January 2015

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

January 2015 • Issue 21

LETTERS P8 | SCHOOLS P13 | QUIZ P25 | POLICE P29 | WHAT’S ON P37 | DIRECTORY P38-39

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

BRISTOL NORTH FRINGE

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PLUS , IN YOUR 40-PAGE BRADLEY STOKE MAGAZINE

PREPARE FOR A WHOLE YEAR OF ROADWORKS IN 2015! Pages 6 & 7 Bus service problems

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Jan - Dec Christmas productions

J92041 AF brad stoke DEC Promo Advert_Layout 1 10/12/2014 10:11 Page 1 “More resilient” timetables needed P18 Photos from the local schools

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One FREE workout per person during clubs MANNED hours for first time guests only. FREE workout must be booked prior to visit. Claimannts must be 18 years or over. Anytime Fitness reserve the right to refuse visit. Valid at Participating Clubs only.

l Residents may have to pre-register before using council’s Sort It sites l Yarn bombers decorate streets for Christmas l Councillors banking on sustainable transport for Cribbs/Patchway l New Year cheer for hundreds still waiting for faster broadband l Mystery “explosion” noise traced to fireworks at firm’s Christmas party l Leaflet distribution problem ruins “unwanted” green bin collection l Local sporting heroes honoured by council l Young chefs battle for Rotary Club crown l Marie Curie Cancer Care fundraising group launched in The Stokes l Wheatfield’s ‘Wild Wood’

EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES FOR JANUARY 2015 REDWOOD FARM IN CRIBBS CAUSEWAY Our brand new pub will be opening early 2015 and we are looking for energetic, reliable people to join our friendly team and share in our success.

COME ALONG TO OUR OPEN DAY AT BRADLEY STOKE LEISURE CENTRE WED 14TH JANUARY, 8.30AM - 8PM Our team will be pleased to discuss the opportunities on offer.

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We look forward to meeti For further information please email:

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REDWOOD FARM

January 2015

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News

Residents may have to pre-register before using Sort It sites

L

ocal residents may soon have to pre-register details of their residency and motor vehicles before being allowed entry to Sort It recycling centres in South Gloucestershire, such as the one in Station Road, Little Stoke.

The proposal is one of many cost-saving ideas put forward by officials at South Gloucestershire Council, in an attempt to deliver £36m of savings between now and 2020.

If approved by councillors following a period of public consultation that runs until 14th February, the scheme would require residents to provide proof of residency, as well as vehicle make, colour and registration

number. On entering one of the sites, a vehicle’s registration number would be checked against the database and, if not registered, the driver would be asked to leave.

In justifying the pre-registration proposal, the consultation document states: “The council provides Sort It centres so that our residents can dispose of their household waste, paid for through the council tax you pay.

Unfortunately, we get a significant number of users from outside South Gloucestershire using the sites who do not contribute to the running costs of the service or pay for the disposal of their waste.”

“We estimate that a 5% reduction in the number of visitors using our sites could

The Stoke Gifford Sort It Centre in Station Road, Little Stoke

reduce our running costs by £75,000 per year.

Other measures proposed in the consultation document include requiring owners of vans and other types of “business use” vehicles to apply for a permit, charging for the disposal of “non-household” items including plasterboard, hardcore and tyres and reducing opening days and hours.

Council officers believe that a total of up to £400k of savings could be made annually by ”varying the service provided” at

its four Sort It centres (the others being in Mangotsfield, Thornbury and Yate).

The Little Stoke Sort It centre is already closed on one day a week (Wednesday), a measure introduced in 2011 when opening hours at the other three centres were extended by around 25%.

Further information about the consultation is available at www. southglos.gov.uk/consultation, by emailing consultation@ southglos.gov.uk or by phoning the council on 01454 868000.

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January 2015

Happy New Year from the Bradley Stoke Journal!

Contact Us Find us on Facebook: BradleyStokeJournal

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

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas. We had hoped to include a ‘Review of 2014’ in this edition, but sadly, time and space constraints prevented it. Nonetheless, I have included my favourite news photo from 2014 below, for your renewed amusement. Do you remember when cows running through the streets of Bradley Stoke hit the national headlines? Thanks again to Andy Hipkiss for the picture.

Stephen Horton, Editor P.S. Our Facebook page has just hit 4,000 fans. Thanks for your support.

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, the Stoke Gifford Journal website and the Filton Journal website.

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

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

Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor or article author. © North Bristol Press 2015. Content published in our magazines or on our websites may not be reproduced in any form without our express written permission.

As well as being delivered to ALL of the 8,650 homes in Bradley Stoke, a further 800 copies of this magazine are delivered in the neighbouring areas of Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. We also leave around 550 copies at public locations in Bradley 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.

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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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January 2015

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News

Yarn bombers decorate streets for Christmas

The team behind the recent ‘Bobbly Stoke’ yarn bombing stunt put up Christmas decorations on lamp posts in Pear Tree Road and on roadsigns on Patchway Brook Roundabout. Did you spot them?

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1. M32, Junction 1 £0.4m scheme to install a pedestrian/cycle crossing facility across the southbound entry slip of the M32 Junction 1. Scheduled completion date January 2015.

Works to remove the existing bus gate began on 3rd November. Estimated completion of the scheme including the pedestrian/cycle crossing is February 2015.

2. M5, Junction 16 £1.25m scheme to widen the roundabout carriageway as part of a joint programme of works with the Highways Agency to improve traffic flow issues and provide additional capacity for the future.

Construction work to widen north side of circulatory carriageway in progress, with an estimated completion January 2015. Works to widen the A38 southbound approach to commence in January 2015 with an estimated completion of April 2015.

3. A38 Gloucester Road Nth £2m scheme to improve traffic flow and increase capacity by extending the two-lane northbound approach to Filton Roundabout by widening the carriageway on the east side.

Consultation on this scheme was undertaken in March 2014. Scheduled completion date July 2015.

Utilities diversionary works are in progress, with an estimated completion of March 2015.

Widening works will follow with an estimated completion of July 2015.

4. Gipsy Patch Lane / A38 £0.9m scheme to improve traffic flow and increase capacity by extending the twolane westbound approach to the A38. Scheduled completion date March 2015.

The new widened footway/ cycleway on the north side is complete. Work to widen the road on the south side is in progress with an estimated completion of the end of March.

t: 01454 300 400 5. A4174, Filton Rbt £0.8m scheme to improve traffic flow and increase capacity by extending the three-lane westbound approach to Filton Roundabout by widening the carriageway.

The widening of the A4174 Link Road is complete. The final road surface will be applied with the major resurfacing of the Filton roundabout in spring 2015.

6. Bristol Road, Hambrook £1.3m scheme to improve pedestrian and cycle crossing facilities at the A4174 Hambrook Junction. Includes major resurfacing of the Bristol Road on the Frenchay side of the Ring Road. Scheduled completion date June 2015.

The traffic lights were upgraded in the first week of September.

Widening works on the Bristol Road are severely behind programme due to the delays in the diversions of public utilities.

Works will be suspended from 12th November 2014 until 5th January 2015. Significant highways and drainage works still remain, therefore the works will not be completed until June 2015. The part of Bristol Road to the north of the junction will be closed to northbound traffic during the Easter holidays 2015 to allow widening works at the narrowest part of the road and will also be closed closer to completion of the works to enable full surfacing of the new carriageway. Two-way traffic flow will remain during all other periods.

January 2015

7. A38 Aztec Roundabout MetroBus: Road widening for new bus lanes (a) Between Bradley Stoke Way northbound and A38 southbound and (b) Between the roundabout and the Woodlands Lane junction on Bradley Stoke Way. Planned start: April 2015 Planned end: September 2017 8. Bradley Stoke Way, between Aztec West Roundabout and Patchway Brook Roundabout MetroBus: Road widening for new bus lane on Bradley Stoke Way northbound.

Planned start: April 2015 Planned end: December 2016 9. Bradley Stoke Way, between Great Meadow Roundabout and Great Stoke Roundabout MetroBus: Road widening for new bus lane on Bradley Stoke Way southbound.

Planned start: April 2015 Planned end: January 2017 10. A4174 Hambrook Junction to Frome Bridge MetroBus: Road widening for new bus lane on A4174 eastbound.

Planned start: May 2015 Planned end: April 2017 Sources: • Highways Department, South Gloucestershire Council • Planning application for the North Fringe to Hengrove Package MetroBus

For updates, visit: www.southglos.gov.uk/nfringeworks

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January 2015

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News

Prepare for a whole year of roadworks in 2015!

R

oad users in North Bristol look set to be plagued by a whole year of major roadworks if, as expected, the North Fringe to Hengrove Package MetroBus project receives final approval from the Government in early 2015.

In February 2014, South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) announced an £8m package of major road and cycle route improvements designed to help to tackle traffic congestion and increase the capacity of the road network ahead of the development of the planned Cribbs/Patchway New Neighbourhood during the coming decade.

At the time, SGC said that Government support for the schemes required them to be completed by March 2015, but it is now projecting completion dates as late as July 2015 (see info panels on facing page).

The construction of bus lanes in Bradley Stoke for the MetroBus project could start as early as April 2015, meaning that there will be little or no respite after the current set of roadworks on the A38 at junction 16 of the M5 are completed (currently also scheduled for April 2015).

Bristol North Fringe: Major roadworks planned during 2015

2 7 8

For details, see facing page

Bradley Stoke

Patchway

9 4

Stoke Gifford

5 3

1 Filton

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Adult singing workshop The Stokes Singers will be holding an adult singing workshop on Saturday 31st January at Coniston Community Centre, Coniston Road, Patchway BS34 8LP, from 2pm until 4.30pm.

Acclaimed teacher Wendy Sergeant will be guiding everyone through music she has chosen.

Wendy’s workshops are extremely popular and have an excellent feel good factor.

Tickets cost £5 including refreshments and must be booked in advance by contacting Liz on 01454 614148.

Send us your news!

February magazine Deadline for contributions: Monday 19th January To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

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January 2015

Letters and Opinions “Ineptitude” of failed green bin collection Thanks to the Journal, I have had my green bin collected today, but only because I received my Journal on Friday and read the news section about the collections.

The article states that details would be provided by South Gloucestershire Council on a leaflet distributed a week prior to collection. I received nothing and judging by the small number of bins put out on my street, my neighbours didn’t either; only those who had read their Journal in time knew of the collection.

I did see a lorry collecting a large number of bins near Baileys Court Road, so maybe some residents received leaflets.

This leaves the question of how many households were not notified and are left with a bin they don’t want taking up valuable space on their property?

What will the council do about it – return to each house

individually as and when residents complain, or leave the bins for months until a second collection can be arranged?

What is certain is that the council’s inability to ensure that their leaflets were properly distributed will result in further costs to the district’s residents.

We can only hope they learn from complaints received now, before this ineptitude spreads to the whole of South Gloucestershire and causes further misery and cost to residents.

R Carpenter Bradley Stoke

Public consultations “a complete farce” MetroBus consultation? What a complete and utter waste of time!

If the ‘public consultation’ over the closure of Highwood Road is any example, these exercises are a complete farce, with South Gloucestershire Council purely going through

the motions to appear to be a democracy. If the outcome is against what they have already decided, it is completely ignored.

The decisions have already been made and it is cut and dried. Let’s not pretend any longer, we no longer have a democracy, but a dictatorship under a different guise.

Bradley Stoke Town Council is no different, as we discovered with the so-called consultation over the defunct tennis courts at Brook Way. They have completely ignored the results, to suit their own means.

They have forgotten long ago that they are supposed to be servants of the public and instead treat the public as servants of The Party. In this case, the Conservatives.

Fred Hillberg Bradley Stoke

Whatever happened to bus inspectors?

Twice this week, on Wednesday 10th & Friday 12th December, the 17.20 X73 to Bradley Stoke has failed to turn up, leaving a bus stop full of regular passengers (myself included) having to wait till Wednesday at 17.50 & Friday at 18.00 ( 17.50 10 minutes late).

I’ve never ever seen one First Bus inspector checking on the buses in 18 months of regularly using the service.

Also, last night the X74 left early at 17.22, which would have been an option for me, but I had already made the decision to wait for the x73 which never showed!

This is the first time I’ve written in regarding the poor service.

Thank you for the campaign you’re running on behalf of the residents of Bradley Stoke.

Adrian Gregory Bradley Stoke

Neighbour’s hobby was a life-saver Cold wet frosted grass and we are on our hands and knees searching. A new hobby, or just a case of feeding the birds gone wrong?

As my wife was scattering bird food, her wedding ring flew off her finger and decided to play hide and seek. It won!

Eventually, we had to give in, it had gone. Despite assurances – “I’ll get you another, it’s just a bit of metal” – she was still unhappy.

Apparently, after 43 years, she still liked it.

That evening our neighbour Nick, who is a metal detector enthusiast and a member of SHRADS, came in with his magic wand thing and within minutes, even in the dark, had located the errant ring and it was back on her finger. Thank you Nick, my life is safe again.

The SHRADS Metal Detecting Club offers a locate and recovery service to farmers and anyone in the community who requires assistance. The service is free and is given in the spirit of service to others.

Contact with the club can be made via www.shrads.org.uk Robin Young Bradley Stoke

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January 2015

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Letters and Opinions

In Brief

Problem solved: Apprentice let down by bus service seeks daily lift to Charfield

Lions Club Santa Sleigh collection raises £856

The letter below was placed on the Bradley Stoke Journal website at 7.28pm on 9th December. By 10.21pm, we learnt via The Journal’s Facebook page that local resident Jon Bessant had contacted Adam and offered to help him out starting the following Monday!

I am a 16-year-old apprentice living in Bradley Stoke but working in Charfield. I have to make the daily journey to Charfield by bus. I have been catching buses to Charfield since September and the services are never good.

My previous bus service (310/311) was revoked by First Bus and they put the 82 service in its place. Ever since this, I have been waiting for up to an hour or more some days just for the bus to arrive. If the bus does come so very late, it sometimes terminates at Yate and I have to pay for another bus.

This week [ending Friday 5th December], four journeys out of six have not arrived at all. On return journeys, I’ve often had to travel to Cribbs then catch another bus back to Bradley Stoke due to no 82 arriving. I cannot go on using these services as it’s affecting my apprenticeship.

Is there anyone living in Bradley Stoke who travels to the Charfield/Wotton area on work days who would be able to give me a lift?

I am willing to pay and my start/finishing times are flexible.

Adam Bradley Stoke

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The Journal made First Bus aware of Adam’s letter A First West of England company spokesperson said: “We owe Adam, and others like him, an apology. There has been a problem with Service 82 and this is something we are looking at, with a view to resolving it as soon as we can.”

“It’s really disappointing that Adam has felt that he had to find other means to get to and from his apprenticeship.”

“We will do all we can to try and resolve the issues with this service – and others in the area – with a view to tempting him, and others, back to the bus as a means of getting around the area.”

Adam: Thanks for all the help and offers. I now have a lift share with someone who works at Renishaw.

Buses out of the ‘Inner Zone’ certainly are not worth trying to use on a day to day basis. Many thanks to all.

Excited faces at windows, groups of children with their parents on the pavement – it had to be the Bradley Stoke Lions escorting Santa Claus’ sleigh round the houses.

To see the pleasure that the sleigh’s visit spreads is wonderful and the generosity of our residents was so much appreciated. Our buckets were very heavy.

The Lions’ Christmas collection raised £856 and will be used to help those in need in our community. Lions take nothing for administration so it all will help. A very big thank you.

Robin Young

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January 2015

Feature: Transport Strategy Councillors banking on “sustainable” modes of transport to prevent gridlock when 5,700 new homes are built at Cribbs/Patchway A joint statement by Cllrs Brian Allinson (Conservative), Pat Hockey (Lib Dem) and Roger Hutchinson (Labour), lead members of South Gloucestershire Council’s Planning, Transportation and Strategic Environment Committee

T

he Cribbs/Patchway new neighbourhood is set to be a major feature of the North Fringe in the coming years.

By 2027 it will provide 5,700 new homes, together with a new Enterprise Area linked to Filton’s world-class aerospace sector.

It’s a rare opportunity to create a sustainable, attractive new community, right in the heart of the West of England’s economic powerhouse, and it’s important we get it right.

Top of many people’s to-do list is transport, and that’s understandable. The North Fringe already has very busy roads, thanks to its vibrant economy, and the prospect

of thousands of new vehicles arriving with the inhabitants of the new neighbourhood is daunting. Traffic congestion hampers economic development, reduces the quality of life for residents and harms the environment. If the new neighbourhood is going to work, we need to offer new residents viable alternatives to the private car and, ideally, we need these alternatives to be in place before they move in.

We’ll do this in a number of ways. First, we’ll ensure through the planning process that all development prioritises sustainable types of transport, such as walking, cycling and

public transport, over the private car. Second, we’ll make sure that the new neighbourhood offers a genuine choice of travel modes – one size won’t fit all, and we’re investing in a range of transport options to make sure that individual needs are catered for. And third, wherever possible we’ll link transport provision to the neighbourhood’s development phases, working with developers to ensure that new residents can make the best travel choices right from day one.

Cycle routes and footpaths

Walking and cycling will be a big part of these plans, as the most healthy and environmentallyfriendly ways to get about for short journeys. The North Fringe already benefits from a growing network of cycle routes thanks to initiatives such as the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, and the new neighbourhood will add to these with a comprehensive network of high quality cycle and pedestrian paths. We want to make it easy and attractive for people to choose to walk and cycle, especially to their place of work, as part of a package of measures to reduce traffic congestion and promote healthier lifestyles.

L-r: Cllrs Allinson, Hockey & Hutchinson

Bus and rail services

At the same time, we recognise that walking and cycling alone will never meet all of our transportation needs so we also have comprehensive measures in place to promote public transport use. Bus travel will be key to this, and we will build on previous investment in the area – such as the £80m Greater Bristol Bus Network – with new local bus services and routes running within 400m of every home in the new neighbourhood.

Bus travellers will also benefit from the new neighbourhood’s connections to the multimillion pound MetroBus regional ‘rapid transit’ network, which is expected to be up and running within the next few years.

MetroBus will be a different kind of bus service, with fewer stops, faster boarding and more frequent services providing direct and reliable connections between the West of England’s main employment and residential areas. The network’s North Fringe to Hengrove route is set to begin in 2016, and will be extended by 2019 to run directly through the new neighbourhood ensuring that residents have even easier access to these fast, reliable services.

Rail will also play an important part in the new neighbourhood’s sustainable transport mix and

JACK LOPRESTI MP

Member of Parliament for Filton and Bradley Stoke

Jack has surgeries on Fridays at locations across the constituency – please make an appointment: 01454 617 783 or jack.lopresti.mp@parliament.uk Jack’s drop-in constituency office is at 2B, 1st Floor East, The Willow Brook Centre, Savages Wood Road, Bradley Stoke, BS32 8BS Open 9-6 weekdays To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

January 2015

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Feature: Transport Strategy

News

Artist’s impression of proposed development on the former Filton Airfield

Save your used postage stamps!

land has been set aside for two new rail stations at Filton and Henbury as part of the West of England’s ambitious MetroWest programme. It’s anticipated that by the early 2020s these stations will be served by hourly passenger services running on a reopened Henbury line and we’re fully committed to making this happen as a key part of our transport strategy for the new neighbourhood.

Government investment

Could these rail services be brought forward to start any earlier than currently planned?

We’re keen to get the Henbury line up and running as soon as we can and we’re actively exploring ways to do this.

However, we have to be realistic.

The service will depend on significant investment from central government and other sources, and we have to work to their timescales. We also have to recognise that the business case for the service will depend on progress with the new neighbourhood – without this development there just won’t be sufficient passengers to justify reopening the line.

Finally, the new

neighbourhood will also benefit from measures to improve the local road network and improve traffic flow, which will be good for bus services as well as car drivers, and make the road safer for cyclists and other users.

We’re investing millions in schemes to increase capacity at some of the key junctions along the A38 and the majority of these will have been completed before the new neighbourhood’s residents begin to move in.

In this way, we aim to make sure that when householders begin to arrive at the new neighbourhood they will have a wide, and growing, range of sustainable transport options available to them, linking them to bus and rail networks throughout our region. This is our vision, and it has been developed through extensive discussion and debate with local people and our neighbouring authorities. We believe it offers the best possible solution to the transport challenges of the new neighbourhood and we’re determined to make it work, for the benefit of the whole of the West of England. ● Visit: www.southglos.gov.uk/ cribbspatchwaynn

As part of their Rustle, Bustle & Squeak badge, local Rainbow Guides are collecting used postage stamps to help save albatrosses.

The stamps are sent to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), which sells them to raise money for ‘tori-lines’, a bird scaring device which encourages the birds away from fishing nets.

Last year the girls collected enough stamps to buy one device and they hope to collect enough stamps this year for a second and are appealing for your help to help them reach their target.

Please trim 1/4” around the stamps and take them to Bradley Stoke Library, where there is a collection box.

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January 2015

News

New Year cheer for hundreds still waiting for faster broadband

D

ecember finally brought some good news for scores of residents in central Bradley Stoke who had been waiting for months to be able to place an order for superfast broadband after their lines were re-routed into a new fibre-enabled street cabinet back in September.

As reported in our December magazine, frustrated customers within the postcode areas said by South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) to be served by cabinet no. 31 (located on the corner of Brook Way and Savages Wood Road) had complained that they were still not seeing the elusive Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) service in their BT Broadband Availability Checker result, which is a prerequisite for ordering superfast broadband from any

internet service provider (ISP).

In an attempt to spur SGC and BT into action, The Journal asked residents affected by the issue to supply their landline numbers so that they could be forwarded to SGC for investigation and details of five customers unable to order superfast broadband were duly passed on to the council officer overseeing the SGC broadband project on 15th December, with a copy of the email also being sent to the council’s chief executive, Amanda Deeks.

Ordering at cabinet no. 31 now possible for all?

Remarkably, within less than 12 hours of sending the email, all five customers confirmed to The Journal that the FTTC service had suddenly become available for them and they had been able

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to order superfast broadband from the ISP of their choice.

Other readers who had also been unable to order also reported on the BSJ website that they had now been able to do so, with installation dates promised for the first week of January.

Journal editor Stephen Horton commented: “I’d like to think The Journal deserves some credit for this breakthrough (which comes almost three months after the cabinet was declared “live and ready for service” by SGC), but it may, of course, be just a random coincidence that BT finally corrected its database hours after we sent the email.”

A day later, a BT spokesperson provided the following statement: “The number of homes that are served off this cabinet has been increased and as a result our records needed to be updated.”

“There are occasions when a delay can occur between the time that a premises is recorded as being served off a specific cabinet to when it shows up on the system as being ‘ready to place an order’. This delay explains why the premises that were brought to our attention were unable to place an order.”

“We would like to apologise for this delay and assure residents that this matter has now been resolved. Residents being served off cabinet no. 31 should now be able to contact their

communication provider and place an order.”

In other developments, the first customers on new cabinet no. 30 (at the top end of Bradley Stoke Way, near the Hilton Hotel) reported being able to place orders on 15th December, although SGC is yet to officially declare this cabinet “live and ready for service”.

Orders being taken again at cabinet no. 44

There has also been some good news for customers on cabinet no. 44 (junction of Ellan Hay Road and Baileys Court Road), which is part of BT’s commercial rollout programme. Town councillor Ben Randles, who lives in Juniper Way, reported on Twitter on 16th December that he had finally managed to get superfast broadband installed via this cabinet. Cllr Randles and a number of other residents in the area had previously reported that they were unable to order because BT was saying the cabinet was “temporarily out of capacity”.

Enquiring on behalf of another customer on cabinet no. 44, located in Tarragon Place, The Journal was initially told by a BT spokesperson that it was

20% discount from BS32 postcode area when mentioning this advert on booking

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January 2015

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Your comments (on the Bradley Stoke Journal website) Hisham (Hawkins Crescent): Following my note to the Bradley Stoke Journal I checked the ADSL checker again today after work and found that I can also order fibre broadband. The order has gone in with BT infinity and the projected install date 6th January.

Finally got somewhere! I would recommend anyone who still can’t order fibre, and is connected to cabinet no. 31, to contact the Bradley Stoke Journal and ask for help.

I am confident that without the BSJ’s support I would still be waiting!

Thanks for all your help. Roll on finally joining the 21st century!

Drtbz (Linden Drive): Just ordered from cabinet no. 31 via EE on the 76Mbps package as the BT checker is saying I should be able to get approx 70Mbps. My router is quoted to arrive in the next two weeks and the (self) install to be completed shortly after when connection is made live.

The end is in sight for me, and I would like to extend my sincerest thanks and some Christmas cheer to the BSJ and everyone else who has kept the pressure on the council and BT to get this sorted.

not possible to order superfast broadband because the property “is over 11km from the cabinet and FTTC won’t work properly”.

After being shown evidence that the property is only about 500m from cabinet no. 44, the spokesperson said: “On further investigation we can confirm the location of this particular

premises had been incorrectly recorded on our internal system that was consequently causing problems when the resident was attempting to place an order for fibre.”

“We have now updated our records and would like to apologise for any inconvenience that this has caused.”

Is fibre broadband available to you? Are you on an EO line?

The visit: Medical ad Dec 14 AWHR.pdf 1 11/12/2014 09:46 To find out, www.bradleystokejournal.co.uk/superfast

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk

Around the schools

by Judith Summers of Bradley Stoke Radio

A

very hectic month in our schools, with nativity productions, carol services and classrooms littered with glitter and scraps from carefully cut paper snowflakes!

Santa visited most school fêtes, so he too was having a very busy time of year taking requests.

At Wheatfield the Reception children acted out the nativity story, Key Stage 1 performed ‘A King is born’ and parents of Key Stage 2 were entertained by a variety of festive songs.

Not only that, but Year 6 joined other primary schools from South Gloucestershire for a carol concert at Clifton Cathedral.

St Mary’s also performed a nativity play and the school joined together at Holy Family church for a carol service.

As well as Christmas performances and School fêtes, Year 2 at Holy Trinity baked and decorated Christmas biscuits

Holy Trinity Y2’s Christmas biscuits

and Bradley Stoke Community School raised money for Caring at Christmas by wearing Christmas jumpers for the day.

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.

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January 2015

News

Marie Curie Cancer Care group launched

A

new volunteer group has launched to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care. The group has been aptly named ‘Five Stokes’ as it covers Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke, Stoke Gifford, Harry Stoke and Stoke Lodge.

The Five Stokes Fundraising Group was formally launched at the Willow Brook Centre on Saturday 22nd November 2014, when it also held one of its first collections. Thanks to the generosity of the general public, the group managed to raise a fantastic £244, which will help terminally ill people in the Five Stokes area to be cared for at home by a Marie Curie Nurse.

After the collection, the group were delighted that Ben Faulks, who is appearing in Dick Whittington at The Bristol

The

Hippodrome, took time out of rehearsals to meet them and support their official launch.

Five Stokes Fundraising Group member Sara Matthews said: “I joined the local group because I wanted to give my support to the charity. Finding out someone you know and love has cancer must be one of the most devastating times of your life. Marie Curie nurses offer an amazing service to people at a time when they need it most.”

The Five Stokes Fundraising Group will raise vital funds so Marie Curie Nurses can continue to provide free care to people with terminal illnesses, through supporting Marie Curie’s major fundraising campaigns such as the Great Daffodil Appeal and Blooming Great Tea Party, as well as promoting fundraising within the local community and

Olympus Academy Trust

Launch of the Five Stokes fundraising group (l-r): Sara Matthews, Marg Wood, Julie Kemp, Ben Faulks, Pippa Role and Rebecca, Pippa’s daughter

encouraging new supporters to help the charity.

Natalie Garland, community fundraiser at Marie Curie Cancer Care, said: “The new fundraising group in The Five Stokes will make a huge difference locally by helping to raise the vital funds needed to support Marie Curie Nurses, who provide free care to

people with terminal illnesses in their own homes.

To join the local fundraising group for Marie Curie Cancer Care, or to find out more about the group and other ways to support the charity, please call Natalie Garland on 0117 924 7275 or email: Natalie.Garland@ mariecurie.org.uk

State of the art facilities for hire in the Bradley Stoke area Available for hire all year round

• Conference facilities and classrooms

• Specialist ICT and catering facilities

• Dance and drama studios

• Floodlit astro turf

• Sports hall

• Floodlit hard courts

For further information please contact Karen Holt on 01454 868840 or email lettings@bradleystokecs.org.uk www.bradleystokecs.org.uk

Fiddlers Wood Lane, Bradley Stoke, South Gloucestershire, BS32 9BS 01454 868840 www.bradleystokecs.org.uk To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

January 2015

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15

Council opens preliminary consultation on proposed MetroBus Extension route along Hatchet Road & Gipsy Patch Lane

C

onstruction of the main North Fringe to Hengrove Package MetroBus route that will link Bradley Stoke with Cribbs Causeway and Bristol city centre may be yet to start, but South Gloucestershire Council is already in the early stages of planning an extension to the scheme, which will provide a more direct route between Parkway Station and The Mall, via the proposed Cribbs/ Patchway New Neighbourhood (centred on the former Filton Airfield).

An outline plan shows the proposed extension forming a loop within the overall MetroBus network, and it is foreseen that buses will run in both directions around the loop between Parkway, the Cribbs/Patchway New Neighbourhood, The Mall, Patchway, Bradley Stoke and Parkway.

The existing narrow railway bridge on Gipsy Patch Lane would be replaced with a wider bridge and an extra traffic lane for buses.

The council has opened an ‘early information sharing’ consultation

on the scheme, which is expected to cost around £35m and will be funded through the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership.

It is anticipated that a planning application for the section of the scheme outside the Cribbs/Patchway New Neighbourhood will be submitted in autumn 2015, with construction starting in spring 2018 and services operating from spring 2019.

The proposed widening of Hatchet Road and Gipsy Patch Lane to accommodate new bus lanes received a hostile reaction from some Stoke Gifford residents at the Southern Brooks Area Forum meeting held on 18th November at Abbeywood Community School.

Bradley Stoke residents have a chance to hear a presentation on the scheme at the meeting of the Safer and Stronger Community Group on 22nd January at the Jubilee Centre (7pm start).

Read more: www.travelwest.info/metrobus/extension

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January 2015

News

Journal Facebook post goes viral as thousands seek info on “explosions” heard in North Bristol

A

post on the Bradley Stoke Journal’s Facebook page about strange thunderlike noises being heard by two of our readers at around 9.45pm on Tuesday 9th December attracted more than 29,000 views as people across North Bristol searched online to find an explanation for the disturbance.

Described variously by people in Bradley Stoke as “massive explosions”, “a whole load of fireworks going off” or “as though World War 3 had kicked off”, it soon became clear that the noises had been heard across a wide swathe of North Bristol and South Gloucestershire, with similar reports coming in from correspondents in Patchway, Filton, Southmead, Thornbury, Downend and Horfield.

A total of 318 comments were

recorded on the story within 24 hours of the event, and as we went to press, our Facebook page statistics were reporting that 29,872 people had read the post.

Explanations put forward by readers included a thunder storm associated with the ‘weather bomb’ (a meteorological phenomenon that was in the news at the time), a fireworks display at Berwick Lodge (a hotel located just north of the M5 between Easter Compton and Hallen), a supersonic military

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aircraft, a rumoured explosion at a fireworks factory in Portbury and an alien invasion!

The thunder theory was dismissed by many in view of the fact that the noise was continuous with no gaps. Similarly, it was felt by many that a fireworks display would not be heard over such a wide area, with several noting that a massive display at the Clifton Suspension Bridge a few days earlier had not been audible beyond a few miles of the event.

The Berwick Lodge fireworks, said to be associated with a corporate Christmas party, eventually emerged as the most likely explanation, with one reader posting a video of the display filmed from Horfield, although another reader commented that it looked “more like the uncontrolled explosion of fireworks than a fireworks display”.

Investigations by the Bristol Post the following morning seemed to confirm the Berwick Lodge fireworks theory, with the paper confirming that Bradley Stoke based call centre firm

Berwick Lodge fireworks display (Credit: Anana CEO Chris Woodward)

Anana had been holding its Christmas party there.

Chris Woodward, CEO of Anana, confirmed to the paper that a professionally-staged fireworks display had taken place with “thousands of fireworks being let off in a show that is meant to be 30 minutes in length, but was condensed into five”.

Mr Woodward apologised to anyone who was disturbed by the display, adding that it was an annual event that had always been held at Berwick Lodge.

A message posted later on the hotel’s Facebook page said: “[The fireworks] were louder than we expected and we’d like to apologise if they disturbed you.”

Visit our magazine links page at http://bit.ly/bsj-mag-links for links to the BSJ Facebook post, Bristol Post articles and photos & videos of the Berwick Lodge fireworks display.

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January 2015

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News

Leaflet distribution problem ruins “unwanted” green bin collection

S

cores of residents in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Gifford have missed out on South Gloucestershire Council’s one-off collection of unused and unwanted green bins because of problems with the distribution of a leaflet that was supposed to give residents one week’s notice of the date on which the bins needed to be left out.

The December edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal, distributed on the weekend of Saturday 6th December, included an article that listed the collection dates, based on information published on the council’s website.

By the time residents received the magazine, they should have received a leaflet from the council confirming their collection date, but many readers complained on our website and Facebook

page that had not received any communication from SGC. Of those that had received a leaflet, some complained that the collection date on it did not match that listed for their area on the council’s website.

Other readers reported that they had put their bins out on the advertised day (Monday 8th December for Bradley Stoke South; Tuesday 9th December for Bradley Stoke North, Central and Stoke Lodge; Wednesday 10th December for Stoke Gifford), but they weren’t collected.

Some of the failed collections are believed to be attributable to the fact that parts of south Bradley Stoke actually lie within the Stoke Gifford ward of South Gloucestershire, meaning that residents unknowingly put their bins out on the wrong day.

Made aware of the issues surrounding the collections, South Gloucestershire Council provided the following statement: “We apologise to any residents who have not had their unwanted green bin collected on the planned collection date.”

“We acknowledge there have been some problems with leaflet distribution in some areas of Bradley Stoke. As a result, we will be using a different method to notify residents about future collections in other parts of the district, which will take place in the New Year.”

“If you have not had your bin

collected, please contact us by email at streetcare@southglos. gov.uk or call 01454 868000 and give us your full postal address.”

“For further information on unwanted green bin collections, please visit www.southglos.gov. uk/unwantedbins” See letter on page?.

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January 2015

News

First boss promises new “more resilient” timetable for 73 service “More buses” and “more drivers” set to be deployed on route from 29th March

J

ames Freeman, the new boss of the First West of England, has conceded that the quality of service on Bradley Stoke’s 73 bus route has sunk to an “unacceptable” level and says his company plans to introduce a “completely different sort of timetable” on 29th March.

The remarks came in an interview on BBC Radio Bristol’s John Darvall programme on 11th December, in response to a bus user from Bradley Stoke who phoned in to quiz Mr Freeman about a 73 bus that failed to turn up (at 22.05) for her return journey from Bristol city centre after she had attended an evening concert at the Colston Hall.

Mr Freeman told the caller: “It’s clearly ridiculous that we

expect people to wait when we’ve said there is going to be a service and there isn’t one. That is useless - I absolutely accept that and we have to do something about it.”

He went on to say: “What we’ve been doing is to work quickly to put a completely different sort of timetable in [place] for the 73. The problem we have is that we can’t just clap our hands and make that happen – there are administrative and regulatory hurdles that we have to step through.”

Mr Freeman blamed the issues currently being experienced on the service (evidenced by more than 300 complaints and observations recorded on the BSJ website since 12th October) on increased passenger numbers

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and “the general traffic situation, which varies from one day to the next and is difficult to manage.”

“What we have to do is put more resilience into our timetable so that it’s more able to cope when things go wrong, because they go wrong two out of every three days at this time of the year.”

A source at First explained that it is planned to put more buses into the network, maintaining the current frequency (every 12 minutes during the day) but giving each bus (and driver) more

time to get from A to B. This will also give them more time to catch up between the end of one journey and the start of the next, in case they are delayed because of traffic congestion, roadworks or incidents.

Your comments (on the Bradley Stoke Journal website) BS32 Resident, 5th December: Again my wife arrived back at Parkway from London yesterday evening at 20:40 and waited for the 21.03 73 back to Bradley Stoke but it failed to turn up, as did the 21.33 service. A bus finally turned up at approx. 21:50, probably the 21.33 service running late.

During the time she waited every other bus appeared to arrived and departed as per the timetable. She even asked one of the Wessex Connect bus drivers whether there was any issues with the traffic and was told that there wasn’t at that time of night. Therefore, I fail to understand why First can not provide a suitable level of service on the buses running to and from Bradley Stoke using similar routes to others that appear to be able to run on time.

J. Seymour, 10th December: I can’t tell you how relieved I am that The Journal has taken on the plight of all the passengers that travel on the X73, X74 and 73. I know that we all regularly send complaints directly to First but never receive a reply. The X74 started off well but has also fallen into the same unacceptable service that we have experienced on the X73.

I work for a large company and quite a few of my colleagues have ditched this bus service to jump back in their cars because they can’t stand it any longer. The evening service is a joke and how depressing it is to see multiple 75 and 76 go by and not one bus servicing Bradley Stoke appears.

The UWE is well represented even more now with the numbers 70 and 71 coming along in multiples so often empty. First should be ashamed of their service and it is unacceptable to blame traffic all the time.

Art can help reduce stress, create a feeling of well-being and provide relaxation but most of all — it’s fun!

Student numbers are kept low to ensure that everyone gets maximum benefit so to reserve a place on our next course or for more information call today on 01454 227116.

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January 2015

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School Christmas Productions

Bowsland Green

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Holy Trinity

Wheatfield

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School Christmas Productions

St Mary’s

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January 2015

January 2015

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23

News

Local sporting heroes honoured by council

B

radley Stoke Judo Club fighter Lele Nairne, 16, from Kewstoke, North Somerset (but originally from Bradley Stoke) has been named South Gloucestershire Young Sportsperson of the Year in recognition of her success in numerous international competitions over the last 12 months.

Cadet British champion Lele broke into the senior team last December where she won the -57kg bronze at the British Senior Championships a week after taking the -57kg Cadet under-18s championship title.

In the 2014 season, Lele has competed at three of the five European competitions and won a silver in the Czech Republic and gold in Romania.

Lele received her award from BBC Radio Bristol’s Geoff Twentyman at a ceremony held on Thursday 4th December at the BAWA club in Filton.

Another local success at the event was the naming of Tina McIvor, of Wheatfield School in Bradley Stoke, as Primary School Volunteer of the Year.

The person who nominated her for the award had written: “Tina made sure that children at the school had the best access to events that they possibly could.

She ensured the school was entered into various festivals, organised which children

were taking part and recruited volunteers to help. She always makes sure that a variety of children are selected to take part – not just the best or the oldest.”

Gymnast Claudia Fragapane, 17, from Longwell Green, who made history by winning four golds at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, was a popular winner of the main Sportsperson of the Year award.

The annual event recognises the achievement, dedication and contribution of local people who are involved in playing, coaching and organising sports across South Gloucestershire. Local residents nominate people who they feel deserve to be acknowledged for their accomplishments, and all of the award winners have demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring sporting activities are championed at a grass roots level.

Cllr Howard Gawler, Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council, said: “The Active South Gloucestershire 2014 Sports Awards ceremony was a really enjoyable occasion for all involved. Well done to everyone who received a nomination.”

“It was great to see Claudia Fragapane pick up the main Sportsperson of the Year award after her incredible success over the past 12 months. This has been an exciting year for sport for Great

Lele Nairne (left) with Geoff Twentyman and Claudia Fragapane

Britain with Glasgow hosting the Commonwealth Games at the start of the summer and London playing host to the first Invicutus Games in September. We are lucky enough to have a number of award nominees that were part of

these wonderful sporting events.”

“Our area is full of sporting talent from our schools to our grassroot clubs and all the way through to the world class talent that is coming out of South Gloucestershire.”

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Through the camera lens by Becky Ward A photographer’s highlights from 2014

T

hose of you who read this column on a regular basis will know by now that I get myself involved in all sorts of things within the community. I thought I would use this month’s column to take a look back over the past year and show you some of the things that I got up to in and around the town. It’s been an incredible privilege to be behind the scenes this year at many events and to have been featured so highly as a photographer. I have also been fortunate to have documented key events that have happened outside of our town.

This year has also seen me attending a full time photography course to enable me to turn what started out as a hobby into a career. My column in the Bradley Stoke Journal has broadened my horizons to the extent that I am now studying Professional Photography.

One community project I have been particularly involved in this year was the Bradley Stoke Carnival, and I was lucky enough to be official photographer for the event. It was great fun to be behind the scenes as I was able to get some candid shots from otherwise inaccessible viewpoints. Some of my favourite photos from the carnival included a shot of Dave (the lead singer from the Twerzels) with a wicked glint in his eye, and a photo of a young boy in the window of the vintage Routemaster bus staring at his own reflection - a split second photograph.

Another notable event this year has been photographing the opening of the Abbey Wood Shopping Park just down the road in Filton. The event featured Bhangra dancers and acrobats on ribbons. One of my favourite images from the

event was when Cllr Ian Boulton caught me taking a candid photograph of him in action.

I have to say that this Bradley Stoke photographer has thoroughly enjoyed her year looking through the lens, and hopefully you have enjoyed me sharing just a few of the brilliant events I’ve been able to attend.

I look forward to sharing many more amazing opportunities with you in 2015.

You can see more of my work on the ‘Becky Ward Photography’ Facebook page.

Happy new year!

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

January 2015

January 2015

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Quiz Quiz for all, No. 16 (easy/hard, old/new) Another ‘just for fun’ general knowledge quiz, compiled by local Mastermind contestant Paul Philpot. Answers on page 31.

1. In which decade was the Clifton Suspension Bridge first opened?

2. Also found on a dartboard, what was the name of Bill Sykes’ dog in the novel ‘Oliver Twist’?

3. In which ocean does the island country of Madagascar lie?

4. The rock singer Michael Hutchence, who died in 1997, was the lead singer of which Australian band of the 1980s and 1990s?

5. Which author wrote the 18th century novel, ‘Gulliver’s Travels’?

6. Also a man’s name, which town is the capital of the Isle of Man? 7. Who is the presenter of the BBC2 TV quiz show, ‘Only Connect’?

8. Phobos is the largest moon of which planet in the solar system?

9. From which country does the famous swimming accessory company,’Speedo’, originate?

10. Which of the five senses is often measured by a Snellen Chart?

11. From which country did Algeria gain independence in 1962?

12. Also the name of a Radio 1 DJ, who designed, amongst other things, the Eden Project in Cornwall?

13. According to the New Testament in which river was Jesus baptised by John The Baptist?

14. In 2010, Caroline Lucas became the UK’s first ever MP to represent which political party?

15. Which snooker player, known as ‘The Jester from Leicester’, won the 2014 World Snooker Championship?

16. Which is the only British City which begins with the letter ‘i’?

17. Starring Angelina Jolie, the 2014 film ‘Maleficent’, is a reimagining of which fairytale?

18. Which now global clothing and accessories retailer opened its first store in La Coruna, Spain, in 1975?

19. Which city is the capital of New York state?

20. Which 1980s British pop group had UK top 10 hits including ‘Too Shy’,’Ooh To Be Ah’ and ‘Big Apple’? ● Paul’s blog: www.justquiz.org

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January 2015

Tried and failed?

by Craig from the Willow Brook Clinic

H

ave you ever started a new year filled with determination and a desire to exercise? You did well, you got to the gym, pool or out on the road and you tried really hard. It went well for the first few weeks, but it didn’t last long and you soon gave up. Ever wonder why?

It may have been because of one of the more common reasons: lack of time; fatigue; low self-esteem; unrealistic goals; no support? Or was it something to do with your body and how it works?

Remember that it is impossible to become fit overnight. Too many people burn out too soon when starting exercise regimes.

Whatever exercise you aim to do, follow the simple principles below, and you have a chance of achieving your targets.

1. Build slowly, be realistic and set attainable goals each week.

2. Vary the exercise you do.

Change between weight training, cardio and core exercise.

3. Rest and recuperate. Your body needs time to recover and prepare for your next session.

Make sure you get enough sleep.

4. Look after your feet – wear good fitting, sensible footwear.

If you have any concerns about your feet, consult a Podiatrist.

5. Remember to stretch after exercise as this will allow your muscles to recover more quickly.

6. Enhance your core/postural muscles – this takes the strain

off the ‘big’ muscles and can prevent back pain, tight hamstrings and the like.

7. Keep well fed and hydrated.

The body requires fuel to exercise. Proteins enhance muscle recovery, carbohydrates provide energy and fluids keep the body hydrated. A balanced diet is essential for exercising.

A nutritional therapist can help with this.

8. Manage your musculoskeletal aches and pains, get them treated before they get worse by consulting a Chiropractor or Physiotherapist.

Most importantly, listen to your body.

We are very fortunate in this area to have a great swimming pool, a selection of gyms, safe roads and footpaths. There are football clubs, running groups, netball clubs, tennis courts, ramblers and cyclists. Don’t give up, keep trying. Good luck. www.willowbrookclinic.co.uk ● See our advert on page 19.

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January 2015

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News

Bradley Stoke in Bloom

T

he winter months aren’t the busiest planting season for an ‘in bloom’ group, but the last two of the town centre planters have been planted, one with winter shrubs & spring bulbs and the other as a kitchen garden.

Everything in the kitchen garden is edible – at the moment we have just winter rhubarb and pansies although the onions and garlic are keen to be seen and are already growing well. We will keep adding plants as they come into season and we’re liaising with Incredible Edible to see what has been successful for them.

We also have a lot of daffodil bulbs to plant around the town, if only we could remember where we planted them all last year! If you have a bit of a ‘grot spot’ near you that you think could use some brightening up, let us know!

Two members attended the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise conference last

month for some networking and a very large lunch. Meanwhile, in 2015, Bristol will be the UK’s first European Green Capital which we are planning on being involved in, so watch this space!

With our new mascot ‘Orlando’, we joined up with TCV (The Conservation Volunteers), and Wheatfield School to help them with the planting of hedges for their planned ‘Wild Walk’ (see page 31). The weather was very mild and the planting was quickly finished giving us plenty of time for a chat over hot tea and bacon butties, so thank you to John and Caroline for inviting us.

Although all our Christmas decorations were destroyed in the Baileys Court container fire, we have now replaced them with new ones and our ‘Welcome’ planters are again looking very festive. ● Email: bsib@hotmail.co.uk; Tel: 07582 634107; Facebook: Bradley Stoke in Bloom

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Brook Court news from Grahame Holloway

t: 01454 300 400

News

A busy festive season

Christmas at Bluebell Gardens

f anyone thinks living in a retirement apartment is likely to be dull, then think again, for at Brook Court the community spirit leading up to Christmas was at its best.

Here the regular social events, which include weekly Tai Chi lessons, whist and bingo evenings and coffee mornings, were augmented by a number of others. These started with a social evening at the beginning of the month which included a quiz to find the ‘Brains of Brook Court’ and an illustrated talk entitled ‘A Foreign Afternoon’, a light hearted look at our nearneighbours across the Severn Bridge!

Other events included our regular winter evening Film

hen it comes to celebrating Christmas at Bluebell Gardens, there is always a lingering feeling amongst those who perhaps cannot forget those collective gatherings enjoyed at their previous home.

Those who joined the ‘new community’ here at Bradley Stoke brought memories of those past enjoyable times. Residents from Filton in particular are saddened to see their previous home, Newleaze House, currently being demolished.

With a reduced size communal lounge, residents found it difficult to collectively relate. There were those who preferred a ‘Karaoke’ environment, whilst others sought quieter surroundings.

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W

Night and a special Christmas Lunch next door at the Three Brooks public house.

Neither was there any need for anyone to fear spending Christmas alone, for festivities in the residents’ lounge were arranged for Christmas Eve, with the event progressing past midnight, and a similar social evening, with appropriate refreshments, for New Year’s Eve.

Carrie and Julie worked hard last week with their lively ‘round up’ here at Bluebell Gardens, whilst Maureen and John sought quieter surroundings later at Winter Stream Farm in Hambrook. Both celebrations were thoroughly enjoyed.

Add to that the prospects of a delightful visit to the Bristol Hippodrome and the pantomime: ‘Dick Whittington’, featuring Ashleigh and her dog Pudsey. It was hoped it would wave its paw to greet us!

Residents here at ‘Bluebells’ would like to thank everyone for their hospitality and friendliness here in Bradley Stoke.

All best wishes to you all and here’s to a wonderful New Year.

Douglas Daniels

The Bradley Stoke Journal is an independent newspaper, produced without subsidy from the public purse

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January 2015

Lively celebrations in the lounge at Bluebell Gardens

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January 2015

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News Silver and bronze for Bethany & Sarah at British TaeKwon-Do championships

Bethany Pitman (left) and Sarah George of the Bristol North TaeKwon-Do club

T

wo local girls recorded impressive performances at the British TAGB TaeKwon-Do Championships held on 30th November at the University of Worcester Arena.

Bethany Pitman and Sarah George both achieved a third place trophy for blue belt girls sparring, and then teamed up with another girl to achieve a silver medal in the tag team

sparring event.

This is one TAGB’s biggest annual events, attracting 1,300 competitors from all over the UK. Both girls train at Bristol North TaeKwon-Do Club, which meets twice weekly at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.

Anyone interested in taking up the sport can find out more by visiting the club’s website at www.tkdbristol.com

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk

29

Bradley Stoke Beat Team Crime down following big anti-drugs operation

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urglary and catching burglars is one of our ever-present priorities, so it’s really encouraging to see that the number of break-ins has reduced noticeably in the past few months.

We believe it’s a direct result of an big anti-drugs operation that we ran in South Gloucestershire, particularly around the Yate and Chipping Sodbury areas, in October last year (2014).

It ended with 20 people being sentenced, two of them to five years in prison, at Bristol Crown Court just before Christmas.

Not only did the operation have a significant effect on the supply, production and use of drugs in the community, it’s also led to a drop in the number of drugs-related crimes like theft, anti-social behaviour and burglary.

Obviously, we’d like that crime trend to carry on downwards into the New Year.

So, please be vigilant and sensible about security in your home, sheds and outbuildings

at all times. If you suspect drugs activity in a property near you, please report it. Call us on 101 or on 999 if it’s an emergency.

We wish you a happy and crime-free 2015.

Beat surgeries at the Willow Brook Centre: Wednesday 7th January – 5pm to 6.30pm Wednesday 14th January – 1pm to 2.30pm Wednesday 28th January – 5pm to 6pm ASPolice Bradley Stoke @ASPTheStokes

www.avonandsomerset.police.uk

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Street & Hip - Hop Dance Modern, Jazz & Contemporary MONDAY @ St Andrews Methodist Church, Elm Park, Filton BS34 7PS 5.45pm Street Dance Under 12 yrs 6.30pm & Body Tone Adult All levels TUESDAY @ Coniston Community Centre, The Parade, Patchway BS34 5LP Ballet Basics & Modern Jazz 4.00pm 3-8 yrs 4.45pm Street Dance Under 12 yrs 5.30pm OPEN Street Crew All ages 6.30pm Adult All levels

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January 2015

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Ask the Doctor with Dr Norman Douglas of Bradley Stoke Surgery “Be not afraid of going slowly. Be only afraid of standing still.”

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his is a wonderful Chinese proverb which applies to all aspects of life whether it is in our work or family life, but it is also true in maintaining our health and wellbeing. “Learn from yesterday, live for today and plan for tomorrow.” This is another homily which again relates to our wellbeing and success in life.

I mention these two ideals, because, this year, rather than making New Year resolutions where I restrict various activities, I am going to adopt these attitudes on an ongoing basis.

I hope you will also consider a positive approach to 2015.

A year has 365 days and there are almost as many bones in our bodies and thus almost as many joints (the actual number is debatable). Our bones and joints deteriorate with every year we live and they can be affected by various medical conditions

which finally brings me to the topic I really wanted to talk about which is Arthritis.

Arthritis means inflammation of a joint or pain in the joint.

It is very common and we will all suffer with it at some time. The most common type is Osteoarthritis due to wear and tear and mechanical deterioration of the space

excluded, especially if wear and tear is a less likely component.

These disease driven Arthritis problems can be often treated effectively with medicines which control the progress of the disease, so the earlier they are discovered, the better the outcome.

A pain in the joint is something you can deal

joint pain?

Your best bet is to not damage your joints when younger (too late), reduce weight, keep moving and stay active unless you have redness and swelling, take cod liver oil capsules daily, these are just as effective as the more expensive alternatives. So, be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still.

I wish you all a wonderful new year.

with yourself but a red, hot, swollen, painful joint needs to be assessed by your surgery.

A common cause of a single joint swelling is Gout. This is due to a change in Uric acid concentration in your body and can be precipitated by dietary or alcohol indiscretions. It responds well to medications and should be assessed.

Is there any way to prevent

Dr Norman Douglas www.bradleystokesurgery.nhs.uk

Disease-driven Arthritis problems can be often “ treated effectively with medicines… ”

between our bones (A joint).

Because it is a mechanical problem it can really only be fixed by mechanical methods such as physiotherapy, chiropractic methods, osteopathic methods or surgical intervention. There are many other causes of Arthritis such as infection and underlying disease like Rheumatoid disease and others which need to be

tsbcareers.co.uk

Welcome to your new career.

Be part of a brand new team we’re building at Keypoint, Bradley Stoke, Bristol. We have exciting new opportunities at all levels for a mixture of customer facing, operational and specialist roles. Details of all our current vacancies are available on our careers site, however we are continuously recruiting for the following role:

Customer Service Processors | £14,850 - £15,250 + benefits Working closely with our Mortgage Brokers, you’ll ensure that our customers have a positive experience throughout their mortgage application process. Processing mortgage applications, your strong organisational skills and attention to detail will ensure our process is run as smoothly and time efficiently as possible. To really succeed it goes without saying you’ll be a team player with excellent communication skills, a desire to learn and a passion for delivering outstanding customer service.

It’s not just our customers who get looked after at TSB. Join us and you can look forward to receiving excellent benefits and all the training you need to really grow in your career. Your shifts will be Monday to Friday within business working hours – you won’t even have to work evenings or weekends!

Discover more and apply at www.tsbcareers.co.uk search using Keypoint as the keyword.

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

January 2015

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31

News Wheatfield’s ‘Wild Wood’ makeover

Mama Bear’s Day Nursery & Pre-school Now open in Bradley Stoke!

By Caroline Johnson of Wheatfield Primary School n a beautiful Saturday morning at the start of National Tree Week, a group of volunteers gathered to help plant native hedgerow plants in our Wild Wood area.

We are very grateful to Jason Leck of The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) who brought along 250 locally sourced and grown hedging plants which had been funded by Western Power Distribution. He provided expert planting tips to the 15 volunteers.

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Additional support was provided by the Bradley Stoke in Bloom team who are responsible for the beautiful planters around Bradley Stoke and the rose garden on Brook Way, near the doctors’ surgery.

With the help of staff, parents, children and friends we successfully planted along the new fence line. We were all very pleased to stop for some delicious bacon rolls provided by Mrs Snedker before bringing in logs to make a seating area. Many thanks to all those who helped and supported us on the day.

Quiz answers (page 25) 1.

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1860s (1864) Bullseye Indian Ocean INXS Jonathan Swift Douglas Victoria Coren-Mitchell Mars Australia Sight

11.

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France Nicholas Grimshaw River Jordan Green Party Mark Selby Inverness Sleeping Beauty Zara Albany Kajagoogoo

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January 2015

Advertising Feature Faddy diets aren’t the answer, says Kelly

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his New Year thousands of people in Bristol will embark on a bid to lose weight and get fit. And local weight-loss experts in North Bristol are urging dieters in the area to ditch the fad diets and choose a weight-loss plan they can sustain.

Kelly, who supports a team of Slimming World consultants in North Bristol, says faddy diets aren’t the answer: “Lots of people start January with the best of intentions, but by the end of the month so many of them have given up, defeated by hunger, boredom or feelings of deprivation. I want people to know that losing weight doesn’t have to be that way, that not all slimming attempts are doomed and not all ‘diets’ are the same.

It’s easy to be wooed by the plans that promise the fastest loss, but it’s really important this new year that slimmers think sensibly about which plan they choose and look at which offer the most chance of long-term success.

Diets based on deprivation can be very unhealthy and are almost impossible to keep up, meaning you’re bound to throw in the towel and will probably be left feeling like a failure by February!”

Instead, she says the key is to choose a realistic healthy eating plan and get support to make lifestyle changes. And Kelly is urging slimmers to choose Slimming World. The Food Optimising eating plan encourages members to satisfy their appetite on hundreds of healthy ‘Free Foods’, including fruit and veg, pasta, rice, potatoes, lean meat, fish, eggs, pulses and fat-free dairy, freely without the need for weighing, counting and measuring. It means they can enjoy all their favourite meals just by making small changes to the way they shop, cook and eat and still eat the same healthy dishes as the rest of their family.

The beauty of Slimming World’s plan is that it addresses the psychological needs of slimmers: “When people think about losing weight they expect

to feel hungry and deprived, but since it began in 1969 Slimming World’s plan has always been about helping people to lose weight without feeling like that.

Human nature means that the minute something’s forbidden you only want it more, so with Slimming World no foods, even high-fat snacks and alcohol, are banned, they’re just limited.

Because you can satisfy your appetite on ‘Free Foods’ you don’t ever have to feel hungry and it’s easier to reduce the amount of unhealthy foods you’re eating so, over time with the right support, this new balanced way of eating becomes second nature.”

In fact, Kelly believes getting support is as important as changing eating habits: “There’s no denying that changing the habits of a lifetime can be challenging and there will be times, perhaps when your weight loss slows down or a ‘bad week’ leads to a temporary gain, when it can be tempting to give up. That’s where getting support week in, week out to make changes and keep them up comes in. At Slimming World members develop the skills and tools to overcome the psychological and emotional challenges that every slimmer faces at some point, including learning to be kind to yourself and get ‘back on the horse’ when you do have a blip. Anyone who wants to lose weight this New Year will find a warm welcome and world of support at their local Slimming World group.”

See advert on page 3.

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

January 2015

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News

Young chefs battle for Rotary Club crown

L-r: Tom Giuliani (BSCS), Heidi Sermulins (winner, BSCS), Kelsey Miles (runner-up, PCC), Poppy Baker (PCC), Paisley Boyce (ACS) & Ryan Barrett (ACS).

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tudents from Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS), Patchway Community School (PCC) and Abbeywood Community School (ACS) took part in the local round of the Young Chef of the Year competition on Wednesday 3rd December – an event organised

by Bradley Stoke Rotary Club.

Each competitor was set the task of preparing a two course meal for two, comprising of a main course and a desert, on a budget of £10.

The winner on the night was

Heidi Sermulins of BSCS, with Kelsey Miles of PCC taking the runner-up’s spot.

Heidi, whose menu consisted of pan-fried salmon with cucumber salsa followed by chocolate and meringue roulade, now goes forward to the regional final of the Rotary competition.

Fiona Dowling, catering teacher at BSCS, said: “It was great to see all six students working so hard for this competition. They showed great creativity and resilience as well as a good sense of fun. Well done to them all!”

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January 2015

News December workday in the nature reserve

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ur December workday was again spent in Savages Wood coppicing hazel & dead hedging much to the dismay of many of the passing dogs, who thought that the pile of freshly cut sticks was an early Christmas present to them!

Sadly, our bird box survey has revealed that the majority of our boxes have either disappeared or have suffered damage and will need replacing, although we have no free funds allocated for this. We estimate that this year vandals have caused well over £1200 worth of damage on the reserve. On a positive note, the survey did reveal that one of the bat boxes had bat residents!

The two groups who work on the reserve are all volunteers who put in an amazing amount of work, the Conservation group have amassed 1,077 hours

this year (value £9,306) while Thursday’s Green Gym have so far worked an incredible 1,461 hours this year (value £10,227).

The reserve is owned by South Gloucestershire Council and the conservation group is supported with an annual Service Level Agreement grant of £1,500 from Bradley Stoke Town Council. More than 50% of the grant funds the free walks and events that we run through the year.

Both groups are free to join and always welcome new members, so if your New Year resolution is to get fitter, volunteer a few hours or just to make new friends, come and join us! Happy New Year!

For further information, visit our website, www.three-brooks. info, email info@three-brooks.info or call Hannah on 0797 142 6266.

Sara Messenger

Success for Bradley Stoke Kumon student

Sagnik, with tutor Sarah Nutchey of the Kumon Bradley Stoke Study Centre

By Sarah Nutchey, Kumon Bradley Stoke On Saturday 29th November, I caught the 7am train to London. I was meeting Bradley Stoke Kumon student Sagnik in Westminster for the annual Kumon Higher Level Student Award ceremony.

Sagnik completed the Kumon English programme in October after five years of studying. He is now in Year 7 and attends the prestigious Pates’ Grammar school in Cheltenham.

This means that Sagnik has studied texts such as Shakespeare and Jane Austen. He has gained excellent skills in grammar, comprehension and critique. He is also self motivated and tackled

his studies independently, with little teaching from myself or his parents.

MC’ing the ceremony was Elijah, the youngest UK English programme completer at the age of 7. The awards were presented

by Stephen Rogers, from the Department for Education.

This was a proud moment for Sagnik’s parents, who have supported him all the way. I felt privileged to be there.

Now Sagnik has completed the English programme, he has set his goal to complete the maths programme. He is already threequarters of the way there – he should achieve his goal when he is in Year 9.

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.

Contact your local Instructor for a Free Assessment: Bradley Stoke Study Centre Sarah Nutchey 0117 908 1992

Free

Assessment kumon.co.uk

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January 2015

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35

Business

In Brief

Aspirations IFA team brings festive cheer to winner of free prize draw

In the Bleak Mid Winter – 500 Years of Shivering!

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uring December, Aspirations IFA were getting into the festive spirit at the Willow Brook Centre in Bradley Stoke, where their office is based on the 1st floor.

The team were giving away children’s goody bags with every entry to their free raffle for the Aspirations Luxury Christmas Hamper, which included lots of seasonal treats including bottles of port and champagne!

We are pleased to announce that the lucky winner of the Luxury Christmas Hamper was Alison Slocombe of Bradley Stoke.

Aspirations would like to thank everyone who participated in their Christmas promotion, and although you may not have won the hamper, we hope you had a very Merry Christmas and enjoyed the goody bags!

Elysia Anstey (left) and Tracy Anstey on the Aspirations stall at Willow Brook

We understand what a busy time it was for you all, but it was great to talk to so many lovely

people, so thank you for your time!

Happy New Year to everyone from the Aspirations team.

Despite the chilly title, the South Glos Design and Fine Arts Society will offer a warm welcome to Ann Clements on Thursday 15th January at Bradley Stoke Community School.

Please do come along and join us as Ann takes us on the artists’ wintery journey from the 15th to 19th Centuries – from peasants drying clothes to frost fairs and skaters through the years.

We will discover how artists responded to the challenges of winter with over 500 years of instinctive shivering!

Refreshments available from 7pm with the slide illustrated lecture starting at 7.30 pm.

Plenty of easy parking and good access to hall.

No artistic ability required, just an enquiring mind and an interest in the arts!

For more information and to join us as a Guest please call Sally Kitching on 01454 774401.

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January 2015

Community Showcase with Clive Hickman of Bradley Stoke Radio

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t’s been a busy few weeks for Bradley Stoke Radio’s Monday Community Show.

I had the pleasure of meeting some very interesting and passionate guests from the local community,who came into the studio to showcase their groups.

My first guest in November was Michelle Dent, volunteering manager for Age UK South Gloucestershire, who talked about the range of services this important charity provides both locally and nationally. Their main aim is to enhance the quality of later life and promote the wellbeing of older people.

It was reassuring to know that a team of dedicated volunteers and partners are on hand to provide advice, information and local support, including the popular Befriending service.

Michelle did mention that there was a need for more befriending volunteers. You can contact

Michelle on 01454 411707 for more information.

Brian Hewitt MBE, president of the Royal British Legion, Stoke Gifford Branch, came in on Monday 10th November, which was very timely, as it was the day after Remembrance Sunday, and the day before Armistice Day. Brian talked about the Remembrance events in Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford, and the Stoke Gifford Branch Poppy Appeal for 2013/2014, which had raised about £35,000. This money provides welfare and support for ex-service personnel, their families and dependants.

Another guest in November was Kay Stevens, representing the Bradley Stoke Sew and So’s. Kay brightened up the studio by telling us about their popular group, who meet from 1.30pm to 3.30pm on the third Monday of the month, at the

Brian Hewitt MBE, president of the Royal British Legion in Stoke Gifford

Kay Stevens of the Bradley Stoke Sew and So’s (patchwork & quilting)

Jubilee Centre in Bradley Stoke.

The group is a social gathering of people who enjoy sewing, patchwork, quilting and more, including the monthly ‘sewins’, which sounds like a lot of fun! It’s worth checking out the gallery at their website: www. bradleystokesewandsos.weebly. com to see some examples of their amazing craft work.

Why not join me every Monday, from 10am to 1pm on BSR 103.4 FM and online at www.bradleystokeradio. com? As well as the Community

Group Showcase, I also bring our listeners information and features about recent events, take a look at ‘what’s on’ in the local area, and play a wide range of music to suit all tastes.

If you know a person with an interesting story to tell, or you would like to showcase a local community group or charity, then please get in touch with us.

● Telephone: 01454 616055

admin@bradleystokeradio.com Twitter: @bradleystokefm Facebook: Bradley Stoke Radio

At Capricorn Plumbing, our qualified plumbers apply the same high standards of quality, integrity, tidiness and politeness in everything they do. And you can be sure of a fair price too. But don’t take our word for it – call us for a free, no obligation quote today!

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January 2015

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What’s On (4th January – 1st February) Sunday 4th January 9.30am: Severnside Ramblers’ Walk: Dyrham & West Littleton. Meet in the Blue Zone car park at Aztec West – a car-sharing scheme is operated. More info: http://bit. ly/ssramb [Further walks on 11th, 18th & 25th January] 10am-4pm: Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group Workday. Our annual hedgelaying weekend, the perfect way to work off some Christmas indulgences! Meet at the tool store, behind Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre. More info: http://bit.ly/bsj-tbncg or call Hannah on 07971 426266 10.30am: SCC Medium Distance Ride to Thornbury.

Meet outside Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre. More info: http://bit.ly/bsj-scc or phone Bryan on 01454 617560 [Further SCC rides on 11th, 18th & 25th January and 1st February] 2pm: Sleeping Beauty at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.

Christmas panto performed by ‘Wonder Productions’. Tickets: £9.50 (adult), £7 (child), £30 (family). Bookings and more info: http://bit.ly/bs-panto-1501 or phone 0300 333 0300

Wednesday 7th January 10am-12noon: Citizens Advice Bureau Outreach Session at the Jubilee Centre. More info: http://bit.ly/citadbu or phone 08444 111444 [Weekly on Wednesdays] 5pm-6.30pm: Police Beat

07582 634107. Please get in touch to find out where we will be meeting and working.

Friday 9th January

Monday 19th January

10am-12pm: NCT Bumps and Babies Group meets in the cafe at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.

More info: http://bit.ly/nctsglos [Weekly on Fridays]

9.45am & 11am: Walking for Health: Bradley Stoke Roads and Reserves. Organised walks (1.8 miles & 3.5 miles) starting from Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre. More info: http://bit.ly/ sgcwalk or phone 01454 868006

6.30pm: Bradley Stoke Small Business Forum Meeting at the Aztec Hotel. More info: www.bssbf.co.uk

Tuesday 13th January 7.30pm: Willow Brook Townswomen’s Guild meets at the Jubilee Centre. More info: Janine 01454 617645

Wednesday 14th January 2pm: Bradley Stoke Women’s Institute (WI) meets at the Jubilee Centre. More info: Barbara on 0117 947 0340 1pm-2.30pm: Police Beat ‘Drop In’ Surgery at the Willow Brook Centre. No appointment necessary.

Bo

7pm: SGDFAS Lecture at Bradley Stoke Community School. This month: ‘In the Bleak Mid Winter – 500 Years of Shivering!’ by Ann Clements.

More info: Sally Kitching on 01454 774401

44 Townsend Lane, Almondsbury, Bristol, BS32 4EQ

Saturday 24th January

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Circulation: 9,450 delivered plus 500 left at pick-up points *Price of a one-eighth-page display advert, when committing to six monthly issues.

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7pm: Safer and Stronger Community Group Meeting at the Jubilee Centre.

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Thursday 22nd January

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

EVERY MONTH

10am-4pm: Bradley Stoke in Bloom Workday. More info: bsib@hotmail.co.uk or phone

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7pm: BSTC Full Council Meeting at the Jubilee Centre.

Agenda: http://bit.ly/bstcfull

5pm-6.30pm: Police Beat ‘Drop In’ Surgery at the Willow Brook Centre. No appointment necessary.

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Wednesday 28th January

Advertise in this * space for just £30

Thursday 15th January

Clean

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

Reading Group at Bradley Stoke Library. For keen readers aged 9-11. Please ask a member of staff for details.

2.30pm: Chatterbooks

Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Specialists Love the look and smell of clean and fresh carpets and upholstery?

Bonne Fresh Clean brings to you a professional carpet and upholstery service that will leave them sparkling and fresh.

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

‘Drop In’ Surgery at the Willow Brook Centre. No appointment necessary.

Monday 12th January

37

WANTED

LARGE HOUSE TO RENT FOR 3 YEARS

We seek good condition house, modern or modernised, 4-5 beds or larger, guaranteed 3 year contract, company let, excellent references.

Tel 0117 974 1459

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

38

www.bradleystokejournal.co.uk

t: 01454 300 400

DIRECTORY OF ADVERTISERS Accountants & Bookkeepers AD Bookkeeping, Page 8 TJS Business Solutions, Page 29 Builders Criterion Construction, Page 33 Richard Joseph, Page 22 Business Opportunities Haley Prosser, Page 38 Business Services Outsource Typing Services, Page 39 Cake Makers & Decorators Sweet Tracey Cakes, Page 39 Carpet Cleaners B Clean, Page 22 Bonne Fresh Clean Ltd, Page 37 Clean Pros, Page 25 Carpets & Flooring Trade Floor, Page 15 Child Care Ambourne House Day Nursery, Page 10 Happy Days Nursery, Page 20 Mama Bear’s Nursery, Page 31 Chiropractic Cool Green Planet, Page 5 The Medical, Page 13 Willow Brook Clinic, Page 19 Computer Services goto iT, Page 26 More in directory on BSJ website Cycle Repairs Ride On Cycles, Page 23 Domestic Appliance Repairs Kitchen & Laundry Appliance Care, Page 33 Double Glazing JDC Windows, Page 12 Imperial Windows, Page 22 Education & Learning Kumon Study Programme Page 34 Love Art, Page 18 Red Maids’ School, Page 17 SGS College, Page 40 Electricians RJ Electrical, Page 24 Electronic Cigarettes VaperVapour, Page 8 Estate Agents Connells Residential Lettings, Page 34 Freeman Residential Page 37 Lifestyle Property Services, Page 1 Garage Services Bristol Caravans, Page 26 Filton Central Garage, Page 6 So Smart Alloy Wheels, Page 6 Westlec, Page 11 Gardening Services Garretts Landscapes, Page 7 Plan-It Garden Design, Page 19 Professional Gardening Services, Page 38 Gyms & Health Clubs Anytime Fitness, Page 1 LivingWell Health Club, Page 25 Riverside Leisure Club, Page 35

Hair & Beauty The Filton Barbers, Page 28 More in directory on BSJ website Hire Services Stop and Hire, Page 21 Holiday Accommodation Mariner’s View Holiday Cottage, Page 27 Hotels & Restaurants Visit directory on BSJ website Locksmiths Visit directory on BSJ website Mortgages & Financial Advice Aspirations Financial Advice, Page 16 Opticians Specsavers, Page 32 Pet Services & Supplies Friends for Pets, Page 4 MadDogz, Page 19 New Passage Cattery, Page 39 Physiotherapy Bradley Stoke Physio, Page 20 The Medical, Page 13 Willow Brook Clinic, Page 19 Picture Framers Royall Framing, Page 18 Photographers Amy’s Photography Bristol, Page 12 Plumbing & Heating Capricorn Plumbing Ltd, Page 36 Concept Property Maintenance, Page 8 Panache Plumbing, Page 39 Richard Joseph, Page 22 S. Berryman Plumbing & Heating, Page 39 Property Maintenance Concept Property Maintenance, Page 8 JB Property Services, Page 39 Richard Joseph, Page 22 Property Management Connells Residential Lettings, Page 34 Lifestyle Property Services, Page 1 Recruitment Redwood Farm, Page 2 TSB , Page 30 Room & Facilities Hire Bradley Stoke Community School, Page 14 Rubbish Clearance Bradley Stoke Rubbish Clearance, Page 39 Self Storage Simply Self Store Ltd, Page 39 Solicitors Visit directory on BSJ website Slimming Clubs Slimming World, Page 3 Soft Furnishings Janet Smith, Page 21 Taxis Bristol Parkway Taxis, Page 39 South Glos Taxis Ltd, Page 39 Transport BS Man and Van, Page 12 TV & Aerials Image Aerial Systems, Page 39

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

January 2015

TUITION

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Mums and Dads - Work from Home Recruiting Now! I’m a mum of four beautiful children 12, 10, 7 and 3. I have a business that I work from home around them. I’m currently looking for mums or dads who would like to work from home too. All I ask is that you have great people skills and are willing to learn.

Income ranges from £300 to £2,500 per month Please call for more info or find me on Facebook: Haley Prosser Call 07838 144157 or 01454 270806 GARDENING SERVICES

• • • •

Professional Gardening Services

Fencing/Fence Painting/Pressure Washing Hedge Cutting/Grass Cutting Weeding/Garden Clearance Strimming/Small Trees Lopped Excellent rates and a free quote Friendly and trustworthy service (special rates for pensioners) Please call on me on 07768 241198 or e-mail at profgarden60@yahoo.co.uk LEAFLET DELIVERY SERVICE

Leaflet Delivery in Bradley Stoke

8,650 leaflets delivered for £200 Tel: 01454 300 400

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

January 2015

t: 01454 300 400

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk

PLUMBING & HEATING

39

TAXIS

Business Directory Advertise here for just £20 per month (when you sign up for three issues) Phone us now on 01454 300 400 Advertise here for just £20/issue; phone 01454 300 400

PANACHE

BATHROOM, SHOWER & PLUMBING SPECIALIST

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

CAKE MAKERS & DECORATORS

Advertise here for just £20/issue; phone 01454 300 400

Sweet Tracey Cakes Stoke Gifford - Bristol

“Always on tap”

Wedding Cakes, Cake Pops, Cupcakes and all types of Celebration cakes, all beautifully handmade to order.

0117 982 7558 ● 07901 910361

www.sweettraceycakes.co.uk Contact Tracey on: 07821 436907 Email : sweettraceycakes@yahoo.co.uk

TV AERIALS & SATELLITE TV

PET SERVICES

OFFICE SERVICES

New Passage Cattery

Outsource Typing Services

Call Darren on:

www.panacheplumbing.co.uk

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

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

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

Freephone Stuart or Sue on 0800 0234 995 Licensed waste carrier

SELF STORAGE

We can type, edit and proofread a wide range of work for you, including: • • • • •

Reports and correspondence Medico-legal reports Conference/seminar recordings Dissertation/theses Copy typing Free data collection offered in the Bristol and South Gloucestershire areas

Telephone: 07891 600791 Email: bakerginny8@gmail.com PROPERTY SERVICES

JB Property Services • • • • • • •

Fitted bathrooms Walk in shower/wet rooms Fitted kitchens Floor & wall tiling Plumbing Electrics General home improvements

Call Jason now on 07788 845134 to book in your free estimate Email: jb.propertyservices@hotmail.co.uk Website: jb-propertyservices.co.uk

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

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