bishopstonvoice March, 2019 Issue 76
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Wow! Wassail draws crowds More than 300 people attended the Wassail at Horfield Organic Community Orchard. PAGE 45 Everyone at Empire Fighting Chance in Bristol was thrilled to welcome Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to their boxing club
A right royal day to remember A CHARITY that uses boxing to help young people in Bristol turn their lives around has received royal approval. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose to visit Empire Fighting Chance on their recent visit to the city. The royal couple
brought smiles to the faces of youngsters, coaches and the charity's founders. The Duke of Sussex told them their work was so important in helping vulnerable young people improve their mental health and self esteem.
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Flushing out their concerns Councillors have urged a review of Bristol's community toilets scheme. PAGE 3
Time to get that old bike out Bishopston film-maker Patrick Collerton is helping organise a Vintage Cycling Festival. PAGE 15
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Bishopstonvoice contacts Emma Cooper Publisher
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Your views Letters for publication can be sent to the above email addresses or by post to Letters, Bishopston Voice, 16 Chandag Road, Keynsham, Bristol BS31 1NR. The editor reserves the right to edit your letter.
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 Health Call 111 Well Aware (health and social care information) www.wellaware.org.uk Freephone: 0808 808 5252
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Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get things wrong. We always try to resolve issues informally at first but we also have a formal complaints procedure. If you have a complaint about anything in the Bishopston Voice, contact the publisher using the details below. We aspire to follow the Code of Conduct of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), which holds journalists to a high standard of behaviour. Further details of the complaints process can be found on the Voice website here, or can be obtained by contacting the Publisher. A member of the
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 10,700 copies copies will be distributed around Bishopston, Redland and St Andrews.
March, 2019
n NEWS
Stoke Lodge playing fields fence nears completion COTHAM School students are set to return to Stoke Lodge Playing Fields for their outdoor games lessons this month after a gap of five years. The school, which leases the pitches from Bristol City Council, moved its offsite sport to Coombe Dingle until it could fence off the site to ensure pupils and staff were safe. A lengthy legal battle because of objections from neighbours and other residents ended in victory for the school in the High Court last July and work began in January to erect the 2m high fence around the playing fields. But protesters have continued to turn out in force during the work, meaning that completion of the 1.5m fence around the perimeter has been delayed further. The opponents have begun legal action for a judicial review but the work has been able to continue because it is judged to be permitted development. Nathan Allen, facilities manager at Cotham School, said academy staff and contractors had coped brilliantly in difficult circumstances, with up to 20 protesters at the site daily. Although the work would not be completed by the start of Term 4, he said he was confident the fence would be finished, the pitches marked and the posts put up by early March.
“I am really looking forward to seeing the kids down there using the fields as they should be,” he said. The facilities, which include three full-sized and three junior football pitches and a rugby pitch as well as athletics provision, will be open to sports clubs and community groups in the evenings. Teams including St Brendan's Rugby, and Shire Colts used the pitches until 2016. Cotham School also hopes to build a pavilion at the site and has appealed against Bristol City Council's refusal of planning permission. For the time being, students will change at school for their games lessons. The school plans to hold a meeting in March with interested parties to discuss community use of the sports pitches. The public will have access to the site outside school hours, although dog walking will not be permitted on the fields and will be restricted to a perimeter walkway outside the fence. The residents' objections centre on their exclusion from a publicly owned open space. They say the walkway is very narrowt and are urging the school to think again. The pressure group We Love Stoke Lodge has collected morfe than 4,300 signatures in support of its Sense Not Fence petition.
'Lessons must be learned' CONSERVATIVE Councillor Mark Weston, who hopes to contest Bristol North West at the general election, has criticised Cotham School over its lack of engagement with residents and users of the playing fields and said lessons must be learned. Writing on his blog, he said: "Aside from the potential to physically harm rare and veteran trees bordering this formerly shared site, it is obvious that the perimeter fencing will degrade the historic setting of this woodland. "This sad episode also exposes the lack of a reasonable legal requirement to consult when local authority land is being enclosed in this way. We want this loophole closed."
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March, 2019
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n NEWS
Caught short over community toilets COUNCILLORS have demanded a review of the controversial community toilets scheme amid concerns residents are being caught short. The project, which calls on businesses, organisations and charities to open up their loos to the public, was launched last year when the city council shut all 18 of the city’s on-street public loos. Campaigners argued the closures, made to save the city council £440,000 a year, would affect the most vulnerable, including the elderly, children and disabled people. A report to the council’s communities scrutiny commission in January said there were now 84 such community toilet sites across Bristol. But members expressed concerns the scheme had set no minimum distances someone
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would be expected to walk to the available public loo or the hours they should be open. In BS6 and 7, the toilets currently open to the public are: • Ardagh, Horfield Common • St Andrew’s Park • Tesco Golden Hill • Horfield Leisure Centre • Tinto Lounge Commission chairman Gary Hopkins said: “It’s a pretty vital resource the city council is generally expected to provide. “The number of operators is ok but the numbers don’t mean anything if they’re not in the right place or open when people need them. "A hundred toilets in Avonmouth are not much use to someone in Bedminster. “We need some standard of how far people are expected to go to find a toilet at defined times of the day.” Officers also admitted
particularly because of the ongoing issues they already experience in the way toilets are used.” But she added: “In terms of distribution and provision, it’s a very significant increase.”
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n NEWS A COMMUNITY group that runs a café on Horfield Common is disappointed that Bristol City Council is continuing to proceed with plans for an ice-cream vendor in the same location. As previously reported in The Voice in December, the council have approved a licence for an ice-cream vendor with a pitch just 100 metres from Horfield Common play park, almost immediately next to the Cafe on the Common. Although the licence is yet to be tendered out by the council, members of the Friends of Horfield Common (FOHC), who support the Ardagh Community Trust which run the café, are still concerned that vital revenue could be lost if the plan goes ahead. The popular café in the centre of Horfield Common runs through the summer months and is the main source of income for the community interest company. As around 30 per cent of the takings come from ice-cream sales, the group are concerned that even a
March, 2019
Ice cream van plans prompt fears for community cafe
competitor as small as an icecream van could cause problems. Speaking to The Voice, a spokesman for FOHC also confirmed that the tender for the pitch is currently being advertised by the council, and they understand that there will be a further announcement by
BCC once this has been awarded. Commenting further, they said: “It is disappointing that BCC have chosen to go ahead with this competitor provision for the Common next to the play area after volunteers have worked so hard over the last 10 years to develop the existing cafe
as a facility for local people and a hub which supports community engagement and volunteering in the park as well. “We believe that there is a better location on the Common for an additional provision which wouldn’t undermine the existing cafe but sadly this was not supported. We hope that this won’t have a negative impact on the community cafe which is non-profit-making and deliberately priced to be affordable. “The incredible amount of work being done by volunteers who support it includes litterpicks, projects around the wider park & fundraising to help support enhancements to the Common. We’ll carry on doing this and encourage local people to continue to support it.”
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Business choir celebrates HAPPY birthday to us - the South Western Business Choir has just marked a year since its launch. The choir, which meets in Gloucester Road, is aimed at helping business owners and freelancers to unwind from the stresses of entrepreneurial life. Run by vocal coach Amy Box, it offers a chance to combine networking with singing – and now it is offering free taster sessions for more business owners to try it out. The choir has more than 20 members and gave two successful public performances last year as well as Christmas performances for Freelance Mums and local charity, Paul’s Place. Amy, said: “It’s a joy to see how business relationships flourish in such a unique space, where everyone is dedicated to having fun and enjoying the music…. The choir meets 7.30-9.30pm on Thursdays at Raw Space, 111 Gloucester Rd, BS7 8AT.
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
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March, 2019
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n NEWS
Fay awaits delayed decision over tea garden THE launch of Bristol City Council’s tender process has finally taken place, the owner of the café concession in St Andrews Park has told The Voice. As previously reported, the decision to retender Fay’s Tea Garden was upheld by Bristol City Council at a Full Council meeting in March 2018, despite facing strong opposition from over 5000 petitioners. Following this, notices appeared in the park in July in regards to an application for the café’s Street Trading Consent licence (which will allow the successful bidder to trade), and the council then confirmed that the tender process would launch in the autumn. However, following further delays, Fay Aldridge has told The Voice that the tender process finally launched in January. Fay has run the café since 2006, and will find out by March 11 if she
has been successful in tendering to run the provision for another three years. Speaking about the launch of the café tender process, a spokesman for Bristol City Council said: “We are looking for traders to run concession pitches in our city docks and parks. These are usually food outlets, but we are also looking to attract non-food traders for some of our pitches, such as bike repair outlets or flower stalls. We particularly want to hear from traders who use healthy and seasonal produce and are willing to work towards a Bristol Eating Better award. “The tender process for all concession pitches across Bristol parks and city docks estates is now underway and will run until February 25. Concession pitches are offered on a three year contract and need to be retendered when the contract ends.”
To find out more about the tender process, visit the council's website: https://www.
bristol.gov.uk/food-business/ concession-pitches-city-docksand-parks
Something for everyone at Kings Tennis Club, BS7 8JG! EASTER HOLIDAY COURSES 9am - 1pm, £15 a day Suitable for ages 4 - 15, and caters to all abilities from beginner to tournament players! H H OFFER H H Book on to 3 days in 1 week and claim a 4th FREE day (in either easter weeks) by e-mailing Elly! https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/EllyShearmanCoaching
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https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/EllyShearmanCoaching To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
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March, 2019
n NEWS
Residents oppose industrial site bid six inches from neighbouring flats RESIDENTS have contacted the Voice to express concerns regarding a proposed industrial development immediately next to a residential building in Ashley Down. The planning application (reference 18/04795/F) is for two industrial units and a storage unit at 18C Merton Road. Residents' main concerns relate to the close proximity of the units to neighbouring properties, in particular to 5 Ashley Down Road which would be less than 30cm away. As a result, there are fears that there will be an extreme loss of light, as well as noise and pollution issues. The development has been objected to by all neighbouring residents, The Bishopston Society and Councillor Tom Brook, and the case has now been escalated to the council’s planning committee by Councillor Eleanor Combley for further deliberation. Speaking to The Voice, Councillor Brook said: “Having a mix of commercial and residential uses in an area can be a good thing, but it’s important that developments in sites like this work well with their neighbours and the area as a whole. “This proposal does not do that - it is an industrial unit right up against neighbouring flats, meaning that residents would have all their light blocked by the new building. There are
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also questions about how both buildings would be maintained given this close proximity. Add to that the ugliness of the design and I am clear that the application should be turned down.” Residents have also told the Voice that the developer has already built other units on the opposite side of the estate without planning permission, and that these are occupied. Within the planning application it also states that the units don’t have any specifications on time limits, and residents are therefore worried about whether they will be operating 24 hours a day. One of the residents of the flats said: “I don’t feel we
are being listened to by the developers. We are concerned about the noise as the industrial unit is just six inches away from housing. The council’s response is to assess the noise once the unit is operational. “The windows face the unit so it will block the light too. Apparently there is no right to light unless the building has been in existence for 20 years.” Another resident added: “The gap that is left between the industrial unit and our flats is less than a plank of wood. It’s inaccessible. Shouldn’t there be a gap to allow access for repairs? “It’s incredible that someone can build a unit like that without any access. What if there is a major structural problem
found in our building? There is an external pipe on our wall that will become completely inaccessible as the plans only allow for a six inch gap.” The next planning committee meeting about this application has been postponed until Thursday February 27, as not everyone living nearby had been informed about it by the initial date of Wednesday January 30. Any residents wishing to express concerns regarding the planning application can make a public forum statement to Bristol City Council by 12pm on Wednesday February 26. Statements should be sent to democratic.services@bristol. gov.uk.
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bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
7
n NEWS
Nominate your favourite places THE Bishopston Society has issued a call for nominations for the organisations, individuals, events or activities that YOU think make up Bishopston's lively social and cultural scene. We all know that Bishopston is a handsome area, with streets of attractive houses. It boasts the best high street in the country in the shape of Gloucester Road. It’s by no means rural, but enjoys access to parks, allotments and green spaces. But as Nick Plant, Cchair of the Society, said: “As well as the built, economic and natural environments, we love Bishopston’s social environment too. So we think it’s time to celebrate Bishopston’s cultural amenities and social life. And the contributions which local talent and innovation make beyond Bishopston, to Bristol, the UK, and the world!”
“Furthermore, we want our members and other local residents to set the agenda for this celebration, rather than setting it for you.” Call for nominations Which Bishopston cultural groups do you love, and why? What social events or organisations do you want to tell others about? Which cultural icons in our midst should we boast about beyond our
boundaries? What unique, intriguing and worldclass contributions do Bishopston-borne people and ideas make? The society is moving away from the norm of pre-arranged guest talks. Please nominate the individuals or organisations you would like others to know about and celebrate. Just email culture@ bishopstonsociety.org. uk. Self-nominations are encouraged – put yourself or your organisation forward! The celebration takes place on Tuesday, 2nd April 2019 at 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start, finishing at 9.30 pm, at Gloucester County Cricket Club, Brightside Ground, Nevil Road, Bristol BS7 9EJ. More details via www. bishopstonsociety.org.uk or the above email address.
Auction to help church AN auction of goods and promises takes place in St Albans Church Hall in Westbury Park on Satursday March 2. The event, which starts at 7pm, is to raise funds for urgently needed improvements to the church. The Grade II listed church at the junction of Bayswater Avenue and Coldharbour Road has been a focal point for the community for over 100 years and has regularly featured on the BBC’s Songs of Praise show. It is a concert venue and also hosts community events such as ‘Pop-up-Cinemas’ and events for children at neighbouring Westbury Park Primary School. But it is struggling to meet its running costs because of falling numbers of worshippers and does not have the money to fund a refurbishment.
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To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
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March, 2019
n NEWS
Life-changing: could you host a puppy for a year?
Event set to have an international flavour
YOU may well have heard of Guide Dogs, a national charity working to ensure that people with a visual impairment do not lose their independence. There are about two million people in the UK living with sight loss, and all experience a different level of vision and mobility. The charity offers a range of mobility services to help people keep their independence, and have an amazing number of dedicated staff, volunteers, and of course, dogs who support the Guide Dogs mission. Guide Dogs needs volunteers who can help look after and support the training puppies. This is a full-time volunteering role as the puppy would live with you. Training and support is provided by Guide Dogs and your puppyt raining supervisor, and food and vets bills are paid. Puppy training supervisor, Lucy, said: “Puppy walking is a rewarding role and we are very grateful to our wonderful volunteers who expose the puppies to a range of daily activities before entering into training at about 12-16 months of age. As a puppy walker you will need to be able to dedicate at least a year to the role. If you love dogs and have the time and the patience this could be the role for you.” Puppy walking Volunteer, Chris, said “Every day is different – I could be taking the dog out on a walk, getting it used to trains, buses or the seaside! It’s great to be with a dog knowing you are giving something back… When a guide dog owner gets in touch with me to say thank you for puppy walking their life-changing dog, it really feels so rewarding and it’s lovely to get their feedback.” To find out more about puppy walking with Guide Dogs or any other volunteering opportunities, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/ volunteer or give the volunteering office a call on 0345 143 0191.
PLANS are progressing well for the Gloucester Road International Food and Drink Festival taking place on Saturday March 9. The event, organised by Gloucester Road Enterprise and Trade (GRE&T), will celebrate the diversity of the food and drink businesses in the area. Among the tasty treats will be flavours from Brazil, China, England, Europe, India, Italy, Iran, Kerala, Korea, Pakistan, Persia, Poland, and Thailand. There will be special menus, offers and tasters throughout the day. Some of the restaurants taking part are La Ruca, Tinto Lounge, Bomboloni and Di Meo and Parson’s Bakery are planning on a special bake for the day. To find out more about GRE&T and the festival see: www. facebook.com/gloucesterroadtraders/
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To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
March, 2019
bishopstonvoice
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n NEWS
Crumbs! Hospice has backing of Bake Off's Briony
A CONTESTANT from last year’s series of The Great British Bake Off has launched a baking competition in aid of St Peter’s Hospice. Briony Williams, who grew up in Westbury-on-Trym, now lives in Horfield with her husband, daughter and pet dog. She recently attended a launch event for the Ready, Steady, Bake! competition at the hospice in Brentry, where she judged a series of bakes that had been made by staff and supporters. In joint third place was a Guinness cake made by staff member Nicky and a red velvet cake made by Emma Martucci, Finance Manager at St Peter’s Hospice who is a regular baker and hoping to make her own wedding cake. She said: “I tried to make it blue with the St Peter’s Hospice logo but that didn’t work. I was busy rescuing it at 6am this morning!” In second place was a hummingbird cake made by
India, the daughter of one of the St Peter’s Hospice nurses, and the winning cake was an oreo drip cake made by Charlotte. Briony told The Voice that she is currently in training for the Bath Half Marathon, which she is running for Jessie May Trust. She is also currently working with Asda Living magazine to
develop recipes for kids, has appeared on Blue Peter and has started her own YouTube channel. As part of this, she is working with the Makaton channel to make baking more accessible to all. Briony said: “I have made a couple of videos with someone signing with me. It’s something
that I feel quite strongly about, in terms of trying to make baking something that everyone can do.” Ready, Steady, Bake! will help raise funds for St Peter’s Hospice. During March, people are encouraged to organise a bake sale, coffee morning or tea party, and there’s also a chance to win a masterclass with Briony by sending the charity a photo of your fundraising event and the money you’ve raised by April 5. As part of the competition, Briony is also holding a Ready, Steady, Bake! session at Grupo Lounge in Westbury-on-Trym, with a provisional date of Wednesday March 20. She added: “I’m really proud to be supporting St Peter’s Hospice. Everybody in Bristol knows about it.” To find out more about Ready, Steady, Bake! and to get involved, visit: https://www. stpetershospice.org.uk/supportus/community-fundraising/ ready-steady-bake/
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
bishopstonvoice
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March, 2019
nN EWS FROM OUR MP
Now for something completely different... I HAVE written a lot about Brexit in this column over recent months. So I thought I would give you all a break, and write about some other things, which are still important. Proper funding for schools I recently presented the government with petitions from several state-maintained nursery schools across Bristol West, signed by hundreds of parents, teachers and carers. The nurseries are worried because government has failed to give them any clarity on whether they will lose a third of their budgets from April 2020. This is something I will continue to raise with the government. Nurseries are extremely important, throwing their funding into doubt is the last thing hard-working staff need. This is just one story of many in the government’s chronic underfunding of education at every level. Meanwhile, ministers continue to repeat the misleading
claim of ‘record levels of funding’, a distortion of statistics which I also confronted the Prime Minister about in November. Clean air in Bristol Air pollution rightly concerns many of you. Pollution in Bristol regularly exceeds legal limits, leading to an estimated 300 premature deaths a year. I recently met with Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey to find out how the government can help Bristol reduce air pollution. There is much more that national government can and should do to support Bristol. I will also continue to work with Bristol City Council on this. I strongly believe that an effective Clean Air Zone is essential for making Bristol cleaner, greener city. The Immigration Bill People in Bristol often contact me about immigration. I am proud to say that almost all of you emailing me on this topic ask
for more openness, not less. You want an ethical system based on respect for human rights. You also want the UK to provide a warm welcome to those who come to this country, whether they come to escape persecution or contribute their skills. These ideas formed the basis of a recent speech I gave on the Immigration Bill. This draft law aims to create an immigration system after we leave the EU. I was shocked to see this landmark document made no mention of refugees or asylum seekers. However, I am working with a cross-party group of MPs to change this. We plan to table amendments when the Bill comes back for a second reading, for example ending indefinite detention of immigrants. But this will not be easy – a recent meeting I had with Home Secretary Sajid Javid showed that we will face a lot of resistance to such changes.
Thangam Debbonaire column And finally… I am running the London Marathon in April. Help! I want to make the most of this opportunity to shine a light on some of Bristol’s fantastic charities, encouraging more giving and fundraising. So I am asking my constituents which charities, organisations or campaigns I should support. Please help me choose from a shortlist on www.debbonaire. co.uk. If you have missed the Brexit news this month, there is plenty on my website and Facebook, where I’ll post regular updates.
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bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
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n NEWS
£104,000 means we're really growing places A COMMUNITY business has won a grant of £104,000 for a project growing vegetables and herbs at Ashley Vale Allotments, .Propagation Place is a volunteer project at St Werburghs City Farm. It grows plants in the polytunnel at the allotments and sells the seedlings to gardeners and allotment holders. It has worked with more than 100 volunteers since it started in 2016, and the grant from independent trust Power to Change will enable it to expand. The money will support staffing costs over two years and fund a website, helping the project to become financially sustainable. Propagation Place helps people make new friends while working together outdoors and learning about horticulture. Volunteers also help with caring for the community garden next to
the polytunnel, growing organic vegetables that get turned into lunch time feasts and any surplus shared out at the end of the day. Participants have said that it has made a big difference to their lives, with the majority saying that they felt more connected to their local community. Propagation Place is gearing up for the 2019 growing season, and will be running three volunteer sessions a week on Mondays, Tuesday and Wednesdays from the February 25. Contact grow@swcityfarm. co.uk, or drop into the Farm office on Watercress Road, St Werburghs, Bristol, BS2 9Y. There's an open day on April 13 from 12-3pm, including plants for sale and refreshments. To support this project by buying plants, visit www. propagationplace.co.uk. Enter code bristol15 for a 15% discount.
Sprinklers pledge for tower blocks SPRINKLERS will be installed inside flats in Bristol City Council’s 59 tower blocks to prevent a repeat of the Grenfell disaster, at a cost of at least £7.3million. The authority has earmarked the money for the work over the next five years, beginning with a £300,000 pilot project at Castlegate House in Brislington in 2019/20. A total of £1million will be spent the following year, with £2million pencilled in for each of the three years after that up to 2024. High-rise blocks with the highest number of older and disabled people will get sprinklers first, along with those with single stairwells where emergency exits are most critical. Every bin room in the council’s blocks now has sprinklers, but work will soon begin on getting the equipment into residents’ flats. Seventy-two people died and more than 70 others were injured in a blaze that destroyed Grenfell Tower in London in June 2017. Bristol City Council cabinet member for housing Paul Smith announced the project at a cabinet meeting . He said most of the money from council tenants’ rent over the next financial year would be spent on maintaining and repairing its 27,000 homes. He said: “Council housing is operating in the shadow of Grenfell. Bristol has 59 high-rise blocks. Thankfully none of them have the form of cladding which ignited so devastatingly and tragically at Grenfell.But there’s no room for us to be complacent. ““The bin rooms tend to be a focus for fires in blocks.But we are starting a programme to install sprinklers within the flats." t
Thrilling live music performed by Bristol’s professional chamber orchestra Henleaze Concert Society
The music of Ludovico Einaudi
Trinity-Henleaze URC, Waterford Road, Henleaze
St George’s Bristol Wednesday 13 March at 7.30pm The Bristol Ensemble performs some of the most famous pieces composed by Ludovico Einaudi to the backdrop of beautiful images of nature. Scored for piano and strings, the ethereal works create a meditative atmosphere, creating waves of emotion that engulf the listener. An unmissable evening of music and images. Tickets £10 to £26 from St George’s box office on 0845 40 24 001, www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk or over the counter
Saturday 9 March at 7.30pm With Roger Huckle violin Britten Simple Symphony Op.4 Massenet Meditation from Thaïs Schubert Rondo in A for Violin and Strings, D. 438 Dvořák Serenade For Strings in E Tickets £16.50 (£5 under 25s) from Opus 13 music shop 0117 923 0164 or from www.bristolensemble.com
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
bishopstonvoice
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March, 2019
n NEWS
'Send us your ideas' AREA 2 comprises Henbury & Brentry, Southmead, Horfield, Bishopston & Ashley Down, Cotham and Redland. Green Party councillors Martin Fodor and Fi Hance say an estimated £84,000 will be available for the area once developer funds are received in the autumn so the number of projects will be limited. They say the 12 councillors from Bishopston & Ashley Down Cotham and Redland are working together to develop projects and a timetable ahead of decision making in September has been agreed. They warn that the CIL money is only for physical projects, not to fund people, running costs, or reports. Email areacommittee2@ bristol.gov.uk
Funding for communities available across the city BRISTOL City Council is inviting people to nominate projects that could improve their neighbourhoods. Every year money is made available to communities through Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Section 106 (S106) funding and the council is now looking for suggestions about how this should be spent. Do you have ideas on how to improve your area? Is there a building that needs developing or improvements needed to your park? The council hopes people will come forward with ideas, so communities can work with ward councillors to help identify priorities. Councillors make decisions about these local funds once a year in the city’s six area committees. The decisions will
be made in three stages, which will include identifying initial ideas, developing full proposals for shortlisted ideas and final funding decisions.People now have until March 15 to put forward proposals for potential projects for their area committee. Councillor Asher Craig, Deputy Mayor with responsibility for communities, said: “I would encourage anyone with any ideas or suggestions to come forward and work with your local councillor. “The funding can make physical improvements to a local park or community building which can make a huge difference to a local community. We want to know what the priorities are in each area – and who better to tell us than the people who live there?” Last year the council invested
over £1,800,000 in new or existing projects. The Stapleton Road Station project was granted £200,000 to address a number of challenges around safety. The residents wanted the area to feel safer and cleaner and put forward proposals to create a welcoming gateway to the district promoting wellbeing and fostering good relationship. Once proposals have been councillors have until April 23 to consult with their communities to agree the shortlist of ideas that will be developed into full proposals. Further information and a proposal form can be downloaded from https:// www.bristol.gov.uk/peoplecommunities/fundinglocal-projects these should then be sent directly to your councillor or area committee for consideration.
Preventative Care Crown & Bridgework Cosmetic Treatment Saturday Appointments Dental Hygienists Friendly Caring Staff Easy Parking Dr Mark Haseltine, BDS Dr Susan Lavington, BDS Dr Laura Birch, BDS MFDS RCSEd
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
13
n NEWS
It's a win-win for Bristol's children in care The change was instigated by Green Party councillors, who lodged an amendment to the council's 2018-19 budget. The budget amendment proposed that the council should, enabling the authority to care for children’s needs and in some cases bringing children back to Bristol from other authorities. Eleanor Combley, Green group leader and Councillor for Bishopston and Ashley Down, proposed capital funding for building/converting two additional homes in order to run small scale (2 or 3-bed) specialist children’s homes within the city at an estimated cost of £800,000. Within this, she said that “running costs of these will be less than the revenue currently spent on the care of the same children, so over time this amendment will also save on revenue costs.” At the time the budget amendment was put together,
no suitable homes had been identified. Subsequently, Bristol City Council has been able to buy one property, and the rest of the money will be carried forward to make further purchases in due course. Cllr Combley submitted a statement to the Labour-run cabinet, thanking Cabinet Member Helen Godwin for her support and the council officers who worked on delivering the project. She said: “Looking after our children in care is one of the most important responsibilities we have as councillors. Sometimes children have been sent to homes as far as 20 miles or more from the Bristol area because Bristol’s current children’s homes are too large, and not suitable for their needs. We know that for most children in care it is better to be closer to home, near their family and communities and where they can be supported by local social
ousing lH
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Invoet lved
rums Fo
Local Housing Forums for Bristol council tenants
workers. “Sending children far from home can be disruptive for them, and it is also more expensive for the council. I am proud that my amendment has helped our dedicated children’s services officers make this change to ensure that what we offer matches what our children need, and make the best possible use of the limited resources we have. “I’d like to thank all the officers who have put hard work into delivering this project – and so much thought and care into making sure it is done in a way that helps best meet the needs of our children in care. I’d also like to pay tribute to Cllr Helen Godwin as the Cabinet Member responsible. ” Green Councillor Carla Denyer also added: “I By providing more children’s homes here instead of sending children across the country for care, we’ll save money and provide a better service – it’s a win-win.”
Loc a
BRISTOL City Council is changing its stock of children's homes. The council has four 5-bed homes and one 4-bed homes, which provide short and long term care for children aged 12-17 years old - but it now intends to remodel its provision towards a higher number of smaller properties that more closely replicate an ordinary family home It has already bought one smaller home and intends to get more, meaning that some children in care who have to be sent out of the area can be looked after closer to home. It also means the provision can be updated; it was eographically imbalanced as three of the five homes are in the south of the city, and as the homes were built in the 1950s they are institutional looking, some have structural issues and maintenance costs are also rising.
Forums in North Bristol Area 1: Mon, 11 March 2019, 5.45–8pm
Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston, Clifton, Clifton Down, Hotwells & Harbourside, Stoke Bishop, Westbury-on-Trym, Henleaze At: Penpole Community Centre 60 The Ridge, Shirehampton, Bristol BS11 0DZ
Area 2: Thurs, 7 March 2019, 5.45–8pm
Ashley Down, Cotham, Horfield, Henbury & Brentry, Redland, Southmead At: The Greenway Centre Doncaster Road, Southmead Bristol BS10 5PY
Are you a council tenant in the areas listed above? Please get involved in your March Local Housing Forum – your opinions help us make decisions! Book a place and have your say on how the council housing service is run. Travel expenses can be reimbursed, plus free tea & coffee is provided. For further information contact: Tenant Participation 0117 352 1444 or email tpu@bristol.gov.uk. All details at: www.bristol.gov.uk/LocalHousingForums.
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
bishopstonvoice
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March, 2019
n NEWS
34,000 reasons why cycling deserves investment AN estimated 34,000 incidences of eight life-threatening conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, stroke, breast cancer and depression would be prevented in seven major UK cities by 2040 if cycling increased, according to a report by a walking and cycling charity. The report by Sustrans, called “Transforming Cities: The potential of everyday cycling” is based on data from Bike Life, the largest assessment of cycling in UK cities. It looks at what the health, economic and environmental benefits of cycling could look like by 2040 in seven UK cities, including Bristol, and highlights the impact of doubling cycling trips every eight years between 2017 and 2040. The report estimates that more than one billion cycling trips would take place by 2040 in these major cities, which is an eight-fold increase from 123 million trips. As a result,
this would prevent 628 early deaths and generate £21 billion of savings to the economy, including 319 million of savings to the NHS over the 23-year period. England’s Chief Medical Officer and the UK Government recommend adults get 150 minutes of physical activity each week. However in 2015, 34% of men and 42% of women reported that they did not meet UK guidelines on physical activity. Sustrans warns that the substantial health benefits from increased cycling are only possible if long term political commitment and investment across government exist. Along with other walking and cycling organisations, Sustrans wants the UK Government to commit 5% of the transport budget on active travel, raising to 10% by 2025 in the next Comprehensive Spending Review. Commenting on the report,
Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol City Council said: “Bristol demonstrated it is possible for a city to double cycling in ten years and we are committed to continuing this momentum to ensure we meet future goals, not least improving air quality and meeting our carbon neutral targets. “Our draft Transport Strategy presents a vision for Bristol to be a well-connected city that enables people to move around efficiently with increased transport options that are accessible and inclusive to everyone. Making space and improving safety for walking, cycling and public transport will enable us to meet this goal.” Xavier Brice, chief executive at Sustrans, said: “Our report provides 34,000 reasons why governments across the UK should prioritise investment in cycling. Every part of the country is facing a physical inactivity and obesity crisis, which is why
decision-makers need to get on the front foot and tackle these problems head on. “Prevention is better than cure is an often repeated mantra of health ministers across the UK, but tackling the deepening health crisis shouldn’t be left to the NHS alone. That’s why the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review should prioritise prevention and provide greater public funding for cycling to deliver our five ‘must haves’.” Sustrans are currently in the process of securing the funding to carry out repairs along two routes in our area. These are Ashton Court and the Bristol & Bath Railway Path, which was built in 1977 is used by 1,000 commuters who travel car free to work between the peak hours of 8:00 and 9:00 am. To read report, visit: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/ bikelifetransformingcities.
at our lovely houses in Redland and Henleaze
ABF Adcontact Half PageEmma 180x120 1 22/02/2017 11:09 To21435 advertise, onAW.indd 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
March, 2019
bishopstonvoice
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n NEWS
Saddle up for vintage bike festival A BIKE festival that celebrates all things vintage is going to take to the streets of Bristol and the surrounding countryside in May. The Gert Lush festival is taking place on Sunday May 19. The event encourages everyone to dust off their old bikes and take part, and the only rule is to leave any full carbon bikes at home. Co-founded by Emmy and Bafta award winning filmmaker Patrick Collerton from Bishopston and Americana musician Steve Page, the day promises to be filled with music, old fashioned refreshments, a warm, friendly atmosphere and some surprises too. As part of the event there is a choice of a 30 mile and 65 mile route, plus a free fancy dress ride for kids. Any attendees that don’t fancy getting on their bikes can meet up with riders in the afternoon for The Gert Lush Vintage Fete at Long Ashton Community Centre, where there will be the chance to eat, drink, and be merry in true vintage style. The Gert Lush festival also fits in with Bristol’s international reputation both as a cycling city and as an eco one. Sponsored by Bristol law firm Barcan + Kirby, the event is rooted in the city but aims to attract vintage cyclists from around the country to enjoy the best of the South West. Commenting on their support, Bill Willcocks, Managing Partner of Barcan + Kirby said: “Barcan+Kirby are proud to be sponsoring this festival, as a firm we have
very close links with the Bristol cycling community and we are excited to be involved in such a fun and family friendly event.” Speaking about the event, Patrick Collerton said: “Think more Jammy Dodgers than energy gels, less lycra, more period clothing and get ready to enjoy a lovely day out in the amazing Somerset countryside.” Steve Page added: “Why spend thousands on a new bike when for a couple of hundred you can get a recycled bike that’ll last just as long? “We want to grow The Gert Lush into a weekend vintage bike festival with camping but for the first year we’re concentrating on making it a real day to remember.”
On the day there will be three start times available, and entry costs £25 or £27 per person, depending on the route that is
chosen. To find out more about the festival and register for a ride, visit: www.thegertlush.com
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bishopstonvoice
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March, 2019
n NEWS
Choir hits the right notes for the Julian Trust! A CHOIR from Henleaze has raised over £1000 for a local homeless charity. Henleaze Ladies’ Choir meet on Thursday afternoons at St Peter’s Church Hall, Henleaze. The group performs two charity concerts each year, in December and May, with the charities chosen by the members. The group, who are conducted by Jane English, collected over £300 at their December concert for Bristol’s Julian Trust, and through an additional Facebook fundraising appeal they are thrilled that a combined total of £1,094 has been raised for the charity. Julian Trust was formed in 1986 and provides food and nightshelter for the homeless from their base in St Paul’s. For five nights a week it has 18 beds available for guests on a first come, first served basis, and between 80 and 100 guests are also served dinner at the nightshelter each night. In terms of their upcoming events, the choir are holding an
afternoon of singing, tea and cakes on Thursday April 11 at St Peter’s Church Hall. Entrance is £3 per person, which includes tea, cake and a raffle ticket. In addition, the choir’s next charity concert is also going to be held at the church hall on Thursday
Bristol dementia charity to benefit from Co-op fund A BRISTOL-based dementia charity has been chosen to benefit from the Co-op Local Community Fund. Bristol Dementia Action Alliance (BDAA) is raising funds to attract volunteers to help them run information events. Their aim is to make the public more Dementia aware and give them information about the varied services which are on offer in Bristol to help them and their loved ones. BDAA also wants to create literature and a resource-rich website to help people living with Dementia. Commenting on their fundraising plans, Tony Hall, chair of BDAA, said: “BDAA is a tiny charity, run by volunteers, with a huge aim to make Bristol THE Dementia Friendly City in the UK. To that we need the help of the Bristol community. “To help us raise vital funds, we’ll be relying on Co-op shoppers. Every time they buy Co-op own-brand products they get a 5% reward for themselves, and a further 1% goes to local causes like ours. “At a time when funds for charitable organisations are becoming more difficult to access, we’re incredibly grateful for this opportunity to make a real difference in Bristol. We really hope that people will visit the website and choose to support us.” If you’re not a Co-op member and would like to support BDAA, you can join at your local Co-op store or online by visiting: www.coop.co.uk. For more information about BDAA, please visit: www.bristoldaa.co.uk
May 16 at 2pm, and will be in aid of Home Start – Bristol and their work with families with young children. Henleaze Ladies Choir are keen to reinforce that there are no auditions to join the group and the aim is to enjoy singing
a wide repertoire of music together and to give pleasure to audiences, with new members always assured of a warm and friendly welcome. To find out more about the choir, visit: http://www.henleazeladieschoir. co.uk/
Wellbeing centre opens LEADING Lights is opening the Glow our Education and Wellbeing centre in Stokes Croft and will be running various wellbeing sessions, family support groups as well as a GCSE and A level supported study group. The organisation is a not for profit social enterprise that aims to disrupt educational inequality and radically transform the outcome of young people who are experiencing issues in their Social Emotional and Mental Health. If you would like to find out more about the support groups and wellbeing sessions please contact Callum@ leadinglightseducationandwellbeing. org.uk or call 07848 924386/ 0117 366 0079.
bishopstonvoice February,
2019 Issue
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View us online at: www.bishopstonvoice.co.uk
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Tasty bagels are on the menu at The Dolphin School in Montpelier. The free breakfast programme was launched at the beginning of term ensuring that no child is too hungry to learn. Report: Page 25
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Starting life’s adventure Visit us to find out more about BGS.
& ST ANDR
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Baths finally set for conversion
New owners have been given planning permission to turn former Bristol North Baths the offices. into PAGE 5
Stealing fro sick childrenm
DO you recognise Police are keen this man? him about the to talk to charity money theft of a Clifton Down spinner in Centre on the Shopping morning of January 9. The box was chained to
the wall and is estimated to have contained hundred pounds several the Jessie May donated to Trust, which provides nursing
home for childrencare at limiting illnesses. with lifeFull story: Page 8
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Get set for the lights fantas tic! Forget
the gloom Window Wanderland is in Bishopston back this month and Redland. PAGE 6
School's fence: row contin ues
Cotham School's fence off Stoke attempt to Fields has been Lodge Playing halted by protesters. PAGE 7
Get things moving with Ocean… oceanhome.co
.uk
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
17
n NEWS FOR the first time, Bristol Community Health and North Somerset Community Partnership (NSCP) have awarded grants of varying sizes to local projects which empower people to better look after their own health. Bristol Community Health set up the fund with support from Voscur. They received more than sixty grant applications and awarded £32,783 in total to twelve projects. Matthew Areskog, Bristol Community Health’s People and Communities Service Manager, says: “We know how hard local community-based organisations work to make a difference. This programme has been created so extra support is given to help local people live healthier lives – whether it’s for an existing project, or to launch something new. Motivating and supporting people to look after their own health is key for us. Our amazing
Health providers give £50,000 boost to 22 local organisations
community health staff, who really know what’s needed in the community, have voted on the final shortlist. We’re excited to hear about the progress these brilliant projects make this year.”
One of the successful applicants awarded £2,500 by Bristol Community Health was Acorns ‘n’ Oaks – an organisation that brings children and older people together through intergenerational social groups. Families currently visit 15 Nursing and Residential Homes, Extra-care Housing and Rehabilitation Centres across Bristol including the BS7 area. The intergenerational visits make positive changes to the mood and behaviour of elderly residents, encourage social development in the children and enthusiasm from the parents contributing to a sense of community in each care facility. Founder and Director of
Acorns 'n' Oaks, Gilly Wilson says: "We are delighted that Bristol Community Health recognises the enormous benefit that Acorns 'n' Oaks groups can have on the elderly, the children and the parents involved. We currently have a waiting list of care homes and volunteers and so over the next six months this vital funding will be used towards employing an administrator, so that we can continue our existing groups, but also to start developing new groups. The money will also help us to contribute to research working with the UWE Department of Psychology to study the real benefits of intergenerational activities."
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bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
19
n FOCUS ON NORTHVIEW
Treat Mum this Mother’s Day with our Locally sourced • Beef • Chicken • Lamb • Pork
Local wild Venison available as joints, diced & steaks Homemade sausages in various varieties plus much more • Cooked Meats • Homemade Pies & Pasties Opening Times: Mon CLOSED Tues - Sat 8.00am – 5.00pm
31 North View, Westbury Park, BS6 7PT Tel 01179 736 177 www.galesfarmmeats.co.uk
10% discount offer for 10% discount for all staff New Patients At this new state-of-the-art dental practice Quote BEAU01 • Routine and cosmetic dentistry • Routine and cosmetic dentistry • Saturday appointments available • Various Orthodontic treatments •• Aquacare Adult orthodontics – clear bracesno drill for contactless dentistry, •• Teeth TeethWhitening whitening •• Anti-snoring Anti snoringdevices devices • Botox and fillers • Botox and fillers • Extended opening hours •• Friendly Childrenatmosphere, treated for families free welcome • Friendly atmosphere, families welcome
To book an appointment with To book an appointment Dr Nicola White, Dr Sandra with Clark or Dr Rachel Heard Dr CallCatherine us on 0117Spalding 3303495or Dr Nicola White call us on 0117 330 3495 and quote CP1.
Beau Monde Dental Care
Beau Monde Dental Care 35 North View, Westbury Park 35 North View, Westbury Park Bristol BS6 Bristol BS67PY 7PY info@beaumondedental.co.uk info@beaumondedental.co.uk
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Offer valid throughout 2014
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
bishopstonvoice
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March, 2019
n FOCUS ON NORTHVIEW NORTH View is a thriving independent high street on the Westbury Park and Henleaze borders. It is host to about 30 businesses that provide almost everything needed for the home, leisure and health. Many have been here for a number of years providing expertise and a knowledgeable and friendly service. In more recent years the area has become a hub for independent eateries and food suppliers, such as the acclaimed Gales Farm Meats. Owners Andrew Gale and his brother Stuart are fourth generation farmers and butchers Come and sample the delights of North View, just off the Downs near the Whitetree roundabout - you can be sure that a warm welcome will await you,
The Carpet Shop • Free measuring service • Fitting included in the carpet price • Wide selection of styles and colours • Fitters with over 20 years experience • Professional, friendly and prompt service
Visit our showroom:
45 North View Westbury Park BS6 7PY www.thecarpetshopbristol.co.uk
For free advice please call:
0117 973 4912
Christian Bookshop CHRISTIAN Scientists have enjoyed being part of the community of North View since 1928. The present church, which replaced a 1930s building on a much larger site, opened in 1986 to much architectural acclaim. In the Spring the church is hosting two free talks, open to the public. The first, on Saturday, April 6, at 2.30pm, is Hardship and Truth about the first Women Members of Parliament and their religious faith. The second is by Phillip Hockley, entitled, A new view of God and its effect on well-being on Thursday May 16 at 7.30pm, which is a talk specifically on Christian Science. . Come to our Sunday Service at 11 o’clock, with hymn singing, prayers and a sermon based on Bible readings. On two Wednesdays A month there are Testimony Meetings. Come into the Book Shop and Reading Room and ask questions, research the Bible or pray in the Study Room. The book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, , is available. So too are
Bibles, children's books, religious cards, CDs and the Christian Science Monitor. For information about Christian Science, visit ChristianScience.com. Beau Monde Dental Care EVER since qualifying from the University of Birmingham in 1997, Dr Nicola White had dreamed of one day opening her own dental practice. In June 2013, she opened the doors to her new state-of-the-art practice on North View, Westbury Park where she has created a warm and welcoming atmosphere, reflecting her own ethos and values. Nicola has a particular interest in cosmetic dentistry, including
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
21
n FOCUS ON NORTHVIEW adult orthodontic treatments. The “Six Month Smile Orthodontic System” uses specialised clear braces that gently straightens and aligns teeth in an average of six months. She also offers a full range of facial aesthetics including wrinkle reducing treatments and dermal fillers. Nicola will treat your children free of charge if a parent is registered at Beau Monde. 35 North View, Westbury Park, Bristol, BS6 7PY Tel: 0117 330 3495 www.beaumondedental.co.uk The Carpet Shop WE supply only the finest carpet quality carpets. Offering an extensive range of carpet styles and colours to suit any home. Call or e-mail today for more information or for some free advice. Services include a free measuring service, fitting included in the carpet price, a wide selection of carpet styles and colours, carpet fitters with over 20 years experience and professional,
friendly and prompt service. Call today on 0117 9734912 or email info@thecarpetshop.co.uk for free advice. Gales Farm Meats THE butcher on Northview specialising in home-made pies and pasties, specialty sausages, home cured bacon and cooked meats. All the meat is soured from the family farm in Gloucester and surrounding local farms. The beef and lamb is hung on the bone for minimum 21 days to develop tasty, tender meat with full flavour and the local game is supplied by Badminton Estate or local shoots. Many local restaurants are supplied with the quality meat and as an old fashioned friendly butcher, all cuts of meat are offered. For Andrew Gale, providing quality products and good service is the number one priority. Up & Running IF you have just started out on the road to a fitter, healthier life-style or just looking for your next pair of
trainers then Up & Running is the place to visit. For over ten years Nick and Rick have been providing advice on all aspects of running and fitness from starting out, training and race day through to recovery. You will find the leading brands of running shoes, clothing and accessories at North View. Getting the correct shoes is so important to avoid injury and to enjoy the freedom of running. Up & Running assess your running gait and recommend shoes which will suit your running style, comfort and budget. For ladies a supportive and well fitting sports bra is a vital piece of kit to maintain shape and comfort. Up & Running stock leading brands in a range of colours. You want to feel comfortable when you run so Up & Running stock the latest technical clothing and accessories to keep you relaxed, warm and dry and also very stylish including GPS watches, waist belts, hats, gloves and nutrition. 38 North View, Westbury Park, Bristol BS6 7QA Tel: 0117 9739092
Active8 Therapy ACTIVE8 therapy has grown. Osteopath, Alex Prince has been joined by physiotherapist, Charlie McCall and sports massage therapist, Flo Dannah. You will be in good, professional and caring hands to help with all your muscular and skeletal injuries, aches and pains. Alex’s osteopathic and holistic approach can help with many musculo-skeletal ailments and conditions, particularly focusing on the back and neck. He also utilises gentle cranial osteopathic techniques for infants and children. Charlie’s physiotherapy experience is great for treating and rehabilitating all areas of the body, especially arms, shoulders, legs, hips and knees. Charlie also provides specialist 1 to 1 Pilates for all ages and abilities. Flo’s background in elite sport complements her knowledge and experience in sports massage. 13-21 North View, Westbury Park, Bristol. BS6 7PT Call: 0117 973 6477. email: therapy@active8fitness.com
Osteopath - Alex Prince Physiotherapist and 1 to 1 Pilates - Charlie McCall Sports massage - Flo Dannah
Our experienced team is here to ease your Injuries, Aches and Pains. -Sports injuries & niggles -Muscular tension, strains and aches -Back and neck conditions -Shoulder, Arm and Leg injuries
GOsC registered Osteopath in practice for over 20 years and can help with: • Back and neck pain • Headaches/Sinus problems • Trapped nerves • Arm and leg pain • Sports Injuries • Arthritic pain For appointments please visit my website
www.alexprinceosteopathy.co.uk or email/call me alex@alexprinceosteopathy.co.uk
M: 07951 942262 T: 0117 9686477 I am based at
phone: 0117 973 6477 email: therapy@active8fitness.com
Active8 MAIN HEADER SIGN.indd 1
08/07/2013 15:12:06
13-21 North View, Westbury Park, Bristol BS6 7PT
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
March, 2019
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n EDUCATION
City celebrates its wealth of BAME talent THE FIRST graduates of a city-wide programme to develop talented individuals from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities have been honoured by the Mayor of Bristol at a celebration event held at City Hall in January. The group of 46 graduates have all successfully completed Bristol City Council’s Stepping Up programme, which was set up in 2018 to improve the representation of BAME employees in senior leadership roles within the city and wider region. It is supported by organisations such as the Ministry of Defence and law firm Osborne Clarke, and the benefits include the chance to work towards an ILM level five certificate in management and leadership, pairing with a mentor from another organisation to provide expert mentoring and support, 30 guaranteed development days to cover the course content and opportunities
to experience another sector through undertaking a stretch assignment. Speaking at the event, Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “Congratulations to those who have graduated from the programme. Most of you are already contributing to the city’s changing leadership landscape and I wish you the very best on your future career journeys.” Professor Christine Bamford, Director of the Stepping Up Programme, said: “It’s been
my great privilege to support this talented and inspirational group through our first year of the programme. Over 50% of those taking part have secured promotions, a number have successfully applied to be magistrates and a further six are now pursuing MBAs. “I look forward to seeing our graduates flourish on their career journeys and to working with our employer group again on the expanded Stepping Up programme beginning
imminently.” Stepping Up graduate Gait Collins said: “Being in the programme has been life changing. Not only has it affected my mindset, confidence and skills, I now have a lifelong support network. I truly believe that together, we will shape the leadership landscape into one that values diversity and better represents the people served.” To find out more visit: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/ mayor/stepping-up-programme
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
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bishopstonvoice
n EDUCATION
World Book Day - it's not just for children
RGS retains International School Award REDLAND Green School has been awarded the British Council’s International School Award for a second time in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom. The award was presented by Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire, on a visit to the school on February 15. The work at Redland Green School includes curriculum links with schools in
March, 2019
India, Germany and Spain undertaking collaborative projects across many subjects and interacting through trips, email and skype. The school has also raised funds for 40 students to attend the charity funded Hope Foundation School in India over a five year period. Many students have had the opportunity to visit the partner school in India and there are other visits planned.
A GROUP of local booksellers are coming together to celebrate World Book Day on Gloucester Road. The annual celebration of books and reading will take place on Thursday 7 March. Although it is traditionally seen as a day for school children, at Page 53 they believe that adults need to be reminded of the delights of reading too and that books which you can touch, flick through and dip into are something which people of all ages should celebrate. Further to the success of the Gloucester Road Book Fair, which was run by Page 53 in December, the group are running their own World Book Day celebration at Alchemy 198 on Gloucester Road from 4pm until 11pm. As part of the event they will be selling books for all ages and tastes, from contemporary and classic fiction and work of local authors, to non-fiction and poetry. In addition Book Island, a local publisher of children’s picture books, will be offering activities for children, there will also be appearances by local novelists J.M. Monaco, author of How We Remember, and Emily Koch, who wrote If I Die Before I Wake. For more information or to book a Pop-Up bookshop, email: helen@page53.co.uk.
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To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
March, 2019
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n EDUCATION
Bristol City snaps up FHS student BRISTOL City Football Club has snapped up the talents of Fairfield High School (FHS) Y11 student Jemar South Thomas to join the club on its flourishing journey. Although Jemar has enjoyed playing football nearly all his life, this recent ‘rise to the top’ started at age 12, when he played for Bristol Central. It was during his time there, at one of the matches, when he was scouted; the outcome being the fantastic opportunity of a six week trial and two year scholarship. In simple terms, a dream come true! Jemar said: “I am so happy to have been awarded this scholarship where I will be getting paid for doing something that I love. My aspiration for the next two years is to work as hard as I possibly can to get a pro-contract with Bristol City. Bobby Reid is my idol… he grew up in Easton, played for Bristol City and now plays for the Premier league! I’d definitely like to follow in his footsteps. I’d like to thank my family, friends and school for being there and always being such an amazing support.” Jordan Goodchild, director of PE, said: “Jemar’s talents are exceptional and we have always encouraged him to pursue a football career. We are so proud that he has already been scouted and wish him every success as he shines in the future.”
Want to become a better leader? Part-time MSc Strategy, Change and Leadership Designed for busy managers to fit around a demanding management role, this part-time programme will help you to: • enhance your impact as a leader • understand organisational complexity and issues affecting success • improve your ability to manage change and uncertainty • make better choices about growth and strategic direction For more information Email: efim-scl@bristol.ac.uk or Tel: 0117 954 6694 Web: bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/2019/ssl/ msc-strategy-change-leadership Come along to our Open Evening on Wednesday 27 March 2019 between 6-8pm. To register, email: efim-scl@bristol.ac.uk
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
YOUR FIRST REAL CHANCE AT SGS! Join us at our Open Evening and find out about SGS College’s wide range of full/part-time and Higher Education study programmes, including those starting in September 2019. • Speak with our specialist course tutors • Meet current learners studying at SGS • Tour the campus to see our industry focused facilities OUR NEXT OPEN EVENING: Thursday 28 March, 17:30–20:00 All subject areas – SGS Filton, WISE, Stroud, Queens Road and Berkeley UTC campuses
TO FIND OUT MORE
FREEPHONE: 0800 0567 253 www.sgscol.ac.uk | info@sgscol.ac.uk
bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
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n ADVERTISING FEATURE
The whole world in their hands ...
WE pride ourselves here at Torwood House School in knowing every child personally therefore no child is ever unnoticed or invisible. Every child’s aspirations are whole-heartedly supported, whatever direction they wish to take. Our Independent Schools Association (ISA) National Award for Outstanding Provision Learning Support clearly demonstrates our passion for our children’s learning and our commitment to providing a cutting edge
See for yourself at Torwood House
curriculum. Our award-winning education coupled with a nurturing environment means each child receives a tailored teaching style to suit them, allowing them to truly flourish. Our pupils learn a modern foreign language, which gives pupils a wider world view and an appreciation of cultures other than English at an earlier age than many. Other provision includes weekly swimming lessons and regular Forest School sessions, which sees
children exploring the natural world in nearby woodland. Clearly, our children are at the heart of everything we do. Our children are our greatest ambassadors. Why not come and meet them? To arrange a personal tour, please call or email on either 0117 9736620 or hello@ torwoodhouseschool.co.uk. We offer primary education for boys and girls between the ages of 4 -11 years and are based in Redland. www.torwoodhouseschool.co.uk
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To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
Fairfield High School
Fairfield is a lovely school with everyone working in harmony. There is so much integration of different ethnicities, cultures and points of view, resulting in students mixing, getting along and being kind to one another. - (Parent)
The sheer quantity of opportunities FHS provided to progress & improve our passions and interests is unbelievable - Alex (student)
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bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
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n EDUCATION
Girls take Lego into outer space REDMAIDS’ High Junior School is buzzing after a win in the regional round of the First Lego League earning pupils a place in the national final. It’s been over 20 years since the FLL was founded, turning one of the most successful toys into a scientific tool for learning. As part of this year’s theme of ‘Into Orbit’, the school’s Year 5 and 6 Robotics Club pupils were set a challenge of exploration and innovation in the vast expanse of space, to solve a real-world problem by building, testing and programing an autonomous robot using Lego Mindstorms technology. Head teacher Lisa Brown said: "I am immensely proud of the team and they should be delighted with their performance. From the very start, our girls learn that there is nothing to stop them from aiming high and achieving success, challenging typical stereotypes of male dominated subjects." Taking part in the competition enables pupils to develop their skills of programming, problem solving, teamwork and perseverance, and an opportunity for girls to be represented in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths. Miranda from Year 6 said: “The Lego
League experience was great fun. It was brilliant to go along to the competition and see so many future engineers working together and getting along. The team made
us feel really welcome, even by hiring a comedian and arranging a balloon parade!” The UK and Ireland final was taking place in Bristol on February 16.
Life changing Open Morning
Thursday 21 March 10.00am–12.00 noon Call Hollie Matthews on 0117 933 9885 The only co-educational school in Bristol to offer ‘A’ levels and the IB Diploma at Sixth Form.
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
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bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
n EDUCATION STUDENTS at Fairfield High School had a pleasant surprise when they arrived one day to find their dining hall had been given a fresh new look. The space has been renamed World Canteen to reflect the different cultures and ethnicities that represent ‘Team Fairfield’; this is also reflected in the variety of food on offer, created as healthily as possible. Principal Nick Lewis said: “This re-branding exercise has come just at the right time, with so many fantastic things happening in our canteen. "The students were astonished to come in on a dreary Monday morning to find new branding, new wood-effect panelling and new tables/ benches. It’s certainly turned their dining experience around! "The next student-led design project is an outside pod to serve sandwiches, snacks and salads, so we look forward to revealing this creativity soon.” FHS doesn’t just focus on breaks and lunches - it has recently joined the government’s National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP), which is being delivered by the charities Family Action and Magic Breakfast. This enables Fairfield to offer hundreds of staff and students a free healthy school breakfast (bagels and cereals), so that students are settled and ready
Toddlers go wild! AVON Wildlife Trust has been going ‘wild’ this winter engaging families and children in outdoor play at their My Wild Child sessions. These regular fun term-time toddler sessions at the Feed Bristol site in Stapleton are full of songs, stories, mini-beast quests and take-home activities. My Wild Child will be running again at Feed Bristol after the February half term. Sessions run at Feed Bristol during term time on Friday mornings, from 10-11:30am. Cost is £5 per child, and includes a healthy snack. Find out more here: www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/ mywildchild
Around the world in 80 dishes - in compostable containers
Fairfield High School canteen manager Debs (on the right) with deputy manager Emma
Student Dylan enjoying his Magic Breakfast!
to learn at the start of the school day. In keeping with its valuesdriven ethos, FHS is mindful of the environment and strives to minimalise plastic in its canteen, along with its drive to use locally sourced food. A spokesman said: "Fairfield is proud of these efforts and will continue to seek ways in which to source products to reduce
"Our eggs are free range and RSPCA Assured. "All our fish is MSC Certified. "Our milk is from Welsh cows, produced and bottled in Wales." The icing on the cake, so to speak, for the school's caterers came following an unannounced food inspection, when it received the top, five-star rating.
environmental impact. Here are some of the school’s efforts: "Our salad, fruit and cheese pots are all made from Vegware – plant based disposables made from renewable, lower carbon or recycled materials, and all can be composted with food waste where accepted. "Where possible FHS tries to support farmers using locally sourced food.
JUDO enthusiasts from Redmaids’ High School returned from a national competition with a trophy. They were runners-up in British Judo’s ‘Just for Girls’ tournament for independent schools. The nine-strong squad consisted of Freya Cooper, Harriet Lease, Lara Elford, Ishanvi Rajesh, Olivia Merrismith, Grace Merrismith and Zara Sheikh from the junior school and Alice Merrismith and Maya Sheikh from the senior school. Zara gained a bronze medal and Lara, Ishanvi and Maya silver.
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
Holiday Club & Activity Courses
OPEN EVERY
SCHOOL HOLIDAY For children and young people aged 3–13 years ● Early Drop from 8am and Late Stay until 6pm ● Fantastic indoor and outdoor facilities ● Wide range of exciting and fun activity courses ● Daily swimming for children aged 6 and over
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at the Outdoor Activity Centre Abbots Leigh Sports Ground Bushcraft/Forest School Archery Mountain Biking Tomahawk Throwing Plus much more! For further information: T: 0117 315 7666 E: ccsl@cliftoncollege.com
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March, 2019
n NEWS In Bishopston this month... Lidl – Double Yellow Lines As part of the planning permission for the new Lidl store on Muller Road, the council is about to start consulting on waiting restrictions (i.e. double yellow lines) in nearby streets to improve safety on street corners and traffic flows on Muller Rd. This is in addition to the double yellow lines which are still promised (though sadly not yet painted) around the Cricket Ground. Residents will be able to view and comment on the new proposals when they go live on the council’s website here: bristol.gov.uk/streets-travel/ traffic-regulation-orders-tros Muller Road Transport Improvements Sticking with Muller Road, in addition to the measures paid for by Lidl, the council is planning a raft of improvements all along the road (from Glos Rd to Eastgate). The work is principally being undertaken
as part of £10m of transport investment in the area to support upcoming housing developments in Lockleaze which will see over 1,000 new homes built. The proposals for Muller Road include: new bus lanes, some of which will be 24-hour; increased traffic lanes to help with flow; widened shared use pavements; measures to reduce rat-running; new pedestrian crossings; and ancillary measures to improve the pedestrian environment. All of this is intended to improve bus reliability, cyclist & pedestrian safety, reduce congestion and generally improve the road and neighbouring areas for all users. There will be some changes that may be controversial for some people, such as: removed on-street parking; restrictions on being able to turn into some roads; one way streets; and closing off the end of Springfield Ave. However, without these
changes the improvements to Muller Rd wouldn’t be possible or as effective. These ideas are at an early stage and the council is now consulting on them. The consultation is open from 25 February – 29 March, and can be accessed here (from 25 Feb): www.travelwest.info/mullerroad Drop in consultations will also be held at The Old Library (Weds 6 March – 4pm to 8pm, Sat 23 March – 11am to 2pm and Fri 29 March – 11.30am to 4.30pm) and Horfield United Reformed Church (Mon 4 March – 4pm to 8pm, Sun 17 March – 1pm to 5pm and Thurs 28 March – 10am to 3pm). Planning Applications Recent months have seen some questionable planning applications come forward for new developments in our ward. Whilst having a variety of homes, businesses and otherwise within our area is welcome, we are clear
that developments should not be to the detriment of everyone else. One especially troublesome area seems to be the Merton Road estate, where there have been multiple applications and buildings awfully close to residential neighbours and with no regard for the wider community. In these instances we did not hesitate to call the applications in to a Development Control committee to have them heard by a meeting of elected councillors. We will continue to argue against unsuitable developments in the ward, and if there are any applications locally which you’re concerned about then please let us know – we’d be happy to help. Please let us know if you have any comments or questions! Tom Brook – Cllr.Tom. Brook@bristol.gov.uk Eleanor Combley – Cllr. Eleanor.Combley@bristol.gov.uk
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March, 2019
n NEWS In St Andrews this month... We are aware that during a recent storm a tree near the paddling pool in St Andrews Park was blown over. Local resident Doug Reid started a crowdfunder to raise the money needed to replace the tree and the target was quickly surpassed. It’s great to see this kind of community spirit – well done to Doug and everyone who donated! The next Full Council will be held on Tuesday 19 March 2019 at 6.00pm in City Hall. Members of the public are able to submit questions to the Mayor, present petitions, or read out statements (on any topic). These should be submitted to democratic. services@bristol.gov.uk by 5.00pm on Wednesday 13 March for questions and midday on Monday 18 March for petitions and statements. Bristol City Council is inviting people to nominate projects that could improve their local neighbourhoods. As part of the planning process,
a developer often has to give money to the council to pay for improvements in the area that they’re developing in. This is usually through a planning charge called the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) but is sometimes through a planning obligation called a Section 106 (S106) agreement. A proportion of this money is made available for local decision making by councillors and we are looking for suggestions about how this should be spent. CIL and S106 money can only be spent on infrastructure (capital spend) rather than on services (revenue spend). So, for example, CIL/S106 could pay for the construction of a playground, but not on wages for a play worker. Infrastructure basically means things you can see and touch – CIL/S106 could be spent on, for example, improvements to parks such as lighting and paths, public realm improvements such as paving or cycle racks, or highways improvements such
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as speed bumps or bus shelters. CIL/S106 can be given to local charitable/third-sector/nonprofit organisations, or allocated to council departments, to be spent on their land or buildings. If you have any ideas for possible CIL/S106 schemes, please get in touch with us with your ideas. Another consultation that is live at the moment invites people to give their views on the future of travel and transport across the West of England up to 2036. The Joint Local Transport Plan (JLTP) is being led by the West of England Combined Authority (under the ‘metro-mayor’, Tim Bowles), working with Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire councils. The JLTP aims to: support sustainable economic growth; enable quality public services and improve accessibility; address poor air quality and take action against climate change; contribute to better health and wellbeing, safety and security; and to create better places. It is seeking feedback on a range of suggested measures, including a mass-transit network (such as an
underground train), expansion of the MetroBus network, new and improved rail stations, and more Park and Ride sites. Visit www. travelwest.info/jltp to share your views on the plan, before the closing date of 20 March. If you ever have an issue you’d like to raise with us in person, please do come to our monthly surgery, which is held on the first Friday of each month, from 1.00pm – 2.00pm, in the Library within St Pauls Learning Centre (94 Grosvenor Rd, BS2 8XJ). Mike Davies, cllr.mike.davies@bristol.gov. uk 07584 370 413 Jude English cllr.jude.english@bristol. gov.uk 07584 151 099 Carole Johnson cllr.carole.johnson@bristol. gov.uk 07584 370 414
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n NEWS In Redland this month... Air quality We’re disappointed to have to report that progress on measures to improve air quality in the city have failed to progress. Gloucester Road is one of the most polluted areas of the city and we fear that with the 2020 elections looming, the Mayor is nervous about taking action that would restrict the movement of the most polluting vehicles. We do not feel, however, that this is acceptable with around 300 Bristol residents a year dying early due to our dirty air and we will continue to press for action. Library engagement Meetings were held in February to discuss ways the local libraries are developed. Bishopston is one of the busiest in the city, with a very active Friends group. There were ideas about extending open hours, making sure more community events take place outside those, and whether ‘extended access’ could be available – a swipe card entry system - when the
library is closed. A noticeboard and external art work were also discussed. friends@ bishopstonlibrary.org.uk Enforcement contractor You may have read that enforcement firm Kingdom are no longer working for the council. A new contractor was recently appointed called 3GS. It’s claimed they have a more ethical approach, and will supplement the enforcement work by the council with powers to fine people for dropping litter, allowing dogs to foul parks, or fine people and businesses flytipping. They are likely to be working in our area some of the time. There’s been renewed activity from the council staff working with local businesses to end poor waste storage and unlawful waste practices, with several companies challenged for not having waste contracts. We are also working with officers to try and improve the presentation of bins from shared houses.
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Waste collection Whilst the single day of snowfall doubtless played a part in disrupting collections, many residents have been contacting us regarding non collection of their waste and recycling over the past few months. This is down to an unreliable, ageing fleet of trucks, which was due to have been replaced by now and is at long last due to be phased in starting next month. We have asked the new Cabinet member for Waste (reshuffled in February) to ensure that the waste company website is updated with missed roads along with advice as to when replacement collections are planned as the situation isn’t likely to improve any time soon. At the time of writing over 200 streets had had their recycling collections missed over the space of just two days. Please do report missed collections online on the council website so the service can be monitored. There are also frustrations for households who have paid for the garden waste service (green bins) as several weeks have gone by with no green bin collections.
Parking We continue to receive reports of dangerous and inconsiderate parking from several corners of our ward. For some time we, along with other Councillors in the area, have been requesting support from the highways department so that we can look at potential solutions before someone is seriously hurt or disaster strikes due to emergency vehicles being unable to get to their destination. Promises made by the then cabinet member for transport back in the summer have unfortunately failed to materialise. We have supported residents with their renewed requests for support and are continuing to carry out door to door surveys in Redland to gauge the scale of the problem. If you’d like us to look at your street please let us know. Cllrs Martin Fodor & Fi Hance Redland ward Green Party councillors Green Cllr Group office Tel: 0117 3526156
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bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
n NEWS In Cotham this month... Our Friday waste (non) collections: thanks to everyone who has contacted me about failure over two weeks to collect their recycling and even more thanks to those who have also complained to Bristol Waste Company through the council website at: https://www.bristol. gov.uk/streets-travel/street-thatneeds-cleaning or by calling 0117 922 2100. Certain streets, often the same streets, suffer from not being collected by close of work on Friday afternoons. BWC has been working with me to tackle households who persistently do not put out or take back their bins and boxes. They’ve been spoken to and issued with letters; notices have been attached explaining again the collection routine. So, though BWC is part of the solution, their performance since last summer has made them an increasing part of the problem. I have called in one of their directors to explain how they are to improve their performance.
Speeding vehicles in Elgin Park/Chapel Green Lane/ Clyde Road (and others). Local residents set up a Speedwatch before two recent accidents near the crossing. I asked local police to patrol more and highways officers are considering a speed table at the crossing. They would favour the cheaper speed humps - but these are noisy and unpopular. More effective enforcement of the 20 mph zone would be welcome too. Taking back control of our buses; the only way we can deliver much-needed local services (no.9) withdrawn by First for not matching their profit thresholds. Franchising – setting Bristol’s criteria for routes, timetables and fares would allow cross- subsidising from profitable routes, increasing passenger usage. Please support our petition to Council on: tiny. cc/bristolbuses. Cllr. Anthony Negus cllr.anthony.negus@bristol. gov.uk /07833 484344
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Extra £24 a year to pay for 100 cops AN extra £24 per year will be added to the average council tax bill next month to pay for 100 more police officers. The increase represents a 12.4% rise in the Avon & Somerset Constabulary precept, which will go up from £193.81 to £217.81 for people living in a Band D home this year. It is the maximum increase the Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Panel could impose and will generate an extra £15 million, which is being specifically used to recruit 100 additional officers and support a burglary, drugs and knife crime crackdown called Operation Remedy, which will run for three months from April to June. The number of police officers in Avon & Somerset Constabulary will increase to 2,751 – the first time in a decade that the force’s front-line
manpower will have increased – but that is still far below 2010, when it was 3,300. Police and crime commissioner Sue Mountstevens, who requested the rise, said: “What this is going to mean is a radical change to what we’ve done before. We have reduced our officers year after year, and therefore we’ve lost proactivity.The Government has now realised that you can’t keep pushing the police to tackle increased crime with a reduction of resources.” The panel heard that without the hike in the precept, more cuts would have had to be made. Panel vice-chairman and Bristol Councillor Mark Weston said the PCC must demonstrate to members in the coming months how the money was making improvements to reducing crime.
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March, 2019
n PHARMACY BLOG
Why have the chickenpox jab?
0117 9246579 18 Kellaway Avenue, Westbury Park, Bristol, BS6 7XR www.kellawaypharmacy. co.uk This column by Jess Williams of Kellaway Pharmacy aims to help educate patients on a range of conditions and provide information to help maintain their well being while also easing pressure on GP surgeries by promoting self care.
CHICKENPOX. A message on the parent group forum, letter from the nursery or school. A child with unexplained spots or confirmed diagnosis. What do you do? The NHS England ‘Help Us Help You‘ campaign says that a community pharmacy is the ideal place to visit to manage this and other minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, stomach upset, skin conditions aches and pains alongside taking care of patients with long term conditions and preventing ill health. We can help with correctly diagnosing and managing common symptoms such as itch, loss of appetite and a high temperature. So why vaccinate against chickenpox? Chickenpox commonly affects children, and it is usually worse in adults. Starts with red spots that appear anywhere on the body. The spots fill with fluid that blisters and may burst. They might spread or stay in a small area. The spot cycle repeating itself. You can catch chickenpox by being in the same room as someone with it, contact with clothes or beddings. You can also catch chickenpox from someone with shingles if you have not had chickenpox before. Chickenpox is infectious from two days before the spots appear to until they have crusted over, usually
five days after they first appeared. It takes one to three weeks from the time you were exposed to chickenpox for the spots to start appearing. You'll need to stay away from school, nursery or work until all the spots have crusted over. Usually, five days after spots first appear. Many airlines will not allow you to fly with chickenpox Kellaway pharmacy offers private chickenpox vaccination at a low cost for children and adults. You can still get vaccinated after coming in contact with someone who has chickenpox. Some useful tips include wearing loose clothes, cutting the child’s nails and putting socks on the child's hands at night to stop scratching. Do not be around pregnant women, newborn babies and people with a weakened immune system, as it can be dangerous for them. Anyone in these vulnerable groups that comes in contact with or has suspected spots including all adults with chickenpox should seek medical attention. The chickenpox jab is one of the popular low-cost vaccinations, travel jabs and medicines including Meningitis B, Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Rabies and antimalarial tablets all with a price promise guarantee. See www.bristoltravelclinic.co.uk for more info on prices and discounts.
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March, 2019
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n MAYOR'S VIEW
I'm proud that in Bristol we're making homes happen I WAS pleased to meet with Housing Minister Kit Malthouse MP this month along with representatives of neighbouring authorities and the Metro Mayor Tim Bowles. We used the opportunity to demonstrate the collaborative work under way in the region to build homes and communities. I first met Kit when we were both on the Politics Live programme last year. I was able to ask him to visit Bristol and see what we are doing to deliver the homes we need, in line with my pledge to build 2,000 homes a year, 800 affordable, by next year. On the day-long visit, we discussed the progress we are making on our region’s Joint Spatial Plan – our planning document setting out our delivery of 105,000 new homes across the city region by 2036. The plan also sets out supporting transport infrastructure we will need to make sure these new homes don’t contribute further to the congestion we know is already such a problem. We also used the opportunity to highlight our bid to the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund. If successful,
this investment would be used to unlock development in the area around Temple Meads station, reinvigorating this gateway to the city and meaning jobs and homes are positioned in the most sustainable and accessible places. A high point of the visit was watching some of the ongoing demolition of the old Sorting Office. This eyesore next to the station has been a blight on the landscape for too long. I was delighted to start its demolition, which means a new chapter for the Temple Quarter. It will also deliver the entrance the city deserves, regenerating the area with thousands of new homes and jobs. I was pleased the Minister could see the potential for the site, which as well as creating a new university campus will unlock new routes to the station and open up vital links between East Bristol and the centre. As well as sites in Bath and South Gloucestershire, the Minister was shown the Elderberry Walk and Glencoyne Square developments in Bristol. Both demonstrate our commitment to affordable housing and mixed communities.
The Mayor’s View Each month Bristol mayor Marvin Rees shares his views with Bishopston Voice
After decades punching below our weight, Bristol and the region is gaining the reputation with government that it can deliver and work together to get things done. Following this, I was honoured to be asked to speak and present an award at the Homes England Staff Awards. This was a great opportunity to represent Bristol to the government agency tasked with ‘Making Homes Happen’. I am pleased Bristol is making homes happen too.
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March, 2019
n VINEYARD NEWS with INGRID BATES
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HIS week I officially reached the halfway point with my pruning, and on a sunny February day it’s easy to imagine the warm summer days ahead. We all know that an English spring can be marked by massive fluctuations in temperature with sun one day and freezing snow the next. Really cold weather is preferential for vine-growers because we don’t want the vines to wake up and start producing delicate leaves when temperatures could plunge again at any moment. I’ve already spotted the formation of furry catkins on the willow windbreak that surrounds the vineyard, which means Spring is in the air! On the wine front, we’ve gained a new customer in St George’s just off Park Street in Bristol. Better known as a music venue, they’ve recently opened a brand new extension which houses a beautiful café space selling locally produced coffee, beer and now our rosé wine – it’s great to be associated with such an iconic building! Our sparkling wine stocks
have now dwindled to just a few cases, which we’ll be saving for an exciting ‘Theatre of Wine’ event we’re planning with our friends Billings&Briggs (a local natural and
organic wine supplier) and TV producer Andy Clarke at the Old Market Assembly for Bristol Food Connections from 12-23 June. More news on that to come…
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March, 2019
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n WHAT’S ON IN OUR AREA February 28 n Thursday, 28th February: Avon Organic Group invites local gardeners and growers to join in our Seed Swap with Short Talk - “Fermenting your Veggies: a traditional preserving method” (AGM follows). 7pm, The Station, Silver St, BS1 2AG. £5, incl.refreshments. www. groworganicbristol.org March 13 n Bristol Ensemble plays Ludovico Einaudi Wednesday 13 March at 7.30pm at St George’s Bristol The Bristol Ensemble performs some of the most famous pieces composed by Ludovico Einaudi to the backdrop of beautiful images of nature. Scored for piano and strings, the ethereal works create a meditative atmosphere, creating waves of emotion that engulf the listener. An unmissable evening of music and images. Tickets £10 to £26 from St George’s box office on 0845 40 24 001, www. stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
REGULAR EVENTS IN OUR AREA The Arts Society n The Arts Society Bristol is for those who enjoy the arts and welcomes new members. Activities include lectures by specialists in their field. The lectures are at 8pm on the second Tuesday each month at Redmaids' High School BS9 3AW. More information is on our website www.theartssociety-bristol.org.uk Monday n Toddler group at Ardagh Pavilion, Kellaway Avenue, Horfield Common. Ages 0-3, cost £2.50 per family includes refreshments and biscuits. All welcome. Friendly vibrant group just drop in. Contact Kay on 01179426580 for further details. n FitSteps, Ashley Down Primary School, Olveston Road, 7-8pm. FitSteps® the new craze in dance fitness classes from ‘Strictly Come Dancing’s’ very own Natalie Lowe, Ian Waite and Mark Foster. n Redland Wind Band rehearses at Redland Parish Hall, Redland Green at 730pm. We sometimes have vacancies, currently mainly for bass instruments. Go to our website redlandwindband.co.uk for further information and to contact us email us on redlandwindband@gmail.
com. Get in touch if you would like to be put on our mailing list or would like to book us for events or fundraisers. n Redland Green Choir meets for rehearsals every Monday 7.30pm-9.30pm at Redland Green School. We sing a wide variety of music. New members welcome: no auditions. For more information, visit redlandgreenchoir.org.uk. or phone 0117 9443042. n Beaufort Junior Badminton Club. Venue: Cotham School Sports Hall, Cotham Lawn Road, BS6 6DT. Date/Time: Mondays from 6-7pm, term time only. Age Group: 11 18 years. All standards. Coaching and club play but also progression to Avon County Teams and senior clubs. Coaches CRB checked and Badminton England qualified. Contact: Penny Shears 0794 101 3514. Email: pennyshears@ googlemail.com n RAFA, City of Bristol branch and club Eastfield Westbury on Trym for ex-RAF and associate members. Skittle Alley, parties and functions. Live entertainment on Saturday evenings. Open Monday to Saturday lunchtimes and evenings. Sundays noon till 5pm. All enquiries telephone 0117 3291913. n Exercise Movement and Dance class for ladies. Low impact classes offer dance, exercise and core strengthening. Strengthen muscles, raise energy levels, improve balance and mobilise joints. 6.25-7.30pm at Fairlawn Primary School, Fairlawn Road, Montpelier, Bristol, BS6 5JL. Tel: Rachael at FL Exercise on 07966 418 714 / rachaelwilliams@ talktalk.net . Classes run on 5-7 week basis - charged as a block booking (£8 per class -1st Class Free). n Mondays 10:00am, 11:15am, 18:00pm. Yoga for everyone and all stages of life. Move, breathe, strengthen, calm at our beautiful YogaSpace Bishopston studio. Find out more at www.bristolyogaspace. co.uk or contact Clara hello@ bristolyogaspace.co.uk / 07530 053 543. n Senior Film Club, every third Monday in the month at 2pm St Peter's Hall, The Drive, Henleaze, BS9 4LD. All Welcome. Refreshments £3. Dial-a-ride transport possible by personal arrangement ; 0845 130 1875. n Redland Green Bowls Club welcomes new members, come along to our club on Redland Green any Monday after 4pm , or book a free taster session with one of our
qualified coaches. Jean or Gerry :Tel 9624466 . HALF price membership for the first year (£50) n 8pm Fun Quiz Night: Tv, Film, Music & more! at the Bristol Flyer, Gloucester Road, Bishopston Just £1 to enter n Watercolour Painting Art Classes take place every Monday at Redland Library, between 10.30am and 12.30pm. Each half term course focusses on a new subject each half term. Suitable for beginner and intermediate levels, with some previous drawing experience recommended. For more information or to book, please visit: www.painting.zone. For queries or to add your name to the mailing list, contact Stella Shaw at admin@painting.zone or ‘phone 07791400362. n Bristol Bridge Club - Come and play, there are daily bridge sessions for experienced and less experienced players. Try a free taster session on a Monday afternoon or evening and Wednesday afternoon. Phone the club before coming, Tel.0117 929 1846 or www.bristolbridgeclub. co.uk n Cotham Parish Church Drop-In Playgroup, Cotham Church Hall, Cotham Road, BS6 6DR, open every Monday of term time from 1.30 to 3.30, offering a warm welcome to children from 0-school age, with their carers. We charge £1 per session per family, which includes refreshments for all, singing and a variety of toys. Some parking is available in front of the church. 0117 9733395 n North Bristol Community Project - Sewing Group for Beginners to Intermediate / Adults 10:30am - 12:00pm (4 Weeks £40) (6 Weeks £58) (8 Weeks £75) / Youth sewing Course (ages 7 - 11) 4:00
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We would love to publicise your event Send details of your events and activities in the following format:
WHAT IT IS WHERE IT IS WHEN IT IS in no more than 40 words: email us at: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
- 5:00PM (6 Weeks £60) / Youth Sewing Course ( ages 12 - 16) 5:15 - 6:15pm (6 Weeks £60) / - Prebooking essential, email nbcp84@ gmail.com for more information. Costs include all materials & refreshments. Maximum of 6 people. 160 Gloucester Rd, Bishopston, BS7 8NT. www. northbristolcommunityproject. org.uk. Tuesday n The Golden Buds is a group aimed at 18 months to 4 year olds and is a fabulous opportunity to be outside with your little ones, digging, playing, finding newts and frogs, watering, singing and making things all in the heart of urban Bristol! Sessions run from 9.30-11am and 11.30-1pm in school terms. We take booking on a term by term basis. Each session costs £5, a second sibling is £2.50 and under 12 months can come along free. For more info, visit: thegoldenhillcommunitygarden. com n Scottish Country Dancing Get fit with Westbury Scottish Club. Classes for beginners at Leonard
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March, 2019
nW HAT’S ON IN OUR AREA Hall, Trinity-Henleaze URC, Waterford Road, Henleaze, (Tel: Tina 0117 9075462). Classes for more advanced dancers at St Peter’s Church Hall, Henleaze, (Tel: Cheryl 0117 9590970). 7.30pm to 9.30pm wscbristol.com n Bristol Harmony West Gallery choir and band sing and play lively church and village music from the 18th century. We are looking for new members, all voices welcome, also all string, wind and reed instruments. No auditions but ability to read music helpful. Meet in the University Staff Club, Woodland Road on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month. www. bristolharmony.wordpress.com or ring Colin on 0117 968 6860. Venue tricky to locate so please ring before coming. n After school French Club for primary children at Gloucester Rd Quaker Meeting House. KS1 class: Tuesday: Level 1 – 4.10 – 4.45, Level 2 – 4.50 – 5.30 Level 3 – 5.40 – 6.20 Playful practical classes full of games, songs and general silliness to inspire interest and confidence in French. Like French Club Bristol on Facebook or email: alice_m_ watson@msn.com n Discover Buddhism 8pm every Tuesday. Introductory sessions involve 20 minutes of explained meditation then a short talk on a Buddhist topic. Sakya Thinley Rinchen Ling, 121 Sommerville Road, St Andrews, BS6 5BX. Suggested donation £4/£2. 0117 9244424 n A weekly Music Appreciation class is running throughout the winter. Come and join us as we listen to and talk about a selection of mainly classical music. No prior knowledge needed. Tuesdays 11-1 at St Mary Magdalene Church Rooms, Stoke Bishop. Music in Britain 18901939 including Elgar Delius and Vaughan Williams. Cost £15 for a single taster session or £100 for the whole 8week term. To book email matthewhm@ peacemail.com, or phone 0117 214 0418. For more info visit: heartmusicbristol.wordpress.com n Melody Makers Baby Friendly Choir A fun and friendly daytime choir for ladies running Tuesdays during term time.9:30-11:00am, The Beehive Pub, BS9 4QY. £5 per session, discounts for members. Contact Natalie www.facebook. com/melodymakerschoir 07890393175. n Bristol Brunel Lions Club – We meet on the first Tuesday of every at 7 for 7.30 on the 3rd Tuesday of each month we have a social gathering normally with food. We
raise money for charity both locally and beyond through a variety of indoor and outdoor activities. Lots of fun and fellowship raising and spending money for good causes. For more details of how to apply for assistance with charitable activities in Bristol or to become involved in our activities see Bristol Brunel Lions Club on line or contact our Club Secretary Bill O’Neill at lion. bill@virginmedia.com n A new knitting and crochet group has been set up in the local area. All abilities welcome, including beginners. Please do come along to meet and chat with fellow crafters, discuss projects, share ideas and even learn a new craft. 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month, 10:30 am at JP Destiny, Kellaway Avenue. 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, 7:00 pm at The Eastfield Inn, Henleaze Road. If you are interested in coming along or would like more information please contact Stephanie ToftJones at poppytoft@hotmail.com or visiting our facebook group 'Bristol Knitting and Crochet. n Circle Dance Evenings at The Old Library Eastville, Muller Road BS5 6XP. Last Tuesday evening of the month, 7:30 – 9:30 pm, led by Susannah Temple, £5 donation. Calm & lively, lovely music, beginners welcome, no need for partners. Contact 0117 979 1519, susannahtemple@googlemail.com n Bristol United Walking Football - every Tuesday 10.3011.30 at Horfield Leisure Centre. The beautiful game played at a slower pace for the over 50's. First session free then £3. Contact Keith Gwilym on 07948383536 or e-mail buwfc2018@gmail.com n Women's Reading Group looking for new members. We read a wide variety of fiction and meet monthly on a Tuesday evening. Please contact ksnowdon29@gmail.com for further information. n The Arts Society Bristol is for those who enjoy the arts and welcomes new members. Activities include lectures by specialists in their field. The lectures are at 8pm on the second Tuesday each month at Redmaids' High School BS9 3AW. More information is on our website www.theartssociety-bristol.org.uk n Japanese Swordsmanship, Aiki Bokutodo in Redland. Every Tuesday at 7pm. Using wooden swords, study basic postures, cutting techniques and individual and paired exercises to explore the essence and ethics of the Samurai Warrior, and strengthen mind, body and spirit. Suitable for all, beginners welcome. Information from Robert
Brinkhurst 07967 142148. n The Arts Society Bristol is for those who enjoy the arts and welcomes new members. Activities include lectures by specialists in their field. The lectures are at 8pm on the second Tuesday each month at Redmaids' High School BS9 3AW. More information is on our website www.theartssociety-bristol.org. ukMore information is on our website www.theartssocietybristol.org.uk n The Glos Road WI meet on the third Tuesday of every month. The next meeting is January 15, followed by February 19. Doors open at 7.30pm for 8pm start at St. Andrew’s Bowling Club, Derby Road, Bristol, BS7 9AQ. Membership is £42.00 for the year or you can come as a guest for £5 to try us out. n Bishopston, Horfield and Ashley Down Local History Society (BHALHS), meet every third Tuesday of the month, except January, August and December. Meetings are held at Horfield Quaker Meeting, 300 Gloucester Road BS7 8PD at 7.30pm. Visitors fee is £4.00, which includes tea, coffee and biscuits. Next meeting February 19, 'Three Channels Price' talk by swimmer Steve Price. n The Arts Society Bristol is for those who enjoy the arts and welcomes new members. Activities include lectures by specialists in their field. The lectures are at 8pm on the second Tuesday each month at Redmaids' High School BS9 3AW. More information on website: www.theartssociety-bristol.org.uk n "The Arts Society Bristol is for those who enjoy the arts and welcomes new members. Activities include lectures by specialists in their field. The lectures are at 8pm on the second Tuesday each month at Redmaids' High School BS9 3AW. More information is on our website www.theartssociety-bristol.org.uk" Wednesday n Golden Hill Community Garden. 10.00am – 4.00pm. Come and get involved in your local community garden! 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 ghcgarden@gmail. com or 07506 905 394. We’re just through the gates at the end of Monk Rd BS7 8NE www. thegoldenhillcommunitygarden. com n Bristol Voices Community Choir
We would love to publicise your event Send details of your events and activities in the following format:
WHAT IT IS WHERE IT IS WHEN IT IS in no more than 40 words: email us at: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
are welcoming new members, £5 a week (£3 concs) payable at the start of each term. We meet during the school term from 7.30pm to 9.30pm in St Werburgh’s Primary School, James St, BS2 9US. The school is fully accessible and has free parking. No experience necessary, no auditions and you don’t have to read music as all the songs are taught by ear. Our repertoire includes pop, folk, gospel, jazz, show tunes and world music. Find out more about the choir, at www.bristolvoices.org.uk n Lazy Dog Film Club. A free, small, but perfectly formed community film club based at the Lazy Dog pub on Ashley Down Road. We run the club every other week (Wednesday) in the upstairs of the Pub on Ashley Hill. We screen from Sept - July every year. All showings start at 8pm but we do advise people to book free places via LazyDogFilmClub@gmail.com , as we only have 35 seats per showing. For more information on the upcoming films, visit: www. facebook.com/LazyDogFilmClub n Horfield Townswomen’s Guild. This friendly Townswomen’s Guild meets on the second Wednesday of each month at St Gregory the Great Church Hall, Filton Road, Horfield, Bristol BS7 0PD at 2.30pm. Why not come along and meet us? Just turn up, or ring Edna on 949 5413, and she will look out for you. n Squirrel Camp Forest School, Badock’s Wood, 9.45-11.15 and 1.00-2.30 (during term time). £6 per family. Contact: jennysanderson@ blueyonder.co.uk. n Sing! with the Bristol Children’s Choir. Open to children aged 7-13 from any school in Bristol. If your child loves singing and would
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
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n WHAT’S ON IN OUR AREA like to do more, Out There Music Children’s Choir could be what you are looking for. Meet every in term time from 4.45-6pm in the performing arts studio at Cotham School. More info, contact Holly Shannon on 07866587424, admin@ outtheremusicbristol.co.uk . n Spiritual Healing at Westbury Park Spiritualist church BS6 7TH Every Wednesday, 2pm - 3.30pm every week. No appointment necessary, animals welcome. Come along and feel the benefit. Also healing after Sunday evening service@8pm. n Wednesdays 10:00am. Baby & Me post-natal yoga class, 10:00 11:00am plus tea and chat after. Supportive, friendly class with babies made very welcome. Move, breathe, meet and chat with other new mums at YogaSpace Bishopston. Find out more at www. bristolyogaspace.co.uk or contact Clara hello@bristolyogaspace.co.uk / 07530 053 543. n Why not join welsh national opera Friends. We support this world class company and everyone is very welcome to join. We offer monthly evening meetings at Redmaids High School MONTHLY at 7.15pm. Talks with music. Costs-£7.00 or £1.00 for students (Friends £5.00). For further information contact: Margaret Borkowski:borkmail@gmail.com n Melody Makers Pop Choir. An evening choir for men and women singing popular songs. Wednesday's term time 7:30-9:00pm The Eastfield Inn, Henleaze. Book a FREE taster www. melodymakerschoir.co.uk n Read together a short story and poem. Weekly drop-in adult group, shared reading. It's fun, sometimes surprising, moving and exciting. No preparation, just come along and listen. Bishopston Library, every Wednesday 11.30am to 1.00pm. We read and chat. Refreshments provided. Free. n Come and make new friends at the growing Westbury Park WI that also serves Redland, Cotham and Henleaze. We meet at Redland Church Hall on Redland Green, BS6 7HE, from 7.30pm onwards. There are some very interesting talks and crafts to try this year and guests are most welcome to visit before joining. For more info email: westburyparkwi@gmail.com or find us on facebook: Westbury Park WI. We look forward to seeing you! n Wednesdays at 10.30am Buddhist Meditation - use a simple technique to help the mind rest in the present and give space for reflection. Sakya Thinley Rinchen
Ling, 121 Sommerville Road, St Andrews, BS6 5BX. Suggested donation £2. 0117 9244424 n Sound of Song ( a Choir for Female Voices) meet in Horfield URC, Church Hall, Muller Road on Wednesdays 7.30 - 9.30pm. Repertoire covers classical, choral, jazz, popular, folk, and show songs. No auditions necessary. www.soundsofsongchoir.com n North West Bristol Camera Club are an enthusiastic group of amateur photographers who meet each Wednesday at 7.45pm at Westbury Fields, Greystoke Avenue. New members of any level of ability are most welcome. For details contact Neville on nevwgoodman@mac.com n Feeling a bit under the weather? Come join our fun informal singing group. The WECIL Peer Support Singing Group meet fortnightly on Wednesdays at The Elmgrove Centre, Redland 2.00pm till 3.00pm. For more information contact peersupport@wecil.co.uk / 0117 947 9942. The peer support community is very informal, they hope to appeal to what you want to do and can encourage you to come along because it’s fun, relaxing and most of all friendly! n North Bristol Community Project - Makers Meetups / Print- making Feb 6th (£20) / Collage making Feb 13th (£20) / Corsage making Feb 20th (£20) / T-Shirt Design & Print (Bring Your Own T-Shirt) - Feb 27th (£20) / Pre-booking essential, email nbcp84@gmail.com for more information. Costs include all materials & refreshments Maximum of 6 people. 160 Gloucester Rd, Bishopston, BS7 8NT. www. northbristolcommunityproject. org.uk. Thursday n Bishop Road Community Choir. We are a mixed community choir, meeting at Bishop Road School from 7.45pm to 9pm. Everyone welcome to join, regardless of singing experience. There is no audition and the choir is open to anyone, not just parents of children at the school. We sing a variety of songs and perform locally. £3.00 per session. n 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 9 to 10 other concerts in the Bristol area each year. Meet at 2.15pm - 3.45pm at Church of the Good Shepherd, Bishop Road, Bishopston, BS7 8NA. New members welcome. For more information contact Hazel
on 0117 9246587 or visit www. bristolladieschoir.org.uk n The Stepford Singers. Come and try Bishopston’s all female community choir. No need to read music and no auditions! We meet 1pm - 3pm so you can still be in time to pick up kids from school. For more info, email fran@ naturalvoice.net n West Bristol Orchestra meet at the United Reformed Church, Muller Road, from 7.15 - 9.15pm and play a wide range of classical music arranged for our small friendly orchestra. String players of Grade 5 and above are particularly welcome. For further information please ring 0117 968 3998. n Avon Harmony Ladies A Cappella Chorus meets for rehearsals every Thursday 7.30 -10pm at Fairfield High School, Allfoxton Road BS7 9NL. We 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 our website for more details www.avonharmony.co.uk or contact Mandy on 0117 652693 or Barbara on 07717 424421. n Pregnancy Yoga and Birth Preparation at Horfield Leisure Centre, 7.30-9.15pm. Classes offer you the time to celebrate your pregnancy, ask questions and meet other mumstobe in a safe and welcoming environment. For more information visit www.lymalnick. info, or contact Ly on 07843 377 718 / ly.malnick@gmail.com n Slimming World Bishopston. St Michael and All Angels Church (Pigsty Hill) Gloucester Road. Groups at 9.30am and 7.30pm every Thursday. £9.95 to join and £4.95 per week after that. 6 and 12 week countdowns available. Just turn up or Call Sue on 0117 924 3556 or 07702 578 298 for a chat. n Kings Lawn Tennis Club Rusty
Rackets, 19:30-21: 00. Want to get back into tennis? Come along to our fun and welcoming Rusty Rackets session every Thursday evening at Kings Lawn Tennis Club, Maplemeade ( just off Kings Drive) BS7 8JG. Nonmembers (£8) and members (£6) welcome! Contact Head Coach Elly Shearman only tennis .kings@hotmail.com for more details! n Bridge for Beginners and Improvers West of England Bridge Club now welcomes new/novice bridge players for weekly sessions held every Thursday afternoon. Cost £3. Doors open at 1.45pm and play is from 2.00pm to 4.00pm. No partner needed and we have experienced players to help and advice. Beginners lessons also offered email bridgeclassbristol @ gmail.com or ring 0117 2302694 for more info. Venue: Golden Hill Sports Club, Wimbledon Road, Bristol BS6 7YA. Full details at www. woebc.co.uk n Spiritualist church Westbury Park Cairns Road BS6 7TH Open development circle Thursday evening at 7.15 for 7.30 start All are welcome. n Sporting Memories Group at the Gloucestershire County Cricket Ground most Thursdays from 11am to 12.30pm. A group suitable for people that are isolated or lonely and may have memory difficulties. The group is particularly for those that are interested in sport. Please contact John Collis on 07757527634 or come along to the ground from 11am. n Henleaze Ladies Choir is a friendly welcoming group which meets in St Peters Church Hall, Henleaze on Thursdays between September and May from 1.30 – 3.30 pm (with a short break for tea). We give 2 charity concerts a year in December and May and from time to time are invited to
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To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
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nW HAT’S ON IN OUR AREA entertain community groups around the city. There are also occasional social events organised. We are always pleased to see new members. Pease come and try a rehearsal without obligation. To find out more contact Jane English (07752 332278) or Jean Wickham (0117 9624466). n North Bristol Community Project Arts Fringe: Arts for Well-being, Thursdays 10am-12pm. Well-being Lunch Club, Thursdays 12.30-2pm. 10 week Sewing for Employability course, Mondays 10am -12pm; now taking bookings for the next sewing course starting on January 8 2018. The 10 week sewing course & the Lunch Club are FREE. For all other activities, there is a fee of £10 towards the cost of basic materials, tuition & refreshments. 160 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NT, Tel: 0774 237 7799 /0117 924 6228, www. northbristolcommunityproject. org.uk n Read together a short story and poem. Weekly drop-in adult group,
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Low impact classes offer dance, exercise and core strengthening. Strengthen muscles, raise energy levels, improve balance and mobilise joints. 6.25-7.30pm at Fairlawn Primary School, Fairlawn Road, Montpelier, Bristol, BS6 5JL. Tel: Rachael at FL Exercise on 07966 418 714 / rachaelwilliams@talktalk.net . Classes run on 5-7 week basis - charged as a block booking (£8 per class -1st Class Free)
shared reading. It's fun, sometimes surprising, moving and exciting. No preparation needed, just come along and listen. Bishopston Library every Thursday 11.30am - 1.00pm. We read and chat. Refreshments provided free. n Bristol Healing Group Dropin Healing Session at Friends Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE. Thursdays 5.00 6.30 pm, donation basis. Healing is holistic, gentle, relaxing, helps restore balance and wellbeing, recommended for stress. Contact Barbara 0117 9082061. n Henbury Singers welcome new members. A mixed, non audition choir, we meet at Stoke Bishop Primary School, Thurs evenings. We sing choral music, carols, musicals, gospel and folk songs. Contact Maggie Cavanna 0117 973 4794 or secretary@henburysingers.org. n"Time to Move" Stay Active Movement to music for over 55's. All abilities welcome, improve balance, mobility and well being. Friendly, supportive and fun. Thursdays 10-11am (tea and biscuits afterwards) £7, commencing 13th September at Redland Club, Burlington Road, BS6 6TN. Contact Michelle 07505 937156 n Singers Wanted! Henleaze Ladies Choir meet on Thursdays at 1.45pm in the hall at St Peter’s Church, Henleaze. We sing a range of music from works by Elgar to Bernstein’s West Side Story and lots more! Our new season starts on Thursday 13th September – come along for fun and friendship. For further details, contact Jean Wickham on 9624466 or Jane English on 07752 332278. n Sing! with OutThereMusic’s North Bristol Community Choir who rehearse every Thursday evening between 7:45 - 9:45 at Westbury Park School, Bayswater
Avenue, BS6 7NU. There is no audition and we have an eclectic repertoire with a very warm welcome assured. Visit www. outtheremusicbristol.co.uk - or come along to a rehearsal with our new term starting on Thursday 10 January. n North Bristol Community Project - Arts for Well-Being / Try a range of activities from Cartooning Sculpture - Drawing - Painting - Collage and much more or focus on 1 area for the 4 Weeks 10:00 12:00pm ( Four week course £60). Pre-booking essential, e-mail nbcp84@gmail.com for more information. Costs include all materials & refreshments Maximum of 6 people. 160 Gloucester Rd, Bishopston, BS7 8NT. www. northbristolcommunityproject. org.uk. Friday n Bristol University of the third age (u3a) scrabble group would welcome new members. We play very friendly and informal games every Friday at the Beehive, Wellington Hill West, BS9 4QY from 2 to 4pm. For further info please contact Heddy SARA on 0117 9241318 and indicate when asked to give your name that you are phoning about scrabble in order not to be blocked. also email : nigel.d.sara@btinternet.com n The Bristol Astronomical Society host astronomical talks and activities each week. Friday evening talks are held at 7pm at Bristol Photographic Society, Montpelier, BS6 5EE. Our new 2018/2019 programme starts on 5 October with Prof: Mark Birkinshaw: Orbits of many types. On clear Saturday evenings we open our observatory in Failand and often hold Star Parties in and around Bristol. We are also
signing-up for our four-week Junior Astronomy Courses in October and November. See the BAS website for details: www.bristolastrosoc. org.uk Saturday n Whiteladies Farmers’ and Fair Trading Market is now held EVERY Saturday, from 8.30am-2pm. Takes place at the junction of Whiteladies/Apsley/Burlington Roads. Stalls cover bread, cheese, local lamb and chicken, fish, preserves, cakes, sushi, local fruit and veg, wild food larder, and recycled tools, wooden items and much more. n Coffee, Tea and Refreshments served every Saturday from 10.30am to noon at Bishopston Methodist Church, 245 Gloucester Road. Join us for a rest and a chat. n The Clifton Garden Society are eager to attract new members from all parts of Bristol. The Society offer monthly visits by coach to country houses and gardens, a quarterly newsletter. and an annual holiday. If you would like to join this friendly group please call 0117 9737296 for full details. n Horfield Friends Café meets every Friday from 2 - 3.30pm. Free drinks and cakes plus fun activities – a chance to meet people and keep our minds active. Horfield Quaker Meeting House, 300 Gloucester Road, BS7 8PD. Sunday n Curvy Girl Yoga Class Every Sunday 7.30-8.30pm, KudaCan, 7 Dongola Avenue, BS7 9HG. A safe, supportive space exclusively for women, size 16 or more, to practice yoga. Your first class £5. Full details: www.curvygirlyoga.co.uk or call 07814934653
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
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n LIBRARY NEWS
Friends of Bishopston Library BRISTOL City Council is seeking ideas to Help Create Your Future Library Service, through a series of events and an online submission. The event covering Bishopston Library was held on February 12; a number of residents attended. It was clear that everyone really valued the library, both in its traditional, free-to-all book lending role, and as a secular, community based space available to local groups. To make best use of this fantastic provision, already the second most used local library in the city, we asked for more consistent and extended staffed opening hours. We also asked the council to explore extended access through the use of a swipe card, together with an out-of-hours book return facility. Alongside that, we thought that scale-able charges for room hire, clarity about public liability insurance requirements and more information about availability would increase the use of library space for meetings, events and learning opportunities. Other ideas included different
approaches to ensuring that the library is accessible to everyone, including non-traditional library users; offering other language children’s sessions; extended opening for the many students who use the library to revise over exam periods and exploring links with other groups to enable some of these things to happen. If you didn’t make the meeting but have ideas you would like to put forward, you can submit them via the Bristol City Council website. Our 2019 programme kicked off with a very enjoyable wine and cheese tasting event, with great support from local traders Grape and Grind, Murray’s Deli and Gardeners Patch. Particular thanks to Claire Finbow from the Deli for her help on the night and for introducing us to the delicious blend of blue cheese and dark chocolate!
PHOTOJOURNALIST Colin Moody will be talking about his new book Stokes Croft and Montpelier and telling some of the stories behind his work on Friday March 1. Discover the fascinating story of The Making of Victorian Bristol on Thursday March 21. Peter Malpass, Emeritus Professor of Housing and Urban Studies at UWE, will describe how Bristol was transformed in the nineteenth century by a growing population. He will also share some more recent research. Peter's new book will be published in March and available at a reduced price at the event. There will be a cash bar for soft and hot drinks at these events. Tickets are £3 online or at the library. Doors open at 7 for 7.30pm. On Thursday April 25 we will celebrate World Book Night. Bring along your own ‘good read’, plus a book to donate to Park Bench, a charity that makes books available to homeless people in Bristol. And on Friday May 3, the library’s second birthday, coffee and cakes will be on offer. You can join the Friends, find out about events and support the library at facebook.com/bishopstonlibrary, at bishopstonlibrary.org. uk or contact us at friends@bishopstonlibrary.org.uk
Friends of Redland Library FRIENDS of Redland Library are hosting two special events in March - the latest in the popular Desert Island Books series and a “Books that made me a …" evening. Desert Island Books This takes place on Tuesday March 12, starting at 7pm. The theme is Books & Travel and the panel comprises: • Jean Burnett , novelist, travel writer, speaker, also writes as Fran Kempton; • Professor Helen Fulton, Head of Department of English, University of Bristol; • Professor Robin Jarvis, Emeritus Professor of English Literature, UWE; • Mike Manson, writer, historian, coorganiser Bristol Festival of Literature. Doors open at 6.45 and admission is £3. "Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." ~ Jack Kerouac "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” ~ Mark Twain
Books that made me a … This event, taking place on Tuesday March 26, is part of the Bristol Poetry Festival’s wider programme and is entitled – “Books that made me a Poet”. Local poets talk about the books that have influenced their life journey. The venue is Redland Library and the event starts at 7pm, with doors opening at 6:45pm. Admission is £3 ( pay at the door ) The panel comprises: • Fiona Hamilton, poet and writer; • Deborah Harvey, Bristol-born poet and novelist; • Tom Sastry, 2019 Bristol Poetry Festival Laureate;
• William Wootten, Lecturer in Poetry and Creative Writing, University of Bristol; • Callum Wensley, poet. Bristol has a vibrant poetry scene with; • its own Poetry Festival – running from March 20-24; its own City Poet; • regular poetry events arranged by Hammer & Tongue, Raise The Bar, Milk Poetry and others; • a number of venues hosting regular poetry events, including The Crofters Rights, Arnolfini, Watershed; • the Bristol Poetry Institute being based at the University of Bristol; • a number of active publishers of poetry including Burning Eye Books and Small Press • nationally recognised poets coming from Bristol. Full details of this and future events can be found on our website https:// FriendsOfRedlandLibrary.org.uk The Friends of Redland Library is a voluntary group set up to support the library, helping to sustain and improve its service, and also connecting it with the local and wider community. Redland Library is on Whiteladies Road, close to Clifton Down train station.
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
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March, 2019
n NEWS Yoga for Health by
Diana Penny
of Yogawest (www.yogawest.co.uk)
Yoga Pose of the Month: Virabhadrasana 2 (Warrior 2
Starting from a good Tadasana – Mountain Pose (see last October’s issue for full instructions), bring the hands to the chest, bend the legs and jump or walk your feet apart, extending your arms out at shoulder height. The feet need to be wide enough so that you can get to the right angle as shown above. Turn the left foot in a little, and the right leg out completely (turning from the hip to ensure correct hip action). The right heel should be in line with the left instep. Lift up through both legs and keep them straight, pressing strongly into the outer edge of the left foot. Inhale and lift the spine, and as you exhale
bend the right leg to a right angle, keeping the knee back in line with the hip. Caution: ensure that your legs are wide enough so that the bent knee does not overshoot the ankle (which is not good for the knee). Draw the shoulders away from the ears and extend into the middle fingers. Keep pressing the left thigh strongly back and the outer left foot down. The final action is to turn the head and look along the line of the right arm. Stay for a few breaths, then press into the left foot while you come back up to centre. Repeat to the left side. Alternatives: If you feel breathless in this pose, keep your hands on your hips. You can practise this pose with your back to the wall: this helps with stability and an understanding of the correct alignment; it is also helpful if your energy is low. If you are confused about any instructions, then bring along this page to a class at Yogawest and a teacher will help you. Yogawest is just off the Gloucester Road in Bishopston, and has two beautiful yoga studios set in a quiet sanctuary behind Bishopston Hardware. Yogawest specialises in Iyengar
yoga, a type of yoga focusing on careful and supported alignment in poses, and offers over 50 classes a week for all levels of ability, including classes for beginners, children, teenagers, gentle (older and stiffer), pregnancy and postnatal. A warm welcome awaits. Drawings by Jess Wallwork, a popular teacher at Yogawest. Jess teaches two gentle classes a week, suitable for older and stiffer people and daytime beginner, general and pregnancy classes.
View us online at www.bishopstonvoice.co.uk
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To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
bishopstonvoice
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n NEWS
The wonders of wassailing! HORFIELD Organic Community Orchard (HOCO) was Wassailed by more than 300 people raising the orchard spirits with a collective holler. The event was also a conclusion for participants who completed the Orchard Learning Programme last year. Orchard Learning Programme 2019 - a month-by-month guide to a growing year runs from March to November. A 2018 participant described the course as “a wonderfully complete immersion in the year of the orchard”. There’s also a new crop of short courses to pick from. Get Growing Fruit Trees - an introduction, is a four-month guide to the basics of fruit tree care, using real trees in relationship with seasonal and local conditions. Coming up in March (16-17) is a hands-on Winter Pruning workshop. Are you new to fruit trees, and not sure what to grow? Planning and
caring for fruit grown in small spaces is a one-day introductory course on Saturday April 27. The courses are led by Shannon Smith. Group sizes are small, and early booking is
HAVE A HAPPY DAMP FREE NEW YEAR
Safety first for over 55s LIFESKILLS Interactive Education Centre is holding a Healthy Ageing & Safety Event on Wednesday March 13. It is open to everybody, but it is particularly relevant to those over 55. There is no cost and no need to book. People are invited to drop in any time between 10am and 3pm on the day. Lifeskills is on the fourth floor of the Create Centre, Smeaton Road, Bristol BS1 6XN Electrical Safety First (ESF) are sponsoring the event as electrical fires are disproportionately high in homes of people aged over 65. Louise Salter, deputy manager at the centre, said, “Last year’s event was very popular and, again, we are aiming to provide invaluable safety advice as well as an enjoyable social event.”
advised.More information on the HOCO website: https://tinyurl. com/OLcourses2019 Contact: hocopips@gmail. com Photo: Jamie Carstairs 5353-BMad-Host Ptrt Advert 87x120-JJ.qxp_Layout 1 11/02/2019 16:09 Pa
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n NEWS
Lone parents missing out MORE than a third of parents who pay their child maintenance through a government scheme in Bristol are failing to pay their ex-partners. New figures show that, of around 900 parents due to pay support through the Child Maintenance Service in Bristol between April and June last year, 35% were in arrears. The figure was down from 36% three months earlier and below the national average of 37%. Single-parent families charity Gingerbread said the number of people failing to pay up is "worryingly high". The government payment service, Collect & Pay, is part of the Child Maintenance Service. Parents can make arrangements to pay using a scheme called Direct Pay. In Bristol, 1,550 parents made Direct Pay arrangements from July to September 2018.
March, 2019
n BOOKS OF THE MONTH The Bear and the Nightingale Katherine Arden I have never before found in a novel, written for adults, so perfect and true-to-genre a fairytale as the Bear and the Nightingale. It matches in lyricism and magic those that I grew up with in wrinkled, ageless books with curling illustrations. As you read you feel the echo of those old stories, in the house spirits, the ghosts in the wind, the forest quests and enchanting strangers, never intrusively or lazily copied but always a delicate and tantalising harmony with that more eldritch kind of children’s folklore. Wild and curious Vasya grows up a nobleman’s daughter in the wintery edges of fifteenth-
century Russia, where spirits hide in the shadows she chases and her people attempt to fend off starvation and the deadly cold. Enter a ragged man asleep in the snow, a beguiling priest and a deal in glittering Moscow that her father is terrified to remember and Vasya finds herself caught between cries of witchcraft and demons whilst a merciless hunger creeps across the land and people begin disappearing into the cold. The emotions are spellbinding and the writing exquisite. It is a story that stays with you and a book you can’t put down. Children’s Fiction Read and enjoyed by Neve Neve’s review :
Bird book review
Bird is a heart-breaking tale by Crystal Chan. Unlike many children, Jewel doesn’t look forward to her birthday. And she’s not the only one. Her parents mourn all day and her grandpa, as always, doesn’t speak a word. Because that was the day her brother died. Filled to the very end with suspense, trickery and brilliance, if Bird was a plate of food it’d be delicious! Neve, age 10 For these books and many more, visit us at Bishopston Library. If we don’t have exactly what you’re looking for, there are over 2 million items from which you can reserve across LibrariesWest and collect from any library of your choice. Opening Hours: Monday……….1pm – 7pm Tuesday……….closed Wednesday…..11am – 5pm Thursday……..11am – 5pm Friday…………11am – 5pm Saturday.……..11am – 5pm Sunday………..closed
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
March, 2019
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n NEWS
App makes it easier to use Bristol Pound BRISTOL Pound has launched its new app, making signing up to the currency easier. Prospective users will be able to become members and use Bristol Pounds purely through in-app sign up. The app upgrade also for the first time allows people without a permanent Bristol address - such as students or people living outside the city but working in Bristol - to sign up. Diana Finch, Bristol Pound MD, said, “We want everyone with a stake in Bristol’s future to have the opportunity to join the Bristol Pound community. The new app should make that much easier.” Bristol Pound is a local currency scheme primarily with a social, economic and environmental purpose – to make the city more resilient, improve economic inclusion and reduce transport-related carbon emissions. Diana said: “Bristol Pound is about so much more than money – it is about creating a real community network of people and businesses who are committed to helping money to circulate locally, to create a more inclusive, more resilient local economy.” “Start-ups and small local businesses are the powerhouses of the local economy – creating opportunities and jobs for local people. By changing our spending habits, we can all affect the local economy in small and significant ways. It’s a bit like deciding to recycle – you might feel that individually you can’t stop the build-up of plastic in the oceans, but you know that if we all pull together, we can and do make a difference.” The app is free to download and use and is available now in Google Play and Apple App Store. Current Android users will need to uninstall their app and re-install to use the new version, iOS users just need to update their current app.
Bing Live! Redgrave Theatre hosts show CALLING all “Bingsters”! Bing and his friends are going on tour in the first ever Bing stage show! Bing Live! will visit The Redgrave, on Saturday 2 March– Monday 4 March as part of a major UK tour through to April 2019. Join Bing, Sula, Coco and Pando as they learn how to tell stories by pretending, dressing-up and singing songs. Flop and Amma are there to help, but in this magical world of make-believe things don’t always go according to plan. The CBeebies favourites are brought to life in a brand new stage production full of fun, laughter, music and magical puppetry. Bing Live! is the perfect first theatre trip for pre-schoolers and their families. Adult: £17.50 Child: £15.50 To purchase tickets visit the Redgrave website www.redgravetheatre.com or call 0117 3157 800
£300k boost for ultra low emission taxis BRISTOL City Council has been awarded more than £300,000 to support ultra-low emission taxis in the city. The funding will be used to install four rapid charging units, made up of eight bays, at a central location near to the M32. Ultra-low emission taxis will help improve air quality in towns and city centres, but one barrier THAT has stopped drivers from switching has been the lack of available charging points. Councillor Kye Dudd, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “We are delighted to receive this government funding, which will allow us to support taxi drivers to move towards electric vehicles and reduce pollution in the city.
“Taxis play an important role in Bristol’s public transport system, often providing trips that are difficult to replace by other modes of transport. “We have already laid the foundations for moving towards a more environmentally friendly fleet by implementing policies encouraging drivers to switch to ultra low emission vehicles (ULEV). This new funding represents the next significant step, enabling us to install a dedicated network of charging points solely for use by taxi drivers. “Coupled with the increased availability of electric and hybrid vehicles we hope to see ULEV taxi numbers increase significantly over the coming
years.” On April 1 2018 the council introduced a new taxi licensing policy. The policy states that: All new to fleet Hackney Carriages must be ULEV All replacement Hackney Carriages have to be Euro VI or better All new to fleet Private Hire must be petrol or better There are a range of subsidies in place, worth over £3,500 to encourage Hackney Carriage drivers to switch to a ULEV. The package of incentives on offer includes licencing fees and a permit to operate at Temple Meads Railway Station.
WE'RE ONLINE TOO - WWW.BISHOPSTONVOICE.CO.UK To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
bishopstonvoice
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March, 2019
n VETS' ADVICE
Why does my pet have itchy ears?
O
NE of the top reasons for pets to be brought into the vets is an ear problem. In recent studies “ear problems” normally come in at 3rd place in the top reasons to trigger a vet appointment; shortly behind “stomach problems” and “skin problems”. In general, if your pet is not having any issues with their ears then I advise that they are left alone- no cleaning, plucking or poking. I find that you can cause problems by interfering with healthy ears. However, sometimes their ears start to cause problems and your pet starts shaking their head, scratching or showing pain. The problem can be in just one ear or both ears. It can be a quick fix, one off issue or unfortunately an ongoing lifelong disease. I have listed the main causes of itchy ears. 1) Ear infections- bacteria and yeast can start to overgrow down
the ear canal. The ear may start to discharge, smell and can get very sore if left untreated. A swab from the dirty ear can be looked at in the practice and antibiotic ear drops can be prescribed. In particularly bad cases, the ear needs to be flushed and cleaned when the pet is sedated. 2) Debris in the ear- if your dog or cat suddenly starts to shake their head they may have got something stuck down their ear. In the summer months, grass seeds very commonly fall down the ear canal and are very itchy. If we see your pet quickly, we are able to get these out before they cause problems to the ear drum. 3) Ear mites- young animals are prone to ear mites. These mites make your puppy or kitten ears very itchy and very dirty. Mange is another parasite that can cause itchy ears but it affects the actual ear flap rather than down
the ear canal. Some pets will be predisposed to developing ear problems. Pets with allergies are prone to itchy ears and, in some dogs, a diet change is all that is needed to cure ongoing ear problems. Some dogs with pollen allergies will get ear infections during the summer months only. Dogs with long, floppy or hairy ears are prone to infections because the ear is a nice warm home for bugs to thrive in. Dogs who spend lots of time swimming can get ear infections because their ears never dry out! For these dogs, ear cleaners are prescribed to try to prevent getting ear infections. A ‘normal’ ear should be clean with little or no wax to see, not red or pink and not smelly. If you are unsure whether your cat or dog has healthy ears please do come in and see us for an ear check.
By Holly Rowe (assistant vet at the Animal Health Centre)
Gloucester Road’s Independent Veterinary Practice 358 Gloucester Road, Horfield, Bristol BS7 8TP 0117 9247832 www.animalhealthcentre.org
Will Writing & Estate Planning
A Will lets you protect your family’s inheritance and decide how your assets are shared out –
if you don’t make a Will, the law says who gets what. We have a Bristol-based team of trained will writing consultants who provide a home visiting service and can take your instructions in the comfort of your own home.
Standard single or pair of mirrored Wills £99
Please feel free to call us during office hours on 0800 019 4557 or email us at info@elm-online. co.uk
Tree Planting Crown Inspection and Maintenance Branch Shortening/Removal Tree Reduction and Thinning Felling / Sectional Felling Hedge Trimming and Reduction Local Authority Planning If there is anything you need to discuss or for free estimates or a quote, please contact Mike Tucker on 07817218817, or email arbtreeworks@gmail.com 12 years experience - Qualified and Insured
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bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
49
n NATURE WATCH With Dawn Lawrence I HAVE been listening to the house sparrows a lot lately. They bustle around our bird feeders, they gather by the railway station at the small town in Bedfordshire where recently I have been spending more time than usual, and also at the Horfield allotments where I should spend more time than I do. Their sparrow-talk is unmistakeable – urgent, varied and jumbled. It is called “social singing” and sounds like a rowdy family all trying to talk at once. When you first hear it, you might think a row has broken out, especially when the babble is
punctuated by a sudden pause. Thirty seconds can pass in ominous silence; I imagine the sparrows thinking of one of their gang ‘he’s done it this time… he’s gone too far…!’ Then a couple of irrepressible individuals venture a suggestion or two and the prattle begins again. A tumble of squeaks, whistles and chirrups, not tuneful but not argumentative either, this is just every-day sparrow-life. Of all our birds they are the most social: they feed, nest, travel, roost and sing together, gregarious in all seasons and a pleasure to watch. Our neighbours put out mealworms just before they sit down to breakfast and are daily rewarded by the lively company of 20 or so sparrows who have learned to rely on this generosity. The house sparrow has many common names including spuggy, sprog, spadger and spadgwick and in Welsh they are called roofbirds because they so often nest there. In fact, they are so strongly tied to us that they are only to be found near human habitation. They have spread around the globe, having forgotten their wild origins, either following humans of their own accord or, in some instances, being deliberately introduced by European migrants to distant lands. These two in the photo are young birds – the yellowish marks around their beaks show that
they are still being cared for by their parents. The colourful gape is there to prompt the adults into offering food every time the young one opens its mouth. The females are similar in plumage to these juveniles, plain but neat little birds, but the males have a bold face pattern. They sport a black face-mask and bib with grey cheeks and cap and chocolate brown on the sides of the head which gives them that unmistakeable ‘cockney sparrer’ air. They are so familiar that they are overlooked in favour of the more obvious charms of goldfinches and blue tits; but watch them whilst you can. They are still widespread in the UK, with a population estimated at over 5 million but this is down some 70% in the last 40 years. With such a common bird it is easy for us to become complacent but where would we be without our accompanying house sparrows? And what will they do if they cannot manage to live with us, now they are no longer able to live without us!
FULL SERVICE FACILITIES INCL TECH-2 & 9-5 SECURITY DIGITAL FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT & MOT FACILITIES AIR CONDITIONING SERVICES INCL THE LATEST R1234YF GAS FREE COURTESY CARS FOR ALL SERVICE WORK *
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We value your home Bristol’s Independent Estate Agents
www.leeseandnagle.co.uk
SSTC
Westbury on Trym
£400,000 Durdham Park
SALE AGREED IN FEBRUARY. SIMILAR PROPERTIES REQUIRED. A superbly presented 2 double bedroom Victorian cottage that effortlessly combines period charm and character with modern living. Built in the 1880s the house has been improved by the current owners and now provides a comfortable home. EPC – D
NEW INSTRUCTION
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Experts in residence Clifton 0117 974 1741 61 Apsley Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2SW sales@leeseandnagle.co.uk
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Potential to convert into a 2 bed flat! Spacious 1 bedroom first floor flat with garage and parking space in attractive building close to Whiteladies Road. Offered for sale with no onward chain. EPC – TBC
£420,000
SALE AGREED IN FEBRUARY. SIMILAR PROPERTIES REQUIRED. A large attractively presented 2 double bedroom, 2 bathroom third floor apartment with lovely south west facing balcony affording outlook towards Durdham Downs. Further benefits include spacious dual aspect living room, kitchen/diner and garage. Offered for sale with no onward chain. EPC – C
Henleaze
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NEED YOUR PROPERTY!
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SALE AGREED IN FEBRUARY. SIMILAR PROPERTIES REQUIRED. A charming 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom family house set in a highly desirable spot within 300m of Henleaze infants school and within the 2018 entry area for Redland Green school. EPC - D
March, 2019
n PROPERTY
bishopstonvoice
51
Bishopston - Jessops Apartment £279,950 An attractive light and airy first floor apartment with 2 double bedrooms, located within walking distance of the Gloucester Road, positioned within the Brightside Cricket Grounds. You have the option to view the cricket from the communal terrace, this has views across the infield. The accommodation boasts an open plan kitchen/living area, fitted kitchen, a good size lounge with a large window allowing plenty of light into the room, bathroom and ensuite to the master bedroom. An intercom system affords secure access into the communal areas, lift access and a bike store. EPC – C
61 Apsley Road, Clifton, BS8 2SW. 0117 9741741; sales@leeseandnagle.co.uk
n INSIDE OUT
Traditional paint forum SINCE the earliest cave paintings mankind has been driven to adorn walls with pigment. This uniquely human trait has developed over millennia to become an incredibly skilled and technical art-form, resulting in numerous decorative painting styles along the way. From the first hands stencilled onto rock faces to accomplished bison depictions artists progressed to such pinnacles as the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling, the gilded frilly florals of Rococo palaces and the 3D illusion effects of Trompe-l’œil painting. These days we are far more conservative and generally tend to prefer our walls in a plain coating of a very flat, single paint colour of course, but thankfully there are plenty of people keeping these traditional skills alive. Based in London, and active across the country, the Traditional Paint Forum explores anything and everything to do with historical architectural painting, its conservation and recreation.
with interior designer Zoe Hewett Its membership is made up of a huge range of professions including paint suppliers, scientific paint analysts, decorators, conservators, architectural historians, conservation officers, architects, surveyors and scenic painters. The TPF organise very interesting events like trips to paint factories, demonstrations of particular painting techniques (wood graining, marbling etc) and historical movements in style. There are even conferences about the evolution of pigments into
present day paints and lectures on heritage colours complete with experiments exploring the effect of candle light and oil lamps on the behaviour of those colours in their historical settings. All this should be fascinating stuff to interior design fans so if you would like to learn more about this rich topic you can join online from just £30 a year. There are some beautiful quotes on colour waiting for your on the homepage! http://traditionalpaintforum. org.uk
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bishopstonvoice
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March, 2019
n NEWS
Introducing Jet - Avon's dogged firefighter MEET Jet – a four-legged recruit in the fight against arson. The five-year-old black Labrador is a fully fledged member of Avon Fire and Rescue Service's investigation team and thanks to his ability to sniff out the use of accelerants is assisting at the scenes of fires across the service area. When investigating the cause of a blaze, Jet wears boots to protect his paws from any shards of glass or other sharp objects and also has his own personal protective equipment. Although it might sound dangerous, Jet will never be sent into hot scenes and there has been no report of any injury to any fire dog throughout the country. Born in May 2013, Jet was selected to follow a 'positive reinforcement' training programme. His initial training was similar to the steps most dog owners go through to teach general obedience. In September 2013, aged 16 weeks, Jet was enrolled on a 12-week fire investigation dog training course. The role of a fire investigation dog is to use their highly tuned sense of smell to find traces of accelerants which may have been used to deliberately start a fire. Accelerants are substances, such as petrol, which help a fire to spread more quickly. Even when a fire has been put out and caused lots of damage, fire investigation dogs can still smell exactly where an accelerant was
used. Jet completed his training in January 2014 and became the youngest dog to ever pass the course. He had to be taken out of service while a search took place for new handler. Now back in the game with station manager Martyn Bolt, carrying out an investigation is like a game for Jet. When he finds traces of an accelerant he will let Martyn know by ‘freezing’ and placing his nose close to where the substance has been found. This results in him getting a ball – which is his favourite toy. Martyn said: “I’ve been part of the service for 23 years and have had extensive fire investigation training. When it was clear Jet needed a new handler and that the service
could use him in a positive and proactive way, I jumped on the opportunity. “Jet really is exceptional at what he does. He will be able to help the service identify ignitable substances which could have been used to start a fire and it never ceases to amaze me when he locates the source of a fire. “Not only will Jet be a positive step for fire investigation, but he will also take part in providing information by sharing crucial fire safety messages to the community. “I’m proud to be his handler and I look forward to working with him over the coming years.” Jet will be sent into cold fire scenes to search for evidence of ignitable liquids, identifying the areas they were used in, which are documented before
samples are taken by the police for analysis. The speed and accuracy of the dogs can save both police and fire investigators valuable time and resources. Dogs are a vital part of the fire service family, and Jet will serve alongside Buddy and Sally in Avon Fire and Rescue Service. Buddy, a two-year-old Springer cross, and Sally, a two-yearold Labrador, are currently undergoing their training. Based at Hicks Gate fire station in Keynsham, Buddy and Sally are training to be ‘air scent’ dogs and will be used to locate live casualties in different environments, from open areas and woodland to collapsed structures. Firefighter and handler Martin Tully, who is responsible for Buddy’s training, said: “The role of a modern firefighter has changed and Avon Fire and Rescue Service deals with an increasing number of varying incidents, one of which is urban search and rescue. “Throughout their training, Buddy and Sally have been introduced to people of all ages, backgrounds and ethnicity so that they learn to trace and locate all human scent.” Buddy and Sally will complete their training towards the end of April before becoming fully operational.You can follow Jet the fire dog, along with updates from Buddy and Sally, on Twitter - @AFRSDog
Spirit Sisters prepare for Bristol event THREE sisters who share a special gift will give a public demonstration of mediumship on Saturday March 16t at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church. Known as the The Spirit Sisters, Louise, Simone and Michelle are fast gaining a UK-wide reputation for their accurate and moving demonstrations at a variety of venues around the country. Together they provide not only accurate evidence of survival beyond physical death but are able to convey a tangible sense of the touching bond between loved ones separated by a passing. With only 18 months between them in age (Simone and Michelle are twins) they all began having psychic experiences during their teenage years. Each of the sisters went
on to develop her special gift independently. They first began working together as platform mediums as an experiment in 2016. It was
to become a turning point in their lives, and they have never looked back. “To see these three amazing women working together is a privilege,” says Minister Marian Bishop. “They have a sisterly bond which helps them facilitate genuine communication with loved ones who have passed to spirit.” The demonstration of mediumship by the Spirit Sisters will take place at 7pm on Saturday March 16th at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road, BS6 7TH. Tickets should be obtained in advance to secure a seat and are priced at £8. For further information visit www. westburyparkspiritualistchurch.org or call 0117 977 1629.
To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715 770448 or email emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk. Got news? Email: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk
bishopstonvoice
March, 2019
53
n NEWS CO-OP customers in Gloucester Road and Ashley Down Road have helped buy new bikes for youngsters at Children's Hospice South West in Wraxall. Nineteen stores across Bristol and North Somerset made a donation totalling £5,000 to the Charlton Farm hospice, which cares for children with life-limiting conditions and their families. David Jackson, store manager at Southern Co-op's Ashley Down Road store, said: "We wanted to do something a bit different than just donating money. "The hospice was already the charity partner of a number of our stores so we rang them and asked what would they
Co-op customers fund bikes for the children's hospice need. When they said they didn't have any outdoor equipment, we felt it would be a good thing to do to donate bikes. "Together with all the stores in the area, we were able to raise £5,000 for the hospice which is incredibly special. It is quite an intimate hospice with a lot of care for individual children and it is local so helps so many local children."
The donation has enabled the hospice to buy 18 new bikes for all age brackets from pre-school to adult. Amanda Gallagher, corporate fundraiser at Charlton Farm, said: "We care for around 500 families across the South West so this support will make a real difference to their lives."
Volksfest backs Teenage Cancer Trust A NEW charity partnership that will support young cancer patients and their families has been announced by Teenage Cancer Trust and Bristol Volksfest. Bristol Volksfest is a Volkswagen show and family camping weekend that is held at Birches Farm, Long Ashton from June 14 – 16. The festival started in 1992, bringing like-minded VDub enthusiasts together to share their appreciation for the iconic vehicles. This year, the festival has decided to support Teenage Cancer Trust, who provide life-changing nursing care and support for the seven young people aged 13-24 who are diagnosed with cancer each day in the UK. This includes access to specialist nurses and age-appropriate hospital
spaces with big TV screens, use of a playstation and games, as well as a jukebox and musical instruments. Bristol Volksfest have a target of raising £5000 to support Teenage Cancer Trust’s life-changing nursing care for
teenagers and young people diagnosed with cancer, like Elena Blackwell from Horfield who was just 19 when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Elena had brain surgery at Southmead Hospital a month later and was then referred to the Teenage
Cancer Trust unit ‘Area 61’ in the Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre. Elena said: “Being on a Teenage Cancer Trust ward meant I met other young people with cancer. It made such a difference because I felt like they understood.” Elena, who is now 23, has had seven surgeries altogether in addition to proton therapy and chemotherapy. Tickets for Bristol Volksfest are now available online: https://www.bristolvolksfest. co.uk/tickets and you can also support the festival’s fundraising on their Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/bristol-volksfest. For more information about Teenage Cancer Trust, visit: www. teenagecancertrust.org
LOCAL SERVICES AERIAL SPECIALISTS
www.theaerialman.co.uk
• Digital Aerials • Fully Guaranteed • Repairs • Satellites • Free Quotes • OAP Discount • Additional TV Points • Humax Recorders Affordable Prices - Reliable Service
0117 967 9028
AERIAL SPECIALISTS
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H&P Aerials Digital, Freeview and Freesat Specialists
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For a free quote
Tel: 0117 908 7232 or Mobile: 07815 029775
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bishopstonvoice
54 BUILDING SERVICES
D Turner
Painting, Decorating & Property Maintenance • Tiling • PVC • Full Electrics • Fencing • Flooring Interior & Exterior Free Estimates Competitive Rates
Office: 0117 982 3930 or 0777 391 6802 BUILDING SERVICES
CARPET CLEANING
March, 2019 ELECTRICAL SERVICES
Professional
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Carpets cleaned from £15 Rugs cleaned from £10 House/Flat cleaned from £90
Stain Removal Trained Scotch Guard Protection 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
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Free Quotes Inspection and Testing Landlord Certificates New builds and Extensions Extra Sockets and Lights Fire Alarms, Smoke Detectors
www.ElderwoodElectrical.com Office - 0117 9322379 Mobile - 07725 058581 FLOORING
DRIVEWAYS
AGL DRIVEWAYS Tarmac & Block Paving
Kevin Gapper Roofing We cover all aspects of roofing work
• Tiled roofs • Flat roofs • Lead roofs • Installation of Velux Windows • Timber works 10 year guarantee with all new roofs Local Bristol family run roofing business with over 20 years experience
• A wide range of colours & patterns • Local Keynsham family run business for 50 years • All work guaranteed • Free estimates
Tel: 0117 9860485 or 07831 453821 www.agldrives.co.uk
ELECTRICAL SERVICES
GARDENING SERVICES
D. ATTWELL
From planning to end product
LANDSCAPING & TREE SERVICES
T: 01179 510319 or 07872 484994 W: kevingapper@me.com
Call Nick on 0117 2872082
All Garden Works Undertaken All Foliage Removed – Roots Destroyed Patios Laid – Slabbing – Decking Block Paving – Gravelling – Fencing Wood Chippings – Clearance – Garden Walls Drives & Patios Jetwashed & Resealed • FULLY INSURED • LICENSED WASTE CARRIER
0117 303 9000 CARPENTRY
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atom electrical specialist domestic installers
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All Carpentry services available
For an efficient, friendly, reliable, local electrical service...
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call Oliver on 07747866436 or 01179602974
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For a FREE quote call 07960 681 921 d.attwellgardenservices@hotmail.co.uk
HANDYMAN
Handy Man Services
• Hang • Repair • Plumb • Assemble • Install • Fix • Replace • Paint Experienced, reliable, friendly Jobs big and small
Contact Gary 07984 614108
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March, 2019 LOGS FOR SALE
LOGS FOR SALE STILL ONLY ONLY £70£65 perper dumpy bag
(thebig bigones ones builders builders get in)in) (the getsand sand
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(Stock (Stock up up NOW NOW for for Winter) Winter) Telephone Chris Telephone Chris Allcock Allcock 07770 754 07770 754622 622(mob) (mob)
01275 373562 01275 373562
(Please the mobile) mobile) (Please use the OVEN CLEANING
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Classic & Natural stone tiles High Quality Finish Specialising in Italian showers Free Quote Contemporary & Provençale kitchens Bristol & Surrounding Areas Interior & Exterior Masonry & DECORATING PAINTING Interior & façade painting
bishopstonvoice PLASTERING
JSH PLASTERING
All types of plastering No job too small Local, reliable work from Qualified and experienced plasterer Call John on 07967 697 361 Or jshoggett@outlook.com
PLUMBING
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PAINTING & DECORATING
Stephen Carter Painter & Decorator
Professional Decorating Services
Painting & Decorating Association Accredited (with PDA guarantee) For a free competitive quotation:
07786 513788 or 0117 907 6997 Cranside Avenue, Redland, BS6 7RA
www.carterdecorating.co.uk
From a dripping tap upwards Reliable, qualified, fully insured
Phone: John Keegan 125 Bishop Rd, Bishopston, BS7 8LX elfontanero@hotmail.co.uk www.jpkplumbingbristol.co.uk
07900 582 817 • 0117 924 7286 PLUMBING
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55 PLUMBING
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ROOFING
T M HOBBS ROOFING Established 1989 • Based in Bishopston
Pitched or flat roofs repaired or replaced Guttering & Cladding, uPVC Fascias & Soffits Chimneys, flashings & parapet walls repaired Skylights & Veluxes Installed Insurance Work Undertaken • Free Estimates Minor work welcome
Tel: 01179 426 436 tim_hobbs@outlook.com
WINDOWS & DOORS
MSP
MAINTENANCE
Having problems with your Upvc windows and doors? Misted panes, broken handles, faulty hinges or locks! For all types of Upvc maintenance and repair, contact Malcolm on
01179 686486 / 07548 928251 for a free quote
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