The Week
in
East Bristol & North East Somerset
Issue no 372
FREE
Get ready for Shaun in the City . . .
page 5
Sheep sculptures for Warmley and Staple Hill
Batch officially handed over . . .
page 14
New Cadbury Heath community amenity
Changes to 42 bus service . . .
page 25
First listens to local concerns in Cherry Garden
In this week’s issue ...
Read by over 30,000 people every week
21st May 2015
2 The Week
in
• Thursday 21st May 2015Hanham-based taxi firm Homesafe Cars has gone bust.
The company (Homesafe Cars Bristol Ltd.) ceased trading on 1st May, advising creditors it was insolvent.
The business, which only started last August, operated from premises at 138 Hanham Road but the company's registered address is a tattoo parlour in Tower Road South. According to records filed at Companies House, the company secretary was Mark Horman and the other director is listed as Natasha Scott.
Dolly Vader
Ms Scott is also a director of Dollyvadertattoos and Supplies Ltd which is also registered at 57 Tower Road South and also ceased trading on 1st May. In a letter to creditors she wrote: “Unfortunately, the company has insufficient realisable assets and no funds with which to appoint an insolvency practitioner and thereby initiate voluntary liquidation. I am not in a financial position to fund this personally, having now lost my livelihood.” However, it would appear that Ms Scott has found a new livelihood. Just hours before we went to print she posted an image on the Dolly Vader Facebook page advertising a new range of Vapours smoking products which are about to go on sale at the tattoo parlour from next month.
On 10th April she became a director of two new companies, Ink Enterprises Ltd and Homesafe Enterprises, both registered at 57 Tower Road South.
Local companies cease trading
4 The Week
in
• Thursday 21st May 2015Barrs Court, Bitton, Brislington, Cadbury Heath, Compton Dando, Corston, Downend, Emersons Green, Fishponds, Hanham, Hillfields, Keynsham, Kingswood, Longwell Green, Mangotsfield, Marksbury, North Common, Oldland Common, Pucklechurch, Saltford, Staple Hill, Stockwood, St George, Warmley, Whitchurch, Wick, Willsbridge. 15,000 copies are distributed through retail outlets, libraries, pubs, community centres each week. Verified pick-up rate of 97%.
Publisher
Keynsham & Saltford Times Ltd, 8 Temple Court, Keynsham. BS31 1HA
0117 986 0381 www.theweekin.co.uk ISSN: 2052-9767
Managing Editor Stephen Rodgers [email protected]
Editorial Becky Feather 07973 839936
Christine Rogers
Advertising Jodie Deason and Tracy Broderick
0117 986 0381
[email protected] @theweekineditor
No material in this publication, nor its associated website
(www.theweekin.co.uk) may be reproduced without the written permission of Keynsham & Saltford Times Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Week
in
Longwell Green
Appeal for
information
about assault
Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a man they are trying to trace in connection with an assault on a manager at McDonald's in Longwell Green at 6am on 25th April.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Baa-rilliant news! This summer's Shaun the Sheep art trail will include sculptures in Warmley and Staple Hill.
Shaun in the City follows on from the huge success of Gromit Unleashed trail which attracted 1.8 million visitors and raised £4.5m for Bristol Children's Hospital with the sculptures sold off at auction.
Created by artists, celebrities and designers, the first flock of 50 Shaun sculptures arrived in London in March and are making the capital their home until 31st May.
Another 70 go on display in Bristol from 6th July to 31st August and will see giant sheep grazing at locations including Warmley Waiting Room café, Fountain Square in Staple Hill and at Snuff Mills in Stapleton.
On Thursday 8th October, all 120 Shaun in the City sculptures will go to auction to raise vital funds for children's hospitals across the UK.
Money raised from the 50 sculptures that appear on the London trail will benefit Wallace & Gromit's Children's Charity, a national
charity raising funds to improve the lives of sick children in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK.
And funds raised from the 70 sculptures featured on the Bristol trail will benefit The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children's Hospital Charity. The Grand Appeal funds cutting-edge medical equipment, facilities, and comforts at Bristol Children's Hospital and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michael's Hospital. Find out more at www.shauninthecity.org.uk
Why visitors will be
flocking to Warmley and
Staple Hill this summer
6 The Week
in
• Thursday 21st May 2015Kingswood
Community
fun day with
dog show
Keynsham
School run parking
culprits will be shamed
There will be a dog showand community fun day at the Kingsmeadow Commu-nity Flat on Saturday 13th June.
The day runs from 11am to 3pm, with the dog classes starting at 1pm. To register your dog call 07584 258707. There will also be a dog photo competition. Other attractions lined up include games, face painting, a bouncy castle, stalls, cream teas and a tombola.
Keep in touch, let us
know what you think,
send us your news
www.facebook.com/theweekin
Parents who park dangerously or inconsiderately near St Keyna Primary School in Keynsham have been warned they risk having their number plates published.
A recent school newsletter says: “We are really concerned about the dangerous and inconsiderate parking on the roads around our school during drop-off and pick-up times.
“It's unfair to our neighbours when they can't get on or off their driveways, it's dangerous to pedestrians who sometimes can't even walk pushchairs along the pavements and it makes parking really difficult for disabled drivers” Having spoken with the local police, the school is monitoring the situation and making a note of the registration number of any offending vehicles which will then be published in future editions of this newsletter and shared with the police.”
The problem at St Keyna is by far an isolated issue. A crackdown on bad parking is currently
under way at St Stephen's Infant School in Soundwell where some parents have been parking on double yellow lines outside the main entrance. The school has asked the police to monitor parking at the start and end of the school day.
And concerns have been raised about dangerous parking on Harm Farm Lane at collectiontime from Mangotsfield CEVC Primary School. The school is asking people to make a note of the registration numbers of vehicles parking dangerously and to report them to the police.
Just as we were going to print we received news that the former Conservative MP Jack Aspinwall died on Tuesday morning. He was 82 and had been suffering from cancer. There will be a full obituary in next week's paper.
Jack Aspinwall dies
Mangotsfield
School re-inspected
by Ofsted after
critical report
A re-inspection of Mangotsfield School following its critical Ofsted report has found that action is being taken to begin to tackle the improvements needed, but several areas remain a cause for concern.
In January inspectors graded the school as a 3 - requires improvement - and made a return visit last month, the results of which were published last week.
The long-standing headteacher has retired and William Roberts, headteacher of Downend School, has taken over as executive headteacher with a new head appointed to start in September. The school is also preparing to become a sponsored academy as part of the Castle School Education Trust (CSET).
Ofsted says Mr Roberts has a “very clear, detailed and accurate view of what the school needs to do to improve rapidly” and the new heads of English, maths and science are making a difference, while the new head of sixth form has good ideas for improving teaching.
However, the re-inspection found that the quality of teaching across the school is too inconsistent and not enough is consistently good.
Although students generally behave well in lessons, they do not always show very positive attitudes to their learning. Tracking of students' progress is said to be accurate, but not frequent enough.
Achievement in English and maths for current Year 11 students is set to rise significantly but the gap between the achievement of disadvantaged students and their peers is still “far too wide and not closing rapidly enough”.
Achievement in the sixth form has been inadequate for some years and although it is set to improve this year, there is too much variation in attainment. Very few students eligible for support through the pupil premium (additional Government funding for disadvantaged students) when they are 16 enter the sixth form because they do not achieve well enough in their Year 11 exams.
8 The Week
in
• Thursday 21st May 2015New waiting times
app helps patients
choose where to go
Keynsham
Conserving Keynsham's history
South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group has launched a pioneering new app to help patients choose where to receive planned hospital care.
The Waiting Times on the Web app is the first in the country to bring together key hospital waiting time and performance data from a range of sources into a single interactive web-based application.
Patients and their doctors can use the tool to check the average waiting times for outpatient appointments and operations, across 17 different medical specialties, at seven local hospitals.
The tool shows how each hospital compares in delivering the 18 Week NHS Constitutional Standard and the proportion of previous patients who would recommend each hospital to their friends and family. The app has been developed by the CCG in partnership with Omni Digital, who also developed the new CCG website, using publicly available data from a range of sources including the NHS Information Centre and NHS England. It will be updated each month.
Local hospitals currently contracted by South Gloucestershire CCG are covered by the tool, and patients can also see how a given hospital performs for their specific condition by using a simple filter. The web tool follows the launch by the CCG last year of an Android and iPhone Service Finder smartphone app that helps patients find local healthcare services wherever they are in South Gloucestershire.
The Waiting Times on the Web app is available via www.southgloucestershireccg.nhs.uk/waitingtimes
A six-week public consultation has begun into plans to manage Keynsham Conservation Area, which is on English Heritage's 'Conservation Areas at Risk Register'.
It will include a public display in the library at Keynsham Civic Centre and a public meeting on 11th June at 6.30pm.
Both Keynsham High Street and Dapps Hill are in the conservation area. Conservation areas are “areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”.
Sudoku
1-Easy
2 -Hard
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7 1 5 2
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CHEMISTS
WEEKEND
OPENING
Sunday 24th MayBoots, Gallagher Retail Park, Longwell Green (10.30am-4pm) Asda Store Longwell Green (10am-4pm)
Boots, Emersons Green Retail Park (10.30am-4pm)
Sainsburys, Emersons Green (11am-4pm)
Co-operative Pharmacy, Halls Road, Kingswood (10am-4pm)
Stockwood Pharmacy
78 Hollway Road, BS14 8PG (9am-7pm)
This year's Douglas Motorbike Rally and Cavalcade takes place this weekend.
Kingswood Heritage Museum in Tower Lane will again be the venue for the line-up on Sunday (24th May), and also the start line for the cavalcade. The day is expected to attract riders from all over the country.
The world famous Douglas bikes were built in Kingswood from 1907 to 1957. Some 25,000 were constructed for military use in the First World War. Kingswood Heritage Museum has a major exhibit featuring the marque, including one of the machines designed for wartime despatch riders.
Bill Douglas, great-grandson of the founders of the firm, said: “It
is always a stirring sight to see the bikes in action, and we expect a big turnout around the area to watch the cavalcade.” The line-up opens at 11am, and the run - along one of the former bike testing circuits via the Chew Valley - begins at noon. Kingswood Heritage Museum is open on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 2pm to 5pm, and on Bank Holiday weekends (including Mondays) from 11am to 5pm, when the grotto and gardens are also open.
Buses 42, 43 and 319 stop nearby.
Meanwhile the museum hosted another major event on 4th May. Vintage bicycles from all over the South West of England and South Wales converged on Warmley for their 60th anniversary display (see above).
The Veteran Cycle Club was founded in 1955, to encourage the conservation and use of vintage cycles, and now has groups throughout the world.
Warmley
Douglas bikes roar again
10 The Week
in
• Thursday 21st May 2015Letters
We need a full 24/7 NHS
Dear Editor,
This is a copy of a letter I have sent to Rachel Allen, Sister of Ward C705 (51) at the BRI Heart Institute.
Dear Rachel,
It is difficult when one is looked after by so many people 24/7 to thank them all, but we would like to do so in this letter.
We never cease to marvel at the cheerfulness, responsiveness and positive attitude of all the 24/7 staff in the face of attacks from the media, pay scales that nowhere near reflect their importance to the running of the NHS, and the lack of support from what we call the other part-time part of the NHS.
One has never seen or experienced the scenario expressed in the media, the NHS “on its knees” and “in crisis”.
We also marvel at the skills of doctors who can place a new valve in the centre of one's heart without major surgery and give William the chance of a future quality of life at 75 years young.
However, we would like to record the comments William made on the report card he was asked to fill in when he was discharged,
It has taken over three months to get to this stage, and over the last 12 months, due to the lack of support from the part-time NHS for the 24/7 NHS, I calculate that I have bed blocked a bed on 60 occasions. Translated to total bed blocking, the numbers are huge, thousands of surplus beds and 24/7 capacity, the amounts they say the NHS needs would be negated. The most important job of our politicians is to require senior doctors, consultants, admissions, pharmacy, MRI departments and all the other part-time participants in
the 24/7 NHS to full integrate into the 24/7 NHS and make it work 100% for the benefit of us all.
It should be possible to achieve a discharge within 12 hours of being declared fit to go home, 24/7.
Of course, as the vast majority of the population wish, the NHS should be fully funded, saving tens of thousands of hours of senior doctors' and consultants' time being spent every week deciding who can have what.
The savings would be huge and outweigh any extra costs, indeed surplus wards and beds could be handed over for social services to staff and manage the increasing numbers of people who come under this category and have no place in a hospital, other than they are old and vulnerable and need caring for.
The latter may be the future, with the NHS being the National Health & Social Services.
Again, thank you and your staff for everything.
Pauline & William Houghton Bath
Learn how to save a life
Dear Sir,
The following courses are FREE to members of the public.
In a charity link we have had with the British Heart Foundation for well over 10 years now, we facilitate a two-hour first aid course on what to do if someone has a heart attack.
The Heartstart course demonstrates what actions you should take in the event of witnessing someone having serious chest pains or some of the other signs and symptoms that are taught on the course. Immediate action by a skilled first aider could be life-saving. According to the latest figures issued by the British Heart Foundation 140,000 people suffer a heart attack every year.
The second course we offer free of charge is our very popular Baby & Child Emergency First Aid Course, a two-hour session at our Bath first aid centre at Odd Down. The course demonstrates resuscitation and choking on babies and children.
Both courses are normally on a Saturday morning and the next ones are as follows. Heartstart: 4th July (9am to 11am) and 5th September (9am to 11am).
Baby & Child Emergency First Aid: 6th June (9am to 11am), 15th August (9am to 11am) and 17th October (9am to 11am). Please confirm your booking by telephoning 01225 833140.
Alan Phillips
Proportional representation
reflects voters' wishes
Dear Editor,
I was disturbed to read Jacob Rees-Mogg's (Conservative MP for NE Somerset) comments criticising the anti-austerity protestors who marched in Bristol this week. He came across as both condescending and out-of touch.
He arrogantly claimed the country “endorsed the Conservative manifesto” when, in fact, the vast majority of British people did no such thing.
According to the BBC, Conservative party candidates received 11.3 million votes between them or a 36.9% share of votes cast. However, 19.4 million people, or 63.1%, voted for candidates from other parties, with other manifestoes. Beyond that, 34% of people didn't vote at all! Under a fairer proportional voting system, the Conservative Party would have won 87 fewer seats and smaller parties would have many more.
The Liberal Democrats campaigned hard for fairer votes in the AV referendum; it is hoped that other political parties may now join us in our campaign to ensure every vote counts through greater proportional
Letters
representation in Westminster.
The public may never rid itself of pratronising comments from Jacob Rees-Mogg, but he should at least be open to wider and fairer democratic public challenge in parliament.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Lisa Brett, Liberal Democrat, Walcot Ward, Bath
Lib Dems will bounce back
Dear Editor,
This is to say a big Thank You to the 1,827 people who voted for me in the Kingswood constituency. I am honoured to receive your support.
Congratulations to Chris Skidmore MP on his re-election. I also thank Jo McCarron, Duncan Odgers, Cezara Nanu, Richard Worth and Liam Bryan for conducting fair and positive campaigns, and it was a pleasure to get to know them a little. With great power comes great responsibility, and I hope the Conservatives will use it wisely for the common good.
I immediately asked Chris to take up the issue of local NHS funding. As I said during the campaign, the South Glos Clinical Commissioning Group has been underfunded by £16m this year (which is 5.7% under its 'target') and remains the 11th most underfunded of 200 CCGs in England. The Department of Health tell me that the funding formula for the CCG allocations, and how the formula is used, along with any criticisms, will be reviewed later this year by NHS England's Advisory Committee on Resource Allocations. You should expect your MP to fight for this extra funding, as an additional £16m a year for South Gloucestershire's NHS could substantially improve services like minor injuries and A&E, and a new minor injuries
unit would be affordable. All the details are in the public domain and on the website www.kingswoodlibdems.org
Personally it was a good experience to be part of a parliamentary campaign and to have a great support team in the Kingswood Lib Dems. On the downside I will never forget experiencing the nightmare unfolding in the TV room. Seeing fantastic and inspiring MPs like Steve Webb, Tessa Munt, Vince Cable and lots more, all losing one by one, and previously safe Lib Dem seats in Thornbury & Yate and Bath all going blue, was shocking and heartbreaking. The success of the SNP and the expert way in which the Tories played upon the electorate's fears did us in, on top of how many of our previous supporters felt about the Coalition. But while the Conservatives won over a majority of seats in Parliament, please remember they only won 36.9% of the popular vote, and there were more votes for Labour, Lib Dem and Green candidates combined (42%). Proportional representation it is not. We need a fairer voting system.
But Lib Dems will bounce back. Although mistakes were made on tuition fees, the bedroom tax and the NHS reorganisation, with the Conservatives now free to run the country by themselves, people will soon realise the force for good that the Lib Dems were in Government. We are now seeing an extraordinary post-Coalition surge in Lib Dem support, with over 7,000 new members joining since polls closed, at the time of writing.
People can join at www.libdems.org.uk/join - every member will soon be able to help choose our new leader and a new direction. The fightback has begun for a more liberal, tolerant, greener and socially responsible Britain, so please join us, Britain needs you more now than ever.
Adam Boyden
Parliamentary candidate for Kingswood
Appalling legacy
Dear Stephen,
I think we can all share in Graham Payne's frustrations (Letters, Issue 371) at the latest shambles regarding Market Walk. It would seem that the new paving is being ripped up so as to reinforce the foundations so that it can take the weight of a Sainsbury's lorry?
In view of the fact that it was known that Sainsbury's had taken the corner unit long before the finishing touches were completed, surely someone with even half a brain should have foreseen that they would have to park somewhere.
Unfortunately this latest disruption has meant the unveiling of the new clock has been put back to 19th September when in fact we were just weeks away from its installation/launch on 6th June. The 'bane' of B&NES!
While on the subject of paving, could there have been a more incompetent company than that which did the work across the road. It just dragged on and on and when they placed traffic lights outside of Andrews, chaos reigned, which I'm sure the workmen found very amusing. Now completed, at who knows what cost, it looks a rather poor shabby job. Already, there are several slabs which have sunk slightly. The Lib Dems' last act of vandalism upon our town. Thankfully they can do no more harm, swept away, quite fittingly, in a sea of blue.
Unfortunately, their reckless decision-making towards Keynsham has left us with an appalling legacy that will haunt us for many years to come, the abomination that is the Civic Centre. We wait to see if the new administration can achieve something the Lib Dems were never able to do - listen to what we are saying.
John Howlett Keynsham
12 The Week
in
• Thursday 21st May 2015Crossword
ACROSS
7 Provision in a contract (6) 8 Dead drunk (6) 9 Good fortune (4) 10 Place or viewpoint (8) 11 Really pleased (7) 13 Avoid (5) 15 Item of clothing (5)17 Violent weather condition (7) 20 Oppose (8)
21 Ancient stringed instrument (4) 22 Start a round of golf (3,3) 23 Inhabitant of a country or place (6) Down
1 Berkshire town (6) 2 Used in ice hockey (4) 3 To confuse (7) 4 Over weight (5) 5 Wind instrument (4,4) 6 Forecful (6) 12 McDonald's, KTC? (4,4) 14 Foundation of a building (7)
16 Person taking part in unlawful assembly (6) 18 Oblique category of nouns (6)
19 Cosy (5) 21 Items at an auction (4) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Across
Provision in a contract (6)
7
Dead drunk (6)
8
Good fortune (4)
9
Place or viewpoint (8)
10
Really pleased (7)
11
Avoid (5)
13
Item of clothing (5)
15
Violent weather condition (7)
17
Oppose (8)
20
Ancient stringed instrument (4)
21
Start a round of golf (3,3)
22
Inhabitant of a country or place (6)
23
Down
Berkshire town (6)
1
Used in ice hockey (4)
2
To confuse (7)
3
Over weight (5)
4
Wind instrument (4,4)
5
Forecful (6)
6
McDonald's, KTC? (4,4)
12
Foundation of a building (7)
14
Person taking part in unlawful assembly
(6)
16
Oblique category of nouns (6)
18
Cosy (5)
19
Items at an auction (4)
21
Keynsham
Brownies complete swim to Wales
At the start of May the 8th Keynsham Brownies were set the challenge of swimming from Keynsham to Caldicot -the equivalent of 1,400 lengths of -the pool at Keynsham Leisure Centre.
The centre kindly donated a lane for the Brownies to use and they have successfully completed the Keynsham to Caldicot swim to raise money for the new extension to St Francis' Hall ahead of schedule and are on their way home.
They have until 24th May to complete the challenge but have so far managed more than 2000 lengths. The girls have had great fun in completing the challenge and are now looking forward to counting the sponsors.
The new extension will include facilities for wheelchair users - an entrance ramp and accessible toilet - as well as an additional toilet, a small kitchen with a hatch through to the hall, and a large storage area. If enough money is raised there will be an upstairs as well.
The hall is well used by community groups who are looking forward to the improvements to be built this summer. The extension has been funded largely by grant money, with a target of £6,000 from local fundraising.
If you would like to show your support go to mydonate.bt.com/events/greatstfrancisswim
St George
Campaign for new play area
Local dad Chris Deane has been campaigning for an improved play area on Troopers Hill Field.
He and some other local parents have joined forces with volunteer community conservation group the Friends of Troopers Hill and last Wednesday they launched a consultation to find out whether there is local support for the idea.
The results will be announced at the Friends of Troopers Hill free open-air Music on the Hill event on Saturday 27th June. People are invited to take a picnic and enjoy the wonderful views and music from the Fantasy Orchestra. Music will start at 6.30pm and end at 8.30pm.
If there is support for a play area there will then be a design consultation, quotes sought for the design and then an application for grant funding. Applications for grants of the size that is likely be needed must show evidence of local support. Questionnaires are going out to families of Summerhill Infant School and Air Balloon Hill Primary School as well as to other local homes.
The play equipment company HAGS-SMP has created a free design to give an idea of what could be provided.
The closing date for the consultation is 1st June.
How a new play area might look
The solitary slide currently on Troopers Hill Field
14 The Week
in
• Thursday 21st May 2015Cadbury Heath
Official opening of
£2m community centre
The new Batch community centre has been officially opened. Built by Speller Metcalfe for South Gloucestershire Council on the site of the Old Pavilion in Coronation Park, the new centre, run by Banjo Island Community and Sports Association (BICSA), has a café, bar, large hall and several rooms and is fast becoming the hub of the community for activities, functions and events. It also incorporates Cadbury Heath Youth Centre. Among those at the official opening last Thursday, when a giant ceremonial key was handed over to BICSA's chairman Martin Gwyther, were Andy Metcalfe, joint MD of Speller Metcalfe, the chairman of South Glos Council Howard Gawler, trustees, councillors and George Kousouros, the council's community enterprise officer.
Entertaining the guests were members of Cadbury Heath Community Choir.
Local councillor Tony Olpin said that three of the rooms at the Batch have been named after prominent local people - the Calway Room is named after John Calway, who was until recently a councillor and played a big role in securing the project. He is honoured on a plaque that was unveiled at the
official opening.
The Lovell Room is named after former councillors June and Arnold Lovell. There is also the Parkwall Hall, named after the ward the centre is in, while the Lear Room is named after the local family who gave land for community use.
Last year local schools and readers of The Week In were invited to send their ideas for the name of the new centre and over 100 possibles were received. The Batch was chosen by The Week In editor Stephen Rodgers from a shortlist of suggestions drawn up by members of the BICSA committee. It draws on the area's historical associations.
To find out more about events and activities at The Batch contact Cath Tarrant, buildings and facilities manager, on 0777 251 3320 or visit thebatchorg.co.uk
The community choir meanwhile, which meets on Thursdays from 1pm to 2.30pm at nearby Cadbury Heath Hall, would welcome new members. It is free to take part in and refreshments are provided.
Key moment: from left, Andy Metcalfe, Cllr Nick Barrett, Martin Gwyther, Howard Gawler, Cath Tarrant, Cllr Erica Williams, Cllr Tony Olpin and BICSA's Tracie May
Cadbury Heath Community Choir perform at the opening of the Batch, under the leadership of Rachael Hunt
Hanham
Sun shines on
Common festivities
Hanham Common Fayre was a huge success, with hundreds of people turning out on a sunny Saturday to enjoy the huge range of musical activities, stalls and local produce on offer.
As usual the fayre included a dog show, proceeds from which are going to the Keynsham-based charity HEART (Homing and Emergency Animal Rescue Team).
The fayre catered for the many youngsters in the area, with fairground rides, bouncy castles and slides. Local Scout groups encouraged youngsters to join their organisations and the 37th Kingswood Scouts provided a rousing spectacle of musical percussion, flag-waving majorettes and xylophones. Young athletes also impressed the crowd with their skilful and daring display.
There was also a display of classic cars and motorcycles at the fayre, as well as cream teas and the West Country Wood Carvers, who were donating proceeds to Prostate Cancer.
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send us your news
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16 The Week
in
• Thursday 21st May 2015Wheels to work success
Situations Vacant
The first person in South Gloucestershire to sign up for the Wheels to Work scheme has now successfully completed the programme.
A year on from joining the scheme and starting his new job, 21-year-old Brandon Rowat from Alveston is the first person in the area to fully repay his loan and take ownership of his scooter. The scooter was financed through an interest free loan and presented to Brandon through the Wheels to Work West scheme which helps unemployed and newly employed workers with transport to get to interviews, training and their workplace. As well as his new scooter, Brandon also received free insurance, road tax, training and protective clothing.
Brandon has Asperger Syndrome and before joining the scheme, had been unemployed since leaving school. Brandon's father requested assistance from the Employment Support Service at South Gloucestershire Council who helped him apply for his new job at Lathams in Yate. Brandon's local JobCentre then introduced him to the Wheels to Work scheme, a project which has been developed under the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF). One of the sustainable travel options available is a motor scooter loan to buy scheme with no upfront costs. Once a job offer has been secured, applicants to the scheme receive the interest free scooter loan (through Bristol Credit Union), their Certificate of Basic Training (CBT), road safety training, insurance, road tax
k success
and protective clothing (including helmet, jacket, trousers and gloves). That's everything they need to get on the road, and once the loan is repaid, the scooter is theirs to keep.
Wheels to Work can also provide free bus tickets and loan bikes. The idea is not only to help financially at a difficult time, but also to establish habits in sustainable travel. It particularly suits people who work unusual or irregular hours, people in rural locations, and those who need to make multiple journeys as part of their work.
For more information visit www.travelwest.info/wheelstoworkwest telephone 0117 9222906 or email [email protected]
Situations Vacant
18 The Week
in
• Thursday 21st May 2015Bitton
Beer festival
time again
Bitton Beer Festival will return to Avon Valley Railway for the 12th year next month and fans of the event are urged to get their entry wristbands now.
Visitors will be raising a glass to producers with a wide selection of real
ales and ciders available, as well as snacks from the station buffet. The festival is one of Avon Valley Railway's most popular annual events, with hundreds of guests
expected to visit on the 5th and 6th of June.
Geoff Clark, vice-chairman at Avon Valley Railway, said: "The Bitton Beer Festival always feels like the start of summer, with hundreds of visitors enjoying a relaxing, entertaining day out - hopefully in the sunshine.
"We are delighted to be hosting the event for the 12th year and to be celebrating some of the best in real ales and ciders, many of which are produced in our region."
The festival, which is split into separate sessions to allow organisers to control numbers, gets under way with a preview session on the Friday from 2pm to 5pm, before opening for the evening from 6pm to 10.30pm.
On the Saturday the festival sessions will run from noon to 5pm and 6pm to 10.30pm.
Entry wristbands, priced at £3.50 or £5.50 for Friday's preview session, are on sale now from Bitton Station, Bath Road, or online at www.avonvalleyrailway.org
The event is open to over-18s only.
Emersons Green
Raising money
for Marie Curie
Natalie Garland, from cancer charity Marie Curie, was presented with a cheque for £5,500 at Sainsbury's Emersons Green store by duty manager Dave Butcher. The money was raised by staff and customers. Also pictured is Keith Wilson, who ran the Belfast Marathon and raised over £1,000, and staff who held several events in store including a quiz night to support the cause.
A fundraising event in memory of local teenager Jack Boulton will take place on Friday 29th May at Saltford Sports Club.
It will be raising money for the charity CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young). Every week in the UK at least 12 young people die suddenly from undiagnosed heart conditions. It has been five years since Jack Boulton sadly passed away due to an undiagnosed heart condition.
Each year, Jack's family, friends and the wider community come together to celebrate his life and help to make a difference by raising money for a charity that has already had a positive impact on so many lives.
Chris Dudbridge, who was a close friend of Jack, and helps organise the event each year, said: “We are all so passionate about Jack's Day and we feel it’s so important to make people aware that undiagnosed heart conditions are unfortunately a common problem."
Over the years, through various events such as Jack's Day, the community has helped to raised £97,000 in total. They aim to hit £100,000 with this year's Jack's Day. “Our long-term aim is to generate enough money so every child in the Saltford and Keynsham community is able to have a heart screening which would ultimately save lives,” said Chris.
The event promises to be an entertaining evening for the whole family and will include a football match between Saltford Football Club and Keynsham Cricket Club, a girls' football match, children's entertainment, Axel Boy DJ, a barbecue, live band, cake sale, raffle, face painting and more.
The event will begin at 6pm and will finish late into the night. Lanterns will be available to buy on the day, and a mass lantern release will take place later in the evening.
Support for the event is encouraged and anyone who may be able to support with a donation or raffle prize is asked to contact Chris Dudbridge either by email at
[email protected] or by calling 07583 269222.
Saltford
Jack's Day
Raising money at last year's event
20 The Week
in
• Thursday 21st May 2015Redfield
35 firefighters
tackle arson
in Redfield
Firefighters who were called to tackle a blaze in Redfield say it was started deliberately.
The Avon Fire & Rescue Service control room received more than 20 calls to reports of the fire in Russell Town Avenue on Monday 11th May, with smoke and flames seen for some distance.
When crews arrived they found a fire on private land used to store vehicles, wood and other materials. At the height of the fire 35 firefighters were on the scene using the turntable ladder to get water on to the flames from above. Four firefighters in breathing apparatus used four jets to extinguish the fire. Two people were evacuated from their nearby homes as a precaution due to the smoke plume but were allowed to return shortly afterwards.
Crews remained on the scene for some time overnight to ensure the fire was fully out.
Keynsham Scouts
sail in Bristol docks
Scouts and leaders from the 1st Keynsham Frome Troop Scouts recently took part in a sailing activity in Bristol docks as part of their Adventure Challenge Badge.
Fifteen Scouts took up the challenge which was hosted by Avon Scout Sailing Club. Four new Scouts were invested into to the troop while they were on the water.
Dewi and Jack sailing in Bristol docks Picture: Sarah Alexander
22 The Week
in
• Thursday 21st May 2015Keynsham/Saltford
Black tie event raises
£710 for children's charity
A recent ladies' night at Saltford Masonic Lodge raised £710 for the charity CLIC Sargent, which cares for children and young people with cancer.
And on Saturday Dave Alexander, who has just completed his year as chairman of the Lodge, and his wife Jackie, handed over the cheque at the charity's shop in Keynsham.
Jackie chose CLIC Sargent as the recipient of the proceeds from the black tie event, which was held at the Holiday Inn at Filton, as the couple have friends and acquaintances who have benefitted from the charity's work.
Pictured from left are shop volunteer Julie Smith, deputy manager Mandy Ashwell-Fletcher, and Jackie and Dave Alexander.
Crews Hole
Speed tables
working well
Long-awaited speed tables have now been installed at the junction of Crews Hole Road and Butlers Close and outside Mama Bear's Nursery.
There had been several accidents along the busy rat run, with excessive speed blamed. The tables, plus small humps on the approach, encourage drivers to slow down as they enter the double bend and keep to a lower speed going through it.
SpeedWatch volunteers Susan Acton-Campbell and Phyll McVeigh, pictured, say the new measures are working. Mrs Acton-Campbell said: “It's a good example of the St George Neighbourhood Partnership, local business, local people and the council's highways department working together to deliver what people want.”
While the Chelsea Flower Show got under way in London, the Chelsea Fringe Festival opened in Bristol this week, with a tiny back garden in St George wowing visitors.
The Fringe is independent of the Royal Horticultural Society flower show but runs with its support.
As part of this alternative gardening festival, Grenville Johnson, chair of Kensington Road Residents' Association and Neighbourhood Watch and also the chair of St George in Bloom, has opened his Victorian House Garden at 28 Kensington Road.
Measuring just 20ft x 18ft, the Italianate themed courtyard garden, complete with a temple folly and moss-covered grotto, has been featured on the BBC Gardeners' World and The Great British Garden Revival , and was selected by Alan Titchmarsh as one of his 30 Best British Back Gardens in his programme shown on ITV in January.
The garden is open until Monday (25th May). Viewings are from 10am to 3pm each day and the entry fee is £4 for adults, children free. Proceeds will be donated to Kensington Road Residents' Association to support street environmental enhancement projects and ongoing community work.
All visits and viewings must be pre-booked due to the small size of the garden. Call 0117 9496788 or email [email protected]
For details of other Bristol and Bath participants in the festival, which runs until 7th June, visit www.chelseafringe.com/events/category/uk/bristol/
Since his retirement as a headteacher in Keynsham 10 years ago, Mr Johnson has put gardening at the heart of his community. Five-time winners of the Royal Horticultural Society's It's your Neighbourhood competition, the street is now working with Bristol University to introduce bee-friendly zones in the neighbourhood.
He recently entered an RHS competition for a community street project in which groups were invited to identify a space in need of regeneration.
The application to improve the frontage of Kensington House, a hostel for the homeless managed by St Mungo's in Kensington Road, was successful. The space will be shown at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show this year, and elements from the show garden with plants will be donated afterwards.
St George
Garden featured on TV shows
opens as part of Chelsea Fringe
Grenville in his garden
24 The Week
in
• Thursday 21st May 2015If you have some time to spare, the organisation Volunteering Kingswood would like to hear from you.
They currently have a wide range of interesting opportunities and here is a selection.
The Leonard Cheshire Disability nursing home at Cossham Gardens is looking to recruit a team of fundraising and events volunteers. Could you get together with some friends and have a coffee morning, selling cakes or doing a raffle, or find local shops willing to have a collection tin? Money raised will go towards social and recreational services for residents living at Cossham Gardens.
The charity is also looking for befrienders, where you can make a difference by giving time to a disabled person to have some company in the day, and also needs volunteer gardeners. South Gloucestershire Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme is seeking volunteers at the Made 4 Ever Youth Centre in Kingswood on Monday evenings. If you have a skill or interest you can share, or enjoy a physical activity that you would be happy to teach young people, the organisers would be pleased to hear from you.
Avon Valley Railway is looking for volunteers whatever your interest, from driving the trains, looking after the gardens, helping with the buffet cart, ticket inspection, clearing the track or maintenance of the engines.
There are many roles for volunteers at Kingswood Heritage Museum, including stewarding on open days, assisting with catering, cleaning and maintenance, providing collection care and documentation, planning displays and exhibitions and hosting school groups.
South Gloucestershire's Libraries are seeking volunteers to help children do the Summer Reading Challenge 2015. Volunteers will work as part of a team and tasks will include talking to children about the books they've been reading, helping them choose new ones and assisting with holiday activities. The closing date for applications is 14th June and volunteers must be aged 14 or over.
Age UK's charity shop in Kingswood is looking for volunteers to support the manager. As well as serving customers, you could be preparing goods for sale, assisting with displays and sorting through the donations.
The Friends of Magpie Bottom are looking for people to join their friendly team. Volunteers meet on the second and last Tuesday of each month from 10am to 1pm and undertake a variety of conservation activities. All training, tools and refreshments are provided.
And the Friends of Cock Road Ridge are also on the look-out for volunteers to help clear scrub and bramble roots in and around the orchard, pruning apple trees and weed clearance from large spring-fed pond.
To find out more about any of the volunteering opportunities, plus many others, call 0117 960 0376 or email
Be a part of something special
Redfield
Charity concert
On Saturday 20th June Carl Bahosy, a UK-born Catholic pianist and organist of Iraqi parents, will perform a concert of works by Beethoven, Chopin, Messiaen, Schubert and Vierne at St Patrick's Church at 7.30pm.
Admission is free with a retiring collection for Iraqi Christians in Need (ICIN).
Avon Valley Railway is looking for volunteers
The route of the 42 bus is to be changed after a flood of complaints about 82 virtually empty double-deckers a day going along Oakleigh Gardens, Cherry Garden Lane and Kenilworth Drive.
At a packed public meeting held at Cherry Garden Primary School on Monday evening, James Freeman, managing director of First in Bristol, announced that the company is proposing to replace this section of the route by diverting the 17A Keynsham to Southmead Hospital service.
And the 42 (Keynsham-Kingswood-Bristol) service will no longer go to Keynsham but will terminate at Cherry Gardens instead.
The 42, which runs every 20 minutes for around 18 hours a day, is packed between the city centre and Kingswood but on the Oakleigh Gardens, Cherry Garden Lane and Kenilworth Drive section, there are usually fewer than 10 people on board. The route currently has 82 double-deckers going past Cherry Garden Primary School and over the weak, narrow bridge that crosses the Bristol & Bath Railway Path. Vehicles have been seen mounting the pavement when passing a bus and sometimes the 42s coming in opposite directions pass, sparking concerns about the increased risk to pedestrian safety, particularly schoolchildren.
Mr Freeman told Monday's meeting there had been two factors behind the 42 route change in March. It was to compensate in part for the withdrawal of the 533 previously operated by Wessex under tender. The other reason was because double-deckers are no longer allowed under the railway bridge on the A431 at Willsbridge after Network Rail imposed a height restriction change.
Even though a 14ft 5in double-decker fits under the bridge, where there was previously a triangular advice sign stating that it was not suitable for vehicles over 14ft 3in, the sign has been changed to a warning one. Any taller double-decker that goes under it is breaking the law.
The managing director said that a route risk assessment had been carried out before the change to the 42 service had been introduced but First ”recognised the issue” that had brought so
many people to the public meeting. He hoped the new proposal would go a long way towards addressing people's worries. The details of the amended 17A route are still being finalised but it is expected that it will run hourly from around 5.30am until the late evening, and between about 9am and 6pm on Sundays. Mr Freeman said the company would try to take account of the school run at Cherry Garden Primary when it reschedules the timetable.
People only have until next Tuesday, 26th May, to comment on the new proposals. The short consultation time is because bus services must be registered with a minimum of 56 days' notice and the next round of timetable changes in the Bristol area are due to come into effect on 23rd August. Comments can be emailed to [email protected] or made in writing to First Customer Services, Empress Road, Southampton, Hampshire SO14 OJW.
Monday's meeting ended with a round of applause with the general feeling from local people that their concerns had been listened to. Resident Ken Ballard said First had come up with a “reasonable compromise”, with the benefit of the direct link to Southmead Hospital for the estate.
New bus route proposals after
complaints about 42 service
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9 3 7 8 1 5 2 4 6 2 5 6 4 9 3 8 1 7 8 1 4 2 6 7 3 9 5 7 6 3 5 2 9 1 8 4 4 9 8 6 7 1 5 2 3 1 2 5 3 8 4 6 7 9 6 4 2 7 3 8 9 5 1 3 7 9 1 5 2 4 6 8 5 8 1 9 4 6 7 3 2 9 1 7 5 2 4 6 3 8 3 6 8 1 9 7 2 5 4 4 5 2 6 8 3 7 9 1 6 8 4 3 7 9 1 2 5 2 9 5 8 6 1 3 4 7 7 3 1 2 4 5 9 8 6 8 7 9 4 3 6 5 1 2 5 4 6 9 1 2 8 7 3 1 2 3 7 5 8 4 6 92 -Hard
1-Easy
Guided walk
Flagship choir
launched
The next guided footpaths walk jointly organised by Bitton and Hanham Abbots parish councils is this Sunday(24th May).
People are invited to meet at Swineford Picnic Area in time to set off at 2.30pm for a walk to Upton Cheyney, Congrove Wood, Pipley Wood and North Stoke before returning to Swineford.
The walks are led by Clive Brett and are open to everyone but those under 16 should be accompanied by an adult. If you bring a dog, you will be responsible for keeping it on a lead where appropriate.
For more information contact Clive on 07434 869429 and for details of other walks this season go to www.bittonparishcouncil.co.uk
A Cream Tea and Gift Day, with Unity Brass providing the music, will be held at Unity Oldland Methodist Church in West Street on Saturday 30th May from 3pm to 5pm.
South Gloucestershire Music Hub's flagship new Junior Choir has been launched.
It is directed by Cara Clark, founder of the former Kingswood-based Circuit 16 Youth and Junior choirs, which won many regional and national competitions.
The choir meets on Wednesdays at Mangotsfield School between 4.30pm and 6.15pm.
Find out more by calling 01454 863147 or go to www.southglosmusic.org
Keynsham
Primary school consults on
academy conversion plan
Oldland Common
Musical afternoon
at church
£1.3m college
extension opens
The brand new 10-classroom teaching block and Glass House Café at St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington has been officially opened.
The £1.3m building will provide valuable extra teaching and social space for the 1,750 sixth form students who attend the college, which continues to grow year on year, both in terms of subjects on offer and student numbers.
The new building was opened last Friday by celebrity chef Paul Rankin and the Lord Mayor of Bristol, Cllr Alistair Watson. Once the doors were officially opened, Paul Rankin gave a cookery master class to students and guests entitled 'Gourmet Food on a Budget.
Michael Jaffrain, principal at St Brendan's Sixth Form College, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the new building and all its new facilities. It will enable even more innovative and inspirational teaching and learning at the college and in turn raise aspirations and achievement.”
St John's CEVC Primary School is consulting staff, parents and the community after announcing plans to become an academy and join the Wellsway Multi Academy Trust. At the end of last term, the board of governors at St John's voted in principle to join the trust as the lead primary academy.
They feel that becoming an academy will put the school in a stronger position to determine its own destiny.
Consultation began last week and continues until 3rd July, with a consultative meeting for parents to be held at the school on 4th June at 6pm.
32 The Week
