November 2013

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

November 2013 • Issue 7

LETTERS P8 | SCHOOLS P12 | POLICE P20 | WHAT’S ON P28-29 | DIRECTORY P30

“Fairer” bus fares

Short trips cheaper P4 Willow Brook Centre

TOTAL GRIDLOCK! ROADS JAMMED THREE TIMES IN A FORTNIGHT By-pass will make things worse, says Mayor MetroBus is crucial – “There is no Plan B”

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

PLUS , IN YOUR 32-PAGE BRADLEY STOKE MAGAZINE l Royal British Legion launches Poppy Appeal l Wide margin victory for Tory candidate in Lakeside by-election l Stokes Art Group offers free taster sessions l Green light for new family restaurant & pub

41/2 hour parking limit P7 Bradley Stoke in Bloom

Planters installed P11

Special Feature: Bradley Stoke traffic P15-18

l Plans for new skate park backed by South Glos Council committee l Music Rules at Little Stoke Primary School l WIN a £50 Argos voucher in our photo puzzle

2

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November 2013

Traffic congestion: Council is relying on “modal shift” to buses

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 19 The Park, Bristol.

Our other publications include the Patchway Journal website and the Stoke Gifford 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 2013. Content published in our magazines or on our websites may not be reproduced in any form without our express written permission.

With Bradley Stoke being totally gridlocked for several hours on three occasions within the space of a fortnight last month, there are real concerns that traffic congestion is going to become an even bigger problem in our town, particularly when one considers all the new development that is planned for North Bristol over the coming years.

It seems that the local road network is running so close to capacity that the smallest incident (or roadworks) anywhere in the North Bristol area can prevent us getting out of our home town and/or result in our local roads being jammed by commuters seeking alternative routes in an effort to avoid blockages elsewhere.

In last month’s magazine, we reported on the planned Stoke Gifford By-Pass (due to open in 2017), which will provide an alternative route for southbound commuters who currently sit in daily traffic jams along Hatchet Road or Old Gloucester Road.

But there are concerns that the by-pass will act as a “relief road

for the A38” and compound the existing rush hour congestion on Bradley Stoke Way. Money is being invested in upgrading motorway junctions and major roundabouts but planners at South Gloucestershire Council are relying on a massive “modal shift” towards the use of public transport over the coming years in order to keep the traffic flowing.

A key component of their strategy is the introduction of a network of express bus routes known as MetroBus – and one of the three proposed routes, the North Fringe to Hengrove Package, will link Bradley Stoke with Cribbs Causeway and Bristol city centre.

However, cost-savings over the years have seen the scheme stripped down to only having dedicated bus lanes along “critical” sections of the route, meaning that it will be susceptible to the gridlock events we now see on a regular basis.

Will the council’s strategy work? Read our special ‘traffic congestion’ feature on pages 15 to 18.

We deliver 9,150 copies of this magazine As well as being delivered to ALL of the 8,650 homes in Bradley Stoke, a further 500 copies of this magazine are delivered in the neighbouring area of Little Stoke. We also leave around 500 copies at public locations in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke, Patchway and Stoke Gifford.

Find out more and get interactive!

So that you can find out more about the topics included in this issue of the magazine and/or take part in online discussions about them on our website or Facebook page, we have set up an online reference page listing all the related links. Visit: http://bit.ly/bsj-mag-links or scan the QR code.

Get involved with your local newspaper!

If you have news that you would like to see featured in the magazine and/or on our website, please get in touch by email, phone or post (see contact details on the top left of this page).

We are also looking for people to get involved in the production of the town’s new local newspaper, so please contact us if you are interested in writing articles or taking photographs for us.

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November 2013

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3

News

Green light for new family restaurant & pub

P

lanning officers at South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) have granted permission for a new family restaurant and public house to be built at the Vantage Office Park in the south-east corner of Bradley Stoke.

The site, on the corner of Winterbourne Road and Old Gloucester Road (opposite the Amcor plant), is currently vacant but has outline planning permission for office use.

Brewing and management company Greene King has obtained permission to construct a 1,163sqm “amenity restaurant” that will operate under the Farmhouse Inns brand.

Permission was granted by officers under ‘delegated authority’ powers, as no objections to the scheme were received within the statutory period.

The company claims that up to 70 jobs will be created at the new

development, of which half will be part-time.

Vehicular access to the site will be via the existing access road into the office park off Old Gloucester Road. A total of 92 parking spaces will be provided, together with space for 20 bicycles.

Greene King says the new restaurant will be “predominately

a place to meet and eat”, with food representing 65 to 75% of sales.

“Distraction facilities” will be provided for children and there will be specific areas for informal business meetings.

The company avoided the need to provide an assessment of the impact of the new development on the vitality and viability of

nearby town centres (such as the Willow Brook Centre, home to a Harvester restaurant) by submitting its application before SGC’s Core Strategy, the district’s long-term planning blueprint for the period up to 2027, has been fully adopted. ● Discuss this story online at: http://bit.ly/bsj-mag-links

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November 2013

News

“Fairer fares” on First Group buses in Bristol “90% of passengers will pay an average of 27% less”

C

hildren and young people will benefit from lower fares on buses in the local area from Sunday 3rd November, following a fare review by First Group.

Passengers of all ages making short trips (up to three miles) will also see prices cut.

The review was triggered following a public campaign against the high cost of travelling by bus in the Greater Bristol area. First responded to the campaign by running a passenger consultation exercise, held from April to June, which attracted more than 7,500 responses.

As part of the changes, the existing three-stage fare zone structure across the city is being replaced by simple ‘inner’ and ‘outer zones’ – extending six and 12 miles from the city centre respectively.

Whereas Bradley Stoke was previously within zone 2, it now lies within the new inner zone, which also includes Aztec West and Cribbs Causeway.

Four singles fares

All fares within the inner zone will be charged based solely on the distance travelled from the boarding point. There will be four different single fares within the inner zone: • The ‘three stop hop’ - allowing people to travel up to three stops

for £1 (50p children, 70p young people) • A single ticket covering travel up to three miles from the boarding point for £1.50 (75p children, £1.05 young people) • A single ticket covering travel up to six miles from the boarding point for £2.50 (£1.25 children, £1.75 young people) • A single ticket covering travel beyond six miles from the boarding point, where the route remains within the inner zone boundary, at £3.50 (£1.75 children, £2.45 young people)

Return tickets withdrawn

Passengers will no longer be able to buy return tickets if they are only travelling in the inner zone. Instead, those people who previously bought returns will be able to buy lower priced single tickets, or a day ticket if they wish to make more than one journey.

Day tickets, allowing unlimited travel within specific zone(s) will be available as follows: • Inner zone only: £4 adults (£2 children, £2.80 young people, £8 families) • Inner and outer zone: £6 (£3 children, £4.20 young people) Young people aged 16-21 and full-time students will need to purchase an ID card (£10 annually) in order to claim the 30% reduction on adult fares.

Talking about the changes,

Short trips in and around Bradley Stoke will be cheaper from 3rd November

Paul Matthews, Managing Director of First West of England, said: “During the summer our transport consultants MVA have been analysing all the data that was collected as part of the fare consultation and they have been modelling a number of different outcomes for us. I am delighted with the final solution and am personally thrilled to know that 90% of our customers will pay an average 27% less for single fares than they currently do.”

Greater transparency

“Our new fare structure offers greater transparency for our customers. The cost of the journey is based solely on the distance covered. Children and young people benefit from significantly reduced travel costs, and the anomalies with some parts of outer Bristol being, perhaps unfairly categorised as Zone 3 to date, will be removed.

This makes the structure fairer.”

Cllr Brian Allinson, Chair of the West of England Joint Transport Executive Committee, said: “The West of England are grateful to First for listening to passengers, and for the changes they are making. Across the West of England we are working with all bus operators to get the best deal possible for passengers – and the more people who use the buses, the fewer cars there are on the roads – but we all have to be mindful of the need for bus companies to make money and be able invest in better buses for the future.”

“I look forward to the outcomes of the similar reviews in the reminder of the West of England. Once the changes bed in they should be easier for people to understand and I hope this simplification brings the introduction of a West of England smartcard closer.”

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November 2013

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News

Royal British Legion launches Poppy Appeal

L

ocal MP Jack Lopresti joined the Stoke Gifford Branch of The Royal British Legion (RBL) to launch their 2013 Poppy Appeal at Bristol Parkway Station on Friday 25th October.

The ceremony was also attended by Station Manager Linda Swainger and members of the Bristol Squadron of the RBL Riders (motorcyclists).

The local RBL branch will again be supplying its legendary knitted poppies which have been a great hit in recent years. Last year it sold 3,500 of them, raising thousands for the Poppy Appeal.

Parkway Station is one of the main sites for the branch’s fundraising efforts, along with Sainsbury’s supermarket in Stoke Gifford and the Willow Brook Centre in Bradley Stoke.

Branch members will be collecting at each of the three venues daily from 9am to 6pm

between Saturday 26th October and Sunday 10th November.

At 11am on Monday 11th November, two minutes silence will be observed at each of the collection points.

The Legion is always looking for volunteers for its work; if you are interested please contact John Moloney on 07802 535591.

Remembrance services

A remembrance service will be held at the Stoke Gifford war memorial on The Green, North Road at 10.20am on Sunday 10th November, followed by a church service at the Baptist Church in Rock Lane.

The Patchway RBL Branch stages its annual remembrance parade on Sunday 17th November. Those wishing to march should be at Waterside Drive no later than 10.15 am. The service takes place from 10.45am at the memorial in Rodway Road.

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BS34 near you tel 0117 969 7553

For a Lifetime of Health

Jack Lopresti MP (right) launches the 2013 Poppy Appeal at Parkway Station

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7

News

New car parking rules at Willow Brook in effort to improve shopping experience

T

he Willow Brook Centre in Bradley Stoke has introduced new regulations in an effort to free up parking spaces near the shops and deter long-term and overnight parking.

Signs announcing the new rules appeared around the car park at the end of September.

Two large signs on the access road into the centre inform drivers that a four-and-a-half hour maximum parking limit is in force and other signage around the car park (in the area around the recycling facilities and to the left of the main access route) define ‘staff parking areas’ or areas reserved for ‘staff and visitor permit holders only’.

Penalties of up to £100

Small print on some of the signs warns that anyone parking in a restricted area without a permit could be fined £100 (reduced to £60 if paying within 14 days).

They also advise that Automatic Number Plate Recognition (APNR) cameras and manual patrols are being used to enforce the rules.

Speaking about the recent changes, Willow Brook Centre Manager Scott Lahive told The Journal: “The system was introduced for many reasons, the first being that vehicle numbers are growing at a fast rate and parking near the main entrance

and trolley parks was becoming less likely for many shoppers.

“We employ over 1,000 people at the Willow Brook Centre so a lot of the spaces were being taken up are by staff members who work a considerable number of hours. Many people would have noticed that previously a large area of the car park at the top end was always empty. This section has therefore been put to better use as a staff parking area. On average this frees up over 150 parking spaces in the main car park at any time.”

“The four-and-a-half hour restriction has not caused any problems so far and no penalty notices have been issued.”

“There should be little or no impact on customers apart from

a positive, as parking at the front of the centre is now more achievable than ever before.

It has been staff members and tenants of the centre who have

had to adjust their routines.”

“They appreciate that they are providing their customers with better service by doing so. We’ve had no direct complaints so far.”

Indepe n Financ dent ial Advice

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November 2013

Letters and Opinions Councillors didn’t listen over green bins I write regarding the decision of South Gloucestershire Council to charge residents of Bradley Stoke, and, I understand, other areas, for emptying green bins.

When the consultation process was taking place earlier this year, I did point out that emptying bins was already paid for via council tax.

Obviously, the councillors responsible for this decision failed to read my comment.

I for one will be requesting the removal of my green bin next April and I will not require a compost bin either, as I do not have a garden. If we are to be charged, then I hope a reduction in council tax follows.

Anthony Blacker Bradley Stoke Ed: Green bin emptying will become an ‘opt-in’ service. If you don’t opt-in, your bin won’t be emptied and you won’t have to pay the £36 p.a. charge.

Do we have too many councils?

I agree with Fred Hillberg (July letters) that we have too many councillors on the gravy train. In fact we have too many councils!

I have lived here for over twenty years and have been asking for twelve of those years: “Do we need Bradley Stoke Town Council?”

Little Stoke, Stoke Gifford

and Bradley Stoke should be combined into one organisation as a ‘Stokes’ council, in order to save money and obtain a greater say within South Gloucestershire Council (SGC).

In fact we should scrap SGC, since it is too small to be of any use. Put us all back into Gloucestershire! We couldn’t get less of a service than now. It has taken SGC a year to fix one street light and it is impossible to get pavements and roads made safe.

I invite anyone to name any service which is better today than it was in 1994 under Avon.

The government has said there will be another year’s council tax freeze, so SGC is now imposing a stealth tax of £36 on the green bin. Or are they going to restore the weekly black bin collection, which we are still paying for?

P J Cook Bradley Stoke

Invitation to join a local Probus Club The Bristol Cabot Probus Club meets on the third Wednesday of each month at the Pavilion Suite, BAWA Leisure Centre.

Southmead Road, Filton Park at 12.30pm for lunch. After lunch we usually have a speaker, giving a talk on a wide variety of interesting subjects.

We enjoy an extensive programme of social events, including holidays, day trips, Sunday lunches and skittles, to which our ladies are invited.

The club’s objective is to provide a meeting place for

retired and semi-retired professional businessmen, where they may maintain contact and fellowship with people of similar interests. In June and December, the ladies are invited for lunch.

We are principally a social meeting place, and not based on charitable activities. We have a small number of vacancies at present. If you may be interested in joining us, please come along to a meeting or for further information on membership, please telephone the Secretary Bill Hodgson on 01454 884942.

Geoff Williams Bradley Stoke

Best bus service - ever I’m pleased that the 73 buses have started running along Baileys Court Road, with a ten minute frequency to Cribbs Causeway and Bristol city centre.

I’ve lived in Bradley Stoke for 24 years and the buses have never been this good. I for one hope they stay this way.

Kay Stevens Bradley Stoke

Fantastic response Did you read the letter in our October magazine from the widow (Irene) who had recently moved to Bradley Stoke and was feeling lonely and isolated?

She was looking to make new friends and get involved in activities for older citizens.

I’m delighted to report that no fewer than TWELVE people contacted us asking to be put in touch with her. All the replies

Your Views

Do you have strong views about something that’s happening in Bradley Stoke?

Want to pass comment on something you’ve read in The Journal or another publication?

Would you like to take the opportunity to thank someone for a good deed or praise an achievement?

Whatever you want to say, write to The Journal and we’ll get your message to everyone in Bradley Stoke.

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 telephone number with your letter, in case we need to contact you. have been forwarded to Irene and I understand she has already made a number of new friends in the local area.

It’s great to know that the Bradley Stoke Journal is making a real difference in our community.

Stephen Horton (Editor)

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November 2013

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9

News

Free November taster sessions available at the Stokes Art Group

T

wo years ago a call for local artists brought together around 20 residents keen to have an art group based in Bradley Stoke – and now, two years on, running both Tuesday and Thursday Sessions, the Stokes Art Group (SAG) is going strong.

During that time, the Stokes Artists have taken part in eight independently judged Themed Competitions; awarded their own annual ‘Jam Jar Prize’ for portfolio work (judged by Imaginations Fine Art Gallery and Framers of Patchway) and enjoyed seven whole-group art based evening events.

Members also contribute and feature in a quarterly online Art-

e-Magazine, and the group now has its own website.

Founder and Group Leader, Susan Hartry, said: “I am thrilled with how the group has settled into its paint-strokes with a friendly palette of artists, and although SAG is primarily for amateur to professional artists, some members are beginners or improvers who are inspired by, and learn from, our advanced artists’ willingness to share their extensive knowledge of art; and as we cover all media there is always help on hand.”

“The collections of artwork resulting from the set projects are amazing, and it’s a huge privilege to showcase SAG talent within the pages of our e-Magazine and

website - I love being part of it and look forward to leading the group into 2014 and beyond.”

Workshop sessions are held on Tuesday evenings and Thursday mornings at Christ the King Church in Bradley Stoke.

The group is not an instructional class - you need to take your own work and materials, and there is

an age restriction of 18+.

The Stokes Art Group is now recruiting membership for the 2014 Season, with FREE taster sessions available during November.

For more information visit the group’s website at www. stokesartists.co.uk – then to register an interest, email Susan Hartry at stokesart@fsmail.net

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11

News

Bradley Stoke in Bloom makes its mark

By Geoff Roach and Sara Messenger radley Stoke in Bloom (BSiB) is going from strength to strength with two recent big achievements.

We are taking part in the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) ‘In Your Neighbourhood’ scheme, which provides smaller volunteer-led community groups, such as ourselves, the opportunity to get involved with the wider Britain in Bloom initiative (which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year).

At the end of the summer we had our first assessment by the organisers, and were evaluated against the three core principles of the scheme – Community Participation, Environmental Responsibility and Gardening Achievement. We were delighted to learn that we’ve been assessed as ‘improving’, in essence level 2

B

of 5, despite us running for just a few months.

As many of you will have now seen, we’ve established floral displays at the town signs at either end of Bradley Stoke Way,

Funding win for M5 J16 improvements

Funding to help cut congestion at junctions 16 and 17 of the M5 has been given the green light.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced government funding for South Gloucestershire worth £1.7m as part of the national Pinch Points scheme, which will be added to existing council funding.

The total £2.4m scheme will add extra lanes on the junction roundabouts and will complement improvements that the Highways Agency are planning to make to the motorway slip roads at these two junctions.

Cllr Brian Allinson (Stoke Gifford), Conservative Lead Member for Planning and Transport, welcomed the news, saying: “I’m delighted that we have secured this funding because removing traffic bottle necks is how we can keep South Gloucestershire moving and help get people to and from work, which will help to power our local economy.”

Design work on the projects will be carried out this year and construction will start next year, with an estimated completion date of May 2015.

using wooden planters. They will provide colour through the seasons and an enhanced wildlife habitat. Local craftsman Julian Smith made the planters from recycled wood, which has given them their very individual look. Julian is happy to take commissions and can be contacted on 07500 293411.

The planters were installed during the afternoon session of our October workday, after the morning had been spent learning some First Aid. The training was provided free by the Bradley Stoke St John Ambulance group, so ‘thank you’ to Katherine, Selina and Clive, who gave up their morning to help out and also to the Aztec Hotel who generously gave us a free room.

To mark BSiB’s six-month anniversary, there will be a public

meeting at the Jubilee Centre on Thursday 26th November, starting at 7.30pm. We will be sharing our progress to date and our (ambitious) plans for the future. There will also be an opportunity for people to choose a logo and to say what improvements they would like to see in their town. Also if anyone would like to donate any plants or tools please bring them along on the night.

To help us grow and tackle more projects, we are keen to get more volunteers to help at our workdays (held on the third Saturday of each month). The meeting details are listed in the online ‘What’s On’ section of The Journal. The sessions run from 10am until 4pm, with a break for lunch.

The next session will be held in co-operation with the Three Brooks Conservation group, meeting on Saturday 16th November at the ‘tank bridge’ in Savages Wood, just off Ellicks Close. If you are able to come along and help you would be very welcome – feel free to bring your own hand tools and gloves if you have them, all other tools will be provided. Please bring a packed lunch (tea and coffee will be provided).

If you have any questions or ideas, please contact us at bsib@ hotmail.com or leave a message on 07582 634107.

We also have a new Facebook page: ‘Bradley Stoke in Bloom’ and soon we will have a website: bradleystokeinbloom.com

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Around the schools by Judith Summers of Bradley Stoke Radio Bradley Stoke primary schools

Bowsland Green held a Harvest Festival where children were encouraged to bring flowers to donate to nominated grandparents to thank them for all they do. Extra flowers were also distributed to local senior citizens’ residential homes to brighten up their day.

Year 3&4 also took part in a tag rugby tournament held at the Aretians RFC ground in Stoke Gifford. The tournament was a great success and all the children enjoyed the opportunity to learn with other local schools. They had photographs taken with Bristol Rugby Club players and walked away with a fair play award.

Bowsland Green’s Winter Fair will be held on Thursday 21st November between 3.45pm and 6pm.

Meadowbrook have also been busy at sport with their Year 3&4 team also playing in the South Gloucestershire Tournament at Aretians RFC. They performed superbly and won four games out of the five they played, only missing out on the semi finals by try difference. They also managed to meet a few of the Bristol RFC team and have their photos taken with them.

The Year 3&4 and Year 5&6 teams also played in a local festival at BSCS. Again, they represented the school extremely well and played some very good rugby. The Year 5&6 team won their festival

and the Year 3&4 team came second, losing narrowly in the final against Wheatfield.

Year 3&4 team: Austin, Chloe, Jack, James, Katie, Archie, Finley, Bailey and Matthew.

Year 5&6 team: Jason, Carlos, Adam, Jalen, Patrick, Katie Dr, Katie De, Mackenzie, Daniel W, Kian and Thomas.

Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) On Saturday 12th October, BSCS students Charley Wright, Sam Badcock and Aaron Whyte performed live at Tortworth Court at ‘The Star Ball’, in memory of former BSCS student Ryan Abrahams. The event was organised to commemorate Ryan Abrahams who would have been celebrating his 18th birthday on October 15th, but sadly passed away. The students all dressed up for the event and played their hearts out in a fitting tribute to Ryan.

The Bradley Stoke Radio Schools Show covers all schools in the local area and beyond.

We play children’s music and have children reading their poems, topic work and stories - in fact anything they feel they want to share. It is aired on Monday evenings during term time, between 6pm and 7pm. To find out how to listen in, visit www.bradleystokeradio.com

November 2013

Recent town council decisions

• £4,000 is to be spent on purchasing two Public Access Defibrillators, which will be sited at the Jubilee Centre and Baileys Court Activity Centre.

• A working group is to be set up to look into the possible formation of a Youth Development Trust.

• The town council is to allow hot air balloons to be launched from Jubilee Green. Pilots will need to have £1 million of liability insurance and be qualified for flying in congested areas. Morning ascents before 8.30am will not be permitted.

• The wooden floor in the Oak Hall at the Jubilee Centre is to be replaced at a cost of £5,800.

• Up to two food vendors are to be allowed to operate from the car park at each of the council’s three activity centres, thereby “offering residents a wider choice of multi-cultural takeaway food facilities at the same time as offering an extra income stream for the council”.

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November 2013

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13

News

Wide margin victory for Tory candidate in Lakeside by-election

C

onservative candidate Benjamin Randles ran out an easy winner of the by-election in the Lakeside parish ward of Bradley Stoke, held on Thursday 10th October.

Mr Randles, with 253 votes, finished well ahead of Derrick Powell (UKIP), with 97 votes, and Sarah Drake (Liberal Democrat), with 72.

The Labour Party did not put up a candidate.

With 1,972 people entitled to vote, the turnout was 21.8%.

The by-election was called after Charlotte Walker, last year’s Mayor of Bradley Stoke, resigned her seat because she no longer lives in the town.

It was the third parish byelection in Bradley Stoke since the May 2011 elections and is likely to have cost the town’s ratepayers around £4,800 to stage.

Winning candidate Benjamin Randles said: “I would like to say thank you to all the people who came out and exercised their right to vote and to all those who voted for me. I would also like to thank all the Conservative Party members who have supported me throughout the campaign and worked tirelessly to help get me elected. I’m honoured that the people of Lakeside have put their trust in me and I look forward to working for them on the council.”

Local UKIP councillor Ben Walker said: “The local branch would like to thank all their supporters and voters for this by-election and again demonstrate they are the opposition to the local Tory party.”

“It’s only a matter of time before UKIP Filton and Bradley Stoke change the shape of the local town councils and will continue to shine a light on the poor representation currently on offer to the electorate.”

“Our candidate, Derrick Powell, would also like to add his thanks and will continue to support the community through his involvement with the Lakeside Residents’ Association and the local community speed watch team.”

Former Liberal Democrat councillor Jon Williams told The Journal: “I am surprised that voters are still prepared to support the Conservatives in Bradley Stoke after the cuts they have made to community development and youth work in the town. These by-elections, caused by the resignation of Conservative councillors, cost the tax payers thousands of pounds, money that could well have been spent on our community.”

“The next full elections are due in 2015 and I hope that the current councillors (despite their

WANTED

Benjamin Randles (left) is congratulated by Conservative Party constituency chairman Cllr Trevor Jones after the by-election count

shortcomings) will remain in place until then.”

The by-election result means that the political make-up of Bradley Stoke Town Council has

been restored to its state prior to Ms Walker’s defection from the Tories in May – with twelve Conservative members and three from UKIP.

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November 2013

News

Plans for new skate park backed by South Glos committee

T

enders for the construction of a replacement skate park on a new site within the grounds of Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre could be sought within months after the project received the backing of South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) Policy and Resources Committee.

The future of the skate park had been in doubt after Circadian Trust, which runs the leisure centre on behalf of SGC, said there would be no space for it after an expansion of the centre that is planned to take place in 2015.

The skate park was originally designed to have a five year life, and the equipment is wearing out. However, Bradley Stoke Town Council (BSTC), which has responsibility for maintaining the park, has been reluctant to invest because of the uncertain future of the site.

A breakthrough was achieved earlier this year when Circadian agreed a new site for the skate park following talks with SGC and a working group of Bradley Stoke Town Council.

The new site is located close to the existing park, on an area of grass north of the overflow car park (see plan). It will be accessed from the footpath off Fiddlers Wood Lane, thereby addressing Circadian’s concerns about children’s safety within

the leisure centre car park (there have been three recorded accidents in recent years).

The young people who use the park have aspirations for its replacement to be constructed predominately from concrete and would like to see at least part of it covered with a “roof”, so that they can continue to use it when it rains.

Graham Baker, BSTC’s Youth Participation Worker, has already been in contact with four skate park construction companies (1Skateparks, Wheelscape, Maverick and Gravity) and some of them have already visited the new site to assess it and discuss potential layouts with the users.

Mr Baker told last month’s meeting of the BSTC Leisure, Youth and Amenities Committee that initial discussions had indicated the need for an additional 5 metre strip of land in order to accommodate a medium sized park that would meet young people’s aspirations and the possibility of obtaining this will now be discussed with SGC and Circadian.

BSTC has initially agreed to spend up to £2,850 to cover the cost of a geotechnical survey of the site and obtaining preplanning application advice from SGC. It is hoped that money from SGC’s New Homes Bonus fund

Current skate park

New skate park

can be used to help cover the construction costs.

In a joint statement, local Conservative councillors Sarah Pomfret and Brian Hopkinson (Bradley Stoke Central & Stoke Lodge) and John Ashe and Rob Jones (Bradley Stoke South) said: “The existing skate park has served local young people well over the years, but the equipment is wearing out

and so we need to help secure better facilities.”

“Once resolved, this could be a major win-win for Bradley Stoke – a flagship new skate park on a new site to serve local youngsters, thus freeing up the space needed to create extra capacity at the leisure centre so it’s less crowded for existing and future users.”

Youth Participation Worker Graham Baker with skate park design brochures

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November 2013

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15

Feature: Traffic Congestion

Town gridlocked three times in a fortnight

R

oads in Bradley Stoke were completely gridlocked for hours at a time on three separate occasions within the space of a fortnight during October, frustrating commuters and people attempting to make local journeys within the town.

In each case, accidents and roadworks on routes elsewhere in North Bristol seemed to have a knock-on effect that paralysed the traffic in Bradley Stoke.

On the morning of Monday 14th October, the problems were believed to have been caused by the combined effect of lane closures at the A38/Hayes Way junction near Rolls-Royce and a closure of the M4 in Wiltshire.

A week later, on Monday October 21st, there was once again gridlock during the morning rush hour, this time caused by a lorry or transporter getting stuck under the railway

Gridlock on Bradley Stoke Way near the Willow Brook Centre on 14th October

bridge near Parkway Station.

In the same week, the evening rush hour on Thursday 24th October was affected by an accident on the M4 between

junctions 19 (M32) and 20 (Almondsbury Interchange).

The incidents have led many people to question whether the area’s road system will be able

to cope with all the development planned for North Bristol over the coming years.

South Gloucestershire Council is adamant that it can, but only on the assumption that there will be a 125% increase in the number of people using public transport by 2031.

Critical to that assumption is the successful introduction of the North Fringe to Hengrove bus rapid transit scheme (part of a proposed MetroBus network) that will operate along Bradley Stoke Way and the Stoke Gifford By-Pass (due to open in 2017).

The importance of the MetroBus scheme was made crystal clear last month to Patchway residents fighting to have Highwood Road re-opened to general traffic a year after it was converted to a bus-only route. ● Read more about the Highwood Road meeting on page 16 and about MetroBus on page 18.

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November 2013

Feature: Traffic Congestion

Patchway road must stay closed to ease congestion in Bradley Stoke Unrest at council meeting after hundreds demand re-opening of Highwood Road

S

outh Gloucestershire councillors have decided that Highwood Road, a major route through Patchway before it was converted to a busonly corridor in October 2012, will remain closed to general traffic indefinitely, despite the protests of thousands of local residents who said the closure was making their lives a misery by forcing traffic onto smaller roads.

The decision was made at a fractious Full Council meeting held at Patchway Community College on Wednesday 16th October, attended by around 700 members of the public.

Conservative and Liberal

Democrat councillors argued that keeping the route bus-only was essential to the success of

A neighbouring councillor’s view on the “Battle for Highwood Road” “The council must gain much more respect from the community it serves” The closure of Highwood Road, Patchway to vehicular traffic, except taxis and buses, affects the surrounding area as well as Patchway.

On perceiving the massive audience at the Community College, I could see the impact the closure had on the local community. It was the largest audience I had ever seen attending a Council meeting.

As a Councillor at nearby Filton, I knew only too well the impact a dissatisfied community can have on decisions made at Council.

They had their reasons to object and they did so tenaciously.

Speaking at the meeting at Patchway, I wanted to express my views and those of my colleagues. As neighbours we share the concerns of Patchway, as indeed Patchway shares with us the heartbreak over the

closure of our airfield.

I gathered from speaking at the meeting that South Gloucestershire Council has acted independently of the community’s point of view.

They have underestimated the impact the decision was going to make.

I feel they must now readdress the issue and arrive at some sobering manoeuvre that can relieve the anguish the closure has caused.

Patchway, and indeed the surrounding area, will not forget this meeting. The Council must gain much more respect from the community it serves.

the £102 million North Fringe to Hengrove (NFHP) MetroBus scheme, which will link Bradley Stoke with Bristol city centre from 2017.

Labour councillors described the 18-month experimental closure of the road as a “sham” used to “cynically placate” concerned residents and demanded that the road be reopened “as speedily as possible”.

A report by council officers published ahead of the meeting quantified the potential fall in projected passenger numbers on the bus rapid transit scheme that would result from Highwood Road being re-opened at between 7% and 10% (for the Cribbs Causeway to Bradley Stoke section of the route), which it was claimed would make the scheme less

attractive to bus operators.

Re-opening the road would also have forced the council to make a second change to their bid for central government funding, with no guarantee that this would be approved and the possibility of support being withdrawn, it was claimed.

Following the decision, councillors were booed and heckled by members of the public and a team of private security guards had to be deployed within the hall to maintain order.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Brian Allinson (Stoke Gifford) Conservative Lead Member for Transport said: “I’m pleased that this Labour threat to the MetroBus rapid transit system has been defeated because the scheme is essential for the transport needs of communities like Bradley Stoke, Downend and Emersons Green who have to put up with traffic congestion on a daily basis.”

Liberal Democrat Councillor Pat Hockey added: “We aren’t talking about a few buses.

We’re talking about integrated transport for the West of England, and a crucial part of that is the MetroBus – this is a critical part of an integrated transport system.”

“We don’t have a plan B, we don’t have any other shovelready scheme.”

“Dealing with the traffic congestion in the Greater Bristol area is critical to the economic well-being of not only the whole of Bristol, but the whole of the south west.”

Cllr Douglas Daniels Filton Town Councillor & resident of Bradley Stoke

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November 2013

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17

Feature: Traffic Congestion

Councillors fear Stoke Gifford By-Pass will bring increased traffic to Bradley Stoke Way Mayor asks South Glos to improve roundabouts

T

own councillors in Bradley Stoke say they fear the opening of the Stoke Gifford By-Pass (planned to be completed in 2017) will result in considerably more traffic using Bradley Stoke Way, despite assurances to the contrary by experts at South Gloucestershire Council (SGC).

A presentation given to the town council’s Planning Committee in June saw SGC predicting a “marginal” increase in traffic flows along most of Bradley Stoke Way during the morning rush hour, and even

a decrease in flows on some sections during the evening peak.

But committee members expressed doubt about the figures, claiming that Bradley Stoke Way would become “a relief road for the A38”, especially after the construction of thousands more homes on the Filton Airfield site.

SGC’s calculations assume a massive shift from private car usage to public transport, justified by the planned introduction of a new bus rapid transport system that will operate between Cribbs Causeway and

South Bristol via the city centre.

The new service (known as MetroBus), which is expected to start in late 2017, will run along Bradley Stoke Way and connect with the new by-pass at Parkway North. After passing the University of the West of England on Coldharbour Lane, it will access the M32 at a new bus-only junction off Stoke Lane.

A new northbound bus lane will be constructed on Bradley Stoke from the Willow Brook Centre up to the Aztec West Roundabout on the A38. Shorter sections of bus lane will be constructed on the approaches to other roundabouts on the route.

A proposal from Mayor Brian Hopkinson that the town council write to SGC asking for improvements to the Patchway Brook (Aldi) and Aztec West roundabouts was unanimously supported by the Planning Committee in August.

In reply, Steve Evans, SGC’s Director of Environment and Community Services, says

current highway guidelines prevent the extension of yellow boxes on the Patchway Brook Roundabout (a measure apparently suggested by Cllr Hopkinson during a site visit).

Mr Evans goes on to say that the “difficulties at Patchway Brook Roundabout at peak times appear to result from the capacity issues at the Aztec West Roundabout”.

Mr Evans’ letter concludes: “Capacity improvements at the Aztec West Roundabout remain one of the priority schemes that SGC are considering and we are working with a number of partners to help identify and realise funding to help achieve this.”

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November 2013

Feature: Traffic Congestion

MetroBus: What is it and how will it help?

What is MetroBus?

The MetroBus (rapid transit) network is three interlinked bus routes: Ashton Vale to Temple Meads, North Fringe to Hengrove Package and South Bristol Link.

MetroBus will be an express service, separate from general traffic in places, with faster and more reliable journey times.

MetroBus is one part of a comprehensive integrated transport strategy for the South West that aims to reduce car dependency and congestion with: • Passenger transport improvements (including MetroBus and new bus links) • Measures to improve cycling and walking • Traffic and parking management • Improvements to rail via MetroWest MetroBus has been designed to link and connect with existing rail and bus services. It builds on the £80 million investment in the Greater Bristol Bus Network and is part of an integrated approach to travel investment in the area.

High quality experience

The new MetroBus (rapid transit) network will offer a high quality experience, the service will be reliable and easy to understand.

MetroBus is a new way of travelling and will transform public transport across the West of England.

Modern buses

MetroBus vehicles will be environmentally friendly modern vehicles that meet European emission standards. The vehicles will have high-backed leather seats and free WiFi. Each vehicle will have Real Time Information to let you know what the next stop is.

Distinctive bus stops and dedicated bus lanes

Operational from: End of 2017

Journey time - Bradley Stoke to city centre: 26 minutes

MetroBus stops will be clean and distinctive with CCTV and Real Time Information screens that let you know when the next bus is due.

To make MetroBus journeys quicker, stops will be further apart than on standard bus routes. Dedicated bus lanes with priority at junctions will also prevent the MetroBus being delayed.

10-minute frequency 7am-7pm New branded buses Smartcard ticketing

Off-bus ticketing makes boarding much quicker

MetroBus vehicles will have offbus ticketing so there’s no need to buy a ticket on the bus.

You will pay for your journey with a smartcard or by purchasing a ticket from a bus stop ticket machine, this will make boarding the bus much quicker for passengers. These tickets will also allow you to connect and use them on other bus and rail services across the West of England.

Find out more at: www.travelwest.info/metrobus

Kumon’s maths and English study programmes work to unlock your child’s potential, building their confidence and independent study skills. Take advantage of our Free Assessment and see how Kumon can benefit your child.

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November 2013

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Jobseeker Help Desk

19

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk

with Karen Dean from Destiny CV

How smart is your CV? Welcome back! I’m Karen, from Destiny CV. I’m here to help you market yourself more effectively to potential employers.

This month we’re focusing on how to make your CV smarter.

When you’re creating your CV, you may think you can simply regurgitate your life history, employment history, education and so on, and, hey presto, it’s done! But it’s just so-o-o-o not.

Consider the employer who is recruiting for a sales assistant in a computer hardware shop. The assistant is required to possess ‘the ability to advise customers appropriately on choosing a new PC and other technological devices’.

Imagine that your background is in sales, but in retail outlets including clothing, supermarket, CDs/DVDs. You haven’t worked in computer retail, however, you do have several at home.

You have a highly technical mindset and are fascinated by technology. Your other gadgets include a smartphone, an iPad and a Wii/PlayStation. Family and friends often rely upon your advice when

The

Olympus Academy Trust

purchasing their own technological wizardry.

You would so totally love this job! But will your one-size-fits-all CV secure that highly desirable interview?

Unlikely… because the focus is on your previous jobs, not your personal experience outside of work. Yet your personal experience is a fundamental requirement of the job role. So how do you draw their attention to this?

Well – by thinking smarter – consider including it in your profile at the top of your CV, where it will be instantly visible to the recruiter. Describe how your interest in and your personal experience of technology would make you the ideal choice to advise their customers – at the same time as enhancing the company’s reputation for outstanding customer service!

For more Eureka! moments, visit my website www.destinycv.co.uk or see my advert on page 30 and let’s get started!

Next instalment: How to stay motivated.

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November 2013

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News Bradley Stoke Beat Team Introducing PC Jamie Shiels I’m pleased to be joining the Bradley Stoke Neighbourhood Team, replacing PC Steve Palmer, who has moved to the nearby Stoke Gifford and Little Stoke beat.

I have 15 years’ police service, having joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 1998. I worked in the Hornsey and Tottenham areas until 2002, when I transferred to Avon and Somerset Police.

Chard, in Somerset, made quite a change from London!

I’ve been based at Filton for two years now, first as a patrol officer responding to 999 emergency calls and lately as the neighbourhood PC for Severnside.

During the Olympic Games last year, I was one of the Avon and Somerset officers called on to support colleagues from Dorset at the events at Portland.

My background came in very useful for this as I was in the merchant navy for nine years prior to joining the police.

When I took over the Severnside beat in the summer of 2012 I found that one of the main problems was the issue of horses being left without the authority of landowners – known as fly-grazing.

Landowners were concerned and local

Bradley Stoke Journal: 1,845 fans

New to Bradley Stoke: PC Jamie Shiels

people were worried because the horses were breaking free and getting onto the highway.

We worked with South Gloucestershire Council and other agencies to tackle the problem, and just last week magistrates issued five-year Anti-Social Behaviour Orders to two men aimed at preventing these problems.

Now I’m really looking forward to working with the other members of the Bradley Stoke neighbourhood team and getting to know people on my new beat.

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November 2013

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Quiz Quiz for all, No. 2 (easy/hard, old/new) Another ‘just for fun’ general knowledge quiz, compiled by local Mastermind contestant Paul Philpot. Answers on page 25.

1. In February 2013, it was confirmed that the remains of a body found in a Leicester car park, were that of which English King?

2. Which Essex seaside resort is renowned for having the longest pleasure pier in the world?

3. What was the nationality of the astronomer Anders Celsius, after whom a temperature scale is named?

4. Which Bristol music venue was originally brought to the city under the name of ‘The Old Profanity Showboat’?

5. Elected formally in January 2013, who took over from Rowan Williams as the new Archbishop of Canterbury?

6. Which American author is famous for writing the classic novel, ‘The Great Gatsby’?

7. Taken from the Arabic meaning ‘lawful’, what is the name given to food and drink that Muslims are allowed to consume under the Islamic Shari’ah?

8. Running (on and off) between 1955-2007, which familiar TV show’s theme tune was composed by Laurie Johnson and had the title ‘Gala Performance’?

9. Which particular part of the body is affected by the condition known as pyorrhoea?

10. In which Middle Eastern country is the port of Mocha, from where the coffee bean takes

its name?

11. Famous for her ‘Noughts and Crosses’ series of books, what is the name of the current Children’s Laureate?

12. Which English city is home to De Montfort University?

13. Which LA Galaxy striker became the Republic of Ireland’s most capped player in June 2013?

14. The Irish singer/songwriter, Enya, was a former member of which Irish folk band, that provided the TV themes to ‘Robin of Sherwood’ and ‘Harry’s Game’?

15. On a computer, what function is performed by pressing the ‘Ctrl’ and ‘Z’ buttons together?

16. The SS Great Britain was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and was used for the Great Western Steamship Company’s transatlantic service.

This service ran between Bristol and which US city?

17. Onika Tanya Maraj is the real name of which Trinidadian-born singer and rapper?

18. In which US state is the Grand Canyon located?

19. What type of popular foodstuff is Kielbasa in Poland and Kovbasa in the Ukraine?

20. In which decade of the 20th century did the following happen: The first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix, AA Milne first publishes ‘Winnie The Pooh’ and the actor Peter Sellers is born?

Prize quiz question

from Paul Philpot

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Whether you’re an avid wordgamer or just enjoy revelling in the quirks and curiosities of the English language, The Chambers Dictionary is your ultimate companion.

Find out more at www.chambers.co.uk Q. Another word for a Dictionary is a ‘Lexicon’. In 1982, which British group released the number one album, entitled ‘The Lexicon of Love’?

Answers to: 83 Snowberry Close, Bradley Stoke, BS32 8GB OR competitions@bradleystokejournal.co.uk A copy of Chambers Dictionary will be awarded to one winner, randomly selected from the pool of correct entries received by the closing date of 27th November 2013.

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Read Paul’s blog at www.justquiz.org

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22

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November 2013

Little Stoke News

Music Rules at Little Stoke Primary School

By Margaret Qoura very year the Rotary club of Bristol Aztec sponsors a Music Rules day for children from local special needs schools.

The morning of Thursday 3rd October emerged dull and gloomy, in sharp contrast to the cheerful scene at the South Gloucestershire Music Hub and Little Stoke Primary School Hall. Music Rules day had come at last and children were arriving for a day of exciting musical experiences.

There was a computer generated garage band where children laid down tracks, wrote songs and played with song ideas; there was a Mixman activity where students experimented with scratching, mixing and recording their own music using simple controls; there was a drum workshop where the children beat drum call and response patterns associated

E

with South American rhythms; there was a Poco Drom workshop in which children created and performed songs about nature.

The main highlight was a Hawaiian musical experience where the children dressed up in colourful shirts, grass skirts and leis. They learnt a festive song and accompanied it with instruments such as Hawaiian drums and ukeleles, and experienced the sounds of a slide ukelele, to make the distinctive sliding scales which you associate with Hawaiian music.

It was wonderful to see the children experimenting and discovering the possibilities for themselves, to share in their joy as they tried out and succeeded with skills that in some cases they had never achieved before.

A great celebration concluded the day and the children all chorused that Music Rules OK! If you would like to find out

All dressed up for the Hawaiian musical experience

more about the activities of The Rotary Club of Bristol Aztec, the Rotary Club which serves Bradley Stoke and the surrounding area, or be associated with activities such as this one, or

The Stokes through the camera lens by Becky Ward

O

n 14th September, I attended the opening of the newly refurbished ‘Stokes’ youth club. The evening was attended by local and district councillors, youth workers and users of the youth club held before the building was refurbished.

The evening played host to various activities such as water rockets, a ‘future tree’, lessons from a professional DJ in the main hall, various games and a free barbecue for all who attended.

The large main hall has access to an outdoor space, and a room with comfy arm chairs, a mixer, PA speakers and projector for use as a ‘chill out zone’.

The newly refurbished centre features a pool table and table football in the foyer.

There is also a fully furnished recording studio, boasting a separate room for the band, and an up-to-date studio desk.

The event concluded with several speeches, then it was left for everyone to enjoy their new facilities.

It’s good to see such a well used youth facility being brought up to date when many other local facilities are closing down and the evening I attended was incredibly busy and very well supported by a wide range of age

enjoy the fellowship of Rotary Friday morning breakfasts, please access our website www. rotarybristolaztec.org.uk or contact the club secretary on 01454 610777.

Opening of The Stokes Youth Centre

groups who seemed to really enjoy all the new facilities that have been provided as part of the extensive refurbishment program.

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

November 2013

Fitness Focus

t: 01454 300 400

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk

with Craig Rimmer

Are you training hard, eating right, but not losing the fat you should be?

This month, I will tell you how to avoid five critical fat loss mistakes you may have overlooked.

You may be deficient in vitamin D3: A vitamin D deficiency is associated with greater fat mass in all ages, races, and both genders. Raising vitamin D levels to the adequate range through supplementation can lead to fat loss.

You aren’t restricting carbohydrates enough: It is a scientific fact that lowcarb, high-protein diets are effective for fat loss. However, depending on your sensitivity to carbs, you may have to drastically restrict your intake in order to lose fat. For best results, restrict carbs to that from vegetables. Eliminate all grains—whole and processed.

Make sure you are eating whole foods and eliminating processed and packaged foods.

You’re too stressed: This is a big one! The effect of stress is often under-appreciated for its role on metabolism.

Chronic stress is one of the most important issues to address if you’re not losing fat.

Your training is poor or involves too much cardio: Doing steady-state cardio is ineffective for fat loss, and if done excessively it can cause over-training and produce a fat-storing hormone response.

In addition, over-training and under-training are common obstacles to weight loss. If you’ve been training too much volume for too long, you may need to back off to reset the body and let your adrenals recover so that fat loss can

occur. On the other hand, if your workouts are casual, have long rest periods, aren’t particularly challenging, or don’t make you sweat, you probably are not giving it all you could in the gym.

You have a food intolerance: A food intolerance can impede fat loss because it leads to inflammation in the gut—a critical part of metabolism in the body. Gluten and dairy are common food intolerances, that when eliminated, results in fat loss.

Craig Rimmer is a Personal Trainer from Filton who works at Anytime Fitness Bradley Stoke. t: 07841 712955 e: info@theptacademy.com w: www.theptacademy.com

23

Council offers community grants South Gloucestershire Council is offering voluntary organisations and community groups a chance to bid for money to help improve their own communities.

Applications must be for revenue projects that would benefit South Gloucestershire residents. These grants are designed for voluntary and community groups that want to develop projects and provide activities that meet local needs, such as community safety, developing communities, enhancing the natural and built environment, children and play, learning activities, promoting equality, supporting vulnerable people, sports or art and culture.

Groups can apply until Monday 18th November and final decisions will be made in February and March 2014.

More information is available at www.southglos.gov.uk/grants or by contacting the grants helpdesk on 01454 865865.

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24

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November 2013

Ask the Doctor with Dr Norman Douglas of Bradley Stoke Surgery The Beautiful Body Our bodies are fantastic no matter what size or shape.

They have the capacity to do almost anything we ask of them.

Unfortunately, sometimes our bodies and our minds break down. Sometimes due to trauma, sometimes due to infection and sometimes due to inherent malfunctions, clogging up of vital transport pathways or excessive input of materials, both physical and mental.

The great thing about our body is that it will normally heal itself with time. When we get viral infections, as long as these don’t damage our organs, the body will fight the virus and we will get back to normal. If we cut ourselves or break a bone the body heals itself with some help with stitches or immobilisation.

The body is fantastic at this.

So why do we need doctors?

The main reasons are to help your body do all this healing.

To reassure you that with time your body will have fought off the infection which is attacking it and occasionally to join in that battle using the drugs which have been found to be helpful. They also arrange for removal of diseased bits of the body which are starting to take over and then arrange a clean up of any residual diseased bits.

They also unclog tubes, bowel and arteries, so that the normal flow of necessary materials can occur. They replace hormones and other essentials that may be deficient and add in chemicals if the body hasn’t the capacity to make them.

Probably the most important thing a doctor does is to keep the

body in tip top shape so it can do it’s healing effectively. We try to prevent the onset of problems and infections using vaccines and modifying agents.

If we look after our bodies they will have the best chance of doing their healing well. They may need to be serviced and checked over occasionally with some preventative input just in case. One will occasionally need reassurance and advice that one is doing the right things, but a well kept body will need less intervention and will always last longer.

All this leads us to the flu.

This is a viral infection which your body will be able to fight in most cases. Those bodies which are more vulnerable may not have the capacity to fight the flu so this is why we try to prevent

it in those people using the flu vaccine. If you do get the flu with symptoms of chills, fevers, muscle pains, headache, tight chest and severe fatigue and if you are fit and well you need to rest, take plenty of fluids and use Paracetamol or Ibuprofen, if not contraindicated, to relieve temperature and pain. Your body will do the rest.

Let’s keep the body beautiful.

Dr Norman Douglas www.bradleystokesurgery.co.uk

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November 2013

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25

Competition

Photo puzzle: Win a £50 Argos voucher Enter our Bradley Stoke photo puzzle for a chance of winning a £50 Argos voucher, kindly donated by the Willow Brook Centre in Bradley Stoke.

Each of the photos shows a bus stop somewhere in Bradley Stoke.

Your task is to find the official name of each of the stops, as displayed on the sign at the stop.

To enter, send us the four bus stop names by the closing date of 27th November 2013.

The prize will be awarded to one winner, randomly selected from the pool of correct entries received by the closing date.

The puzzle solution and prize winner will be announced on our website and in the December edition of the magazine.

The editor’s decision is final.

1

2

3

4

Entries to: 83 Snowberry Close, Bradley Stoke, BS32 8GB OR competitions@bradleystokejournal.co.uk

Bradley Stoke Journal Quiz answers (see page 21) 1. Richard III 2. Southend 3. Swedish 4. The Thekla 5. Justin Welby 6. F.Scott Fitzgerald 7. Halal 8. This Is Your Life 9. Gums 10. Yemen

11. Malorie Blackman 12. Leicester 13. Robbie Keane 14. Clannad 15. Undo (last command) 16. New York 17. Nicki Minaj 18. Arizona 19. Sausage 20. 1920s

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26

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November 2013

News

Festive Fun at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway

T

he Saturdays will be switching on the Christmas Lights at The Mall on Thursday 7th November. The band are set to perform their well-known hits and songs from their new album “Living for the Weekend” to a crowd of up to 10,000 people. As a ticket only event, The Mall is giving away tickets every day from The Mall’s Information Desk until Thursday 7th November. Following from last year’s successful event with JLS, The Mall is hoping to raise £20,000 to support Help for

Heroes with a suggested £2 donation per ticket.

After the Christmas Lights Switch-On, The Mall will be opening its Winter Wonderland.

Skate on the South West’s largest outdoor ice rink from £5 per child and £6 per adult (including skate hire). For younger children, the nursery ice rink offers a safe environment with ice marshals on hand to help those less confident on the ice.

Santa’s Enchanted Ice Castle offers the opportunity to meet Father Christmas, tell him your

Opens 7th November Christmas wishes and receive a special gift! Tickets cost £4 per child with no additional costs for accompanying adults.

Santa’s reindeer will be making a special appearance at Winter Wonderland on Sunday 10th November. Arriving on his sleigh at 9.45am, his reindeer will stay until 2pm.

The Christmas train will run

inside The Mall and tickets can be purchased from the train’s driver for £2 per ride.

The Winter Wonderland opens on Thursday 7th November at 8pm. Thereafter, it will be open every day until Sunday 5th January, excluding Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Tickets are available to purchase at www.mallcribbs.com

Established 20 Years PROUD OF OUR WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP The Covey Nursery and Pre-school is a small, family run business offering fun-filled, High Quality Care and Education for the Children of the Community in a safe and secure environment.

THE COVEY CHILDCARE LTD Unit 4 & 6 Baileys Court, Webbs Wood Road, Bradley Stoke, Bristol, BS32 8EJ Tel – 0117 9794190 Nursery 0117 9311999 Pre-school Email – sheila@coveynursery.co.uk Please visit our Website for more information www.coveynursery.co.uk FULL TIME OFFER!!

Only £200.00 per week Full day £50.00 – 10 hours – including Lunch and Tea Open Monday – Friday 8am - 6pm Open all year except Bank Holidays and Christmas WORKING ALONGSIDE THE EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE Experienced and Qualified Nursery Nurses (Staff to Child Ratio – 0-2 years 1:3 / 2-3 years 1:4 / 3+ years 1:8) Fully Insured / Ofsted Registered / Healthy Eating Award Various Childcare Voucher Schemes Accepted (Including the Nursery Education Grant) Automatic place to Pre-school (when place is available)

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November 2013

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27

News

Rotary club efforts benefit hospice

Knitivity on Tour – More information at: www.facebook.com/KnitivityOnTour2012

T

he Rotary Club of Bristol Aztec’s fundraising efforts in the local community have raised £1,000 for St Peter’s Hospice, Bristol’s only adult hospice caring for local people with life-limiting illnesses.

Representatives from the charity were presented with their cheque at a Rotary Club breakfast last month.

Rotarians at the breakfast were treated to a presentation by the Knutty Knitters group, who attracted media attention last Christmas when they took a life-sized set of knitted nativity figures on tour around the Bristol area to raise money for St Peter’s Hospice.

The ‘Knitivity’ scene was

created in memory of Christine Walsh, a founding member of the Knutty Knitters, who died of bowel cancer at St Peter’s Hospice in December 2011 The knitters, made up of Alison Spurrell, Jean Richards, Anne Iles, Eileen Agnew, Pat Dardis and Julia Worth, all worked together, along with Christine, at St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School in Monks Park and started knitting together in their spare time.

Before Christine died, it was decided that the Knitivity would be their next project and the group decided to carry on and do it in aid of St Peter’s Hospice.

A total of £7,750 was raised during last year’s Knitivity tour and the group are hopeful of

breaking the £10,000 mark this Christmas. New figures being added to the ensemble this year include a camel, a donkey and an angel.

The Knutty Knitters are also hoping to raise more money this year through the sale of knitted Christmas bunting, novelty hats for children and miniature Knitivity sets.

Available now: Knitivity Christmas cards

Christmas cards (normal size!) are £4 for a pack of 10. Available to order online or from the St Peter’s Hospice shop at Unit 3, Baileys Court, Bradley Stoke.

Telephone: 0117 931 1045 The 2013 Knitivity Tour is scheduled to be at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway from 18th to 20th December and at the Asda store at Cribbs Causeway from 21st to 24th December.

The Rotary Club of Bristol Aztec meets every Friday for breakfast at the Bristol Golf Club, St Swithins Park, Almondsbury. www.rotarybristolaztec.org.uk

Petra Littlefair of St Peter’s Hospice receives a cheque for £1,000 from last year’s Rotary Club of Bristol Aztec president Phil King

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November 2013

What’s On

Cancer advice session at library

N

ovember is cancer awareness month in South Gloucestershire Libraries. Throughout the month, libraries will be hosting Macmillan advice sessions, exhibitions of information about quitting smoking and mood boosting books recommended by people who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Macmillan’s cancer information and support specialists will be trialling a new programme of sessions at six libraries in South Gloucestershire. If successful, the trial, which runs throughout November and aims to provide support to people affected by cancer in their community, could be extended into the future.

Michelle Smith, one of Macmillan’s cancer specialists who will be running the sessions, says: “At the moment, one in three of us will get cancer, but it affects our friends, family and carers, too. That’s clearly a huge number of people who need our help and support. We can offer free, confidential advice and support to anyone who visits us in the libraries, and no appointment is needed.”

Martin Burton, Manager of South Gloucestershire Libraries,

says: “Local libraries have always been a handy source of freelyavailable, impartial information.

It’s great that Macmillan is able to come out into the community and raise awareness of the support available to people affected by cancer.”

Michelle adds: “Cancer is the toughest fight many people will ever face, and the feelings of isolation and loneliness that so many people experience make it even harder. But you don’t have to go through it alone. The Macmillan team is with you every step of the way. If you have any worries or questions about cancer, whether it’s about you, a relative or friend, come and talk to us in one of the libraries.”

The session at Bradley Stoke Library will be held between 2pm and 4pm on Thursday 7th November.

If you cannot visit the unit when it comes to the library but have questions about cancer, you can call Macmillan free on 0808 808 00 00 or log on to www. macmillan.org.uk

This month’s special events in Bradley Stoke The town council’s annual firework display takes place at the Jubilee Centre on Sunday 3rd November. Entry is free, but a collection will be made for the Mayor’s charity fund. Visitors are asked to walk to the event or park at the Willow Brook Centre.

Children’s favourite Mike the Knight is the main attraction at the Willow Brook Centre’s

Christmas lights switch-on event in the Town Square on Saturday 16th November.

Entertainment starts at 2pm and the lights will go on at 5.30pm.

Bradley Stoke Radio will be hosting the event, providing festive entertainment live music, including a performance by the Bradley Stoke Community Singers at 5.45pm.

Bradley Stoke Journal

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November 2013

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What’s On Sunday 3rd November 9am: Severnside Ramblers’ Walk: Pill. Along Avon to Suspension Bridge, up Nightingale Valley and quiet lanes/paths back. A walk of about 10 miles. Meet in the Aldi car park – a car-sharing scheme is operated. More info: http://bit.ly/bq1Hxd [Further walks on 10th, 15th, 24th & 29th November and 1st December] 10.30am: SCC Medium Distance Cycle Ride to Siston Common. A medium ride that will be on both roads and cycle paths and will be approximately 25 miles round trip. More info: http://bit.ly/bsj-scc [Further SCC rides on 10th, 17th & 24th November and 1st December] 4.30pm: Bradley Stoke Fireworks Display at the Jubilee centre. Gates open at 4:30pm. Hot food served from 4:45pm. Firework display starts at 6pm. More info: http://bit.ly/ bs-fireworks

Monday 11th November 6.30pm: Bradley Stoke Small Business Forum Meeting at the Aztec Hotel. We meet once a month to network, share skills and information, discuss a range of business related topics and support each other. New members and visitors are always welcome. More info: http:// www.bssbf.co.uk/

Tuesday 12th November 2pm-4pm: Volunteering Drop-in Session at Bradley Stoke Library. Interested in

volunteering? Then why not pop in for an informal chat with a volunteer advisor? More info: http://bit.ly/u8CsVN 7.30pm: Willow Brook Townswomen’s Guild meets at the Jubilee Centre. Make new friends, get to know our area and get involved in local events and activities. We have interesting speakers, demonstrations, outings, arts and crafts and much, much more. This month: Demonstration - “how to make a fascinator”. More info: 01454 617645; http://bit.ly/17LsCDQ

Wednesday 13th November 2pm: Bradley Stoke Women’s Institute (WI). A forward thinking, diverse and vibrant organisation that enables women to be listened to and act upon our concerns. We are always pleased to welcome visitors at our meetings, so please come along and see us – it might be just what you are looking for! This month: “Girl Guiding with Memorabilia”

by Rosalind Abbott. More info: Innes Cole 0117 904 1940

Thursday 14th November 7pm: Safer and Stronger Community Group Meeting at Baileys Court Activity Centre. Opportunity to discuss local community issues and hear presentations on topical matters. Attended by representatives from South Gloucestershire Council, Avon and Somerset Police, Avon Fire & Rescue, Primary Care Trust and Bradley Stoke Town Council. More info: http://bit.ly/bs-sscg

Saturday 16th November 10am-4pm: Bradley Stoke in Bloom Workday. (Check BSJ website for location). Anyone interested is invited to come along.

Please bring gardening gloves; tools will be provided. More info: bsib@hotmail.co.uk 2pm-6pm: Christmas Lights Switch-On at the Willow Brook Centre. Come and see Mile the Knight at intervals between 2pm and 5.30pm. Lights switch-on at 5.30pm. Hosted by Bradley Stoke Radio (from 2pm) with festive entertainment and live music.

More info: http://bit.ly/THvUfr

Monday 18th November 1.30pm-3.30pm: Sew and So’s at the Jubilee Centre. Patchwork and quilting group. If you are interested in joining our group, whether you are a beginner or experienced, please come along.

Wednesday 20th November 7.30pm: BSTC Full Council Meeting at the Jubilee Centre.

The full town council of all 15 councillors meets six times each year. It deals with all council business (other than planning issues), including recommendations from its various working committees and ad hoc groups. The press and public are welcome to attend.

Come along and have your say during the 15 minute public session at the start of the meeting.

Agenda: http://bit.ly/8y63mM

Friday 22nd November 9am-2pm: Bradley Stoke Farmers’ Market at the Willow Brook Centre. Producers from

the surrounding countryside bringing a wide selection of locally grown/produced wares.

More info: http://bit.ly/aZSWPA

Tuesday 26th November 6pm: South Gloucestershire Cycle Forum at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre. We’d like you to be involved in increasing the level of cycling in South Gloucestershire. Why not participate through the cycle forums? Each forum meeting has a session devoted to promotion issues and a session for technical issues - for example cycle lanes, cycle tracks etc. More info: http://bit.ly/Tb3IDZ 7.30pm: Bradley Stoke in Bloom Meeting at the Jubilee Centre. We will be sharing our progress to date and our (ambitious) plans for the future.

There will also the opportunity for people to choose a logo and to say what improvements they would like to see in their town. More info: http://on.fb.me/1aL1MHm

Saturday 7th December 10am - 4pm: Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group Workday. All workdays start at 10am and finish at 4pm, but you are welcome to leave earlier if needed. Wear old clothes and stout boots and bring a packed lunch. We provide all the equipment needed plus the essential tea, coffee and biscuits!

More info: http://bit.ly/bOxe9s Follow @TheBSJournal on Twitter to receive reminders about Bradley Stoke events.

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November 2013

www.bradleystokejournal.co.uk JOBSEEKER SERVICES

HAIRDRESSERS

TAXIS

BEAUTY SERVICES

CAKE MAKERS & DECORATORS

CARPENTERS & JOINERS

Sweet Tracey Cakes Stoke Gifford - Bristol

Wedding Cakes, Cake Pops, Cupcakes and all types of Celebration cakes, all beautifully handmade to order. www.sweettraceycakes.co.uk Contact Tracey on: 07821 436907 Email : sweettraceycakes@yahoo.co.uk LAUNDERETTES

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Mon - Fri 10am to 4.00pm, Sat 10am to 1pm.

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Hedge Cutting/Grass Cutting Weeding/Garden Clearance Strimming/Small Trees Lopped Fence Painting/Winter Leaves Cleared Excellent rates and a free quote Friendly and trustworthy service (special rates for pensioners) Please call on me on 07804 608053 or e-mail at profgarden60@yahoo.co.uk

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DIRECTORY OF ADVERTISERS Accountants KES Accountancy Services, Page 4 TJS Business Solutions, Page 18 Cake Makers & Decorators Sweet Tracey Cakes, Page 30 Carpenters & Joiners Stowells Carpentry & Joinery, Page 30 Caravan and Motor Home Servicing Bristol Caravans, Page 25 Carpet Cleaners B Clean, Page 30 Child Care The Covey Nursery, Page 26 Chiropractic Cool Green Planet, Page 5 Cleaning & Domestic Services Classic Cleaning, Page 8 Felina Contract Cleaning, Page 20 Computer Services JRT Computing, Page 4

Cycle Repairs

Ride On Cycles, Page 11 Domestic Appliance Repairs Kitchen & Laundry Appliance Care, Page 18 Double Glazing Associated Windows, Page 12 JDC Windows, Page 28 Driving Schools Visit directory on BSJ website Education & Learning Kumon Study Programme, Page 18 Electricians Visit directory on BSJ website Estate Agents Freeman Residential, Page 13 Ocean, Page 1 Garage Services Filton Central Garage, Page 29 Gardening Services Plan-It Garden Design, Page 8

Hairdressers

Peachy Stylist, Page 30 Reflections, Page 3 Home Improvements Dream Doors, Page 20 Phoenix Carpet & Flooring, Page 23 Quality Bathrooms & Kitchens 4U Page 9 Launderettes & Dry Cleaners Wash Shop Plus, Page 30 Legal Services Hutchinson Legal & Associates, Page 10 Mortgages & Financial Advice Aspirations Financial Advice, Page 7 The Mortgage Market, Page 1 Nails & Beauty Beauty Secrets, Page 30 Opticians Specsavers, Page 17 Pet Services Friends for Pets, Page 21

Physiotherapy Bradley Stoke Physio, Page 15 Picture Framers Royall Framing, Page 27 Plumbing & Heating Phil Ashton Plumbing , Page 26 Richard Joseph, Page 7 Hotels, Pubs & Restaurants Hilton Hotel, Page 10 Shopping Gardiner Haskins, Page 6 The Mall at Cribbs Causeway Page 31 The Willow Brook Centre, Page 32 Slimming Clubs Cambridge Weight Plan, Page 13 Sport and Leisure Filton Golf Club, Page 24 Get Tough Bootcamp, Page 21 Taxis Bristol Parkway Taxis, Page 30

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LARGEST OUTDOOR

ICE RINK IN THE

SOUTH WEST Opens 7th November

• • • • • •

Over 1000m2 Ice Rink Nursery Ice Rink Santa’s Enchanted Castle Christmas Train in The Mall Café and Viewing Area Guaranteed Snow!

Tickets and details from mallcribbs.com

WINTER

WONDERLAND OPENs 7th nov

The Joy of Christmas Shopping

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18/10/2013 16:24

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

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Come to our

switch on

Saturday 16 Nov from 2pm

Hosted by Bradley Stoke Radio

Lights switch o at 5.30 n pm

on stage from 2pm

Festive Entertainers Live Music

Come and see Mike the Knight at intervals between 2pm - 5.30pm

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willowbrookcentre.co.uk