Bishopston Voice July 2024

A peaceful scene at The Ardagh on Horfield Common, where life is returning to normal after a vandal attack last month. Report: Page 3

election spotlight

Katie Sparkes, founder of the dance charity Flamingo Chicks, has persuaded celebrities to design tutus as a fundraiser.

15

band

A folk group formed by friends who met at Bishop Road school PTFA has made two EPs, played a lot of local gigsd, and says it would like to play Glastonbury. PAGE 9

PEOPLE in Bishopston and across Bristol will go to the polls on July 4 in the general election.

The city will be in the national spotlight because the new Bristol Central constituency is a key target seat for the Greens. The party's co-leader Carla Denyer, a former Bristol City Councillor

is challenging Labour's Thangam Debbonaire. The other candidates are Rob Clarke, Reform; Nicholas Coombes, Lib Dem; Kellie-Jay Keen, Party of Women; Samuel Williams, Conservative.

Under new boundaries, Bristol Central includes Ashley;

Central; Clifton; Clifton Down; Cotham; Hotwells & Harbourside; and Redland council wards.

Bishopston and Ashley Down has been moved into the Bristol North West constituency, which is being contested by five candidates. Reports: Pages 4 & 5

A team from Fairfield High School has won the coveted Woodcock Shield with a 1-0-victory over Blaise High School at Ashton Gate. PAGE 13

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Community rallies to help The Ardagh

A DIFFICULT and upsetting few days last month for those who use and enjoy Horfield Common, including the staff of the Ardagh Community Trust (ACT) and its Cafe on the Common, ended on a positive note thanks to the support of the local community who turned out to donate time and money to get everything up and running again.

At the beginning of June, about 70 caravans parked up on the Common, leading to what a council spokesperson described as “high levels of anti-social behaviour and criminality associated with the site”.

Residents in the area, enjoying the peace of the Common and the facilities of the ACT, were left crying and shaking according to the ACT’s CEO, Sam Thomson. She told of people visibly upset after being shouted or sworn at and staff left feeling intimidated by a number of distressing incidents in the cafe.

The decision was made to close the cafe and all facilities for everyone’s safety. After the behaviour escalated into rocks thrown at toddlers, fences chopped with chainsaws, parkrun equipment stolen and fire extinguishers set off, the caravans were evicted from the

site within two days.

However, a huge clear-up operation was then required to ensure that the site and cafe could reopen and get back to normal as quickly as possible. And this is where the true spirit of the local community proved the old adage about adversity bringing out the best in us.

Sam and her team at ACT were able to reopen the cafe and wider site just two days after the encampment were moved on and thanked everyone who came out to help clear up and restore the common to its normal state. Security also remained on site for another 24 hours, offering much appreciated support and reassurance to staff.

Sam posted on social media at the time: “thank you to every single one of the 138 local people who have made donations to the Trust over the last couple of days; it means an enormous amount to the team to see and feel the support from the community after what has been a difficult - and at times very frightening - few days. All donations will be used to replace smashed signage, repair broken items and reinstate areas that have been vandalised. Your support is hugely valuable to us and means everything”.

MIKE PALMER BUILDING

n ELECTION BRISTOL CENTRAL

Nicholas Coombes (Lib Dem)

Nicholas Coombes is the Liberal Democrat candidate for Bristol Central. He is campaigning for a fair deal; to restore the broken social contract between our state and its citizens.

Liberal Democrats will invest in carers, recognising and rewarding the work that they do looking after loved ones, and supporting the NHS.

Having fought to remain in the European Union, we want to put Britain on a path to re-joining the single market; to improve relations with our neighbours, boost trade and cut tariffs.

We are fighting to clean up our environment and stop water companies dumping sewage. We would continue to decarbonise energy supply, started when the Liberal Democrats were in government but trashed since by the Conservatives.

Liberal Democrats would also introduce a proportional voting system, to end the frustration of tactical voting and deliver representative government.

Professionally, Nicholas is a chartered Town Planner, specialising in energy and transport infrastructure. He is currently working on the development of an offshore windfarm. He wants to use his expertise to fight climate change, and get Bristol moving.

Nicholas has recently won a seat on Bristol City Council. This is his second period as a Councillor, having previously served 8 years in the role. He has been appointed to the Transport Committee and is Vice Chair of Audit.

He lives in Clifton with his partner, and outside of work and politics he enjoys hiking and cycling in the countryside. He also sings with his local choir and plays classical piano.

Thangam Debbonaire (Labour)

I am proud to have represented you in Parliament for the last 9 years.

My politics have been shaped by my life experiences. My dad left his home in India and came to this country to take up a place at the Royal Academy of Music. He made this country his home. Growing up in a creative household, I became a professional musician before moving to Bristol over 30 years ago to work for domestic abuse charities.

As the local MP since 2015 I have taken over 40,000 issues on behalf of our community - working to ensure Bristol remains a welcoming place for refugees, fighting for residents affected by the cladding scandal, campaigning for more dentists for our community including successfully in St Paul’s and protecting local bus routes.

In Parliament, I have always stood up for Bristol’s values. I’ve fought for bold action to tackle the climate emergency, voted against the Tory party’s cruel Rwanda scheme and fought for closer ties with the EU. I also tabled and voted for a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

You can read more about my successes as your MP on my website - www.debbonaire.co.uk.

If you re-elect me I promise to:

1. Take radical action to tackle the climate emergency.

2. Give our children the best start in life with free breakfast clubs and mental health support.

3. Support families in Bristol by tackling the Tory cost of living crisis

4. Tackle knife crime with a targeted programme to identify the young people at risk.

Bristol finally has the chance to make real change with me as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. You deserve to be represented at the heart of government by someone who can help transform Bristol and beyond for the better.

Carla Denyer is a renewable energy engineer who got into politics because she could see our country’s problems and wanted to roll up her sleeves and help fix them.

In 2021, she became Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, having led Bristol to make the first climate emergency declaration in Europe. She’s used her platform to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, more action on the climate emergency and protection of our NHS.

In 2019, Carla made a significant impact as the Green Party’s MP candidate in Bristol West. She not only came second but nearly doubled the Greens’ previous vote share, receiving the highest number of votes that the Green Party has ever received in a General Election outside of Brighton Pavilion.

As a councillor and campaigner, social justice is at the heart of Carla’s work. Whether on renters’ rights or access to public transport and key services, Carla consistently stood up for the people who need it the most.

I'm Samuel Williams, and I'm running to be your next Member of Parliament for Bristol Central. My grandmother came to the UK from Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation and worked in the NHS to help rebuild our nation following the Second World War. Growing up as a mixed-race, dyslexic boy from a single-parent home, I know the challenges many of us face. An experienced businessman and charity leader, I stood to be the Mayor of the West of England in 2021; and I'm here to be a voice for the unheard and underrepresented—a voice for a hopeful future and a thriving Bristol Central.

Bristol Central is full of potential, vibrant communities, and rich history. But under Labour's prolonged city, regional, and parliamentary leadership in Bristol Central, we've seen excessive spending and mismanagement. Projects like the failed Bristol Energy Company have wasted resources that could have been better used. I believe Labour has neglected our city's transport, education, and affordable housing needs.

As your representative, I will prioritise:

• Safeguarding our climate and green spaces: I am committed to environmental sustainability, preserving our green areas, and delivering an inclusive green economic transition.

• Improving local health care: Enhancing healthcare services and access for all residents, including innovations like Pharmacy First.

• Advocating for new housing: Ensuring the development of affordable and quality housing, and supporting first-time buyers.

• Empowering education: Investing in education for better opportunities for our youth, including supporting Special Education Needs provision.

• Backing our high street and boosting our economy: Supporting local businesses, investing in our high streets, and stimulating growth

n All candidates were invited by the Voice to submit statements for our election preview.

This election, let’s choose a brighter future for Bristol Central. Vote for change. Vote for me, Samuel Williams. Together, we can make Bristol Central thrive.

Carla Denyer (Green)

Samuel Williams (Conservative)

n ELECTION BRISTOL NORTH WEST

Caroline lives in Westbury Park, she trained as a PhD biomedical scientist and has over 20 years experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industry. She comes originally from Sheffield and has lived in Bristol for 8 years after moving here for work.

Caroline recently won a council seat in Westbury and Henleaze, taking the most votes in the ward, and now serving as Vice Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee. She was previously Lib Dem candidate for Mayor of Bristol, and a co-founder of "It's Our City Bristol" - the cross-party group that campaigned to abolish the role of Mayor.

Caroline is passionate about the NHS, improving access to services, as well as joining up health andx0 social care.

Caroline is using this election to champion Proportional Representation. It is profoundly unfair that under our First Past the Post election system, most of the votes cast do not count Britain is one of only two countries in Europe not to use some form of Proportional Representation, the other one is Belarus.

Caroline also recognises that the hard Brexit negotiated by the government has called considerable harm to our country, with skills shortages, and the rising cost of food, as well as medicines shortages and increased red tape for our businesses and agriculture. The Liberal Democrats have a 4-step plan to work towards re-entry into the Single Market, which starts with repairing our relationship with our European neighbours and having mutual recognition of qualifications.

Welcome to Bristol North West! You’ve not been part of our political journey these past seven years, so let me give you a quick recap.

I was first elected to be the Member of Parliament (MP) for this Labour-Conservative marginal constituency, to wide surprise, in 2017.

In 2019, the pollsters told us my time as the MP was to end, but I was re-elected! And now, in 2024, it’s time to go to the ballot boxes again.

From fighting Brexit and calling for more action on climate change to holding Prime Ministers and Chief Executives to account, being my constituents' Voice in Parliament has been a huge privilege.

As our Champion in Bristol for the area where I was born, raised and live in today, I’ve enjoyed running coffee mornings, pub politics, town halls and online discussions enormously. My local campaigns –on issues from bus lanes to protecting green spaces – have brought the community together.

These past seven years have, though, been in opposition. I’ve been able to call for change but not affect it. At this election, I hope to not just be re-elected as the local MP, but to be part of a new Labour government.

If that happens, I will be a member of the Cabinet, leading on public spending as deputy to the Chancellor. It will be the toughest job I’ve ever had, but with your help and support, I know we can bring the change this country so desperately needs together.

The only thing that won't change is my dedication to our constituency. You'll still have me fighting for local issues, visiting schools to deliver my public speaking masterclass and spending time with you in my coffee mornings and pub politics.

www.darren-jones.co.uk

I’m lucky to call Bristol North West home. In 2022, I led the successful It’s Our City Bristol campaign to remove the role of mayor, to help transform local democracy. We now have Green-led, cross-party collaboration in the council.

I’ve campaigned with Surfers against Sewage to stop sewage in our seas and rivers, and kayaked in the Bristol harbour to remove rubbish. We must make it easier to prevent pollution and reduce plastic waste..

“I’ve been chair of a Stoke Bishop Residents’ Association, helped litter pick in many of our communities, played hockey for Westberries and was part of a pub pool team.

I have a wide range of professional experience, including Business Development at the world-leading National Composites Centre, Marketing at Jobs 22, Political Research at South Gloucestershire Council, Journalism with BBC radio, and other independent media. More recently I was a Community Project Worker at Shirehampton Jobs, Training and Enterprise Hub."

“In May’s Bristol council election, more people voted Green than for any other party. You and your neighbours have shown you’re tired of the two old parties and are ready for real change. After losing half their councillors, the Conservatives can't win in Bristol North West. Labour are only offering more of the same, whereas the Green Party offers Real Hope and Real Change.

I am committed to:

- Clean up our seas and rivers

- Protect our NHS from privatisation

- Deliver free social care

- Stand up for renters’ rights

- Defend our Children's Future

- End the conflict in Gaza

My name is Laura Saunders and I am standing as the Conservative Party Candidate for Bristol North West at this year’s General Election.

I was born in Southmead Hospital and still live in Bristol with my husband. I first became interested in politics while at school and joined the Young Conservatives while at university where I studied Russian and other Slavonic languages. I have worked on all aspects of a political campaign and delighted to now be standing for elected office.

I have been lucky to have a varied and interesting career, including working at the British Library to fund myself while studying at university. At present I work in international relations and international development. My experiences during my many years in politics have shown me just what it takes to be a great MP, the skills needed, and the importance of a life in public service.

When not on the campaign trail I love reading, cooking, travelling, and learning languages. I currently have a Duolingo streak of 1,505.

My campaign in Bristol North West focuses on six key areas; improving local health care, campaigning for better public transport links throughout our city (both rail and bus), backing our local high streets (like Britain’s biggest and best high street – Gloucester Road) and keeping free car parking, making our communities safer, protecting our beautiful green spaces, and promoting more home building prioritising brownfield sites. I am also passionate about youth engagement and women’s political leadership.

Bristol is a fantastic city which I am proud to call my home and would love to have the opportunity to represent our area in the House of Commons and be a strong voice for Bristolians in Westminster.

Mary Page (Green)

Darren Jones (Labour)

Laura Saunders (Conservative)

Caroline Gooch (Lib Dem)

By-election after candidate is barred

VOTERS in Horfield will be taking part in a local by-election as well as the general election on July 4.

It comes after Labour’s Deborah Vittori, who was elected in May, was disqualified just 17 days later.

This was because she is a teacher employed in a Bristol City Council school. Teachers are permitted to become councillors but not at local authorities in which they hold paid positions in a council-run school.

Ms Vittori said in a statement after the decision to bar her that she did not know about this rule.

She said: “I am shocked, and absolutely gutted, to discover that, because of my job as a teacher in a local authority maintained primary school, the law will prevent me from serving the people of Horfield who put

their trust in me.

“Throughout my election campaign I spoke proudly of my role as a local primary school teacher.

“I was unaware that my teaching would end up disqualifying me from serving the public in another role, as elected councillor, and it is a great shame that this did not come to light earlier in the process.“

I have met so many amazing people in Horfield; it is a matter of deep regret that I won’t be able to represent them as a councillor.”

The council said it was the responsibility of party political groups and candidates’ agents to ensure they are eligible to stand.

Five candidates will contest the seat this time. Carole Johnson, who is standing for Labour, was a councillor for

Ashley ward from 2016 to 2021. She stood in St George West at the May elections but lost out to the Greens.

Anna Meares, the Green Party candidate, who also fought the seat in May, has lived in the

ward for five years and works on climate change projects for Somerset Council.

Sharon Scott, for the Conservatives, was a councillor for Westbury & Henleaze until May. She is married with two daughters and has worked in education for over 10 years. Before that she worked in the finance sector for 20 years.

Roxanne Lock is standing for the Lib Dems and Joan Molins for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Party. Both also stood for the seat in May.

The Greens are the largest party on the city council, with 34 seats, but need two more for an overall majority.

Bristol’s Labour group leader Tom Renhard holds the other Horfield seat.

Horfield ward is in Bristol North West Parliamentary constituency.

Deborah Vittori

New committee era begins at city council

THE committee system at Bristol City Council is up and running following the elections in May. Councillors met to elect members to key roles at the authority and vote for this year’s Lord Mayor.

Councillors voted to establish eight new Policy Committees and agree which members would hold the roles of Chairs and Vice Chairs for each committee.

The eight Policy Committee Chairs are:

• Cllr Lorraine Francis, Chair of the Adult Social Care Committee

• Cllr Christine Townsend, Chair of the Children and Young People Committee

• Cllr Andrew Brown, Chair of the Economy and Skills Committee

• Cllr Martin Fodor, Chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee

• Cllr Barry Parsons, Chair of the Homes and Housing Delivery Committee

• Cllr Stephen Williams, Chair of the Public Health and Communities Committee

• Cllr Tony Dyer (Leader of the Council) and Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee

• Cllr Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee

Each cross-party Policy Committee is responsible for project and policy decisions,

while the Policy Chairs role is to lead the work of each Committee and represent the committee at a local and regional level. Alongside the eight Policy Committees, councillors also appointed chairs to the SubCommittees, Regulatory Committees, and Other Committees:

• Cllr Abdul Malik, Chair of the Finance SubCommittee

• Cllr Tim Wye, Chair of the Heath Scrutiny Sub-Committee

• Cllr Rob Bryher, Chair of the Development Control Committee A

• Cllr Don Alexander, Chair of the Development Control Committee B

• Cllr Sarah Classick, Chair of the Public Safety and Protection Committee

• Cllr John Goulandris, Chair of the Public Rights of Way and Greens Committee

• Cllr Timothy Rippington, Chair of the Audit Committee

• Cllr Kye Dudd, Chair of the Human Resources Committee

• Cllr Fabian Breckels, Chair of the Licensing Committee

Cllr Tony Dyer was sworn in as the Leader of Bristol City Council. While addressing councillors in the chamber during his maiden speech, Tony said: “Each of you, as

decision makers within this council, now have the power to affect the lives of tens of thousands of Bristol residents, often, and I hope positively, but, given the financial, environmental and social pressures facing our city, there will be times when you will have to make tough decisions.

“All of us, as a collective body of powerful decision makers need to accept the great responsibility of ensuring those decisions are made in both a timely and informed manner and to the best of our ability. Our citizens deserve nothing less.”

Full Council also appointed Cllr Heather Mack as Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr Andrew Varney to the position of Lord Mayor with Cllr Paul Goggin taking up the role of Deputy Lord Mayor.

Following the result of a referendum in May 2022, the council has now adopted a new system of governance. The new Committee System has replaced the Mayoral and Cabinet model, and is led by 70 councillors, representing Bristol’s 34 wards. New decisions will be made by either Full Council, a committee, or council officers depending on the money needed to be spent/ saved and the number of wards effected. You can find out more on the council website.

A NEW LOOK FOR YOUR OLD KITCHEN THIS SUMMER

Call to stop sale of 'really sh*t food' in our city

A NEW action plan to halt rising obesity levels in Bristol could take a “system-wide approach” and oppose companies “selling really s*** food”. Public health experts believe systemic changes are needed in the wider Bristol region to help people reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Changes could be coming to school dinners and meals served in hospitals, after concerns about the quality and healthiness of this food. One council boss said companies were “perpetuating really poor diets”, and called for similar measures to antismoking policies.

Action will be coordinated across councils and NHS organisations that form the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care System. The plan was discussed during a meeting of the health and wellbeing board on May 23 at Bristol City Council.

Emily Moseley, a public

health registrar, said: “One in five children are living with overweight or obesity when they start school, and this increases to one in three by the time they leave school. This has a big impact on the NHS, as obesity is linked to a range of noncommunicable diseases.

“It’s possible that obesity could overtake tobacco and smoking as the biggest cause of preventable death. This impact isn’t felt equally across society, with lower income households facing multiple challenges in managing finances, making it harder to access nutritious food and opportunities to be physically active.”

She added there was a clear link between poverty and obesity. According to the council’s quality of life survey, the area with the highest level of people who are overweight and obese is Stockwood, followed by Brislington East, Henbury and Brentry.

She said: “There are a wide range of factors influencing an individual’s weight. Obesity isn’t based on willpower or personal responsibility. Our healthrelated behaviour and habits are influenced by our income, childhood and where we grow up."

One concern is that the cost of living crisis is making it harder for people in poorer parts of Bristol to access nutritious and healthy food. The solution could form something similar to how public health measures have reduced smoking rates, according to one council boss.

Hugh Evans, executive director of adults and communities, said: “This calls for quite a radical lobby, a strong voice, like an anti-smoking level strong voice, because this is one of the most unfair and healthwise damaging issues. The cynical exploitation of people via the selling of really s*** food, and that perpetuation of really

poor diets through commercial food production and sales, is something that we need to be getting quite strongly opposed to.”

One major issue is how thousands of schoolchildren are fed in Bristol.

Ped Asgarian, director at the Feeding Bristol charity, said: “There are a lot of innovative ways happening around the country that we can look at to provide better food to schools. A lot of caterers are not hitting basic food school standards. There’s no accountability and no auditing for that on a national level at the moment, which is a huge issue.

The charity runs an annual Food Justice Fortnight every summer. This year, from June 23 until July 5, there will be a range of workshops, farm tours and film screenings about food inequality in Bristol.

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Pretend Friends – more than just a band ...

A GROUP of parents at Bishop Road School who formed a fast folk band 18 months ago have recorded two EPs – Golden Lion and Bishopston Cowboy.

The band was formed in the Golden Lion when Ollie Edwards, Simon Bannister and Simon Muriel took part in an open mic session at the pub. They were later joined by Pete Johnson, Robin Gladman and Ryan Brooks.

They have named the band Pretend Friends but say: “Our name is ironic as through our music we have become great friends, we have a tight bond that goes beyond playing together and we can’t believe our luck that we have found each other

“Pretend Friends is more than a band; we’re a community: a bunch of actual mates with an infectious camaraderie on a musical journey and we can't wait to make new friends along the way.”

The band have gigged at the Lion, The Ardagh, Gallimaufry, and the Grain Barge.

Upcoming gigs are at the Tobacco Factory on July 21, ss Great Britain on July 25 and Gloucester Old Spot on September 28. Their aim is to play at Glastonbury one day. In the meantime they are putting the

Council appoints chief executive

A NEW interim chief executive has been formally appointed by councillors to run Bristol City Council as its top civil servant.

Paul Martin was given the job during an extraordinary full council meeting on June 3, which lasted less than five minutes. That followed an interview from a committee of councillors, held behind closed doors.

The chief executive of the council is politically neutral, unlike the leader of the council or a directly elected mayor, who are elected politicians in political parties. Mr Martin will be tasked with advising and supporting councillors on delivering their policy plans for the city.

Green Councillor Tony Dyer, leader of the council, said: “This has gone through a robust selection committee, with a cross-party membership. There was also the opportunity for all of the party group leaders to meet and discuss with Paul. The LGA

[Local Government Association] provided an independent person who assessed the process as being robust.”

Mr Martin was previously the chief executive of Wandsworth and Richmond-upon-Thames borough councils in London, and the chief executive for the Jersey government. He will manage the council through a period of transition, as the new committee system gets up and running.

Stephen Peacock, the former chief executive, is leaving the council for a new role as the chief executive of the West of England Combined Authority. He had been in the top job at the council for less than two years.

The chief executive is the council’s main policy adviser, manager and coordinator. Mr Martin is taking on the job on an interim basis, so might only be leading Bristol City Council for a short time, before a more longterm replacement is found.

finishing touches to six more songs so they can record an album. You can listen to their sound by asking your smart speaker to Play Bishopston Cowboy. Find out more at: https://linktr.ee/pretendfriends

Ukrainian school helps preserve culture

AMID the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Ukrainians in Bristol have taken a step to preserve their cultural heritage by establishing a school.

The initiative aims to ensure that future generations pass down and cherish Ukrainian traditions and language.

The Bristol Ukrainian School opened its doors on May 25 at the Ukrainian Hub at Westbury-on-Trym Methodist Church on Westbury Hill. Very much regarded as an ‘inclusive church’, the Methodist Church has held a Ukrainian Hub every Wednesday since hostilities began for refugees to learn English and integrate into the community. So it was fitting that the church would also provide the premises for the school and its young members.

Antonina Grebeniuk, the school’s founder, said: “This initiative marks an exciting moment for our Ukrainian community. Our aim is to create an enriching environment where children can immerse themselves in the beauty of Ukrainian heritage. Through lessons and playful activities, they will learn about traditions, history, and language, all while connecting with peers who share their native tongue.

The Ukrainian School Bristol has formed a partnership with the Ukraine Aid and Welfare Charity, also founded by Antonina and trustees William Maude-Roxby, Tetiana Bezsmertna, and Oleksandra Vereshchagina.

William Maude-Roxby said: “We are thrilled to witness the pride and joy that children experience when communicating in their own language. Our school serves as a vital hub for students to connect with their peers and maintain a strong bond with their cultural heritage.

“It’s truly inspiring to see the positive

impact on their sense of identity and community. But the Ukrainian School is not our only project that needs funding. There are other urgent and heartbreaking causes, such as the plight of premature babies in Ukraine who desperately need our support.”

The school is staffed by volunteers, many of whom are recent immigrants and refugees from Ukraine. These volunteers bring with them a deep understanding of Ukrainian culture and a passion for educating the younger generation. The curriculum is designed to be engaging and interactive, with a strong emphasis on storytelling, folk music, and traditional crafts.

Established as part of the educational aims of Ukraine Aid and Welfare, the school is keen to attract further volunteers, and would also welcome support from local businesses interested in ensuring its continued success. For further information, please see https://www.uaw.org.uk/ ukrainian-school/

Share buybacks for private limited companies

For private limited companies, share buybacks are commonly used where:

• a shareholder wants to exit a company on retirement;

• it has been agreed for a shareholder to move on from a company but the remaining shareholders are unable to fund a share purchase; or

• where a company is sitting on surplus cash and the reserves can be used to reduce a shareholding.

What is a share buyback?

A share buyback is where a company uses some of its distributable reserves to purchase some of its issued shares from a shareholder. After the shares are bought back they are usually cancelled, meaning the remaining shareholders are left with a larger share of the Company. Share buybacks are therefore commonly utilised as a form of exit strategy for an outgoing

shareholder.

What are the main benefits?

Where a private limited company buys back shares, rather than declaring a dividend, the cash in the hands of the selling shareholder can, subject to certain conditions being met, be treated as capital so liable to capital gains tax rather than income.

By utilising a company’s available distributable reserves, remaining shareholders may not have to secure external or personal funding in order to take control of a company and buy out retiring shareholders.

Risks of a share buyback being void

When implementing a share buyback, certain rules must be followed or the transaction will be void. If a buyback is void, the selling Shareholders would still legally own the shares and in theory would be entitled to any dividends declared since the

date of the void share Buyback. This could be particularly damaging to the remaining shareholders who try to sell a business at a later date only to find they have a void buyback agreement to deal with first.

Ensuring a buyback is not void. Review of articles of association – if the articles do not allow a buyback of own shares, the articles must be amended first. If the articles contain any preemption rights on share transfer, these must be adhered to or amended before the buyback can take place.

A buyback contract and shareholder approval – the shareholders will need to see a copy of the buyback contract and must approve the buyback in a general meeting or by written resolution. If the buyback is out of capital, an additional resolutions and transaction documents will be needed.

Funding the buyback – the company must have sufficient distributable reserves, or use its available capital to purchase the shares and they must be paid for at time of purchase. It is possible to structure a buyback over multiple tranches but careful drafting and tax advice is needed to achieve this.

Post-completion administration – following completion, the shares bought back must be cancelled or held in treasury, stamp duty may be payable, company registers must be updated and key documents must be filed with Companies House.

For advice on share buybacks or any other corporate requirements, please contact Grant McCall on 0117 973 3989, by email to info@amdsolicitors.com, or by attending one of our 4 Bristol offices.

Fairfield wins the Woodcock Shield

FAIRFIELD High School is the 2024 winner of the Woodcock Shield, Bristol's premier trophy for school football teams.

Fairfield won with a 1-0 victory at Ashton Gate over Blaise High School. Hundreds of families, students, staff and community members came along to cheer on the teams agt the home of Bristol City FC. Among those present were Bristol City Legends, including former players Geoff Merrick (pictured), Louis Carey and Scott Murray, who played in the Shield when they were at school, and who paid £350 for the stewards out of their own pockets! The Legends presented the Shield to the winning team.

This year has been incredible for Fairfield’s Year 10s, as they have been declared both Bristol and South Glos champions.

Jordan Goodchild, the school's director of PE, said: “I am so proud of our football stars who have been on a winning streak all year, showing time and time again such astonishing skill and determination, whilst managing to keep a cool head. To come away with the Woodcock Shield is a dream come true! Commiserations to Blaise High who

also played a great match and fought until the bitter end.”

Fairfield principal Edel Cronin said: “It was one of those events where we were

honoured to see our students achieve at the highest level, and to be sharing this experience with fellow colleagues is something I’ll always treasure.”

Photo: Paul Gillis

School of Sanctuary

MONTPELIER High School has received a School of Sanctuary Award.Pupils attended an event with the Lord Mayor, Councillor Andrew Varney, to celebrate with other schools that have the status.

The award recognises “good practice in fostering a culture of welcome, belonging and solidarity for those seeking safety”.

Montpelier High School operates a peer tutoring programme run by the charity Jacari in which sixth-formers volunteer to give language support to younger children who have recently arrived in the country.

At the award ceremony, some MHS students performed speeches and a song, both in English and in their home languages, sharing details of their own journeys - physical, emotional, and linguistic.

Underfall Yard market

AN outdoor market takes place at Underfall Yard this month. It will include up to 20 stalls from Bristol’s local traders at the historic habourside setting.

The market, on July 20 and 21, is the first new initiative for the yard since it was badly damaged by fire in May 2023.

The Trust has also welcomed back Loz Rush to the team in the new role as events and development manager following a spell of maternity leave.

Loz said “It’s great to announce this new initiative for the yard. We’ve already had strong interest and are calling out to traders who want to get involved to register their interest in the event. Anyone who’s interested can fill out a form or drop us an email at events@ underfallyard.co.uk and we’ll send more details.”

Underfall Yard Trust director Sarah Murray said: “For more than 150 years Underfall Yard has been the centre of trades, skills and crafts for Bristol Harbour. So we are excited to extend our space to the makers of Bristol and welcome them to the heart of Bristol’s Harbour. The market is scheduled to take place from 10am to 6pm on both days.

It takes two to tutu ...

CELEBRITIES are backing an anti-loneliness campaign from Flamingo Chicks, the dance organisation for sick and disabled children.

They are joining in It Takes Two to Tutu, in which they design tutus that are made up, one to fit the adult and one the child.

Among those taking part are Lorraine Kelly, Evie Pickerill and Andy Day from Cbeebies, Gladiator Fury (aka Jodie Ounsley), Angela Rippon, Amy Dowden, Briony May Williams, Michael Gunning, Lost Voice Guy, Carrie & David Grant, Jayne Middlemiss, Gail Porter, Olive Grey and Marcus Ramtohul.

The charity has launched the campaign after a survey to mark its tenth birthday revealed that many of Britain’s 1.8 million disabled children are lonely.

The poll, to mark the organisation’s 10th anniversary, indicates that 45% of disabled children feel lonely regularly and of those children, 15% feel lonely every single day. That means 270,000 disabled young people in the UK feel alone 365 days a year.

The tutus are the most beautiful creations, bursting with colour and contrast! Briony’s tutu for example features an array of cooking utensils offset with neon animal print. Amy Dowden’s tutu is made of shimmery pink sequins and features Welsh Dragons, daffodils and is edged with Breast Cancer ribbons. Fury’s

tutu features her signature blue braids, cochlear implants and is emblazoned with bright Gladiator hues of red and blue.

The tutus are now on sale at flamingochicks.org/tutus

Flamingo Chicks founder Katie Sparkes said: We’re hugely grateful to all our celebrities for taking part and helping us highlight this important issue.”

Flamingo Chicks, which campaigns to break down barriers to inclusion, wants more awareness of the loneliness felt by disabled children and their families.

The charity is also working to expand its dance class provision. Last year 11,589 disabled children and friends went through Flamingo Chicks’ classes across the UK.

Briony May with her pink tutu and swimmer Michael Gunning with his creation

n FROM YOUR COUNCILLORS

Redland: Martin Fodor and Fi Hance (Green Party)

The new Council

The city council appointed our colleague Cllr Tony Dyer as Leader of the Council to represent the authority with city partners. Cllr Heather Mack is the deputy leader. This was ratified by the Full Council at its annual meeting. At the same meeting the main policy committee chairs who will convene the decision making committees for the council were agreed. All the chairs will be meeting regularly with the leader and senior officers to coordinate matters that cross different committees. Whilst council finances are precarious and there are restricted budgets we hope that a Green-led administration will bring some positive changes to Bristol.

A new way of making decisions

Technically the council is in No Overall Control and the chair and vice chair positions of the policy committees were offered proportionally to all parties though not all took up places. Membership of all committees is also proportionate with nine councillors. Each meeting will have time for public forum contributions, so statements and questions relating to their agenda and petitions can be presented. A regularly updated forward plan is already in place to show what will be on committee agendas and the topics where officers are working up options for when decisions are scheduled. We're delighted to tell you that

among the committees Martin has been appointed chair of the council's Environment and Sustainability Committee which leads on climate and ecology issues plus recycling and clean air. Fi is our lead Green member on the Public Health and Communities Committee, which includes allotments [which are still pending a review after the last proposals were abandoned in April], parks and community development; she will also serve on the Avon Pension Fund.

New Area Committees

Our new Area 2 brings Redland ward together with Bishopston and Ashley Down, Westbury on Trym and Henleaze, and Stoke Bishop. As well as distributing local developer contributions to fund local projects there will be a new emphasis on local input to council decision making. We are waiting for news of the practical arrangements for this Area but plans for meetings are still being developed. We don't yet know what developer funds the new grouping of wards will have or the schedule for feeding in any projects but shall let you know when this is clear.

Planning delays

We're assured that the long delays affecting all planning applications across the city are rapidly being reduced. A few proposals - those between single homes and large

developments - have been sent direct to the government Planning service instead under the special measures that were imposed earlier this year. We're well aware how frustrating this has been for residents with even modest home improvement projects and other developers and we're hoping the service gets back to normal soon.

Electric vehicle charging

We've had many requests for news about electric vehicle charging facilities in areas where there aren't driveways. There's a mix of different charging points funded by different sources, nationally, regionally, and locally including some private facilities. We've been discussing ways to roll out more sites and options and hope to have more news soon about schemes that are in the pipeline.

Recycling and waste services under scrutiny

There are now some new schedules for the troubled waste and recycling service across the city. These amend some routes that were changed in autumn. We do hope these will finally end the frequent missed collections of recycling that's affected many streets in different parts of the ward, often for weeks at a time.

Please do let us know if you are experiencing repeated problems, as well as always reporting them on the Council website. Martin has been

discussing steps the council is taking to improve service reliability with the contract manager.

Weedkiller spraying

Some people have been in touch concerned about continued herbicide spraying of weeds in streets, including near schools. There is a commitment to reduce the use of Glyphosate but this hasn't made much progress. An opt out arrangement for streets who commit to keeping their street weed free is available - do contact us if you'd like to arrange this. We're hoping simpler options can be developed when the current contracts are revisited and a new scheme could be offered as part of a review with a decision offered to committee that will help reduce herbicide use.

General Election

You may have noticed there's an election on July 4th. Do check if your polling station has changed. At the recent local elections some streets were reassigned to new voting sites. Also don't forget you need voter ID if you're voting in person.

Fi: Cllr.fi.hance@bristol.gov.uk. Martin: Cllr.martin.fodor@bristol.gov.uk Fi: 0117 3534720. Martin 0788 4736101 Facebook.com/cllrmartin.fodor or / cllrfi.hance

Bishopston & Ashley Down: Emma Edwards and James Crawford (Green Party)

It’s been a busy time since the May election and we have hit the ground running with getting the new administration up and running in the Council. The new committee system has now started and we are setting the agendas for the next year. Emma will be sitting on the newly formed Transport and Connectivity Committee and James has a place on the new Environment and Sustainability Committee. We hope this new committee system will allow for more public engagement and more of a voice for communities. If you want to put in a question or public statement to any of the committees about any issue, please contact Emma or James to find out how, or visit the council’s website. We also want to hear from you about issues facing the ward, so do email us or visit us at one of our surgeries, held on the Second Friday of every month from 4pm to 5.45pm at the Quaker Meeting

House on Gloucester road.

Travellers on Horfield Common

Recently there was an upsetting incident on Horfield Common when a large group of travellers, evicted from the Downs turned up on Horfield Common. Travellers often use the common for short times and are usually no bother, but unfortunately, this group caused a lot of distress and damage. We immediately contacted the relevant officers and were able to work with them, and the police to deal with the situation swiftly. The incident also caused many problems for The Ardagh, forcing them to temporarily close. Due to the anti-social behaviour, the police were able to evict them after two days legally. A massive thank you to the officers, volunteers, and Ardagh staff who helped with the clear up operation. We have been in close contact with

the Ardagh and are meeting with them again soon to discuss ways to better secure the Common in future. The Ardagh is now back open for business and you can show them support by visiting or making a donation towards losses on their website.

248 Gloucester Road

Emma and James were pleased to see that the application for prior approval for complete demolition for the old bank building was rejected after James put in a comment objecting to the scheme, along with many local residents. The refusal was due to the developer leaving the building in its current state, which meant it didn't qualify for demolition. James says 'this is a step in the right direction, but there is still uncertainty over the future of this building and I'd like to see more

from the developer on their plans'. There is another application for the site which proposes demolition whilst retaining the existing facade, however, it doesn't indicate what the new development will look like, and so we will need to scruinise it further once the application is complete.

Ashley Down Road

We are delighted to say that the very large, and dangerous, pothole on Ashley Down Road has finally been fixed. We first reported it at the beginning of last year and while an initial patching took place in September, it in no way fixed the problem. We put further pressure on the officers to re-look at it and come up with a better solution and are pleased to announce it has now been fixed. The pothole was a concern for many, but especially cyclists.

n NEWS

The power of kindness

PUPILS in Years 3 and 4 at Redmaids’ High Junior School took part in a week of activities dedicated to kindness and compassion.

During lessons such as art, music, drama and dance, the girls were creative and reflective in thinking about how acts of kindness can have a big impact. Paying attention to their own actions and those of others, they recorded their kind deeds each day and then wrote them in a kindness diary.

In art, the girls looked at the image of The Khamsa and the Five Pillars of Islam. They looked at Islamic patterns, geometry and symbols and learned that the third pillar of Islam is Zakat; charity and giving to those in need. The girls created their own Khamsa paintings with symbols and decorative patterns.

The girls enjoyed learning about how music is used in

worship to show kindness in different world religions. They learned hymns linked to The Good Samaritan, a Jewish prayer song and composed their own kindness chants inspired by Buddhism.

The girls took part in a dance workshop led by Avtar’s Indian Culture & Dance, who taught the girls about the importance of community and serving others in Hinduism and Sikhism through traditional dance.

n M E S S AGE F R OM POLI CE AND CRIME C OMMISSIONER

I will be visible and accountable

IT’S a privilege to have been given the opportunity to serve the people of South Gloucestershire as your newly-elected Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset.

My commitment to you was to be visible and accountable to all residents of Avon and Somerset, and I intend to fulfil this commitment now I have taken up this role. I will also be focused on the twin challenges of reducing crime and raising public confidence in our police.

I bring a wealth of experience to the role, gained from working across different sectors. I served as a Member of the European Parliament for our area, I worked at the heart of government in No. 10 Downing Street, and I was a trade union officer for over 20 years.

Prior to being elected to the PCC role, I was co-chief executive of an equality and human rights national charity. These roles have

given me a good understanding of how institutions work, and effective strategies for getting things done.

As your PCC, I will be tireless in speaking truth to power, calling out the uncomfortable, and above all, I will work to build a safer future for everyone. To do this, I will be working with community partners, police staff and police officers to understand and address the challenges we face – I am eager to roll up my sleeves and get to work.

In my time running up to the elections, the people of Avon and Somerset made their most pressing priorities clear to me. I heard that people want to see a greater connection to their local neighbourhood police and for their police service to address and reduce violent crime, particularly knife crime and male violence against women and girls. I also heard how people would like prevention of crime to be a higher priority, for the police service and

to you

for others who run services within and for communities.

I am here to listen, and I am here to represent you. To do this, I need to truly understand how you feel and where you would like our police to prioritise their time and resources.

As I begin my term as your PCC, I will be getting out and about to hear from as many groups and individuals as I can across Avon and Somerset.

I’m also going to create a comprehensive Police and Crime Plan to address the evolving challenges in policing and to deliver lasting solutions.

I’m committed to actively listening to the concerns and priorities of residents – one way I will do this will be to run a public survey. The details for how you can take part will follow soon.

Please follow my office on our social media accounts for regular updates – you can find us

Finally, they were visited by a therapy dog called Roydon from the national charity Pets As Therapy (PAT). The girls met him in small groups and enjoyed his calming presence while they read him stories.

on Instagram, X, Facebook and LinkedIn – search ASPCC. I commit to being a PCC who stands for you, actively engaging with and understanding the diverse communities our police serve. Please reach out to me and my office with any concerns or suggestions you may have. For more information visit www.avonandsomerset-pcc.gov.uk.

Help keep Kellaway Pharmacy open

KELLAWAY Pharmacy is not just a part of the NHS; it's a vital pillar of our community's healthcare system. It's a place that provides care for everyone and is open to everyone. We take pride in being the standard-bearers of the NHS values. However, the situation is becoming increasingly dire for us and our local colleagues as community pharmacies across the country are closing at an alarming rate. Recent reports now put that rate at 10 closures a week.

Why? Community pharmacies, most of them independents like ours, face a daily perfect storm of rapidly declining government funding, which no longer covers the cost of our service while carrying the burden of high inflation. The increased cost of operating a dispensing pharmacy means we are left subsidising our NHS service, which is neither fair nor sustainable. Add to all this the daily workload of managing medicine shortages.

Does it matter if we close? The answer is a resounding yes. When a pharmacy shuts its doors, it has far-reaching effects on our communities, particularly on vulnerable

groups such as older people, individuals managing long-term health conditions, including those living with and caring for those with disabilities, young families, and most especially, those who don't have the means to travel to a pharmacy that is further away. It is not only regular users that are impacted, but the entire fabric of our community is at risk.

Worse, it puts more pressure on the other local NHS and social care providers, including local pharmacies and GP Surgeries. More people seeking help, with fewer access points and appointments, only worsens things. The evidence is that it will widen health inequity and exacerbate the pressures on the NHS.

Despite the challenges, we are heartened by the unwavering support from our patients and the community. Your role in ordering and waiting to collect your prescription orders on time, as well as your courteous interactions with our team, all help to significantly reduce pressures, even putting smiles on our faces. Your support is not just appreciated; it's crucial to our operations.

We are proud that opportunities like the

(adults and children aged 1 year & above) SINUSITIS

(adults and children aged 12 years & above)

INFECTED

(adults and children aged 1 year & above)

(adults and children aged 5 years & above)

SHINGLES

(adults aged 18 years & above)

URINARY TRACT INFECTION

(women, aged 16 to 64 years)

BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS

(children aged 30 days to 2 years)

IMPETIGO

(adults and children aged 1 year & above)

new NHS Pharmacy First service are making a positive difference. This service allows us to prescribe antibiotics where appropriate, guided by sensible and safe use, also better inform people about managing symptoms and when to return for treatment.

Did you know that all patients through this service receive in-house care and NHS treatment as appropriate? The ability to refer urgently to the GP when the surgery uses the NHS Community Pharmacy referral pathway also means a quicker, safer, easier patient care journey.

This is just the start of what is possible. Our team will change over time, but we are optimistic that Kellaway Pharmacy, with your continued support, can build a brighter future for healthcare in our community.

n NEWS

Shop can keep licence

A CORNER shop in St Werburghs has kept its alcohol licence despite getting caught selling suspected stolen wine. In January police found 16 bottles of wine on sale from shops such as Tesco, Lidl and M&S.

St Werburghs Food & Wine, on the corner of Mina Road and York Street, was also found to have illegal vapes, although managers denied these were on sale. The shop’s premises licence has now been updated with stringent conditions, and can continue selling alcohol.

Licensing officers told a hearing at Bristol City Council that the shop was not a “problem premises”, and the incident appeared to be a one-off. Councillors were told that the shop had made a mistake,

Stewart Gibson, a licensing consultant representing the shop, said: “The branded wine that ended up in the store was purchased by a member of the team, who thought it would be acceptable to do so. Once that was brought to their attention, that member of staff no longer works for the business. He was removed from the team. The gentlemen here are apologising that that took place.

“With disposable vapes, there’s a limited amount of knowledge out in the field and the industry about what you can and can’t do. These gentlemen believed what they were told by the wholesaler that they were legal. They purchased them with limited knowledge but in good faith.”

He added that a member of the public informed shop staff that the vapes were illegal, at which point they were taken off display and put into storage. The staff “hoped to return” the vapes to the wholesaler, but this hadn’t occurred before the police inspected the premises.

Louise Mowbray, a police licensing officer, said: “

Accepting suspected stolen wine comes with risks. The provenance of that wine hasn’t been tested, we don’t know what’s been in that wine. We could be potentially putting members of the public at risk.

“In this instance I think this may be a bit of a learning curve, there’s been some changes in place since we’ve been in there.”

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

n NATURE WATCH

with Dawn Lawrence

Ten years of urban wildlife observations

IT is ten years since I began writing about our urban wildlife on these pages and to celebrate (and because I almost missed this month’s deadline…) I am recycling a column from my first year.

In a well-balanced ecosystem every pest has its predator and some of our favourite garden visitors think of those pests as lunch! Blue tits and great tits prefer to feed their young on caterpillars at first, then later they will move on to aphids. We once found a thrush’s anvil in our garden; a large angular stone against which the song thrush had been busy breaking the shells of snails plucked from our flower beds. In return for those snails, he sings us his tuneful and inventive song. Slugs are much less palatable to birds, though once, in a dry spell, we watched a blackbird wiping a big slug against a brick to remove the slime before gulping it down with a look of distaste in his beady yellow eye. However, the violet ground beetle loves the taste of wet slug on a cold morning. These beautiful beetles have black wing cases tinged with violet with a shining edge when they catch the light. Certain species acquire an undeserved notoriety amongst gardeners. Some dislike the

rose chafer beetle because of its reputation for eating rose petals and, in the words of one disapproving gardener, “because they do buzz so!” For me their buzzing is a pleasant musical accompaniment to warm summer days, but it is true, they will nibble roses as part of their diet. However, they also are brilliant at making compost – this is junior beetle’s job. Find a big fat grub in your compost heap? Think, “oh yuk!”

Garden House

or maybe even, “hmm... perhaps sauté with garlic and ginger?” Stop! This ugly grub is no idle squatter, it is busily turning your garden waste into valuable compost. And then it will turn itself into a sparkling metallic green beetle and go and fly into a garden wall and land upside down on the pavement, where it will catch your eye as it lies there wriggling its golden-rose underbelly (they’re not great fliers!). So please, don’t crush it: pick it up and place it on a flower. It’s done sterling work making compost for most of its life, surely we can spare it a few bites of rose petal in return during its few weeks of adult life.

Now, I can’t claim that installing a couple of tit boxes in your garden will sort out your aphid problems and nor will the ground beetles ever eradicate all the slugs but it is worth choosing a specific molluscide to apply to your slugs, and an aphidicide for your roses rather than a wide spectrum pesticide which will kill off your ground beetles and ladybirds as well as your slugs and aphids. And it is worth installing a bird box for the tits, if only for the sheer pleasure of watching them!

© Dawn Lawrence

A rose chafer on hogweed. Photograph by Rupert Higgins Photo: Rupert Higgins

Kicking off new event

ST Peter’s Hospice is launching a new event — the Bristol Women's five-a-side fundraiser.

The charity has teamed up with Bristol Rovers Women's FC and Bristol Rovers Community Trust for the competition at Lockleaze Sports Centre on July 17.

Officials at the tournament will include staff from the Rovers Women's squad and development college, with a few Gas Girls players also in attendance!

Entry costs £160 for a team of five players and three rolling subs, refreshments included. Proceeds will be split equally between the hospice and the Rovers Community Trust.

Get involved: https:// ow.ly/1SbZ50ShKvh

How wealth affects health

PEOPLE living in the richest parts of Bristol live for a decade longer on average than those in the poorest parts. Men in Lawrence Hill have the lowest life expectancy of 72 years, while men in Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze have the highest at 83.

Women tend to live longer than men. The area with the lowest life expectancy for women is in Hartcliffe and Withywood, at 79 years, while the highest is in Clifton, at 88.

Both men and women in Bristol live shorter lives than the English average, according to the latest data in the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. This is put together by Bristol City Council and the local NHS integrated care board, detailing the city’s health needs.

The JSNA says: “People in Bristol are living longer. However, the last three years have seen a slight decrease in life expectancy due to effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Compared

n HISTORY with JULIAN LEA-JONES

WHEN we look at human affairs with hindsight, it usually makes us all very clever, and it is sometimes possible to identify a key ‘what if’ moment. The following events relate to a momentous one, and one wonders what a different sort of place the world would be today if the events I am about to recount had panned out differently.

The Dinwiddies were a Glasgow merchant family whose son Robert went to university. Robert became a colonial administrator and in 1724 was appointed Royal Collector of Customs for Bermuda. Meanwhile in New Providence (now the Bahamas), their Governor was Bristol’s famous Woodes Rogers, (his commemorative blue plaque can still be seen on the west side of Queen Square). Illness forced his return to England, providing an opportunity for Robert Dinwiddie, who had a reputation for probity, shrewdness and understanding of the colonists’ problems, including their desperate need for coinage. Horace Walpole offered him a new post: Surveyor-General of

Customs for the whole of the Southern District of the American Colonies and the Bahamas. This meant that after sixteen years in Bermuda, he took over from Woodes Rogers in 1742 before becoming Virginia’s LieutenantGovernor. Although he had a generally harmonious relationship with the colonists and the governing council, upholding of the Royal prerogative caused problems. Each time he certified a land patent a quit rent imposed on the land grant. His insistence on the payment of this tax to the amount of a Spanish Pistole, (a coin worth about £1), indicated a serious lack of judgment. This action was an event that added to the colonists many grievances that precipitated the war for independence.

At that time many were expressing anxieties about the strong possibility of an impending ‘bloody war’ with the French. One problem was that he could see that these tracts lay across the French’s own line of expansion which ran from Canada to their Louisiana settlements. An

to 2019, male life expectancy in Bristol is 1.2 years shorter, and female life expectancy is 0.2 years shorter.

“It is possible to extend life expectancy if people adopt healthy lifestyles, if improvements are made to the wider determinants of health such as employment, and if vulnerable people are supported through their life, for instance by averting and mitigating the impact of adverse childhood experiences.”

Men in Bristol can expect to live for 77.8 years, just below the English average of 79.3 years. Women can expect to live for 82.7 years, slightly lower than the English average of 83.1 years. Data on life expectancy among different ethnic groups is not possible to estimate, due to a limited amount of personal details recorded on a death certificate.

Areas where people live longer lives include Stoke

advocate of British expansion into the west, he employed a young lieutenant to survey the state of the Ohio River forts and enemy’s strengths. So impressed by the courage, acumen and comprehensiveness of his report that he promoted him to lieutenant colonel, whose name was George Washington. The rest as they say, ‘is history’. The pressures of office and the war badly taxed Dinwiddie's health and at his own request he was relieved of office in 1758, and together with his wife and two daughters returned to Bath for his health before dying July 27th 1770 in Bristol. His memorial plaque was in St Andrews Parish church in Clifton, until destroyed by second world war bombing. My thanks to the late Marguerite Fedden for her copy of his memorial.

Thus representing a true ‘hinge moment’ in human history. Suppose Robert Dinwiddie hadn’t given that young lieutenant that promotion and opportunity for leadership, would the world be a different place?

© Julian Lea-Jones

Bishop, Cotham, and Bishopston and Ashley Down. Areas where people live shorter lives include Southmead, Filwood, and St George West. There is a clear link between poverty levels and shorter life expectancies, shown in the data.

Across England, life expectancy had been steadily rising since the 19th century, until 2011, according to the King’s Fund, a health think tank. Increases then slowed, due to a range of causes including deadlier strains of flu viruses circulating over the last decade, as well as austerity.

A major part of the difference between why women live longer than men, and why people in richer areas live longer than poorer areas, is due to differences in smoking rates. Other factors include diet, access to healthcare, income, education, housing and employment.

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

2024

COPY OF INSCRIPTION ON ROBERT DINWIDDIE'S MONUMENT

In this Church are deposited the Remains of ROBERT DINWIDDIE, Esq. formerly Governor of Virginia.

Who Deceased July 27th 1770 in the 78th years of his Age.

The Annals of that Country will testify

With what Judgement, Activity, and Zeal he exerted himself In the Public Cause

When the whole North American Continent was involved in a French & Indian War

His Rectitude of Conduct in his Government And integrity in other Public Employments

Add a lustre to his Character which was revered while he lived

And will be held in estimation whilst his Name survives

His more private Virtues and the amiable social qualities he possessed

Were the happiness of his numerous Friends and Relations,

Many of whom shared his Bounty

All lament his Loss

As his happy Dispositions for domestic Life

Were best known to his affectionate Wife & Daughters

They have, Erected this Monument

To the Memory of his Conjugal and Paternal Love

Which They will ever cherish and revere

With that Piety and Tenderness He so greatly merited. Farwell Blest Shade, no more will Grief oppress Propitious Angels guide Thee to thy Rest.

n COMMUNITY NEWS

WESTBURY ON TRYM SOCIETY

AT the Westbury Society’s recent AGM, Hilary Long retired as current Chairman and handed over to Andy Renshaw. Hilary has been a founder member of the Society since its inception in 1972 and has been Chairman twice during the last 20 years.

During her time as Chairman, she ensured the wonderful flower displays in the village continued despite all the various problems that have occurred. She has been involved in many campaigns to help to retain local amenities and to stop harmful developments. By her own reckoning her greatest achievement was leading a campaign to prevent the boundary commission subsuming Westbury’s historic village into Henleaze as part of that ward. Instead, it became the first named in a twoward partnership.

‘A longstanding partnership’ is the manner in which she would like her work to be regarded –“None of it would have been possible without the hard work of a small team of active members in their various roles and the support of the membership for the bigger

projects”, she said today “ above all I thank my life partner, husband Bill for all his back-up, participation and patience for these many years!” She has been at the forefront of work to tidy the centre of the village, working monthly along with colleagues from SUSWOT, to maintain the Packhorse Garden in Chock Lane and was hugely involved in development of the new entrance to Canford Park where the five trees were donated by other organisations and individuals to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. Canford has benefitted from bulb planting and work in the sunken garden from work with the Society’s gardening team. With Keith Sheather, 15 years ago, she masterminded the production of a film celebrating the history of the village (now available on YouTube).

As a representative member of the Society, Hilary is now a Trustee of the Village Hall, where in the past she produced many entertainments with historical themes and inspiration to help in raising funds for its restoration. Just two years ago, she organised a lunch and Gilbert and Sullivan

n VINEYARD NEWS with INGRID BATES

Society concert to celebrate the Society’s 50th anniversary, which was a great success. She created many different forms of decoration of the hall for these events and has continued with these each Christmas time.

Although now retired from leadership, Hilary will continue to organise activities for the Society including a new programme of evening talks at the library and gardening (plus weeding!) around the village. An oak tree for King Charles III in Canford Park will complete her contributions this autumn and hopefully a long planned Civic Society history plaque will celebrate the famous William Canynge’s life at the College in the 15th century later this year.

New chairman, Andy Renshaw noted that there have only been four chairpersons during the Society’s history and it remains as relevant today as it was when it was set up. Andy is delighted that since the AGM two additional members have been co-opted onto the committee to help manage the Society’s work.

The Society will face challenges

in a number of areas over the next few years:

• Maintaining the much loved flower displays in the village which so many visitors enjoy;

• Helping to make Westbury a more attractive place to visit for shopping doing business and leisure –using our history to greater advantage, campaigning for public toilets and liaising with the businesses and other groups, such as SusWoT.

• Continuing to engage with the council over planning matters, traffic issues, park maintenance and trees;

• Working to mitigate the impact of additional traffic that the housing developments in South Gloucestershire, off Cribbs Causeway, will bring; and

• Restoring membership numbers, which reduced following Covid times and encouraging more participation in Society activities from members of the community.

On that note Andy would be delighted to welcome new members. You can find out more and obtain a membership form on the Society’s website: westburyontrymsociety.org.uk

Our 2022 fizz wins a bronze medal

IT’S been quite chilly recently which isn’t really ideal but isn’t a huge problem either. The vines look a bit pale and sad when the temperature drops below 15oC but they soon perk up as soon as the temperature rises. Looking at them now, they are covered with big flowers that have the potential to become a lot of grapes. The flowers are on standby, all prepped and ready to open as soon as we get a warm day. Once they take the plunge and open, it’s crucial we get several days of good weather to ensure every little flower becomes a little grape. A nice warm, dry week with little to no wind would be ideal!

After an initial quiet period while the hedgerow birds were busy caring for their young, we’ve had a flurry of noise and sound again this week. The new fledglings have been emerging from their nests and taking their first tentative flights amongst the relative safety of the vineyard trellis. Really lovely to see and hear.

On the wine front, we have news of a competition win! We entered our 2022

sparkling white into the Independent English Wine Awards and it has won a bronze medal. A great achievement for a wine that’s relatively young. We released three new fizz recently which are all from the 2022 vintage. Over time, all these wines will subtly change in their flavour profile the longer they are in the bottle.

hello@dunleavyvineyards.co.uk

www.dunleavyvineyards.co.uk

@DYvineyards (X/Twitter) dunleavy vineyards (Facebook & Instagram)

How to be cool this summer

THE weather in England has been all over the place so far this summer – but if the mercury does shoot up and we’re roasting in some balmier temperatures, what should we wear to keep cool?

Working in an office or rushing from A to B in order to get through a busy day means you could be hot under the collar come July and August.

However, there are some simple changes to your daily outfits that you can adopt that will help you cope with the heat.

First off, think about the choice of fabric you wear.

Natural fibres offer more breathability than man-made options. So, avoid polyester and nylon, which keep the heat in, and opt for linen and cotton. Even light jersey clothing can be more comfortable.

If you’re not keen on linen, and think the creases look too relaxed for formal workwear, find garments with a linen blend for less wrinkles.

Switch up heavy denim to chambray or cotton cargo trousers; or lose jeans and trousers altogether and pick up a pair of the longer-length shorts that are in fashion this summer.

Pictured is a suit from John Lewis, just one of many stores offering co-ordinated tailored and softer fabric pieces.

I’ve seen quite a few relaxed shirts and short co-ord combos for men while I’ve been doing personal shopping.

Lastly, wearing light layers is important –think strappy and floaty cotton maxi dresses, loose-fitting skirts and shorts, and palazzostyle trousers. Full skirts are a key look for summer ‘24, and wide-leg trousers sporting large prints are all the rage this year.

For more ideas on the latest shopping ‘finds’ follow me at @gailpainter on Instagram.

Not sure what to wear or how to wear it? Email your fashion and style questions to info@notgivinin.com and look out for the answers in future issues of the Voice.

www.notgivinin.com

Clevedon Salerooms, The Auction Centre, Kenn Road, Kenn, Clevedon,

Edwardian diamond bracelet Sold for £3,400

Andrew Beer, (1862-1954) - Oil on canvas –'Easter Old Bird Fly' Sold for £4,500

Pinstripe waistcoat, shorts and blazer, with heels, from John Lewis.

n NEWS

Museum set to host silent disco Harbour swims are back

THIS summer, everyone’s invited to put on their glad rags for a Silent Disco at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery.

Taking place in the great halls of the stunningly lit up museum on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 July, the Silent Disco nights will feature three DJs playing hits from the 80s, 90s and 00s.

Party goers will get a wireless headset and then can choose the channel they play, so, if a song comes on that they don’t want to dance to, they can simply change the channel.

Philip Walker, head of culture and creative industries at Bristol City Council, said: “These silent disco nights will be so much fun with the added bonus that they are taking place in such a beautiful building. If you love dancing to some musical greats come along - whether on your own or with friends - you are welcome to create your own soundtrack for the night with a choice of DJs to tune into. From Queen and Madonna to Prince and Wham, there will be plenty to get you onto the dance floor.”

There is a choice of an early or late session on each of the disco nights taking place on 12 and 13 July – from 7.30pm to 10pm or from 10.30pm to 1am.

As there will be a fully stocked bar on site all night, this is an 18+ event and ID may be requested on entry.

BOOKS

General tickets cost £21 and VIP tickets cost £26.50, which includes advanced priority entry and a disco essential pack including a light up foam baton.

To find out more and book your tickets, go to www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/silentdisco.

Bristol Museums, which includes Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, M Shed, The Georgian House Museum, The Red Lodge Museum and Blaise Museum, run a full programme of events. Find out what’s on at www.bristolmuseums.org. uk/whats-on.

Mornings in Jenin

WE start in 1941, in the village of Ein Hod in Palestine, at the beginning of the olive harvest. We meet Yehya & Basima Abulheja and their two sons Hasan & Darweesh. Hasan has a best friend Ari a German Jewish refugee. They teach each other words in Arabic, German and English and learn to respect each other’s culture and traditions. Hasan meets Dalia, the daughter of a Bedouin, attracted by her beauty and her fierce independent spirit. They marry and have three children, Yousef, Ismael & Amal. When Yousef is 4, he accidentally drops six month old Ismael, whose face is left with a permanent scar, by a nail on the crib. The family’s peaceful life is shattered in 1948, by the declaration of the state of Israel. Israeli soldiers attack Ein Hod, killing Dalia’s father, paralysing Darweesh and capturing Ismael. The Israeli soldier who steals Ismael from his mother is called Moshe. He

steals Ismael for his wife, Jolanta, a German Jew, who is desperate for a child, after being made barren, as a result of being repeatedly raped by the SS. Her mother, father, brothers and sisters were all killed in the death camps. Ismael is renamed as David after Jolanta’s father. Amal and her mother are moved to a refugee camp in Jenin. Hasan goes missing and Yousef is imprisoned and tortured by the Israelis. Upon his release, Yousef leaves his family to join the Palestine Liberation Organisation. In 1973, Amal travels to Philadelphia to start a new life as a student at Temple University, where she is known as Amy. Yousef meanwhile is teaching children in the Sabra & Shatila refugee camps in Lebanon. Amal journeys to Beirut where she meets and falls in love with a doctor called Majid. They marry but their domestic bliss is shattered by the Israeli invasion of Lebanon with tragic consequences for their family.

by Susan Abulhawa

This is a haunting and heart wrenching novel, telling the story of one families struggle to survive, over a period of 60 years covering 5 countries and 4 generations. It is a story of faith, forgiveness and love and loss but above all it is a testament to the strength and resilience of the Palestinian people, and their determination to have a state of their own. Y ou can find this novel, along with many others at Bishopston Library. Please come and visit us at 100 Gloucester Road, and obtain a library card, giving you free internet access and the opportunity to borrow from a catalogue of over two million books. You will be assured of a warm welcome.

Review

by Bob Deacon of Bishopston Library

OPEN water swimming has returned to Bristol’s Floating Harbour.

The swim sessions, which follow a successful trial last year, are overseen on behalf of the city council by All Aboard Watersports and take place every Saturday and Sunday between 8am and 10am.

The cost is £7.50 per person, which covers the planning and running of the sessions including the provision of water safety measures.

The designated course starts at Baltic Wharf just off Cumberland Road, near All Aboard’s Centre. The water quality is tested weekly to make sure it meets bathing water standards.

Further details are available on All Aboard Watersports' website.

Outside these times and route, swimming in the harbour remains prohibited.

Bishopston Library opening Hours:

Monday (1pm-7pm)

Tuesday ( closed) Wednesday (11am-5pm) Thursday (11am-5pm) Friday (11am-5pm) Saturday (11am-5pm)

Sunday (closed)

Saturday June 29

n CAR BOOT SALE at Redland Green School, 1-4pm. Community event with live music and refreshments. Organised by the PTA. For further information, contact RGSPTA@redlandgreen. bristol.sch.uk

Friday July 5

n WESTBURY SINGERS concert, ‘The Deep Rolling Sea’, songs and ballads celebrating the Ocean (and Love) 7.30pm in Westbury Village Hall, BS9 4AG. Tickets £10, For info visit wotsingers@gmail. com.

July 12th and 26th

n COFFEE AND CRAFT will continue to meet at Horfield Baptist Church at 10.30 (until 12.15) on the following Friday morning. Everyone is welcome, bring your craftwork and enjoy time talking and working on it with others from our Community'

July 12th and 26th

August 9th and 23rd

n COFFEE AND CRAFT will continue to meet at Horfield Baptist Church at 10.30 (until 12.15) on the following Friday morning. Everyone is welcome, bring your craftwork and enjoy time talking and working on it with others from our Community.

REGULAR EVENTS

Monday

n SHARED READING AT ST PAUL’S LIBRARY. Meet and connect with others Mondays 2pm – 3.30pm. St Paul’s Learning Centre, 94 Grosvenor Road, Bristol BS2 8XJ. Email: support@thereader.org.uk

n REDLAND WIND BAND has vacancies for some woodwind, brass and percussion players. This friendly group meets 7.30-9.30pm at Redland Church Hall, Redland Green. Contact via email on redlandwindband@gmail.com

n DICKENS SOCIETY. 7pm, at Leonard Hall, Henleaze URC, Waterford Rd, Bristol BS9 4BT. Talks,

costumed readings, book club and social events. See www.dickenssociety.org.uk or phone Roma on 0117 9279875.

n PLAY BOWLS at Canford Park in a friendly, social atmosphere. Qualified coaches and equipment provided. Contact: Les on 07305695579

n WESTBURY AND CLIFTON

AREA DISCUSSION GROUP are a merry band of retired people who meet at Westbury on Trym Baptist Church every Monday morning (9.45) and like to challenge ourselves with topical debate on what’s happening in the world. If you would like to join and help to solve some of today's challenging issues, contact James Ball 01454 415165 or Ian Viney 0117 9501628.

n BRISTOL COMMUNITY

GAMELAN play the music of Java at Cotham School from 6.30-8.30. We play by numbers – only 1-6, without the 4 ! So no auditions, no need to read music. If you fancy a different musical experience, contact us via email on keithripley27@gmail.com

n WESTBURY ON TRYM WOMEN'S INSTITUTE meets on the third Monday of the month in the Westbury Village Hall, Eastfield Road, BS9 4AG, from 2.00 - 4.00 pm. We have interesting speakers, and extra activities of crafts, lunch club, skittles and outings. For more information call Sascha on 07961619806 or Traci on 07766073917

Monday and Tuesday

n PILATES classes at the Northcote Scout Hall: Mondays 9.30am (Improvers), 10.30am (Mixed ability); Tuesdays 9.30am (Improvers), 10.30am (Beginners). £8.50 per class booked as a course, or £12 single sessions. Small classes, that must be booked in advance. Full details at www. mindbodypilates.org. Contact: Leanne 07817189474 / leanne@ mindbodypilates.org

Tuesday

n THE ARTS SOCIETY BRISTOL LECTURE welcomes new members. Our lectures, given by specialists in their own field, take place on the second Tuesday of the month from September to May at 8pm at Redmaids' High BS9 3AW and by internet. For more information visit our website www. theartssociety-bristol.org.uk

n BRISTOL HARMONY WEST GALLERY CHOIR and band sing and play lively church and village

music from the 18thcentury. St Edyth’s Church Hall, St Edyth’s Road, Sea Mills, 7.30 pm on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month. All voices (SATB), string, wind and reed instruments welcome. No auditions but ability to read music helpful. www.bristolharmony. wordpress.com or call Fritjof 0117 924 3440. Contact before attending.

n POETRY UNLIMITED – poetry circle meet on the First Tuesday of every month 11am - 12 midday. Basement Room, Café Kino, 108 Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1 3RU. £2.50 - £3.00 donation towards the cost of the room. Bring a couple of poems to share, other poets or your own. Contact Dee: wetwo@ gentlyblown.co.uk Web: www. poetryunlimitedbristol.weebly.com

n COMPANION VOICES BRISTOL

We are a 'threshold choir' looking for new people to join us. We meet in Easton on the 3rd Tuesday of the month from 7 to 9 pm to learn songs by ear and build skills in sensitivity/compassion/ loving presence to sing at the bedsides of people nearing the end of life. To join/support us in this work, contact Valerie on bristol@companionvoices. org. Visit www.facebook.com/ CompanionVoicesBristol and www. companionvoices.org.

Tuesday and Saturday

n BRISTOL HF RAMBLING CLUB

We are a friendly sociable club with a variety of walks. We have 2 Tuesday walks of either 8-9 miles or 5-6 miles. On Saturdays we have varying length walks including a hill walk eg Brecon Beacons once a month. If you would like more information please visit our website.

Wednesday

n WELCOME WEDNESDAY

Friendly and free coffee afternoon on the last Wednesday of the month, 2-3.30pm at The Beehive Pub, Wellington Hill West, BS9 4QY. Meet new people, have fun, and find out what’s happening in your local area. Call 0117 435 0063 for more information.

n 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 Tania by email at tanialake@yahoo.co.uk

n SWIFTS INCLUSIVE SPORTS swimming sessions are for adults 18+ with any type of disability (hoist available) on Wednesday evenings from 7-8pm. £5 per session at Henbury Leisure Centre. Contact Karen Lloyd at 07734 335 878.

n GOLDEN HILL WI Meets the first Wednesday of every month. 1-3pm. Golden Hill Sports Ground, Wimbledon Rd, BS6 7YA. A vibrant, lively new afternoon WI in BS6. We have an exciting and varied programme to offer to members. Visitors and new members will be given a warm welcome. For more information contact Pam Scull at goldenhillwi@gmail.com.

n HEALING SESSIONS Spiritual Healing is available from 2pm to 3.30pm by the accredited healing team at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Just turn up or or visit www. westburyparksc.org

n OPEN DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE

For those interested in developing their spiritual awareness and mediumistic ability. 7.15 for 7.30 start at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Just turn up or or visit www. westburyparksc.org

n BRISTOL VOICES COMMUNITY CHOIR welcomes new members at any time. We meet at 7.30pm in St Werburghs Primary School during term time. See www.bristolvoices. org.uk for details.

Thursday

n HEALING FOR WELLBEING Feel more relaxed, peaceful, calmer. Drop-in at Redland Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE. NEW TIME 3.30 to 4.45 pm. Donation basis. Supported by Healing Trust members. Contact Selina 0117 9466434 or selinanewton@yahoo. co.uk for dates and information.

n BISHOPSTON COMMUNITY

CHOIR Meet on Thursday evenings, 7.30pm to 9.00pm at Horfield Baptist Church, 160a Gloucester Road, Bishopston BS7 8NT. Everyone welcome, no audition necessary. Contact us via email on bishoproadchoir@gmail.com

n HENLEAZE LADIES’ CHOIR Join us as we fill St Peter’s Church Hall in Henleaze with a diverse selection of music. We are a friendly choir and meet on Thursday afternoons in term time from 1.45 to 3.45. There are no auditions, and the ability to read music is not necessary. Contact Jeanette on 9685409 or Jane on 07752 332278

n HENBURY SINGERS

RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS. We meet each Thursday 7.30-9.15pm at Stoke Bishop CE Primary School, Cedar Park BS9 1BW. We perform sacred and secular music under our conductor Andrew Kirk. No auditions. See our website www. henburysingers.org or contact the secretary at secretary@ henburysingers.org

n HIGHBURY BADMINTON

CLUB: Pete Stables 0117 950 1524 or www.pete4458.wixsite.com/ highburybadminton Thurs 7:30pm mid September to End April, Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall

n ENJOY SCOTTISH DANCING

aLooking for a new hobby? Join us for fun, fitness and friendship (singles welcome). First evening free! Thursdays: New/Inexperienced dancers 7–8.30pm (£4). Intermediate/Advanced dancers 7.30–10pm (£6). St Monica Trust, Oatley House Main Hall, BS9 3TN. www.rscdsbristol.info. Contact Ruth 01179683057.

n THE STEPFORD SINGERS WOMEN'S COMMUNITY CHOIR meets at Horfield Baptist Church, Bishopston on Thursday afternoons, 1pm to 3pm. No auditions and no need to read music! Come for a free taster session with our friendly, supportive group and learn to sing in harmony. For info, contact Fran franbolton66@gmail.com

Friday

n BRISTOL SPANISH CIRCLE

Come and meet a group of friendly people and enjoy talks in Spanish, musical events and social evenings. We meet every month from September to June, usually on the last Friday of the month, at St Peter’s Church Hall in Henleaze. For more info, see https://www. spanishcirclebristol.com/

n COMMUNITY NEWS

Get set for reading challenge!

ONCE again, Bristol City Council libraries are holding their annual Summer Reading Challenge to encourage children across the city to read a range of books throughout the holidays, along with a whole host of other creative activities to enjoy.

Claire, Children’s Librarian, said: “We're so excited to reveal that the theme for this year’s #SummerReadingChallenge is Marvellous Makers! Developed in partnership with Create, a leading charity bringing the creative arts to those who need it most, this year’s Challenge aims to fire up children’s imaginations and unleash storytelling and creativity through the power of reading.”

The annual Challenge is delivered in partnership with public libraries, and it’s free to take part. From July to September, children taking part in ‘Marvellous Makers’ can discover new stories and explore their creativity – from junk modelling to music, dance to drawing and painting.

How to take part in the challenge: Children can join at any local library from Saturday 6th July. Simply pick up a free folder, collect stickers and then read at least six library books. At the end, the reward is a brilliant Summer Reading Challenge medal! Children and families can also take part online. To do so, go to summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/

where children create their own profile with the assistance of an adult. Children are encouraged to read library books, digital eBooks and listen to eAudio books, with fun digital activities, digital badges and a downloadable certificate when they finish. Find us on Twitter @Bristollibrary, Instagram Bristollibraries and Facebook Bristol Libraries.

n LEARNING THROUGH PLAY

It all adds up ...

This month we will be thinking about introducing the idea of simple maths through play. When we think about maths, we may feel a little intimidated but there are many mathematical concepts that can be explored in a really fun and engaging way. One of the simplest and most accessible ways of exploring maths with our children is by playing with jigsaw puzzles. Spatial reasoning is one of the most important aspects of building a strong foundation in maths, and jigsaws are a brilliant way of developing spatial reasoning. Start with chunky inset puzzles to help little fingers and progress onto more complex puzzles as your child gains confidence. Puzzles help children to identify and match shapes, notice patterns and edges, and figure out changing orientation of objects. This can be a relatively cheap activity as charity shops often stock lots of puzzles, even

better, organise a puzzle swap with your neighbours once your children have practiced their own too many times!

Another activity to develop mathematical reasoning is tower building. Whilst building towers out of blocks, children will be practicing all sorts of mathematical concepts without even realizing. They will be figuring out about how to make them stable, what shapes can balance on top of each other, where to place a block to make sure it stays on top, how many blocks they have used and what happens if you knock it down! You can also introduce lots of mathematical and spatial language whilst tower building “Which tower is tallest?”, “Should this go on top or underneath?”, “My tower is straight” as well as naming the shapes of your blocks. When the children get a little older you can challenge them to build a tower that

matches one of your own. Once they’ve mastered this concept you could hide your tower and describe to them to how to build the same one “Put your square yellow block down, put a red rectangle on top”, see whether you end up with matching towers! We love to tower build at Magic Dragon Preschool and use an array of different styles of blocks to build this skill, we use small blocks to develop fine motor skills as well as very large foam blocks to build large towers collaboratively.

A very simple way of introducing maths into daily life is to count! Count the number of tomatoes on their plate, count the steps to their bed, count the fingers on their hands, the opportunities are endless! It is totally normal for children to develop their own way of counting “1,3,4,6,7,9,10” for example but try not to correct and instead celebrate them trying, and count them yourself up to the correct number.

At Magic Dragon Preschool we explore mathematical concepts during all types of play both indoors and outdoors, we talk

about how many scoops it takes to fill our bucket, how long can we make our train of children, what shape our sandwiches are today, will four children fit in the box…the opportunities to investigate maths are limitless! Magic Dragon Preschool have extended their hours and now open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday through to Thursday. Book a visit to come and have a look around our wonderful setting.

Call 07971 421 834 or visit www.magicdragonpreschool. org.uk or scan on the flyer below for more information.

n COMMUNITY NEWS

HENBURY FLOWER SHOW

THE organisers of the Henbury Flower Show would like to welcome you to the beautiful, historic Henbury Village Hall and gardens where the 2024 show will be held on Saturday 20th July. Henbury Village Hall is a Grade II-listed community building, originally constructed in 1624, located in the picturesque conservation area of Henbury, adjacent to the Blaise Castle House and parkland.

The Henbury Flower Show is organised by a group of local volunteers and has been running for over three decades, albeit in a reduced format for 2015 –2017. After this brief reduction, the new committee were very excited to successfully relaunch the show in 2018 with 60 show classes available for entrants to participate in and a host of awards for the worthy winners. The 2018 – 2023 shows were a huge success and the committee look forward to growing further on this success for this year.

The 2024 show will now have 70 show classes for all the gardeners, bakers, artists, flower arrangers and photographers

from our community. It is a lot of fun exhibiting and getting to meet other enthusiasts, so the organisers hope that plenty of people, of all ages, will come and “have a go”.

This year will also host a plant sale and White Elephant stall during the show and teas, coffees and light refreshments will be available. There will also be cards, jewellery, artwork and craft stalls. Don’t forget to buy a raffle ticket and visit the garden for a stall hosted by The Westbury Country Market. Profits from the show are in aid of the Village Hall.

For those wishing to exhibit in the 2024 Show, please visit www. henburyflowershow.co.uk to take a look at the list of classes, find entry Information and forms, and the full show regulations. The deadline for entry forms to be submitted is Wednesday 17th July.

£1,295,000

An exceedingly spacious, Victorian semi-detached property, positioned along a highly desirable tree-lined road in West Bishopston being sold with no chain.

The versatile interior measures an impressive 2938 sq. ft / 273 sq. m and has all the hallmarks of a fine family home. This property stands out as not only a very large property but one that has

real character - whilst being laid out in a way perfectly suited for family life. The retained character sits effortlessly alongside fresh modern decor - with a lovely level of natural light that fills the interior.

The level and walled rear garden is made up of two main areas, a goodsized patio extends from the property - giving the desired inside/outside living arrangement.

Is this Australia? No, it's Westbury Park

WESTBURY PARK TENNIS CLUB

The Westbury Park Tennis Club (WPTC) is back in action, with new and revitalised facilities. After months of anticipation, and a substantial period of closure, the freshly resurfaced courts are now open once more for play. The vibrant Australian Open colours— reminiscent of the iconic blue courts Down Under—add a touch of antipodean excitement to the local tennis scene.

WPTC is committed to nurturing the next generation of tennis stars. Both courts have been thoughtfully marked up for orange ball play specifically for younger players. With modified equipment and court dimensions, kids can develop their skills while having a blast. The future of tennis is in good hands.

In addition to the colourful makeover, the club has taken safety seriously. A new defibrillator is now prominently located in the clubhouse. While it is hoped it never needs to be used, having this life-saving device on-site provides

peace of mind for players and spectators alike.

The club prides itself on its welcoming and inclusive environment. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a complete beginner, there’s a spot for you there. Its fantastic coach, Dan (Avon Developmental Coach of the year 2023), is passionate about helping players at all levels, so anyone is welcome to join in for a friendly match or a coaching session!

So, if you haven’t picked up a racket in a while, or if you’ve always wanted to try tennis, now is the perfect time to do so - especially as new members get the first month free.

The club would be delighted for you to come along, meet fellow enthusiasts and celebrate the reopening of its courts. Matt Evans, WPTC Chair, said, ""Re-laying the courts is a huge investment, and we're so pleased that it's gone well. It will benefit the local tennis community for decades".