South Bristol Voice March 2021 by South Bristol Voice

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March 2021 No. 63

www.southbristolvoice.co.uk

We Sell and Let Property Like Yours

WIDEST CIRCULATION IN SOUTH BRISTOL – 15,000 copies of this edition

FREE MONTHLY IN Bedminster, Southville, Knowle, Totterdown, Ashton, Ashton Vale and Windmill Hill

Celebrating 130 years of 'the people's park'

Page 6

Tributes paid to Rob, champion of Bristol's homeless - Page 3 Old brewery earmarked for affordable homes - Page 5

Residents team up to support food bank

Page 6

South Bristol in post-war era

Pages 16 & 17

We Sell and Let Property Like Yours Tel: 01179634373

Email: Southville@cjhole.co.uk

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Becky Day Editorial director news@southbristolvoice.co.uk Ruth Drury Sales director 07590 527664 sales@southbristolvoice.co.uk Rich Coulter Editorial director 07775 550607 news@southbristolvoice.co.uk Editorial team: Charley Rogers Next month’s deadline for editorial and advertising is March 15

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: news@southbristolvoice.co.uk or by post: 111 Broadfield Rd, Knowle, Bristol BS4 2UX or by phone: 0777 555 0607.

March 2021

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 My councillor? Post: (all councillors) City Hall, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TR. Celia Phipps Labour, Bedminster By phone: 07469 413312 By email: Cllr.celia.phipps@bristol.gov.uk Mark Bradshaw Labour, Bedminster. By email: Cllr.mark. bradshaw@bristol.gov.uk By phone: 0117 353 3160 USEFUL NUMBERS Bristol City Council www.bristol.gov.uk 0117 922 2000 Waste, roads 0117 922 2100 Pests, dog wardens 0117 922 2500 Council tax 0117 922 2900

Stephen Clarke Green, Southville By email: Cllr.stephen.clarke@ bristol.gov.uk Charlie Bolton Green, Southville By phone: 07884 736111 By email: Cllr.charlie.bolton@bristol.gov.uk Christopher Davies Lib Dem, Knowle Email: Cllr.Christopher. Davies@bristol.gov.uk Phone: 07826917714 Gary Hopkins Lib Dem, Knowle (Lib Dem deputy leader) Email: Cllr.Gary.Hopkins@bristol.gov.uk Phone: 07977 512159 Lucy Whittle Labour, Windmill Hill Phone: 07392 108805 Email: cllr.lucy.whittle@bristol.gov.uk Jon Wellington Labour, Windmill Hill Phone: 07392 108804 Email: Cllr.Jon.Wellington@bristol.gov.uk

Housing benefit 0117 922 2300 Social services 0117 922 2900 Police Inquiries 101 Emergency 999

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'He was a character, he was a friend' - a tribute to 'champion' Robert Earnshaw By Charley Rogers Robert Earnshaw, who was an integral part of Help Bristol's Homeless (HBH) charity in Spring Street, Bedminster, has sadly passed away, aged 59. Jasper Thompson first met Rob in 2017, soon after founding the outreach programme and charity for rough sleepers in Bristol. Since 2017, HBH has run projects to support homeless people in Bristol, including converting shipping containers into ‘microflats’ as temporary accommodation for people to get back on their feet, believing that ‘housing must come first, and everything else comes after’. Rob was a regular at HBH, often with his good friend Nick, who was also homeless at the time. “Rob had some issues with alcohol,” explains Zoradi Tucker, a trustee of HBH and friend of Rob. “He was living in doorways or in tents in the woods near Clifton to begin with, but in the summer of 2017, he came to HBH and was set up in a microflat, in one of the shipping containers we had converted.” At first Rob kept to himself, focusing on his recovery, explains Zoradi, but soon became an essential part of HBH, helping to cook in the kitchen, and taking part in almost every aspect of the charity’s work. When a previous resident who had been managing a project to convert a doubledecker bus into an emergency shelter, Jasper asked Rob to take over. “Soon Rob was taking deliveries of materials, coordinating teams of volunteers, making sure they were all safe on site, dealing with our office staff and managing timetables of who was helping and when,” says Zoradi. “We would also get lots of visitors – school groups or corporate, and many in between – and Rob would help host these visits too.” Rob even took a younger resident, Mike, “under his wing,” says Zoradi, helping him learn culinary skills and encouraging

Rob was known for cooking up 'legendary' Sunday roasts from the Help Bristol's Homeless kitchen him to attend functions for the charity. Rob was very interested in HBH’s outreach provision, and was instrumental in supporting Jasper in the running of the emergency shelter, says Zoradi. “We had a camper van we would use to go out and provide food, clothes and essentials. Rob prepared the food in our kitchen every week, as well as making food for the other residents at the site. He would take part in the outreach, and see people he knew come up to the van. Because they knew Rob, they often then had the confidence to ask for what they needed.” The kitchen became Rob’s space, and he was very proud of it. “It was ‘his’ kitchen,” says Zoradi, “a converted shipping container with all the things you would expect in a commercial kitchen. He obtained his food hygiene certificates, and his food – roasts, BBQs, and more – became intrinsic to HBH.” Rob shared his love of cooking with others at HBH, and had even planned a fundraising event called Come Dine for HBH, in 2020. “Sadly it was cancelled due to the pandemic,” explains Zoradi, “but he had planned it all – including an amazing menu”. But Rob wasn’t just great at cooking. Zoradi says: “He was

so good with people, from young people like the groups from the Princes Trust, to corporate groups. Rob was able to talk with all sorts of people. He became a trustee of HBH and he was an ambassador for the charity, attending events, speaking about the work we do, and championing the project. Rob made time to

talk to everyone who came to the project for whatever reason they were there. We have had many film crews, TV programmes, local news crews, and documentary makers come to see us, and Rob has featured in many of them, telling his story and attributing our founder, Jasper, with saving his life.” Above all, Rob was a friend, says Zoradi. “He went from living in a doorway dependent on alcohol, to accepting Jasper’s offer of joining the project and turning his life around. Rob stayed on with us and became an integral part of the charity, not just with his legendary Sunday roasts, but his lived experience of homelessness informed the team regularly. He was a character, he was a friend, he was a champion of HBH, and his memory will live on.” At the request of Rob’s family, HBH is running a Crowdfunder to create a shipping container microflat in Rob’s honour, which will be called Rob’s Place. To contribute, visit www. crowdfunder.co.uk/robs-place

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”Romans 8.35 We believe that God is with us even in the hardest times.

Wishing you a very Happy Easter from South Bristol Methodist Church For services on zoom and up to date information about worship in the buildings, see southbristolmc.org.uk or tel. 0117 9776714. Look for SouthBristolMethodistChurch worship videos on youtube or our website and facebook pages for Knowle and Totterdown. (Locations: St Peter’s, Allison Road Brislington, Redcatch Road Knowle, Bushy Park Totterdown, and British Road Bedminster. Usual Sunday Services at 10.30am) We are part of Churches Together in Knowle and Totterdown and in Brislington

Got a story for South Bristol Voice? Call Rich on 0777 555 0607 or email news@southbristolvoice.co.uk

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Teen to mark decade of charity fundraising

Charlotte (left) and Lauren (right) with the handmade key rings, sporting Cots for Tots t-shirts

By Charley Rogers The Geraghty family from south Bristol are no strangers to charity fundraising. During the first lockdown, siblings Lauren, Charlotte, Jack and Harry cycled a total of 222 miles on an exercise bike in a week, raising over £400 in honour of dad, Anthony, a pharmaceutical delivery driver. The money raised went to Cots for Tots, a Bristol-based charity launched by The Grand Appeal to raise money for St Michael's neonatal intensive care unit. Charlotte has been fundraising for Cots for Tots since the age of five. Next month marks ten years since Charlotte, 15, started raising money for the appeal, and because lockdown has impacted much of her fundraising plans, sister Lauren, 17, got involved to support her. Lauren used her entrepreneurial and creative spirit to launch a small business – Wrapsie Woo – last year,

making hair wraps, bracelets and bookmarks. “Since Charlotte hasn’t been able to carry out many of the fundraising ideas she had planned this year, I thought I could perhaps help her a bit,” says Lauren. The woven key rings are pink and blue, representing the charity’s brand colours, and feature a love heart. Each keyring costs £4.50, with £1.50 going to Cots for Tots, and the remainder covering the cost of materials, and postage and packaging. Lauren and Charlotte’s mum, Claire, is very proud of their efforts: “They’re really trying hard. I’ve been putting pictures of the keyrings on Twitter, and we’ve had some interest from celebrities, like Kate Robbins.” To purchase a key ring, and add to Charlotte’s amazing ongoing fundraising total of £12,288, email lauren. wrapsiewoo@gmail.com. The JustGiving page is also live at justgiving.com/fundraising/ gingerbreadchallenge

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Old brewery earmarked for affordable homes Homes to be built as part of The Old Brewery development in south Bristol will be 100 per cent affordable, developers have revealed. Abri has acquired land at the historic site of the Ashton Gate brewery to build 107 affordable homes and seven commercial units. The development in North Street will be delivered alongside Change Real Estate. According to Abri, The Old Brewery - which has been marketed as located in Southville - will provide opportunities for people to get on the property ladder, with 98 homes earmarked for shared ownership, along with nine for social rent. Abri expect to start on site in May 2021. A spokesperson from Abri said that the build will 'mix old with new, refurbishing parts of the existing structures to create homes, shops, and offices ready to welcome the community and

An artistic impression of the North Street entrance new homeowners in 2023'. James Pennington, Director of Development at Abri said: “Securing land at The Old Brewery really is a great achievement, especially when the national demand for low-cost and high-quality housing is so high. Our plan is to support the Southville community by

building homes and commercial spaces that meet the needs of local people. “Our commitment is to deliver at least 1,000 new homes every year, and along with this scheme we’re now looking to exceed that target.” Ron Persaud, Director of Change Real Estate added:

“We’re delighted to be working with Abri to deliver 107 affordable homes at The Old Brewery and look forward to starting work on site very soon.” As part of this scheme, Abri says that it is also investing in zero combustible materials, fire detection and alarm systems in every home, to keep residents safe and their minds at ease. The apartments will also have a central plant room that can connect to Bristol City Council’s District Heat Network when it reaches Southville – a system that delivers affordable, low carbon heat and energy citywide. The development won planning permission in 2019 when councillors overruled 180 statements of objections from the public. Residents complained that the buildings were too big, would overshadow neighbours, and the development would worsen traffic problems.

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Celebrating 130 years of 'the people's park' Victoria Park Action Group is organising a contemporary art project by Charley Rogers A wide-ranging celebration is being planned to mark 130 years of 'the people's park' in South Bristol. “The idea is to create art that tells stories of the past and future of Victoria Park,” says Tessa Fitzjohn, the Windmill Hillbased arts producer working with Victoria Park Action Group (VPAG) on its 130th anniversary celebrations. “We also want to collect oral histories from older residents who remember past occasions like the GIs billeted in the park during the war, and other special times, as well as celebrating our community.” “I'm very excited to be creating this unique event celebrating South Bristol,” says Tessa, pictured above right. “The park has such a

wonderful, rich history, and I hope the project will benefit the community at the same time.” A keen environmentalist, Tessa wants to use the project to help demonstrate how art is beneficial for the community and the economy. “We're planning for one of the artists to work with a garden historian to develop a work that

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takes into consideration the park’s landscape history,” she explains, “and will include pollinators and wildlife conservation.” Other themes include 'the open air school' in partnership with local schools and families, and celebrating the potteries – historically one of main industries in Bedminster – encouraging residents to make their own bowls and 'celebratory supper'. The people’s park Victoria Park began its life as the outcome of a successful campaign by local workers, who wanted a green space to relax in. Tessa says: “Back in the 1880s, Bedminster was the hub of industry in Bristol, and the workers wanted somewhere they could go and get clean air after working in the factories all day. "They were told they could walk to the Downs, but after arguing tthat that was too far too walk after a hard day’s work, and that they wanted their own green space, Victoria Park was born.”

The anniversary project goes beyond visual art. “We plan to get funding from various sources including Arts Council England and National Lottery Grants for Heritage,” says Tessa. "They are keen to enable communities to recover from Covid by producing not only art and learning about heritage, but also encouraging visitors to look after green spaces, value community, and encourage parks to add to the local economy.” The project will address mental health, wellbeing and environmental initiatives – especially relating to the climate crisis – and create learning opportunities for young people, she adds. Organisers are hoping to engage those with local history knowledge in a voluntary capacity, as well as providing paid opportunities for those wanting to learn about project management and delivery. “We’re looking for people with a skill, or a passion,” says Tessa, “particularly in areas such as social media and design, to help get the project off the ground”. “The project committee will advise on the selection of artists and we hope South Bristol artists will be involved.” Tessa hopes the project will begin in September 2021, stretching through 2022. Funding applications are under way. Information about Victoria Park is available at http://www.vpag.org.uk/

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'24-hour danceathon was worth every move to raise money for good causes' - Farrah Anyone who tuned in to watch local dance teacher Farrah Fortnam during her 24-hour danceathon would have been in awe of her energy and plethora of outfits. Even when the mum-oftwo was just minutes away from completing the gruelling

challenge, she was still giving it her all - and continued dancing when the 24 hours were up. At the time of going to print, Farrah, who lives in Windmill Hill, raised over £2,100 for charity, with £1,900 donated to Mind and £200 to foodbank charity LIVE for Love UK.

Farrah just minutes away from completing her danceathon which she livestreamed via her Facebook page Farrah's Dance Workout

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Farrah told the South Bristol Voice after the danceathon: "This is a HUGE thanks to all my super supportive followers, friends and family who helped me achieve my biggest personal fitness challenge [on February 20]. "We raised over £2,100 for mental health charity Mind and Live for Love UK foodbanks so far. I completed my 24hr danceathon with the help of their words of encouragement and donations. They are the stars that kept me going, throughout the day and night. "One of the highlights was dressing up as a mermaid and dancing on my doorstep with a real-life mermaid! "I got through 10 costumes over the 24 hours, a favourite being 'raving fairy with dancing dinosaurs'. The amazing music sent in by supporting DJs

Simon Lloyd, Seb Fontaine, Tall Paul, made it feel like an online festival. "People said that this brought them much joy, laughter and happiness. "It also highlighted how music and dance can really lift our spirits and keep us fit. "I suffered with backache the next day but recovered well and am back on my feet feeling stronger than ever. "It was worth every dance move and the sleep deprivation because together we helped people that really are struggling with their mental health and feeding their families." Donations can still be made at www.justgiving. com/fundraising/ farrahs24hrdanceathon and www.gofundme.com/f/ LIVEFORLOVEUK

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Planting memories of 'gentleman' Bob Franks Bob's partner and select friends joined a socially distanced memorial on the Northern Slopes By Charley Rogers The sun shone brightly over the Northern Slopes in Knowle on Thursday, February 25 as a handful of well-wishers came together in memory of their late friend, Bob Franks. Bob passed away surrounded by family in Berkshire in September 2020, aged 92. The socially distanced gathering included the planting of two oak trees – one donated by a friend, and one by Bristol City Council – in memory of Bob, a keen conservationist. Bob, originally from Hackney, London, but a long-time Bristol resident, was a pillar of the local community. He was a member of the Northern Slopes Initiative (NSI) for many years and also served as chairman of Hotwells and District Allotment Association from 2000-2013. Along with his partner

Jennifer Mallett, Bob was a committed allotmenteer. He even appeared on BBC Radio a number of times, talking about his passion for nature. Jennifer and Bob met whilst they were both living on boats in Bristol Harbour, and spent a happy 24 years together. Jennifer did not want to make a statement, but expressed her gratitude for all the kind words and tributes paid to Bob by friends and colleagues. Bob's colleagues at the NSI said: “Bob joined the NSI in 2001, and became chair between 2008 and 2020. However, lists of official posts and achievements do not truly reflect what he meant to us. “He was not only passionate about the Slopes, but was able to combine energy, dogged determination and a practical sense of what could be done. He

Bob Franks, left, was a pillar of the local community. Right, Bob's partner of 24 years Jennifer Mallett, planting an oak tree in his honour

could inspire us to do new things, and solve problems which were in our way. When we published the news about his death, we had responses from locals, and organisations, as well as Bristol City Council officials and councillors. “One word kept being

repeated about him. He was a gentleman. Too true. “It has been an honour for us to have worked with him, and to have known him.” The Hotwells and District Allotment Association submitted the following tribute: “Bob Franks took over as chairman of the Association in 2000. “It was a time when many of the allotments were derelict and interest in growing your own vegetables was not quite as popular as it is now. “Bob was instrumental in turning around the fate of the association. He was dogged in his approaches for help from the council and searches for grants.

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“At the heart of this organisation are the people who make up the committee, and Bob had a knack for spotting

and recruiting people he thought would help drive forward the regeneration of allotment gardening. “Under his leadership, allotments were gradually filled with tenants and by the time Bob retired as chairman in 2013, the association had acquired a long waiting list of people eager to join. “It is fitting that oak trees should be planted in memory of the stout-hearted Bob Franks.” Bob’s family could sadly not attend the memorial, however were able to hold an official funeral in Berkshire. They said of the tree planting: “Bob Franks was passionate about conservation, particularly the protection of green spaces in urban areas and the right of the community to enjoy them. “We’re delighted that his friends and colleagues, together with Bristol City Council, have chosen to honour his dedication and the legacy that he has helped to create in such a fitting way, by planting these oak trees in his memory.”

Reporting car crime in south Bristol Police saw an increase in car crime across Bedminster, Southville and Windmill Hill throughout February, and are asking the public to remain vigilant. Proactive overnight patrols are ongoing in the affected areas, and police are appealing

for information that could help identify offenders. Anyone who has had their vehicle damaged is encouraged to report by calling 101, quoting reference 5221003177. A number of arrests have been made as a result of police patrols.

Approval recommended for St Catherine's At the time the South Bristol Voice went to print, a decision was due to be made on developers Firmstone's fresh plans for St Catherine's Place in East Street, as part of the wider Bedminster Green development. Plans for 180 homes, refurbished retail units and increased public open space were set to go before the council's planning committee on March 4. Firmstone says that the proposals - including a 14-floor building on the corner of Dalby Avenue - involve 'significant scaling back of height', after the developer's original proposals for

the site were rejected last year. An appeal was submitted by Firmstone in response to the council's refusal to grant planning permission for its original plans, but this was recently rejected. The Windmill Hill and Malago Community Planning Group (WHaM) says that they were "delighted" that the appeal was dismissed and represented an "important victory" for the local community. Firmstone's latest plans for St Catherine's have been recommended for approval by planning officers.

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Artistic pupils brighten up Covid testing sites Testing sites for people with symptoms of COVID-19 in Bristol are getting a makeover courtesy of a Knowle school. Children at Ilminster Avenue E-ACT Academy have created beautiful pieces of artwork brighten up testing sites across the city. The artwork, featuring positive themes, will be displayed across Bristol’s five testing sites to make them feel more welcoming and comfortable. Councillor Anna Keen, Cabinet member for Education and Skills said: “Visiting a COVID-19 testing site can be really daunting, particularly when you’re feeling unwell. We want to make sure these are places where people feel comfortable and safe, and some positive pieces of art will go such a long way in bringing a smile to people’s faces when they need it most. "I want to say a big thank you

to all the children, parents, carers and teachers at Ilminster Avenue E-ACT Academy for their help on this project.” Fifty pieces of artwork created by primary school pupils have this week been handed over to the G4S Operations team, who manage the city’s five testing sites, pictured above. Felicity Hawkins, Head Teacher at Ilminster Avenue E-ACT Academy, said: “The

children have been incredibly busy creating their works of art for the walls of our local testing site at Hengrove Park. “They have taken enormous pride in the task as their art will help other children and grown-ups who are being tested feel less anxious. "The children also love the fact that their work will be displayed so prominently in their community.

“Donating these pictures on the same week as children’s mental health week is perfect timing. Here at Ilminster we talk about mental health daily and feel comforted that the artwork might put a smile on someone's day. “All the children at the academy, our families and all of Hengrove can be really proud of the beautiful pieces of art that are to be displayed at the test centre. We hope our pupils’ artwork will help people feel a sense of positivity and optimism during this difficult time.” If you have coronavirus symptoms, including a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, self-isolate immediately and book a test. You can book appointments at any of Bristol’s testing sites at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.

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Action Greater Bedminster News from your community partnership Action Greater Bedminster (AGB), your local community partnership, is working with Bristol City Council to gather views which will contribute towards a Community Manifesto for the area around Whitehouse Street. This will reflect what local people want to see happen in that neighbourhood as Bristol’s population grows, as we respond to climate change, and recover from the impact of Covid-19. The Manifesto will be used by an urban design team to inform a regeneration framework, which will guide new development in the Whitehouse Street area over the next 5-10 years. You can get involved by visiting whitehousestreet.com, where there is information about the project, a short survey to complete and an interactive map for you to add to. AGB are also planning online meetings and phone conversations. There

will be two public online meetings: March 13 at 10am and March 18 at 7.30pm. Email greaterbedminster@ gmail.com to register. We have partnered with BS3 Community to fund Julian Wood, aka The Art of Kindness, to create some kindness packs, with input from older people and nursery children, aimed at spreading some kind messages and colour within the neighbourhood. You may have seen Julian’s little flags and bunting dotted around the area and we are hoping there will be more to come – keep a look out! If you’d like to find out more about what we do, have thoughts or ideas about how to improve our neighbourhood or would like to get involved, please join our online AGM on March 10 at 7pm. Email greaterbedminster@ gmail.com to register.

VET BLOG with Avon Lodge Microchipping is a legal Preparing pets requirement for dogs and we recommend microchipping cats – for springtime the process is quick, painless and

Elise Cole, head receptionist at Avon Lodge Fleas are more prevalent, stay up to date with your pet's treatment. Ticks live in long grass and woods, be prepared with a tick remover. Your dog will have longer walks, your cat will be off adventuring, both will be encountering more animals so it’s important to make sure they’re up to date with their vaccinations.

increases your chance of finding your pet. Stinging insects can cause allergic reactions in pets. Supervise them when they are out and if they’re stung, contact your vet. If you use lawn feeders, read the labels and don’t let your pet out until safe. Lock your shed if you store products like slug pellets, antifreeze or herbicides. Always make sure your pet has access to shade and drinking water. Consider bringing them indoors when hot.

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Hope shines through in Born in Lockdown book A ‘one-of-a-kind’ book, telling the heartfelt stories of mothers with babies born in 2020, has been launched online by a Southville author. Entitled Born in Lockdown, the 20,000-word piece of prose recounts the experiences of 277 mothers who gave birth during the coronavirus pandemic. It can now be downloaded online, and a voluntary donation is encouraged towards Sands – a charity supporting families affected by stillbirth and neonatal death. At the time the South Bristol Voice printed, more than £4,500 had been raised for Sands. Emylia Hall, who lives locally with her husband and son, and is the founder of Mothership Writers – a project which runs writing courses for new mothers – came up with the idea for Born in Lockdown to encourage self-expression during incredibly challenging times. Each contributor – some of whom live right here in south Bristol – submitted up to three, 50-word segments, which have been amalgamated to create the unique story. According to Emylia, ‘there was no brief or fixed direction’ – she wanted the book to ‘reflect the diversity of the mothering experience’. In the book’s introduction, Emylia writes: “The idea was to encourage writing for pleasure and purpose: to find, amidst the clamour, the space to hear one’s own voice. And, together, to tell the story of what it was like to become a new mum in 2020.” Born in Lockdown is inspired by the video app ‘1 Second Everyday’ and other pieces of writing such as Jenny Offill’s Dept. of Speculation and Maggie Nelson’s The Argonauts. One of the authors of Born in Lockdown is Windmill Hill resident Juliette Boakes, who gave birth to her daughter Chloe in May 2020. It was Juliette’s story which inspired Emylia to choose to support Sands through Born in Lockdown. The charity provided invaluable support to Juliette after her son Daniel was stillborn

Emylia Hall (left) and Juliette Boakes (right) with her daughter Chloe, who was born during the first lockdown, in May 2020 in autumn 2018 and during her pregnancy with Chloe. Juliette said: “Pregnancy after a loss is incredibly stressful and with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic the anxiety was often overwhelming. “Throughout my pregnancy I was suffering with PTSD which made hospital appointments and scans extremely triggering. As the pandemic progressed, I had to face these and the early stages of labour alone. “With immense gratitude and a tremendous sigh of relief our beautiful daughter Chloe was born safely in May 2020. A little sister to our beloved Daniel. “The Born in Lockdown project for me was a way to process what I had been through in pregnancy and as a new mum during the pandemic. “Contributing to this creative and collaborative project was an opportunity to document a very unique moment in time. It also provided a wonderful feeling of community during what was, and still is, a very isolating time as a new mother.” Emylia adds: “It’s been a great privilege to have the job of finding the narrative threads and stitching together this vast patchwork experience. “As you read, you’ll hear 277 different voices from all across the UK (including a few from overseas too). No single author’s fragments appear side by side. All the writers’ words are verbatim and unedited. “You’ll notice the recurring

themes of the missing ‘village’, of isolation and uncertainty, and the extra pressures on mental health, just as you’ll read of silver linings, new connections and incredible gifts. “Altogether, our book is a remarkable record of new

motherhood at this time; an unflinchingly honest and moving account, where – despite the pain and hardship – such love and hope shine through.” Victoria Luk from Sands said: “We are grateful to Mothership Writers for choosing to support Sands through Born in Lockdown. “Sands is the leading stillbirth and neonatal death charity in the UK. Sands exists to reduce the number of babies dying and to ensure that anyone affected by the death of a baby receives the best possible care and support for as long as they need it. We are here to support you and your family for as long as you need us.” To download Born in Lockdown visit: mothershipwriters.com/ borninlockdown. To donate visit: sands.enthuse.com/ pf/borninlockdown. For more information about Mothership Writers, visit: mothershipwriters.com

Together we care; become a support worker Join learning disability charity Brandon Trust, and discover a rewarding role as a support worker. You’ll support and care for people with a learning disability, autism or both, at home and in the community to live life in the way they choose. Experience is valued, however isn’t always essential as we provide full training.

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March 2021

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MARVIN REES, Mayor of Bristol

Domestic abuse is everyone's business

omestic abuse and sexual violence affect the lives of too many people in our city. The majority of victims and survivors are women, but these are crimes which threaten people in all walks of life and from all backgrounds. They can also have lifelong effects on children who grow up witnessing it in their home. And in the most devastating cases, domestic abuse kills. That’s why we want to end it. One of my administration’s first acts was to give victims of domestic abuse priority for housing, to ensure survivors have somewhere safe and secure where they can recover. This month, we build on that commitment by welcoming over £1 million of government funding to help the council meet the requirements of the new Domestic Abuse Act. This funding coincides with the launch of a report from the Mayoral Commission on Domestic Abuse, which sets out the principles that we want to underpin our city’s response to abuse and sexual violence. The Commission was established last summer, when we convened a group of experts and support services from across the city to discuss the impact that Covid-19 restrictions would have on domestic abuse

and sexual violence and on our ability – as a city – to support survivors. As well as responding to this challenge, we were clear that this was a call to action: to harness the energy and expertise in Bristol to improve our response to domestic abuse and help keep people safe over the long-term. Over a series of workshops, the commission brought together local and national support services, charities and researchers to examine all aspects of our response to abuse. To support the principles put forward in the report, commissioners developed 35 recommendations covering issues ranging from developing accommodation options, to how we help people recover from abuse over

their lifetime, through to how we can prevent abuse from occurring in the first place. One of the key principles that emerged from the commission’s work is the need to make sure that tackling domestic abuse and sexual violence is everybody’s business. That means we need the whole city to unite and feel confident in taking action when they witness or when someone discloses they are experiencing abuse. We need businesses, community organisations, public services, support services, neighbours, friends and families to join us in making it clear that Bristol is a Zero Tolerance City for domestic abuse and sexual violence. You can help by checking in on your friends and family: visit bristolsafeguarding.org/areyouok. Help is available for businesses from Hestia, who have been commissioned by the Government to help employers shape their response to domestic abuse. We are asking all employers visit Hestia’s website to find out how you can help support employees experiencing domestic abuse: www.hestia. org/pages/category/everyones-business. By working together as One City, we can fulfil our ambition to eliminate domestic abuse and sexual violence in Bristol, and help survivors to recover, and to thrive.

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March 2021

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Avenue residents team together for food bank by Charley Rogers The idea was born at the beginning of the first lockdown, back in March 2020, when one of the residents of Lilymead Avenuecame upon the idea of collecting for local food banks. “None of us had any experience of it,” says Julie Hemsley, Lilymead resident, “but there is a vicarage at the end of our road, and Toby, the vicar who lives there, let us know that St Nicholas of Tolentino (St Nicks) in Easton runs a food bank that was in real need of donations.” The food bank at St Nicks is situated in a portable building in the car park, and runs from 10am to 1pm, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, supporting many local people. The residents of Lilymead were initially donating to a South Bristol food bank, but after Toby’s information about the great need in Easton, despite continuing support from across Bristol, they decided to redirect

Julie Hemsley (front, right) and other residents of Lilymead Avenue and Calcott Road, including Jane Tingay and her son Jason (centre), who, like other children in the neighbourhood, has donated some of his pocket money to the food bank their supplies. “Since March we’ve been sending supplies there every week – they’re always really busy,” says Julie. Julie has since started volunteering at the food bank, and acts as a liaison between the team there and her neighbourhood group. Julie and her neighbours have

gained “brilliant support” from The Banana Boat on Oxford Street in Totterdown. “They have been great – they deserve a medal,” says Julie of the team at The Banana Boat, who have been liaising with the Lilymead residents to source well-priced, fresh fruit and veg in bulk for the food bank, as well as

setting up their own donation box for customers to buy extra produce to give to St Nicks. One neighbour has also instigated a PayPal account in order to pool monetary donations for bulk orders. “Some of us club together and buy things like sacks of potatoes and onions,” said Julie. Other local businesses have also been supportive, including Lynne Fernandez Opticians and Wells Road Osteopaths. Robert von Hawrylak, administrator at St Nicks, says: “We are extremely grateful for the huge donations of food, which go directly to those in great need.” Food banks in South Bristol include: Refresh Bedminster, Counterslip Cares, Victoria Park Baptist Church and BS3 Community Larder You can find your nearest food bank by typing in your postcode at website www. trusselltrust.org/get-help/ find-a-foodbank/

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*Subject to eligibility. **A maximum reduction of £1,000 from an approved loan over £2,000. For loans £2,000 or less, the reduction will be 50% of the loan value. Budget is limited and will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. Typical Example (4% fixed interest rate, Typical 4.2% APR). Borrow £5,000 over 60 months. £92.08 monthly repayments. Total amount repayable = £5,544.96, including £20 fee for registering the Title Restriction. Missing payments could affect your credit rating and ability to obtain credit in the future. Loans are subject to status and are typically protected by a Title Restriction. This means that you may not be able to sell your home without our permission unless the loan is fully repaid. This is a financial promotion approved by Lendology CIC. Lendology CIC is a trading name of Wessex Resolutions C.I.C.: a community interest company limited by guarantee, registered in England, company number 4512225. Registered address: Heatherton Park Studios, Bradford on Tone, Taunton TA4 1EU. Wessex Resolutions C.I.C is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (675263) for credit regulated activities.

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southbristolvoice

March 2021

Local History

Employment as a junior shipping clerk We continue our serialisation of Memories of a Bristol Boyhood by Knowle resident John Fletcher. John recounts his first job as a junior shipping clerk at the tender age of 14 and of the changes he witnessed in the shipping industry in the post-war years ...

n October 1946 the shipping company Bethell Gwyn & Co approached Wells Road School inviting two boys to be interviewed for the position of junior clerk (office boy). I was one of those selected and was offered the job which paid £1 for a five and a half day week. I started work in the first week of November 1946 at the tender age of 14 years two months not knowing what to expect. In 1946 work in offices was very disciplined. Males, even junior clerks, were expected to wear a suit with collar and tie and well polished shoes, the only concession being on a Saturday morning when a sports coat and grey flannels were acceptable. Ladies would be sensibly dressed

with blouses or jumpers buttoned to the neck and skirts worn below knee level – no question of mini-skirts or trousers. In most offices and professions ladies were expected to leave once they married. Our office manager was strict but fair. Before entering his office one would knock on his door and wait for his call to enter. Once inside I would stand very straight and dare not put a hand or lean on his desk. The manager’s arrival in the office each morning followed the same routine; he would enter the double swing doors with his head down, turn, take three steps until he was standing on large piece of coconut matting and stamp his feet three times. This ritual would give everyone in the office

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time to be in their places and working even if seconds earlier they had been in a little group chatting. Office hours were from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 12.30pm Saturday with an hour and a quarter lunch break. As a week’s holiday commenced at 12.30pm Saturday, it was thought a major concession to be allowed Saturday morning off for travel. Although we were poor, Mum always managed to take Joyce and me for a week’s holiday, usually to Weymouth, where, as food rationing was still very much in force, we stayed in a small boarding house on a ‘room and attendance’ basis - Mum had to buy our food and hand it over to the landlady who would cook it for us. The Bristol office of Bethell Gwyn was at 11 Baldwin Street. Because of the shortages of the post-war years, the office had a rather run down appearance. The entrance to the office was through double swing doors; once inside, a long glass-topped counter stood in front of you and standing a little way behind and at right angles to the counter were three huge mahogany desks with high stools and topped by

storage racks with electric lights on a pulley system: the whole appearance was Dickensian. At the age of 14 I stood only a little over five foot in height and it was quite an effort for me to climb onto the stools and even more difficult to reach the files and papers in the racks. Luckily for me there was a low table and chair in the far corner of the office especially for the Junior. At that time the staff was very small in number, there being besides the manager six men and two young ladies, plus two men in a dockside office at Avonmouth. There were no job titles in those days and everyone was expected to be interchangeable and to do whatever was needed at any given time, although everyone was conscious of the ‘pecking order’ of seniority and importance. If the office furniture and fittings were antique the equipment was as basic. Apart from the telephone all communication was by letter with the exception that very

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Discharging a cargo of bananas showing how labour intensive the operation was and the obvious savings the use of containers would bring

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March 2021 important messages could be sent by telegram, but this was expensive and rarely used. Ships at sea could communicate by radio telegraph; these messages were sent by codes using blocks of four letters and could be deciphered by reference to a code book. Each block of letters would translate into facts or phrases common in the shipping world. The postal system was very efficient and two deliveries a day were guaranteed. In the late 1940s and early 1950s there were no adding machines, calculators or printers and even the typewriters were manually operated; electrically powered machines came later. Bethell Gwynn’s operations covered three distinct areas. The most important was that of Port Agent which entailed acting on behalf of the ship owner in all aspects of a vessel’s call at Avonmouth. The second part of Bethell Gwynn’s activities was that of Forwarding Agents. This consisted of looking after the interests of the cargo owner, to arrange customs clearance and storage and delivery, usually by road or rail, to the designated inland destination. The third operation was that of Travel Agent. In the 1940s/1950s this was a very different business to that of today. For instance there were no such things as package tours, and commercial air travel was in its infancy. One of Bethell Gwynn’s early type of travel assistance was to help the war-time brides who had married US servicemen rejoin their husbands in America. Most were very excited about the prospect of life in a New World free from the austerity and rationing and British weather (1947 was one of the coldest winters on record with coal supplies failing to keep up with demand), but some were very apprehensive of leaving their close-knit family in the UK. Another class of passenger also came about as a result of World War 2. A scheme was introduced by the Australian government to fill the gap in their skilled labour force. Any craftsmen or workers who applied and were accepted could take advantage of £10 assisted passage for themselves and their immediate family.

Life as a junior clerk

Life as a Junior Clerk was quite

southbristolvoice regulated and mundane and at first a lot of time was taken up delivering messages and documents around Bristol, particularly Queen Square, where most of the shipping offices were located. Being an office junior was almost like serving an apprenticeship and as time went by I had a pretty good knowledge of all the jobs in the three sections of our Baldwin Street office, plus working at our Avonmouth office which was situated right on the dock side. As the largest part by far of Bethell Gwyn’s work was in connection with Port Agency work I will by-pass the Travel and Forwarding Agency interests and give an account as I saw it of how the Bristol Port cargo ships and Ships Agency business operated in the late 1940s through to the early 1950s. The Bristol Port had two very distinct operations. The city docks right in the heart of the city catered for vessels to and from the continent of Europe from the North Baltic down to the Mediterranean. The ships using the city docks were limited in size to those that could navigate the bends and shallow draft of the six mile stretch of the River Avon up to Cumberland Basin. Most European countries, or groups of countries, were served by ship owners who operated very regular sailings and therefore were given berths suitable to their trades. Portugal and Spain had berths which were supplied with bonded warehouses for the port, sherry and wines, and to well-ventilated transit sheds for the citrus fruits. The Spanish fruit growers/ shippers were so impressed by their trade through Bristol that they named one of their types of orange ‘Our Sam’ after the head man of the stevedores, Sam Tucker, who was a well-known Bristolian who had played rugby for Bristol and England. The tissue wrapping around these oranges bore the ‘face’ of Sam Tucker. By contrast, Avonmouth Dock could cope with the largest cargo vessels used at that time. The types of trades, cargoes and ships using Avonmouth were varied. Specific types of ships, berths and handling equipment were needed for each of these trades. Most obvious were the tankers which carried oil, petroleum products, liquid chemicals etc which used the oil basin, where very strict

Sam Tucker, the Bristol and England rugby star was the boss of Tucker Bros. The stevedores discharged and stored the Spanish oranges on behalf of the growers. The honour of having the orange wrappers in his name was for the efficiency of their work. Being an amateur he received no royalty payments rules were in force to ensure the risk of spillages or fires were kept to a minimum. I will mention only two of the many different liner traders. Firstly there was Elders & Fyffes, the ‘banana boats’ from the West Indies. There was great excitement when the first cargo of bananas arrived after the end of the war. The media had a field day and I can recall photos of the Lord Mayor showing excited children how to peel and eat bananas as the children had not previously seen this fruit. As important as the cargo was that Elders & Fyffes service carried a considerable number of passengers to and from the West Indies. Even the international cricket teams travelled through Avonmouth to and from the West Indies. The second shipping operation I will mention is Bristol’s only major ship building and ship owners, Charles Hill & Sons (the Bristol City Line). This company commenced trading under this name in 1845 when the Hill family took complete control. The company built ships at its Albion dockyard and continued to use this dockyard up until 1977. The last vessel to be built by Chas. Hill at Albion dockyards was the Miranda Guinness, especially designed to carry the well-known drink in bulk from the Dublin brewery of Arthur Guinness & Sons to UK destinations. Incidentally our good friend Michael Long (Catherine’s godfather) produced an oil painting of this launch which was used as the cover for Mr John Hill’s book ‘Shipshape and Bristol Fashion’, a history of the company. Ship owners in the conventional liner trades were faced with a major crisis in the mid-1960s when the container revolution began. It started fairly slowly with some ships refitted to carry say 20 or 30 containers on deck with the conventional cargoes still stowed below decks. The benefits of containerisation

were quickly apparent and in a very short space of time, purpose built container ships came into service and conventional liner vessels disappeared from the seas. These sudden changes made a huge difference not only to ship owners, but also to ports all over the world. At Avonmouth, instead of several thousand dockers and ancillary workers, only a few hundred were required. Charles Hill & Sons disposed of all their conventional cargo ships in the 1970s and formed an association with a Canadian and Belgian line. Instead of about a dozen conventional ships, Bristol City Line now owned only one third of one container ship, the Dart Atlantic. The line ceased to use Avonmouth, and Southampton became the British terminal. The operation of this ship became too much of a financial burden for Charles Hill, and the third share in the ‘Dart Atlantic’ and the ‘Bristol City Line’ names were sold to the Bibby line in the late 1970s. Charles Hill of Bristol ceased to have any involvement in shipping from 1977, but continued through their subsidiary companies in the building and construction industry until July 1981 when the Hill family relinquished all interest in the company. More about John's role as a junior clerk can be read in our next issue.

We would love to hear similar tales and see photos from the period. Please email news@ southbristolvoice.co.uk or post to South Bristol Voice, 111 Broadfield Rd, Knowle Bristol BS42UX. All items will be safely returned.

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March 2021

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News

Letters to the Editor

Email letters to news@southbristolvoice.co.uk or post to 111 Broadfield Rd, Knowle, BS4 2UX. Please keep letters brief, no more than 250 words - we reserve the right to edit letters

Putting unused phones to good use

changes such as the impact on residential streets outside of the CAZ - and ensure plans are made to mitigate any negative impact. The CAZ decision raises a number of questions including: What would be the impact on roads just outside the CAZ e.g. immediately south of Coronation Road? Would drivers attempt to avoid entering the CAZ by diverting along residential streets? If so, with what effect? If one of the results is increased traffic on residential streets, what measures could be put in place to mitigate this? Would traffic calming measures such as "filters" help to keep extra traffic away from particularly sensitive areas e.g. around schools? Southville and Bedminster has a newly formed Liveable Neighbourhoods group that is interested in improving the quality of life of all people living in the area. We are keen to see

Charity BS3 Community is calling on readers to donate their phones to those in need. The drive is part of the Community Calling project, where BS3 Community is distributing reconditioned mobiles and giving people training on how to use their new phone. A spokesperson from the charity said: "77% of us are using our phones as a lifeline and coping strategy during lockdown, for those without a device, the isolation that brings can be hard." Donated phones are sanitised and wiped of apps and data. Previous owners need to remove any accounts on the phone. Phones should have a battery that holds charge, and be in relatively good order, with no cracks. If your phone meets these basic requirements download a freepost label from the project website: www.hubbub.org.uk/ communitycalling and pop it into your local post box.

n RECENTLY Bristol City Council decided on its preferred option for a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) to tackle illegal levels of air pollution. This is due to be implemented in October 2021 and will cover the central area of Bristol and an area along the south of the New Cut, including Coronation Road and Clift House Road. All commercial and private vehicles that do not meet air quality standards, including most diesel vehicles, would be charged for entering the zone. The council's Cabinet decided against including a more extensive CAZ in South Bristol. Poor air quality is a significant problem that leads to multiple health problems and shortened life expectancy. Whilst probably most people would agree with the goal of improving air quality, it is important for us as local residents to consider any unintended consequences of

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measures that reduce "through traffic" whilst allowing local residents to use their cars when necessary. We believe that improving air quality in Bristol is an important goal, but not if it means simply displacing vehicles from areas of high pollution, to areas where pollution is less severe such as parts of Southville and Bedminster e.g. around Parsons Street Primary School. We think it is important that we have an informed debate about the best ways to improve Bristol's air quality and to improve the lives of local residents. If you would like to share your thoughts or would like to find out more about the Liveable Neighbourhoods initiative please join the Facebook group: Liveable Neighbourhoods for Southville and Bedminster. Clive Weston on behalf of Liveable Neighbourhoods for Southville and Bedminster

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March 2021

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Can you help us improve play area for children? Some of the play equipment needs an update A much-loved - but ageing - play area could get an exciting update if volunteers can be found to get involved. Local people are wanted to join a project team keen to work with the community to update the playground in Dame Emily Park, Southville, as somewhere for everyone to enjoy The play equipment dates from 1996. Some of the equipment is damaged and popular items like the zip wire have been taken out of use. The park also has green space, sporting facilities and a skate park. A spokesperson said: "The

park is well used but has so much untapped potential as a place to visit and enjoy. The playground is intended for under 10s but there is plenty of space that we would like to be welcoming with something for everyone." A group of local people have recently formed a project team. They are looking for volunteers to join them to help consult with local residents, draw up plans for an inclusive and sustainable park, continue to engage with local councillors and Bristol City Council, secure funding and deliver this for the residents of Bristol. Ursula Gasser from the Dame

Emily Park Project said “I’m delighted that these local park users have stepped forward to help improve the park and replace the dilapidated play equipment. We especially need help with communications, community consultation, designing the park, applying for funding, project management and more. We are a friendly and informal group and look forward to more people joining us.” For further information and to join the team, visit Dame Emily Park on Facebook facebook.com/dameemilypark or email dameemilypark@ gmail.com.

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March 2021

southbristolvoice

Advertising Feature

Celebrating two decades of Southville Deli

outhville Deli is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Started back in 2001 by Paul Wick and Arwel Edwards, the business has become a stalwart on North Street. “We were very well received when we opened,” recalls Paul. “We let the customers guide us as to what products they wanted to see on sale, and this played a big part in developing the business. Though placing the initial order was quite nerve-wracking, as I wasn’t familiar with all the foodstuffs, and was spending a lot of money and needed to get it right! “I wanted to focus largely on organic produce, but I’m proud to say we’ve also acted as a springboard for small scale local food producers, who have difficulty getting shelf space with large organisations. This is reflected by the businesses large range of beers and ciders brewed within the city. Locally made Chocolate, and cheeses produced in the countryside close by. And coffee

beans roasted by Wogan Coffee, also based in Bristol. “The business has always been a go to for people who enjoy cooking from scratch, they know they’ll find the makings of a good meal here,” says Paul. In fact, Southville Deli has become just as well-known for the quality of its take-away coffees and sandwiches, with an emphasis on vegan and vegetarian fillings, all served on Herberts Bakery bread – bought fresh every day from Montpelier. One of the biggest challenges in recent years has been the rising awareness of the environmental hazard of single use plastics. Southville Deli was an early pioneer of zero waste options – since 2009 customers have been able to fill their own bottles and containers from a range of self-service dispensers. The store at Church Road has a large area set aside for both detergents, bodycare and wholefood zero waste shopping, whilst at North Street the zero

JA S33 11JA BS S eet,t, B tree th Str or N th 2 or 6 N -2 2 0 226 60-26

waste offer has moved into its own dedicated store across the street from the original shop and offers a fantastic range of loose tea and coffee too. Looking back over 20 years, Paul thinks one key to the enduring appeal of the business has been its ability to adapt to trends to keep itself relevant. And he’s a firm believer in providing good customer service. “I have been as fortunate with my staff, as I

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have with my customers,” says Paul. “Both stores are situated in neighbourhoods with strong senses of place. It’s been an honour to have played a role in that, and I’ve made a great many friends from both sides of the counter.” Southville Deli, 260-262 North St, Bedminster, BS3 2AP and 259-261 Church Rd, Redfield, BS5 9HT Southville Deli Zero Waste Store 253 North St, Bedminster BS3 1JN

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KARIN SMYTH, MP for Bristol South

Plan your future at online apprentice event

ver the past year, lockdown restrictions have changed our lives in so many ways. One of the most significant changes has been the prevalence of virtual meet ups and video calls. Whether its work meetings, family catch ups, or online murder mysteries with friends, we’ve all found inventive ways to use video calling to stay in touch and go ahead with events that might otherwise have not taken place. And, although these virtual chats can never take the place of face to face contact, in many ways they’ve actually given us opportunities as well as challenges, with more chances for people who may not have been able to travel to participate in events, opening them up to wider audiences. That’s why I’m excited that this year, my annual All About Jobs and Apprenticeships event with City of Bristol College will go ahead online. Although we can’t gather in person, we’ll be running a series of online events designed to help inform young people about their options and help them think about their potential next steps. We’ll bring together some of the area’s biggest employers,

training providers and other organisations which support people into work and apprenticeships. I know that the past twelve months have been incredibly difficult for us all, and there are still tricky times to come as we move out of lockdown and start to look beyond the pandemic. But I also know that many people - and particularly young people, who have been disproportionately affected by Coronavirus in

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so many ways - want to take this opportunity to give serious thought to their future. Quality apprenticeships are a great way to earn while you learn – combining paid work experience with vital classroom-based learning – and can lead to degree-level qualifications. I’ve spoken to many apprentices over the years at my apprenticeship fairs, each speaking very highly of the scheme they’re on and the path it’s led them down. I would urge anyone who is considering an apprenticeship - or indeed, who needs some inspiration for their next steps - to join the online event to find out more about the opportunities available. Twitter: @karinsmyth Facebook: KarinSmythMP Website: www.karinsmyth.com

"Although virtual chats can never take the place of face to face contact, in many ways they’ve actually given us opportunities as well as challenges."

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ADVICE FROM A PHARMACIST

with Ade Williams

Covid jab brings flood of emotion

anuary 28, Bedminster Pharmacy started providing Covid vaccinations at the Methodist Church on British Road. Our community’s goodwill and generosity carried us through the door, literally - especially after logistic ‘challenges’ with our NHS supplies. Our team of volunteers remind us of the great privilege bringing this project into our special community. Good news is that the national vaccination programme is moving at great pace. People over 65 and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable are now being sent invitations to book online using the NHS website or calling 119. How quickly does the vaccine work? Protection starts 12-14 days after the first dose. The second dose is crucial to get the best level of protection and longer-lasting protection, so it’s vital to come back for your second dose. Which vaccine will I get and which is better? You cannot choose which vaccine to have, so it’s crucial to have the vaccine you are offered. Remember whichever vaccine you are offered, has been shown to be safe and work well at preventing disease from the virus. The research looking at effectiveness have measured

Ade Williams of Bedminster Pharmacy discusses how pharmacies can help people with a variety of health conditions, and ease pressure on the NHS them in different ways, so it isn’t necessarily helpful to compare them like for like. Does the vaccine contain animal products? No. They do not contain any ingredients derived from pigs, cows or other animals. I’m allergic to penicillin - can I have the coronavirus vaccine? Yes, all of the available vaccines are safe if you are allergic to penicillin. I’ve already had Covid-19, do I still need to get vaccinated? Yes, it’s really important to get the vaccine, even if you’ve

already had Covid-19. You may have some level of immunity if you’ve had the disease, but this varies and may not last long. Will I be able to pass on the virus to others if I’ve had the vaccine? We don’t yet know for sure, so even after vaccination, it remains essential to follow guidelines around social distancing, hand washing and other guidance to stop the spread of coronavirus. You will also still need to self-isolate if you have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who has. How much does the vaccine cost? The vaccine is offered free on the NHS. It is not available privately so you can’t pay to get it sooner. Don’t fall for any scams offering it for cash. With a 10-minute appointment journey including 3-minute contact time, we did not expect to experience such a flood of human experiences: birthday zoom calls, family pictures, tears, hugs and relief. Reminders that for many of the most vulnerable, the jab trip is their first outside for months. Thanks to all the collective effort and sacrifice making this possible. Every completed vaccination helps break down barriers, tackling hesitancy, bringing closer a time to meet with family and friends. The Bedminster Pharmacy ambition is to work with others; our surgeries and other clinicians to make it sooner. When your time comes, we will be ready for you too.

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THE WICKED WITCH OF KNOWLE

In witch I'm puzzled

live in a tall, skinny house. It has one bathroom located at the very top, and that’s enough for me thank you very much. We did consider moving a few years ago and inspected a house at Hither Barn Bridge in Brislington. It was fantastic, numerous bedrooms with a garage and offstreet parking. Ahh, just typing those words makes me sigh with envy. Off-Street Parking. What put me off that house was its five bathrooms. FIVE BATHROOMS. How many hours would be spent cleaning said bathrooms? I devote a quick half hour every week with a couple of mid-week swipes and that kills me. My lonely bathroom is situated next to Evil Teen’s bedroom. When a family member does their business, she knows about it. As soon as the toilet is flushed the poop is fired down a shear 30ft drop and explodes at the bottom with a loud splat. She sits on her bed,

fingers thrust in ears, by poopy hands? THE WICKED cringing. Ewww”. WITCH OF Himself came She had a KNOWLE home from work point, but it was the other day and fine - I had loads found a book on our of sanitiser which doorstep. It was dealt with the shaped like a poo problem. with the title ‘How We googled the to avoid boredom book. It was worth on the loo while you a tenner and had make nasty smells’. been published in November He dropped it on my lap. 2020. Previous chosen people I turned the page and found had scrawled their names and written in pen: ‘To whomever date received inside. The first this book may find… May being 1991 – impossible. it bring you fortune and “It must be a scam” declared prosperity and lead you on Evil, her nose still wrinkled. many adventures as it has us. “A scam?” I questioned “How Keep this book close to your can a book, simply left on our heart until such a time you find doorstep, be a scam?” someone worthy of sharing We pondered this, then Evil this book with. Sincerely, JR drew a sharp breath and looked Morgan’ at me, eyes wide: “It’s because What a mystery. I started the whole of Bristol can hear flicking through. It was filled with our poop drop. It’s a hint.” She interesting and funny facts. Evil was mortified. I laughed, just as wandered in. I showed her the someone upstairs flushed the book. She immediately recoiled. toilet and as a loud explosion “Why are you touching a book erupted from our drain, my that has been in toilets touched laughter faltered.

Among the list of previous recipients, a person called Mark had scribbled his mobile phone number down which was a bit weird. Evil looked at it and with a sly smile whispered, “I’m going to text him”. So she did. ‘Hello Mark’ she typed and sent. A few minutes later a text popped up: "I’m so sorry who is this?" “I’m not going to reply” stated Evil “he will always wonder who it was." She skipped up to her room and I pulled on my coat, popped the poop book into my pocket and went to annoy someone.

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News

'Back to basics' says council for Cumberland Basin by BBC LDRS staff for South Bristol Voice The city council has gone back to the drawing board on its controversial plans for the Cumberland Basin area of Bristol in an attempt to win back public trust. The local authority has promised to “go back to basics” with its ‘Western Harbour’ proposals and produce a new vision in Autumn based on a fresh and “meaningful” public consultation. But it will struggle to regain public trust after it found itself at loggerheads with residents over earlier options to redesign the aging road network and open up land for new development to create a new residential area. Bristol City Council sought public feedback on three options in August 2019, but kept seven others under wraps initially, sparking controversy and a petition for them to be revealed. It published all the options drawn up by consultants Arup in

a report to the ruling Labour cabinet in November of that year. But the report only provoked further public concern as it concluded the so-called ‘Eastern approach’ was the “strongest choice” and should be taken forward. Now the council has said it plans to appoint a specialist organisation to get feedback from residents, businesses, stakeholders and the wider city on the future of Western Harbour and produce a “place shaping vision” setting out the type of place it could become. “Our proposal now is to kind of take a step back, go back to basics and use the time that we have this year to solely focus on

the engagement for the next phase of the project,” an officer told councillors last week. “Our approach is to try and take an inclusive, collaborative and creative approach to make sure we can listen and hear the voices of residents, businesses and stakeholders. “The aim is to produce a co-created city-wide vision for Western Harbour, which would set out the type of place Western Harbour could become in the future, and what will make it special and different and what will be important about the place.” Mayor Marvin Rees promised in January last year that no final decisions on the area had been made, but there is lingering mistrust over the council’s intentions for ‘Western Harbour’ among both local residents and councillors, who feel excluded from the project. Senior officers and cabinet member for planning, Cllr Nicola Beech, felt the sharp end of that

mistrust at a meeting. The meeting of the growth and regeneration scrutiny commission heard accusations implying the ‘Western Harbour’ housing scheme was a foregone conclusion as soon as the mayor first mooted the idea in his annual State of the City Address in 2017. Resident Stephen Wickham said the council deliberately “rubbed out” protections for green spaces in the area in its proposed new local plan in 2019,. Commission member Tim Rippington said: “We’re going to have to do quite a lot to regain trust from people based on what’s happened.” The council could start by not adopting the “alienating” name ‘Western Harbour’ that “nobody associates with the area”, the Labour councillor said. Labour councillor Mark Bradshaw (Bedminster) said councillors were “really left out and marginalised in the first phase”.

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News New marquee for community garden Redcatch Community Garden is delighted to see its new marquee in place. Like many other organisations during the pandemic, the community garden says that it has struggled to maintain its fantastic community resource. However, in 2020 they pressed on with plans to replace its old marquee, raising £40,000 from Enovert Community Trust and a well-supported community

crowdfunder. The new marquee has electricity, lighting and heating and most importantly, does not fall over in the wind. A spokesperson from the garden said: "We plan to continue and expand activities and workshops we offer to our community, groups and schools and provide an indoor eating and events space. We hope to see you soon."

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Views from your local councillors Stephen Clarke Green Party Southville

irstly, I would like to personally thank again all those people who are helping their neighbours and others with lockdown issues; whether with food deliveries, helping to deliver medicines or just visiting lonely neighbours in Southville, Bedminster and Ashton, you are doing a great job in these incredibly difficult times. Clean Air We now know a few more details of the proposed charging clean air zone (the CAZ) in the centre of the city but there remain lots of questions while discussions go on with central Government. Because the Portway and Bridge Valley Rd are included in the zone, will that make it difficult for people from South Bristol to get to the motorway without going through the zone? I support the basic principles

of the scheme but I worry that there will be many unintended consequences; especially as more polluting cars may choose to drive around the edges of the zone rather that pay the £9 or whatever the charges are. This could be a real problem for places such as North St and St John’s Lane. Bedminster Green: it is complicated! The various proposals around Bedminster Green seem to be coming to a head at the same time. We really hope we don't end up with too many tall and overbearing buildings. Plans for the Dalby Ave site are being launched. The Malago Rd proposal which were refused in Sept 2019 have been resubmitted. The four blocks have been reduced in height and this will come to the planning committee. The St Catherine’s proposals were refused and the developer appealed. That appeal has been refused and they have now submitted new plans. In a piece of good news, we understand that the Old Brewery site in Ashton is now going to be 100% affordable homes.

Celia Phipps Labour Bedminster

he proposals for the allocation of Community Infrastructure Levy, CIL, can be submitted to local councillors this month. There is only a relatively small amount this year, £67,000, which will be allocated across Greater Bedminster, Windmill Hill, Knowle and Brislington. Small projects, perhaps to support Parks and Green spaces will be welcomed. You can see the full criteria on the Council Website under Communities. Following the period of austerity from 2010, Local Government budgets were significantly reduced. The budget for parks and green spaces was reduced by 33% to £4million. In 2019, a project team led by Bristol City Council secured funding from the Future Parks Accelerator Fund [National Trust, Heritage

Lottery and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government] to pilot new approaches to sustain the City’s parks and green spaces and transform the way they are managed. Project streams include working with health partners, environmental groups such as Avon Wildlife Trust, business opportunities and all sectors are invited to express an interest in what they would like to see in our parks. The pandemic has had a significant impact on the project and the earlier planned Expressions of Interest phase has moved to May 21. Fortunately, there will be opportunities for local people who want to take an active role within their local green space e.g. to set up a food growing project, litter picking or arranging community events. A charity called The Bristol and Bath Parks Foundation has been set up and works with the Parks Forum, who support Friends of Parks Groups. We know parks and green space have been a lifeline for many over the last year and to build on this would be good for everyone.

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Views from your local councillors Chris Davies Lib Dem Knowle

have been a Councillor for Knowle for 19 years and never have things been so strange. We have the usual chasing-up of things that the council has failed to do, supporting groups like the community garden and the football club to take over the Redcatch pavilion, and of course fighting off another attempt to close our pool. All of these a little more complicated because of COVID restrictions. My ward colleague Gary called a Extraordinary Meeting of council, to try to force the mayor into actioning the 12 points in the highly critical independent auditors’ report that followed the £50M+ loss on Bristol Energy. In a response, in front of the audit committee, the mayor’s officers brushed most of it aside. At the special meeting the mayor claimed that all the points had been taken on board. The

Labour chair of the audit committee contradicted that, as did all other speakers, and we had the bizarre situation of key Labour members holding up their hands, whilst the mayor, who has complete power, put all the blame on the previous mayor. None of it was his fault he claimed! The result of the vote was 100% support for Gary’s motion. Now we just have to make sure they adhere to this and action the 12 points. One of the key criticisms from the auditors was the use of poor, or out of date, data in reaching decisions. The day after the special meeting an e-mail exchange was passed to all councillors in which a Labour councillor accused the senior officer, in charge of housing and other matters, of withholding key information from the cabinet before a recent housing decision. In parallel the cabinet decided to pass huge decision making powers to this very officer. That decision is being challenged for legality. You could not make it up!!

Jon Wellington Labour Windmill Hill Windmill Hill traffic consultation Regular readers of our column will know about the plans for Bedminster Green, the scheme for 2000 new homes, many in high rise units with no parking, in the area between Windmill Hill and East Street. To mitigate this and in response to demands for better traffic management in the area, the council have proposed some new traffic measures. I expect that many people will be interested in the proposal to stop all vehicle access in and out of Windmill Hill via Whitehouse Lane/Hereford St (Option 1) OR to introduce one-way only into Windmill Hill via Whitehouse Lane/ Hereford St (Option 2). Also note that these are proposals and not set in stone the council wants to hear what you think and for you to highlight

any issues you think would arise from these suggestions. You can take part in the consultation by searching for ‘Bedminster Green River Restoration and Transport Consultation’. The deadline for responses is March 4. We would also be keen to hear your views so do please let us know what you think by email as well. Local elections Lucy and I are both standing down from the Council at the forthcoming election, which has been confirmed will go ahead on May 6 having been postponed for a year. It’s been a great privilege to represent the area in the council for the past five years. The Mayor of Bristol, West of England Metro mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner are also up for election on the same day. Voting will go ahead as normal but will need to be socially distanced at polling stations. The safest way is to vote by post. Search for ‘Bristol City Council apply for a postal vote’ to apply.

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l Accident repairs, car body repair & spraying in Bristol l 30 years’ experience l Private or trade l Contribution to the excess on all insurance claims (max £200) Tel: 07730 100 388 E: Sprayline01@hotmail.com W: www.sprayline.co.uk Open: Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm

TREE SURGEON

PLUMBING

Taps, Washers Toilets, Cisterns Leaks, Blockages Tanks, Overflows Lead Pipes, Stopcocks….etc… OAP DISCOUNTS and NO VAT

 

0117 PEST CONTROL

Advance Pest Control HAVE YOU GOT RATS OR MICE? WE’LL SORT THEM OUT

ALSO•Pigeons •Moles •Squirrels •Gulls •Bed-bugs •Ants •Fleas •Flies •Moths •Wasps

07771 503107

www.advancepestcontrolbristol.com BEST IN BRISTOL says threebestrated.co.uk

956 4475

RENOVATIONS

WINDOW SERVICES

SnugSash.co.uk Sash window specialist • Renovation • Draughtproofing • Double glazing • Repairs • Painting We can fit double glazing to your sash windows! www.snugsash.co.uk 07736 229727 SnugSash

Got a story for South Bristol Voice? Call Rich on 0777 555 0607 or email news@southbristolvoice.co.uk

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Get in touch 0117 972 3948

knowle.bristol@hunters.com

0117 953 5375

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* If you are under contract with another agent you may still be liable to pay their fee.