December 2016

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

December 2016 • Issue 44

LETTERS P7 | POLICE P30 | WHAT’S ON P36 | DIRECTORY P38

BOWSLAND BRILLIANCE

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PLUS , IN YOUR 40-PAGE BRADLEY STOKE MAGAZINE

Glowing praise from Ofsted following remarkable turnaround at Bradley Stoke primary

Page 9

METROBUS MISERY CONTINUES MP’s tough talk comes to nought Page 4 Full reopening of Woodlands Lane delayed AGAIN until New Year Page 14 J91821 AF Xmas Advert_Layout 1 20/11/2013Roadworks 09:19 Page 1

causing delays of up to 75 mins for No. 73 bus Page 10

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l Fireworks raise £3,486 for Mayor’s charities l Willow Brook Centre all lit up for Christmas l Electrification work to start this month at Parkway Station l Remembrance Sunday in Bradley Stoke l McDonald’s boost for local grassroots team l Bradley Stoke Santa sleigh tour dates l Councillors to press for deferral of Hatchet Road CPME bus lane plans l Mall Cribbs expansion plans given green light l Olympus Academy Trust in running to take over troubled secondaries l Metro Mayor on the cards after councils’ decisions l Thrilling stage of RAC Rally in Bradley Stoke

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December 2016

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3

News

Fireworks raise £3,486 for Mayor’s charities

O

n Sunday 6th November 2016, Bradley Stoke Town Council hosted its annual fireworks event for the fourteenth year running. It was another successful year, where thousands came out to enjoy the fireworks once more.

This year, a total of £3,486 was raised for the Mayor’s charities through donations, with £2,996 of the total coming from bucket collections and the remaining £490 coming from on-site traders (donut and burger vans).

The charities being supported by this year’s Mayor, Elaine Hardwick, are Heartful Dodgers and Transplant Sport UK. Speaking at the November council meeting, Cllr Hardwick said: “The event could not run without the very good volunteer marshal and bucket

Photos: Becky Ward Media

collector support from a range of local groups, including Little Stoke Social Club, Bradley Stoke in Bloom, Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group, Frampton Cotterell Air Cadets and representatives of the two supported charities, as well as town councillors and the town council’s staff.” ● More photos online at www. bradleystoke.gov.uk/fireworks/

Come and visit

… Willow

Open every day SAT 3 Dec til Christmas Eve*

Monday to Friday 12pm - 5pm Saturday 10am - 6pm Sunday 10am - 4pm

brook

Christmas Festival DURING DECEMBER see website for details

*CHRISTMAS EVE CLOSES 4PM Online booking available at willowbrookcentre.co.uk

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December 2016

News

MP’s MetroBus tough talk comes to nought Contact Us Editor: Stephen Horton info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk 01454 300 400 83 Snowberry Close Bradley Stoke Bristol BS32 8GB

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

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

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

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

Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor or article author. © North Bristol Press 2016. Content published in our magazines or on our websites may not be reproduced in any form without our express written permission.

L

ocal MP Jack Lopresti’s efforts to speed up the completion of the highly disruptive MetroBus roadworks in Bradley Stoke have been dealt a double dose of derision on social media in the past fortnight.

The MP’s copy and pasting, on 18th November, of a statement from the faceless MetroBus organisation stating that there are “no alternatives to the current traffic measures” was widely condemned on his own Facebook page, with one commenter accusing him of propagating “a pack of lies” from the contractor and another telling him to “go back and think of another response because this is a joke.”

Just three days later, on 21st November, Mr Lopresti seemed to change tack and came out fighting

with a new statement of his own, saying he had arranged an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State for Transport to discuss the roadworks, which he said “have gone on for far too long”.

“As a resident of Almondsbury and with an office in Bradley Stoke, I fully understand, have experienced and share the total frustration of people stuck in traffic jams during commuting hours without much evidence, it seems, of work actually taking place on the MetroBus route.

Constituents have reported to me that whilst they are stuck in their cars in traffic jams they have seen workmen asleep on the site.”

“I will be urging the minister to intervene and put pressure on South Gloucestershire Council and the contractors to get a grip

Social media reaction to Jack Lopresti’s latest statement Ben S: About as much use as a chocolate teapot. Get some bloody big lights out there and crack on!

Sarah P-T: Blaa blaa blaa...What a waste of time that was, and so the chaos will continue.

Vicky M: What’s ‘health and safety’ got to do with it? JUST GET MORE WORKERS, then they haven’t got to work more hours. It’s not rocket science!

Teresa J: Oh pffft! Thought MPs were supposed to look [after] their constituents’ interests, not those of big business?

Invitation to our Christmas Fun Day, Saturday 10 December 10am-12pm

Ian B: Nothing achieved there then … but it is a lovely PR photo though!

Well done Jack!

Sarah J: Well that was a waste of meeting! ‘Same as you are’ then contractors! They should foresee problems and assume they are going to encounter them. They should address the fact that they not working when they should be … don’t extend hours for them to continue doing nothing!

Lots of Christmas fun for all the family Come and discover what makes Happy Days Bradley Stoke so special. We are holding a special Christmas open day, with lots of Christmas themed crafts and activities. Bring family and friends.

For more information please call:

01454 614 411

or email bradleystoke@happydaysnurseries.com

Bradley Stoke Happy Days, Almondsbury Business Centre, Woodlands, Bristol BS32 4QH

facebook.com/HappyDaysNursery

twitter.com/HappyDaysChild

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December 2016

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info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk Left: Jack Lopresti MP (centre, wearing a tie) meets local councillors, MetroBus contractor representatives and council officers on 24th November.

Right: Statement issued after the meeting

of the situation to complete the works as quickly as possible.”

The outcome of Mr Lopresti’s meeting with the transport minister are still to be revealed, but a statement issued following another meeting Mr Lopresti arranged, on 24th November, with MetroBus contractors Alun Griffiths and local councillors, has attracted further widespread criticism for accepting too readily the “health and safety” oriented excuses offered by the council and its contractor (see photo above and panels left and right).

The MetroBus roadworks on Bradley Stoke Way began on 2nd September 2015, with the closure of the Woodlands Lane junction for an estimated 18 weeks. The latest indications from contractors Alun Griffiths are that the junction will now not be fully reopened until early 2017 (see monthly report on page 14). ● For the latest information, including links to discussions on social media, visit the dedicated MetroBus Build page on the Bradley Stoke Journal website: http://bit.ly/metrobusbuild

Statement by Jack Lopresti MP (issued 24th November) Earlier today, I had a meeting with representatives from South Gloucestershire Council, MetroBus, contractors Alun Griffiths, local Councillors, including Colin Hunt, South Gloucestershire’s lead councillor for transport, to discuss the ongoing problems with gridlock in Bradley Stoke resulting from the works to create the MetroBus scheme. Many people in Bradley Stoke have been expressing their frustration at the delays that have been caused as a result of the closure of one lane on the approach to the Aztec West Roundabout from Monday 14th November.

The contractors told me about the problems that have delayed the works in Bradley Stoke since they started in September 2015, in particular the uncharted water main, gas main and other services. Contractors Alun Griffiths also made me aware of the scale of the difficulties they have faced and the number of different locations at which they have encountered problems. They tell me they have been working extra hours to get the work done and that they do not anticipate finding any further uncharted utilities under the ground. I asked them to consider working on the sites for more hours each day to get the work done as quickly as possible and to minimise the congestion at peak times. They told me that with the constraints they have to work under, i.e. health and safety, this was very difficult.

However, the contractors have told me that they have opened up an extra lane on Bradley Stoke Way today and within a couple of weeks or so they hope to have the third lane from Bradley Stoke Way on to Aztec West open, once they have finished work next to the closure. I would say that the contractors were keen to stress that the barriers they have put in place are for the safety of pedestrians and road users. The contractors have assured me that if there are any further issues which could lead to congestion they will make me and residents aware in advance.

The local work is due to be complete in the early part of next year and I look forward to MetroBus being in operation in Autumn 2017. It will provide one of the key improvements to our public transport infrastructure that has been much needed in our area for many years. More details can be found on the MetroBus website, www.travelwest.info/metrobus/all-you-need-to-know Please do not hesitate to contact me on 01454 617783 or jack.lopresti.mp@parliament.uk with any further issues.

From The Clinic & The Patients...

~ from Dr Leah, Your Chiropractor

All of you are the reason why I come to work every day A Very Happy Christmas & Healthy 2017 * photos gifted by some actual patients

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December 2016

News

Willow Brook Centre all lit up for Christmas

B

rother and sister Callum and Chloe Cockle had a thrilling start to Christmas when they switched on the lights at Willow Brook Centre on Saturday 19th November.

Callum (9) and Chloe (7), from Southmead, won a competition on the Willow Brook Centre’s Facebook page to be chosen to turn on the Christmas lights alongside Santa Claus at a fun day of seasonal activities.

The festivities started at noon when Bradley Stoke Radio began an afternoon of live music from local artists and bands in the town square.

Inside Willow Brook, there was lots of great free entertainment for youngsters including a free Christmas craft workshop and

walkabouts from a beautiful stiltwalking Christmas Tree Fairy and a roller skating snowman.

Children also met the Snow Princesses and their happy snowman friend, and young fans joined in a sing-along to songs from Frozen.

A week later, on Saturday 26th November, Santa opened his grotto in the Willow Brook mall to take present requests. Tickets are £4.50 and include a small gift. The grotto will be open every day from Saturday 3rd December until Christmas Eve. See advert on page 3.

For more details on upcoming Christmas events at the centre, visit www.willowbrookcentre. co.uk or the Willow Brook Centre page on Facebook.

Above: Callum and Chloe Cockle. Below: Characters from Frozen in the mall.

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December 2016

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Letters and Opinions Bristol North Fringe heading for gridlock Recently, I drove to work at Filton from Bradley Stoke via Braydon Avenue (Little Stoke). I joined the traffic at the miniroundabout at the end and queued all the way to the A38, and then from Patchway all the way to the roundabout at Filton.

It took me half-an-hour to go about four miles.

The following day, I went via Gipsy Patch Lane and queued all the way along Gipsy Patch until I came to the A38, then joined the queue all the way up to the Filton roundabout; it was no quicker. My car was chucking out whatever cars chuck out for the same time.

I now read in the Journal that the former East Works site is being developed into offices, warehouses, hotels and car showrooms … so I carefully looked to see what road improvements were going to be made. Did I miss something in your article? So, let me get this straight: South Glos Council now wants to attract more businesses, as well as agreeing to build 3,500 houses on the other side of the A38 on Filton runway, but with no change to the road infrastructure? Oh yes, ‘the MetroBus’ is the answer. Well it doesn’t go my way!

I remember this happening with Sainsbury’s, Sun Life and B&Q, then the MoD and the Abbey Wood Retail Park. They all moved in with zero road improvements, so this council has history.

Filton, Patchway and the five Stokes are just going to be totally gridlocked in a few years’ time during rush hour times and it’s going to still be a nightmare for normal residents outside of those times.

It’s all very well upgrading the railway bridge at Gipsy Patch with two extra lanes for the MetroBus, but two extra lanes will be needed for cars as well, the A38 needs an extra lane, the dual carriageway from

Winterbourne should continue to the A38. The only hope is that the MetroBus fails and the extra lanes can be used for relieving the already congested roads.

South Glos Council is encouraging me, and I know a lot of my friends, to think very hard about staying and living in an area which is going to be a total nightmare to go anywhere or do anything in a few years’ time. No thought has been given to how ambulances and fire service vehicles get around in emergencies during rush hour. I guess it won’t be the time to have a heart attack or house fire.

Graham Osborn Bradley Stoke

MetroBus stops are poorly designed Whilst traversing Bradley Stoke Way between Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout and Savages Wood Roundabout, I noticed that the new bus stops constructed for the MetroBus scheme are not set back to allow carriageway flow for other road users when buses stop for boarding/alighting passengers, even though the verges allow ample room for this. Surely, this positioning will only lead to traffic backing up behind the buses when at these stops, especially at peak times of the day – also bearing in mind the increased traffic that will be generated on Bradley Stoke Way when the Stoke Gifford Transport Link (SGTL, a.k.a. Stoke Gifford By-Pass) is complete.

The consequences will no doubt be nose-to-tail congestion and frustration for other road users wanting to pass a stationary bus. To say nothing of the danger to pedestrians and passengers wishing to cross the carriageway at and near these stops, which are positioned in close proximity to roundabouts.

Are these stops positioned by design for the benefit of all?

Surely not.

Chris Sheppard Bradley Stoke

21

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See page 16 for details of how to submit YOUR letter for publication

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December 2016

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December 2016

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9

Schools

Bowsland Green praised by Ofsted inspectors

S

taff and pupils at a Bradley Stoke school which was deemed in need of improvement two years ago are celebrating a remarkable turnaround after Ofsted rated it ‘good’ with outstanding qualities.

Inspectors who visited Bowsland Green Primary School in early October concluded that it has been “transformed” by the inspirational leadership of the new headteacher, Faye Kitchen, who was seconded to the school in November 2014 and took on the role on a permanent basis in March 2015.

The headteacher’s style of leadership is described as being “very strong and clear”. It is exemplified by aspirational statements in common use at the school such as ‘Bowsland Brilliance’, ‘Team Bowsland’ or ’no lids on kids’.

The glowing report also praises the behaviour of pupils at the school, which along with their personal development is rated ‘outstanding’.

Inspectors noted that pupils “feel very safe at the school and like the staff very much,” while “the school’s clear approach to shared values creates a highly supportive and nurturing atmosphere”.

Disadvantaged pupils receive a good level of support and they make rapid progress in all areas of their development, add the inspectors.

Both parents and staff speak very positively about how much

Pupils celebrate the ‘good’ Ofsted report with head Faye Kitchen (back row,right) and deputy head Michelle Engley.

the school has improved in the last two years.

Inspectors say that the progress of all groups of pupils is now “at least good” in all year groups, although the oldest pupils have not yet caught up to achieve the expected standards in some subjects, due to the effects of the legacy of weaker teaching.

On the teaching front, middle managers were found to “lead their areas of work very well” and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment was found to

have improved since the last inspection.

The governing body is said to fulfil its responsibilities well, providing a good level of support and challenge to senior leaders and managing finances well.

Bowsland headteacher Faye Kitchen said: “I couldn’t be more proud of Team Bowsland and the excellence that has been achieved in such a short space of time. When I look at our young people now, listen to the things they say and see how they are

independently making their way in the world, it brings a great deal of warmth to my heart.”

Chair of governors Tony Down said: “As governors, we feel tremendous pride in the development of our school; it has been a pleasure to be part of the steering committee that has promoted the raising of standards. We’re committed to sustaining and further strengthening our school as an excellent centre of learning in Bradley Stoke.”

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December 2016

News

MetroBus roadworks causing delays of up to 75 mins for 73 bus

I

n a startling admission of the impact that the current MetroBus roadworks are having on bus services in the Bristol North Fringe, First Group has warned passengers travelling on its 73 route to expect delays of up to 75 minutes during the morning peak, meaning that a journey from north Bradley Stoke (Newleaze) to the city centre could potentially take around two-and-a-half hours.

A statement published by the operator on 21st November said: “Lane closures in and around Aztec West and Bradley Stoke Way associated with MetroBus works are causing significant disruptions to services in and around the area.”

“Services 73, X73, 77, 78, 79 are severely disrupted during the peaks. Service 73 in particular is experiencing delays of up to 75 mins during the morning peak.”

Holding out little hope for an early resolution to the issue, the statement concluded by saying: “Completion [is] currently estimated as September 2017.”

The news, which only confirms what passengers have been reporting on social media for many months, comes on top of a catalogue of complaints about the reliability of evening X73 journeys returning from the city centre (detailed in a reader letter in our November magazine).

A further negative development seen since the

closure of the nearside lane of Bradley Stoke Way on the approach to the Aztec West Roundabout on 14th November has been frequent reports of journeys on the 73 route being terminated short of their timetabled final destination (be that Cribbs Causeway or Temple Meads). This has seen buses coming from the city centre terminating at Parkway Station, the Willow Brook Centre or Aztec West and similarly (in the reverse order) for buses coming from Cribbs Causeway. On some occasions, the revised destination has been displayed on the bus signage, allowing passengers to decide if they wish to board a bus that will not take them to their desired destination. Other times, however, passengers have been unexpectedly told that the bus is terminating short of its

advertised destination and told to get off the vehicle.

One disgruntled passenger tweeted to First on 14th November: “73 not finishing its route again? Chucked off at Parkway on the way to work, [at the] centre on the way home.

This service is a joke.”

When the tweet was copied to the Journal’s Facebook page, one sceptical reader commented: “Then First Bus can say it’s not profitable and take the 73 off, and we will have to use the MetroBus when it is up and running. We won’t have a choice.”

The Journal has made repeated efforts, via several channels and over a number of weeks, to obtain statements from First, both in relation to the complaints about the issues with the X73 and the curtailed journeys on the 73, but no response had been received by the time this magazine went to print. ● Bus delayed? Try tweeting First at @FirstBSA and they may be able to offer an explanation.

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December 2016

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11

News

Electrification work to start this month at Parkway Station • Fourth platform to be added; existing ones extended • Months of disruption for travellers and residents

R

esidents living near Bristol Parkway Station have been warned to expect up to two years of potentially disruptive work as the local section of the Great Western Main Line is prepared for electrification as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan to provide a bigger, better, more reliable railway for passengers.

Network Rail is carrying out essential work in and around the station to accommodate the new fleet of faster, greener electric trains, which will provide more seats and more room for passengers.

In addition, improvements to the signalling system will replace equipment installed in the 1960s and 70s with the latest technology, paving the way for a more reliable railway and fewer delays for passengers.

The station will remain open for the majority of the project, which is due to start in late December 2016, with completion in 2018. In order to keep disruption to train services to a minimum, much of the work will take place overnight and at weekends.

The work that needs to be carried out in and around Stoke Gifford includes:

• Installing the foundations for the overhead line equipment that will power the new trains • Installing the overhead line equipment, including masts, booms and wires • Building a fourth platform and extending the existing platforms • Track works, including renewal of 2.5km of railway line • Stabilising the embankment next to the Filton Line • Repairs and track level works at Bristol Road bridge (Winterbourne) Ross Liddell, Network Rail’s sponsor for Bristol Parkway Station, said: “The work at Bristol Parkway Station is an essential part of our Railway Upgrade Plan and will pave the way for electric trains and the benefits these will bring to residents and passengers. These benefits include faster trains with more seats and more legroom, and less noise and air pollution for those who live close to the railway line.”

Ken Forshaw, Network Rail’s project manager for the station, said: “I’d like to thank the local community in advance for their patience and understanding while we carry out these essential improvements to modernise Brunel’s railway.”

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The ‘South Gloucestershire’ page on the Network Rail website will provide updates throughout the works. This can be found at: http://bit.ly/nrsouthglos Anyone with questions or concerns about the work taking place at Bristol Parkway Station can also call Network Rail’s dedicated 24-hour national helpline on 03457 114141, quoting reference ‘Great Western Route Modernisation’.

Car park charge to rise The daily charge for car parking at Bristol Parkway Station is to rise from £7.60 to £8.00 from Sunday 11th December.

Station operator GWR says the increase will help support investment, including an extra 2,000 parking spaces across the GWR network by 2019 and the updating of credit card and pay and display machines.

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December 2016

News

Remembrance Sunday in Bradley Stoke

By Katherine Robinson of the 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group

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he 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group were once again proud to organise this year’s Remembrance Day parade and ceremony. Attendance numbers were larger than ever following the group’s latest expansion and then an equally impressive number of other youth groups joining with us again. Young members from the Trident Explorers Unit, 1st Little Stoke Scout Group, 3rd Wallscourt Farm Scout Group, 1st Bradley Stoke Rainbows, Brownies and Guides, 1st Stokeway Rainbows, 2nd Stoke

Jamie Shiels and his police team to ensure the safety of all our parade participants. Many of our executive support team and parents helped to marshal the route – many thanks to all of you.

South Gloucestershire and Bradley Stoke councils were represented by Cllr Roger Avenin and Mayor Elaine Hardwick. The ceremony was also supported by parade marshal Charles Brickley and the Rev Paul Hinckley. The fabulous Filton Concert Brass Band once again provided a beautiful selection of music and another perfect performance of

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We were also incredibly proud to introduce our new Marching Band (the creation of which became possible after winning a Vodafone Community Connection Award supported by the Journal). They proudly led the parade from the Jubilee Centre under the watchful eye of band master Richard Shepherd and expert band instructor George Bettesworth. Many of them had only just started to learn their instruments this year!

Given the scale of the parade, a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ safety preparation was undertaken by group volunteer Dave Calloway, who worked tirelessly with PC

The Last Post from trumpeter Joe Marsden. Our thanks also to Ben Walker who timed the two minute silence for us. For the first time this year, everything was streamed live on Bradley Stoke Radio to reach an even wider audience. Many thanks to the radio team.

The town square held a large audience of proud parents, members of the public and local veterans. The weather was beautiful as many of our young people came up on stage to tell the story of the Battle of Jutland that took place 100 years ago.

Personal stories were also told including the moving account of young sailor Jack Cornwell, posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross at only 16 – read

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December 2016

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out by a Scout of the same age.

Two of our Scouts also paid tribute to their great great great uncle who also died when his ship was sunk at Jutland.

We could not run our ceremony without the continued help and support from the Willow Brook Centre manager, Andy Wynn, and all his extremely helpful support staff, so we would like to say a huge thank you to them all. Thank you also to Boots for once again allowing us to access and use their windows to

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display our giant poppy behind the memorial.

Thank you to all our young people (and their leaders) who are a real credit to their groups and themselves. We are very proud to Remember.

Facing page: The Scouts’ new marching band in the parade.

Above (clockwise): Beaver Scouts, one wearing medals; wreaths around the war memorial, young people prepare to lay wreaths; young people read passages at the ceremony.

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December 2016

News MetroBus: Full reopening of Woodlands Lane junction delayed AGAIN until New Year

By Jim Aitken, community liaison officer at Alun Griffiths Ltd

North section of BSW

Work continues to progress on the verge approaching the Aztec West Roundabout to construct the new dedicated bus lane from Bradley Stoke Way (BSW) onto the A38. The commencement of this work has been delayed due to uncharted utilities. The main utilities are now diverted and just minor utility works remain, however Griffiths are able to work around these to progress towards completion of the tie-in on Bradley Stoke Way before Christmas. The completion of this tie-in will facilitate the removal of the current full-time lane closure on the approach to the Aztec West Roundabout.

Following our Christmas shutdown (23rd December to 3rd January), we shall be focussing attention on completing the tie-in of the bus lane to the A38 and construction of the bus stop on the A38. These works cannot be completed until the works on BSW are completed due to phasing constraints.

Completion of the BSW tie-in will also enable the reopening of additional peak-time lane capacity between Orchard Gate and Aztec West to further reduce the impact on traffic. The current lane restrictions are required to ensure a safe working area for our workforce and also a safe footway for pedestrians passing the works.

Additionally, after the Christmas break, we shall be undertaking the final surfacing works between the two roundabouts that are currently only surfaced in a temporary state. This extensive operation, now planned to take place in early February, will require the removal of the top 40mm of surfacing and the placement of a new surface course. This operation will also enable us to regulate areas of poor surfacing to ensure a smooth surface finish.

Additionally, in January, we shall complete finishing works such as landscaping, traffic signs and signal installation that will

The new bus filter lane between Bradley Stoke Way and the A38 takes shape

require periodic lane closures within the area between the two roundabouts. We shall, as promised, alert the local community of the final surfacing operations as they will require night time work.

Woodlands Lane junction

Griffiths will have completed all the required civils work by mid-January to facilitate the installation of traffic signals.

The remaining civils works require the installation of traffic islands in the centre of the carriageway which, due to traffic flow restrictions, cannot be completed until the tie-in works on the bus slip lane onto the A38 are finished, which themselves have been delayed due to utility

works (see above). The net result is that the Woodlands Lane junction will now not fully reopen until after the Christmas break. The signalisation works will be undertaken by South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) Traffic Signals Team and we are currently awaiting confirmation of an installation date from them to enable us to programme these works. Once received, we shall update the Journal. Until these signals are installed and commissioned by SGC, the junction will not be able to operate with all traffic movements.

Pedestrian issues

We are currently on programme to be in a position where we can reopen the short section of footway on BSW opposite the Woodlands Lane junction in mid-December. Unfortunately, additional Virgin Media works in this immediate area have prevented an earlier reopening.

The footway on the westbound side of BSW, which is currently closed from Patchway Brook Roundabout, is programmed to reopen as far as Woodlands Lane at the same time. Crossings at Woodlands Lane and Orchard Gate are dependent on traffic signal functionality and will be reopened at the same time as the signalised junctions themselves.

The zebra crossing at Patchway Brook Roundabout, which has two lanes on each approach, has been reduced to one for pedestrian safety reasons and traffic is filtered into a single lane on approach to each. This is causing some further traffic

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15

Update from MetroBus (issued 23rd November) We would like to apologise for the congestion in the Bradley Stoke area due to necessary road improvements.

We have had to close the nearside filter lane on the approach to Aztec West Roundabout to create a new bus lane. This has had a significant impact on the flow of traffic through Aztec West Roundabout leading to congestion on Bradley Stoke Way, Patchway Brook Roundabout and the link road between the M5 and Aztec West. We are aware that the congestion is especially bad during the morning and evening peak periods.

We have revalidated the traffic signals on Aztec West Roundabout to ensure that they are working efficiently.

The nearside filter lane on the approach to Aztec West is expected to be out of use until 15th December. At this point it will be re-opened and congestion will be eased. The works when complete will provide the new bus lane without reducing the number of general traffic lanes.

We apologise for the frustration that commuters are experiencing, but there are no alternatives to the current traffic measures. There is a large hole in the ground on the approach to Aztec West roundabout and removing any of the restrictions would compromise the safety of motorists and workers. Our contractors are working 7.30am to 5pm daily, seven days a week, in an attempt to complete the work ahead of schedule.

The MetroBus work in the Bradley Stoke area is rapidly coming to a conclusion. We ask all residents and commuters to bear with us during this last phase of construction. We are doing all that we can to complete our road improvements and remove the traffic restrictions as quickly as possible.

issues at peak times but we are restricted due to the safety concerns for pedestrians using the crossing.

Middle section of BSW

Towards the leisure centre, drainage works and island construction works will be ongoing until mid-December and we envisage the commencement of surfacing from early December, which will be carried out under daytime lane closures.

South section of BSW

Works are ongoing on three of the four new MetroBus bus stops and these are substantially complete except for the electrical supply connections which are being provided by Western Power Distribution (WPD). We plan to commence work on the fourth stop (Webbs Wood westbound) in early December, with completion soon into the New Year.

Great Stoke Way

Works on Great Stoke Way are complete, apart from the tie-in works for the Stoke Gifford By-Pass scheme at Parkway North Roundabout, which shall comprise of drainage and resurfacing works.

Stoke Gifford By-Pass

Having been handed the Network Rail bridge deck at the end of October, we are now well under way with the carriageway construction works either side of the deck. The cut on the southern approach to the bridge has been completed and kerbed, and will be surfaced (to binder course) in early December.

The fill on the northern approach is progressing well and will be ready for kerbing in the new year. This will connect the new rail bridge to the Parkway North Roundabout and will be surfaced in February or March (depending on the weather).

Installation of WPD cables is currently under way between Tudor Lodge and the A4174 (except in the area of the new Ham Brook bridge). This work will be followed by planting and seeding in these areas. Fencing works is already complete in many areas.

Traffic management (off-peak lane closures) will be required in the new year on the A4174 and Hambrook Lane, to complete traffic signal ducting installation.

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December 2016

Local McDonald’s franchisee Mike Guerin (back row, centre) with the Bradley Stoke Youth FC U6 players and coaching staff.

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

Send your letter to letters@ bradleystokejournal.co.uk or post it to: Reader Letters, Bradley Stoke Journal, 83 Snowberry Close, Bradley Stoke, Bristol BS32 8GB Please include a telephone number with your letter, in case we need to contact you.

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Sport

McDonald’s boost for local grassroots team

L

ocal football team Bradley Stoke Youth FC U6s have received a brand new free kit courtesy of local McDonald’s franchisee Mike Guerin and the McDonald’s FA Kit Scheme.

The McDonald’s scheme, now in its third year, has provided over 175,000 kits to clubs across the UK with 70,000 new football kits being delivered this year. This year has seen a huge number of applications from clubs across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who were eligible to order a brand new kit, choosing from a number of styles and colours.

To mark the occasion, Bradley Stoke Youth FC held an event at their training ground, inviting local McDonald’s franchisee Mike Guerin to come along to celebrate the U6s receiving their new strip of kits for this year’s season.

Local McDonald’s franchisee, Mike Guerin, who is a keen supporter of grassroots football, said: “Bradley Stoke Youth FC is a club that is close to my heart, and an excellent example of a grassroots club which has a real community spirit. I am thrilled to be able to supply the young players with a new kit to achieve great things in this season! The kit scheme is something that McDonald’s is incredibly proud to be able to roll out to clubs all over the country. I would like to thank Bradley Stoke Youth FC for inviting me along to celebrate with them in receiving their new kit and wish them the best for this year’s season.”

Martin Lee from Bradley Stoke Youth FC said: “We’re hugely grateful to McDonald’s for donating a new kit for our U6

team. An average team strip costs around £500 per season, so this really is a huge saving for us and means we can spend the money on other areas of the club that need it. The kids absolutely love wearing their new strip. Having the kit has created fantastic unity and team spirit and has given the kids extra motivation to train and have a great season.”

McDonald’s Director of Football, Sir Geoff Hurst, said: “I have seen the benefits of the McDonald’s Kit Scheme first hand and it is a great help to clubs across the UK such as Bradley Stoke Youth FC. We have been inundated with requests for kit and it’s fantastic to see the players wearing a new strip as their friends and family cheer them on.”

“Grassroots football clubs are so important to the local community and offer so many opportunities to youngsters throughout the UK. By giving away a free kit, McDonald’s is opening vital funds for these teams to help raise their standards of football and build upon their successes.”

The McDonald’s Accredited Club Kit Scheme is part of the company’s ongoing 14-year Community Partnership with the four Home Nation Football Associations. The programme focuses on supporting accredited grassroots clubs to help raise the standards of grassroots football across the UK through better safety, better advice, better coaching for better coaches, better kit, better support and better recognition for volunteers. ● Contact BSYFC’s Martin Lee at mlee1@btopenworld.com

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Ask the Doctor with Dr Sophie Kilmartin of Bradley Stoke Surgery The thyroid gland

A

s we approach Christmas, I have been shopping for presents for friends and family. Just as Jesus was given gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh by the three wise men, we all like to give and receive gifts at this time of year. The best gift of all, in my line of work, is good health. One of the advantages of living in 2016 compared to 1916 is access to modern medicines to improve quality of life. An example of this is in disorders of the thyroid gland.

The thyroid gland is located in the neck just below the Adam’s apple. The word thyroid comes from the ancient Greek for ‘shield’ as this is what it resembles. There are two lobes joined by an isthmus over the wind pipe. The thyroid secretes two hormones into the blood stream called thyroxine (T4, 4 iodine atoms) and

triiodothyronine (T3, 3 iodine atoms). It malfunctions in 1:20 of us, mostly women over 30 years, but it can occur in anybody at any age.

Thyroid hormones influence many areas of the body’s metabolism including appetite, digestion, cholesterol, heart rate, breathing, temperature, growth, sexual function and sleep. If a person’s thyroid gland becomes underactive (hypothyroid) or over-active (hyperthyroid) then health troubles ensue. Hypothyroidism is more common than hyperthyroidism, and in the UK is often due to an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Worldwide, the most likely cause is dietary iodine deficiency.

As the symptoms of thyroid problems can be non-specific in the early stages, it can be hard for doctors to rule this out

clinically.

Thankfully, there is a simple blood test for thyroid problems.

This is only a relatively recent development as the first thyroid function tests started in the 1960s. These were complex, time consuming assays. Now the tests are performed on machines and take moments.

All babies are tested for thyroid problems with a heel prick blood sample at birth. There is also an effective treatment for hypothyroidism with thyroxine.

It was first synthesised in 1927.

Before thyroid supplements were available, a person with hypothyroidism would die within ten years of the diagnosis. How wonderful it is that we have the gift of all these advances in medicine – some less than a hundred years old.

Happy Christmas from all of us at Bradley Stoke Surgery!

December 2016

In Brief Nominations open for SGC community awards Nominations are now open for the South Glos Council Chair’s Community Awards 2017.

The awards recognise and celebrate the valuable contribution local unpaid volunteers make to life in South Gloucestershire.

Suggestions for nominations include those who have contributed to community development, promoting equality, arts, sports, play, environment, working with older or young people, advice and advocacy or have simply been a good neighbour.

You can nominate your local community hero(s) online at www.southglos.gov.uk/ communityawards Alternatively, call 01454 863019 or email communityawards@ southglos.gov.uk The deadline for nominations is Monday 16th January.

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19

News Pudsey calls in at St Chad’s School

On Children in Need day (18th November), Pudsey stopped off at St Chad’s Primary School, Stoke Lodge to judge a competition at the start of the school’s special day. As part of the festivities, the school had been invited to create a piece of art, with Pudsey choosing a number of winners. The winning entries, along with a sample of others, can be seen in the Asda store at Cribbs Causeway.

On top of being dressed in spots, the pupils at St Chad’s spent time during the remainder of the day competing in a number of hula hoop games.

Headteacher Mr Brown said: “We had a great day and although we are still counting, so far we have raised in excess of £250.

Well done to the parents and children of St Chad’s for getting involved and being so creative with their art and their spots!”

Go Kan Ryu (GKR) Karate Bristol and South Wales region has managed to raise in excess of £2,500 to help the charity MIND. The club raised the money by holding a special Neon Karate seminar, a Blue Belt Bake Off and a sponsored 1,000 Karate Kicks event at its local classes.

GKR Karate Bristol will be at the Willow Brook Centre in

Bradley Stoke on Tuesday 6th December and Thursday 15th December, where they will be staging mini-classes and displays.

The group runs local classes in Stoke Gifford and Patchway and prides itself on offering family friendly classes where all instructors are fully accredited and hold both DBS enhanced and first aid certificates.

Stage Whisper Youth Theatre meets every Saturday at Patchway Sports & Social Club, Scott Park, Coniston Road between 11am and 3pm.

Ages range from 4 to 19 and it’s all about building confidence and giving local youngsters opportunities to get up and have a go through musical theatre.

Our last show ‘Night at the Movies’ at the beginning of October was a huge success. We have just started rehearsals for a new show which has a Disney theme. New members are always welcome to come along and see what we do.

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December 2016

Advertise in this * Christmas Events space for just £30 Bradley Stoke Santa sleigh tour dates Get your business noticed

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Santa and his running elves (courtesy of North Bristol Running Group) will be hitting the streets of Bradley Stoke on 20th and 21st December.

They will be collecting for an hour in the town square at the Willow Brook Centre from 6.15pm on 20th December before heading out on a circuit that is expected to include Webbs Wood Road, Marjoram Place, Juniper Way and (if time allows) The Bluebells.

On 21st December, Santa will depart Bradley Stoke Surgery

at 6.15pm and visit Brook Way, Wheatfield Drive, Dewfalls Drive and Savages Wood Road before pausing in the town square between 7.15pm and 8pm. Then he will be off again, visiting Three Brooks Lane, Hawkins Crescent, Kemperleye Way before returning to the surgery.

Santa’s elves will be collecting for charities that are being supported by two of the group’s members who have entries in the London Marathon, and to help send Emma Barnes to the Transplant Games.

The Bradley Stoke Lions’ elves are proud to announce that Santa has a new sleigh and two new reindeer for his 2016 tour! Trial runs are rumoured to have been carried out in late November, so if you were very lucky, you might have already caught a glimpse of the new sleigh passing down your street!

Everything will be ready for Christmas and Santa will be at the Willow Brook Centre on 10th December looking forward to seeing everybody. He will be touring round Bradley Stoke on a number of evenings in December.

For information as to his route,

keep an eye on the Bradley Stoke Lions Club page on Facebook and listen to Bradley Stoke Radio who have been a great support.

If you are interested in finding out more about how the Lions help and support the community whilst having fun doing it, contact Robin on 07712 046644.

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The Southmead Hospital Charity’s enormous Christmas float will be in Bradley Stoke on the night of Friday 9th December. For more information, visit ‘The Float Group’ page on Facebook.

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December 2016

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Christmas Church Services Church of Christ the King

Mautravers Close, Bradley Stoke Saturday 17th December 4pm: Christingle Sunday 18th December 6.30pm: Carols and Candles cafe style Saturday 24th December 4pm: Crib Service Sunday 25th December 10am: All Age Christmas Celebration

Community Christmas Carols Willow Brook Centre, Bradley Stoke Wednesday 14th December 6pm: Brass Band and free refreshments 6.30pm to 7.15pm: Carol Service

Holy Trinity Church

Broad Croft, Bradley Stoke Sunday 11th December 10am: Nativity Service Sunday 18th December 6.30pm: Carols by Candlelight Saturday 24th December 5pm: Christingle Service 11.15pm: Midnight Communion Sunday 25th December 10am: All Age Christmas Celebration

Amberley Road Baptist Church Amberley Road, Stoke Lodge Sunday 11th December 11am Kids’ and Youth Christmas Service Sunday 18th December 7pm: Carol Service Sunday 25th December 10.30am: Christmas Day Celebration

Holy Family Catholic Church Southsea Road, Patchway Saturday 24th December 6pm: Christmas Family Mass 11.15pm: Vigil to welcome Christmas Sunday 25th December 12am: Midnight Mass 9.30am: Christmas Mass 11am: Christmas Mass

Bradley Stoke Evangelical Church Baileys Court Road, Bradley Stoke Sunday 18th December 10.30am: All Age Christmas Service Saturday 24th December 6pm: Carols By Candlelight Sunday 25th December 10.30am: Christmas Day Celebration

Bridge Community Church

Meets at Bradley Stoke Community School Sunday 18th December 10.30am: All Age Christmas Service

Christmas & New Year: Opening Hours & Bus Services

N.B. All information is provided without warranty or liability. Check times with store or service provider before travelling.

Date

Bradley Stoke Tesco Extra

Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre

Bradley Stoke Library

First Bus (showing timetable in use) 73

X73

77

Christmas Eve (Saturday 24th December 2016)

Until 7pm

Closed

Closed

Saturday1

X

Saturday2

Christmas Day (Sunday 25th December 2016)

Closed

Closed

Closed

X

X

X

Boxing Day (Monday 26th December 2016)

9am to 6pm

Closed

Closed

Special

X

X

Bank Holiday (Tuesday 27th December 2016

From 6am

8am to 4pm

Closed

Sunday

X

X

Wednesday 28th December 2016

24 hours

7am to 7pm

Closed

Saturday

X

Saturday

Thursday 29th December 2016

24 hours

7am to 7pm

10.30am to 6pm

Saturday

X

Saturday

Friday 30th December 2016

24 hours

7am to 7pm

10.30am to 7pm

Saturday

X

Saturday

New Years Eve (Saturday 31st December 2016)

Until 7pm

7am to 5pm

9.30am to 5pm

Saturday

X

Saturday4

New Years Day (Sunday 1st January 2017)

10am to 4pm

Closed

Closed

Special

X

X

Bank Holiday (Monday 2nd January 2017)

From 6am

7am to 7pm

Closed

Sunday

X

Sunday

3

For opening times of other stores at the Willow Brook Centre, visit: www.willowbrookcentre.co.uk (1) Cancelled: 1705 departing Cribbs Causeway; 1735 departing Bristol Temple Meads Station; 0105 departing city centre (2) Cancelled: 1720 departing Broadmead, Lewins Mead (3) Cancelled: 1705 departing Cribbs Causeway, Bus Station; 1735 departing Bristol Temple Meads Station (4) Cancelled: 1720 departing Broadmead, Lewins Mead

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December 2016

News

Councillors to press for deferral of Hatchet Road bus lane plans

S

toke Gifford’s three South Glos councillors have signalled their intention to formally call for the implementation of a controversial new southbound bus lane on Hatchet Road to be deferred until the impact of the new Stoke Gifford By-Pass on traffic flows through the village are known.

The new bus lane, approved

by South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) Environment & Community Services (ECS) Committee in July, forms part of the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension (CPME) scheme, which will link Bristol Parkway Station with The Mall at Cribbs Causeway and serve the new developments planned for the former Filton Airfield site.

The councillors’ intended plan of action was confirmed after a packed public meeting held at St Michael’s Primary School on 22nd November demonstrated the strength of feeling amongst local residents against the bus lane proposals.

The meeting, attended by around 140 people, was addressed principally by Cllr Colin Hunt, a member of the ECS Committee which approved the Hatchet Road bus lane option and also chair of the West of England Joint Transport Executive Committee, which oversees the region’s MetroBus projects.

Facing an audience which seemed to be universally opposed to the Hatchet Road plans, which will see mature hedgerows and scores of mature trees ripped out, Cllr Hunt made it clear from the start of the meeting that he was not prepared to consider any alternatives, saying: “one way or another we’ve got to put a bus lane down there. All we’re trying to do is provide a fast bus service.

I understand that you don’t want to lose green space, but we all have to make sacrifices.”

Cllr Hunt revealed that since the decision in July, council officers have been investigating a number of measures that might mitigate the impact of the scheme, such as moving the main area of ‘land take’ over to the Forty Acres side of the road and reducing the width of the bus lane, both of which would lead to less vegetation being taken from Meade Park and adjacent to residents’ homes on the east side of the road. However, both of these options would require further public consultation and thereby delay the scheme.

Points made by members of the public ranged from general scepticism about whether any of the proposed MetroBus schemes will succeed in getting people out of their cars to specific questions about the options for Hatchet Road, with one resident describing the committee’s decision as “intellectually challenged,” given that the council’s own technical assessment showed that the less costly options of “doing nothing” or “just adding bus lay-bys” performed equally well or better in terms of journey times. “There must be some other reason why you want to do that. What is the hidden agenda?” she asked.

Another resident claimed that it was foolish to be providing a bus lane along just part of Hatchet Road and have no proposals for the rest of it (beyond Ratcliffe Drive). “The buses will just join the rest of the queuing traffic,” he added. “This isn’t about nimbyism, it’s about common sense.”

In a comment left on the Stoke Gifford Journal website two days after the meeting, Cllr Ernie Brown, chair of the parish council and one of the three South Glos councillors for Stoke Gifford wrote: “I can see no justification for adding a extra bus lane for

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December 2016

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23

L-r: A packed hall at St Michael’s School for the public meeting, Cllr Colin Hunt (SGC) and Cllr Ernie Brown (SGC and chair of Stoke Gifford Parish Council)

part of Hatchet Road, on one side and in one direction only. It is absurd to think that it will save 29 secs off the journey time when you have three sets of traffic lights and bus stops, anyone of those will see the time eroded.”

“If this work goes ahead it will close the village down for a considerable time. To my knowledge there have been no discussions on how the traffic will be redirected.”

Cllr Brown later provided the following statement to the

Journal: “Having listened to the residents and heard their strong objections, the three Stoke Gifford district councillors will now table a motion at the next South Glos Full Council meeting [understood to be on 15th February 2017] to ‘defer the decision made by the ECS Committee until the impact of the Stoke Gifford By-Pass is known’.”

An SGC spokesperson has since confirmed that the bypass is still on track to open in

September 2017.

In a further development that has come to light since the public meeting, SGC has revealed that, following further technical work undertaken since the ECS meeting in July, it has become necessary to establish a revised schedule for the CPME project.

An SGC spokesperson said: “Construction of the CPME is now anticipated to take longer than originally estimated. This is primarily due to the expectation that it would not be possible to

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construct certain parts of the route simultaneously, such as Hatchet Road and Gipsy Patch Lane. Therefore we now anticipate services on the CPME would start in 2021, rather than 2019.”

This delay could provide a convenient window to defer implementation of the Hatchet Road bus lane, allowing the impact of the by-pass to be assessed and avoiding an embarrassing rift between the Conservative councillors on either side of the argument.

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December 2016

December 2016

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Don’t be left out in the Cold!

Jump in the New Dacia Duster

Dacia Duster SCe 115 from £9,495*

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The official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Dacia Duster range is: urban 27.2 (10.4)- 47.9 (5.9); extra-urban 40.3(7.0)- 56.5 (5.0); combined 35.3 (8.0)-53.3 (5.3). The official CO2 emissions for the range is 185-135g/km. EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008 test environment figures. Fuel consumption and CO2 may vary according to driving styles, road conditions and other factors. *Price shown for Dacia Duster Access SCe 115 4x2 and includes delivery to dealer, number plates, 20% VAT, 12-month Government road fund licence and £55 first registration fee. Price shown is manufacturer’s recommended retail price. Offers are valid on eligible vehicles when ordered by 31 December 2016 and registered by 31 March 2017.

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From £21,445 to £32,445* The official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the All-New Renault Scénic range are: urban 37.7 (7.5)–67.39 (4.2); extra-urban 53.3 (5.3)–76.3 (3.7); combined 46.3 (6.1)–72.4 (3.9). The official CO2 emissions are 136–100g/km. EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008 test environment figures.

Fuel consumption and CO2 may vary according to driving styles, road conditions and other factors. *Car shown is an All-New Scénic Signature Nav TCe 130 at £26,445 with optional metallic paint price £545. Prices shown are manufacturer’s recommended retail prices, available on featured new vehicles ordered by 31 December 2016 and registered by 31 March 2017. Prices shown include delivery to dealer, number plates, 20% VAT, 12-month government road fund license and £55 first registration fee.

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News

Mall Cribbs expansion plans given green light Artist’s impressions (from the planning application) Left: The development will include a new ‘anchor’ store, similar to the existing John Lewis and Marks and Spencer Right: New state-of-theart covered bus station with support facilities for travellers

S

outh Gloucestershire’s largest retail outlet is set to expand after councillors granted outline planning permission for the proposals.

The scheme at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway includes more than 35,000 square metres of retail floor space, leisure, and hotel and restaurant facilities alongside a new multi-storey car

park, an events plaza and up to 150 residential apartments.

A new bus station is also included in the plans which will cater for local and MetroBus services. These services will help connect the new communities being built at the Cribbs Patchway New Neighbourhood with major retail, employment and education hubs in the region.

As well as the bus station, a new footbridge will be built over Merlin Road for the use of pedestrians and cyclists along with new roads and enhanced pedestrian and cycle links which will be provided throughout the development.

There will be no increase in the total amount of free car parking on the site (7,000 spaces).

Given the nature and scale of the proposal, the council has referred the decision to the Secretary of State who has 21 days to approve it or call it in.

Cllr Trevor Jones, Chair of South Gloucestershire Council’s DC West Committee, said: “This application contains significant new provision for shopping at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway which will bring up to 3,000 more jobs to South Gloucestershire and continue to generate economic prosperity across the region.

“As well as retail and leisure facilities, an important element

of the proposal is the provision of transport infrastructure which will see a new bus station created for local and MetroBus services. These facilities are key to ensuring people are well connected to the area’s key employment and education hubs.

“The council sees this £300m investment at Cribbs Causeway as a vital step in providing a vibrant town centre to better meet the needs of the existing and new communities in the north-west fringe of Bristol.”

The developers anticipate a three-year build programme for the scheme, so stores could be trading by the end of 2019 or early 2020.

The application was opposed by the owners of Cabot Circus, who claimed the development would deflect £123 million of trade a year from the city centre by 2021, resulting in the loss of 1,500 jobs from city centre shops. ● www.cribbsfuture.com

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December 2016

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27

Schools

Olympus Academy Trust in running to take over troubled secondaries

T

he Bradley Stoke based Olympus Academy Trust, which already has responsibility for seven schools in South Gloucestershire, has announced that it is in discussions with two other trusts about taking over a number of troubled local schools.

Patchway Community College, operated by Fusion Schools Trust, had already been in talks about joining Olympus, but matters have recently been

brought to a head by a damning Ofsted inspection report which rated the Patchway school ‘inadequate’ and placed it in ‘special measures’ (see below).

Elsewhere in the local area, the Ridings Federation (TRF), which operates Winterbourne and Yate International Academies along with a number of other, smaller educational establishments, has announced plans to hand over control of its schools to a multi-academy trust (MAT)

through a process known as “re-brokering”. TRF’s decision to relinquish control of the schools follows the revelation that there is a £1 million shortfall in its budget, staff strikes and Ofsted inspections which rated the two academies as being ‘in need of improvement’. In follow-up inspections, Ofsted has noted that the quality of teaching has failed to improve, blaming poor leadership by senior teachers and ineffective governance.

Olympus is one of three trusts to have announced an intention to submit a proposal to take over the TRF academies, the others being Oasis Learning Trust and Greenshaw Learning Trust. All three trusts have now entered a period of “due diligence” and will soon submit their proposals to the Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC), who is expected to make a decision by the beginning of January. ● www.olympustrust.co.uk

Patchway school placed in ‘special measures’ following damning Ofsted report

P

atchway Community College (PCC) has been placed in ‘special measures’ following the publication of a damning report by Ofsted inspectors who visited the secondary school in early October.

Assigning the lowest possible overall rating of ‘inadequate’, lead inspector Kathy Maddocks concluded that standards at the school have declined in recent years, and criticised school leaders and governors for being too slow to implement necessary changes.

The quality of teaching at the school is described as “poor”, pupils do not make sufficient progress in a range of subjects and measures to guarantee pupils’ safety are “weak”.

All five of the individual effectiveness measures assessed by the inspectors resulted in an ‘inadequate’ grading.

One of the few positive observations contained in the report is that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are “achieving well”.

Inspectors do, however, note that the new headteacher, Karen Cornick, only took up the post four weeks prior to the inspection and remark that “there is evidence of her positive impact already”.

In a letter sent to parents on 21st November , the headteacher describes the report as a “huge blow” and points out that, while the school had much improved outcomes at GCSE and Post-16 in 2015/16, the inspection team had been obliged to consider progress over the last three years.

As a consequence of being placed in special measures, the school’s governing body has been in further discussions with the Olympus Academy Trust (which it had already approached about joining back in January 2016) and the Regional Schools Commissioner.

Olympus, which already has responsibility for two local secondary schools (Bradley Stoke Community School and Abbeywood Community School), issued a statement saying it was “frustrated that an agreement has still not been reached about levels of funding support for Patchway from the Department for Education (DfE) and the Education Funding Agency (EFA) in order for Patchway to join the trust”. The statement added: “We hope there will be a swift resolution by the DfE and EFA so that learners and staff at Patchway are able to benefit from joining the trust without further delay.”

Parents and carers of students at PCC were invited to attend a meeting at the school on Monday 28th November when the proposal to join the Olympus Academy Trust was due to be further explained, along with the school’s plan for addressing the key issues arising from the Ofsted inspection. ● Ofsted report and head’s letter: http://bit.ly/bsj-mag-links

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Get well · Stay well

B

by Craig from the Willow Brook Clinic

Festive food for thought

eing surrounded by health professionals in the work I do, I often hear really good advice about achieving and maintaining better health.

Every day is a new opportunity to reassess who we are and what we do, so I thought I would list some of the snippets of brilliant advice I have heard over the years.

• “The body is made of many moving parts – stay healthy by moving them regularly.”

• “For a whole body workout, go for a walk. Don’t carry anything and swing your arms.”

• “Get good at balancing.

Then get better. This will help synchronise your nerve pathways and muscle units.”

• “Engage your core muscles, breathe and smile, throughout the day. This will ensure your posture is correct, and smiling will make you and those around you happy.”

• “Your feet are your foundation. If they are ‘out of alignment’ your whole body will be too.”

• “Aim to get outside every day, come rain or shine, even if it is just for ten minutes.”

• “Keep at it! Difficult activities make your brain rise to the challenge, which helps recovery, whether it is post injury or post operation.”

• “Pretend you are on a cliff, learning forward (but not jumping!) Notice how your core muscles engage. Practise that!”

• “You don’t stop playing because you get old, you get old because you stop playing.”

• “Any exercise you choose to do should be fun, if it’s not, choose again.”

• “Flexibility is a really important part of staying fit and healthy.”

• “Variety is the key to preventing boredom when exercising and helps to move more muscle groups.”

In the run up to festive season and with New Year’s resolutions looming, consider some of these quotes to be your mantra to help you achieve what you want to.

Use your chosen mantra to springboard yourself into action and motivate yourself to feel better.

Highly skilled professionals like chiropractors, physiotherapists and podiatrists will help you on your journey to success.

Be yourself, just better!

Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year from the team at Willow Brook Clinic.

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December 2016

off first treatment when booked before 1st January 2017

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December 2016

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29

News

In Brief

Brook Court dresses up!

Funding approved for M4 motorway junction study

By Grahame Holloway Last month saw a new activity added to Brook Court’s already varied social calendar, a Cocktail Party! Organised by the Chairman of the Residents’ Association, Roger Grimshaw, the evening proved a great success, giving the men an opportunity to look out their

South Gloucestershire councillors have given the go ahead for a feasibility study to be drawn up for a new motorway junction on the M4 at Emersons Green.

Funding of £500,000 has been secured from the Department for Transport towards the study, which will look at all the options of linking the M4 with the A4174 Ring Road via a new junction, ‘18A’. The study will be steered jointly by the council and Highways England.

A key aim of the scheme is to ease congestion in this part of South Gloucestershire and provide better access to employment hubs such as the Emersons Green Enterprise Area, home to the Bristol and Bath Science Park.

Officers will now get the technical work under way and appoint CH2M to work on the project. Work on the study is due to be completed in 2018.

DJs and the ladies to don their ‘finery’.

No fewer than nineteen different cocktails were on offer, all ably mixed by Roger, with printed menus providing their names and listing all the ingredients. Needless to say, most of those present sampled more than one! In addition, and to aid

moderation, ample tasty ‘nibbles’ were prepared by the ladies.

However, just to prove all tastes are catered for, the following week saw around thirty residents gather in the residents’ lounge to enjoy a fish and chip supper prepared by a local ’chippy’. After all they do say ‘variety is the spice of life’.

Wishing you a cosy and festive home this Christmas from all at Ocean Bradley Stoke oceanhome.co.uk

Bradley Stoke Office Unit 7, Willowbrook Centre, BS32 8BS Call: 01454 205 070 Mail: bradleystokesales@oceanhome.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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In Brief

Bradley Stoke Beat Team PC Claire Fletcher reports

I

t’s been a busy month for the beat team, with Halloween, fireworks night and Remembrance Day. We supported all of these community events, which were hugely successful.

I’m happy to say that while the recent spate of burglaries in the area has greatly decreased, we are still asking people to be vigilant, making sure windows are shut and doors are locked when leaving the house.

Here are some great seasonal top tips: • Register your new tech with www.immobilise.com • Be aware of your bags and pockets in busy areas • Don’t leave your Christmas shopping unattended • Be safe, be seen when out walking or cycling Did you know you can report crime and raise other concerns that don’t need an emergency

response online at www. avonandsomerset.police.uk?

All of these tips, and more, are on the festive calendar we have produced with the Willow Brook Centre and Ocean and will be featuring in our regular tweets from @ASPTheStokes and @WillowBrookCtr This month, I’d also like to talk to you about domestic abuse. You may have seen our awareness campaign, which launched in November and runs until Christmas.

We understand that domestic abuse does not only affect women – we know that older people, men, people in LGBT+ relationships may all be affected, but are underrepresented in the reporting of this type of crime.

If you have any reason to believe someone you know is affected, look for the signs, listen, ask and ask again.

December 2016

Let them know help is available.

Visit www. thisisnotanexcuse.org.uk for more information.

Why not visit us at one of our regular beat surgeries where we welcome questions and offer general advice? No appointment is necessary.

Beat surgeries at the Willow Brook Centre Tuesday 6th December – 10am to 12pm Thursday 8th December – 4.30pm to 6.30pm Monday 19th December – 4.30pm to 6.30pm Friday 30th December – 5.30pm to 7.30pm

We hand-deliver 9,500 copies of this magazine As well as being delivered to ALL of the 8,700 homes in Bradley Stoke, a further 800 copies of this magazine are delivered in the neighbouring areas of Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. We leave a further 700 copies at public locations in Almondsbury, Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke, Patchway, Stoke Lodge, Stoke Gifford and Winterbourne.

The Journal is proud to be Bradley Stoke’s ONLY locally edited newspaper!

The Journal Send us your news!

January magazine Deadline for contributions: Monday 12th December

ASPolice Bradley Stoke @ASPTheStokes

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk

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

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December 2016

In Brief Stokes Singers’ Christmas concert on 17th December Local community choir Stokes Singers invite you to join them for their annual Christmas concert ‘A Wonderful Christmastime’ at 7.30pm on Saturday 17th December at St Chad’s Church, Rodway Road, Patchway. Musical Directors Philip Lawrence and Sian Walters have put together a lively programme of traditional and modern songs and music to meet all tastes. The choir is also looking forward to welcoming guest performers to add a sparkle to the evening and as always, there will be an opportunity to sing along if you wish.

Tickets (£5 Adults; £2 children aged 5 -16) are available on the door or from Liz on 01454 614 148. Proceeds from the lucky programme draw and refreshments will go to support the local charity, Great Western Air Ambulance.

After the Christmas break,

the choir will meet to rehearse every Thursday evening from 5th January at Coniston Community Centre, Patchway. If you would like to try singing in a mixed choir, come and enjoy your first two rehearsals free of charge or join us for a one-off singing workshop later in January.

For more information contact membership secretary Liz on 01454 614 148.

Uganda in July.

This early notice is so that you can save those Christmas jigsaws for the date! If you do not have a jigsaw mat, one can be improvised from newspaper sheets; wrap the sheets around a cylinder formed of toilet roll tubes to store or transport your jigsaw!

Doors open at 10am and the event runs until 12 noon.

Get ready for the Grand Jigsaw Exhibition!

Bradley Stoke Town FC (BSTFC) mid-season report

On Wednesday 15th February (half-term week), a Grand Jigsaw Exhibition is to be held at Holy Trinity Church, Bradley Stoke.

The idea is for enthusiasts of all ages to bring along a jigsaw puzzle (or several), preferably assembled, to show off and admire. There will be several classes: for babies, children and adults. There will also be fun games and refreshments, with donations towards the church’s youth working party going to

BSTFC chair Ian Drew writes: Whilst our season is in full flow, it has been a mixed start for our four teams. Our First and Reserve teams stand well placed in 5th position in their respective divisions at the time of writing this. Both well placed for a promotion push.

Our First Team actually won the inaugural GFA Summer League competition a while back, the first piece of silverware for this season! We hope it continues.

County cup matches are always an interesting sideline to league fixtures and both our Firsts and Reserves are through to the last 16 of their respective cups.

I wonder what the odds are of having two teams in respective county cup finals? Slim at best!

Let’s not put pressure on them.

Next rounds of the cup are on 3rd December, our Reserves are away, but the Firsts are playing Iron Acton at the GFA, Woodlands Park, with a 2pm kick off. Entrance is free!

Our Third (or A) Team presently lie 10th of 12 in their division, but things do not look that bad as in their seven matches so far they have scored 17 goals with only 23 against, so good results are just around the corner.

Our ever faithful Veterans Team are in the southern section of the Glos Veterans League.

Their season starts late – they have played four with two defeats and two draws, so room for improvement there! Watch this space, as the ‘Vets’ normally have a good run of form once they get going.

We had a lot of new players

register with us at the start of the season as well as a good representation of established players (pre-season actually started in July). We welcome ALL those who have registered with us. We have over 80 registered players for this season, so the future is promising for BSTFC. Our Reserves and A teams play home games at the Jubilee Centre on alternate Saturdays, so generally there is always a match on. Why not stop by and stay a while?

Our First Team are playing their ‘home’ games at the GFA’s Woodlands Park, just the other side of the Almondsbury Interchange, with a 5.30pm kick off, so if you fancy a late evening out, check out our website for home fixtures. They’ll be glad to see you and admission is free!

We would like to thank our sponsors for their continued support, especially Bradley Stoke Matters, Bradley Stoke Town Council, Dunkley’s, Mario’s Barber at Filton and Pentagon Play Outdoor School Equipment.

We look forward to seeing you at either the Jubilee Centre or Woodlands Park.

Enjoy your sport whether it be taking part or watching and remember: It’s only a game!

Brook Way Activity Centre hard courts for the chop The town council is moving forward with plans to revamp the hard court area at the Brook Way Activity Centre, the future of which was the subject of a public consultation over two years ago.

A project specification has been drawn up that includes dismantling and taking away the current hard courts and creating 12 new parking bays on the community centre side of the site.

Officers say the new parking bays should help to “diminish the [number of] cars that currently park all along the entrance driveway during busy periods”.

Councillors have agreed that the project should now proceed to the next level, “devising professional drawings and obtaining the necessary planning permission for the changes to site”.

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December 2016

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News Metro Mayor on the cards after councils endorse West of England devolution deal

S

outh Gloucestershire, Bath & North East Somerset and Bristol councils have voted to give their consent on the Parliamentary Order for the West of England devolution deal.

The Order, issued by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, seeks to establish the West of England Combined Authority.

It follows the decisions on 29th June 2016 by the three councils to move forward with the proposed £1 billion West of England devolution deal and the subsequent public consultation on the deal in July and August.

The Order was taken to the Cabinet meetings at Bristol and Bath & North East Somerset and Full Council at South Gloucestershire Council, where all three gave their consent for the establishment of the West of England Combined Authority.

Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, Cllr Matthew Riddle, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that South Gloucestershire Council along with Bath and North East Somerset and Bristol councils have accepted this £1 billion devolution deal. Our deal is among the best negotiated in the country and will bring tangible benefits to people who live and work across the region. It will mean more local decision making on spending in key areas such as transport, housing and skills. Once the Order has received Royal Assent, the new arrangements will be in place early next year.”

Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said: “This deal has the potential to be the biggest change in local decision-making powers in the city region for generations.

The three local authorities have worked hard to create a worthwhile offer to government and tried hard to get the most benefit for local people.

“This deal should bring over nearly £1 billion of spending, along with combined powers over

Cllr Matthew Riddle, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, will be a member of the Mayor’s Cabinet

transport, homebuilding, local jobs and training, not to mention fairer chances for everyone to access them and share the benefit of our region’s economic success. This is another shift in our ambition to bring power from Westminster to city government.”

The next step will be for the Order to be laid before Parliament and then go through a Parliamentary process, which includes House of Commons and House of Lords committees.

This leads to Royal Assent to the Order, which is expected to be before the Parliamentary recess at Christmas. Once granted, the councils will have the necessary powers to establish the West of England Combined Authority early next year and hold Mayoral Elections in May 2017.

The Combined Authority will be led by the new West of England Mayor and the Cabinet will be the Leader of Bath & North East Somerset, Cllr Tim Warren, Bristol Mayor, Marvin Rees, and the Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, Cllr Matthew Riddle.

The West of England Combined Authority will manage new powers, funding and responsibilities handed from central Government to the region as part of the deal. As a result, more decisions will be made locally rather than nationally, including about spending on regional transport, housing, adult education and skills.

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

33

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December 2016

News BRADLEY STOKE TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS 2017 Day Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Monday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Monday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Monday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Monday Wednesday Wednesday Sunday Wednesday Wednesday Monday Wednesday Wednesday

Date 18 25 8 13 1 8 22 10 19 26 10 10 24 9 10 11 19 21 28 28 19 26 14 16 23 20 27 16 18 25 5 15 22 18 20 20

Month January January February February March March March April April April May May May June June June June June June June July July August August August September September October October October November November November December December December

Event Council Planning & Environment Finance Leisure, Youth & Amenities Planning & Environment Council Planning & Environment Leisure, Youth & Amenities Finance Planning & Environment TOWN ASSEMBLY Council AGM Planning & Environment COMMUNITY FESTIVAL COMMUNITY FESTIVAL COMMUNITY FESTIVAL Leisure, Youth & Amenities Finance Council Planning & Environment Council Planning & Environment Leisure, Youth & Amenities Finance Planning & Environment Council Planning & Environment Leisure, Youth & Amenities Finance Planning & Environment FIREWORKS Council Planning & Environment Leisure, Youth & Amenities Finance Planning & Environment

Location Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre All Sites All Sites All Sites Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre Jubilee Centre

Time 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 2000 1900

1900 1900 1900 2000 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 2000 1900

Thrilling stage of RAC Rally in Bradley Stoke SCORES of cars screeching around a car park in a business zone might sound like something that would interest the police, but the drivers of vintage cars being hurled around the car park of the RAC HQ in Bradley Stoke early on Saturday 5th November had nothing to fear from the boys in blue, for they were taking part in a special stage of the 2016 RAC Rally of the Tests.

The first car to arrive, at around 8am, was the red 1960s Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint of overnight leaders John Abel and Martyn Taylor. They had the honour of being the first car to be waved off by Paddy Hopkirk – the famous Mini rally driver and Monte Carlo Rally winner. He was to honour every single car by flagging them away from the start line with the Union Flag.

The tight, twisting course weaved around the car park and proved a fitting ‘test’ for competitors. The classic Minis proved particularly popular with spectators, while the Mk1 Ford Escorts and Porsche 911s were a dramatic sight.

With cars setting off every minute, action was non-stop and the crowds emerged thrilled and breathless as the final runs were completed around 10am.

The three-day rally, which finished in Chester on Sunday 6th November, was eventually won by Andy Lane and Richard Crozier in their Volvo 122S. ● Find links to more photos at http://bit.ly/bsj-mag-links

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December 2016

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Photo: RAC

Photo: Shaun King

Photo: Graham Bloomfield

Photo: Graham Bloomfield

35

Advertisement

Cloudy2Clear Windows – Service With A Smile!

It’s been a crazy few months for Cloudy2Clear Windows. The company which specialises in repairing windows which are steamed up, broken or damaged by replacing the panes – not the frames has grown rapidly as homeowners take advantage of their services.

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

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

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

Cloudy2Clear service the Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke, Stoke Lodge, Patchway and Stoke Gifford areas and Graham is finding that his approach is a major factor in his success. ‘The truth is

that it’s not just the personal satisfaction that I get from doing a good job but also it makes good business sense. I get a huge amount of business from friends and family of people I’ve done work for, which just goes to show how much a little bit of effort is appreciated.’

So, if your windows are steamed up, broken or damaged give Graham a call for a free quotation on 0800 61 21 118 and he’ll be happy to help!

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What’s On (4th December – 1st January) Sunday 4th December 9am: Severnside Ramblers’ Walk: Woodchester Park.

Meet in the Aldi car park – a car-sharing scheme is operated.

More info: http://bit.ly/ssramb [Further walk on 11th December] 10.30am: Stokes Cycling Club Medium Distance and Mountain Bike Rides to Fishponds. Meet outside Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.

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

[Further ride on 18th December]

Road, Stoke Gifford. More info: The Stokes Crafters group on Facebook [Weekly on Thursdays]

Saturday 10th December 10am-12pm: Christmas Open Day at Happy Days Nursery.

Christmas themed crafts and activities. See advert on page 4.

10.30am-12pm: Craft Group at Bradley Stoke Library.

4pm: Carols in the Barn at Winterbourne Medieval Barn.

More info: http://bit.ly/wmbarn [Also on Sunday 11th December]

Tuesday 6th December

Monday 12th December

7pm: Girls and Young Women’s Night at the Jubilee Centre. Girls-only youth club night. [Weekly on Tuesdays]

6.30pm: Bristol Small Business Forum Meeting at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.

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

Wednesday 7th December

Tuesday 13th December

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

7pm: Carol Concert at Bradley Stoke Community School.

Featuring the Bradley Stoke Community Singers. Tickets £5 (students £3). More info: http:// bit.ly/bscsingers

2pm-3.30pm: Bradley Stoke Senior Friends meet at Baileys Court Activity Centre. Drop-in social club for the over-55s.

[Weekly on Wednesdays]

7.30pm: Willow Brook Townswomen’s Guild meets at the Jubilee Centre. This month: Christmas party. More info: Janine 01454 617645

Thursday 8th December

Wednesday 14th December

7pm: South Gloucestershire Decorative & Fine Arts Society Lecture at Bradley Stoke Community School. This month: ‘Gold, Frankincense and Myrra’ by Tom Duncan. More info: www.sgdfas.org.uk

2pm: Bradley Stoke Women’s Institute (WI) meets at the Jubilee Centre. This month: Christmas party and short talk on RVS Befriending. More info: Beverley 01454 625855

8pm: The Stokes Crafters meet at the Poplar Rooms, North

6pm-7.15pm: Community Christmas Carols at the Willow Brook Centre. Brass band playing

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

from 6pm. Carol service starts at 6.30pm and finishes at 7.15pm.

There will be children’s choirs, readings from community figures and seasonal refreshments. All free of charge. Organised by the Bradley Stoke churches. More info: http://bit.ly/bschurches 7.30pm: Bradley Stoke Lions Club meets at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. More info: Robin Young on 07712 046644

Thursday 15th December 11am: Walking for Health.

Organised walk (2.5 miles) starting from the town square.

More info: http://bit.ly/sgc-wfh or phone 01454 868006.

Saturday 17th December 10am-4pm: Bradley Stoke in Bloom Workday. More info: bsib@hotmail.co.uk or phone 07582 634107. Please get in touch to find out where we will be meeting and working.

2.30pm: BIGGERbooks Group at Bradley Stoke Library.

For young people in Years 7 to 9.

Please ask a member of staff for details.

7.30pm: Stokes Singers Christmas Concert at St Chad’s Church, Patchway. Tickets are £5 for adults and £2 for children. See news item on page 32. More info: www.stokessingers.org.uk or phone Liz on 01454 614148

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

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

Agenda: http://bit.ly/bstclya

Wednesday 21st December 7pm: BSTC Finance Committee Meeting at the Jubilee Centre. Agenda: http:// bit.ly/bstcfin 8pm: BSTC Planning Committee Meeting at the Jubilee Centre. Agenda: http:// bit.ly/bstcpec

Thursday 22nd December 10.30am-12pm: Jingle All The Way. Christmas craft activity at Bradley Stoke Library.

For Christmas church services, see page 21

Monday 26th December 11am: Boxing Day Walk.

Organised walk (4 miles) starting from the town square. More info: http://bit.ly/sgc-wfh or phone 01454 868006.

Tuesday 27th December 2pm: Cinderella pantomime at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.

Tickets: £10 (adult), £7.50 (child), £32 (family). Bookings and more info: http://bit.ly/ bs-panto-1612 or phone 0300 333 0300.

Find details of more Bradley Stoke events on the What’s On page of the BSJ website: http://bit.ly/bsj-whatson

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

December 2016

t: 01454 300 400

Late News

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk Tell advertisers you found them in the Bradley Stoke Journal!

Police investigate attempted burglary in Wheatfield Drive POLICE are thanking the Bradley Stoke community for looking out for their neighbours after an attempted burglary in the town.

On Tuesday 22nd November, a woman was walking back to her home in Wheatfield Drive, at about 5.40pm, when she realised there were people inside the property.

She went to a neighbour who immediately called the police. Three men made off from the house, empty-handed, and escaped through neighbouring gardens.

Other residents came forward to say the three men made off in a dark-coloured Ford Focus. They were described as: • A 6ft tall man, slim, wearing a grey hoody with the hood up and with his face covered • A man about 5ft 4ins tall, of stockier build than the first, again wearing a grey hoody and with his face covered • A 6ft tall man of slight built with his face covered Attending officers found that the would-be thieves had broken in through a rear door.

House-to-house enquiries have been made and there has been a forensic examination of the property.

Investigating officer Dai Nicholas said: “It’s great to see people looking out for their neighbours in this way and I’d like to thank everyone involved. Having communities where residents actively support one another does deter criminals, as we see with Neighbourhood Watch. I would ask anyone with any information which could help to get in touch, quoting reference 5216259804.”

You can contact police through their website, www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/ contact, or by calling 101. Alternatively ring the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. They never ask your name or trace your call.

As the Journal went to press, we were hearing reports from local residents of further burglaries in the Bradley Stoke and Stoke Lodge area. One is said to have occurred in Winsbury Way on the evening of Friday 25th November, another in Bibury Avenue on Saturday 26th November.

In October, cash and gold jewellery was stolen in a daytime burglary at a property in Stanley Mead (north Bradley Stoke).

The Journal Send us your news!

January magazine Deadline for contributions: Monday 12th December

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

37

38

www.bradleystokejournal.co.uk DIRECTORY OF ADVERTISERS

Accountants & Bookkeepers C&M Services, Page 15 TJS Business Solutions, Page 36 Bathrooms Bradley Stoke Bathrooms, Page 12 Builders Criterion Construction, Page 33 Wilmott Building, Page 9 Car Dealerships Carco Group, Pages 24 & 25 Carpentry & Joinery J. Earle Carpentry & Joinery, Page 37 Carpet Cleaners B Clean, Page 28 Bonne Fresh Clean Ltd, Page 11 Child Care Happy Days Nursery, Page 4 Children’s Activities Willow Brook Centre, Page 3 Chiropractic Cool Green Planet, Page 5 THE Medical, Page 8 Willow Brook Clinic, Page 19 Churches Bridge Community Church, Page 27 Cleaning & Domestic Services Visit directory on BSJ website Computer Services goto iT, Page 20 Curtains & Blinds Visit directory on BSJ website Cycle Repairs Ride On Cycles, Page 16 Domestic Appliance Repairs Kitchen & Laundry Appliance Care, Page 4 Double Glazing Cloudy2Clear Windows, Page 35 JDC Windows, Page 40 Education & Learning DCET Training, Page 26 Olympus Academy Trust, Page 10 Electricians NRB Electrical, Page 32 Estate Agents A38 Estates, Page 37 Lifestyle Property Services, Page 1 Ocean Estate Agents, Page 29 Events & Entertainment Bradley Stoke Town Council, Page 34 Willow Brook Centre, Page 3 Foot Care Willow Brook Clinic, Page 19 Funeral Services F. Woodruff Funeral Directors, Page 7 Furniture Complete Furniture Services, Page 31 Garage Services Filton Central Garage, Page 16 So Smart Alloy Wheels, Page 20 Gardening Services Garretts Landscapes, Page 14 Painting Petals, Page 37 Plan-It Garden Design, Page 7 Professional Gardening Services, Page 38 Gyms & Health Clubs Anytime Fitness, Page 1 Hairdressers Reflections, Page 18

Home Improvements & Furnishings Door Express, Page 36 Hotels Visit directory on BSJ website Launderettes Wash Shop Plus, Page 39 Mortgages & Financial Advice Aspirations Financial Advice, Page 12 Nails & Beauty Bradley Stoke Aesthetics, Page 28 Sammy’s Beauty, Page 33 Opticians Specsavers, Page 22 Painting & Decorating A. Worsfold, Page 37 Painting Petals, Page 37 Pet Services & Supplies Husse Bristol, Page 37 New Passage Cattery, Page 39 Rosie Posie Pet Services, Page 39 Physiotherapy THE Medical, Page 8 Willow Brook Clinic, Page 19 Plant Hire T. Edwards Plant, Page 38 Plumbing & Heating Assist Plumbing and Heating, Page 39 Capricorn Plumbing Ltd, Page 30 Boiler Service and Repair, Page 39 Concept Property Maintenance, Page 6 Ecosmart, Page 15 Gregor Heating, Page 7 JJ Plumbing, Page 15 Low Cost Plumbing, Page 39 M.S.M Plumbing & Heating, Page 39 Panache Plumbing, Page 39 Proudfoot Plumbing, Page 39 S. Berryman Plumbing & Heating, Page 39 Property Maintenance Bradley Stoke Bathrooms, Page 12 Concept Property Maintenance, Page 6 JJ Plumbing, Page 15 P.J.R Plastics, Page 37 Recruitment Bristol Care Homes, Page 34 Brunelcare, Page 6 LV= Careers, Page 2 Milestones Trust, Page 17 Rubbish Clearance Bradley Stoke Rubbish Clearance, Page 38 Solicitors Bevan Evemy Solicitors, Page 26 Slimming Clubs & Consultants Herbalife, Page 11 Slimming World, Page 13 Sport & Leisure Carrie Vinson Equestrian, Page 33 Takeaway Food China Town, Page 12 Taxis South Glos Taxis Ltd, Page 39 TV & Aerials Image Aerial Systems, Page 39 Veterinary Surgeons Vets4Pets / CompanionCare, Page 23 Window Cleaning Ultra Clear, Page 37 More in directory on BSJ website

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

December 2016

t: 01454 300 400

PLANT HIRE

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

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

December 2016

t: 01454 300 400

PLUMBING & HEATING

info@bradleystokejournal.co.uk PLUMBING & HEATING

39

TAXIS

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PET SERVICES

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