February 2018

Delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to all homes in Bradley Stoke

February 2018 • Issue 57

POLICE P30 | WHAT’S ON P36 | DIRECTORY P38 Find us on Facebook: BradleyStokeJournal Follow us on Twitter: @TheBSJournal

PLUS , IN YOUR 40-PAGE BRADLEY STOKE MAGAZINE

The first 4,000 homes in Bradley Stoke have seen their 240-litre bin replaced by a 140-litre version … Pages 4 & 5

OPERATION ‘BIN SHRINK’ Bike Fest @ The Stokes

Fighting bike theft

P20-21

Baileys Court Primary School

Ofsted inspectors reaffirm ‘good’ grading

P29

l Former East Works site is a hive of activity l Winterbourne secondary school to join Olympus l Bank staff help out at local school l New plans submitted for car park extension at Brook Way centre l MetroBus service delayed until “late summer” l Two more local bank branches to go by June l A38 road improvement scheme branded a “complete failure” l Local groups benefit from Tesco’s community fund l January in the Three Brooks nature reserve l Council steps in to replace lost berry trees l New Year firework sets family home ablaze

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February 2018

Business

Former East Works site is a hive of activity Contact Us Editor: Stephen Horton info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk 01454 300 400 83 Snowberry Close Bradley Stoke Bristol BS32 8GB

Find us on Facebook: BradleyStokeJournal Follow us on Twitter: @TheBSJournal

About the Bradley Stoke Journal The Bradley Stoke Journal website and magazine are published by North Bristol Press, a trading name of Snowberry Media Ltd; company number 8451178 (registered in England and Wales); registered office: 7 Chelford Grove, Stoke Lodge, Bristol BS34 6DD. Our other publications include the Patchway Journal website, the Stoke Gifford Journal website and the Filton Journal website.

North Bristol Press is independent of any other media company or network operating in the Bristol area.

We accept no responsibility for anything stated by advertisers, who are themselves responsible for complying with all relevant legislation.

Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor or article author. © North Bristol Press 2018. Content published in our magazines or on our websites may not be reproduced in any form without our express written permission.

• Agents hoping to attract an Amazon-style business • Trade-only builders’ merchants to open in May • Construction started on 153-bedroom hotel • Car supermarket planned for A38 frontage

P

hase two of north Bristol’s Horizon 38 scheme, one of the biggest mixed-use redevelopment projects in the country, is nearing completion.

Situated on the former East Works site, south of Gipsy Patch Lane, the area has been a hive of activity since construction began in earnest in late 2016.

Access to the site is via two new roads off Gipsy Patch Lane, now named Titan Way (closest to the railway bridge) and Taurus Road, both after historic engines produced by the Bristol Aeroplane Company.

Notable buildings currently nearing completion include a giant 115,500 sq ft warehouse (equivalent to the size of two football pitches) built on a speculative basis (i.e. without an agreed tenant), and accessed from Titan Way. Paul Hobbs of joint letting agents GVA comments, “Unit G2 at Horizon38 is a positive reaction by the developer to a real lack of any quality big shed supply in the Bristol and regional property market. The building is particularly targeted at ‘last mile’ supply chain companies such as Amazon who need to be very close to the customer - an

expanding new market known as urban logistics.”

Adjacent to unit G2, and also fronting Gipsy Patch Lane, is a 35,000 sq ft trade centre for Selco, a national chain of tradeonly builders’ merchants. This significant anchor occupier is currently advertising for staff and is expected to open in May. Behind Selco, and accessed from Taurus Road is unit F1, a terrace of seven trade showrooms. The new high specification units, with allocated customer parking, provide businesses with a prominent frontage to promote their trade counters and showrooms.

Elsewhere on the site, Willmott Dixon has begun construction of a new 153-bedroom hotel for Village Urban Resorts. Occupying the prominent plot on the corner of the A38 and Gipsy Patch Lane, opposite Drive Vauxhall, the new Village Hotel Club will deliver a business class hotel with a business and events HUB and a state-of-the-art health and fitness club including swimming pool, bar and restaurant.

Also in the pipeline is a proposed seven-acre car supermarket fronting the A38.

A planning application made

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February 2018

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on behalf of Car Shops Ltd is currently being considered by South Gloucestershire Council.

The route of the proposed Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension (see page 23) passes through the Horizon 38 development. A new bus-only link will connect Taurus Road with North Way, near Filton Blood Bank, from where buses will pass under the A38 using the existing underbridge, before heading across the redeveloped Filton Airfield site towards The Mall at Cribbs Causeway.

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Above: Artist’s impression of the trade counter terrace, with the Selco trade centre on the left. The view looks down Taurus Road from within the site, towards Gipsy Patch Lane.

The top of the giant G2 warehouse can be seen in the background.

Right: Village Hotel Club under construction near the corner of Gipsy Patch Lane and the A38 (opposite the Drive Vauxhall car dealership).

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News

Rollout of smaller black bins under way

S

outh Gloucestershire Council has begun the mammoth task of delivering 106,000 smaller 140-litre bins to residents across the district. The new bins will replace the current 240-litre black wheeled bins used for non-recyclable waste.

Around 4,000 properties in Bradley Stoke received their new, smaller black bins at the end of January; the remainder should have theirs by April at the latest.

The council claims that around half, 52 per cent, of the household waste in refuse bins could be recycled and the roll out of the smaller bins is one of a number of measures it has introduced to reduce the amount of recyclable waste which ends up in the black bins.

As well as the smaller black bins, it also introduced weekly kerbside recycling collections last June, which means that people don’t have to store as much recyclable material between collections.

The scale of the task to replace the bins means it won’t happen overnight. Eight vehicles will be used to exchange the bins for two collection routes per day, making an average of 2,000 bins per day.

The old bins will be recycled at no additional cost. The average weight of the old 240-litre bin is 13kg, which will mean around 1,378 tonnes of plastic which will be recycled into new bins and

other hard plastic containers.

Since weekly kerbside recycling collections were introduced last June, an additional 1,300 tonnes of recycling has been collected.

This represents a 14 per cent increase on recycling rates, including an extra 660 tonnes of paper and cardboard, 364 extra tonnes of food waste and an extra 315 tonnes made up of plastics, cans and textiles.

Cabinet member for communities and tourism, Cllr Heather Goddard, said: “There’s no doubt that the amount of waste put into the black bins could be reduced by recycling more from home. Recycling is the right thing to do for our environment and our economy and I would encourage everyone to recycle even more in 2018.”

“People have already risen to the challenge since the weekly kerbside recycling collections began last year. The next step is to reduce the size of people’s waste bins, which will start to happen from Monday 15th January. This will reduce the amount of recyclable waste ending up in the black bins and help the council achieve its ambitious recycling target of 60 per cent by 2020.”

“There have been a number of other initiatives brought in as part of the new approach, including introducing separate bags for disposable nappy waste

for 2*, 3 & 4 year olds subject to eligibility criteria

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February 2018

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News

5

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk Here’s how SGC says the bin exchange is supposed to work • Your black bin will be emptied as normal by our collection crews.

A team will follow the collection vehicle, remove the wheels from the old bins and stack the bins, ready to be removed later in the day.

• Another team will deliver the new 140-litre bins by following the same routes from a different start point, so you may have your new bin delivered before your old bin has been emptied and removed.

• Each new bin will have an information pack under the lid about the bin and will include a leaflet about recycling from home.

• Once the bins have been changed for a route, teams will revisit the area to check for problems and collecting any old bins that were missed during the main exchange.

A consignment of smaller black bins is delivered to homes in Bradley Stoke

to help families with young children manage their nonrecyclable waste.”

“Waste that cannot be recycled is disposed of either as energy from waste or into landfill and

the council has to pay at least £101 to dispose of every tonne of black bin waste in this way, which soon adds up.” ● More information: www. southglos.gov.uk/wastestrategy

Do you have questions about what you can recycle or how you should sort your recycling? What are you permitted to put in the black bin? Our magazine links page can help you find the answers: http://bit.ly/bsj-mag-links (or scan the QR code)

Q: I have a child/children in nappies. How will I manage?

A: We provide a free nappy bag collection service for disposable nappy waste. You receive a roll of purple bags that can be put out next to your black bin on collection day, leaving more space in your bin for normal household waste. We also provide discounted reusable nappy kits to help reduce nappy waste. Visit www. southglos.gov.uk/nappies for more information and to order bags.

Q. I have a large family. How will I manage with a smaller bin?

A: If you have a large number of people permanently resident in your household, you can apply for extra black bin capacity. Unless you have an exceptionally large family, we recommend that you use the new bin and make full use of your recycling collections for at least two black bin collections before you apply for extra capacity.

We assess all applications for this service on a case by case basis and we may need to arrange a home visit to review your needs. An annual administration fee is charged for this service and approved households are reviewed every year. Visit www.southglos.gov.uk/ extrawasteservices for more information.

For more frequently asked questions (and answers), visit: http://bit.ly/sgc-waste-faqs-2018

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February 2018

Schools

Winterbourne secondary to join Olympus Trust

W

interbourne International Academy (WIA), currently placed in special measures by Ofsted, has been approved to join the Olympus Academy Trust in February 2018.

The school is currently being led on an interim basis by CEO Dave Baker from the Olympus Academy Trust and headteacher Peter Smart on secondment from the Castle School Education Trust. The school currently has approximately 1,820 students on roll including 370 in its sixth form, making it one of the largest secondary schools in South Gloucestershire.

The school is one of the highest-attaining in South Gloucestershire, earning it a place in The Times top 250 schools in the country during 2017. Significantly, however, student progress was lacking, with pupils leaving between 2015

and 2017 making “well below average” progress compared to national averages.

Last year, the school was told it needed to improve financially by the Education and Skills Funding Agency, based on financial projections that the school would be £1 million in deficit by September 2017.

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Olympus CEO Dave Baker commented: “We are pleased to be able to share news that the uncertainty surrounding the future for Winterbourne International Academy has been resolved. The school community is in a strong position to push forward on all fronts for a successful future and we are delighted to welcome them into the Olympus family of schools.”

The widely reported £1 million

deficit no longer exists and the school is paying back the money borrowed from the Education and Skills Funding Agency last autumn, which initiated the financial notice to improve. We expect this notice to be removed and the school to be completely deficit-free very soon.”

“It is notable that although student attainment is consistency high at Winterbourne, progress from Year 7 to Year 11 is currently not good enough. The founder member of Olympus, Bradley Stoke Community School, was the top school in South Gloucestershire based on student progress in 2016 so the potential for us to support rapid improvements at Winterbourne is clear. That said, we know that Winterbourne has a huge amount of expertise that our schools will benefit from, so the advantages go both ways. As a charitable trust our guiding principle is to ensure that all the young people in our care benefit from us being a larger organisation.”

Dave Baker, CEO of Olympus Trust

Peter Smart, interim head at WIA

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Schools Bank staff help out at local school

T

welve willing volunteers from the Bradley Stoke offices of TSB Bank recently spent two days helping to build a chicken coop at Wheatfield Primary School.

With partners at TSB actively encouraged to volunteer in their local community, Chloe Mitchell, TSB finance manager, parent and governor at the school, volunteered her team. In November last year and again in January, the team from TSB spent two days at the local school.

Led by John Morris, chair of governors, the group constructed and fox-proofed a large enclosure within an unused woodland area by the school car park. They cleared the space and built a chicken coop and run ready for the chickens’ arrival.

The school has recently started holding a quarterly ‘grounds

volunteering day’. The next one will be on 24th February. On the day, they’ll put the finishing touches to the coop and also finish off a special seating area for the children. The chickens will move into their new home in early spring.

Phil Winterburn, headteacher said: “We are so grateful to the volunteers from TSB who have enabled us to transform an area of the school that was tired and unused. Without their help and effort, we simply wouldn’t have this provision for the children and our wider community. We look forward to welcoming our chickens and sampling the batch of Wheatfield free range eggs!”

The volunteers also spent time helping to improve security around the outside of the school, following a few issues over the festive period.

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February 2018

Brook Way Activity Centre: Proposed changes Indicative only. Refer to the planning application for a definitive site plan.

Activity Centre

Doctors’ Surgery

Building housing the council’s Brook Way Activity Centre and Bradley Stoke Surgery

Chain placed across this gap when activity centre is in use Existing car park

Twenty additional car parking spaces to be created This part of hard court area to be removed and grassed over Option for additional car parking spaces on surgery side of car park now dropped

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News New plans submitted for car park extension at Brook Way Twenty new bays to be created on hard court area

A

mbitions to provide additional parking spaces at the combined doctors’ surgery and community centre site at Brook Way have taken a step forward with the submission of a revised planning application for the redevelopment of the dilapidated hard court area.

The move comes four months after Bradley Stoke Town Council withdrew its previous planning application because officers at South Gloucestershire Council had indicated they were minded to refuse consent due to concerns over the “unnecessary” removal of ten trees and the potential for root damage to a number of others.

The revised scheme proposes the provision of an additional 20 parking bays within part of the area currently occupied by the hard court. The remainder of the court area will have its hard surface removed and be converted to green open space.

In contrast to the previous plans, the new parking bays will use the existing hard surface “as is”, i.e. no deep excavation will be carried out to bring the finished level of the bays down to the level of the existing car park. Consequently, the finished scheme will have a “graduated incline” between the two areas.

Significantly, no new parking bays will be created on the doctors’ surgery side of the car park. Previously, eight of the

twenty new spaces were to be created on this side, with the surgery agreeing to contribute £4,000 to the cost.

The new scheme does not require any trees to be totally removed, although three trees that currently stand along the boundary of the hard court with the existing car park will be “relocated” into the newly created green open space.

The future of the hard court area has been under discussion (on and off) for more than four years. In September 2013, the then mayor Cllr Brian Hopkinson proposed the construction of two new buildings on the site, one for a charity and the other for youth provision. A subsequent public consultation showed that 59 percent of respondents wanted to see additional parking facilities provided at the site, with just 20 percent supporting the need for a “new building” of some form.

The vast majority of people visiting the site are believed to be patients of the surgery rather than customers of the community centre, which the council admits struggles to attract bookings during the daytime, although it is extensively used by the Scouts on weekday evenings.

The council currently operates a policy of chaining off its side of the car park on occasions when there is a daytime function at the community centre, which

20 new parking bays here Outline location of new parking bays on the hard court area (indicative only)

can lead to frustration when surgery visitors are unable to find a parking space. The fact that all the additional parking spaces will now be created on the community centre side is likely to raise concerns that the core issue of adequate parking provision for surgery visitors (and staff) is not being addressed.

A source at the council told the Journal: “We currently only

chain off our side of the car park if we have a hirer on site who requires use of the car park (to ensure they have parking bays available). If required (with the new car parking spaces in situ), this system will continue, although it is hoped that with the 20 extra car parking spaces, the chain may not be required.” ● The planning application reference is PT18/0207/F.

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February 2018

News

Start of Bradley Stoke MetroBus service delayed until “late summer”

S

ervices on the Cribbs Causeway to Hengrove MetroBus route, which will pass through Bradley Stoke, connecting it with UWE and the city centre, will now not start running until “late summer”, the Journal can exclusively reveal.

Originally scheduled to begin running in September 2017, the projected start date for services on the M1 route, as it is now known, has been progressively put back, first to “early 2018” (in August 2017) and most recently (in December) to “summer 2018”.

The latest projection was given in an update provided to the Journal in late January by the West of England Councils’ MetroBus team.

The installation of iPoints (combined information, route planning and ticketing machines which will be a feature of all MetroBus stops) is now not expected to be completed on the M1 route until July, a significant advance on the “late February/ early March” date given to us just two months ago.

Elsewhere on the network, the previously advertised MetroBus route between Emersons Green and Parkway Station via UWE appears to have been quietly shelved, with the other (M3) route between Emersons Green and the city centre being altered to take in UWE and use the new bus-only M32 junction on

Stoke Lane. Consequently, it is understood that there will be now be no MetroBus services accessing Parkway until the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension is completed in 2021 (see page 23).

A MetroBus spokesperson said: “It is expected that, by this time, the extra patronage will be in place to extend the service so that it runs from Emersons Green to Cribbs Causeway via Parkway; utilising the stops at Hunts Ground and the associated Park & Ride site.”

Work to remodel the environs of Parkway Station to allow buses to arrive and depart through the rear entrance is expected to start in autumn 2018.

Announcements about which operator(s) will run MetroBus services have been repeatedly postponed. Currently, we only know that First Group will operate the Ashton Vale to Temple Meads (M2) route.

Asked for an update on when an announcement about the operator(s) of the Bradley Stoke (M1) MetroBus route would be made, the spokesperson said: “The current information is that there will be an announcement in mid-February. The operators’ announcements are a matter for the operators themselves. We can only pass on the information that they give.” ● travelwest.info/metrobus

MetroBus in Bradley Stoke: Your questions answered by the West of England Councils’ MetroBus team What time will the service stop running each night? Will there be late services for people spending the evening in Bristol?

MetroBus services for the Bradley Stoke route are currently due to run between 6am and midnight.

Will the service be linked to the internet to allow bus timings to be viewed in real time and with online ticket purchasing?

Yes. Real time information will be displayed at all iPoints and on the UK Bus Checker mobile phone app. Tickets will be available to buy online via the Travelwest site or First Group’s mTicket*.

Will there be a combined bus/train/bus option for commuting or will it need to be bus all the way?

This is a matter for the MetroBus operators and the train companies.

We are currently looking at ‘bus only’ for the launch.

Why are the stops through Bradley stoke not in lay-bys, especially judging by the size of the bus stops that many people getting on/off will hold up other traffic?

The route is designed so that buses always have priority. The problem with using bus lay-bys is that cars don’t let them back out, which in turn leads to delays. Therefore cars will have to wait behind the bus. Because, passengers have to buy tickets prior to travel, boarding times will be kept to a minimum and delays to other traffic should be negligible. When the bus pulls away it will have maintained its position in the traffic flow and have a clear road in front of it so that it can keep to time.

Is there going to be an option to pay by phone/card/app etc.?

Yes. iPoints accept all major credit cards and tickets can be bought by mobile phone using First Group’s mTicket app*.

Will there be combined tickets with other bus services?

Yes, background bus tickets will be able to be used on MetroBus. Will you be able to use an OAP bus pass on it?

Yes. MetroBus will accept all concessionary cards.

Who has responsibility for ongoing costs for repair to infrastructure (bus lanes, shelters, paving at stops)?

As with all bus stops and shelters, the responsibility for their maintenance and repair rests with the local authorities.

Can taxis use all the new MetroBus lanes, or are some restricted for MetroBus only?

All buses, coaches, taxis and motorcycles will be able to use the new bus lanes. There are two exceptions to this: (1) The bus-only junction on the M32 will be for MetroBus only. (2) The segregated busway in south Bristol will only be able to be used by buses fitted with the necessary guide wheels.

What is the point of the short section of bus lane between the Aztec West Roundabout and the Woodlands Lane junction?

It’s to allow buses to overtake any vehicles waiting at the Woodlands Lane traffic lights. [The bus stop on this section is not a MetroBus stop] How many MetroBuses a day are going to use the bus lane?

All of them, with services running up to one every ten minutes The current cost of a [off-peak] day return from Parkway to Temple Meads is £3.50 and the trip takes 12 minutes. What cost and time benefits will the bus add?

There is no direct route planned from Parkway to Temple Meads. * On services where First Group is the operator.

More questions? Send them to the Journal!

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February 2018

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11

News

Two more local bank branches to go by June

L

ocal residents wishing to make use of over-thecounter facilities at high street banks will find themselves with a further reduced choice later this year as another two branches close for good.

The Barclays branch on the east side of Gloucester Road, Patchway has been temporarily closed since June 2017 when it suffered damage as a result of a fire in an adjoining takeaway. Uncertainty over its future was brought to an abrupt end in early January when the bank announced in a letter to customers that the branch “will not be reopening”.

The letter added: “The decision to close a branch is never an easy one; however, we were finding that prior to the fire, fewer customers had been using the branch to do their everyday banking. Taking into consideration the alternative ways to bank that are available in the

L-r: The NatWest branch in Winterbourne (closes 6th June); The Barclays branch on Gloucester Road, Patchway

area, we have made the decision not to reopen the branch.”

The news comes just a month after NatWest announced that its branch on Winterbourne High Street was one of 197 selected for closure around the country.

A spokesman for RBS group (of which NatWest is part) said that the move was in response to more of its customers using online services.

“More and more of our customers are choosing to do their everyday banking online or on mobile.”

“Since 2014, the number of customers using our branches across the UK has fallen by 40 percent and mobile transactions have increased by 73 percent over the same period.”

Both banks point out that their customers may access everyday

banking services through local post offices.

The two closures, which follow that of the HSBC branch at Aztec West in August 2014, will leave the Patchway branch of Lloyds, on the west side of the A38, as the nearest to Bradley Stoke. ● Cllr Tom Aditya has asked the town council to write to Barclays asking them to consider opening a branch in Bradley Stoke.

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February 2018

Email from a frustrated commuter (further extracts) “South Gloucestershire Council should be bold enough to recognise that their expensive solution isn’t working, and revert at least some of the bad solutions they are responsible for implementing. Perhaps disabling the traffic lights on the left filter lane may help to restore the balance, but I am no expert, I am just a very dissatisfied end-user.”

“It may seem a minor inconvenience to them to hear these complaints. It may seem acceptable to state that the contractor is responsible, or the sequence of lights is not fully synchronised with neighbouring roundabouts, but is undergoing continual improvement. Surely the sequencing of lights would have been one of the most important studies they would have completed, with trial runs and temporary lights, to prove the solution works before embarking on such an expensive project. Why is it taking so long to get this right now?”

Their apathy in this matter directly affects people’s lives, the ability to see their families after work, and health. It should be a much higher priority for them.”

Send us your news!

The copy deadline for the March 2018 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine is Monday 19th February.

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February 2018

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News

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13

Statement from South Gloucestershire Council

Aztec West and A38 road improvement scheme branded a “complete failure”

T

he recently completed £4.5 million project to reduce congestion and install pedestrian crossing points at the Aztec West Roundabout has been branded a “complete failure” by one motorist who says the new road layout has added half-an-hour to the time it takes him to exit the Aztec West Business Park each evening.

In an email to the Journal, the commuter, who we have chosen not to name, talks about the “environmental catastrophe” of cars queuing around the entire loop road of the business park and says the issue has seriously affected his quality of life because he no longer gets home in time to see his children before they go to bed.

As previously reported, and corroborated by many other readers, the main issue appears to be the throttling effect of traffic signals at a new pedestrian crossing on the slip road between the business park exit and the A38 northbound.

In an effort to beat the queues, frustrated drivers exiting the business park are using the wrong lanes and then cutting in at the last minute to reach the left filter lane onto the A38. Some of them are even continuing onto the roundabout using the lanes designated for Bradley Stoke and then making a left turn onto the A38, thereby by-passing the troublesome left filter lane. In doing so they cause a hold up

“We have carried out a considerable amount of work investigating and assessing the area around the Aztec West signalised junction, both on our own network and through discussions with Highways England (who maintain the signals at junction 16 M5). We are aware of traffic queues along the A38 (N), the route out of Bradley Stoke and within the Business Park, and that these occur during the evening peak period.”

“We have also received information that some vehicles using the Aztec West junction are doing so in a way that is considered unsafe, which we will pass on to the police.”

“There is no intention to disable any of the traffic signals at this junction.”

that prevents the people in the correct lane from being able to make progress when the lights turn green.

“In short, these road updates have been a complete failure.

Occasionally there was traffic like this before the changes, usually for a good reason such as a motorway accident, but it was never for three consecutive days in a row [as experienced in the first week of January] with no incidents in sight,” adds the commuter.

But it is not just business park users who are affected.

Another reader contacted us later in January, on a day when unusually long tailbacks had developed throughout Bradley Stoke during the afternoon peak, to say that he believed there is also an issue with the timing of the traffic signals at the M5 J16 roundabout. In his opinion, these appear to have been altered in a way that reduces the flow of traffic onto the roundabout from the A38 northbound, thereby exacerbating the issues at Aztec West and beyond.

Following previous incidents, South Gloucestershire Council

“We do not have access to any traffic signals data from Highways England, who manage the signals at junction 16. We have, however, met with colleagues at Highways England to seek improvements in traffic flows at the junction. Highways England are looking at the efficiency of the junction and seeking to gain capacity by looking at timings of their signals. We are also working with Highways England to explore and consider any other options that may help improve traffic flows through the junction.”

“The work recently carried out by the council was to improve the A38 southbound link from junction 16 of the M5 to the Aztec West roundabout. Information about the scheme can be found on our website www.southglos.gov.uk/aztecA38roundaboutwidening” said that it was carrying out ongoing investigations into the signal operation and traffic flow at Aztec West, but in a new statement (see above) it now

appears to be shifting the blame towards signal timings at the M5 J16 roundabout, which are the responsibility of Highways England.

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February 2018

News

Local groups benefit from Tesco’s community fund

By Laura Mortimore hree local organisations are currently battling it out to receive the maximum amount of funding from the Tesco Bags of Help fund. Blue tokens are being given out to customers at Tesco stores across the Stokes to vote for the three different projects until 28th February, when they will all be collected and counted. The group with the highest number of tokens will receive £4,000; the second highest will receive £2,000 and the third will receive £1,000 towards their projects.

Since the Bags of Help scheme launched in 2015, Tesco have given over £48 million to 10,000 community projects across the UK. These projects have come from a variety of community groups, charities, schools, clubs and organisations. The projects that are selected to go to voting are ones which will benefit the local community, such as: • Purchasing items for local groups such as sports equipment, medical equipment or gardening equipment • Making improvements to a community building • Developing outdoor spaces such as play areas, parks, school grounds and woodlands • Running a community event or supporting seasonal activities Once three projects have been shortlisted to go to the public vote, the voting will remain open

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for two months where, during that time, customers can collect blue tokens from the checkout each time they shop in order to vote for their preferred project.

November/December vote

During November and December, the 1st Bradley Stoke Scouts, Bradley Stoke Woodcraft Folk and Brentry Primary School were shortlisted to go to the public vote. At the end of December, the tokens across the Tesco stores were all collected and counted and the winners have now been announced. The 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group received the highest number of votes and will therefore be given the top funding of £4,000. The Scouts are planning on using the money to update their camping equipment, in particular; replacing and extending tents and marquees and purchasing gas stoves, spare sleeping bags, pots, pans and cutlery. Nick Nelson, group chair, commented: “We are absolutely delighted that we have been awarded this grant from Tesco and are very thankful to all of our supporters for voting for us.

This will make a real difference to the group, giving us the ability to get more young people and their adult volunteers under canvas to challenge themselves.”

January/February vote

Three new projects have now been chosen for in-store voting

and they are all hoping to collect as many tokens as possible in order to receive the highest amount of prize money: Bradley Stoke United FC are looking for funding to provide match day and training goals, flags, respect barriers and balls. They would also like to develop the training of the volunteer coaches. As the club is run entirely by volunteers, they rely on funding and donations to keep their current coaches training up to date and to train new coaches. They are currently in desperate need of new coaches for all of their teams and those coaches will need to be trained to receive FA status. This training involves attending a course which provides an introduction to the Football Association and demonstrates how to deliver safe and enjoyable training sessions for young players. Furthermore, the current coaches need to keep their training up to date to develop their skills and attend regular sessions on First Aid and Safeguarding.

Talking to Phil, who submitted the Football Club’s application, he stated: “We may only be a small club with 170 players across all the age ranges, but we are one of the longest serving clubs in the region and are run entirely by volunteers. In order to keep going, we need to recruit more players as well as

more coaches. Depending on the amount of funding that we receive, our priority is to train some new coaches and buy some match day goals as are existing ones are currently being held together with duck tape!”

The Olympus Academy Trust (OAT) will use the money for their Concorde Learning Intervention Centre (CLIC).

They would like to create a high quality space for students who struggle to learn effectively in a standard classroom environment. This would be achieved through transforming a disused building into a new facility to provide students from Bradley Stoke, Abbeywood and Patchway Community Schools an alternative to exclusion.

This would help students who are currently disengaged from education to build confidence in themselves as learners and develop the skills and attitudes they need to make a positive contribution in the community.

Katie Stobbart, OAT marketing lead, said: “The CLIC is such a worthy cause – it gives kids a second chance and gets them back into school. We already have a building in the grounds of Patchway Community School that has been refurbished to meet basic needs but there is still work to be done. With any money that we receive, we would like to hire a garden landscape company

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February 2018

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News

L-r: November/December winners 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group. Contestants in January/February: Bradley Stoke United FC and 2nd Patchway Scout Group

to develop the outdoor space around the building and buy some new ICT equipment for the students to use.”

When discussing the process of applying for the grant, Katie added: “It is a really accessible scheme. The form was easy to complete and we were kept well informed with regular emails.”

The 2nd Patchway Scout Group have so far managed to raise enough funds and use the help of friends and family to replace the units of the kitchen in the Scout hut. However, they

still need to replace the flooring, paint the walls and replace the equipment. They are hoping that the funding that they receive from Tesco will enable them to do this so that the kitchen can be back up and running as soon as possible.

As the kitchen is not only used by the Scouts but also by the Beavers and Cubs, it is vital that it is safe to use and has up to date equipment, such as, crockery, cutlery and pans. The kitchen is used on a regular basis to help the children gain a variety of their badges and when the different

groups have sleepovers at the hut.

Scout leader Kathy, who submitted their application, said: “We are very grateful for all of the support that we have had so far and without the help of the grant, we couldn’t do all the different things that we do for the children.

With the money that we receive from Tesco, our priority will be to purchase new equipment for the kitchen so that the children can cook in the newly replaced kitchen and earn their badges.”

● Look our for a report on the

voting result in our April issue.

How to apply for a Bags of Help grant If you are a member of a local community group and would like to apply for a Bags of Help grant, you can apply online by filling in a form at www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp – or just ask in store.

Alternatively, if you have a local project in mind that you think could benefit from a Bags of Help grant, but you are not in a position to apply yourself, you can nominate it.

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February 2018

News Aspirations renew Wild Place sponsorship

D

uring 2017. Bradley Stoke independent financial advice firm Aspirations proudly sponsored The Wild Place Project’s cheetah enclosure – home to their three males Tukio, Zuri and Duma.

For 2018, Aspirations have again agreed to sponsor the same enclosure.

Whilst supporting Wild Place Project, the team at Aspirations will again be running several events to help raise awareness of the plight of cheetah. You and your family could be the lucky winners of a trip to Wild Place Project and the chance to see their three cheetah.

Wild Place Project was opened

by Bristol Zoological Society with an emphasis on protecting threatened habitats on our doorsteps and around the globe.

The north Bristol attraction is one of only four collections in the UK to keep the central African cheetah (scientific name: acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii).

Cheetah are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources). There are around 10,000 cheetah in the wild, with fewer than 2,000 central African cheetah in the wild. They are facing various threats including loss of habitat and prey, conflict with humans, the illegal pet trade and a gene pool with very low variability.

Aspirations hope that their sponsorship of this worthy cause will help make a difference to these beautiful animals and raise

A cheetah in the snow last December at Wild Place [Credit: Maria Fennell of Aspirations Financial Advice Ltd]

awareness of their vulnerable status.

Aspirations hope that their sponsorship of this worthy cause will help make a difference to these beautiful animals, and will raise awareness to their vulnerable status.

Check the Aspirations website (www.aspirations-ifa.com)

and Facebook page for all the latest news and events, as well as updates linked to the cheetah at Wild Place Project.

To find out more about Aspirations, please call in to our office at the Willow Brook Centre or give us a ring on 01454 501959.

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February 2018

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Our year started off, as always, with our two-day hedgelaying event. Although we started hedgelaying on the reserve in 2006, it wasn’t until 2010 that some bright spark suggested that we start hedging at Primrose Bridge and lay the entire length of Bradley Stoke Way. “Won’t take long,” they said. And now here we are eight years later and the end is in sight, but only if you were half way up a fire truck’s ladder! Much of the area, on both sides of the fence, is now covered with blackthorn thickets which

the one on Bowsland Meadow quickly disappeared, although the banner on Bradley Stoke Way worked well and we welcomed several newbies who had seen it. And for those who said they would have come if only they’d had more notice, the next hedgelaying weekend is on 5th/6th January 2019!

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Volunteers at work alongside Bradley Stoke Way on the hedgelaying weekend

have greatly slowed us down.

Fortunately, Green Gym have, for the last two years, gone in and have cleared the area in advance so that the Conservation Group can concentrate on just laying the hedge. This year we managed a record-breaking 42 paces, beating last year’s record of 32 paces. The weather may have been cold, but we were warmed by our traditional hot lunch cooked by our quartermaster Rob Williams, and as dusk began to fall we toasted our new hedge with his homemade sloe gin.

Sadly, our new advertising banners didn’t last long, as

feet of the blue bench. We tried to alert StreetCare and Wessex Water, but it seemed everyone was on a well-deserved break, so we informed the Environment Agency, who were very helpful.

Although we knew that the nearby houses would be safe, we were concerned about the Wessex Water construction site being flooded, which I’m sure would have caused them delays, but I believe that the weir must have been opened as by the next day the water level had dropped by 5ft or so. We still have a blockage by the Tump path, which has caused the brook to burst its banks in

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February 2018

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News

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In Brief Archive image of Bradley, the adult male in our local swan family, on a nest at the lake in the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve

several places. However, our two attempts to clear this were thwarted by the water covering the blockage, so we couldn’t see what it was we were trying to clear. Last time, the blockage was caused by a damaged inflatable boat and we’re taking bets as to what it is this time!

At a recent event, we were surprised and just a little disappointed by how many people didn’t know that Bradley Stoke has an amazing nature reserve (just 617 species at the last count), so we’re hoping that

our new banners, supplied by South Gloucestershire Council, will show them the way. We have two on Primrose Bridge, one at the lake and one at Sherbournes Brake. If you want to find out more, Bradley Stoke Library and our website both have a range of free leaflets with everything from reserve maps, group info, bat walks and children’s ‘I Spy’ sheets. The library also has maps for our two permanent orienteering courses, if you fancy something a little more challenging.

RIP Bradley

It was with great sadness that we posted on Facebook that our adult male swan Bradley had been picked up by the RSPCA at Bristol Harbour on 6th December and was put down the next day. As previously reported, we believe that Angelo, the cygnet with the disabling ‘angel wing’ condition, was killed on 5th December at Forty Acres in Stoke Gifford. Three other cygnets from our resident family group have been missing ever since.

The adult female Brooke and one cygnet had for some reason remained at the lake that day and are now all that remain of our iconic swan family. The vets at Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust have offered to do a post mortem on Angelo and PC Jamie Shiels has been very proactive in his investigations. Although we may find some more answers to our questions the sad fact remains that nothing will bring him back.

● www.three-brooks.info

Next Bradley Stoke community forum The next Community Engagement Forum (CEF) for Bradley Stoke, Stoke Lodge and The Common takes place at The Common Pavilion, The Avenue BS34 6BD on Thursday 22nd February, starting at 7pm.

South Gloucestershire Council’s CEFs, previously known as Safer and Stronger Community Groups, are about listening and responding to local people’s real issues. People in their communities know best what works for them and what their real needs are.

CEFs have been developed through working with various partner agencies including Avon & Somerset Police, Avon Fire & Rescue, health authorities, town & parish councils and local organisations.

To find out more, visit www. southglos.gov.uk/cef or phone the community engagement team on 01454 868113.

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Managing Director Graham Bayley feels that it’s all about service. ‘Our product is simple. If your double glazing

is misted up we can replace the glass at a fraction of the cost of a new window, in any type of frame, and with a new 5 year guarantee. But it’s not just about saving people money, although that obviously helps. Many tradespeople have struggled since last year and I honestly feel that during the good times a minority perhaps didn’t focus on customer care as much as they should have done. We make sure we turn up when we say we will, do

the job the customer requires and leave their house as clean as a whistle. I often get comments back from customers on how they really didn’t expect that sort of service which, in a way, is very sad for the service industry as a whole.’

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February 2018

News

Bike Fest @ The Stokes proves a great success

Bradley Stoke resident Josh Harding, 14, chose to “make something positive out of a negative” after his bike was stolen last September.

Here he reports on the success of the ‘bike security & safe cycling’ event that he organised, at which over 250 bikes were security marked

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fter three months’ preparation, the day of the bike event, 6th January, finally arrived, bringing with it overnight freezing temperatures. The decision was quickly made to move the event inside the Willow Brook Centre to avoid everyone involved feeling the force of nature.

With much anticipation, the volunteers, from the different organisations who agreed to attend, began to arrive and set up. By 10.50am everything was ready, but the nerves were setting in. However, at 11am, I looked up and saw a stream of people, with bikes, heading towards us. I was so relieved and thought then, this event is going to be a success!

I jumped on the static bike to start the static cycle challenge for Life Cycle UK and chatted to people around me. PCSO Alicia Harvey and members of the Patchway police cadets started the mammoth task of security marking the bikes. Community champion Dawn, from Tesco, started handing out smoothies, whilst encouraging people, old and young, to have a go on the smoothie bike.

Wanting to be sure that no one missed the event, due to the relocation, Andy from Bradley Stoke Radio began making announcements and people just kept coming - it was fab! Andrea and Stuart, from the South Glos Bikeability Team, were busy receiving donated bikes and making small adjustments to any bike that needed them, while Keith from SportsPound chatted to people and handed out SportsPound vouchers.

Before I knew it, two hours had passed and my legs were beginning to ache. Mum, other family members and friends took over for a short period to give me a break. I jumped back on the bike, after helping to hand out smoothies, as I wanted to raise as much money as I could for our chosen charity, Life Cycle UK. Time flew by and people kept coming! It was wonderful to see so many families, all with bikes, coming along to reduce the chance of having their bike stolen. People were even approaching my mum and offering to donate a bike or even buy me a new one, to thank me for organising the event. I was

To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

February 2018

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News really touched by their offers but Mum politely declined.

As the event came to an end at 3pm, the police cadets had security marked over 250 bikes, 15 bikes had been donated to the South Glos Bike Recycling Scheme and we had raised £110 for Life Cycle UK. I never imagined so much support and community spirit was possible.

I was devastated when my bike was stolen but this event gave me something positive to focus on. I met some amazing people and I am very proud of what was achieved.

However, without the support of the following, the event would never have been possible, so special thanks to: • Willow Brook Centre staff • PCSO Alicia Harvey and the Patchway police cadets • Andy Ward and others from Bradley Stoke Radio • Tesco, for donating the smoothie ingredients • Tesco community champion Dawn Richards • Stuart and Andrea from the South Glos Bikeability Team • Keith from SportsPound • Anytime Fitness, for the loan of the static bike • South Glos Council for the loan of the smoothie bike • Bradley Stoke Journal, Bradley Stoke Matters and BBC Radio Bristol, for publicising the event • The Bradley Stoke community, for turning up and embracing the event on a bitterly cold day And finally, thanks to my mum for all her help and support (sorry about the sleepless nights!) You showed me how to

Josh Harding looks on as local resident Nicky Tregenza has her bike security marked by PCSO Alicia Harvey

turn a negative situation around and helped restore my faith in people. The only downfall to the event was that I walked like John Wayne the next day after being on the static cycle so long but it was so worth it!

Thanks again to you all!

Bike thefts recorded in the final two weeks of 2017 On 17th December, a 15-year-old boy’s black and green Carrera Vanquish road bike was taken from Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre On 19th December, a woman’s orange and black Specialised Hotrock24 bike taken was taken from Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre On 30th December, a man’s Carrera hybrid bike was taken from the Willow Brook Centre

To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

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Ask the Doctor with Dr Sian Langdon of Bradley Stoke Surgery A truly remarkable and loving gift

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uring this month, many people will celebrate love and romance on the 14th February, Valentine’s Day. Often gifts are exchanged as ‘tokens’ of affection. The tradition of gifting has been around as long as humans have had a civilisation and is evident throughout history. It can be used to express love, show appreciation of a job well done or just to show gratitude. The psychology of gifting allows people to connect and brings happiness to both the giver and the receiver. The look on the faces of young children or loved ones on Christmas morning is a good example of this. However a gift doesn’t have to cost great sums of money; you can become an organ donor.

Organ donation is giving an organ to help someone who needs a transplant. This can be after your death but

also includes living donation.

Living donors can choose to donate a kidney, part of their liver, discarded bone from a joint replacement, amniotic membrane, bone marrow or blood products. There are currently about 6,500 people waiting for a transplant in the UK with some of these being

“ Last year

500 people died whilst waiting for a transplant”

children. Sadly, according to the NHS Organ Donation and Transplantation website, last year 500 people died whilst waiting for a transplant.

In England, any potential donor has to register as a donor, whilst in Wales you now have to register your objections to donation. However, your relatives can still override this

at the time when you can become an organ donor, so they need to know your wishes. It is therefore essential that you discuss your wishes with those who will be asked the question. At this highly stressful and upsetting time it can bring comfort to people to follow a loved one’s clear wishes.

So when exchanging gifts or cards this Valentine’s day, consider sharing your thoughts on organ donation and sign up at www.organdonation. nhs.uk. One donor can save or transform nine lives. A truly remarkable and loving gift.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Dr Sian Langdon Bradley Stoke Surgery t: 01454 616262 www.bradleystokesurgery.nhs.uk

February 2018

In Brief Spring Clean: Help tidy your neighbourhood South Gloucestershire Council is encouraging residents and community groups to help tidy their local neighbourhoods during its annual Spring Clean campaign, which this year runs from 12th February to 14th May. The council can provide free bin bags and gloves, along with litter pickers and hoops to help make picking up litter easier.

It can also arrange for bags of collected litter to be picked up.

A spokesperson said: “You can organise a litter pick at any time during the Spring Clean campaign, and by avoiding the most popular weekends, we are more likely to be able to lend your group litter picking equipment.”

If you would like to organise a Spring Clean event near you, complete the booking form available at www.southglos.gov. uk/bigspringclean or contact StreetCare on 01454 868000.

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February 2018

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News

CPME (‘MetroBus 2’): What happens next?

T

he controversial Hatchet Road bus lane may have been scrapped (as reported in our January magazine), but the wider Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension (CPME) project, of which the bus lane was a relatively small part, goes on and is expected to gather pace in the next few months.

The objective of the CPME is to provide a fast and reliable bus link between Cribbs Causeway, Filton Airfield and Bristol Parkway Station. The scheme will also relieve traffic congestion by replacing the current Gipsy Patch Lane railway bridge with a new concrete structure that accommodates four lanes of traffic (one bus lane and one general traffic lane in each direction).

The next milestone will be the submission of four planning applications; the two of local interest being the one for the new

Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension February 2018 Planning applications submitted Later in 2018 Construction starts 2019 Gipsy Patch Lane railway bridge construction 2021 Construction complete and services operating Network Rail recently conducted ground investigations near the bridge

railway bridge and another for highway works on Gipsy Patch Lane and Hatchet Road.

Subject to planning consent being granted, a full business case for the scheme will be submitted to the West of England Combined Authority later this year.

In relation to the Gipsy Patch Lane railway bridge work, South Gloucestershire Council says it has agreed terms with the developers of the former East Works site (now known as Horizon 38) to provide land for a temporary site compound that

will be required for the duration of this aspect of the scheme.

Further information on the CPME project is available on the Stoke Gifford Journal website and at travelwest.info/projects/ cribbs-patchway-metrobusextension

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February 2018

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FROM ONLY

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Official Fuel Consumption in MPG (l/lOOkm) and C02 emissions (g/km) for the New Citroën C3 Aircross Range: URBAN 62.8-40.9mpg (4.5-6.9L/100km); EXTRA URBAN 76.3-58.9mpg (3.7-4.8L/100km); COMBINED 70.6-50.4mpg (4.0-5.6L/100km); CO2 emissions 104126g/km. MPG figures are achieved under official EU test conditions, intended as a guide for comparative purposes only, and may not reflect actual on-the-road driving conditions. + Actual model shown: New Citroën C3 Aircross PureTech 110 S&S manual Flair initial rental £1,524 followed by 46 monthly payments of £210 per month on Personal Lease. °Prices & offers apply to retail sales of qualifying models ordered & registered 01/01-31/03/2018 or until such time as offers/prices may be withdrawn by Citroën at its complete discretion & include VAT, delivery to dealer & number plates, Government Registration Fee & 12 months' graduated vehicle excise duty. Optional paint available at extra cost. Elect 4 Personal Lease rentals shown apply to New Citroën C3 Aircross - Feel PureTech 110 S&S EAT6. An advance rental of approx 20-30% of the cash price of the vehicle will be required followed by 46 monthly rentals at the rates shown & a significant optional final rental. Excess mileage charges may apply if the agreed annual mileage is exceeded. Payment of the optional final rental extends the rental term (this does not transfer title of the vehicle) & requires an annual rental equivalent to one months’ rental. You will not own the vehicle. Finance subject to status. Finance provided by and written quotations available on request from PSA Finance UK Ltd (company registration number 01024322), RH1 1QA. PSA Finance UK Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Over 18s only. A guarantee may be required. Carco Ltd trading as City Motors are acting as a credit broker and not a lender. To finance your vehicle we may introduce you to a limited number of lenders. Offers & specification correct at time of going to press from participating Dealers. Terms & conditions apply. Please ask us for details. Subject to stock availability. Elect 4 offers available on selected versions only.

CITY MOTORS 0117 9723030 CASTLE COURT, ST PHILIPS CAUSEWAY, BRISTOL, BS4 3AX dealer.citroen.co.uk/Bristol-Arnos-vale

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City Motors BS4 3AX volvocarsbristol.co.uk 01179 778881

Official fuel consumption for the XC60 range, in MPG (l/100km): Urban 30.1 (9.4) – 44.8 (6.3), Extra Urban 44.8 (6.3) – 60.1 (4.7), Combined 38.2 (7.4) – 53.3 (5.3), CO2 emissions 169 – 49g/km. MPG figures are obtained from laboratory testing intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not reflect real driving results. *Important information: Carco Group trading as City Motors are a credit broker not a lender for

this financial promotion. We can introduce you to a limited number of carefully selected finance providers and may receive a commission from them for the introduction. Contract hire provided by Santander Consumer Finance, trading as Volvo Car Financial Services, RH1 1SR. 18s & over, subject to status. You will not own the vehicle and it must be returned in good condition to avoid further charges. Excess mileage will be charged at 7.56p per mile for the first 5,000 excess miles. After 5,000 excess miles, excess mileage will be charged at 10.08p per mile. Subject to availability at participating dealers. Offer ends 31/03/2018. Guarantee may be required. Not available with other promotions.

1

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1/16/2018 11:29:02 AM

February 2018

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Up to £1,000 Scrappage allowance on a new Duster or Sandero* While stocks last.

Rugged, robust and really good looking New Dacia Duster

Our cross-town cruiser Dacia Sandero

Car shown is a Duster Lauréate TCe 125 4x2 with metallic paint = £13,790

Car shown: Sandero Ambiance SCe 75 with optional metallic paint = £7,890

CITY MOTORS CASTLE COURT, ST PHILIPS CAUSEWAY BRISTOL BS4 3AX TEL 0844 247 9470

S J COOK & SONS STATION ROAD, KINGSWOOD BS15 4XX TEL 0844 247 9473 WWW.CARCOGROUP.CO.UK/DACIA

The official fuel consumption figures in mpg (I/100km) for the Dacia Sandero and Dacia Duster ranges are: urban 35.3 (8.0)– 76.4 (3.7); extra-urban 45.6 (6.2)–83.1 (3.4); combined 41.5 (6.8)–80.7 (3.5). The official CO2 emissions are 155–90g/km. Figures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EU legislation and may not reflect real-life driving results. *The Dacia scrappage offers are available to private retail Dacia customers aged 18 or over at participating dealers only, when you trade in any car registered before 31 December 2009 at a Dacia participating dealer. Trade-in vehicle must be registered to the customer for at least 90 days before new vehicle purchase. Trade-in vehicle must be scrapped. Scrappage allowance (£1,000 on Duster; £500 on Sandero) is available when you purchase a new Dacia Duster or Sandero when ordered and registered by 31 March 2018 (while stocks last). This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any finance offers. Limited stock availability, see your local dealer for more information.

Renault Upgrade Event New year, new car

The Renault Crossover range.

Get up to £2,000 extra for your part exchange The official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the range shown are: urban 45.6 (6.2)–70.6 (4); extra-urban 48.7 (5.8)–83.1 (3.4); combined 47.9 (5.9)–78.5 (3.6). The official CO2 emissions are 156–95g/km. Figures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EU legislation and may not reflect real-life driving results.

The Renault Upgrade offer is available to private retail Renault customers aged 18 or over at participating dealers only, when you trade in any car subject to an appraisal of its roadworthy condition at a Renault participating dealer. Trade-in vehicle must be registered to the customer for at least 90 days before new purchase date. Additional trade-in allowance (£2,000 on All-New KOLEOS, £1,500 on KADJAR diesel and £500 on KADJAR petrol, £500 on New Captur diesel and £250 on Captur petrol) is available when you purchase a new All-New KOLEOS, KADJAR or New Captur when ordered and registered between 2 January and 31 March 2018. This offer can be used in conjunction with all other Renault retail offers.

CITY MOTORS Castle Court, St Philips Causeway, Bristol BS4 3AX Tel 0844 247 9469

S J COOK & SONS Station Road, Kingswood BS15 4XX Tel 0844 247 9473

www.carcogroup.co.uk/renault

Book a test drive

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In Brief Almondsbury community play will be a lively affair ‘Folk’ is a new community play set in The Swan pub in the months between the Brexit vote and Donald Trump being elected.

Against this backdrop the play follows the story of Max and Eliza who are facing dramatic change in their own lives at the same time as the comical setting up of a Morris dancing side in Almondsbury. The play has been written by local resident Loretta Preece who has extensive experience as a BBC writer and producer, having worked on programmes such as Casualty, Doctors and The Coroner. ‘The Almondsbury Collective’, who are putting on the plays, draw their numbers from a wide range of local actors and are an inclusive and friendly group. In 2016 they performed two plays also written

by Loretta which sold out and earned rave reviews.

In the shows on March 16th and 17th, the Almondsbury Old School Hall will take on the atmosphere of a local pub with a folk band and beer on tap.

We want the audience to come along, enjoy a drink and watch the action unfold. The cast are in rehearsals and are being joined for the shows by established folk

musicians making for a lively musical performance. We are planning to raise the roof!

The shows are being held on 16th & 17th March at 8pm and there is a 2pm matinee on 17th March. Tickets will be available from the Almondsbury Community Shop for a suggested donation of £5 per ticket from 10th February.

Special educational needs & disabilities consultation Local people are being invited to help shape services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

South Gloucestershire Council is inviting residents to give their views on a draft strategy which will help it plan what services for children and young people aged 0-25 years old with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) will look like.

A consultation on the draft strategy has been launched.

The consultation documents are available online at www. southglos.gov.uk/sendstrategy and at local libraries.

People can also have their say at a local consultation event being held at the Jubilee Centre in Bradley Stoke on Tuesday 27th February, from 7pm to 9pm.

This event is bookable through South Glos Parents and Carers, a supportive community for parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.

Book your place online at www. sglospc.org.uk or call 01454 501009 and leave a message.

News from the Bradley Stoke branch of the WI Helen Doulton writes: The speakers at our January meeting were a group of six local community first responders, paramedics and ambulance staff, some of whom were students.

They were led by Mr Christopher Fortune, who works for South Western Ambulance Service and who gave a great talk about the work of the community first responders. They brought a defibrillator with them and other pieces of equipment. It was a very successful talk and we were given an opportunity to ask as many questions as we liked, which were fielded by the brave students put on the spot! Our members certainly felt better educated by the end of the afternoon and are no longer worried about using defibrillators in an emergency; although of course we all hope that we never have to!

February 2018

Hatchet Road Bus lane: Council leader responds Our January magazine reported on South Gloucestershire Council’s decision to scrap the proposed Hatchet Road bus lane that was to form part of the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension (CPME) scheme. In response to questions posed in an editorial comment, the Journal was pleased to receive the following answers from SGC leader Cllr Matthew Riddle.

Q. Why weren’t the newly arising “financial risks” mentioned by Cllr Riddle quantified in the latest officer report?

A: “There are always risks associated with any major project and transport projects are no exception. It is important for major transport projects to have a risk/contingency budget and the council is keen to ensure that this budget is of sufficient size for potential unforeseen circumstances as the project progresses. The removal of the Hatchet Road bus lane, in line with the wishes of many local residents, provided the opportunity to secure a larger risk budget for the CPME scheme.

Q. Why was no consideration given to the possibility of achieving any necessary cost savings on other elements of the CPME scheme, instead of the Hatchet Road bus lane?

A: “We continually strive to minimise costs and maximise efficiency in our projects. The review of the Hatchet Road bus lane was undertaken at the request of local residents and given that relatively little objection has been received to date on other elements of the CPME, it was not considered appropriate to potentially remove or scale back other elements required for the scheme that will provide benefits for the travelling public.”

Q. Why was no consideration given to the possibility of obtaining additional external funding (e.g. from local developers or the West of England Mayor’s transport budget)?

A. “The removal of the Hatchet Road bus lane is in line with the wishes of many local residents and it has also increased our risk/contingency budget for the CPME project. Should predicted scheme costs increase in the future beyond the risk budget then we would explore all appropriate further funding options.”

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February 2018

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27

News

Council steps in to replace lost berry trees

B

radley Stoke Town Council has stepped in to ensure that, in future years, there will be a plentiful supply of food for a rare category of occasional visitor to the town.

In recent winters, the town has become well known amongst the bird watching community as a favoured feeding ground for waxwings, unusually coloured birds which are native to Scandinavia and Russia, but who sometimes migrate to the UK when local food supplies run low.

They are attracted to Bradley Stoke by the area’s above average density of rowan trees, whose berries constitute the birds’ favourite food source.

“Irruptions” (influxes) of waxwings have been noted locally in three of the last seven winters and the one last year drew scores of bird watching enthusiasts to the Willow Brook shopping centre, where the birds

Above: A waxwing devours berries on a rowan tree at the Willow Brook Centre in 2012 [Credit: Chris Teague] Right: Birdwatchers line up to photograph the waxwings in 2017

spent several weeks stripping the rowan trees of berries.

But the birdwatchers’ delight turned to anger when contractors at the centre started uprooting some of the rowan trees, leading to protests and heated exchanges on social media.

The centre management responded by saying that the trees were in a poor condition and were being substituted

with other species in a rolling maintenance programme that had begun two years earlier.

Altogether, 28 rowans were removed over two years, although the centre says it has since planted five new ones and a few others remain on the site.

Following last year’s controversy, Cllr John Ashe asked if the town council might consider planting replacements,

and it has now agreed to purchase 60 rowan trees which will be planted in two separate locations within the town’s Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve. Some will be planted on the bank of the Tump and the others alongside the community orchard.

The trees, when they arrive, will be planted by the Green Gym and the Conservation Group.

YOU’RE ALREADY A CAREGiver, you just don’t know it yet.

Turn your passion into a career At Home Instead Senior Care, caring is our passion and it all starts with our CAREGivers.

People like you, who love to help others, make excellent CAREGivers for Home Instead Senior Care. Turn your passion into a rewarding role and join our team. You will have our full support, excellent training and enjoy competitive rates of pay.

Make new friends and give your skills a new sense of purpose.

For more information or a chat about the role please call 0117 989 8210 or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/bristolnorth and watch the film made by our CAREGivers.

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February 2018

Advertising

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radley Stoke residents are being urged to check whether they could save money and repay their debts faster this month.

If you haven’t considered borrowing from a credit union before, now is a great time to see what we can offer. You could save hundreds of pounds - and get your finances back on track – by switching your credit card, overdrafts or personal loans to us.

And borrowing with a credit union instead of with the big banks helps us put even more back into our local communities.

It’s a win, win!

Why choose Bristol Credit Union for your borrowing?

• When you apply for a loan, you’ll automatically get membership to Bristol Credit Union, giving you access to a wide range of products and services including a free savings account.

• Borrower satisfaction rate of 9 percent (taken from borrowers’ satisfaction survey March to December 2017).

• We put people before profit.

We use the interest we charge to provide a better service for

our members and help others in the community, with no private shareholders extracting profits.

We’ve also recently been awarded a five-star mark for our personal loan product from the Fairbanking Foundation, who encourage banking providers to improve the financial well-being of their customers.

Commenting on the top accreditation, James Berry, CEO of Bristol Credit Union said: “Improving the financial well-being of our members is at the heart of what we do. We work hard to ensure that the products we provide are fair, affordable and accessible, and to build strong relationships with our members. We also give them the tools and support they need to manage their money, all so their future is in a financially better place.”

Let us see if we can help get you into a financially better place today.

To find out more about what Bristol Credit Union offer, visit bristolcreditunion.org, pop-in to our branch in Stokes Croft or call 0117 924 7309. ● See our advert on page 17.

OFF PEAK MEMBERSHIPS ONLY

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TEL: 01454 888 666 www.riversidebristol.co.uk To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

February 2018

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29

Schools

Ofsted success for Baileys Court Primary Latest inspection confirms ‘good’ grading from 2013

S

taff and pupils at Baileys Court Primary School in Bradley Stoke are celebrating after receiving a positive report from Ofsted.

Inspectors visited the school in December 2017 for a ‘short inspection’ and awarded an overall rating of ‘good’. This was the first inspection carried out since the school was judged to be ‘good’ in March 2013.

The report praised the school’s leadership and management, stating: “The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the previous inspection. The school’s action plan is precise and leaders, including the governing body, monitor each action to ensure that it is bringing about the necessary changes.”

It also noted that the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection have been addressed effectively.

Inspectors found that staff spoke very highly of the school, noting: “Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school and feel proud to work there. They report that leaders are supportive and help them achieve their best.

Consequently, teachers are highly motivated and respond positively to initiatives and well-planned professional development.”

The report also recognised praise from parents: “Parents

especially appreciate the extra support and care given to those pupils who may struggle, with one parent reporting how well staff ‘make so much extra effort to help my child grow’.” Another parent stated: “I can’t recommend this school highly enough! My three children have been through the school. The teaching is and always has been excellent. My children have all thrived there.”

Headteacher Andrew Lynham said: “As a school we are delighted with the report and outcomes of the inspection. We are particularly pleased that Ofsted recognise what a safe and happy place our school is and the fact that our children do so well with their academic and holistic development.”

“We really value the dedication of everyone in our school community. It is everyone’s commitment and hard work over many years that has contributed to making our school the successful and happy learning environment that it is.”

To ascertain that the school remained good, Ofsted’s inspectors looked at how successful school leaders have been at ensuring that pupils’ progress in writing was fast enough and whether pupils with special education needs made progress that was in line with their peers. The final line

Headteacher Andrew Lynham, deputy head Martin Telfer and pupils celebrate Baileys Court Primary School’s recent ‘good’ grading from Ofsted

of enquiry was to see how well the school had reduced the rate of persistent absence for disadvantaged pupils.

The inspectors found that: “Whole-school strategies to develop pupils’ ability to edit and improve their writing are highly effective.” They went on to say that: “The teaching of writing is consistently strong across the school.” Concluding that: “Teachers insist that pupils apply their writing skills to produce work of a high quality.”

Regarding disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs, Ofsted found that: “The small numbers of disadvantaged pupils in most year groups make similar and sometimes better progress than their peers.”

The school’s vigilant approach in ensuring that all groups of pupils attend regularly

has paid dividends, with the report stating: “Attendance has improved over the last year and is continuing to improve further.

Pupils’ attendance is currently in line with the national average and there is no discernible difference between rates of absence for disadvantaged pupils and others in the school.”

Two potential areas for improvement identified by the inspectors are refining teachers’ assessments of pupils’ writing at the end of Key Stage 2, so that it is a more accurate reflection of what pupils know, understand and can do; and ensuring that the differences between the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and others diminish at a faster rate, particularly in mathematics. ● The report may be viewed online at www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Bradley Stoke Beat Team PC Claire Fletcher reports

W

e’ve seen a reduction in reported thefts of bicycles and we’re actively trying to track down a suspect we’ve identified.

A teenager set up Bike Fest on Saturday 6th January after his own bike was stolen, and we were there offering crime prevention advice and securitymarking bikes (see page 20).

We’ve only had one bike theft reported since that hugely successful event: Thieves cut the lock to take a 16-year-old boy’s orange Carrera Gen mountain bike from the leisure centre at about 2pm on Wednesday 10th January.

It’s worth investing in a heavy-duty lock. You can find products rated by locksmiths at www.soldsecure.com. Lock your bike to something solid and immovable every time you leave it - even within your secure shed or garage at home.

If you see someone tampering with a bike, call us straight away. Ring 999 if they’re obviously trying to steal it, otherwise call 101.

With the days still short, it’s worth thinking about your personal safety if you’ve taken up walking, jogging or cycling as a New Year’s resolution.

Make sure your bike has working lights and reflectors and wear hi-vis clothing and a cycle helmet. It’s equally important to wear light, bright and reflective clothing if you’re walking or jogging.

Stay alert to your surroundings, and don’t have your motivational music playing so loudly that you can’t hear traffic or other people approaching.

Bradley Stoke is a safe place, but if you walk, run or ride on your own, make sure you tell someone where you’re going

and when you’ll be back.

If you are concerned by anyone who approaches you while you’re out alone, get to somewhere busy and call us as soon as possible.

Beat surgeries at the Willow Brook Centre Wednesday 14th February – 4pm to 6pm Tuesday 20th February – 1pm to 2pm Tuesday 27th February – 1pm to 2.30pm N.B. All surgery events are subject to change due to operational commitments @ASPTheStokes

● The public enquiry office at Patchway Police Centre, Gloucester Road BS34 6PY is open 8am to 8pm daily.

Avon and Somerset Police website: www.avonandsomerset.police.uk

February 2018

In Brief Grants awarded Bradley Stoke Town Council’s Leisure, Youth & Amenities Committee has approved the following grant aid (GA) and service level agreements (SLA): • Youth SLA of £3,500 to Bradley Stoke Youth Cricket • SLA of £2,404 to Four Towns & Vale Link Transport • SLA of £1,764 to South Glos Chinese Association • Youth SLA of £1,850 to South West Winterguard Academy • Community Development GA of £4,000 to Bradley Stoke Carnival, to fund the Community Zone at the 2018 Community Festival • Community Development GA of £4,000, to fund a ‘Last Night of the Proms’ event in 2018 • Community Development GA of £4,000 to Bradley Stoke Radio, towards running costs ● For more information about grants available, visit http://bit. ly/bstc-grants or phone the town council office on 01454 205020.

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February 2018

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Business Bradley Stoke boss wins national ‘manager of the year ‘ award

Jim Roach (centre), managing director at ARV Solutions, receives his award

T

he boss of a Bradley Stoke recruitment firm has been named as the winner of a national award for outstanding managerial skills.

Jim Roach, managing director at ARV Solutions, who are based at Buckingham Court, Woodlands, was delighted to win Manager of the Year at the Investors in People (IIP) Awards on 23rd November 2017.

Jim has been a leader in the recruitment industry for over 30 years. He established ARV Solutions in 2003 in order to focus on recruitment for the construction industry, in particular the growing sector of off-site construction. With stiff competition in the Manager of the Year category from large organisations, it was a real honour to win the award.

Finalists at the IIP Awards this year included heavyweights such as Great Western Railway and GlaxoSmithKline.

Jim commented: “I am very proud of the supportive and nurturing environment we have at ARV Solutions, and I know that it is something that the whole team values. The IIP recognises the importance for companies to train and develop their employees, so winning this award means a great deal to me and reconfirms that we are doing the right thing.”

Despite the current economic climate ARV Solutions has

flourished in the last three years, with plans to grow significantly over the next year and hire additional staff. Jim’s attitude to business is slightly unusual for a recruiter, placing an emphasis on team work, collaboration, longterm results and professional development. The company gained the Investors in People Standard Gold Accreditation in 2016, which is only granted to the top 2 percentile of organisations assessed.

The annual IIP Awards cover the whole of the UK, recognising the people and teams that make the difference every day and highlighting excellence for a wide range of leaders in all sectors, from local councils and housing to finance and legal. Paul Devoy, head of Investors in People, said: “Once again we have been overwhelmed by the number and calibre of entries received for the IIP Awards. It’s fantastic to see so many organisations nominated for outperforming in their sector, demonstrating great people management practice and a commitment to staff development, all winners should feel extremely proud.”

Amongst other employee benefits at ARV Solutions such as a generous maternity leave package, Jim also credits the weekly Friday morning bacon butties at ARV Solutions for his win, explaining “it certainly helps keep the team happy!”.

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Get well · Stay well

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February 2018

by Moira de Groot, foot health practitioner at Willow Brook Clinic

Let’s talk about smelly feet

e often don’t appreciate how hard our feet work for us.

They are usually tucked away in shoes and socks and just ‘get on with it.’ Our feet are used every day and can be subject to aches and pains and smells along the way. Most people will experience a case of smelly feet at some point whilst others live in fear of taking their shoes off.

Bromodosis is the medical term for smelly feet.

Fortunately, there are a few easy and practical steps to helping this condition. Even when coupled with Hyperhidrosis (excess sweating), solutions can be found. Smelly feet are not usually a medical concern, but having smelly feet can affect a person’s relationships and cause self-consciousness. Feet have sweat glands just like any other part of the body. These glands release sweat regularly throughout the day to keep the skin moist and supple.

We all have bacteria that live on our skin. Some shoes and socks can increase the amount of sweat you produce and prevent it from evaporating or being absorbed, so your skin stays damp. These dark and damp environments provide the perfect environment for bacteria to flourish. When bacteria rid themselves of wastes, from breaking down the oils and dead skin cells, bad smells can result and your feet can start to smell.

What can you do?

Wash your feet every day. Dry them thoroughly, especially between the toes. Keep toenails a good length. Check your feet for hard, dead skin. Hard skin can become soggy when damp, which provides an ideal home for bacteria. Seek professional help to get rid of calloused skin.

Change your socks at least once a day. Try to alternate between a different, good quality, properly fitting pairs of shoes every day, so each pair can dry out properly before being worn again. Wear socks made of natural fibres such as cotton or bamboo. Go barefoot at home, but be careful of hazards that could damage your feet.

See your foot health practitioner or podiatrist for a foot health treatment and to get advice on how to help your feet.

The Willow Brook Clinic East Offices The Willow Brook Centre www.willowbrookclinic.co.uk ● See our advert on page 13.

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February 2018

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33

Business

New business centre opens in Bradley Stoke

O

n Wednesday 17th January, BizSpace, the largest provider of flexible workspace with offices and workshops across the UK, hosted a launch event, opening the doors to their brand new business centre for Bristol.

Located at Equinox South, Great Park Road (opposite Mama Bear’s Nursery), the building has been fully refurbished to include a range of first-class facilities and services specifically aimed at small businesses.

Attendees at the launch event were the first to preview the site and network with other likeminded individuals.

Twisted Kitchen were on site with a wood oven pizza van serving fresh stone-baked pizza to attendees, with champagne and other refreshments provided.

The lucky winner of the ‘business card draw’ was Tim Macmillan from Enable Recruitment, who

L-r: David Myring (BizSpace head of sales), David Crowley (centre manager) and Chris Pryor (BizSpace marketing manager) at the Equinox South centre

was delighted with his prize of a £100 Red Letter Day experience.

The site comprises 55 offices ranging from 140 to 400 sq ft, offering 24-hour access, parking facilities and telecoms packages.

Its proximity to the motorway

network, Bristol Parkway Station, The Mall at Cribbs Causeway and Bristol city centre is seen as a major selling point.

Tim Macmillan from Enable Recruitment commenting on the site launch said: “Lovely offices!

Funerals from £1,895

This new centre is great for the area as it is in a perfect location and enables small businesses in Bristol to expand.”

David Crowley, centre manager for BizSpace Bristol, said: “We had such a great response to our launch event and it allowed me to connect and be introduced to some lovely people from all industries across Bristol. With great feedback on the centre, we look forward to welcoming a diverse group of customers from the local area, continuing to host networking events and watching the centre flourish.”

David added: “Why not join us for one of our monthly networking get-togethers at BizSpace Bristol? These events are for local entrepreneurs who are looking to engage with likeminded individuals. The next one takes place on 21st March.” ● For more information visit www.bizspace.co.uk

MW

Funeral Directors

0117 950 4100 High Street Westbury on Trym www.mwfuneraldirectors.com To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

34

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t: 01454 300 400

February 2018

Advertising

An eventful year for slimline Alex

M

eet Alex – he joined Slimming World in June 2016 after meeting the woman of his dreams. He decided it was time to lose a few lbs and came along to a local group with his mum and sister to see what he could achieve before jetting off to the Philippines to meet up with his beautiful girlfriend.

By September, he’d already lost a fabulous 3½ stone just by making sensible changes to his diet. Being a lorry driver means long hours away from home and the odd unexpected overnight night away due to traffic, so Alex found the key to his success was planning, as well as an overflowing lunch box. Sugary snacks were replaced with fruit and lower calorie crisps and takeaways and fast foods were replaced with stir-fries and slow cooker meals packed with loads

of vegetables meant he never felt hungry.

In January 2017, he made his next visit to the Philippines having lost over 4½ stone.

That’s when things really started to move, Alex and Joy became engaged and they also had the exciting news that they were expecting a baby.

With a wedding to plan and a baby on the way, not to mention nearly 7000 miles between them life was hectic but Alex was still committed to Slimming World and ‘food optimising’, and made sure to get to a group each week. He found massive

support from other group members and took loads of ideas away from the group to help plan his coming week. He was even voted man of the year!

When he hopped on a plane in September, he had lost a lifechanging 6½ stone, and had never felt better. This trip saw the arrival of baby Alexia and his marriage to Joy, surrounded by his family (with a total family weight loss in excess of 12 stone).

Since his return to the UK, Alex’s journey with Slimming World is still ongoing. He is well on the way to getting to his final target, and being the healthy husband and dad he can be.

Alex attends Slimming world in Little Stoke with Sharron. ● For times and venues of local Slimming World groups in the Stokes and beyond, see the advert on page 11.

Phoenix

Carpet and Flooring

The Journal is proud to be Bradley Stoke’s ONLY locally edited community news magazine

All flooring work and fitting undertaken by experienced professionals

Phoenix

Flooring Carpet andLimited Flooring

Local, personal, friendly and professional staff on hand to help you every step of the way

Flooring Specialists • Carpets • Carpet Tiles • Luxury Vinyl Tiles • Vinyls • Laminates • Engineered Wood • Room Size Remnants • Artificial Grass Opening Times: Monday-Friday: 8am-5pm • Saturday: 9am-1pm • Closed Sunday

Freephone: 0800 999 2330

Unit 5 Chelford Grove, Stoke Lodge, Bristol, UK BS34 6DD Tel: 01454 617723 / 620707 Email: enquiries@phoenixflooring.org www.phoenixflooring.org To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

February 2018

t: 01454 300 400

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk

News

New Year firework sets family home ablaze Teenagers alerted by exploding gas canisters raise alarm

A

Bradley Stoke family is warning of the dangers of setting off fireworks close to homes after a terrifying incident on New Year’s Eve which saw their property come within minutes of being burnt to the ground.

Sarah Crisp and her husband were celebrating the New Year at a local pub when they received a call, at 12.10am, from their teenage daughter, informing them that their Ellicks Close home was on fire.

With no transport of their own and unable to drive because they had been drinking, the couple managed to get a lift home and were greeted by the ominous sight of three fire engines outside their home. Fortunately, by the time they arrived, the fire had been put out and their daughter and her boyfriend were being looked after by a neighbour, the pair having escaped from the property with the family pets after dialling 999.

Daughter Rachel and boyfriend Tom explained that at midnight they had heard fireworks going off on the cycle path that runs alongside the house, so they went upstairs to watch from a window.

They saw two men who seemed to be setting off the fireworks in various directions “with scant regard for any consequences” When the fireworks finished, the teenagers went back downstairs but then heard “very loud bangs that were even louder than the fireworks”, which they now know were camping gas canisters in the garden shed exploding. Rachel went to investigate and then saw the fire,

and her boyfriend went round the side of the house and was greeted by a fierce blaze in a ‘lean to’ attached to the property.

Sarah commented: “If it wasn’t for the quick action of my daughter and her boyfriend, and also, of course, the fire brigade, who only took 5 minutes to arrive, we would have lost our house - as when the fire brigade arrived the roof was just starting to ignite!”

The family had to go and stay in a local hotel and the fire brigade were at the property all night, until 9am the next day.

Sarah added: “We are very grateful to senior fire officer Ross Pullen and his team, who not only got here quickly and extinguished the fire, but also realised that our cavity wall insulation had also ignited and was in danger of restarting the house fire.”

Four weeks later, the family is still left with major fire damage and two damp rooms where the water from the hoses came in.

“It will be months until the damage is repaired and our house is back to the way it was before the fire,” said Sarah.

“The repair cost is going to run into thousands and we have lost lots of our belongings. It has left us all very nervous about fireworks, and leaving our house unattended.”

As well as asking that people think twice before letting off fireworks close to homes, Sarah echoed the concern expressed by the fire officer about inconsiderate parking in residential areas, which he said had hindered their final approach to the scene.

We’re Bradley Stoke’s

most popular* local news publication

*Measured by total number of followers on Facebook & Twitter Last checked on 1st March 2017

Find us on Facebook: BradleyStokeJournal

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35

36

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What’s On (4th February – 4th March)

t: 01454 300 400

For more details and further events, visit: www.bradleystokejournal.co.uk/whats-on/

Sunday 4th February

Thursday 8th February

Wednesday 14th February

9.30am: Severnside Ramblers’ Walk: North Somerset Coast Path. Meet in the Blue Zone car park at Aztec West – a car-sharing scheme is operated. More info: http://bit. ly/ssramb [Further organised walks on 11th, 16th, 18th & 25th February and 2nd & 4th March]

10.30am: Pre-School Storytime at Bradley Stoke Library. [Weekly on Thursdays; term-time only]

2pm: Bradley Stoke Women’s Institute (WI) meets at the Jubilee Centre. This month: Handmade chocolates. More info: Helen on 0117 969 0302

10.30am: Stokes Cycling Club Medium Distance Bike Ride to Badminton. Meet outside Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.

More info: http://bit.ly/stokescc or phone Bryan on 01454 617560.

[Further rides each Sunday]

Monday 5th February 9am-11.30am: Refresh Café at Bradley Stoke Evangelical Church.

Everyone welcome. [Weekly on Mondays; term-time only] 10.30am: Baby Rhymetime at Bradley Stoke Library. [Weekly on Mondays; term-time only]

Tuesday 6th February 7pm: Girls and Young Women’s Night at the Jubilee Centre. Girls-only youth club night. [Weekly on Tuesdays; term-time only]

12pm-2pm: Volunteering Drop-in Session at Bradley Stoke Library. Pop in for a chat with a volunteer advisor. More info: http://bit.ly/vc-pfs or call 01454 868986 7.30pm: The Stokes Crafters meet at the Poplar Rooms, North Road, Stoke Gifford. More info: The Stokes Crafters group on Facebook [Weekly on Thursdays]

Saturday 10th February 10.30am-12pm: Adult Craft Group at Bradley Stoke Library.

Monday 12th February 11am: Stepping Forward.

Organised walk (3.5 miles) starting from the leisure centre.

More info: http://bit.ly/sgc-wfh or phone 01454 868006 [Further walks on 15th February and 1st March (check meeting point)] 6.30pm: Bristol Small Business Forum Meeting at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.

More info: http://bit.ly/bsbf-fb

Wednesday 7th February

Tuesday 13th February

10am-12noon: Citizens Advice Bureau Outreach Session at the Jubilee Centre. More info: http://bit.ly/citadbu or phone 08444 111444 [Weekly on Wednesdays]

10.30am-12pm: Pebble Painting. Drop-in activity session at Bradley Stoke Library.

Parental supervision required.

7pm: BSTC Finance Committee Meeting at the Jubilee Centre. Agenda: http:// bit.ly/bstcfin

7.30pm: Willow Brook Townswomen’s Guild meets at the Jubilee Centre. This month: Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service (blood bikes) More info: Jannice 01454 615040

February 2018

7.30pm: Bradley Stoke Lions Club meets at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. More info: Robin Young on 07712 046644

Thursday 15th February 10.30am-11.30am: Chinese New Year Crafts. Drop-in activity session at Bradley Stoke Library.

Parental supervision required.

7pm: South Gloucestershire Decorative & Fine Arts Society Lecture at Bradley Stoke Community School. This month: ‘Treasurers of the Royal School of Needlework’ by Dr Susan Kay-Williams. More info: sgdfas.org.uk

7pm: BSTC Leisure, Youth & Amenities Committee Meeting at the Jubilee Centre.

Agenda: http://bit.ly/bstclya

Thursday 22nd February 7pm: Community Engagement Forum at The Common Pavilion BS34 6BD. Addressing issues within Bradley Stoke and Stoke Lodge.

See article on page 19.

Friday 23rd February 4.30pm: BIGGERbooks Library Group meets at Bradley Stoke Library. For children aged 11 to 14. Please ask a member of staff for details.

Saturday 24th February 10am: Chatterbooks Library Group meets at Bradley Stoke Library. For children aged 9 to 11.

Please ask a member of staff for details.

Friday 16th February

Tuesday 27th February

1.25pm-7.45pm: Blood Donation Sessions at the Jubilee Centre. More info: www.blood.co.uk [Further sessions on 2nd March]

7pm: Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Consultation Event at the Jubilee Centre. Booking advised.

See article on page 26.

Saturday 17th February

Wednesday 28th February

10am-4pm: Bradley Stoke in Bloom Workday. More info: bsib@hotmail.co.uk or phone 07582 634107. Please get in touch to find out where we will be meeting and working.

7pm: BSTC Planning & Environment Committee Meeting at the Jubilee Centre.

Agenda: http://bit.ly/bstcpec

Monday 19th February 1.30pm-3.30pm: Sew and So’s patchwork and quilting group meets at the Jubilee Centre. More info: http://bit.ly/sewandsos

Saturday 4th March 10am-4pm: Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group Workday. Meet at the tool store, behind Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre. More info: http://bit.ly/ bsj-tbncg or call 07497 006676

To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

February 2018

t: 01454 300 400

PEST CONTROL SERVICES

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

37

PAINTING & DECORATING

RICK MURPHY PAINTING & DECORATING (formerly of Inside Out)

Bradley Stoke based pest control expert ● Rats and mice ● Bed bugs ● Carpet moths ● Flies and all other insects

Interior and exterior painting All work guaranteed Call Rick for a free quote on

Member of the National Pest Technicians Association

07816 854978

www.amanpestcontrol.ltd

Tel: 07400 000084 CARPENTRY & JOINERY

Email: r_murphy35@hotmail.com Tell advertisers you found them in the Bradley Stoke Journal!

Advertise in this section for just £20 per month

Advertise in this * space for just £20 Get your business noticed

EVERY MONTH We’re the only publication delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to all homes in Bradley Stoke

Circulation: 9,500 delivered plus 700 left at pick-up points *Price of a twelfth-page Business Directory advert, when committing to three monthly issues

OVEN CLEANING

BEAUTY SERVICES

Advertise in this section for just £20 per month

Top of the Range Oven Cleaning Professional, bio-friendly, non-toxic oven cleaning service Covering Bristol, Bath, South Glos and the surrounding area Call Andy on 07738 941645

Top of the Range Oven Cleaning

COSMETIC TATTOOING FOR EYEBROWS, EYELINER & LIPS • Beautifully shaped eyebrows • Smudge-free eyeliner • Full and defined lips Fully insured and licensed

20% off with this advert sp-makeup.com Tel: 07513 303020 The Treatment Room, Winterbourne Down, Bristol

To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

38

www.bradleystokejournal.co.uk DIRECTORY OF ADVERTISERS

Accountants & Bookkeepers C&M Services, Page 16 Dunkley’s Chartered Accountants, Page 32 Alternative & Complementary Therapies Janet Alexander, Page 4 Bathrooms Concept Property Maintenance, Page 36 JJ Plumbing & Building, Page 32 Builders Criterion Construction, Page 32 JJ Plumbing & Building, Page 32 Cake Makers & Decorators Visit directory on BSJ website Car Dealerships Carco, Pages 24 & 25 Carpentry & Joinery J. Earle Carpentry & Joinery, Page 37 Northavon Carpentry, Page 6 Carpet Cleaners B Clean, Page 2 Bonne Fresh Clean Ltd, Page 18 Carpets & Flooring Phoenix Flooring Limited, Page 34 Child Care Banana Moon Day Nursery, Page 1 Happy Days Nursery, Page 4 Tockington Manor School, Page 7 Children’s Activities Bristol Riding School, Page 16 Chiropractic Cool Green Planet, Page 5 Willow Brook Clinic, Page 13 Computer Services goto iT, Page 6 Cycle Repairs Ride On Cycles, Page 16 Domestic Appliance Repairs Kitchen & Laundry Appliance Care, Page 28 Double Glazing Cloudy2Clear Windows, Page 19 JDC Windows, Page 29 Education & Learning Kumon Study Programme, Page 8 Olympus Academy Trust, Page 20 Electricians Bradley Stoke Electrical, Page 18 Ernest Till, Page 16 Price Electrical Services, Page 4 Entertainers Earthquake Sounds, Page 4 Estate Agents Ocean Estate Agents, Page 22 Financial Services Aspirations Financial Advice, Page 2 Bristol Credit Union, Page 17 Foot Care Willow Brook Clinic, Page 13 Funeral Services F. Woodruff Funeral Directors, Page 14 MW Funeral Directors, Page 33 Furniture Complete Furniture Services, Page 23 Garage Services Filton Central Garage, Page 37 Gardening Services Garretts Landscapes, Page 26 Painting Petals, Page 37 Plan-It Garden Design, Page 36 Professional Gardening Services, Page 38 Smart Patios, Page 35 Gyms & Health Clubs Riverside Leisure Club, Page 28

Health & Beauty

SP-Makeup, Page 37 The Tanning Shop, Page 40 Home Improvements & Furnishings Door Express, Page 13 Launderettes Wash Shop Plus, Page 39 Mortgages & Financial Advice Aspirations Financial Advice, Page 2 Opticians Specsavers, Page 31 More in directory on BSJ website Oven Cleaning Top of the Range, Page 37 Painting & Decorating A. Worsfold, Page 37 Painting Petals, Page 37 Rick Murphy, Page 37 Pest Control Aman Pest Control, Page 37 Pet Services & Supplies MadDogz, Page 7 New Passage Cattery, Page 39 Rosie Posie Pet Services, Page 39 Physiotherapy Willow Brook Clinic, Page 13 Plant Hire T. Edwards Plant, Page 38 Plumbing & Heating Assist Plumbing and Heating, Page 39 Capricorn Plumbing Ltd, Page 15 Concept Property Maintenance, Page 36 Gregor Heating, Page 9 JJ Plumbing & Building, Page 32 Low Cost Plumbing, Page 39 M.S.M Plumbing & Heating, Page 39 Panache Plumbing, Page 39 Proudfoot Plumbing, Page 39 S. Berryman Plumbing & Heating, Page 39 Property Maintenance Concept Property Maintenance, Page 36 David Coombs Services, Page 37 JJ Plumbing & Building, Page 32 P.J.R Plastics, Page 39 Recruitment Home Instead, Page 26 Removals & Storage Managed Mayhem, Page 21 Restaurants Visit directory on BSJ website Room & Facilities Hire Bradley Stoke Town Council, Page 12 Rubbish Clearance Bradley Stoke Rubbish Clearance, Page 38 Shopping Willow Brook Centre, Page 3 Solicitors Bevan Evemy Solicitors, Page 12 Star Legal, Page 30 Slimming Clubs & Consultants Slimming World, Page 11 Sport & Leisure Bradley Stoke Town Council, Page 12 Bristol Riding School, Page 16 Exercise with Laili Brooks, Page 14 Taxis South Glos Taxis Ltd, Page 39 Z Cars, Page 10 TV & Aerials Thornbury Aerial Services, Page 9 Window Cleaning Ultra Clear, Page 39

Visit our online directory: www.bradleystokejournal.co.uk/directory

February 2018

t: 01454 300 400

PLANT HIRE

T. EDWARDS PLANT Digger and Driver Hire • • • • • • •

Site/garden clearance Footings Drainage/soakaways Driveway preparation Stump removal Fencing & turfing Narrow access equipment

Price or day work

t: 07900 372349

t.edwardsplant@gmail.com CPCS/CITB qualified & insured

GARDENING SERVICES

Professional Gardening Services • Fencing, Decking, Sheds, Greenhouses (supplied & erected) • Driveways, Patios, Pathways, Turfing • Garden Maintenance, Tree Lopping Free quotes & friendly, trustworthy service (work references supplied) Please call: 07804 608053 Email: profgarden60@yahoo.co.uk Website: profgarden.vpweb.co.uk

RUBBISH CLEARANCE

Bradley Stoke Rubbish Clearance Licensed waste carrier We load and clear Same day service Household, garden, garage & sheds cleared Single item jobs Cheaper than a skip No VAT

Contact Stuart or Sue on 0800 0234 995 (Freephone) or 07770 944727 stuart.thistlewood@yahoo.co.uk

To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

February 2018

t: 01454 300 400

PLUMBING & HEATING

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk PLUMBING & HEATING

39

TAXIS

PANACHE

BATHROOM, SHOWER & PLUMBING SPECIALIST

• Complete bathroom refurbishment • Ceramic tiling • Heating & general plumbing services • Clean & tidy workmanship • Competitive rates

“Always on tap”

Call Darren on 07901 910361

Find Panache Plumbing on Facebook & FreeIndex

www.panacheplumbing.co.uk

Tell advertisers you found them in the Bradley Stoke Journal!

Advertise in this section for just £20 per month

WINDOW CLEANING

Your Local Gas, Boiler and Heating Engineers • Boiler Installation • Central Heating Installation • Gas Boiler Servicing

• Boiler Repairs • Gas Fires • Safety Certificates

Call Dan on

assistplumbingandheating.co.uk Advertise in this section for just £20 per month

0117 214 0949

Tell advertisers you found them in the Bradley Stoke Journal!

PET SERVICES

New Passage Cattery

Taps, Washers Toilets, Cisterns Leaks, Blockages Tanks, Overflows Lead Pipes, Stopcocks….etc….

OAP DISCOUNTS and NO VAT

0117

957 5092 LAUNDERETTES

WASH SHOP PLUS

11 The Parade,Patchway Bristol BS34 5LP Tel : 0117 947 0284

www.patchwaylaunderette.co.uk

Self service, Service washes, Duvets, Bedding & Curtains washed, Dry cleaning Fast winter drying, Ironing service.

Mon - Fri 10am to 4pm, Sat 10am to 1pm. (last service 1 hr. prior to closing times)

All types of repair and replacement work Evening and weekend appointments available Fixed rates - no job too small

07967 567 394

Friendly, local cattery 10 mins from The Mall • Quiet rural location • Viewing welcomed

Covering north Bristol and South Glos

Tel: 01454 632456 Website: www.catkennels.co.uk

GUTTERING, DOWNPIPES & FASCIA

Advertise in this section for just £20 per month

P.J.R. Plastics

Replacement and Maintenance: ● Guttering, Downpipes ● UPVC Fascia Boards ● Soffits and Cladding ● Unblock & Gutter Cleaning All work guaranteed

Call Paul for free quote 01454 850201 or 07980 001109

To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

LIVELOVETAN Willow Brook Centre, Bradley Stoke Tel 01454 613305 REGISTER TODAY AT THETANNINGSHOP.CO.UK *Terms and Conditions: Subject to registration and consultation. Over-18’s only. Discounts can only be used on UV equipment & bottles of lotion. Discount cannot be used on Unlimited Memberships or in conjunction with any other offer. Discounts only valid for 7 days from registration. Free session length is determinded by skin type and tanning history. Offer excludes Lakeside and Enfield. Student discount valid on packages only. Not in conjunction with any other offer.