South Bristol Voice April 2023

More stores close at Broadwalk

THE Broadwalk Shopping Centre was built in the 1970s for an era dominated by car travel and big-box retail stores. That era has passed, and the shopping centre has been in decline for several years – falling into administration in 2019. A new vibrant neighbourhood destination has now been proposed for the heart of Knowle.

The new development is still within the planning process and B&M and M W Freshfoods have decided to close their stores in the Broadwalk Shopping Centre at the end of the lease, vacating the units in early April 2023.

Several stores have left the centre in recent years because units are too big and have no flexibility to adapt to retailers.

Will Appleby (MW Freshfoods): said “It’s with great sadness that I have to close my shop MW Freshfoods. I have been here for twenty-three years and have enjoyed good trading. Unfortunately, retail has become more and more challenging in the centre; with the rising costs of produce and utilities along with declining footfall, profit margins are being squeezed to the point that during the summer holidays we were working only to cover the costs. I have enjoyed a good rapport with my customers

and will miss them.”

A planning application was submitted in August 2022 to transform the centre. The proposed Redcatch Quarter will provide a thriving neighbourhood destination complete with a community hub- including a new library and community café, a dedicated restaurant area overlooking the park, flexible commercial and retail space, essential services such as a local supermarket, dentist and pharmacy, urgently needed new homes and the only neighbourhood cinema in South Bristol.

Cllrs Gary Hopkins and Chris Davies, of the Knowle Community Party, commented: “We know that the centre owners

have been trying their best to support tenants but of course the shops are expensive to run and the present owners bought the site from administration. Let’s be very clear that the previous ownership went bankrupt and the present centre owners are losing money every month.”

“Every shop that closes increases their monthly loss and it is regrettable that planning delays will only make this worse. So it is ridiculous that the Knowle Labour Party have written to every member of the Planning Committee suggesting action that would lead to further long delays. They also wanted the Planning Committee to act against the law by considering non-planning issues. ”

Contacts

southbristolvoice

HOW DO I GET IN TOUCH WITH ...

My MP? Karin Smyth MP

By email: karin.smyth.mp@ parliament.uk

By post: Karin Smyth MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

By phone: 0117 953 3575

In person: Call the above number for an appointment

Cllr.Tony.Dyer@bristol.gov.uk

Christine Townsend Green, Southville By phone: 07584183843 By email:

Cllr.Christine.Townsend@bristol. gov.uk

Ruth Drury

Sales

Director 07590 527664

sales@southbristolvoice.co.uk

Jane Williams Editor

news@southbristolvoice.co.uk

COMPLAINTS

Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get things wrong. We always try to resolve issues informally at first but we also have a formal complaints procedure. If you have a complaint about anything in the South Bristol Voice, contact the Editor using the details below. We aspire to follow the the Code of Conduct of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), nuj.org.uk/about/nuj-code

Further details of the complaints process can be found on our website (below) or can be obtained by contacting the Editor by email: sales@southbristolvoice.co.uk or by post: 111 Broadfield Rd, Knowle, Bristol BS4 2UX or by phone: 07590527664 southbristolvoice.co.uk/complaints-procedure

All stories and pictures are ©South Bristol Voice (unless otherwise stated) and may not be reproduced without permission. South Bristol

My councillor?

Post: (all councillors) City Hall, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TR.

Tessa Fitzjohn Green, Bedminster

By phone: 07584182801 By email: Cllr.Tessa.Fitzjohn@bristol.gov.uk

Mark Bradshaw Labour, Bedminster. By email: Cllr.mark. bradshaw@bristol.gov.uk

By phone: 0117 353 3160

Tony Dyer Green, Southville

By phone: 07584182862 By email:

USEFUL NUMBERS

Bristol City Council

www.bristol.gov.uk

Christopher Davies Knowle Community Party. Email: Cllr. Christopher.Davies@bristol.gov.uk

Phone: 07826917714

Gary Hopkins Knowle Community Party. Email: Cllr.Gary.Hopkins@bristol.gov.uk

Phone: 07977 512159

Ed Plowden Green, Windmill Hill

Phone: 07584184577 By email: Cllr.Ed.Plowden@bristol.gov.uk

Lisa Stone Green, Windmill Hill

Phone: 07584186535

By email: Cllr.Lisa.Stone@bristol.gov.uk

Hopping on his unicycle to beat Parkinson’s

A MAN from Windmill Hill will complete 40 individual 40km rides on a unicycle this year to raise vital funds for Parkinson’s UK and FoodCycle.

This will be Luke Evison’s biggest distance challenge to date, last year he cycled 400km across the Scottish Highlands over the course of 10 days to raise funds for Parkinson’s UK and Mind UK.

Luke, 40, was inspired to raise money for Parkinson’s UK because his older brother Neil was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2018 at only 44 years old.

He also wanted to raise money for FoodCycle because he wants to support people who are struggling with the current cost

of living crisis.

Luke completed his first 40km ride of the year in March, travelling from Winchester to Petersfield. He has decided to take on this ‘40 on One Wheel’ challenge to mark his 40th birthday that he celebrated in February.

Luke will be travelling around the country to complete this challenge, with other routes planned in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, Cornwall, the Lake District and Wales. Each ride will take approximately six hours and Luke will be inviting people to join on some of the rides but will often ride solo. Always carrying all his essential items with him the entire time.

Luke said: “I am looking forward to exploring new places and I hope I can bring a smile to people’s faces as they see me riding by on a big unicycle. I’m hoping to have completed all the rides by winter, so that’s 1,600 km in just a few months. But I am allowing myself until February 2024 just in case.

“It means a huge amount to me to be showing support for my brother Neil, who is a bit of a legend by the way. He’s admirably adapting to living with Parkinson’s and the challenges it brings. I also think that FoodCycle is a great initiative, with sites in many UK cities, and a service needed now more than ever with the current cost of living crisis. That’s why I’ve decided to support the two charities.”

Parkinson’s is the fastest

Neighbours fear noisy workers at tip as new plans to start work at 6am

STAFF at a tip in South Bristol can now start working at 6am during weekdays but council officers have promised noise levels “won’t harm neighbours”. People living nearby the Hartcliffe Way Reuse and Recycling Centre previously raised fears about the early start.

The recycling centre, which opened in summer last year, now has planning permission for Bristol Waste workers to

growing neurological condition in the world, and currently there is no cure. It affects around 145,000 people in the UK and every hour two more people are diagnosed. Parkinson’s UK is the largest charitable funder of Parkinson’s research in Europe, leading the way to better treatments and a cure.

Melissa Rankin, Regional Fundraiser at Parkinson’s UK, said: “We are so grateful to Luke for taking on another incredible challenge for Parkinson’s UK. With more than 40 potential symptoms, Parkinson’s can devastate lives. We’ve made huge

start at the site at 6am from Monday to Friday. Their work will be restricted to less noisy activities, like getting street cleansing vehicles ready for the day.

Some skips will also be emptied, but these will only be less noisy materials like green waste, black bag waste and wood. More noisy operations, like moving metal, will only start after 8am, according to a planning officer at Bristol City Council.

The changes were approved by the council’s development control B committee on Wednesday, March 8. A few residents had objected to the plans, with concerns they could be woken up early in the morning, but councillors said the noise would not be too loud.

A council planning officer said: “Overall

breakthroughs in the last 50 years, but there is still no cure and current treatments are not good enough.”

Victoria Meier, FoodCycle’s Head of Fundraising, added: “We’re thrilled that Luke is raising funds for FoodCycle, as well as Parkinson’s UK, by undertaking this incredible challenge. With the cost-of-living crisis making life tough for so many, FoodCycle’s community meals have never been so needed.”

To support Luke, visit www.collectionpot.com/pot/ fourtyononewheel

the pollution control officer is happy that while there might be audible noises during those hours, it’s not going to be of a level that is harmful to residents. In order to ensure that the public aren’t harmed by any noises during those more sensitive times, we asked the applicant to set out a noise management plan, which they did.”

Neighbours previously said that they can hear noise from the recycling centre already, particularly in the summer when windows were left open due to the heat. But councillors said that the restrictions, in the noise management plan, should prevent any excessively loud work from taking place early in the morning.

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporter

Luke and his brother Neil

Luke on a unicycle in Wales

Community group shocked as council tries to hike rent by 5,000%

A COMMUNITY group in South Bristol was shocked after Bristol City Council tried to hike up their rent by more than 5,000%. The Friends of Redcatch Park group, in Knowle, currently pays the council £300 a year in rent, but were asked to increase this to £16,000 a year.

Five years ago the volunteer group began transforming a derelict bowling green in Redcatch Park into a community garden. They are asking the council for a ‘community asset transfer’, which would help them refurbish an old pavilion for use as changing rooms for sports clubs.

Initially the council appeared keen to carry out the community asset transfer, but almost three years later no deal has been signed off. Now the latest obstacle is a row about how much the community group should pay the council each year in rent.

Bristol mayor Marvin Rees faced questions from the community group during a full council meeting. Councillor Ellie King, cabinet member for public health and communities, promised to meet with the group next week to discuss options for the rent increase.

Lesley Powell, from the Friends group, said: “Five years ago we took over the derelict bowling green and turned it into a successful

socially valuable community space with personal funds and crowdfunding. The same space stood empty and barren is now hugely valuable in the community yet costs the council nothing.

“We cover overheads with income from events and the cafe so that we can subsidise projects which the public sector struggles to deliver. We are also subsidised by around 250 volunteer hours per week.

“So here we have a not-for-profit organisation that has little in reserves, has created 16 jobs, provides an estimated £1 million per year in social value to the community, and is now being asked to increase its rents from £300 a year to £16,000.

“Our current licence runs out in December as the council failed to renew it last summer, which means that some funders will not consider us further. We have no draft lease and time is running out. 16 people could lose their jobs in the next few months because of the council’s greed and inability to respond timely to support such a valuable asset.”

Council chiefs have since halved their offer from £16,000 a year to £8,000 — but that’s still 26 times what the not-forprofit group is paying for rent now. The cabinet member said she regretted that the

THE TE AM

community group had to speak to several different council departments, and added that she hoped to reach an agreement on a new level of rent.

Cllr King said: “Both me and Marvin have visited the garden, I visited it last month, and I have had several conversations with the leader of that group since. It’s a conversation that’s open and I’ve asked [them] to come in and meet with us. They’ve had several different lines from several different officers, and that’s something that I regret and I’m keen to resolve.

“So the idea is we get everyone in one room and we try to work through solutions and different options that are available to them and us. We can hopefully come to an agreed amount that we can go to.”

Mr Rees added: “Ellie is scheduled to come and meet with some of the organisers from Redcatch Park to talk through the situation and work out a way of finding a fair resolution — one that enables people to keep doing what they’re doing, and enables the city to keep benefiting from the work that’s going on there, but allows us as an authority to be financially responsible with council land and council assets.”

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporter

MORE than 60 food and drink stalls will take over East Street for eat:Bedminster on Saturday 15 April showcasing the very best of local food and drink alongside Bedminster’s great hospitality offer.

Created to celebrate local street food and producers, eat:Bedminster will see East Street transformed between 10am and 4pm, spotlighting amazing food and drink.

A not-for-profit social enterprise, eat:Festivals hosts one-day, award-winning food and drink festivals across the Westcountry, to help connect communities with the local producers and showcase the great local food and drink surrounding them. The festivals are low-cost for traders to attend and for visitors to attend with no entry fees or tickets required.

eat:Bedminster festival is backed by Bedminster Business Improvement District (BID) to connect the Bristol community together in a celebration of local businesses.

Shining a light on treats in the area, eat:Bedminster will have everything from street food vendors, handmade preserves and award-winning patisseries, to farmer’s market favourites and plant based artisan dishes. Visitors can expect to meet local makers, sample and purchase the best food and drink on offer, as well as the businesses on their doorstep.

Due to its popularity, this year the festival will expand into Dean Street to make way for more producers and street entertainment, including family friendly shows, art workshops, strolling entertainers and a folk filled family show The Oak, The Ash and The Standing Stones performed by Tidal Tales Collective CIC. This will provide a cheery backdrop to browsing the stalls on offer, as pockets of entertainment will be dotted throughout the market.

The two art workshops, See Bedminster in a Different Light and Postcard Pit-Stop, are both free to take part in. See Bedminster in a Different Light is a chance to sketch, draw or paint alongside artist Jack Hicks as he captures Bedminster sketching in the open air. Postcard Pit-Stop will be near the

East St Emporium. Here visitors can take part in a locationspecific, fun, free printmaking. Visitors will make lino-printed postcards inspired by the event.

While recognising that fresh, local produce is integral to the strength and health of our communities, eat:Festivals also celebrate inclusivity within food and drink. eat:Bedminster will cater for all dietary requirements, including vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. Low and no-alcohol options will also be available on the day.

eat:Bedminster will also be fully accessible for all to attend. The East Street market layout will ensure that buggies, pushchairs and wheelchair users can easily move through the outdoor space. The festival is free to attend and dog friendly so the whole family is welcome to come along.

Bev Milner Simonds, Director and Founder of eat:Festivals said: “This is the second edition of eat:Bedminster and our partnership with Bedminster BID has given us the opportunity to grow the festival and keep shining a spotlight on the local businesses that are here all year round with food, drink and entertainment.

“We’re looking forward to helping the community discover producers and make connections

– and hopefully turn them into new regular visitors.”

Simon Dicken, who is the Chair of Bedminster BID, added that: “It is great to be able to give Bedminster a second edition of eat:Bedminster. Not only does

it give support to local traders but we can shine a light on new businesses in the area. East Street will be buzzing with music, good food and independent traders on every corner.”

eat:Bedminster returns to East Street Lord Mayor’s Medal for Mike

LOCAL hero Mike Alden, who won the BBC’s Unsung Hero Award at the Sports Personality of the Year awards in December, has been selected to receive the Lord Mayor of Bristol’s Medal and will attend the presentation ceremony at The Mansion House in Clifton in April.

The Lord Mayor’s Medal recognises outstanding and innovative unpaid service and support provided to others, especially selfless service to a voluntary body or to our community, or which brings distinction and quality to Bristol life.

Sian Ellis-Thomas of the Friends of Redcatch Park said on hearing the news: “We are so very happy that Bristol has now honoured his sterling work in his own city.”

Care home residents bring history to life

TWO local care homes, Bishopsmead Lodge in Bishopsworth and Osborne Court in Bedminster, have been bringing historic moments to life for residents as part of a ‘Heroes and Heroines’ event.

More than 100 Four Seasons Health Care Group care homes across the UK have taken part in the project which saw residents exploring some of the events and people that have built history, as well as sharing their

own knowledge and stories for a fascinating and fun trip down memory lane.

An Extraordinary Afternoon Tea Party kicked off the event, with residents dressing up as some of their favourite heroes and heroines to see what sort of conversations people like Tutankhamun, Queen Victoria and Neil Armstrong might have if seated together for a cuppa and cake.

The homes’ Magic Moments Coordinators have also created memory boxes full of things to help spark memories and prompt discussions including photographs and newspaper clippings, historical objects, poems, scents and music from different eras.

Resident, Sylvia Heys, 84, said after the event: “I’ve had a super time finding out about some of the people who

have made history. I was Neil Armstrong at our afternoon tea and I told everyone what it was like to be the first person to stand on the Moon.”

Resident June Hope, 83, added: “I thought history at school was boring but this has been so much fun. If my lessons had been like this, I might have paid more attention.”

Steve Gardner, who heads up the Magic Moments Activities Programme for the care homes, commented afterwards: “Our residents and team members have really enjoyed getting involved in this project, sharing their expertise and memories to bring history to life in a fun and entertaining way.

“There have been some wonderful conversations and it’s been a great opportunity to reminisce about the past.”

Patricia Moore and Rosalind Wynn having fun bringing history to life

Rosalind Wynn becomes Napoleon for the afternoon

REFILL shop Zero Green has introduced a sustainable – and tasty – alternative to single-use coffee cups. Customers opting to take their coffee away can now choose edible cups.

The cups themselves are made of a robust wafer-style biscuit. They will hold a hot beverage for up to 40 minutes, and can then be eaten as a bonus snack.

In line with the veganfriendly values of the shop, all coffees are made with Tiger & Float oat milk, which is made in Bristol using UK-grown oats. The coffee beans are roasted instore by micro-roastery Unica.

Partners Rob Wooldridge and Anwen Bowers took over at Zero Green in July 2022. Since then, the pair have teamed up with Unica to introduce a small coffee shop area. The shop continues to stock plastic-free and refillable staples such as pasta, rice and lentils, as well as environmentally friendly cleaning supplies and health and wellbeing products.

Zero Green was created to help people in Bristol choose a

New edible cup introduced to tackle waste from take away coffee

low-waste, low-impact lifestyle. Our mission is to help minimise the use of packaging that is polluting this beautiful planet. They stock a wide range of bulkbuy and plastic-free groceries, cleaning, hygiene and wellbeing products.

Below: The edible cups, and right, owners Rob and Anwen

By Cllrs Gary Hopkins

and Chris Davies, of the Knowle Community Party

HAVING taken over the old bowling green in Redcatch Park five years ago, the Redcatch Community Garden have done a remarkable job especially given the trouble with Covid.

A survey by the Friends of the Park estimated annual attendance at the garden at 200,000 and it is growing.

As well as being very enjoyable, the garden provides a range of educational services and helps so many people in need that it would take pages to tell the full story.

They have achieved all of this with local effort and crowdfunding to get them started. They have been successful with grant funding applications but depend a great deal on the income from their cafe in a van. Even this was equipped by them. Despite the cafe being busy and very popular, it only just pays for all the

The community garden needs your help

activities, and last year the net profit for our own community benefit group was under £2,000. This needs to grow as despite being extremely efficient with their cash they have peanuts in reserve and need to build up a little safety margin.

They have been operating on a short term licence, which creates uncertainty and they need, like Jubilee Pool, to move to a longer term lease through a Community Asset Transfer (CAT). After lots of lobbying, the council eventually engaged, but then fired a grenade. They want to move the rent to £16,000 a year (presently £300) which is more than eight times the annual profit.

The garden have made an offer, that in our view is more than generous, with rent escalating over three years to provide a large part of what it

takes to run our park, and also an offer to do the park security and to rescue the park pavilion after years of council neglect.

The council are threatening to pull the CAT which could lead to the garden being forced to close. That would be a disaster for our area and the numerous organisations they work with and advise, and for all the individuals who are helped.

Help choose the 2023 Good Garden Award

Voting is now open to help choose the design for the 20th Greater Bedminster Good Front Garden Award. People can vote online at bloomingbedminster.org.uk until Sunday 30 April and the winning design will be revealed in May. Judging for this year’s awards takes place between 17 June and 9 July, so start planning your beautiful front garden displays and hopefully you will soon receive a shiny new certificate for your window. Good luck!

Leisure centres to receive big investment Helping to make your streets safe

MORE than £8m of investment has been announced for the city’s major leisure and sporting facilities. This is part of a new 15-year deal between Bristol City Council and Everyone Active.

Following a tender process, the new contract will see Everyone Active extend its relationship with the council and continue to manage venues including Bristol South Swimming Pool.

As a result of the significant investment, extensive refurbishment work will take place throughout the next three years at all sites to transform, modernise and expand the current offering.

Gary Teagle, Everyone Active’s Contract Manager,

said: “We are delighted to be extending our work with Bristol City Council. We’ve got robust plans to support the council’s vision for leisure across the city to provide high-quality sports and leisure facilities that everyone has the opportunity to make the most out of.”

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “I am pleased to announce this continued multimillion-pound partnership with Everyone Active. We know that exercising regularly is great for both the body and mind, but access to good facilities for all levels of fitness and accessibility needs can be an issue. This investment shows our ongoing commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of residents in Bristol.”

RESIDENTS in Bedminster and Southville have been busy codesigning a funding pot, where local people can apply for funds to run their project. Lisa, one of the residents who helped develop the project, said “as a local resident, I am passionate about our community and hopeful that lots of local people apply for funding to help make a difference.”

Safer Streets aim to make improvements to crime and antisocial behaviour in areas of Bedminster and Southville which are particularly affected by crime and anti-social behaviour. It is trying to fund efforts to build stronger communities. A great opportunity to help locals with their project, event, or even street party.

There will be a Participatory Budgeting Event held in May, where local people can vote for their favourite projects to receive funding of up to £1,300. The fund is trying to attract applications from residents and community groups. Groups do not have to be constituted but do need to be a minimum of three residents to be eligible. Organisations can support residents to apply if the request is led by and for local people. See attached poster for details on how to get further information and to apply or pick up an application form from Bedminster Library.

talk to.

Bungalows planned in South Bristol to go ahead despite council

BUNGALOWS in South Bristol could now be built despite city planners refusing permission for the controversial plans. Developers want to build five bungalows on a site at risk of flooding and previously home to natural habitats and wildlife.

Bristol City Council refused planning permission for bungalows on the site behind Marksbury Road several times, with the latest refusal in August last year. But local property mogul Alex Fry appealed to the government’s planning inspectorate, which has now granted permission.

Last summer councillors on the development control committee raised concerns that the green space had been “bulldozed” before the

developers carried out a crucial ecological survey — which then unsurprisingly found “nothing of particular ecological value”.

In her report on the appeal, Helen Davies, a government planning inspector, said: “At the time of my site visit it was largely covered in brambles and scrub vegetation, with evidence of some dumping of household waste.

“I acknowledge the site may have been cleared at some stage prior to ecology assessments being undertaken and the application subject to this appeal being submitted. However, any such site clearance would not have required planning permission and protected species are subject to separate legislation.

Step inside the Studios

ONCE a year, the large grey shutter of BV Studios is rolled up and all are warmly welcomed inside to explore the workspaces of more than 100 local creatives. The nondescript 30,000 square foot warehouse is nestled in an industrial corner of Bedminster, surrounded by Windmill Hill City Farm opposite, Asda and The Bristol Loaf to one side and Victoria Park to the other.

In the space formerly occupied by the Wiltshire Print Works, you’ll now find Bristol’s largest independent artists’ studios, BV Studios. Extraordinary to those in the know, but relatively anonymous to passers-by, the building is host to an eclectic community of artists and small creative businesses.

BV has provided affordable and secure studio spaces for a diverse community

“Despite anecdotal information and suggestions from neighbours, I have been presented with no substantive information, or formal evidence from a suitably qualified person, which would lead me to conclude that the site has any habitats, species or features of importance — and hence the proposal would not result in the loss of ecological value.”

Flooding was another concern raised by councillors when they refused planning permission last summer. Neighbours living next door fear that their homes will be at higher risk of flooding from the nearby River Malago, as water would be displaced from the new bungalows.

But according to Ms Davies, “there are no readily available

alternative sites” nearby, so the plans pass a key obstacle known in planning jargon as a ‘sequential test’. Also, the bungalows would have “mitigation proposals” built into them, such as permeable surfaces and raised floor levels. However, another important obstacle could still potentially block the bungalows from being built. The land was formerly owned by Bristol City Council, which sold the site for £6,000, but placed a legal covenant allegedly preventing any development. But it’s unclear whether the council would enforce that covenant, and the developers might be able to get it removed.

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporter

to framers, film-makers, illustrators and upholsterers.

Walking through the door into BV Stdios is a feast for the senses. The smell of fresh paint and printmaking ink, the sound of printers, cameras and sewing machines in action and textiles, books and prints to pick up and enjoy.

The Open Studios weekend promises to be a chance to explore the labyrinthine building, taking in the film studios and cinema in the basement, into all the numerous artist spaces and a pole dancing studio in the basement.

The foyer will be open for food and drink, where you can grab a coffee and a bite to eat from some of Bristol’s independent food traders. Make a weekend of it and enjoy the delights of Windmill Hill City Farm or a stroll around Victoria Park while you’re here.

of artists and creatives since 2010, and continues to support and provide workspace for Bristol creatives. Studio holders include painters, performers, weavers and writers

Buying or selling a home in South Bristol?

The annual Open Studios event offers a glimpse into a substantial and alternative creative working environment, and an opportunity to purchase work by talented artists and skilled makers.

BV Studios is at 37 Philip Street, Bedminster. And the open weekend is happening from April 14 to 16.

THIS! – WITH NICK CHURCH

I’m Nick Church from Nick Church Photography, and in a series of articles for South Bristol Voice, I’ll be sharing hints, tips and advice on the popular topic of photography.

Photography takes patience. When you have a scene ready to take, sometimes it’s a good idea to just wait a little…

In the mid 20th Century, influential photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson coined the term ‘the decisive moment’; the moment that all the elements in a shot come together.

This is important when I’m photographing weddings as the moment needs to tell a story.

This game of Jenga really tried my patience, but I got the shot eventually! How does this affect your photography? When you’re shooting a scene, what might happen if you wait a little. Someone smiling, a person or wildlife moving through the scene. This will all improve your photo.

To help this idea, take lots and lots of photos of the same thing. This increases your chance of getting that ‘Decisive Moment’.

This shot outside MShed needed something different, and I knew if I waited long enough it would happen. OK, I couldn’t have guessed it would be two people on a bike with a bottle of wine, but that’s the great thing about photography!

Next month – everyday scenes. When you are building up experience, things in the house, garden, or on your street can make great photos. I’d love you to send your favourite photos of everyday things to nick@nickchurchphotography.co.uk I’ll share a few of my favourites in the next article when I will be writing about ‘everyday scenes’.

The bride and groom suddenly doing a bit of ‘dress management’ creates the energy and emotion in this shot.

A record breaking month for Share Bristol

THE news that Share Bristol are planning to bring a Library of Things to Bedminster certainly caused a stir last month, with interest in borrowing instead of buying prompting attention from all corners of the city.

Anna Perry, one of the volunteer directors at Share Bristol said: “It’s been amazing to see the reaction to the news - not only from the people of Bedminster who reached out to offer their support, but also to the people who have come to see us in Kingswood, and the many people asking if we can open a library in their area. The answer is - we would love to, and plan to, but we’re taking it one library at a time.”

February saw a record 129 people pop in to see the team to find out what it’s all about, and 35 new members signing upsmashing the previous record

of 26 back in July 2021, shortly after the library opened.

The Library now has well over 200 members, still small but growing every month, who borrowed more items last month than ever before.

Bizarrely, the most popular items borrowed in February were cake stands! One member borrowed all nine of them for a charity cake sale. In second and third place were drills and pressure washers, usually some of the most popular items.

The team behind Share Bristol hopes that interest continues to grow, as they rely almost entirely on membership income to run. But later this month they will be launching a Crowdfunder with the support of Aviva Community Fund, hoping to raise thousands towards opening the BS3 branch.

Have a say in how BS3 is run

A 44% INCREASE in homes and a 37% increase in car ownership is projected for the Bristol BS3 neighbourhood from 2025: local people need to have a say in how to best deal with such a major change.

Ellie Freeman and Stef Brammar, Chair and Secretary of Action Greater Bedminster, decided that the impact on services (eg GP surgeries), schools, transport, environment and parking need to be addressed and a plan put in place to ensure BS3 remains a vibrant, happy and comfortable place to live. So they’re heading out into the community to inform and consult with as wide a range of local residents as possible.

Successful applications for funding from the Quartet Foundation and Bristol City Council’s Community Development team have enabled them to programme a series of open workshops and meetings from February to September

Parking charges motion

A BID by opposition

Conservatives to force mayor Marvin Rees to reconsider new charges at 10 suburban car parks was voted down.

But the Labour administration insists it has already agreed to talk to residents about possible changes to the proposals, which were approved in last month’s budget and are set to come into force this autumn.

Tory group leader Cllr Mark Weston tabled a motion to Bristol City Council urging Mr Rees to “revisit, review and reverse” the idea following an outcry primarily about introducing pay and display.

Shoppers, GP patients, community groups and churchgoers who currently park for free would have to pay £1 an hour, seven days a week.

Cllr Ed Plowden (Green, Windmill Hill) tabled an amendment “opposing the principle of free parking” but this was also voted down.”

By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporter

2023 aimed at equipping the BS3 community with the full facts, and encouraging them to take part in the decision-making which will shape their future life in the neighbourhood.

Meetings in Ashton Vale, West Street and at Windmill Hill City Farm have already indicated a range of concerns about how the neighbourhood will cope: and what opportunities might arise from what the Council are calling ‘regeneration’.

One clear opportunity is funding for local projects: the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and S106 ‘top slice’ received from the developers will be considerable: Stef and Ellie are determined that those funds are spent wisely and that people from all walks of life across the community will be equipped to have a say in the projects these funds will support - which could be as simple as a replacement street noticeboard, or as complex as a new children’s playground.

n LETTERS

The BS3 beyond 2025 project is developing fast. More info can be found at: actiongreaterbedminster.org.uk/ bs3-beyond-2025

There is a free drop in information session on 3 April at St Francis Church on North Street, between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

Together, Bedminster Green and Whitehouse Street represent the majority of development in South Bristo, delivering thousands of new homes alongside improvements to highways, new and improved green spaces, and new industrial and community spaces. This is an opportunity to raise your questions and discuss various aspects of the developments, and what opportunities will arise for the benefit of local projects.

Find out about:

- Bedminster Green and

Save the No 23 bus

ASHTON Vale is always forgotten but unfortunately it will be a desert island when they withdraw the No 23 bus service.

The No 24 bus used to be a good bus service for Ashton Vale but it was changed to a double decker bus which can’t get under the railway arch in Ashton Drive. Because of this a No 23 was put on to serve the residents of Ashton Vale although it only went to the Centre. Now First West of England are going to withdraw this service from 2 April.

I am very concerned because a lot of residents, especially elderly and disabled people, wouldn’t be able to walk to Winterstoke Road to catch the No 24 bus.

It is a long walk to and from Winterstoke Road and it is not good, especially when it is dark or the weather is bad. It would also mean residents would have to leave earlier to go to work etc due to the extra walk.

The M2 is OK for the residents who live on the ex allotment land and some residents who live in SiIbury Road, but for others it is a long way and up a hill which many elderly and disabled people couldn’t walk. Also this bus only goes to Temple Meads and town, it doesn’t go to Sainsbury’s, North Street and Bedminster where all the local shops, doctors, dentist, etc are.

What is really needed is for the single decker No 24 to be reinstated into Ashton Vale. Double decker buses should only be used during rush hour as the rest of the time they are half empty and at times

Whitehouse Street: the plans for the area

- How regeneration can bring support for community projects, and contribute towards the creation of stronger and more resilient communities.

- Support for businesses impacted by development.

- Improvements planned for the roads of South Bristol and what is being done to make it easier and more enjoyable to travel on foot, bike or bus.

- Opportunities for skills and training in the area.

- Actions to mitigate flood risk and make BS3 more climate resilient.

St Francis Church has wheelchair access, an accessible toilet and a hearing loop system. If you have any questions or concerns ahead of the event please get in touch: hello@ actiongreaterbedminster.org.uk

there are two or three double decker buses on the bus stop in Winterstoke Road.

I thought that the government wanted to make elderly people less lonely but if the No 23 bus is withdrawn, many elderly and disabled people will be housebound, unable to get to doctors, visit family and friends etc.

Chris, Ashton Vale

Keep the streets clear

LET’S Walk Bedminster is a community group trying to keep our pavements clear of obstructions, especially those which might stop older or disabled people from getting around easily and safely.

Recently we had an interesting discussion about legal liability. If someone trips over, say, a recycling box (easily done at night) and hurts themselves, who should they sue?

Is it the responsibility of the householder who failed to remove the box from the footway after recycling day? Or perhaps it’s the council which is technically the owner of the bin? Then again, perhaps Bristol Waste Company operatives failed to return it to the correct address.

We’d be very interested to hear if any readers have had experience with this issue. Or perhaps there’s a lawyer out there who could put us right? Contact us at letswalkbedminster@virginmedia.com

Jo Hargreaves, Southville

Green light for major regeneration project with 2,000 new homes

CITY Hall chiefs have given the green light for a major regeneration project in South Bristol including 2,000 new homes. A master plan for the area around Whitehouse Street in Bedminster has been approved, paving the way for a complete transformation of the area.

The area is home to light industrial businesses and car garages currently but will radically change over the next 15 years. A regeneration framework, now approved by Bristol City Council’s cabinet, will guide how developers plan to build new flats and businesses.

Regenerating the area will include building cycle lanes and a new bridge over the New Cut, and reopening underground parts of the River Malago. The cabinet approved the framework during a meeting on Tuesday, March 7, marking a major step forward in the huge project.

Local councillors welcomed the regeneration project but raised concerns that few of the new homes will be classed as affordable. The council has a policy elsewhere in the city that 30% of new homes in a development should be affordable, but this will be cut back in the Whitehouse Street regeneration project to just 20% — potentially losing up to 200 affordable homes.

Green Councillor Tony Dyer, representing Southville, said: “It’s good to see permeability for walking and cycling as the proposals will add a large number of homes in an area already seeing considerable traffic problems. In order to encourage even more walking and cycling, we reiterate previous calls for additional bridges across the New Cut.

“We do have some concerns, especially the requirement for 30% affordable housing

being relaxed. But in summary we welcome the framework and recognise the devil will be in the details and there’s still a lot of work for all of us to do to make this vision a reality.”

Labour Cllr Tom Renhard, cabinet member for housing, added: “You have to make some compromises at times, so slightly relaxing the affordable housing requirement has been one of them. There’s still a minimum of 20% we expect. We’re still committed to delivering policy compliant [housing] on the bits of land we’ve got.”

The area lies on the other side of the railway from Victoria Park, in the north-east edge of Bedminster. Parts of the land are owned by the council, as well as developers the Hill Group and Galliard Apsley. Cabinet approval of the regeneration framework follows a public consultation with help from community group Action Greater Bedminster.

The regeneration framework will guide and influence individual developments in the area. This means developers will have to follow the vision set out by the council when applying for planning permission. The framework also sets out how the council plans to improve public spaces around Whitehouse Street, for example building new cycle lanes.

A cycle lane is planned to run along Whitehouse Lane and Princess Street, linking up to a separate regeneration project to the east in Mead Street, and eventually running to a future southern entrance to Temple Meads train station. A third regeneration project is already underway to the west, around Bedminster Green.

A new bridge could also be built over the New Cut near the northern end of Whitehouse Street. Meanwhile Bedminster Bridge could be upgraded, to make crossings

easier for pedestrians and cyclists. The Banana Bridge could also be made more accessible, as steps currently impede access for people in wheelchairs or using pushchairs.

It’s unclear exactly how tall the new buildings will be, and this will become clearer as individual planning applications come forward. But the regeneration framework says some parts will have buildings three to four storeys high, with other parts including buildings up to eight storeys high. Efforts will be made to avoid blocking views from Victoria Park.

The new buildings are likely to be connected to the district heat network, avoiding the need for gas boilers which use fossil fuels and emit greenhouse gases. And the nearby River Malago, which is culverted in some places, will be opened up and restored in a boost for local wildlife habitats.

Labour Cllr Nicola Beech, cabinet member for strategic planning, resilience and floods, said: “This will be a real vote of confidence for City Leap, who are already on site in Bedminster delivering the heat network at the moment. It’s not been without inevitable disruption, but it’s absolutely the right thing to do and the only way to build homes in this city in future.

“Removing culverted rivers, from an ecological perspective, is absolutely the right thing to do. It’s not without its disruption, great things only happen when other things have to change. But it’s something we will look back on over the years and we will never regret the decision to open up the Malago and bring back the river which has been hidden for so many years.”

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporter

n NEWS FROM BRISTOL SOUTH MP KARIN SMYTH

Evaluating the housing market

ANYONE seeking a new home to buy or rent knows that the housing market in Bristol is a mess. Those seeking to buy need a deposit few on average wages can afford without help from relatives, private rented accommodation is insecure and far too often of poor quality, and despite the construction of new council properties social rent homes remain scarce.

Low levels of house building over previous decades have helped fuel a never-ending spiral of house price increases. Although many in south Bristol, who already own a home, have seen their house value increase, many older residents can’t find high quality homes so they can ‘downsize’, which would potentially release family-sized properties.

Due to the housing shortage, we also have a rental market shortage. This is most acute in cities like Bristol, but

it is replicated in every town and village across the UK. Market forces mean that some unscrupulous buy-to-let owners can charge exorbitant rates. This bleak picture only gets worse if you are reliant on Local Housing Allowance (LHA) to help pay the rent due to a low income.

A survey by the campaign group Generation Rent in December 2022 found that half of respondents who had rented their home for over a year had been asked for a rent increase by their landlord. Nearly half of all rent increases were of over £50 a month. Along with the Resolution Foundation think tank they have called for an increase in LHA rates, which have been frozen in cash terms for the past three years.

And herein lies another problem with our faltering housing market: the cost to taxpayers.

The longer national

Southville Primary Preschool

Government fails to deliver more homes the longer the bill for LHA will increase. It is wrong for the Conservative Government to have frozen this support payment for nearly three years. The short-term solution is uprating LHA, but that won’t solve the underlying problem.

This cannot be fixed with the swish of a magic wand. We must look at how we legislate against large house building companies buying land and refusing to develop until the value rockets. We must look at planning law on inner-city house building and of course, we must look at how we protect renters from poor landlords.

There are some grounds for optimism locally, more new social rent housing is under construction on East Street, Winterstoke Road, North Street and elsewhere. Dozens of families in south Bristol will be

moving to new socially rented homes in the coming weeks.

But failure by the national Government to prioritise housebuilding of all tenures means waiting lists for such homes remain obscenely high, and with over 1,000 households in temporary accommodation, families suffer and taxpayers continue to foot the bill.

Places available in September 2023 for 3 and 4 year olds

Open evenings on Thursday 20th April - 16.00-17.00pm

Please email merrywood.southvillep@bristol-schools.uk or call 0117 377 2671 to book.

Our wonderful preschool offers:

• A fully qualified and highly experienced class teacher.

• Staff who care for and develop each child as an individual.

• A stimulating and creative environment where children’s interests lead the learning and independence is built.

• A wonderful community of supportive parents.

• A childcare setting within a high -performing school.

• 15 and 30 hours free childcare during term time

• Wraparound care available through our trusted provider.

www.southville.bristol.sch.uk

n NEWS FROM LOCAL COUNCILLORS

ALL major developments are obliged to provide funding to the Council to invest in the local community, known as the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). A proportion of this money is available for projects across the area suggested by you, the local resident.

Applications for previous years’ CIL projects now in the pipeline to be built include a Zebra crossing across St Luke’s Road, a new swing for Victoria Park, several trees in front of Victoria Park School on St Johns Lane and improvements to the land on ‘Zone A’ on the Wells Road.

Having worked hard to support it, we are excited that Victoria Park is getting a new skate park, as well as a new outdoor gym, both part-funded by CIL. These projects, proposed by residents, have been accepted by the council, who will

now allocate funding and work should be starting soon. Are there other improvements you’d like to see in the ward?

Please contact us directly with your ideas. We will also be arranging community meetings in collaboration with Action for Greater Bedminster – keep an eye on their website for details: actiongreaterbedminster.org.uk. We can use these meetings to help develop your ideas and assist with the application process.

Projects must aim to improve the local area, our parks, green spaces or streets and use capital funding, so they can’t cover ongoing costs like wages and should result in a physical change to the environment.

If you have ideas please get in touch: Cllr.Ed.Plowden@bristol. gov.uk and Cllr.Lisa.Stone@bristol. gov.uk

AS part of national plans to address air pollution, as of February this year it’s no longer legal to burn certain types of polluting fuels such as coal and wet wood. Wood burning stoves and coal fires are a major source of the pollutant ‘PM2.5’ which is linked to serious health problems – particularly among children. Alternatives – solid fuel and dry wood – are now the only legal fuel sources for domestic open fires, not only do these produce less local and domestic air pollution, they are also much cheaper. The last few years has seen an increase in the use of domestic stoves and fires in our ward, so we encourage people to check that the fuel they are using complies with the new legislation.

Residents are reminded that cost of living support has been extended by central government

for certain households on low incomes, as well as those in receipt of some benefits including older residents entitled to the winter fuel allowance. It is not necessary for residents to make claims for additional support but if you or someone you know is struggling at this time then please do get in touch with us. Useful information is available online at bristol.gov.uk/residents/peopleand-communities/cost-of-livingsupport

There are also further discretionary funds available from the council that people may be entitled to so please do ask and we will work with you to ensure all the benefits you or the person you know can access all the help you need during this difficult period.

IT has been well documented over a long period that our Labour mayor has done everything possible to undermine Jubilee Pool and its excellent community management team. Another blot on his copybook at budget full council when he not only got his own party to vote against a small public health grant and an interest charged loan to do a vital improvement, but managed to persuade the Green Party to switch speakers and move their voting stance to against. They should of course have not turned tail but fortunately the pool management team is strong and the pool is thriving despite energy prices. The sheer brazen cheek of the mayor then claiming on line to be supporting pools including jubilee produced a fast and furious online response.

Our other budget amendment fared better with unanimous support from councillors to return the local parks funds (£57,000) that

had been spirited away by guess who.

Parks supporters’ celebrations were interrupted as the long delayed asset transfer of the community garden was marred by a ridiculous rent demand of eight times the gardens net profit. A coordinated response using full council questions to the mayor seems to have scuppered that particular piece of vandalism and a sensible negotiation started. Sheer lack of understanding of community value.

The Redcatch Pavillion is fast becoming a not very funny joke. Over two years ago, the garden and our local football club asked to take over the derelict shed to do up and use as quality changing rooms. Not only have the council failed to respond despite regular chasing but it now emerges that the council spends £6,000 a year on 24/7 heating of the empty shed. You really could not make it up.

I HAVE contacted both the Metro Mayor and local Managing Director of First Bus about the axing of the number 23 bus service from April. This is part of bus service reductions across the Bristol area leaving some communities without any bus service. If a conventional bus cannot be funded, then another option, such as an on-demand service should be investigated. While the 24 and M2 services have stops nearby, getting to them can be challenging for elderly people or those with mobility issues.

I have joined other councillors in CPR and defibrillator training organised by the Great Western Air Ambulance Trust. Bristol Council has recently voted to encourage many more publicly accessible defibrillators to be installed. There is a finder to locate available

defibrillators nearby which can be found online.

Each device costs around £1,500 and needs both a commitment to install it (if not a public building) as well as upkeep. I am keen to get several more installed in Bedminster Ward and anyone with proposals about locations or fundraising are welcome to contact me.

I am dealing with much casework now and Bedminster Ward constituents are asked to contact me by email/phone/ post/Facebook and I will do my best to assist – and to meet if that is necessary. My main contact details are cllr.mark. bradshaw@bristol.gov.uk and 0117 353 3160 and on Facebook: @ CouncillorMarkforBedminster

Gary Hopkins and Chris Davies Knowle Community Party councillors for Knowle

New community hub for Cheddar Grove Primary

CHEDDAR Grove Primary School has opened its muchanticipated community hub.

Deputy headteacher Mark Cox said: “The idea was born out of the desire for the school to support the local community

WANSDYKE Primary School is celebrating after being judged Good in all areas by the education watchdog Ofsted. Pupils are happy, enjoy learning, behave well and feel safe, the inspectors said.

A team of two inspectors visited the 208-pupil school in Whitchurch in January and found it to be Good in the categories of quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and early years provision. This was the first Ofsted visit since Wansdyke joined Futura Learning Partnership in 2018.

“Governors and trust leaders have a clear, realistic vision for the future. All share the school leaders’ high ambitions. They know the school’s strengths and areas for development,” the inspectors said. “Pupils play a full part in the life of the school and enjoy helping each other.”

The Ofsted report praised the school for fostering a love

and to bring people together. We will provide a warm space, free hot beverages, a change to meet people, members of staff to talk

to and an opportunity to pick up free toiletries and household items and school uniform.”

The hub is open from

9-11am every Wednesday in the Blenheim Scouts headquarters on the school site.

Futura Learning Partnership, which Cheddar Grove is part of, has fully supported the school in this venture and its chief executive, Andrea Arlidge, attended the opening, along with Karen Dursley, the school’s chair of governors, and Steve Weeks, scout group chairman.

Mr Cox added: “We hope that in the future we can link up with local businesses and other charities to further increase the support and opportunities for the parent community. The longterm plan is to extend the hours of the hub and to find additional funding.”

Wansdyke Primary School celebrates ‘Good’ Ofsted report

subject areas more often and ensure consistent expectations for children’s work.

The report highlighted many positive aspects of the school, including: pupils are polite, well-mannered and care for one another; they have a clear sense of right and wrong; relationships between pupils and staff are supportive and caring; there is a strong culture of safeguarding; and staff are proud to work at the school.

of reading and for developing a clear and progressive curriculum in which important knowledge was broken down into small steps. Teaching was adapted well

Meeting new faces at Whitchurch and Hengrove group

DO you live in the Whitchurch and Hengrove area? Do you know about all the groups and clubs available for you to attend or be involved with? If not, this is how you will be able to find out. There is a new event taking place and it is free to attend. It’s

to support children with special educational needs, they said.

To improve further, the inspectors said, curriculum leaders should check their

Headteacher Emily Harris said: “We are delighted that Ofsted has recognised the strengths of Wansdyke as a school at the heart of its community.We are ambitious for our children’s learning and care deeply about their happiness and that of our staff.”

called ‘What’s on your doorstep?’ It will be a fun uplifting afternoon with things to do for children and adults alike.

You will be more than welcome to pop in to see what is happening and who is there.

The event is on Saturday 15 April, from 2-5pm. It takes place at St Augustine Church Hall and café, East Dundry Road, Whitchurch. Please pop in. You can chat with the groups that interest you. It will be an uplifting fun event. There will be no obligation to stay the whole time. You will be given a warm welcome and free refreshments.

The event has been organised by volunteers in the ‘Our Whitchurch and Hengrove Community Group’. If you have any questions, please email: whitchurchandhengrove@gmail.com

Sona Pilates with Leanne Copley

CAN you believe it is April? As my birthday month and the shift into spring, I see April as an opportunity to reflect on the status quo and ask “Iit working for me?”. Making decisions and changes, especially after the past three years can feel difficult and uncertain. And so I like to think about the following:

The benefits of the change? And possible consequences?

Also what are the consequences if you don’t make the change?

This last question always gets a smile out of me because the answer is, “Well things stay the same.” This may not always be a bad thing of course – the status quo is safe, you know how things will continue, what is certain is nothing will change.

But then why were you considering this change in the first place?

Often it is because it promises something more, something unknown or something you now want. And so it could be in your best interest to just do it! To make that call, join that sports club, speak to that friend and apply for that job. Who knows what this Spring could bring.

In Sona Pilates land, we are adding some new classes in April and continue our monthly workshops. Find us at www. sonapilates.com, maybe Pilates will put a spring in your step. www.sonapilates.com

News from the Greater Bedminster Urban Nature Reserve

BS3 Wildlife Group is proposing several projects during 2023 under the general heading of Greater Bedminster Urban Nature Reserve. Some are listed below. These are community projects.

Photography Archive

Like the Amazon and the deep ocean, a big city is a special type of wildlife environment. Like them, it has seen a decline in numbers and variety of species over the last 50 years. As part of the campaign to reverse this decline, BS3 WG are calling upon local photographers to help to establish an archive of photographs and videos illustrating creatures to be seen in the early 2020s in our part of Bristol.

Where are the hedgehogs?

This previously common animal is now quite rare with a drop from an estimated 35 million in the UK 30 years ago to around one million now. But, there are still small colonies across the city. In Greater Bedminster, there are groups in key hubs such as Victoria and Greville Smyth Parks and that hedgehogs spread from there into neighbouring gardens, especially if people make them welcome by offering appropriate food, water and shelter. use the email: bs3.hedgehog.project@gmail.com

My Wild Rivers

Several Wildlife Groups have been working with the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust and have commissioned a report. This will tell BS3 WG what needs to be done to make the Malago/ Pigeonhouse Stream and Colliter’s Brook more friendly both for people and wildlife. These two rivers flow northwards from the hills to the south of Bristol and pass through, or under, Greater Bedminster and into the Avon New Cut.

My Wild Street

Conversations are already underway with residents in several BS3 streets. It’s great to make your garden more wildlife friendly, perhaps with a small pond, a pile of logs and some berry bushes, but it works even better if there are several gardens working together. Among the ideas are making small holes in fences so that hedgehogs, frogs and others can easily and safely move around and planting up front gardens with small nut and fruit trees to establish a ‘Food Forest’ and wildlife corridor. Would you like to cooperate with your neighbours on this idea?

A pain in the head!

“I GET normal headaches.” This is what someone told me the other day. I asked her what normal headaches were and she said one to two headaches per week. This started a whole conversation.

One to two headaches per week is more than 100 headaches per year. And she viewed that as normal. It was normal because everyone else at work had headaches, but some of her colleagues get them daily. Also, her headaches weren’t too bad and went quickly with painkillers. The problem here is that normal is being confused with common. It’s common for people to suffer regular headaches, but it’s not normal. One headache per year is one headache too many. It’s normal to have none. Needless to say, she was shocked when I said I didn’t get headaches.

What are headaches? Any pain is your body’s way of telling you something isn’t right. Whether it’s a low level headache or an intense migraine, your body is communicating that something is out of balance. A lot of people associate them with eye strain from staring at a computer or dehydration.

The most common causes are stress levels and tension in the top of the neck. When stressed, your fight or flight system kicks in, which causes your shoulders to rise and head to go forward. This puts tension through the shoulders and neck. The build up can remain over time and lead to trapped nerves and headaches. Painkillers are like putting a sticker over your engine warning light. The warning goes away but the problem remains. A way to address headaches is good posture, especially at your desk; exercise; drink plenty of water; and manage stress levels well, whether that’s with holidays, meditation, walks in nature or changing the environment that’s stressing you. The obvious other way is to remove the tension and any trapped nerves at the top of your neck, and chiropractic is the best way to do that.

Charles Herbert, Kasa Chiro

Telephone: 0117 370 2680 www.kasachiro.com

Making Kathleen’s dreams come true

KATHLEEN Conibear, a resident at Bamfield Lodge who turns 100 this year, had a dream to go ballroom dancing again, so staff at the home hatched a plan to make her wish a reality.

Kathleen was born in Essex but moved to Bristol at a young age when her father moved them there for work. She came from a dancing background, her mother and father both danced and so did her two sisters. Kathleen started doing ballet when she was three years old and then went straight on to tap. By 16 she had started ballroom dancing at The Bristol School of Dancing. She danced all of her life, dancing regularly at some of Bristol’s hot spots, such as The Victoria Rooms on Park Street, The Glen on White Ladies Road and Wills Tobacco Factory Hall at Bedminster. She used to compete and won many medals for her dancing.

Through the Wishing Washing Line Project, an Argentinian dancing instructor called Malena Grilli came to Bamfield Lodge. Kathleen said: “I was on the verge of tears. It is such an amazing feeling to know that such a loving group of people care so much about me that they helped me to live out a dream. It means the world to me.”

ADVICE FROM A PHARMACIST with Ade Williams

Better running buses could mean fewer hayfever sufferers

This is not a joke: a bus stop, a post box and a community pharmacy. These are the top three things wanted within a 15-min walk or cycle from our homes. The result of a recent YouGov poll showed that a majority of the public (62%) would support their area becoming a 15-minute neighbourhood.

So let’s talk about the first: not the community pharmacy but bus stops. A wellfunctioning public transport system reduces traffic congestion encouraging us to walk and cycle more, thereby reducing air pollutionwhich we know impacts all our health, especially children, older people and people with heart, breathing and underlying health conditions.

As we head into spring, better air quality could also mean welcome relief for hay fever sufferers. Hay fever is an allergic reaction to

pollen, typically when it comes into contact with your mouth, nose, eyes and throat. Pollen is a fine powder from grass, trees or weeds.

Worcester University has revealed that twice as many hayfever sufferers live in builtup towns and cities versus the countryside, putting it down to weather, pollution and stress. (Relax: stress makes us more susceptible to allergies like hayfever).

In built-up towns and cities, grass, tree and weed pollen particles get trapped closer to the ground because of traffic pollution combined with dust clouds. These clouds of dust and pollen hang around on days when there is no wind to break them up. Better

running buses could mean fewer hayfever sufferers.

Sneezing, runny noses, itchy eyes, and throat are common hay fever symptoms that an ever-increasing number of adults (one in four Bristolians) and children will suffer from. How to manage hayfever

Keep windows closed in homes and cars as much as possible.

Put Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen. Wear wraparound sunglasses outdoors to help prevent pollen from getting into the eyes. Shower and change clothes after being outside and at night to wash pollen off.

Avoid drying clothes outdoors when the pollen count is high.

Vacuum regularly and use an air filter/ purifier with a HEPA filter to extract and remove pollen and dust particles.

Tie your hair up and wear a hat when outside. Stay indoors and avoid grassy areas when the pollen count is high; also, close windows and doors.

Start antihistamines and the various preventative treatments at least a month before the hayfever season starts. Help is always available at Bedminster Pharmacy. Come and speak with us for advice on prevention and symptom treatments.

Remember to also book your Spring Covid booster jab. You can book online or call 119.

THE BRISTOL SOUTH SPACE PROGRAM

n FROM THE MAYOR’S OFFICE

Restoring the River Malago

WE’VE taken an exciting next step in the regeneration of Bedminster Green in submitting a planning application to restore a section of the River Malago that will allow us to bring back wildlife and reduce the risk of flooding in the area. The Malago starts in the springs of the Dundry Hills, fed by Pigeonhouse stream, and flows for miles under much of south Bristol. Its much-culverted course goes through Hartcliffe, Withywood and Bishopsworth, under Novers Hill, and then through Windmill Hill and Bedminster into the New Cut of the River Avon.

Restoring the river is one of the many benefits the regeneration of Bedminster Green will bring to the area, along with building much needed homes in our growing city, making it easier to travel and heat homes more sustainably, and helping to revive the local high street, East Street.

Our planning application also outlines proposals to restore

heritage features, create a seating area on the green that will overlook the newly emerged river, and install an accessible path and boardwalk to improve access to the edge of the Malago. The project will run between plots 1, 3 and 5 of the Bedminster Green regeneration area along Dalby Avenue/Malago Road, Hereford Street, Whitehouse Lane and Clarke Street.

We have declared climate and ecological emergencies, committing to do as much as we can to combat climate change and bring back lost wildlife in Bristol. A big part of the river restoration project is about enhancing the channel and banks of the Malago to a more natural condition to encourage biodiversity. This will include widening the river corridor, altering the flow speed to allow vegetation to grow, and removing and treating invasive non-native species to allow native species to thrive.

On top of being a wonderful new feature for the community to enjoy, restoring sections of the river will help to reduce flood risk in the local area. We’ll do this by lowering ground levels in the green, installing a grid across the entrance to where the river goes back underground under East Street to trap debris and prevent blockages, and making the channel narrower to improve the speed of flows to prevent stagnation.

Our proposals also deliver improvements to the heritage of the river and will facilitate the repair of historic river channel walls. The river restoration will restore the existing penstock structure, which is a metal sluice gate that’s part of Bedminster’s industrial heritage. If the planning application is approved, construction work will take place in phases beginning this year, and will be coordinated with the other Bedminster Green development works. When complete, it will help

By Guest columnist Cllr Nicola Beech

to restore the river and heritage features, reduce flood risk in the area, and create high quality green space for existing and future residents of the proposed new homes in the surrounding Bedminster Green and Whitehouse Street developments to enjoy for years to come.

The planning application can be viewed on the council’s website using the reference number 23/00611/FB.

Welcoming Space and Citizens Advice Drop In

The Southville Centre on Beauley Road is one of Bristol’s official Welcoming Spaces. We open 8am-8pm Monday to Thursday, and 8am-6pm on Fridays. Here you will find free tea and coffee, WiFi access computers, signposting information regarding the cost of living crisis and a warm welcome.

Citizens Advice Bristol are present twice weekly, on Tuesdays 9am-12.30pm, and Thursdays 3.30pm-6pm. They can give support if you are struggling with the rising cost of living, and provide practical guidance around benefits, money, debt and energy. Thursday sessions include free soup and a roll.

LGBT+ Fab Cafe 50+ friendly

Meet up with other LGBT+

people in the community, in a relaxed environment over a cuppa. Come and say hello, no need to book.

We meet weekly on Tuesdays, 2pm-4pm in The Snug room at the Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Road, Southville, BS3 1TF. For more details, contact leanne. purton@bs3community.org.uk

Morning Social

Drop in for a friendly chat plus a free hot drink and breakfast snack every Wednesday, 9.30am11.30am at Bedminster Quaker’s Meeting House, Wedmore Vale, BS3 5HX.

Information about local services and activities happening in the community will be available, plus crafts and games to take part in on the day. Everyone is welcome. For more information contact leanne. purton@bs3community.org.uk

Stroll and Chat Groups

BS3 Community now runs two Stroll and Chat groups. Join us weekly come rain or shine for a gentle stroll and friendly chat. Everyone’s welcome. Make friends and boost your health at the same time.

Our latest group meets at 9.30am every Tuesday outside

Bridge View Medical Surgery on Marksbury Road, BS3 5JL. The walks last around an hour, which you can take at your own pace and enjoy the company. To join contact leanne.purton@ bs3community.org.uk

To join Stroll and Chat meeting at the Tobacco Factory on North Street, 10.30am on Tuesdays, contact jo.langford@ bs3community.org.uk

n WHAT’S ON INTERVIEW

Rediscovering his love of comedy

With a raft of viral YouTube hits and multiple appearances on Mock The Week under his (vegan leather) belt, Alasdair Becket King is thrilled to return to his first love of stand-up comedy, as he takes his hit show ‘The Interdimensional ABK’ on the road, bringing it to South Bristol on 28 April. We caught up with him to find out more…

What is The Interdimensional ABK all about?

My name is Alasdair Beckett-King and ABK are my initials. Basically, they don’t let you work in showbiz if your name is too long. That’s why Benedict Cumberbatch had to shorten his name, which was originally the entirety of Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky.

I’m an interdimensional comedian, and this show is about moving

from the ‘A Timeline’ (freedom, optimism, adventure) to the ‘B Timeline’ (paper cuts, climate change, Noel Edmonds). If you’ve spent your whole life in the B Timeline (AKA, the real world), you’ll know how hard it can be. I come from the A Timeline, so I get to make jokes about all the best and worst things in our world, from an outsider’s perspective. So there’s silliness, whimsy and absolutely several proper jokes. We’re talking double figures, easy. What was the inspiration behind the show?

Schopenhauer said we live in the worst of all possible worlds. And he was right, but what a downer. I created this show because I wanted to spend some time in a better world. And I also wanted to make my own animated theme tune in the style of a 1980s Saturday morning kids’ show. Which is the most self-indulgent thing anyone has ever done but it turned out quite nicely. Who should come and see ‘The Interdimensional ABK’?

I’m really on the lookout for a wealthy patron and/or secret benefactor who will bankroll more of this nonsense. If that’s you, please send your valet to my lodgings ASAP. As a struggling artist, I could die of consumption at a moment’s notice.

Apart from rich philanthropists, my target audience is people who notice misused apostrophes but don’t make a fuss. People who are still boycotting Nestlé but can’t remember why. People who would spend a night in a haunted house but would definitely be the first one to die. Normal people are welcome, too. The world needs to know, how do you maintain your lustrous locks?

The truth is, I have no secret haircare regimen. I just use normal,

cheap shampoo and conditioner. But I’ve learned that this truth is unpalatable, so I’ve prepared a more interesting lie...

During my travels in lands of ancient mystery, I came upon this passage in a sacred grimoire: For Locks that shyne as yf oyl’d and haire that curles a comlee Syghte, take thee Een of Catte ‘twixte Leafes of Oliue and Willow and presse thee the Mylke thereof. And the secret is to never put that stuff on your hair.

You’re set to visit Bristol. What are you most looking forward to?

I can’t wait to get to Bristol. Statuedunking, vegan street art and suspension bridges? Yes please.

Alasdair Becket King will be at The Comedy Box at The Hen & Chicken, North Street, on 28 April.

n WICKED WITCH

In witch it’s not what I expected

I GOT a text from my friend Queenie (she’s the queen of everything). “Do you fancy coming to see Belle and Sebastian?”. “Hell yes” I replied instantly, they are one of my favourite bands. I’d seen them a few years ago at the Colston Hall (oh stop it, it was called that back then) and they were brilliant. “Fantastic” came the reply “you, me, DIL (daughter in law) and the boys”. This is when I started to frown. The boys are twins and they toddle so it was strange that they would be coming.

As the date approached, Queenie gave me instructions on where to meet. 11am at the Bristol Old Vic. Curiouser and curiouser.

I arrived to find the foyer full of families, the type that order babyccinos, say things like “can I get”, rarely mutter “thank you” and have children called Tarquin and Porsche. I loudly asked for a coffee “please could I have” and sat down amongst them, frowning.

Queenie arrived in a glorious burst of energy which very few people possess, she’s a presence. She laughingly told me that we were about to watch a children’s show and how strange it was that I’d agreed to go so quickly.

I begrudgingly followed the snake of families down to a small side theatre space. I squidged past a funky looking fellow and whispered “I thought I was here to watch the band Belle and

n NEWS FROM THE METRO MAYOR

Sebastian not a kids show – if I start hyperventilating ignore me, I don’t particularly like small children”. He grinned and whispered back “they are my favourite band too, you never know, they might turn up”.

The show started with an adult man bounding onto the stage in white dungarees and a big smile. This was Belle, the dog, who is a girl. I shifted in my seat as the twins stared with huge eyeballs. Then Sebastian arrived stage left, dressed in jeans and a boy’ish shirt but was quite obviously a girl. I rolled my eyes and prepared for the worst.

They told their story and as the minutes flew by, I got dragged into their world of imagination. By

Wanted: your ideas to keep us moving

I’VE always said that local people know their communities best. I’ve also always remarked that people across the West are endlessly able to come up with great ideas. You only have to look at my Big Choices public meetings I held last summer to see that!

Now you may or may not have come to these meetings, where I listened to thousands of people air their concerns and suggest solutions to the many, many challenges we have on the buses at present. If you did, thank you for engaging in one of the knottiest issues this region is facing right now!

If you didn’t, fear not. You’ve still got time to tell me your community’s unique transport challenges and help me find the best transport solution for its particular needs.

Welcome to WESTlocal - a new £2 million fund from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority to help communities design and then run their own version of new transport in their patch.

Maybe the challenge in your area is driving children to school? Getting older residents to the shops? Workers to large local employers at the start and end of shifts?

Whatever it is, with WESTlocal - open

to a wide selection of community groups, schools, faith groups, town and parish councils, and more - we will unleash the power of local people working together, and keep residents on the move.

All you need to do is come up with an idea, then get together with other groups in your community (or go it alone if you want to), identify a range of transport needs and come up with a transport scheme to tackle them. We will support you to put those plans into action and make them a success.

The fund is super-flexible, and communities can consider a range of ideas, with fixed timetables or flexible services, and pre-booked or “buy on the bus” services. They could run to key locations – think GPs or colleges. And various vehicles can be used. Traditional buses, minibuses - you name it!

Your proposed scheme must serve residents based in the West of England area. Your ideas must be locally designed and new - they can’t simply keep schemes going that are already in place.

For those thinking “but I’ve never run public transport before, Dan” - don’t worry. Expert advice and support will be made

the end, the man was a dog that I wanted to take home and the teenage girl was unquestionably a six year old boy. The cardboard folds were huge mountains and the houses constructed out of tiny bits of paper were part of a real mountainside village that I’d love to visit. It was simple and magical, even for an old grump like me.

The show ended and everyone started to stand and stretch. Mr Funky dug me in the ribs and whispered “listen” and I heard them, Belle and Sebastian the band, playing us out over the speakers “see, they did turn up” he laughed. And we sat and listened as the theatre emptied and all that was left was the music.

available every step of the way, to help all those looking to set up a new transport scheme.

Once you have got your idea, contact transport.operations@westofengland-ca.gov. uk and put ‘WESTlocal idea’ in the address line.

The West of England Combined Authority will get back to you to explain the rest of the process. You have from now until the end of April 2024 to have the idea and get the application process in. Okay, so now you can get going - there’s nothing stopping you!

This is people-powered transport, designed and delivered locally.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris writes for the Voice

Living the literary life

Author Stephen Reynolds, who lives in Knowle, has just celebrated the publication of his second novel, ‘Darling Sorrow’. South Bristol Voice caught up with Stephen to find out more about his writing and his love of our favourite part of the city.

Congratulations on the publication of ‘Darling Sorrow’. Tell us more about the book.

It’s about an unnamed narrator who hits rock bottom. His mental health deteriorates and just as he’s about to take his own life – at the very last – he meets a mysterious woman. He then finds that each time he meets this woman, they play out the same encounter word for word, until he begins to question his own reality. Anything beyond that would be spoilers. It’s a love story, really. But with a few twists and a conceptual element.

How did you get into writing?

In 2015 I hiked the 630-mile-long South West Coast Path. I wrote a book about it and self-published it, with no expectations. It ended up doing very well for itself and that gave me the confidence to take my writing seriously. After a few more hiking books, my debut novel ‘The Layers’ was published in 2021.

What inspires you to write?

My writing is entirely character driven. I take inspiration primarily

from the people I care about: my family and friends. All my characters share at least some traits with people I love, so I have an emotional connection to them. Which translates into better writing.

How did you secure a publishing deal?

Through the long slog of researching publishers and submitting the manuscript to those that felt like a good fit. It’s not a part of the process I enjoy, but I’m really happy with the publisher who’s taken it on.

What tips would you have for any of our readers who have dreams of getting a novel published?

Believe in your writing. If you can get to the point where you can read something you’ve written and say that it’s exactly what you intended it to be, then it’s already a success. If you can’t find a publisher, then do it yourself. As with everything in life, the more you do something the better you get at it. So, persevere and keep believing in what you’re doing. And if you want to make loads of money, do something else!

Do you have a writing routine?

I’m definitely a morning person and am most prolific and creative in the first few hours of the day. I don’t set myself word targets, but I do set aside time for writing and stick to it. If I’ve got half a day allotted to writing then I’ll sit and write, no matter what. I usually write for three to four hours then

COMPETITION!

We have two copies of Stephen’s second novel ‘Darling Sorrow’ to give away to two lucky South Bristol Voice readers. To be entered into the competition, simply email us with the answer to this question:

What part of Bristol does Stephen live in?

Email your answer to news@southbristolvoice.co.uk, putting ‘Competition’ in the subject line. The closing date is midnight on Sunday April 16. Winners will be contacted via email. Good luck!

spend a couple of hours going over what I’ve written and tweaking it.

Have you always lived in Knowle?

I grew up on the south coast but I’ve lived in South Bristol for 15 years now. I love the community spaces like Redcatch Park and the independent shops and bars. I love the endless rows of Victorian terraces. It’s felt like home for a long time and I wouldn’t want to

be anywhere else.

What’s next for you on the writing front?

I’m currently writing a third novel and am really pleased with how it’s shaping up. It’s some way off yet, so I don’t want to say too much about it. But it’s on a grander scale than anything I’ve attempted previously and I’m feeling really excited about it.

ENTERPRISE PROGRAMME

Are you based in South Bristol, aged 18-30 and have a business idea?

Come and access our FREE business support.

Mentoring Workshops

Tailored business support

Funding available (grants and loans)

More information about our Enterprise programme can be found on our website.

SIGN UP OR FIND OUT MORE

Google 'Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme’

Or email: enquiries.sw@princes-trust.org.uk

Supported by:

n WHAT’S ON

Theatre, comedy and so much more for all the family

April 4, Bristol Hippodrome, The Matt Goss Experience. Join legendary Bros frontman, Matt Goss, in an unmissable night of his biggest hits, new original music and a personal tribute to one of the greatest songwriters ever, Cole Porter, in an evening of unashamed swing, glitz and swagger by one of the UKs best showmen. Having headlined Las Vegas for 11 years, Matt is the consummate entertainer and back doing what he loves, supported by the best big band musicians in the country and the amazing Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.

April 5-16, Bristol Old Vic, ‘Zog’. Large in size and keen in nature, Zog is eager to win a golden star at Madam Dragon’s school, where dragons learn all the things that dragons need to know. Zog tries so very hard, perhaps too hard, and he bumps, burns and roars his way through years one, two and three. Luckily, the plucky Princess Pearl patches him up ready to face his biggest challenge yet… a duel with knight, Sir Gadabout the Great!

April fool!

April 5-15, Bristol Old Vic, ‘If You Fall’. A show about care, love, and the end of our lives. Margaret is a pillar of her local community. Norson is a brilliant cook. He loves cricket and fishing. She loves singing and her lavender plants. They’re both surrounded by loving families. Their lives are full… So what happens when you lose your independence, your voice, your mind – the essence of what makes you, you?

April 6, British Road Church Hall, BS3, Family Easter Workshop. 10am-12pm. Two hours of very silly Easter hat fun. Arnolfini’s artists in residence, Let’s Make Art, will guide children in designing and making ridiculously bizarre and brilliant headpieces with top class materials and a lot of verve. Prizes for the silliest! £15 admits a child (and their adult) - older children can be dropped off. Drinks and snacks available. More info: buytickets.at/ letsmakeartuk

April 8, The Comedy Box at the Hen & Chicken, Alasdair BeckettKing. The comedian has taken his very first tour on the road. Alasdair is a familiar face on television screens, and was a ‘Mock the Week’ favourite for the final two seasons. He’s an award-winning comedian and just scooped Chortle’s Breakthrough Act of the Year 2023.

Until April 9, Tobacco Factory Theatre, ‘I Want My Hat Back’. A bear has lost his hat. What if he never sees it again? Wait!! He has seen his hat. A fish has stolen a hat. And he’ll probably get away

with it. Probably. Two turtles have found a hat. The hat looks good on both of them. But there are two turtles. And there is only one hat. Following their hit digital series on Little Angel Theatre’s YouTube channel, and a sold out run at their venue, Ian Nicholson and Sam Wilde are back.

April 12-16, Bristol Hippodrome, ‘Mother Goose’. Who puts a panto on in April? Ian McKellen and John Bishop do! Enjoy the end of the Easter Holidays with Mother Goose, the ultimate familyfriendly panto - full of fun, farce and surprises that will make you honk out loud. Mother Goose is a live entertainment spectacle not to be missed – full of fun, musical comedy, star power and surprises that will make you honk out loud. This cheeky fairytale is exactly “the kind of knockabout entertainment that we all need” (The Times) and “infectious fun” (Time Out) from start to finish.

April 18, Bristol Old Vic, Marcus Brigstocke. A blisteringly funny stand-up show from multi-award winning comedian Marcus Brigstocke. This joyful show celebrates the personal triumphs and small victories of the past couple of years... while acknowledging it has, in so many ways, on so many days, for the most part, been absolutely rubbish.

April 23, Elephant House, Dean

Street, Laughter Workshop. 5pm-6.30pm. The team will lead you through some exercises to share laughs together and feel good. There will be some movement involved and the class is mainly aimed at adults, although families with children 10+ are welcome. Please bring something to lie on if it will make you feel more comfortable, as we will do an optional chill /meditation bit at the end. Free event but donations welcome. facebook.com/ Laughteryogawithpeace/

April 28-29, Tobacco Factory Theatre, ‘The Beast in Me’. Imagine a world where the lines separating humanity and animals have blurred, in which dark forests contain refuge as well as danger, and where blood is not always thicker than water. The Devil’s Violin is Daniel Morden (story), Oliver Wilson-Dickson (violin) and Sarah Moody (cello). Their new show, The Beast In Me, is a masterfully woven tapestry of stories about our perception of beauty and the value of kindness.

The Theatre and Entertainment Luvver

CLOWNING has always been popular in theatre from Ancient Egypt, Shakespeare and through to modern day. Clowning is a technique that has been used and enjoyed throughout history.

In Shakespeare’s plays the clown is a recurring character type. They might appear as a variety of different characters sometimes as jesters, gravediggers or fools but will always be portrayed as either an intelligent ‘commoner’ outwitting the upper classes or a ‘natural fool’ simply there for light entertainment and more alike to the type of clowning we see today.

Clowning in theatre now is a state of playfulness. It explores the clown’s reactions to the world. It is a chance for the performer to improvise, use their imagination and express themselves. It might take on a

physical form of dance or slapstick and require great stamina and strength. It can also be used as a method of handling or introducing delicate subject matters to explore topics and confront social issues in a light hearted manner.

When a clown wears a mask covering their face, they lose their individual identity and become part of a clown group so it is easier to physically demonstrate a message. They are always comedic roles but can trigger a range of emotions from the audience: laughter, joy, amazement, sadness and sometimes even fear.

Featuring a clown among other fantastic characters is ‘Waldo’s Circus of Magic and

Terror’ which, depending on when you are reading this, you might just catch at Bristol Old Vic. This is a new musical set under the twinkling stars of the big top and tells a poignant tale of resistance, love and courage.

Whether in a show, at the circus, on the street or at children’s birthdays clowns are very much still with us. So I urge you find them and start clowning around. You’d be a fool not to!

Jacqui Ham

Eileen Yoga at the Salt Cellar Thursdays 2pm and 6 pm https://www.eileenyoga.co.uk/

Bristol slimmer reaches semi-finals after losing 9st 5.5lbs

A 54-year-old super slimmer from Bristol has reached the semi-finals of a competition to find the UK and Ireland’s most successful female slimmers, after losing a life-changing 9st 5.5lbs.

Sally Bundell secured her place in the semi-final of Slimming World’s Woman of the Year 2022 competition after members from her Ashton Vale group voted her as their representative in the annual contest. She was then delighted to be one of 37 women from across the UK and Ireland invited to share her story at Slimming World head office in Derbyshire and be in with a chance of taking the overall title.

Sally, who slimmed from 18st 6.5lbs to 9st 1lbs, says: “Before I joined Slimming World, losing weight just felt like an uphill struggle. I felt selfconcious all the time and would get out of breath doing the most simple things and, although I was desperate to do something about it, I had almost resigned myself to the fact that I would always be overweight and unhappy.

“I tried a few ways to lose weight before Slimming World and the difference this time was that Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan showed me a way of eating that fits so easily around my life, without me ever feeling hungry or like I’m missing out or restricting myself. Throughout my weight loss journey I’ve been able to still enjoy all my favourite meals like curries, roast dinners, stir-fries and burgers and chips I just prepared and cooked them differently.

“The best thing is that I feel confident that I’ve formed new healthy habits that will stick with me, like filling my plate with plenty of veg and cooking without lots of added oils and fats. These new habits have enabled me to finally take control of my weight and find the confidence I’ve been lacking all these years – it doesn’t feel like an uphill struggle anymore.

“With my new-found confidence I started thinking about ways I could become more active and took up walking. Slimming World has a physical activity support programme called Body Magic and it helped me to gradually increase how much I was doing and how often, so I could take it up a gear at a pace that worked for me. I enjoy every minute of it too.”

Sally says that the supportive environment of her Slimming World group has been key to her success. She says: “The group really made me feel welcome from the very first day I joined. We share tips and recipe ideas and cheer each other on when we need it – and even when we don’t realise we do. Ultimately, when I was at my lowest ebb it was a place I felt safe, included and free to be myself. My Consultant Susan has been amazing and really helped me to believe in myself and stay motivated, too.

“At the start of my journey if you’d have told me I would be representing my group at the finals of Slimming World’s Woman of the Year competition, feeling the way I do, I would have laughed. I still can’t believe this is my reality. I’m looking forward to a brighter, happier and heathier future and ready to seize life with both hands.”

Susan Hook, who runs the Ashton Vale Slimming World group that Sally attends, adds: “Sally’s incredible transformation has inspired so many of her fellow slimmers and she gives them so much support each week, so when it came down to voting for our group’s Woman of the Year it was really lovely to see so many people supporting her and putting her forward. We couldn’t be prouder of her. I hope that Sally inspires other people in Bristol who might’ve been feeling the way that she did to pop along and join our warm and friendly group at Ashton Vale Community Centre on Risdale Road or to call me on 07711 388511 for more information.”

Unfortunately, Sally wasn’t the overall winner of the competition. Slimming World’s Woman of the Year 2022 will be announced in the coming months.

Tuesdays

Hengrove

Hengrove Community Centre Fortfield Road BS14 9NX

9.30am call Sarah - 07879443888

Knowle Park Redcatch Community Church

Broadwalk BS4 2RB

9.00am & 10.30am call Susan - 07711388511

Knowle Park Redcatch Community Church

Broadwalk BS4 2RB

5.30pm & 7.30pm call Susan - 07711388511

St Anne’s Wicklea Academy Wick Rd BS4 4HR

5.30pm & 7.00pm call Emma 07867783911

Wednesdays

Withywood

The Withywood Centre Queens Rd

Bishopsworth BS13 8QA 9am, 10.30am call Vicky - 07999617075

Withywood

The Withywood Centre Queens Rd Bishopsworth BS13 8QA

5.30pm call Vicky - 07999617075

Whitchurch Bridge Farm Primary School East Dundry Road BS14 0LL

5.30pm & 7.00pm call Sarah 07879443888

Brislington St Christopher’s Church Hampstead Rd BS4 3HJ

5.30pm & 7pm call Emma - 07867783911

Thursdays

Bishopsworth

The Withywood Centre Queens Rd BS13 8QA

9.30am call Keesa - 07399597267

Bishopsworth

The Withywood Centre Queens Rd BS13 8QA

5.30pm call Keesa - 07399597267

Broomhill Broomhill Junior School Allison Rd

Brislington BS4 4NZ 6pm call Emma - 07867783911

Stockwood

Christ The Servant Stockwood Rd BS14 8PL

5.00pm & 6.30pm call Vicky - 07999617075

Fridays

Stockwood Christ the Servant Stockwood Rd BS14 8PL 9am call Vicky - 07999617075

Saturdays

Hengrove Christ Church Hall Petherton Rd BS14 9BP 9.30am call Keesa 07399597267

Ashton Vale Ashton Vale Community Centre Risdale Rd BS3 2QY 9.30am call Susan - 07711388511

n MESSAGE FROM AVON & SOMERSET PCC

You’re not the only victim if you buy a fake

AS the national lead PCC for Economic and Cybercrime, I’m always supportive when I see a national campaign highlighting the impact that fraud can have on communities and how we can work together to stop this criminal activity.

This is why I was delighted to see that the charity Crimestoppers has launched a year-long national campaign to raise awareness about the personal dangers and harms that consumers face when they knowingly or unknowingly buy fake goods.

Causing a £9 billion annual loss to the UK economy, counterfeit goods fraud can be defined as the sale of fake items as authentic goods from established brands.

The criminals behind this crime intend to deceive and exploit consumers into buying fake products, thinking they’ve bagged themselves a bargain. It’s worth stressing that those individuals who deliberately buy a fake product

are also committing a crime and contributing to the problem.

There’s always a victim when you buy a fake product: fake goods cause 80,500 UK job losses every year and the crime has links to organised crime groups who are complicit in human trafficking, child sexual exploitation and prostitution.

While criminals are becoming more skilful at finding new ways of ripping people off, there are a few signs to look out for to protect yourself when you’re looking for a good deal.

These include: the price being too good to be true; dodgy websites and an unusual place of sale; spelling and grammatical errors on websites and product packaging; differences in product or packaging; and missing information like the batch number.

I’m urging local people to report any information they have in relation to counterfeit fraud using Crimestoppers’ anonymous

reporting service, which can be found online or by calling 0800 555 111.

Dog theft is a wide concern for pet owners in our force area.

Last month, to mark National Dog Theft Awareness Day, my team spoke to Avon & Somerset Police’s Animal Welfare Legislation Officer, PC Natalie Cosgrove.

She told us that the force recorded 16 cases of dog theft in 2021 and only five in 2022. While a reduction and, I’m sure reassuring to many, that is still five cases too many.

If you are a dog owner, there are specific security precautions you can take to make dog theft harder, including camera doorbells, keeping doors locked and sensor lighting outside your house.

I would also like to remind those who have a dog to not leave it unattended in your car, your garden, or tied up outside shops.

Remember, microchipping is not only a legal requirement,

With Police and Crime Commissioner Mark

Shelford

it means your dog will be much easier to track down if it is stolen.

I also urge dog owners to consider DNA tracking to help identify their dog if it is stolen then recovered by the police. More information on DNA tracking can be found on the ‘DNA Protected’ website.

If your dog has been stolen, you should immediately contact the police and report the crime as theft.

n WHAT’S ON INTERVIVEW

ON Sunday April 2, six Bristol bands will take to the Thekla stage in a bid to win the coveted Microdog Battle of the Bands final. South Bristol Voice spoke to the Bedminster-based finalists Amber Lights, and the contest’s organiser and Knowle resident Jon Spencer, to learn more about the show and the bustling South Bristol music community.

“All Bristol bands want to play the Thekla, it’s iconic!” says Amber Lights singer Dom di Lallo. “To say the band is excited is an understatement. When we formed the band it became our top venue to play but getting that opportunity is rare. We’re going to put on a big show for sure.”

Formed in 2018, the fourpiece ambient rock band made it through their round of the competition in February after competing alongside four groups, including South Bristol’s Bubblegum Hypnosis. “It’s great we won our heat,” guitarist Ben Hooper said, “but actually it was just nice to listen and support the other bands too. We’ve been part of the South Bristol scene for a while and it’s just great to feel part of a community where live music matters and it’s great to have something like Microdog to give bands like us something to inspire us.”

Jon Spencer, organiser and founder of the Underdog, and its sister contest, the Microdog, is a fierce champion of the local music scene. “The majority of the earlier stages of the competitions have been hosted at Totterdownbased venue The Thunderbolt, providing the people of South Bristol with the chance to check out the local talent. We wanted to create something that benefited the local music scene, and we’ve been incredibly lucky to be supported by venues like o2 Academy and Thekla – venues that are usually difficult to access for local musicians as the majority of the music economy is based in the centre of Bristol, with very few venues located in South Bristol.”

In 2016, a live music census from Bucks New University found that 65 venues showcased live music in Bristol on a Thursday night offering fans an almost unlimited choice in entertainment, but that also produces fierce competition that

South Bristol band heads to Battle of Bands final

needs an outlet.

“We started the Underdog back in 2015, as an alternative to the larger national competitions, which were very effective at syphoning money out of the local music economy,” said Jon. “The Underdog, however, has always had deliverable prizes; we’ve given out over £5,000 in cash prizes, plus tours, video shoots, and time in studios. These are prizes that have benefited the bands who’ve taken part in the

circuit.”

On the night, Thekla will be not only the place to be, but also shine a bright spotlight on

Bristolians’ desire to return to a thriving local live music. “Thekla is an incredible venue and is well-renowned on the national tour circuit. But due to its size, and popularity with national agents and promoters, there are few opportunities for local musicians to take to the stage, this competition changes that. Now, local musicians have the opportunity to play some of the biggest and best stages in Bristol,” said Jon. “We’ve seen incredible support during the 2023 series with 50% of the tickets for the Thekla event selling out in 30 minutes,” said Jon, “this is completely unprecedented for grassroots events in Bristol. It’s going to be an incredible night, tell your friends.”

events, while keeping as much of the money in the Bristol economy as possible. We invest a lot of time in developing the bands ahead of the final, and we’ve seen previous finalists go on to break out of the local scene and onto the national

Bedminster band, Amber Lights

Local bands need all the support they can get and the Microdog contest has given bands on the local music scene a huge boost and inspired us to really learn how to put on a really great gig.

Noah Kay, Amber Lights

A big thing is just…

Ben Barker, Secretary BS3 Wildlife Group

IN 2020, agencies including Avon Wildlife Trust and Bristol City Council recognised the decline in the city’s wildlife and published an Ecological Emergency Strategy for an ecologically resilient, wildlife-rich Bristol by 2030. Easier said than done.

One goal was that at least 30% of land in Bristol be managed for the benefit of wildlife by

2030. Applying the 30% figure to Greater Bedminster, we get 525 acres. Windmill Hill City Farm is around four acres and Ashton Court is 850 acres, although mostly outside BS3.

BS3’s 525+ acres managed for wildlife will come from two main sources. Firstly, the public land of parks and allotments is probably around 10% of the area, ie around 175 acres. Over the next few years, BCC may add long grass, meadows, ponds and other

wildlife friendly features to local parks whilst also meeting other needs such as children’s play, sport and dog walking.

The second major source will be gardens. We guess that they constitute 10-15% of BS3, ie 175-263 acres. Gardens registered so far for the Greater Bedminster Urban Nature Reserve are around three acres, so a long way to go, although many more than three acres of gardens are already quite wildlife friendly. We want people

to show their support by signing up, but, mostly, we want people to make life better for bees, hedgehogs and sparrows, before they disappear from Bristol.

For more information about Bristol’s first Urban Nature Reserve, contact mywildbedminster@virginmedia. com. A big thing is just lots of little things stuck together. Every windowbox counts.

PICS - Photographer: Graham Sims.

Robin

Sparrowhawk