The Bristol Magazine September 2021 by MC Publishing Limited

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Issue 202

THE

I sePTeMBeR 2021

MAGAZINE

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

£3.95 where sold

GET OUT THERE The city’s doors are open: play darts, brewery hop or enjoy an audio tour of the changing harbour

DESIGNS ON LIFE

LATE EXTRASUMMER CURRICULAR BIKEPACKING CLASSROOM

FUELLING YOUNG WARRIORS

Bristol Sport helps kids thrive

Green Jenny Chandler recipes

The boy who lived, on his way to being How to wheel away the weekend an architect

CHARGING AHEAD Could Audi’s allelectric Q4 e-tron be your next car?

PLUS... S O M U C H M O R E I N T H E C I T Y ’ S B I G G E S T G U I D E T O L I V I N G I N B R I S T O L

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Official fuel consumption for the Audi Q4 e-tron range in mpg (l/100km): N/A. CO2 emissions: 0g/km. The Audi Q4 e-tron is a battery electric vehicle requiring mains electricity for charging. Range figures were obtained after the battery had been fully charged, are for comparability purposes and may not reflect real life driving results. Zero emissions while driving. Please consult your Audi Centre for further information. Image for illustrative purposes. Model shown is not UK specification and features optional equipment.

Image: Paul Blakemore

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Fancy bikepacking around the Mendips this month?

David Olusoga opening Bookhaus – flick forward to find their reading recommendations

36 Contents September 2021 10

Get involved with Bristol Open Doors

REGULARS ZEITGEIST

FOOD NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Updates from local restaurants, producers and food aficionados

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Top activities for the month to come

CITYIST

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Catch up on local news and meet hot air balloonist Nigel Appleton

RESTAURANT REVIEW

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Well lookee here... There’s a capacious newcomer in Clifton Village

RECIPES

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BARTLEBY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Jenny Chandler’s Vietnamese summer rolls and baked amaretti plums

...On not-desking and remote working – could we do this all the time?

BREWERIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

ANTIQUES

From the Courage monopoly to rumours of revolution and a flourishing new brew culture, we chart Bristol’s beer history

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“Nuts! Whole hazelnuts...” Can you guess the retro advert Chris Yeo is talking about? And can you get the tune out of your head?

MYCOTECHNOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

BRISTOL UPDATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Food scientist Nina Miklos on shrooms (not like that)

Business and community news

YOUTH & EDUCATION

LEISURE & CULTURE

BRISTOL SPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

FASHION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Bristol Sport Foundation is working tirelessly to help young people

Pastels for autumn? Yep. We’re leaning into lilac and lavender

EDUCATION NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

WHAT’S ON

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A cross-section of upcoming happenings

ARTS & EXHIBITIONS

ARCHITECTURE

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What’s showing at our local galleries including an exhibition looking at art in terms of healing historical trauma and reconnecting with heritage

BOOKS

The latest from the city’s schools and colleges

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ENVIRONMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Autumn recommendations from Wapping Wharf’s new word emporium

Bristol’s Black & Green Ambassadors are creating opportunities within the traditionally exclusive environmental sector

CYCLING

HABITAT

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Feral goats, award-winning pies and quality riding: Emma Kingston takes us on an all-terrain bikepacking adventure around the Mendips

INTERIORS

To the oche! A new darts joint swings open its doors in the Old City

MOTORING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Charging ahead: Dara Foley test-drives Audi’s new electric car

Nigella Lawson on her latest book Cook, Eat, Repeat

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GARDENING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Keep on top of basic maintenance, choose your plants carefully, and you can keep the colour coming well into autumn, says Elly West

ON THE COVER

FOOD & DRINK ...................................................................

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The brooding darkness is back, but it’s all good, discovers Emma Clegg

DARTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

ONE TO ONE

The boy born with a rare form of blood cancer and now studying at UWE. We chatted ahead of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Bristol Open Doors is back! We can’t wait to go and explore the corners of the city we know least about. Cover image designed by Tom Moﬀat

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THIS MONTH WE’VE BEEN... Enjoying...

Image: @stephenmerchant

Brislington’s Ian Wade has been shortlisted for the Royal Meteorological Society's Weather Photographer of the Year for this photo of galactic-looking ice bubbles in his back garden pond. You can vote via photocrowd.com/wpoty until 23 September

...Our new favourite duo at Stonehenge after filming The Offenders

Checking out... ...Nic Dartnell’s recent work – much of it based on images collected while living in India – which is being displayed at Cass Art on Park Street from 27 September

from the

EDITOR

e’d like everyone to get out, please. Yep, you heard. Take a hike! (See p12.) Or go brewery hopping (p48), bikepacking (p38), or booking for Bristol Open Doors – we don’t mind. This year the latter (see cover, also p10) is fully loaded with radical ‘hidden harbour’ stories, historic queer-Bristol tales and atmospheric new immersive tours – Motion by daylight; The Mount Without and its St Michael’s Hill crypt; Redcliffe Caves; Ashton Court and all its Smyth family secrets. True to form, Bristol’s handing us myriad reasons to resist the onset of autumnal retreat and, anyway, we’re not giving up on a late-summer sunshine blast. Meantime, Millie Bruce-Watt has been throwing arrows in the Old City, at Corn Street’s social darts hub Flight Club, soaking up the fairground energy and sampling the snacks and snifters (p42); while Bristol cookery teacher and food writer Jenny Chandler has been putting plants on plates, smiles on faces and fire in little bellies with her new recipes, in the name of fighting for the planet (p46). There’s more food, reviewed, on p44, courtesy of capacious Clifton Village newcomer Coppa Club – which has transformed the old Pizza Express building – plus Nigella Lawson, no less, chatting with Melissa Blease on p18. This issue – which, of course, coincides with the back-to-school parade – we’ve been particularly inspired by stories of the next generation. Bristol’s Black & Green Ambassadors are leading, connecting and celebrating diverse community while challenging perceptions and creating opportunities within the traditionally exclusive environmental sector (p76). Young people have been exceeding expectations with Bristol Sport Foundation (p56) whose charities have been working tirelessly to help them during another tumultuous year. At UWE, a first-year architecture student, who was given a five per cent chance of survival when he was a baby being treated at Bristol Children’s Hospital, is thriving. In time for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Dimitris Arnaoutis chats with us on p74. Elsewhere we’ve rad reading recommendations from new Wapping Wharf word emporium Bookhaus (p36); Melinda Schwakhofer (Muscogee, Austrian-American) and Jasmine Coe (Wiradjuri-British) talking art (p28) and how it has helped them heal historical trauma and reconnect with their heritage; then one for the motorheads on p50: Audi’s new electric car and the object of all Dara Foley’s motoring dreams right now. It may be tricky to wake us up when September ends (especially if we redecorate with p84’s delicious Hitchcockian palette); we’re knackered just thinking about all the action!

Eating... ...At St Marks Road restaurant Garden of Easton; admiring the decor, sharing plates, cakes, cocktails and vegan sundaes

Smiling...

...At In Too Deep – every time we walk down Luckwell Road in BS3. It was a pleasure to bump into artist Andrew Burns Colwill as he prepped his little slice of social commentary for Upfest’s 75 Walls project

Psssst! Have you heard?

AMANDA NICHOLLS EDITOR

@thebristolmag

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@thebristolmag

• A tequila taproom is popping up in Bristol for the weekend of 17 September at 11-13 Stokes Croft, courtesy of Jose Cuervo • Top Gear’s production team is moving to Bristol next year – most likely to Finzels Reach – for the 33rd series of the show

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ZEITGEIST

top things to do in September Motionhouse WILD (photo by Dan Tucker)

Enjoy Theatre Orchard’s award-winning free festival, Whirligig, returns with its biggest line-up yet. Weston-superMare town centre will burst alive with a jam-packed, eclectic array of spectacular, seaside performances on 11 September. Featuring homegrown and internationally acclaimed acts, Whirligig is showcasing breathtaking creative talent and bringing people together in the great outdoors. Highlights include Motionhouse, Ramshacklicious, Etta Ermini, Autin Dance, James Wilton and much more. Go and celebrate something out-of-this-world with them!

Listen Always a highlight on the autumn calendar, the Tetbury Music Festival is taking place from 30 September – 3 October. Concerts range from early to classical to contemporary music, with lectures and interviews to share insight, understanding and new ways of appreciating the context in which these great works were written. This year’s programme features the likes of the Heath Quartet, Eusebius String Quartet, a lecture by Dame Jane Glover DBE, and a performance by Pavel Kolesnikov, to name just a few. A visit to the beautiful and ancient town of Tetbury in the Cotswolds makes the perfect cultural weekend break. Head to the website to book your tickets online.

• theatreorchard.org.uk

Explore Bristol Open Doors is back, but not quite as you know it. This year the citywide festival takes place from 10 – 12 September, and is offering you the chance to check out corners of the city with your own explorer wristband and the choice of over 60 specially curated Redcliﬀe Caves © Jon Craig adventures. Whether you’re looking to immerse yourself in audio tours; discover the history of Motion by daylight; tour Circomedia; or take an atmospheric audio tour of Redcliffe Caves, there is something for everyone. The festival also features an outdoor theatre at Ashton Court Mansion, brought to you by Show of Strength Theatre Company, where audiences can explore a moment at home with the Smyths. Follow the family through 400 years of Bristolian history – full of family secrets, buried treasure and impostors. Explorer wristbands are now on sale for this year’s festival, and once purchased, you will then be able to book up to four experiences using a unique code.

• tetburymusicfestival.org

• bristolopendoors.org.uk

Watch The Wardrobe Ensemble is celebrating its 10th anniversary with an ambitious new theatre festival, Theatre on the Downs, running until 2 October. After enjoying a number of successful shows in August, the Theatre on the Downs is welcoming a whole host of talent to the stage. Look out for Science Adventures: The Power Pickle – a fantastical show that explores the wonders of science – on 12 September; Stop Trying To Be Fantastic – a story about suffering, saviour complex, self-acceptance, and a magpie who refuses to quit – on 10 September; and Beautiful Evil Things – one woman unearths the epic stories of powerful Greek legends, buried in myth for far too long – running 21 – 24 September. Book your tickets online.

Shop Shop Kilo returns to Bristol’s Paintworks on 5 September, operating its ‘buy-by-weight’ vintage fashion pop-up shop from 10am – 4pm. As part of the UK’s largest vintage events company, Shop Kilo has overtaken all other vintage clothing events and is firmly established as the favourite for bargain hunters, eco-conscious shoppers and vintage enthusiasts alike. All items are priced at just £15 per kilo – and there’s no minimum spend, so expect to pay as little as 50p for a vintage gem! Early bird tickets: 10am – 11am: £3; general admission: 11am – 3pm: £2; under 12s go free. Pre-book tickets online or pay on the door.

• theatreonthedowns.co.uk

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THE CITY

BRISTOL Meet local hot air balloonist Nigel Appleton There’s family fun at Ashton Court and across the city next month

horse-drawn sleighs and fabulous scenery.

Let’s Walk, Bristol A new walking festival is taking place in Bristol next month, encouraging city dwellers to shake off the Covid blues, get outdoors, enjoy nature, explore and party. Let’s Walk Bristol takes place from 1 – 3 October, with lots of free walks, evening entertainment and something for everyone – whatever their fitness level. It kicks off on the Friday afternoon with a stroll around Bristol’s lively harbourside, finishing at a local pub for drinks. On Saturday there’s a wide range of events and walks, from easy to challenging, including popular city ambles and beautiful countryside trails, all led by experienced, insured guides. Free in-town walks include the Kings Weston Trail, the South Bristol Skyline Walk and the Snuff Mills Wellbeing Walk. Plus there’s a ferry and Underfall Yard harbour experience on offer, a Steve England Stoke Park nature trail, a Dudes and Dogs walk and a Banksy and street art tour. Further afield, you can experience the picturesque Cotswolds from Castle Combe or Dyrham Park, discover a glorious circular walk around Clevedon, hike the famous Bath Skyline or challenge yourself by trekking through the Mendips up above magnificent Cheddar Gorge. Walkers can round the day off and share experiences at a choice of two Bristol venues with food and music. On the Sunday the hub will be Ashton Court, where families can enjoy an adventure trail through the estate, take on the Bristol Bridges Challenge, or head across Clifton Suspension Bridge on one of three different distance routes. Visitors can also sign up for a free Nordic walking workshop and discover how to make walking into a whole body workout, improve posture, support joints and release neck and back tension.

You might spot Nigel in the Thatchers or Tribute balloons

Sailing is actually my first love! That’s how I got into ballooning, as it was deemed by my employer at the time that I would be the best person to go and learn to fly the new company balloon with my experience of ropes, wind and weather. I’m always racing dinghies or yachts but lately spending more time on the water, cruising in the sunshine. Another sign I’m not getting any younger! Maybe it’s time to revisit my early years’ passion for fishing. I spent my childhood just south of the Mendips in Cheddar, my early work years living in Clifton and the last 25 years living in Langford. I’m a country lad at heart. A typical day in summer is very different to winter. It’s full on in summer, despite the usual passenger question, ‘what do you do when you aren’t flying?’ There’s a lot more to it than the flying bit. The phone starts ringing first thing and is pretty constant, mixed in with the usual office stuff, until the answerphone’s on and we’re in the car, ready to go flying. Weekends are busy if the weather is good, with early morning flights to add to the mix. Summer means a 4am start and 11.30pm finish! Winters are much more chilled – excuse the pun. We are planning a winter Alpine balloon meet. Alpine flying is great but very challenging – not for the faint hearted. It’s a little more relaxed at Château-d’Oex in Switzerland – a large open valley with plenty of scope to drift along in lots of space – and much more exciting when we visit Filzmoos in Austria. As soon as we’re off, we are up over the peaks into the unknown: big mountains, long flights, steep descents and fast upper winds, sometimes 50-60mph! Then valleys full of fog and – even in the clear ones – all the obstacles, are thrown in. Railways, rivers, roads and powerlines are always just where you don’t want them. Saying that, they are the prettiest of Alpine villages, with skiing,

• letswalkbristol.co.uk

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The Fiesta was a very different event this year – in many respects, certainly from a ballooning perspective, much better as we had far more room on the launch sites. The decision to fly from various sites across the city worked well, giving more people the chance to see the balloons close up. So it had a different feel but hopefully the skies above Bristol being full of balloons again was a welcome sight and perhaps a sign of some normality returning. (On that pandemic-related note I’d like to give a big shout out to all the hospital staff that have held it together over the last year or so.) The Clifton Sausage is a favourite watering hole; always very sociable. It seems to have taken over from the old Royal Oak haunt but I’m harking back to the old days of my twenties... The food is always excellent at the Spiny Lobster. As a change, I like the vibrant options at the Cargo containers. For a traditional Bristol pub you can’t beat the Nova Scotia at the Cumberland Basin and, close by, the best breakfasts in town can be found at The Lockside. Always our first port of call after an early morning flight. My ambitions for the rest of this year include trying to slow down a bit (it’s unlikely!), lose a bit of weight and perhaps get out on the bike. If I was in charge of Bristol I’d sort the traffic mess out. I’ve been around the city for over 40 years and it seems to be getting worse despite all the recent radical ideas. We need more parking. It’s a big problem in the areas I know: Clifton, Hotwells, Bedminster etc. Go up, or better still, go down to find space. I’m always impressed by beautiful European cities with hidden underground parking in the centre. • firstflight.co.uk What’s next? Alpine flying, of course

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Thank you for the music A new community music project has launched in Bristol, aimed at fathers experiencing mental health difficulties linked to the birth of their children. Dad’s Rock, from Evolve Music, in partnership with Bluebell, Dads In Mind and Bristol Youth Music – and in consultation with healthcare professionals and music leaders – is targeted at disadvantaged and isolated families. Research has found that many men become depressed in the first year after becoming a dad, with first-time dads particularly vulnerable. The peak time for postnatal depression in men is three to six months after the birth and, as with postnatal depression in mums, it often goes undiagnosed as the symptoms can look a lot like the everyday stresses of having a newborn. Men are typically much less likely to access psychological therapies than women, according to comparison research on referrals to specialist services for the treatment of depression and anxiety. In addition, most traditional baby and toddler activities are either targeted at mums or tend to have a much higher proportion of mums attending rather than dads. This means there are fewer social groups which offer activities for dads to bond with their child away from their partners, and fewer opportunities for dads to build support networks that could improve their mental health. The new programme provides social opportunities for dads to actively support their own wellbeing. Its 90-minute sessions incorporate free play with real instruments, and explore music-making through technology, singing, rhythm and games. They provide a safe space for dads to have some time out, connect, talk and support each other if they wish to. The pilot scheme will run weekly until the middle of September and, if successful, the free sessions may be extended or offered to other parts of Bristol and Somerset.

See Toni Burrows’ latest mosaic later this month

CALLING ALL BRISTOL ARTISTS

• evolvemusic.org.uk/what-we-do/families/dads-rock

The BBC has released the first images from upcoming original Bristol-set drama Showtrial, written by Ben Richards and directed by Zara Haye. The five-part series’ production team was based at The Bottle Yard Studios earlier this year and shot on Talitha Campbell (played by Celine location in the city, with assistance Buckens) and Cleo Roberts (Tracy Ifeachor) from Bristol Film Office. The story? When Talitha Campbell, the estranged daughter of a wealthy property developer, is charged with conspiring to murder fellow university student Hannah Ellis, the trial that follows places victim and accused – and their families – in the eye of a media storm. Into that storm enters Cleo Roberts, the duty solicitor on the night of Talitha’s arrest. Refusing her father’s help, Talitha wants Cleo to lead her defence against a prosecution that is weaponising Talitha’s gender – as well as her social privilege – against her. From arrest to verdict, Cleo and the defence vie with the prosecution to convince us of the truth about Talitha: damaged scapegoat, or cold-blooded killer? Showtrial – produced by Simon Heath for World Productions, in association with ITV Studios and Mona Qureshi for the BBC – explores how prejudice, politics and the media distort the legal process, in a timely legal drama full of dark humour, and is coming later this year to BBC One and BBC iPlayer. • world-productions.com/productions/showtrial

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Image: World Productions/Joss Barrett/BBC)_

On the box: damaged scapegoat or coldblooded killer?

Gloucester Road gallery Room 212 is hosting an art exhibition and prize draw to raise funds for Maybe Southwest, a Bristol mental health charity working with offering psychotherapy and art therapy to young people and adults who cannot receive appropriate or timely support from the NHS and do not have the financial means to fund private services. Artists are invited to submit original artworks – including paintings, lino prints and mixed media pieces measuring up to 20 x 25cm with or without a frame – to be displayed throughout November, leading up to the North Bristol Art Trail which celebrates its 20th year from 26 – 28 November. A panel of artists, including Room 212 owner Sarah Thorp, renowned artist Huw Richards Evans and textile artist Debby Bird, will select the work to be displayed in the exhibition. Other larger art pieces will be on display in the Room 212 garden during the trail weekend, including a large bronze sculpture of a ram’s head by Maria Pitt and original paintings by Huw Richards Evans. All the artwork will be offered as prizes in a draw at the end of the trail, with tickets available at Room 212 and online throughout November. The deadline is 30 September – images must go to maybesouthwest@gmail.com. Chosen artists will then be asked to bring the artwork along for a selection day. Meanwhile, North Bristol Artist Toni Burrows has completed a beautiful mosaic of a fox in front of Montpelier cafe the Bristolian and agreed to put it in the Room 212 window in late September. Toni never sells her originals but they always amaze passers-by and luckily cards and prints are available through Room 212. Thank us later... • room212.co.uk; maybe-southwest.co.uk

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B R I S TO L MAGAZINE

Long live urban life

’m writing this on my phone, outside a tent, looking out towards the island of Skomer. The weather is classically Welsh, the air almost as damp as the sea and the sky a restful grey. We’ve been here two weeks and during that time I’ve sort of managed to work without access to Wi-Fi or electricity. A Zoom meeting had to be abandoned when a gust of wind blew the awning down and it’s been hard to resist suggestions of a swim/ice cream/beer. On the whole, though, I’ve functioned pretty well off-grid, less hotdesking than not-desking. Which begs the question – could we do this all the time? I don’t necessarily mean camp all the time, although a friend’s bell tent equipped with a wood-burner is warmer than our house. I mean escape the city and find a little place by the sea. Swim with dolphins. Canoe to the shops. Sing with the seals. All that jazz… Why not? Well the first problem is that we’re a year too late. Every single seaside doer-upper south of Dundee has been snaffled by Londoners who seem to have developed a mass aversion to their city and are fleeing in droves. A colleague who lives near Hastings told me he gets as many as five people a day stopping by to ask whether he’d like to sell his house. In a world where even I can type 10 words a minute on a phone, nobody needs to be anywhere particular. Consequently everyone wants to be somewhere they’re not. Which brings me to the second problem. I was brought up in the country, admittedly north Lincolnshire rather than East Sussex, but still somewhere you could wake up to birdsong rather than the sound of a youthful neighbour banging with increasing desperation on his front door because he lost his keys in the Uber home. There was a conker tree across the road and a corner shop two miles away. A teenage journey into Lincoln, 20 miles distant, required meticulous planning as the station was next door to said corner shop and the train ran three or four times a day. I once sat on a platform staring vacantly over the fields for two hours before remembering that there were no trains on Saturday afternoons. The pubs closer to home were to be approached warily. In one, a friend and I asked a group of lads around the pool table if the rule was ‘winner stays on’. No, they replied, it’s ‘we stay on.’ We left, but not before I spent a precious pound putting Bucks Fizz on the jukebox seven times in a row (please Google if you weren’t around in the 1980s). I’m far from being the only person who gravitated to Bristol from some village in the sticks. As our prime minister would attest, the word ‘civilisation’ derives from the Latin ‘civitas’, or city, and Bristol, whatever its faults, is a civilised place. A teenager living here has the freedom of the city, which is compact enough to navigate by bike or scooter. For people of all generations there are libraries and football clubs, theatres and even a surfing pool with artificially generated waves. When Covid struck I had the strange sensation of being transported back into the past, to a time and place where there were few people to see and precious little to do. Following on the heels of Brexit, successive lockdowns made me realise how fragile civilisation can be – and how important it is to live in the city, suffering the minor inconveniences of noisy neighbours and parking spaces that are just too small, in return for the benefits of urban life. The dog has been sat in the car all day. He loves the seaside with a passion but he’s ready to go home. By the time you read this I’ll be back at my desk, with the hum of the city all around. ■

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Publisher Email:

Steve Miklos steve@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Financial Director Email:

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SEPTEMBER 2021

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 17

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ONE TO ONE

In conversation with Nigella What do you ask a domestic food goddess who has been at the top of her game for decades? Melissa Blease does all the work for us

since records began... and it was announced that the Strictly Come Dancing Halloween special was cancelled. But just when we were beginning to think that it really wasn’t worth getting out of bed, Nigella Lawson’s latest book Cook, Eat, Repeat floated into view, offering a beacon of light in the midst of all the gloom.

s the UK’s pandemic crisis reached a ‘critical stage’ on 29 October 2020, Boris Johnson introduced lockdown two. Across the country, redundancies were reported to be at their highest level since 2009, October had officially been declared the wettest in Britain

As October rolled into an equally gloomy November, December and on, the nation took Nigella’s hand as she guided us through an array of accessible, inspirational recipes from appelflappen to winter trifle by way of fried chicken sandwiches, crab mac ’n’ cheese, Norwegian pork ribs, no-knead bread, Basque burnt cheesecake and much, much more. The mighty, 330-plus page tome offered succour, sustenance and sensuality, not only uplifting our spirits but offering a fresh perspective on the very meaning of food for thought in sections with tantalisingly tasty titles including ‘What is a Recipe?’, ‘A Loving Defence of Brown Food’, ‘Much Depends on Dinner...’ and the divine section simply titled ‘Pleasure’. This winter, Nigella is finally able to head to the West Country as part of her Cook, Eat, Repeat mini-tour. But we were hungry to catch up with her beforehand, and the pleasure was all ours... Lockdown: how was it for Nigella? I’m so aware that I’m incredibly fortunate; I had a roof over my head, a bit of outdoor space, food on my table, and work that I could do safely at home. I’m also very lucky that I enjoy solitude, so even though I spent several months alone, I didn’t ever feel lonely. Of course it was hard not to be able to hug my children, but so many people really suffered, either with their health, facing their own illness and death (or that of those they love) and struggling to make ends meet, or risking their wellbeing by having to go to work. So, overall, I’m just inordinately grateful.

I don’t feel there is a distinction to be made between memoir and recipe book... I like to blend the two forms from the get-go

Cook, Eat, Repeat: the process An essential part of writing a book, for me, is spent not writing it! I don’t really know how many months I spent letting this one 18 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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ONE TO ONE

simmer gently on the back burner as it was a vague and unstructured process; by the beginning of 2020, most of the recipes were still just scribbles in my kitchen notebook. Even though days upon days with nothing in the diary is helpful if you’re trying to write a book, it took some time for me to find my way. Also, I need to pace about as I write, and lie on the sofa with a mug of tea at regular intervals from about 4.30am to 5.30pm every day with an hour off for exercise, celebrating the end of the writing day with a Campari soda. I rejigged the book quite a bit as I wrote too; I dumped a chapter on entertaining (which turned out to be dizzyingly inappropriate in the new world we found ourselves in) and replaced it with Much Depends on Dinner, about family suppers. I also added more recipes for one person, and adapted some of the serves-four recipes to suit those cooking just for themselves. I chose recipes that, in one form or another, I return to often; I feel I just knew in my heart which ones clamoured the most to be included. I feel it’s important to trust the process more than the plan! The close connection between recipe book and memoir For me, I don’t feel that there’s a distinction to be made between memoir and recipe book; I feel that Cook, Eat, Repeat blends the two forms from the get-go. When I was young, I wanted to write novels, but I know now that I’m not a novelist, and I feel that writing about food does, in fact, take in so much of life. I feel I have found my métier and I have no ambition whatsoever to write a novel. Finding that métier I’d been working as a journalist since I was 23, and I was 38 when my first book came out. It’s not that I never wrote about food before How To Eat, but I was predominantly a non-food journalist; I was deputy literary editor of The Sunday Times when I was 26, then I went freelance, writing about the arts and doing book reviews. Then I became a columnist for the Evening Standard, then an op ed columnist for The Observer and then The Times, and I carried on being a freelance journalist for quite a few years after I began writing food books. I think I was probably on to my fourth book before I realised this was going to be my career! And it can still seem a bit odd to me – in a wonderful way – that this has turned out to be what I do. But I love it, and feel that most of the important things in life aren’t planned. Food fads, foodie fashions: Nigella’s take I think it’s probably impossible to be entirely innocent of fashion and fads, even if I’m not conscious of them as I write; so many of the recipes in Cook, Eat, Repeat are ones that, for me, have stood the test of

time, or are actually at odds with current trends. But we are all children of our time, and so it’s inevitable that one will be influenced to some degree or other by the flavours, cuisines, and ingredients that are part of the culinary landscape. On being described as a role model... I have to say the whole concept of a role model is alien to me; I feel that comparing oneself to others is not a healthy habit. As for seeing myself as any kind of role model – well, I feel that’s even more inexplicable! I know it’s meant kindly, and as a compliment, so I don’t wish in any way to be ungrateful – kindness is something I always appreciate – but the idea slightly flusters me!

I know I couldn’t be happy in a kitchen without anchovies, or in a world without rhubarb, lemons, Maldon salt, smoked paprika, thyme, olive oil, butter, bread, cheese…

Nigella on social media I always answered questions about my recipes on Twitter, but when we went into lockdown I really felt that more was needed, and began answering general questions about food and ingredients – what could be made with whatever the person had to hand, or how to substitute ingredients someone couldn’t get hold of for a particular recipe. In a way, you could say it’s time-consuming, but there’s nothing like writing a book for making one keen to do other things! I really value the connection; reading people’s posts, seeing the food they’ve cooked, brings me so much pleasure. A lot of social media is shouty and aggressive but my little patch of it is such a supportive and friendly community, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Anyway, I’m not interested in monologues: it’s conversation I relish! Nigella on essential ingredients The idea of any restriction on what I eat fills me with panicked horror! Having said that, I know I couldn’t be happy in a kitchen without anchovies, or in a world without rhubarb, lemons, Maldon salt, smoked paprika, thyme, olive oil, butter, bread, cheese… I could go on and on! Having said all that, I’m not mad on green bell peppers, but even so I wouldn’t like to rule them out forever. And who knows? I might suddenly fall madly in love with them!

Nigella on entertaining, now that we can The golden rules for hosting a successful dinner party at home (or ‘How to Invite Friends to Supper Without Hating Yourself (or Them)!’: wear flat shoes (or none at all!) Don’t do starters. Make sure there’s enough on the menu that can be prepared in advance so that the evening isn’t made stressful by having to get everything ready as people arrive. And remember that not everything has to be piping hot and ready at the same time. Cook, Eat, Repeat... live This tour is really all about the part food – and certain recipes – have played in my life, and that’s as much about the emotional resonance of food than flavour. I will also cover the very important theme of cooking for oneself, and I will certainly be talking about why I hate the term ‘guilty pleasures’! I always love meeting and talking to readers, but now this has a particular significance since the pandemic made this impossible to do for too long. I think there’s a very intimate relationship between a book and its readers which I cherish, and I feel a book tour really celebrates that. Questions from readers and the chats and exchanges that flow from them during a live event give me a sense of connection which is a source or much joy and inspiration for me. • Nigella is next in the West Country this November, sharing the rhythms and rituals of her kitchen to celebrate her latest book Cook, Eat, Repeat. An Evening with Nigella Lawson, 25 November, Bath Pavilion, 7.30pm (plus live stream); fane.co.uk

Cook, Eat, Repeat: Ingredients, Recipes and Stories by Nigella Lawson, Chatto & Windus, £26

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MENSWEAR | PROMOTED CONTENT

A life of style Whether you are getting back to the oﬃce, dressing for the evening or going weekend casual to watch the Bears, then Bristol brand Benedict Raven will help get your wardrobe looking sharp

Java crew neck in dove grey detail

Benedict Raven founder and fellow Bristolian, James Kingston

customers, informing them about our brand and every product – how they are made and, most importantly, ensuring they choose the right clothing that fits perfectly and looks and feels great – is why I created Benedict Raven.” The brand’s collection is based on the building blocks of a well-devised wardrobe, offering exceptionally wellmade, timeless staples for the modern man. There is an art to everyday style and Benedict Raven appears to have mastered it. The collection caters for every occasion. Relaxed, casual comforts come in the form of the Bath t-shirt made from 100% supima cotton; the Clifton denim jeans, a go-to favourite worn by GQ’s Teo van den Broeke during London Fashion Week; and the Touring ¼ zip. Several celebrities, including members of the Made in Chelsea cast, have been spotted sporting best-selling knitwear garment the Henley long-sleeve polo, and luxury essentials such as the new Luxe bomber jacket have won the seal of approval of national treasure Ant McPartlin. If you’re seeking a more formal look for the office, bar or event, you’ll find that the collection has you covered with the essential shirt, British-made blazers and showstopping Raven tuxedo: 100% British silk, woven in the UK and handmade in Bristol – another reason to look forward to a black-tie event post-lockdown. ■

ince opening the doors of the Benedict Raven store in Quakers Friars back in June, Bristol entrepreneur James Kingston has made serious inroads into achieving his aim of challenging the mainstream high street menswear brands. The home-grown collection is not driven by seasonal trends or fashion but offers timeless pieces, all made in limited numbers with care and superb attention to detail. The approach is all about quality over quantity.

Fashion is over in a moment, style is timeless

All garments are designed in Bristol and the brand has recently pledged that from 2021, 100% of its range will forever be produced in England. The belief is that buying quality over quantity can help the environment, your wallet and assist you in creating the essential capsule wardrobe. With the brand ethos of ‘buy better, keep forever’, founder James Kingston believes the city has been crying out for a brand like Benedict Raven that not only offers something unique to the male customer but also the best in-store experience too. “As a customer, I hate a transactional retail experience with no engagement at all,” James comments. “It feels cold, lifeless and it isn’t enjoyable. Offering a friendly atmosphere and consulting with 20 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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• 5 Philadelphia Street, Quakers Friars Cabot Circus, Bristol, BS1 3BZ; benedictraven.co.uk

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Luxe bomber in midnight navy

Fine stitching – Clifton jeans in blue

All clothing is now made in England

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MENSWEAR | PROMOTED CONTENT

Exclusive and impeccably tailored – the Raven tuxedo

Perfect for the occasion, the Essentia shirt

The Touring 1/4 zip in dove grey

The Benedict Raven store at Cabot Circus

Space to think and shop inside the store

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

SEPTEMBER 2021

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 21

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FASHION

PURPLE PHASE

Pastels for autumn, you say? Keep talking...

Bettina Vermilion boots, £425 • harveynichols.com

Wool beret, £8, That Thing

Corduroy shirt, £20 • monki.com

• thatthing.co

Topshop Reese leather platform mule, £65 • asos.com

Lean into lilac

Shoulder bag, £6

It’s not just signature styles of the Nineties – the cropped cardigans and cute knit sweater vests, slip dresses and oversized blazers – we’re nostalgic for. As we head for AW21 we’re leaning into hues of lilac and lavender (well, why should they be the preserve of spring?) and embracing the shade – a particular favourite of the fashion era.

• monki.com

Ribbed cardigan, £30

Dress, £119

• wolfandbadger.com

For Art’s Sake Starlight sunglasses, £168

• monki.com

• harveynichols.com

Orion cycling shorts, £90 • harveynichols.com

Becky crop top by Pieces, £15 • foxandfeather.co.uk

Paul Smith jacquard sweater, £80 • graceandmabel.co.uk

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FASHION

Palm Angels sunglasses, £290 • harveynichols.com

Paul Smith zebra cap, £32 • houseoffraser.co.uk

Eton floral bow-tie, £49 • harveynichols.com

The Quiet Life hoodie, £79.99

Billionaire Boys Club sweatshirt, £175

• cooshti.com

• harveynichols.com

Newel pant, £80 • carhartt-wip.com

Charter shirt £115 • carhartt-wip.com

The Quiet Life hoodie, £79.99

Paul Smith linen-blend chore jacket, £185

• cooshti.com

• paulsmith.com

Mesh trainers, £49.99 • bershka.com

Colourful Standard t-shirt, £27 • harveynichols.com

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

SEPTEMBER 2021

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 23

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PROMOTED CONTENT

The hot 100

NOCO Hair is gifting a whole heap of haircuts to support local charities, including Women’s Aid, Empire Fighting Chance and Penny Brohn, and they’ve got just the right one for maximum vitality this month

he team at award-winning salon NOCO Hair on Whiteladies Road understand the power of an awesome haircut to uplift and leave a lasting feeling of wellbeing. The pandemic has been incredibly tough for so many, including local charities, so NOCO’s Noel Halligan and Corey Taylor have decided to run their 100 Haircuts initiative for the second time to give back to chosen charities Women’s Aid, Empire Fighting Chance, Penny Brohn, Community of Purpose, Jessie May, Children’s Hospice South West and Kinergy. In addition, they are also inviting the public to nominate themselves or friends who deserve a treat. “We are so grateful to be back open and in the swing of things,” they said. “To celebrate this and as an extension of our ongoing Care with Hair initiative, we are gifting haircuts to seven different charities to use as they wish. They can raffle them to raise valuable funds or gift to key workers and staff who are unsung heroes of the past 14 months.” The big question, of course, is what to go for if such a treat is bestowed upon you... What better, NOCO reckons, than the versatile, face-framing ‘vitality’ cut? Designed to reduce weight, adding more volume and shine, it’s suitable for mid to long hair lengths, works on wavy, curly and straight hair and is great with or without a fringe. It complements balayage in particular, say Noel and Corey, and is all about releasing tension of weight at the front of the haircut. The ‘vitality’ technique is primarily designed for anything from jaw-length hair, down to anywhere below the shoulders, but for the same effect on shorter hair, the team can employ their ‘vitality variation’ and adapt the cut to suit you. Noel and Corey have seen great results on bobs, those with fringes, shorter cuts and longer hair – but in the unlikely event that you happen to disagree, there’s a ‘love your hair or your money back’ mantra of which we wholeheartedly approve. n

Hello, happy hair!

• nocohair.com/vitalitycut; nominate a friend or inspirational person via the form at: style.nocohair.com/noco-care-with-hair

Noel and Corey are no strangers to bagging awards for their work

24 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

The ‘vitality cut’ is intended for mid to long hair, fringe or no fringe

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LOCAL EVENTS

What’s on in September

Bull, playing at The Louisiana on 30 September

Iron Island n Until 19 September, SS Great Britain For the first time in 50 years, the sights, sounds and movement of a living sea now surround this ship’s hull. Working with poet Saili Katebe and composer Joe Acheson, Limbic Cinema have transformed the dry dock into a huge digital projection theatre, filled with the energy of the world’s underwater oceans. Entry is included in your admission to Brunel’s SS Great Britain. ssgreatbritain.org

political history and reflects on how a new generation of global creatives are advocating for social and environmental awareness through art on the streets. bristolmuseums.org.uk Project What If n Throughout September, We The Curious We The Curious re-opened earlier this year with a brand new, multi-million-pound ground-floor experience, inspired by 10,000 questions from the people of Bristol. Project What If is a space where art and science collide, where big ideas and the human side of science can be explored in new and surprising ways. Play with 68 new exhibits and 25 art pieces, all clustered around seven questions that explore very different themes. There’s also a walk-through tornado as well as the UK’s only 3D planetarium. wethecurious.org

The Future is Here: The Swinging Sixties n Until 25 September, Stradling Collection The swinging Sixties are back in focus this month at The Ken Stradling Collection, where there’s a brand new exhibition. Running until 25 September, ‘The Future Is Here: The Swinging Sixties’ explores the futuristic feel of the decade through design in the home. Whether you’re old enough to remember the era or young enough to only imagine its grooviness, explore designs by the women and men who devoted their lives to creating new and lively products to delight people in their homes. stradlingcollection.org

Scottish Country Dancing n Every Thursday, St Monica’s Oatley Hall Country dancing – Scottish style! The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society Bristol is offering a number of special evenings to learn the basics of Scottish country dancing. Go along and have fun while keeping fit to wonderful music – and make some new friends. Classes are running every Thursday from 7–8pm. rscdsbristol.info

Vanguard: Bristol Street Art n Throughout September, M Shed From anarchist origins in the ’80s and ’90s through to the explosion of the scene in the early ’00s, this exhibition brings together one of the largest collections of original works and memorabilia ever seen in the UK. The show examines the creative response of the city’s pioneering underground scene throughout the UK’s turbulent social and 26 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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The Wardrobe Theatre: The Great Gatsby n 8 September – 2 October This year marks a decade for both The Wardrobe Ensemble and The Wardrobe Theatre, an anniversary they’re celebrating

No 202

Scottish country dancing at St Monica’s Oatley Hall

with an exciting collaboration. The Great Gatsby is a witty, creative new co-production from the people who brought you Winners, Education, Education, Education, The Last Of The Pelican Daughters and pop-up theatre festival, The Theatre On The Downs. A unique two-woman retelling of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, this is not one to miss. thewardrobetheatre.com South West Ship Show n 11 September, BAWA Social Club Coastal Shipping presents its 15th South West Ship Show. Owing to the success of the show in 2019, it is hoped that the 2021 show will be extended across two halls at BAWA Social Club. Browse model boats in various scales, books, photographs, artwork and collectables from exhibitors, traders and societies from across the UK. There is ample free car parking at this venue, and refreshments are available within the show. coastalshipping.co.uk Sustainable Fashion Week n 11 – 19 September, M Shed Sustainable Fashion Week is the UK’s first fashion week of its kind. The focus will not be on next season’s trends but instead will be on up-skilling, inspiring and empowering the community. The team behind Sustainable Fashion Week want to generate action, from the ground up, that supports a change in our relationship with fashion. Listen to speakers, panel discussions and Q&As about all things sustainable fashion this month. See the full programme and guest speakers at: sustainablefashionweek.uk

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RWA: Online Secret Postcard Auction n 13 – 23 September, online Now a major event in the national art calendar, the Royal West of England Academy Secret Postcard Auction offers collectors and firsttime buyers the chance to purchase unique works of art by leading figures from the art and cultural world, from as little as £40. With hundreds of small artworks to choose from, dozens of lucky buyers will be in with the opportunity to snap up an original piece of art for a tiny fraction of its true value. Audiences are encouraged to bid from the comfort of their own home from 13 September, with bids closing between 9pm and 9.30pm on 23 September. The identities of the artists and who did which postcard will remain secret until the auction ends. rwa.org.uk Weston Arts & Health Week n 18 – 26 September, various locations A partnership with Culture Weston and the Arts & Culture Programme at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) featuring a host of online and in person events, with creative activities in green, open spaces. Visit Luke Jerram's In Memoriam poignant flag installation on Weston beach, a temporary memorial to remember all we have lost during the COVID19 pandemic and tribute to NHS health and care workers working during the crisis. Other highlights include Studio Wayne McGregor dance, Emergency Exit Arts illuminated poems, a torch-lit procession and UHBW NHS choir premiere. cultureweston.org.ukcultureweston.org.uk Adam Kay: This Is Going To Hurt n 26 September, Bristol Hippodrome Appearing at the Bristol Hippodrome for one night only, awardwinning comedian Adam Kay shares entries from his diaries as a junior doctor in an evening of stand-up and music. The show has been seen by over 200,000 people across sell-out UK tours, Edinburgh Fringes and West End runs. His book was a Sunday Times number one bestseller for over a year, and is soon to be a major BBC drama. Signed copies of all Adam’s books will be available for purchase on the night. Book your tickets at: atgtickets.com Antique, Vintage & Collectables Fair n 3 October, 10am – 3.30pm, Ashton Court Mansion House An Aladdin's cave of fine jewellery, china, furniture, paintings, memorabilia, vintage clothing, retro items and so much more – available to browse at Ashton Court Mansion House on 3 October. With 40 indoor stalls plus a café serving light bites and cream teas, there’s truly something for everyone. Entry: £2, under 16s free. Main car park: Kennel Lodge Entrance via Portishead Road. Contact: anniehawksley@blueyonder.co.uk for more information.

Luke Jerram’s memorial installation on Weston beach (image: Finnbarr Webster)

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

SEPTEMBER 2021

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 27

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ARTS

Caring for country

A new show at Europe’s only Native American art gallery – which needs our help now it’s future is under threat – is exploring how art can help heal historical trauma and aid reconnection with heritage

est Country-based artists Melinda Schwakhofer (Muscogee and Austrian-American) and Jasmine Coe (Wiradjuri-British) are on a journey to reconnection with their Indigenous heritage through their work, with hopes that their experiences will resonate with people of mixed race who have grown up with a disconnect to one side of their heritage, as well as myriad other art lovers, regardless of ethnicity. Ahead of their show at Rainmaker – currently crowdfunding for a new home due to the gallery space being under new ownership – they give us a deeper insight into their process and how it is informed by family history.

The paradox of being human, says Melinda, is the uniqueness of each one of us in a world where we cannot exist without cooperating with each other

TBM: What sort of projects are you working on at the moment? Jasmine: This year I decided to develop my art by exploring how my work can evolve into fashion and design. Having explored the idea of wearable art by designing silk scarves, I am now creating slip dresses using my designs. It has been important to find a fabric that aligns with the values of my art in being as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible while being as flattering and beautiful as silk. Melinda: A large art quilt and a smaller hand-stitched piece – both called Pelofv (the Mvskoke word for ‘wooded area with a creek running through it’). The inspiration is a synthesis of two landscapes: Ocmulgee (now Georgia, USA), the homelands of the Mvskoke, and Dartmoor where I now live. I’m also making jewellery from buckskin which I tanned from scratch using English red deer hide, and I’ve started a hand-stitching project which involves eco-dyeing natural fibre thread and fabric using Yaupon holly. Tea brewed from this plant has been drunk for thousands of years by Southeastern Woodlands Nations, including the Mvskoke. I’ll be using the resulting materials in art that depicts Southeastern iconography and explores what it means to be a Mvskoke person living in the UK. Tell us more about how your heritage informs your art Jasmine: My heritage is Wiradjuri (Aboriginal) on my father’s side and British on my mother’s side. I grew up in the UK and only went to Australia in 2016 to meet my father and connect to my Wiradjuri heritage. I studied fine art at Bath Spa University where I painted portraits. Coming back from Australia, painting was a familiar place where I could safely process and continue my connection to my heritage. My art now celebrates and reinstates the values I have learnt from my Wiradjuri heritage by painting experiences or personal themes. One lesson that has stuck with me is the act of ‘caring for country’. I try to uphold this through symbolism. Honeybees feature a lot within my work as they act as a personal reminder of the importance of balance. They are an example of collective energy, community and the strength of working together with nature. Melinda: I use cultural iconography relevant to the Mvskoke in much of my work. Since 2008 I have been creating a body of work called Mvskoke Journey which has helped me come to terms with the devastating effects of the historical trauma handed down through my Native American family line. I also have a profound connection to the natural world, especially when viewed through a Mvskoke lens. When I learned to tan buckskin I felt deeply connected to my Mvskoke foremothers who, traditionally, would have made buckskin. Much of my art is informed by the Mvskoke way of looking at the world. In this view, each person exists in this place that sits between the Upper and Lower Worlds which are always in a contest with each other. As a Mvskoke artist I feel it’s very natural for me to synthesise and balance these different worlds – to bring harmony to chaos.

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Which important questions has it helped you to get to grips with? Jasmine: Who I am, what identity means to me, what my values are. Melinda: Who am I as a Mvskoke person? How am I Mvskoke? I grew up knowing that I have Native American ancestry, but not much more than that. My father, Frank, had chosen to cut himself off from our Mvskoke culture and family as a young man. It was not until I became an adult that I began to explore my background and the culture which had such a deep but, until then, unacknowledged impact on my whole family. In 2008 I consciously began to use artmaking to help me navigate everything I was discovering, both the joyous and the painful sides of that. My artwork became a map to guide me on this journey, which continues. Tell us more about how issues of race, identity or conflict manifest Melinda: Identity – or the search for it – is at the core of much of what I do. I recognise that I am at the confluence of many different streams. My Mvskoke heritage mingles with my Austrian-AmericanEnglish ancestry. Add in lived experience and – just like everyone – my identity is unique yet shares many experiences with millions of other people. It is the paradox of being human – the uniqueness of each one of us in a world where we cannot exist without cooperating. My art reflects this never-ending journey of self-discovery. Also, I

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cannot help but respond to the world I live in and the events and forces that shape it. I was deeply impacted by the murder of George Floyd. I designed my I Can’t Breathe Covid mask the day after as part of my attempt to process not only the horror of that event but everything that had led to it over many generations. This reaction became more fully developed in my quilt Breathe – I make a direct link between the racism of the USA and the widespread refusal to acknowledge that slavery is at its heart. The same blindness afflicts many Americans when it comes to acknowledging that the so-called American dream is based on two evils – the slavery of Africans and genocide of Native Americans. Until these facts are acknowledged, accepted and understood, America can never be at peace with itself. Jasmine: Race and identity are the invisible underlying themes of my work; one of the main reasons why I paint. It provides a space to work through conflicts of self-identity and the complexities of being mixed race. As I grew up away from the input of my Aboriginal heritage, identity has been something I have struggled with. Given the traumatic history of when these two cultures met, I find a conflict in identity. The more I understand this history, my personal outcome can feel like two people clashing within one existence. Recently being provided with an alternative perspective from my Wiradjuri heritage about the ongoing effects of the British Empire and colonisation, it becomes confronting and confusing to come to an understanding of your personal history within. Growing up away from my Wiradjuri family and not sharing directly in their experiences, but hearing how colonisation has directly affected them, makes you question how one place you have called home can have had such a destructive outcome on your other home. The process of painting creates a place to work through this, the painting itself becomes the personal resolution. It’s the continuous work in progress of resolving self-identity and total self-acceptance where I can attempt to find peace by internally harmonising and finding strength in both lines of my heritage. Alternative perspectives can be painful and uncomfortable, but they allow for growth and understanding which leads to healing. I take comfort in Wiradjuri values I have learnt – to care for our Earth, a place we have all come from, offering unity and equality. How do art and activism combine through your work? Jasmine: My father, Paul Coe, and family in Australia are hugely politically active, and contributed to the establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra 1972 – the centre for the fight for basic human rights and justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. He played an important role in founding the Aboriginal Legal Service which has its origins in reacting to police harassment

Rvro Holatte – Blue Fish monoprint by Melinda Schwakhofer, who uses cultural iconography relevant to the Mvskoke

and contributing towards the creation of the Aboriginal Medical Service. It is only recently that Aboriginal people have been allowed to vote. Before the referendum in 1967, Aboriginal people weren’t even considered citizens of their own country; instead categorised alongside the Flora and Fauna Act, essentially considered nonhuman. For 18 years of my father’s life, he lived under a law that refused to recognise his people as human beings. Activism runs through my father’s family and my art has become a place where I learn about the history of my culture and what my family have stood for. By creating collages combining my work with historical photographs of my family during pivotal moments in Australian history, it becomes personally educational; at the same time an opportunity to relay powerful messages of resistance, pride in culture and strength as a people. Growing up, I didn’t know my father, but my art allows me to learn about who he is, what he stands for, and recognises his amazing achievements in what he has done for his culture and people, while strengthening our bond as father and child. Melinda: I tend to be somewhat of a ‘lone wolf’ and rather than join big social/protest movements, I undertake socially engaged artmaking. I feel that is a powerful way to explore hidden topics that some people may not want to discuss, to expose erased histories, to uncover the obscured roots of current issues. I find that when people view some of this artwork, it can touch them and invite them to think about their own experiences or reactions to subjects such as racism, colonisation, missing and murdered Indigenous women, and more. How is the art process healing?

Honeybees and Bottlebrushes by Jasmine Coe who is reminded by honeybees of balance, collective energy, community and the strength of working together with nature.

Jasmine: You can process traumas, seek clarity and begin to gain an understanding of how life can reflect the creative process. When I first came back from Australia, I used to cry a lot when painting. Allowing myself to feel and let emotion flow freely, painting became a healing process, continuously connecting me to my heritage. The work itself celebrates themes of the natural world. It allows me to reinstate Wiradjuri values; ‘to care for country’. Melinda: Artmaking is a powerful way to speak about feelings that cannot be easily put into words; to hold together disparate, confusing or conflicting ideas and emotions. I follow threads of half-forgotten

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ARTS

printmaking, sculpture, and photography – whatever is harmonious with the idea. However, in 2019 I made a big art quilt (Road to Oklahoma). I also rediscovered hand stitching and beading at the start of the pandemic so I am currently spiralling back to textiles. I also use ‘slow stitch’ as a meditative practice where the process of the stitching is more important than the finished piece. Jasmine: I mostly paint in acrylic as I find it complementary to my style, being a fast-drying medium. Before painting, I draw or map out my design which becomes a mediative process. Trying not to put too much thought onto the final outcome, I try to be as connected to the creative process as possible. I have always drawn in a particular style since I was younger which I would have described back then as nothing more than doodling. The definition of doodling – to be absent-minded, or to draw without thinking – represents an important part of the creative process. I find it interesting as this becomes a subconscious process connecting you to the innate – an expression that can only come from within and can express or communicate emotions that sometimes language cannot. Now my art is an inclusion of this style that I’d express when younger, so my work is a continual development of self now consciously connected to my Indigenous heritage, allowing me to represent my full self. Above: Jasmine, sporting her Hive bandana, says absent-minded doodling – drawing without thinking – is now an important part of her creative process; below: Earth and Honeybees

memory, tying up loose ends and unpicking and stitching back together the cloth of our history. My artwork is about identity, journey and finding home. Even though I grew up with so much brokenness and disconnection to my Muskogee roots I’m amazed at how much I have been able to recover and reconnect with. I believe many Indigenous people carry deep ancestral knowledge, often as well as trauma. One can’t be found without unearthing the other. Do you tend to turn to one medium to express a particular theme? Melinda: My artistic medium is usually guided by the creative idea. Some ideas need to be manifested in textiles, others in paint, others in video. Part of my process is to ask the idea how it needs to come about, to reveal its preferred medium. This often leads me to explore new ways of working. I first found myself as an artist in 1996 when I began quilting. Over the next 20 years I mainly used textiles. Since then, my practice has expanded to include painting, drawing,

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Who do you look up to in the art world? Jasmine: There are many artists that I look up to, but I find the beauty of Aboriginal art, the strength in the storytelling and the continuation of culture the most inspirational of all. Melinda: Bobby Martin (Mvskoke) – an amazing artist who has been somewhat of a mentor to me. I admire Dr Stacy Pratt (Mvskoke) who writes with such eloquence and insight about Indigenous art. Kristin Gentry is a Choctaw artist, curator and educator; I have a pair of her earrings. I deeply appreciate Bristol’s Rainmaker Gallery – where I have met other Native American artists when they have come over for exhibition openings – and its unique focus on Indigenous art. It’s such an important opportunity for me as a Native artist living in the UK, so physically distant from America. I also met, via the gallery, Dr Stephanie Pratt, a Dakota art historian. Her story has many similarities to my own. It feels so important to know a Native person who understands where I am coming from and share stories. n • Birthright: Indigenous Journeys of Re-connection, 15 September – 29 October; help rehome Rainmaker at gofund.me/ae873161

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EXHIBITIONS

STATE OF THE ART Sea Exhibition, Portside Gallery, 18 September – 3 October A collection of works from 26 artists who are inspired by the sea. The popularity of the seascape has grown in recent times as we have had our lives and our travels interrupted and restricted. In response to this, Portside Gallery has curated an exhibition that celebrates the sea, inviting artists from across the country to contribute a single painting. The joy of this collection is the unique insight each artist gives us into their own personal relationship with the sea. Through the artists bringing their own processes and practices to painting and their personal history with the sea, we see it with their eyes and hear what they have to say about its mysteries. Each artist has also written a short personal piece about what the sea means to them and why they are drawn to it. • portsidegallery.co.uk

Image: Spindrift by Felicity Flutter

Six Bristol Artists, Clifton Contemporary Art, 11 September – 12 October Bristol harbours a wealth of creative talent, defined not by similarity but by difference. If there is a common thread that links our resident artists, perhaps it is the city’s innate character: the easy going, unselfconscious sense of community that provides a productive environment for creativity – whatever shape it takes. To celebrate this freedom of expression, Clifton Contemporary Art’s autumn show brings together six very different artists who call Bristol home. There is the teeming energy and movement of Andrew Hood’s street and beach scenes, Anthony Feiler’s individually crafted jewellery and Carl Melegari’s enigmatic portraits. Elaine Jones’ highly atmospheric abstracted landscapes and seascapes, Rosie Musgrave’s powerful stone carvings and bronzes and Tom Hughes’ dawn-to-dusk oils of the Clifton Suspension Bridge and of the Avon Gorge complete the mix. • cliftoncontemporaryart.co.uk

Image: Clifton Suspension Bridge by Tom Hughes

Displays Decoded: The Multi-Sensory Language of Flowers, University of Bristol Botanic Garden, until 1 October This exhibition uses interactive technology and the latest research on the symbiotic relationship of plants and insects, along with inspiration from 17th-century Dutch flower paintings to enchant visitors. The original artwork is by the artist Alex Hirtzel, working in collaboration with biologist Dr Dave Lawson and colleagues from the University of Bristol School of Biological Sciences. At a time when insect populations continue to decline, research is revealing new ways pollinators are attracted to plants. Through interactive sculptures, ultra-violet prints and heat sensitive materials, Alex’s artwork demonstrates some of the principle modalities. Visitors can use a UV torch to disclose the secret patterns concealed in the flower’s colour. • botanic-garden.bristol.ac.uk

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Image: Plummeting Perfumes by Alex Hirtzel

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RWA: Drawing School, Hamilton House, throughout September The RWA (Royal West of England Academy) Drawing School courses and workshops are back in person. For the time being they will be held at Hamilton House while RWA work on a £3.8m capital build project to transform their beautiful building. A selection of classes are being offered via Zoom, which can be done from anywhere in the world. The programme is designed for all abilities and includes Watercolour for Wellbeing, Paper Arts, Experimental Drawing in the City (around Bristol), Drawing Trees, Illustration for Picture Books and Colour Intensive. Head to the website to browse all. • rwa.org.uk/collections/drawing-school-course

Nic Dartnell, Open Space at Cass Art, Park Street, 27 September – 17 October Nic Dartnell is a Bristol-based artist who used to live and work in London. He exhibited at Cass Art in 2019 and in the same year won the People’s Choice award at the Mall Gallery/Federation of British Oil Painters (ROI) in London. Many of Nic’s most recent paintings are based on images collected while living in India from 2016 to 2017. In the 1980s, Nic did an in-depth academic study of Navajo sand painting and put on exhibitions on that theme in Essen and in Bristol. Most of his personal paintings are of people from various cultural backgrounds and, since 2000, his work has mainly focused on images from Notting Hill Carnival and Kerala in Southern India. Since there is no gallery commission at Cass Art, Nic is able to offer his paintings at significantly lower prices than those he sells at major London galleries or to corporate buyers. See all his paintings on his website. • nicdartnell.com Image: Papa Boule, Michel Simon in ‘The Train’ 1964 by Nic Dartnell

Sir Frank Bowling, Arnolfini, until 26 September Arnolfini is showcasing a major exhibition with pioneering painter Sir Frank Bowling as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations. The exhibition features new and recent works which demonstrate the continued exploration and experimentation with the painted surface for which Bowling is renowned. This is the artist’s first museum exhibition since his critically acclaimed and long overdue retrospective at Tate Britain in 2019, which cemented his reputation as a modern master. It includes new and previously unseen works – including several created during the pandemic – alongside key paintings from the last decade, providing a fascinating insight into Bowling’s work. • arnolfini.org.uk Image: Sir Frank Bowling OBE, RA. Photograph © Sacha Bowling

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BOOKS

Rad reads

Autumn recommendations from Wapping Wharf’s gorgeous new Bookhaus, oﬃcially opened by David Olusoga last month

iming to represent the best of contemporary literature with a focus on diversity and global outlook, as well as children’s and modern fiction, history, science and current affairs – via books that address the burning questions of the world – the Rope Walk store was opened in August to reflect Bristol’s tradition as a centre of radicalism. Store events include reading and writers’ groups as well as launches. This month sees Juliet Jacques visit with trans tales from her debut short story collection Variations on 13 September, followed by Gerald Stratford and decades of gardening know-how distilled into new book Big Veg on 23 September. In the meantime, the team have picked out a few reads for you to get stuck into, stat.

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney, recommended by Darran McLaughlin

Sally Rooney has become acclaimed as the voice of the Millennial generation since the breakthrough success of her bestseller Normal People, which was turned into a popular TV drama last year. Now her much anticipated third novel is published on 7 September (Faber). The young Irish author has captured the zeitgeist of a section of her generation, touching upon issues of class, sexuality, education, the city versus the provinces, the internet and love. She has been likened to Hemingway and Carver, and reminds me a little of Jean Rhys.

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata, recommended by Jack Stead

Earthlings is the latest novel by the international bestselling author of Convenience Store Woman, Sayaka Murata (Granta). In this haunting story, we follow the life of Natsuki, a girl so at odds with society that she believes herself to be an alien from the Planet Popinpobopia, waiting for a spaceship to take her, 36 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

and her magical toy hedgehog Piyyut, home. Quick paced, darkly humorous and utterly twisted, Earthlings is an incredibly compelling read; more so than anything else I’ve read. This is not a book to be judged by the cover.

The Transgender Issue: An Argument For Justice by Shon Faye, recommended by Nayya Raza

Bristol-born Shon Faye – a leading voice in current politics – is hilariously funny and, with great lucidity, debunks the myths and propaganda that surround gender politics. The Transgender Issue (Penguin) will be published on 2 September and is an incisive and urgently needed book that will empower us to challenge the pernicious narratives that are perpetuated about the trans community, while centring trans voices. This book is essential reading for anybody who is interested in one of the most important social issues of our time. Shon Faye reminds us that trans liberation is central to the politics of freedom and that solidarity between marginalised groups is needed to effect the changes we want to see.

And Away... by Bob Mortimer, recommended by Emilia Bermejo Ford

Bob Mortimer is about to release his memoir – it’s out on 16 September (Simon & Schuster). Framed around the sudden diagnosis of his heart condition and detailing his eclectic life experiences, Bob continues to open his heart up (no pun intended) with what will, no doubt, be a deeply personable and excruciatingly funny story. Bob might have acquired high esteem as a beloved entertainer and national treasure but his genuine warmth and heartfelt honesty makes it hard to believe that he’s not just an old friend. I anticipate this memoir will make us feel the same way. • bookhausbristol.com

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David Olusoga cutting the ribbon for the new bookshop last month

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ANTIQUES

Expert opinion ...From Chris Yeo, valuer at Clevedon Salerooms, curator of the Ken Stradling Collection in Bristol and an expert on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow

Star sign

“

uts! Whole hazelnuts. Cadbury’s take them and they cover them in chocolate.” Every now and then an advert comes along that you just can’t get out of your head. For readers of a certain vintage, that opening slogan will be instantly recognisable (and I bet you’ve now got the tune resolutely stuck in your head). The TV adverts of my childhood, be they baker’s boys pushing bicycles up steep hills or Martian robots extolling the virtues of instant mashed potato, are a world away from today’s digital advertising, all kilobytes and pixels clamouring for attention in the ether. Both, however, are light years away from the promotional tools employed by businesses a century ago. From the late 19th century to the 1930s, the most widespread forms of advertising were enamel signs. Displayed on the soot-blackened walls of shops and railway stations the length and breadth of the country, their colourful artwork and snappy slogans proclaimed the superlative qualities of the wellknown brands of yesteryear – from Brooke Bond Tea and Huntley & Palmer biscuits to Lifebuoy soap and Brasso metal polish. Probably the best known is for Five Boys Chocolate. Made by Fry’s in Bristol, the chocolate bar was a mainstay of the nation’s sweet shops for nearly a century. The famous sign shows five images of the same boy going through the full gamut of emotions from tearful state of chocolate-less desperation to joyful realisation “It’s Fry’s”. Based on photographs taken in 1886, the boy featured was five-year-old Lindsay Poulton, the son of the photographer.

Many years later, when Lindsay was an old man, a newspaper tracked him down to see if he had any recollections of modelling for the legendary sign. Oh, indeed he had. Apparently his father had difficulty getting him to show the required degree of desperation and achieved the effect by tying an ammonia-soaked cloth around the boy’s neck! Happily, not all his memories of the day were so painful: Fry’s paid a staggering £200 (over £25,000 today) for the photographs. Nowadays an original Five Boys sign will set you back a great deal more than that–- around £3,000 in good condition. ■ • clevedonsalerooms.com; @chrisyeo_antiques (Instagram)

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CYCLING

Bikepacking for Bristolians

Emma Kingston takes us on an all-terrain cycling adventure around the Mendips. Prepare for feral goats, award-winning pies and some quality riding you might not be expecting so close to the M5

f course Emma Kingston – an adventuring mountain biker, writer, teacher and self-confessed map geek who has ridden, walked, climbed and camped in the South West for over 20 years – lives in Bristol, the UK’s first designated ‘cycling city’. She took up ‘bikepacking’ – a combination of all-terrain, multi-day cycling and lightweight, selfsupported backpacking – when she realised it meant that she could stay out and ride her bike for even longer, explore interesting places off route and eat an outrageous amount of ice cream. Having travelled extensively in search of ever more flowing singletrack, her knowledge of the West Country is enviable. Now she’s written her first book gathering all her experience together and resulting in 20 mountain bike adventures across English destinations including the Lake District, Exmoor, Northumberland and the Jurassic Coast as well as her home turf. Each route evokes the freedom of hiking off the beaten path and includes the information needed to help plan a ride, points of interest, food and accommodation options in addition to fine photography and overview mapping. Downloadable GPX files of the routes are also available, plus practical advice for both well-wheeled bikepackers and those who want to try it for the first time. Here she shares her Mendip Hills and Weston-super-Mare route along with all the accompanying insider tips.

Mendip Hills and Weston-super-Mare

The Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty rises abruptly from the flat wetlands of the Somerset Levels and forms a long limestone ridge running from Bleadon in the west to Chewton Mendip in the east. Its undulating grassy plateau is punctuated by dramatic gorges and rocky outcrops that offer a spectacular vantage point for an exposed bivvy. Outwardly, the hillforts, henges and barrows reveal a prehistoric ritual landscape, while beneath the hills the soluble limestone has resulted in a complex karst landscape of sinkholes, underground river systems and caves. Farming still plays a key role in the region’s economy and a bikepacking trip here wouldn’t be complete without a visit to some of the independent dairies, farm shops, orchards and breweries in the area.

Wavering Down singletrack

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Dinner high above the M5

This route is very much a route of two halves. The first half explores the quiet lanes and gravel tracks to the west towards Weston-super-Mare, the original British seaside resort complete with sandcastle competitions, donkey rides and ice creams on the Grand Pier. There is also the option of some beach riding along the hardpacked sand of Weston Bay and Brean. The second half heads east over the Mendip Hills to pay a visit to the world-famous Cheddar Gorge and link up some of the area’s best cross-county riding on the way – from the technical singletrack under Beacon Batch to the narrow, exposed trails around Wavering Down. Prepare yourself for feral goats, award-winning pies and some quality riding you might not be expecting so close to the M5.

The route

It’s just after sunrise. The hillside is quiet except for the background roar of the gas stove. A kettle balances somewhat precariously on top of it and a telltale wisp of steam is starting to escape. Down below, a low-lying mist has settled over the wetlands – the Mendip Hills an archipelago rising above a white sea. The Somerset Levels are under there somewhere, a patchwork landscape scored with the horizontal and vertical lines of field edges, waterways and trees. The Mendip Hills and surrounding Somerset Levels have proved an irresistible draw for humans for thousands of years. Prehistoric people built a complex system of elevated wooden trackways across the low-lying and marshy wetlands such as the Sweet Track – one of the area’s oldest existing tracks, built around 6,000 years ago. During the medieval period, most of the Levels was owned by Glastonbury Abbey and the monks were largely responsible for the network of drainage ditches known as ‘rhynes’. Up on the hills, the Romans had begun to extract lead in large quantities from the hills only a few years after arriving in Britain. Look out for telltale patches of uneven, undulating grass known locally as ‘gruffy’ ground. Nowadays, the area is popular with walkers, rock climbers, cavers and cyclists who gravitate to its most well-known landmark and the birthplace of the original Cheddar cheese – Cheddar Gorge. At over 100 metres deep and 4.8 kilometres long, it is England’s largest gorge and makes for a thrilling road ride between its vertical limestone walls. There is even the option of climbing up to join a bridleway running right along the edge of the eastern cliffs. Down below, the Cheddar Yeo River flows through a huge underground

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CYCLING

Images © Emma Kingston and Rob Kingston

At over 100 metres deep and 4.8 kilometres long, Cheddar Gorge is England’s largest and makes for a thrilling road ride with its vertical limestone walls

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CYCLING Beautiful Brean Down

Gravel cruising on the Strawberry Line

river system, passing through some spectacular caverns in the process, including Gough’s Cave, home to Britain’s oldest complete skeleton, known as the Cheddar Man. Ironically, like all humans living across Europe 10,000 years ago, he would have been lactose intolerant. Before reaching the Mendip Hills proper, the route briefly joins the Strawberry Line, a popular cycleway which follows the line of the old Cheddar Valley Railway that once ran from Yatton through to Cheddar and Wells, before heading west to the coast. The cycleway gets its name from the sheer volume of locally grown strawberries that thrived in the sheltered fields and which the trains used to carry to markets around the country. Brean Down headland is an outlier, a continuation of the main limestone ridge, and it forms a natural pier jutting out into the Bristol Channel. Leaving Weston-super-Mare, the route uses the newly opened Brean Down Way, which crosses the River Axe over the Environment Agency’s sluices, now open to the public thanks to an agreement negotiated by North Somerset Council and the charitable group Greenways and Cycleroutes. There is the option to ride on Brean Beach if the tide is out, before the old military road takes you right out to the tip of the headland. There are abandoned fortifications to discover, fantastically curly-horned goats and views out to the islands of Flat Holm, Steep Holm and over to South Wales. Back east, the route joins the West Mendip Way over to Compton Bishop. After the easy riding of the Somerset Levels, the riding on the Mendip Hills changes up a gear and it’s a prolonged yet satisfying climb up under Crook Peak. The new permissive bridleway contours around Wavering Down on a narrow, wonderfully positioned trail with Glastonbury Tor visible in the distance. One section is on a serious camber, another navigates polished bedrock while yet another whips around gorse bushes in a series of tight twisting turns. At Cheddar Gorge, the route cuts diagonally above Cheddar and through Draycott Sleights Nature Reserve to reach the main grassy plateau. Once up, there is a brief detour to Townsend – home to the Priddy Good Farm Shop’s award-winning pies – before a straight ribbon of singletrack leads from the wireless station up to Beacon Batch and the highest point on the Mendips. A superb stretch of trail skirts the hillside above Goatchurch Cavern which is surprisingly technical in places, while a little further on, Rowberrow Warren has more singletrack to explore just off-route. Its waymarked trails have been developed by Ride Mendips, a charity established by a group of passionate local mountain bikers. Back on the Strawberry Line, the route passes right by Thatcher’s Cider farm, mill and orchards on the outskirts of Sandford. They run guided tours throughout the week, usually ending with the chance to sample some of their famous Somerset cider. Yatton railway station is only a few flat, easy kilometres away to the north as the trail passes through the flat Levels and leaves the Mendip Hills behind. 40 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Navigation The Strawberry Line is part of the National Cycle Network and is well signed. Also, the trail around Wavering Down is a new permissive bridleway and has clear wooden signposts.

When to ride

Other than the well-surfaced Strawberry Line and the Brean Down Way, trails in the Mendip Hills are predominantly grass-based. Ride here when it’s dry to experience the trails at their best.

Warnings

The route briefly joins the busy A370 to reach Bleadon Hill. Beach riding can be great fun but check tide times before attempting it, pay attention to warning signs about sinking sand and mud and remember to do a thorough post-ride bike clean. Bristol Airport and the M5 are nearby and can be fairly noisy depending on wind direction.

Water

Most of the water on the Mendips is underground due to the permeability of the limestone. However, there are regular places to fill up bottles in pubs, farm shops and cafes along the way.

Food and drink

• Brean Down Cafe (National Trust); 01278 751 897 • Bleadon Cafe; 01934 814 339 • The Almshouse Tea Shop, Axbridge; 01934 733 720 • The Original Cheddar Cheese Company, Cheddar; 01934 741 985 • Priddy Good Farm Shop, Priddy; 01749 870 171

Accommodation

• Batch Campsite, Churchill; 01934 852 466 • Mendip Camp, Shipham; 01934 251 783 • Petruth Paddocks Camping, Cheddar; 01934 257 055 • YHA Cheddar; 03453 719 730 • Extract adapted from Bikepacking England, £20, Vertebrate Publishing; keeprollingmtbblog.wordpress.com

Birnbeck Pier, Weston-super-Mare

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LEISURE & ENTERTAINMENT

To the oche!

As a new darts venue swings open its doors in the Old City, Millie Bruce-Watt finds an antidote to post-lockdown blues

orn Street – traditionally a honeypot for all things hospitality – is perpetually heaving at all hours thanks to its string of late-night hangouts that keep the party going. Offering everything from swanky cocktail bars to Vietnamese street food, Corn Street has been synonymous with a good night out. And now, with the arrival of one of London’s raved-about ‘social darts’ venues, Flight Club, another layer has been added to the Old City’s vibrant nightlife. With nothing of the sort quite like it in the centre, we were eager to discover more. After all, you can’t beat a bit of bully. The launch saw the space, designed by the guys behind Dishoom and Zetter Townhouse, unequivocally thrumming with optimism. Stepping through the doors was like stepping through the looking glass, straight into a Victorian fairground. Its deep mahogany backboards, colourful stained glass windows and merry-go-roundinspired lighting were combined with the nostalgic warmth of a British pub, somehow giving it the high-energy ambience of a Las Vegas nightclub. The music was enticing, the chatter lively and the party in no sight of ending. Flight Club has supercharged the traditional game and created an immersive experience for both rookies and ace dartists to enjoy. Choose from multi-player game options including Snakes and Ladders and Quack Shot and watch as Flight Club’s patented dart tracking technology, designed by its very own astrophysicist, calculates your scores – no longer any need for our debatable maths skills! After spending the first 10 minutes of our 90-minute slot taking the perfect picture for our player icons, our group of six had ample time to play a couple of games of Demolition. The aim: demolish your on-screen tower of 180 bricks in the fewest darts possible. First to hit exactly zero is crowned the winner. What we found most impressive, however, was the high-res cameras that were poised and ready to capture every fluke bullseye we managed. These action replays were then sent to our email address as ready42 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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for-the-gram ‘stories’ 48 hours later – pretty neat. At the touch of a button labelled ‘more food and drink’, a waiter was with us in seconds. With everything from Korean beef skewers and sharing platters to Margherita and ’nduja sausage pizza paddles on the menu, we tucked into some divine flavours. The vegans and veggies among us also eyed up vegetable gyozas with ponzu dipping sauce and barbecue-marinated aubergine tacos with mango salsa. After some refreshing prosecco and one of the smoothest espresso martinis in town, it was fair to say we were fans of Flight Club.

Stepping through the doors was like stepping through the looking glass, straight into a Victorian fairground

This vibrant spot has a guest capacity of 200. Its seven sizeable playing areas or ‘oches’, which were cocooned in chunky leather booths, meant there was plenty of space to enjoy the buzz. For parties looking to celebrate in style, Flight Club also offers private rooms and tall tables at the large feature bar. It’s hard to visit this establishment and not be thoroughly impressed by the staff’s enthusiasm. Eager to accommodate, their energy is a major attraction point. Ultimately, we found Flight Club a refreshing antidote to a year in lockdown; catching up with friends over a drink and an evening of fun and games in the latest inner-city wonderland. • Each oche holds up to 12 guests. Flight Club recommends booking social darts for 90 minutes; £10 per person. Advance booking essential; flightclubdarts.com

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FOOD & DRINK TASTY TIDBITS FROM THE CITY’S RESTAURANTS, CHEFS AND PRODUCERS

Haveli in central Bristol is run by Amir and Shahid Farooq, previously of Rajpoot

SAVOUR THE INDIAN STREET

HOLIDAY AT HOME

As many people are feeling the absence of Spanish holidays, Iberian beer brand Estrella Galicia has launched a special gastronomy month by way of delicious compensation. A celebration of the UK’s burgeoning Spanish food scene, it will take place throughout September across the nation’s most exciting Spanish restaurants, with diners journeying through the country’s cuisine, meeting great chefs Tuna tartare and learning about food and beer pairing via ajo blanco tasting menus and tapas tours hosted by Estrella from Bar 44 Galicia chef ambassadors. Each event will celebrate Estrella Galicia beers, paired with the best in Spanish gastronomy, and their ability to elevate a dining Oli has experience. Weekend tapas tours offer the chance to discover a number of the worked city’s best tapas bars in one day. Bristol’s Longest Lunch Tapas Tour will see guests in wine hop from Bar 44 to Gambas on a private boat, and there will be a range of tasting for years menus at the best Spanish restaurants – some tapas-style and some a little more and has now started his formal but all designed to send the senses all the way to Madrid – plus an at-home own business masterclass with Spanish restaurant Iberica. Events start at £30. • estrellagaliciabeer.co.uk/gastronomymonth

A new restaurant has opened in central Bristol – a stone’s throw from the Bristol Royal Infirmary on Upper Maudlin Street – aiming to bring a vibrant, exciting experience to its diners. Born and bred in Bristol, owners Shahid Farooq and his 18-year-old son Amir fell in love with the central Bristol community and everything about it. Farooq, having previously run Rajpoot in Clifton and Oh! Calcutta on Cheltenham Road, wants to make Haveli a place to appreciate the beautiful, authentic, rich flavours and spices of the Indian street in a stylish lounge setting. “We hope we fit right in and can contribute all we have to this new venture,” he says. “Bristol, we hope you can welcome us with open arms – we will not disappoint!”

Kibou Japanese Kitchen & Bar arrives in Bristol next month, bringing a contemporary taste of Tokyo to Clifton Village. Opening on 4 October in King’s Road, the restaurant has been developed by the team behind the award-winning Kibou Restaurant & Bar in Cheltenham, renowned for its sushi rolls, exotic cocktails and equally exotic interiors. Designed to transport guests to the eclectic streets of Japan, Kibou’s handpainted murals depict Count us the country’s streetlife, while a network of vibrant in, Kibou! Japanese acers adds to the glamour. Centring on sushi such as the popular ‘volcano roll’ – salmon, avocado and tobiko futomaki, tempura fried – the menu also features other classic and contemporary dishes, including steaming bowls of ramen, freshly prepared katsu curry, pillowy bao buns and handmade gyozas. A standalone bar will serve Japanese whisky, sake and beers, authentic highballs and Japanese-inspired cocktails.

• havelitheyard.com

• kibou.co.uk

WONDERFUL ONE-POT IDEA Bristol’s vibrant food culture is wellpublicised, but for thousands of people across the city, it’s a world away. With this in mind, a new local organisation is aiming to build one central pot to tackle food inequality linked to factors such as class, ethnicity, physical ability and more. By connecting the efforts already in place, and recruiting a citizens panel to choose which new projects to support, it aims to ensure that everyone can access affordable, healthy food. Bristol has an

A TASTE OF TOKYO IN CLIFTON

amazing charitable and community ethos, but to make a real impact, there needs to be a way to focus resources, and give power to those who are so often disempowered by the structure of society. Bristol Local Food Fund is being run by a small group of volunteers working in partnership with Quartet Community Foundation, Burges Salmon, Bristol City Council, Feeding Bristol and Bristol Food Network. A crowdfunder campaign will launch online this month for six weeks, with the goal of raising an initial £100,000. First on the agenda will be appointing the citizens panel – made up of people from across the city with lived

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experience of the issues at hand. “With something like 13,000 households experiencing food insecurity, we need to do more to support the communities being left behind due to structural racism, inequality and inadequate infrastructure,” said founder Mike Lloyd-Jones. “Covid-19 made the situation worse – new projects emerged but now we need to build on that momentum and make sure everyone’s voices are heard.” If you want to help the gang get started, take five minutes to check out their Twitter survey and help support Bristol Local Food Fund. • Twitter: @bristolfoodfund

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Eating out – review

Coppa Club

Cosy and cool in equal measure, this capacious all-day dining venue is a quality new addition to Clifton Village

e were quick to warm to the Regent Street newcomer finding its feet in Clifton on the weekday evening we popped up to Coppa Club for dinner. Abuzz with Thursday-is-the-new-Friday festivity, it felt good to see fresh life breathed into the huge space that housed Pizza Express for years. The restaurant has been pretty radically revamped and gone is the monochrome Noughties minimalism in favour of bright colour and inviting texture – fat velvet furnishings in burnt orange, cyan and ochre, statement mirrors, and floor-to-ceiling plants (we’re told Bristol Green Fingers is a great Facebook group to join for getting your hands on these) including olive trees at the door. It’s an all-day joint with pleasant workspace for encouraging the Village community to congregate for the daily grind (coffee, you understand: working here surely would be far from a tiresome trial). It’s elegant, polished – not showy, ostentatious – with a young staff eager to please. We had a couple of batida coladas in an effort to compensate for 2021’s bypassed summer holiday indulgence and, with two kinds of Caribbean rum, condensed milk, mango puree and lime, they almost did the trick, setting the bar to ‘sumptuous’. Continuing the feel of foreign climes, we segued into starters of truffle and smoked mozzarella arancini – the truffle refreshingly apportioned so as to

Soft ears of pasta with buttery broccoli, chilli and garlic

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characterise rather than overpower – and seared king prawns that brought Mediterranean memories to mind. Garlicky, lemony goodness had soaked into the hunk of bread the shrimp was piled up on; chilli and parsley teaming up to upgrade the mouth party. A generous plateload of linguine, enlivened by capers, chilli and anchovy, followed for main, under a fistful of hand-picked white Devon crab meat. Far and away the stand-out dish was the orecchiette con cime di rapa: soft ears of pecorino-covered pasta with salty, buttery tenderstem broccoli, gently elevated with chilli and garlic. Once we’d admitted defeat and abandoned our dishes, there was no discussion over dessert. It was not needed, but such is our weakness for words deliciously strung together on a menu that, after a subtle point of the finger, dessert arrived anyway. More puzzling still, during a period of idle post-prandial gossip, the soft, zingy orange polenta cake, glistening with honey drizzle – it also came with a blood moon of crimson scorched fig in a small pool of cool yogurt – disappeared completely. It did require the undoing of trouser buttons, but we had no issue with that, nor the following hour spent digesting over in the cosy snug, which we’ve very much got our eyes on for remote working this autumn. n • coppaclub.co.uk

Perfectly pink. Roast lamb rump with mashed potato and rosemary

Clevedon Marine Lake: probably our favourite local infinity pool NO¯ 202

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INDIAN KITCHEN & BAR

NOW OPEN

BRING THE TAPROOM HOME Delivering a selection of beers from the fantastic Bristol breweries to your fridge Chose the box that suits your taste, whether you’re here for pale and crispy pours or enjoy rich, silky numbers too. Subscriptions are available so you’ll have a new and exciting lineup to taste each month. Free delivery to most Bristol postcodes. Use offer code HELLOBRISTOL for 10% off your first box.

Bristolbeerbox.com

Authentic food inspired by the hustle & bustle of South Asia 4-10 Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol, BS2 8DJ Tel: 01179300298 www.havelitheyard.co.uk haveli.the.yard

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SEPTEMBER 2021

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 45

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FOOD & DRINK | RECIPES

Fuelling young warriors

Bristol cookery teacher and food writer Jenny Chandler’s new book is all about putting plants on plates, smiles on faces and fire in little bellies in the name of fighting for the planet

t’s widely accepted that getting children to eat their greens is a challenge at the best of times and yet Bristol cookery teacher and food writer Jenny Chandler’s latest book is one for kids, filled with vegetable recipes. She reckons parents may be surprised, once they try dishes such as the Vietnamese summer rolls below – where the vegetables take the starring role rather than acting as a sidekick – to find the veg are far more likely to get eaten. Green Kids Cook aims to teach children how to cook and eat food that’s as good for them as it is for the planet, with a view to encouraging an engaged new generation – “climate change warriors rather than worriers”. Cooking is a vital life skill that’s too often neglected, and kids who cook, and understand where their food comes from, not only have a head start when they set out into the world to fend for themselves, they’re also more likely to eat well and thrive as they grow up. Jenny has spent years sharing her experience and passion for promoting plant-based tucker with adults and children alike. Having trained at Leith’s School of Food and Wine, where she’s now a visiting lecturer, and cheffed on sailboats and distant shores, she’s now also a teacher in various primary school classrooms. Her focus

is the undeniable environmental and health benefits of plant-rich diets, and to these ends she works with catering industry chefs too, creating more sustainable menus for our favourite restaurants. The new book isn’t directed at vegetarians or vegans (although virtually none of the recipes contain meat or fish) but is about getting more plants on plates, since most diets in the western world are woefully lacking in natural fruit and veg. We reckon you’ll have a lot of fun along the way, with fun sewing projects, foraging tips and instructions on how to sprout your own pulses, in addition to dozens of healthy, sustainable recipes which come with handy variations and eco tips on how to do your bit and make a difference. • Recipe extracts from Green Kids Cook by Jenny Chandler, £14.99, published by Pavilion Books, photography by Kirstie Young.

Vietnamese summer rolls (makes 12 servings)

Summer rolls are so crunchy and refreshing. You can fill them with whatever veggies you fancy, or need to use up. Wrapping and rolling rules: imagine that your wrap is a round face. Place the filling where a mouth would be. Don’t over-fill. Then... chin up. Fold the bottom of the wrap up, pushing the edge of the wrap right over the filling. Ears in. And roll. And that’s a wrap... Boom! Boom!

Ingredients 100g dried rice vermicelli noodles 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1⁄2 tsp sesame oil Pinch of sugar 24 mint leaves 24 coriander leaves 12 x 20cm rice sheets (sometimes called spring roll wrappers) Veggies: at least six, such as... 3 spring onions 1 large carrot, peeled 1⁄2 cucumber 1 red or yellow pepper 12 small lettuce leaves Handful of beansprouts Your chosen dipping sauce to sauce Other veg alternatives could include: 2 handfuls of shredded red cabbage 1 avocado 6 radishes 24 mangetouts or sugar snap peas 46 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

Method • Put the noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for about 5 minutes or until they soften, then rinse and drain them in a sieve under cold running water. • Put the noodles back into the bowl and sprinkle over the soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. • Slice your chosen vegetables into matchsticks, or thin slices if it’s easier, and place in neat piles on a tray, along with the mint and coriander leaves. • Half-fill a roasting tin with warm water. Dip a rice sheet into the water until it begins to soften (about 15 seconds), then lift it carefully across to a clean chopping board. So here we go: herbs + veggies + noodles + more veggies and now it’s time to... wrap and roll! Remember... practice makes perfect (and if they do collapse, you could always get a bit of practice in with your chopsticks). Place a small pile of the fillings in the lower third of the rice sheet and roll it up. • Serve your summer rolls with one of the dipping sauces. n

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Veg is centre stage in these gorgeous, colourful rolls

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FOOD & DRINK | RECIPES

Baked amaretti plums (makes 4 servings)

The traditional Italian cookies called amaretti are perfect for crumbling over fruit before baking. Their almond flavour works magic with stone fruit, such as apricots, peaches, nectarines and plums, so do swap the recipe around depending on what fruit you can find locally.

8-10 plums 50g amaretti or ratafia cookies (the crisp type) 2 tbsp butter 200ml water 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp muscovado sugar

Method • Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/gas mark 4. Then cut the plums in half and remove the stones. • Crunch up the amaretti using a pestle and mortar or by putting them in a bag and crushing with a rolling pin.

• Arrange the plums, cut-sides up, in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle over the amaretti, filling the middle of the plums. • Cut the butter into tiny pieces. Pop the pieces, along with a pinch of sugar, on top of each plum half. • Mix the water and balsamic vinegar in a glass and tip into the bottom of the oven dish. • Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the fruit is soft and the crumbs are crunchy and golden. • Serve hot or cold with the sweet and sour juices and some ice cream, yogurt or custard. n

Food photography by Kirstie Young

Ingredients

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SEPTEMBER 2021

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 47

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FOOD & DRINK

For the love of brewing

From the Courage monopoly to rumours of revolution and a flourishing new brew culture, Andrew Swift charts Bristol’s beer history

ne of my earliest memories of Bristol is of walking along the harbourside, when it was undeveloped and still looked like a working port. What I remember being struck by most, though, was a rich, tangy aroma hanging in the air, which came, I discovered, from Courage’s brewery, rearing fortress-like above the river. When I was eventually able to satisfy my curiosity and sample Courage’s brews in the city’s pubs, I soon found that it was difficult to drink much else. Courage owned over 80% of Bristol’s pubs and stood on a site where a brewery had been established around 1730. In 1788, it was taken over by Philip George, and George’s it remained until it was swallowed up by Courage’s in 1961. By then, it was the largest brewery in the South West and the only one left in Bristol, having seen off or absorbed its competitors. Even if you found a Bristol pub that wasn’t owned by Courage’s, beer styles had, in most cases, been whittled down to one – bitter. It could have been worse, though. If the Campaign for Real Ale hadn’t taken up the cudgels for cask-conditioned beer back in 1971, carbonated keg beer would have been all that was on offer. As the demand for real ale grew, a new generation of small brewers sprang up. In Bristol, these included the Fleece & Firkin on Thomas Street, Hardington’s in Bedminster and Smiles in Colston Yard. Sadly, the only survivor from those times is Bath Ales, which has been brewing in South Gloucestershire since 1998. Courage was still the major player, though. It was hard to imagine a day when, like the docks, it would be part of history. Then, in May 1999, it was announced that production would be transferred to Tadcaster in Yorkshire, and the brewery closed. It was clear that the future of brewing in the city would be very different, but for the time being, things went on much as before. The first sign of things to come was in 2004, when Zerodegrees opened a brewpub in an old tramshed on Colston Street, brewing

Small Bar on King Street and, right, brewing at Bristol’s newest brewery Newtown Park

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such exotic offerings as black lager and mango beer. The conversion of the tramshed into a bar-cum-brewery was the work of the architect (and later mayor) George Ferguson, who was also planning to open his own brewery across the river in Bedminster. The Bristol Beer Factory (BBF), which he set up with Simon Bartlett, occupied part of the former Ashton Gate Brewery, which had been taken over by George’s and closed in 1933. Here the emphasis was on traditional beer styles – not just golden ales and bitters but those that had fallen out of favour, such as milk stouts and brown ales. The next brewery to open was in 2007, when Arbor Ales was established at the Old Tavern in Stapleton. Since then, it has moved three times, to larger premises, and since 2015 has occupied a halfacre site in Easton. The following year, Great Western Brewery was set up at Hambrook, where it still operates today, although it is shortly to move to a new Hop Union Brewery in Brislington. Then, in January 2010, Glen Dawkins, the owner of Dawkins Taverns – five traditional Bristol pubs with an emphasis on real ale – took over a brewery at Timsbury, which he later relocated to Easton. By now, with five breweries based in and around the city, prospects for Bristol’s beer drinkers had never been better. Rumours of a revolution that had long been brewing across the Atlantic, however, were growing ever more insistent. The term ‘craft beer’ had been coined in America to describe beer brewed by small, independent, innovative brewers. It soon assumed an international dimension, with brewers adopting, adapting and assimilating beer styles from around the world, using a seemingly endless array of new hop varieties, and adding the most unlikely ingredients to their brews. Very little of what they produced tasted much like a pint of Courage Best – even worse, for some real-ale aficionados, most of it was technically keg beer, even though its resemblance to old-style keg was even more distant.

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LHG brew action and, right, George’s Brewery in the 18th century

Bath Ales, despite its continued commitment to cask-conditioned beer, embraced the challenge, opening Bristol’s first craft beer bar – Beerd on St Michael’s Hill – in December 2011, and setting up a microbrewery – also called Beerd – to supply some of its beers. Other pubs also installed craft beer taps, but it was not until the following October that the next craft beer bar – part of the Brewdog chain – opened on Baldwin Street. It was in 2013 though, that craft beer really took off. In July, a craft beer bar called Crofter’s Rights opened on Stokes Croft. Over the next five months, three more – the Beer Emporium, the Royal Navy Volunteer and Small Bar – opened on King Street. New breweries were opening as well, such as Wiper & True, whose founder, Michael Wiper, had a long-standing interest in the fermentation and ageing of beers in the Lambic tradition. Then there was the New Bristol Brewery, whose recognisable logo (gorilla in a spacesuit) neatly encapsulated their commitment to exploring the further reaches of the beer universe. In 2014, one of the South West’s best-known breweries, Moor, relocated from the Somerset Levels to a purpose-built brewery behind Temple Meads. Justin Hawke, its owner, hailed from California and was a driving force behind breaking one of the British beer industry’s most entrenched taboos – serving a hazy pint. At one time, a hazy pint almost invariably meant that yeast or other unwelcome substances were swirling around in your beer; in the case of Moor, it means that finings (made from dried fish swim bladders) haven’t been used to make it crystal clear and, by doing so, reducing the flavour. Vindication for his stance came in 2017 from the British Guild of Beer Writers, who named Moor brewery of the year, and today most craft beer is unfined. In 2015, Good Chemistry Brewery opened in St Philips. The following year, Annie Clements and Alex Troncoso from Australia opened Lost & Grounded in Brislington, specialising in lagers and Belgian-inspired ales. By now the tide seemed unstoppable. Between 2017 and 2019 no fewer than eight breweries opened in Bristol, and Tim Webb, one of the world’s leading beer writers, hailed Bristol as ‘the top city in the country for beer culture’ – not just because of the number of breweries, but because they were ‘all making different types of beer which cover the whole spectrum of craft beer and traditional beer’. One thing these breweries had in common was a spirit of cooperation, sharing production facilities and collaborating on new brews. Many of those involved also started off as home brewers – such as Richard Poole, who in 2013 started a nanobrewery (with a half-gallon production capacity) called Rocket Science in his garage at Yate. Despite supplies being limited, his beers were soon gaining rave reviews, and, when he dropped into Small Bar on King Street and asked if they wanted to stock them, they asked him if he fancied being involved in a brewery they were planning to set up in the pub. The rest, as they say, is history. He was appointed head brewer and in 2017 the brewery – Left Handed Giant (LHG) – moved to a site in St Philips. Two years later, a new brewery, along with a brewpub, opened in the compressor room of the former Courage

There can be no more eloquent testament to the vitality and viability of craft beer in the city than the decision of Michael McKelvaney and Lara Light-McKelvaney to open a new brewery at the height of the pandemic brewery. Needless to say, the significance of the location was not lost on them, and they declared themselves ‘very honoured to be breathing life back into a space with such brewing significance, after the smell of sweet wort has been absent in this site for 20 years.’ Such was the momentum of the Bristol brewery scene that, when the pandemic struck, the brewers found new ways to get beer to their customers, and their customers were only too happy to support them. There can be no more eloquent testament to the vitality and viability of craft beer in the city than the decision of Michael McKelvaney and Lara Light-McKelvaney to open a new brewery – Newtown Park – at the height of the pandemic. Occupying the former LHG brewery in St Philips, they launched, with their Italian head brewer, Virginia Casadio, a range of beers that, at a time when much of the hospitality industry was in the doldrums, was soon winning glowing reviews. Now, as restrictions ease, their brewery and taproom are firmly established as part of the Bristol beer scene. Brewing is one of Bristol’s oldest industries, but it’s probably changed more in the last 25 years than at any time in its history. Whether your preference is for the traditional or cutting edge, there has never been a better time to discover the wealth of what Bristol’s brewers have to offer. All the breweries mentioned have websites and many have tap rooms. The best place to keep up with them is Pints West magazine, via camrabristol.org.uk ■

Left Handed Giant (established in 2019) occupies part of the former Courage Brewery

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SEPTEMBER 2021

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 49

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MOTORING

Charging ahead

The all-electric Q4 e-tron is one of the most significant car launches Audi has ever made, and is poised to shape the future of motoring. This could well be your next car. Words by Dara Foley

Audi’s intent to offer a full quality car, packed with well-conceived features, and at a price that is more reasonable, clearly demonstrates how important this launch is. Q4 e-tron prices start from just over £42,000 which means – especially in the company car class with extra incentivised P11d benefit – it’s competing heavily on price and with all its upgraded features, attempts to eclipse its premium competitors. In fact, Andrew Doyle, director of Audi UK, says that the company forecasts this will be its second most popular car by sales volume in the UK after the A3. That, over the coming years could make it the most in popular EV of the 2020s.

Images by TBM, Audi

udi has certainly played the waiting game when it comes to all-electric vehicles. The brand – although developing an EV strategy with group partners like VW and Skoda – has been patiently keeping its cards close while the other manufacturers have been rushing out their electric and hybrid offerings, often directing their efforts at the luxury end of the market. After all, until now that’s where the money was. But where the real battle to transition from internal combustion to greener motoring will take place is at the entry level and middle market for new car sales. Mitigating climate change needs to be in the hands of the masses.

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MOTORING

Piqued interest and demand is certainly there too. Audi’s launch comes at a point when customer attitudes to cleaner, greener cars are changing fast. All the key points of resistance, such as price, charging point availability, battery technology, range and even the ‘let’s wait and see’ mindset (a bit like flatscreen TVs) are all being addressed, not to mention the shame of having to buy new fossil fuel vehicles when the world around us seems so very fragile. On merit alone, the Q4 e-tron is a remarkable SUV, sized as you might imagine, somewhere between the Q3 and Q5. It has handsome Audi styling and there’s a full array of trim options in the range, as well as add-on packs for extra tech and features, motor and battery power variations as well plenty of driver comfort upgrades – and there is a pacy-looking Sportback version. For most however, the standard options will tick all the boxes and the features stack up well against Audi’s competitors. Inside the car is typical Audi quality. It is sleek and comfortable as well as spacious. As the transmission comes direct from motor to wheel there is no need for the transmission ‘tunnel’ so the rear floor is completely flat, giving plenty of leg room for all three rear passengers. The boot is cavernous enough for a fully luggaged family, and throughout the car there are clever little stowage compartments. With its clean lines, the dashboard looks uncluttered and simple, however, tap the brake pedal (the car senses the proximity key – still in your pocket – and is ready to go) and the dash illuminates and comes to life… all very high-tech and space-age. In fact, the driver is thoroughly spoiled with a futuristic dash featuring Audi’s famous configurable virtual cockpit. There’s also a large 10.1-inch touch-screen infotainment system, and a very cool HUD (heads up display) option which uses augmented reality to project driver information seemingly onto the road, and the steering wheel has touch-sensitive controls. There’s a lot of innovation to take in, but it is intuitively designed and does not overwhelm – although even I, rather embarrassingly, could not work out how to turn the radio off. Everything else was quickly mastered – even the regenerative braking paddle system mounted behind the steering wheel. The footbrake habit is a tricky one to give up, though. With the HUD also comes a number of driver safety features such as the lane deviation sensor – intelligent metrics monitor the white lines on the road ahead and let you know if you are drifting lanes with a vibrating prompt through the steering wheel. It reminds you of speed limits and when approaching a give way or roundabout, the car will automatically assist braking – this bit can be overridden by tapping the accelerator like cruise control, but really, why would you want to? However the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system is

there to protect pedestrians, cyclists and avoid potential collisions. While the car is just a short step from fully-automated there still remains the joy of driving; for example, acceleration is an instantaneous straight line when there is no gear change to perform. Thanks to the adaptive suspension system and considering the battery weight, the drive is very comfortable. The dense centre of gravity does give it a sportier feel, gripping the road nicely and manoeuvring around town is easy with a tight turning circle and parking made possible by having the rear wheel drive. Refined padding throughout negates any noise and vibration. Inside is noticeably quiet and utterly serene... I had now worked out how to turn the radio volume to silent. The Q4 e-tron range boasts really good sound systems and there’s even a top quality Sonos option, but for most, the standard options will suffice as there’s very little background noise to contend with. The distance range on a full charge depends on the battery power and motor combinations but the entry level ‘35’ version with a 58kWh power pack and a 168bhp motor gives a quoted 211-mile range on a single charge, while the other higher spec models – ‘40’ and ‘50’ versions – claim just over 300-mile range. Yes, EVs do require an organised attitude to charging, and you might experience ‘range anxiety’ on longer journeys but the ingenious myAudi app on your smartphone will help direct you to a nearby charging point in any emergency and will also tell you if it’s available. The e-Tron Charging Service (eCS) network accesses 175,000 charging points across Europe and connects with some of the largest charging networks in the UK such as BP Pulse. The chances are you are more sensible than you think and will plan accordingly and trickle-charge overnight at home. Interestingly, various energy companies such as Octopus Energy are working to combine EV charging with domestic supply tariffs at very attractive green energy prices. To help customers make the switch, Audi is currently offering a free 7kW Solo wall charger to all new qualifying customers (and fleet customers) who order a vehicle by 31 December 2021. Overall, the barriers, excuses and preconceptions of EVs are being stripped away and we’ll all need to embrace, sooner rather than later, the change to electric motoring. Audi has a great product here and it’s one that you will like and that’s well worth exploring. Go Bristol, lead the charge. ■

• Bristol Audi, Lysander Road, Cribbs Causeway, Bristol BS10 7FF; monmotors.com/audi THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

SEPTEMBER 2021

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 51

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BRISTOL UPDATES NEWS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

CONGRATULATIONS IN ORDER A local provider of pre-natal ultrasound scanning services has been recognised by the The Gloucestershire Business Awards – now in its 24th year. Imaginatal has made the finalist list for an award in business innovation, and is up against two other businesses. The awards aim to celebrate enterprises from across the county – an especially important goal after the rollercoaster 2021 has been for small businesses. Over 100 different organisations, across dozens of different sectors, were submitted for the competition. “It has been such a tough 18 months and we are incredibly proud of how resilient our team has been throughout Covid,” said the Imaginatal team. The results will be announced in a live ceremony on 15 September – good luck, guys!

• bristol.gov.uk Image: Qezia Gill

Imaginatal provides pre-natal scanning for expectant mothers

Babbasa and the City Office have launched ‘Our City 2030’, a bold, positive target to support at least one person from each inner-city Bristol household to secure a median salary (£30,353) by 2030. It aims to catalyse systemic change, inspiring citizens and businesses to pursue a fairer future for young people. An online launch event was held to bring together city stakeholders and discuss initial ideas on how to get more young people into meaningful employment and training; increase representation in the workplace; drive city strategy for more purposeful cross-sector collaboration; and make opportunities fairer and more inclusive. “This vision aims to create real change across the city, taking individuals and families away from the poverty line,” says Poku Osei, founder and CEO at Babbasa. “‘Our City 2030’ provides Bristol with a unique convening platform for businesses, community partners, education providers, funders, policymakers and young people to directly work together; to increase representation within the workplace, and reduce prejudice and inequality in the city we all love.”

• imaginatal.co.uk; Twitter: @imaginatal The target aims to catalyse systemic change and a fairer future for young people

BOOST FOR THE VISUAL ARTS The West of England Visual Arts Alliance has been awarded £1.18 million by Arts Council England to transform the future of visual arts in Bristol – making it more progressive, sustainable and inclusive and and ensuring ambition and opportunity is thriving in the region by 2024. A new consortium partnership of nine organisations across the region has also been formed to bring about this step change. Co-led by Spike Island and Visual Arts South West, partners include The Brunswick Club, Creative Youth Network and Culture Weston. Critical opportunities – artist development programmes; mentoring and skills workshops; research and development bursaries; commissioning and exhibition opportunities; positive action policies designed to remove barriers for underrepresented groups – will enable artists, curators and young people to achieve their potential. “This gives us an exceptional opportunity to build a more resilient, progressive and inclusive sector,” said Robert Leckie, Spike Island director. “We can't wait to start delivering on the many exciting projects and opportunities that this funding enables.”

PEACE OF MIND MW Estate Planning has opened a new branch of its successful estate planning business, covering the Bristol area. Justin Hennessey will be running the local office, providing wills, powers of attorney and trusts to the community. “I am looking forward to meeting new clients and building my business, providing a cost effective and ethical service,” said Justin, a member of the Society of Will Writers who is supported by Matthew Wildeman, a STEP qualified will writer. “With 65% of people not having wills, it’s great to now be able to offer our services to the people of Bristol,” added Matthew. For more information or a free consultation, get in touch on 0117 9902113 or justin.hennessey@mwestateplanning.co.uk • mwestateplanning.co.uk

• vasw.org.uk

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FOOD SCIENCE

Futuristic fungi

With its superfood status and mycelium-made vegan leather goods, sustainable furniture and future habitats on Mars, it seems the humble mushroom is not so humble after all. A large number of scientists are now researching its applications – food scientist Nina Miklos explains

n recent weeks Netflix has seen Fantastic Fungi – a lightly informative film prominently featuring perhaps the best-known mycologist in the world, Paul Stamets – added to its documentary section. Through animations of prehistory, vibrant time-lapses of growing mushrooms and interviews with other fungi enthusiasts, the functions of fungi that extend beyond simple, everyday kitchen use are explored. The film only scratches the surface, or rather undersurface, of the ways in which members of the fungi kingdom can be harnessed for sustainable purposes. Scientists have recently discovered and studied fossils that confirm a fungal presence in what’s now the Democratic Republic of Congo 800 million years ago, although others suggest fungi date back as early as 2.4 billion years ago. Surprisingly, they have been found to share more DNA with us, as opposed to plants, which we might expect. Mushrooms themselves are the fruiting bodies of fungal networks called mycelia, which are their extremely fine, root-like fibres that disperse far and wide underground. Mushrooms crop up for the fungal body to reproduce and form the particulate spores that are carried by the wind. The mycelia grow to source and satisfy the nutrient requirements of the fungus. They excrete enzymes to digest their food source, recycling soil nutrients and even storing atmospheric carbon in the process. Mushrooms are extremely nutritious, boasting richness in the B vitamins and therefore proving highly beneficial to our immune systems. Like humans, mushrooms possess the capacity to harness vitamin D from sunlight, making UV-exposed mushrooms the only significant source of this super-important micronutrient in the vegetable aisle. Just recently, Bristol was awarded Gold Sustainable Food City status, so it perhaps comes as no surprise that the city has roots in

Nebraska student Katy Ayers created a canoe using fibrous mushroom roots (photo courtesy of M.Ayres)

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sustainable mushroom farming. Upcycled Mushrooms, a supplier of gourmet mushrooms to the city’s restaurants, actually creates value from local waste coffee grounds, using them as a substrate and source of growth for their oyster mushrooms. Owner Patrick Mallery has, however, also created a range of grow-your-own-athome kits that are perfectly safe and easy to use. It includes the UK’s first grow-kit for the mushroom species lion’s mane – considered to have medicinal benefits when consumed. These are extremely rare and legally protected in the wild. The Bristol Fungarium is another cultivator of a diverse range of high-quality mushrooms, supplying the three Better Food groceries and cafes dotted around the city. The fungi kingdom, most recently estimated to comprise 3.8 million species, is therefore deemed to be nature’s greatest decomposer. In fact, the ability to break down foreign substances is so potent, researchers have found numerous mushrooms capable of digesting plastic into organic matter. They are the perfect candidate for bioremediation [the use of living organisms in the removal of contaminants from natural environments] projects of the future. Mycofiltration is another example. Here mycelium is used in groundwater treatment as it has proven effective in extracting heavy metal contaminants. These particularly elegant and natural solutions for combating pollution, albeit slow by current industrial standards, have unfortunately attracted limited amounts of funding and attention; many mycologists believe the field has been long-neglected and largely overlooked. Mycelium-engineered replacements for plastics, wearable leathers, meat and beauty products are now widely available all over the world. The Magical Mushroom Company is the first UK partner of New York’s mycelium innovator Ecovative Design. Their Surreybased production plant specifically manufactures mushroom-based packaging, the likes of which is now used by companies such as Ikea

Ecovative and bioMASON mushroom furniture

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FOOD SCIENCE

The fungi kingdom, most recently estimated to comprise 3.8 million species, is deemed nature’s greatest decomposer

and Dell. This alternative to polystyrene, which takes up large amounts of landfill space and hundreds of years to decompose, can completely biodegrade at the end of its intended product life cycle. The levels of carbon emissions associated with agricultural farming and plastic manufacturing can be significantly reduced if fungalderived materials are employed as an alternative. For example, instead of using petroleum, fungi only require a waste source such as seed husks and straw to grow. Under remarkably low-energy conditions, the threadlike cells grow to fit the precise shape of the mould they inhabit within just five to seven days. Growth is stopped by either heat treatment or a dehydration process and the resulting product is hydrophobic and fire resistant.

Scientists can also inactivate certain fungal genes to observe whether this influences the material’s strength and density properties, so

‘smart home’ can be constructed this way, with the intelligent, conscious mycelium able to sense signals in the environment such as light, pollutants and temperature. It’s hoped that these signals can be then be transduced and converted to system outputs, such as the switching on of a light as it becomes dark outside. Professor Andrew Adamatzky, head of the project’s Bristol laboratory, assures us that the project is well underway. “If successful, the building as a whole will be able to recognise lighting levels, chemicals in the environment, the presence of people, and will respond to touch. Acting as a massively parallel computer, the building will control devices depending on the environmental conditions. For example, a warning light could be lit if high levels of air pollution were detected or inhabitants could be warned about high or low temperatures. It’s our vision for an alternative version of a smart home.” The research is being done in collaboration with academic partners in Denmark, Italy and the Netherlands, but it’s UWE Bristol’s Frenchay Campus that’s set to be the future home to a small-scale, living fungal building in years to come. ■

there’s still a lot of room for experimentation • Read the full Future of Mushrooms for Immunity: People and Planet report by The UK and Ireland Mushroom Producers via mushroomsaremagic.co.uk Even though the use of pure mycelium to produce building blocks that resemble the conventional masonry brick capable of supporting heavy structures remains futuristic, mycelium has most definitely emerged as a sustainable solution for green housing construction. Researchers are still developing unique mycelium blocks, since the rigidity and stiffness of the product can depend on both the fungal species used and the substrate it’s grown on. Scientists can also inactivate certain fungal genes to observe whether this influences the material’s strength and density properties, so there’s still a lot of room for experimentation. Often composited and compressed with other eco-materials, mycelium can create lightweight bricks, flooring, insulation and cladding structures that are fire safe, with a low thermal conductivity and high acoustic absorption. It isn’t wild to imagine, in fact now highly probable, that mycelium composites will soon play a role in housing in developing countries, and when temporary buildings are required – for instance those facilitating large sporting events that eventually require demolition. Researchers from UWE Bristol’s Centre of Unconventional Computing are in the midst of a project with fungi right at its heart, set to revolutionise the home as we know it. The EU Horizon 2020 project, FUNGAR (acronym for Fungal Architectures) involves building with mycelium, the key difference being that they are kept in a live state and integrated within a computer system. In theory, a

The Hy-Fi installation The Living at MoMA New York is a tower of ‘grown’ bio-bricks (photo by Amy Barkow)

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SPORT & EDUCATION

Bristol Bears Community Foundation works with over 8,000 people from the local community each year, contributing to the club’s vision to ‘inspire the community through rugby success’

The power of sport

The charities of the Bristol Sport Group have been working tirelessly to help the young people of Greater Bristol thrive inside and outside of the classroom. After a tumultuous year, we find out how intrinsic their work has been for so many

ome to Bristol City FC, Bristol Bears Rugby and Bristol Flyers Basketball, Bristol Sport has three charitable foundations that continue to deliver truly amazing work in the communities of Greater Bristol, using sport as an engagement tool to improve the fortunes of young people. Here, we take a look at each foundation to find out more about their educational work in the community, with insight from the people behind the scenes. Bristol Sport Foundation BSF is on a mission to use the power of sport to create active, healthy, happy communities. Its work has been especially vital throughout the past year as Tom Monks, head of programmes, tells us: “In a year of uncertainty, we have provided some ‘normal’ for all of the children we work with, whether in school, for children of key workers and vulnerable children, or through our community clubs, hubs and holiday camps. The importance of physical activity during this period has only been elevated and the feedback we’ve received from participants and partners has highlighted how much they’ve appreciated our PE lessons and community delivery.” But it’s not just all about sport, BSF has designed and delivered several impactful educational programmes including Reading Recovery. This collaborative project between BSF and its various corporate partners is helping primary school children aged between seven and 11 improve their literacy skills by giving them time to practice reading ‘one to one’ with a volunteer adult. Altogether, the programme has 56 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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delivered 256 hours of voluntary reading time in five wards of Greater Bristol. Not only has Reading Recovery had a significant positive impact on the reading levels of the children, but also on their social skills and confidence. As one headteacher put it: “The time they have invested in the children has increased their confidence and enhanced their love of reading. I cannot speak highly enough of the programme, the people involved and the impact it has had on the children at my school.” BSF also delivers a comprehensive teacher mentoring programme which has significantly increased both the knowledge and confidence of the individual primary school PE teachers that it has supported, ensuring that children receive outstanding PE provision. Bristol City Robins Foundation The Robins Foundation is the official charity of Bristol City Football Club, and its mission is to be a foundation right at the heart of its community. The education department has recently reached its 10th anniversary and offers exciting post-16 and higher education courses, with some being based at Ashton Gate Stadium and across different locations in Bristol. Polly Wardle is the head of education at the foundation and oversees the eight different programmes on offer including BTEC Level 2 in Sport and BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport. She explains the impact that the programmes have on young people. “Students from across Bristol, but especially from South Bristol, enrol on our programmes,” she says. “We provide an education for students in an alternative, inspirational environment. Students come to our

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programmes and wear the BCFC kit, they represent the badge, they play football three times a week, they study in smaller classes and build relationships with like-minded peers. “We consistently find that students who might not have engaged as well with their previous traditional educational environment come to us and thrive. As teachers we use the BCFC badge and the hook of football to engage them with their studies.”

BSF’s Reading Recovery programme is helping children aged between seven and 11 improve their literacy skills by giving them time to practice reading one-to-one with a volunteer adult

We consistently find that students who might not have engaged as well with their previous traditional educational environment come to us and thrive

Pupils studying with the foundation also have opportunities to engage outside of the classroom. “We pride ourselves on not just being an education provider but giving our students a holistic experience,” Polly adds. “We have a volunteering programme and offer students work experience on Bristol City home match days, on our community holiday camps, in schools with our delivery department or across other community events which the Robins Foundation delivers.” They even go on national and international trips. “At times this is the first time some of our students have left Bristol or travelled by plane. Our aim is to expose our students to experiences and opportunities which develop them not just academically, but also socially and personally.” The success of the programmes can be seen in the statistics – 56% of students who graduated from the post-16 provision are progressing onto higher education, which is in stark contrast to the South Bristol average of 16%. What’s more, as a testament to the fantastic work of the foundation, this summer 100% of post-16 students graduated, with 84% exceeding their target grades. “We couldn’t be prouder of these students and know they will progress to do fantastic things in their communities with the values and holistic provision that our staff have provided,” continues Polly. Looking to the future, the foundation has exciting plans to introduce a brand new BTEC Level 3 in Esports, which aims to provide an alternative provision for students within an industry experiencing rapid growth. Bristol Bears Community Foundation It is a similar story with the award-winning Bristol Bears Community Foundation, which harnesses the power of the Bristol Bears brand to work with over 8,000 people from the local community each year, contributing to the club’s vision to ‘inspire the community through rugby success’. Delivering a diverse range of programmes, the foundation serves the

In the post-Covid world, the foundation continues to have a productive impact

community across four key areas – education, participation, health, and inclusion – with its two flagship educational programmes Bright Sparks, an intervention aimed at secondary school children, and Premiership Rugby funded post-16 offering HITZ.

As teachers we use the BCFC badge and the hook of football to engage [students] with their studies

Transitioning all delivery online throughout the pandemic created a need for additional support from foundation colleagues in providing access to suitable devices, as well as training for young people to access online content. Working proactively with partner schools and education partners, the overwhelming majority of students were able to continue a level of virtual engagement that resulted in positive outcomes for all with reference to programme outcomes, positive mental health through well-planned enrichment activities, and not least, going some way in preventing anti-social behaviour. In the post-Covid world, the foundation’s programmes continue to have a constructive impact on the community, thanks, in part, to its ability to foster meaningful relationships, as Craig Capel, community development manager, says: “All of our programmes rely on building positive relationships as the very foundation of delivery and ultimately success. Establishing these relationships alongside maintaining high expectations of all students allows staff to really respond to the needs of each young person. Add to these the engagements from other partners including Avon & Somerset Police, Avon Fire & Rescue and Bristol Bears Men & Women, as well as a number of brilliant corporate supporters, the influence on the behaviours of our students continues to be fundamental to the success of our education offer.” The work of the foundation has manifested in some excellent results for this year’s cohort. With 90% of students achieving at least a level one qualification, 81% of students improved their attendance at their school or academy and 60% of post-16 students moved into employment or further training. One success story from this year has seen four students moving into apprenticeships or employment with local company Molson as a direct result of their involvement in the HITZ programme. “It is clear that our programmes, with the support of excellent corporate partners, provide unique experiences and meaningful opportunities for young people to improve their skills, qualities and pathways to further training and/or employment,” concludes Craig. • Find out more at: bristolsportfoundation.org; bcfc.co.uk; bristolbearsrugby.com; bristolflyers.co.uk THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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EDUCATION NEWS UPDATES FROM THE CITY’S SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES Students and researchers have until 14 November to submit their solution for one of four key categories of critical importance to the future of the space sector

A STEP INTO THE SPACE SECTOR

NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

YOU SAY GOODBYE, AND I SAY HELLO

TAKING THE STRESS OUT OF TUTORING

Maggie Edbrooke, deputy headteacher at Redmaids’ High Junior School, is retiring after 35 years. She joined the year it was founded, when there were just four staff members and three classes. Maggie was instrumental in developing the innovative curriculum, and this month passes the baton to Christopher Haynes, from Oliver House School in London. Christopher started his career in finance but changed direction after volunteering at a summer camp for disadvantaged children. Christopher is currently studying part-time for a master’s degree in educational leadership at Cambridge University. “I am delighted to be moving to Bristol to take up this position,” he said. “I am passionate about education and look forward to playing my part in seeing every pupil at Redmaids’ High Junior School thrive.”

Local family business Tutor Doctor Bristol has been recognised as the best one-to-one tutoring service provider in the South West at the Southern Enterprise Awards. The service stood out for going the extra mile this year to support students across Bristol. “The Tutor Doctor approach, and the way in which we tailor our service to our clients, has put us at the forefront of quality tutoring in Bristol,” said business owner Rachael Tan. “The fully vetted, local tutors we work with have subject matter expertise and are passionate about what they do. They take on not only the role of an academic guide but also a life skills mentor.” Over the course of the past year, and across intermittent school closures, Tutor Doctor adapted its tutoring model to fit the demands of virtual learning at home. The team focused on making the service accessible, flexible and easy to manage while students were restricted to learning within their homes. Acknowledging the additional stresses put upon students and families meant providing clients with additional support, such as tuition in additional subjects, tips and resources on maintaining good mental health, and inperson tuition for special needs students over lockdown while managing Covid risks. If you’d like Tutor Doctor to take the stress of finding the right tutor away, contact Rachael by telephone on 0117 325 3698 or email rtan@tutordoctor.co.uk

• redmaidshigh.co.uk

• tutordoctor.co.uk

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Cyber and security company Leonardo, based at Bristol Business Park, wants Bristol’s University students to apply for a unique new space technology competition that could be their first step into the global space industry – the chance to see their solutions turned into a live business project. The #T-TeC 2021 competition, supported by Leonardo and Telespazio, encourages a new generation of scientists and innovators across the globe by creating a bridge between the academic world of research and the innovative space sector. Students and researchers have until 14 November to submit their solution for one of four key categories of critical importance to the future of the space sector: space exploration, in-orbit servicing, geoinformation applications and platforms and space situational awareness and space traffic management. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges made up of representatives from Telespazio and Leonardo plus industry experts and some of the world’s most important space agencies, with cash prizes of €10,000, €6,000 and €4,000. There will also be the possibility of funding research contracts or collaborations for the most promising ideas. Leonardo’s space programme manager Keith Barnes supports technology that is being used on NASA’s Bennu Asteroid Spacecraft Osiris-Rex which is currently making its way back to Earth. Keith believes more people are being drawn to the space sector because it operates within such exciting fields of technology, covering everything from space travel and exploration to the environmental monitoring of our own planet. “Working in the space sector could supercharge the careers of a new generation of talent, as they will have the chance to work alongside world leading scientists and engineers, not just in the UK but all over the world,” he said. “We need to grow skills in the UK to bolster our economy and nurture international careers that push the boundaries of space innovation. The challenges set are exciting – I’m betting the solutions will be too!” • Leonardocompany.com • telespazio.com/en/innovation/openinnovation/ttec-2021

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BADMINTON SCHOOL

BRISTOL GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 3BA Tel: 0117 905 5271 Website: www.badmintonschool.co.uk Name of Principal: Mrs Rebecca Tear Day fees per term: £3,465 - £5,810 – nursery sessional fee: £29 per session. Boarding fees per term: £7,900 - £13,500 Religious denomination: Non-denominational

University Road, Bristol, BS8 1SR Tel: 0117 973 6006 www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk website@bgs.bristol.sch.uk Headmaster: Mr J M Barot Age of pupils: 4 – 18 years Number of pupils: 1,300 approx. Day fees: £2,992 - £5,159 per term The curriculum: The emphasis at Badminton is on a holistic education, not narrowly academic, and both the curriculum and the timetable are constructed to create a balance between academic achievement, personal development, life skills and other enterprising activity. Extra-curricular activities: The Enrichment programme is extremely important in the overall development of the girls at the School, as it provides opportunities to pursue wider interests and to contribute to the community. There are many activities on offer and they range from clubs with an academic bias such as model United Nations, Ancient Greek and science research to those that allow the girls to pursue creative interests, such as Leiths School of Cookery, art and drama. Music is also an important part of school life, with nearly 80% of girls learning at least one instrument during their time at Badminton. Pastoral care: The size of the campus and community at Badminton gives a homely and vibrant feel to the school. This, coupled with excellent pastoral care, leaves no scope for anonymity, but rather lends itself to strong mutually supportive relationships between girls as well as between girls and staff. Badminton wish every girl to feel happy and confident about her school life and work to ensure a well-ordered and supportive environment where girls are asked to take responsibility for themselves and others. This gives them opportunities to face challenge and build resilience. Outstanding characteristics: While Badminton retains a nationally outstanding academic record, the community gives girls a chance to develop an understanding of the viewpoints of others and to think about contributing to the world around them. Girls leave Badminton ready to face the changing and challenging wider world and, when they do, they take with them a strong network of lifelong friends developed through a wealth of shared experiences.

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Religious denomination: Non-denominational From their first lesson, aged four to eighteen and looking ahead to university and the wider world, BGS supports each child on their educational journey. Inspiring a love of learning and with a huge range of opportunities in and out of the classroom, every child can flourish. The curriculum: The infant curriculum covers all of the requirements of the national curriculum. Lessons are linked in to a topic-based curriculum, which allows the children to explore a particular area while linking the subjects into a topic. In the Junior School children enjoy a breadth of education that stretches far beyond the national curriculum. In the Senior School and Sixth Form pupils enjoy choice and opportunity. They can discover their strengths through a wide range of optional subjects, within a curriculum that encourages them to realise their potential, explore their ideas and take their learning as far as they can go. Pupils in the Sixth Form can choose to study either the International Baccalaureate Diploma or A levels. Extra-curricular activities: The curriculum is supported by an extensive extracurricular programme that includes activities such as photography, samba band, Bee Club, various sports, and many more. Scholarships and bursaries: Scholarships: A range of scholarships including Academic, Creative and Performing Arts, and Sport are available for entry into Year 7 and Year 9. Scholarships are also available for entry into the Lower Sixth. Bursaries: Families with a low or limited income can apply for a means-tested bursary through the bursary scheme. For further information or to arrange a visit, please contact Hollie Matthews in the Admissions Office on 0117 933 9885.

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BRISTOL STEINER SCHOOL

Redland Hill House, Redland Hill, Bristol BS6 6UX Tel: 0117 933 9990 www.bristolsteinerschool.org

CLIFTON HIGH SCHOOL

Name of Principal: Nicola Forder

College Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3JD Tel: 0117 973 0201 www.cliftonhigh.co.uk

Age of pupils: 3 - 11 years Number of pupils: 128 capacity School fees: Kindergarten £858 - £5,196 per annum. Primary £8,226 per annum

Name of Principal: Mr Matthew Bennett

Religious denomination: Non-denominational The curriculum: Bristol Steiner School is an independent day school for children from the age of 3 to 11. Fundamental to the Steiner Waldorf philosophy is the belief in a child-centred, relational approach to learning and a commitment to promoting the development of the whole child. This is embraced and cherished throughout all aspects of life at school, through lived values rooted in the delivery of contextual learning, with true meaning and purpose. Language and oracy play an important part in school life and children participate in activities that enhance this. Mathematics is taught in class and then used across the curriculum in woodwork, handwork and form drawing. Pupils learn science in class and through outdoor learning in the school garden. Eurythmy is an expressive artform that combines language, music and movement. Physical education, swimming, music and forest school complement the diverse curriculum. Extra-curricular activities: Outdoor learning in the school’s extensive gardens ais a staple of the curriculum which includes woodwork, handwork, scientific skills through gardening and forest school. Other activities that pupils can benefit from include music tuition, drama and capoeira. Pastoral care: Strong relationships are nurtured at school, where teaching and learning are seen as relational activities. Over the course of an education at Bristol Steiner School, pupils will be guided by just two class teachers. A kindergarten teacher nurtures pupils throughout their early years from the age of 3 to 6. A main school teacher then moves through the years with pupils from the age of 7 to 11. Pupils know all of the adults on site by name. Small class sizes promote the wellbeing and self-belief of each child. Outstanding characteristics: Bristol Steiner School provides pupils with the healthiest start in life by delivering a vibrant, uplifting, Steiner Waldorf education that integrates the virtues of academic achievement, emotional intelligence, wellbeing and individuality to benefit the whole child. The curriculum is intrinsically broad and effectively planned to engage pupils in their learning. Teachers build a strong understanding of each child and emphasise the personal development, self-confidence and capabilities of the individual. It is a school that celebrates individuality. The nurturing and warm setting, resonant of a village school environment, is what makes the school truly unique, offering a diverse alternative in an urban setting that places connectedness, wellbeing and happiness at the heart of our ambitions. The school provides the time and space to allow each child to grow and develop an appreciation of themselves and a genuine love of learning, as they journey through the school. Education is a journey, not a race.

Age of pupils: 3 - 18 years Number of pupils: 620 Day fees: £3620 - £5180 per term Religious denomination: Non-denominational The curriculum: Clifton High School is a leading independent, selective 3-18 co-educational school. Each year group benefits from a unique offering and small class sizes. There is an educationally focused year-round provision for The Hive; nursey Pre-School, specialist teaching in The Junior School, The Diamond Edge Model of Education in Year 7-9; where boys and girls are taught separately in their core subjects and a forward-thinking Sixth Form which will benefit from a brand new Sixth Form Centre from the beginning of the new academic year 2021-22. Extra-curricular activities: Clifton High has an outstanding provision of enrichment opportunities for all pupils. Including the newly launched outdoor education Adventure Programme, providing weekly lessons and short courses for the Infant and Junior School and day visits for all senior years too. There are over 100 extra-curricular clubs on offer each week. University of Bristol tennis coaches also provide pupils with elite coaching. World Challenge expeditions and the ever-popular Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme are also offered in the Senior School. Pastoral care: Clifton High is renowned for its high level of pastoral care. The focus on each child’s individual development as well as their academic success provides an environment in which pupils thrive. The sense of community and family focus is prominent, and allows pupils to be ambitious in their individual pursuits, knowing they are supported. The School aims to equip each pupil with the necessary skills and qualities they will need in the ever-changing world; social competencies, emotional intelligence, global perspective, confidence and respect. Outstanding characteristics: The School has recently announced the launch of their Complete Swimmer Programme, a cocurricular initiative that looks to progressively nurture all Clifton High pupils, from children, to swimming enthusiasts and athletes, throughout the duration at School. This runs in concurrence with their partnership with Bristol Sport for the Clifton High Swimming Scholarship, with an aim to bolster Bristol’s reputation as a swimming hub for young athletes. THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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COLSTON’S LOWER SCHOOL

COLSTON’S UPPER SCHOOL

Colston’s Lower School, Park Road, Stapleton, Bristol BS16 1BA Tel: 0117 965 5297 Website: www.colstons.org

Colston’s Upper School, Bell Hill, Stapleton, Bristol BS16 1BJ Tel: 0117 992 3194 Website: www.colstons.org

Sector: Independent co-educational

Fees: Per term Years 5 & 6 = £3,740 Years 3 & 4 = £3,480 Reception, Years 1 & 2 = £2,885

Fees: £5,065 per term

Religious Denomination: All faiths Total Number of students: 230 Extra-curricular activities: To find balance in their learning all children are encouraged to explore their strengths in music, drama, languages, sport and art. School sport fixtures, trips, residential visits and clubs all enhance school life and each child’s enjoyment of their community. In the woodland, the Forest School learning resource sees children learn new skills, both within and beyond the national curriculum. They enjoy the time and space to develop their natural curiosity through handson practical experiences. Pastoral: Pastoral care is at the core of life at Colston’s. Pupils have a form tutor and are part of a deeply supportive traditional house system that celebrates all elements of school life, from sports day to inter-house competitions and regular house gatherings. Older pupils form bonds with Nursery and Reception classes in the weekly reading buddies sessions, which mutually support the reading skills of younger pupils and give Year 6 children a taste of responsibility and relationship building. Unique characteristics: In 2019 the ISI rated Colston’s as ‘excellent’ in all areas. The inspection team were clear that the excellent academic achievement was observed right from the youngest pupils in EYFS right through to the students taking A Levels in the Upper School. Pupils receive many opportunities on a daily basis to nurture intellectual curiosity and inspire a love of learning, which lay the foundations for a successful transition into senior school. Staff work extremely hard to help each pupil understand the world around them and develop strong values and respect for those around them. 64 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Religious Denomination: All faiths Total Number of students: 565 Number of Sixth Form students: 140 2021 Exam Results GCSE % 9-7(A*-A): 58% A Level % A*-B: 85% Extra-curricular activities: The School is fortunate to have all facilities on a 30-acre site, meaning students can seamlessly combine academic studies and sporting pursuits. With over 50 clubs to get involved in each week, the Colston’s experience is designed to allow students to find and develop their passion beyond the classroom, whether through the pride and spirit displayed on the sports field, the exciting array of activities in Combined Cadet Force or first-rate creative spaces including art studios, the music technology classroom, or design technology workshop. Pastoral: The Colston’s philosophy is quite simple: happy children do well. This makes the provision of pastoral care of great importance in the school. At the very heart of this provision is the house system. Four co-educational, 11-18 houses provide a structure through which the development, well-being and happiness of all of young people is monitored and supported. Unique characteristics: In 2019 the ISI rated Colston’s as ‘excellent’ in all areas. In their report they captured the true essence of Colston’s, highlighting the unique culture of the school as well as the less easy-to-measure elements, which combine to make a Colston’s education so special. The statistics have long shown that Colston’s pupils achieve outstanding exam results and make excellent progress. However, it is the strong values pupils develop; their self-confidence, well-developed communications skills and the resilience they show when things get tough that produce what is known as the Colston’s character.

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THE DOWNS PREPARATORY SCHOOL

FAIRFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

Wraxall Bristol, BS48 1PF Tel: 01275 852008 www.thedownsschool.co.uk Name of Head: Mrs Deborah Isaachsen BEd Hons MEd Age of pupils: Reception – Year 8 Number of pupils: 259 School fees (per term): Reception /Year 1 £3,880 Year 2 £4,360 Year 3 £4,780 Preparatory £5,895 Religious denomination: C of E but all demoninations welcome

Allfoxton Road, Horfield, Bristol, BS7 9NL Tel: 0117 952 7100 www:fairfield.excalibur.org.uk Name of Principal: Mr Nick Lewis Age of pupils: 11 - 16 years Number of pupils: 1,080 The curriculum: The Downs is one of the few truly independent 13+ Prep Schools in the South West. The 13+ Common Entrance syllabus is central to the academic curriculum with STEM and Performing Arts new additions to the timetable. In the Pre-Prep, numeracy and literacy are the central focus, with outdoor learning and a topic based curriculum on offer to challenge and engage all pupils. Extra-curricular activities: The school provides a broad all round education, genuinely inclusive of each child. The standard of all sports is exceptional (six internationals in six different sports in recent years) but there is a team for every child. There is enormous interest and activity in the performing and creative arts: six choirs, 80% play an instrument, 140 attend speech and drama lessons, 9 productions a year, 160 attend dance lessons. There is also an extensive range of clubs, all Prep school children camp every year and regular trips are taken abroad. Pastoral care: The essence of the school is to really know and understand each of the children – their wellbeing is central to our thoughts. Matrons, tutors, form teachers and pupils themselves play an integral role in the process of providing outstanding pastoral care, supporting each child as they negotiate the inevitable social, emotional and academic challenges associated with modern life. Outstanding characteristics: Our pupils are outstanding; they are highly motivated and experience considerable all round success. They nevertheless demonstrate humility and unaffected good manners; confidence in contrast to arrogance is applauded at The Downs. The stunning rural estate is unique in the area and essentially used to best effect. The entire community that is The Downs Preparatory School is particularly close and happy in support of one another. Over the last decade almost every child has passed the 13+ entry requirements into the school of their first choice, over 60% with scholarship. 66 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Fee structure: State School Religious denomination: Non-denominational The curriculum: The Fairfield High School Curriculum is personalised. It is built around students’ individual needs and rooted in our view that all students should enjoy learning, become positive citizens of Britain and the World, while also leaving the school with the qualifications they need. The Fairfield Values underpin school life and allow students to build skills for a healthy, vibrant, future. Extra-curricular activities: Extra-curricular activities build confidence and character in an environment where students are supported and nurtured. Fairfield High School is proud to offer a wide variety of clubs which change and evolve on an ongoing basis. Pastoral care: Fairfield High School has a professional pastoral support team who provide group and individual interventions to support positive behaviour and emotional resilience. Each year has an assigned achievement manager. Tutors are also a key adult in the school life of a student and the aim is for each tutor to stay with their group for the duration of the students’ time at Fairfield. Each tutor meets their students every day and is responsible for registering and monitoring attendance and delivering a programme of personal and social education. Outstanding characteristics: The focus at this inclusive school in Horfield remains on supporting the students, aged 11 to 16, to develop as successful, happy, active global citizens. FHS celebrates its diversity: the flags of more than 80 countries hang in its atrium to represent the backgrounds of staff and students. Environmental issues, gender and racial inequality and social disadvantage are just some of the issues that FHS students are prepared to tackle.

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MONMOUTH SCHOOL FOR BOYS

MONMOUTH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS Hereford Road, Monmouth NP25 5XT Tel: 01600 711104 Website: www.habsmonmouth.org Name of Head: Mrs Jessica Miles MA (Oxon), PGCE Number of pupils: 463 Day fees: £5,169 - £5,533 Boarding fees (per term): £10,122 - £11,389 Religious denomination: Anglican but all faiths welcome. The curriculum: A wide range of subjects is offered to Years 7, 8 and 9 to stimulate academic and personal development. Care is taken to ensure that no girl closes off the choice of a whole range of subjects for GCSE and A level.

Almshouse Street, Monmouth NP25 3XP Tel: 01600 710433 Website: www.habsmonmouth.org Name of Head: Mr Simon Dorman MA (Oxon) MPhil Number of pupils: 501 Day fees: £5,533 Boarding fees (per term): £10,489-£11,389 Religious denomination: Anglican but all faiths welcome. The curriculum: Pupils are introduced to a wide range of subjects in their early years at the school and they usually go on to take nine or 10 subjects at GCSE. Around 25 A level courses are offered in the Sixth Form. Extra-curricular activities: All boys are encouraged to take full advantage of lunchtime and after-school activities and clubs. They develop confidence and make friends through chess, karate, reading, choir and many other activities. Through the diamondshaped Monmouth Model, boys also benefit from invaluable interaction with Monmouth School for Girls, sharing many trips and expeditions, events and community projects. Pastoral care: Each pupil is allocated to a tutor who is drawn from the academic staff. Both tutor and housemaster are able to get to know each boy well over a period of years and provide experienced and sympathetic guidance throughout his school career. We ensure pupils gain the utmost from their time at Monmouth, not only in the classroom, but through all the other experiences on offer. Outstanding characteristics: With around 60% of offers for Russell Group universities, we recognise the importance of getting the best exam results for each boy. We make the most of the area’s wonderful natural resources and the excellent facilities on offer for sports, culture and the arts. Founded in 1614, an endowment income ensures outstanding facilities and highly competitive fees, with around one in five pupils receiving financial support. Co-educational teaching in Monmouth Schools Sixth Form and in the Prep School from September 2021 brings day and boarding boys and girls together at the start and finish of their educational journey. 68 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Extra-curricular activities: There is a wealth of lunchtime and after-school opportunities which gives every girl a balance between work and play, helps develop some fantastic skills and truly enriches their learning. Through the diamond-shaped Monmouth Model, girls benefit from the invaluable interaction with Monmouth School for Boys, sharing many trips and expeditions, events and community projects. Pastoral care: Staff aim to create a caring and supportive environment both in and out of the classroom, helping each pupil to feel valued as an individual. Pastoral philosophy is to develop resilience, confidence and skills which take the girls through later life, while offering each pupil bespoke care. Outstanding characteristics: Access to superb educational opportunities to engage, enrich and inspire pupils. Sport, music, drama and art supplement academic achievement. An endowment income provides outstanding facilities and competitive fees. Scholarships and bursaries mean one in five pupils receive financial support. Co-educational teaching in Monmouth Schools Sixth Form and in the Prep School from September 2021 brings day and boarding boys and girls together at the start and finish of their educational journey. The school offers around 25 A level subjects and many joint activities. The vast majority of pupils get their first choice university and around 60% of offers for Russell Group universities.

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REDMAIDS’ HIGH SCHOOL

QEH BRISTOL

Redmaids’ High School Westbury Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 3AW Tel: Senior School & Sixth Form 0117 962 2641; Junior School 0117 962 9451; www.redmaidshigh.co.uk Name of Principal: Mr Dwyer (Senior and Sixth Form), Mrs Brown (Junior School) Age of pupils: Girls aged 7 - 18 Number of pupils: 750 Fees: Years 3 - 6: £3,505 per term; Years 7 - 13: £5,150 per term

Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital, Berkeley Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1JX Tel: 0117 930 3040 www.qehbristol.co.uk Name of Head: Mr Rupert Heathcote, BSc (Nottingham) Age of pupils: 7 - 18 years, boys aged 7 – 16 with a co-educational Sixth Form Number of pupils: 782 Day fees: Juniors: £3,420 per term (£10,260 per year) including pre and after school supervision until 5pm. Between 5pm and 6pm, there is a fixed charge of £6.80 which includes light refreshments. Seniors: £5,100 per term (£15,300 per year). Fees include text and exercise books, and essential education trips but do not include public examination fees or lunches. Religious denomination: Church of England, embracing all faiths The curriculum: The curriculum is broad but also offers the chance to study subjects in depth. The school expects pupils to work hard, believing a good education is a voyage of discovery to be enjoyed. Pupils are stretched but not stressed. Co-curricular activities: QEH prides itself on the range of activities it provides, reflecting the wide interests of students and the commitment of the staff. Variety is key and all pupils should find activities that interest them. QEH is also committed to outdoor pursuits, with around 150 pupils taking part in Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme, many attaining Gold Award. Pastoral care: Pastoral care is second to none. Pupils need to feel happy and safe and, at QEH, they are free to enjoy their learning, exploring new opportunities with confidence. People often comment on how self-assured and well-mannered our pupils are. Their friendly spirit and good behaviour are partly the result of unobtrusive but strong pastoral care Outstanding characteristics: QEH is recognised for its outstanding academic record and the friendliness and confidence of our pupils is notable. The school is not socially exclusive, having a good mix of people.

Open mornings: Open events to be held on Saturday 9 October 2021 and Friday 5 November 2021, 10am – 12noon.

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The curriculum: Redmaids’ High provides the best opportunities in Bristol and beyond for academically able and ambitious girls who aspire to achieve their full personal, social and academic potential. The school seeks to help students to truly know themselves, to understand each other and to forge meaningful futures, through outstanding facilities, high quality teaching and an exceptional range of subjects and qualifications. In the Junior School, the girls enjoy a broad and rich curriculum, engaging enthusiastically in activities and achieving excellent results in national music, speech and drama exams. In the Senior School and Sixth Form, a wide choice of subjects is available through GCSE, A Levels and the IB Diploma. Extra-curricular activities: In the Junior and Senior Schools, an extensive programme of clubs and societies offer important personal development opportunities, discovery of new talents, hobbies and interests. Pastoral care: This is of the upmost importance. Small classes feature throughout all year groups. In the Senior School, students are supported by a head and assistant head of year, form tutors and assistant tutors. The girls’ health and well-being is the responsibility of every member of the school community. Outstanding characteristics: Redmaids’ High’s family friendly Junior School provides the perfect new start for girls rising up into Year 3, featuring iPad learning, competitive team sports, robotics, and many other progressive learning options. In the Senior School, bursaries and scholarships are awarded to students from all backgrounds. Redland Hall, a state-of-the-art auditorium, opened in September 2017, is a busy and modern hub at the heart of the school, and the recently redeveloped sports ground, The Lawns at Cribbs Causeway, provides excellent facilities to support the many sporting successes of the school. As the first International Baccalaureate (IB) World School in Bristol, Redmaids’ High has guided its Sixth Form students to world-beating IB Diploma results, alongside its established and successful A Level programme supplemented by bespoke additional course in medical sciences, liberal arts and a Foundation MBA.

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SIDCOT SCHOOL

TOCKINGTON MANOR SCHOOL Tockington Manor School, Washingpool Hill Road, Tockington, Bristol BS32 4NY; Tel: 01454 613229 www.tockingtonmanorschool.com Name of Principal: Mr. Stephen Symonds BAED (Hons) Age of pupils: 2 - 13 Number of pupils: 226 Day fees: Lower School £3,440 Upper School £4,670 - £5,360

Oakridge Lane, Winscombe, North Somerset, BS25 1PD Tel: 01934 843102 www.sidcot.org.uk

Religious denomination: Church of England

Name of Headmaster: Iain Kilpatrick Age of pupils: 3 - 18 years Number of pupils: 601 Day fees: from £2,900 (Reception) to £6,510 (Year 13) per term. Nursery £24.50 per session Religious denomination: Quaker The curriculum: A creative and stretching education that inspires children to want to learn. To achieve this, the curriculum is shaped to meet government requirements without an exam-obsessed, prescriptive syllabus. Curriculum and teaching methods are designed to foster students’ intellectual curiosity and creativity. The aim is to educate students, rather than simply train them to pass tests. Throughout their time at Sidcot, students develop the self-motivation to enable them to take responsibility for their own learning. It’s no surprise that these personal qualities go together with academic excellence. Results have been consistently excellent with average points per candidate always significantly higher than the world average scores. Extra-curricularactivities: At Sidcot, pupils are lucky in having an excellent rural location and top-class facilities for sport, arts, crafts and environmental studies. The Programme of Activities for Sidcot Students (PASS) takes place every Wednesday afternoon and has been designed to provide all students throughout the school with an exciting opportunity to live adventurously, to live out the school’s core values, to play an active part in being an Ashoka Changemaker school, to develop leadership skills and to further enhance their ability to be excellent team players. The programme has been designed to be fun and active which will help boost the students’ health and wellbeing. It will enable them to be happy, positive individuals and equip them with the skills and attitude to be able to thrive at school and enjoy their learning experience. Pastoral care: The Quaker value of equality is evident in the open and friendly relationships between staff and students, and between students of all ages. It’s often remarked that students are extremely supportive of each other, making newcomers, students, teachers and visitors quickly feel at home. Outstanding characteristics: Sidcot offers its Sixth Form the choice of the International Baccalaureate, BTECs and A levels. The ethos of the IB, with its broad curriculum and emphasis on study skills, community service and internationalism, fits well with Quaker values. 72 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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The curriculum: The pupils from Nursery through to Year 8 are taught a full range of academic subjects. The school introduces French and Spanish from Nursery, Latin from Year 5 and geography, history and science as separate subjects from Year 1. Tockington Manor has an exceptional record of achievement in the common entrance exam. The new music and performing arts suite allows each child access to state-of-the-art facilities and dedicated music tuition. Extra-curricular activities: A diverse and wide-ranging choice of activities is available in break times and as part of the school’s wraparound care. Activities are led by teaching staff and external subject specialists and include judo, archery, football, tennis, drama, computing and horse riding. Educational trips support classroom activities e.g. SS Great Britain and Chepstow Castle. Extra-curricular excursions are also offered with the schools educational partners The Bristol Hippodrome and Wild Place Project, including career workshops. Residential camps in the UK and France form part of summer term activity week. Pastoral care: The school’s aim is to provide a caring, safe environment where children develop their individual abilities and enjoy an effective education tailored to their needs and interests. The school adheres to traditional ‘family values’ with small class sizes encouraging strong bonds between year group and teacher and a sense of community and respect throughout the school. Outstanding characteristics: Shortlisted in several awards including Independent School of the Year and AMCIS, the school strives to allow children to be children for as long as possible while preparing them with the attitude and aptitude for senior schools and beyond. They help ensure a smooth transition, offering parents and pupils personalised guidance in choosing their next step, resulting in an enviable success rate in first choice senior school entry, many with scholarships. The 28-acre grounds lend themselves to sports with cross-country trails, national standard all-weather pitch, cricket/rugby/football pitches and an indoor heated swimming pool.

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 73

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NEXT GENERATION

Designs on life

In time for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we chat with Dimitris Arnaoutis – born with a rare form of blood cancer and a slim chance of survival and now a happy, healthy UWE architecture student

fter her baby was diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, NHS Property Services IT project manager Julie Arnaoutis felt the world had fallen from underneath her. Baby Dimitris needed a bone marrow transplant or he wouldn’t make it, doctors told her, and his chances of surviving the transplant operation were five per cent. The transplant unit was located at Bristol Children’s Hospital, 80 miles away from the family home in Bournemouth. On top of their crushing news, the family had to consider logistical questions: how were they going to get to Bristol? How were they going to survive? That’s when Julie met a social worker at children’s charity Young Lives vs Cancer who told her about Sam’s House in Bristol, one of 10 ‘homes from home’ providing a free place for families to stay when their child is going through cancer treatment. They’re close to treatment centres, helping families avoid the extra financial burden of travel, accommodation and food costs. “When I heard about the home from home, I cried,” says Julie, “It’s relief, it’s pure relief. There’s somebody who’s stepped forward like your knight in shining armour. They are there to take a chunk of pain away from you and allow you to concentrate on the critical thing, which is your child.” The transplant was a success and although it was touch and go for a while, Dimitris defied the odds and slowly recovered from the blood cancer. Now he’s back in Bristol but this time it’s not for an operation – he’s in his first year of studying architecture and Julie couldn’t be prouder. She and her NHS Property Services colleagues have pledged to raise £150,000 for Young Lives vs. Cancer by 2024 – through runs, hikes, bake sales and a rowing relay challenge inspired by the Olympics which will equal the length of the channel cross from Dover to France – which could help 800 young people during their cancer fight. Here Dimitris tells us all about himself – what a stand-up lad he has grown up to be.

I really look up to the architect Richard Norman Shaw. I want to specialise in housing architecture, which he was known for, and have always been drawn to the Tudor style he does so well. He designed incredible buildings, many of which you can still visit today – such as New Scotland Yard in Westminster – but he’s famous for both his commercial architecture and his unique design of country houses. I admire his perfectionism and innovation and would love to someday pay homage to his world-famous style in my own housing designs. Clifton Suspension Bridge is, by far, my favourite Bristol building. Not only is it rightfully the most Instagrammable place in Bristol, but I feel it shows the human development of architecture in the recent period. While it really stands out and is a showstopper, it goes so well with the buildings around it and that’s a really impressive balance to achieve in architecture. I like Cabot Circus because I like to see all the different people in Bristol coincide, and think about how all these people are here for different reasons but are together in this moment. I love the multi-coloured houses around Clifton that brighten up the landscape. They always put me in a good mood and I’ll often go out of my way to walk past them.

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Image by Ben Braybrooke Photography

Initially I didn’t get into UWE because of the impact Covid had on exam results. I was devastated as I had my heart set on Bristol. After discussions with the board around my medical background and the gaps in my education due to health, the decision was reviewed and I successfully got my place. I was thrilled, given the initial difficulty.

Dimitris is now 19 and studying at UWE

Dimitris as a baby with his dad Stelios

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NEXT GENERATION

If you have the time and the desire to help children and families in surreal and troubling situations, please think of some great fundraising ideas and just go for it! They don’t have to be big events, and every penny counts towards supporting families of poorly children via Sam’s House which provides a home from home for the families of children with cancer. Dimitris and his mum Julie

I like the more simple yet rustic feel of Tudor-era architecture in contrast to, for example, the Victorian era as it has drifted further from a natural concept. The blend of gothic and renaissance detail makes buildings designed in this era so special. Once I complete my architecture course of eight years, I hope to start working towards designing my dream home – that’s my long-term goal. In the meantime, I’ll be focusing on making the most impact that I can in the early years of my career – and, of course, I would love a girlfriend to share it all with! The university I’ve attended throughout Covid has offered a wellbeing programme where they check in on their students. For me this is an important cause and a way to show you’re not alone. UWE is one of the 32 universities in the UK to have joined the new Student Minds University Mental Health Charter Programme to improve support for staff and student mental health in the wake of the pandemic. Making the mental health of students a priority is really important. In a way, I inspired myself to get into architecture: my main reason for wanting to be an architect is to create family homes where children can make memories. I loved the house I grew up in and if it had been different even in the slightest, those memories wouldn’t be the same.

If I could have dinner with anyone, it would have to be The Doctor (Dr Who). They were always my role model as a kid and because of this I had quite the bow tie and blazer phase, growing up! My favourite music currently is Rex Orange County, however my alltime favourite song would be Dancing In The Moonlight (for a good boogie). My family and housemates complain because I sing it too loudly in the shower – and not very well! This year I want to work on my fitness and my general outlook on life, and be more organised and efficient in my day-to-day tasks. I also want to finally pass my driving test so when I am peckish I can get some Maccies after a workout. 😊 I’d like to ban anti-homeless architecture – I feel it’s a cruel way to design people out of places. I think that great architecture can do a lot of good in the world and we shouldn’t be using it to actively target those who are already trying their best just to survive. My philosophy is ‘the past is the past’ – you can’t let it stop your future. A lot of people are still letting their past control them and that, with the right support, this can be changed if you’re open to it. n • To support Sam’s House, get fundraising via younglivesvscancer.org.uk

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ENVIRONMENT

Opening the conservation conversation

Bristol’s Black & Green Ambassadors are leading, connecting and celebrating diverse community while challenging perceptions and creating opportunities within the traditionally exclusive environmental sector

ll about redressing inequalities and inspiring bold action that is good for people and planet, Black & Green Ambassadors’ message is that you don’t have to be an ‘environmentalist’, to care for the world we live in. Aiming to benefit, and led by, the Black and Brown communities of Bristol, it was born out of recognition that diverse voices were not being included within environmental discussions and decision making. This project put the role that ethnicity plays central to all it does: looking at how people experience the environment, resilience against the effects of climate change, and the power to influence change and be included.

Diﬀerent experiences and understandings of the world make for better ideas and solutions. They will also make the changes quicker and easier to implement as they will work for more people

Back in 2016, the organisation opened a conversation with locals, out of which came a clear message. “Our community were fed up of hearing variations on ‘Black people don’t care about the environment’; ‘diverse communities are hard to reach and don’t engage’; and ‘our organisation wants to include more diversity, but when I try no one comes’,” says Olivia Sweeney, who is now almost a year into her Black & Green ambassador role. “None of these statements are true. Black & Green Ambassadors is here to challenge them – we do care, it just may not look or sound the way people are used to. There has been a narrative trying to tell us there is a certain way to experience nature, or care for the planet; that there are only certain things that you can do if you want to be green, or there is a way an environmentalist looks.” Though Bristol can be seen to lead the way in regard to sustainable

Olivia with fellow ambassador Roy, enjoying Bristol’s green space

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The project addresses the lack of diversity in policy-making forums by creating future leaders as part of a network of powerful diverse voices

practice, the city can often feel a little insular, says Olivia. “As Black & Green ambassadors we embrace our diverse heritage and draw from these cultures for knowledge, practices and understanding of the planet. The choices and actions we make here have impact around the world. We’re here to allow our communities to talk to someone who looks like them and has a similar lived experience, about what is important to them, without fear of judgement or misunderstanding.” It is often communities of colour that are disproportionately impacted by the negative effects of climate change – toxic air in England is at its worst in ethnically diverse communities and Black people are almost four times more likely than White people to have no access to an outdoor space at home (37% compared to 10% – ONS, 2020). Black & Green serves as a link between communities and those with power to effect change within the city; sharing knowledge and connecting people already doing great work so that their impact can be greater. Without social justice at the heart of decision-making going forward, the changes made to build a green future have the potential to make inequalities greater. “If we don’t include more voices in this future, everything will be the same – our buildings will just have solar panels on and our buses will be electric,” says Olivia. “No one person can think of everything – different experiences and understandings of the world make for better ideas and solutions. They will also make the changes quicker and easier to implement as they will work for more people.” The programme is also about Black & Green ambassadors as individuals – developing them so that they can become leaders and so the conversation around environmental issues includes Black and Brown communities going forward. This summer Olivia – along with

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ENVIRONMENT

This year’s ambassadors have assisted in making diﬀerent voices part of the environmental conversation

fellow ambassadors Asia Yousif and Roy Kareem – has been focusing on getting out and talking to as many people as possible, with the trio all working on their own projects. Olivia is building a picture of clean air in Bristol. “I am having conversations with people about clean air, in a place they go to breathe, and snapping a photo of them in that place. I’m talking to existing community groups about clean air, if this is something that is important to them and what ideas they have to make air in Bristol clean.” Roy is creating a podcast – Parklives – and talking to locals about their green spaces and relationship to the outdoors, and how that’s changed over their lifetimes. The aim is to broaden the concept of what it means to be outdoors and ‘nature-connected’ in the UK, teasing apart familiar archetypes of rambling and camping for something broader and more inclusive: the local/global urban dwellers who create meaningful connections to their local green spaces. Asia, meanwhile, has been running cultural heritage craft and food-making

THE

KI TC HEN PAR TNER S DESIGN STUDIO

workshops and using them to explore different cultures and how they impact sustainable practices. “All three of us are also members of steering groups, invited to meetings or training with the council and other government bodies,” says Olivia. “We’re part of funding panels and so much more – using these positions of power to challenge existing thinking around certain topics and open the door for more diverse thought and participation. “The environmental movement needs to look and sound a little different – and this is slowly beginning to change, but it could and should be faster,” she continues. “The movement needs to be relatable and put protecting and improving people’s lives on a par with protecting the planet. There needs to be joy and hope and optimism, and not solely fear, doom and sacrifice. We need to put narratives and storytelling at the heart of the environmental movement – science and politics have a role but they are not the only important part of the puzzle. People will feel more involved in an environmental movement that uses language that is simple and understandable, if they feel part of a community where solutions are built with their input, not imposed upon them. To be included in the environmental movement, people need to see themselves in it, it needs to be a movement where all voices are head, valued and acted upon.” n • Tune into the Black & Green Ambassadors monthly Ujima Radio show (10am on 23 September) via the website and social media. Four new ambassadors start in the role this month – tune into their first radio show on 28 October to be introduced to the growing team. Olivia, Roy and Asia will showcase their work from the first year and launch year two on 20 October as part of Festival of the Future City. You can also check out the Black & Green Ambassadors community celebration in late September – look out for announcements; blackandgreenambassadors.co.uk; Twitter: @ujimablackgreen; futurecityfestival.co.uk; facebook.com/blackandgreenambassadors

www.thekitchenpartners.co.uk 102 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2QY 01179 466433

Founders and Lead Designers - Fiona & Clinton

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“The College of Naturopathic Medicine gave me a purpose” Carli-Louan Foster, CNM Nutritional Therapy Graduate

Life is too short to be stressed and miserable – take action before it’s too late, especially if it’s impacting your health.

in health but at that point I was exhausted, stressed, my hair was thinning and I was still struggling with acne and a hormone imbalance. Attending the event and working with my trainer transformed my health and my perspective on life. I realised the damage I was doing and that I had a huge desire to help other people.

My career led to chronic stress. I worked for a FTSE 100 company and did project work with the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, who had trained at one of the Big 4. Her success inspired me and I went on to work in a series of demanding, intense roles in the financial sector. This was the start of my chronic stress, working long hours with no work-life balance. I hit breaking point, running on adrenaline, not eating properly and experiencing chest pains. My wakeup call was when someone asked me what I wanted my legacy to be.

CNM was my turning point. The college was familiar to me as I knew quite a few people who had studied or were studying there so I decided to join. The clinical experience, observing and working with clients was fascinating, emotionally intense and fulfilling. It challenged me, pushed me outside of my comfort zone and gave me an incredible sense of meaning and purpose.

I used exercise to help cope with stress. My trainer (a graduate from the College of Naturopathic Medicine – CNM) ran an event on Nutrition which I attended, and that was it, I was hooked. I’ve always been interested

I have “the ability to live my dreams” which is my favourite definition of health from Moshi Feldenkrais. I want my legacy to be helping other people live their dreams. The CNM course emphasises the need to tackle the root cause of symptoms, which is what I needed to do with my stress – I was in the wrong career that didn’t align with my core values. I feel so happy that I’m now on a path where I’m excited to get up in the morning and make a difference to someone’s health and wellbeing, I feel like a new person!

Free CNM Lecture Scan the QR code No 1 training provider for Natural Therapies

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Geoff Don

I use my knowledge from CNM to build a healthy foundation for myself. Recently I used this knowledge to prepare my body for having a baby and I managed to fall pregnant pretty much straight away at 37 and now have a beautiful, healthy baby girl at the end of a great pregnancy. I’m now planning to specialise in female health and fertility doing what I love.

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 79

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Private pregnancy ultrasound scans for ‘picture-perfect’ peace of mind Why Imaginatal?

Care for You:

Imaginatal are dedicated to making sure that you as expecting parents have an exciting and reassuring experience. Bringing you peace of mind and the ability to enjoy the pregnancy through to the end. The Bristol clinic has been finished to a high standard to give you a comfortable, calming, and relaxed environment. You will find friendly staff that create a welcoming atmosphere to ensure you cherish your special experience.

Imaginatal offer longer appointment times in order to give sonographers optimal time to undertake the scan of your baby and to allow for you to ask any questions you may have. Only 2 families are allowed into the building at one time so there are no queues and families are given much more privacy. The state-ofthe-art ultrasound imaging technology provides you with high quality and accurate images.

Baby Scanning Services for You: There are a variety of scanning services offered by Imaginatal. From the very first scan at 6 weeks where you will be able to see your baby for the first time, through to gender scans, 4D scans, wellbeing scans and even a well woman scan available within 24-hours of your request. Out of hours appointments are also available on request.

Expert Staﬀ: Imaginatal clinics are health professional led with patient centred care at its core, focusing on ensuring that both parents and baby are happy and as healthy as can be. All sonographers are registered practitioners, fully trained in the UK with years of NHS working experience behind them with up-to-date evidence of Continuous Professional Development.

Briﬆol Clinic 151 Wick Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 4HH

Phone: 0800 640 4299

Email: info@imaginatal.co.uk www.imaginatal.co.uk

Imaginatal also offers NIPT blood tests to check your baby’s DNA for underlying risks of chromosomal disorders, as well as gynaecology and fertility scanning services. You will feel ready, happy, and healthy throughout your pregnancy journey. Imaginatal provide complimentary consultations to discuss what you can expect. This also gives you as parents the chance to visit the facility and ensure Imaginatal are the right fit to meet all your pregnancy needs. The scanning services, whether one off or regular, are ensured to work around your pregnancy.

For Your Peace of Mind: Imaginatal’s clinical activities are regulated and registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). We are registered members of the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS) and have full Medical Professional Indemnity Insurance.

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Nick Meads, surfing at The Wave Bristol following his hip surgery.

HIP TIDE When pain prevents you from doing the activities you love, it’s a sign you should seek medical advice. For an amateur surfer from Almondsbury, this was his motivation to undergo hip surgery at Nuﬃeld Health Bristol Hospital, and nine months later, he’s back on his surfboard.

hen Nick Meads, 56, first began experiencing severe back pain a few years ago, he initially assumed – as many of us would – that he simply had a bad back. Father-of-three Nick is a keen sportsman, who enjoys surfing and competing in triathlons, but the constant pain meant that he was no longer able to take part without painkillers. He was struggling to walk, he wasn’t sleeping, and over the course of around five years, his pain got progressively worse. As Nick says, “I just got fed up, because I couldn’t do anything I loved doing.” Last summer, during a family holiday to Portugal, Nick was finally convinced that something needed to be done. He says: "I was running about on the beach with the kids and felt crippled. They’re older now, so were just giving me grief, but my wife, Charlotte, who’s a physiotherapist, saw the pain I was in and told me I couldn’t go on like that. I also spoke to my brother, who’d recently had a hip operation. We were comparing notes about our pain, and everything he described matched what I had.”

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Stephen Eastaugh-Waring

It was at that point Nick realised it perhaps wasn’t his back that was the problem, but rather an issue with his hip. Nick booked an appointment to see Mr Stephen Eastaugh-Waring, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, whose specialties include the treatment of sports-related hip conditions. During their consultation, the benefits of both a hip replacement and hip resurfacing surgery were discussed, and due to Nick’s love of extreme sports, it was decided that hip resurfacing would be the better option. Hip resurfacing is a relatively new procedure for treating hip pain and hip osteoarthritis that, as the name implies, provides a new surface for the ball and socket that make up the hip joint. During surgery, the damaged surfaces of the femur head (ball of the thighbone) and the acetabulum (socket in your pelvis) are reshaped and replaced with a cover. Mr Eastaugh-Waring explains: “Hip resurfacing has been popularised by Andy Murray, but it isn’t suitable for everyone. According to the National Joint Registry, younger and middle-aged, active males are the particular patient group who do best with this procedure, and because Nick is a very keen surfer, he benefits from the large bearing size which helps prevent dislocation.” Nick had his surgery last November, and describes himself as “gob-smacked” by how quickly he felt the difference. “Compared to what it was like before, I was completely pain-free," he says. “Going down the stairs was just a joy, and within two weeks I was walking without needing to use crutches. “Having hip surgery was a bit scary, but THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

the hospital team were brilliant, and very reassuring. Mr Eastaugh-Waring was absolutely fantastic, the physios I saw were excellent, and the nurses were amazing.” After three months, Nick was able to take what he calls “some good walks” with the family’s pet dog, and at six months, when he’d been advised by Mr Eastaugh-Waring that he would be able to do a bit more exercise, he cycled 110 miles. “It’s as if I’ve never had a bad hip,” he says. Obviously wanting to get back to surfing, Nick also booked some sessions at The Wave, the inland-surfing destination just outside Bristol. He explains, “I can focus on pushing myself a lot harder, which is great, and also, rather than being a ‘mediocre dad’ at surfing and other sports, I can start kicking my sons’ butts. They were taking the Mick before, saying they could easily catch up with me, but now, I can start challenging them again – even at my ripe old age!” If you’ve been experiencing any form of joint pain and would like to book an appointment with a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, call 0117 911 5339, or visit our website: www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol.

Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital 3 Clifton Hill, Bristol BS8 1BN nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol

SEPTEMBER 2021

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 81

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INTERIORS PROMOTION

The shaker maker

Often considered a traditional choice, the shaker-style kitchen has been given a shake up by Wren Kitchens, which has been busy designing to challenge expectations

orking in multiple dedicated seating areas, including an office tucked away behind industrial-style Crittall doors for those working from home, one independent kitchen specialist has completely reimagined the classic shaker to bring together the latest design trends with quality yet affordable British craftsmanship. These days, especially since the pandemic, the kitchen must, more often than not, be a multi-purpose space to meet the different demands of today’s lifestyle. “A custom office design is a must-have in a kitchen area, and no matter how much space is available, from a small nook to a large wall, we can create functional study areas that work in synergy with the rest of the aesthetic,” says design director Darren Watts. “It offers yet another bespoke addition to the design to create a truly multi-functional kitchen space that’s on trend today, and in the future.” Window nooks are becoming increasingly ‘Instaworthy’ so the new design includes a picture-perfect bespoke built-in seating area tucked away in the office space. The dusty pink and green colour palette is from Wren’s Spectrum range which offers more than 2,000 hues, while the units are finished with marble-effect Xena Quartz worktop,

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manufactured at Wren’s state-of-the-art UK facility which helps keep the quality high and prices low. It’s a unique hardwearing and lowmaintenance material created by combining the strongest materials on Earth with manmade resins. “We are very proud of our British manufacturing, expert design and product innovation,” adds Darren. “We are committed to UK manufacturing and great British design which means we can create affordable luxury kitchens.” The focal point is the oversized cook’s table with layered timber and quartz worktops – an equally great workstation for food prep or wading through emails during the daily graft. Naturally, hidden smart storage solutions have been incorporated, including a floor-to-ceiling larder unit, extra deep drawers next to the range cooker and useful open shelving underneath the cook’s table. Suggested finishing touches such as styling with lush plants make for pleasantly tropical vibes, perhaps best offset with statement gold pendant lighting and layered flooring combining chequered green and white terrazzo floor tiles with mid-century wood. We think so. n • To create your dream, on-trend kitchen, see one of Wren’s expert designers; wrenkitchens.com/book-an-appointment

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Elly’s Wellies

Garden Designs

Turning your ideas into beautiful spaces Elly’s Wellies Garden Designs will help you maximise the potential of your outdoor space and tailor it to your individual needs. Whether you are looking for a complete garden redesign, or just need advice on what to plant in a border, Elly’s Wellies will be happy to help.

For a free initial consultation, contact Elly West

www.ellyswellies.co.uk ellyswellies@gmail.com 07788 640934

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SEPTEMBER 2021

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 83

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ARCHAEOLOGY | BOOKS

Gable wallpaper by Farrow & Ball 60 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

JULY 2021

No 200

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INTERIORS

Dark havens

The darkness is back, discovers Emma Clegg. But it’s all good because light and bright just can’t give you a brooding atmosphere in the same way as a resonant, rich interior can, and the palette therein is extensive...

f you lived in the Dark Ages, a sombre interior with wood panelling, practical furniture and stone slabs (if you were lucky) for the floor was probably your go-to. Rural peasants formed 90% of the population back then and they lived life on the edge – working the land, with a limited diet and meagre comforts – so they dwelled in dark interiors with small windows and a pervading smell of candlewax. The Gothic style in the 12th century also wallowed in darkness, a more conscious design decision, with the heavy use of ornate decorations and deep, rich colours, but even then there was an emphasis on vertical elements and natural light. Then colour hit and – apart from a few brief monochrome blips starting with 1920s Art Deco – it’s mostly been the star of the interior design show since. The 18th-century interior certainly became obsessed with ventilation, light and air circulation, and the preference for whitewashed walls and lighter colours embedded their roots in the interior psyche. The Victorian interior became darker and cluttered, but now we’ve purged, revamped and reinvented these ubiquitous period homes with stripped boards, airy extensions, sliding glass doors and Velux windows. Now of course our interiors fulfil our practical needs on every level, and they are also a personal and conscious choice – they embody our sense of self and we can flip with nonchalance from minimalism with clean lines and neutral tones to eclectic interiors in vibrant colours at the roll-out of a new paint shade or a pair of organic hemp curtains. So here’s another arrow in your interior design quiver because the

Dulux Brave Ground paint, from £19.24; dulux.co.uk

brooding darkness is back. It’s time to steer ourselves away from lights and brights, or at least dabble in the dark side. The fashion for darks is perhaps a reflection of a more serious, inward-looking and protective national perspective. But let’s sweep over the psychology and revel in the dramatic impact. Sometimes it just makes sense; a small, dark space cannot be made into a bright, reflective interior if it has limited natural light, and a dark backdrop can make other colours more vibrant, give pictures more resonance and a room more depth. We are conditioned to respect the natural characteristics of a room and primed to use a colour palette to enhance these – warm colours in north-facing rooms, bright reflective colours in south-facing rooms. Yet followers of the moody interior such as tastemaker and designer Abigail Ahern, known for her signature dark paint ranges, says that inky hues will give any space, wherever it’s located and in whatever direction it’s facing, an instant Hitchcockian atmosphere. “When you go dark, you suddenly create this vibe that almost exaggerates cosiness; you just want to hunker down and never want to leave”, she says. The garden’s up for grabs, too, with a dark exterior wall the perfect foil for green foliage and floral colour or a statement metal chair or table. Bring it on. Think of the bruised colours around black, but also earthy hues, inky blues, dusky shades, pepperpot greys, smudgey purples, brooding greens – there’s a world of colour within a dark palette. See overleaf for more dark interiors drama...

Little Greene black Intelligent Exterior Eggshell paint, from £36; littlegreene.com

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INTERIORS

Tabac paint by Zoﬀany, from £52, F&P Interiors; fabricsandpapers.com

Putty paint by Abigail Ahern, from £42; abigailahern.com

Forge Graphite Porcelain by Mandarin Stone, from £34.80 m2

Leopard Walk (The Ardmore Collection) by Cole & Son, £107; cole-and-son.com

Regency Tulip wallpaper in jade by Liberty, £110; libertylondon.com

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New Build Extensions Renovation

Say hello. 0117 259 1591

Visit our design studio at: 23 Chandos Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 6PG www.halbuild.co.uk info@halgroup.co.uk

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 87

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GARDENING

Late summer perennials are often found in warm, fiery tones, providing a vibrant display right when it’s needed

Blaze of glory

If you keep on top of some basic maintenance and choose your plants carefully, you can stretch out the season and keep the colour coming well into autumn, says Elly West

he end of summer can be a tricky time in the garden. The soil can be dry, many plants are past their best, flowers are fizzling out and leaves are starting to die back. Most gardens are at their best in May and June, so keeping the show going into September can be a challenge. But if you keep on top of some basic maintenance and choose your plants carefully, you can stretch out the season and keep the colour coming well into autumn. Year-round interest is on most people’s wish lists when it comes to their gardens, and while we can be forgiven for a sparser garden in winter, September often brings long, sultry days when we want to sit outside and relax, and enjoy the fruits of our labours before autumn chills fully set in. When planning a border, I generally like to include a backbone of shrubs and grasses, including evergreens, that will provide structure and something to look at all year, with perennials and bulbs grown in swathes in between for colour and seasonal change. As a rough guide, if you think in terms of each season needing at least a quarter of the plants ‘doing something’, it helps to avoid bleak gaps with nothing new to see. Late summer perennials are often found in warm, fiery tones of oranges, yellows and reds, providing a vibrant display right when it’s needed. Dahlias, heleniums, hemerocallis, sedum, rudbeckia and crocosmia are high on my list for keeping the season going for longer. If you prefer softer pastel shades, then Japanese anemones have a more airy feel. Then there are the long-flowering stalwarts such as Mexican daisies (Erigeron) in cheerful pinks and whites, and hardy 88 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Dahlias, heleniums, hemerocallis, sedum, rudbeckia and crocosmia are high on my list for keeping the season going for longer Geranium ‘Rozanne’ in mauve, that will have started flowering in May and will keep on going until the first frosts. It’s also possible to get a second innings from many earlier flowering perennials if you cut them back hard when they start to fade in the summer. Salvias, penstemon, some roses, nepeta and achilleas can all go on to give a further flush after you’ve cut them back. I often find inspiration when I’m out and about visiting gardens, both private and public, and the Hauser and Wirth garden in Bruton is a good one if you need ideas for late summer. Originally designed by Piet Oudolf, it has plenty of grasses planted in swathes to create movement and texture in rich autumnal shades of brown, beige and gold. Most ornamental grasses flower in late summer and autumn so their seed heads add extra interest and often last well into winter as well. Or if you’re looking for more colour, then the University of Bristol Botanic Garden’s hot borders are a great starting point. For the ultimate in sources of inspiration, this month sees the very first autumnal RHS Chelsea Flower Show in its 108-year history. Last year it was cancelled, and this year the decision was made to move it from its usual slot at the end of May, so we’ll see very different types

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GARDENING

of plants taking centre stage. The usual irises, verbascums, lupins, foxgloves and alliums will be usurped by a whole new palette and I can’t wait to see how designers and growers cope with the challenges and bring a new vibe to what is usually a late-spring affair. Yeo Valley Organic Garden will have its first ever Main Avenue show garden at this year’s Chelsea, designed by Tom Massey, alongside garden owner Sarah Mead. I visited earlier in the year to see how the preparations were going. “We were all ready to go last year, but then things obviously came to a halt,” says Sarah. “Late summer is actually quite a good time for us here, we already have lots of seasonal interest and the Chelsea Garden will be a direct representation of this garden. There will be dahlias, cosmos and crocosmias, and also grasses and ferns. We’ll use a lot of the same plants that we were planning to use last year, but the hedges will have fruits instead of flowers for example. “The colour scheme is zingier and the planting plans have changed, but it will still be super-naturalistic and pollinator friendly. There’s quite a woodlandy feel with birches and ferns, also cephalaria, crataegus, guelder rose and scabious.” The overall aim of the show garden is to promote good soil and organic gardening, but Sarah is very much about providing the ideas and letting people take away from it what they want to – rather than preaching what to do with unrealistic expectations. “Going totally organic can be overwhelming, and it’s not practical to expect people to change everything at once. We do what we can do, and people can hopefully take a piece of that away with them if they want to,” she says. The garden also promises elements of fun, with laser lights for when the sun goes down, plus an egg-shaped pod made from steambent oak hanging over water. This will be relocated to the Yeo Valley Organic Garden near Blagdon when the show is over. For opening times and to book, visit yeovalley.co.uk n

Plant of the month: Anemanthele lessoniana Also known as pheasant’s tail grass, this ornamental evergreen is great for adding movement and structure to a border all through the seasons, with its arching, graceful habit and strappy leaves in shades of green, orange and gold. In late summer the flower heads appear in feathery sprays and the leaves take on more redorange tones. Plants prefer a sunny spot and well-drained soil, but also grow well in partial shade. Grow them in swathes through a large border, or dotted around a gravel garden. Comb out dead leaves in spring to make way for fresh new growth. If they start to look a bit straw-like after a few seasons, the whole plant can be cut back in spring or summer. This grass self-seeds readily, but the new seedlings are easy to pull out where they’re not wanted.

• ellyswellies.co.uk; Instagram: @ellyswellies1

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FAILAND BS8

GUIDE PRICE

£1,250,000

An impressive 5-bedroom family home arranged over 3 floors. Versatile and generous interior finished to a very high standard throughout. Exceptional kitchen/breakfast room. Electric gates and set back front driveway, garden offering a great deal of privacy. Superb location. Viewing highly recommended.

REDLAND BS6 SSTC

£1,200,000

An impressive 5 bedroom family home, beautiful rear garden with balcony, versatile ground floor accommodation. Off street parking. Superb Redland location. Similar properties required.

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FAILAND BS8

GUIDE PRICE

£1,250,000

REDLAND BS6 SSTC

£1,200,000

An impressive 5 bedroom family home, beautiful rear garden with balcony, versatile ground floor accommodation. Off street parking. Superb Redland location. Similar properties required.

0117 923 8238

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CLIFTON BS8

GUIDE PRICE

£725,000

A charming 4 bedroom house (with HMO) in the heart of Clifton Wood. Delightful rear garden with lawn and decking area. Front courtyard and parking space. Two bathrooms, cloakroom and home office area. Excellent central location. No onward chain.

COTHAM BS6

GUIDE PRICE

£485,000

Updated period family house in Cotham. Lounge/ dining area plus a separate modern kitchen. Three generous double bedrooms, large quality bathroom with a claw foot bath and separate shower. Front garden and rear decked courtyard garden and a cellar room. No onward chain.

203 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2XT

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The Bristol Magazine September 2021

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