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March 2020 • Issue 79

WHAT’S ON P13, P15 | SCHOOLS P14, P23 | LETTERS P22, P32 | DIRECTORY P38 Find us on Facebook: BradleyStokeJournal

BE PREPARED!

Gipsy Patch Lane due to be fully closed at the railway bridge for 8 months from Thursday 5th March

PLUS , IN YOUR 40-PAGE BRADLEY STOKE MAGAZINE

Closure applies to ALL road users, including cyclists and pedestrians Full details: Pages 5, 6 & 7

Stars of the Stokes Awards 2020

Stoke Lane traffic calming

Nominations now open

More speed cushions on the way

P19-21

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P10

l Greenfield housing site near Bradley Stoke sold for £38 million l Frustration over Parkway Station ‘MetroBus’ works l Lake desilting project: Further details released l Council offers grants for events to mark 75th anniversary of VE Day l New play equipment officially opened at Bowsland Green School l Crest opens marketing suite for first of 763 new homes at Harry Stoke l Roundabout work sees 200 tonnes of material removed in first six weeks l South Glos council tax to rise by 3.99 percent l Beaver’s badge challenge benefits the homeless l Council supports local veterans’ advice service

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News

Contact Us Editor: Stephen Horton info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk 01454 300 400 83 Snowberry Close Bradley Stoke Bristol BS32 8GB

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About the Bradley Stoke Journal The Bradley Stoke Journal magazine is published by North Bristol Press, a trading name of Snowberry Media Ltd; company number 8451178 (registered in England and Wales); registered office: Equinox South, Great Park Road, Bradley Stoke, Bristol BS32 4QL. Our other publications include the Stoke Gifford Journal magazine and website, the Patchway 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 2020. Content published in our magazines or on our websites may not be reproduced in any form without our express written permission.

Have your say: Reader letters Do you have strong views about something that’s happening in or around Bradley Stoke? Want to pass comment on something you’ve read in the Journal or another local publication? Send your letter to letters@bradleystokejournal.co.uk or post it to: Reader Letters, Bradley Stoke Journal, 83 Snowberry Close, Bradley Stoke, Bristol BS32 8GB Please include a phone number, in case we need to contact you. Our next issue: April/May 2020 • Advertising copy deadline: Friday 20th March • Article copy deadline: Monday 23rd March • The magazine will be distributed from Saturday 4th April

ork on a new 327home development site on the borders of Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford is now expected to start this summer following a £38 million land deal between two major housebuilding firms. The site, which is being marketed under the name ‘Mulgrove Farm Park’, lies south of the Winterbourne Road (i.e. on the opposite side to the Winter Stream Farm pub restaurant) and north of the main railway line. It forms part of the planned East of Harry Stoke New Neighbourhood where a total of 2,000 homes are to be built over the next eight or more years. Given that the land consists of a domed-shaped hill, extensive earthworks are required to create a level plateau to enable development. These earthworks comprise levelling the site at its highest point and infilling areas on the lower slopes, with no plans to take material off site. This will involve the excavation and relocation of 250,000 m3 of material. The south-eastern part of the site, around the now demolished Mulgrove Farm, is in the ownership of South Gloucestershire Council (SGC). The remainder was previously in the ownership of housebuilder Crest Nicholson but has now been acquired by Wainhomes Severn Valley. In November 2018, Crest Nicholson secured full permission for a site-wide earthworks strategy and the construction of 150 homes

on its part of the site. Outline permission was also granted for 177 homes on the council-owned land, along with a primary school and nursery. Access to the new development will be from a new arm off Parkway North Roundabout in the west, and via a new junction on Old Gloucester Road, 90m south of its junction with Winterbourne Road in the east. During the first phase of the project, Wainhomes Severn Valley will build 150 properties – 116 for private sale and through a registered housing provider, a further nine for shared ownership and 25 for affordable rent. Site preparation will begin in the summer and building will commence following completion of a 12-month earthworks programme. The first homes are expected to be completed early in 2022.

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News

Greenfield housing site sold for £38 million Land south of Bradley Stoke has permission for 327 homes Continued from facing page

The four-year project will see the council receive £2.2m from the developer, to be used for community projects, along with a New Homes Bonus from the government of around £2.6m. Wainhomes and SGC are bound by a collaborative agreement to deliver the main infrastructure, services, public open space and green infrastructure for the overall site. Carl Haley, managing director at Wainhomes, said: “As an established developer in the Severn Valley we are delighted to have acquired this site and to be partnering with South Gloucestershire Council to deliver new, high quality homes for the region.” “This further demonstrates our commitment to invest here, provide homes of various tenures

and support the creation of jobs and training for local people.” Wainhomes Severn Valley, which has its head office in north Bradley Stoke, has planning permission in place for over 440 homes on five other sites in the region, including 98 homes at Blenheim Heights in Charlton Hayes. The Journal understands that Wainhomes intends to submit a further planning application to amend the house types on its part of the site to bring them in line with its own designs. The timeframe for submitting a full planning application for the part of the site currently owned by SGC is unclear at present. ● See pages 24 & 25 for an overview of how the Mulgrove Park Farm development fits in with the wider East of Harry Stoke New Neighbourhood.

Sign at corner of Winterbourne Road and Old Gloucester Road

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info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk Diversion routes for pedestrians and cyclists

Gipsy Patch Lane and Station Road closure from Thursday 5th March 2020: Key information N.B. Map on left shows diversion routes for pedestrians and cyclists. Refer to text for diversion routes for motorised vehicles. Gipsy Patch Lane will be closed at the railway bridge to all road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, from Thursday 5th March for approximately eight months. The southern end of Station Road will also be closed to motorised traffic for the same period, however pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to pass between Gipsy Patch Lane and Station Road via a temporary footbridge over the culvert. Network Rail and its contractor Alun Griffiths will be working towards reopening a route for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists beneath the new bridge as soon as possible. The Journal understands that this is expected to be by the end of May 2020. Network Rail will operate a shuttle bus service for pedestrians needing access to either side of the bridge. Stops will be at the existing bus stop on Gifford Crescent (east of the bridge) and near the turning circle on Gipsy Patch Lane next to RollsRoyce (west of the bridge). The signed diversion route for motorised traffic passing through the area will be: Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout, Bradley Stoke Way, Aztec West Roundabout, A38 Gloucester Road. An alternative unsigned diversion route to the south is via the Stoke Gifford By-Pass, A4174 Ring Road and A38 Gloucester Road. A diversion route for vehicles to reach Station Road from Gipsy Patch Lane (and vice versa), via Little Stoke Lane and Clay Lane, will be signposted. All shops and businesses on and near Gipsy Patch Lane will be open as normal. All businesses on and near Station Road, including Patchway Railway Station and the Sort It Centre, will be open as normal.

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March 2020

News

Gipsy Patch Lane: 8-month full road closure set to start on 5th March Bridge route will also be closed to pedestrians & cyclists

esidents of the Stokes who use Gipsy Patch Lane to access employment, shopping and leisure facilities to the west of the railway line are being encouraged to plan ahead for an eight-month full closure of the road that is due to start on Thursday 5th March. The road closure is needed so that a new, much-wider railway bridge can be moved into place, and for the associated highway works to be completed. The new wider bridge will provide room for new bus lanes in each direction and shared use cycle and pedestrian pathways, as well as general traffic lanes. The southern end of Station Road, which emerges onto Gipsy

Patch Lane near the bridge, will also be closed to motorised traffic for the same eight-month period. However, pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to pass between Gipsy Patch Lane and Station Road via a temporary footbridge over the culvert that runs along the east side of Station Road. For motorised through traffic, there will be a signed diversion route throughout the closure period. This will take motorists via Bradley Stoke Way and the A38. Additional signage will also be placed on the wider road network informing motorists of the Gipsy Patch Lane closure and advising them to use alternative routes.

Previous railway bridge closure in June 2019. Note that on that occasion, passage was maintained for pedestrians, which will not be the case this time.

There will also be a signed diversion route for vehicles to reach Station Road from Gipsy Patch Lane (and vice versa), via Little Stoke Lane and Clay Lane. South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) has confirmed that the bridge closure will apply to all road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, for whom a number of diversion routes will be made available (see map on page 5). The shortest diversion route for pedestrians and cyclists makes use of a footbridge over

the railway near the entrance to the Sort It Centre on Station Road. This can be accessed from Little Stoke Park and it leads to a public right of way linking with the A38 Gloucester Road.

Shuttle bus

Network Rail will operate a shuttle bus for pedestrians needing access to either side of the bridge. The shuttle bus will start operation on 5th March and will run weekdays, weekends and will also be available overnight.

Project status report (21st February) Since our last update (24th January), Network Rail and Alun Griffiths have installed the deep piles that will make up the foundations of the new bridge. Each corner of the new bridge has a number of piles that are now being connected using a steel framework to add increased strength. Construction of the replacement (concrete) bridge is progressing well, with the south abutment successfully poured on Thursday 6th February. The deck formwork is currently in progress and working towards a deck pour for the week commencing Monday 9th March. Utility diversion work will continue from Thursday 5th March to coincide with the road closure. The railway works are currently progressing to schedule, ready for the Easter possession.

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How the new bridge and highway will look on completion (looking west)

Why does the road need to be closed for eight months? The new railway bridge requires extensive engineering works, including the demolition of the existing railway bridge and lowering the road (to conform to national design standards for headroom under bridges). Over Easter 2020 the railway line will also be closed for nine days while the existing bridge is demolished and the new bridge manoeuvred into position. Once the new bridge is in place, further work will need to be carried out on the highway below to make way for the new bus lanes and shared use cycle and pedestrian pathways. Work being carried out during the remainder of the eight-month road closure will include: • Demolition and excavation of the existing carriageway underneath the bridge • Re-grading the Station Road junction to tie-in with the new carriageway level • Utility diversions underneath the new cycle and pedestrian pathways • Installation of new surface water drainage system, including pumping station • Installation of new street lighting • Construction of new carriageway and pathways • New traffic signs, road markings and landscaping/planting

The shuttle bus service will be free of charge and will operate for the duration of time the railway bridge is closed to pedestrians.

Temporary lights

SGC has confirmed that three-way temporary traffic lights will be installed at the Little Stoke Lane and Braydon Avenue mini-roundabout on a trial basis from Thursday 5th March. They will be manually operated and will initially be used during the morning peak hours. These lights are being installed following feedback received after the temporary closure of Gipsy Patch Lane in June 2019 to improve traffic flow along Little Stoke Lane and provide an equal amount of time to traffic queueing on all approaches to get through this junction. Their effectiveness will be monitored and changes will be made if necessary.

Resurfacing postponed

With increased volumes of traffic expected on Orpheus Avenue as local traffic seeks alternative routes, SGC had previously said

that it intended to resurface this road, which is in a very poor condition, ahead of the Gipsy Patch Lane closure. However, with the local road network already under pressure resulting from the roadworks at Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout, which started on 2nd January, the Journal has learned that the work has now been postponed. A council spokesperson explained: “Following evaluation of the impact of the planned work, we have decided to postpone the scheduled resurfacing of Orpheus Avenue and the lower section of Brook Way for the time being. After further investigation, we found that the schemes will require more work than first anticipated and can only be carried out by closing the roads. Postponing the resurfacing until the major schemes in the area are complete will help to alleviate any further congestion.” ● For further information visit South Gloucestershire Council’s dedicated CPME webpage at www.southglos.gov.uk/ CPmetrobus

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March 2020

News

Left: Temporary bus stop sign was just an A4 poster tied to a fence. Right: Temporary bike rack of a design considered inadequate by police.

ailway passengers who use bus services or bicycles to access Bristol Parkway have expressed frustration at the impact of bus stop improvements works that started without warning in the forecourt of the busy station on Monday 3rd February. Passengers arriving by rail have been confronted by metres of ‘Heras’ metal fencing surrounding the bus stop area and inadequate signage directing them to two temporary stops half-way down the exit road. Six days into the work, one frustrated passenger tweeted: “Please can you place some clear signage at Bristol Parkway advising where the buses are going to stop during the works – there’s a lot of confused people wandering around.” Passengers arriving by bicycle found the extensive two-tier bike

storage facility at the station rendered inaccessible by the works, with just a small row of “wheel grabber” racks offered as replacement. Cyclists complained that these racks of this design don’t easily allow a secure D-lock to be used and aren’t suitable for wide-tyred bikes. More substantial and secure temporary bike racks appeared at the station during the third week of the works, but not before one frustrated cyclist who contacted the Journal had spent £700 on a fold-up bike so she could avoid having to leave her original bike inadequately secured. No information about the scope of the bus stop work or its duration is on display at the station and passengers who made enquiries at the ticket office were told that it was “council MetroBus works and nothing to do with GWR [the train operator

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News

Frustration over Parkway ‘MetroBus’ works Continued from facing page

which manages the station]”. However, South Glos Council’s response to enquiries made by the Journal yielded a contradictory account, with a spokesperson saying: “GWR are managing the work currently taking place at Bristol Parkway Station, which includes improvements to bus stop facilities for local services and MetroBus stops.” The spokesperson added that the MetroBus stops being installed are intended for use by the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension (which isn’t due to begin operating until 2022). Journal readers will recall that the original ‘North Fringe to Hengrove Package’ MetroBus scheme included a route that entered and exited Parkway via Hunts Ground Road (to the east) but this was silently shelved before the service became operational. It was originally

thought that this was because buses entering Parkway from the east were unable to navigate around the tight turns, but it later transpired that the real reason was that they would be unable to make a U-turn in front of the station. A spokesperson for GWR confirmed that the £650k scheme of improvements currently being implemented will permit buses to “arrive and depart in all directions at the station”. According to the spokesperson, the full scheme includes: • Doubling the number of bus stops, and making the road wider • Road markings; kerbing and relaying surfaces to mark out the new bus stops • Installation of four new bus shelters, with real time bus information Bus operators have been informed that the work will take around 16 weeks to complete.

Above: Improvement works at the bus stops under way in early February. The out-of-use permanent bike racks are visible on the right. Left: Although MetroBus isn’t expected to serve the station until 2022, this stop was installed near the park & ride site on Hunts Ground Road in late 2018. A sign on it states: “This bus stop is not currently in use by any bus service.”

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March 2020

News More speed calming measures coming soon to Stoke Lane, despite public opposition Installation work will require road closure and could coincide with 8-month full closure of Gipsy Patch Lane Plans for new speed table and extended 20mph zone on Little Stoke Lane abandoned

outh Glos Council (SGC) looks set to plough ahead with the implementation of a raft of additional traffic calming measures on Stoke Lane despite a public consultation showing majority opposition to every aspect of the advertised scheme. However, proposals to install an additional speed table on Little Stoke Lane and extend the existing 20mph speed limit on that road have been abandoned. The overall scheme spanning Stoke Lane and Little Stoke Lane was opposed by 53 percent of the 130 respondents.

A proposed additional speed table on Stoke Lane, between the junctions with Shellmor Avenue and Amberley Road was opposed by 63 percent of respondents, but will nonetheless be implemented, along with new speed cushions at other locations. Similarly, the creation of an extended 20mph zone covering the full length of Stoke Lane and all associated side roads will go ahead, despite being opposed by 52 percent of respondents. The scheme as originally proposed is intended to “help reduce speeds and improve road

Existing speed cushions on Stoke Lane, near the junction with Braydon Avenue

safety”, particularly for school children walking from Patchway Community School and the following primary schools: Holy Family, St Chad’s, Stoke Lodge and Little Stoke. Outlining future plans, a feedback report published on 21st January (more than six months after the consultation closed) states: “The initial consultation was carried out to inform the local community about the proposed speed limit and additional traffic calming measures, and to ensure that their comments and concerns are considered at an early stage. Following a meeting with the local members from Stoke Gifford and Bradley Stoke North, it was decided that Little Stoke Lane would be removed from the scheme and, with support from the Bradley Stoke North member, Stoke Lane would continue to the next stage. The 20mph zone now will be concentrated around Stoke Lane and reduced traffic calming will be installed only on

Stoke Lane.” The next step is for SGC is to formally advertise a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for the revised proposals. Subject to there being no objections, the council says it plans to start work on the scheme shortly after the TRO has been signed and sealed, which is “anticipated to be in 2020”. This timeframe means that the work could overlap with the 8-month long full closure of Gipsy Patch Lane, which is expected to result in greatly increased traffic flows along Stoke Lane. An officer comment in the report makes it clear that Stoke Lane will need to be closed during implementation of the traffic calming scheme. The comment then seemingly dismisses the potential for this to result in serious traffic congestion by adding that “the [official] diversion route for Gipsy Patch Lane does not direct traffic onto Little Stoke Lane [and by implication, Stoke Lane]”.

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March 2020

News Costly by-election set to see around 6,700 voters called to the polls in Bradley Stoke South ward

by-election to fill a vacant seat representing the South ward on Bradley Stoke Town Council looks almost certain to take place in the last week of March. The vacancy arose after Nikki Hallur, a Conservative councillor elected just eight months ago in the May 2019 poll, handed in her resignation in mid-January, citing “personal reasons”. A notice of election to fill the vacancy was published on 20th February and a poll will take place on Thursday 26th March, subject to more than one valid nomination being received. The Journal understands that at least two separate groups submitted the necessary number of ten local elector signatures in order to force a by-election. Had a by-election not been requested, the vacancy would have been filled by ‘co-option’,

a procedure which effectively involves the remaining 14 council members appointing someone of their own liking. As we went to press, two of the minority parties on the Conservative-led council, Labour and the Citizens Movement Party UK, had already announced their intention to field candidates. The by-election will see around 6,700 residents called to vote, many more than in previous town council by-elections due to a decision by the Boundary Commission to reduce the number of wards in Bradley Stoke ahead of the May 2019 poll. Following the recent resignation, the make-up of the town council is 11 Conservative, 1 Labour, 1 Citizens Movement Party UK and 1 independent, so the result of the by-election will not affect overall control of the council.

The cost of staging the byelection, which will fall on the town council, has been estimated by Cllr John Ashe to be in the region of £7,000 to £8,000. In the May 2019 poll, when all South Gloucestershire and town or parish council seats were up for grabs, turnout in the Bradley Stoke South ward (represented by seven seats on the town council) was just 26 percent. Turnout for a single-seat byelection is likely to be lower. The Conservatives won all seven seats in the ward on that occasion, attracting 63.9 percent of the total votes cast, with Labour Party candidates on 21.9 percent and independents 14.2 percent. Assuming the by-election goes ahead as expected on 26th March, voters in Bradley Stoke South will be called to the polls for a second time just six weeks

later, on 7th May, to elect the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner. The Journal understands that delaying the town council by-election to 7th May was not an option as legislation requires a poll, if requested, to take place within 60 working days of the publication of the notice of vacancy, which happened on 16th January. Residents in the Bradley Stoke South ward can expect to receive polling cards for the by-election in early March. A map of the ward boundaries in Bradley Stoke may be viewed on the town council website, www.bradleystoke.gov.uk

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What’s On

Earth Hour 2020 to be marked in Bradley Stoke

radley Stoke Zero Carbon Solutions community group is collaborating with the Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group to once again bring to Bradley Stoke our version of the World Wide Fund for Nature’s ‘Earth Hour’, writes Sara Messenger. The event takes place between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on Saturday 28th March, when we will be at Jubilee Green for a combination of glow-in-the-dark bowling, star gazing, picnicking in the dark (bring your own), making smores, hot chocolate, scary stories by torchlight, writing your name with sparklers (bring your own),

dancing in the dark and torchlight sabre battles. This is our way of promoting a serious issue, but in a fun way, so whether you want something free for the kids to do or you’re just a big kid yourself, please grab a blanket and a small picnic and come and join us. If you have any ideas of activities you would like to see for the evening, please email bradleystokezerocarbon@ gmail.com Earth Hour is an annual event; this year is its 50th anniversary and the theme is climate change. To find out more, please visit www.earthhour.org

BS Lions welcome district officer to meeting

On Monday 10th February, Bradley Stoke Lions were honoured to host our 2nd vice district governor, Lion Jaap de Jonge, from Shirley Lions Club in Solihull, writes club secretary Ailsa Young. Our district governor and his first and second officers are tasked with visiting every club in their district to meet members, learn what each club has done, communicate news from other clubs and inspire and encourage members in their service. If you would like more information about Lions, take a look at the Bradley Stoke Lions page on Facebook or phone 0845 8336745. Our next meeting will be on Monday 9th March at 7.30pm in the conference room on the first floor of the Willow Brook Centre.

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March 2020

Schools

Year 6 pupils learn ‘skills for life’ at Bristol centre

upils from Baileys Court Primary School are the latest local children to have visited Bristol’s Lifeskills Safety Education Centre, which receives grant funding supported from Bradley Stoke Town Council. This year marks a special milestone for the centre as it celebrates its 20th year of teaching thousands of primary school children how to stay safe in everyday situations. Lifeskills provides a unique and interactive learning experience to children aged 10 to 11 years, and almost 300 pupils from Bradley Stoke will visit with their Year 6 classes this year. Based at the Create Centre, near the Cumberland Basin, Lifeskills realistically replicates a village setting with 19 different ‘film set’ scenarios, all of which have safety themes. In small groups of three to four, children navigate their way around the

Baileys Court pupils shopping for a healthy breakfast at the Co-op store

centre with a volunteer tour guide and they’re encouraged to spot and discuss lots of common hazardous day-to-day situations. Scenes include a street named ‘Green Cross Road’, homes, a beach, a dark alleyway and even a railway platform!

During their visit, children make practise emergency 999 calls, discover and react to a house fire, carry out first aid and learn about the consequences of trespassing on a railway line – all made realistic with the use of props and special effects. Pupils from Baileys Court have been visiting Lifeskills since 2002 and following the recent visit, Mr Higginson (Year 6 teacher) said: “This is a really valuable (as well as enjoyable) element of our Year 6’s education. The children learn so many important skills in a very realistic but supportive way, which we could never hope to replicate back in class.” “We spend the following few weeks hearing about how they are relating this learning to their home environment; the children become the teachers, which further embeds the learning.”

Andy Townsend, manager at Lifeskills, said: “Teaching children at this age in such a unique and practical way alerts them to the risks and consequences of everyday life. Children leave better equipped to handle a variety of situations, and it helps to increase their independence at a really key stage in their lives.” “We know what we do at here makes a difference and saves lives; one child helped his family escape a house fire, another prevented a gas explosion, and a boy knew how to make a 999 call to help his mother - all learnt at Lifeskills.” “Our challenge for the immediate future is to grow our team of volunteer tour guides. Visits to Lifeskills are in such high demand and with a growing waiting list, we urgently need more volunteers. We’d like to recruit at least 30 people from all walks of life (from students to retirees) to join our team so that we can provide life-long learning to more children.” Open during term-time only, the centre offers flexible volunteer opportunities (2½ hours at a time), pays volunteer expenses and provides full training and support. Regular hour-long ‘taster sessions’ are organised for potential recruits. For more information, call Sam Jury on 0117 922 4511, email sam@lifeskills-bristol.org.uk or visit the Lifeskills website www. lifeskills-bristol.org.uk

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March 2020

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What’s On Local event to celebrate culture and diversity Are you passionate about your community and would like to be more engaged with people living in your area? Southern Brooks Community Partnerships are organising the South Gloucestershire Harmony Festival, where people from different backgrounds are invited to celebrate their culture and diversity.

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No painting or repairs for 25 years? It must be a ColourFence!

Guaranteed not to warp, crack, shrink, rot or peel The festival, which is aimed at helping people to engage and become more involved in the community, is a result of a whole year’s work, where several safe space conversations were conducted with people from South Gloucestershire. The suggestions of those who contributed in the conversations were taken on board and implemented in the planning of the event. The event takes place on Saturday 14th March, from 1pm to 4pm, at the Brook Way Activity Centre in Bradley Stoke. This free family event includes activities such as henna and face painting, food tasting, arts and crafts and many more. It will also provide some useful information about the clubs and volunteering roles available in the area. For more information, see the advert on page 14 or contact Khadeega at khadeegabayoumi@ southernbrooks.org.uk

With the warmer weather arriving, there’s always plenty to do in the garden. However, with ColourFence, one of the most tedious, timeconsuming jobs disappears overnight. Not just for 2020 b ut for the next 25 years! That’s because there’s no need to paint or repair ColourFence. It’s guaranteed not to warp, crack, shrink, rot or peel for the next 25 years. Making it one of the world’s best maintenance-free fences. And, unlike other fences, ColourFence can withstand wind speeds of up to 130mph. There’s a choice of colours to harmonise and enhance your garden’s design. You’ll find our prices surprisingly competitive too. To see the full product range, call us today and find out why it makes sense to choose ColourFence.

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March 2020

News

Top: High water level at the Three Brooks Lake during Storm Dennis on Sunday 16th February 2020. Above: Part of the path that is to be surfaced.

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News

Lake desilting project: Further details released Spoil dumping area already cleared; main work starts in autumn

s reported in our February magazine, South Gloucestershire Council has agreed to allocate ÂŁ250,000 from its Highways Maintenance programme to fund enhancement works to the Three Brooks Lake in Bradley Stoke. Streams flowing from Patchway, Hortham, Little Stoke and Stoke Gifford all feed into the lake, which was constructed in 1993 to create an amenity pond for local residents. The lake was last desilted in 2005 and is now in need of desilting again. During the summer of 2019, low water flow exposed large areas of silt, exposing wildfowl nesting on the islands to predators including foxes and cats. This winter the high rainfall experienced across the country has led to the lake flooding twice.

The timing of the desilting works is restricted to being carried out between November and February due to the protected wildlife which uses the wetland area, including water voles and otters. Between now and next autumn, the council will appoint a contractor and work with the Environment Agency to obtain a bespoke licence. The plan will be to reduce the water level in the lake by opening up the penstock (sluice gate). At the same time, a professional fishery will catch all the fish, store them safely and then release the fish after the works have been completed. The lake will then be desilted by machine and the silt moved using dumper trucks to a spoil area (see map) which has recently been cleared in preparation for the main

scheme starting in the autumn. As part of this project and following requests, a 300 metre stretch of pathway along the northern edge of the lake will be surfaced, linking the northern end of Juniper Way with the reserve and making the lake more accessible to visitors.

With the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve becoming increasingly popular, the council says public safety will be a high priority. Updates will be provided in the form of on-site notices and through posts on the StreetCare Facebook page www.facebook. com/sglosstreetcare

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March 2020

News Local authority earmarks £30k of funding to support community events marking 75th anniversary of VE Day

outh Glos Council has announced that £30,000 is being made available for grants to organisations planning events to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe Day), over the bank holiday weekend, from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th May 2020. The funding was approved as part of the Budget for 2020/21, which was agreed by Full Council on Wednesday 12th February. The first May Bank Holiday this year has been moved by the Government to fall on Friday 8th May to help mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day. Voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations, as well as town or parish councils in South Gloucestershire are being encouraged to apply for a share of the funding to help them put on events.

A council spokesperson said: “While we are aware that many groups are already well under way in their planning for the 75th anniversary of VE Day, we are keen to make these funds available to support their efforts and to take some of the pressure off from fundraising.” Grants can be applied for to fund a range of activities associated with and to support events, including publicity costs, PA hire, insurance, marshalling and entertainment. The closing date for applications is noon on Thursday 5th March and successful applicants will be notified after 2nd April. For more information about the grants and how to apply, visit www.southglos.gov.uk/veday75 The application form and guidance is also available from the council’s Grants Team on

01454 865865 or by email via grants@southglos.gov.uk Cabinet Member for communities, Cllr Rachael Hunt, said: “We are really pleased to make this funding available to help a whole host of groups put on events for the whole community across South Gloucestershire to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day.” “The anniversary marks an important moment in our country’s history and I know that there are a range of events already being planned that will not only mark the day and remember the veterans who served during the Second World

Would you like to be part of the new Bradley Stoke Spring Carnival Committee? We have a date: Friday 8th May; we have a theme: VE Victory Parade; we have a venue: Jubilee Green; we have a competition for the schools and we have an evening film: Dad’s Army; but what we don’t have yet is a large enough committee to pull this off, writes Sara Messenger. Which is why we need YOU! No experience is necessary, just a ‘can do’ attitude, a sense of adventure and an interest in doing something positive for your home town.

War, but that will also help educate the younger generations about a moment in our history.”

Please email us to let us know what role or part of the day you are interested in (committee, stalls, parade, schools or catering) and we will get back to you as soon as we can bradleystokecarnival2020@ outlook.com

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STARS OF THE STOKES This month, Willow Brook Centre has once again launched its popular annual community awards programme, Stars of the Stokes. 2020 is the fifth year of the awards, which cover Bradley Stoke, Stoke Gifford, Little Stoke, Stoke Lodge, Almondsbury, Patchway, Frampton Cotterell and Winterbourne and comes on the back of increased nominations each year. Willow Brook Centre works with a variety of local businesses to sponsor and promote the awards, led locally by the Bradley Stoke Journal and the Stoke Gifford Journal, and the awards night itself is broadcast live on Bradley Stoke Radio. Returning sponsors are Olympus Academy Trust, Tesco Extra, Aztec Hotel & Spa, Carisway Facilities Services, FirstBus and Honeyfield Property Services. HOW TO NOMINATE

AWARD CATEGORIES

Members of the public are invited to nominate anyone from the local area who they feel deserves recognition for outstanding community engagement and/or achievement of personal goals. Nominations can be made on www.starsofthestokes.co.uk. The glittering awards night will be held at the Aztec Hotel & Spa on Friday 24th July.

The categories for Stars of the Stokes 2020 remain unchanged: Star Teacher, Pre-School Carer of the Year, Achievement Against the Odds, Young Hero, Champion Carer, Parent/Guardian in a Million, Coach of the Year and Unsung Hero.

Andy Wynn, manager of Willow Brook Centre said: “Stars of the Stokes has become an important part of our support for the community. 2020 is the fifth anniversary of the awards and we have been delighted to see them grow each year with 2019 seeing more nominations than ever before. We are forever grateful to the many local people who have gone out of their way to help us recognise and share the stories local heroes. As always, we are delighted to work with our sponsors on this year’s awards; we couldn’t deliver Stars of the Stokes without them. We are looking forward to seeing the nominations start to come in and to meeting some more of the leading lights in our community on 24th July.”

Stephen Horton, editor of the Journal magazines, said: “Every month we get to meet and report on a fair few heroes and achievers within our community. It was lovely to see that so many of the winners in the last four years had been featured previously in the Journal. We know, however, that there will be many more who support the community or celebrate achievements quietly and under the radar. Please help us to recognise these unsung heroes by taking a few minutes to nominate them.” “The presentation night is always such an enjoyable evening and it is a pleasure to meet and chat to the finalists and sponsors. I am really looking forward to this year’s awards night.” More information and updates on this year’s awards can be found by visiting www.starsofthestokes.co.uk or searching ‘Stars of the Stokes’ on Facebook and Twitter.

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March 2020

STARS OF THE STOKES BROUGHT TO YOU BY

WillowBrookCentre Do you know someone who deserves to be recognised for outstanding community engagement and personal achievement in the Bradley Stoke, Stoke Gifford, Little Stoke, Stoke Lodge, Almondsbury, Patchway, Frampton Cotterell and Winterbourne area? Willow Brook Centre has teamed up with many local services and businesses to launch the Stars of the Stokes awards, a set of community awards to recognise the personal achievments of individuals in our local area. The nominations will close on Sunday 10th May and the awards evening will be held on 24th July at the Aztec Hotel.

Visit www.starsofthestokes.co.uk before 10th May to add your nomination. IN ASSOCIATION WITH

SUPPORTED BY

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AWARD CATEGORIES STAR TEACHER Do you know a teacher who works in the area and goes above and beyond what you would expect? Has a teacher you know made a huge difference to your life? Maybe you know a teacher who has motivated and inspired students to achieve their best and who is always willing to give that extra time and effort.

CHAMPION CARER Carers, be they family, friends or professionals, are crucial to many families. Does someone you know provide care that is ‘beyond the norm’? Have they changed lives or put their lives on hold to help and care for you?

PARENT / GUARDIAN IN A MILLION PRE-SCHOOL CARER OF THE YEAR Can you see the difference your child minder or nanny makes to your child’s development? Does your child have a favourite member of staff at their nursery or pre-school who brightens their day? Maybe your child carer ends up caring for the whole family, or has helped you with short notice cover during family emergencies over the last year.

What do parents you know do to make them a parent/guardian in a million? Do they collect your children from school every day so that you can work? Do they fight to make sure you have everything you need and deserve? Perhaps something has happened in the last year that you couldn’t have got through without their support.

COACH OF THE YEAR ACHIEVEMENT AGAINST THE ODDS Do you know someone who achieves great things against the odds? Has someone you know overcome illness or disability to return to work, faced a battle to achieve something important to them, or achieved sporting prowess when told that they wouldn’t be able to?

BAILEY COOPER YOUNG HERO AWARD Do you know someone aged 18 or under who is a hero? Have they spent a lot of free time volunteering? Perhaps someone you know has achieved great things in sport or started a new hobby and become renowned for it. Maybe they care for their parents, mow the lawn for a neighbour, or have raised money for a cause that is close to them.

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Do you know someone who gives up their free time to coach others? Perhaps a youth football coach or a cycling coach. Maybe you know someone who works in sport but goes above and beyond what would be expected. Perhaps a teacher who runs an out of school exercise club, or a personal trainer who has helped you achieve your goals in the last year.

UNSUNG HERO Do you know someone who is a hero to you but doesn’t see it themselves? Maybe they give their life to volunteering or have done the same job for many years. Perhaps they run a local sports team or raise money for charity. It may be that they are simply a hero to you and you’d love them to receive some recognition.

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Ask the Doctor with Dr Sophie Kilmartin of Bradley Stoke Surgery Too many medicines?

this, and I have been attending a course on polypharmacy (i.e. taking more than one medicine) which focuses on this exact issue. It might surprise you to hear that a billion prescriptions are issued in primary care annually and that the number of older people taking more than five medicines in the UK has increased from 1 in 8 in the 1990s to 1 in 2 now. Many medicines can be extremely helpful treating current illnesses and preventing future problems, but they can also cause harm. In fact, sometimes in order to protect us from side effects from one medicine, we need to take another – such as if taking a stomach protector when on anti-inflammatory pain killers. It is therefore very important that each person is on the right medicines for them. So what are the key messages for our medicines? Prescribing

should be person-centred and medicines reviewed with your doctor or pharmacist to help you decide what is the best treatment for your particular situation. We can give information to help decisions such as about the underlying medical condition, any side effects that are possible and even more technical things, if you want, like ‘number needed to treat’, which is the term doctors use for how many patients would have to be treated with that medicine to prevent an illness in one of them. We are happy to discuss your medicine at your next medication review, whatever the time of year. Dr Sophie Kilmartin Bradley Stoke Surgery www.bradleystokesurgery.nhs.uk

Letters Decision to desilt Three Brooks Lake applauded It’s quite a relief that South Gloucestershire Council has confirmed its green credentials and found the funding for the long overdue dredging of the Three Brooks Lake, and I am sure many look forward with great interest to the start of work later this year. Without a doubt, the publicity in our local press and lobbying by the citizens of our town contributed to this justified decision. The nature reserve, with its lake, is an amazing asset for the people of Bradley Stoke. The whole woodland area adds oxygen and absorbs pollutants in an area which is surrounded by motorways and main roads. It also adds a great recreation facility to the area and provides a huge refuge for our wildlife, hopefully for many years to come. Fred Hillberg, Bradley Stoke

D BO LY O TO K U A R TO

DA Y!

s spring is approaching I am sure many of us are thinking about doing some spring cleaning. It is a great opportunity for getting rid of unwanted items to the recycling or the tip. It also occurred to me that many of us might also benefit from spring cleaning our medication. We know that many medications prescribed by doctors sadly linger in cupboards never being used. This leads to several problems such as health care records not being accurate and up to date about what is actually being taken, time wasted by patients, pharmacists and doctors producing prescriptions and getting them filled, increased costs to patients and the NHS, and the effect on the environment of producing and then disposing of unnecessary chemicals. The good news though is that we can do something about

March 2020

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March 2020

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Schools

School’s new play equipment officially opened

n ageing play area at Bowsland Green Primary School has been transformed after parents and staff raised £19,000 towards installing exciting new equipment. The space, known as ‘the Green Area’, previously housed a wooden boat which had been in place at the school for close to 25 years. Headteacher Michelle Engley and the Friends of Bowsland Green support group set themselves an ambitious target to get the space transformed. Thanks to the support of families, fundraising events raised a massive £9,000 towards the project. The project fund was further boosted through Mrs Engley successfully applying for a £10,000 National Lottery Grant. The Young Leadership Team (seen in the photo), were part of the design process, gathering views from their classmates about the type of equipment they would like to see and the reasons why. The new facility was designed and built by local play equipment specialists Pentagon Play. Becky Hazell from the company worked closely with the school at every stage to make sure the space was being used in an optimal way. Mrs Engley explained that a big focus of the project was to promote purposeful talk through play: “We are fortunate to have a diverse school community and many children join the school with English as an additional language. Play is a universal language; it has been a pleasure to see new friendships being formed as the children engage in play together.” Noting that physical play is important in the fight against childhood obesity, Mrs Engley shared that the new equipment features pieces that encourage the children to develop their upper body and core strength. The children and staff were delighted when Bradley Stoke

Bradley Stoke mayor Tom Aditya joins staff and pupils to officially open the new play area at Bowsland Green

mayor Tom Aditya joined them to cut the ribbon and officially open the new play equipment. Despite the stormy conditions, all the children made it outside to celebrate. Cllr Aditya then spent time visiting each classroom, talking to the pupils and finding out more about their views of the school and its facilities. Mrs Engley, the Friends of Bowsland Green and the children

have already started work on their next project – transforming a corner of the playground into a sensory garden. The fence is almost up and Mrs Engley says the children have been thinking carefully about the things they would like to be included. “Our sustainability squad spoke with our caretaker, Mr Irwin, and he has transformed the wood from the old boat into

planter boxes which will be used in the new space. Alongside this, fundraising has begun to add an imagination station to the new play area, which it is hoped to have in place before the summer break.” Mrs Engley concluded: “The school is 25 years old this year she shared, we have some excellent fundraising plans in place to celebrate!”

April/May magazine Deadline for contributions: Monday 23rd March To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

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March 2020

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News Marketing suite opens for first of 2,600+ new homes coming to the Stokes

Top: First homes and marketing suite at Brooklands Park, Harry Stoke. Above: Laying ducts for power line undergrounding alongside the A4174.

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ousebuilding giant Crest Nicholson has announced that it will soon be opening a marketing suite at its new 763-home development at Brooklands Park in Harry Stoke. The site will deliver the first batch of what will eventually amount to over 2,600 new homes on greenfield land at Harry Stoke and on both sides of the Stoke Gifford By-pass. Brooklands Park lies between Harry Stoke Road in the west and the existing Highbrook Park development in the east, extending as far as the A4174 Ring Road to the south. The new estate will have a community centre, nursery and shops. Plans for a primary school have been submitted but are yet to be determined. Work at Brooklands Park started in earnest shortly after final planning permission was granted in September 2019, although preliminary work to complete an already-approved east-west link road between Oxleigh Way and Westfield Lane began some months earlier. As we went to press, we were informed that the Brooklands Park marketing suite would open on for business on 29th February and initially be open to the public at weekends only, with access from Westfield Lane.

There has also been recent activity on another future development site in the wider area, where Crest Nicholson will eventually build around 1,600 homes on its ‘East of Harry Stoke (south of the railway)’ land holding. Here, contractors working for Western Power Distribution have started work on undergrounding one of the two high voltage power lines which cross the area. Work to lay cable ducts around the perimeter of the site began in December 2019 and is due for completion in October 2020 (including removal of the existing overhead lines and the supporting pylons). Although outline planning permission for the ‘south of the railway’ site was granted in October 2018, the associated S106 infrastructure contribution agreement is still to be signed. South Gloucestershire Council recently agreed to extend the timeframe for completing the agreement by 12 months. Crest Nicholson says it anticipates that this will be done “in the coming weeks”, allowing infrastructure delivery to commence and leading to the first housing completions in summer 2021. However, a housing supply report recently published by the council takes a more pessimistic view, assuming that delivery will not begin here until 2024/25.

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March 2020

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This map is provided for illustrative purposes only. Refer to planning applications for definitive information.

LAND AT HARRY STOKE [1] Planning ref: PT12/1302/RM Developer name: Crest: Highbrook Park 166 homes already built [2] Planning ref: PT17/5810/RM Status: Under construction Developer names: Crest: Brooklands Park Linden Homes: Brook Park 763 homes planned Delivery: 2020 to 2027+

Stoke Gifford [5]

[3] Planning ref: PT17/5847/RM Status: Awaiting decision

M4 J19

Developer name: Crest: Highbrook Park Phase 2 257 homes planned Delivery: 2023 to 2027+ EAST OF HARRY STOKE [4] Planning ref: PT16/4782/O Status: Outline permission; S106 and reserved matters pending

[4]

[1]

Developer name: Crest: ‘South of the railway’ 1,290 homes planned Delivery: 2024 to 2027+

[2]

[5] Planning ref: PT16/4928/O

[3]

Status: Part approved; S106 and some reserved matters pending M32 J1

Developer name: Wainhomes: ‘Mulgrove Farm Park’ 327 homes planned Delivery: 2022 to 2025

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March 2020

Great Stoke Roundabout improvements: Project timetable January – April

Narrow lanes and lane closures on Bradley Stoke Way and the B4057, Winterbourne Road

May – August

Narrow lanes and lane closures on Bradley Stoke Way and the B4057, Winterbourne Road. Lane closures on Great Stoke Way

September

Great Stoke Way and the B4057, Winterbourne Road lane closures

October – November

Overnight closures of the roundabout

October – December

Off peak lane closures on various approaches to the roundabout

Frequently asked questions about the scheme, answered by South Gloucestershire Council Why is this work being carried out at the same time as the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension scheme? We have started the work at Great Stoke Roundabout ahead of the Gipsy Patch Lane closure, however there will be an overlap which will cause a significant impact on traffic in the area. We apologise for this, but feedback from residents has told us that a condensed period of heavy congestion is preferred to stretching roadworks out over a number of years. Will the impact of closures on other roads in the area be monitored? Yes. We will monitor traffic in the area during the construction phase and, if some areas experience severe difficulties, we will consider implementing additional measures to help ease congestion.

Work under way on the Bradley Stoke Way arm of Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout in mid-February, showing traffic tailed back on the southbound side

Reader comments on the Journal’s Facebook pages NC: It’s a joke that council or contractor vehicles are parking on a live lane, throwing a few cones out behind them, when they have closed a bus lane for the works. Why not park a few metres away in the side road? The works should be left for off-peak travel times. TA: Why can’t they work on all four junctions at once and get the job done? Beef that up with double shifts.

Are road closures required and what will the diversion routes be?

NJ: Every time I drive past all I see are men sat in plant vehicles on their mobiles

Road closures are only expected towards the end of the construction phase, during September & October 2020, to complete the final surfacing and road marking work. We will publicise the signed diversion routes nearer the time and residents in the immediate area will be kept informed.

TS: I don’t get the point of these works, endless disruption on a roundabout that was [previously] fine.

WS: Why can’t they do what they do on mainland Europe and do roadworks at night?

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March 2020

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News

Roundabout work sees 200 tonnes of material removed in first six weeks

outh Gloucestershire Council’s £2.9m scheme to improve to increase capacity and improve cyclist and pedestrian facilities at Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout has seen 200 tonnes of material excavated from the verge on the north-west side of the roundabout during the first six weeks of construction activity. This work, combined with the laying of 60 metres of new kerb on the north-east side of the roundabout, has paved the way for road widening to begin. The power supply for the new traffic signals on each arm of the roundabout has been also installed and is ready for two of the four new traffic crossings, once they have been put in place. Meanwhile, Openreach has nearly finished work to construct a large underground chamber (around 15 m3) to house telecommunications infrastructure. In the coming weeks, the council says it will be making preparations for new toucan crossing traffic signals to be installed on the north-east side of the roundabout. Workers will also be completing the road widening element on the northwest side, ready for new traffic signals infrastructure. The roadworks have continued to cause significant delays for

motorists and buses, particularly on the Bradley Stoke Way southbound approach during the morning peak hours. In response to criticism on social media that there often seems to be little going on at the site, a council spokesperson said: “We are working hard to minimise any disruption while making sure that improvements are made to Great Stoke Roundabout and people can start experiencing the benefits they will bring.” “Our current working hours on site are 7.45am to 4.30pm and we have already committed to working outside of these hours where required, so that we can deliver this project on time.” “We have planned the work in phases so traffic moves as freely as possible while maintaining access for pedestrians.” “Unfortunately, some disruption will be caused and we apologise for any inconvenience.”

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March 2020

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News

South Glos council tax to rise by 3.99 percent

outh Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) element of the council tax levied on local households is to increase by 3.99 percent from April. The latest rise follows uplifts of 2.99 percent in 2019/20 and 5.99 percent in 2018/19, the latter including a ring-fenced levy of 3 percent to support adult social care. The 2020/21 increase once again includes a social care levy, this time 2 percent, which is the maximum allowed by the government for the upcoming financial year. The increase means that the South Gloucestershire Council element of council tax for a Band D property for 2020/21 will rise to £1,543. Meeting on 12th February, councillors agreed to set a revenue budget of almost £232 million. The spending plans also include a further £219.2

million that will be distributed to schools. The council’s forward planning shows that its budget is projected to remain in balance for the next two years, based on what is known so far about the future of local authority funding. However, this assumes successful delivery of ongoing savings and transformation plans and requires the use of reserves.

Challenges ahead

The medium term – years two and three in the projections in these Budget papers – continues to contain challenges in order to balance the books. These are caused by continued falls in government grants and increased costs and demand for services, most notably across social care services. Work is ongoing to manage demand for costly social care support by investing to make

earlier interventions where residents find themselves in need of help, as well as to build extra capacity to deliver services within the district. Cllr Toby Savage, leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said: “We are pleased to have put forward and agreed a balanced budget, which will continue to invest in and deliver the services our communities have told us are important to them.” “At the same time, we remain committed to delivering the best possible value for money, while also taking action to respond to the climate emergency and improve our local environment, which is an investment in all our futures.” “We have been able to increase spending in some key areas this year, including on schools, where we continue to work hard to deliver our number one priority, which is to drive up educational Band

standards for all. That is just part of our focus on the future, which is why we are also taking steps to play our role in combating climate change as well as cleaning up our communities and investing in our high streets.” In addition to the South Gloucestershire element, bills that will be coming through letterboxes in the next few weeks will include contributions to Avon & Somerset Police (up 4.59 percent, on top of a 12.38 percent hike last year) and Avon Fire & Rescue Service (up 1.99 percent), and the precept raised by Bradley Stoke Town Council (up 1 percent), producing a grand total of £1,960.86 for a Band D property, an increase of 3.82 percent over last year.

2019/20

2020/21

Increase

£1,259.10

£1,307.23

£48.13

% Increase 3.82%

£1,468.94

£1,525.13

£56.19

3.82%

£1,678.79

£1,742.98

£64.19

3.82%

£1,888.63

£1,960.86

£72.23

3.82%

£2,308.32

£2,396.59

£88.27

3.82%

£2,728.02

£2,832.36

£104.34

3.82%

£3,147.73

£3,268.09

£120.36

3.82%

£3,777.26

£3,921.72

£144.46

3.82%

Total council tax figures for Bradley Stoke residents, comprising contributions to South Gloucestershire Council (including special expenses for services not uniformly provided across the district), Avon & Somerset Police, Avon Fire & Rescue and Bradley Stoke Town Council. Figures for other parishes will vary.

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Get well · Stay well

March 2020

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

Think ‘MOT for your feet’

ummer is on its way – it might not quite feel like it yet, but the promise of spring is here and the days are getting longer – we will be in our sandals soon enough. How have your feet been over the last few months? Have you noticed anything untoward? Have you been caring for your feet as well as you could have done during the winter? Think about how you currently look after your feet. What positive things do you already do to keep your feet healthy? Washing your feet in warm soapy water, drying them carefully and changing your socks every day are the basic steps that we should all be doing. What changes can you make that might help your feet? If your skin is dry, moisturise your feet to help keep the skin soft and supple. An over the counter product will do the trick, but you may need something more specialised if you don’t have success. Look at the condition of your socks and shoes. Are your feet being properly supported? Shoes should be replaced regularly and as soon as any damage is noted. Look at the soles on your shoes and the insoles – you might be surprised at the

condition. Socks should be made from natural fibres such as cotton, wool or bamboo. Are your toenails properly trimmed? Keeping toenails short helps to prevent splitting and cracking as well as making them easier to keep clean. Clean feet and nails are important to help prevent infections. Feet are prone to bacterial and fungal infections because of the dark, and sometimes damp, environment we put them in. Callouses and cracked skin needs to be carefully managed to ensure that healthy skin can replace what has been damaged. Corns can become painful if they are not treated. Give your feet a good MOT and if you need help contact a qualified foot health practitioner. We are happy to treat your feet on whatever basis suits you – monthly, quarterly or annually. Treat your feet like you do your teeth and eyes – be gentle and kind to them and they will help you maintain your mobility for many years to come. The Willow Brook Clinic East Offices The Willow Brook Centre www.willowbrookclinic.co.uk

● See our advert on page 13.

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March 2020

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News

West of England transport plan for period to 2036 set for adoption

he way transport needs to develop across the West of England to tackle congestion and climate change is currently being considered by the region’s local authorities. The Joint Local Transport Plan 4 (JLTP4) – led by the West of England Combined Authority, working with Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire councils – sets out the vision for transport up to 2036. It shows how they aim to achieve a wellconnected sustainable transport network that works for residents across the region; a network that offers greater, realistic travel choices and makes walking, cycling and public transport the natural way to travel. This latest JLTP builds on a draft published and consulted on in 2019, receiving around 4,200 responses over the course of six weeks.

Schemes with local interest that have made it into the latest version of the plan include a proposed Winterbourne and Frampton Cotterell By-Pass, which would emerge at its southern end either on Old Gloucester Road just north of the M4 or on Beacon Lane east of the M4 bridge. A scheme to improve the B4057 between Stoke Gifford and Winterbourne is also listed, along with the creation of a new MetroBus extension linking Almondsbury with Thornbury.

Final adoption will be considered by the West of England Joint Committee when it meets on Friday 20th March. Tim Bowles, West of England mayor, said: “To keep our region’s economy moving, reduce our carbon emissions and improve air quality we need a better, reliable and sustainable transport network. I’ve been making the case for this since I was elected Mayor and while we’re making progress, particularly on improving our railways, we still face challenges ahead.”

“As West of England mayor, I’m ambitious for our region, bringing partners together to improve transport on whole region basis, because people’s journeys don’t stop at council boundaries. The West of England Combined Authority is already investing millions in bus and train travel, and walking and cycling routes, to tackle congestion and improve air quality. Our longerterm transport plans will take time to develop and build – it’s important that we don’t just focus on quick fixes because we need sustainable solutions that will work into the future. We’ve got to find new ways of doing things, and we’re working on a new and ambitious mass transport system that will revolutionise the way we move people around the West of England, dramatically improving congestion and air quality while reducing our carbon emissions.” ● www.travelwest.info/JLTP

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March 2020

Letters What are they doing to our town centre?

o doubt there are people who believe that chicken nuggets and fries or a grease-soaked burger are the epitome of a succulent wholesome meal, but to many others, this is pure anathema. So how did such a down-market development such as McDonald’s and Starbucks come to be foisted upon our town? The decision arrived at by the planning inspector appears to have been taken without any regard whatsoever for the local residents. Virtually all the objections raised i.e. the negative effects on nearby residents such as noise, litter, possible air pollution, anti social behaviour etc. seem to have been imperiously disregarded on the basis of little or no evidence. Likewise other concerns such as traffic problems, location close to schools, potential child obesity, car parking availability etc. were seemingly dismissed with a wave of the hand. When the chickens come home to roost (no pun intended) the name of planning inspector F. Moss will live long in the memory of local residents. However, this decision cannot be viewed in isolation without examining the role of the South Gloucestershire planning department. Right from the outset, the planning department sought to promote this application through meetings with the applicants, allegedly

ignoring the views of local residents. When this application came before the various planning committees, the council fought hard to get this through, but after the application was refused by both committees, the council was then duty-bound to defend the refusal decision. This they arguably did, but in my view only in a half-hearted manner. Not much is known regarding the consultancy firm the council employed to do this, but the report they produced had far more points of agreement with the applicants than points of objection. This was far from a robust defence. Even the inspector’s report referred to the lack of evidence from the council to support the refusal. The system as such was clearly weighted heavily against local people. South Gloucestershire Council has many good functions which are generally appreciated by the public. Unfortunately planning is not one of them, and it is not hard to see why. I believe they have failed the local residents, failed Bradley Stoke Town Council, failed local schools, and failed their own district councillors who sat on the planning committees. A sad day for local democracy. Cllr Roger Avenin District and town councillor for Bradley Stoke South ward

For details of how to submit a letter for publication, see page 2

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News

Henry’s badge challenge benefits the homeless

6-year-old Beaver Scout from Bradley Stoke has set himself the huge challenge of earning every one of the badges available to his age group and, at the same time, raising money for the homeless through sponsorship. Henry Banks started his Scouting career when he was just 4 years old, coming along to Beavers as a helper whilst his brother took part in the sessions. Henry was very excited when he was finally old enough to officially join 1st Bradley Stoke Beavers. As the youngest member of the colony, Henry jumped right into Beavers, taking part in sessions and facing fears to achieve his first few badges. Henry made lots of friends and enjoyed playing new games and learning new things. The excitement of earning badges and the challenge each one posed gave Henry an idea. He wanted to try and earn every badge that was possible in Beavers. This would mean working hard to achieve 50 different badges. Some of these badges could be accomplished as part of his weekly sessions, but others he had to do in his own time. Henry thought it would be a great opportunity to get sponsored for his challenge so that he could donate money to Shelter, the charity which helps homeless people around the country. As part of the badge work, Henry has been canoeing, made

a fossil collection and presented to the group, conducted experiments, been on a hike, had a night away from home, learnt to swim and cooked three different meals. He also completed a community impact project where he spent three months picking litter in his local community to help the local wildlife. Henry was also the winner of a competition to design his colony’s uniform badge which will be worn by every member of his colony. He enjoys each new challenge that he faces and especially enjoys doing things he wouldn’t normally get to do outside of Beavers. So far, Henry has achieved a massive 42 badges and raised almost £500 for Shelter, which is an amazing feat at just 6 years of age. He has received a signed picture from the Chief Scout, Bear Grylls, and is as determined as ever to complete the final few badges and raise as much money as possible for charity. Nick Nelson, chair of 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group, commented: “This is a fantastic achievement by Henry, showing great commitment to gaining all of the badges in Beavers as well as supporting others via his fundraising initiative. Henry’s actions illustrate how we prepare young people with skills for life, supported by amazing leaders delivering an inspiring programme.” Nick added: “We are always looking for more adults to join the adventure, why not contact

Left: Henry Banks wearing his Beaver uniform adorned with the badges he has earned. Above: Henry with a signed photo of Bear Grylls.

us? Visit our website 1st.bradleystoke-scouts.org and click on the ‘Join 1st BSS’ tab.”

● Henry’s fundraising page can

be found at www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/teresa-banks1

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March 2020

News

Proposals for veterans’ advice service given green light by councillors

lans for a new dropin support service for military veterans in South Gloucestershire have been approved with the support of district councillors representing the Stokes area. Put forward as part of the Conservative administration’s 2020/21 budget proposals, the two-year pilot scheme will receive £36,000 in funding to provide one-to-one employment and careers mentoring as well as intensive peer support. A purpose-built website will also be created to act as a point of contact and to better advertise services. The new service, to be based at the Jubilee Centre in Bradley Stoke, will offer a supportive,

informal place for members of the veteran community to come together. It will also look to invite guest speakers from wellbeing services, business and education to talk to veterans about opportunities in the civilian community. Welcoming the news was Cabinet assistant Cllr Franklin Owusu-Antwi who represents Bradley Stoke North on South Gloucestershire Council. As an ex-armed serviceman who is vice-chair of the Stoke Gifford branch of the Royal British Legion and a member of the South West Veterans Advisory & Pensions Committee, it was Cllr Owusu-Antwi who proposed the pilot scheme, hoping to provide more

Cllr Franklin Owusu-Antwi (on left), South Gloucestershire ward member for Bradley Stoke North, with Jack Lopresti, MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke

opportunities and support to local veterans. The new initiative will build on the success of the ASSISTPLUS project, a Bradley Stoke based veterans community support service set up by Cllr OwusuAntwi in May 2018. Following the meeting of Full Council on 12th February, Cllr Owusu-Antwi said: “I am thrilled that this initiative has been given the go-ahead so we can better provide for a community that does not often get the appropriate support it needs.” “There are hundreds of veterans across South Gloucestershire, men and women of all ages who have risked their own personal safety in defence of our great country and it is important that we offer every opportunity for them to take a positive, important next step in their lives.” Also welcoming the announcement was Filton and Bradley Stoke MP Jack Lopresti who, as a veteran himself, served

in Afghanistan with 3 Commando Brigade and has a son in the Army about to be deployed to Estonia. Mr Lopresti has long campaigned for better treatment of ex-servicemen and women, both across the country and locally in South Gloucestershire. He said: “Having discussed the proposals at length with Cllr Owusu-Antwi in recent weeks, I am delighted that funding has now been confirmed, and that Bradley Stoke will host such a fantastic new support network for a local community that deserves all of our respect.” “For many service people, transitioning to civilian life can be a struggle and, as re-adjusting can require substantial additional help. I am very pleased local Conservatives have led this initiative.” ● For further information, contact Cllr Owusu-Antwi on 07596 338226 or email him at franklin.owusu-antwi@ southglos.gov.uk

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March 2020

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Advertising

New retail outlet venture for local plumber

Bradley Stoke based plumbing and heating engineer with 25 years’ experience of the trade has launched a new retail outlet venture in Filton. Jamie Jesson has helped his wife, Joanne, set up the new operation, the Little Bathroom and Boiler Company, which will operate in parallel with Jamie’s established JJ Plumbing business, which itself has traded for 15 years in the Bradley Stoke area. Trading from a recently refurbished unit on Gloucester Road North (opposite the former Blockbuster store), the shop offers an extensive range of baths, shower units, cloakroom suites, cabinets and heated towel rails, along with a broad range of central heating boilers from Glow-worm, Ideal and Vaillant. Describing the venture as being “a little company with big ideas”, Jamie says the intention is to

Frontage of the new Little Bathroom and Boiler Company store that has recently opened on Gloucester Road North, Filton

provide an environment where potential customers can “come in and have a cup of tea”, browse the displays and discuss options without feeling rushed. The store is managed by Simon Thompson, who has 10 years’ experience in the retail trade, meaning that customers can obtain advice from an expert

rather than a pushy salesperson. Home visits can also be arranged, where customers can receive expert guidance in selecting options from brochures detailing more than 5,000 products. Customers of the Little Bathroom and Boiler Company will be offered the chance to have their purchases expertly

installed by JJ Plumbing, thereby providing a true ‘one-stop-shop’ experience. In addition to the core plumbing and gas work, Jamie undertakes much of the ancillary work himself (such as partition walls, tiling and flooring), with experts from other trades being brought in as required. The Little Bathroom and Boiler Company can be found at 32 Gloucester Road North, Filton, Bristol BS7 0SJ. For opening hours, visit the website www.littlebbc.co.uk or phone the store on 0117 979 2860.

● JJ Plumbing advert: Page 34 scan to find out more

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March 2020

News

Volunteers sought for Great Daffodil Appeal

harity Marie Curie is urgently calling for volunteers in Bristol and South Gloucestershire to give just two hours of their time to hand out the charity’s iconic daffodil pins, in return for donations. Volunteers will be supporting the Great Daffodil Appeal – Marie Curie’s biggest fundraising campaign, held every March. In the next ten years, more than six million people will die in the UK and of this number, 75 percent will need end of life care. The money raised from the Great Daffodil Appeal will help Marie Curie provide muchneeded expert care to people with terminal illnesses, as well as support for their loved ones. Helen Isbell, Marie Curie community fundraiser for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, said: “Whether you wear a daffodil pin in celebration, in solidarity or in

memory of a loved one, you are joining with millions of others to help make sure all dying people get the care and support they deserve.” “Volunteering just two hours at a local collection is a great way to show your support and help us raise money to help make sure

that we can be there for more people at the end of their lives. “Collecting can be a lot of fun too. You can do it on your own or with family and friends, and we will support you every step of the way.” “Volunteering is also an easy way to get involved in your

local community and meet new people.” Jane Marshall from Stoke Gifford said: “It’s a great feeling to be supporting such an important cause. I’ve met so many kind and interesting people along the way – many of whom have directly benefited from the care or support provided by Marie Curie.” To volunteer for Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal and give out the charity’s daffodil pins in return for donations, visit mariecurie.org.uk/collect or contact Helen on 0117 924 7275 or Helen.Isbell@mariecurie.org.uk

The Journal Send us your news! April/May magazine Deadline for contributions: Monday 23rd March

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Directory of Advertisers Accountants & Bookkeepers C & M Accountants, Page 24 Dunkley’s Chartered Accountants, Page 40 Meadow Accounting & Bookkeeping, Page 16 Architectural Services Holdfast Architectural Services, Page 39 Bathrooms JJ Plumbing & Building, Page 34 Builders Criterion Construction, Page 27 JJ Plumbing & Building, Page 34 Car Dealerships Motorline Toyota Bristol North, Page 29 Carpentry & Joinery J. Earle Carpentry & Joinery, Page 37 Northavon Carpentry, Page 8 Carpet Cleaners B Clean, Page 8 Bonne Fresh Clean, Page 32 Child Care Abacus Pre-School, Page 5 Ambourne House Day Nursery, Page 7 Trinity Pre-School, Page 33 Children’s Activities Bristol Riding School, Page 27 Chiropractic Willow Brook Clinic, Page 13 Cleaning & Domestic Services Niko’s Mobile Cleaning Ltd, Page 34 More in directory on BSJ website Cycle Repairs Ride On Cycles, Page 14 Dentists Stoke Gifford Dental Surgery, Page 13 Domestic Appliance Repairs Kitchen & Laundry Appliance Care, Page 2 Education & Learning Patchway Community School, Page 32 Electricians Ernest Till, Page 33 Estate Agents Ocean Estate Agents, Page 1 Event Venues Eastwood Park, Page 35 Events Southern Brooks Partnerships, Page 14 Financial Services Aspirations Financial Advice, Page 27 Foot Care Willow Brook Clinic, Page 13 Funeral Services F. Woodruff Funeral Directors, Page 8 Memorial Woodlands, Page 26 MW Funeral Directors, Page 4 Garage Services Bristol Caravans, Page 12 Filton Central Garage, Page 15 GH Motor Services, Page 39 LCM Automotive, Pages 1 & 10 Revolution Repairs, Page 30 Gardening & Landscaping Services ColourFence, Page 15 Garretts Landscapes, Page 23 Painting Petals, Page 37 Plan-It Garden Design, Page 18 Professional Gardening Services, Page 38 Smart Patios, Page 30 Gyms & Health Clubs Anytime Fitness, Page 22 Riverside Leisure Club, Page 25

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Healthcare Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Page 24 Home Improvements & Furnishings Door Express, Page 10 Garolla Roller Shutter Doors, Page 6 Launderettes Wash Shop Patchway, Page 37 Mortgages & Financial Advice Aspirations Financial Advice, Page 27 Opticians Specsavers, Page 36 Painting & Decorating A. Worsfold, Page 37 Digby Decor, Page 37 Painting Petals, Page 37 Rick Murphy, Page 37 Pest Control Services Aman Pest Control, Page 37 PestBGone, Page 37 Pet Services & Supplies Four Paws Pet Care, Page 39 Rosie Posie Pet Services, Page 39 Physiotherapy The Physio Clinic, Page 8 Willow Brook Clinic, Page 13 Plant Hire T. Edwards Plant, Page 38 Plasterers B & D Plastering, Page 6 Plumbing & Heating Bristol Plumbing & Heating, Page 31 Great British Heating, Page 18 JJ Plumbing & Building, Page 34 Low Cost Plumbing, Page 39 M.S.M Plumbing & Heating, Page 39 Panache Plumbing, Page 39 S. Berryman Plumbing & Heating, Page 39 Property Stoke Gifford Retirement Village, Page 11 Property Maintenance David Coombs Services, Page 37 HoldFast Handyman, Page 37 JJ Plumbing & Building, Page 34 Mark’s Gutter Cleaning, Page 39 P.J.R Plastics, Page 39 So Clear Gutter Clearing, Page 39 Restaurants Eastwood Park, Page 35 Saffron Indian Restaurant, Page 16 Rubbish Clearance Bradley Stoke Rubbish Clearance, Page 38 Self Storage Admiral’s Yard Self Storage, Page 28 Shopping Willow Brook Centre, Page 3 Solicitors Bevan Evemy Solicitors, Page 30 Star Legal, Page 17 Slimming Clubs & Consultants Slimming World, Page 9 Sport & Leisure Bristol Riding School, Page 27 Taxis & Private Hire Z Cars, Page 28 Tiling Services Tileworx Tiling Services, Page 37 Window Cleaning Ultra Clear, Page 39

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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

March 2020

t: 01454 300 400

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk

PLUMBING & HEATING

ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES

WINDOW CLEANING

Why move?…Improve! Planning Drawings Building Regulation Drawings New Build and Self Build Holdfastarchitecturalservices.co.uk

Call Rich: 07975 646 204 GUTTERING, DOWNPIPES & FASCIA

Tell advertisers you found them in the Bradley Stoke Journal!

GARAGE SERVICES

So Clear

Professional Gutter Clearing Services • • • • •

Experienced cleaners Gutters cleared up to 5 storeys high Fully Insured Telescopic camera check Competitive prices – free quotation

www.soclear.co.uk info@soclear.co.uk ● 07851 847 079 Advertise in this section for just £20 per month

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

0117

957 5092

Tell advertisers you found them in the Bradley Stoke Journal!

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

Tell advertisers you found them in the Bradley Stoke Journal!

Advertise in this section for just £20 per month

PANACHE

Mark’s Gutter Cleaning

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

PET SERVICES

• Gutter clearing • Gutter cleaning • Fascia cleaning • Patio cleaning

Call or book online

Tell advertisers you found them in the Bradley Stoke Journal!

Gutter Clearing Gutter Cleaning Fascia Cleaning Call or Book online

www.marksguttercleaning.co.uk www.marksguttercleaning.co.uk Tel: 8528 Mob: 056558 Tel:0117 0117 370 3708528 Mob: 07543 07543056558 Serving North Bristol &Bristol South Glos Based in Downend,

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

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Bradley Stoke Journal, March 2020