Thornbury Voice March 2024

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Town braced for parking charges

The council says the exact charges are yet to be decided, but across the district it expects them to generate £1.5 million of income every year.

Traders

Thornbury have raised fears that

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shoppers will abandon the town centre when the charges are introduced later this year, after people told them as much when they conducted a survey. The charges were opposed by 93% of Thornbury residents and 70% of all respondents to the council's own public consultation.

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YOUNG volunteers from Thornbury charity Krunch

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Young volunteers are rewarded

SIX young volunteers from Krunch South West have received a South Gloucestershire Volunteering Award for their commitment to helping at youth clubs, trips, and holiday activities.

Alex Kilbaine, Mike Rogers, Emily Curtis, Lucy Jefferies, Phoebe Jones and Ethan Winskill were presented with the awards for giving between 30 and 50 hours of their time volunteering.

They were presented at an awards evening by Thornbury councillor Maggie Tyrell and South Gloucestershire Council coleader Ian Boulton.

Around 90 young people from seven organisations, 15 youth centres and groups across South Gloucestershire attended the awards in February.

The theme of the evening, voted for by the young people, was Disney and Krunch decided on an Up theme.

The volunteers designed a table complete with balloons and Wilderness Explorer flags, and dressed up as characters from the film including Kevin the bird, Russell the Wilderness Explorer, and the floating house itself.

Charity Krunch SW offers a wide range of youth services from its base near Thornbury Leisure Centre.

Penny Baker, Krunch South West Manager, said, ‘We are so proud of our young volunteers. They have been so generous with their time and energy. They certainly deserved these awards and such a special evening to celebrate them.’

Environment/trading standards

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Police

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Thornbury Voice is independent. We cannot take responsibility for content or accuracy of adverts, and it is advertisers’ responsibility to conform to all relevant legislation. We cannot vouch for any services offered. Opinions are not necessarily those of the editor. Thornbury Voice is distributed each month to local residents. If for some reason you do not get a copy, please get in touch or collect one from local pick-up points. Feedback is welcomed, call Richard On 01454 800 120 or contact@thornburyvoice.co.uk

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A member of the

Early Help Partnership Lead Kevin Sweeney said: "Once again we showed the joy and value that youth work brings to young people’s lives - the young people were amazing and I’m sure they would all say that behind every one of them is a youth worker providing support and encouragement."

Krunch’s weekly term time youth clubs are open on Wednesdays for school years 6 to 9 and Thursdays for school years 9 to 12.

Both take place from 6:30-8pm at Turnberries and admission is £1. All young people are welcome.

For more information visit Krunch South West’s Facebook page or website.

Schools trust merger

THE organisation that runs Thornbury's Castle School and Marlwood School in Alveston is set to merge with another provider.

Castle School Education Trust, which also runs six other schools in South Gloucestershire, has told parents it has "jointly explored the potential for a merger" with The Priory Learning Trust.

Priory runs three secondary and six primary schools in and around Weston-super-Mare and Burnham-on-Sea.

In a letter to parents, the two trusts said: "Our vision is to create a new organisation based on our shared values and aspirations, combining our strengths and resources to meet the educational challenges ahead."

The two trusts held a consultation for parents in February.

Currently the trusts each have just under 5,500 pupils at their schools.

They say that a merger will enable them to "more easily connect colleagues and direct resources" to address challenges; will lower administration costs by merging central services, so they can " reinvest savings in professional development for staff" and spend more money on school improvement; and "grow sustainably" so more schools can join.

The new organisation would be called Pathway Trust.

School's 'exceptional' standard of education is praised by Ofsted

ALMONDSBURY Primary School has retained its 'outstanding' rating from regulator Ofsted.

An inspector said the school is led with “passion and determination” and the standard of education is "exceptional”.

The inspection in December was the first since the school, on Sundays Hill, was judged to be Outstanding in 2017.

Inspector Wendy D’Arcy said children thrive at the school, which has 311 pupils aged from four to 11.

She said: “Adults and pupils are proud to be part of the school family. Most parents are unwavering in their support for the school.”

The inspector found pupils were curious and keen to learn, and all progress extremely well through the curriculum, meaning they are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

The report said: "Pupils develop their talents and interests through the rich opportunities available.

"Trips to France, London and the local area support pupils to understand the world around them."

The inspector said the “meticulously designed” curriculum provided strong foundations for future learning.

She said: "The school has identified the precise knowledge they want pupils to know and remember in all subjects across the curriculum.”

The report found that the school made adaptations for pupils with special educational needs or disabilities, which ensures they have full access to the same education as their peers.

Staff were praised for reflecting on and adapting aspects of the curriculum so that it continues to improve.

Subjects beyond English and mathematics had as much priority as the core subjects, and pupils’ work demonstrated the broad and balanced curriculum.

The inspector said: "The schools’ emphasis on enhancing the curriculum is commendable. Trips and visits are carefully designed to support learning across different subjects.”

Executive head teacher Paul Smith said he was proud to lead the school.

He said: “I am delighted that hard work and dedication of the staff and pupils to their learning has been recognised once again.

“We pride ourselves on our exceptional curriculum, which enables all pupils to flourish and succeed.

“The way in which all adults in school adapt the learning to meet the needs of all pupils is a testament to their desire for every child to gain as much from their

time at Almondsbury as possible.

“The whole school community are rightly celebrating the outstanding nature of our fantastic school.

"We will continue to strive for the very best for all our present

children at Almondsbury and those to come in the future with the fantastic curriculum, quality of education and expectations from the leaders and all staff working at Almondsbury."

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Pupils at Almondsbury Primary School celebrate their report

Council tax bills rise by £107 Band D council tax bills 2024/25

A TYPICAL council tax bill in Thornbury area will rise by just under £107 in April.

When increases in the charges levied by South Gloucestershire Council, the town council, the police and fire services are added up, a Band D homeowner living within the area covered by Thornbury Town Council is set to pay an extra £106.87 or 4.74% this year, with their total bill now £2,360.10.

South Gloucestershire Council agreed a 4.99% increase – the maximum allowed without calling a referendum – at its meeting in February, to take its charge to residents with homes in the average Band D tax bracket up by £86.39, from £1,727.98 to £1,814.37.

Councillors also voted to bring in a series of charges, including for parking at council-run car parks, which will raise an estimated £1.5 million every year, and a doubling

of green bin charges from £30 to £60.

The rest of the increase in council tax bills comes from other public bodies.

Avon & Somerset's police and crime commissioner Mark Shelford is raising charges for a Band D tax payer by £13 (4.88%) from £266.20 to £279.20.

Avon Fire Authority is expected to raise its annual charge by £2.48 or 2.99% to £85.43 in Band D.

However the final amount paid by people living in different neighbourhoods varies according to the services provided by their parish councils, reflected in the precept charge, and 'special expenses' charged by South Gloucestershire Council for neighbourhood facilities it maintains.

Town and parish councils are not subject to government restrictions on how much they

*Total bill is parish and special expenses charge, plus South Gloucestershire, police and fire charges. Figures from South Gloucestershire Council

can raise charges without calling a referendum.

Thornbury has the highest charges for both precept and special expenses, with the result that the overall council tax bill in the town is higher than in surrounding parishes as it includes £160.48 in precept charges and £20.62 special expenses.

The town council's precept budget has risen by 3.62%, from £898,894 to £931,436, and as the number of homes paying council tax has increased with new developments, the £4.26 increase in the precept charge represents a 2.72% rise.

The lowest Band D charge in the area is for Hill - the £2,188.43 total bill (up 4.87%) includes a precept of just £9.43 to fund the parish meeting and no special expenses.

In Alveston the Band D

precept charge has risen by £14.68 and special expenses by 22p, to contribute to an overall increase of £116.77 or 5.48% in the bill.

It is one of several parishes where combined precept and special expenses increases have made residents' bills rise by more than the headline 4.99% for South Gloucestershire.

In Olveston a £6.04 precept rise and 29p special expenses rise mean the overall rise is £108.20 or 5%, and in Tytherington the £13.78 precept rise and 55p extra in special expenses contribute to a total Band D bill increase of £116.20 or 5.34%.

In Almondsbury the overall rise is 4.77% (a £1.65 precept and £1.04 special expenses increase in Band D), with increases of 4.89% in Aust, 5.17% in Falfield, 4.89% in Rockhampton and 5.27% in Oldbury-on-Severn.

Charges 'isolate community'

A GROUP representing disabled people in South Gloucestershire says new charges for blue badge applications could “isolate an already isolated community”.

Applying for a blue badge, which allows drivers to park in disabled bays, is currently free in the district.

But from April, disabled drivers will pay a £10 fee to apply for one or renew it every three years.

South Gloucestershire Council says the move will raise an extra £46,000 income each year.

But a spokesperson for campaign group Equalities Voice said: "If blue badges are no longer affordable for some, this will likely isolate an already isolated community of people, and put further strain on transport companies to cater to the needs of disabled individuals.

“Such a fee would only impact the disabled community, and the South Gloucestershire Disability Equality Network feels very strongly that this is an unnecessary option, as it relies on an already financially drained and challenged community."

Most other local authorities already charge for blue badge applications and renewals. Over the last three years there has been an annual average of 1,780 new badges and 3,851 renewals.

Asked about the fees at a cabinet meeting in February, council leader Claire Young said the council would “work with” drivers who couldn’t afford to pay.

Cllr Young said: “I would point out that it is £10 over three years, not per year.”

Parish / Parish Precept Special Total area budget charge expenses council tax*

Charges will be 'deterrent' to visiting town

From page 1

The parking fees will first be introduced to council-owned car parks, before on-street parking fees are brought in later.

There are five council car parks in Thornbury: Castle Court (long and short stay), Park Road, Rock Street (long and short stay), St Mary Street and Thornbury Leisure Centre, which together have a total of more than 880 spaces for cars, coaches and motorbikes.

Council leader Claire Young told a cabinet meeting in February that some parking spaces will stay free, and employees might be able to apply for a work permit.

But she said: “We can’t simply not do the parking charges without providing alternative means of generating that income.

She said other proposals for

charging were more popular in the consultation but would raise only “miniscule” amounts of money.

Cllr Young said parking fees would be spent on maintaining the road network and fixing potholes, as well as helping fund social care and education.

Responding to the budget consultation, Thornbury Chamber of Commerce said the scheme would hit shops' trade, and affect the town’s economy.

A spokesperson said: “A notable portion of respondents declared an intention to discontinue using Thornbury shops if car park charges are implemented.

“Individuals relying on cars for accessing GP services, baby hubs, especially those with young children or mobility issues, fear hindrances due to car park

charges.

“This raises apprehensions about health inequality and the council’s commitment to public health and accessibility for Thornbury residents.”

Thornbury Town Council chair James Murray said: “South Gloucestershire have said there will be an element of free parking but we don’t know how long this will be for, how it will be controlled or what the charges will be.

“We are also worried about the effect on nearby residential roads."

Concerns were raised at a scrutiny meeting by Thornbury resident Brian Cason, who said: “Residents and communities in Thornbury, including business owners and their staff, see this as a deterrent to visit, adding costs and frustrations for residents who

only have on-street parking.

“The freebie parkers will migrate to other roads to avoid the charges. Thornbury is rural, separated by rolling fields, and a vehicle is essential.”

The charges were agreed at a budget meeting on February 21.

Conservative group leader Samuel Bromiley told Lib Dem/ Labour coalition councillors, who took over from the Tories after last year's local elections: “Your priorities are wrong and you’ve tried to cover yourselves in the smokescreen of blaming national government, but residents can see through this.

"They’ve told us that they don’t want parking charges, but parking charges are what they’ll get.”

The coalition says the provision for future charges was built into last year's budget, something the Tories flatly deny.

Council 'invests in children and cost-of-living support'

SOUTH Gloucestershire Council says its budget for the coming year prioritises "investments in children’s services and cost-of-living support", as well as taking action to combat climate change and protect the natural environment.

But the introduction of new charges - in addition to car parking there will be a £10 fee for disabled motorists' Blue Badges and a doubling in annual green bin subscriptions to £60 - has been slated by opposition Conservatives.

In its first budget since taking power in last year's local elections, the Liberal Democrat/ Labour coalition announced an extra £1 million for children’s services, continuing free school meal vouchers for 6,500 children during Easter and summer holidays, and funding debt and benefits advice to an extra 680 residents with "complex cases".

Energy efficiency schemes for residents and landlords designed to help deal with cost of living and environmental issues at the same time, while support is continued for Community Welcome Spaces, food banks and community pantries, and "warm packs" for people struggling with the cost of heating and eating.

A pilot scheme to expand youth services to support secondary schools is also being funded.

The budget for the next financial year, which begins in April, was passed by a majority vote during a full council meeting on February 21.

Council leader Claire Young (Lib Dem, Frampton Cotterell) said: “There have been significant financial challenges facing the council and the wider local government sector.

"There’s been a woeful lack of funding from the Conservative government in Westminster, and this has led to us making some difficult decisions.

"Despite the challenges thrown at us, we are delivering on our twin goals of action on the cost of living and climate crises for the people of South Gloucestershire.

"This budget prioritises the well-being of people in need, aiming to provide essential cost-of-living support while upholding crucial services and taking decisive action against the climate and nature emergencies."

Co-leader Ian Boulton (Lab, Staple Hill & Mangotsfield) said: "We are prioritising the issues that local people have told us are important.

"We are doing everything we can to minimise the impact of reduced funding from Government in real terms and the ongoing

challenges that residents are facing through rising costs."

Tory councillors criticised the financial plan for ignoring opposition to charges and higher fees in a public consultation on the budget.

Group leader Sam Bromiley (Con, Hanham) said: “The reality of this budget is clear: new and increased charges heaped on residents; a complete failure to identify new efficiency savings; proposed investments that have been poorly thought through; and a clear message to local people that their views matter not one iota."

The council is hoping that the extra income means fewer cuts have to be made to essential public services.

However union Unison says cuts of £473,000 to libraries and £79,000 to the contact centre and One Stop Shops, by cutting opening hours, and £641,000 a year from trading arm Integra, mean "likely" job losses, cuts to working hours and opening times.

Unison South Gloucestershire branch secretary Dan Smart told a council scrutiny commission in January: “Unison members are highly concerned about the impacts of cuts to public services.

“All cuts to public services have a huge impact on our communities and this is only getting worse and worse as the cumulative effects of austerity eats into our vital services.

“The ‘easy savings’ have now been made and we are now moving towards ending or privatising everything but statutory provision."

Meeting report by Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Council co-leader Ian Boulton and leader Claire Young at a meeting discussing the budget

School bus service saved for a year

A BUS service running to two secondary schools has been saved until next year.

But its future after then is unclear, leaving parents and pupils anxious about how they will get to school every day.

The 918 service was due to be axed this July, but will now continue for the next academic year too. South Gloucestershire Council has agreed to spend £240,000 of its reserves to continue funding the service, as well as keeping the 84/85 bus running until this September.

The 918 runs from Severn Beach and Pilning to Marlwood School in Alveston and the Castle School in Thornbury, and is open to all members of the public.

The 84/85 connects villages including Cromhall with jobs and services in Wottonunder-Edge and Yate.

Many locals rely on the buses, council leaders were told during a cabinet meeting on February 5. The cabinet later voted to take the money out of the council’s reserves and keep the buses going.

Parent Caroline Brewser told the meeting: “I’m here as a parent of children at the Castle School to represent at least 60 families living in the area between Severn Beach and the school.

"Between us we have around 85 children at the Castle School, including the sixth form.

“All these young people depend on public transport to travel to and from school, a significant number of them using the bus twice a day, five days a week.

"Words cannot express how grateful the families are for the funding currently provided by South Gloucestershire Council to operate our bus, the 918.

“It enables local children to travel safely and punctually and develop an important sense of independence and responsibility.

"It is well-used every day and the bus company is keen to continue to provide this service. To us this is not just a bus, it is an essential and fundamental part of our daily

existence.”

However, it’s unclear what will happen when the temporary funding runs out. The council only has a limited amount of money in its reserves, and needs to find a more longterm solution to keep the buses going.

Bus routes which don’t make a profit for operators are often subsidised by local councils, such as in South Gloucestershire.

Cabinet councillor for infrastructure Chris Willmore told parents: “I’m really sorry that all we could do at the minute is give you another year.

places that we want to aim to reconnect.”

Councils in the region pay a transport levy every year to WECA, to be spent on subsidised buses, as well as bus passes for elderly and disabled people.

But this year, despite rising costs to run services, the councils are not increasing how much they pay for the transport levy — meaning more cuts to services could soon be coming.

South Gloucestershire Council will pay just over £4 million for its share of the

"But it’s another year, and it’s another England Combined Authority to prioritise the service, or even better to give us back the 622.

“Step number one last May was hanging onto the buses that were about to fall off the cliff edge. Step number two will then be beginning to have that rational conversation about how we get back connectivity for villages and communities. There are other

Chris Willmore

First headline act for carnival revealed

THORNBURY Carnival's committee has revealed the first details of this year's event.

The volunteers have been meeting regularly over the past few months, planning this year's event, which will take place on July 5 to 6.

This year's carnival will again include two separate events – Swing in the Park on the evening of Friday July 5 and The Main Event on the following day.

And the first headliner to be revealed is on the Friday night, when Maximum Robbie will performing many of Robbie Williams’ swing hits to close out Swing in the Park.

Saturday's Main Event aims for a fun family festival vibe, with a range of professional tribute acts and amateur performers on the main stage.

Northavon Academy of Performing Arts director Elly McDonald continues her role as the event’s community acts coordinator, and is recruiting local talent.

Elly said: "There will be live entertainment on stage throughout the day, starting at midday with a variety show and a 'battle of the bands' finale.

"We’re searching for talented local acts, so whether you’re a solo act, a duo, a band, or a whole gang of performers, if you’re singers, dancers, actors, magicians, poets, comedians, gymnasts, or DJs we want to hear from you!”

Saturday's event will include a funfair, a Show‘n’Shine car display featuring a range of vehicles, stalls, a fully licensed bar, and local food concessions.

Carnival committee chair Liam Williams said the KidsZone entertainment had been the focus of much discussion at committee meetings.

He said: "We’ve improved our children’s entertainment offer this year and are

delighted we’ll be having a big top with circus skills, alongside the other family favourites like face painting, included within the ticket price.”

Liam said the committee’s focus is on providing an enjoyable and inclusive weekend for the community while ensuring the longterm financial viability of the community interest company that runs the carnival.

He said: “2023 was the first time in several years the event returned a small financial surplus.

"In the last few years, we’ve had to draw on the contingency fund provided by Friends of Thornbury Carnival (an arm's length organisation set up by local businesses to provide a reserve fund) to keep us going.

"We’ve reviewed our 2023 expenditure with the aim of reducing our costs as much as possible this year, but balancing that with ensuring a positive experience for our attendees.

"We’re really mindful that the cost of living crisis is

squeezing family spending, so we’ve made a couple of

decisions we think will help.

"Firstly, we’ve decided not to provide tables and chairs in front of the main stage this year. This has cost nearly £2,000 in previous years but we’ve noticed the majority of people bring their own camping chairs, so we felt this was an area where we could reduce costs.

"The outcome of this is that we are able to hold ticket prices so that they are at the same level as 2023 and, in addition, we’re able to absorb the online ticket fee, making tickets this year even better value."

For more information on the event, visit the website at www.thornburycarnival. co.uk.

It includes a 'taking part' section for anyone interested in performing, entering a vehicle in the Show ‘n’ Shine or booking a stall.

The view from the stage at last year's Thornbury Carnival. Picture: George Collett.

High Street project is nearly finished

THREE years of work to transform Thornbury High Street is drawing to a close.

South Gloucestershire Council was due to finish resurfacing work at the end of February, with work at the northern end of the High Street and Quaker Lane to link it to areas already resurfaced in 2022 as part of a highway improvement scheme on Rock Street.

The final phase of work will be installing seating, bins, cycle stands, planters and other street furniture which will complete the work on the High Street.

The changes, which involved partpedestrianising the High Street and closing it to through traffic, have been controversial ever since they were first introduced in 2020 during the lockdown, with residents protesting and voting against them in a parish poll.

Thornbury Town Council says it hopes the High Street's market will soon return, and it plans a series of events to attract people to the new look centre.

Council chair James Murray said: “The seating and planters should add a bit of life and colour and I know the market is due to come back soon after the work is complete.

“A whole programme of community events is being planned for the summer which should bring lots of people into the town to see what we have to offer.

“We need to look to the future and make sure the High Street is a place people want to spend time in, so that the town and businesses in it can thrive again.”

The High Street is among the areas included in a South Gloucestershire Council grants programme to support landlords, property owners and businesses and to bring vacant commercial units back into use across the region.

The Vacant Commercial Property Grant Scheme, funded by WECA, is open available to landlords with vacant commercial high street properties, and for new and existing businesses and enterprises looking to start trading on eight targeted high street areas including Thornbury.

Maximum grant award amounts range from £2,500 to £25,000.

Grants can be used to fund extensions and improvements to buildings, fit-out costs and new equipment that is key to the business providing services.

Match funding of 25% has to be provided by applicants.

Council service director for place Emma Blackham said: “We want our high streets to thrive and recognise that empty units can blight a neighbourhood.

"The grants will help bring empty units back in to use and bring new life to the high street, attracting more visitors, creating new jobs and improving the vibrancy of our high streets."

The closing date for applications is June 30.

More information can be found online at southglos.gov.uk/empty-units-grant.

Part of the work to narrow Thornbury High Street and widen the pavement. Picture: South Gloucestershire Council

Path to take cyclists off

road divides opinion

A NEW cycle greenway that is part of a £4.8 million improvement to the main road connecting Thornbury to Alveston has been given a mixed reception.

Cyclists have broadly welcomed the scheme, which will take riders off the “suicidal” B4061 Alveston Hill onto specially-built cycle lanes in fields nearby.

But others have branded the project a waste of money and “virtue signalling”.

The proposed cycle path runs along the western side of the existing Alveston Hill road for 485m (a third of a mile) before crossing to the eastern side for 180 m and entering fields.

The cycleway crosses through fields to the east of the B4061 for 600m to Thornbury Leisure Centre where it joins Vilner Lane.

Thornbury Town Council has said it broadly supports the plan, but councillors want clarification over the cycle path exit and crossing point at the Alveston end, and have concerns about the lack of lighting.

They have also suggested signposting at the Thornbury end, directing cyclists to the town centre.

Alveston Parish Council also called for more information on the greenway entrance into the fields, and crossing for cycles over the main road.

The plans on South Gloucestershire Council’s planning portal, have attracted strong support, and criticisms.

Regular cyclist Ed Badger said: “This road is dangerous to cycle up and when you do, it understandably causes annoyance to drivers who can't overtake a slow moving cyclist on a blind bend.”

Cyclist Emma Cocksedge said: “Cycling up the hill on the road I feel extremely vulnerable, and have had a number of terrifying close passes and taken abuse shouted by drivers.”

Ramblers Association Severnside footpath secretary Catherine Hunsley said the

group broadly supported the plan, but also had concerns about how the new footpath/ cycle way would join the footpath along the A38 at Alveston.

Town councillor Danny Bonnett said: “Only the most intrepid cyclists will brave the traffic on the way up Alveston Hill at the present time, and this facility will allow those of all cycling abilities and speeds to give it a go.

"It will really open up cycling south from Thornbury to many."

Some objectors commenting on the council's website questioned how many cyclists would actually use the greenway.

Resident Tony Mitchell said: “This proposal is a total waste of money and of dubious benefit.

“The 'greenway' appears to start and finish on the same busy road, so I completely fail to see how this will provide complete safer conditions or encourage alternative use.

"Those concerned about walking or cycling up/down Alveston Hill will still have to arrive/depart at the road to get onto or leave this off-road green way.”

Nigel Morgan said: “This is another virtue signalling project of dubious benefit. It's a path from nowhere to nowhere.”

Trevor Chambers said it would be better to use the money on pot hole repairs and white lining replacement, to benefit all road users.

South Gloucestershire Council says it held a series of public consultation events and received 466 responses, with 59% of people saying they strongly supported the scheme and another 16% broadly in favour.

The council says It will provide a convenient and safe walking, wheeling and cycling route to improve journeys between Thornbury and Alveston.

A spokesperson said: “In addition to the new greenway, we are also proposing a series of highway improvements along

Thornbury Road and Alveston Hill to support active and sustainable travel.

“This includes a two-way cycle track and segregated footway, new pedestrian crossings, a new shared-use path, and new Dutch kerbs

and dropped kerbs to improve accessibility.”

You can see the full planning application and have your say by searching the South Gloucestershire Council planning website for application number P23/03491/R3F.

Quarry unveils plans to increase extraction

THE operator of Tytherington Quarry is inviting people to a drop-in event on its plans to dig more limestone from the site.

Heidelberg Materials UK says it plans to "access additional reserves" within the quarry’s existing planning boundaries.

It says feedback from local people will help shape its final plans, which will be submitted to South Gloucestershire Council this spring.

The consultation event is being held on Wednesday March 6, from noon until 8pm, at Tytherington Village Hall in Itchington Road.

The company says it will provide the chance to talk to members of the company’s development team and provide feedback on the proposals.

Tytherington quarry has been used to supply building materials for nearly 100 years.

Its owner, formerly known as Hanson UK, now wants to extract more limestone from the site.

The company said: "This would see the deepening of the Woodleaze area, as well as the extraction of material from the southern part of the quarry, under the existing soil store.

"Combined, this would provide around six million tonnes of additional limestone, to be extracted within the existing consented timeframes."

Heidelberg Materials UK consenting & development manager Trystan Mabbitt said: “Limestone from Tytherington is recognised as a significant resource that is vital for the

Tytherington

Quarry. Picture: Heidelberg Materials UK

construction and maintenance of homes, schools, hospitals and roads.

"“If our proposals are approved, it will allow us to make the most sustainable use of existing reserves. Beyond the quarry gate our neighbours will see little change as a result of this application and, for us, it would be business as usual.

“We look forward to welcoming local people to our exhibition, answering any questions they may have and listening to feedback that can help us shape our final plans.”

Man dies in crash

A MAN in his 20s has been killed in a collision in Pilning.

Avon & Somerset police said emergency services were called to Station Road at about 1.40am on the morning of Sunday February 25 after reports that a van had collided with a parked vehicle.

A police spokesperson said: "A man in his 20s, believed to be the only occupant of the van, sadly died at the scene.

"His family have been informed and will receive support from a speciallytrained officer.

"House-to-house enquiries have taken place."

Police have asked any witnesses or people with CCTV or dashcam footage who have not yet come forward to contact them online or call 101, quoting the incident reference number 5224 049 045.

Leaders are working to improve school

A VILLAGE primary school is on its way to completing improvements required by Ofsted, despite losing its previous 'good' rating from the regulator.

An inspection of St Andrew's C of E Primary School in Cromhall last December found that the school 'requires improvement'.

But inspectors said the school leaders knew what needed to be done, and had already started working with the local authority to make changes.

New head teacher Graham Pike, who took over at the start of the school year in September 2023, says he and governors had identified areas where change was needed, and had started to make improvements.

The inspectors' report, published at the end of January, found the school in Church Lane required improvement in the areas of quality of education, personal development, and leadership and management.

Pupils' behaviour and attitudes were rated 'good'.

The previous “graded” inspection in 2019 rated the school, which has 61 pupils aged from four to 11, as 'good'.

The report said the school had raised its expectations of pupils’ achievement, and started to make improvements to the quality of education.

St Andrew's Primary School

But the inspectors said: "Many of these positive changes are recent and need time to embed.

"Despite this, pupils have positive attitudes to learning.

“The school has started to widen its offer to develop pupils’ talents and interests, but it remains narrow.

"Nonetheless, pupils do benefit from some extra-curricular activities, including a local tag-rugby tournament, for example.”

The inspectors said the school knows what needs to improve - for example it has taken effective action to strengthen the early reading programme.

They said: "Pupils now read books which match closely with the sounds they are

learning.

"Those who need it get additional support. Although these improvements are in their infancy, pupils are starting to learn to read accurately and with increasing fluency.”

The report said the school has begun to provide professional development for staff to enhance the quality of teaching.

The inspectors said governors and leaders “engage purposefully” with parents, who speak positively about the improvements that have been made.

Mr Pike said: "We accept the outcome of the inspection that took place in December and are proud that Ofsted highlighted that our children are happy, safe and well behaved.

“As a governing body we had already identified that some improvements were required, and our new leadership team has been making positive progress since appointed in September.

“We have worked closely with the local authority to create a comprehensive development plan and are pleased that Ofsted recognised the improvements that have already taken place.

“As leaders and governors, we are committed to a process of continuous improvement to deliver the high-quality education our children deserve."

ALVESTON Repair Café is celebrating its 10th successful event.

The event at St Helen’s Church aims to help save some of the huge number of electrical, mechanical and other household items being thrown away, even though they could easily be fixed.

At the most recent Repair Café event on February 17, the usual selection of lamps, radios and knives in need of sharpening was supplemented with two model elephants, a foot pump, a pair of ski salopettes, an illuminated globe and a miniature model boat.

The Repair Café movement started in the Netherlands in 2009 and there are now hundreds in the UK and thousands worldwide.

They use the skills of people who have the practical knowledge to repair things but do not get to use it, acting on a voluntary basis.

Peter Waller of Alveston Community Forum, which organises the event, was inspired to bring the idea to the village in 2019, after visiting a repair café in Sussex.

Peter said: "It always amazes me when I see the range of items which are brought to the Alveston Repair Café.

"Of the 58 items brought to us, we repaired 23 and retained 15 to work on later.

"We were able to give repair

Can we fix it? Repair cafe can! Firefighter cuts on hold

advice on a further 14 items.

"The level of chatter in St Helen’s Church as people enjoyed coffee, tea and cakes showed that everyone was enjoying the event."

The next Alveston Repair Café takes place on May 11 in St Helen’s Church, Alveston, between 10am and 1pm.

Peter said: "Everyone is welcome.

"Come along and have a coffee, perhaps you might even bring something in need of repair."

Experts at Alveston Repair Cafe get to grips with some of the broken gadgets and ornaments brought in by the public

UNIONS have welcomed Avon Fire Authority's proposal to halt cuts to 40 firefighter posts following a campaign led by firefighters.

The fire authority announced in the autumn that it would cut 40 full-time firefighter posts and reduce fire engine crews from five firefighters to four across the service.

The Fire Brigades Union had warned that these cuts presented a danger to the public and firefighters.

Firefighters were joined by supporters at a rally of over 60 people outside the fire authority meeting in February, where the authority proposed to stop the cuts - with a

formal decision due at its next meeting.

Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack said: "Avon Fire Authority has made the right decision to listen to the concerns of the frontline and halt plans to cut 40 firefighter posts.

"This follows months of campaigning by Fire Brigades Union members. Today’s rally showed the impact of firefighters and the public standing together against cuts.

"The Fire Brigades Union will continue to fight to ensure that our services receive the investment they urgently need."

Firefighters march to the meeting

District is getting worse – survey

ALMOST half of survey respondents say South Gloucestershire became a worse place to live over the past two years.

Just three per cent of people said the district had become a better place to live, as new figures show a stark decline in satisfaction with local services and living standards.

Two thirds of people responding to a recent budget consultation from South Gloucestershire Council said they were satisfied with the local area, down from over three quarters two years ago, and 85% a decade ago.

More than 1,800 people responded to the consultation on the budget.

Asked why South Gloucestershire has become a worse place to live, survey respondents most often mentioned the “worsening condition of the roads”, followed by “too much housing without adequate infrastructure”.

Others mentioned changes to the high street in Thornbury, and a lack of maintenance of public areas and footpaths.

Liberal Democrat council leader Claire Young said the grim figures were due to a national trend that the public believe the “world as a whole is going

downhill”.

During a cabinet meeting on February 5, she was asked why residents’ satisfaction was declining.

Conservative Emersons Green ward councillor Rachael Hunt said: “A number of indicators show a downward trend compared with last year’s results, for example the council’s net satisfaction score is down by more than five percentage points on last year.

"The proportion of residents who say they are satisfied with how the council runs things is down almost 10 per cent on last year.”

The Liberal Democrats have been in power in South Gloucestershire since May last year, in a coalition with Labour. They took over from the Conservatives, who had run the council since 2007.

Figures in the consultation report show a steep decline in satisfaction since at least 2013.

Cllr Young said: “I think that reflects a national trend. I think there is a general public perception that the world as a whole is going downhill. I think this fits into that national trend.”

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Prison cleared in investigation

AN investigation has attached no blame to Eastwood Park prison in the case of a former inmate who died two days after being released.

Margaret Kelly, who was 32, died of drug and alcohol poisoning in April 2022.

The Prisons Ombudsman investigated and found that Ms Kelly had been homeless on her release, because she failed to engage with housing teams after leaving the prison neat Thornbury, which holds 337 female offenders.

She had served 14 days after failing to attend probation supervision, following a conviction for shoplifting.

The Ombudman’s report said it was satisfied Ms Kelly received

“appropriate support from substance misuse services” while in prison and was warned that her tolerance to alcohol would be reduced upon release.

It concluded that Ms Kelly, who had a history of substance and alcohol abuse, had been given advice on how to access alcohol support in the community and was referred to a community substance misuse service.

“We are satisfied that Ms Kelly’s community offender manager made the appropriate referrals to the council for emergency housing to try to avoid Ms Kelly being released homeless, however Ms Kelly declined to engage with the support available. “

Neighbours row over 'bus shelter' conservatory

A NEIGHBOURS' dispute over a conservatory which “looks like a 1960s bus shelter” could lead to the owner being forced to replace the roof.

The conservatory overlooking the River Severn at Aust was recently built using black PVC roof panels, causing anger among people living next door.

Wharf Barn lies on Passage Road, near the Severn Bridge.

The barn’s owners constructed the new summer house without first getting planning permission, and so were made to apply for retrospective approval from South Gloucestershire Council.

Planning officers at the council recommended they were refused permission — meaning the conservatory would have to be demolished — due to the black materials not matching the stonework common in buildings in the surrounding area, and a lack of a flood risk assessment.

Residents living next door to the conversion claimed the conservatory was “horrific” and left their bathroom in darkness blocking daylight.

Writing to the council, the occupants of the adjacent farmhouse said: “It has a major impact on our property, which has been constructed so near to our boundary that the back of the building can be touched from our boundary wall.

"From our bedroom window we now see the back of a very unsightly building constructed of big black panels - not exactly the view you would expect from your bedroom window, and it now clearly blocks our view of the river.

"From our bathroom window, yes we have obscured glass, but because of the height and close proximity to our boundary and the black of the back, our bathroom is in darkness, and we now have no natural daylight, and have to put the light on in the day.

“The construction looks like a bus shelter from the 1960s, not in keeping at all with the property. There was talk of a nice structure being erected in their garden, not something as horrific as this.”

Speaking to the council's development management committee on February 15,

applicant Sheila Newby said: “We honestly didn’t know the planning restrictions existed between Wharf Barn and Wharf Lodge.

"Since the flood defence scheme was installed outside our property, the Environment Agency still hasn’t updated the maps to reflect that.

“High quality PVC frameworks and cladding are an absolute necessity for anything built which experiences excessive weather conditions from the river and Aust cliffs, otherwise unrealistic maintenance regimes are required.

"These materials can be found in many other extensions visible from Passage Road. The colour blends well with the stone of the barn.”

Major flood defence works, costing £80 million, were recently built stretching from Aust to Avonmouth, protecting properties along the coast such as Wharf Barn.

But despite the new defences, national rules mean property owners still have to arrange an expensive flood risk assessment, to show developments such as barn conversions aren’t at serious risk of flooding.

Severn Vale ward councillor Matthew Riddle said: “I believe this was a genuine mistake.

"The applicant thought it would be covered by permitted development rights.

"The views from the public realm of the summer house are minimal, you cannot see it if you’re walking along the pavement on Passage Road.

“The need for a flood risk assessment is very, very small indeed - 50% of the site is just inside a very low flood risk zone, and the other 50% is outside any flood risk.

"The site benefits from the new Aust to Avonmouth sea defences, which have recently been built at a cost of £80 million.

“The Aust end of the scheme has now been finished. The sea wall has been built higher in front of Wharf Barn and a flood gate was installed on Passage Road, to protect Wharf Barn and the dwelling next door.”

Councillors on the development management

committee voted to defer a decision, while planning officers negotiate a new roof design with the owners and a flood risk

assessment is carried out.

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

The conservatory (centre) which is the subject of a planning row

Join the JIGSAW jaunt

A THORNBURY charity is hosting a sponsored walk to celebrate the end of its 10th birthday year.

JIGSAW Thornbury is inviting the whole community to walk alongside member parents and carers for either a 5km or 10km loop around the town.

Exercise, spending time outdoors, and connecting with others are all important parts of managing and improving well-being. They are all things that parents who have caring responsibilities for their children with additional needs or disabilities have limited time, yet an increased need for.

One parent told us: "JIGSAW is a massive part of my life, a lifeline, especially through the dark times and most challenging times. I don’t know where I’d be if we hadn't been introduced to it."

JIGSAW Thornbury saw a 45% rise in member numbers between April 2022 and March last year, with this trend continuing since then.

The community needs to come together to respond to this increase in the need for our services and support the well-being of local families. The event is an opportunity to raise essential funds and awareness

for their cause.

The walk will be themed “through the decades”, as a nod to JIGSAW’s 10th birthday year, and walkers will be encouraged to dress up in clothes from their favourite decade.

The route is accessible to everyone utilising a network of paths around the town via a 5km loop, with the option of continuing the loop again to

create a 10km challenge.

The route has been designed in collaboration with Elite Fitness, who are supporting the event by offering a free week’s gym pass for everyone who signs up.

Each person who completes the walk will also receive a certificate and a commemorative 10th birthday JIGSAW keyring.

The walk takes place on Saturday March 23, starting outside JIGSAW’s home in the St Mary Centre. A personal trainer-led warm up will begin at 7.30pm, with the walk starting from 8pm and finishing late.

Once you have signed up, we will send you a fundraising pack with more information about how to start collecting sponsorship from friends, family and colleagues who will want to support you with the challenge!

To sign up and start collecting sponsorship, go to tinyurl.com/JIGSAWJaunt.

It costs £5 to register, for over-18s only.

You can sign up to take part as an individual or a team and collect donations through the JIGSAW Thornbury Just Giving campaign page, or create your own linked to our team page at justgiving.com/campaign/ jigsaw-jaunt-2024.

If you cannot take part on the night, you can show your support by coming out and cheering the walkers on. Everyone can donate to support the walkers via the team Just Giving page.

Julie Watson

Thornbury Rotary Swimarathon

THORNBURY Rotary Club

would like to thank all the teams and sponsors involved with the Swimarathon, a community fundraising event for charities and good causes, held at the Thornbury Leisure Centre.

The main charities are St Peter’s Hospice and Butterfly Space, with many other local initiatives benefitting.

As the Voice went to press there were still lanes available, so it's worth a final call.

The event is being held on Friday March 1, with sessions at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm, and on Saturday March 2 at 3pm, 4pm and 5pm.

Thornbury Rotary President Guy Rawlinson wishes to thank

all supporting organisations, including main sponsor Perennial Wealth, Thornbury Leisure Centre, Thornbury & District League of Friends, Thornbury Radio, Renishaw, Tesoro Lounge, Horders, Thornbury Golf Centre, Bonds Estate Agents and the Panache Steel Band.

Swimarathon details and how to enter are available at www. thornburyrotary.org.

Alternatively you can call organiser Bernard Amos on 07723 065707.

To sponsor a team via JustGiving, please visit www. justgiving.com/campaign/ thornburyswim24.

Adrian Dennis

Fundraisers at last year's JIGSAW Jaunt

Fundraisers at last year's JIGSAW Jaunt

Council must rethink car parking charges plan

HIGH streets and shopping centres are the backbone of our local economy.

While there have been significant changes in how we use them, we must never underestimate their importance to residents and community groups.

We have a proud history of local entrepreneurs and unique businesses flourishing here in South Gloucestershire, and it’s vital we do everything in our power to support these retailers and back local produce.

This is why I, along with 92% of residents just in Thornbury alone, remain resolutely opposed to the introduction of parking charges that are set to be introduced in all of our South Gloucestershire Council-owned car parks.

All the work that has taken place to support our local economy threatens to be undone in one fell swoop by the ill-thought out plan

to introduce car park charges.

All councillors made a clear pledge not to introduce car parking charges in May, but here we are, almost a year on, with that commitment in tatters.

From Rock Street and Castle Street car parks in Thornbury to Abbotswood and Kennedy Way in Yate, shoppers and local residents are going to be hit by car parking charges which quite simply could have been avoided.

Businesses will suffer, cars will be forced to park in nearby neighbourhoods, and some of our most vulnerable residents in South Gloucestershire will find it much more difficult to access local shops and services.

You may hear that the car park charges were the only option the council had.

This is simply not the case. The council administration has made no attempts whatsoever to find any new efficiency savings for

2024/25 and beyond.

Rather than looking for ways to save money and perform more efficiently, they have simply taken the easy option of passing the financial burden to residents through new and increased fees and charges. This is completely unacceptable.

Unparalleled investment from government has been made in the high street, with schemes that include the Levelling Up Fund and the Future High Streets Fund.

Over £6 billion has been used to help boost local economies, create jobs and new homes, and improve skills.

The government is introducing new powers for local authorities to take control of empty buildings and give communities and local businesses the opportunity to bid for the chance to rent shops. This is on top of taking a third of properties out of business rates completely.

We have also seen business rates support packages, worth £4.3 billion over five years, to support the high street and freezing of the small business rates multiplier for a fourth consecutive year.

We should stand firm against the council’s desire to make residents pay to shop in our community.

Together as a community, we can fight the council’s plans, and help our shopping centres and high streets to remain the proud and prosperous heart of South Gloucestershire’s towns and villages.

He is buried under an Oak tree and there is a memorial stone set in the grass. It’s a lovely spot to visit, it helps us keep his memory alive

Family Tree

Susan, London

The only funeral director in the UK creating a 100 acre nature reserve complete with its own chapel and reception rooms. Just 15 minutes drive from Cribbs Causeway. A whole morning or afternoon costs about the same as a brief service at a crematorium. Burial or ashes interment. Complete burial service from £1,495.

Now you'll have to book your trip to the tip

RESIDENTS will soon have to book a visit to one of South Gloucestershire Council's Sort It recycling centres.

The council says that to comply with a new law limiting how much DIY waste, such as rubble and plasterboard, that people can bring to recycling centres without paying, it has to start recording how much is being disposed of.

The authority says the new law means it has to "limit the number of visits made by residents disposing of this waste".

Calling for residents' views on the plan, the council said: "To enable us to fully comply with changing government legislation, we will be introducing a booking system at our Sort It recycling centres to replace the current system.

"Booking systems are

already in use in lots of areas where they have been welcomed by residents, as they make it easier for them to plan their visit and mean reduced queuing times when they get there.

"We are running an engagement survey to help explain how the scheme could work and to give you an opportunity to provide feedback.

"We want to make sure that we end up with a system that meets your needs."

People are being asked to have their say in a survey the consultation section of the council's website, which has more details on how the scheme would work.

But the council added: "This is an engagement exercise, not a consultation and your feedback will help shape how (not if) we introduce a booking system.

"Whilst we welcome feedback about how you would like the scheme to work - and you are able to tell us that you oppose a booking system - we are required by law to monitor and restrict DIY waste coming into the sites.

"Your feedback will help us ensure we implement a system which works for everyone."

It can be found at tinyurl. com/yc3fxj3u.

Anyone who is not online can call 01454 868009 for help in making a response, before the deadline of April 1.

The council is also consulting on a new "draft plan" to shape its priorities for the next four years.

A new draft 'Council Plan' prioritises four goals, focused on climate and nature, inequality, children and health and well-being, where

the council, working with communities and partners, will aim to make a positive difference over the next ten years.

Council leader Claire Young said: “The next decade will be crucial if we are going to realise these goals, but there is little point in holding those aspirations if we sit back and wait for it to happen. That is why we are putting forward action plans to make sure we can achieve them. It is really important that we hear from local people to make sure we are setting the right priorities, because these things will only be possible if we work together."

Details of the draft Plan and how to take part in the consultation process can be found on the council website at sgcouncilplan.commonplace.is.

Sign up for the tour with a difference

BRISTOL'S biggest charity bike ride, the Tour de Bristol, is returning to the city and South Gloucestershire next month.

The event, in aid of local charity St Peter’s Hospice, challenges riders to use their pedal power to raise funds to support patients and their families during the most difficult of times.

Riders choose from three different routes – 40k, 65k or 100k – all starting at UWE’s Centre for Sport in Frenchay before heading into the Gloucestershire countryside on April 13. Or cyclists can take on a virtual challenge by choosing a route and date that suits you.

Husband and father-of-three Mike Freeman was cared for by the Hospice when he was diagnosed with terminal bladder cancer.

His family and friends take part in the annual Tour de Bristol race in his memory as team, Bike for Mike.

Jonny Freeman, one of Mike’s

sons, said: “The Tribute fund was set up in memory of our dad to

"We’ve raised over £44,000 for the charity so far through

and meet a few people along the way – I would encourage anyone thinking of signing up to go for it!"

St Peter’s Hospice Fundraising Manager Hayley Ali said: “We can’t wait for another year of the Tour de Bristol! It’s the Hospice’s largest event and an incredible day of fundraising, with cyclists of all ages and abilities coming together from across Bristol and beyond.

"We are so grateful to everyone who signs up and gets on their bike to pedal the distance and tackle the hills to support St Peter’s Hospice. All the funds raised from this event make sure we can continue being there for local patients and families like the Freeman’s when it’s needed most.”

The Bike for Mike team at Tour de Bristol 2023

Town council celebrates tree planting season

THORNBURY Town Council staff and volunteers worked together to plant more than 60 trees in open spaces during the recent planting season.

The trees planted were all established trees, rather than small whips.

Town council climate and nature officer Ming Yan Cheung said: "This accomplishment is a result of the dedicated work of the outdoor team, as well as invaluable support from passionate volunteers.

"A significantly increased tree budget, as well as a very welcome grant from The Tree Council, played a vital role in realizing the Town Council's vision for a greener and more sustainable community.

"The decision as to which trees to plant was not solely made by the Town Council – instead it was a collaborative effort involving the community. The Town Council conducted an online vote, encouraging residents to voice their preferences as to the types of trees they would like to see adorning the open spaces.

"The options to choose from were based on recommendations from an ecologist.

"With over a hundred votes received, the results revealed that oak is the local favourite, closely followed by field maple and silver birch.

"In the fruit tree category, rowan received the highest number of votes, with pear following closely behind.

"To reflect the community's choices, the Town Council planted these trees proportionately based on the voting results.

"The green journey embarked upon by the Town Council does not end here. In the upcoming years, in alignment with the local climate and nature action plan, the Town Council plans to make lots more positive changes to enrich the local environment.

"Residents can anticipate more diverse and vibrant open spaces, including additional planting and the creation of wildlife habitats."

To stay informed about the town council's tree planting people can visit an online map at tinyurl.com/2v75mzk3.

Volunteers with one of the trees planted in Thornbury

New Choir sings out across South Glos

April sees the start of a brand new mixed-voice Community Choir in South Glos. It is led by one of the UK's best-known and widely respected choral directors.

"If you love to sing, then come along and meet us." That's the message from Grenville Jones the founder of the new choir whose rehearsals will take place on Tuesday evenings, from 7.15pm to 9.00pm each week at Rangeworthy Village Hall on the B4058.

They start on TUESDAY April 9 with a warm invitation to go along and DISCOVER the fun of community singing. No previous singing experience is required and there are no auditions. There is a large car park at the hall.

The accompanist is Chris Green, who lives locally, and Grenville Jones brings a wealth of experience with choirs across the World, taking workshops and as founder of 30 choirs including the celebrated, "Last Choir Standing " City of Bath Male Choir. He is also founder of the 25 popular goodafternoon choirs across the West of England from Gloucester to Cornwall. Over 1200 people are singing in his choirs.

Grenville has appeared on Radio and TV across the UK, he has worked alongside Gareth Malone and Mark de Lisser, as well as Katherine Jenkins, Aled Jones, Alfie Boe, Jamie Cullum and many others in recent years. He was one of "The Hundred" judges on the BBC's All Together Now series.

"There will be music for everyone and as the choir develops, we will sing at concerts and support local organisations with fundraising concerts. There will be three consecutive open rehearsals starting on April 9 so come along with a friend to meet us," says Grenville whose website is www.grenvillejones.biz

Behind the scenes at a Digging For Britain site

ARMSTRONG Arts Group's talk The Ruins in the Woods gives an insight into an archaeological site which will be well known to fans of BBC programme Digging for Britain.

The exciting discovery of a local medieval site at Hartygrove Brake, Lower Hazel is the subject of Aaron Gridlestone’s talk.

Aaron leads the Community Archaeological Excavation Group, which looks at the history and archaeology of the ongoing excavation of about 15 years by Thornbury and District Museum Archaeological Research Group.

Students and tutors from Bristol University join in each summer, sometimes accompanied by interested

parties from abroad.

The investigation ranges from a 1940s den, the search for a chapel and into life during the time of England’s first civil war.

This fascinating discovery of a medieval hunting lodge, so close to home, brings history to life, linking us with our roots.

The talk is followed by tea and cakes and takes place on Friday April 19 at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church Hall, Eastbury Road, Thornbury.

Tickets cost £7.50, from AAGThornbury@gmail.com or 01454 850933.

Jane Parfitt

The dig at Lower Hazel

Cossham celebration

A CONFERENCE is being held to mark the bi-centenary of the birth of Handel Cossham.

The industrialist, philanthropist, educationalist and politician, who donated Cossham Hall to Thornbury, owned several collieries across what is now Bristol and south Gloucestershire.

The conference is being held in Thornbury, the town where Cossham was born, at Turnberrie's Community Centre

Sing in the afternoon

CHOIR singing in the afternoon is proving to be a big hit across the West of England, raising thousands of pounds for community groups.

Last year across all the choirs, from Gloucester to Cornwall the magnificent sum of just over £30,000.

There are now 24 Good Afternoon Choirs with more planned later in the year. Grenville takes four of the choirs himself and employs many talented freelance leaders and accompanists across the West.

in Bath Road, on April 13 from 10am to 4.30pm.

Cossham was born on March 31 1824 in Thornbury High Street, the son of the town's carpenter and joiner, Jesse Cossham, and his wife, Sarah.

Named after the composer Handel, a plaque in his honour stands on the house where he was born, proclaiming the birthplace of this "non-conformist Preacher,

The Thornbury choir is held on Thursdays.

For more details visit www.goodafternoonchoir.org. I am fortunate to have a great team of leaders and all admin support comes from our office in Westfield near Bath.

Our choir members are now choosing the local organisations they want to help this year.

Grenville Jones

Go nuts with Noah

KIDS, mums and dads, take a seat and get ready to go nuts with Nutty Noah at this fabulously funny, musical and magical entertainment show.

Bringing his own brand of side-splitting nuttiness to the Methodist Church Lower Hall in Thornbury, Nutty Noah’s award-winning show includes cheeky original songs and amazing magic. Nutty Noah mixes music with humour and plays some very unusual instruments, one of which he invented himself.

Nutty Noah is one of the most in-demand family entertainers in the country, which has won him the

Industrialist, Geologist, Politician, Educationalist and Public Benefactor".

Organised by Avon Local History & Archaeology and Bristol & Gloucestershire

Archaeological Society, places cost £15 and can be booked online at www.alha.org.uk, via Eventbrite or by writing to William Evans, 5 Parry’s Grove, Bristol BS9 1TT.

A Good Afternoon Choir concert held at Bath Abbey last year

title ”The King of all things silly!” (Ben Elton).

Grab a seat grown-ups and have as much fun as your kids. As seen on CBBC’s The Slammer, Crackerjack and Channel 4’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. Don’t miss this hilariously amusing live experience, a treat for all the family!

The Armstrong Arts Group presents two performances, 11am and 2pm, at the Methodist Church Lower Hall in Castle Court off Thornbury High Street on on Saturday April 6.

Tickets can be bought from AAGThornbury@gmail. com or by calling 01454 850933: £10 for adults and £5 for children under 16.

Jane Parfitt

Handel Cossham

Nutty Noah

MARCH

March 1

n WORLD DAY OF PRAYER, United Reformed Church in Chapel Street, Thornbury, 7.30pm. Led by the Christian Women of Palestine – theme: "Bear with one another in love". Service and refreshments. All welcome. More information at wwdp.org.uk.

March 4

n ALVESTON GARDENS ASSOCIATION, Jubilee Hall, Alveston, 7.30.pm. Talk on plants and animals of Madagascar, with Duncan Coombes.

March 5

n THORNBURY ART CLUB, Tuesday Painting Studio Group, every Tuesday in March at St Mary’s Church Hall, Eastbury Road, Thornbury, 1.30-4.30pm. Thursday Painting Studio Group at same venue and time, every Thursday from March 7. Call 01454 414433 (Tuesday) or 0777 627 1010 (Thursday) for more details

March 5 & 19

n CIRCLE DANCING to music from around the world, traditional and modern. Thornbury Methodist Church Hall, Castle Court, 6.308.30pm. New dancers welcome, no experience or partner required.

n WHAT'S ON n THORNBURY LIBRARY

First session free. More details at vickislade1@outlook.com or call 07516 999384.

March 8

n THORNBURY PICTURE HOUSE presents Hostiles, a Western, at Thornbury Methodist Church Upper Hall. Doors open 7pm. Members free, guests £5. For more information about membership visit www. thornburypicturehouse.org.

March 11

n SEVERN VALE FLOWER CLUB, St Mary’s Hall, Eastbury Close, Thornbury, 2pm. Denise Bright, ‘The Joys of the Season’ and competition, ‘Mardi Gras’. Also practise class on march 25, 1.30pm, ‘Spring Medley’.

March 12

n EASTWOOD GARDENERS CLUB, Turnberrie's, Bath Road, Thornbury, 7.30pm. 2024 season starts with talk by Nick Morgan, 'The Rebuilding of the RHS Wisley Greenhouse'. Visitors welcome.

March 17

n SUNDAY AFTERNOON CONCERT, St Mary’s Church, 4pm, with the Harlequin Singers from Bristol, led by conductor Fabian Huss. Concert around one hour, followed by refreshments. Free admission, retiring collection.

March 22

n THORNBURY AND DISTRICT U3A new members’ welcome meet-

THORNBURY Library is holding two special events in March.

The Red Herrings will be performing a show, The Pirate and the Parrot, on Saturday March 2 at 2pm. Tickets are on sale from the library or online at Eventbrite. Refreshments included.

Hugless Douglas visits on Friday March 8 at 9.30am (Rhymetime) and Saturday March 9 at 11am (Family session). Enjoy a story, some songs and a hug with Hugless Douglas.

Ukrainian storytime sessions take place every Monday at 4pm. Zoya, a Ukrainian teacher, shares stories, reading and more from Ukraine.

Lego club meets every Saturday from 9.30-10.30am – no booking required. Create your own Lego masterpieces and display them in the library for your family and friends to see.

Rhymetime takes place every Monday and Friday, from 9.30-10am.

Book group Have You Read…? meets on March 1 from 2pm-3pm: a book group for everyone with no set novel to read, just an hour of chat and refreshments.

A computer volunteer is ready to help with your IT and online questions on Thursday mornings, with one-to-one sessions available from 9.30am.

People can enjoy a free hot drink in the library every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday from 9.30am-4pm, use the computers or WiFi with your own iPad or phone, read a book, a newspaper, browse the shelves, enjoy a communal puzzle or just relax.

The library is open 9.30am-5.30pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 9.30am-12.30pm on Saturday.

Open access is from 8am-7.30pm every day.

For bookings and home library service call 01454 868006, email thornbury.library@southglos.gov.uk or visit the website www.southglos. gov.uk/libraries.

ing, from 3.30pm in St Mary’s Church Hall, Eastbury Road, Thornbury. More information at www.thornburyu3a. org.uk or call Pat Light on 01454 412260.

March 22-23

n ARMSTRONG ARTS GROUP concert for Bristol Aid to Ukraine, performed by pianist Khrystyna Mykhailichenko, United Reformed Church, Chapel Street, Thornbury. Friday performance starts at 1pm, Saturday performance starts 7.30pm. Tickets from AAGThornbury@gmail. com or 01454 850933.

March 23

n ST PETERS HOSPICE Severnside Support Group spring coffee morning, Falfield Village Hall, 10am. Home made cake stall, books and raffle. Entrance £3, to include tea/coffee and cake. All proceeds to St Peters Hospice.

March 23

n ST PATRICK'S CEILIDH, Christ the King Hall, Thornbury, 7pm. Ceilidh dancing to live band Third Time Lucky, in aid of charity WaterAid. Tickets online at shorturl.at/BLMY5 or email thirdtimelucky303@gmail.com.

March 26

n THORNBURY ART CLUB night with Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year winner Finn Campbell-Notman demonstrating his work, 7.15pm. Visitors or prospective new members welcome, £6 on the door. For more details visit www.thornburyartclub. co.uk or call 01454 414433.

March 27

n ALVESTON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY meeting Alveston Methodist Church, 7.30pm. Talk on Lighthouses of the Bristol Channel by John Page.

April 6

n THE ARMSTRONG ARTS GROUP presents Nutty Noah at 11am and 2pm, Methodist Church Lower Hall, Castle Court, off Thornbury High Street. Tickets from AAGThornbury@ gmail.com or call 01454 850933. Adults £10, under-16s £5

REGULAR EVENTS

Monday

n SEVERN VALE FLOWER CLUB meets on the second Monday in the month at 2pm in St Mary's Hall in Eastbury Close, Thornbury, for classes, demonstrations and competitions. For more information contact Sally on ssjjtaylor@hotmail.co.uk or Hazel on 01454 885213.

Tuesday

n CITIZENS ADVICE South Gloucestershire sessions at Thornbury Town

Hall Tuesday 10am-noon. No appointment needed.

n JUST SEW IT SEWING CLUB, every Tuesday 6.30-9.30pm at the Chantry Community and Arts Centre Castle Street, Thornbury. Come along and sew with others bring your sewing machine & materials/pattern. Call Carrie 07753 236095.

n THORNBURY MEMORY CAFE is open on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (except August) from 10.15-11.45am. Methodist Church Hall, High Street, Thornbury. More information from Sue Rowley on 01454 412941 or Louise Wright on 07800 776998.

n SUNBEAMS TODDLER GROUP, 1.30-3pm every Tuesday in term time, Thornbury Methodist Church Hall (off Castle Court). All families welcome, no need to book, £2 per family includes snack and drink.

n THORNBURY TOWN BAND Friendly community brass band, rehearsals at Thornbury URC Tuesday evening's 7.30pm-9.30pm. New players very welcome. www.thornburytownband.com. email: info@thornburytownband.co.uk. Turn up or call Anna for more information on 07960008843

Wednesday

n THORNBURY ROYAL BRITISH LEGION, Coffee and Chat, second Wednesday of the month, The Swan, Thornbury High Street, 10-11.30am. All welcome

Thursday

n THORNBURY GOOD AFTERNOON CHOIR, Thornbury URC, Chapel Street, 1-3pm. For info visit www.goodafternoonchoir.org, email gac@grenvillemusic.co.uk or call 01761 472468.

Friday

n HAVEN MEMORY CAFE, Thornbury United Reformed Church, Chapel Street, first and third Fridays of the month from 10.15-11.45am. More details from Stuart Hill on 07913 241437 or Sue Walton 07794 370903.

Saturday

n THORNBURY PARKRUN, 9am, Mundy Playing Fields. Free.

n THORNBURY ROYAL BRITISH LEGION VETERANS Breakfast, second Saturday of the month, 9am at The Swan, Thornbury High Street. All welcome.

Sunday

n THORNBURY ROYAL BRITISH LEGION branch meeting, last Sunday of the month at the Wheatsheaf pub, Chapel Street, noon.

Donors fund dog's cancer treatment

PET lovers have leapt in to save a dog that needed costly cancer treatment.

Ten-year-old border collie Boris, who lives in Yate, has started £11,000 of medical treatment – thanks to public donations.

When owner Liz Carter was told the devastating news in January that Boris would die without treatment, she could only pay half the fees, from pet insurance and other funding.

Boris was diagnosed with an aggressive cancerous nasal tumour which, without radiation treatment, would have ended his life in a matter of weeks.

But Liz says thanks to the generosity of other pet lovers, his radiation treatment to shrink the cancer has started. And it could give him another two years of good quality life.

Liz said she was “blown away” by the response to her fundraising appeal.

She said: "Boris will have to have

treatments 3 times a week for 5 weeks. He had a full body CT scan, to make sure the cancer hasn't spread anywhere else.

“So fingers crossed, it's all good to go.

“I’m eternally grateful people could find it in their hearts to help me keep my best friend with me for as long as possible.

“I couldn’t begin to imagine how I was going to live my life without him as we've been together 24/7 for 10 years.”

At the time of going to press, more than 300 people had donated £6,500 towards the £8,000 target.

Liz says any money left over from the treatment will be donated to Greenacres rescue charity, in Wales, who saved and paid for the operation for the little spaniel born with 6 legs.

Anyone wishing to donate to Boris’ treatment can do so at gofund. me/17adcada

Chief constable defends force after documentary

THE chief constable of Avon and Somerset Police has insisted that things have changed since the shocking events seen in a recent TV documentary.

The Channel 4 series To Catch A Copper aired in February and took a look into the force’s own real-life investigations into misconduct by officers.

But many viewers have been shocked by how little repercussions officers seemed to face.

Meanwhile, many serving officers say they feel “let down” by the documentary, which has been criticised by the Avon and Somerset Police Federation.

In an anonymous comment, one officer said: “I feel disappointed that the force has put me in the position of having to defend myself as a good police officer.”

At Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford’s regular performance and accountability board on February 13, Mr Shelford said some of the officers’ behaviour shown in the documentary had been “truly appalling” and “absolutely disgusting.”

Chief Constable Sarah Crew told him: “It’s important to recognise that most of our officers and staff provide excellent

service to the public and they really want to see poor standards and behaviour tackled.”

She said: “Policing is a difficult and challenging job and we saw a bit of that in the documentary. And people in policing are human and they make mistakes, and honest mistakes with good intent in Avon and Somerset will always be dealt with as such. And mistakes for which we often apologise but from which we learn both as individuals and the organisation.

“Where the intent is bad, it's criminal, it's in breach of our standards of professional behaviour, or indeed where it offends our values then be assured misconduct processes will follow and where misconduct is serious, my default position as chief constable is that there is no place in Avon and Somerset for those people.

“Most reports into our countercorruption unit come from colleagues, and I see that as a really positive thing.”

Ms Crew insisted that things had changed since the documentary was filmed over the course of four years.

She said that the professional standards department had been increased by 25% and had a dedicated

inspector, and that the force had run a campaign on sexual misconduct and a “race matters” programme to tackle disproportionality.

She added that the force’s vetting processes had also been strengthened, and the force was checking people not just when they were hired but throughout their careers.

Ms Crew added that the force had conducted an in-depth review of its own culture through the last year.

She said: “We recognise it’s through culture that we will drive that public confidence.”

Speaking to BBC Points West later that day, Ms Crew said: “What we are seeing in this documentary are the exception, not the rule.”

But she defended the documentary to host David Garmston, stating: “There have been incidents that have happened across the country and we have seen some in Avon and Somerset where confidence is dented and it’s important we face up to that and we do something about it.”

By John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Boris and owner Liz Carter

Innovation is in our region’s DNA

AS your Metro Mayor, and as a West of England resident, I am incredibly proud of our great region’s history of science and innovation.

It is a history centuries in the making, to which Europe’s largest supercomputer, focused on AI, is yet another world-beating recent addition.

There’s Brunel himself, that genius of engineering who ‘built the world’; Bathonian Caroline Herschel, the first woman to receive a salary as a scientist; Concorde, which was built and maintained in Filton; even the world’s first hollow chocolate Easter egg.

The West of England has always been, and continues to be, home to vital industries, iconic inventions and awesome achievements.

In short, innovation is in our region’s DNA. And it’s absolutely key in today’s world - to our physical health, to our region’s economic pros pects, and to our place nationally and globally.

I’ve always said the West of England has the potential to be an innovation engine. The Mayoral Combined Authority I lead has the ambition to make that a reality.

That’s why, since I was elected Mayor, a key focus of my Mayoral Combined Authority has been building the West’s innovation creden tials, and further putting our incredible region on the map as the place to innovate – to create the high-quality jobs locals deserve.

I am proud of all we have achieved so far. The West of England region is an innova tion leader.

Our people and firms excel at innovation, while big investments are being made towards solving regional and global challenges alike.

We’ve become the nation’s 5G logistics test bed, seen via the incredible links between Avonmouth Docks and the Gravity smart campus in Somerset - soon to be home to the biggest gigafactory in the whole

country!

Or how about the fact we’ve built England’s largest wind turbine, that we’ve launched Space West - the second biggest space cluster in the UK - and we’re working hard to harness the power of the Severn Estuary to kickstart the age of tidal, right here in the West.

But with the world now in the foothills of the fourth industrial revolution, I want us to go even further.

Because I fully recognise there are some pretty big challenges we need to overcome to become the innovation engine I know we can be.

Some of the most beautiful places to live in our rural towns and villages are let down by poor access to the online world.

And right now, not everyone in our part of the world has access to the digital skills they need which is vital for success today.

That’s why, through things like my

Metro Mayor Dan Norris writes for The Voice

soon-to be-launched Innovation Prospectus, and other measures, the needs of West of England resi dents are at the heart of my innovation plans.

Our region is a powerhouse of scientific talent - and it’s time we realised our true potential.

My Mayoral Combined Authority will con tinue to provide the purpose, power, resources and leadership necessary to do just that.

Thornbury and district u3a

WE are holding our next new members’ welcome meeting on March 22, from 3.30pm in St Mary’s Church Hall in Eastbury Road and would welcome anyone who is interested in coming along to find out more about us.

Have you recently retired, or reduced your commitments leading up to retirement?

Are you new to the area and looking to make new friends?

Thornbury u3a promotes keeping us mentally and physically engaged and active, in an enjoyable and friendly atmosphere.

"Learn, Laugh and Live" is the u3a motto, and aims to provide opportunities for members to do so without having to travel too far or enrol in expensive courses.

We have over 1,500 members and around 85 different groups meeting at various venues throughout the area, but there is always room for more.

Our groups mainly meet during

the day and interests range from archaeology to YOYO (You On Your Own).

Some meet weekly, others less often, and they include physical activities, wine tasting, lunches out, crafts, board and card games, language lessons, organised visits to gardens and churches, concerts and theatre as well as purely “educational” topics.

Details of all our groups can be found on our website – www. thornburyu3a.org.uk.

Please come along: we would love to meet you.

For further information visit our website or phone our membership secretary, Pat Light, on 01454 412260 or our chairman, Roger Steer, on 01454 294371.

Jackie Gitsham

Thornbury councillors

LOCAL organisations in Thornbury still have time to apply for Member Awarded Fund grants

that are available from South Gloucestershire councillors.

Under the scheme, each councillor has a total of £3,000 to distribute to voluntary groups and community projects in their ward.

To find out if they are eligible for funding, organisers can get information from the grants page of South Gloucestershire Council’s website, or simply contact either Cllr Jayne Stansfield jayne. stansfield@southglos.gov.uk, Maggie Tyrrell at maggie.tyrrell@ southglos.gov.uk or Chris Davies at chris.davies@southglos.gov.uk.

Applications need to be submitted to us by mid-March at the latest, in order to meet the end of year deadlines.

Maggie said: “This is the last chance to apply for the money available in this financial year and we want to make sure all our local voluntary groups are aware of the opportunity.

"The three Thornbury Councillors work together to maximise the impact of this relatively small amount of grant money.

"We allocated some of it earlier in the year but what is left could still help volunteer groups and charities in Thornbury and we don’t want them to miss out.”

Jayne Stansfield

St Peter's Hospice support group

CALLING all knitters: do you knit, or belong to a Knit and Natter Group?

If so, would you consider helping St Peter's Hospice Severnside Support Group with some knitted chickens which are sold locally, after being filled with a crème egg?

If you can help at all, please contact Mary on 01454 412567, who can supply a pattern and any information required.

Any colour wool can be used: we like a variety of coloured chickens!

Kath Burgess

Boys’ deaths were shocking and senseless n MESSAGE FROM AVON & SOMERSET PCC

I AM deeply saddened by the recent shocking and senseless deaths of two boys, aged only 15 and 16, at the end of January in South Bristol.

The grief being felt by the families of those boys and the impact it will have on their loved ones, as well as the wider community, is unimaginable.

Preventing knife crime and stopping young people from coming to harm must be at the forefront of all our minds.

This is an area of focus for our Violence Reduction Partnership, which provides education, mentoring, and employs a community-based approach to prevent these tragic crimes.

Additionally, to encourage people to safely discard any knives and weapons they are carrying, Avon & Somerset Police have installed weapon surrender bins across the area.

Lifesaving bleed control kits designed to provide emergency

help for someone who suffers a traumatic injury are also being installed alongside defibrillators.

I also want to focus on the process of police misconduct hearings, as this is something many people are rightly asking about this month.

I am proud to have lobbied for significant changes aimed at increasing the chief constable’s power to act on police officers who have been found guilty of misconduct. One of the outcomes of this, which comes into effect from May, is that chief constables will be able to terminate the employment of officers found guilty of gross misconduct. This move marks a pivotal step towards upholding the highest standards of integrity and professionalism within law enforcement.

One of the most notable adjustments is the composition of the panels responsible for adjudicating cases of

misconduct.

Formerly, only one independent panel member (IPM) was mandated to sit alongside a chief constable in a hearing.

The revamped structure now necessitates the inclusion of two IPMs, bolstering the impartiality of the decision-making process.

Consequently, my office is actively recruiting new IPMs to partake in this crucial aspect of police oversight.

The imperative for these reforms is underscored by the instances of police misconduct showcased in the Channel 4 documentary ‘To Catch A Copper’, which shines a spotlight on the need to addressing such issues decisively and transparently.

If this is an issue you are passionate about, I urge you to put yourself forward. These roles offer an invaluable opportunity to contribute to the integrity of

With police and crime commissioner Mark Shelford

our law enforcement system.

I am also pleased to lend my support to the government’s forthcoming ‘Stop! Think Fraud’ campaign.

As the National Association of Police and Crime Commissioners economic and cybercrime lead, I recognise the critical importance of equipping individuals with the knowledge and tools to safeguard themselves against fraudulent activities.

By fostering awareness and vigilance, we can collectively mitigate the impact of fraud and protect our communities from financial harm.

n COMMUNITY NEWS Opportunities on offer from volunteer centre

IF you have an hour or two to spare, Thornbury Volunteer Centre would love to hear from you.

Below are a tiny example of the opportunities available locally:

Welcome home volunteers: you will provide short/medium term support to those who have been discharged from hospital to enable them to stay well in their own homes. One to two hours per week, with full training given.

Telephone befrienders: volunteers are needed for two befriending services in South Gloucestershire, one for unpaid carers and one for mainly older, isolated people. Volunteers must be able to offer an hour a week to chat and provide social contact. Excellent package of training and support on offer.

Gardener: Needed to help a team of existing gardeners manage the grounds of a historic

building in Thornbury, you will tend flower borders, prune, weed and plant; tend the kitchen garden, pick crops. No mowing or handling of heavy machinery.

Family services volunteers: people are needed to support families facing the challenges of visiting their loved ones in prison. You may meet and greet families, provide emotional support, serve refreshments and play with children of all ages, to allow families space to talk.

Committee members: volunteers are needed to help run a local festival. You must have an enthusiasm for the performing arts and be willing to take on any agreed activities that interest you.

For further information and for details on how to apply, please contact Thornbury Volunteer Centre by email at mail@volunteerthornbury.co.uk.

Thornbury Ladies bounce back from defeats

THORNBURY Ladies' 1st team results have improved following a couple of disappointing setbacks.

Following a 1-0 loss at Westberries 3rds, the team defeated league leaders Wick 7-3 in a highscoring encounter.

Jess Mundy was in fine form, getting a hat-trick, with Esther Jenkinson, Sophie Vizard, Coz Deas and Jo Deas also on target.

In a rearranged game the following day, South Glos were narrowly beaten 3-2.

Jess Mundy capped a fine weekend, getting another two goals, with Alice Atkinson scoring the other.

Cirencester 2nds were the next team to suffer defeat, Jo Deas' side returning from the away fixture with a 3-1 win.

The enthusiastic Mandy McGarry scored her first goal since returning to the side, with Coz Deas and Sophie Vizard also finding the net.

A tough run of fixtures awaits, with Redland, Bristol University and Lydney to be faced: all three sides

Thornbury Hockey Ladies 1st team

were victorious when Thornbury met them earlier in the season.

Promoted Thornbury occupy a creditable fourth place in the Berkeley Division1 table at the time of writing.

The young Thornbury 2nds side

had possibly their best game of the season in their latest game, a 2-2 draw against visitors Keynsham 3rds.

Goals from Tess Wheatley and Matilda Evans put the 2nds ahead, with the visitors only equalising in the last three minutes.

The team earlier drew 2-2 against Old Bristolians, with captain Sarah Lally and the versatile Ella Clarke scoring.

The previous week Ella had donned the goalkeeping kit in the game against Stroud 2nds. Thornbury Men continue to blaze the trail in Concorde 2: a narrow 3-2 defeat against league leaders and promotion certs Bristol and West was followed by a 2-1 victory over South Glos 2nds. Harry Collins and Pardip Bhogal scored in the latter game, whilst the consistent David Anderson and Pardip Bhogal scored in the topof-the-table clash.

New players are always welcome at the club, especially as it is hoped to field a men’s 2nd team as a development side next season.

If you are new to Thornbury and would like to join this friendly club, email thornburyhockey@gmail.com or turn up at training on Mondays at 7.30pm, at Castle School.

David Parry-Jones

Mixed fortunes for Thornbury senior teams

Late January and early February saw conflicting fortunes for the senior teams in the rugby club. The men’s First XV secured a morale-boosting 52-22 home win over Swindon and followed that up with an impressive 24-20 win over second-placed Chippenham as some of the injured players began to return to the squad.

However, Thornbury have been inconsistent throughout the season and were well-beaten by Winscombe seven days later.

With four games remaining, Thorns are comfortably in midtable.

Thornbury Seconds only played one match in the month but enjoyed a 23-22 win over Yate, with George Jackson scoring a hat-trick of tries.

The Colts are a fine side, and were impressive winners over Cleve, Stow and North Bristol, but had a collective off day and lost narrowly at Dursley.

The Ladies team returned to the field after an extended midseason break. They were rusty but despite two close defeats, their performances improved and they were unlucky to lose to tabletopping Hucclecote.

Late February and March see the Firsts travel to Trowbridge and Chippenham before playing Chosen Hill and Devizes at home.

The away fixtures will be tough but Thorns will be confident of winning their home games.

The Seconds have two matches, home to Barton Hill and away to Dings, whilst the Colts have big games home and away with league leaders Lydney Colts.

The Ladies are home to Witney and away to Oxford Harlequins. It’s going to be a busy few weeks!

Dave Fox

Weather plays havoc with Town's fixtures

THE weather has played havoc with Thornbury Town’s schedule, with half of their fixtures in the last month being postponed due to waterlogged pitches.

After exiting the Gloucestershire County Cup on penalties at Toolstation League side Longwell Green Sports, they suffered two heavy defeats in the league.

Having won at Worcester Raiders earlier in the season, Thorns supporters were hopeful of securing another win but ended up on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline, a result that was repeated the following week when promotion chasing Slimbridge were the visitors to the Mundys.

A couple of weeks rest due to the weather saw Mangotsfield United visit the Mundys.

In a tight game, a late goal from 16-yearold Raheim Henry secured a deserved win for Town, when he latched on to a Stan Wyatt through ball before firing low past the visitors' keeper.

Meanwhile the Reserves have only played one fixture in the last month, suffering a 1-0 defeat at home to Shirehampton

Reserves. They still maintain a mid-table position, with as many as five games in hand on some of the teams above them, so the club are still hopeful of another promotion push towards the end of the season.

Unfortunately the A team's hope of promotion have suffered a setback recently. After beating Oldland Abbotonians 4-3, with Matt Chapman grabbing a hat-trick and George Bush scoring the other, they suffered a narrow defeat at high-flying Shaftesbury Crusade. This was followed by an unexpected reverse at home to Iron Acton.

Like the other senior sides, the Under 18s have only managed a couple of games in the last month. A Peter Howard goal secured a 1-1 draw at home to Mangotsfield United in the League, whilst a couple of weeks later the youngsters travelled to play Cribbs Colts in the League Cup.

Goals from Dylan Pople and Joe Thomas saw the game finish 2-2, but it was the home side who progressed to the next

round, winning 5-4 on penalties.

Off the field, the club is hopeful of receiving planning permission soon for the installation of a new covered stand for 100 spectators, along with a PA system.

These improvements are necessary to meet the FA Ground Grading requirements for clubs that play at Thorns' level of football. Failure to comply could lead to automatic relegation to the division below.

The Clubhouse extension is finally nearing completion, having been beset with issues over the last few months. The work has seen the original footprint double in size, with doors leading out onto a paved patio area.

The Club had hoped that this work, which will greatly improve the match day experience for both spectators and players, would have been completed well before Christmas. However it is hoped it will be in use before champions-elect Worcester City visit the Mundys on April 9.

Malcolm Carr

Mike Priday scores a try against Chippenham. Picture: Dave Fox

Wills month boosts charity

A THORNBURY solicitor is partnering with charity Brain Tumour Support to give people the chance to write their will for free.

‘Make a Will Month’, which takes place in March, will see Wards’ wills and probate solicitors donating their time for free to draft or update a standard will, in return for a donation to the Thornburybased charity.

The aim is to raise awareness of the importance of having a correctly drawn up will in place, while raising valuable funds for Brain Tumour Support’s work.

The event coincides with the charity's Brain Tumour Awareness Month.

Wills and probate partner Rachael Abbot said: "For anyone

thinking about making a will, this is a fantastic way to not only make sure your wishes are set out properly by a qualified solicitor, but also raise money for this very worthwhile local charity.

"It’s our third year of running the scheme with Brain Tumour Support and it’s always been very popular – we hope to build on that success this year."

Brain Tumour Support chief executive Tina Mitchell Skinner said: “We’re delighted to be working with Wards Solicitors again for Make a Will Month.

"It’s a wonderful chance to benefit from the expertise and friendly advice that Wards offers – which is especially important as we know that the process of writing a Will can be daunting for many people.

"And of course anyone taking part in the scheme will know they will be raising vital funds for our much needed support services.”

To find out more about the scheme, visit the charity's website at tinyurl.com/cj978brv.