Henleaze & Westbury Voice October 2022

End of the Elizabethan age in Henleaze and Westbury on Trym are getting used to life under King Charles III after a period of mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Her Late Majesty was commemorated at churches and civic venues, books of condolences including the one at Holy Trinity, Westbury, above, and flags at half mast, among them at St Peter's church in Henleaze. This issue of the Voice includes several tributes to the monarch and her long reign as well as a report on the proclamation of the new king, which can be found on 7.

Café opens at wildlife haven

A new café has opened at Westbury Wildlife Park and will operate on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until Christmas, volunteer numbers permitting.

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Road safety fears over plan for site

Council highways experts say plans for a retirement village at the former St Christopher's school fail on road safety grounds.

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Tyres were let down on 91 SUVs - sports utility vehicles - in Clifton, Henleaze and Westbury in a single night by activists known as Tyre Extinguishers.

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Novice Ro takes two trophies

THE Westbury on Trym Village Show began in 1977 and still celebrates many creative achievements of local people, be they vegetables, photography, art, paper plane making, baking, and, of course, flower arranging.Henleaze Flower Club members swept the board with their floral arrangements at the village show on September 3, including winning the Courage Cup Trophy for the best exhibit in flower arranging and the Trustee Bank Trophy for most points in the Flower Arranging Classes. Beginner and novice Ro York was the surprised winner of the two trophies. She says, “it was amazing fun, as well as hard work and a precipitous learning curve, to have a go as a complete newbie – and fun to win - not only with my flower arrangements but also my prized pot plant!”The club members who entered collected three firsts, three seconds and a third between them – not bad going especially as two are novices, and one is severely visually impaired. Robert Dunster was awarded a second in the Green Issues Class with his beautiful design highlighting the ecological and environmental issues facing bees - with a quote from Albert Einstein ‘If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life

left. No more bees, no –thissupportingclubentrieshavewasVokechairmoreanimals,nomorepollination,morenoplants,morenoman’.DeputyJanesays,“itgreattosomanyfrommemberslocalshowincludingin

classes other than flower arranging”.

The success of the show, which raises money for charity, depends on people joining in and having a go, as well as the many volunteers behind the scenes and on the day.

There were many classes specifically for children to get families involved, and Jane says, “next year the flower club aims to sponsor a class and trophy for the young flower arranger of the future”.

The flower club welcomes new members - to find out more contact Ro York ro@ royork.com or phone/text 07588 887

Useful 770448.

Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get things wrong. We always try to resolve issues informally at first but we also have a formal complaints procedure. If you have a complaint about anything in the Henleaze & Westbury Voice, contact the publisher using the details below. We aspire to follow the Code of Conduct of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), which holds journalists to a high standard of Furtherbehaviour.details of the complaints process can be found on the Voice website here, or can be obtained by contacting the Publisher.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Henleaze & Westbury Voice is independent. We cannot take responsibility for content or accuracy of adverts, and it is advertisers’ responsibility to conform to all relevant legislation. We cannot vouch for any services offered. Opinions are not necessarily those of the editor. Henleaze & Westbury Voice is distributed each month to residents. If for some reason you do not get a copy, please collect one from local pick-up points. Feedback is always welcomed, contact Emma Cooper on 0117 908 2121 or sales@henleazeandwestburyvoice.co.uk This month 8,500 copies will be distributed around Henleaze, Westbury Park and Westbury-on-Trym. City Council 0344

A member of the

First prize: An arrangement incorporating an antique: Myra York’s bloomslightcopperarrangementdelightfulonanantiquetrayreflectingtheandthecoloursofthe

Westbury on Trym Village Show

'Clinic helped us achieve our dream of having a child'

DON'T give up hope. That was the message from media couple Emily Deeker and Will Glennon as they officially opened Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine’s new clinic.

The couple were accompanied by their daughter,nine-month-oldwhowasborn after years of treatment at BCRM.

Emily, a Sky News editor, told guests: “This is Olivia, formerly known as our last but one embryo. And as transfer number 11. And for a while as 4BC. A blastocyst graded as decent quality, which stood a reasonable chance of becoming our baby.

“Now that we know her, I’m sure you’ll agree, we had to upgrade her to an A*”

As Points West journalist Will cut the ribbon to mark the official opening of the clinic, he added: “Olivia is the real-life embodiment of the saying ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’.“In total we had 11 embryo transfers at BCRM. That’s not a number we expected to have to endure to get our little family and it’s not typical, or what you should expect if you’re here today as current or prospective patients.“Wetell you because we’re proud of how long we fought to have her without ever giving up, but also because it gives you an idea of how highly we regard

this clinic. Just as we never gave up, neither did the team here. They cared, they considered, and they kept going. And we never thought about going anywhere else.

“As our patient file grew bigger over the years, so did our fondness for this clinic and so did our belief that if anyone was going to be able to get us over the line and make us a mum and dad, it was Valentine Akande and his BCRM’steam.” medical director and lead consultant, Valentine Akande, said: “It is always a privilege to help people who are struggling to have a baby achieve their dream, and it’s fantastic to have this lovely little lady - living proof of our team efforts - here with us to help us celebrate.

“When infertility strikes it doesn’t discriminate between rich and poor and we are here to serve all infertile patients, not just those who are able to pay. This matters to us. We are equally proud to be making great strides on providing treatment to a wider range of families including single women and same sex couples.”

“Our investments in technology keep us at the forefront of our field but let’s never forget that whilst technology helps, BCRM has always been fundamentally about the people."

Will Glennon and Emily Deeker with Olivia

TRAFFIC and road safety experts at Bristol City Council have heavily criticised proposals to build a luxury retirement complex on the former St Christopher's school site - saying the plans would be “detrimental to highway safety” - and are calling for the plans to be withdrawn.Thereport from the transport management department says officers understand the current plan will be withdrawn by the developers, but if it is not their recommendation is that it should be Developersrefused.want to build multi-storey blocks of flats on the five-acre former special school site near the Downs and the scheme, which has proved controversial locally, is awaiting consideration by the council’s planning committee.

The council’s highways department has lodged a formal submission stating that the plans for an £85m integrated retirement community should

St Christopher's redevelopment plan is road safety risk - experts

be thrown out. Its report says that while the site is suitable for residential use, the parking and servicing arrangements for the proposed development are unacceptable. It concludes that developers have “... not demonstrated that pedestrians, cyclists and motorists can safely access and move around the site”.The report acknowledges the already pressured and congested roads around the site, in Westbury Park, and says 65 planned car parking spaces to cater for 120 apartments and all the visiting care staff is “insufficient”. It also calls a proposed vehicle entrance on Etloe Road near a nursery school “unacceptable”.

The transport and highway experts conclusion echoes research carried out by SCAN, the St Christopher's Action Network, which is campaigning for the sensitive and appropriate development of the site.

Earlier this year, SCAN conducted a survey of local opinions on road safety and photographed and logged car movements. Their work showed how nearby roads are already overrun with dangerous parking and hazards for families walking to and from local schools. SCAN’s detailed research predicts massive overspill parking and a risk to road safety should this scheme be built.

Road safety concerns were also a prime concern among the 600 formal objections submitted to the city council by residents as part of the planning process.

Robin Hambleton, Professor of City Leadership at the University of the West of England and a member of SCAN, lives locally and said: “It’s a relief to know the city council’s transport department agrees with SCAN that these plans have the potential to bring parking and road safety chaos to Westbury Park. We have always said this scheme

is badly thought out and that a huge overdevelopment of this kind would be entirely out of keeping with the largely two-storey nature of our neighbourhood. The community has been vociferous about the reality of parking round here - among other numerous and well-founded objections. Let’s hope the developers see sense and withdraw this unviable and unwelcome scheme.”

The proposals have also attracted criticism from major figures in the community with all the local councillors, as well as the local MP, Darren Jones, submitting formal objections. Environmental and heritage groups have also objected to the plans - with Historic England calling it Additional“harmful”.concerns have been voiced about the excessive number of mature trees that are due to be felled, the loss of much needed residential accommodation and education for children with special needs, and the absence of affordable housing provision within the scheme.Theproposal

can be viewed on the planning section of the council, reference 22/01221/F

Campaigners from St Christopher's Action Network have highlighted current parking problems in Westbury Road, left, and Etloe Road

City council spent just £70.42 on failed bid to bring Eurovision to Bristol

BRISTOL City Council spent only £70.42 on a failed bid to bring the Eurovision song contest to the city next year.

The annual contest will be hosted in the UK in May 2023, but Bristol failed to secure a place on the recently announced shortlist. Mayor Marvin Rees told BBC Radio Bristol earlier this month that he was “very disappointed for the city”.

A recent freedom of information request has now revealed that the city council spent £50 on making a video for the bid, and £20.42 on travel expenses. The video, made by an external videographer, was ultimately not used due to licensing issues.

The cost of £70.42 is much smaller than some other cities have spent in their bids to host Eurovision. Aberdeen City Council committed to spend a

staggering £30,000 of taxpayers’ money on their bid, but also ended up failing to make the shortlist of host cities.

A council spokesperson said: “Working with key city partners like YTL Arena Bristol, we tabled a serious bid from our global city at a minimal cost to council tax payers. Ukrainians were at the heart of Bristol’s bid, and we

continue to support them as a proud City of Sanctuary.”

Bristol would have hosted Eurovision at the new YTL Arena under construction at the Brabazon Hangar in Filton. The council previously faced questions about its ability to host the contest there, as the arena is not due to open until 2024 — a year after the contest. A bespoke

venue would have been created to host the song contest, had Bristol been chosen. A rehearsal by the band Queen had already used the Brabazon venue.

Speaking on the radio earlier in August, Mr Rees said: “We’re disappointed but we continue to be ambitious for the city, and ambitions come with knockbacks. But it’s experience, and now we’ve been through it, we’re in a better position to pursue our ambitions with Bristol in the future.”

The seven cities that did make the shortlist are Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield, with a final decision due in autumn. The UK will host the contest on behalf of this year’s winners Ukraine, due to the ongoing war there.

Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Electric taxis scheme is expanded

BRISTOL City Council’s free electric vehicle (EV) hire scheme has been extended to include licensed Hackney Carriage drivers following a successful launch phase, as the city prepares for the Clean Air Zone in November this year.

In March, the council launched a new scheme offering free trials of EVs to Bristol organisations to encourage them to switch to cleaner ways of travelling ahead of the zone launching on 28 November.

Businesses, charities, sole traders and other organisations have the chance to trial electric vans and cars for up to two months, to get a better understanding of the benefits and how EVs could work for them.The free EV loan scheme, which is fully funded by National Highways, allows the council’s fleet services team to purchase up to 64 vehicles in batches, with 12 currently on loan and 15 arriving soon. The vehicles

will be available to loan to local organisations until March 2024.

Since last month, two of London Electric Vehicle Company's (LEVC) purpose-built electric TX taxis have been made available to Bristol City Council licensed hackney drivers, for free loans of two to four weeks, as part of this Councillorscheme.DonAlexander,

Cabinet Member for Transport said, “I’m pleased to see our free electric van trial scheme has been hugely popular since its launch only a few months ago.

“More than 60 organisations have tested a van or car so far and had the chance to see what it’s like to rely on electric - exploring things like battery range, charging point access and

Take a fresh look at caring with Home Instead

the cost of keeping these vehicles on the road. Many have told us the free loan has made them accelerate their plans to add EVs to their existing fleets. "

Each taxi is driven exclusively by electricity but features an additional on-board generator (a small 1.5 litre petrol engine), which is known as a rangeextender. This increases the number of miles that the taxi driver can travel on one charge from 64 miles to 318 miles.

Featuring flexible space for up to six passengers, the TX includes an integrated wheelchair ramp and can accommodate a forwardfacing wheelchair .

There is a waiting list of Bristol-based organisations already signed up to try an electric van or car. New applicants wanting to test vans or cars can expect their loans to begin in or after January 2023.

More information about the scheme and the application form can be found at info/electrictaxi.www.travelwest.

GATHERING in front of City Hall on Sunday 11 September and surrounded by the people of Bristol, the Lord-Lieutenant, Lord Mayor of Bristol, Bishop of Bristol and the High Sheriff addressed the crowd to proclaim His Majesty King Charles III as the new Accompaniedmonarch.by Bristol’s Mayor Marvin Rees, civic dignitaries, representatives of the armed forces, police and other emergency services, the assembled crowd greeted the proclamation with a rendition of “God Save the King”.

Peaches Golding OBE, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of The County and City of Bristol, said: “This was a historic day for our city and the people of Bristol as we stood together to welcome His Majesty The King’s accession. I am grateful to all those who contributed to this significant event, particularly the people of Bristol for their warmth and enthusiasm. We will continue to mourn the loss of Her Majesty The Queen and support the Monarch as he and the Royal Family take up their new duties in service of our country. God save The King.”

The proclamation was delivered by the High Sheriff of Bristol, Alex Raikes MBE DL, “It was an honour to be given the duty of proclaiming His Majesty King Charles III as the new Monarch. The joyful reception of the people gathered is testament to the value placed in His Majesty. My thanks go to the members of the armed forces, the emergency services and the City of Bristol Pipes and Drums marching band in supporting the event. On a fine, and sunny day on College Green, we followed

The day Bristol gathered to proclaim the new monarch

in the footsteps of generations past in marking the accession of the monarch with dignity and respect.”Theproclamation procession, made up of the armed forces, a police guard, civic representatives and a marching band, was watched from the rampart of City Hall by past and present members of the city’s leadership. Representatives from the world of health, education, politics, law, the voluntary sector and many other areas gathered to witness this historic event.

Councillor Paula O’Rourke, Lord Mayor of Bristol, said: “Bristol has shown itself to be a place where tradition continues to play an important role in our civic life but is also a place where

ProclamationeventProcession

change is greeted warmly. Whilst we continue to mourn the death of Her Majesty The Queen we also look to the future and our

Loft Boarding

continued support of the Royal Family and the Monarch. I thank the people of Bristol for their support.”

Bristol Lord Mayor Paula O'Rourke, High Sheriff Alex Raikes, LordLieutenant Peaches Golding and Mayor Marvin Rees with the sword bearer and police escort at the proclamation

and crowd on College Green

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IN the early hours of Wednesday 7th September, Bristol Tyre Extinguishers deflated the tyres of 91 SUVs around the affluent areas of Clifton, Westbury Park and Henleaze in Bristol.

This makes a total of 406 SUVs "disarmed" across the city since March 2022.

A global Tyre Extinguishing action took place that day with teams out tackling SUVs in 12 countries.TheTyre Extinguishers want to see bans on SUVs in urban areas, pollution levies to tax SUVs out of existence, and massive investment in free, comprehensive public transport. But until politicians make this a reality, Tyre Extinguishers action will continue, the activists say in their press release.

Police say that the activists, if caught, will face criminal damage charges. Deflated tyres can be damaged simply by the weight of the vehicle on the more fragile tyre Lockablewalls.dust caps for tyres exist and can be bought cheaply.

Activists let down SUV tyres

Photos of the activists by Simon Holliday

Locking caps

Don't fall prey to phone scammers

PEOPLE are being warned to beware phone scammers claiming to be from banks or the police and asking them to withdraw and hand over cash.

Avon & Somerset police say thousands of pounds have been lost by victims of so-called "courier fraud" scams in recent weeks.

Officers are urging people to make friends and family, particularly older and vulnerable people, aware of the risks.

Victims receive calls from criminals claiming to be investigating forged bank notes, or a cloned bank or credit card belonging to them. In each case they ask victims to withdraw cash from their account and to leave it for a courier to collect.

A police spokesperson said the force was aware of recent incidents in South Gloucestershire, adding: "In

some cases those victims handed over thousands of pounds in cash, whereas in others the banks identified the request was suspicious and contacted the police."

Fraud protection officer Amy Horrobin said: “Courier fraud can affect anyone, but the recent incidents have seen people aged 70 and older particularly targeted so we’d ask people to make sure friends and family know what signs to look out for."

Police are advising people who think they have been targeted not to be pressured into providing any bank details. People are advised to wait and check for a dialling tone before calling, or to use a different phone, as fraudsters may stay on the line. Incidents should be reported to Action Fraud online or on 0300 123 2040, or to the police on 999 in an emergency.

New cafe at wildlife park

THERE’S been

coffee. But now a comfortable and cosylooking lounge has opened up just in time for the cooler weather we are likely to experience as autumn deepens. What’s more it’s planned that the café will continue to open right up and till Christmas. It’s open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10.30 to 3pm. Times may vary – see website.

“It all depends on the volunteers,” says baker Jess Giles who also makes the cakes - jam and coconut, lemon drizzle and chocolate.

The peace and calm of the place is afforded by the 14 acres of land in this valley of the river Trym. Re-wilding is all the rage currently but it hasn’t been necessary here as most of the area is just as it has been for the last 30 years. Sitting in the sun in the morning you can’t help but be struck by the buzzing of the bees and the number of butterflies, dragonflies and damsel flies that pass by or stop for a rest at your table. Open days for all the family and a Halloween event are planned. Check the website for more info - https://wwpf.uk/

Ukrainian refugees: what happens next?

IMAGINE things were reversed and that we were refugees in Ukraine. We don’t speak their language, they use a different alphabet and mostly single women are trying to do the best for their refugee children. How would we find somewhere to live? How would we find school places for our children? Would the family accommodation be anywhere near the schools? Can single mothers find work?

These are some of the worries of Ukrainian refugees – mostly single mothers with young children frantic to have kept them safe, worried about their husbands still in their war torn country – trying to get by in our city.Right now what’s needed is follow-on accommodation. Many local homeowners took in Ukrainian families for the first six months. The government offered £350 a month as a thank-you. But six months have passed and now these single

have been thrown onto a highly competitive rental market. They have no credit rating or any of the credentials that letting agents require.While

volunteers here do what they can with English

to help negotiate lettings arrangements and tenancy agreements – hard enough for local people – what’s really need are generous landlords with vacant accommodation. It’s a citywide problem.

landlords – a £1000 thank-you, funding for repairs up to £2000, funding for furniture etc., to make the house a home for the family. Details below.

The Ukraine Hub at the Methodist Church in Westbury on Trym meets every Wednesday morning. There’s a mum there whose two children are at Henleaze and Redland Green schools. She had accommodation here for six months and now she’s had to find follow-on accommodation. The nearest she has got is in Kingswood for herself and her children.

Like most of us she does not want to disrupt the education of her children so, no matter how inconvenient, Kingswood it is. Her husband is at war in Ukraine.

and-professionals/private-business/housing-for-business-https://www.bristol.gov.uk/

The Ukraine Hub at the Methodist Church in Westbury on Trym

A NEW addition to Henleaze High Street has caused lots of interest.

Max Minerva’s Marvellous Books has moved from North Street to premises that are twice the size. Staff there say they managed to move all the previous stock and add some more before they opened. It’s the only independent bookshop in theAarea.particular delight is the children’s section with its comfortable inviting room. The idea is that storytelling events can be held there and maybe craft workshops based on themes from much-loved children’s books. There simply was not room at the smaller shop to do this.The light, bright space has allowed for generous display of books for adults as well and, as with all independent book shops, they can order any title you would like.

Their website says – “Alongside marvellous books, we'll be putting together a series of events including children's creative writing workshops. We want to make Max Minerva's part of the community, supporting the readers and writers of Henleaze, Westbury Park, Bishopston, and Redland, and Bristol’s bibliophiles in general.”

Need

Bookseller moves to bigger shop

Church holds eco activity day

WONDERFUL World – a morning at Holy Trinity church Westbury on Trym offered environmental activities for all. Lots of young families attended in the autumn sunshine. There were bird boxes to make out of empty tissue boxes, a nature hunt in the churchyard, you could help pollinators with free packs of seeds and there were free surplus vegetables from local allotments. There was something going on with the cardboard cylinders from toilet rolls and you could learn about which trees were good for bees, plus an opportunity to see the queen bee, who was easily discovered as she was painted with a white spot. This was the second Wonderful World event at Holy Trinity and is part of the outward looking face of the church towards the community. Ros Saunders is part of the environmental group there and she sees caring for the planet as an important responsibility for the church. For more information: saundersbr@virginmedia.com

Celebrating Age Festival returns

THE Celebrating Age Festival (CAF) takes place annually in October launching on the International Day of Older Persons on 1st October. This festival is all about challenging stereotypes around ageing and encouraging everyone to try something new. There will be a variety of free and low-cost events and activities taking place from musical performances, art exhibitions and tours, to discos and shared reading groups.

The festival showcases what’s going on across Bristol for people over the age of 50. To mark the occasion Henleaze Senior Film Club will be running a special event on Monday 24th October, when the recently released and highly acclaimed Baz Luhrmann film, Elvis will be shown, followed by a cream tea.

The Film Club takes place on Monday 24th October at 2pm at St Peter’s Church Hall, The Drive, BS9 4LD. Booking is required, please call Home Instead on 0117 435 0063. There’s easy access and parking available.

Liz Hegarty, Home Instead Bristol North.

Birds on your doorstep: Finches

A VARIETY of finch species will visit your garden or local park. They seem more numerous now than I remember from my distant youth. Probably because garden feeding is more common and there is less competition from House Sparrows, which have declined in number.

At this time of year Goldfinches will tour the feeders in flocks. The adults with their black, gold and red plumage. The juveniles are much less colourful with a flash of gold in their wing. Chaffinches with their blue caps and pink breasts are more common in the winter. Greenfinches are a bit bigger with a yellow flash on the wing, a yellow-green breast and a call like a wheeze. You might get lucky with a Bullfinch; jet black cap, white rump and the males with a vivid pink breast. In the colder months you might even spot a Siskin. They are quite stripey with yellow and black markings. Finches are susceptible to a number of diseases, so make sure you

Bird photos: Keith Williams

keep your feeders clean. Don’t use harsh cleaning fluids, soapy water is fine and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. A source of clean water is important particularly in dry or frosty weather.

Alastair Fraser. OrnithologicalBristolClub

Pick up a stick and join Walking Hockey

WALKING Hockey is exactly as the name suggests – you play hockey, walking not running. It’s designed to help people keep an active lifestyle regardless of age, health and Increasingability.inpopularity, it’s ideal for players looking for a less physical, but just as mentally demanding, version of the game. Whether you’re new to the sport, just not played for a while or had to stop due to injuries or other reasons, Walking Hockey allows you to pick up a stick in a fun and relaxed environment with likeminded men and women (and occasionally children) but who still enjoy showing their skills and being involved in the team and social aspect of the sport.

As well as the many health benefits associated with most forms of physical activity; keeping fit and active, weight loss, preventing and managing many chronic illnesses, there are also numerous social benefits that come with playing Walking

Hockey. Taking time to socialise, meeting new and like-minded people, building confidence and generally looking after your mental health are all part and parcel of taking part in this version of the game.

Suitable for all ages and/or genders, Walking Hockey is proving popular with;

• Former players who have given up hockey due to age and / or

injury or those attracted by the new angle on a sport they previously loved;

• People who have never played the sport before but are looking for a gentle sport as an introduction;

• Players who have enjoyed other walking sports and now want to give hockey a go;

• Generations of families who want a version of the game they

can play together;

• Current players who want to play a little more.

The Walking Hockey sessions run on Mondays at Coombe Dingle Sports Complex (University of Bristol's Sports Ground) Coombe Lane, Bristol BS9 2BJ. Meeting time is 18:45 with the session running 19:00 to 20:00 and run from September to March each season. Even if you are associated with another club, players will be most welcome to come and play Walking Hockey in Westbury.

Each session comprises a warm up, some skills coaching and an informal game which will, as far as practically possible, adhere to Walking Hockey rules. Sticks can be provided for those who don't have one.

For more details please contact Jon Bower – Westbury & United Banks Hockey Club email: comchairman@westburyhockey. or come down on Monday evenings.

Hospice supporter wins £1,000 lottery prize

WHEN Carole Jordan discovered she’d scooped £1,000 in the St Peter’s Hospice lottery, she was thrilled at the unexpected news.Carole’s terminally ill father was cared for by the Hospice at Home service in 2018.Carole said: “When Dad was near the end, the Hospice provided night care for him and supported the doctor to get his drugs right.”“It meant that we could go upstairs to bed while they cared for him. These lovely angels used to come and take over from us and we’d go to sleep. If we weren’t woken up in the night we knew he’d made it through to another day.

“After Dad passed both my nieces and my nephew ran the half marathon and my husband presented a cheque to the Hospice on behalf of the Masons. I went to the lottery to raise money as the Hospice was a lifeline for my Dad and it’s important to keep it going.”

If you’d like to support your local hospice join Your Local Lottery and have a chance at winning up to £1,000 every Friday! You’ll also automatically be entered into two Superdraws a year with over £17,000 worth of additional prizes to be won.

Tickets cost just £1 each. The next big Superdraw takes place on 16 December. Find out more or signup at stpetershospice.org/lottery

Carole Jordan with her Dad Colin Nutt

Henleaze Christmas Festival plans well under way successBecky's

PLANS for this year’s Henleaze Christmas Festival are well under way. The date is set for Wednesday December 7 and the committee have selected the four charities which will benefit from the Prize Draw.

They are: Aid Box Community, Bristol North West Foodbank, Dexter`s Odyssey and Home-Start Bristol. Tickets will be £1 each and can be purchased in advance from local shops.During the Festival there will be stalls in Waterford Road and on the corner of Henley Grove selling tickets. Helen Furber, the committee member responsible for the Prize Draw, makes a plea for festival goers to have cash available when they buy tickets as there will be no card machines on the stalls.

Once again this year prizes are being donated by local businesses. The main prize will be a Christmas hamper.

Festival co-ordinator Jane Emery says: “Raising funds for our local charities has always been a key part of the Festival and we aim to support different ones each year”.

“We are hugely grateful to those who buy tickets and raise so much for worthy causes and hope that this year the Prize Draw will again be a big success”.

Apart from all the popular attractions of the festival – stalls, entertainment and late night shopping – there will be new elements thisCardiganyear.

Road will now be exclusively used for the children`s rides giving more space both for the rides and the many families who flock there to enjoy them.

Father Christmas`s Grotto will be sited in The Bank Fitness car park in Cardigan Road. (Formerly Lloyds Bank).

For the first time there will be dedicated disabled parking available. It will be at St Peter's Church car park in The Drive where up to eight spaces will be allocated for blue badge

“Weholders.wantto enable people with limited mobility to enjoy the Festival. A marshal will be on duty to offer assistance” says Jane Emery.

AN NHS physiotherapist who turned to martial arts to deal with stress during the pandemic has gone on to win a world title.

Becky Sheppard, 25, graduated in 2020 and started her first job working on respiratory conditions in intensive care after Covid-19 broke out - witnessing first-hand the devastating impact of the disease.Sheupped her training in Brentry in the Korean-based art of Tang Soo Do as a physical and mentalBeckyoutlet.hasgone on to compete in world championships in the USA –taking home two gold medals and a silver - for weapons, sparring and formsSherespectively.workedwith her instructor, Master Kristian Reed, to improve her technique over several months before heading off to North Carolina with over 100 members from Team GB.

PLEASE help! SusWoT needs your help to make our area cleaner and tidier. SusWoT aims to reduce energy use locally and promote clean energy like zero carbon electricity. SusWoT organises litter picking in Henleaze and Westbury to keep our streets tidy. This month we can make great progress with both.

Tidy

Bristol Waste’s Big Tidy comes to Westbury and Henleaze this month. SusWoT works with Bristol Waste to help keep local litter under control. The Big Tidy is about making the area really tidy. The Big Tidy Crew is made up of street cleansers, graffiti removal experts, enforcement officers and community engagement officers. They will also tidy up vegetation that overhangs footpaths. Some of the Big Tidy Crew will join SusWoT’s monthly litter pick on Sunday 30 October.Ifthereis something near you that should be tidied up you can report it through the

Bristol Waste website under Household Street Cleansing or email suswot2050@gmail. com.

Clean

In September I wrote about the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), the £5000 grant for installing an electric Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) to replace a gas boiler. Westbury has been chosen for stage one of a scheme supporting homeowners who want to investigate and maybe install an ASHP. If enough people are interested, Westbury would be part of the next stage of the scheme and have expert support with the whole process of installation. SusWoT’s role is to find out how many people are interested in an ASHP or not interested. SusWoT is not looking for commitment to anything only an idea of the level of interest here. This information will be used to estimate how many installations there could be in Westbury in the next couple of years. There is nothing in the survey that is personal data.

Your postcode is needed as clusters of homes interested in an ASHP would allow analysis of the effect of a group of ASPHs on the local electricity supply.

The information is being collected using an online survey. Even if you have no intention of getting an ASHP by doing the survey you will help the Centre for Sustainable Energy understand the level of interest in Westbury. The survey is available here

areYousoonwouldJPGMD39https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/orbyusingtheQRcode.Webegratefulifyoudidthesurveyasaspossibleitmaycloseinmid-October.canemailsuswot2050@gmail.comifyouinterestedinlearningmore.

QR Code for the Air Source Heat Pump Survey

declaredDrought

BRISTOL is officially in drought following some of the driest conditions in nearly 90 years.

The Environment Agency announced at the end of August that its Wessex area, which also includes Somerset, Dorset and parts of Wiltshire, had joined the rest of the South West region.

The official status, declared using a combination of data relating to rainfall, river flow, groundwater and reservoir levels, and soil dryness, indicates the impact the year's prolonged dry weather is having primarily on theBristolenvironment.Waterhas said it does not expect to need to impose a hosepipe ban in the remaining months of the year.

But the Environment Agency is "urging water companies to continue with their precautionary planning to protect essential supplies in the event of a dry autumn".

Helen SusiePeacesOyeyemi’s-Long

Whilst sorting through the piles of new books we received at the library, I stumbled upon Helen Oyeyemi’s newest novel Peaces. Something about it transfixed me and, after reading it, that obsession has grown Oyeyemiexponentially.beautifully crafts a bizarre and yet totally lifelike atmosphere in this book, blurring the boundaries between surrealism and magical realism. She follows the characters of Otto and Xavier Shin aboard (or perhaps imprisoned upon) a very peculiar train with an array of equally strange inhabitants. Peaces emphasises the important impact that the past inevitably has on the future, exploring the numerous butterfly effects that catalyse

Otto and Xavier’s strange journey. Playing with ideas of the supernatural and states of sanity, the book feels almost like an Alice in Wonderland for adults, continuously making you question what, if in fact anything, you actually know. I am a reader that searches for escapism in their books, and, for me, this novel is exactly that. Even when I have reluctantly had to pause and put the book down, its brilliantly eccentric characters and intricate plotlines have haunted me – it is as if I am one of the train’s

occupants myself. With a writing style that feels simple and fresh, and yet sometimes prompted my re-reading of sentences just to marvel at their construction, Oyeyemi writes in a way in which – and I mean this in the best way possible – you don’t even really realise that you’re reading. Suffice to say, it has been the perfect summer read for me to momentarily distance myself from reality, I highly recommend giving it a try.

Susie – Library Assistant Henleaze Library

0117 SaturdaysFridaysThursdaysWednesdaysTuesdaysMondays903854111am-5pm11am-5pm1pm–7pm11am-5pm1pm–7pm10amto5pm Westbury Library (Staffed)

0117 Mondays90385522pm – 7pm

Tuesdays 11am – 4pm Wednesdays 11am – 4pm Thursdays 11am – 4pm Fridays 11am – 4pm Saturdays 11am – 4pm

Taking care of yourself mentally has been highlighted recently and particularly during lockdown when many of us felt more isolated. It turns out that not everybody thinks in exactly the same way and for those who differ from what is thought to be “normal or typical”, whatever that means, a new expression “neurodivergent” has emerged. This article – from Tracy Tainton who lives in North Bristol - aims to give insight into OCD - obsessive compulsive disorder.

FILMS and television occasionally portray characters with OCD. Usually the audience is invited to chuckle at the eccentric behaviours on show, but this condition is not a quirky trait of a “normal” personality. In my opinion, there is no being “a little bit OCD” one is either afflicted or not!

Another misconception is that condition is about germs and cleanliness, or rows of tinned food facing the same way in the cupboard! OCD IS this, but it’s so much more. Hence a reason why it is classified as a neurodivergent condition, in the same bracket as Autism, Tourette’s syndrome, ADHD and many others. Someone with this disorder is considered to possess a brain that is “wired” in a different way to that of neurotypical individuals; it is not abnormal, but different.

What can not be disputed is that OCD is exceptionally distressing for those who have a medical diagnosis, and many sufferers continue without a diagnosis. The traits can be exhibited in childhood, but a medical diagnosis can take up to 10 years to be achieved, if at all! OCD usually presents with other conditions, such as anxiety, depression, personality disorders, and more.

Fear, anxiety, procrastination, low self-esteem and guilt exacerbate OCD, and paradoxically all these traits are also the result of experiencing and coping with the condition. Constant negative thoughts which need neutralising by short-lived, reassuring mental or physical compulsions, sometimes hundreds of times a day, can dog the afflicted. Those with OCD can be convinced their thoughts affect real-life outcomes; they are always negative outcomes linked to themselves or another. This is sometimes referred to as “Magical Thinking”. Suggesting to someone with OCD that they “stop thinking” or “think about something else” is misjudged at best and can be cruel at worst.

Is there a cure? Some experts and sufferers believe so. But after 30 years since my initial diagnosis, I am still trying to manage my condition and the symptoms which have been embedded for some sixty years, from childhood. Others I know say that they manage and cope with their symptoms, using prescribed medications, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), Trauma therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Hypnotherapy and more with varying degrees of success.Further info at - https://www.ocduk.org/ocduk/ ; https://ocdaction.org. uk/ ; https://www.imhn.org/

Changes for school

BIG changes are well under way for Elmfield School for Deaf Children. The £8.5m new school building on a site adjoining Upper Horfield Community school is expected to be completed by Easter next year with the school pupils moving in shortly after.

They say it’s the first time that the school will be co-located with a mainstream school and just how the two schools can share and co-operate with each other is already under discussion. Elmfield Primary is currently on a site in Greystoke Avenue, Westbury on Trym and caters for around 40 pupils from Bristol and other local authorities.

Further moves are planned for Elmfield Secondary School and things are at an early stage involving partner schools at Claremont School in Henleaze and Redland Green School. Claremont already has a presence at Redland Green and it’s hoped that a similar co-location project there can involve Elmfield School as well.

Above: Artist's impression - Stride Treglown Architects

Turning Bristol into an orchard city - one apple tree at a time

THE much loved annual Apple Day public event makes a welcome return to Horfield Organic Community Orchard (HOCO) on Sunday 16 October. This community celebration takes place when most of the longer keeping apples have been harvested - good news for the apple tasting table. The event raises funds for the orchard through sales of young apple and pear trees.

“It is often said the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. I say the next best time is this autumn,” says Shannon Smith, the Orchard Learning co-ordinator. She adds: “Late autumn is the ideal season because the trees are dormant and the soil is moist and warm. These are perfect conditions for young trees to get their roots into the earth. Each tree you plant, and care for, helps turn Bristol into an orchard city for the future.”

The young trees are grafted from favourite HOCO trees. Pre-ordering is strongly recommended, as there are small numbers of each variety. Details will be on the HOCO website in early October.

As well as trees there is homemade cake, fresh-pressed apple juice, plants, preserves

and produce for sale. The local community are also invited to show their support for HOCO by joining the orchard as a Friend.

Orchard members will be on hand to chat about changes in the orchard over the past few years, and to answer fruit growing questions.

Apple Day

Sunday 16 October, 2-4pm

To find the orchard (nearest postcode BS7 8JP) - Walk down the lane beside 22 Kings Drive (between Bishop Road & Kellaway Avenue), turn left and it’s the first gate on the right.OR Take the lane beside 134 Longmead Avenue (BS7 8QQ) until you come to the last gate on the left.

Details may change due to weather events beyond our control.

Please contact HOCO c/o the website to sign up for up-to-date information: www. community-orchard.org.ukPhone:01173731587

Wildscreen's anniversary

WILDSCREEN Festival celebrates its 40th birthday in Bristol this month.The event, which will explore “The Future of Natural World Storytelling for a Better Planet”, takes place from October 10-14 and includes in-person and online sessions.

The headline sponsor is BBC Studios Natural History Unit. The line-up includes Imogen Heap, Pattie Gonia, Chief Dadȧ and Steve Backshall, who aim to share their passion for the natural world through storytelling, climate change action and environmental protection.Grammy award-winning Imogen Heap will discusses her love for the environment and how she has combined this with her music career. Pattie Gonia, an environmentalist US Drag Queen, will share their mission to build an inclusive outdoor community. Wildlife TV presenter Steve Backshall will talk about the importance of reaching young audiences with nature content.

Lucie Muir, CEO of Wildscreen, said: "With climate change and biodiversity loss an ever present and increasing threat, it’s critical that stories about nature not only reflect its beauty and brilliance, but amplify how essential it is for survival and the urgent solutions we all must implement to protect and restore our planet for the sakes of all our futures - humanity and the natural world."

The 2022 event will also see a series of exclusive film premieres and screenings. Across the world, Wildscreen Festival is considered the biggest event in the wildlife film and TV industry calendar, allowing delegates to join 2,000 storytellers from over 40 countries. Delegates can travel to Bristol or join in online in a festival first as the organisers ramp up inclusivity and accessibility for all across the globe and to reduce the environmental impact of the event.

£15m plan to create places for special needs pupils

A MAJOR investment of £15 million will see 204 extra places for pupils with special educational needs in Bristol.

Bristol City Council will use new funding from the Department for Education to expand special needs schools across the city, with the new specialist places created in two years. The money will be spent on constructing new school buildings and refurbishing current ones.

Demand for special needs places in Bristol is rapidly rising, and the city has faced several problems with its special educational needs and disability (SEND) provision. Mayor Marvin Rees said the new investment will help meet this growing demand.

In his blog, Mr Rees said: “We all want children to have the best opportunities in life, no matter their background. That’s why we’re supporting the opening of new schools and expanding existing ones, to make sure we meet the growing demand for school places.”

The investment forms the second phase of a major upgrade of SEND provision in Bristol. The first phase is creating 142 specialist places by February next year.

Elsewhere, two new high schools will open next year, as demand is also rising for mainstream places. Both will be run by Oasis Community Learning academy trust, and initially be in temporary accommodation, before moving to newly constructed buildings.

The new Daventry Road school will open in temporary accommodation in Hengrove next September, next to Oasis Academy John Williams. It will then move to a planned new building on Daventry Road in Knowle from September 2024. The new Temple Quarter school will open on Spring Street in Bedminster before moving to Silverthorne Lane in 2025.

Looking for a new challenge?

Westbury on Trym CE Academy are looking to appoint an experienced Site Manager

to live on site to help facilitate the smooth running of the school; ensuring the site is safe and secure for all those using the facilities; responding to incidents; co-ordinating lettings; carrying out maintenance and repairs and managing all relevant contractors, paperwork and compliance systems to deliver an effective and efficient service. We’re looking for a reliable, organised, self-motivated member of the staff team who takes pride in their work.

For further details please visit: Job-Vacancies/https://www.westburyontrym.academy/Community/

Applicants are encouraged to book a tour of the school.

Indicative start date is 1 November 2022.

If you’re interested in applying please follow the link above or contact the school on the details below as soon as possible.

Please contact the school office to arrange visit.

Call: 0117 377 2605 info@westburyontrym.academyEmail:

Waiting lists worsen

ALMOST 5,000 residents in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) are waiting more than a year for hospital treatment, the latest figures reveal.

A total of 4,763 people referred to hospital had not been seen within 52 weeks as of June, a leap from 4,164 the previous month, according to a report to a BNSSG Integrated Care Board (ICB)

Themeeting.reportsaid the number increased at both North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT), which runs Southmead Hospital, and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Trust (UHBW), which is in charge of the BRI, Bristol Children’s Hospital and Weston General.

It said: “The BNSSG position is driven mainly by waits at NBT (1,995) and UHBW (2,081), with the remaining 687 breaches split across 45 other providers.

“Focused work to facilitate elective recovery ambitions are being implemented.”

“For planned admissions, the total waiting list size for the BNSSG population worsened from 76,803 in May to 80,712 in June,” it said.

The report to the meeting on September 1, said only 57 per cent of emergency patients at the area’s A&E departments were admitted or discharged within the four-hour maximum target –a drop from 62 per cent in May.

Less than half of urgent cancer referrals were completed within the expected fortnight limit, which was also worse than the previous month.

The report said factors included “persistence of a very high number” of patients in acute beds with “no criteria to reside” – referred to informally as bed blockers – along with the impact of Covid on the flow of patients through the system and sickness absences affecting staff

Ambulance handover delays also worsened in June, it added.

Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service

n NATURE WATCH

With Dawn Lawrence

I N an average year the walnuts on our tree grow in pairs, this year bunches of five or six hang from the twigs. As usual, in early July, the squirrels appear. They pick a baby walnut, sit up on their haunches, and (looking studiedly charming as if auditioning for the next Disney film) they nibble through the outer green case. At some point, the truth hits them … this walnut is not ripe! So, they throw it away and try the next. And this carries on until September. The cuteness of a squirrel sitting eating a nut wears off in about ten seconds, when you realise what is going on.

Come September the walnuts are ripe enough for the squirrels to eat, but not ripe enough to fall. As I sit now typing with the kitchen door open, there is the noise of squirrels - nibbling, calling “chak chak” at each other, or scolding the cat. A constant shower of green bits pitter-patters through the foliage and the path is crunchy with shards of shell. Sometimes they drop a whole bunch of walnuts and sometimes they drop

one before breaking into the shell; I pick those up and so we get our share! Come mid-October there will be none left.

The eastern grey squirrel is from North America, introduced to Cheshire in 1876 as an “ornamental” species. The image of grey squirrels then flooding the country in an inexorable wave is not correct. Genetic research shows that their establishment was

largely due to human actions – the different colonies only spreading out gradually, even becoming inbred. After that first introduction they quickly became popular, for reasons that remain obscure, and the 11th Duke of Bedford, for example, put in sterling work, releasing greys in Woburn Park, Regents Park and Wales. And this, despite the fact that our native red squirrels had long been persecuted

as pests. As the greys appeared the red squirrel began to disappear. The greys do not attack or drive out the reds, though they do carry a disease which is far more serious for reds. But in sub-optimal habitat for reds the greys out-compete them, being willing to eat unripe acorns for instance, while reds prefer ripe ones. Both squirrels will eat a range of shoots, roots, fruit, nuts and fungi and also take birds’ eggs and insects. Most lowland woodlands, gardens and parks in UK now support only grey squirrels, red squirrels being confined to a very few small colonies (our nearest being on Brownsea Island in Dorset). But reds do better in the North, in mixed and coniferous woodlands, because they are better able to feed on the small seeds of conifers than are greys.

Squirrels are now burying their winter stores and sometimes, if they suspect they are being watched, they pretend to bury their nut, but actually sneak it away and stash it elsewhere. Perhaps they are donating a future walnut tree to your garden right now.

Eastern grey squirrel by William N. Beckon

Lasting Powers of Attorney: the appointment of attorneys

Advertising Feature

Attorneys appointed under an LPA are able to make decisions that the donor could make if they still had the ability to do so themselves. You can therefore appreciate the power that these documents have and the importance of appoint an attorney or attorneys who you trust to look after your best interests.

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 %.

than meets the eye. For example:1. Sole attorneys – If a solely appointed attorney is unable to act (perhaps they have died before the donor or lost capacity themselves), their appointment would fail and the donor would be left with no attorney to make decisions and the LPA be invalid. You should then consider someone else who could act alongside your attorney or, who could step in as a replacement.

By AMDsolicitorFaulkner,ShelleywithSolicitors

Some people think that the decision over who to appoint to is a simple one. Perhaps they have a spouse who they trust to look after their best interests and they know would be willing to make decisions for them, a child or children who are financially knowledgeable and manage their own finances well, or siblings who they think would get along and act well together. However, there is more to the consideration of who to appoint

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

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.

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

2. Multiple attorneys: how should they make decisions - You can appoint attorneys to make decisions jointly and severally (they can make decisions either together or separately, jointly (they must make decisions together), or they can make some decisions jointly and separately, and some jointly. Each option requires very careful consideration. For example, appointing attorneys to make decisions jointly could mean that if one of them dies before you, the remaining attorney cannot make those decisions that they had to make jointly with the other attorney.

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.

3. Bankruptcy or Debt Relief Orders

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

– An attorney cannot be appointed if they are currently bankrupt or an undischarged bankrupt or are subject to a debt relief order. If this happens after they are appointed, they can no longer act. If an attorney has previously been bankrupt etc, are they a suitable choice of attorney?

of attorney and all private client issues, contact Shelley Faulkner, Florence Pearce and the other members of the team on 0117 9621205, email

Henleazeatamdsolicitors.comprobate@orcallin15TheMallClifton,or100RoadHenleaze.AMDSolicitorstakespride

These are just some of the issues to consider when thinking of who to appoint as your attorney and it is

practitionersprivateAMD’sessential.teamofexperiencedclientsolicitorsandincludesfull

The Whiteladies Road, Clifton BS8 Station Shirehampton BS11 9TT LASTING Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal form that gives authority to those appointed as Attorneys to make decisions on behalf of the donor (the person who has created the LPA). There are separate LPAs for Property and Financial Affairs and for Health and Welfare.

best to seek professional advice to ensure the best possible decision is made.For further advice on Lasting Powers of Attorney, the administration of estates, and Wills and other private client matters, contact AMD’s Private Client Department at 100 Henleaze Road, Bristol BS9 4JZ or on 0117 962 1205, email info@amdsolciitors. com or visit our website www. amdsolicitors.com

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. AMD Solicitors

News2022and views from our city councillors

22nd June.

Geoff Gollop (Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze)

More eloquent writers than me have paid tribute to the wonderful life of service and leadership of our late Queen Elizabeth, she has been and will remain an inspiration to us all. I felt very privileged to attend a Choral Evensong at the Cathedral the day after her death and to share in an exceptional commemoration service. My own personal memory of the Queen goes back to 1995 when she awarded me the OBE at Buckingham Palace - a day I will never forget. It was also very special to take part in the Proclamation of King Charles III, on College Green in Bristol 2 days later. It is fortunate and reassuring that appreciation of the late Queen’s remarkable life and best wishes to our new King transcend all political boundaries.

God Save the King

• Although all public Council meetings were postponed for 10 days, the Council’s business has to go on. The Council is at the start of its budget cycle. The first stage is the publication of the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP). This is due to go to Council cabinet on 4th October and will be published a week earlier. The MTFP will be the first indication of the anticipated size of the inflationary and other pressures on the Council’s Finances. The challenges this year are likely to be much greater and this will be the first chance to assess the seriousness of the situation.•Thereport from external auditors on Value for money at WECA (the West of England Combined Authority) has been produced in part, but the most important part remains under wraps. The intended meeting of the WECA Audit Committee, which I chair, on 15th September has been delayed, but the papers tell us WECA officers have seen the report on

• Case work has continued to flow in the last overhangingmonth,treesandhedges,wastecollectionandrubbishandweedclearance,drainsandgutters,busesandBristolCommunity Transport, not to mention pavements and the tar treatment..•Nextward zoom meeting at 7pm on Tuesday 4th October; please go to http://tiny.cc/WandHOct22 to book in. The following meeting will be on 1st November.•Emailmeto receive our e-newsletter that helps us keep you up to date with local matters.

• 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)

Her Majesty The Queen

As I write this month’s column the nationmourns our Queen. The news of HerMajesty’s passing is extremely sad. Shewas a remarkable, women. She fulfilled hersolemn promise which was made when shewas just 25 years old, to devote her wholelife – whether it be long or short – to theservice of her country.

I never met the Queen, but I have myown special memories of her. Many yearsago, I was walking home after a day atwork. I was walking across a zebra crossingand was brought to a halt at an island inthe middle of the road by a policeman ona motorbike who said “You must stop, theQueen is passing through”. “Of course,”I said whilst thinking; “Wow this doesn’thappen every day”. As I waited patientlywith excitement, I could see driving slowly

a black car with the royal flag on top. As thevehicle started to pass by, I looked into thewindow. It was the Queen! I gave her thebiggest smile and she smiled back at me. Itwas one of the best ends to a working dayand I will treasure that memory forever.

The Queen has always been aninspiration to me. She carried out her dutyuntil the very end. There will never beanother Queen quite like her. Now she isreunited with her beloved husband PrincePhillip. May she rest in peace.

Proclamation of King Charles III

It was an honour to have attended to bearwitness to the proclamation of King CharlesIII outside the Council House on Sunday11th September. In full civic robes I feltproud to be part of such an historic day forBristol and the nation. God Save The King!

Weeds in our gutters

I have raised this again via a question to theMayor regarding the weeds in the gutters.I understand the importance of not using

pesticides, so I have asked the Mayor what other actions can be put in place to stop damage to pavements and infrastructure.

Casework

I still have plenty of casework coming in.Hedges, slurry sealing, weeds, rubbishcollections, trees and street lights. Do getin touch if I can be of assistance with anycouncil related issues.

Next ward zoom meeting at 7pm onTuesday 4th October; please go to http://tiny.cc/WandHOct22 to book in. If you needany help on any matter to do with BristolCity Council, you can contact me by emailon cllr.sharon.scott@bristol.gov.uk – I alsohave a facebook page where I post regularupdates: Scott-10433537851413www.facebook.com/Cllr-Sharon-

News and views from our city councillors

Steve Smith (Westbury-on-Trym &Henleaze)

Death of HM Queen Elizabeth II

It has been a real privilege to attend the localevents marking the death of HM The Queenand the accession of HM King Charles III.

Along with Councillors from every party andall parts of the City I attend the proclamationof the new King on College Green, togetherwith a gathering at City Hall to observe thenational minute’s silence on the eveningbefore the funeral. Plenty of more eloquentwriters than me have expressed what thelate Queen meant to them and to thecountry, I can only really say that the sadnessof her loss has been lightened by seeingthe country united in its admiration andgratitude. I’m sure we all send HM KingCharles III every best wish as he starts hisreign.

Filming at Blaise

You may have seen a lot of activity andodd construction work happening at BlaiseCastle Park. This is a temporary film set forfilming of an Arthurian legend which will betaking place intermittently from Septemberto December. I visited the site recently andwas very impressed with all the efforts thatthe production company have made to lookafter the natural environment, maintain openfootpaths and prevent damage or disruptionto ordinary park users. I’ll look forward toseeing the finished product, but meanwhileif you experience any problems please getin touch.

Weeds in Gutters

We are getting many complaints aboutthe ever-growing amount of weed growthin gutters. This is a consequence of theCouncil’s decision to stop using chemicalweedkillers in response to public demand.You can report weed growth using theCouncil website, via fixmystreet.com or bycalling 0117 922 2100. If you don’t get an

adequate response,please contact us.

Stay in Touch

We hold regularzoom meetingsfor people to stayin touch with us, ask questions orraise concerns. The next ones will be on the 4th September(you can register to attend at tiny.cc/WandHOct22) and the 1st November (tiny.cc/WandHNov22). The meetings start at 7pmand they usually last around 45 minutes toan Youhour.canalso

contact me by email on cllr.steve.smith@bristol.gov.uk, or phone on07769 285266. I also try to post regularupdates on my Facebook page at fb.com/CouncillorSteveSmith. We publish regularemail updates – please contact me if you’dlike to be added to the mailing list for these.

Why fireworks displays should be banned

THIS is a copy of a letter I have written to the city council registering an objection to Canford Park Firework display.

If you approve this event you will be disregarding the effects of fireworks on climate change. Bristol is marketed as a “green” city and yet Bristol City Council allows polluting activities to take place in public parks.

The Mayor of Bristol, Mr Marvin Rees, has stated an “ambition to make Bristol a carbon neutral and climate resilient city by 2030. Laudable ambition but what about the actions required to achieve it? An event that releases carbon into the atmosphere and spreads pollution is not helpful.

Fireworks consist mainly of black powder (gunpowder) and various metals etc. to produce colours. More than 40% of the content is converted to carbon. Pollutants are released into the atmosphere and into the soil/ water courses. A complete ban on fireworks nationwide would help to reduce carbon emissions and cut pollution. If the Mayor actually believes in what he is saying he could make progress in combating climate change by immediately banning fireworks in public parks. Possibly he could introduce a complete ban across the city, although this could take longer to implement.Eachyearpeople are injured by fireworks, putting additional pressure on the NHS. There is a great deal of distress caused to pets. Reasonable people should be prepared to sacrifice a few minutes of bangs and flashes to help prevent damage to the environment as well as to people and pets.

The promotors and sponsors of this event should consider the ethics of increasing carbon emissions and pollution while allegedly raising money for charity. There must be other ways in which they could give money to charity and gain publicity. Bristol City Council should act in the public interest and refuse permission to hold the fireworks event in Canford Park.

Robert Murphy

n The Bristol Fireworks Fiesta at Canford Park is a charity event run by the Bristol Round Table and the Clifton Rotary Club and all profits go to the Lord Mayor's Children's Appeal charities. There are a number of other fireworks events including at Henleaze Infant School and St Ursula's.

FOLLOWING the sad news of the demise of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the accession of His Majesty King Charles III to the throne, business of the House of Commons was paused for 10 days of national mourning.

During this period of mourning, I was honoured to represent Bristol North West in the House of Commons on Friday 9th September for tributes to Queen Elizabeth’s reign. On Sunday 11th September, I attended the official proclamation of King Charles III in Bristol and have signed the city’s book of condolences to the Royal Family. On Monday 12th September, I returned to Parliament to hear an address from King Charles III to both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall and, later that week, paid final respects to Queen Elizabeth II on the first day of the late Queen’s Lying-in-State. I did so both as a private citizen and on your behalf as your Member of Parliament.Parliament then observed a period of mourning before the State Funeral on Monday 19th September, which was granted bank holiday status. Parliament will then resume shortly after the State Funeral. The formal coronation of King Charles III will take place at a later date yet to beLastly,confirmed.asweremember the

late Queen’s 70-year reign, we remember her many visits across the nation and around the world, which touched millions of people across the generations. From Her late Majesty’s first visit to Australia in 1954 to her many visits to Bristol, including to Avonmouth as part of the opening of the Royal Portbury dock in 1977, members of my own family – both here in England and in Australia – lined the streets waving union flags to welcome Queenher.Elizabeth II was not only our Head of State and Commander-in-Chief, but also

a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. My thoughts and prayers, and those of my family, are with The Royal Family at this difficult time.

We now enter a new era in Britain – from the second Elizabethan age to the third Carolean age. God save the King!

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 end second Elizabethan age

Richard Higgs gains SOLLA Accreditation

give a full picture of an adviser’s experience or expertise. In taking the further step to become independently accredited, Richard can offer the added reassurance that he can give the practical help and guidance needed to help clients make the right decisions at the right time.

All full members of the Society must achieve the Later Life Adviser Accreditation and adhere to a Code of Practice to ensure their clients know what to expect from their services. Accredited advisers can advise on:

• Retirement Planning - pensions and annuities

• Funding for Care Home fees

• Funding for care in your own home

• Equity release and other property options

• Savings and investment planning

• Tax matters and estate and wealthRichardplanningsaid,“I am so proud to achieve this award. Helping and advising people in later life has been my passion for as long as I can remember - it’s so nice to get professional recognition!

I founded Harold Stephens over 10 years ago now to serve one kind of client, the local retiree who is still looking for that oldfashioned, face to face level of service. I would argue that local

retirees need this level of service even more in this post-pandemic world – anyone having difficulties getting hold of anyone these days?!Financial advising local retirees is just part of what we do. Our long-term mission is to make North West Bristol the best later life community in the South West. We are now collaborating with other passionate individuals and organisations to make this happen. Watch this space!”

If you would like to book a complimentary meeting with Richard to discuss your later life financial planning needs, please get in touch by calling 0117 3636 212 or email office@ haroldstephens.co.uk.

CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT

James Scrimshaw of CUR A CLINIC AL explains how new technologies are providing ef fec tive answers to people’s pain and suf fering

CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT

MBST: Healing at a cellular level

MBST Cell regeneration: What is MBST?

Construction of MRI and MBST devices

death and cell reproduction.

- Optimising cell oxygen levels

- Improving Cell energy production

The results we’re seeing now in patients with varying injuries and conditions is really remarkable.

Jane kindly allowed me to use her testimony. This is probably one of the most painful cases of neck pain due to arthritis I’ve seen. Jane was unable to live her life due to the severity, often having to sit still for days due to the pain, unable to lie down, with regular migraines and a vice like feeling in her head. She had MBST for neck cartilage last year (almost a year ago). Whilst Jane still has some fluctuating pain her life now looks very different. She swam at Henleaze lake 4 times last week and does exercise classes every day she doesn’t swim. There is no way she ‘could have considered exercise a year ago.’ This case is a great example of the fact that healing from MBST is NATURAL for which reason it takes time, but over time it can change lives.

I’ve also

5 months following treatment for her arthritic knees (she’d already had a half knee replaced). She’s now pain free… I anticipate these results will last a number of years.

- Optimising intercellular signalling pathways

MBST uses exactly the same technology as MRI scanning, just without the detector coils and imaging software. MBST stands for Molecular Biophysical Stimulation.

This translates to you and I as a healing process in the tissue the energy is applied to which leads to a reduction in pain and an increase in the natural mobility and lifestyle of the patient without any need of invasive

- Reducing inflammatory mediators

- Readjusting cell circadian clock-leading to less cell death and cell reproduction.

Meet Kathy: Kathy came to me several years ago with a painful arthritic knee that was limiting her walking and exercise. She also had an ar thritic neck that wouldn’t calm down with typical hands on therapy. Both her conditions were really affecting her quality of life day to day so she decided to use MBST to heal the damage to the cartilage. I saw her this month and still, a number of years post MBST therapy she has very few aches or pains to work about after real ly nice healing in her knee and neck joints…she’s recently treated her foot arthritis as well so we’ll monitor her progress and keep you updated. Most of our success with the healing from MBST lasts 4 years or more. Thanks a lot Kathy!!

Obviouslytherapy.

It was discovered by a German doctor who noticed that some of his MRI patients had reduced symptoms following their MRI scans. He then assembled a team of biologists and physicists to research these positive effects at a cellular level.

The results we’re seeing now in patients with varying injuries and conditions is really remarkable.

Cells that had not functioned properly due to damage , were stimulated in such a way by the energy transfer that they could again fulfil their original tasks.

This translates to you and I as a healing process in the tissue the energy is applied to which leads to a reduction in pain and an increase in the natural mobility and lifestyle of the patient without any need of invasive

It does this at cell level in a number of ways:

- Optimising cell oxygen levels

- Improving Cell energy production

- Optimising intercellular signalling pathways

- Reducing inflammatory mediators

Obviously there are limitations of the effects relating to a number of factors such as severity and complexity of a patient’s case, however the technology is constantly being improved and we’re getting better at selecting the right patients and conditions in order to get higher success rates and better overall results.

- Readjusting cell circadian clock-leading to less cell death and cell reproduction.

there are limitations of the effects relating to a number of factors such as severity and complexity of a patient’s case, however the technology is constantly being improved and we’re getting better at selecting the right patients and conditions in order to get higher success rates and better overall results.

Rob (above) is a great example of how MBST heals cartilage in a moderate to severe arthritic knee. 15 months after his MBST therapy he now runs, plays racket ball and golf without any pain and that’s without his braces. He’s recently done a course on his severe arthritic neck and after 3-4 months has significantly less neck pain and improved mobility. Over the next 6 months I expect his condition to reach over 90% improvement.

This translates to you and I as a healing process in the tissue the energy is applied to which leads to a reduction in pain and an increase in the natural mobility and lifestyle of the patient without any need of invasive therapy.

Rob (above) is a great example of how MBST heals cartilage in a moderate to severe arthritic knee. 15 months after his MBST therapy he now runs, plays racket ball and golf without any pain and that’s without his braces. He’s recently done a course on his severe arthritic neck and after 3-4 months has significantly less neck pain and improved mobility. Over the next 6 months I expect his condition to reach over 90% improvement.

Obviously there are limitations of the effects relating to a number of factors such as severity and complexity of a patient’s case, however the technology is constantly being improved and we’re getting better at selecting the right patients and conditions in order to get higher success rates and better overall results.

James Scrimshaw of CUR A CLINIC AL explains how new technologies are providing ef fec tive answers to people’s pain and suf fering

Superconductive magnets

RF

RF coils

Sweep coils · Electromagnets

Detector coils

Scanner & control unit

High performance computer with special imaging software

Control unit with interactive display

GOLDEN Hill defeated Cheltenham Chiefs and then Dumbleton Dynamite to lift Gloucestershire’s Stuart Turner T20 U19 Cup at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bishopston.

The packed schedule began with Golden Hill restricting Cheltenham to 96-9 in the opening semi-final, bowlers Will Windows capturing 3-22 and Max Murphy 2-8, before batsmen Ethan Moss (38) and

Golden Hill U19s triumph

opener Sam Brooks (23) led the way to a five-wicket win with 14 balls to Holdersspare.Dumbleton then made a powerful start to the second semi, piling up 171-4 against newcomers Bristol Afghans thanks to fine knocks from Tommy Boorman (52 retired), fellow opener Nick

Schubach (45) and Myles Holland (36).

In reply, Bristol Afghans were restricted to 91 all out, Hamid Khan unbeaten on 21, as bowler Ryan Kilmister struck with 3-15.

The final, meanwhile, proved to be a tight, low scoring affair with Dumbleton restricted to 126-7 after losing the toss.

The holders’ total owed much to skipper Holland (41) and Theo Chinn-Brown (39) who rescued the innings after a flurry of early wickets fell, bowler Charlie Allan the pick of the attack with a return of Golden2-15.Hill then also found themselves on the back foot before Zaman Shafi (40 not) and Moss (35) batted with great composure to seal the spoils with seven balls in hand.

October 9

n HARVEST SUPPER £1 Sunday October 9th at 8pm Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH (Supper follows the 6.30pm service for those who wish to Ticketsattend.)on sale at the church or contact Marian Bishop on 0117 977 1629 marianbishop@ talktalk.net

October 11

n THE ARTS SOCIETY BRISTOL LECTURE on "Art Behind Bars" is at 8pm at Redmaids' High BS9 3AW. We welcome new members and guests. For more information on our lectures, given by specialists in their own field, and our other activities, visit our website theartssociety-bristol.org.ukwww.

October 15

n EVENING OF MEDIUMSHIP with Psychic Medium Moya SaturdayO’Dwyer October 15th at 7pm Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH Tickets £8 Tickets on sale at the church or contact Marian Bishop on 0117 977 1629 marianbishop@ talktalk.net

Club, 38 Eastfield, Henleaze. There are five sessions every week, cater ing for different standards. Thurs day afternoon is for Improvers, where experienced Club members help players with bidding and card play. A brief lesson is often includ ed. 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.woebridge club.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 equip ment 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 eve nings 7.30p.m. - 9.30p.m.at Reedley Road Baptist Church. Please email the Secretary: gwenalwakeel@ yahoo.co.uk.

n DICKENS SOCIETY. 8pm, at Leonard Hall, Henleaze URC, Waterford Rd, Bristol BS9 4BT. Talks, costumed readings, book club and social events. New members wel come. See www.dickens-society. org.uk or phone Roma on 0117 9279875 for further details.

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 information, contact Kathy, tel 0117 949362 / email www.bccschoralsociety.org. uk/

n BRISTOL SCRABBLE CLUB meets every Wednesday evening at 7pm until 10pm at Filton Commu nity 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 infor mation contact Paula at knitnatter stitch @gmail.com

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

n HIGHBURY BADMINTON CLUB: Pete Stables 0117 950 1524 or Westbury-on-Trymmidhighburybadmintonwww.pete4458.wixsite.com/Thurs7:30pmSeptembertoEndApril,VillageHall

n HENLEAZE FLOWER CLUB has a full program for the coming year, Covid permitting. All flower dem onstrations are held at Bradbury Hall,Waterford Road, Henleaze and begin at 2pm. Demonstrators include, Cathryn Brown on Feb 10 and Margaret Heal on March 10. We have alternate Thursdays demo or practise classes. Call Jenny for more information 07880 700270. All welcome.

n HENLEAZE LADIES’ CHOIR Come and join us as we fill St Pe ter’s Church Hall in Henleaze with a diverse selection of music. We are a friendly choir and meet on Thurs day afternoons in term time from 1.45 to 3.45. There are no auditions, and the ability to read music is not necessary. For more information contact Jean on 01179 624466 or Jane on 07752 332278.

October 17

n BRISTOL FRIENDS OF WNO invite you to enjoy a variety of talks with glorious music at our new venue, The Apostle Room, Clifton Cathedral (Worcester Road entrance). Visitors always welcome. Monday, 17 October 2022. Castaway’s Choice with Rebecca Evans CBE. The radiantvoiced international soprano, Rebecca Evans, will reflect on her career at home and abroad in conversation with Andrew Borkowski. 6.45 for 7.15 pm. Refreshments available. Easy parking. Further information from Melanie David. Tel: 01934 842014, ernet.commelaniejdavid@btint

October 24

n HENLEAZE SENIOR FILM

CLUB Special event as part of the Celebrating Age Festival in Bristol. at 2pm. Baz Luhmann’s Elvis (12A) 2022. The story of Elvis from his childhood to becoming a rock and movie star. Tickets: £4.00 includ ing cream tea. Booking essential, please call 0117 435 0063. Carers welcome, easy access 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

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 ses sions for craft, coffee, book clubs, walks etc. Visitors are always wel come and for more information do call Sue on 07813795936 or westburyparkwi@gmail.comemail

n WOMEN'S FELLOWSHIP meet on Tuesday mornings at Westburyon-Trym Methodist Church, 10.30am-noon. An interesting pro gramme of speakers; come along to make friends. For more details, ring Kate 07905 064720.

n SCOTTISH DANCING to GET FIT and HAVE FUN and HAVE FUN with Westbury Scottish Country Dancing Club. Classes for beginners (Email: tish.org.ukDetailsTuesdaysPeter'sCherylmoregiekirkup@gmail.commag)andadvanceddancers(Tel:01174012416)atStChurchHall,Henleaze,7.30to9.30pm.atwww.westburyscot

Wednesday n BCCS (BRISTOL CATHEDRAL CHOIR SCHOOL) CHORAL

n WELCOME WEDNESDAY Friend ly and free coffee afternoon on the 4th Wednesday of the month (26th October), 2-3.30pm at The Beehive Pub, Wellington Hill West, BS9 4QY. Meet new people, have fun, and find out what’s happening in your local area. Call 0117 435 0063 for more information.

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 secre tary@henburysingers.org.

n BRISTOL MALE VOICE CHOIR are rehearsing for our 2022 concerts and warmly invite you to join us; the ability to read music is helpful but not essential as we regularly rehearse our wide-ranging rep ertoire, from classical to pop, traditional male voice favourites to musicals and gospel songs in various languages. We meet every Thursday at 7.00pm in St Andrew's Methodist Church, Elm Park, Filton, BS34 7PS. For further information see our website, www.bristolmvc.org. uk, or Facebook, or phone 07587 143 220.

n OPEN DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE starting Sept 8. For those inter ested 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 buryparkspiritualistchurch.orgwww.west

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 Secretary, Tom Logan, on 0117 962 1669 or email furtherhenleazebowlingclub.org.ukhbcsec@fordetails.

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 con tact Heddy tel 07534717254/ email nigel.d.sara@btinternet.com

n CALLIGRAPHERS wanted to join us at St Edyth’s Church Hall, Sea Mills, on Fridays 1000-1200. We are a long established self-led group who would welcome new mem bers. Come and meet us on Friday or call Peter at 0117 329 4516.

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

n VOICE

YOU know how it feels when you nervously try out a new skill and by ‘being brave’ you end up feeling a whole lot better about yourself? That’s what the inspiring bunch of people at All-Aboard Watersports in Cumberland Basin achieved for me and my 81-yearold Italian friend, Nuccia.

It was a beautiful sunny day at the Harbourside as Nuccia and I chose our life jackets and joined a diverse bunch of older people outside the Cottage Pub. Our mission: to conquer our fear of water and learn to row a boat.

Nuccia, who worships at St Bon’s Church in Bishopston, crossed herself as we started walking nervously down the jetty towards a gig, a kind of large rowing boat for four people. Half way down, she turned to me: “I think I shall go home now, I’m not feeling very good.” I turned to the course leaders: “I think I will take Nuccia home….” And before I could finish that sentence, two big burly blokes got Nuccia by the armpits and swung her into the boat, and then did the same to me, completely ignoring all

our squeaks and protests about changing our mind!

Needless to say, once we were in the boat, our fears evaporated and we got the impression the kind and burly blokes had heard all these excuses a million times before.All-Aboard is a Bristol water sports charity whose aim is to break down barriers and make it possible for everyone to enjoy a range of activities such as sailing, kayaking, canoeing, rowing, paddle-boarding, and power-boating. Inclusivity means all special requirements are met, whether it’s disability, age, sensory issues or - like me and

Nuccia - plain terror. We rowed around Cumberland Basin and all the way up to Temple Meads and back which is a lovely thing on a sunny day. The traffic noise from Hotwells Road seems to fade away and all you can see is the water moving under your hand, the cormorants hanging their wings to dry and the moorhens hustling their chicks to the banks. The peaceful rhythm of the oars, more or less pulling together, is as relaxing and regular as a heartbeat.Andthen near disaster strikes our craft and the photograph on this page captures the moment. I ‘caught a crab’. Instead of smoothly pulling just under the surface, one end of my eight foot long oar suddenly plunges straight down into the water while the other end rears up like a horse, out of control, and hits the trainer standing at the front of theBeingboat.asalty sea dog, he’s not rattled. He manages to bat it away before it knocks him into the oily deep. But batting the heavy

oar away means that this rower, stupidly hanging on to the other end, falls backwards into Nuccia, ending up on my back in the bilge water at the bottom of the boat. Heroically, Nuccia pushes me back upright all sodden and smelly and the oar gives me a last kicking in the ribs.

Disaster over, a few minutes later we are back on the jetty, and we limp back up the gangplank together towards the All-Aboard offices, dragging our oars and kit. “Best day out, ever!” says Nuccia. “When can we come again?”

All-Aboard offers courses all year round on a wide range of topics and with a view to mastering different kinds of vessels and sports. Check them out at allaboardwatersports.co.ukhttps://www.

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