n FROME VALLEY GROWING PROJECT Time to plant some seeds

OUR favourite time of year has arrived...seed planting time!

We love seeing those sweet green babies popping up in their seed trays in our wonderful polytunnel.

Now is the time to buy your seeds and seedlings, and this year, as with other years, we will have seedlings and cuttings for sale.

If you want to come down and buy some plants from us directly, please do come to our next Volunteer session on Sunday April 2, from 10am-2pm, where we will have lots on offer. Alternatively you can buy our seeds and plants from the Winterbourne Environmental Group Share and Repair Cafe, which is held once a month at the Winterbourne Down Village Hall (see page 25).

All sales of plants and seeds go directly back in to the project, funding essential items for our group to continue.

Additionally if you are still looking for plants and seeds at the end of April we will be at the Frampton BioBlitz on April 29, at the Centenary

Field in Frampton Cotterell.

We are looking forward to this wonderful annual nature event which aims to identify and record local wildlife in the area.

Don't forget, if you would like to get involved in our project you can come on down to our weekly volunteering session, on Wednesdays from noon to 4pm.

These are informal, fun and welcoming sessions for all sections of the community. Activities are varied and can suit a variety of skills and interests. If you want to get involved but have questions, then feel free to get in touch.

We are delighted to be working in partnership with Wesport and Winterbourne Academy to offer weekly sessions to a group of students.

Each week the students come and visit our site and work really hard. They have been incredibly helpful taking care of seedlings, planting trees and mulching our willow dome.

In addition, in April we hope to welcome a group of Academy students to come along and volunteer as part of the Duke Of Edinburgh award.

We would love this work to continue and are working closely with the school to make this possible. Our view is that by providing opportunities for our young people to experience eco-compassion, and to develop skills and inspiration in biodiverse environments, we empower a new generation to work towards reversing the trajectory of mass extinction and climate crisis that we face.

If you have young people who are experiencing eco-anxiety, or indeed if you are, then please do get in contact to see if getting involved could help with these challenging feelings.

Finally we are looking for wild garlic to plant in our Food Forest.

If anybody has any spare growing in their garden that they would like to donate, we would be very grateful.

Contact us at thegrowingproject123@gmail. com.

n WHAT'S ON

April 9 n WALKS FOR SINGLE PEOPLE. Meet Sandie at 11am, Hawkesbury Upton car park opposite The Duke of Beaufort for a free circular walk passing part of the Cotswold Way, Horton Court and the Somerset Monument. For details call Sandie on 0786 659 7104.

April 15 n GENTLE TAI CHI FOR ALL - WADCA Fundraising Event, 10.30am-12.30pm. £5 per person. Sessions start at 10.45am and 11.30am. Wear loose clothes and flat shoes. Refreshments available throughout the morning. Contact Jenny on 0785 556 0257 or jksmith@blueyond er.co.uk for more information.

April 16 n WALKS FOR SINGLE PEOPLE. Meet Les 1100.am in the car park behind the Co-op, Winterbourne for a picturesque free circular walk around the Winterbourne countryside. Refreshments at halfway stop. Fore details call Sandie on 0786 659 7104.

April 20 n ARTS APPRECIATION GROUP, Bradley Stoke Community School, 7pm. Demonstration and talk by Paul Weaver: An artist at work.

More details from Sally on 01454 774401.

April 29 n FRAMPTON COTTERELL MALE

VOICE CHOIR Annual Concert, 7pm at Zion United Church, Frampton Cotterell. All proceeds to Cancer Research UK. Tickets can be booked online via the choir website, www.fcmvc.co.uk.

Regular Events

n MONDAY: WINTERBOURNE n MONDAY: GENTLE SHIBASHI n MONDAY: FRAMPTON SINGALONG meets on the first Monday in the month at Crossbow House, School Road, Frampton Cotterell, 2-3.30pm. Live music from The Jays & The Rosettes. £5, refreshments included. Carers free. n TUESDAY: WINTERBOURNE DOWN METHODIST n TUESDAY: SUNRIDGE GOLF CROQUET CLUB meets on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons in Coalpit Heath and has players at all levels. Learn how to play, club equipment is available to use. Contact croquet@wilko.eclipse.co.uk or call 07977 201440. n TUESDAY - CRAFTING: Come and join our group of crafters on the first Tuesday of every month in the Red Brick Annexe, Manor Hall, Coalpit Heath, BS36 2TG from 2-4pm. Bring your own project. £4 per session: Kay 07792189276. n WEDNESDAY: GENTLE n WEDNESDAY DOWNEND FLOWER ARRANGING CLUB meets at 7.30pm on 1st & 3rd Wednesday each month from September to June at Lincombe Barn, Overndale Road. Call Genise on 0777 245 1217 for more information. n THURSDAY: WINTERBOURNE WINDS, a friendly amateur wind band who play a wide range of music including pop, musicals and classical, rehearse at Frenchay Village Hall from 7.40-9.30pm. New members are welcome. For more information email winterbournewinds@yahoo.com.

FLOWER CLUB now meets at WADCA in Watleys End Road, Winterbourne. Meetings are on the second Monday of the month between 2pm and 4pm. Call 01454 776753 for details.

TAI CHI AND RELAXATION, accessible to all, 6-7pm, St Michael's Rooms, High Street, Winterbourne. Contact Jenny on 07855 560257or jksmith@ blueyonder.co.uk for more information.

All profits to UNICEF supporting children affected by Ukraine war. More details 07515 351 813.

CHURCHDrop in for free cup of tea and chat or play board games, every Tuesday from 2-4pm.

SHIBASHI TAI CHI AND RELAXATION, accessible to all, 10.30-11.30am and 11.45am12.45pm, Winterbourne Medieval Barn, Church Lane, Winterbourne. Contact Jenny on 07855 560257or jksmith@blueyonder.co.uk for more information.

THURSDAY: COELIAC UK n FRIDAY: FROME VALLEY ART GROUP meets at the Greenfield Centre, Winterbourne each Friday 2-4pm or 7-9pm. Thriving club with demonstrations and workshops from visiting professional artists. More details online at winterbourneart.uk or email fromevalleyartwinterbourne@ gmail.com.

LOCAL CAFÉ MEET-UP, every third Thursday of the month from April 20, 10-11.30am, at Iron Acton Garden Centre cafe. Join us to share experiences of living gluten-free. For further information contact volunteering@coeliac. org.uk.