Bishopstonvoice May 2103 by Emma Cooper

FREE EVERY MONTH for people and businesses in Bishopston & Redland May, 2013 Issue 5

Going to the polls

Meet the candidates in Bishopston and Redland

P16

www.bishopstonvoice.co.uk Cooking with Slimming World, P21 | Shopping for the little ones, P25

Inside Week of events to celebrate the community P8

Play team brings family fun to the Common P9

Aiming to give hunger the push

See Page 12

Councillor to step down after 14 years P4 Call to save last of our Victorian lampposts P5 Do you have what it takes to foster? P20 Gardening club opens the gates to visitors P30

Tradersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fears over parking zone plan Plus... Full story â&#x20AC;&#x201C; See P2

Bishopston Mum... p10 Letters... p14 On the Beat p15

Nostalgia.. Puzzles... Property... Classifieds

p23 p24 p27 p31

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May, 2013

News Bishopston Voice contacts Emma Cooper Publisher

Joni Mann Editor

0117 908 2121/ 07715 770448 emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk

07887 561567 news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk

Rebecca Day News editor

Reporters

07912 484405 news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk

Lauren Winney Natasha Russell Safia Yallaoui

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Your views Letters for publication can be sent to us by email at news@bishopston voice or by post to Letters, Bishopstonvoice, 16 Chandag Road, Keynsham, BS31 1NR. The editor reserves the right to edit your letter.

June deadline Our June edition will be going to print on May 27. To ensure your news or letter is included, please contact us by Thursday, May 23. Advertisers are also asked to contact us by the same date.

Useful numbers Bristol City Council 0117 922 2000 Citizens Advice Bureau 0844 499 4718 Police www.avonandsomersetpolice.uk General enquiries: 101

Emergency: 999 Fire www.avonfire.gov.uk General enquiries: 0117 926 2061 Emergency: 999 NHS Direct 0845 46 47

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Bishopston Voice is independent. We cannot take responsibility for content or accuracy of adverts, and it is advertisers’ responsibility to conform to all relevant legislation. We cannot vouch for any services offered. Opinions are not necessarily those of the editor. Bishopston Voice is distributed each month to Bishopston residents. If for some reason you do not get a copy, please collect one from local pick-up points. Feedback is always welcomed, contact Emma Cooper on 0117 908 2121 or emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. This month 8,750 copies will be distributed around Bishopston and Redland.

Traders left future over Business owners in Bishopston and Redland say they fear resident-only parking zones could hit their trade hard, with some saying they could even close if customers can no longer park their vehicles. Proposals to introduce parking schemes in 20 areas around the city centre over the next 18 months were unveiled last month by Bristol’s Mayor George Ferguson. Bishopston would be in the final phase, while Redland would be one of the first areas to get permits. Janet Haigh, owner of Heart Space Studios, in Harcourt Road, Redland, said after two years of work to establish her crafts business, comprising a shop, workshops and children’s party venue, news of a parking zone had left her worrying about the future. She said: “We run on a small budget and we try to keep our costs low for the services provided. The intended parking permits would mean we would have to hike our prices accordingly – in this financial climate we will not survive.” She added: “The small businesses in the Harcourt Road area, along with the schools and other social institutions, which we support and work with, are the heart blood of community. The restrictive parking as envisaged will change the nature of the business area and deprive the whole community of an

exceptional and unique set of facilities.” Under current parking schemes in the city, businesses can apply for two parking permits at £100 for the first one and £200 for the second. Each business can also buy up to five customer permits, at a cost of £100 each. Barry Toogood, of Flowers by Barry Toogood in Coldharbour Road, Redland, said he felt it was a cost that would put small, independent traders at a disadvantage. He said: “Coldharbour Road is a successful group of 26 independent businesses employing in excess of 120 people. I and my neighbours are surprised and concerned that in what is already a challenging economic climate the Mayor’s office is proposing a scheme which will be damaging to local independent businesses and provides a competitive advantage to neighbouring large supermarkets and shopping areas. “There appears to be no available evidence this proposal is either needed or wanted by the majority of this community.” Meanwhile, the Mayor responded to concerns raised by Gloucester Road traders in an article from the BBC in which it reported a spokesman said he feared the plans were a “toxic solution”. The spokesman added that business owners would be putting up posters to highlight

Call for more work on park plan More work needs to be done before a £100,000 upgrade for the play area at the Ardagh on Horfield Common can begin. A Neighbourhood Partnership meeting heard last month that opinion was split over calls to move the play area away from nearby homes. Council officer Mark Grundy told the meeting a new location had since been proposed to the east of the Ardagh access road following work with the Friends of Horfield Common. In his report, Mr Grundy said relocating the play area would

require planning permission, which would add around three months to the process. Among queries raised by residents at the meeting were the cost of moving the park and whether there had been enough consultation. In a vote, members of the partnership agreed that more work needed to be done on looking at all the options for the park, including keeping it where it is. Council officers have been asked for a report as soon as possible.

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News

fearing for parking plan

News in brief £760k funding for cycle safety

87% given first choice of school

A number of junctions along Gloucester Road will be improved to make it a safer route for cyclists with a share of £760,000. The cash, from the Government’s Safer Cycling Fund and local match funding, will be split with Baldwin Street in the city centre, to cut a rising number of accidents on the two routes. The city council reports that there have been 51 collisions on the two roads over the past three years, with 2,300 cyclists using the Gloucester Road/Zetland Road junction every day in 2012. The cash will be used to improve visibility at junctions and to reduce the risk of dangerous turns and of collisions between bikes and cars. Bristol West MP Stephen Williams said: “Cycling is healthy, cheap and environmentally friendly. It is absolutely essential people should be able to cycle to work or school in a safe environment.”

Thousands of families across the city have received offers of a primary school place in September for their children – and for most it will be exactly the news they wanted. A total of 87 per cent of families have been given their first choice of school, while 96 per cent have offers at a preferred school, which were all sent out on April 19. The number of applications received by the city council before the deadline was 5,329. Bristol has seen one of the biggest rises in the school-age population in the country and has secured a total of £154 million for its school expansion programme. Schools expanding for September 2013 near the Bishopston and Redland area are Colston’s Primary School, in Cotham, and The Dolphin School, on Cheltenham Road, each offering an extra 30 places.

Residents’ parking zones are already in place in Kingsdown, Cotham and Redcliffe their concerns. On Twitter, Mr Ferguson wrote: “Toxic? We’ll be working closely with local traders to ensure RPZ does not damage trade – the reverse has been found to be true.” A spokeswoman for the city council said: “The Mayor has announced his intention to work with businesses to improve environments for shoppers and visitors as part of the proposals. “What this may mean in

new areas is not planned as yet. Business engagement is due to start shortly. In Kingsdown, the scheme works in a certain way to suit the business environment there, and it is very successful. But Gloucester Road is not the same place, and will not have the same issues to resolve.” More information on parking schemes can be found on the city council’s website at www.bristol. gov.uk/rps.

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May, 2013

News Your chance to quiz candidates Bishopston residents will be able to put their questions to candidates standing in the ward at an election hustings on Tuesday, April 30. Sustainable Bishopston is inviting all voters in the ward to hear the candidates introduce themselves and ask them about the issues that matter to residents. Six candidates are standing for election: Kye Dudd (Labour Party), Chris Farrell (Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts), Chris Harris (Liberal Democrat), John Hickey (Independents for Bristol), Richard Manns (Conservative Party) and Daniella Radice (Green Party). Questions for the candidates can be submitted on the night or can be emailed in advance to hustings@sustainablebishopston.org.uk. The hustings will take place from 7.30-9.30pm, at St Michaels Church Hall, 160a Gloucester Road, Bishopston.

Councillor stepping down after 14 years After 14 years in the role, Bishopston councillor Bev Knott is standing down at the next local elections, which will be held on May 2. Bev began his political career as an activist with the city’s Liberal Democrat group, then as an organiser for the Bishopston ward. When the party won the elections in 1998, taking control of the city council, Bev was persuaded to stand by group leader Barbara Janke. He said: “I did hesitate, because I had just retired with many ideas and I knew it would fill all my time. I was right, but have never regretted it, even though many projects have remained unstarted.” Bev said there had been many memorable events and changes during his time as a councillor, but said he hoped setting up Neighbourhood Partnerships

when he was Cabinet member, to devolve powers to localities, would prove to be a highlight in years to come. In Bishopston, he said another highlight was the creation of Ashley Down Primary School’s Brunel Field site, which welcomed its first pupils in January 2011. He said: “What I hope I may have achieved is some restoration of trust, at a local level anyway, largely through communication. I feel the greatest accolade was when an old friend told me he had started voting again locally after giving up in disgust.” Rather than putting his feet up once a new councillor is chosen by voters, Bev is looking forward to keeping busy. “Almost my every other word these days seems to be ‘I’ll do it after May 2’, from clearing out

the cellar to visiting my aged uncle in Gosport. “One thing I look forward to becoming is a coordinator of volunteers for the Woodland Trust’s only wood in Bristol; it’s in Stoke Bishop and is little known. I’ve always liked trees and there’s lots of work and care needed – if anyone wants to help please get in touch. “Another interest of mine is archaeology; I’ve been helping when time allows in volunteer excavations on the Roman town of Abona in the Sea Mills area. What I especially look forward to is exploring Roman roads; this combines my interest in maps, the countryside, investigating and the Romans. And maybe I’ll see more of my rapidly growing up granddaughters!”  Meet the election candidates – Page 16

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News

Call to save surviving Victorian lampposts A man who has helped preserve one of Bishopston’s few remaining Victorian lampposts in the street he grew up in is calling on other residents to take action to look after the rest. David Henderson, an engineer who grew up in the area in the 1960s and 1970s, approached the city council to restore one of the historic posts in Falmouth Road. It has now been painted and given a new swan neck as well as an isolation box to meet European standards. Mr Henderson, who now lives in London but visits his family in Bishopston at weekends, said: “Bristol as a whole has lost loads of these lampposts over the last 20 years. They really enhance an area, I believe. You go down roads that have had them removed and replaced with motorway sticks – it spoils an area.”

The council has been upgrading its modern street lights to cut energy use, but is reviewing how it will deal with the city’s older lights. Mr Henderson said he felt there has been a move away from the approach that saw so many of the lights removed in the past. He said: “They’re not quite so quick to take them away any more. I grew up here in the 1960s and 1970s and was always aware of these nice posts that other cities didn’t have after the war – Bristol is unique in that sense. “Lots of people in Falmouth Road have commented on how nice the lamppost looks.” A spokesman for the city council said more than 20,000 modern street lights have already been upgraded to energy-saving, cost-saving white lamps, cutting energy usage by 40 per cent. Cast-iron columns and some

older lights have not yet been altered because of the high cost, and the council says it is reviewing how to deal with the lights. The spokesman added: “The aim will be to try where possible to provide heritage-style lanterns on new columns with embellishment kits to give them the appearance of cast-iron columns. We will also be retaining cast-iron columns and putting heritage-style lanterns on top. We will be consulting on the strategy as it progresses and no firm decisions have been made as yet. These works, if approved, will happen over a number of years so it is unlikely that lots of columns will be upgraded in the near future.” Mr Henderson said he was aware of Victorian lampposts in Berkeley, Claremont, Broadway, and Cranbrook roads.

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The fight against fleas As the weather warms up and summer arrives, so will the fleas again. We have had an unusually quiet winter with very few fleas around but beware: they will be back! Now is the time to be on your guard and be ready for them and use flea preventatives before your pet and home are infested. Fleas are small brown insects that live on cats and dogs as well as many wild animals, and they feed on the blood of the host animal. A female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day. Once an animal has fleas they very quickly multiply to epidemic proportions. Eggs are laid on the animal but fall off into the environment. At any time only 5 per cent of the total flea population is on the animal, the other unseen 95 per cent is in carpets and bedding. The eggs can develop into adult fleas in as little as three weeks in warm conditions but can also halt their development for up to a year if conditions are not favourable for development. Fleas cause irritation on your pet by biting and this can lead to serious skin disease. Many pets have an allergy to the flea saliva, which makes them very sensitive to flea bites and only one flea is enough to start the allergic reaction. The best way to tell if your pet has fleas is to use a finetoothed flea comb through the coat, particularly along the spine towards the tail. This may pick up adult fleas or “flea dirt” which are brown/

black specks of flea faeces. Flea dirt placed on a piece of wet kitchen paper leaves a telltale ring of red around it as the blood content in the faeces spreads into the paper. Once fleas are established in your home they are very difficult to eliminate so it is important to prevent an infestation in the first place by treating your pet with a flea preventative. In the last few years we have seen a number of very effective new products for cats and dogs. We now have available prescription spot-ons and tablets that last for a month and collars that work for up to eight months to cover the whole season. If your pet already has fleas it is very important that you also treat your home and anywhere else that your pet goes, including the boot of your car, to break the flea life cycle. Cats and dogs should also be wormed with a tapeworm product effective against the worm dipylidium, which is carried by the flea. Please call in and ask for advice about flea control and for information about our latest offers available on all of our flea products and we wish you a flea-free summer.

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May, 2013

News

Could you be a champion? Whether it’s graffiti, litter or blocked drains that bother you most, residents are being urged to team up to tackle problems blighting their neighbourhoods. “Street champions” are being asked to join a drive to improve their streets, sharing skills and knowledge they may have to solve problems and report issues to the council. The recruitment drive is across the Neighbourhood Partnership areas of Bishopston, Redland and Cotham, with the next meeting to be held on the evening of June 20, where residents can find out more. Thanks to this team approach over the past two years, Gloucester Road has seen a range of improvements including tackling graffiti tags and flyposting. Installing hanging baskets and assisting with forecourt displays is planned for the summer. A training course to teach how to

remove graffiti tags has already been filled by people keen to start work in their own areas, and is just one skill that will help improve neighbourhoods. Liz Kew, chair of the BCR NP Street Scene group, said some residents might have knowledge about liaising with universities to tackle problems caused by student neighbours, while others might have skills that could help clean up and maintain a local lane, for example. She said: “By sharing skills and knowledge we can do better. We have a strapline that says: ‘If a community works together to improve an area, there is longer lasting improvement than if the council works alone’.” To find out more about street champions and the June meeting, call Lynn Parfitt on 0117 903 6978 or email lynn.parfitt@ bristol.gov.uk.

Nicky Bromhall, BVSc MRCVS

Animal Health Centre Gloucester Road’s Independent Veterinary Practice 358 Gloucester Road, Hor ield, Bristol, BS7 8TP 0117 9247832 www.animalhealthcentre.org

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May, 2013

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Advertising feature

Pick your perfect sunglasses Understand your face shape, talk to the experts and try on a variety of styles and you’ll soon have the perfect sunglasses, says Gerard Fernandes, Director and Optometrist at Gloucester Road’s highly-commended Lynne Fernandes Optometrists.

Maui Jim polarised sunglasses that I wear? Obviously not! The important thing in my opinion is not what you choose but that you are able to make an informed choice.

Advice on sunglasses at Lynne Fernandes Optometrists We enjoy giving advice on style, design trends, UV protection, and the optics of sunglasses to make your decisions easy. We

will shape and fit non-prescription and prescription sunglasses so they feel as great as they look. Pop in and try on different styles. You’ll have fun and end up seeing, looking and feeling fabulous.

Face-shape rules Round faces: Avoid round frames. Angular frames will add definition Heart faces: Cat-eye sunglasses accentuate your face shape Long faces: Can be shortened with a wide frame Angular faces: Rounder frames will soften the look Square faces: Round frames will highlight your features Oval faces: Lucky you! Any style works, try them all for different looks One style, the “butterfly” frame, flatters almost all women’s faces. Express yourself If you are more reserved, small oval shapes are subtle. The Ray Ban Wayfarer is the design classic, but if you’re feeling bold, experiment with an extravagant colour. Try the unique designs of our “by Lynne Fernandes” range of sunglasses. Chosen by Lynne, these are the latest hand-made European designs. Eye Health Most sunglasses sold in the UK will be CE-marked, indicating that they conform to European standards for UV protection. However, there are finer details that are worth knowing about if you enjoy specific activities. Oakley and Maui Jim are generally chosen by top sports stars. Specific tints can work better with certain eye conditions. Optical Clarity The specialist sunglasses manufacturers spend a lot of time and money on R&D. Optical Clarity really is a case of “you get what you pay for”. You can buy polarised sunglasses for £10 from many outlets. Are they the same as the

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May, 2013

News

Join week-long celebration A week of events aimed at celebrating the community will include live music, guided walks, spring fairs and even a Mad Hatter’s tea party. The Our Neighbourhood Festival runs from Saturday, May 4-Saturday, May 11, and organisers have now released the full details online at www.bcrnp.org. uk/festival/. There will be plenty of activities to enjoy, from wildlife walks in St Andrew's Park or a foraging expedition with expert Toby Gritten to playing in a samba reggae band or trying your hand at steel drums to tennis taster sessions and kids’ crafts. Residents will also have plenty of opportunities to find out how they can help their communities with a litter pick starting from St Bonaventure's car park on May 8 at 10.30am and volunteering sessions at Cotham Gardens and Golden Hill Community Gardens on the

Community garden hosts spring fair All are welcome to the Golden Hill Community Garden for a spring celebration during the Our Neighbourhood Festival. Choirs, morris dancers and a brass band will keep guests entertained at the Spring Fair on Saturday, May 11, from 1-4pm, as well as activities for youngsters, including badge-making, pond-dipping and face-painting. There will be plenty for gardeners, too, including tips from local veg-growing guru Tim Foster. The entrance is at the same day from 10am. Gloucester Road will also be playing its part with promotions during the week and choral singing from Redland Green Community Chorus on the Promenade on May 11 from 11am and outside Horfield Baptist Church from 12.15pm. The future of our high streets and the role of communities and

allotments on Monk Road. There will also be a raffle to raise funds towards building a cob roundhouse to provide shelter. First prize is a three-night off-peak stay in a yurt on an organic farm for up to five people at The Yurt Farm, Ceredigion,

Wales (www.theyurtfarm.co.uk) and second prize is two weekend tickets to the Sunrise Festival near Bath as well as goodies from the Better Food Company, Harvest, the Watershed Cinema, Tobacco Factory, Lush, Grape and Grind, Beast, Pearce’s Hardware, Horfield Leisure Centre, Fizz Haircuts, Bliss and many others. Raffle tickets can be bought in advance on Wednesdays, 10am-4pm, at the community garden or from Paul on 0117 942 8003.

neighbourhoods will be on the agenda at a superforum on May 11 at Horfield Baptist Church from 12.30-5pm where Mayor George Ferguson will speak. The annual Redland May Fair will return on the bank holiday Monday, May 6, from 1-5pm, with music, stalls, entertainment and more. On May 10,

from 2-5pm, it’s back to Redland Green for a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party – bring a picnic, try bowling and enjoy the entertainment. For the full programme at the festival, coordinated by the Bishopston, Cotham & Redland Neighbourhood Partnership, visit www.bcrnp.org.uk/festival or go to www.bishopstonvoice.co.uk.

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Youth and education

The art of having fun

Craft fair raises £700 for school

Youngsters will find outdoor fun and creative activities waiting for them at Horfield Common after school every Thursday. The APE (Art, Play and Environment) Project is running the free weekly sessions until 5pm during term-time, welcoming children and their families. Each week, youngsters will help build a fire to cook some food and can join in outdoor play and creative activities. The first event, on April 11, saw around 18 youngsters cooking bread, playing on balancing boards and climbing frames and working together on a large drawing. A spokesperson said: “We bring along a medley of adventure play equipment and always a creative activity. We also have activities based around renewable energy and alternative technologies with a strong focus on cycling and the environment.”

A craft fair offering everything from bespoke street art to handmade chocolate has raised £700 for a Bishopston school. Sefton Park PTA hosted the event at the school on March 21, filling two halls with stalls, as well as a clothes and book swap room and a cafe and bar. Supporters braved the elements on a particularly wet evening to ensure a good turnout for the event, said organisers, with plans for a similiar fair next year already being put together. The next events to be held in support of the school will be an auction of promises on Friday, May 17, and a summer fair on Saturday, June 15.

Isabella, 8, chops wood for the fire at an APE Project session at the Ardagh, Horfield Common The APE Project is a notfor-profit organisation whose outdoor play and learning sessions at parks across Bristol have been funded by neighbourhood partnerships and the John James Foundation. The target age group for activities is eight-14, although all ages are welcome. Organisers point out the project is for

children and their families, as opposed to an after-school club providing childcare, and children under eight must be accompanied by an adult. The project will set up at the entrance to the Ardagh every Thursday afternoon after school. Find out more about the APE Project at http://apeproject. co.uk.

Your news

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May, 2013

Bishopston Mum Welcome to May’s Bishopston Mum column! At my time of writing this, we are two days away from receiving news about a primary school place for my little boy. While I am not worried about him not getting a place at our preferred school, I am aware that when I receive that email in two days, it will be one step closer towards him going to school. I must admit it makes me a little sad thinking about it. I’m not sure exactly why; I have a busy, happy life and writing Bishopston Mum is something I absolutely love doing and is immensely exciting and fulfilling. I think it is to do with an awareness of how quickly time is passing, especially of my children’s precious early years. But anyhow, more about that next month when I write about if we receive our first choice of primary school! On Tuesday, April 9, we were on Gloucester Road to

Looking forward to new experiences, left; top, the dinos are back! watch “Phil the Trolley” arrive, which was part of the Foodbank Trolley Push 2013. North Bristol Foodbank is campaigning to raise money and awareness of the one in five people in the UK living below the poverty line. Bristol Mayor George Ferguson was there, supporting the campaign and pushing Phil the Trolley up Gloucester Road. Did you know that the dinosaurs have returned to Bristol Zoo? We were lucky enough to be invited along to the launch

of DinoZoo 2, which was held the evening before DinoZoo 2 opened to the public. It was very exciting and I must say that the dinosaurs are satisfyingly scary! My little girl attended her first ballet lesson recently and thus we entered a brand new world of ballet shoes, leotards and glorious pink. This time last year my daughter had not long had a hefty hip operation and was in plaster from her chest to her ankles. She is do-

ing really well now, the operation on and plaster cast were successful, so it was all the more special watching her enjoy her first ballet lesson. This month, I wanted to write about Chatterbox Playgroup, which is held on Thursday and Friday afternoons, from 1-3pm, at Horfield Baptist Church, Bishopston. There is loads of space at Chatterbox, so if your children are as active as mine, I recommend it! Activities include a sand pit, painting, tricycles, dressing-up costumes, kids’ kitchen, train set, climbing frame and always a fantastic planned craft activity for kids who like to do artycrafty things. It is a drop-in playgroup and is £1.50 entry. I hope that you have a wonderful May and I look forward to updating you in next month’s Bishopston Mum column. Bishopston Mum www.bishopstonmum.com

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Advertising feature

A new era in sportswear... Bristol Rugby are delighted to announced a ground-breaking deal which will see the international sportswear brand ZARX Sports become the official supplier of first team kit and replica merchandise for the club. The agreement – which begins at the start of the 2013/14 season – sees ZARX Sports branding on all team apparel, training wear and equipment. ZARX Sports have also agreed a deal to supply the awardwinning Bristol Rugby Community Foundation with branded apparel and merchandise. To mark the 125th anniversary, Bristol Rugby will unveil a new, commemorative home and away strip ahead of next season, as well as a line of limited edition merchandise and accessories. “This is an ideal partnership for both parties,” said CEO Steve Gorvett. “Bristol Rugby and ZARX Sports are companies with similar ambitions to grow and achieve success.

Steve Gorvett, chief executive of Bristol Rugby, left, with Brad George, managing director of ZARX Sports “The Club and ZARX have undergone a detailed process to plan, design and produce a home and away strip which is symbolic of Bristol’s values and celebrates this important anniversary.” Brad George, director of ZARX Sports, added: “We are delighted to be partnering and being the official on-field and off-field apparel supplier for the 2013/2014 season. “Our international head office

is in Bristol and we were keen to work with the local professional club. Bristol Rugby are a fantastic club with a great heritage, superb fan base and ambition to be playing in the Aviva Premiership. “We’re excited by this partnership and working alongside the club in the future. Bristol have traditionally been one of the powerhouses of British rugby and deserve apparel that fits this status. We look forward to the season ahead.” ZARX Sports is a rugby team wear and sports equipment specialist with its HQ in Bristol which aims to make a big difference to the sporting world. Officially launched in 2013, the brand and concept has been alive and in development since 2011. Brad George, managing director, added: “Our aim is to have a sports brand that competes and meets all of the needs of our clients. We have combined our core experience of dealing with sales, designs, manufacturing,

quality control and delivery with a team of trusted and experienced staff who all reflect our aims and beliefs in how to do business. We have dealt with the biggest brands on the planet and understand the flaws they have when it comes to dealing with the clubs’ and fans’ expectations. We are confident everyone from a local club through to professional teams and its supporters will see a notable difference in the quality, design, technical innovation and service ZARX Sports provide. We have spent many years in the field coupled with valuable research which stands us above the crowd. We have some major deals in the pipeline so watch this space” ZARX Sport HQ is in Bristol with sales staff based around the world in countries such as France, Italy, Japan, USA, New Zealand and Australia. For more information on ZARX Sports, please visit the website at www.zarxsports.com.

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May, 2013

Bid to give hunger the push by Rebecca Day Volunteers helping out those in need came together last month in a triumphant push against hunger in Britain. On Tuesday, April 9, the North Bristol Foodbank team pushed a trolley from Horfield Baptist Church on Gloucester Road to Orchard School in Filton. The Trolley Push was part of Trussell Trust’s UK-wide campaign to put an end to food poverty. North Bristol was one of the 50 locations “Phil the Trolley” visited nationwide. Over the last seven months, the local foodbank has fed more than 600 clients; many of whom are children. Stewart North, the founder of the North Bristol Foodbank, believes that reliance on foodbanks is going to grow over the next three to five years because of changes to the welfare system. He said: “It's important to keep raising the profile of

North Bristol Foodbank co-founder Stewart North, right, with Bristol Mayor George Ferguson at the start of the Trolley Push foodbanks through fundraising across schools, businesses and churches. We want local communities to come together, helping each other out in creative ways.” Stewart, alongside Tony Matthews, set up the North Bristol Foodbank in response to the

developing food crisis. The rising cost of food combined with static incomes, high unemployment and changes to benefits, have forced many into a situation where they cannot afford to eat. Tony said: “We wish a food-

bank wasn’t necessary. However, until things change we'll be encouraging the community to help us in order to meet people’s needs.” Joining the Trolley Push in his bright red trousers was Bristol Mayor, George Ferguson. He said: “I feel very strongly we should all be good neighbours by making sure people are properly fed. “I am determined to make Bristol not just a prosperous city, but a fairer one too by distributing wealth more evenly. “I am proud of the people who have rallied around today, and long may they continue to help out those in need.” Around 300 additional foodbanks are set to open nationwide over the coming months, with two new outlets opening in Southmead and Lockleaze in May. To find out more about what you can do to help, visit north bristol.foodbank.org.uk

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Parking plan is a further squeeze Regarding last month’s article “Mayor unveils parking plan”, as a resident of Bishopston I am strongly opposed to the introduction of the mayor’s parking plan. In this current period of high costs where council tax, water rates, utilities, cost of living etc have all gone up extensively, this is just another cost to add to our burden. This is just not sustainable. I see no advantage to residents of the introduction of the parking plan other than another tax or cost to come out of our pockets. It is time to take a stand and halt the endless increases in costs

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Yourviews Send your letters to Bishopstonvoice, 16 Chandag Road, Keynsham, BS31 1NR or news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk that we have to bear to satisfy some whim on the part of someone in authority. The introduction of the parking plan in other areas of the city has already increased costs to me personally as I have to pay for parking when I go to work in the areas with the plan already in existence. I operate a property maintenance company and have to work in all areas of the city. These extra costs have to be passed on to landlords in the houses in which I work. In addition to that I have always had the benefit of being able to park outside my own house in which I have lived since 1988 and any additional extra costs that I have to pay for at the moment are an increased burden. I see no advantage to the environment at all. This seems to me to be yet another way for the council to raise money and put a further squeeze on the residents. For my part I will do my utmost to oppose this plan and I

would like to know of any groups that are gathering together to oppose this plan. Peter, Bishopston

May, 2013

Libraries can say that they’re providing what the public asked for! Are Bristol Libraries interested in whether we’d rather have the new library open on Sundays or in the evenings? They are planning to open 39.5 hours over five days – let’s at least make sure it’s the days and hours that the public want. Gavin Spittlehouse

No real choice on library hours Collections are Many readers will have received not efficient the same leaflet recently as we did – claiming to be a consultation about opening hours for the new Bishopston library. The only question in the opening hours consultation is a choice of two options: “The new Bishopston Library open days will be Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, plus either Tuesday or Thursday and we would like to know whether you would prefer the library to open either Tuesday or Thursday.” This doesn’t strike me as much of a consultation. Just one very limited and closed question – apparently designed so that whatever we answer Bristol

On Friday I made the mistake of driving down North Road at lunch time just off Gloucester Road only to get stuck behind a recycling truck. This is not unusual for a Friday but this one took over 45 minutes to go a few hundred yards. As I was sitting in the traffic queuing just behind the lorry waiting for them to make way I watched while the refuse collectors sorted the recycling into the right categories from each individual recycling box left on the pavement. The driver would move about 20 yards or so then stop, get out and help sort the items – there

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May, 2013

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were just two people operating the lorry. They worked at a ferocious pace and kept this going for the whole 45 minutes I was there. I was amazed to see how many different pots the recycling needed to be sorted into. This took time and seemed to be a very inefficient way to sort the recycling. There were at least 30 cars stuck with their engines running â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not very environmentally friendly, not to mention the time added to people's journeys. Surely there must be a better way to do this than standing in the road and sorting this by hand, causing traffic disruption, pollution and putting the refuse collectors into a hazardous work environment. Why not have large communal recycling bins at frequent locations throughout the area so people can do the sorting themselves when depositing their rubbish? This works well in most European countries and would help the traffic flow as well, and maybe stop so much litter being left on our streets. Name supplied

On the Beat News from the local policing team with PCSO David Said Hello readers, we have been busy since the last article focusing on local crime trends and responding to community concerns. One such concern has been speeding vehicles around Bishop Road School. A community speed watch, whereby volunteers from the local area use a police radar gun to scan approaching vehicles, is planned in the next week, to target drivers who are driving at inappropriate speeds. Drivers going above the speed limit are then sent warning letters with persistent offenders getting a visit from the road policing unit. If any readers would like to become speedwatch volunteers then you can email me at david. said@avonandsomerset.pnn. police.uk and I can organise some training.

Burglaries continue to be an issue in the area with recent incidents in Bishop Road, Willoughby Road and Milner Road. I am hoping to get a new neighbourhood watch started in Bishop Road, close to the school. Nearby residents should soon get a form asking if they would be interested in joining. As part of our community engagement, I have a Cubs and Scouts visit planned for this month when I will visit the group on Kings Drive in the police van and let them try on uniform and try out some of the police equipment; these visits are a great way to engage with young people in a positive manner. The local policing team also engage with the City of Bristol College on Ashley Down Road. I have regular lessons with the

students covering everything from crime scenes with the public service students, to staying safe sessions with the newly arrived international students. We also liaise with the security team at the college to encourage responsible behaviour by the students in the areas surrounding the college. The end of the football season is nearly with us so some of the neighbourhood policing teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities on a Saturday will change. Traffic and parking in and around the Memorial Stadium is monitored by us and Bristol City Council enforcement officers. More time will now be spent on the Gloucester Road, which is of course very busy at the weekends. Wishing you a happy, safe and crime-free May.

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May, 2013

May 2 Election – Meet the candidates

Bishopston Kye Dudd Labour Occupation: Royal Mail Worker and Trade Union Representative (Communication Workers Union) Kye is campaigning for Ashley Hill Railway Station to be reopened as part of the Bristol Metro. The station will boost local businesses and provide vital links to other parts of Bristol and beyond. Kye’s priorities • Campaigning to make Bristol a living wage city – paying council employees and contractors at least £7.45 per hour • Building 4,000 affordable homes in Bristol • A crackdown on rogue private landlords with a Bristol Register of Landlords • Cheaper bus fares – supporting the fair fares campaign

As residents prepare to go to the polls on May 2 in the city council elections, Bishopstonvoice has asked each of the candidates in Bishopston and Redland to tell us in their own words what they would hope to achieve if elected as councillor • More quality affordable childcare • Protecting public services and jobs from the attacks of the ConDem government.

Chris Farrell Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts Occupation: I run Idle Hands record shop. Tory austerity is hurting ordinary Bristolians. Services, jobs, pay, pensions, benefits and more are being cut. As councillor I would help fight these attacks and protect local people. The government is cutting councils’ budgets and demanding they pass on the pain. The

independent mayor and all the council parties say they have no choice but to do the Tories’ dirty work. But why should we pay for the bankers’ crisis when they’re still getting obscene bonuses? I would propose a budget for Bristol’s needs and help build a campaign to win back the money that’s been stolen from the city.

Chris Harris Liberal Democrat Occupation: Fulltime campaigner and Voluntary Worker WRVS Born and bred in Bristol, Chris has a long history of working in housing needs in the voluntary sector in Bristol, Reading and London, and in local

authority in Berkshire. He also has experience as former councillor himself and was Assistant Cabinet member for Children’s Services. Already well known to many residents on the door strep in Bishopston campaigning along side councillors Bev Knott and David Willingham he offers not only massive campaigning skills but also expert knowledge in providing better schools and services to young people. A member of Greenpeace, Chris is a committed environmentalist and fully supports the green improvement made by Bristol Lib Dems. Chris also wants to ensure that Gloucester Road remains a thriving independent shopping area.

John Hickey Independents for Bristol Occupation: Managing director of a publishing company I resent the constant jostling between rival political parties,

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May, 2013

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May 2 Election – Meet the candidates which people don’t deserve. I live and attended school in Bishopston, and decided that being Bishopston's independent councillor means I can put something worthwhile back into the community. I will not have a party head office telling me what to do and I'll be free to champion issues Bishopston people tell me are important. Residents’ parking, public transport, cycling, supporting our local schools, shops and green spaces. I'll listen to our community and present people's views forcefully in City Hall.

Richard Manns Conservative My top priority for the Bishopston area is making sure that the city council’s proposed residents’ car parking zone for this whole area is subject to proper consultation. The council must not be allowed to simply impose it. It must be residents who decide whether this happens, not the council. It is also important to work to ensure that the new Sainsbury’s store at the Memorial Ground does not damage the viability and vitality of the Gloucester Road as many people locally fear it might. Last year Bristol voted for change, please do so again.

businesses and shops, those that rely on cars for mobility, to earn a living, or have frequent visitors.

Redland Martin Ahmet Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts Occupation: I work in the finance sector for a company in Bristol. I am also active as a workplace representative for my union, UNITE. I am opposed to the cuts that are being carried out by both Bristol City Council and the national government. They disproportionally impact the less wealthy in society, hurting millions of ordinary people, both in and out of work. Council spending should reflect Bristol’s needs, not Tory austerity plans. I favour policies that would benefit the majority. One would be a public works programme, utilising £30 million in the council’s Housing Revenue Account, existing empty capacity, and sites indentified in the city by the council to build upwards of 7,000 new homes. For more information please contact our campaign.

Daniella Radice

Martin Fodor

Green Party

Occupation: Currently housewife, previously environmental manager for Network Rail

Occupation: Local environment and sustainability specialist

What I hope to achieve as councillor: 1. Continue to work to protect the fantastic Gloucester Road and ensure that community money from Sainsbury’s at the Memorial Stadium, if it goes ahead, is spent wisely, eg. public toilets on Gloucester Road. 2. Get the Ardagh on Horfield Common developed into a fullyfledged community facility. 3. Campaign for frequent, affordable, integrated and reliable public transport and make the council face up to its responsibilities to reduce air pollution. 4. If implemented, see that residents’ parking works and does not disadvantage small

I'll work to protect vital services from cuts and strengthen the local economy, championing independent businesses, the Bristol Pound and local suppliers. • Develop practical solutions that enhance the area and deal with the pressures it's under. • Support Gloucester Road initiatives through the Neighbourhood Partnership. To help a local cafe I developed the new Traders’ Food Waste and Recycling scheme. • Make the city fit for the future, help upgrade our homes' energy efficiency while keeping the special character of the area. • Promote more involvement in managing local issues, like parking in Redland.

Graham GodwinPearson Conservative

Occupation: Marketing I originally stood in Redland in 2010 after discovering that the average family struggles to afford a property within the catchment of local schools, due to the way that school places are allocated. We need a fairer intake system that doesn't mean catchment areas shrink every year. We also need more, local buses that serve small residential streets because not everyone can walk as far as the main road for a bus stop. My passion, though, is the environment, and I want to improve and simplify recycling, cut emissions and energy use and save our natural and urban habitats.

Fi Hance

Liberal Democrat Occupation: Part-time caseworker for local MP Redland is a terrific place to live and I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been able to represent it over the last four years. The future is not without its challenges, however. While the Lib Dem-led administration eventually got on top of the need for primary school places, all those children are growing up and it's vital that the secondary schools places are there when they do. I also want to protect and enhance our precious Gloucester Road. Finally, I want to ensure that local people are as involved as possible in the decisions that affect them, such as the roll out of residents’ parking schemes.

Philip Jardine Labour Occupation: Part-time student My name is Philip Jardine and I am the Labour candidate in May. I grew up around Whiteladies Road, and feel I know this part of Bristol well and the issues that it

faces. Recently, as part of the Bristol Labour Party, we have set out our manifesto for the city, including pledges which I feel are particularly important to Redland. If elected, I will work alongside other Labour councillors to fight for more government funding to address the lack of primary school places, back the “Make Fares Fair” campaign to make public transport more affordable, and we will aim to build 4,000 new homes.

Christine Thomas UKIP Occupation: Early retirement UKIP stands for democracy and common sense, as opposed to dictatorship and political correctness. If I become councillor, I'd concentrate on lowering tax, including those on pubs, because tax should be as low as possible; give real decision-making to the local people, including what should or shouldn't be built on Gloucester Road, as it's a special area and should be kept as such; help protect green open spaces and parklands. Money to fund this would come from the cutting of unnecessary jobs at the top, not at the bottom, and from us not sending £53 million a day to the EU!

Bishopston Ward Council Elections Hustings On Tuesday, April 30, 7.30pm-9.30pm at St Michaels Church Hall, 160a Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NT Sustainable Bishopston invites residents to put their questions to the candidates standing in the ward For more information, see Page 4

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Beth Orton at St George's, Bristol – Monday, April 15 I didn’t much feel like going to a gig, being thick with a cold and arthritic, but the lure of St George’s – surely one of the finest concert venues in the country – and Beth Orton, who is returning to touring after a decade in which she got married and started a family, proved too much to resist. Having first come to prominence through her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers and then her own ambient 90s folktronica, these days there’s a somewhat more traditional feel to Beth Orton’s music. What hasn’t changed, however, is the sense of longing that pervades so many of her songs, a feeling or yearning for a better way of being, now lost, or of being haunted by the memory or dream of a time and a place where life was clearer and more whole. This feeling moves gracefully through her new album Sugaring Season, a beauti-

ful suite of songs, which, like all good albums, seems to sound better each time you hear it. She played several of its songs at St George’s, including Call Me The Breeze, Something More Beautiful, Magpie and Poison Tree, a particularly compelling take on the poem by William Blake from Songs of Innocence and Experience. For diehard fans, there were earlier songs, too: She Cries Your Name, Someone’s Daughter, Central Reservation, Feel To Believe and Stolen Car to name a few. Whether it was the rosy gold warmth of the venue’s decor or the transcendent music, I felt cocooned in a mellifluous beauty that negated even the hardness of the pews in the gallery. Rather more effective than huddling on the settee with a Lemsip, I feel.

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May

with Bristol poet and author Deborah Harvey

Arts focus

May 4 The annual Jack in the Green procession will be taking place starting at M Shed at the Harbourside at 10.30am before making its way through Broadmead, Kingsdown and Redland, then following Gloucester Road to arrive at Horfield Common at around 4pm. Musicians and dancers will join the 9ft-tall Jack on his traditional journey to mark the changing seasons. All welcome. The Golden Hill Community Garden. Get involved in your local community garden, 10am2pm. No experience necessary and kids welcome. Our site is wheelchair accessible, including our toilet. For more info, contact Lucy at ghcgarden@gmail.com or on 07506 905 394. We’re just through the gates at the end of Monk Road, BS7 8NE. Visit www.thegoldenhillcommunity garden.com The Crazy Horses, a new a cappella ensemble from Bristol,

Rainbow Run to bring a riot of colour to Bristol Runners will be showered with powdered paints as they make their way around a 5k course at The Downs in the first event of its kind in the UK. Participants will start the Children's Hospice South West (CHSW) Rainbow Run on Sunday, May 19, in spotless white T-shirts and end it covered in an array of colours. The runners will be showered in different colour paints at five “Rainbow Stations” along the course in an event which is a first for this country but which has proved popular in America and Australia. Karen Edgington, head of fundraising at CHSW’s Charlton Farm, said: “The CHSW Rainbow Run is the perfect way to brighten up your life. Our hospices are magical places where precious memories are created and we wanted to offer

May, 2013

will be singing an eclectic mix of songs covering all the decades from the 1940s to the 1990s in their debut gig. Entry is free, but donations for Bristol charity Temwa will be welcome. Drinks will be available to purchase at the bar. Don’t miss it. Halo, 141 Gloucester Road at 8.30pm.

May 6 Redland May Fair, Redland Green. 1-5pm. 120+ stalls selling plants, jewellery, crafts, books, cakes, bric-a-brac, local produce and much more. Tea and cakes, refreshments, hot food. Live music, children’s entertainment, morris dancers, swingboats, bouncy castle. Collection for St Peter’s Hospice. Email mayfair info@rcas.org.uk

May 9 The Bristol & Clifton Dickens Society, Westmoreland Hall, Redland, Bristol, BS6 6YW, 7.30pm. Nicholas Nickleby – a dramatised production directed by Eve Fitt.

May 15 Bishopston, Horfield and Ashley Down Local History Society, Friends Meeting House, Gloucester Road, 7.30pm. Speaker Pat Hase.

May 18 Redland Green School Car Boot Sale, Redland Court Road, BS6 7EH. 1-4pm. Book a stall, or come for a browse. Come along, rain or shine, as we hold the sale indoors if wet. Pitches £8 (booking essential) Refreshments and toilet facilites on site. Contact forgscarbootsale@hotmail.com or 07968 493013. Brazilian Play Group. Quakers Meeting House, 300 Gloucester Road, BS7 8PD, 3-4.30pm. A play group for parents and children of 0-6 years to teach Portuguese using games. Song and crafts activities. Contact vivabrasilbristol@live.co.uk or take a look at our website www. grupopaisefilhos.blogspot.co.uk.

May 25 The launch of the CHSW Rainbow Run an event which reflects the fun experienced by the families visiting them. The Rainbow Run is a celebration. It’s not about speed or fitness – you can walk, run or skip the course! After a long, cold and grey winter what better way to welcome the start of

summer than with an explosion of colour.” The Rainbow Run is sponsored by healthcare provider Simplyhealth and independent decorators’ merchant Brewers. Entry is £10. Visit www.chsw.org.uk/rainbowrun or call 01275 866600.

The Billy Walton Band at St Bonaventure’s Parish Social Club, Berkeley Road, Bishopston, BS7 8HQ, 7.30pm. Tickets £11. Visit www.crhmusic.com

June 4-8 Bristol Musical Comedy Club (BMCC) presents one of the best loved musicals to come out of Broadway. Gypsy follows the dreams and efforts of Rose, the

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What’s on on a regular basis Mondays Morris for fitness and fun, 7.158.15pm at Horfield URC, Muller Road, Horfield, BS7 9RE during term time only.

Tuesdays Food and Friends at Cairns Road Baptist Church, 12-2pm. A monthly meeting point for senior citizens on the first Tuesday of every month. Lunch will be served at a cost of £2.50 followed by coffee and fellowship. Transport can be arranged. Tel: 0117 942 5669. KudaCan, 7 Dongola Avenue, Bishopston, BS7 9HG. Join the Bishopston Mum for an NCT Cafe every second and fourth Tuesday of the month, 10.1511.30am, you can drop in any time during this slot. Ashley’s Rise Junior Morris – performing morris side for boys and girls aged 8-16yrs. We practice at Horfield URC, Muller Road, Horfield, BS7 9RE, on Tuesdays, 6.15-7.15pm during term-time. We take part in local and national morris and community events. We have a waiting

list for six/seven-year-olds who are invited to our open events so that they can get to know us before they join. Morris for fitness and fun, 7.308.30pm at Horfield URC, Muller Road, Horfield, BS7 9RE during term-time only. Bristol Ladies’ Hockey Club. A friendly club based at Orchard School, Filton Road. Training on Tuesdays, 7.30-9pm, play on Saturdays. All ages welcome. If you would like to join us, contact Michelle on 07980 598761 or michesaunders@hotmail.com.

Wednesdays Knit & Stitch Club, 9.30-11.30am, at Heart Space Studios textile workshop, 4 Harcourt Road (just off Coldharbour Road). Call 0117 923 2391. A friendly group offering a chance to swap creative ideas and inspiration. The cost is £35 per term, including tea and coffee. The Golden Hill Community Garden. Come and get involved in your local community garden, 10am-4pm. No experience necessary and kids welcome. Learn about growing and relax in our beautiful space with a cup of tea. No need to come every week or stay all day. Our site is wheelchair accessible including our toilet. For more information contact Lucy at ghcgarden@gmail.com or 07506 905 394. We’re just through the gates at the end of Monk Road, BS7 8NE. Visit www.thegolden hillcommunitygarden.com

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ultimate showbusiness mother, raising her two daughters to perform onstage. Baby June and Baby Louise soon start growing up and realising that the world their mother has created around them may not be everything they expect it to be. Gypsy casts an affectionate eye on the hardships and comedy of showbusiness and contains many well-loved songs such as Everything’s Coming Up Roses, Gotta Get A Gimmick and Let Us Entertain You. Gypsy is sure to entertain with this heartfelt story performed by a very talented cast. The Redgrave Theatre, Clifton. Curtain up: Evening at 7.30pm; Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets: Tues/Sat matinee £10.50; Weds/ Thurs/Fri/Sat eve £12.50. Box office: 07449 120137. Email: tickets@bmccproductions.com.

May, 2013

Knit & Stitch Club, 7.30-9.30pm, at Heart Space Studios textile workshop, 4 Harcourt Road (just off Coldharbour Road). Call 0117 923 2391. A friendly group offering a chance to swap creative ideas and inspiration. The cost is £35 per term including tea and coffee. Avon Harmony Ladies Acappella Chorus meets for rehearsals every Thursday, 7.30-10pm, at Fairfield High School, Allfoxton Road, BS7 9NL. Visitors are always made welcome, and we are actively recruiting new members. There is no need to be able to read music; we provide teaching tracks for learning by ear. See www.avonharmony.co.uk for details or contact Mandy on 0117 965 2693 or Barbara on 07717 424421 or email enquiries@ avonharmony.co.uk.

Rom-com hits the Big Screen Bishop Road Community Cinema’s next Big Screen event will be held on Friday, May 17, giving film fans the chance to see an award-winning d i i rom-com. Silver Linings Playbook (Cert 15), starring Best Actress Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, picked up a BAFTA for Best Screenplay by David Russell at this year’s awards. The film will be screened at Bishop Road Primary School, with doors opening at 7.30pm for an 8pm start. Admission is free and there will be a licensed cash bar open until 10.30pm, with all profits going to Bishop Road PTFA. The screening is open to all but no children are allowed.

Thursdays Bristol Ladies Choir sings a wide range of music, from classical to light. The choir rehearses weekly and gives two main concerts each year. The choir also participates in approximately nine to 10 other concerts in the Bristol area each year. Meet 2.15-3.45pm at Church of the Good Shepherd, Bishop Road, Bishopston, BS7 8NA. New members are welcome. For more information contact Hazel on 0117 924 6587 or visit www.bristolladieschoir. org.uk.

Have you got an event you would like to publicise? Or do you run a club or society in the Bishopston or Redland area? Send details of your events and activities to emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk or call us on 07715 770448 and we will make sure thousands of people in the area know about them.

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May, 2013

News

Fortnight to put need for foster carers in spotlight Hundreds of children are in contact with the city’s care system each month, and while some will be starting life with a new adopted family, many more will be hoping to find the support they need to enable them to stay with their own parents or relatives. From days out or weekend stays to care that could last several months or even years, a network of foster carers across the city is providing the time out that can be the key to keeping families under strain together in the long term. Retired health worker Linda Rowbottom has been a respite carer for a year, so far welcoming three youngsters into her Bishopston home for weekends or days during the week. She said she had decided to foster once she retired after enjoying her

Respite carer Linda Rowbottom work with families, particularly youngsters, and now offers care to children between eight and 18, taking them out, playing games, organising activities like gardening and crafts or just providing a quiet place to relax.

“I’ve got so much out of it – maybe even more than the children,” she said. “I picked up a leaflet at a promotion event at St George's concert hall and I filled it out straight away to apply.” Linda applied in July 2011, joining a training course in September, with final approval in March last year after home and background checks. Trish Mensah, senior practitioner with the city council’s Family Placement Team, said: “We do a child protection check, police check, get three references, and we could check with someone’s employer if they are employed to work with children, and the school attendance of their own children. We look at relationships, the skills they bring, their values, any issues they have faced in life that might have made them more resilient. We get to know them very well, and that way we can make good matches between carers and children.” Foster Care Fortnight takes place across the UK from May 13 to May 26, aiming to raise the profile of fostering and recruit more carers, from those offering shelter in an emergency to longterm care. In Bristol, around 700 children are in the care of the city council at any one time, with around 230 people providing mainstream fostering and 40 offering respite care, figures the authority would like to increase. Reflecting on her first year as a respite carer, Linda said: “You need good sense of humour for a start, and you need to be accepting of children because very often their behaviour isn’t what you are expecting of their age group and they are in a strange situation. You’ve got to be understanding of their emotional needs. It’s also quite important to have a few little rules you abide by.” After their initial training, foster carers can draw on a strong network of support, from their own support worker, the social workers in contact with the children and a number of foster carer support and social groups. The city council also offers a wide range of free training to

carers, from first aid to listening skills, and Linda has already undertaken courses on safe use of the internet and street drugs. Linda’s work as a health worker prepared her for the fact that although the role is rewarding, it might be some years before a foster carer knows exacly how they have made a difference to a young person's life. Trish added it is often years before the young person themselves realises what effect it had on them. She said: “One man I spoke to in his 30s who had a foster carer when he was younger said he couldn’t understand why the carer kept insisting on certain rules. He later realised she was trying to help him with social skills and he went back and thanked her. “The small things can make a big difference, like teaching a child to read a book, taking them somewhere they've never been, even somewhere close by – it affects them in a positive way.” When asked what she would say to someone thinking about applying, Linda said: “Just fill the form in, if you think you’ve got a bit of energy to give – you can’t be a passive foster carer, you've got to be involved.” Trish added: “Time is the most important thing. You need to enjoy children, have the energy and be up for a challenge.” During Foster Care Fortnight, on May 23, the council is holding its annual Fostering Awards to celebrate the contribution made by carers, hosted by Mayor George Ferguson. To find out more about the different kinds of fostering, allowances and applying, call the council’s Family Placement Recruitment Team on 0117 353 4200, email fostering.adoption@ bristol.gov.uk or go to www.bristol.gov.uk/page/fostering. There will also be an information stand at Waitrose in Henleaze, on April 30 from 9.30am-12.30pm, and a drop-in information session aimed at BME communities on May 15 at Muller Hall, Seymour Road, Easton between 11am and 1.30pm.

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ECIP

Quick Lamb and Vegetable Biryani with Slimming World consultant Carolyn

May, 2013

Serves 4 Ingredients Low calorie cooking spray 500g lean lamb leg steaks, cut into bite-sized cubes 250g green beans trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces 1 large carrot peeled and cut into 2cm pieces 3 cardamom pods crushed 2 cloves ½ tsp turmeric 1 cinnamon stick 1 tbsp mild curry powder 250g dried basmati rice 500ml lamb stock 50g baby leaf spinach chopped Fat-free natural yogurt sprinkled with paprika to serve Method Spray a large non-stick frying

pan with low calorie cooking spray and stir fry the lamb until brown on all sides. Add the green beans, carrot, spices and curry powder and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the rice and the stock, and stir well, Bring to the boil, cover tightly with a lid, then cook for 15 minutes on a medium-low heat or until the rice is tender.

Stir through the spinach, put lid back on the pan and leave to steam, undisturbed, for five minutes before serving with a little fat-free natural yogurt.  Carolyn holds Slimming World classes on Mondays at Filton Leisure Centre and Wednesdays at Horfield Leisure Centre. See her advert on page 12 for full details.

News

Revamp marks 10 years of pies! It’s been 10 years since two Bristol entrepreneurs baked their first pies in their Stokes Croft premises – and they’ve celebrated by transforming the venue. Jon Simon and Tristan Hogg, the founders of Pieminister, have invested £200,000 in the site, doubling the dining space and putting in a bar to enable diners to tuck into a pie and pint until 11pm. The pair have introduced a new menu, with bar nibbles, cheeseboards and new side orders joining the well-known pies, while the bar offers craft beers, ciders, wine and Bristol’s 6 O’ Clock Gin. Jon Simon said: “As a family business from Bristol we’re proud of our roots and this new pie and cider place celebrates the best of Great Bristol.” Pieminister, at 24 Stokes Croft, is open seven days a week from 10am to 11pm.

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News

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May, 2013

Crafts

Joshua’s ‘fresh’ Profile: Rohan Scadding, bespoke furniture set up Rohan Scadding Design design is winner Iover six years ago having studYoung artist Joshua Witchard has seen his work turned into a logo for a Bishopston cookery school’s campaign to get children cooking and eating healthily. 102 Cookery School, founded by Nailsea Electrical in Gloucester Road, was inundated with entries for the competition, attracting around 2,000 from local schools. Giles Pushman, who runs the school, said: “The design created by Joshua is clean, fresh and fun.” Joshua, 11, from Thornbury, attends Crossways Junior School and his prize also includes a trip for his classmates foraging with chef Toby Gritten before cooking dishes at 102 in June. Visit www.102cookeryschool.co.uk.

ied a City & Guilds in Furniture Production here in Bristol and a degree in 3D Design for Sustainability at Falmouth University. I offer a bespoke furnituremaking service, ranging from public seating, rustic furniture, outdoor structures, high quality joinery and kitchens to freestanding and fitted fine furniture. I aim

to use locally sourced sustainable timber, and am able to offer the whole service from milling a tree to turning it into a bespoke piece of furniture. Each piece is handcrafted to the highest standard, with attention to detail throughout the whole making process. From selecting the best timber, to the way it is designed and constructed to its finish.

My furniture is designed to last and be enjoyed by generations, being made from solid timber and using traditional cabinetmaking techniques, please visit www.rohanscadding.co.uk to see more examples of my work.  Are you a local artist or craftsperson? To be featured in our crafts section, contact Emma on 0117 908 2121 or at emma@ bishopstonvoice.co.uk.

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May, 2013

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Nostalgia

Picture courtesy of Bygone Bristol

The former St Michael and All Angels Church, at the junction of Brynland Avenue and Gloucester Road, built in 1862 and demolished in the 1990s. For more on pictures and publications available from Bygone Bristol, call 0117 942 3177.

Moggies of the month Lily, top, is a sweet, playful and affectionate young cat. She loves people and would make a great companion for a lucky family. She would like to be a one and only pet. Lily doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really like other cats. She would prefer to keep all the fuss and treats for herself! If you would like a single cat, please ask to meet Lily. Milo, below, is an adult male who is quietly friendly, gentle, handsome, dignified and great with other cats. If you can offer a cat a home, call The Moggery, in Bishopston, on 0117 924 3128.

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May, 2013

News The Gardening Year with our Homegrown Gardener Many years ago when we moved to our big garden, complete with house, we had very little spare money. We could not afford a wheelbarrow, but I obtained a secondhand builders’ barrow. With a skin of cement from many mixings, it had an inflatable tyre and served its purpose very well. Inevitably it rusted and was scrapped. All the DIY sheds and garden centres were explored and we found a heavy, plastic, deep-bodied, two-wheeled model. The family duly admired it but nobody offered to make use of it. So I did and filled it with a bag of compost to wheel it down the garden. Immediately I realised why traditional barrows were built as they were. The centre of gravity was between the handle at the back and the wheel at the front. However, it has served very well provided I keep the weight towards the wheels. The Barrow It stands in the yard, forlorn, waiting its call to work, battered and somewhat abused, its duty it will not shirk.

Grabbed with impatience and carelessness it is shoved along paths too narrow, loaded with soil wet and cleggy my trusty and rusty wheelbarrow.

Spring is a time when I get very impatient. I wander around the garden checking if the apple, plum or pear trees show any signs of life. The pots with perennials, saved for the summer, are there any tips of shoots? And the new Leycesteria formosa in a sheltered corner, is it still alive? Suddenly after a day of sunshine, and a little rain, there they are showing the first signs of growth. Buds on the crab apple, plenty of shoots on the roses and clematis, camellia in bud, crocus and daffodils in flower. So although it has been cold, we have had a few fine days and everything seems set.

Gates open at local gardens A group of gardeners in Bishopston are opening their gardens to the public for the second time, after welcoming hundreds of visitors last year. Bishopston Garden Club’s first open day saw 300 people visiting members’ gardens, helping to raise £1,900 for the Friends of the University of Bristol Botanic Gardens and Cystic Fibrosis charity. This year the group is opening seven or eight gardens in the area on May 19 and will be raising money to help fund planting schemes in Gloucester Road, an initiative begun by the Neighbourhood Partnership, which is entering the area in Bristol in Bloom and RHS Neighbourhood in Bloom competitions. A spokesperson said: “We are working on several elements towards ‘greening’ our local high street, including hanging baskets, filling permanent planters which have been left empty, and generally adding vegetation anywhere we can. This will support and encourage local businesses to take part in the competition for the best floral forecourt display. “As much as possible, we will try to include good pollinating

plants to attract bees and butterflies. Everyone knows what a difficult time it has been for these creatures.” The group has been inspired by the meadow-style planting used at the Olympic Park in London and projects in four British cities to create flower margins with indigenous species with single flowers that cover a long season to encourage biodiversity. Bishopston Garden Club grew out of a Neighbourhood Watch group around 13 years ago, with neighbours sharing plants, advice and taking part in activities, including trips. Tickets to the open day will be on sale at the gardens, which will be welcoming visitors from 2-5pm. Plants will be on sale at 3 Logan Road and teas at 104 Egerton Road. Watch out for more details on posters in the area.

Puzzles

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A DE S

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May, 2013

This month we focus on the small people. There is so much choice to keep children amused along the Gloucester Road. We found a huge range of unusual toys that aren’t all found in the chain stores.

6 5 4

1. How about some monsters for your little monsters? There’s a great range at 7th Sea Handmade Emporium. Big Black Monster called Long John, £25, Mighty Oak and Check monster both by Stuffed Nonsense and £15 each, cat toys filled with rice by Stitch-Ink – Rusty (Red) and Boots (Black) £13.50 each. All 3+ years. 7th Sea Handmade Emporium, at 198 Cheltenham Road has stock from a variety of artists and designers. 2. Get the kids out in the garden or the park and keeping fit. A great range of outdoor games is available at Totally Toys. Master the diabolo (6+ years) £8.99, skipping ropes and flying discs – both (3+ years) £1.99 each. Beach racket kit £4.99 (3+ years). Set of three juggling clubs (5+ years) £9.99. Run down to Totally Toys at 109 Gloucester Road 3. Plenty for the little ones at Born. Tire them out with a ride-on toy. Spherovelo Juno for one- to two-and-a-half years, £69. Or a beautiful Babywood elephant toy (18mths+), £26. Born is at 64 Gloucester Road. 4. Find some really unusual toys and games at Playful Toys. The Djeco Medieval Castle is great value at £12.95. Pack of six figures – Knights/King/ Wizard £10.95 (3+ years). Learn to build with real terracotta bricks and cement using this Teifoc kit. Pack ck shown £18.95, others from £8.95 5 to a castle for £39.95. Browse

around in Playful Toyshop at 87 Gloucester Road. 5. There is lots to keep the kids busy indoors on a rainy day at Craft Works. Bumble Bee sewing kit (3+ years) £4.40, My First Hama Beads £6.50, Galt Sensational Sequins £4.99, Newplast Modelling clay variety pack £2.25, paintbrushes £1.25 each, paper mache animal shapes ready to decorate – cat and dinosaur shown £3.15, others available at Craft Works at 355357 Gloucester Road. 6. Find Skylanders galore at Pink Planet. Skylanders large wheeled bag £12.99, booster pack £42.99, games for PS3 and Xbox 360 £59.99 each. Plus loads of choice of characters from £4.99 to £24.99. Take the boys along to Pink Planet at 115 Gloucester Road. 7. Every kid loves sweet things and at Scrumptiously Sweet you can pick your own. There is a huge range of traditional sweets like flying saucers from 2p each, candy canes 85p, jelly beans £1.99 per 100g, party bags from £1.45, ready-filled bag shown is £2.75. Fill your bags at Scrumptiously Sweet, 83 Gloucester Road.

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May, 2013

Inside story with interior designer Zoe Hewett The start of the DIY and gardening season is traditionally marked by a bout of spring weather over Easter. But since it’s come unseasonably late this year, May doesn't quite feel too late to be planning projects, and there’s not one, but two bank holidays to take advantage of! If, after that eternal winter, your garden needs a quick fix to get it from frost damaged and neglected back to green and pleasant, here is a project idea that could reasonably be completed over a few leisurely days, without all the bending and grafting of weeding (nominate someone else for that!). Assuming the wood is in decent condition, treat your shed and fencing (and your eyes) to an extraordinary protective coat of paint. Cuprinol now offers a surprisingly wide range of colours

from myriad greens to plum and baby blue (as anyone who has winced at the recent TV ad with a crying, milk-guzzling babyshed will know). There are no rules in painting – paint a simple colourwash or stripes in different shades,

use stencils, scattering or repeating them uniformly in a pattern. In the spirit of many Bristol artists, you could channel your inner teenager into graffiti-ing for purposes nobler than vandalism, with a kind of botanical mural, like the

Chiswick Camouflage Shed. I painted this freehand for clients who wanted their new, boxy shed to blend in better to the garden. The disappearing act it performs was unexpectedly effective, and it’s now barely visible from the house at the other end of the lawn. In fact, the neighbours are rumoured not to have even noticed it for several months! www.zoehewett interiors.co.uk  Zoë Hewett is an independent interior designer with a background in theatre design and scenic art. Commission a custom mural for your own garden by calling 07974 544 734 or emailing zoe@zoe hewett interiors.co.uk.

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E OP R

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May, 2013

Sommerville Road

ÂŁ520,000

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A rare opportunity to own an impressive family home located opposite St Andrews Park with arguably some of the finest views over the Park and Bristol. This is an interesting property and also deceiving at first glance. The three floors of accommodation all hold beautiful views and offer vast and versatile spaces. Accommodation on the ground floor comprises of a stunning 15'2 x 16' formal living with working wood-burning stove and large bay window flooding this space with light. A kitchen leading to a snug, pantry storage, a formal dining room with further bay window and feature fireplace and a conservatory complete the ground floor. The first floor contains a vast master bedroom with dressing area and stylish en-suite

bathroom, to the rear is a shower room and bedroom three, which is a good-sized double bedroom with views of the city. The third storey has another generous-sized double bedroom to the front elevation with fantastic views of the park and Clifton, a further large bathroom and a loft room currently being

used as a guest bedroom. This family home is being offered with no onward chain, and also benefits from a front garden and a sunny south-west facing rear garden. The added bonus of a garage make this a very unique prospect. Contact Oceanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bishopston branch on 0117 9425 855.

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MON T HE

 A Respectable Trade by Philippa Gregory The blurb – Bristol in 1787 is booming, a city where power beckons those who dare to take risks. Josiah Cole, a small dockside trader, is prepared to gamble everything to join the big players of the city. But he needs capital and d a well-connected wife. Marriage to Frances Scott is a mutually convenient solution. Trading her social contacts for Josiah’s protection, Frances finds her lif life d h and fortune dependent on the respectable trade of sugar, rum and slaves. Into her new life comes Mehuru, once a priest in the ancient African kingdom of Yoruba. From opposite ends of the earth, despite the enmity of slavery, Mehuru and Frances confront each other and their need for love and liberty.

Adult Fiction – Read by the Library Reading Group

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with staff from Cheltenham Road Library Amazon says – The descriptions of the brutality the slaves had to endure are poignant and all the more disturbing for their accuracy. It is right that the story does not gloss over the behaviour of our ancestors, as a less dedicated writer of historical fiction might be tempted to do. This novel has the Philippa Gregory trademark attention to detail and thorough painstaking research. A haunting novel well worth reading and rereading.

Children’s picture book – Read and enjoyed by Daniel and visiting children  Dirty Bertie by David Roberts The Blurb – Bertie has shockingly dirty habits, from nose-picking to weeing on the flowerbed! Whenever he does anything dirty, Bertie's family shouts: “No, Bertie! That's dirty, Bertie!” Will Bertie ever kick his horrible habits? Review – Children’s books with disgusting themes and characters are my favourite to read ad to visiting children at storytime and class visits; you’ll not hear me read How Much I Love You In The Springtime or something else as mushy. Give me Pooh! Is that you Bertie? (the second in the Bertie series) any day! David Roberts has created a simple story following Bertie as he learns that disgusting habits can have equally disgusting consequences. Not only does the story, with little text, flow

May, 2013

very well, with the option to involve the kids in telling Bertie off – “No, Bertie! That’s dirty, Bertie!” – but the illustrations are brilliant, with real depth and detail to them. David Roberts has also teamed up with author Alan McDonald to create Dirtie Bertie storybooks for older children; look out for Pants, Bogeys and Pong to name just a few! For these books and many, many more titles we could recommend, come along to Cheltenham Road Library and let us point you in the right direction; and if we don’t have what you’re looking for, you can reserve any item from over two million items across LibrariesWest, and collect from a library of your choice. And if you’re a parent with young children, come and join us for Storytime on Mondays at 11am, and Bounce and Rhyme on Wednesdays at 11am (termtime only). Opening Hours Monday: 10-1pm and 2-5pm Wednesday: 10-1pm and 2-5pm Friday: 10-1pm and 2-5pm Saturday: 10-1pm and 2-5pm

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May, 2013

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For May we meet Jill Sunderland and Pam Eastman, partners at Lunar Optical LLP

Tell us about your company. We set up the business last year and opened our doors on January 17, 2013. We employ three lovely optometrists – Neil Fraser, Jenny Bath and Richard Smith – who look after all of your eye care needs and we have Jill’s son Killian lending us a helping hand on Saturdays. We also have Ric Gethin, our audiologist, here to provide hearing services. Pam and I have both worked in the optical industry for many, many years and decided to bring together our wealth of knowledge

brownies (recipe on request!).

and experience to open our own practice. This has given us the opportunity to create an atmosphere that is relaxed and friendly. What service do you provide to the community? We provide a friendly, welcoming environment with frames and lenses to suit all needs and budgets and full contact lens fitting and hearing services. We also have the infamous chocolate

What is the best part of running your business and working in this area? Being among the friendly residents and local traders who have all made us feel really welcome. It’s really wonderful to see and meet so many residents who are keen to support so many local businesses. What makes your service different from other companies? We have a warm and welcoming practice with the expertise to choose the best frame and lenses for your needs over a cup of tea and cake.

What are your plans for the future of the business? To still be here, serving the local community of Bishopston, Redland and beyond, in 10 years’ time!

Contact: Jill Sunderland, 291 Gloucester Road, Bishopston Bristol, BS7 8NY. Tel: 0117 942 0011. Website: www.lunaroptical. com. Email: info@lunaroptical. com.

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Computer tips

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May, 2013

Sport

with Graham Simmonds of goto iT It might seem strange that your lovely new PC gets slower and slower as the years go by. Why might that be? There can be a range of reasons, which can be one or more of the following: • Virus or malware running on your computer – this is either software designed to damage your PC or software that is badly written that you usually do not need. • Running out of disk space – there is a limited amount of storage on our PCs which can be filled up with programmes you no longer use. The computer also creates temporary files that should be deleted but for some reason aren’t. • Overheating – the processor or brain of your PC needs to be kept cool. Sometimes the fans don’t quite do their job properly. We check for all these things and more during a health check. If you would like to know more, just drop in. If there is anything you would like to see a short article about, please contact us on 0117 969 8767 or visit us in our shop on the corner of Filton Avenue and the A4174. Advert on Page 10

U16s triumph to lift league trophy Avon Youth League U16 Plate Cup Final April 17 Bishopston United 3 v Rockleaze Rangers 0 On a blustery windy evening under floodlights at the Bristol Manor Farm ground alongside the River Avon this proved to be a very competitive and closely fought match between two rival teams with many of the opposing players friends at school. The match started with even possession in the first ten minutes and it was clear that this was going to be a tight game. Rockleaze had early chances

but it was Bishopston that took the lead after 14 minutes with a strike from Nick Postlethwaite. This was one of the few opportunities that went to either side, both teams' defences being very solid and the midfield very tight. At half time the match was evenly balanced and continued like this into the second half. It was 20 minutes into the second half when the game opened up. First Zakah Amadhi hit the inside of the post for Bishopston but the ball rebounded out. The clearance led to a Rockleaze attack and only a point blank save from Joseph Pearce kept Bishopston in front.

Ten minutes later Bishopston's captain Ollie Boulton hit a sensational strike from outside the box, the ball dipping under the bar for 2 v 0. This second goal turned the game and the play became very open with Bishopston now in full flow hitting Rockleaze with wave after wave of attack. In one of these, the Rockleaze keeper made a great flying save from Atef Mirabedini. The third goal was a close range header from a goal mouth scramble by Dominic Griffiths. This settled the contest and Bishopston saw the match out to the final whistle to lift the trophy.

Puzzle solutions

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May, 2013

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BUILDING SERVICES

TRADE SERVICES

DRIVEWAYS

PLUMBING

GRAPHIC DESIGN

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CARPET CLEANING

KNIFE SHARPENING

STONEMASONRY

PLASTERING

WINDOWS AND DOORS

To advertise, call Emma on 0117 908 2121

To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 908 2121 or 07715 770448. Got news? Call Joni on 07887 561567. Email: emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk