Frome Valley Voice November 2022

Council faces tough financial choices

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

COUNCIL is working to address a potential budget gap of £29.3 million next year (2023/24) as the serious financial situation affecting all local authorities intensifies. The council published its draft budget last month.

Global events, rising inflation and continuingly increasing de mand for services mean costs are rising at an unprecedented rate.

The council’s financial position has changed in a very short space of time, similar to many other local authorities across the country.

Rising costs

The council has through contract negotiations saved money, such as a fixed price energy contract which will save £2 million, but this is due to end next spring. Increasing costs have put the council under growing financial pressure. Not only will energy prices rise for the council next spring, but the expect ed national pay offer for staff will increase the council’s spend by an extra £6.4 million each year.

Rapidly growing demand on services, including adult social care, means the cost of delivering existing support is likely to rise by £8.5 million every year. Additional ly, capital costs – for building roads, schools, and other one-off projects – have already risen significantly and may continue to grow if the costs of materials, for example, don’t return to more normal prices

Savings

The council is in a relatively good

starting position, with additional savings of £2.9 million identified this year and £23.6 million of savings already in the pipeline, although the unprecedented costs and other pressures means there is still the potential for a £29.3 million gap in the budget.

The council is now having to look for possible changes to the way it delivers some services and even whether or not it can contin ue to provide some services. Some changes may result in redundan cies for its staff. It is also looking at how it can raise income, including by increasing Council Tax. The council is prevented by law from raising Council Tax by more than 1.99 per cent without a local referendum. A one per cent rise in Council Tax would generate £1.6 million. The council is now working to identify new ways to increase income and reduce spending and the impact those steps might have. Proposals will be presented to its Cabinet in December.

Support for those in need

The council will prioritise support for people who need it most. There are two grant funds, Community Resilience Fund and Household Support Fund, available for those struggling financially. The council also continues to press for reform to special educational needs and disability support, and to fully fund the cost of care.

An urgent challenge

Cabinet member for Corporate Resources, Cllr Ben Burton, said: “By

View from the Leader of the Council, Cllr Toby Savage

WELCOME –We’re glad to team up again with The Voice, a wonderful local business, to bring you this special edition. This time we are focusing on the council’s finances. The global economic situation means that your council faces an unprecedented challenge. Along with other local authorities, we are seeing increasing demand for services, rapidly rising prices and reduced income. Our prudent financial management has put us in a position of relative strength. But, despite significant savings, we have an increased gap in our finances for 2023/24. This means we will need to make further savings and that will involve some tough decisions. No one wants to do this and I’m acutely aware this comes when people are finding it hard to manage. It’s very important to us that you have your say. You’ll find out more in this edition and how you can find support if you’re struggling with the cost of living. Read on too to learn about our schools’ fantastic performance, how to nominate a community hero, progress on a new park and many other stories.

the start of the 2023/24 financial year, we will have already delivered £102 million of annual savings by working tirelessly to focus our resources on delivering our council plan priorities.

“However, the current scale of challenge is too large and too urgent for us to be able to rely solely on this approach. We now need to find ways to cut services or change how they are delivered. We will do these in the least disruptive

and detrimental way possible to continue supporting those who need it most.”

The outcome of the Govern ment funding settlement expected later in the year could improve the financial outlook. After the council has received that updated information, it will publish detailed four-year budget proposals for further public comment.

The council will make final budget decisions in February

2023.  However, it first wants to hear from South Gloucestershire residents.

Have your say

We will be running two phases to this year’s consultation. The first phase starts in October and asks for your views on the council’s draft budget proposals.

The second phase will run from Tuesday 6 December and will ask for your views on

updated budget proposals which will consider up to date information on what funding will be available from central government and the options that we have for balancing the council’s budget.

As a local resident, it is important that you have a say in how we shape services in the future and our budget consultation is a key part of this.

View the budget at www.southglos.gov.uk/

budget and then send your comments:

• By email: consultation@southglos.gov.uk

• By completing an online survey or download from the council website: www.southglos.gov. uk/budget

• By writing to: Freepost RTXL-YJXJ-BXEX, South Gloucestershire Council, Corporate Research & Consultation Team, Council Offices, Badminton Road, Yate, Bristol, BS37 5AF

• By telephoning 01454 868009.

a vaccine if you’re eligible, is now. The UK Health Security Agency is expecting a double threat of low immunity and widely circulating flu and covid-19, creating an unpredictable winter and additional pressure on health services.

Free flu jabs are available to anyone over 50. Over 65s, pregnant wom en, people with certain health conditions or who work in some frontline jobs, can book now. You simply call your GP or book at a pharmacy. For covid jabs, first, second and booster vaccines are available at local clinics. At the time of writing this, autumn boosters are available to over 65s, pregnant women and anyone over 5 with an underlying health condition. Book with your GP or find a local walk-in clinic at bnssghealthiertogether. org.uk/covid

Nominate your community hero!

Struggling with costs?

Help is at hand

The current rising cost of living is impacting on us all. Prices are going up and energy bills are climbing fastest of all. But no one should be embar rassed to ask for help if you don’t have enough to afford essentials and pay your bills. There is extra government support and help available from local services.

Your council offers a wide range of support including emergency and long-term support, help with housing benefit, various financial support grants and council tax reduction schemes. It can also help provide food and activities for children in the school holidays. You can visit one of the council’s three One Stop Shops in person where someone will be on hand to answer questions, resolve problems and offer advice. Or you can find de tails of support along with links to trusted national and partner resources on the council’s website at southglos.gov.uk/costofliving

Keep healthy and happy this winter

Winter, and worries over finances, can take a toll on your personal health. Did you know that the council offers plenty of free health and wellbeing support? Provided by the council’s partner Southern Brooks, activities range from tea and chat to help you reach out and connect, through to workshops on building resilience. Find out more about how you can access these free activities and other health and wellbeing support at oneyou. southglos.gov.uk

To help yourself to have a healthy winter, make sure you and your family’s vaccines are up to date. The time to boost your protection with

Do you have a hero in your community? Know someone special who vol unteers? South Gloucestershire Council wants to hear from you about the volunteers who make a difference in your area, from litter picking groups, to the befriending volunteers who brighten people’s days. The Chair of the council, Cllr Sanjay Shambhu, is calling for nominations of people who have made a difference to be put forward for the Chair’s 2022-23 Commu nity Awards. You can nominate a person or a community group and it’s very easy to do. The deadline is Friday 18 November and all the information on the awards, including how to make a nomination, can be found on the council’s website at southglos.gov.uk/communityawards.

Prescribing nature

A DOCTOR at Frome Valley

is prescribing walks

nature to help some

Fraudsters jailed

A COALPIT

conned out of more than £50,000 by a pair of rogue traders.

Call for change

A CAMPAIGN has been

to be brought

the

the

control

All good at nursery

Stan Witcombe-Weeks with brother Harry, parents Jess and Simon, and Elm Park Primary School head

Carol Bond.

FromeValley Voice contacts

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A member of the

Elm Park Primary School teaching assistant Sue Egan, pupil Evie Gowan and head teacher Carol Bond.

Mrs Bond has her long hair shaved

Mass head-shave shows support for brave Stan

HUNDREDS of people packed into a Winterbourne primary school to see more than a dozen volunteers have their heads shaved, in solidarity with a sixyear-old boy from the village.

Stan Witcombe-Weeks was diagnosed with cancer in the summer – and his chemotherapy treatment means he is losing his hair.

The Elm Park Primary School pupil asked his dad Simon to have his head shaved to match him, and the idea turned into a fundraising event which saw his parents, school staff, pupils, relatives, family friends and colleagues shaving their heads.

Volunteers queued to take their place on the school's stage to have their hair shaved by local barbers and hairdressers at October's event, in front of a supportive crowd of more than 150 people.

It was part of a fundraising drive that had raised more than £6,000 for Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Appeal for Bristol Children's Hospital.

Simon said: “We were all taken aback – we didn’t expect that many people.

"It was phenomenal – not just raising money but the support for Stan from the local community.”

Stan was diagnosed after his parents found a lump in his leg while on holiday in August.

Now he is undergoing nine months of treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery at the children's hospital, and asked for people to make donations to support the cancer services it provides.

Simon said: "He has a difficult journey ahead of him, and perhaps at six doesn’t fully understand it all.

"He loved the head shave event - it was nice for him to realise that so many people support him.”

Fundraising first started when parents Simon and Jess, who both work at the BRI, sat down with Stan and talked about all the things he couldn’t do because of his illness, like riding his bike and swimming.

They decided to raise money for equipment to help himbut then decided to help other families as well, through the Grand Appeal.

Stan’s older brother Harry, aged nine, has also been part of Stan’s support network.

Simon said: “Harry has been amazing. It must be difficult for him, but he has been a star and helped us through. The school have really supported them both.

“The four of us are blessed with the love and good spirits people have shown and we want to thank everyone for what they have done. “

Stan is in year two at Elm Park, and among those who also had their heads shaved were head teacher Carol Bond, teaching assistant Sue Egan, who teaches in Harry's class, and Harry's Year 5 classmate Evie Gowan.

Mrs Bond said: “As soon as we found out that Stan had been taken ill, our first response as a community was 'what can we do to help?'

"I visited Stan during the

summer holiday and he told me that Daddy was having his head shaved to help raise money.

"Out of nowhere, I heard my voice say, ‘count me in!’ There was no looking back from that moment."

Mrs Bond had her head shaved by childhood friend Paul Calabrese, who is a barber at Masters Barber Shop in Downend.

She said: "He'd always said to me that if I ever had my hair shaved he wanted to be the one to do it, and all of a sudden I was

calling him up!"

On the day £650 plus gift aid was raised at the event, contributing to a total of more than £6,200 raised so far.

To support Stan’s fundraising for the Grand Appeal, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/ shavewithstan

An appeal to help buy a drysuit to swim in and other equipment to help Stan's recovery has raised more than £4,250 and can be found at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ stanley-witcombe-weeks-1.

Sue Egan, Simon Witcombe-Weeks and Carol Bond go under the clippers.

Stan Witcombe-Weeks with mum Jess, dad Simon and brother Harry at the head shave.

Inspector's praise as nursery marks 25 years

A

nursery in Frampton Cotterell is celebrating its 25th

with an all round “good” Ofsted report.

Cottage Day Nursery, in Lower Stone Close, opened in 1997.

it employs 19 childcare staff looking after 81 children aged under four.

Ofsted inspected the nursery in August and the watchdog's report found the nursery was 'good' in all areas – quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and overall effectiveness.

Inspector Louise Phillips said that the children benefit from meaningful interactions with staff, which stimulates their learning and builds on what they already know.

said: “The curriculum is a blend of both adult-initiated and child-led activities aimed at covering all seven areas of learning. The staff plan a wide range of activities based on the children's interests.

“Staff work closely with parents to ensure a consistent exchange of information. They have daily conversations with parents, offering support and giving information about children's development. Parents praise the staff for their support in getting their older children ready for school.”

The inspector's report said support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is a strength of the nursery.

She said: "Staff quickly identify children who may need support and communicate well with parents. The special educational needs coordinator works alongside other professionals to ensure that children receive the support that they need."

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the inspector said the nursery should enhance the professional development and training of staff to focus on improving the quality of teaching further.

Senior Manager Nikki Rogers has worked at the nursery since it first opened.

She said: “We would like to highlight that we have been caring for children in our local community for 25 years.

"Our long standing, loyal staff are integral to our success.

"They go above and beyond and we are like family.

"We care for our children all year round from 7.30am to 6pm daily.

“We are lucky that we have good retention of staff and many have been with us for years, including day manager Claire Caseley's twin sisters and mum.

"I believe that as long as the children are cared for, safe and happy and our parents are happy, then we are happy.

"Our lovely group of parents tell us all the time what a great job we do, and Ofsted for us is confirmation of this."

Staff from the Cottage Day Nursery celebrate their Ofsted rating

'Stunningly dishonest' rogue traders jailed

A COALPIT Heath pensioner was conned out of more than £50,000 by a pair of rogue traders.

Patrick O’Connor and Patrick O’Brien charged their 70-year-old victim £51,250 for roofing and other work done at his home.

An expert surveyor called in by South Gloucestershire Council's trading standards team was "very critical" of the work and said it should have cost no more than £15,400 - if it had been properly done.

Trading Standards became concerned by the pair’s activity in 2019 and launched an investigation into the roofing businesses they operated under the names Frampton Roofing Ltd, SW Roofing Ltd and Roofing Services Bristol Ltd.

Rachael Hunt said victims could be left 'devastated' by rogue traders

They found multiple victims from South Gloucestershire, Bristol, North Somerset and as far away as Surrey, many of whom were elderly or vulnerable and were pressured into agreeing to work, with no legal opportunity to cancel provided. None of the victims has been named.

In total O'Connor and O'Brien had defrauded customers out of around £150,000, for work the council said was "either worthless or largely worthless" and unnecessary.

But the money from the jobs the council investigated could be just the tip of the iceberg: legal action is also underway after it was discovered that £1.8 million passed through bank accounts controlled by the pair during the period of known offending.

A future hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act which will be held to establish whether any of the money was earned legitimately.

The investigation liaised with HM Revenue and Customs, which confirmed that there were no records for the previous six years of either defendant or their companies paying any tax.

In March last year trading standards and police raided a site in Banwell linked to the pair, obtaining evidence including £15,000 cash stuffed into a handbag, which was seized and forfeited.

Officers also discovered O’Connor had conned a contractor into resurfacing a 1,500 square metre plot of land in Banwell, by telling him it was for a riding centre for the disabled.

He did not pay a penny once the job, which had cost the contractor £33,000, was completed.

O’Connor, aged 33, and 23-year-old O’Brien, of Banwell, pleaded guilty to a total of 18 fraud offences relating to roofing work carriedout between 2017 and 2020.

At a sentencing hearing at Bristol Crown Court in October a judge sentenced O’Connor to four years and O’Brien to two years eight months in prison, describing them as "stunningly dishonest".

Both were made subject of a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order which prevents them from cold calling at any property or being involved in building work.

They were also both disqualified from being company directors for five years.

After the case, council cabinet member for trading standards Rachael Hunt said: “This has been an extremely wide-ranging investigation and both offenders ignored advice given to them prior to it commencing.

"Many of the victims of these crimes were elderly and vulnerable and rogue trading is fraudulent behaviour that can devastate victims."

Anyone who suspects that rogue traders are operating in their area is advised to contact Trading Standards on 0808 223 1133.

Naomi's voice wows millions on TV

songwriter from South Gloucestershire

talent

Naomi Johnson made it through to the final of the Saturday night show, watched by more than six million viewers.

The 28-year-old professional singer and her family have been sworn to secrecy since the show was recorded in front of a live audience almost a year ago.

Proud dad Paul said family members took it in turn to go and support Naomi in the studio – including mum Michelle, sister Maria, brother Ollie and Naomi’s boyfriend Luke.

He said: "We are amazingly proud of how well Naomi has done. It is so hard for a singer to get noticed, so she has done so well to make the finals, out of 20,000 entrants.

"We were jumping for joy watching it on the TV; it’s seeing her reaction that really gets to us, as we know music is her life."

Naomi grew up in Yate and

went to Chipping Sodbury School, then studied music at Bath College before doing a degree in vocals and musicianship at the British Institute for Modern Music in Bristol.

She already makes a living as a professional singer, fronting her own band called Switch at weddings and corporate events.

Naomi said: "The Voice has been very exciting and a bit surreal. I thought I would have a go on the show, and then blinked and I was in the semi-finals. It makes my years of hard work worthwhile.”

Naomi did TV blind auditions – where the stars have to listen with their chairs facing away from the stage - in front of

celebrity judges Will.I.Am, Anne-Marie, Tom Jones and Olly Murs.

She said: "To say I was shocked is an understatement. If you watch it back I'm screaming and jumping for joy.

"At the start I was intimidated, until they turned around and once that was done, they were nice people with a lot of experience to support me.”

Naomi was on Will’s team, which meant coaching from the multi award-winning founder of Black Eyed Peas.

Naomi says she hopes appearing on the show will help boost her solo career – she writes and performs her own songs, and can regularly be seen busking on Bristol's Harbourside.

She said: "Busking is a good way to get practice. It toughens you up and gives you a chance to play our own songs. The dream would be to get a record label deal and record my music."

The final was due to be shown on ITV1 on October 29 at 8pm.

Singer Naomi Johnson with mum Michelle, brother Ollie, dad Paul and sister Maria

Calls for change as bus cutbacks bite

of the

the

round of cuts.

Commercial operator First axed the Y3 and Y4 routes, which between them linked Coalpit Heath, Frampton Cotterell, Winterbourne and Iron Acton to Yate and Bristol, in October.

left the area with the Y1 through Coalpit Heath to Bristol and Yate and the hourlyor-less Y6, which goes from Frampton and Winterbourne to Bristol bus station

Bristol Parkway, Cribbs Causeway and Southmead Hospital - a journey timetabled to take more than an hour.

The cuts followed the axing of the Y2 service, which linked the Frome Valley to Yate and Bristol via Downend, in April.

says it has made changes to improve reliability as it deals with a chronic driver shortage and the impact of the pandemic on passenger numbers.

Campaign group the West of England Shared Transport and Active Travel Network (WESTACT) has written an open letter calling on the West of England Combined Authority Metro Mayor Dan Norris and the

leaders of all councils in the area to suspend the deregulated bus market and provide a franchised bus service, under contract through WECA.

Under the present system, WECA has responsibility for transport planning but has no powers to force bus operators to operate a given route at a given time.

It is consulted on changes to timetables but the only way of maintaining services First decides are not commercially viable is to subsidise them.

WESTACT is urging as many people as possible to sign its open letter calling for the current system to be replaced with franchising, where WECA would issue contracts for companies to operate services it would specify.

The group, which includes Frome Valley residents Amy Beardmore and Laura FoggRogers among its supporters, said: "The deregulated market is always at odds with the bus services that many in our communities need to get to work, school, shops, and health centres.

"Residents want and demand an overhaul of this broken bus system."

The letter can be found at actionnetwork.

org/forms/franchise-weca-bus-servicesnow.

A political row over the cuts flared at South Gloucestershire Council's meeting on October 12, with the Conservatives claiming an "outrageous" £8 million spent on WECA's new offices could have been used to save bus routes.

Cabinet member for regeneration, environment and strategic infrastructure Steve Reade said the combined authority’s finances "are not being used effectively for local people".

Labour blamed the Government, privatisation and driver shortages for the cuts, while the Liberal Democrats accused the Tories of "wasting time trying to deflect attention from their own part in the bus cuts debacle".

Lib Dem group leader Claire Young said: "Local people will not be fooled into putting all the blame on one decision about office location.

“They can see the huge issues facing our country, which the Government is doing nothing to tackle."

The day Grandma came to school

WINTERBOURNE

primary school has welcomed grandparents into classes for the first time since before the pandemic.

And the event proved such a hit, leaders at St Michael's Primary might need more space to fit everyone in next time.

The school had traditionally invited grandparents in for a visit but the event was one of many whole-school activities that could not be held while covid restrictions were in place.

But with school life returning to normal this year, invitations were sent out to grandparents to drop in - and more than 130 came through the gates for an afternoon in October.

After tea and coffee in the hall they were collected by their grandchildren for a visit to the classroom.

Deputy head teacher Emma Hillocks said: "Grandparents are such an important part of our school community that we wanted to invite them back into

our classrooms.

"Historically, this event has always been popular but the attendance this year broke all records.

"Our Year 3 class had so many grandparents visiting that they had to relocate to the hall for the afternoon!

"A military-style operation then followed to ensure that those grandparents visiting multiple grandchildren were directed to the next classroom on the list at the appropriate time.

"All around the school, the classrooms were buzzing with excitement.

"The children were thrilled to be able to ‘show off’ their school and share an afternoon of learning with their grandparents.

"The smallest children were seen half dragging their grandparents by the hand, taking them outside to show them the bikes and tree house, whilst our oldest children conscientiously explained their assigned task, keen to receive whatever help

they could get."

The visitors helped make collages, artwork, Christmas cards and had crash courses in computer language Scratch.

Mrs Hillocks said: "Above all though, there was a wonderful sense of community which was such a joy to experience.

"It is days like these that our children will remember. Not

the day they learned the /sh/ sound or the morning they learnt column addition but the day they shared their learning with their Grandpa. Experiences like these are priceless.

"We shan’t leave it long before we invite our grandparents back, although we may need an extension if we need to fit any more in!"

Lynn Bevan

Helping with an art project

Grandparents help make Christmas cards

Green groups gather at medical centre

FRAMPTON Cotterell's surgery hosted a village fete to raise awareness

environment,

health.

The Great Big Green Week fete at Frome Valley Medical Centre in October was attended by environmental and wildlife groups.

One of the organisers, GP Dr Rob Judson, said the event was to highlight “the huge global health crises of climate change, biodiversity collapse and also plastic pollution.”

He said: “The event was a success – it was great to see so many local groups coming together to build community and care for nature.

“This was hosted by the GP surgery as we’re seeking to spearhead green care as part of what we do.

"We’re doing numerous things like having a wildflower meadow in the garden, seeking to make our building more

carbon friendly e.g. solar panels and also changing prescriptions of inhalers to ones with a fraction of the carbon footprint.”

Local groups including the Frampton Nature group, Winterbourne Environmental Group, Frome Valley Growing Project, Frampton Cotterell Parish Council, Organic Blooms, Avon Wildlife Trust and the Ecochurch Group all manned stalls.

Activities included making bird feeders from apples, sticks and sunflower seeds, and a Tai Chi taster session.

Dr Rob also ran foraging walks for visitor, where children could taste wild foods including hazelnuts, ripe pheasant berries and look at beefsteak fungus and giant puffballs.

He said: “I want to encourage patients to learn more about edible plants and mushrooms

and learning birds from their songs as the benefits of nature connection for our mental health are huge. There is a huge intrinsic link to the health of us as humans and the health of the planet.”

“Hopefully the bigger noise we make the more we can steer the future of our planet’s and our children’s health in a better direction.”

The event took place in the medical centre's garden

A stall at the green fete

Putting a more natural life on prescription

WOODLAND walks and foraging for mushrooms are being prescribed for some patients at a surgery in Frampton Cotterell.

Dr Rob Judson, a GP at Frome Valley Medical Centre and a trainer forager, prescribes nature walks to help patients deal with the stresses of modern life.

And the project is set to expand - he is one of a number of health providers and charities bidding for a share of a £500,000 fund to provide 'Green Social Prescribing' in South Gloucestershire, Bristol and North Somerset.

The scheme could see patients prescribed foraging courses, or a spell with a local growing project.

Here Dr Rob explains that, as attitudes to health and well-being change, it’s a trend in medicine that we could all soon be seeing more of.

UNTIL recently as a GP I was just giving patients vague ideas of what could be helpful for them to try to do more – like getting out, going for a walk now and then.

But now I am doing a Prescribing Lifestyle Medication course, accredited by the Royal College of GPs, I am more specific.

For example I might prescribe a five-minute walk in nature each day, or eating fewer processed foods, because all these things are within most of our control, have huge impact on mental and physical diseases, and can work

better with the root causes than pills.

More than 80% of all presentations to a GP are in some way related to our modern lifestyles.

The root causes of diseases we are seeing relate to the food we eat, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, and stress.

They all contribute to everything from heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and obesity - and are even linked to cancer.

There’s a recognition that GPs are not always able to deal with root causes of disease adequately in a ten-minute consultation.

We might see a patient who is stressed and a bit overweight and not sleeping well, which is giving them high blood pressure – so we give them blood pressure tablets, and don’t ask why. Then their cholesterol is rising, and we put them on statins, and their blood sugar is off, so we warn they are pre-diabetic.

But unless we deal with root causes, which are intertwined with lifestyle, people will get more unwell.

We live our lives disconnected from nature and community - we get in a car and drive to work, sit at a desk all day and then drive home and watch the TV.

We can change that by cycling to work, and breaking up the day with some exercise every hour.

Nature walks are great for that: by being outside you are inevitably being active.

There is also a slowing and calming of the mind, not looking at screens and always worrying about the next thing.

This notice is to inform readers of Frome Valley Voice that Magnolia Mews Bakehouse

of 145 -149 Church Road, Frampton Cotterell, Bristol, BS36 2JX

have filed an application for a premise license with South Gloucestershire Council - application number 117298.

Full details can be found on the South Gloucestershire licensing portal.

This application will allow the business to sell alcohol during permitted times and is targeted at activities such as afternoon teas, custom cake services utilising alcohol and any future endeavours.

Any queries please contact us directly at general@magnolia-mews.co.uk

The last day for representations is 18.10.2022.

I'd love to encourage everyone to think of just one thing they could do in their lifestyle that would be a nudge in a better direction that helps them look after their body and mind better.

It might be in the realms of food (eat more whole plant foods), exercise (any - whatever you enjoy), sleep (prioritise it), relaxation (real relaxation, not just absent mindedly scrolling on social media or watching TV that you're not really excited about) or nature connection (a walk, a quiet moment on a bench, birdwatching, foraging, whatever!).

It might then start you down a path of thinking of other habits you could do that prioritise your health and well-being.

This is not to say we abandon prescriptions – pills have their place. But I think this whole approach is hugely expanding.

*For more information, visit the Facebook page Dr Rob's Rerooting.

Dr Rob Judson on a foraging walk

School transforms outdoor play

A PRIMARY school decided to transform its outdoor facilities to keep children playing outside throughout the year.

Frampton Cotterell C of E Primary School is embarking on an ambitious reinvention of our lunchtime play.

Head teacher Hannah Hornig and colleagues decided to ensure the outdoor spaces, including the field bordered with trees, orchard and pond area, could be used in all weathers.

She said: "Like most schools, as soon as the weather became slightly wet, all areas of the grounds were ‘out of bounds’, with only the playground available, meaning that all the other areas were in use for less than half the year.

"Children spend approximately 20% or 1.4 years of their primary school life at play. We decided that this 20% should be spent with the children engaged in good quality play opportunities, utilising the whole of our amazing grounds in all

Children make the most of the new outdoor play facilities at Frampton Cotterell C of E Primary School.

weathers throughout the whole year."

The school introduced items that children could use in conjunction with their imaginations to change the way they play, including netting

that can be hung up to make hammocks, tyres to make forts, guttering to roll conkers down and material for den building.

Mrs Hornig said: "Our gazebo has become an art haven with creations including

wrapping sticks with wool and making conkerpillars, as well as providing a quiet space for reading.

"We have only just begun our journey but can already see a huge difference in the children, their imaginations and the quality of their play.

"We are very excited about our current play opportunities here at Frampton, but can’t wait to watch the children grow as playtime is transformed to be even more stimulating, imaginative and fun."

musicians from South Gloucestershire have raised more than £1,200 for charity with their sponsored buskathon.

Darren Addicott, from Frampton Cotterell, and Tim Rice, from Winterbourne, played their musical instruments as they ran the Bristol Half Marathon in September.

The duo, who play local pubs and clubs as two piece pop and rock band One Too Many, were raising money for Children’s Hospice South West.

Darren said: “We were both really pleased with how the Buskathon went. It was a tough challenge on the day and it's fair to say that the last couple of miles were painful. However, the crowds and our fellow runners created a great atmosphere which kept us going.

“On the day we collected £125 through the busking, so the total we were able to hand over to Children's Hospice South West was £1,126.

"We are absolutely delighted with this amount, and know it is going to go to good use at these wonderful hospices.

"We'd like to thank everyone that supported us with a donation, and to the charity themselves for their support in the build up and on the day.”

Children’s Hospice South West provides hospice care for children with life-limiting conditions and their whole family, from across the region. They offer respite and short breaks, emergency care, palliative care and end of life care at three locations in Devon, Somerset and Cornwall.

Marathon triumph for Phill

A FORMER soldier from Yate who had a lifesaving heart transplant just two years ago has

completed the London Marathon.

Phill Hardwell ran the London Marathon in six hours and 15 minutes, raising nearly £3,000 for the British Heart Foundation in the process.

He said the gruelling run was one of the best experiences of his life.

Phill said: “The first half I felt pretty comfortable, but I started to hit 'the wall' feeling slightly nauseous from the run and the energy gels. My legs were in a lot of pain but from that point on a lot of it was a mental challenge.

“I did keep an eye on my heart rate to make sure that it wasn't too high. I chatted to a few fellow BHF runners, and the crowd over the whole route were incredible and helped keep me going.”

Phill says he won’t be resting for longhe's planning to take on the off-road Sodbury Slog race in November and a triathlon next year.

Darren Addicott and Tim Rice after their run

Phill Hardwell runs past Parliament

Truckloads of rubbish dumped in lanes

A MAN whose rubbish was found dumped in two country lanes has been ordered to pay the cost of clearing it up.

South Gloucestershire Council prosecuted David Uren, aged 55, after he was linked to waste found at Curtis Lane, near Hambrook, and Severn Beach.

He has been ordered to pay a total of £359 - £225 in clear up costs, a further £100 in costs and a £34 victim surcharge - after admitting failing to comply with his duty of care when disposing of his waste.

Uren, of Hogarth Walk in Lockleaze, Bristol, appeared at Bristol Magistrates Court in October.

The council said it took action after a tipper lorry-load of household waste, recycling waste and a fridge/freezer was found at Church Road, Severn Beach, in January.

The waste included a bank statement with his name and address.

Two days later more rubbish

was found dumped at Curtis Lane, including letters relating to his wife and son.

The council said that Uren attended its offices in Yate in February for a voluntary interview and claimed he had been approached by three men who offered to remove waste from his back garden that had accumulated over a period of up to ten years.

He said that the men had

previously carried out work in his garden, and he paid them £1,300 to remove the waste.

But he admitted carrying out no checks to see if they were authorised waste carriers and offered no information about who they were or may have worked for.

Council cabinet member for environmental enforcement Rachael Hunt said: “This case saw a large amount of waste

collected without the correct legal paperwork and then flytipped without any consideration of the impact it would have on residents or the environment.

“We all have a responsibility to dispose of our waste in a responsible and lawful manner.

"If you hire a company to dispose of your waste, always ask for a copy of the company’s waste carrier registration certificate and ask where the waste is being taken. Failing to carry out these simple checks could mean you are found liable and face prosecution if the waste is illegally deposited."

She said the council had a "zero-tolerance approach" to fly-tipping and a 100 per cent record of securing successful prosecutions in cases it took to court.

Anyone who sees illegal fly-tipping should report it by calling 01454 868000, emailing streetcare@southglos.gov.uk or visiting www.southglos.gov.uk/ flytipping.

Science Tuition

Need help with KS4 Science or KS5 Biology

As Assistant Principal in a large Bristol secondary school, and with over 13 years of experience teaching science to both secondary and post16 students, I am well rehearsed at supporting students of all abilities through their studies.

I have experience teaching Edexcel, OCR and currently AQA GCSE Science, both trilogy science (combined) and as well as the three separate sciences, to students of all abilities and have been a GCSE Examiner for several years.

I also teach A level Biology following the OCR and AQA specifica tions.

If you are looking for some specific, or more general support with GCSE Science, Combined (trilogy) Sciences, Triple (Separate) Scienc es or A level Biology, then please get in touch andrewmarshall@live.co.uk I am a fully qualified teacher and registered member of the Chartered College of Teaching; I have an enhanced DBS (certificates available) and am offering 1:1 KS4 and KS5 science tuition at your home to suit the needs of the individual student(s).

If you have any questions, please contact me.

FIRST SESSION FREE.

GCSE: £25/hr or book a block of 5 sessions for £100

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Andy Marshall-Aherne MCCT (MEd, BSc Hons, PGCE)

The waste dumped in Curtis Lane, near Hambrook

Farm nature reserve wins £1.1 million funding

A PROJECT to create a new nature reserve in Frampton Cotterell has won £1.1 million in funding.

The project to turn the area of Frampton End Farm owned by South Gloucestershire Council into a haven for nature, now being called the Frome Valley River Reserve, was one of several projects across the region to be awarded new investment by the West of England Combined Authority at the end of September.

The Voice reported earlier this year that the council had taken the farmland off a list of potential sites for housing development and confirmed plans to turn it into a 110-hectare nature reserve.

The nature reserve site, on the farm between Frampton End Lane and Bristol Road, north of Church Road, includes the remains of an old orchard and Roden Acre Woods.

Conservation group Frampton Cotterell Nature has championed the scheme, which has also been supported by political parties on all sides.

Council leader Toby Savage told the WECA meeting: “I’m very pleased to see support for the Frome Valley River Reserve project.

"It’s a flagship new nature reserve that the

council is driving, through an existing council landholding which we’re keen to maximise for biodiversity gain and to aid nature recovery.”

A council spokesperson later added: "As well as supporting these vital aims, it will also benefit the health and well-being of our residents, with people being able to enjoy and explore some of the beautiful nature that surrounds them."

Metro Mayor Dan Norris warned that

extreme heat this summer showed the need for much more action on cutting carbon emissions.

He told the meeting: “Over the summer we had record temperatures showing once again that we face a climate emergency that requires bold action.

"We have got to a point now where most of us in the room feel that we can’t take our foot off the gas — if that’s not a bad metaphor.

"Here we have investments that support nature recovery and renewable energy generation.

"The climate emergency is the number one challenge of our time. Trees, bees, turbocharging turbines and retrofitting homes - this is the power of politics in action. And it’s absolutely vital if we are going to reach our very ambitious net-zero targets.”

Other projects backed, to reduce the region’s greenhouse gas emissions, help local wildlife and natural habitats, included a "great Avon wood" of over 50,000 trees just south of Bristol, a suspended floating plant system outside Capricorn Quay on Bristol’s Floating Harbour, and local research work on wind turbines.

Meeting report by Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

STROUD AUCTION ROOMS

Frampton End Farm

THE boss of Bristol's specialist hospitals says NHS trusts are preparing for a “wave of strikes” this winter.

Eugene Yafele, the chief executive of University Hospitals Bristol and Weston says there is a “growing appetite for industrial action” among staff.

Trade unions representing staff in the organisation, will be balloting their members for industrial action.

Mr Yafele told the trust's October board meeting: "This is something that our colleagues are going to be doing reluctantly, should they sign up for it, but still gives us cause for concern because of the difficult nature of the strike action and the fact that you can’t plan for one isolated incident. It might be a wave of strikes, which makes it even more challenging.”

The trust's 'director of people', Emma Wood, said managers were looking how they could support staff with financial problems but added: "We are limited in terms of national terms and conditions around pay. But there are some other things we can do."

Ideas currently being looked at include locating food banks inside NHS libraries and providing discounted meals or free soup and rolls for staff at workplaces.

More than 15,000 ambulance workers across 11 trusts in England and Wales, including South West Ambulance Service, started voting on strike action on October 24.

The ballot, which closes on November 29, is in response to an imposed 4% pay award and "unsafe staffing levels" across the service.

GMB Acting National Secretary Rachel Harrison said: "Ambulance workers don’t do this lightly - and this would be the biggest ambulance strike for 30 years.

"But more than ten years of pay cuts, plus the cost-of-living crisis, means workers can’t make ends meet. They are desperate."

John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Taste for adventure

RECEPTION pupils at Hambrook Primary School have discovered a taste for adventure.

The four and five-year-old children, who have finished their first term at the school, have been learning valuable lessons outside as well as in the classroom.

While climbing, den-building and travelling through tunnels they have been working on balance and coordination, playing cooperatively and imaginatively, supporting each other and overcoming challenges during weekly sessions at the school's adventure playground.

Head teacher Jennifer Rubel said: "These weekly sessions are certainly a highlight of our week and we are very proud of what they have accomplished already in the first term."

Actonians Drama Group

production.

Tickets are now available online at www. actonians.co.uk and the play runs from November 23-26.

We very much hope that we will leave you all wanting more!

We welcome new members so if you are interested, either on stage or behind the scenes, please contact us through our website.

Sue Anstey

Citizens Advice

DO you have a few hours a week to spare and want to make a real difference?

Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire is looking for volunteers to help in our friendly office in Yate.

informal chat

Emmanuelle Claverie Lead Supervisor

Day for carers

A CHARITY supporting carers in South Gloucestershire is inviting people to an event to help them find out more about dealing with the cost-of-living crisis.

Carers Support Centre is hosting the Carers Rights Day event at the Vassall Centre in Gill Avenue, Fishponds, Bristol, on November 24.

It is inviting unpaid carers who are providing vital support to family or friends to join the event in person or online.

THE Actonians Drama group’s next production is Charles Dickens' classic tale Oliver Twist.

This is an original version, adapted for stage by Anya Reiss for an open-air production in Hyde Park.

The audience will be relieved to hear that, in November, this production will be performed in the warmth and comfort of Iron Acton Parish Hall!

This is a collaboration between the adult and junior groups and, with a large cast, it is a lively

You don’t need specific qualifications or experience - advisers receive full training. You’ll gain new skills, meet new people, and you’ll be helping our clients overcome the problems they face and making a real difference to their lives.

We’re a registered charity providing people with free information and advice to help them solve their benefits, debt, employment, and other problems. Our service is free, independent, confidential and impartial. We value diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination.

If you are interested or would like more information, visit our website www.southgloscab. org.uk/get-involved/ or email Emmanuelle. claverie@southglos.org.uk for more details or an

People can ask questions of council representatives and find out about where and how to ask for support to deal with financial difficulties.

The event will also give people the chance to meet other carers, mingle, share food, browse stalls, enjoy free pampering, and join other carers for a Walk and Talk in nearby Vassalls Park.

Or, if you prefer, the event can be joined from home via Zoom.

The event runs from 10.30am to 3pm.

To book a place visit www. carerssupportcentre.org.uk/events, email Comms@carerssupportcentre.org.uk or call 0117 958 9902.

Adrian Robson Carers Support Centre

The Actonians are preparing to bring a Charles Dickens classic to Iron Acton

Frampton Needs Trees

Not

they provide

they also

with shade, regulate

manage

landscapes

well-being.

improve

Sadly we have lost almost all of our ancient woodlands.

The UK has just 13% tree cover, and native trees make up less than half of this.

This compares to 44% tree cover across the rest of Europe.

It is well recognised that we need more trees in order to address the climate and nature emergencies.

The Climate Change Committee have advised that UK tree cover needs to increase to 18% in order for the government to achieve net zero, and South Gloucestershire Council have committed to

doubling tree cover.

A survey we carried out last year showed that Frampton Cotterell Parish has tree cover of just 10%, so we really need to identify suitable areas where more trees can be planted.

If you have any suitable land or would like to suggest areas then get in touch!

There are often free tree packs available, and we’d be happy to support landowners with tree planting schemes.

Recently we’ve set up a community tree nursery.

Volunteers have been collecting and processing local tree seeds.

We’re hoping to grow hundreds of trees to give away and plant throughout the parish.

If you’d like to help, then collecting seeds and growing trees is easy and fun.

If you have space in your garden, then plant a tree!

If you’d like to get involved, email us at framptoncotterellnature@gmail. com.

David Hanks

Plastic Free Frampton

BACK in 2019 Plastic Free Frampton Cotterell ran a sell-out talk on recycling and plastics with South Gloucestershire Council at Zion Church.

We will be doing the same again this year, with another talk planned at Zion on November 22, at 7:30pm at Zion.

Nicola Hunt, a member of the waste management team at South Gloucestershire Council, will speak about materials which cannot currently be recycled, what can be recycled, how to recycle properly, plastic free swaps and more.

This event is the perfect opportunity for anyone who has questions about reducing waste and recycling.

It is free to attend. Everyone is welcome - just turn up on the day.

For updates on our activities, follow Plastic Free Frampton Cotterell on Facebook.

Daisy Finniear Climate & Nature Officer Frampton Cotterell Parish Council

Trees at Black Rocks Field. Picture: David Hanks

Making the pennies go further

THIS month, as promised, I’m giving you two super-useful, economic recipes to add to your repertoire.

I’m hoping these will help you spread the pennies in these challenging times.

So, buy your chicken, make a

roast dinner and maybe a pie, with the leftovers and some puff pastry.

Make sure you save the bones to make a stock and then with that, make a hearty soup with your Halloween pumpkin.

Great money-saving all round!

Ann’s easy microwave stock

You can make a proper homemade stock which really makes a home-made soup or sauce taste fantastic by just saving the bones from your roast and adding a few vegetables and seasoning. If you don’t have a whole chicken in one go, you can save the bones and freeze them until you do have enough to half fill a large bowl and then continue with the process.

Ingredients:

Chicken bones or chicken carcass Vegetables- ideally:

2 sticks of celery, roughly chopped

1 medium leek, roughly chopped

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

1 large carrot, roughly chopped. (As long as you have onions and carrots in there it will be fine, just double the quantity if you don’t have the other veg.)

1 bay leaf

A selection of fresh herbs as available, eg rosemary, parsley, thyme. (Use dried herbs about ½ tsp of each if you don’t have fresh herbs.)

Here's what you do:

Place the carcass and bones of the chicken into a large microwavable bowl.

Cover with boiling water. Add the vegetables as above. Add whole peppercorns and salt to taste.

Add herbs.

Cook on HIGH for 5 mins and then on MEDIUM for at least 20mins but preferably 30/40 mins.

Strain off vegetables and bones Set aside to cool, cover and refrigerate

Skim off any white scum which may form, then either freeze or refrigerate.

The stock will keep well in the fridge for about 4 days, or if frozen use within three months.

Cook’s Tip

You can use the same method and basic ingredients for veggie stock, just double the veg portions and

leave out the bones. If you have the time, leave for a couple of hours or preferably overnight in the fridge before straining off the veg.

Super soupbutternut squash

Full of vitamins and a brilliant colour! You can use pumpkin or other varieties of squash instead of butternut squash.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Olive Oil – 2 tbsp (30ml)

Onion – 1 , chopped Butternut Squash – 1 small peeled, chopped and de-seeded (don’t throw away the seeds!)

Carrot, 2 small sliced Potato, 2 small peeled and chopped

Vegetable Stock- either 900ml (1 ½ pints) of home-made stock or equivalent amount of liquid using 2 good quality stock cubes or stock pots.

Water – 900 ml (1 ½ pint)

Crunchy Peanut Butter – 2 tbsp –(caution- if allergic or serving small children leave out)

Ground Cumin – 2 x pinches

Freshly ground black pepper

Here’s what you do :

Fry the onion in the olive oil for about 5 mins until transparent (clear).

Add the butternut squash, carrot, potato, peanut butter and cumin. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Blend the stock cube in the water and then add to the other ingredients. Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft and tender. Remove from the heat. Liquidize the soup using a hand blender or food processor.

Season with pepper. Sprinkle some of the roasted seeds over the soup.

Cook’s Tip:

You can roast the seeds in a moderate oven (180C, 350F, Gas 4) for 12-15 mins until crunchy. Spritz with a little oil (rape seed or olive are best) They give the soup a little extra crunch and they make great healthy nibbles.

Ann Murray founded the Cooking4 Cookery School based in Chipping Sodbury. She’s teamed up with Frome Valley Voice to pass on her wealth of experience in the kitchen.

Under the bed, in the West of England: keeping us dogs safe during Bonfire Night

BANG! Pop! Screeeeech, Pant!

Hello, I’m Angel, First Dog of the West of England, and I

me and my fellow

today

things

pals. Bad humans! Bad!

I’m sorry. I don’t actually think you’re bad. I think you’re the best, promise. Let’s go for a walk.

can we go for a walk. Anyway, let’s cut to the chase. What, did someone say chase?!

Sorry, back again. The point is that for you hoo-mans, Bonfire Night may well be a time to ‘ooh’ and ‘aww’ over impressive displays and pretty colours exploding in the night sky. But un expected loud noises tend to have the opposite effect on us pets, and can leave owners pretty frazzled too - sorry, Dan!

The RSPCA say an estimated 62% of dogs in the UK show signs of fear on Bonfire Night. It’s easy for you all to say “Calm it, it’s just fireworks,” but that’s like you watching the UK’s current eco nomic trials and tribulations and us dogs telling you: “Calm it - mortgage rates, interest rates, fuel costs and inflation are no big deal – they are just money things.”

So what can you do to help man’s best friend? Here are a few pointers for the big night.

The best thing you can do for your scaredy cat (or dog) is to make the day as un-Bonfire Night-like as possible. Why not create a ‘doggy haven’ with all our fave toys and blankets, like Dan has in the spare room - which, if you don’t mind me saying, is a bit dusty - or put on calm music to muffle the boom-y noises? I’m a big fan of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No 9 in E major –yes, I’m a cultured pooch!

And if you’re going to buy them, then please consider getting those ‘silent’ fireworks, or qui eter ones at least. The good thing about that is loads of supermarkets are stocking their shelves with these now - and some, like Sainsbury’s, have even stopped selling fireworks altogether (woooo!).

Dan’s a big fan of these quieter fireworks. He doesn’t want to be complete killjoy, because he, like many people, really enjoys the displays, but he thinks it’s bonkers the noise levels in those big scary light things used at public events are around 120 dB - equivalent to a rock concert or a jet engine.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris and his dog Angel write for the Voice

He thinks there are sensible ways to reduce the impact fireworks have on animals – includ ing farm animals and horses. That’s why he’s written to all supermarkets to clarify whether or not they’ll be stocking quiet ones in the run-up to celebrating the Gunpowder Plot near-miss of 1605 in 2022, and is encouraging you all to buy them. Way to go, Dan!

Happy Bonfire Night! Keep yourself and your furry family members safe and healthy!

Sincerely,

Angel, very good girl to Metro Mayor Dan Norris.

THE latest employment figures published by the Office for National Statistics have shown that the number of people out of work in the UK has dropped to 3.4 per cent. This is the lowest it has been since 1974.

There is good news locally too, as South Gloucestershire continues to outperform much of the country.

In our area, just 1.6% of working age people are receiving out-of-work financial support, compared to the UK average of 3.7%.

In my role as the local MP, supporting jobs and the local economy is a vital part of our positive plan for South Gloucestershire, so it is particularly pleasing that the number of people out of work in our area is now down by

365 compared with this time last year.

There are now more people with the security of a job in South Gloucestershire than ever before, and the district has bounced back since the pandemic to regain our status as one of the lowest areas for unemployment anywhere in the UK.

This follows a strong record of action from businesses, the local authority, and the community, to grow the local economy and increase jobs in South Gloucestershire.

I have been holding regular jobs fairs since being elected, including a disability jobs fair, helping residents throughout Thornbury and Yate find the right job for them.

In September I hosted my

ninth jobs fair in Chipping Sodbury, which was our most successful yet. More than 35 local and regional businesses were in attendance, including Stagecoach, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bromford and local businesses and organisations such as Hobbs House Bakery, Bluebird Care, Charles Saunders Ltd and many more.

Many local residents stopped by the event, to speak directly to employers about vacancies in our community.

There are now more people with the security of a job in South Gloucestershire than ever before, helping to bring economic security to our community, more trade for businesses, and greater prosperity throughout the South West.

We are pushing forward with our positive plan for jobs and the economy for South Gloucestershire.

We cannot stop now, if we are to achieve our ambition of remaining the best place in the country to live, work and start a business.

Luke Hall MP writes for Frome Valley Voice

Scouts' royal award

LEADERS of Frampton Cotterell's Scout group have been presented with the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

Avon County Scouts volunteers were among this year's recipients of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, announced in the summer.

Scouting in the Avon area supports young people from all walks of life to reach their full potential and become the best possible citizens of the future while having fun and learning skills for life. They are fully inclusive and totally embedded within the community, taking part in a plethora of activities and having a profound impact on hundreds of children.

County Commissioner, Graham

Brant said: "It is a real honour for our volunteers to receive such fantastic recognition for all their hard work and commitment."

Avon County Scouts is one of 244 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups from across nation to receive the prestigious award this year to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities.

The number of nominations and awards has increased year on year since the awards were introduced in 2002, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them.

Two volunteers from Avon County Scouts will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in 2023, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.

Graham was delighted that our county’s work has been recognised, and this Award pays tribute to the

hard work and commitment of our volunteers.

Avon Scout County is one of the largest in the UK, with nearly 12,000 members and over 3,400 adult volunteers.

We cover a large area, with Bristol in the centre, from Westonsuper-Mare in the south to the villages surrounding Thornbury in the north.

Scouting membership has shown significant growth in the last twelve years, transforming the lives of young people by providing an inspiring programme of everyday adventure.

Over 200 activities, including adventure glider flights, skiing, rock climbing and water zorbing are on offer.

Scouting is shaped by young people in partnership with adults and we are always look for new volunteers - visit scouts.org.uk/ volunteer for more details.

Chris Harris

Crossbow Singers

News from Crossbow Singers: Getting that Festive Feeling

CROSSBOW Singers have been relishing our weekly rehearsals. We have welcomed not only a number of regular choir members back after a period of absence but also swelled our numbers with some new participants, taking our choir to full capacity.

We are pleased to advertise our ever-popular Christmas concert, which this year offers up a full programme of songs and music from classics to more modern arrangements.

The choir are very pleased to finally be performing some of the songs that we had practised but never performed due to covid restrictions.

As usual, the performance will be peppered with poems, ditties and of course lots of opportunities for an audience sing-along.

This year we will also welcome some guest musicians who will add additional variety to the programme.

So, put December 12 and 13, at 7.30pm in your diaries to start your festive season off with a bang! Tickets will cost £7 per person and can be purchased in advance.

Monday tickets can be purchased from Rose by phoning 01454 772675 and Tuesday tickets from Mary by phoning 01454 887885.

Louise Lewis

Explorers at Zeus Explorer Scout Unit in Frampton Cotterell presenting the award badges to their leaders.

n WHAT'S ON

November 4-5

n WINTERBOURNE PLAYERS AND COURT PLAYERS present Rumours, a comedy by Neil Simon at WADCA, Watleys End Road, Winterbourne, 7.30pm. Tickets £10 from 07917 624360 or online at www.TicketSource.co.uk/ Winterbourne-Players.

November 5-6

n WINTERBOURNE DOWN ART GROUP EXHIBITION, All Saints Church Hall, Winterbourne Down, 10am-5pm Saturday, 11am-4pm Sunday. Free entry, collection for Great Western Air Ambulance. Refreshments available.

November 7

n FRAMPTON SINGALONG with the Jays and Rosettes, 2-3.30pm, Crossbow House, School Road, Frampton Cotterell. £5, carers free. Refreshments included. All profits to Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. Contact Hilary on 07515351813 for details, and to book a place.

November 22

n PLASTIC FREE FRAMPTON COTTERELL RECYCLING TALK, Zion Church, 7:30pm. Talk from Nicola Hunt of South Glos Council waste management team, about materials which can and cannot be recycled and any other questions about reducing waste and recycling. Free event, all welcome. Follow Plastic Free Frampton Cotterell on Facebook for updates.

November 24

n CARERS RIGHTS DAY for South Gloucestershire residents with the Carers Support Centre, Vassall Centre, Oldbury Court, Fishponds. Discuss how the costs of living crisis affects carers, get help and advice, meet other carers and enjoy free pampering. Attend in person or via Zoom. Book online at www.carerssupportcentre.

Winterbourne Library news

fromevalley

org.uk/events, email Comms@ carerssupportcentre.org.uk or call 0117 958 9902.

December 3

n FILTONES CHOIR 40TH ANNIVERSARY CHRISTMAS CRACKERS CONCERT, 7.30pm, Filton Community Centre, Elm Park. Tickets £8 including refreshments, accompanied children free. Tickets from Dot Bryant on 07870 984760 or on the door. Raffle and retiring collection in aid of charity Sense.

December 7

n DOWNEND FLOWER ARRANGING CLUB

Christmas flower arrangement demonstration, 7pm, Lincombe Barn, Overndale Road. Tea, coffee and mince pies included £8 ticket price. After the demonstration, the arrangements will be raffled off. Everyone welcome,, Bs16 2RW.

REGULAR EVENTS

n MONDAY: WINTERBOURNE 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.

n MONDAY: GENTLE SHIBASHI 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.

n TUESDAY: WINTERBOURNE DOWN METHODIST CHURCHDrop in for free cup of tea and chat or play board games, every Tuesday from 2-4pm.

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. To find out more contact croquet@ wilko.eclipse.co.uk or call 07977 201440.

n WEDNESDAY: BRISTOL SCRABBLE CLUB meets every Wednesday evening at 7pm until 10pm at Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, Filton BS34 7PS. New members welcome- first visit free so come along and give us a try. For further information contact Sheila on 01179570792 or 07435316458 or email shinett@ blueyonder.co.uk

n WEDNESDAY: GENTLE 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.

n THURSDAY: EXERCISE AND SOCIAL FOR SENIORS £5. Come and join us for a dose of weekly exercise! We aim to improve your strength, balance, posture and flexibility in a fun and friendly environment. To register your interest please contact Adam Dyer on 07875503586. St Saviours Church , Coalpit Heath, every Thursday 10-11:30am Beesmoor Rd, Coalpit Heath, Bristol BS36 2RP

to publicise

WINTERBOURNE Library is looking for a one-toone digital champion.

The library is looking for a volunteer with spare time and an interest in helping others learn how to use a computer, laptop, tablet or other device.

Anyone who is interested should email libraryvolunteers@southglos.gov.uk or collect an application form in the library.

Storytime sessions, on Fridays from 9.3010am in term time only, are suitable for children aged 18 months to four years.

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, especially flute, oboe, trumpet, horn and percussion players, are welcome. For more information email

Regular Rhymetimes take place on Wednesdays, 9.30am-10am; most suitable for 0-18 months – limited spaces.

Lego club next meets on November 19, from 10am to 11am – for children aged four and up.

An adult craft group meets on November 5 and 26, from 10am-noon: join a friendly group of crafters to do your own work and chat –refreshments available.

Computer classes are held on Thursdays (term time only). Enrolment required with SGS College - for more information call Cindy on 0117 909 2296 or email cindy.corbett@sgscol. ac.uk.

For more details of events or bookings, visit the library, email Winterbourne.library@ southglos.gov.uk or phone 01454 868006.

winterbournewinds@yahoo.com. 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 fromevalleyartgroup. wordpress.com or email fromevalleyartwinterbourne@ gmail.com

n FRIDAY: EXERCISE AND SOCIAL FOR SENIORS £5. Come and join us for a dose of weekly exercise! We aim to improve your strength, balance, posture and flexibility in a fun and friendly environment. To register your interest please contact Adam Dyer on 07875503586. Cambrian Green Court community centre 2:153:45pm Yate, Bristol BS37 5AD

The library welcomes everyone, whether browsing and borrowing from the shelves, using a computer, bringing children to the library or meeting friends.

The library is open and staffed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am to 5pm, and on Saturday from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

Open Access, between 8am and 7.30pm, enables you to use the library when staff are not there, including free Wi-Fi, PCs and printing, issuing and returning books. Library members need to complete a one-off induction session first to register.

More information is available online at www. southglos.gov.uk/openaccess.

We must stand together against hate crime

team and I recently recognised National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Hate crime is an offence that is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and gender identity, instead of something they have done, the result of a disagreement or being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Being targeted because of your age, race, sexual orientation, religion or any other reason is unacceptable and, as communities, if we see this behaviour we must challenge it and report it.

We must help give victims of hate crime the confidence to speak to the police or partner agencies about their experience.

If, as a victim, you do not feel like you can talk to the police for whatever reason, there are still many options available for support, such as Victim Support, SARI

or VOCAS, the Victims of Crime Advocacy Service.

VOCAS provides an enhanced advocacy service to those victims of crime who feel they need it and an opportunity to talk in confidence to someone who understands how race, sexuality, disability, mental health, age and/ or exclusion can contribute to you struggling to have your voice heard or understanding your rights and options.

To tackle hate crime, we must stand together and fight for a stronger and fairer society.

I also want to let you know about courier fraud scams, which appear to be increasing.

Unsuspecting victims receive calls from criminals asking them to withdraw cash and leave it for a courier to collect.

In one scam, the criminal pretends to work for the victim’s bank and says they are investigating counterfeit notes at their local branch.

They tell the victim to withdraw

money, and not to tell the bank what they have been asked to do.

The criminals then send someone to the victim’s house to collect the notes, claiming they will be checked to see if they are counterfeit – in reality, they just drive off with the victim’s money.

Another scam is when the fraudster claims to work for the police and says they have arrested someone using a cloned card belonging to the victim.

The victim is urged to withdraw money as part of the investigation - but is simply giving it to the fraudster.

These scammers pose as trusted officials and apply pressure in the hope people will let their guard down.

I want us to be one step ahead of them.

So, what should you do if you are targeted?

Take your time and consider if the police or your bank would really ask you to do this. If the answer is no, hang up - as long as

With Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford

you have not provided your bank details, your money is safe.

If you want to call the police or your bank, using an advertised number, leave it at least 10 minutes or preferably use a different phone - fraudsters often stay on the other end of the line, keeping the connection open and pretending to be whoever you have dialled.

Finally, report it to Action Fraud, online or on 0300 123 2040.

Queen and our politicians in stark contrast

abroad;

nation

less

has happened to me twice in my life: in 1982, when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, I was in Ireland and more recently, when her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died, I was in Spain.

was very clear that the late Queen was held in high esteem and great affection by our European neighbours.

coverage on Spanish TV was extensive, moving and respectful; she was prayed for in cathedrals and churches, and numerous people from many nations passed on their condolences, paying tribute to someone who had almost become the ‘Queen of Europe’.

What was interesting, as I entered into conversations with what were very caring and articulate people, was that their love, affection and absolute

respect for Her Majesty and the values she espoused were not afforded to our government, who were seen as untrustworthy, valueless, ineffective, arrogant, misguided and weak.

Those whom I spoke with felt sorry for us on both counts: in losing our much loved and respected monarch and for being led by such political lightweights on the world stage.

It left me thinking to myself, 'why the contrast?'

The answer was obvious - the Queen underpinned her leadership and reign with the core values of faith, which inspired and influenced every action and decision she made. You only have to recall the content of her Christmas messages to the nation to know this.

Governments of any persuasion are rarely effective in promulgating legislation and decisions which meet the needs of all in society, failing constantly to create long-term goals which deliver for all, particularly in the

areas of healthcare, education and equal opportunity.

In truth, it is probably only the post war Labour government who got anywhere near to a complete package, with the formation of the Welfare State.

I don’t totally blame politicians: the short-term nature of our political system (five years is never enough time, unless there is a very wide consensus), the desire to save one’s seat at all costs and conflicting ideologies (even within the same party) makes it virtually impossible for visionary decisions to be made that have a lasting impact for the good of all.

What is clear to me, if we are to learn anything from the values of Queen Elizabeth, is that we must never, in anything we decide or do, undermine those who are vulnerable and marginalised in our society.

The values of all the world's faiths demand that those who lead us should always care and protect the poor, should strive to understand, respect and value all

Malcolm Strange Rector of the Fromeside Benefice

people, to welcome the stranger with open arms and to protect the weak from oppression.

My prayer is that our leaders will endeavour to do this within our own country, and in our relationships with other nations, because in doing so, they might just be held once again in high esteem, both home and abroad - and that will surely make us all proud.

WECA must take control of buses

AS residents and organisations in the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and North Somerset, we are deeply concerned by the present cuts to essential bus services. The impact of these lost services will mean many, including the most vulnerable, will be unable to make essential journeys including to shops, schools, and doctors and hospitals.

The private bus companies are entirely profit-driven, so they’re justifying the bus cuts with the falling passenger numbers, rising fuel and wage costs, and driver shortages that make the services unprofitable with no regard for the public need.

This deregulated market is always at odds with the bus services that many in our communities need to get to work, school, shops, and health centres.

These changes to local bus services are making many residents genuinely fearful that people of all ages and abilities will be cut off from vital facilities they need to live well. Further, the loss of public transport will worsen congestion on the roads, increase air pollution, and undermine commitments WECA has made to reduce its carbon emissions and its climate emergency pledge.

The current constitution of WECA requires that the Metro Mayor Dan Norris and the three group leaders of Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, and South Gloucestershire all agree to make

changes to bus services.

This open letter is calling for them to put in place bus franchising, to suspend the deregulated bus market and provide a bus service under contract from WECA.

Residents want and deserve a bus service that delivers for all, and the only way for this to take place is for WECA to use its powers under the WECA constitution to deliver bus franchising.

We encourage readers to sign this open letter now at actionnetwork.org/forms/franchiseweca-bus-services-now.

West of England Shared Transport and Active Travel Network

How can we leave cars at home?

FIRST'S spokesperson (Voice, October) said that Winterbourne and Frampton Cotterell will have two bus services - the Y1 and Y6 - following the axing of the Y3 and Y4.

To my knowledge the Y1 runs through Coalpit Heath and doesn't come through Winterbourne.

As I see it we will have just one bus, the Y6, and to travel from Winterbourne to Bristol will take an hour rather than the 15/20 minutes it took on the two axed buses.

I pity anyone who lives in Chipping Sodbury and has to travel into Bristol to work. The journey will take them one-anda-half hours, not accounting for traffic problems in rush hour.

I think it fair to say that I will not be going into Bristol anytime soon, and I am sure I am not alone.

The government want us to leave cars at home - I doubt that will happen with a bus service that is almost non-existent.

Disappointed resident of Winterbourne

Try metrobus link

READERS living in Frampton Cotterell and Winterbourne who have lost their direct bus service into Bristol may not know that they can still catch the Y6 towards Southmead as far as the Great Stoke metrobus stop in Great Stoke Way and change onto the m1 metrobus.

On Mondays to Fridays, the Y6 runs every hour and the m1 runs every 12-15 minutes, and takes less

than

Chris Gane

Help save the Live & Let Live

BRISTOL & District CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) Pubs Campaigning Group campaigns against the closure of viable pubs.

We support pubs in the community and value the pub as part of our architectural and social heritage and as the main source of real cask ale.

We oppose the plans for the Live & Let Live in Frampton Cotterell to be converted into a house, flats and Co-op store and suggest that neighbouring residents go to the South Gloucestershire planning website, search for application P21/08109/F, select comment, tick 'object' and submit your comments.

We would also like to make Frampton Cotterell residents aware of an internet petition currently in circulation, with nearly 200 signatures, at chng.it/ TFQ8MGBFWV.

We encourage them to sign it to show the strength of community feeling.

We also urge the Change.org petition organisers to submit an application for the pub to become an asset of community value, to help them save it. For advice, contact us at bristolpubsgroup@ camrabristol.org.uk.

We view with concern the viability study on the Live & Let Live submitted with the plans. Although the agents mention CAMRA's Pub Viability Test in passing, suggesting some hypothetical costings and business projections, they don't actually complete the viability test itself, which is an accepted minimum requirement when making judgements on a pub's ability to trade. They don't have any accounts showing how well the pub was trading before closure in November 2019 and only make

vague assumptions on its future viability.

CAMRA are also unhappy with the way the Co-Op are once again targeting community pubs for conversion to retail stores, after making a promise in 2016 that they wouldn't convert any more in future.

We look forward to working with the local residents to help them save this much-valued community pub.

Nominate your dementia hero

INDIVIDUALS and organisations who have gone the extra mile for people affected by dementia could be recognised at the prestigious Dementia Hero Awards, sponsored by Tunstall Healthcare.

The Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Hero Awards celebrate the achievements of individuals, groups and organisations who meaningfully involve people affected by dementia in activities and projects that make a real difference.

There are nine award categories, including an outstanding achievement award. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges in research and innovation, local government, those who care for people with dementia and dementia-friendly businesses, among others.

It couldn’t be easier to enter - nominate yourself or someone who has inspired you for a Dementia Hero Award at alzheimers.org.uk/ dementiaheroawards.

Nominations close on Friday November 18.

Lorna Robertson Area Manager Alzheimer’s Society

Nigel Morris Chair, Pubs Campaigning Group Bristol and District CAMRA

Metro Mayor Dan Norris and First Bus managing director Doug Claringbold.

The Live & Let Live

Coalpit Heath WI

WE were lucky enough to have Robbie Hedges come to our meeting in October.

Robbie was the runner up in season six of Junior Bake Off.

He shared some behind the scenes insights into the iconic programme, from the production starting a year before the programme we see on screen to the number of people actually in the tent for filming!

Robbie talked us through all the different baking challenges, which sounded extremely difficult –soufflé pancakes shaped like cats, biscuit portraits and a fault line cake which won him 'star baker'. We all agreed that he was an absolute star, and bringing along delicious brownies for us to sample sealed the deal. We wish him every success for his future.

Our AGM is on November 2, with a little taste testing to help the proceedings along.

We are always on the lookout for new members and people to help on the committee.

We will also be working on our poppies ready to put up by the church for Remembrance Day. Unfortunately, we have recently noted some damage to the netting and mould on some poppies, so will have to rethink what to do for this year and will plan for a replacement in time for next year.

A Christmas meal is planned for December, with Christmas Crafts at our meeting on the 7th and and our service of poems and carols on the 14th.

We meet on the first Wednesday of each month in St Saviour’s church hall at 7.45pm.

Search @WICoalpitHeath on Facebook for further information and updates.

Frampton

Cotterell WI

OUR most recent talk was given to us by local aerial photographer Steve Slade.

We were expecting to see some of Steve's fantastic aerial photography, and got that plus so much more!

Steve has an amazing story to tell - having had to use crutches and a wheelchair since a flying accident at age 18, he went on to fly microlights and light aircraft, completing challenges, winning competitions and awards and breaking a few records along the way (not to mention holding down a day job as an engineer at Rolls-Royce).

The photography is pretty impressive, too! He is certainly a man who has made the very most out of life.

Our October talk was from the charity Hearing Dogs, including meeting a couple of their canine helpers.

We normally meet on the 4th Tuesday of every month.

November 28 is our AGM/Quiz, with our WI’s 70th birthday party being held the following day - we’ll be celebrating in style!

In December we will have Christmas Bingo, on a date to be confirmed.

We have other events/socials lined up, including visits to the theatre and other local group trips.

Watch this space and our Facebook page for confirmation of future event dates and more details.

Visitors and new members are welcome to our monthly meetings at St Peter’s Hall on School Road. There is a charge of £3.50 for the evening and any new members can also join by paying a membership fee.

In the meantime, if you’re interested in joining us please let us know and get in touch via our Facebook page.

Winterbourne Down WI

certificate for Winterbourne Down WI achieving its 100th anniversary.

Also we had invited guests from each of the Frome Valley Group of WIs to celebrate our birthday.

Mike and Ellis entertained us with music from the late 50s, 60s and early 70’s, asking us questions regarding the year and names of lead singers of the groups.

It was amazing how some of the members could remember such detail from long ago.

I am sure all of us enjoyed the evening. Members celebrated with a toast and a special birthday cake.

It was an enjoyable and memorable evening.

Our next meeting is on Thursday November 3, at All Saints Church Hall, 7.30pm.

Our speaker is Helen Isaac and her talk is titled Allotment Fun and Other Stories.

Jill Hemmings

Winterbourne Evening WI

AT our October meeting, Winterbourne Down WI celebrated our 100th birthday.

Jenny Wellman took the meeting, as our president was away on holiday.

We held a minute's silence in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, a life long member of the WI.

Jenny attended the Avon Federation Annual Meeting in September and gave an interesting report. During the meeting she collected a

THERE was an unexpected change to the programme at our October meeting.

Sadly, Karen, who was coming to give us a Zumba workout, was taken ill.

We hope she is now fully recovered and send her our best wishes.

Fortunately, at the last minute, Celia Davis came to our rescue.

Instead of a physically active session, we sat back and enjoyed flower arranging. Celia is an acclaimed judge of the art, and produced some superb, colourful arrangements in autumn shades while regaling us with some amusing stories of her life with flowers.

The members who won her creations in the raffle were delighted with their prizes.

Next month we have our annual general meeting, when the reports for the year will be read and the new committee appointed.

Donna Butcher, our WI Advisor, explained how to make nominations of people prepared to help run the Institute.

As it was our 66th birthday, we ended the meeting with cake and toasted our institute by singing 'Happy Birthday'.

The AGM will be on November 10, and the Christmas Party will be on December 8.

Both will be held at St Michael's School, Linden Close, Winterbourne at 7.30pm.

We welcome new members and guests.

Margaret Grazebrook

Caroline Johnston

Robbie Hedges at Coalpit Heath WI

The Winterbourne Down WI centenary cake

A flower arrangement

Winterbourne Medieval Barn

WINTERBOURNE

Medieval Barn starts to get in the festive mood from mid-November, after our Orchard Harvest Day in October.

Events begin with a talk from celebrated historian Professor Ronald Hutton, who visits the barn on November 16 at 7pm to give a talk on the medieval festivals of Britain.

Medieval Britain had a rich and regular calendar of major seasonal festivals, serving different human needs and fitting around the farming year. Some may well have been held in places like Winterbourne Medieval Barn. This talk will also be livestreamed on Zoom.

On November 24 you can make a unique fused glass Christmas tree as a hanging

decoration or to fit in a wooden stand at one of our fused glass festive workshops, at 10amnoon and 1-3pm.

No experience is necessary.

On November 30 Gaudete! features songs, tunes and carols from Yuletide past, at 7.30pm.

The amazing GreenMatthews return to the barn with an exclusive show featuring an expanded line-up of top class musicians playing new and exciting arrangements of Chris and Sophie’s festive repertoire, spanning the past 600 years.

Enjoy Christmas carols, winter folk songs, and toe-tapping tunes played on a plethora of weird and wonderful instruments - a riot of sound and colour for the festive season.

Looking ahead, in December we will have Christmas wreath making workshops on December 3, with mulled wine and mince pies, before Carols in the Barn, which this year take place on December 10 and 11.

Enjoy mulled wine and mince pies before the Nativity drama, with carols for everyone to join in, at 3pm on the Saturday and 3pm or 6pm on the Sunday.

Full details and booking for all events can be found on the website www.winterbournebarn. org.uk.

Louise Harrison

Floral Friends of Frampton

WITH the days getting shorter and the nights drawing in, it is time to replenish the floral displays around the village.

The hanging baskets have already been taken down, emptied and put away for the winter.

Over the final weeks of October our volunteers have been busy replacing the summer bedding in the planters with the new winter bedding – a mixture of pansies, violas, wallflowers and bellis. Hopefully the new plants will soon settle in and brighten the short days of winter!

By the time you read this we will have held our Autumn Fayre and the prize-giving for the Scarecrow Trail, run by the parish council. Thank you to all who attended.

Floral Friends are entirely funded by donations and we would like to thank all who have supported us recently by making donations and perhaps commemorating someone special by doing so. It is very much appreciated.

Donations can be made either in person or on-line. Our bank details are: Floral Friends of Frampton, Lloyds 30-98-97, account 70582363.

Fused glass Christmas decorations

Vets in South Africa

FIVE Frampton veterans made the trip to South Africa to visit ex Frampton player Dean Morsner. Dean moved back to Johannesburg a few years back, after ten years at the club.

Following delays with covid, the boys were excited to visit and take part in the National Vets rugby tournament.

In total, 32 vets teams took part in the event at the False Bay Rugby Club in Cape Town.

When not playing the vets did some sightseeing to Table Mountain and Robben Island.

Mike Weaver

Bristol Bears cup win for Frampton U12s

FRAMPTON Cotterell RFC

Under-12s walked away with a big prize after a superb day of rugby at Bristol Grammar School Sports Ground in Failand.

Youngsters from clubs across the area were in action for the Bristol Bears Community Foundation Land Rover Cup, where teamwork, respect, fair play, good sportsmanship and enjoyment were rewarded no matter what the scores on the pitch.

Having said that, the Frampton boys put in some fine displays of running rugby, neat offloads and great defence on the way to being voted the winning team by opposing team coaches and the Bears Community Foundation officials that organised such a great event.

As a prize, the team have been awarded tickets to the Rugby Premiership Final at Twickenham Stadium in May next year.

Bristol Bears stars Jake Heenan, Harry Thacker and

Paddy Pearce were in attendance to congratulate the team on their fantastic achievement: let’s hope they will be there in May, too!

All of the players, the parents and the whole club can be amazingly proud of what they

GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL

Celebrating recycling success in South Gloucestershire

WE’RE extremely proud of how good we are at recycling in South Gloucestershire.

The latest figures (2020/21) show that 60% of household waste is put out for recycling by residents, placing us well ahead of the national average.

We now have the fifth-high est recycling rate of all unitary authorities in the country and are recycling ten times more waste than we were in the year 2000.

These record-breaking figures are testament to the commit ment and effort that you, our residents, put into recycling your waste.

The council has also made ambitious changes to our waste and recycling collections, which means we are well on our way to hit our 70% recycling target, with nothing going to landfill, by 2030.

We are beginning to explore options for when our current waste contract ends in 2025, however officers and cabinet

members have stressed that the intention is to stay with the current method and timescale of weekly recycling and food waste collections and fortnightly black bin collections.

Recycle Week took place recently, from October 17-23, and this year the focus was to help people recycle even more by improving knowledge about how recycling makes a difference.

Recycling keeps metals, plastics, glass, paper, card and even clothing in use for longer, reducing the need for raw mate rials and in turn saving energy, water, fuel and the materials themselves. Recycling is one of the easiest ways we can help reduce our impact on nature and the environment.

Most of South Gloucester shire’s recycling is processed in the UK to make new products and packaging. Our food waste is recycled in Bristol, where it gener ates electricity and fertiliser.

Sorting and separating items in your recycling containers helps our crews put them into the right part of the truck and send them to the correct destination for processing, maximising recycling and keeping the cost of waste lower.

Our efforts are being further boosted by our involvement in a national trial to collect plastic bags and wrapping from households, as part of normal weekly recycling collections. The trial will help inform government and industry how plastic bags and wrapping can be added to existing household recycling collections to protect our envi ronment.

These collections began from October 17, with selected house holds from parts of Bradley Stoke, Chipping Sodbury and Olveston taking part.

If successful, the number of homes included will be expanded in 2023, with an aim of rolling

have achieved, as they upheld the principals of rugby whilst performing to a very high standard - and had fun.

Rob Keir Coach

it out to all households in the district by 2025.

Further information on waste and recycling collections and ad vice on how you can re-use and recycle more of your waste can be found online at beta.southglos. gov.uk/environment-and-waste/ waste-and-recycling.

With Rachael Hunt, cabinet member for communities

The winning Frampton Cotterell team

Nathan Cole, Mark Cole, Nigel Webb, Keith Bohr and Mike Weaver with Dean Morsner

Cup triumph for Coalpit Heath

AFTER losing a cup final last season, Coalpit Heath Under-10s went one step further this time around.

The team earned a cup final appearance following excellent wins against Ashton Boys (11-0), Warmley Rangers (4-0) and Almondsbury (2-1) en route to the final against Bedminster Down.

Finals are played over two matches, using two separate teams.

Both matches are played on the same day, with the winner being decided on aggregate after combining the results.

The first match was very competitive, with both midfields helping their defences to keep chances to an absolute minimum.

Bedminster opened the scoring when a deflected cross found its way into the Coalpit Heath net. Undeterred, Coalpit Heath were unlucky not to respond immediately, when Rosa Shepherd hit the post with a close range effort following a fantastic run and cross from Alfie Downham.

A few moments later, Coalpit Heath got the equaliser they deserved when Josh Bisp slid a perfectly weighted through ball to Rosa Shepherd who rifled a shot into the bottom corner.

Coalpit Heath continued to dominate possession and took a deserved lead when a cross from Jacob Collett was steered home at the back post by Josh Bisp.

Ewan Boulton then scored his first goal for the club when he fired in from the edge of the box to give Coalpit Heath a 3-1 lead.

Bedminster Down raised their game and responded swiftly with two goals to level the tie at 3-3. The first goal being a close range effort and the second being a looping header which gave Romeo Mounfield in goal no chance.

With Bedminster Down now in the ascendency, crucial last-ditch tackles by Archie Taylor and Alfie Coombs helped keep the score level. Romeo also prevented Bedminster from scoring in two one-on-one situations.

Just as everyone thought the fiercely

contested final would finish 3-3, Rosa Shepherd was brought down on the edge of the Bedminster Down box following a surging run. Up stepped Josh Bisp, who fired in a screamer to make it 4-3 and spark jubilant scenes on the touchline.

Bedminster Down started the second match on the front foot and following sustained pressure they earned a penalty when their striker was tripped in the penalty box. Keeper Rocco pulled off a fine save by stepping to his right and clutching the ball, which was heading for the top corner.

Moments later, Max Brown punished the opposition, finding the net from the edge of the box with a precise finish to give Coalpit Heath a 1-0 lead.

Charlie Jenkins then doubled the advantage when he sprinted clear and fired in a powerful shot to give the Bedminster Down keeper no chance.

A well-worked goal brought Bedminster back into the match, before Oliver Green restored the two-goal cushion when his corner found the back of the net.

The second game was then sealed in fine

style when Emmy Walsh picked the ball up and drove forward to unleash a curling effort, which clipped the underside of the crossbar before nestling in the back of the net. 4-1.

Good defensive team work from George Mills, Sam Walters and Harry Bright meant the team and coaches could enjoy the final moments of the cup final before the celebrations could then begin, as Coalpit Heath secured an 8-4 aggregate victory.

Following that early season cup success there has been lots more going on at Coalpit Heath. During the October half term the club teamed up with James Cope and J4K Bristol to host a dedicated goalkeeping session for 35 budding keepers.

A number of teams are looking for one or two players to supplement existing squads: The U10s teams are looking for anyone with an interest in playing in goal and outfield players who have played before, and U12 teams are also interested in outfield players who have played before.

Anyone who is interested should contact us online at coalpitheathfc.co.uk/contact

Steve Clemente

01454 822580

07980 567726

Tackling the climate emergency

South Gloucestershire is taking action to respond to the climate emergency with many initiatives to help residents and organisations play their part in helping the planet.

Recycling success

More than 2,000 South Gloucestershire homes are taking part in an exciting trial of a new flexible plastic recycling scheme as part of their normal weekly recycling collections. Selected households in Bradley Stoke, Chipping Sodbury and Olveston are participating in the first year of the potential three-year trial which is part of the drive to increase the amount of packaging that we can recycle to protect our environment, including plastic bags, confectionary wrappers, foil lined packaging and plastic film. Government figures on national recycling rates show South Gloucestershire is now recycling 60 per cent of all its waste. The council had the fifth highest recycling rate of all councils of its kind in the country in 2020/21, an amazing success by everyone involved.

Green light for nature projects

The council is looking at ways to protect and conserve wildlife and nature across the area. It is a key part of the council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan, for which it was scored in the top-10 of councils in the UK, recognising the commitment to deliver real change.

Several nature projects have been given the go ahead, including as part of the new local plan. One such project is Frampton End Farm nature reserve, near Frampton Cotterell where planting new trees and wetlands will help act as a carbon sink, absorbing carbon dioxide emis sions and tackling climate change.

At Siston Common in Kingswood, hundreds of local volunteers recently came together to plant over 7,000 wildflower plants in the new meadow created by the council. The mass planting marked the start of the Commons Con nections, the Wild Belt project, a £1.26 million project to increase, improve and better connect important habitats across South Gloucestershire for nature that will also include the planting over 6,000 new trees to help address biodiversity decline.

Improvements will be made to links between registered common land, unimproved grasslands, woodlands and associated habitats along the South Gloucestershire and Bristol border. Tree and wildflowers will be planted, alongside the conservation of grassland habitats and pond creation and restoration.

The council will create a brand-new biodiversity-focused park at the former Warmley Pitch and Putt golf course to support nature

recovery in the community. The council asked residents to choose where the park should be and received nearly 200 responses with the most popular choice being the former golf course. The park will also aim to include space that is accessible for everyone, providing a

Following its success last year, the council’s tree voucher scheme is back. To mark National Tree Week (Saturday 26 November –Sunday 4 December), the council will be offering vouchers that can be exchanged for trees once again to residents to improve the tree coverage in South Gloucestershire. The council is aiming to plant enough trees by 2030 to double its tree canopy to improve biodiversity and keep its local environment healthy as part of its response to the climate and nature emergency.

stimulating and relaxing environment for the whole community. Consultation on what might be included as part of the new park will start in November and on the council’s consultation website at southglos.gov.uk/consultations

Tree Week coming up

Cllr Steve Reade planting wildflowers with Max and Kady Stuart

Community planting in Page Park, Staple Hill

Spotlight on learning Schools success

South Gloucestershire is making great strides with education, as demonstrated by its recent Ofsted reports. Over the last five years, its schools have moved from 35 per cent Good or Outstanding at Secondary and Post 16 to 71 per cent. And, as of 31 May this year, 83 per cent of all its schools (including Primary) are rated as Good or Outstanding. This means 32,432 of the area’s young people attend a Good or Outstanding South Gloucestershire School, compared with 6,036 pupils in 2017.

Building blocks of learning in Winterbourne and Frenchay

The new Frenchay Church of England Primary School opened its doors to pupils last month. The £11 million building on the former Frenchay Hospital site will accommodate 420 pupils – up from 140 at its former Victorian home on Frenchay Common, where it had been since 1842.

The building is designed to the standards of environmental organisation Passivhaus, meaning it will have a very low carbon impact on the environment. Benefiting from an £800,000 investment from the council’s Climate Emergency Fund, the design includes high levels of insulation, triple glazing, low energy LED lighting, heating provided by air-source heat pumps and recycling of heat through a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery system, which also ensures good air quality throughout the school.

The school will use electricity only, requir ing no fossil fuel consumption on site, and generate its own zero carbon energy through photovoltaic solar panels on the roof, with any surplus energy feeding into the national grid.

Meanwhile, work is underway building Elm Park Primary School’s new facilities. Two build ings will replace the Winterbourne school’s existing premises over two phases, ultimately providing places for 210 local children to learn in high quality classrooms.

The first phase is expected to cost around £11 million, provided by the council, and will open for pupils at the start of term in September 2023. Also designed to Passivhaus standards to minimise environmental impact, the new buildings will transform the existing site with eight classrooms and state-of-the-art facilities providing community-use spaces in cluding a hall, multi-use outdoor sports pitch and playing field.

This is all part of the council’s continued investment in schools with £82m capital investment since 2019 and last summer more than £2.2m was spent on improvements and maintenance.

Summer Reading Challenge

Six thousand children took part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge at South Glouces tershire libraries, with primary school children reading nearly 100,000 books

over the school holidays. Libraries and The Reading Agency partnered with the Science Museum Group for this year’s challenge, which helps to build children’s reading skills and confidence.

The science and innovation theme, named ‘Gadgeteers’, was designed to spark children’s curiosity about the world around them and celebrate the role of the imagination in both reading and the sciences. Parents and carers said the challenge had been great to keep children reading over the summer holidays and the free events really helped to involve and encourage children to be part of the challenge.

Well done to all those who took on the challenge.

Cllr Ben Burton and Cllr Erica Williams with Headteacher, Carol-Marie Bond, plus local councillors and representatives from BAM Construct UK.

Cllr Rachael Hunt with children receiving their Summer Reading Challenge certificates and medals