in connection with further car break-ins and the theft of a bike, which was stolen from Colston’s School in April. This time the courts have sent him to prison, so we should now see a reduction in car crime in the area. Please still continue to always lock your vehicle when you leave it and to take all valuables with you, and never leave bags or other belongings on view. It’s also a good idea not to leave bags in the boot, especially when parking in car parks, as thieves often loiter,
waiting for you to do just this. Another topic we have covered a lot recently is anti-social behaviour (ASB), especially in Fishponds Park. We have recently obtained an extension for a further two years to the Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) of one our problematic street drinkers and we continue to work with partner agencies to support this person, to try and divert them from the behaviour which is causing the problems. With this in mind, I want to outline what powers the police actually have when it comes to street drinking and other alcohol ASB issues, so that it’s clear what we can and cannot do. If someone is drinking alcohol within the ‘No Street Drinking Zone’ which currently runs from the top of Straits Parade down to just before the Van Dyke Forum Pub on Fishponds Road, we can ask them to dispose of their alcohol and seize it if they refuse. If they refuse
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to hand over their drink, or then drink after we have asked them not to, that is when they commit an offence and they can be issued with a Penalty Notice for Disorder, be arrested or summonsed to court. I know there are concerns about people loitering at bus stops and in public areas, particularly when the weather is nicer. We can and do move people on if they’re causing, or suspected of causing ASB, and if the problem is really bad then we can issue a dispersal notice requiring them to leave the area for up to 24 hours. You may be surprised to know that if there is no apparent criminal offence then we are actually limited in what we can do. Often we rely on building up a rapport with these people, which is why you may sometimes see us leaving them where they are, rather than moving them on. We aim to regularly patrol these areas when we’re not dealing with other reported crime, and it’s
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really important for you to report any ASB problems to us via the ‘contact us’ section of our website (avonandsomerset.police.uk) or by calling 101, so that we can record the extent of the issue and send officers to deal with it if needed. Don’t forget, you can follow what the team get up on Twitter @ ASPFishponds Until next time Sergeant Anthony Westwell
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fishpondsvoice
May, 2017
23
n NEWS
Nurseries are named best in Bristol TWO family-run nurseries have been named as the best in Bristol by a leading national day nursery guide. The Mama Bear’s Day Nursery & Pre-Schools in Crews Hole and Fishponds have topped the list of Bristol nurseries compiled by DayNurseries.co.uk, with joint near-perfect scores of 9.8 (maximum is 10). The settings have been named as recommended nurseries in the city based on reviews from parents, relatives and guardians of children who attend as well as on Ofsted results. Other Mama Bear’s nurseries named by the guide include the nurseries in Clifton, Whiteladies Road, Brislington, Hengrove, Totterdown and Shirehampton. Mama Bear’s is a family-run group with 22 nurseries across the South West, including two in Downend. Owner Bev Driffield said: “We are extremely proud to be top of
Nursery founders Tony and Bev Driffield with Mama Bear the list of nurseries in Bristol, especially on such a prestigious
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nursery guide, which is trusted by parents.
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“We work really hard to ensure we provide the highest standards of care and early years education at all of our settings across the South West and achievements like this shows that we are doing something right. “Thank you to all the families who took the time to vote for us and leave such heartwarming reviews. We look forward to continuing to provide local families with affordable and quality childcare.” The majority of parents who reviewed the nursery said the provision was excellent and they would be extremely likely to recommend the setting to other parents. Mama Bear’s caters for children between the ages of three months and five years and is open Monday-Friday from 7.30am until 7pm. For more information visit www.mamabear.co.uk
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fishpondsvoice
24
n NEWS
Eye Blog . . . with Jonathan Best of Marian Blake Opticians
How are spectacles made? ¡HOLA! ¿Que tal? - This month on the search for unique eyewear I found myself at a spectacle makers in Madrid, Spain. One of the questions that I asked the owner was how glasses are made especially the flamboyant colours of the plastic ones! Here’s what I learnt…) If you want the colours of the rainbow, then cellulose acetate is your best plastic material. Cellulose acetate is a very cost-effective and creative option for eyewear and is extremely lightweight. Particularly popular right now are laminated acetate frames that have layered colours. Look for light colours on the interior sides, which can make your eyewear "disappear" from your visual field when you wear them. An all-black frame, on the other hand, is visible at all times on both interior and exterior sides. Glasses made of nylon were introduced in the late 1940s. Because of brittleness and other problems, spectacle manufacturers switched to blended nylon. Today's blended nylon frames are both strong and lightweight. Nylon is also a great material for sports and performance frames, typically made of materials that are very resistant to hot and cold and are more flexible, yet also stiff. Nylon also is easily molded into today's popular wraparound styles, as well as other shapes that are difficult to produce. It may sound odd, but plastic made of castor oil (actually, castor seed oil) is now used in some eyewear. Traditionally used as a laxative, a soap ingredient and a machinery lubricant, castor oil is also making its way into plastic auto parts, along with other non-petroleumbased plastics. Reasons for castor oil plastic development include the high price of petroleum and the ease
May, 2017
of growing castor bean plants in places where other profitable plants don't thrive! Plastic frames do have some drawbacks. They are easier to break than metal frames, they will burn (but are not easily ignited), and aging and exposure to sunlight decrease their strength slightly. Colour can fade over time, but not as much with modern materials. What is the difference between cellulose acetate frames and injection molded plastic frames? Cellulose acetate is hypoallergenic, made from a renewable resource, lightweight, and very strong. It is made from cutting, forming and polishing sheets of plastic. As the name implies, injection mold frames are made by injecting a more brittle petroleum based plastic that is liquefied, then injected into an aluminum or stainless steel mold. Colours are added through a spray application then coated and tumbled for shine. Injection mold frames are generally less expensive but considered to be lower quality. Different frame materials greatly expand your options for a new look. While shopping for new spectacles or sunglasses, ask me for advice about variety in colours, durability, lightness, favorite brands, hypoallergenic materials, uniqueness and price. In fact, finding glasses with the qualities that are most important to you could be as simple as choosing the right frame material because each type has its own unique strengths. If you have any questions about eyewear, then please don’t hesitate to get in contact with either myself or a member of my team on 0117 9651861, or book an appointment online.
Charity night is a sparkling success THE St Augustine’s community in Downend has raised £5,000 for two charities at a Ladies Pamper Night. Nearly 500 people turned out for the event last month, raising money for JDRF, a charity which works to cure, treat and prevent Type 1 diabetes and Brain Tumour Support, a local charity founded by Tina Mitchell Skinner whose husband died suddenly of a brain tumour. More than 60 stalls were selling everything from pizza, to shellac nails, spray tans, sports massages and retro gifts. The night was organised in memory of Downend teenager and former St Augustine’s primary school pupil James Hedge, who died in January 2016 from Diabetic Ketoacidosis. The 18-year-old had lived with Type 1 diabetes from the age of three. 400,000 people in the UK are living with Type 1 diabetes and more than 29,000 of them
are children. Organiser Clare Davis, from Longwell Green, said: “The whole atmosphere was amazing. This is all because a fabulous community came together and achieved a goal for the right reasons. I cannot thank everybody involved enough.” The St Augustine’s community is also holding a JDRF fundraising family walk from Frenchay to Eastville Park and back on Saturday, June 24. If you are interested in attending, email clare@novaassociates. co.uk. On August 26, James’s father Bob, 50, and brother Patrick, 15, along with Jonathan Davis, 45, and 14-year-old Josie Davis from Longwell Green and a group of men from Downend will cycle over 100 miles in a day to also raise money for JDRF. You can donate directly for either of these events online at https://www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/Avon-Cycle
Jonathan Best Bsc (Hons)MCOptom Optometrist Jonathan qualified in Optometry from the University of Manchester and recently moved to Bristol to be closer to family. He lives with his wife and two small children in Staple Hill.
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fishpondsvoice
May, 2017
25
n NEWS
Up, up and away - students ready to fly A GROUP of students from Bristol Metropolitan Academy are well on the way to completing the Airbus Foundation Flying Challenge. The 30 youngsters had exclusive behind-the-scenes access at Bristol Airport where they learned about everything from customer services to being a pilot, took part in a simulated flying lesson at Bristol and Wessex Flying Club and explored the corporate jets at Centreline. Their ‘Aim High Week’ adventure did not stop there. They also learned about propulsion on a visit to the aero engine assembly lines at RollsRoyce, found out what’s in store for an aerospace apprentice at the City of Bristol College and met the RAF at the Jet Age Museum. One participant said: “I love airplanes. I think they are beautiful and amazing machines. I could just sit in the airport all day, every day and watch them
take off and land without getting bored. I would love to work around them every day.” The Flying Challenge is a year-long mini-apprenticeship linked to flight.
Phillipa Evans, design and technology teacher at Bristol Metropolitan Academy, said: “The students had a brilliant week with amazing learning experiences throughout.
"I would to thank Airbus for giving our students a oncein-a-lifetime incredible opportunity that I feel sure will stay with them for a long time to come.”
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Got News? Call Linda On 0777 0700579 14/03/2017 10:21
fishpondsvoice
26
May, 2017
n LETTERS Couldn't some 48A buses be diverted? MIGHT I make a suggestion on the withdrawal of the buses serving the Hillfields estate? The 48A service runs every ten minutes and generally provides a good service, perhaps too good in that the portion of the route, UWE to Fishponds Road, it is underused. There are very few passengers, often one or none on this part of the route and it is not unknown for two or even three 48A buses to be in close procession. First Bus said the idea of the 48A was to cover gaps left by a less frequent service of the 48 and 49 buses on Fishponds Road, to and from town. Apparently the 48 and 49 were unable to keep time due to traffic; personally I felt they wanted to knock out the Wessex 13 service, which they did. (The original intention of the 13 was to link town to St Matthias College, Glenside and UWE Frenchay Campus for students. St Matthias has since closed thereby diminishing the traffic for the 48A). My suggestion is that each alternate 48A is renumbered 49A and run to the Hillfields estate.
100 Fishponds Road Memorial, guarded by vans The frequency of buses on the Fishponds Road and Stapleton Road would remain unaltered and few would be inconvenienced by lesser number of 48A on the UWE/ Fishponds Road part but Hillfields would get a bus service. A further suggestion is to reroute at Old Market, the current 48A (and 49A if my suggestion is taken up), from terminating at Rupert Street to terminate
at Temple Meads station or the bottom of the Incline. This would provide a direct service from Fishponds and surrounds, something the area hasn’t enjoyed for nearly fifty years, since the demise of the old No.11 service. Trevor Pott Stapleton
Number 17 bus is our lifeline I WOULD like to ask what is the matter with the bus company taking off the number 17 again? First says that it is not cost effective as not many people use it, but I beg to differ, as someone who uses this service (KingswoodSouthmead) on average three times a week. There are between 10-12 passengers most times and sometimes we have had to stand. It is not helped when getting on the bus with passes to be told the machine is not working, which happens regularly. This bus is our lifeline in Hillfields as without it we cannot access the Fishponds supermarkets, doctors or Southmead and Cossham hospitals. If the bus company wants to save money they should take off the 48A which seems to run every 5-10 minutes. V Hodder Hillfields resident
So many vans blocking view THANK you for the picture of the 100 Fishponds Road memorial, in the March edition. Here is a recent photo (above) and as you can see, this is not a true picture of what it looks like now. Lots of Eco vans blocking the view of the cemetery, which are parked in Greenbank View. Your picture must have been taken a long time ago, as we have had this little Eco village of vans, for almost a year. Mrs L Bidwell
Well done to the NoMacinF campaign I WOULD like to thank the local group who campaigned against the massive McDonald's drive-thru. Having witnessed some of the hearing, they did hold their own and came up against some aggressive cross-examing. It was a lot of work, and it really was 'David vs Goliath' but for community spirit, the campaign group really did go the distance. Brian Wheeler
Let your voice be heard! If you have a view on a local issue email us at news@fishpondsvoice.co.uk To advertise, contact Caroline on 07453 954261
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fishpondsvoice
May, 2017
n FISHPONDS MUM
27
Bonnets and baskets
Little Peashoots are sprouting IF you have a little one marauding about, you may have already heard talk of Forest Schools. It is a movement rather than an actual school and the pop up groups are aimed at helping children to spend time with nature and have positive outdoor experiences. The idea is that children of all ages learn by participating in achievable tasks and develop social skills through outdoor play, learning to manage risk and to use their own initiative. Forest Schools go ahead in all weathers, (except for high winds, apparently), and normally use local woodland. Bristol, being surrounded by woodland, has lots to offer the Forest School movement. There are various Forest School opportunities locally in and around Fishponds. You’ll find in local children’s nurseries that some days are ‘Forest School’ days where the whole group will go out together to wooded areas, but there are various private groups that families might join too. Feed, Bristol’s Avon Wildlife Trust’s reserve in Frenchay, offers a toddler-friendly Forest School called Peashoots every week. Run by Feed professionals, the group meets on a Monday morning to gather wood to build a fire, sing some welcome songs and explore a different theme each week, such as, eggs, spirals and worms. It begins early at 9.30am and lasts about an hour and a half, by which time your toddler most likely will be on the verge of sleep. The practitioners get the toddlers involved in gathering sticks and making food on the fire outside. So far in our sessions, there has been popcorn and potato cakes made with garlic leaves. Delicious! Toddlers love trying to do things together as a group. Playing hide and seek in the lovely landscaped wildlife space amongst willow woven deer and willow hedgehogs is a real treat and painting eggs and making food outside is very exciting, at any age. At the end of the session, for your £5, all participants, including adults, receive a snack and a drink and then a story. Feed is currently surrounded by diggers, being right on the corner of Stoke Lane, and there is something so uniquely Bristolian about Feed’s enduring commitment to wildlife as it carries on positively teaching the children about the importance and wonder of frogs, bees and birds nests. If you pass on a Monday morning you may just hear the sound of the hokey cokey drifting gently over the din of the machinery. Peashoots takes place on Mondays from 9.30am to 11am. The team request that people try to park over the road because the car park gets pretty full. It is a lovely walk or cycle through Eastville Park to Feed from Fishponds and takes about 30 to 40 minutes. http://www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/events/2016/04/11/pea-shootsforest-school-parentcarer-and-toddler-group Cost: £5 Address: Feed Bristol, Frenchay, Bristol, BS16 1HB Do let them know if you can that you intend to come by contacting: kirstyphilbrick@gmail.com
TOTS at a nursery in Fishponds had a cracking time celebrating Easter. The Mama Bear’s Day Nursery & Pre-School on Thicket Avenue celebrated by painting eggs, designing Easter baskets and making nest cakes and a rabbit cake. Mama Bear herself even made an appearance to host an Easter egg hunt and join in with the seasonal fun.
Claire Stewart Hall
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fishpondsvoice
28
n MP COLUMN
Last report of this Parliament AS the Prime Minister has now called a snap general election, this column is something of a round-up of my recent work in Fishponds. Parliament will be dissolved on May 3, and MPs will cease to be MPs and will simply become parliamentary candidates. This means MPs’ offices will have to close for the duration of the campaign, although we will be able to finish off urgent casework for people who contacted us before dissolution.
Kerry McCarthy MP for Bristol East
writes for Fishponds Voice
May, 2017
At the McDonald's planning appeal, held at City Hall, I spoke up on behalf of the local community in opposing the proposed drivethru restaurant on Fishponds Road. I have opposed this application every step of the way over the last three years, and, as I said at the hearing, I have never seen a community more united against a development.
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As well as adding to existing traffic problems, the McDonald's would be in close proximity to several schools. I have pushed for a change in council planning regulations, so that we do not allow new fast-food outlets to spring up within a tenminute walk/800 metres of schools. Being proactive when it comes to public health and the scale of the obesity crisis facing this country is important.
Further up the Fishponds Road, I have continued to work constructively with Marvin Rees, who has directed council officers to find a solution which makes the crossing at Hockey’s Lane much safer – something which, despite repeated requests, never happened under the former Mayor. A trial scheme, involving improved sequencing to maximise crossing time – which is particularly
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important for the elderly, disabled, and those with small children – is expected to start soon. In the meantime, and as always, I would urge all drivers to observe the signage, and for pedestrians to exercise caution when crossing.
In recent days, I have been, as I am sure everyone has, appalled by reports of anti-social behaviour in Eastville Park and instances of racist abuse. Local people, especially those with young children, ought to feel safe and happy using the park, and there should be zero tolerance of this kind of behaviour. I pushed for the council and County Court to evict the travellers – and asked the police to remove them sooner by obtaining a warrant; I am pleased that the travellers are no longer in the park and that it is being cleared up and secured.
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n VET BLOG WE commonly see ear problems in our consults. Dogs that are prone to developing ear infections usually have ears which flop down, have hairy ear canals or like to go swimming. This can include breeds such as Spaniels, Bichon Frise and Labradors. Signs often include head shaking, scratching at their ears, soreness around their head, or sometimes they may just appear depressed.
Itchy ears in dogs Ear infections can have many causes such as a bacterial or yeast infection. Ear mites and grass seeds are also a possibility! It is also worth remembering the inside of an ear is a continuation of the skin, so if your pet has a skin condition, it will increase the risk of ear infections. Treatment often includes a visit to the vets. We assess the ear for the potential cause of the infection. Drops may be given to fight an infection, or parasite treatment for mites. In serious cases the eardrum may have ruptured which means we may have to give antibiotic tablets. Anti-inflammatories and pain relief may also be given if the ears are really sore. Because of the many causes of ear infections and also the potential to cause more harm by putting medications in an ear where the eardrum has ruptured, we always recommend a check by a Vet if your pet’s ears are sore. REMEMBER never give human
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medication to your pet without Veterinary advice as many human medications, particularly pain relief, can be toxic to pets. At Kingswood Vets4Pets we have appointments available throughout the morning, afternoon and evening. Our Vets, Catherine and Rochelle, would be happy to check your pet if you have any concerns. To make an appointment call us on 0117 961 6417.
Catherine Spence at Kingswood Vets4Pets
Willowdean Court, 247a Charlton Road, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 1LT Telephone: 0117 961 6417
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May, 2017
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n PLANNING Chris Gosling explains why Goliath calls all the shots when it comes to planning inquiries THIS month, copy deadlines rule out a report from the McDonald's Public Inquiry, take 2. But, the level of local opposition has inspired me to extend one of the undoubted themes of the Inquiry: The big corporation versus the little guys. I will instead be making comparisons between the housebuilders and the person who is looking to build one house, but would never call him or herself a housebuilder. You can probably guess that this won't be the kind of story where David slays Goliath. Everybody loves an underdog, but that is partly because they seldom triumph. It would be a strange world indeed where David is expected to beat Goliath. So what do the housebuilders have in their advantage? Developing land is something they do all day, every day. They have experience and when needed they can call the experience that they need in from outside. They can
afford to be single-minded because they don't have distractions to deal with. But the real difference is in scale. Most housebuilders are not interested in small sites. By concentrating their resources on larger sites, they up the stakes. It can make a real difference if they build or not, because they are geared up to provide large numbers of houses. If you are looking to convert your house into two flats, you are never really going to be able to compete. This shows up in the statistics that the Planning Inspectorate publishes for appeals. For major development, 10 dwellings plus or sites measuring more than half a hectare, the success rate on appeal skyrockets. That probably comes as no surprise. After all, the big players can focus all their resources on one appeal before moving on to the next one. They can push for a public inquiry instead of a simpler written representations appeal. Once that has been assured, they can bring in expert witnesses to make their case for them. Their scale also means that they have time on their side. A small developer who has bought
a site can go under through the debt repayments while planning permission takes longer than anticipated. Bigger players will simply factor some delay in and weather the storm. If things are taking too long for them, they can make the argument about the scale of what is at stake. Before you read too much into all this and come to the conclusion that the anti-McDonald's in Fishponds campaign is doomed to disappointment, you have to bear in mind that every case is decided on its merits. The fast food chain has the scale, the patience and the experience to battle on for years, but it all comes down to how they make their argument over the few days of the Inquiry. The opposite case will also be made and the decision will be arrived at through a thorough assessment of the impact of the proposal and the relevant planning policy. In the end, this is not a decision that will deliver dozens or hundreds of houses, some of them affordable, at a time of a proven shortage. I am expecting it to turn on the generation of jobs, as against environmental concerns.
Planning matters
Chris Gosling I hope that take 2 will finally have gone ahead by the time that you read this. The uncertainty has done no good for anyone. chrisgoslingplanning@gmail.com
Start digging! GREEN-FINGERED Fishponds residents are being urged to start growing in time for an horticultural show this summer. The 11th Annual Horticultural Show takes place on Saturday August 19 from 2pm to 5pm at Fishponds Methodist Church, Guinea Lane. There will be categories for fruit, vegetables, flowers, baking, craftwork, photography and many other things and token cash prizes and trophies will be up for grabs. Schedules will soon be available from Fishponds Library; the pet shop opposite the park, Elmwood Garden Centre, Westerleigh Road and at Fishponds Methodist Church on Fridays from 10.3011.30am. You can also ring 965 0442.
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n NEWS
Three local charities benefit from Cricket club backs Cleeve Wood shops event CHEQUES for £300 each were handed to three local charities by traders from Cleeve Wood shops. The presentations to St. Peter’s Hospice (in memory of Stephen Wood, Jessie May and Children’s Hospice South West) were from the proceeds of the successful Christmas event at the shops. This raised more than £1,400 and the rest of the money has gone to the Cleeve Wood Road Shops Regeneration Group to improve the area. Staff from a number of the businesses in the rank of shops including Style Collection, Cleeve Wood Pharmacy, West 70 Photography and M. Coleman Estate Agents attended the cheques handover. A spokesman said: “Cleeve Wood Road shops look forward to hosting another Christmas
Jessie May
event in November 2017 and encourage everyone to visit www.cleevewood.co.uk for details or to follow Cleeve Wood
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Road Shops on Facebook (www. facebook.com/cleevewoodroad) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/ cleevewoodroad).”
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JESSIE May, the Kingswoodbased charity that provides hospice at home services to children with terminal illnesses in Bristol and surrounding areas, has been appointed as Gloucestershire County Cricket Club’s “charity of the year”. The partnership will run for the whole of the 2017 season, with players wearing the Jessie May logo on players’ shirts at the first match on March 28. The charity will have the opportunity to fundraise on match days and hospitality tickets will be given to the charity’s beneficiaries. The sponsorship initiative is also being supported by Bristol financial management business Ovation Finance.
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May, 2017
n WHAT’S ON IN OUR AREA Friday May 5 n Tea Dance. Downend Folk House, Lincombe Barn.1.453.45pm. Pay at door. Saturday May 6 n The Great Stapleton Plant sale, Stapleton Church Hall, 3-5pm. Organisers are looking for green fingered people to donate plants to the sale which is being held to raise money for the Church Roof Appeal. Apart from a wide range of summer bedding plants and perennials, homemade cake and refreshments will be available to buy. Tuesday May 9 n Speaker morning with coffee. Pauline Alvis. The art of cheesemaking. Downend Folk House, Lincombe Barn. 10 for 10.30am Friday May 12 n 1-2pm Activate Fishponds dropin lunchtime concert, Fishponds Methodist Church, Guinea Lane, featuring The Bristol Veterans Band. Tea and Coffee avalable. Free entrance. Retiring collection. Sunday May 14 n Page Park Praise presented by Staple Hill Salvation Army Band, songsters and children, 3.30pm. Children’s craft and activity tent and lots of good music and singing. Admission free. Tel 0117 956 9733 for more information. Tuesday May 16 n Downend Local History Society, Downend Folk House, Overndale Road, at 7.30 p.m. A talk on Village Witchcraft and Magic by Professor Ronald Hutton, a leading authority on history of the British Isles in the 16th and 17th centuries, on ancient and medieval paganism and magic, and on the global context of witchcraft
beliefs. He is a Professor of History at Bristol University and appears regularly on television. Visitors welcome a a cost of £3. This is the last of our winter talks. Our next winter programme will begin on Thursday September 7 at 7.30 mat Lincombe Barn. We shall then meet regularly on the first Thursday of the month. Saturday May 20 n Brunel Brass concert at Christ Church raising funds for the Christ Church Mission Partners and for Brunel Brass. An opportunity to hear National Competition level Brass Band music with Alan and Luke Campbell and Reuben Jenkins. Tickets £5 (U13 free) from the Parish Office 0117 908 9867 (Mon – Fri 9.30-12) from Alan Campbell 07740 739600 or from Melanie’s Kitchen in Downend. Saturday May 20 n 12-3pm, Spring Fayre, All Saints Community Hall, Grove Road, Fishponds, BS16 2DH. Enjoy lunch, purchase some plants for your garden. Browse through the various crafts that will be available and have some fun with our selection of games. Entrance fee 50p per adult. Saturday May 20 n 7.30pm, Stapleton Church Hall. Re-live the sounds of the 60s and 70s with BAX TRAX. Tickets £8 and are available from 0117 9652001. Soft drinks available, otherwise please bring your own alcohol. All proceeds to the Church Roof Appeal. Thursday May 25 n Meeting, Avon Organic Group, a local group for everyone interested in organic gardening and organic foods, 7-9pm,The
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Station (in the dance studio), Silver Street, Bristol, BS1 2AG. Talk "Pests & Diseases" with Tim Foster, local author & lecturer. We will be holding our annual plant sale on the night so bring along any spare plants and seedlings too. All welcome. Visitors £5/Members £2. www.groworganicbristol.org / secretaryaog@gmail.com Saturday May 27 n 10am-noon, breakfast at Speedwell Methodist Church, BS15 1ES. A full breakfast, or a cuppa and homemade cake. No need to hurry. An opportunity to ask for prayer. All welcome. Saturday May 27 n Litter pick, meet on Straits Parade at 11am and pick for an hour or so. We have hi-vis vests, litter grabbers and some gloves. We provide waste sacks and have an arrangement with the council to collect the filled sacks. Please come and help keep our community clean. Wednesday May 31 n Holiday Club at Speedwell Methodist Church, BS15 1ES 10am-noon, followed by optional lunch. Crafts, refreshments, singing and story. Toys for babies and toddlers. Every child must bring an adult who will remain responsible for them. £1.50 per family and a donation for lunch. All welcome.
REGULAR EVENTS IN THE FISHPONDS AREA Mondays n Gentle/beginners drop-in yoga class, Kingfisher Cafe, Straits Parade, 6.45pm - 8pm. £8. Contact Debbie: 0796 8223670 or visit www.omkariyoga.com n Holistic Massage, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 9am n Tiny Tots, All Saints Community Hall 10:30am n Bereavement and Well-being support, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 11am n Computer Group, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 2pm n Ping Pong (Table Tennis) for over 55’s, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 2pm n Welcome Club for Retireds+, St Aidan’s Church Hall 2pm n Messy Church , St John’s Church
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We would love to publicise your event Send details of your events and activities in the following format:
WHAT IT IS WHERE IT IS WHEN IT IS in no more than 40 words: email us at: news@fishpondsvoice.co.uk or call us on 07770 700579 / 07880 731148 3pm n Prayers, St John’s Church 6:30pm n Zumba keep fit, Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road, Fishponds 9.30-10.30am For details call 0734 1813 559. n Alzheimer’s choir, Beechwood Club, 11am to 1pm, Paula Shears 0117 9610693 n Sequence dancing with Teresa, Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road 2pm. Tel 0117 965 0203 for details. n Ballroom tuition, Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR. 3pm. Contact Teresa 0117 9650203 n Slimming World, Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR. 6.309pm. Contact Ami 0746 2727 229 n Social badminton, Kingswood Leisure Centre 2-4 pm, intermediate level. n 4-8pm Ages 3 -15yrs Hip Hop classes, RedX Dance, Staple Hill, 07722 128159 n 7-8pm, Zumba Dance for fitness with Lisa at Bristol Dance Company, Brook Road, Fishponds, BS16 3SQ. Tel 0117 965 6699.
Tuesdays n Art workshops with GreenFox Workshops, Kingfisher Cafe, Straits Parade, 7.30-9pm. Call to book (gemmalane99@gmail. com/07532327810). First Tuesday of the month. n Nordic Walking Classes, Oldbury Court 9.30-10.30am. Email: bristolnordicwalking.co.uk to book your place n Fishponds Friendship and Exercise Club.Fishponds Baptist Church (scout hall) 10-11.30am each Tuesday. Chair based gentle exercise for older people.Tea, coffee,
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May, 2017 friendly chat. Instructor: Spencer Davies. Telephone 07825 155954. n Morning Prayer, St John’s Church 9:15am n Foot Care Sessions, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 9:30am n Coffee and Craft Morning, St John’s Church 10am n Sing and Sign for babies / toddlers, All Saints Community Hall 10am n Level 1 Walking Group, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 10am n Music for Toddlers, St Mary’s Parish Rooms 10:30am n Lunch Club, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 12:30pm n Film Club for over 55’s, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 2pm n Pre-school Storytime/ Rhymetime, Fishponds Library 2.15-2.45pm n Eucharist with signing for the Deaf, Hillside Court, Batten Road, St George, Bristol, BS5 8NL 3pm n Messy Church, Fishponds CofE Academy 3:15pm n Woodcraft , All Saints Church Hall/Link 6pm n Evening Prayer, St Aidan’s Church 7pm n Evening Prayer, St Ambrose Church 7pm n Frenchay Parent and Toddler group, upstairs in the Frenchay Village Hall, 9.45-11.45am n Scouts (10-14 years), Fishponds Baptist Church Youth Hall. 7.309pm (Term Time only) Email: 151bristolscouts@gmail.com n Slimming World, Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR. 9.30am to midday, Call Ami 0746 2727 229 n Diabetes UK, Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR. 6.15-8.15pm. Meeting in small room. n Zumba, Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR. 7-8pm. Contact Anna 0779 9180 437 n Badminton, Downend Sports Centre 8 -10pm. Call 0117 9400706. Email: ridgewaydownend@yahoo. co.uk n ‘Friends and Neighbours’, Fishponds Methodist Church Hall, Guinea Lane, 2 - 4pm alternate Tuesdays. A friendly, sociable group, usually with a speaker and followed by a cup of tea. n Staple Hill Probus Club meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month at Downend Cricket Club. 10.30am-12.45pm. Tea and coffee from 10am n Staple Hill Probus Club meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month at Downend Cricket Club. 10.30am-12.45pm. Tea and coffee
from 10am n Pilates classes, Steiner Academy, Oldbury Court Road, 7-8pm, £6.50 Bring an exercise/yoga mat and wear comfortable clothing. 07952 941 531 n 4-8pm Ages 8 -25 yrs Hip Hop & Contemporary dance classes, RedX Dance, Staple Hill, 07722 128159
Wednesdays
n 7.30-8.30pm, Zumba Dance for fitness with Lisa at Bristol Dance Company, Brook Road, Fishponds, BS16 3SQ. Tel 0117 965 6699. n Weekly Salsa class for complete beginners with Cressida. Cross Hands Pub, 1 Staple Hill Road. 7.309pm includes social and dancing. No partner needed. Ffi call 07808 581739 n Shared reading group is taking place at Hillfields and Little Hayes Family Hub and Library 12,30-2pm. Contact Emma Crago for details, 07970 247410, emmacrago@ thereader.org.uk n Songs for Little People, The Kingfisher Café 9.45pm £4 per little person, siblings £2. n Eucharist, St Ambrose Church 10am n Arts and Crafts, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 10:30am n Coffee Morning, St Ambrose Church 10:30am n Tai Chi, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 11am n Level 3 Walking Group, starting from St Ambrose Beehive Centre 1pm n Arts and Crafts, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 1:30pm n Punjabi Dance and Song, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 2pm n Support and Activity Group, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 2pm n Chair based exercise class, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 2pm n Ladies Circle, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 2:30pm n Wives Group, St John’s Church 2:30pm n Messy Church, Air Balloon Primary School, Hillside Rd, St George 3:30pm n Home Group, Location varies 6:30pm n Phoenix Art Club, Fishponds Methodist Church Hall, Guinea Lane, Fishponds 10am-noon. All mediums, all abilities. n Dancing Tots, Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road 10-11am n Hannah More Club for senior citizens, Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road 2-4pm (fortnightly)
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n Women’s Reading Group, Beechwood Club, 1.30-3 pm, fourth Wednesday of every month. Call Anne 0117 9041875 for information. n Dance Tots, Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR 7-8pm. Contact Eric 0791 4006 589 n Keep fit class, Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR. 7- 8pm. Contact Beryl 0117 9774534. n Cycle UK (CTC). For all cyclists from beginners to professionals, commuters to sports. Beechwood Club, Fishponds, BS16 3TR. 8-10PM winter months only (other months are rides, see http://www. cyclebristolctc.org.uk/) n Lodge Causeway Townswomen’s Guild, Briarwood School, Briar Way, Fishponds. Second Wednesday of the month (except August) 7.15pm. Different speaker each month plus handicrafts and walking group. Call 0779 9108 890 n Living after Loss, St Mary’s Parish Rooms, back entrance of church 11am-noon. An informal bereavement group. Please note this group is fortnightly. Call Lizzy on 0117 9650856. n Yoga, Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road, Fishponds 5.456.45pm. Call Nikki 0752 5735 500 n Flower Arranging practice classes, Downend Folk House, Lincombe Barn, Overndale Road 7.30 p.m, every 1st and 3rd Wednesday, September – May. All levels welcome. Call Isabel Cooke on 0117 9568504 n Frenchay Probus Club meets on the first and third Wednesday every month in Frenchay Village Hall. 10 am to noon. Visitors welcome. www.frenchayprobusclub.com n Frenchay Folk Dance Club meets in Frenchay Village Hall on alternate Wednesdays at 7.45pm. Calling from Alan Davies and music by Mike Elsom. Dancers of all abilities and experience are welcome. Information at www. frenchayfdc.co.uk or by emailing FFDCSecretary@outlook.com. n Walks for single people. Solo Rendezvous meet at Downend Cricket Club, every Wednesday, 8.30pm, entrance £3, and walk every Sunday. Please phone for walk details: 01454 775508 / 01454 774984 / 0117 9850210. n Frenchay Folk Dance Club meets in Frenchay Village Hall on alternate Wednesdays at 7.45pm. More information is available at www. frenchayfdc.co.uk or by emailing FFDCSecretary@outlook.com. n Frenchay Probus Club meets on the first and third Wednesday every month in Frenchay Village Hall. 10
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am to noon. Visitors welcome. n 6-6.50pm All Boys Ages 7 -15 yrs Hip Hop classes, RedX Dance, Staple Hill, 07722 128159 n Diamond fellowship at Fishponds Baptist Church hall, Downend Road, 10.30am. Open to everyone, first and third Wednesdays every month. Variety of speakers, coffee mornings and annual day out and Christmas meal. Contact 0117 9653421.
Thursdays n Dance Fit with Cressida. Beechwood Club, Beechwood Rd. Easy pace weekly exercise class with range of dance steps and music. 2pm-3pm plus tea and chat. Ffi call 07808 581739. n Yoga class for beginners. Lincombe Barn, Overndale Rd, Downend. 6.30-8pm.Traditional yoga postures with focus on breathing and relaxation. Contact before: katarzyna48@hotmail.com or 0752 5937201. n Morning Prayer - St Aidans Church 9:15am n Body toning/conditioning , Beechwood Club 9.30-10.30am. Call Sabrina 0794 1353 735 n Coffee and Craft Morning , St Aidan’s Church 10am n Free Beginners Computer Classes, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 10am n Eucharist, St John’s Church 10am n Eucharist, St Mary’s Church 10am n Parent and Toddler Group, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 10am n Ballroom Dance Class, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 12pm n Exercises and Sing-a-long Activity Session, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 2pm n Fit Steps, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 2pm n Dance, Latin Rhythm, and Zumba gold, Beechwood Club 2-3pm. Call Cressida 0780 8587 39 n Knit & Natter, Fishponds Library 2-4 pm (fortnightly) n Frenchay Parent and Toddler group, upstairs in the Frenchay Village Hall, 9.45-11.45am n The Senior Citizen Friendship Club, Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR 3.30-5pm. Call 0782 5155 954. Email: Spencer@sportingchange.biz n Beginner’s Taoist Tai Chi, Fishponds Methodist Church, Guinea Lane 7-8.30pm. Come and enjoy better balance through Taoist
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May, 2017
n WHAT’S ON CONTINUED Tai Chi practice. Moving meditation for body, mind and spirit. taoist. org.uk n Fishponds and Downend Rotary Club, The Langley Arms, Guest Avenue, Emersons Green, Bristol BS16 7GA, evening. The club is actively seeking new members to share fun, fellowship and community service. Full details on website - Google “F&D Rotary” and look for homepage. n Baby Bebop Mums, Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road, Fishponds 11am-1pm, babies up to one year. Call Ruth 0796 6032 414 n Cressida dance keep fit and Zumba gold, Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road, Fishponds 2-3pm. Tel no. 0780 8581 739 n East Park Residents meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month at May Park School from 6-7pm. All welcome. Further information from Hazel Durn on 0117 9513868 or Tony Locke on 07919 173450 n 4.15-7pm Competition Crew Ages 7- 18 yrs Hip Hop classes, RedX Dance, Staple Hill, 07722 128159 n 7-9pm Kingswood Choir at United Church Kingswood, Regent Street, all abilities welcome. Contact Patsy Holdsworth 01179078994
Fridays n Greeting cards sold in aid of St Peter’s Hospice, Fishponds Methodist Church Hall, morning. n Nordic Walking Classes, Oldbury Court 9.30-10.30am. Contact bristolnordicwalking.co.uk to book your place. n The Friday Playgroup, All Saints Community Hall 9:30am n Line Dancing, St Ambrose
Beehive Centre 10:30am n Rhymetime for babies and toddlers, Hillfields Library 11.30amnoon n Senior Citizens Bingo Club with optional fish and chip lunch, St Ambrose Beehive Centre 12pm n The First Friday Film Club - All Saints Church Hall, 2pm n Taekwondo, St John’s Church Hall 5:30pm n Grove Road Youth Club, All Saints Community Hall 7pm n Sensible keep fit to music for older ladies. Hillfields Park Baptist Church, Thicket Avenue, Fishponds 9am. Good company and a chat over coffee. Call 0117 9561231. n High density Zumba, Beechwood Club, Fishponds 6.157.15pm. Call Anna 0779 9180 437 n Zumba, Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road 9.30-10.30pm n Alzheimer’s group, Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road 2-4pm 2nd Friday in month, n Zumba keep fit, Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR. 9.3010.30am. Call Sally 0771 2776 753 n Baby Bebop (Mums / Babies up to 1 year old) Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR. 11am-1pm. Contact Ruth 0796 6032 414 n Alzheimer’s meetings Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR. 2-4pm (2nd Friday in each month). Tel no. 0117 9756 441 n Fishponds History society Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR 7-9 pm ( 1st Friday monthly). Contact John 0117 965 8110 n Coffee Morning, Speedwell Methodist Church, 10am-noon. Open to all. Friendly and caring. Lunch once a month. n Community art club at Castle Suite, Badminton Gardens,
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Beaufort Road BS16 6UE. 10amnoon on alternate Fridays. Professional tuition. Sessions will be held on alternate Fridays. Cost is £5 per session and materials are supplied. Limited numbers so please, in the first place, contact Paul Foss on pobble57@yahoo. co.uk or 0117 957 0045 n Kingswood Photographic Society, St Barnabas Church Hall, Church Avenue, Warmley, BS30 5JJ, 7-9.30pm. We welcome and support all levels of experience including beginners. n 4.10-8pm Ages 6-18 yrs Hip Hop & Contemporary dance classes, RedX Dance, Staple Hill, 07722 128159
Saturdays n Diabetes group, Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road 2-4pm, 2nd Saturday, 2 monthly, September n Rehabilitation Pilates (Beginners), Lincombe Barn, Downend Folk House, in Britannia room. 9am. £7. Samantha 07736 309272, www.gentlefitness.co.uk
Sundays n Morning Worship and children’s group, Speedwell Methodist Church, 378 Speedwell Road. 10.30am Friendly, informal and lively. n Morning Worship, New Place, Eastville Methodist Church, Fishponds Road. 10.45am. Holy Communion once a month. n Eucharist, All Saints Church 8am n Eucharist, St Mary’s Church 10am with Giggle Club in Parish Rooms n Eucharist, St Ambrose Church 10am n Eucharist or Lay-Led Service, St Michael’s Church 10am n Eucharist or Lay-Led Service, St Aidan’s Church 10:30am
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n Eucharist or Lay-Led Service, St John’s 10:30am n Eucharist or Lay-Led Service, All Saints Church 10.30am n All Sorts Youth Group, St Aidan’s Church hall 6pm(fortnightly) n Evensong , St Mary’s Church 6:30pm n Worship, Staple Hill Methodist Church 10.30am and 6pm. A creche is available for little ones and Sunday Club. Taize Worship is held on second Sunday evening of the month and communion is taken on first morning and evening of the month. Call 0117 9575221 n Fishponds Baptist Church (opposite the Cross Hands pub) - 10.30am. Friendly, welcoming church with people from a range of backgrounds, nationalities and ages. Children and youth provision for all ages. 6.30pm every Sunday, apart from the 3rd Sunday in the month when we have our ‘Messy church’ at 4pm with crafts, food and fun for all the family! There is a songs of praise service on the 4th Sunday at 3pm. n Redemption Life, Beechwood Club, BS16 3TR 9.30am-1pm n Church Group, Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR 1pm n ARC, Beechwood Club, Fishponds BS16 3TR. 3.30-5.30pm or 7-9pm For bookings and other inquiries about Beechwood Club, call Terry King 0117 965 020, after 4pm. email: tk007h9736@ blueyonder.co.uk n Morning Worship, Fishponds Methodist Church, Guinea Lane 10.30am n R.F.I.Church Group, Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road, Fishponds 1-3pm n Sisters fellowship international, Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road, Fishponds 4-6pm.
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n NEWS
May, 2017
Challenge: walk a mile a day in May ONE of the country’s largest urban walking festivals is set to return this month as the Bristol Walk Fest gears up for another year of strolling, scrambling and hiking with something for all ages and abilities. Throughout May (1-31), there is a packed programme of mostly free walks planned in and around Bristol. Highlights this year include an opportunity to go on a treasure hunt, doing yoga whilst on the move, walking football, bug hunting, getting fit with your buggy and even playing ping pong whilst taking a stroll. Becky Pollard, director of public health, said: “For the last five years, Bristol Walk Fest has encouraged people of all ages to go out and get active at whatever level they can. With over 140 walks to choose from there really is something for everyone, whether it is exploring Bristol’s vibrant street art culture, trying out one of the buggy fit sessions or taking part longer rambles
through our parks and green spaces. “Walking is a great way to be active and by getting out just once a day for a stroll can make such a difference to your health and wellbeing. I hope that we see more people than ever before getting out and taking part this year.” The festival launched on April 27 along with a challenge for Bristol: Can you get more active by walking a mile a day?
On the day, children from local schools and members of the public walked around College Green five times, the equivalent to walking a mile. This kicked off an online campaign that people can sign up to if they want to challenge themselves to completing the mile a day challenge. Bristol Walk Fest 2017 is coordinated by Bristol City Council with support from Bristol Ramblers, Living Streets,
Walk for Health Bristol and in association with Bristol University. 2017 is also Bristol’s year as a European City of Sport. The council plans to use the year as an opportunity to celebrate the best of what Bristol has to offer and promote sport and the benefits of getting active to local people. The programme is now available online at www. bristolwalkfest.com
n ADVERTISING FEATURE
Welcome to The Make Up Box MY name is Lynne and I have been a local Avon representative for the last 10 years, I am also a full time Bookkeeper. I have a customer base of 225 customers which has built over the years, all of these great customers have helped me achieve number 1 top seller in the area for 2016. I made the decision to open an
Avon shop, and it been fun, hard work but fun, and already I have met some great new people in Staplehill and surrounding areas. My loyal customer base have popped by as well to support me to which I am very grateful. I hold a large stock of Avon products, and customers are enjoying the fact that there are
testers of Foundation, Lipsticks and Perfumes to sample before buying. So come on don't just walk on by, call in and take a look. I aim to make it as easy as possible for people to get their cosmectics, it is simply a walk in Avon book - so pop in and pick up the latest brochure in store and call, text or email your order back to me and collect in store.
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Email: sales@fishpondsvoice.co.uk
You now have a permanent Avon Lady Look forward to seeing you Lynne Mortimer
The Make Up Box 51 Broad Street Staple Hill Tel: 01454 860 025 Find us on Facebook
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fishpondsvoice
May, 2017
39
n TAKE A BREAK PUZZLES FOR EVERYONE Adult puzzles Children’s puzzles SUDOKU
WORDSEARCH
EASY for children
Can you find 41 jobs or professions vertically, horizontally or diagonally?
Each horizontal row, each 2x2 square and each column must contain all the numbers 1-4, only once each. Across 2 Altar, 6 Nun, 7 Shrine, 9 Imam, 10 Hell, 11 God Down 1 Sin, 3 Taoism, 4 Reverend, 5 Instill, 8 Myth
TXT PERT
SOLUTIONS A-MAZING
There’s only one way to help the dog find her bone – but which is it?
TXT PERT
The numbers point you to the letters on a phone keypad
Clues Across 2 25827 (5) 6 686 (3) 7 747463 (6) 9 4626 (4) 10 4355 (4) 11 463 (3)
Down 1 746 (3) 3 826476 (6) 4 73837363 (8) 5 4678455 (7) 8 6984 (4)
2 is A, B or C 3 is D, E or F 4 is G, H or I 5 is J, K, or L
6 is M, N or O 7 is P, Q, R or S 8 is T, U or V 9 is W, X, Y or Z
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40
May, 2017
n NEWS
Whodunnit? Become a sleuth for a night THE latest theatrical offering by the Kingswood Players promises to put audience's sleuthing skills to the test. Murder...! is directed by Thomas Winchester and involves the arrest of five suspects following a back-stage stabbing. Members of the audience are urged to watch and listen carefully to see if they are able to solve the murder.
The show offers something a little bit different with the audience sat around tables, cabaret-style, joining a collection of famous detectives as they investigate the crime. Performances take place on Friday and Saturday May 19 and 20 at Kingswood Community Centre, with evening performances at 7.30pm and a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets, which include a
ploughman's during evening performances and an afternoon tea during the matinee, are priced at ÂŁ8 and ÂŁ7 for concessions. Call the box office on 0777 205 6562 or visit www. kingswoodplayers.org You can also secure tickets by post, sending a cheque and SAE to: The Kingswood Players Box Office, 24 Embassy Walk, Whitehall, Bristol, BS5 7EA.
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Could you solve the back-stage murder?
STAPLE HILL WOMEN'S INSTITUTE STAPLE Hill WI celebrated its 21st birthday in April. The speaker was Dudley Thomas, a retired barrister and judge, who regaled members with amusing and thought provoking stories of his "life in crime". Members and visitors from other local WIs enjoyed a tasty buffet and a beautiful 21st birthday cake. One member said: "It was lovely to see so many ladies enjoying the comradeship the WI brings on such a super Spring evening." The next meeting will include a talk from a lady researching MS and members will discuss the resolutions for the nationa conference in June. The Staple Hill WI is held at Christchurch Hall Downend on the third Tuesday of each month. It has spaces for new members Website: www.staplehillwi.weebly.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/staplehillwi Twitter: @staplehillwi
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fishpondsvoice
May, 2017
41
n GARDENING IT always alarms me how fast the year appears to be careering past as I write this article several weeks before the end of the month, so in the middle of April I’m already talking about May. Unfortunately the same seems to be happening in reality and I feel like I’m constantly playing catch up with the impending seasons. The last of the dormant foliage will now have slipped out from it from its winter state and we can begin to see how all of the herbaceous plants are going to present themselves this year. Some plants have a habit of slowly moving around as the roots spread and send up new shoots the following year and some are just thugs that need some severe treatment to keep them in check. The weather so far though, has lent itself to promoting an abundance of growth and even now the place is starting to look a lot more like the garden that I’ve been longing for the last 4 months. Starting a new garden can be daunting, with bare patches of soil in between small plants. Then doing battle with the pests that target the young and tender foliage. Unfortunately, unless you have very deep pockets, the only way is to take time and slowly let it all come together, it’s a long game, but one that has a very rewarding end. Hang in there and what seems like a lifetime away with come by almost unnoticeably, so that in just a little while you’ll have monstrous plants that are looming out of the beds at you. Personally I find that the slow process of building a garden to be infinitely more satisfying and rewarding than just popping along to the garden
The
city gardener By Tim Barton
center, emptying your wallet and decorating your garden as if it were a living room from Ikea. Part of the pleasure that I derive from doing it this way is the fact that you have to propagate to increase the stock of plants that you have at your disposal. Seeds are cheap, for example I had a packet of Amaranthus caudatus “Love Lies Bleeding” that germinated into 1000 seedlings, and many Aquilegia that I was given that are now coming into flower and filling a bed one year later. Some of these sell for £5-10, and they have cost me little more than patience. Cuttings are another fabulous way of increasing the plants that you have already, and we are getting to a time in the year when it’s good to start looking around for things that you’d like more of. I had a surprise that I think came from a cutting last year, in the form of a beautiful Euphorbia palustris. It’s really one of the prettiest things in the garden at this time of year and is so delicate to feel that you’re hardly aware that you’re touching it at all. Next year I will have many more. Unfortunately with Euphorbias you have to be careful of the sap as it can be an irritant, so make sure that you protect your hands if you’re going to propagate any of them from cuttings.
beyond a few inches tall. I’ve found that even once robust perennials are having a hard time getting going this this year due to the unrelenting onslaught. The new weapon was a strong solution of garlic (2-3 cloves crushed into a litre of water and left overnight), that is sprayed on anything that I want left alone. Although this has not been a total deterrent, along with a nightly five-minute patrol I’ve managed to keep ahead of the game this year, I’d put the current score at slugs 1; Tim 2. Even with my two cats being very disabled, they still seem to keep the frogs from making much of an appearance and doing what I hoped they would, in hoover them up for me. As the slug hunting is an evening exercise, you can be getting on with some of these jobs during the day. * Keep an eye out for late frosts, after our very warm April, the night temperatures have plummeted again. * Start to water more regularly, early and late to make better use of it. • Although the nights can be cold, the days can warm up with the sun, so make sure you vent any greenhouses in the day. • Lift and divide any crowded clumps of spring flowering bulbs like Narcissi and Bluebells. • The weeds will be growing with
vigor so try to keep on top of them while they’re still small. • Overseed lawns to give a better chance of lush grass over the summer. • Edge any lawns too as the grass will start to wander into the beds. Prune overcrowded or diseased early clematis such as Montana once it’s done flowering. Look up the 3 clematis groups, this one is in group 1 and can take quite a beating. • Take softwood cuttings of deciduous shrubs like Physocarpus or Fuchsia (or Euphorbia). Pest are also on the rise so you’ll have to start to keep an eye out for aphids caterpillars and worse; please keep it pesticide free though.
A while ago I mentioned a venture that I’d embarked upon in my constant war on the slugs that seem to have a vendetta on me and my attempts at growing anything
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42
n SPORT
There’s only one Lewis Powell … LEWIS Powell is a hero for Mangotsfield United after scoring more than 100 goals for the club but now he has a rival Lewis Powell. The Field signed Lewis G Powell on loan from Westonsuper-Mare just before the transfer embargo and in the
Easter Monday match at Bishop’s Cleeve Lewis G Powell scored with a lay-on from Lewis Powell. “I doubt that has happened too many times in the Southern League!” said Martin Preedy, from the club, who added that the player confusion was eased because Lewis G is known as Lew
Powell. The original Lewis Powell was the toast of the Mangos when he notched up his century in the match against Bridgwater Town and went on to get a hattrick in the 6-0 win. Mangotsfield ended their 65th season with a creditable 70+ points, compared with 48
Lewis Powell
last time. The end of season awards event is at the clubhouse on May 5. Plans are already under way for the 2017-18 season, which starts on Saturday August 12. Keep an eye on the website for details of pre-season fixtures and other club news..
Lewis G Powell
All Stars Cricket fun for youngest players CRICKET training for children aged five to eight gets under way in Downend this month. Downend Cricket Club is taking part in a new national programme called All Stars Cricket. The club will host eight onehour sessions over nine weeks from Friday May 19 at 5.30pm at the Grace Memorial Ground in the centre of Downend. Influenced by the success of the T20 format, All Stars Cricket for girls and boys combines cricket activities and games to develop the basic movement skills for a lifelong love of sport and physical activity. Fully trained and vetted activators, assisted by parents and the club’s youth players, will teach basic cricket skills including catching, throwing and hitting moving balls and social skills such as teamwork and communication. All participants will receive an All Stars Cricket branded pack including a cricket bat, ball, T-shirt with the child's name printed on it, a cap, backpack and water bottle. Parents can register their children at www.allstarscricket. co.uk, enter their postcode and select Downend CC. All details are online or parents can contact the lead activator, Thom Manning on 07758 153 863. A number of other cricket clubs are also running All Stars Cricket programmes from mid May. These include Friday sessions at Pucklechurch (5-5.45pm), Coalpit Heath (6-7pm), and Winterbourne (6.30-7.30pm); Saturdays at Stapleton (1011am); and Sundays at Carsons & Mangotsfield (10-11am) and Frenchay (11am-noon).
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fishpondsvoice
May, 2017
43
n ON THE TREATMENT TABLE
with Tim Button, Doctor of Chiropractic at Cleve Chiropractic and Next Step in Mangotsfield
Blog 39 – Michael Jordan joins Cleve Chiropractic! FIRSTLY, I must apologise for missing last month’s blog deadline. I hate to use excuses but what could go wrong, went wrong. I like to write my blog in the last week so I can capture the full month’s events but in the last week last month we made the ridiculous decision to transfer our internet at Cleve Chiropractic from BT to Virgin. Wow, who knew how much damage could be done in such a short space of time? Within minutes of starting the process, everything broke. Trying not to be too boring but everything in the clinic runs through a network and everything connected to the network broke. So, by the time the Virgin engineers left saying that everything was ok, I had no Internet, no clinic software, no email, no online booking, no access to the server, no telephones, no card machine, no alarm system, no CCTV and no X-rays. I had to call
in some serious favours from my IT friends and after about 8 hours work we managed to get the clinic software and internet working. Over the next week we managed to get each piece back up and running, one by one. Each thing needing to be specially configured. I have been a long believer that computers run on the power of magic and the magic I had been using thought I was taking it for granted and it left me along with the relaxed Virgin engineers. On the plus side, I have taken on a new local great IT engineer called Gary Cole from Planet Data Networks who is in the process of updating all my IT so that this won’t happen again. So Iain and Hannah my married Chiropractic couple have made the inevitable decision to move back closer to their families in Devon and Cornwall and are setting up a small clinic in Exeter. As they build the practice they will still be here over the next few months. As sad as it is to lose our old friends to Devon, it’s also exciting to welcome our new Chiropractor
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Michael Jordan! Where he may be a handsome man, he is not the 54 year old 6’6” NBA superstar. I can confirm that he is a far superior chiropractor than the famous Basketball player who when asked about his links to Cleve Chiropractic said “he has never heard of them” and he “has never clicked a back in his life”. We are waiting for his response to our invitation for a free treatment from our own Michael Jordan ‘Chiropractic’ superstar… Mike joined me in April on a trip to Milton Keynes to treat some real heroes, the British Disability Strongman athletes. These guys were truly inspirational proving that so often a disability is no disability at all. It makes me emotional just thinking back to the day of a group of Chiropractors treating the strongman team on a training day. Amputee? Cerebral Palsy? Sight loss? Spinal injury? Lifting a 100kg stone ball onto metal drum? Pulling a truck? Not a problem…life’s true inspiratory figures. Not as famous as a film stars but normal? Definitely not. Superhero? Defiantly yes. I love my job and working in disability
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sport is the most rewarding thing that I do. We are looking forward to helping the athletes in May at the British Strongest Disabled Man event. Keep an eye on our facebook page and twitter accounts for photos and videos for acts of seemingly impossible strength from people who have overcome tremendous difficulty. Oh and lastly did you know that the IAAF World Athletics and World Para Athletics Championships are being held in London this summer? I just received an email asking me to join them as an official Chiropractor for both of the championships treating the best athletes in the world. A great honour within another great year for Cleve Chiropractic and Next Step.
Tim Button 0117 957 5388
drtimbutton@clevechiropractic. com www.clevechiropractic.com facebook.com/clevechiro twitter.com/clevechiro
Got News? Call Linda On 0777 0700579
fishpondsvoice
44
May, 2017
n THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH WITH Brexit ahead, West of England Metro Mayor elections and now the General Election looming we are bombarded with the promises of Politicians and hopefuls. But who are we to believe? Whose words can we trust for our future? Promises, I’m sure you will agree, are so much easier to make than keep. Maybe you have been let down, even betrayed by someone you thought was genuine and loyal. And, if we are honest we cannot simply point the finger at others – we too are not always true to our own word. We say one thing and do another. Our track record is also not spotless. The more we experience unfulfilled promises, half-truths or outright deception the harder it gets to trust people. Who can we rely upon? Who will truly deliver? Is there anyone who unreservedly keeps their word until their dying day? Can I confidently trust anyone with my vote, my inner most thoughts, my future, my heart? And, can anyone fully trust me? On several occasions Jesus
Who knows what to believe? Christ told his disciples what would happen to Him in the future, such as in the gospel of Mark chapter 9 verse 31. "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." At the time the disciples did not understand or believe; but after witnessing His death, burial and then seeing, touching, hearing and eating with Him for forty days after His resurrection from the grave – then they believed without a shadow of doubt. No hesitation, no uncertainty, Jesus was alive! And, not only did they have the undeniable physical evidence before their very eyes, but Jesus showed them how He had fulfilled every - single – promise made about Him in the Jewish scriptures. Jesus was the promised rescuer, Jesus was the God-man He claimed to be, Jesus’ words were true, Jesus could be trusted, and they believed passionately upon Him and gave
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their lives gladly to tell others the life-changing joyous news. Jesus is not simply the one you can fully trust with every detail of your life future, but He is the only one who we can trust to deal with your life past - those broken promises, lies, failures and hurts caused by other and ourselves – He alone offers true forgiveness and healing. The promise-keeper also said that He would go to prepare a place for His followers – so that they might be where He is. Yes, we are unsure about the effects of Brexit and what government will lead us through. We cannot guarantee that others or we will always be true to our word, but there is one we can fully trust. His words are not an inflated manifesto but the unshakably reliable Word of God. He’s the one with the perfect and proven track record to believe and place your trust in. He will never let you down.
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Paul Donovan Pastor at Pendennis Good News Church, Staple Hill
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fishpondsvoice
May, 2017
n CULTURAL FIX WITH ANNA BLIGHTMAN
MAY? Already?! As the sugar rush of Easter crashes, the summer feels like it is only around the corner. There are at least a couple of bank holidays and a half term before we can get too excited though. I have been to my first 2017 barbecue. It was a little bit cold, but in true British spirit we determinedly ate outside, and when the sun did appear from behind the heavy cloud cover we all moved our chairs to soak it up, making it all about the experience and less about the weather. And talking of communal dining, we’ve got our Spring Supper Club coming up. Taking place on Saturday May 13, using fresh locally sourced ingredients from the Fishponds Food Assembly suppliers and including a wine tasting
reception, we feel this is our best menu yet. A great chance to get out into Fishponds of a Saturday evening and dine with us. We have a new show opening at the The Kingfisher on the May 4. Fiona Claborn is a collage illustrator living and working in Bristol. Fiona creates colourful and playful collages using hand-textured cut paper. The process of her collage creation is unique, combining a love of printmaking with clean collage. Through a degree in illustration from Winchester School of Art, Fiona explores process, form and colour, and has given her the skills needed to execute each collage with thought, care, precision and a little fun. Working from a light and bright studio at BV Studios in Bristol, Fiona has created a range of prints, greetings cards, and coasters. Printed locally through an independent printer in Bristol, her products are vibrant, full of life and of excellent quality. Fiona’s show - A Journey In Paper Collage - is on at the Kingfisher from May 4-July 12. All her work will be available to buy, so stop in for a coffee and enjoy the view! For more information visit www. fionaclaborn.co.uk To book tickets for The Supper Club visit our Facebook page FishpondsSupperClub or get in touch with me - anna@ thedistantfuturealwayssounds lovely.com Anna Blightman
45
n NEWS
Karen's business gamble pays off A WOMAN who set up a business while on maternity leave is now making nearly £6,000 a week. Karen Dunne-Squire, 39, quit her high-flying career in recruitment while her daughter was just three weeks old to set up sales training and consultancy firm Elation Experts. Seven years on, Karen, who is based in Britton Gardens, Kingswood, has helped hundreds of firms increase their sales and grow their businesses - by up to three times their turnover. She has also become a sought-after inspirational speaker. Karen, who lives in Frampton Cotterell, said: “If we help small businesses thrive, we can bring greater stability to the economy.” Her business started as a personal assistant service and has included a successful telemarketing firm. It developed into a sales training firm when Karen saw a demand for such a specialist business during a presentation to a networking group.
'Suspension Bridge' is among the work of collage illustrator Fiona Claborn which will be on show at the Kingsfisher Cafe
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46
May, 2017
LOC AL SERVICES DOUBLE GLAZING SERVICES
ELECTRICAL SERVICES
AERIALS
CARPET CLEANING
GARDENING SERVICES
DOG LOVERS WANTED
ELECTRICAL SERVICES
GUTTERING REPAIRS
ADVERTISE HERE
Advertise your business here
just
£16
per month
Call Gary on 07799 461169
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fishpondsvoice
May, 2017 HOUSE CLEARANCE
HYPNOTHERAPY
PLASTERING
PLUMBING
PAINTING & DECORATING
PLASTERING
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47 PLUMBING & HEATING
RECORDS WANTED
ROOFING
PLUMBING
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TREE SERVICES
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