Henleaze & Westbury Voice February 2023

Avalanche of objections to St Christopher's plans

OPPONENTS of a proposed £85 million retirement village in Westbury Park are calling on planners to reject the scheme next month (March) after an avalanche of opposition.

More than 1,300 objections have been lodged against plans to build apartment blocks on the former St Christopher’s School site.

There have been just 18 comments supporting the plan.

The Voice understands Bristol City Council is scheduled to make a decision in March.

St Christopher Action Network (SCAN) say the strength of local opinion shows the developers have got it wrong.

Zoe Eastwood, local resident and member of SCAN said: “For goodness sake - when will the developers listen?

“For more than a year, the community has been telling them this scheme is completely inappropriate - in so many ways. But they just keep pushing.

“Can’t they hear us? 99% of people who’ve made a comment say they want the plans rejected.

We are confident councillors will consider this strength of feeling when making their decisions."

As reported in January’s Voice, the team behind the St Christopher's Square redevelopment submitted changes to their plans in December. They say they have made the amendments in

response to feedback and they remain “unwavering’ in their belief that the redevelopment will be positive for the area.

However, SCAN and Westbury Park Community Association dismissed the revisions to the scheme as “minor”.

Turn to Page 6

Royal honour for community plot

Lucy Mitchell, who runs the Golden Hill Community Garden in Horfield, has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Year's Honours List.

PAGE 14

Bridge repairs get go-ahead

Bristol City Council has approved repairs to Kingsweston iron bridge but says construction won't start until 2024.

PAGE 5

Scheme is more than welcome

Bristol's Welcoming Spaces project, set up to combat the cost of living crisis, could be made permanent.

PAGE 8

‘Don’t cut cash for our lovely parks’

CAMPAIGNERS have urged cash-strapped Bristol City Council not to make swingeing cuts to its parks budget.

Bristol Parks Forum says draft proposals show that the council wants to reduce spending on parks by £1.5 million a year –20-25 per cent.

Volunteers and users of the city’s parks and open spaces responded to the council’s budget consultation opposing the cuts and as the Voice went to print were waiting to find out whether their voices had been heard.

The budget recommendations were about to be published and were due to go before the cabinet on January 24, with the full council making a final decision on February 21.

The council has to make difficult decisions to bridge a £31 million shortfall for 202324. It concedes that use of parks has risen since lockdown - but says this has put added pressure on staff and budgets and that new solutions have to be found.

Bristol Parks Forum said: “Reduced staff costs mean reduced staff numbers.

“This will mean less work will be done, less grass cutting, less bin-emptying, less repairs, fewer people to answer queries, fewer people to support park groups and other volunteers, fewer people to assess the likely impact of events or activities planned in

parks & green spaces by other organisations.

“There is a suggestion that volunteers can take up some of the slack and do more, however, volunteers are likely to lose heart if basic maintenance isn’t done and, in any case, will in most cases, not have the time, skills, training or equipment to take on maintenance activities.

“They will not want to be in a position of taking on work previously done by staff who have been made redundant.”

Linda Wilson, chair of the Friends of Badock's Wood, said: "The council suggestion that parks can be managed and maintained by volunteers is simply wrong. Our group has been going for nearly 25 years. We turned an unloved area from a tip to a treasure. But however hard our volunteers have worked over the years we could not have done that without the bedrock of the Council Parks Department's resources. Volunteers cannot replace Parks staff. We cannot, should not and will not do their work. We are very concerned that Parks will very quickly deteriorate if these budget proposals go ahead and staff are cut, we will enter a spiral of decline."

Jo Corke, of the Friends of St Andrew’s Park, said: “It is important that we keep all our parks under council management and

'PR disaster' was predicted

COUNCIL leaders were warned by internal advisers that plans to remove a cycle lane on Whiteladies Road would prove hugely unpopular - but went ahead with announcing the scheme anyway.

Bristol City Council wanted to take away the bike lane between the Tyndall’s Park Road to Queens Road junctions as part of a scheme to widen pavements and install new larger drains to help prevent flooding.

It announced the plan last summer and was quickly forced to drop it following an outcry from cyclists.

Now it has emerged in documents revealed under the Freedom of Information act that council officers were warned in 2021 that the proposal was "a real PR risk to the authority".

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

•

•

The River Trym in Badock’s Wood

that we don’t lose any of our green open spaces. Habitats need to be sufficiently close for many species to be able move from one to another. Loss of any green space is a loss

Cllr Geoff Gollop with the newly installed out-of-hours swipe card device

Photo: Frances Robertson/FOBW for the whole city and beyond. Animals and plants don’t know about ward and county boundaries.”

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WORK to repair Kingsweston Iron Bridge won’t start until next year – nearly a decade after it closed.

The 19th-century footbridge was shut by Bristol City Council in 2015, leaving walkers cut off from Kings Weston Estate and Blaise Castle Estate in north west Bristol, after a lorry crashed into it. Then in 2018, a second lorry also hit the bridge, causing even more damage.

Once fixed, the bridge will be installed one metre higher than it used to be, to reduce the chance of it being hit again. New steps will need to be added, which means it won’t be wheelchair accessible.

Local resident Janet Poole told the council’s development control A committee, in December: “People in Bristol are tired of waiting for this much loved bridge to be repaired and reopened. We understand that the plans aren’t perfect, it’s not going to suit everyone and isn’t going to be accessible for everyone. But at this stage of the

Bridge repairs approved – but work won’t start yet

game we just want the bridge repaired.

“We are really tired, we are fed up, we feel neglected, we feel forgotten and we just do not know what else to do. We have protested, we have been on the news, we have been on the radio, we have done everything we can. It took three years to build the Titanic, two years to build the Mall at Cribbs Causeway — seven years and we’ve done nothing.”

Even though planning permission has now been granted for the works, construction isn’t due to start until 2024, according to the mayor, nine years since it was first closed. Responding to a question in a member forum on December 13, Marvin Rees said the council had other priorities.

Mr Rees said: “While we recognise it’s a passion project for some local people, it is not a key infrastructure project for Bristol and I would hope councillors would be honest about prioritising in a time of financial pressures. It is expected [work] will start in the financial year 2023–24 as resources allow, with construction works commencing in 2024.”

Planning officers said the large size of a ramp needed to make the listed bridge wheelchair accessible would harm the historic heritage of the structure, which was important for conservation.

Writing to the development control committee, David Redgewell, a local transport

campaigner, said: “This scheme discriminates against disabled people, and mothers and fathers with buggies. The alternative is to cross a very busy Kings Weston Road. We would ask the city council to relook at the design of the bridge.”

But defending the current plans, Councillor Don Alexander, cabinet member for transport, said: “Any negative impact on this much-loved asset will be far outweighed by the fact that it will be permanently raised and safe from any further bridge strikes.'

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

YOURS SOONER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK

1300 objections to retirement village

From Page 1

WPCA submitted a ten-page response to the changes.

They said they supported the idea of extra care on the site but said: “We wish to re-affirm our objection concerning the amount of development crammed inappropriately into this site, the height of all the new blocks and the distances between the new blocks and from the new blocks to surrounding properties. This is massive overdevelopment which damages the recognised character of this area as a whole.”

The development of 116 retirement homes is being put forward by investment firm FORE, in partnership with developer Socius and care provider Amicala.

They say the site will offer residents increasing levels of extra care and support as and when they need it, reducing the pressure on the NHS and wider care system.

The site will include a new

café, an “Urban Village Hall”, wellness centre, and activity rooms. These facilities will be shared with the neighbouring school and community groups, and, the developers say, could “support local Special Educational Needs provision in consultation with Bristol City Council”.

St Christopher’s School was founded in 1945 by Catherine Grace as private residential Steiner school for children with learning difficulties.

It closed in 2020 and SCAN says concerns about lack of replacement for the Special

Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision is becoming an issue for opponents.

Green Party councillor Christine Townsend said the SEND provision was needed.

She said: "This developer is not interested in providing SEND provision. SEND is this council's largest budget deficit year on year with much caused by the need for out-of area provision - our children need more specialist provision, not less. If SEND provision is lost from this geographical location now it will never return."

Councillors for Westbury on Trym and Henleaze Geoff Gollop, Sharon Scott and Steve Smith, issued a joint statement saying: “This application is not appropriate and falls well short of addressing residents concerns. The area is already saturated for parking, and the loss of trees and so much green space is also a matter for concern”

Among the comments in favour, Barry Williamson said

the concept of an Extra Care development was “excellent”.

He said: “I like the fact that it will incorporate at its heart in Grace House, facilities for creativity, learning and socializing; all contributing to a well-lived old age. Best of all, I'm enthusiastic about the emphasis on links between the retirement village and the local community.”

Another supporter of the project said Bristol is badly in need of housing, and the diverse mix of retirement and extra care homes proposed would be a good addition to the area.

A spokesperson for the developers said: “Since our initial submission in March 2022, our ambition for this project has been to bring new life to this previously neglected plot and create a first of a kind, ultra-sustainable extra care community.

“Our aim has always been to bring positive benefit to the local and wider community – above and beyond simply developing

It was obvious that for each carer, looking after Mum was a labour of love and she looked forward to their visits. The care and kindness shown by them all was so helpful and welcome.

Mr B, client’s son

The "Urban Village Hall"

land. It’s about helping to solve a specific housing need, investing in the neighbourhood, being an exemplar for low carbon construction and operation, and recognising the needs of local residents in Westbury Park, Henleaze and beyond.

“The consultation process is an integral part of making this vision a reality. Inevitably, all development brings change, and of course local opinion matters. We have listened to our neighbours regarding their concerns about views, parking, and other issues relevant to them and have adapted our plans accordingly.

“We firmly believe that the extensive, positive benefits of this scheme will realise the potential of this incredible site and contribute significantly to the local economy at a challenging time for many.

“For these reasons, our commitment to this development remains unwavering.”

Chandos Road: Welcome continues

COMMUNAL warm places for Bristol residents struggling with the cost of heating their homes could become a permanent fixture, it has been revealed.

There are now 82 “Welcoming Spaces” in the scheme organised by Bristol City Council to help people with the cost-of-living crisis and sky-high household energy bills – a figure that mushroomed from just 22 in October.

They include community centres, churches, mosques, gurdwaras, Salvation Army bases, arts spaces, leisure centres, women’s refuges, cafes, libraries, children’s centres, youth clubs, extra care homes and even a weekly one at Bristol Rovers’ Memorial Stadium.

Mayor Marvin Rees said more than 20 opened their doors on Christmas Day for meals and activities, while others including Black2Nature and Bristol Somali Youth Voice delivered a total of 500 meals and food parcels.

“Thank you to everyone involved in this incredible community response and to everyone involved in growing and strengthening our communities,” the mayor added.

You can find your nearest Welcoming Space here: https://www. bristol.gov.uk/residents/people-and-communities/welcomingspaces/find-a-welcoming-space?tab=WelcomingSpaces

Among them are: Cairns Road Baptist Church, Westbury Park, BS6 7TH. Open: Tuesday, 6- 9pm Phone: 0117 942 5669 Trinity-Henleaze United Reformed Church, Waterford Road, BS9 4BT Open:Tuesday 2pm to 4pm Friday 10am to 5pm Shirehampton library, Station Rd, Shirehampton, BS11 9TU Open: Tuesday 3pm to 5pm.

PEOPLE living and working around Chandos Road in Redland will this year be given the chance to shape a new street layout to make it more pedestrian friendly.

But it is not yet clear whether cars would be completely banned – or if less drastic traffic calming could be considered instead.

Bristol City Council announced it wants to close the road to traffic, following a decision to make permanent car bans on nearby Cotham Hill, Redland, and Princess Victoria Street, in Clifton Village.

That’s led to claims that some traders are concerned about the impact on their businesses.

But Chandos Neighbourhood Association says it has been talking to the council since 2020 about ideas such as traffic calming and tree planters, street art and bike racks.

Member Jane Valentine said these proposals have

been supported by traders and residents in surveys and open days.

She said: “We’re delighted the council has approached the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) for funding to support improvements to the area and we will be encouraging residents and traders alike to share their views throughout the consultation process so that together we can design a positive solution for the whole community.”

However Bristol City Cabinet Member for Transport, Councillor Don Alexander said the council wants to ban all cars from Chandos Road.

In a statement he said: “Closing the road to traffic will create more space for high street traders, which will particularly benefit cafes, pubs, and restaurants who can apply for permission to install outdoor seating.

“In addition to this, the

Time to go for a continental vibe?

a safe, welcoming, lucrative environment.”

Details of the council's plans to get rid of cars from Chandos Road are due to be revealed soon

Monica Worsley, co-owner of Picaro tapas bar, said banning cars would introduce a continental feel.

She said: “It would be fantastic if the Council granted Chandos Road what they have to Cotham Hill. It has made such a difference to the small restaurants in the street.

they need to do it. Sometimes you don’t see anyone passing the door, not even on a Saturday.”

She said the council should consider ways to provide extra parking, or consider a night time only pedestrianisation when restaurants are busier.

closure of the road to traffic will create an active travel route by freeing up space for cyclists and pedestrians.”

He said it would allow cafes, pubs, and restaurants to apply for permission to install outdoor seating.

The proposal is due to go out to public consultation early this year, once it has been signed off by WECA.

The Voice approached more than a dozen traders in Chandos Road for their reaction.

Emma Wreyford of Chandos

Atelier art project said she was in favour of at least partial pedestrianisation.

She said: “As a ‘destination street’ I think we could make much more of the spaceseating, bike racks, trees, markets even - plus attract foot and bike traffic to the street, customers who have been proven to stay and spend.

“The 40 people who park their car here during a day could leave space for 400 (or more as our annual street party shows) to spend time and money, enjoying

“Picaro would have at least 15/20 extra sitting outside on the pavement. Our premises are small and that would give us much needed extra revenue. Last September when we had the street party we put tables and parasols outside and the street look so lovely with no cars.”

But Faye, who works in Clifton Flowers was concerned that banning vehicles could affect deliveries to businesses, and deliveries going out.

She said: “The street is so quiet anyway so I don’t see why

“It would be nice for the restaurants to expand out onto the street in the summer but we need access in the daytime because all the streets off Chandos Road are so narrow and it’s already difficult to park around here.

One business owner, who asked not to be named, said while they could see some benefits, they felt it could damage trade by discouraging people from travelling to the area by car.

Whatever their views, residents and traders are being urged to take part in the consultation when it formally opens.

01934 830 111 info@clevedonsalerooms.com www.clevedonsalerooms.com

Tuesday 7th February 10am - 3pm Stoke Lodge, Shirehampton Rd, Stoke Bishop, Bristol, BS9 1BN Free,

Light up your life with Chandos trail

CHANDOS WINDOW WANDERLAND

January 28 & 29

IF you’re looking for things to do to alleviate the winter evening gloom, look no further - Chandos Window Wanderland returns for its eighth year on January 28 and 29.

It’s a family- friendly free event, where residents are invited to light and decorate their windows, gardens, cars, vans ... During light-up times (6-9pm), everyone is invited to wrap up warmly and enjoy a wander round the streets in the Chandos Road BS6 area, to hunt out and admire the varied, fun and inspiring displays.

The locations are marked on our Chandos event Window Wanderland map, available online at https://www.windowwanderland.com/ event/chandos-bristol-2023

This year’s theme is animals but even that is optional. Displays can be wildly creative or very simple. Strings of lights, pictures in the windows, garden displays, favourite toys or books on the window shelf, even a home disco, karaoke session or live theatre - anything goes, as long as its family friendly , and of course, the more participants, the merrier. We’d love to have whole streets lit up with fairy lights!

The idea for Window Wanderland started in Bishopston over nine years ago, and has now

cascaded out round the country and indeed, round the world. During the wander, it’s fun to share your favourite window sightings with fellow wanderers, and bump into neighbourhood friends.

Taking part is free but we encourage those who are putting up displays to sign-up on the Window Wanderland site so that their location gets on the map and their efforts can be seen. And there’s no charge for wandering round, though you might like to keep a bit of change handy for refreshments at a local store or hostelry.

This year, Chandos Neighbourhood Association has an online giving page in memory of our local landlord, Mark Farrell, who passed away this autumn. Mark opened his micropub Chums in Chandos Road in 2016 with the aim of creating a welcoming friendly space for a drink and chat with friends, excellent music sessions and quiz nights. Mark more than succeeded in his aim - Chums became a much loved community hub and its closure has left a huge gap in our neighbourhood. Mark was always generous with his time & skills to help with all our local community events including Window Wanderland, and we all miss him greatly. If you’ve enjoyed our Window Wanderland and wish to donate, please go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ chandosna All donations will go to the RNLI, Mark’s chosen charity.

Fiona McVey

Drivers warned over new clampdown

DRIVERS could soon be fined for wrongly stopping in yellow box junctions at Filton roundabout after South Gloucestershire Council applied for new enforcement powers.

The local authority wants to take over responsibility from the police to install traffic cameras and clamp down on motorists illegally queuing at the busy junction on the A38 Gloucester Road.

It also wants to target a “high level of abuse” by drivers ignoring part-time no-entry signs where Kenmore Drive meets Kenmore Crescent in Filton, which is used as a rat-run to avoid the B4056 Southmead Road.

Bristol City Council cabinet last month agreed to use similar new powers to enforce “moving traffic” offences, such as banned turns or driving the wrong way down a one-way street, which are available to local authorities following a recent change in the law.

the Department for Transport (DfT) for permission to issue fixed penalties, which would be £70 or £35 if paid within 21 days, and has launched a public consultation, which was due to close on January 30.

The Aztec West roundabout and the M32 Hambrook roundabout are also included in the proposals.

The council said on its website: “South Gloucestershire

Council is proposing to adopt powers to help improve road safety, tackle congestion and support both public transport and active travel by enforcement of moving traffic contraventions.”

The authority said each offence would be captured by automatic number plate recognition cameras but would be “subject to further human review to ensure that action taken is proportionate and not automatically generated”.

It said the crackdown could be extended to other sites in future, which would not require further permission from the DfT but would need additional public consultation.

The council said: “Profiting from enforcement is not an aim of enforcing moving traffic offences.

“We are applying for these powers to make a positive difference to the highway network, and not as a source of income.”

The money from fines will fund the scheme’s costs and any surplus can be spent on public transport or highway improvements but it cannot be used to pay for routine highway maintenance or other council services.

“It is envisaged that this enforcement will be rolled out to more sites from 2023 onwards, but only at locations where there is a need,” it added.

The current consultation is here: tinyurl.com/mrxzhc4h

South Gloucestershire is following suit by asking

CONTROVERSIAL plans to move Bristol’s Central Library from its historic home have been scrapped after a public outcry.

Bristol City Council’s ruling Labour party said the plans would be dropped after speaking to residents in the ward where the library is located, which is facing a by-election next month.

Plans to relocate the Library from its Grade-I listed home on College Green were revealed in November by the council as part of extensive proposed budget cuts. The council is facing a giant hole in its budget due to inflation and a lack of funding from the central government.

But the plans met strong opposition from across the political spectrum, and appear to now have been dropped from next year’s budget. Liberal Democrats and Greens claimed the move was due to the upcoming by-election in Hotwells and Harbourside, on February 2.

In a joint statement Councillor Ellie King, cabinet member for communities and public health, and Eileen

Plans to relocate Central Library scrapped after public outcry

Means, Labour candidate in the by-election, blamed the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats for austerity and “forcing councils to shut” hundreds of libraries.

They said: “Since the Tories and Lib Dems started austerity in 2010, councils across the UK have been forced to shut around 100 libraries a year. In Bristol, we are proud that our Labour administration has held back this tide to protect all 27 libraries — including Central Library — over the last six years, and will be working to keep them as valuable community spaces for the future.

“Due to continued national under-funding, as well as historic inflation and rising demand for services, Bristol City Council faced an almost £88 million

financial gap. The local authority consulted on a wide range of budget proposals. It was only right and responsible to put every option on the table as we work towards a seventh balanced budget for Bristol.

“We have taken time together to consider proposals, after Eileen spoke to many of her fellow local residents in Hotwells and Harbourside. After discussing the idea of relocating Central Library, we are pleased to confirm that updated budget plans going to cabinet for consideration later this month will keep Central Library in its current home.”

The statement was slammed as “cynical” by opposition parties, including Stephen Williams, former Liberal Democrat MP and

councillor, and candidate in the upcoming by-election.

Mr Williams tweeted: “How marvellously cynical. The Labour mayor ‘saves’ the Central Library from his own closure plans, in the middle of an election, just to save the Labour candidate from electoral humiliation. I’ve been campaigning on this for weeks and know the lasting damage done to Labour.”

Ed Fraser, a local Green party officer, added: “Shock horror, another stitch up. For the second by-election in a row Bristol Labour has cooked up a threat to a service in the ward so they can then claim they’ve saved it. No wonder they’re stuck in third place.”

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

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Dirty boots – and a British Empire Medal!

COMMUNITY worker Lucy Mitchell says she will accept her New Year’s Honour – as a tribute to the volunteers who work with her.

Lucy, who runs Golden Hill Community Garden in Horfield, was awarded a British Empire Medal – despite being an anti-royalist. The project worker says at first she wasn’t sure whether to accept it. She said: “To start with when they rang I said I’d think about it. I think the honours system is ridiculous and didn’t like the sound of a British Empire Medal. I’m an anti-monarchist.”

“I’m paid to do this – it’s my job, so it seemed strange to pick out one paid person when there are so many volunteers. But when I thought about it and talked to people, I realised it’s a nice way for the Garden to be recognised. I was really flattered for the Garden to get this, and decided it’s a fun thing.”

The Community Garden started when members of Horfield and District Allotment Association decided they wanted to make better use of a derelict area of the existing allotments in Monk Road.

They decided to create a community allotment which anyone could visit, including people with physical or mental ill health or learning difficulties. It was also for people who didn’t want their own allotment, or needed help learning to grow fruit and veg.

After four years of fund raising, they got a grant from the Big Lottery Fund and Green Capital, and in 2011 work started clearing the site.

Lucy was taken on as a community project worker and oversaw turning the plot the size of 12 allotments into workable gardens.

The Community Garden is now open to the public every Wednesday – and part of Lucy’s job is organising regular groups of up to 30 volunteers to look after the garden, and carry out maintenance work.

She also runs sessions for toddlers, after school clubs, young people with special educational needs, adults with learning difficulties and community groups.

Lucy says the honour is a tribute to all of them and their hard work.

“I always imagined these things were something rich people and celebs get but it seems someone with dirty boots can get one too,” she said.

“I think it’s a fun thing we can all talk about – and it would be great to wear a medal while working here, cleaning out the compost toilets!”

But it won’t be a visit to Buckingham Palace for Lucy. She says when she told officials that would be a step too far, they said she wasn’t invited anyway, as the honour will be presented by Bristol Lord Lieutenant Peaches Golding.

If you want to know more about The Golden Hill Community Garden, or get involved you can find all the details on their website: https://thegoldenhillcommunitygarden.com/ Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/TheGoldenHillComm unityGarden/?ref=page_internal

Birds on

doorstep

YOU

be lucky and have a Song Thrush visiting your garden; they are less common these days. They are brown with arrow-head shaped spots on their breast. Their song is lovely and can be recognised by the groups of three or four repeated notes. Blackbird song is a continuous, undulating melody. Their larger cousin, the Mistle Thrush, is more likely in surrounding woodlands. It has a spotted breast too but the spots are more rounded. Their song can be heard from a considerable distance and is quite mournful hence its old name of Stormcock – a harbinger of bad weather.

In Winter, our resident thrushes are joined by Redwing and the larger Fieldfare from Iceland and Finland. You are more likely to see these in the fields, woodlands and larger parks around Bristol but a cold snap will bring them into the city looking for food; berries and fallen apples being a favourite. Redwing and Fieldfare will form

quite large flocks, sometimes mixed together unlike our native thrushes that tend to be more solitary. Check out their calls on the RSPB website.

Alastair Fraser Bristol Ornithological Club Avonbirding.blogspot.com

Redwing (Keith Williams)

Fieldflare (Keith Williams)

Be who

FOR our nurses, teachers, fire fighters and other public service workers, the cost-of-living crisis is having a huge impact. The storm that’s brewing in the UK over workers’ pay and working conditions is expected thanks to such a poor performance on the economy from successive Chancellors. The diagnosis is well understood, but Ministers need to resolve it now.

Instead of negotiating with public servants and their unions, the Government decided to introduce emergency legislation that could ban them from striking. The Government promised to introduce legislation to improve workers’ rights but has said for the third year in a row that there hasn’t been sufficient time to do so. I was therefore surprised to see this emergency Bill being rushed through.

We are still waiting on the details of the new Bill, but the elevator pitch is that if you work in healthcare, the emergency services, education, transport, border security or nuclear decommissioning, then you are only allowed to strike if the workforce can meet a set minimum level of service. Most people would agree this sounds reasonable, but Ministers haven’t even tried to agree minimum service levels before introducing legislation. If it’s 95% of what normally happens every day, then it will effectively be a ban on the right to strike. After years of public sector workers raising the red flag after years of austerity, what else can they do?

Meanwhile, actual storm clouds have gathered over Bristol in recent weeks, bringing a deluge of prolonged rainfall. The storm overflows that followed, pumping sewage into our waterways, was at the forefront of my mind as I visited the Wessex Water site in Avonmouth in mid-January.

The chief executive of Wessex Water wrote to me towards the end of 2022 to share his latest data on storm overflows. The data shows they’ve achieved a significant reduction in the number of discharges: down from

679 in the 2020/21 monitoring period to 281 for the same period in 2021/22, and discharges during the bathing season reduced from 242 to 85. Promising news! He attributes this, in part, to the company's continued investment to improve and eliminate overflows – currently £3m per month.

During my visit I was keen to find out more about the new legislation that they say is needed to free us from these cursed overflows completely. Wessex Water says legislation is needed to prevent new developments from connecting surface water to combined sewers, and to give water companies the power to retrospectively disconnect surface water from privately owned roofs and driveways (to instead discharge locally to the ground).

Since I'm writing this on the day of my visit, I need time to fully consider this call for new legislation. But, with the swell of feeling from constituents contacting my office about sewage in our rivers and seas, I'll do what I can to help raise this matter in Parliament.

Moving from water to air pollution, the Clean Air Zone has now been in force for a couple of months. I understand the Clean Air Zone is necessary to make Bristol's air cleaner and healthier – especially given the recent media reports that Bristol's traffic congestion is second in the UK only to London. However, I would like to see the exemptions that were introduced for low-income residents and Blue Badge holders remain for the duration that the zone is in place. With the temporary exemptions currently set to expire on 31st March, I plan to discuss this with the council as a matter of urgency.

Another bone of contention with the Clean Air Zone is the inclusion of the A4/Portway, as it makes it difficult for constituents to drive to South Bristol and Bristol Airport without incurring the charge, even if they have no intention of heading into the city centre. Following a letter sent to Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees, I have

been successful in securing the installation of traffic pollution monitors at various points from Sea Mills to the Downs. This will show if cars are naturally re-routing and therefore just moving pollution from one area to another, or whether the zone is reducing the number of polluting vehicles from our roads. If it’s the former, then I’m confident we can have the Portway removed from the zone in the medium term.

The Clean Air Zone isn't the only scheme to reduce Bristol's air pollution. I welcome the council’s scheme of banning cars from being driven outside schools during drop-off and pick-up times – an idea that I had put forward for consideration previously. I’m pleased this scheme will now be extended to three more schools in Bristol.

Darren Jones writes for the Voice

As always, if you need my help or have a question, you can get in touch with me on e-mail at darren.jones.mp@parliament. uk, by calling my office on 0117 959 6545 or by writing to me at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.

HELPING people grow their own food is a SusWoT core activity. To do this SusWoT produces vegetable plants that people can cultivate. The first seeds, always tomato, are sown now. Growing your own saves money, promotes exercise in the fresh air, connects with nature, produces chemical free food, tastes better, reduces transport cost and imports, improves the trade balance and, promotes eating fresh food in season. Children especially can learn where food really comes from, what vegetables actually look like and how to grow them. The whole process should also be fun.

SusWoT started growing tomato plants in 2011 and grew a thousand, in 2012 it was 1500. After ten years experimenting SusWoT learnt that Sungold (cherry), Alicante (medium sized), and Beefmaster (beef) were best suited varieties for Westbury and Henleaze conditions. Sungold are extremely popular but not available in supermarkets because the skins are too thin and so they can’t be easily transported. These three varieties grow well outside, and tomatoes can be grown earlier and longer in a greenhouse. The warmer climate we now have means tomatoes grow more reliably outside.

Recently SusWoT has grown fewer tomato plants and other suitable vegetable plants instead. SusWoT also buys vegetable seeds

in bulk for those vegetables not suitable for transplanting as seedlings and sells them on cheaply. This year we expect to produce about twenty different kinds of vegetable plants including, beans (runner, climbing french and borlotti), brassicas (cabbage, sprouts and cauliflower), herbs (basil, parsley) Cucurbits (butternut squash, courgette, pumpkin, cucumber), chili, aubergine, and sweet peppers. Seeds will include beetroot, which is remarkably easy to grow. In the autumn we offer broad bean seeds.

During Covid, SusWoT sold plants online and still does. If you have not bought from us before and would like to be sent more information, please email suswot2050@gmail. com or check the website suswot.org.uk.

From the start it was agreed that the plants should not be given away as then they would

not be valued, and people would take more than they need. Most plant sales are made at the Westbury Community Fair in early May, the perfect time to plant out tomatoes.

Want to help? From January SusWoT has been making sowings of tomato seeds in seed trays, these need to be looked after in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are ready to be potted on. By April there will be hundreds of tomatoes to pot on. Potting on is the process of moving little seedlings into individual small pots where they will grow until they are ready to be planted out, either into the ground or large pots. It is the plants in small pots that are sold at the May Fair and other events. If you can help with either, looking after seed trays or potting on, please be in touch. We usually have an afternoon of potting on in April.

SusWoT potting on sessions in 2011 and 2018

Photos: Phillipa Crabbe

A new solution to our bus crisis

LAST year I held scores of mayor events across the West of England to meet thousands of local people face-to-face to discuss buses.

For me, this was all about listening. It quickly became clear the severe bus driver shortage nationally is impacting hard locally.

For the individuals and communities hit by route changes or cuts, this is a very big deal.

The old ways don’t work. It needs new and innovative solutions as soon as possible.

I am proud to announce that a fleet of green minibuses called WEST link will form a new ‘on-demand’ service within the West of England, starting this summer.

Passengers in designated zones will be able hail a ‘WEST link’ minibus by using an app on your smartphone, visiting a website or by phoning up.

Unlike traditional buses, WEST link will be unrestricted by a timetable. Instead, clever tech will use algorithms to link up

several people’s needs, combining them into one trip as efficiently as possible.

The 7am to 7pm Monday-Saturday service will cover much of North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and parts of Bristol including Windmill Hill, Knowle, Brislington and St Anne’s. Within this overall area, there will be local zones.

Passengers will be able to use a WEST link minibus in their local zone to get to key transport corridors to then pick up another bus or train.

Vitally, using more minibuses will help address the acute bus driver shortage. How? Well, it’s easier and quicker to train to drive a smaller vehicle and for most people, it is far less daunting!

It also allows drivers already qualified to get behind the wheel of large double-deckers to focus on the busy routes. On demand minibuses also better meet the needs of our more remote or isolated communities.

You have been telling me the status quo hasn’t been working and that unrelia-

ble buses cannot be tolerated.

You have said things must improve to help you get to where you need to travel and to meet our vitally important and ambitious 2030 Net Zero targets.

I agree – so there will be changes.

Change is hard: it’s disruptive and takes time.

I, my staff, and the bus companies, will have to learn lessons as we work hard to put things right. Please play your part by trying WEST link, so we can grab this positive opportunity to shape our transport future for the better.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris writes for the Voice

n BOOK REVIEW

The Rabbit Hutch

by Tess Gunty

Tess Gunty’s novel has recently won the Waterstones’ Debut novel of the year 2022. This award was fiercely contended with competition from novels like ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ by Bonnie Gamus.

Blandine lives in a complex known as The Rabbit Hutch in midwestern America in a town called Vacca Vale and as you work your way through the book more about her upbringing and past is revealed. Blandine is an unusual girl – interested in witchcraft, and mysticism and an animal activist she is unsociable and processing some disturbing experiences from her school days. Living with a group of post foster lads who all hold a torch for the waif-like mysterious Blandine the story takes a dark turn.

One hot night, in Apartment C4, 18-year-old Blandine Watkins exits her body, in the same way

her namesake, Saint Blandine, did 2,000 years ago.

The novel starts slowly, but I found it full of symbolism. Starting, of course, at apartment C4, where people are cramped like rabbits, to the teen who named herself Blandine, after a Christian Saint protected by wild beasts.

The fictional town of Vacca Vale, Indiana comes to life better than expected. It is a run-down place, way past its glory days when the Zorn automobile company thrived. Today, like many towns of America’s heartlands, the

town is sad, a pale shadow of its successful past.

The apartment complex is full of characters, bickering couples, the lonely ones who resent the opposite sex, young mothers, babies, and children – all living too close for comfort.

Symbolism aside, which you do not have to understand to enjoy the story, the narrative is full of ideas. Each one of those ideas would make an excellent story, but all together they feel a bit unbalanced not an easy read but intelligently written and unique.

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BRISTOL Women’s Voice, and a very dedicated team of volunteers, are shaking off the January blues and working together on the programme for this flagship event.

Not many free events in Bristol attract as many volunteers to support the programme, or as diverse a range of participants. This year’s event will bring hundreds of women from different communities across Bristol together, to connect, learn and celebrate. More than 100 contributors and partners will be running workshops, performances, exhibitions, activities and talks in and around City Hall. Activity strands include health, nurture, poetry, music, film and photography, dance and visual arts. We can provide support to help you get there via free public transport, a creche and translation services.

This year, the day-long event will also include an evening programme of entertainment, as well as a march through the centre of the city, so that women can show their support for one another and make their voices heard.

There’s a lot people don’t

than ever'

know about this small charity that packs well above its weight. Bristol Women’s Voice is run on a very tight budget by a staff team of five, all part-timers. The work they do includes working with transport companies and the council to lobby for urgently-needed improvements in women’s safety on public transport in Bristol.

Bristol Women’s Voice holds the police to account and acts as a critical friend via the Women’s Independent Advisory Group. They support and work with women’s organisations, members and other allies across the city to renew and strengthen their call for change. In supporting part of the council’s answer to the cost-of-living crisis, they hope to mobilise a team of volunteers to run women-only time slots within the 70 city-wide welcoming spaces. The charity is also putting together a directory of services for women across Bristol.

If you’d like to find out more or become a member, visit: bristolwomensvoice.org.uk

If you’d like to volunteer to help the event, email: VTcoordinator@ bristolwomensvoice.org.uk

Bristol Women’s Voice

Bristol honours bus boycott heroes

SIX leaders of the 1963 Bristol bus boycott have been awarded Freedom of the City.

Guy Reid-Bailey OBE and Barbara Dettering received the honour, and a formal thank-you, at a full meeting of Bristol City Council. Roy Hackett MBE, Owen Henry, Prince Brown and Audley Evans were also given the honour posthumously.

The group led a four-month boycott of buses 60 years ago in protest against the council-owned Bristol Omnibus Company’s racist policies of not employing black drivers.

Barbara Deterring said: “It’s an honour. I am very privileged, thankful and happy to finally say: we’ve done it. It was a hard struggle, it was a daily struggle. Many times I skipped work, luckily I wasn’t sacked, to be at a meeting of some sort where we were planning the next move — and thankfully it paid off.”

In a statement read out by his son, Guy Reid-Bailey said: “I would like to thank those who have worked hard over the years to make this day possible. I came to this country in 1961 as a 16-year-old, hoping to be educated, to work and achieve maybe more than I could have done back in Jamaica.

“I was naive to racism and horrified with what I found when I arrived in England. From the end of the bus boycott, I worked

Barbara Dettering and Guy Reid-Bailey

hard fighting through the ugly faces of racism, but looking back I’m very proud I was able to help and be part of the first Race Relations Act. I believe there’s still a long way to go in the fight against racism.”

The boycott led to historic changes in the law, the two Race Relations Acts in 1965 and 1968, which later led to the Equalities Act, outlawing public discrimination. Before the boycott, it was legal for companies to discriminate based on race and not to recruit drivers from the black community.

Lord Mayor Paula O’Rourke has sent a written apology to Mr Bailey. She said: “Freedom of the city is the highest honour

we can give to citizens in our city, who have made exceptional contributions to the city. They certainly deserve this honour for the actions they took back in the bus boycott.

“The Bristol Omnibus Company’s racist policies are a dark stain on Bristol’s past but the collective action taken by the boycott leaders and the wider community, who came together to end this injustice, will widely be remembered as one of the city’s proudest and most consequential moments. It undoubtedly changed Bristol and the UK for better.”

Amirah Cole, Labour Councillor for Ashley Ward, said the award was a fitting tribute to the bus boycott heroes.

“I would also like to acknowledge that while the leaders of the boycott rightly receive plaudits for their campaign, the boycott would not have achieved its aim without the full support of the community. A personal example being my dad, who walked from Avonmouth to Montpelier every day as he refused to break the boycott by getting the bus. The boycott was a shining example of solidarity and what people can achieve when they stick together to campaign against injustice. I hope that awarding the boycott leaders this status will bring attention to their acts and inspire others to stand against prejudice.

APPOINTMENT

Tackling the housing and cost of living crisis

A new year brings the same challenges for renters in Bristol. If you are one of the 130,000 plus people who rent their home in our city, you will know just how expensive it has become. In Bristol, renters typically spend over a third of their take-home pay on rent. Accompanied with sky-rocketing energy bills, extortionate childcare costs, and real-terms pay cuts, thousands of people here are struggling to make ends meet.

This clearly needs to change. Our administration is working to tackle all aspects of the national cost of living crisis, from introducing Welcoming Spaces where people can access support and keep warm during winter to pushing the Government for a sustainable childcare plan, and working to make Bristol a place where everyone earns at least the real Living Wage. For more information visit bristol.gov.uk/ costofliving

Addressing Bristol’s housing crisis, including the cost of renting, remains one of our top priorities. Unaffordable rents are in part driven by a chronic shortage of housing – it’s one of the reasons why I was proud to announce that 2,563 homes were built in Bristol last year, far surpassing our ambitious target of 2,000 new homes, and with 90% built on previously developed land. Of these 2,563 new homes, 474 new affordable homes were built: the most in any of the twelve years since Labour was last in government.

This January, we’ve built on our work by asking councillors to commit to implement the findings of the One City Living Rent Commission. We set this commission up last year to look at how we could make renting in Bristol more affordable. Should it recommend a form of rent control (which would give us the ability

to cap how much rent is allowed to rise by each year), we will put our full weight behind making that a reality. Nationally, I have also been working with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown on proposals, recently announced by the Labour Party, to devolve much more power to councils and communities.

Councillor Tom Renhard, my cabinet housing lead, has brought a motion to council with provisions for the more immediate term. It will allow us to extend our crackdown on rogue landlords and letting agents by fining ones handing out illegal fees, have council officers look at ways to end the practice of ‘bidding wars’ between prospective tenants which price out the poorest, and commit the council to opposing the planned expansion of Right to Buy to include even more social housing.

If the commission

recommends a form of rent control, our Labour administration will take it forward as another potential tool to help fix the broken private rental market in Bristol. We will continue to make the case for new powers, while building enough homes to ensure everyone can have a good-quality roof over their head.

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Each month Bristol mayor Marvin Rees shares his views with Henleaze & Westbury Voice

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Neighbour inspires Emily’s third novel

THE latest novel by bestselling Bristol author Emily Koch was inspired by her next door neighbour.

What July Knew, which hits the shelves this month, is a moving family mystery set in the 90s about a girl trying to solve the mystery of her mother’s death. Ten-year-old July Hooper knows 18 facts about her mum – but not the truth of what has happened to her. Now, in the summer of 1995, that’s about to change.

But the idea for the book didn’t begin with July, its loveable central character. It started with Emily’s former next door neighbour, Nikki, in Bishopston.

Emily, who still lives in Bishopston, said: “One day, several years ago, I heard a heavily pregnant Nikki cry out through the party wall. I thought I was going to have to deliver her baby! It later became clear that I had overreacted, but it got me thinking, what if…? I can’t say too much more about that without spoilers!”

That idea began to intertwine with a news story Emily had covered back in 2013, when she worked as a journalist at the Bristol Post, about the horrific murder of Bijan Ebrahimi.

Emily said: “Bijan was killed by a vigilante mob of neighbours who wrongly believed he was a paedophile. I’ve thought of him often and about what happens when communities get the wrong idea about one of their own. What happens when neighbours turn on each other? What is the

fallout of vigilante justice?”

The decision to set the book in the 90s came as a reaction to the pandemic – Emily started writing What July Knew during the first lockdown.

She said: “I ran away from the present and escaped to the 90s, when I grew up. It worked for the book and it worked for me personally – it was comforting to spend those hours each day living in a world of lava lamps, Judy Blume novels, Flumps, and The Body Shop White Musk perfume.”

Emily is an award-winning author of two previous novels, If I Die Before I Wake and Keep Him Close. Her books have made the shortlist for the Crime Writers’ Association Steel Dagger award, won a French crime fiction award, been longlisted for the Authors' Club Best First

Novel Award, and been selected as a Waterstones Thriller of the Month. Waterstones said her second novel ‘cements Koch’s place as one of the most exciting

new crime writers of our day.’

What July Knew will be released in hardback, e-book and audio formats on 9 February, 2023. A limited number of signed and personalised copies are available for pre-order from Henleaze bookshop Max Minerva’s.

Emily Koch at home in Bishopston Picture: Barbara Evripidou

Saddle up for Tour de Bristol cycle challenge

HUNDREDS of cyclists are expected to take to the roads for Bristol’s biggest bike ride, the Tour de Bristol on Saturday 15 April. The event challenges riders to use their pedal power to raise vital funds for local charity, St Peter’s Hospice, helping to provide medical care, advice, support and comfort to patients and their families during the most difficult of times.

Join in to ride in memory of a loved one, for fun and fresh air, or to smash a personal goal. Cyclists of all abilities are catered for with routes covering distances of 40k, 65k and 100k.

Denise Davies from Westbury-on-Trym has signed up to ride the 40k distance this year, along with a team of more than 16 family and friends. They are all riding in memory of Denise’s husband Marc, who received care from the Hospice when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Denise said: “Before he became ill Marc had raised money for the Hospice when running full and half marathons. This is the year that Marc would have turned sixty and it will also be five years since he died, so I want to do something special in memory of him. I sent out the invite to Tour de Bristol to friends from school, university and locally,

as well as family and the uptake has been fantastic. Some of my team are seeing it as a fitness challenge, a couple are keen cyclists but most of us will be dollying along trying to make sure that no one does anything silly.”

Marc was 54 when, completely out of the blue, he diagnosed with a grade 4 glioblastoma tumour. He attended the Day Hospice at Brentry where he had access to clinical therapies and spent time with other people of the same age in a similar situation to him. Towards the end of Marc’s life Hospice at Home nurses played a supportive role in his care.

St Peter’s Hospice provides counselling after a family member has died, something which was vital to help Denise through difficult days. Denise said: “A year after Marc died I realised that I was struggling and was able to have counselling through the Hospice. It was brilliant because I didn’t know that was what I needed at the time, but it was a great help.”

To register and take part in Tour de Bristol see: www.tourdebristol.co.uk

If you’d like to support Denise and her team riding in memory of Marc, see: www. justgiving.com/fundraising/formarc

n EDUCATION

How have your first two terms as head at RGS been?

As with starting any new job, it has been hard work but I have really enjoyed it. The students and staff at Redland are incredibly friendly and welcoming which has allowed me to settle into my role quickly. I have also enjoyed meeting parents and other members of the community connected with the school at various events.

This isn’t your first time working at RGS is it?

No, I first worked at RGS from 2007-2013 as curriculum lead for humanities and then assistant headteacher for post16. I was part of the first group of staff to teach at the RGS site and I loved working in a new school and having the opportunity to shape its ethos. When the headship came up I jumped at the chance return - RGS is very much part of my DNA!

What has impressed you most about RGS?

First and foremost it’s the attitude of our students. They are a great group of young people who are polite, respectful and willing to learn. I am also very lucky to have a dedicated and talented staff body who are prepared to go the extra mile to ensure that students at RGS get the very best they can out of being at this school.

Are you going to be making lots of changes?

No! My first two terms have been about listening to as many views of the school as I can but there are things I think we need to look at in the future which form part of our school priorities.

What are these?

Teaching at RGS is really good, but we can always improve. It’s important to me that all pupils have an equal chance of success at school and one of the best ways to achieve this is to ensure that we provide the best possible teaching. We ensure our teachers receive training into the most effective methods to help all students learn, drawing on expertise within the school but also from the multi academy trust that we are part of. We are also focused on developing our approach to equalities, diversity and inclusion.

What does that involve?

It is important that as a school

community we acknowledge the diversity of our intake and that we learn to celebrate differences. This means that we have a responsibility to educate students on matters of diversity and inclusion and we are constantly looking at ways to make our curriculum representative of the different cultures and backgrounds that make up our city. We are also an anti-racist school and want to equip our students with the confidence to call out and challenge discrimination in any form.

What support do you get as a school?

We are very lucky to be part of the Gatehouse Green multi academy trust who support and encourage us to further improve. Additionally, the school governors are committed to ensuring that we have the challenge and support needed to improve.

The Gatehouse Green Learning Trust you are part of is merging with another multi academy trust. Will that change anything?

We are merging with Excalibur Academies Trust, which will enable us to work with a larger number of schools and a wider range of professionals. This can only benefit RGS. I am really excited at the prospect of working with Excalibur and think that it will ultimately help RGS to bigger and better things.

Students at RGS achieve excellent examgrades - is this all that matters?

Absolutely not! RGS is built upon our core values of Respect - Ambition – Responsibility, which we believe ensure that our students are able to play a valuable role in society. But for me it is so important that school is fun and provides students with lifelong memories and experiences they can draw

upon later on in life. Providing opportunities for enrichment is a key for us and at RGS we pride ourselves on having a full programme of co-curricular activities that all students can involve themselves in and enjoy to develop new skills and interests. We also believe that it is essential to provide first class pastoral care for all our students; our tutors, mentors, year heads and well being leads provide outstanding care in this area.

What would you say are the biggest challenges for schools at the moment? Without a doubt funding is a huge issue and there is often much uncertainty around how

much schools will receive in a financial year as well as decisions taken which put enormous pressures on budgets. An example of this is the recent teacher pay increase which has not been funded by central government but which has had to be found from existing budgets. Schools are having to play an increasingly demanding role in dealing with mental health and social care issues as health care providers feel the strain post pandemic. But I am an optimist - as a school we are here to serve our local community and we will do our best regardless of the conditions out of our control.

Being a headteacher is a big job. How do you switch off from the pressures?

My wife and I have a whippet called Eddie and one of my favourite things is taking him for a walk along the coast path in Portishead where I live. I also have three teenage children who keep me grounded. I describe myself as a runner and cyclist, although probably best at the moment to say that I have lapsed in these two areas - perhaps a new year's resolution is needed!

Redland Green School has a new headteacher this year - Ben Houghton. He shares his plans for RGS's future with Voice readers

MAGGIE Partington has been given an award for her efforts in helping more than 400 children to learn about safety.

Maggie, from Bishopston, is a volunteer at Lifeskills Safety Education Centre at the Create Centre in Smeaton Road. Since joining Lifeskills as a volunteer in 2018, Maggie has completed over 100 safety tours for Year 6 pupils.

Lifeskills has been designed to replicate a village setting and is a unique attraction. In small groups, the children, who are aged ten and 11, take a guided, interactive tour of the village (set indoors) visiting different realistic scenes which include homes, Green Cross Road, a dark alley way, and a beach.

During the tour, children get to experience lots of common hazards and are taught how to handle risky day-to-day situations in a safe environment. They also practise making emergency 999 calls, discover and react to a house fire, carry

out first aid, and learn about the consequences of trespassing on a railway line – all made realistic with the use of props and special effects.

Upon receiving her reward, Maggie said: “I love volunteering at Lifeskills - it’s always a

highlight of my week. Working with the children and the other volunteers is so rewarding. It’s really energising to see the children get involved, learning so much that they will remember for years to come.”

Gemma Graville, centre

manager, said: “Teaching children at this age and in such a practical way alerts them to the risks and consequences of everyday life. It’s a valuable element to their education, which means that school visits are always in high demand.”

“We know what we do makes a difference and saves lives; one child helped his family escape a house fire, another prevented a gas explosion, and a boy knew how to make a 999 call to help his mother. None of this would be possible with volunteers like Maggie.”

Lifeskills needs more help and is running hour-long taster sessions for anyone interested in exploring volunteering with children. Open during term-time only, Lifeskills offers flexible volunteering, pays volunteer expenses, and provides full training and support. To find out more, contact Amy WestonParkes on 0117 922 4511 or email volunteer@lifeskills-bristol.org. uk

Maggie Partington with Gemma Graville at the Lifeskills centre

Foster carers urgently needed in Bristol

We have a shortage of foster carers and need more people in Bristol to come forward. Please help us keep local children close to their schools and communities.

Get in touch with us to find out what support, training and benefits we offer our amazing foster carers.

Foster with Bristol City Council and make a difference.

I WANT to start by thanking those who completed my precept survey last month. As ever, it was important that I heard from as many people as possible.

I understand how stretched finances are for many of us, so I need to carefully consider what the public has to say on any tax increases before I propose a finalised budget.

It is important to remind you it is also a difficult time for funding your police force; policing is not immune to the cost-of-living crisis, so the budget

daters to stay alert to potential scammers and to not fall victim to romance fraud. Romance fraud is much more common than many of us realise, with fraudsters taking advantage of those trying to find a connection or relationship.

Romance fraud involves fraudsters masquerading as romantic partners and, after laying the groundwork for a ‘relationship’ with a victim, the scammer will ask for ‘favours’, like sending them money, providing personal and financial

time into someone and think they have a genuine personal connection. I know many victims feel ashamed when they realise romance fraudsters have scammed them.

Please know support is available from the police and the Action Fraud website.

If you think a family member or friend is a victim of this terrible crime, please make them aware of the signs and encourage them to report it to Action Fraud.

I would also like to bring to your attention our next Performance and Accountability Board (PAB), which will take place on Tuesday, February 7.

I was elected to be the voice of local people in policing. I will be questioning Chief Constable Sarah Crew to ensure she delivers

an efficient, effective, and legitimate police service for our communities.

I will ask questions about police performance and priorities in Avon and Somerset.

If you have any concerns or questions you would like included in the live broadcast, you can contact me and the OPCC via our website.

n BARBARA'S VOICE

I NEED help. I really do. I caught myself winking at strange men in a north Bristol supermarket on New Year’s Day. Winking and smiling at strangers as I eased a trolley from its shiny manacle. I was wearing lipstick and a dress at the time, which is very, very unusual for me; having spent the last 40 years scowling militantly in trousers and leggings.

I only winked at men who appeared to be alone and appeared to be between 60-80 years old. I do have standards and would only wish to be ageappropriate. No one actually winked back but I did get some small smiles, perhaps they were feeling sorry for this afflicted person.

So let’s spool back a day or two. New Year’s Eve is, without doubt, the worst day of any year, the day of looking back in anguish. Especially this New Year’s Eve, which featured horizontal rain and fifty shades of gravy for the whole of Bristol. While taking an extremely gloomy, solitary walk around the Clifton Observatory, my umbrella collapsed down over my head and face like a dying octopus making a last grab for life; its sticky-wet, yellow tentacles plastering hair down and smearing the lipstick.

Pulling the last suckers off my head led to the following cheerful thoughts: I’m 70 next year. What is the point of me? Why am I such a failure? What am I doing with my life? I’ll be dead soon. What is the meaning of meaning?

Barbara needs help this month. She is in 'goblin mode'

Went to bed at 9.30pm with a bah humbug and growled at the midnight fireworks.

The next day, woke up to a blue-skied New Year’s Day with the following thoughts: Hey, perhaps I do have another book in me!? This is the year to pump out that fantastic screenplay wot I wrote! I’m going to wink and smile at people to cheer them up! I’m full of energy for revolutionary change! Hooray, I have ‘re-found my juicy’.

The thing about goblin mode, which was picked as Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year as representing the ‘post’ pandemic zeitgeist, is that it is: “unapologetically and wildly self-

indulgent”. For some, goblin mode is the antithesis of social media’s curated perfection: it’s crackers and melted cheese scraped off the kitchen floor and eaten at 3am. It’s 24/7 joggers you pick the stains off with your fingers. It’s slobbing out and giving up.

Not for this superannuated goblin! Mine is creeping around the neighbourhood at night, picking up found treasures from the pavement while making strange, chuckling goblin noises, demonstrating magic tricks in the street, trying to be helpful, and doing all with an air of mischief. Smiling and winking is community-spirited goblin mode. It’s trying to bring back the fun

and hope to the dreggiest time of year.

Just to be serious for a moment, we know that the world’s issues are weighing heavily on us all, and I do believe that goblin mode can be, and has become, a 21st century version of collective sticking our heads in sand, along the lines of : “I can’t do anything so I’ll just give up and drink beer.”

I hope my motivations are different. I may be in goblin mode but I’m completely harmless and want to help people get active and engaged. So if you catch me smiling and winking over the cabbages on Henleaze Road or Gloucester Road, please do wink back and join our event below which I believe will help to raise your juicy energy and your community spirits!

• Barbara and Bishopston Voice

Editor Roger Livingston are running an online event called 'Find Your Juicy' on February 12 - short readings and a little creative writing to support and cheer you. We bring inspiring words - moving, funny, romantic and challenging - and invite you to find your juicy talents for 2023. Previous writing experience is not necessary. This is a `pay what you can’ event hosted by Lapidus International, one of the world’s biggest therapeutic writing communities.

Sign up here today: https://lapidus. org.uk/events-news/find-your-juicy

Clinic’s waste is turned into art

STAFF at a fertility clinic are offering waste and surplus items to Bristol Children’s Scrapstore.

The initiative at the Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine (BCRM) in Aztec West reflects the team’s desire to reduce some of the negative impacts that the healthcare sector has on the planet.

Karla Turner, who is spearheading the green campaign, said: “The whole team is reviewing day-to-day processes to see where it’s possible to prevent, reduce or reuse items.

“Although we are obliged to dispose of most of the clinic’s scrap items as clinical waste, we have identified several areas where we can reduce our contribution to landfill.

“We started off by collecting 10 days’ worth of non-recyclable items that would all have ended up in landfill - polystyrene delivery boxes and cold packs, pipette tip boxes, laboratory needle packaging and the metal rods that form part of the devices used

to freeze embryos – and were astonished by how much there was.

“So a very important move has been to forge links with the amazing team at Bristol Children’s Scrapstore who have said they can find a good creative use for the items we are discarding.”

Two of Karla’s colleagues, Jen Nisbett and Corrina Gibbons, have taken the project a stage further by creating a piece of craft-work entitled ‘Blastocyst’, featuring rubber bungs and the tubes in which needles for laboratory work are delivered.

BCRM helps people from throughout the South West and Wales with fertility treatment for both private and NHS patients.

Scrapstore, in St Sevier Street, is a reuse charity dedicated to helping businesses divert reusable waste away from landfill/ energy recovery to help improve art and play opportunities for children, young people and adults.

With Dawn Lawrence

LAST month we visited the Avon Gorge to admire its handsome goats, its stunning scenery and its unparalleled variety of plantlife: it supports over 500 species, at least two whitebeams are unique in the world (Bristol and Wilmott’s) and two more plants occur nowhere else in Britain (Bristol onion and Bristol rock-cress). We are faced with the intriguing question of why it is so special; so let’s go!

The Gorge is carved by the River Avon through Carboniferous limestone. This rock produces an alkaline soil which suits a very wide variety of plants compared to, say, a sandstone with acidic soils which very few plants prefer. Also, the soil is not very fertile, and rather droughty. Although plants obviously benefit from fertilisers, intense competition arises and in richer soils tough grasses easily oust the more delicate plants such as rockrose and pyramidal orchid. The addition of artificial fertilisers will convert almost any soil type into a nitrogen green “playing field” sward dominated by perennial ryegrass. This is why so many of the plants that survive in the Gorge are now scarce. The rich plant tapestry of calcareous grasslands – kept in balance by low nutrient status - was once

to be found in almost every field on limey soil in our region. Now perennial ryegrass is dominant in grasslands everywhere. This is one of the saddest facets of our naturedepleted country – the severe loss of grassland diversity.

The Gorge has, of course, escaped the barrage of fertiliser (though most of the Downs has not) but its physical features also favour plant diversity. There are slopes facing in almost all directions, and features range from minute cracks through wide ledges to long slopes of shallow soil and rocky scree supporting everything from the tiniest annuals

to large ash trees. There is saltmarsh along the tidal river and a great expanse of ancient woodland on the shadier and deeper soils of the Somerset side.

But the Gorge has a combination of rarities unique in the world so why that extra star quality? This is the most exciting bit! We must picture the shivering end of the last Ice Age when plantlife began to creep north again as the ice retreated. A series of limestone outcrops facilitated the spread of our characteristic lime-loving flora into the southwest of England. These pioneers found in our Gorge the warmest, sunniest slopes enabling some species to reach their northern world limit here (eg Bristol onion and Bristol rockcress). As the climate warmed trees and shrubs followed, largely shading out those grassland plants which had not found rocky slopes to inhabit. At that point the whitebeams moved in and made themselves very much at home, creating an extraordinarily diverse population in our Gorge (and needing a whole article to themselves!). But, despite the lack of grazing, the human disturbance and the shading of large areas, our unique range of grassland and rock-loving species of the Avon Gorge cling on. I hope you get a chance to visit them soon.

Probate applications and delays

SOPHIE of Bridgen of AMD Solicitors discusses the latest news about delays and probate applications.

July, 2014 E: news@bishopstonvoice.co.uk

Advertising Feature

Often when a loved one passes away, a Grant of Probate is needed to deal with their assets. A Grant of Probate is legal document, which provides Executors appointed under a Will the authority to deal with a person’s estate, collect in assets and distribute them as guided by the Will. Once an Executor has collected in details of assets and labilities, the next step is to apply for the Grant of Probate. This includes the preparation of Inheritance Tax forms (if tax is payable), which need to be sent to HMRC, and a Probate application to the Probate Registry who will then issue a Grant of Probate.

By Shelley Faulkner, solicitor with AMD Solicitors

shortages and increased numbers of applications, which has resulted in a backlog of Probate applications. Timescales for the issuing of a Grant of Probate have increased substantially.

bishopston bishopstonvoice voice

The gift that pays for itself

The minimum quoted time is 8 weeks but in certain cases a period of months has not been unusual, especially if the deceased died without a will.

will be. However a Will can be worded to provide that a gift of 10 % of the value of your estate at that time is given to a charity or charities of your choice. The effect of this will be that the rate of Inheritance Tax payable on the whole estate is reduced from 40 % to 36 %.

In same circumstances, it has been calculated that this reduction in the tax bill can serve to leave the estate, even after payment of the gift to charity, with a value as high as if the gift had not been made. Thus the gift can in some cases quite literally pay for itself.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the average time for a Grant of Probate to be issued was two to three weeks. However, over the past few years, the Probate Registry has been reorganised and been impacted by the pandemic by way of staff

WHILE most of us support a number of charities in our lifetime, it is perhaps not surprising that a smaller number choose to remember a charity in their Will. Clearly the priority for most is to provide for a surviving spouse or children, or to ensure that the family wealth can be passed on to benefit the next generation.

However, government policy is clearly to encourage giving to charity, and a recent development in the law is intended to promote gifts to charity being made by Will. This change may also, on occasion, serve to save Inheritance Tax, or even to create a gift which literally pays for itself.

Reduced rate of Inheritance Tax

Where somebody dies after 6 April 2012 the rate of Inheritance Tax applied to the estate can be reduced from 40 % to 36 % (in other words by 10 %), provided that at least 10 % of the estate passes to charity.

Clearly it is not possible to determine in advance exactly what value the assets you leave by Will will have on your death for Inheritance Tax purposes, or what 10 % of the total value

Where Inheritance Tax needs to be paid, the Probate Registry demand that the Probate application is submitted to them 20 working days after the submission of Inheritance Tax forms to HMRC, which means the overall timescale is further extended. It is not possible for an application to be submitted sooner.

for the distribution of the estate, and the estate can then be divided as if the Will had been made in these terms. A Deed of Variation could therefore provide that 10 % of the estate is to pass to a chosen charity or charities, making the estate as a whole eligible for the reduced rate of Inheritance Tax.

If any inheritance tax is due this generally needs to be paid prior to the probate application being submitted (it is not always the full bill that needs to be paid upfront but generally a substantial part is due before probate).

Even where a Will has not been prepared in these terms, it may be possible to take advantage of this tax break. If the beneficiaries of the estate agree, it is possible to effectively amend the terms of a Will within two years of the date of death. A ‘Deed of Variation’ can be drawn up which sets out the family members’ agreed arrangements

We understand that HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS)

This change in the law is clearly very good news both for charities, and potentially for some estates as well. However the detail of the application can be complex. For example, the estate is divided into different ‘components’ depending on how the property will pass to the beneficiaries, in order to calculate whether the 10 % test has been met. Taking specialist advice on the implications for your particular circumstances is therefore essential.

have been taking and continue to take steps to reduce delays and get back to their pre-Covid workload by taking on more staff and making improvements to the online system.

of attorney and all private client issues, contact Shelley Faulkner, Florence Pearce and the other members of the team on 0117 9621205, email probate@ amdsolicitors.com or call in at 15 The Mall Clifton, or 100 Henleaze Road Henleaze.

Our Probate team understand that dealing with the affairs of a loved one after death can be incredibly overwhelming and stressful, particularly where

AMD’s team of experienced private client solicitors and practitioners includes full

delays occur. We will do our very best to help and guide you through the process as efficiently as possible

Our team are based in our Henleaze and Shirehampton branches. If you would like to get in touch, please telephone our Henleaze Road office on 0117 9621205 or email info@ amdsolicitors.com.

AMD Solicitors takes pride in sponsoring local, Bristol based charities and this year is very pleased to be supporting the Bristol branch of the Alzheimer’s Society, the local branch of this national charity which works to improve the quality of life of people affected by dementia in Great Britain. For full details of our fundraising activities visit our website www.amdsolicitors.com.

Copyright AMD Solicitors

Email: emma@bishopstonvoice.co.uk

News and views from our city councillors

Geoff Gollop (Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze)

Bristol Beacon has got even more expensive

A year ago the Council admitted a cost problem. The rebuilding cost of the former Colston Hall had almost doubled from an £54m to a massive £106.9m. Construction inflation is even worse than general inflation, so now the Council says the cost to finish the Hall will be at least a further £25m, making the total £131.9m almost 2.5 times the original cost. No doubt there will be more costs to come before it is finished, We are told that the careful work of a year ago saved the Council even more and that the best way to keep the costs down is to complete it quickly.

We live in exceptional times, but it is hard to justify this level of extravagance with local taxpayers’ money

That takes me straight on the Council's

budget process.

The Council consulted on options in December and has now published a budget which should be finalised by cabinet on 24th January. This will be reviewed by Resources Scrutiny meetings on 31st January ( People and Resources budgets covering adult care, childrens services and administration) and 2nd February (communities and Growth and Regeneration budgets). Full Council will vote on 21st February and if no agreement is reached, it will be reconsidered at a second council meeting on 2nd March.

The Consultation supported a 3% increase in Council Tax with a further 2% for Social care making a 5% increase overall.

There was a very negative response to the cuts in the Parks budget, so that appears to have been shelved, as has the proposal to move the central Library, but other cuts in the library service have been retained, so this may mean service reduction or closures, although the detail is yet to be specified

Since I wrote last month the immediate spending gap has reduced so cuts now only need to be made in the region of £22m which is still massive, but the Mayor’s budget

indicates that gap could get much worse with the biggest pressure arising immediately after the Mayor leaves office in May 2024!

Keeping in touch

• Our next Westbury and Henleaze zoom meeting is at 7pm on Tuesday 7th February; go to http://tiny.cc/WandHFeb23 to book in. The following meeting will be on 7th March,

• Contact. If you need help on any matter to do with Bristol City Council, email me Cllr.geoffrey.gollop@bristol.gov.uk or phone 0117 9039946.

News and views from our city councillors

Sharon Scott (Westbury-on-Trym

& Henleaze)

The Kingsweston Iron Bridge repairs get the green light

In December planning permission was finally granted on the repairs to the Iron Bridge. Having successfully ring fenced £1m in last year’s budget, to cover the cost of repairs, having planning permission granted is very much the next stage of the process.

The bridge will now be raised by over a metre in the hope that that high sided vehicles won’t hit it in the future. Raising the bridge will mean that steps need to be installed at both ends of the bridge. Lowering the road was not seen as viable and the suggestion of installing goal posts at either side of the bridge was also

rejected.

Planners also stated that building ramps instead of steps would be harmful to the bridge’s heritage. The council’s development control A committee encouraged the planners to install sign posts stating the new height of clearance. Another move to try and stop future incidents. Construction work will now commence in 2024.

Pot holes in our roads

A few residents have recently highlighted to me that we have pot holes in our roads in the BS9 area. Please do continue to let me know if you are aware of any. Send me an email with the location and if possible, a photograph and I will report this in to the council

Staying in touch

We hold regular zoom meetings for

people to stay in touch with us, ask questions or raise concerns.

Our next Westbury and Henleaze zoom meeting is at 7pm on Tuesday 7th February; go to WandHFeb23http://tiny.cc/ to book in. The following meeting will be on 7th March.

If you need any help on a matter to do with Bristol City Council, you can contact me by email on cllr.sharon.scott@ bristol.gov.uk – I also have a facebook page where I post regular www.facebook.com/Cllr-Sharon-updates: Scott-10433537851413

News and views from our city councillors

Steve Smith (Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze)

St Christopher’s School

Lots of people will be very much aware of the ongoing planning application on the site of the former St Christopher’s school in Westbury Park. Developers who bought the site after the school closed have applied for consent to create a retirement community there. A lot of neighbours were concerned that the proposed development was too big, and that it would overwhelm the area and create problems with traffic and parking. We shared those concerns and objected to the plans.

The developers published a revised plan before Christmas which slightly reduced the number of homes (from 122 to 116) and reduced the height of the tallest building. Although not certain, we believe that these revised plans will be considered by a planning committee in March.

Having considered the new plans, we are maintaining our objection to them. We do want to see the site developed and have no objection to the principle of a retirement community there. As they stand though we don’t believe that the latest amendment to the plans has done enough to alleviate our concerns, especially around transport and parking in an already very congested area.

The plans are still open for comment on the Council’s planning website (just search “Bristol planning portal”) – the reference number is 21/01221/F.

Urgent Fostering Appeal

The council has launched an urgent appeal to recruit more foster carers because of an increase in the number of children coming into care at the same time as a fall in the number of people coming forward to foster.

The Council desperately wants to be able to place children who need care into safe and loving homes in Bristol rather than having to find placements elsewhere or rely on private fostering agencies. The Council provides support (and payment) for foster carers, and many people who do it say

that although it isn’t always easy, it is incredibly rewarding.

If you’d like to find out more you can call the council’s fostering team for an informal chat on 0117 353 4200 or visit www.bristol. gov.uk/foster.

Stay in Touch

We hold zoom meetings for people to stay in touch with us, ask questions or raise concerns. The next ones will be on the 7th February ( register to take part at tiny.cc/ WandHFeb23) and the 7th March (tiny.cc/ WandHMar23). The meetings start at 7pm. Contact me by email on cllr.steve.smith@ bristol.gov.uk, or phone on 07769 285266. I post updates on my Facebook page at fb.com/CouncillorSteveSmith. We publish regular email updates – please contact me if you’d like to be added to the mailing list.

ST

There are opportunities for volunteers on the shop floor and stock room. All roles are flexible to work around your lifestyle and offer a chance to form friendships, build confidence, and most importantly support the local hospice and give back to your community.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, then visit the volunteering page on the website www.stpetershospice.org or drop into the Blackboy Hill shop at 154 Whiteladies Road to find out more.

'NEW Year, New Me!' Was this again the resolution as you dusted those running shoes, downloaded a new diet plan (more greens), wheeled the bike out and powered up the treadmill? If by now, though, you feel it's not going as well as you imagined, please don't despair, and certainly don't give up! Research has shown that we place too much emphasis on willpower as a driver for positive changes regarding our physical wellbeing and diet. Let's share some tips on how to succeed.

The most significant factor is, in fact, enjoyment. We are all unconsciously fed images about ideals in body image and good living, even before we consider

all the health messaging. Most of us are rational; we want to do the right things, look and feel better. The wrong ideas about willpower drive us to work to unrealistic timescales/goals for adopting new behavioural patterns and habits. Take diet changes; every time we exercise self-control, we build willpower. Saying no to feasting on threats, especially when no one is watching, makes it easier for you next time. Celebrate all your wins, no matter how small. Research shows that immediate rewards from new habits help us stick to them. It is a big step in the right direction for you. Focus on developing good habits rather than just meeting set goals. Count steps

and keep increasing them. Drink more water and aim to eat at least five portions of fruits. Don't just be focused on counting calories and the Bathroom scale dial.

Keep things fun and achievable. Self-criticism is linked to less motivation and poorer self-control. Be supportive of yourself and others. Learn from books and examples but remember that you are a unique individual. Find your preference, whether it's doing activities in the morning, being part of a group, or using gadgets to support you. Your choice, your way. The positive link between physical and mental wellbeing is better understood. We also

0117 9246579

18 Kellaway Avenue, Westbury Park, Bristol, BS6 7XR

know that for many of us, the challenges we face with mental health may mean we struggle more with adopting positive changes. Please, rather than feeling you are letting yourself and others down, all that is important is getting the right help you need. Remember that your Kellaway Pharmacy team offer access to confidential NHS advice with patience and kindness. We are here for you, just as we know; you are for us too.

FINANCE

With Richard Higgs BA (hons) CFP FPFS

Harold Stephens

50 High Street, Westbury on Trym, Bristol BS9 3DZ

T: 0117 3636212

E: office@haroldstephens.co.uk

What happens if my family member doesn’t have Lasting Powers of Attorney in place?

If a loved one has lost the capacity to make decisions before arranging Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs), you will need to apply to be a Deputy with the Court of Protection in order to assist them.

There are many difficulties in following this process which is not only costly but also time consuming and will sadly not always been granted:

• There is a lot of paperwork to complete:

- Two copies of application form

- An assessment of capacity form, usually completed by the individual’s GP or a witness statement

- Deputy’s declaration

- Information forms – for property and affairs and for personal welfare

• The application can take 3-6 months to finalise and until a Deputy order is made, their accounts are frozen. There could be further delays as

medical evidence may be required. Some medical practitioners also charge for providing medical evidence.

• Once the court has appointed a Deputy, they will receive a Deputy order in which the exact powers are set out. These powers depend on the individual’s needs and can’t be exceeded. The powers may apply to any aspect of the individual’s life, including their finances, personal welfare, medical treatment and social care interventions.

• As well as dealing with the individual’s day-today affairs the Deputy will have other ongoing responsibilities, for example, filling in an annual account and report accounting to the Court for all the financial transactions in the previous year.

• Initial and ongoing fees - £400 deputyship application (doubled if for both health & welfare and property & finance), potential £500 hearing

fee, £320 ongoing deputyship supervision fee, £100 assessment fee if a new deputy.

The whole process can be both distressing and intrusive for the loved one’s family. How do I avoid this?

The answer is simple – by making Lasting Powers of Attorney as soon as possible – it is never too early.

As award-winning vulnerable customer champions, we’re well-placed to help you make a plan to prepare for the future, whatever that may hold. If you would like to have a relaxed chat about your circumstances, or arrange LPAs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

To book a complimentary meeting with Richard Higgs by calling 0117 3636 212 or email office@haroldstephens.co.uk.

Richard records regular video updates on a range of later life financial topics - search ‘Harold Stephens IFA’ on YouTube.

If you want a relaxed chat about how to manage your assets in later life, then we are on hand to deliver it the good old-fashioned way – face to face right here in your local community

If you want a relaxed chat about how to manage your assets in later life, then we are on hand to deliver it the good old-fashioned way – face to face right here in your local community.

50 High Street, Westbury on Trym, Bristol BS9 3DZ

50 High Street, Westbury on Trym, Bristol BS9 3DZ

0117 3636 212 office@haroldstephens co uk www.haroldstephens.co.uk

0117 3636 212 office@haroldstephens.co.uk www haroldstephens co uk

Email: news@henleazeandwestburyvoice.co.uk

Email: news@henleazeandwestburyvoice.co.uk

We all know that nurses and carers worked valiantly to support our communities through the Covid pandemic, but are now facing huge financial challenges from the cost of living crisis. This has led to the first nurses’ strike in living memory in response to a low NHS pay offer. Many NHS nurses have recently come forward talking about how they can’t save money, pay into their pensions, and even have to use food banks.

Bristol Care Homes conducted a staff survey which showed the main worries of the team to be pay and the cost of living. The company has therefore decided to bring its annual pay award due in April 2023 forward to 1 January, awarding a 14% increase in base rates of pay across all staff roles.

‘We have brought forward our inflationary rise from April to December and made it significant enough that we will remain ahead of the national minimum wage by April 2023, with the vast majority of our team members paid at or above the real living wage’, says Richard Crocker, CEO of Bristol Care Homes.

Bristol Care Homes is

Bristol Care Homes brings forward pay award to support staff with cost of living crisis

well paid career, and will avoid staff shortages or excessive use of agency staff.

Other staff benefits included in the pay scheme are

- Up to £250 welcome bonus

- Up to £250 refer a friend bonus

- 10% enhancement salary rate on hours worked on weekends

- Time and a half at Bank Holidays

- Profit share bonus scheme

- Excellent induction programme

- Excellent training and development opportunities

- Career progression and development opportunities

- A wide range of holiday, retail and leisure discounts

- Employee assistance programme

- Cycle to work scheme

- Free meal when working +8 hours shifts.

committed to providing excellent lifetime care to residents. Two of its homes have CQC ‘Outstanding’ rating, whilst its resident fees

remain extremely competitive and good value. This staff pay award therefore ensures that working with the company is an attractive

Bristol Care Homes welcomes applicants to join its nursing and carer teams.

www.bristolcarehomes.co.uk

We are now enabling close contact visits in the home, every resident is able to have an essential care giver, and there is no isolation required for new residents from the community. We still have a varied activity schedule which keeps life interesting and happy.

February 14

n THE ARTS SOCIETY BRISTOL lecture on "Maritime Art and its use in war" is at 8pm at Redmaids' High BS9 3AW on 14 February. We welcome new members and guests. For more information on our lectures, given by specialists in their own field, see our website www.theartssociety-bristol.org.uk

February 18

n WESTBURY PARK

QUILTERS Exhibition in St Peter’s Church Hall, The Drive, Henleaze BS9 4LD 10am-4pm. Special guest, international quilter Jan Hassard. Admission £4, children free, disabled access. Traditional and modern quilts, drop-in demos, tombola and charity raffle of WPQ-made ‘Rainbow’ quilt. ‘Pop-up’ café. westburyparkquilters.co.uk

February 27

n HENLEAZE SENIOR FILM CLUB

Monday 27th February at 2pm. Mrs Harris Goes to Paris (PG) 2022. Enchanting story of a British housekeeper who falls madly in love with a Christian Dior dress and decides she must have one of her own. Starring Lesley Manville. Tickets: £4.00 including refreshments. Carers welcome, easy access For more information, please call 0117 435 0063. St. Peter’s Hall, The Drive, Henleaze BS9 4LD

Regular events

Various days

n WEST OF ENGLAND BRIDGE CLUB has a new home in the RAFA Club, 38 Eastfield, Henleaze. There are five sessions every week, catering for different standards. Thursday afternoon is for Improvers, where experienced Club members help players with bidding and card play. A brief lesson is often included. Monday and Friday afternoon is for more capable players; relaxed but competitive, this is an EBUrecognised session. You may come alone to any afternoon session; a partner will be found. The evening sessions are on Wednesdays and Fridays, and are open to pairs. For information at www.woebridgeclub.co.uk or contact our Secretary, Chris Frew, on 0117 962 5281.

Monday

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

n WESTBURY SINGERS: if you enjoy singing, we invite you to join our friendly, non-auditioned, 4 part choir, in term-time on Monday evenings 7.30p.m. - 9.30p.m.at Reedley Road Baptist Church. Please email the Secretary: gwenalwakeel@ yahoo.co.uk.

n DICKENS SOCIETY. 7pm, at Leonard Hall, Henleaze URC, Waterford Rd, Bristol BS9 4BT. Talks, costumed readings, book club and social events. New members welcome. See www.dickens-society. org.uk or phone Roma on 0117 9279875 for further details.

n WESTBURY AND CLIFTON AREA DISCUSSION GROUP are a merry band of retired people who meet at Westbury on Trym Baptist Church every Monday morning (0945) and like to challenge ourselves with topical debate on what’s happening in the worldnear and far. If you would like to join us and help to solve some of today's challenging issues whilst enjoying good company, tea and chocolate biscuits - please contact James Ball 01454 415165 or Ian Viney 0117 9501628. We would very much like to hear from you.

Tuesday

n WESTBURY PARK WOMEN’S INSTITUTE meets on the first Tuesday of every month in the Girl Guide Hut on Westmorland Road from 7.00 - 9.30pm. We are an active and friendly group with a varied programme plus extra sessions for craft, coffee, book clubs, walks etc. Visitors are always welcome and for more information do call Sue on 07813795936 or email westburyparkwi@gmail.com

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

n MEN AT ST PETER'S - Keep Fit class held in St Peter's Church Hall (Henleaze) every Tuesday 9:15 to 10:15 for men 60+, led by fitness instructor Natasha Johnson, £5 per week. Contact Keith Bonham on 0117 968 4972 or babubon38@ gmail.com

n SCOTTISH DANCING to GET FIT and HAVE FUN and HAVE FUN with Westbury Scottish Country Dancing Club. Classes for beginners (Email: maggiekirkup@gmail.com ) and more advanced dancers (Tel: Cheryl 0117 4012416) at St Peter's Church Hall, Henleaze, Tuesdays 7.30 to 9.30 pm. Details at www.westburyscottish.org.uk

n WOMEN'S FELLOWSHIP meet on Tuesday mornings at Westbury-

on-Trym Methodist Church, 10.30am-noon. An interesting programme of speakers; come along to make friends. For more details, ring Kate 07905 064720.

Wednesday

n BCCS (BRISTOL CATHEDRALCHOIR SCHOOL) CHORAL SOCIETY is now meeting at the Henleaze Bowling Club in Grange Court Road, on Wednesdays from 7.30 to 9pm. We are a small, friendly, unauditioned choir singing varied music , from choral works to more modern pieces and we would welcome new members of all standards. For info, contact Kathy, tel 0117 949362 /email www.bccschoralsociety.org.uk/ n BRISTOL SCRABBLE CLUB meets every Wednesday evening at 7pm until 10pm at Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, Filton BS34 7PS. New members welcome- first visit free so come along and give us a try. For further information contact Sheila on 01179570792 or 07435316458 or email shinett@ blueyonder.co.uk

n KNITNATTERSTITCH meet on Wednesdays (term time only) 10-12 @ Henleaze United Reform Church’s coffee bar. For more information contact Paula at knitnatterstitch @gmail.com

n HEALING SESSIONS run by accredited healers take place 2 til 3.30pm at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Just turn up, or for info contact Marian Bishop 0117 9771629 or visit www.westburyparkspiritualistchurch.org.

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

Thursday

n LOCAL CHOIR ACTIVELY RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS. We meet at Stoke Bishop CE Primary School, BS9 1BW on Thursday, 7.45 - 9.15pm. We are a well-established mixed choir performing both sacred and secular music. See our website www.henburysingers.org or contact the secretary at secretary@henburysingers.org.

n HENLEAZE FLOWER CLUB welcomes new members for the start of their exciting 22/23 Programme of floral design demonstrations. Annual membership £52. Demonstration meetings on 2nd Thursday of the month 2pm Bradbury Hall,Waterford Road, Henleaze and begin at 2pm. Plus optional Practice Classes on 4th Thursday. Visitors welcome. We meet every month except December and August. Please contact Jenny York, Club Chair yorkjenny2@yahoo.com

or phone/text 07880 700270.

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

n BRISTOL MALE VOICE

CHOIR are recruiting new members. 7pm - 9.15pm, St Andrew's Methodist Church, Elm Park, Filton, BS34 7PS. A varied repertoire, no audition. No need to read music - our regular practices will get you in shape to sing at our regular concerts and enjoy the social vibe. www.bristolmvc.org.uk email secretary@bristolmvc.org.uk Telephone 07764447699.

n HENLEAZE LADIES’ CHOIR

Come and join us as we fill St Peter’s Church Hall in Henleaze with a diverse selection of music. We are a friendly choir and meet on Thursday afternoons in term time from 1.45 to 3.45. There are no auditions, and the ability to read music is not necessary. Contact Jean on 01179 624466 or Jane on 07752 332278.

n OPEN DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE starting Sept 8. For those interested in developing their spiritual awareness and mediumistic ability. 7.15 for 7.30pm start at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Just turn up, or for info contact Marian Bishop 0117 9771629 or visit www.westburyparkspiritualistchurch.org

Friday

n HENLEAZE BOWLING CLUB. Come along at 5.45pm on Fridays to see if bowling could be the sport for you. Coaching available. Experienced bowlers welcome. Situated in Grange Court Road, by Newman Hall. This is a friendly Club with good bowling facilities and social events throughout the year. Phone, Tom Logan, on 0117 962 1669 or email hbcsec@henleazebowlingclub.org.uk for further details.

n U3A SCRABBLE GROUP meets at the Beehive pub , Wellington Hill West, on Fridays from 2 to 4pm. We are a very friendly non competitive group and welcome new members. For more information, please contact Heddy tel 07534717254/ email nigel.d.sara@btinternet.com

n LADIES BADMINTON, WoT Village Hall, Friday 10-12noon. New members welcome to join our friendly group. Contact Elizabeth on 0117-968-1759

Wine and perry - a winning

WINTER is a great time to clear out and tidy the sheds and to get everything ready for the next growing season. We always put this job off off but it’s quite a therapeutic process once we finally get going. Around the base of the hedgerows there are already signs of spring plant growth which is lovely to see.

As well as having a good sort out, we’ve been continuing the never ending task of mulching but have also been raising the fruiting wires to ensure that next year's grapes will hang a bit higher up than before. We’re doing this because we want the grapes to have good air circulation around them and our new management technique allows for longer grass which means that sometimes the two can get a bit close for comfort.

Pruning is a good job to do on dry wintry days. We’ve got a real mix of ages amongst our vines at the moment so every section is treated differently. Older vines are pruned to maximise fruit production and younger vines are pruned to help them develop good roots so

that they’re ready for fruit production in the future. In the vineyard we’re always thinking of several years ahead!

For those of you that remember the still white wine we made using some bacchus grapes from Hereford. Our friends at Little Pomona Cider have just released a perry made using the same crop of grapes mixed with some Herefordshire pears. It’s called ‘To Boldy Go’ and has an amazingly soft and fruity flavour. Our friend James from Nania’s wines have made an orange wine in a can using this same batch of bacchus grapes as well. It’s really fun collaborating and working with other drinks producers to experiment in this way. Do go and try them!

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