The Bristol Six + Eight Magazine - January 2023

You may be concerned that increasingly, solicitors’ practices are becoming ‘law firms’ with a solicitor meeting the client, taking on a matter and then supervising paralegals and legal executives to carry out the work. Corfield Solicitors does not operate in this way; we simply offer three fully qualified solicitors, personally dealing with your matter from start to finish.

Deciding to leave his city centre firm, Jonathan Corfield established his own practice in Sneyd Park in 2009 where he and his wife have lived for many years and raised their family. Charles Corfield joined the practice later that year after graduating from Bristol University with a Masters in Law and both were later joined by Stuart Corfield when he also qualified as a solicitor.

Our fees are set in order to make a living rather than a fortune. No ‘extra costs’ are added for home visits. No additional ‘out of hours’ charges are made.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

One type of Both types of LPA LPA

Individual £400 £600 Couple £600 £900

Hourly Rate

For work carried out on a timed basis, our hourly rate for all three solicitors is £225. All prices exclusive of VAT.

£500 £750 £750 £1,125 £245.

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Issues

• Purchase & Sale

Freehold & Leasehold

Remortgage • Retirement property purchase • Probate property sale

Commercial Property • Purchase, Sale & Lease • Renewal, variation or surrender of leases • Rent Deposit Deeds & Rent Reviews • Licences to Assign

Local Authority planning agreements • Preparation of auction documentation • Options, conditional sales and pre-emption

Services for the

Elderly and Carers

• Home visiting • Nursing home & hospital visiting • Residential, Nursing care provision & funding issues • Retirement property purchase • Wills & Powers of Attorney

Wills Probate and Trusts

Joint & Single Wills

Codicils & updates

Provision of Executor services

Immediate assistance when a loved one has died

Probate & Administration

Trust administration assistance

Declaration of Trust

Powers of Attorney

Lasting Powers of Attorney

Registration of Enduring Powers of Attorney

General Powers of Attorney

Appointment of a Court of Protection deputy

Office: 2 The Avenue, Sneyd Park, Bristol, BS9 1PA Email: info@corfieldsolicitors.com

Or visit our website: www.corfieldsolicitors.com

Hello! It’s 2023. How has that happened? It‘s never twelve months since I last pondered, and then disregarded, the notion of resolutions. Mind you it seems no time at all since we were worrying about the end of the world as we ushered in 1984, or sitting nervously waiting for our video-recorders to explode as Y2K arrived. But we made it through then, and fingers crossed we have done so again (I’m writing this pre-Christmas, so before Big Ben joins everybody else by striking on New Years Eve).

If Christmas is a time for reflection then the new year is much more of a time for looking forward, and hopefully as many readers as possible can do so positively. Mind you, 2022 might not be too difficult a year to surpass Resolutions? As Bing Crosby sang, “I’ve had a few” - but whether they are holding up by the time you read this is questionable. Lose a few pounds? - how on earth do you do that when on 31st December you still have three tins of Roses and your bodyweight in cheese to finish off?

Whatever your targets are for 2023 - sensible, challenging or plain ludicrous - I hope you kick off the new year in good health and happiness, and that it turns out to be a great year for you.

Now, where’s that Stilton ....... Cheers, Andy

Front cover photo - Bristol docks frozen over for the first time in my memory, and in midDecember too.

Why use a financial adviser for Lasting Powers of Attorney

A lasting power of attorney is a document by which one person (the “donor”) gives another person (the “attorney”) the power to act on their behalf and in their name. There are two types of LPA – health and welfare and property and financial affairs.

Without a property and financial affairs LPA, no one is permitted to manage your financial and legal affairs should you become unable to make decisions for yourself. Even if you are married, in a civil partnership or have adult children, no one will be allowed to make important decisions without going through an extremely intrusive, time-consuming, and expensive guardianship process.

This could lead to you missing out on new opportunities to manage your wealth effectively for your loved ones and limit the amount of support that is easily accessible to help with your care.

There are strict rules around what attorneys can do with an LPA and a lack of understanding or misinterpreting of these rules can also inadvertently lead to misuse of the LPA. It can be

daunting being given the responsibility of making decisions for another person and often leads to families falling out at what can be a time of significant stress.

Using a financial adviser to organise your LPA can ensure everyone involved understands the role of the Office of Public Guardian and the Court of Protection and what the LPA allows. With oversight of the financial position especially, an adviser can provide guidance to the attorney and therefore reassurance for the whole family that the provisions in the LPA and actions of the attorney are in the donor’s best interests.

As award-winning vulnerable customer champions, we’re well-placed to help you make a plan to protect your wealth and prepare for the future, whatever that may hold. If you would like to have a relaxed chat about your circumstances, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

To book a complimentary meeting with Richard Higgs to discuss your later life financial planning needs, please get in touch by calling 0117 3636 212 or email office@haroldstephens.co.uk.

Richard records regular video updates on a range of later life financial topics - search ‘Harold Stephens IFA’ on YouTube.

www.haroldstephens.co.uk

Bristol Clean Air Zone

Helen Brewer of AMD Solicitors considers the impact of the introduction of the Bristol Clean Air Zone (“the Zone”) on Monday 28 November 2022, and considers whether landlords and tenants alike should be worried about whether this could have a negative impact on property prices in and around the Zone.

In 2020 emission levels across the UK were at record highs due to increased traffic volumes and in particular diesel vehicles on our roads. In an attempt to tackle this issue, the government introduced a new Environment Act 2021 which gave the Secretary of State the power to set legally binding, longer-term, environmental targets lasting at least 15 years, across a variety of areas relating to the environment.

Due to Bristol’s poor air quality, it was included as one of the cities that would be required to meet these targets. In order to ensure compliance with these new regulations, Bristol City Council developed the Zone, which came into effect on 28 November 2022. The Zone will cover most of the city centre including Park Street, Brandon Hill and St Andrews Road. The Zone’s boundary is available on Bristol City Councils website here: www.bristol.gov.uk/residents/streetstravel/bristols-caz/view-a-map

Now the big question many landlords and tenants may have is whether this will have an impact on property values and market rents where properties are located within the Zone. There is a concern amongst tenants located in Bristol City Centre that the introduction of the Zone coupled with the pedestrianisation of roads such as Princess Victoria Street in Clifton Village will have a negative impact on footfall and drive people away from these areas.

Following COVID-19 and the effect this has had on the high street tenants, there has been a move towards agreeing turnover rents in new leases, so if there are any future periods of closure, tenants are paying rent based on money coming in rather than a fixed sum. However, commercial landlords should be especially aware of the effect this might have if their lease contains a turnover rent provision because if footfall to areas within the Zone is reduced, then this may be passed on to the landlord with a rent reduction. Not only this but as the economy continues to struggle there is a concern that businesses may start to fail and tenants will look to either surrender their lease early or look to assign the remainder of the term to another business.

The good news is that the consensus amongst industry experts seems be a no. Looking at property prices when the Low Emission Zone came into effect in London in 2008 a comparison of prices inside the area to outside did not show a major difference in valuation.

If you are a struggling tenant or a landlord who has just been approached by your tenant looking to assign their lease contact either Helen Brewer or another member of the commercial property team on 0117 9735647 or info@amdsolicitors.com as soon as possible as there may be unwanted consequences of delaying seeking advice.

A Very Happy New Year to you all! May it be a wonderful green gardening one!

1. If you haven’t planted your last tulip bulbs, do so this month, as long as they are firm and the ground isn’t frozen

2. If you haven’t done so already, cut off all old leaves of Helleborus orientalis (below) to show off the beautiful flowers (this is not just cosmetic but it stops the new flowers and leaves getting Hellebore leaf spot).

ground is still frozen - leave water and food outside for them. Do look at top tips for December for more wildlife tips.

10. If it’s frozen outside, start planning your vegetable rotations, and your borders for the coming year. Looking at plant and seed catalogues in the warm inside, with a cuppa, is just bliss!

11. Bare root and root ball trees and shrubs, and bareroot hedges can be planted up until March. And don’t forget bareroot shrub roses and climbing/rambling roses.

12. Sharpen and oil your tools, and get your lawn mower serviced - it will make all the difference to the new growth of your lawn.

Hilary Barber

hilary.barber@blueyonder.co.uk

www.facebook.com/HilaryBarberGardens

3. This month you can prune apple, pear and quince (pipped fruit) trees, figs, acers, silver birch and vines (vines must be done in the first half of the month, because sap starts rising quickly and they can ‘bleed’).

4. If you have not recycled your Christmas tree, you could shred it for mulch and/ or keep the needles as a mulch for ericaceous (lime intolerant) plants such as Camellias and Rhododendrons, Pieris and Azaleas.

5. This month you can repair and reshape lawn edges, but wait until March to sow seed, or to lay turf.

6. Dig over any areas (and incorporate well rotted compost or manure) where you are going to re-plant and let the frost do its work by breaking up the soil.

7. You can start forcing rhubarb using a cloche.

8. Prune black, white and redcurrant and gooseberry bushes; and cut autumn fruiting raspberries right down to the ground. Don’t forget to mulch afterwards!

9. Don’t forget the birds especially if the

www.instagram.com/hilarybarbergardens

Garden development, Therapeutic gardening and tutoring

War Stories, tales of derring-do? Actually, yes, but not in the way you might think. Local author David Bolton interviewed women who lived through the War in Britain, many in Bristol, and consulted memoirs and diaries, to produce in the women’s own words an enthralling history of life as it was back then; stories of courage and fortitude no less important than the storming of beaches. Factory work, farming; life in the ATS, the Wrens; taking in evacuees, being blitzed. Comedy, tragedy, romance. Every tale is fascinating and highly informative with a sympathetic and explanatory introduction or commentary: a very welcome study of those times.

Graham Norton has done it again with Forever Home, his latest engaging and page-turning novel. Small town Ireland: Carol and Declan, second marriages for both but Declan has Alzheimer’s. Against Carol’s wishes, his children find a care home for him and arrange the sale of the house that she loves and that he never wants sold. Discord and mystery! Carol’s parents butt in, there are more marital upsets, and why did Declan’s wife leave? Did she leave? This moving tale, funny and tense from start to finish, suggests the past has never gone, it’s just waiting round the corner to slap you in the face.

If you’re old enough, you’ll remember him, the all-American hunk and adolescent girl’s daydream, and you’ll love his book, Tab Hunter Confidential. Tab Hunter and Eddie Muller give us the lowdown on how the kid who loved horses and was spotted mucking out stables became a Hollywood heartthrob in the fifties, a real achievement for a young gay man condemned to keep silent and date starlets. He knew everyone, had many friends, tells great anecdotes and was a much better actor than most thought. Always entertaining, this is a terrific insight into late Golden Age Hollywood and the life of a seemingly very nice guy.

Money, a small town in Mississippi, suddenly has more than its fair share of mutilated white corpses. The first is accompanied by the body of a black man. Is he the killer? The Sheriff has no idea. The same black body turns up again with the next corpse! Two detectives arrive but corpses and companions keep appearing. Could the victims’ names be a clue? The Trees, Percy Everett’s non-stop, darkly-comic novel (think, ‘In the Heat of the Night’ written at breathless pace) is thriller, mystery, satire, or perhaps supernatural whodunnit. Whichever it is, it’s highly accomplished, with terrific dialogue, and offers real food for thought.

Footballers; over-paid prima donnas? Not before the War. In the excellent Eddie Hapgood, Footballer, Lynne Hapgood tells the story of one from those times; her own much-loved father. Born into poverty in pre-First World War Bristol, football was Eddie’s way out, football learnt in the streets and on the Downs. A young man of character, Eddie soon became the core of the title winning Arsenal team and the captain of England in several famous matches but was then treated like dirt by several clubs when, after the War, he moved into management. Highly informative, a story of football and family, this is a gripping read.

We can’t cover all the great music that’s out in the world, there’s just too much of it, but here are six albums we really should have shouted about last year…

A View With A Room by Trish Clowes

There’s something wonderfully funky about this album from jazz saxophonist/composer Trish Clowes. Much of that feel comes from the My Iris quartet. Aided by that groove laid down by guitarist Chris Montague, keyboardist Ross Stanley and drummer James Maddren, Clowes gets to play her sax in a myriad of styles. From the evocatively drawn The Ness through to the skittish runs on Time, this is music made by four master craftspeople operating at a dizzyingly high level.

After Hours by Delicate Steve

Sometimes instrumental music can be a little too innocuous to truly hit the mark. That’s certainly not the case with the latest album from guitarist Delicate Steve (Steve Marion). Whether the melodic noodling of Playing In A Band or the slightly dissonant beat/guitar combo on Still Life, it’s hard to do anything other than sit back and admire this delectable offering. With strong hints of Mark Knoplfer, and a little J.J. Cale, this isn’t overly technical or showy. Instead, it’s one good vibe from start to finish.

I’m Not Here by Alex Izenberg

With successful releases from the like of Arctic Monkeys, Wet Leg and Richard Dawson, it’s been quite the year for Domino Records. The third album from this enigmatic songwriter from Los Angeles might just be the best of all. It has that classic village sweetshop thing where there’s something quirky and delicious to sample in every jar. Lift up those lids and you’ll find the influence of Lennon, Nilsson, Newman and Reed. Most apparent is the clear debt it owes to Paul McCartney – the guitar on Egyptian Cadillac couldn’t be more Macca if it spent a

night in a Japanese prison cell.

Dungeon Master by Gus Englehorn

There’s something about an unaffected oddball that always appeals to us. Throw in the delightful creepiness of Englehorn’s voice and you have the best lo-fi/goth/garage-rock record of the year, on which Tarantula is the undeniable highlight. Not one to overstay his welcome, the Montreal-based musician is done in just over 30 minutes. It’s exactly what this type of music requires, leaving you wondering what you’ve just been privy to instead of revealing exactly what lurks up his sleeves and under his cloak.

Sorrows Away by The Unthanks

The folk music made by The Unthanks is all about keeping traditions alive and celebrating our heritage. The songs of Sorrows Away were made to be sung in a crowd, gifts to be shared after the disastrous loneliness of lockdown. It also sees Rachel and Becky Unthank chancing their arm at songwriting for the first time, and the highest compliment that can paid to originals The Old News and The Isabella Colliery Coke Ovens is they seem perfectly at home alongside revered old tunes.

Telekenesis by Tyondai Braxton, Metropolis Ensemble, Andrew Cyr

Tyondai Braxton has seamlessly segued from leading indie-rock band Battles to breaking ground with his electronic/classical creations. Telekenesis is an 87-piece work for electric guitars, orchestra, choir, and electronics featuring Metropolis Ensemble, Brooklyn Youth Chorus and The Crossing. That both electronic and acoustic sounds sit so comfortably alongside each other, bringing together fans from both camps, is just one of the album’s triumphs. That so many of the motifs introduced in the first of the four movements echo and mutate throughout makes it a complete, almost filmic, listening experience.

07828 442 174

Energetic & Holistic Healer in BS6 Release the emotions blocked in your body to reconnect to yourself Trauma • Grief • Low energy • Insomnia Anxiety • Stress • Burn-out Call Sarah for more information on sarah@liberation-du-pericarde.com www.liberation-du-pericarde.com

Social Events for Seniors in 2023

Henleaze Senior Film Club

Monday 23 January at 2pm

The Dig (12A) 2021

True story, set in the 1930s about an archaeologist finding a ship from the dark ages on a wealthy landowner’s property. Starring Ralph Fiennes & Carey Mulligan.

Monday 27 February at 2pm

Mrs Harris Goes to Paris (PG) 2022

Enchanting tale of a British housekeeper who dreams of owning a Christian Dior dress. Starring Lesley Manville & Isabelle Huppert

Tickets: £4.00 including refreshments. Easy access, carers welcome. Details from 0117 435 0063. St. Peter’s Hall, The Drive, Henleaze BS9 4LD.

Welcome Wednesday

Friendly and free coffee afternoon on the last Wednesday of the month, 2-3.30pm at The Beehive Pub, Wellington Hill West, BS9 4QY. Meet new people, have fun, and find out what’s happening in your local area. For more information please contact lisa.dicker@homeinstead.co.uk/ 0117 435 0063 or Amy: marketing@haroldstephens.co.uk

in partnership with

Helplines and Emergency Services

National Emergency Number 999 or 112

Bristol Citizens Advice 03444 111 444 bristolcab.org.uk

Gas Emergencies 0800 111 999 britishgas.co.uk

Electricity Helpline 105 nationalgrideso.com / westernpower.co.uk

Water Emergencies 0845 702 3797 bristolwater.co.uk/wessexwater.co.uk

Avon & Somerset Police non emergencies 101 avonandsomerset.police.uk

Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 crimestoppers-uk.org

Southmead Hospital 0117 950 5050 nbt.nhs.uk

BRI / Children’s Hospital 0117 923 0000 uhbristol.nhs.uk

NHS non-emergency 111 111.nhs.uk

Bristol Blood Donation 0300 123 23 23 blood.co.uk

The Samaritans 116 123 samaritans.org

Alcoholics Anonymous 0800 9177 650 alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk ChildLine 0800 11 11 childline.org.uk

WE Care Home Improvements 0300 323 0700 wecr.org.uk

National Rail Enquiries 03457 48 49 50 nationalrail.co.uk

Traveline 0871 200 22 33 traveline.info

First Bus 0345 646 0707 firstbus.co.uk/bristol-bath-and-west

Postal Services

Please check times in advance if possible as opening hours may vary

Cotham Pharmacy & Post Office - 9 - 6 Monday to Friday, 9 - 1 Saturday Whiteladies Rd Post Office - 9 - 5.30 Monday to Friday, 9 - 13.00 Saturday Gloucester Rd Post Office - 9 - 5.30 Monday to Saturday

Late Post - there is a late post box at the main Post Office sorting depot on the A38 at Filton. Currently the late post is at 7pm.

Waste & Recycling

If you are planning to visit the Recycling Centre at Avonmouth do check the Bristol Waste website - bristolwastecompany.co.uk - as a new booking system has been introduced You must also take proof of your identity / address. The site is now operating winter opening hours - 8am to 4.15pm 7 days a week.

Local Trains

Check gwr.com for comprehensive up to date advice or call 03457 000 125 (09:00-17:00, 7 days a week) - or download the National Rail or GWR apps for the most reliable current information.

Bristol City Council

The Council website offers residents information about BCC services including council tax, bins & recycling, schools, leisure, business, streets and parking. Visit www.bristol.gov. uk or contact the General Enquiries switchboard on 0117 922 2000.

Libraries - latest opening times

Henleaze Library is currently open 11am to 5pm, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 1pm - 7 pm on Wednesday and Friday, and 10am to 5pm on Saturday.

Clifton Library is open 10am - 2pm Monday & Friday, and 1pm - 5pm Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday.

Redland Library is open 11am - 5pm, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 11am to 7pm on Wednesday Check www.bristol.gov.uk for full details.

This is the New Year …

And it’s that classic time for resolutions, where we make various promises to ourselves to quit smoking, curtail our drinking, begin a diet, and gyms see their largest intake of membership; the latter invariably see a significant fall off in February. Why might that be?

The main reason is that it takes willpower. And those of us who score highly in terms of selfcontrol will often do quite well, but if you’re a more impulsive character, then the issue may run a little deeper; to resist temptation when something in our head is saying, Ahhh, go on, just one, you deserve it.

Where does this come from? …

Primarily it belongs to our primitive brain. In simple terms, that part of us, which is still with us today, works very simply indeed: find food, avoid predators, reproduce. And some of us are better at utilising our self-control, and therefore willpower, in the modern world; but when our impulsive, emotional part holds sway, our short-term goals can all too readily eclipse those potential long-term benefits. As a result, we give into the urge to have one more cigarette, one more drink, one more cake, and I’ll go to the gym when the weather gets better. And, unfortunately, our inner critic may also join the party and we end up feeling guilty and bad about ourselves too, then seek comfort in the very things we’d hoped to have changed!

So, what can we do if we fall into the latter category [besides sneer resentfully at those in the former and further enhance our own inner critic!] …

Develop greater self-awareness. The more we are able to observe our own decisions objectively, in the present moment, the greater our chances of making those better choices – we’re effectively unplugging the impulsive trigger.

Meditation. Practice the art of slowing down your mind. This will develop your ability to cultivate your self-awareness in the present

moment and lead to those desired changes.

Neuroscience research today has shown the brain is adaptable to change; the brain is responsive to experience, so when you practice new behaviours you’re growing new neural pathways and erecting road blocks in the old habits. The concept is easy, the continued commitment a little more challenging. But the reality is you’ll soon likely discover improved concentration, better quality sleep, anxiety/stress reduction, while also allowing the aforementioned selfawareness and impulse control to flourish.

Physical exercise. Ironically, it absolutely doesn’t mean becoming a gym bunny, it may be to go for regular walks; even better, walks in nature. And consistency over inconsistency is equally important: start slowly and set realistic goals – signing up for the London marathon can wait! All joking apart, setting such reasonable, achievable goals and keeping them flexible too, will breed motivation and desire and that sometimes illusive willpower will come with you.

Relaxation. Stress will often send our brains into the reward-seeking state, many of which are often self-defeating: endless scrolling on social media, binge watching TV, video games, gambling, drinking, etc. The root to genuine relaxation will usually be found in the likes of listening to music, reading, massage, or exercise: playing sport, going for a walk, meditation, yoga, etc.

The most significant obstacles to this philosophy are the inner critic, temptation and the general stresses and anxieties of life, all of which can derail even our best intentions and willpower. However, one powerful facet of the therapeutic coaching model is an ability to employ more focused, one-to-one session processes and techniques to help overcome such hurdles.

Change the things you can. Seek the help of a therapist to help change the things where you feel stuck.

Nige’ Ollis - Therapeutic Coach

Heal the past. Be in the now. Embrace the future.

Potential Areas of Therapeutic WorkAnxiety; Low mood; Low self-esteem; Grief & loss; Trauma; Phobias; Self-development; Coping with chronic illness / pain; Stress; and more.

Call for a FREE, no obligation initial consultation [via telephone or Zoom], or check out my website for further informationnigeollistherapies.com

In December’s magazine, I delved into the world of the secondary school, exploring the impact of technology on teaching today; what safeguarding looks like in 2022; modern behaviour policies and pastoral support systems. The focus in this month’s magazine is on the secondary school curriculum and the subject and qualification options available for pupils today.

So what do secondary schools have to teach these days? All local authority maintained secondary schools must follow the national curriculum at key stage 3 (years 7, 8 and 9) and key stage 4 (years 10 and 11). This curriculum was first introduced in 1989, with numerous updated versions since. Compulsory core subjects include English, maths and science and core foundation subjects include computing, physical education and citizenship. A range of other subjects will be offered by different schools, including languages, arts subjects (such as music, drama, art, dance), humanities (history or geography) and design and technology. Citizenship education was introduced as a compulsory subject in 2002 with the aim of providing pupils with the knowledge and skills to prepare them to play a full and active role in society. This subject is designed to cover many of the areas that students might need to help them to prepare for ‘real life’ after their school days (but how far it actually does this is questionable, according to many former pupils I spoke to!). Schools must also provide relationships and sex education (RSE) and religious education (RE) until the end of key stage 4. Schools now also have a duty to safeguard pupils from extreme ideologies and radicalisation – known as the ‘Prevent duty’, which was introduced in 2011 as a counter-terrorism strategy. A sad reality of today’s society. Schools will now promote fundamental British Values and explore such issues during PSHE time.

In key stage 4, when most pupils work towards national qualifications such as the General Certificate of Education (GCSEs), students start to select the subjects

that they want to continue to study, with compulsory core and foundation subjects combined with a selection of other subjects. Depending on the school or college, students can choose from a wide variety of GCSE subjects: languages, humanities subjects, arts subjects, physical education or technical subjects. From 2014, the government introduced a policy that required any student who had not passed maths or English GCSE to keep on trying until they reach the age of 18 (or take a skills qualification instead).The choice of GCSE subjects is continually growing, with the introduction of a Natural History GCSE planned to be launched in schools in 2025 to provide children with the knowledge and skills to help towards creating a sustainable, green future. What better way to fight against climate change than to further educate this generation of earth-protectors of the future.

Before 2017, GCSEs were graded in the same way as O levels used to be from 1975 until their termination in 1986: using the letters A* - G (ok, so the A* wasn’t an option at O level but they’re almost the same). From 2017, the grading system for GCSEs was changed to using the numbers 1-9, with 9 being the highest grade. Grades 9, 8, 7 are roughly equivalent to A* - A; 6, 5, 4 to B - C; 3, 2, 1 to D – G. Grade 5 indicates a strong pass and grade 4 a standard pass. Find this all a bit confusing? It certainly is to put into words! There are helpful diagrams readily available online to support this.

Advanced Level (A level) grades are assessed on a scale from A* through to E. The A*, A level grade wasn’t around in my day and was introduced in 2010 to indicate

the very top of the top!

As a parent, I am enjoying seeing my daughter relishing more creative freedom within the secondary school curriculum. This is particularly evident in her writing, away from the highly prescriptive, rigid constraints of the primary writing requirements – writing frames, subordinating conjunctions and semi-colons (ok, so I admit I’m a fan of those particular little marks) – are now not top of the agenda. Burning things in science, using a “massive” saw, dissecting chickens, investigating primary and secondary sources, viewing cells through microscopes, exploring photography techniques and performing in drama lessons have been her highlights so far. Active learning at its finest! I am also really pleased to see that she will learn about the World Wars in her history studies – as I did – after watching an episode of BBC’s The Apprentice last year when, shockingly, only one of the candidates knew the dates of these wars that are observed on Remembrance Day every year.

With the average university student debt now amounting to an eye-watering figure of around £50,000 – a huge increase from debts of the past – making the right decision about what subjects to study at secondary school and what qualifications (and subsequent careers) to aim for are imperative. GCSEs are usually studied in years 10 and 11 so the subjects that pupils want to take are usually chosen at the end of year 9 (ages 13-14). So what are the options up for consideration by these students today? Many is the answer! I recently met with local careers expert, Annabelle Geeson, to try to understand the decisions around qualifications that this generation of teenagers are now having to make.

In years 10 and 11, pupils will opt to undertake either GCSE academic qualifications (usually 9 in total) or Business and Technology Education Council vocational qualifications (BTECs), which have significantly grown in

popularity, scope and reputation over the past 20 years. BTEC Firsts are now offered in many secondary schools and colleges as an alternative to GCSEs, or alongside GCSEs. A BTEC qualification focuses more on practical rather than academic learning and students are assessed predominantly through coursework, projects and practical assignments. This is significantly different from GCSES, which are assessed in most subjects with a final exam. BTECs can be taken in a vast range of subjects, such as applied science, travel and tourism, engineering, health and social care and information technology.

If pupils opt to take GCSEs, they now have to consider whether to take English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects, which is a group of six core academic subjects young people are encouraged to study as part of their GCSEs. They earn the EBacc by getting a level 4 or above in each subject. It was first introduced in 2010 as a performance measure to encourage the study of English, mathematics, sciences, a modern or ancient foreign language, and either history or geography – those traditional subjects that I was certainly encouraged to study at GCSE level. The government’s ambition is to see 90% of pupils studying the EBacc subject combination at GCSE by 2025. This will be harder for those schools who have a particular focus on specific subjects, those that strongly promote pupil-choice, or for those who have a greater majority of pupils wanting to opt for vocational or technical qualifications. The EBacc is not to be confused with the International Baccalaureate (IB), which is an alternative academic programme taken in years 12

and 13 at a small minority of schools.

In years 12 and 13, pupils can still choose to study A levels. A level qualifications have been around since the 1950s but with only very few subjects on offer in those days compared to the 80 or so subjects available to study today. The choice ranges from more traditional subjects to non-traditional subjects, and the list on offer includes fashion and textiles, product design, photography and design engineering to name but a few. Pupils can study for their A levels if they have obtained the relevant qualifications at the end of year 11. Their choice of subjects may be influenced by which course they want to take at a particular university. If they want to attend one of the 24 Russell Group universities (a self-selected group of 24 ‘world-class’, research-intensive universities in the UK) they might make their choices based on a university’s ‘preferred’ subjects; ones they value most highly with regards to admissions. If pupils are not sure what subject they want to study, the Russell Group suggests picking two ‘facilitating’ subjects from a list of choices – thus keeping all options open!

Other qualifications on offer are Advanced Subsidiary Levels (AS levels), which refer to the first year of study of an A level to achieve an AS level qualification. Many schools also offer the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which is a dissertation or project created on the basis of independent research. BTEC Nationals can also be studied in years 12 and 13 as A level equivalent courses, and most universities are accepting BTECs, or a mix of BTECs and A levels, for entry onto degree courses. Cambridge Technicals, which are vocational qualifications at GCSE or A level equivalent, are also in the mix, as are T levels – new, two-year technical courses introduced in 2020 and equivalent to three A levels. Anyone else finding it hard to keep up?!

Completing an apprenticeship is also still an option. Apprenticeships have been re-branded and re-designed over

the decades but, fundamentally, are still paid positions - ‘earn while you learn’ –which offer hands-on experience in a job alongside separate training and learning.

This type of qualification has significantly grown in popularity over recent years, particularly because there are now so many different and diverse roles that can be pursued, rather than simply training for a specific trade. Apprenticeships can be undertaken at many levels, including degree equivalent level. Students would apply to a company directly – Airbus, PWC or Aerospace in Bristol, for example – which is partnered with a university that awards the final degree. Apprenticeships are fully funded and students are paid a salary – enticing incentives indeed! Places are highly competitive and they are usually allocated through interviews and aptitude tests. Some pupils might take the route of a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ), as part of an apprenticeship or a BTEC qualification. It seems fair to say that for those pupils wanting to take a more technical or vocational route into the world of work, there are now a good number of different options to choose from.

Options for those pupils who are more IT or creative-focused have greatly improved too. I remember my computer classroom at school – an over-lit world of beige BBC computers and floppy disks, where PowerPoint animations were the coolest thing around and basic coding programmes were interjected with the occasional sneaky game of Solitaire! But my generation was luckier than the one before, with computers only appearing

in classrooms from the 1980s. Well things have certainly moved on. At Access Creative College in Bristol, students can utilise facilities such as a virtual reality suite, green screen studio, PC games classrooms and iMac media labs. ‘Futuristic’ to me but a reality for today’s media and gaming enthusiasts studying there. Another creative college in Bristol, Boomsatsuma, also promises an ‘alternative educational experience’. Students can study courses ranging from Creative and Digital Media, Film and Television and Games, VR and VFX (building digital software), working alongside creative industries.

Such an eclectic range of qualification options is, inevitably, having an impact on universities, who are having to adapt their profile of students and admissions criteria in response. Schools are also having to ‘up their game’ with their careers education given the sheer variety of choice available out there. Pupils now must be informed about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships and receive careers education based on clear benchmarks, introduced in 2018. This sounds much more effective than the inexistent careers guidance of the past or the careers ‘advice’ of the 90s, when pupils had to fill out a questionnaire relating to their interests – and ping! – out came possible career options to consider. My suggestions were journalist, archaeologist or teacher, so I suppose two out of three wasn’t bad with my careers in teaching and writing, but who knows what other paths I might have followed had I known what other possibilities were out there! The need to provide pupils with ample opportunity to network with industry professionals and alumni personnel – through talks, social events, careers fairs, enterprise days –and obtain relevant work experience and support with interview techniques, aptitude tests and writing university applications – seems so important for pupils’ success in today’s society.

So pupils are still taught the ‘traditional’ subjects at school, but they also have the chance to pursue other options, through

BTECs, NVQs, apprenticeships, specialist higher education institutes or technicalbased qualifications. Perhaps taking a career route linked to up-to-the-minute technology is a wise choice of vocation given the recent prediction by Bill Gates that within 20 years, a significant number of jobs will be replaced by automation software with no human input needed!

I can’t help but feel that even though it’s fantastic that pupils now have far greater choice relating to what and where to study, there are so many options (and some overlapping options!) that it all seems a bit overcomplicated, to the detriment of pupils today – each government has wanted to make its mark! Hopefully solid careers advice can support the process. Grading systems continue to evolve and the choice of subjects to study continues to grow, influenced by current societal issues.

In February’s magazine, I will be exploring how secondary schools are supporting their pupils’ mental and emotional wellbeing. I will look at how schools now embrace diversity and inclusion and how the holistic development of pupils is a top priority of 2022 schooling. School lunches are up for an intensive examination, as is the ever-growing trend of the school prom.

In March and April’s magazines, I will be examining what education was like in previous decades for a cross section of local folk. Please do email me via Andy if you have a particular memory of your school days that you would like to share!

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DISHES - No. 12- SOMALIA

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DISHES - No. 12- SOMALIA

The Bristol 6 + 8 cookery world tour stops this month in the horn of Africa to sample the cuisine of Somalia. A Somali friend told me that with the longest coastline in Africa the country has long been a destination for travellers and explorers, who brought with them many of the influences that can be seen in Somalian cooking today. Perhaps the most popular go-to snack for Somalis are sambusas or samosas - crunchy triangular pastries fillled with a gently spiced potato and pea mix or a spicier beef and onion stuffing. Both use a warming and rich spice mixture called xawaash. Making the xawaash spice and the samosa fillings is very straightforward, if a little time-consuming - we’ll be making a vegetarian version here - but folding and filling the samosas is clearly an art. Describing how to do it is nigh on impossible so I will just let you get stuck in - with accesss to YouTube and a rudimentary competence in origami you will get there. Aesthetically it may look as if done by a complete novice - but it will be tasty, whatever shape it resembles.

Ingredients - Xawaash spice mix

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds

• 3/4 tbsp black peppercorns

• 1 inch cinnamon stick

• 12 green cardamom pods

• 1 tsp whole cloves

• 3/4 tbsp turmeric powder

Ingredients - Sambuus Qudaar (vegetable samosas)

• 2 tsp xawaash spice mix

• 1 lb potatoes - peeled and finely diced

• 1 mug frozen peas

• 1 onion / 2-3 shallots

• 1 handful fresh coriander

• 2 tsp bouillon powder (or a crumbled

Somalia Fact File

vegetable

stock cube)

• 1 handful green spring onion tops

• 1 fresh red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped

• sunflower oil

• 1 pack of ready rolled filo pastry

• 50g / a good knob of melted butter

Serves 2

Method - Xawaash spice mix

1. Place all the spice ingredients except the turmeric into a large frying pan and toast over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for approx 7 minutes or until you can smell the aromas being released. Do not allow the mix to burn.

2. Remove the spice mixture from the heat and allow to cool. When cool, crush the spice mix in a spice blender, or a pestle and mortar. Sieve the crushed powder and return any spice residue to the blender / mortar to crush again and extract as much spice power as you can.

3. Stir in the turmeric powder, mix well and transfer the Xawaash spice mix to an airtight jar where is should store well. These quantities will be more than enough for this recipe

Method - Sambuus Qudaar

1. Heat 2tbsp sunflower oil in a large lidded frying pan to a medium heat. Add your diced potatoes and the chopped chilli to the pan, coat in the oil and cook gently, stirring regularly to prevent sticking, for 5 minutes.

2. Sprinkle the bouillon powder / crumbled stock cube and the xawaash spice mix over the potatoes, stir well, add the frozen peas, stir again and cover the

Location: Eastern edge (the horn) of Africa, bordered by Ethiopia (to the west), Djibouti (northwest) and Kenya (southwest), the Gulf of Aden (north) and the Indian Ocean (east)

Capital: Mogadishu

Population: 21.3 million

Official Language: Somali and Arabic

Comparative size: 246,000 square miles, 2.6 times the size of the UK

Currency: Somali Shilling

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DISHES - No. 12- SOMALIA

pan. Cook for a further ten minutes on a medium heat. Check occasionally to ensure the mixture doesn’t stick - you can always add an extra dash of oil or a couple of tbsp of hot water to keep things moist. Once the diced potatoes are cooked remove from the heat and leave the mixture to cool.

3. Meanwhile chop your onion / shallots, the fresh coriander and the green spring onion tops very finely, then add to the cooled spicy potato and pea mixture and stir well.

4. Now the fun / tricky bit - and apologies for the vagueness of the instructions. Take a sheet of filo pastry, lay it flat, fold diagonally to form a large triangle and cut off any excess. With the open point (now 2 layers) sticking upwards, fold one of the two bottom corners up and across, then repeat with the other bottom corner. This should (!) give you a sort of ice cream cone shape with an open-ended top. Gently open up the top of the cone and carefully drop in a couple of good spoonfulls of the filling into the pocket in the pastry. Then tuck any remaining flaps of pastry in over the

filling to create a sort of sealed triangular shape. Place the samosa onto a foiled baking sheet, then make some more.

5. When all your samosas are done (you may have lots of filling and pastry left) give them a good brush all over with the melted butter then pop into a preheated oven at 180 degrees C and bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Eat while hot, or save for a cold snack if you prefer.

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Janet S, April 2021

Definition of a museum“a building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and exhibited.”

Definition of an art gallery“a room or building for the exhibiting or sale of works of art.”

I looked these up following a recent visit to the wonderful M Shed, down on the harbourside. My first visit in this tour of discoveries was to the RWA at the bottom of Whiteladies Road - to see an exhibition largely of paintings. Very definitely an art gallery. Then I checked out The Red Lodge on Park Row - a fabulous listed building full of historical and cultural artifacts. Without doubt a museum. Third up on my cultural tour of Bristol was the M Shed - which is very definitely a museum, and which at the moment very definitely has an art gallery inside. Reading this back makes me realise that in reality it doesn’t really matter what you call these “places with collections of stuff”. To me museums and art galleries are places that provide me with an opportunity to learn about new stuff and reminisce about old stuff, learn about the past, appreciate the present and wonder at the future.

Split into three main galleries - “Bristol Places”, “Bristol People” and “Bristol Life” - M Shed, in the words of the guide book, “offers many stories about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people and Bristol’s connections with the wider world. It captures the very essence of what makes Bristol the city that it is today and sparks conversations about its past, present and future”.

Walking around the three galleries made me realise that, despite living here for over thirty years, there is so much I don’t know about Bristol - parts of the city I’ve never visited, inventions I didn’t know were made here, people I’ve not heard of but who have played key roles in city life, both past and present. So whether you are new to the city, or Brizzle born ‘n’ bred, you will find a wealth of exhibits, stories, memorabilia, photos, models and hands-on stuff that will widen your knowledge and push your understanding of this great city.

M Shed is terrific for children as well as adults, and there is much to capture and stimulate young imaginations. I’ve visited M Shed many times - the only Bristol museum I can say that for - and the one thing I always make a bee-line for is the giant map of the city. Think Bristol on

Google Maps on steroids. Get the kids to look beneath their feet and work out where they live, what journey they take to school, where they go to watch football or go shopping. Adults can play too - where’s your local pub, where would you like to live, how do the New Cut, the Floating Harbour and the River Avon interlink (something I still don’t get, as demonstrated in a less than 100% accurate harbourside walk I published last year)? And marvel at just how much green space there is within the city limits.

Did I say museums were in part for reminiscing? Two very different things grabbed me on this recent visit - one providing very clear childhood memories and another reminding me of somewhere regularly frequented in my early days in Bristol in the late 80’s. You can’t fail to notice the big green double decker bus - a 1966 Bristol Lodekka, the M Shed’s largest indoor exhibit - and joy of joys, you can jump on board. Memories of school bus journeys came flooding back - sitting on the parallel bench seat downstairs at the back trying to get the clippy to give you any spare ticket rolls, or upstairs at the front for the best view (I never sat at the back upstairs as that was where the smokers went!). Easier to miss was the statue of Conrad Finzel, sugar baron and significant donor to the Muller Orphanage. The bust, under the pseudonym of “Ed”, spent twenty years propping up the bar of the Shakespeare pub in Totterdown - a pub much frequested in my younger days when under the landlordship of “Mad Ernie” Somers. Anyone else remember him?

Moving in to more current attractions, if ever you needed an additional reason to visit the M Shed then, until 29th May 2023, you have the perfect one - the opportunity to visit the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. On loan from the Natural History Museum in London, the exhibition features one hundred

View from the M Shed balcony

THE M SHED

amazing photographs taken by professional and amateur photographers from around the world. Featuring flora, fauna and the interaction of both with mankind, the images illustrate the beauty, diversity and fragility of the natural world we share. Some are awesome, some cute (who doesn’t love a baby Great Crested Grebe or a Bare-Nosed Wombat?), and some eerie (don’t miss the Cave of the Hanging Snakes).

More than anything, this wonderful collection of photographs demonstrates the impact that human activity has on the world, and how the consequences of our decisions and actions are felt by the natural world way beyond our own communities. Do visit - the exhibition is an annual treat.

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The M Shed is open every week, Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm (but closed on Mondays). Admission is free - donations welcome - but a separate ticket is needed to visit the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition (£7 adults, £5 concessions, 50% discount for students and 16-24 year olds, under 16 free).

© Samuel Sloss Wildlife Photographer of the Year

© Dmitry Kokh Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London

January - in with the new, or in this case in with the old. We’re talking Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece this month. Twenty one Greek and Roman gods and goddesses are listed below, and twenty of them have also been hidden in the wordsearch grid, running forwards, backwards, up, down or on a diagonal. Your job is to discover the one god or goddess not hidden in the grid. When you know who it is get in touch with your answer. All correct answers go into an electronic hat and the winner will receive an M-Shed goody bag, including 2 tickets to visit the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition and the official exhibition 2023 calendar.

do the puzzle - somebody has to win!`

Right - here are the gods and goddesses you are looking for -

DIANA HERMES

APOLLO NEPTUNE

HEPHAISTOS VULCAN

CERES POSEIDON

JUNO BACCHUS

VENUS MINERVA JUPITER DIONYSOS

APHRODITE ATHENA

HERA MERCURY

ARTEMIS MARS ZEUS

Name: Date:

Entries please by email to andy@bcmagazines. co.uk, post to 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY, phone to 0117 259 1964 or text to 07845 986650, to arrive no later than midnight January 31st. Your entry MUST state the road you live on - I don’t need the house number though. Best of luck, and do please enter if you

Gods

Thank you to everybody who entered the November board and card games puzzle. The missing game was Kerplunk and of the many entries received the first two correct entries out of the hat came from Richard Sparkes and Carla Chow. Your prizes are on their way.

Q E D S G R E T I P U J D N I V D G B L U D A Z A N S J I I F E N L S W U J P I Z U P U N U A E S V D A Y F

IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN CURE.

The moment a fence falls or breaks, you have to deal with third party damage, security and privacy issues, neighbours, quotes, the expense and inconvenience – all at once. Alternatively, a simple call to ColourFence can head off all your problems for the next 25 years!

Virtually maintenance-free, before the Spring growing season starts, now is the best time to see our great value, colours & designs. Freephone today.

Sport

1. Name the last European captain to lift the Ryder Cup.

2. Which six teams have featured in every Premier League campaign?

3. Which sports did these people represent England / GB in at international level - a) Peter Collins ( ), b) Denise Lewis, c) Martin Bell?

4. What sport would you famously watch at these venues - a) Hickstead, b) Frimley Green, c) Lee Valley Centre?

5. GB beat which country in the recent Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup final?

Pot Luck

1. What is the collective name for a group of hippopotamus - a pond, a throng or a bloat?

2. Name the worlds largest produced of cocoa.

3. Sir David Attenborough famously encountered a family of silverback gorillas in which African country?

4. Name the countries where you would find these landmarks.

5. In which countries would you find giant pandas living natively in the wild?

Current Affairs

1. Name the President of Ukraine.

2. On what day is Prime Minister’s Questions, and how many questions does the Leader of the Opposition get to ask?

3. Who is Andrew Bailey?

4. “I’m a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here” is based in which Australian state?

5. Which country scored the first goal in the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament?

Decades

2010s - name the Russian double-agent poisoned in Salisbury in 2018.

2000s - Where were the summer Olympic Games held four years before Beijing?

1990s - name the nightclub in Manchester, co-owned by the band New Order, that closed in 1997.

1980s - which country’s embassy in London was stormed by the SAS, to end a siege, in 1980?

1970s - which act won the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest for the UK?

United Kingdom

1. Name all the English counties with a Scottish border.

2. Name all the English counties with a Welsh border.

3. In which English counties would you find these landmarks?

before..” are lyrics from which song and from which musical?

4. After a minor hit with “Highfly”, who had a top 3 hit with “Music” in 1975?

5. In a typical musical score, name the singing parts in a four-part harmony.

Yellow

1. Who sang lead vocal on “Yellow Submarine”

2. Name these characters -

4. Which of the UK military services is known as the Senior Service - the Army, the Royal Navy or the Royal Air Force?

5. Running 265 miles north to south, this is the UK’s first National Trail. What is its name?

Music

1. “If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it..” is the opening line from which Shakespeare play?

2. Musical Youth had a number 1 hit single in 1982 with which song?

3. “I go to the hills when my heart is lonely, I know I will hear what I’ve heard

3. Which of these countries do not have yellow in their flag - Andorra, Chad or Nicaragua?

4. What can only be found in the USA states of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana?

5. In the natural world, what is a yellow tang?

The Future - and End - Of The Smartphone

While it’s true that smartphones have become the central platform in most peoples lives - a short term trend set to clearly continue - a little look into the future reveals that within ten years, it is highly unlikely to feature in our lives in the way we know it. Major developments in the next few years (and this is all technology actually being developed) could see through-the-air charging, with phone batteries charges wirelessly through radio waves, foldout screens (already becoming popular), holographic displays, cameras that will outperform high-end DLSR cameras, and devices being used through mind control.

But most industry experts predict that the physical limitations of interacting with the smartphone will see its relative demise in favour of some kind of “wearables”. Already many of us are bypassing tapping on the phone in favour of talking to Alexa or Siri.

The most likely next step will be glasses or headsets that will use augmented reality to bring all the power of a smartphone into a perfectly normal looking pair of specs, overlaying relevant data with your view of the world around you. Already this is reckoned to be a £60billion industry by 2025.

Other developments include implantable microchips and digital “tattoos” that will monitor your health on an ongoing basis. Strange to think, such is the pace of echnology, that, as most people grapple with coming to terms with smartphone technology, we are already witnessing its demise.....!

Russell Isaac can be contacted on 07747753764 or via www.ITHomeHelp.biz

‘One Day All This Will Be Yours’ - Guest

v Guest Judgment Handed Down By Supreme Court

Michelle Rose

The Supreme Court reached an important verdict surrounding whether a verbal promise can legally be enforced.

What Was the Case About?

A multigenerational family of dairy farmers, the Guests, found themselves arguing before the highest court in the land - the Supreme Court - over an unwritten promise that the family farm would go to the son that helped them on the farm.

The family’s eldest son, Andrew, left school at the age of 16 and worked long hours on the farm for nearly 33 years, being paid a basic wage. Sadly, the relationship between Andrew and his parents, David and Josephine, deteriorated over the years and Andrew left the farm in 2015.

In 2017 Andrew brought a proprietary estoppel claim, arguing that he was entitled to receive a share of the farm as a result of assurances made by his parents that he would one day inherit a significant proportion of it. The court ordered his parents to make a payment to him amounting to 50% of the value of the farming business and 40% of the value of the farm itself. The inevitable consequence of that order was that his

parents would have to sell the farm.

The parents appealed against the judgment and the long awaited Judgment from the Supreme Court was handed down in October 2022. The question for the Supreme Court to decide was whether Andrew should be able to keep his original award handed down by the lower court and approved by the Court of Appeal or, as the parents argued, that the award which would have meant the sale of the family farm was compensation that had gone a step too far.

What Was the Verdict?

The five Law Lords who decided the case were not in agreement and so the decision was by a 3-2 majority. In the words of Lord Briggs, who gave the leading judgment, Andrew’s parents are “spared, if they so choose, the injustice of having to sell up and leave early” and they are given the opportunity “of a completely clean break at a considerably lower price than that ordered by the Judge”.

The judgment in effect delays Andrew’s right to take a share of the farm now. However, should they choose to allow their son to take possession of the farm before their deaths, the parents

have been given a mechanism by the Supreme Court to help them identify the discount they should give to Andrew for him to acquire it now. If the parents decide to offer the farm to Andrew before they die but they still cannot agree on the amount, the case will have to go back to Court.

The judgment underlines just how notoriously difficult it is to value the detriment suffered in these sorts of cases and it is noteworthy that the five leading Law Lords could not agree. What this decision seems to have

introduced is that those who have to pay the price of reneging on a promise will sometimes have a choice as to how they make good their promise.

For more information on this complex area of law, please contact Michelle Rose in VWV’s Private Client team on 0117 925 2020 or at mrose@vwv.co.uk, or visit vwv.co.uk

Happy New Year from VWV

Award-Winning Expert Legal Advice for You and Your Family

Whether your New Year's resolution is to review your old Will, to make a Will for the very first time, to move house in 2023, or to finally put in place Lasting Powers of Attorney - we would be delighted to welcome you to our Henleaze office to assist with a full range of private client, property and commercial services.

Contact Leila Goodarzi at lgoodarzi@vwv.co.uk or on 0117 925 2020

vwv.co.uk

If ifs and buts were raisins and nuts, then every day would be Christmas. But if poodles and pugs ate raisins and nuts, then their day would be spent at the vets! As we come to the end of our Christmas and New Year celebrations, if you’re anything like our team at Viking Vets, you may find yourself enjoying festive treats throughout winter to help cope with the cold. However, most of the food we indulge in at this time of year can’t be shared with our furry friends.

Figgy pudding and Christmas cake are more holiday favourites which should be kept out of reach of your dog at all costs. Raisins, sultanas, currants and grapes have all been linked with kidney failure. If your dog seems lethargic and the Christmas pudding seems to have disappeared, you know who to call.

Xylitol, a sweetener found in toothpaste and sweets, is another tasty ingredient which is harmful to your dog. Ingestion can cause hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar, as well as liver damage.

Chocolate is one of our most infamous offenders. Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, which are toxic to dogs. The darker the chocolate, the higher it is in these toxins. They can cause an increased heart rate, hyperactivity, vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, and seizures. So make sure you hang those chocolates on the highest branches of the tree!

And for the cat lovers, antifreeze is the main culprit in these chilly months. Unfortunately, water coolant and antifreeze can leak from cars, and cats can be drawn to it due to its sweet taste. The signs of ingestion to look out for are drinking and urinating lots, fast/difficulty breathing, seeming drunk or uncoordinated, vomiting, lethargy, and seizures. It is essential to bring your cat to the vets immediately if you suspect they have drunk this.

Induced vomiting, activated charcoal to absorb the toxins, and intravenous fluid therapy are some of the ways we can treat your pet if needed.

Ellie Lisle, Student Veterinary Nurse Viking Vets

We are a small practice with an experienced and compassionate team of vets and nurses.

Our aim is to tailor make every regime for your pet to ensure the best treatment for both them and you.

We would be delighted to meet you and your pet and welcome the opportunity to show you around our practice. Please

If you are involved in any local events that are of a charitable / “not-for-profit” nature, including social groups, support networks, fundraisers, school events, concerts, talks, clubs etc, and would like some free publicity do please get in touch. Listings of up to 60 words per month will be published free of charge. From now on if your event / club / choir etc is “for-profit”, rather than charitable in nature, then the total cost of a monthly 75-word listing will be £50 + VAT for six-months or £75 + VAT for 12 months. You may change your listing without further charge at any time. To be included, or for more details, please get in touch - andy@bcmagazines.co.uk, 0117 259 1964 / 07845 986650 or write to 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY, and I will be more than happy to help. If you have a dated event that is in the first half of the month you are strongly advised to get it listed in the previous month’s magazine as no guarantee can be given that the magazine will be delivered by the date of your event.

• Aikido for Kids: Westbury Aikido Club offers lessons for children, on Sunday mornings during term-time, at the Scout Hall (Northcote), Great Brockeridge BS9 3TY. See www.westburyaikido. club for more detail, or email reenee@ westburyaikido.club. The first lesson is free, so come along and give it a try!

• The Arts Society Bristol Would you like to join us for arts related lectures given by specialists in their own field? New members are welcome. The lecture on 10 January is on Understanding the Influence of Indian Jewellery and on 14 February is on Maritime Art. Lectures are held at 8pm at Redmaids’ High School, Westbury-on-Trym, BS9 3AW. See our website www.theartssocietybristol.org.uk

• Interested in sharing the joy of reading? Our 20 year old Book Club welcomes new members. Would you like to join us? We meet at Amelia Lodge and members homes at 2pm last Friday of the month. If interested please contact Judith Barker jabarker14@gmail.com

• Bristol A Cappella is an award-winning mixed barbershop chorus who love to sing close harmony a cappella. Rehearsals are every Tuesday at 7:30pm at Victoria Methodist Church on Whiteladies Road. Email membership@ bristolacappella.co.uk to come along! For more info, visit our website at www. bristolacappella.co.uk/visit

• Bristol All Voices Allowed Choir is a community choir started in 2020 by former members of the Bristol Hippodrome Choir and All Together Now Bristol Choir. We are looking for new singers, men and women, beginners and more experienced singers, to join us. Rehearsals on Tuesdays, 6.30 –8.00pm at Holy Trinity Church, Hotwells. Contact Chris on 07866 456 776.

• Bristol Bridge Club (BBC) has been running free online supervised sessions with some teaching all through the pandemic on Zoom, and will continue to do so every Saturday morning from 10am to 12 noon. To take part, go to the bridge club website www. bristolbridgeclub.co.uk and follow the link “Learn and Play”.

• Bristol Bridge Club weekly “Friendly Thursdays” for members and their guests. Join us for a relaxed pairs handicapped bridge session. Free food is served from 6.30pm … followed by bridge around 7.15pm. The winning pair will receive a bottle of wine each. Just turn up on the night!

• Bristol Brunel Probus Club. Retired? At a loose end? Looking for some friendship and entertainment? You’d be welcomed at our Bristol Brunel Probus Club. We meet every 2nd Tuesday of the month at BAWA [Filton] for lunch & a presentation / talk. Contact our Secretary D Waters on 0117-914-5465 for more details.

• Bristol’s Flower Club meets on Thursday afternoons in Henleaze at the Bradbury Hall, 117 Waterford Road, BS9 4BT. Annual membership is great value at £52 with inspiring floral demonstrations, optional creative hands-on practice classes and special ‘flowery’ events and social trips plus 10% discount off plants at Brackenwood Nursery. Check us out on the second Thursday of the month for a Floral Demonstration with doors opening 1.30 for a 2pm start, and the fourth Thursday for an optional handson practice session with doors opening 1.15 for a 1.30pm start (every month except Dec and Aug when we take a break). Visitors are very welcome, and entry is £8. Contact Jenny York, Chair HDFC Email yorkjenny2@yahoo.com or

text/call 07880 700270

• Bristol Friends of WNO invite you to enjoy a variety of talks with glorious music at our new venue, The Apostle Room, Clifton Cathedral (Worcester Road entrance). Visitors always welcome. WNO Friends £8, Visitors £10. Further information from Melanie David. Tel: 01934 842014 email: melaniejdavid@btinternet.com.

• Bristol Community Gamelan play the music of Java every Monday at Cotham School from 6.30-8.30. We play by numbers – only 1-6, without the 4 ! So no audtions, no need to read music. If you fancy a different musical experience, contact us via email on keithripley27@ gmail.com

• Bristol French Circle / Cercle français de Bristol. Bonne année! Our first session after Christmas will be on Zoom, with one of our favourite speakers, Thierry Viennois, presenting A la conquête du Mont Blanc on Thursday 12th January at 8pm. We will follow this with a face-toface Soirée de conversation at BAWA on Thursday 26 January. Please have a look at our website (www.cfbristol.org. uk) for the programme and updates, and do get in touch with Charlotte Taylor, the President, if you are interested in coming along – she will be delighted to chat with you. charlottejanetaylor10@ gmail.com / 07976 922636.

• The next meeting of the Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society will take place on Monday 23 January 2023 at the Apostle Room, Clifton Cathedral BS8 3BX at 7.45pm (refreshments available from 7.15). Andrew Mudd of Cotswold Archaeology will speak on “The Redcliffe Quarter, Bristol – Medieval and Later Excavations”. Off-street parking available; no 9 bus runs close by. For further information contact johnregstevens@outlook.com

• Bristol Harmony West Gallery Choir & Band sing and play lively church and village music from the 18th century. We meet at St Edyth’s Church Hall in Sea Mills on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. No auditions but ability to read music is helpful. Ring Fritjof on 0117 924 3440 for more information, or see www.bristolharmony.wordpress.com. Please contact before attending so we can have music ready.

• Bristol Languages Tutor: French, Spanish & English Tuition. Qualified teacher with 12+ years tutoring experience. Lessons at home or online. Children, students, adults. Complete beginners, after-school clubs, conversation practice and exam preparation (GCSE, A Level, Common Entrance etc.). Email: BristolLanguagesTutor@gmail.com or Tel. 07825 600 402.

• Bristol Male Voice Choir invite new and returning singers to join us at our weekly rehearsals, every Thursday from 7pm -9pm at St Andrew’s Methodist Church, Elm Park, Filton, Bristol BS34 7PS. We are a sociable and friendly group, singing a wide range of musical styles in our repertoire, and we look forward to seeing you - you don’t have to be a reader of music. Ffi see our website www.bristolmvc.org.uk or us on 07587 143 220.

• Bristol Morris Men practice on Thursday evenings from 8:15pm - 9:45pm in the Sports Hall at Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital (QEH), Berkely Place, Clifton BS8 1JX. New members are very welcome, whether you have any experience of dancing or none. Call Grant on (0117) 9442165.

• Bristol Phoenix Choir If you love singing we would love to hear from you! We are a friendly choir and we enjoy rehearsing and performing great choral works as well as shorter more intimate pieces. If you would like to sing with us please contact Jackie our membership secretary jackie.blackwell410@gmail. comm

• Bristol Scrabble Club meets every Wednesday at 7.00 pm at Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, Filton BS34 7PS. New members welcomefirst visit free so come and give it a try. For further information contact Sheila on 01179570792, 07435316458 or shinett@blueyonder.co.uk

• Bristol Shambhala Meditation Group offers meditation on Thursday evenings at the Friends’ Meeting House in Hampton Road from 7.15pm until 8.45pm and a qualified Meditation Instructor is available to talk you through the practice if this is required. In addition to meditation practice there is usually a reading, a discussion and a mindfulness of body exercise. Further information at bristol.shambhala.info

• Bristol Stitchers - Exploring fabric and stitch. A programme of monthly activities including talks and “Meet and Stitch” sessions, All taking place in Horfield BS7 8ST. Visit bristolstitchers. wordpress.com for more details.

• City Voices Bristol rehearse on Monday nights at Red Maids High School, from 7.30-9pm. We are keen to welcome new members who would like to join a friendly and sociable group of people who love to sing! Our repertoire extends from rock and pop to choral and musicals. If you would like more information, look at our website www. cityvoicesbristol.org or pop along on a Monday night to the Performing Arts Centre at Redmaids.

• Drawing for well-being: an opportunity to step back from the madness of life and engage with nature through drawing. All materials and coffee provided! No experience necessary. Come and find quiet, beauty and space at Trymwood Studios, Mondays and Fridays 11am - 12.30pm during termtime, registration essential. For more information please email Hannah and Lucy - info@trymwoodstudios.co.uk

• Filtones Choir Would you like to join an afternoon choir, but don’t think you can sing, or are too shy to try? Well, here’s your chance to give it a go. The Filtones choir is looking for new members to swell its ranks. Come and join us free for four weeks – no obligation – all voice ranges are welcome as we sing four- part harmony. You will not be subjected to an audition and, although it can be useful to read music, this is not an obstacle as we provide other audio aids for learning. We meet at St Teresa’s Community Rooms at the rear of the Church, 71 Gloucester Road North BS34 7PL from 1.45 to 3.45 p.m. every Wednesday. Just come along, or for more information please ring Dot on 0117 9690654 or 07870 984760 or Janet on 0117 9241534, or check out our website on www.thefiltones.weebly. com

• Fledglings at Trymwood Studios.

Weekly nature-based workshops for 0-4 years and their carers. Singing, drama, engaging poetry and stories, and creative art-making - all with a changing nature theme. We meet in our Westbury-on-Trym studio and get

outside into our wonderful gardens and meadow as much as possible. Your first taster session is free! Contact Hannah and Lucy at info@trymwoodstudios. co.uk or go to www.trymwoodstudios. co.uk

• Friends of the Downs & Avon Gorge (FOD+AG) - www.friendsofthedowns. org

• Friends of Old Sneed Park Nature Reserve. Our next working party will be held on January 20th, 10am to 12 noon. Please bring your own tea/ coffee. Chocolate biscuits will always be provided. For more information, please email fospnr@gmail.com and our web site is, oldsneedparknaturereserve.org

• Happy Days Memory Café - Tony on 0117 968 1002.

• Healing For Wellbeing. Feel more relaxed, peaceful, calmer. Drop-In sessions at Redland Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road. Thursdays 3.00 - 4.15 pm from 8th September. Donation basis. COVID safety: please wear a face mask if possible and do not attend if you have symptoms or have tested positive for COVID. Contact: Selina 0117 9466434 or selinanewton@yahoo.co.uk.

• Henleaze Choral Society (formerly BCCS (Bristol Cathedral Choir School) Choral Society) meets at the Henleaze Bowling Club in Grange Court Road, on Wednesdays from 7.30 to 9pm. We are a small, friendly, unauditioned choir singing varied music, from choral works to more modern pieces and we would welcome new members of all standards. For more information, please contact Kathy telephone 0117 9493628 or email www.bccschoralsociety.org.uk

• The Henleaze Concert Society ‘Treasures of the Baroque’ concert is on January 21st at 7:30 at the TrinityHenleaze Unified Reformed Church, Waterford Road, Henleaze, BS9 4BT. This will be a captivating programme of sparkling instrumental music with Bach’s 6th mellow and joyful Brandenburg Concerto, Vivaldi’s Flute Concerto in C minor, Biber’s famous and wonderfully engaging Battalia, Handel’s Concerto Grosso Op.6 and Bach’s Oboe and Violin Concerto. Tickets at the door or visit http://henleazeconcertsociety.org.uk (annual Membership £12; member’s ticket £15.00; non-member £18:00; under 25’s £5; season ticket for 6 series

concerts £85 incl. membership).

• Henleaze Lawn Tennis Club is a friendly and welcoming club for all ages and standards. We offer social and competitive play and a comprehensive coaching programme for all ages and levels. To find out more visit our website: www.henleazeltc.com or call Heather on 07891 520 456.

• Henleaze Senior Film Club. Monday 23rd January at 2pm - presents “The Dig” (12A) - a true story, set in the 1930s about an archaeologist finding a ship from the dark ages on a wealthy landowner’s property. Starring Ralph Fiennes & Carey Mulligan. Tickets: £4.00 including refreshments. Carers welcome, easy access. For more information please call 0117 435 0063. St. Peter’s Hall, The Drive, Henleaze BS9 4LD

• Keep fit with dance moves – at Horfield Methodist Church, BS7 8SN, Tuesday mornings, from 10:15 – 11:15 am & St Peter’s Church, Filton, BS34 7BQ, Tuesday afternoons, 2 – 3 pm. Improve your mobility, strength, co-ordination and general wellbeing whilst having fun and making new friends. Suitable for all ages. Try first session free. For further information contact Eileen Scott, on 07969929733, or email, scottyartois@ hotmail.com

• Knit & Crochet Café - 07561 523 919brisknitcro@gmail.com

• Life Drawing/Painting/Portraits. Small informal group meets weekly, Thursday or Friday (TBC) mornings from midSeptember at St Peter’s Henleaze. Please contact Stella (9628717) or Liz (01454 418573) for details if you would be interested in joining us.

• The Little Black Box (Community) Choir seeks “shower singers!” Towel off, join us and set your voice free! Free first session. All voices welcome, no audition, no experience necessary. We sing everything from Kate Bush to Rammstein via musical theatre, pop and even shanties. Mondays 7.15pm - 9.00pm (term time). Term starts Monday 19th September at Friends Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, Redland, BS6 6JE.

• Menopause Matters - Tricia Worthington, 07962 892 060, tricia_ worthington@msn.com

• Monday Afternoon Band and Wednesday Evening Band. Would you like to join a band playing on Monday afternoons or on Wednesday evenings? Both bands are in Redland, and we just play for fun, no sight reading, no concerts.We play a mixture of pop and swing. The bands would suit anyone who used to play an instrument and has taken it up again recently, or has been playing for a couple of years or more. Not suitable for complete beginners. For more information contact mondayafternoonband@gmail.com or wednesdayeveningband@gmail.com

• The Mosaic Singers - as our name suggests, we sing a broad and colourful range of lighter and popular songs. Some ability to read music is required. A warm welcome is assured at our Tuesday evening rehearsals in Stoke Bishop. Please phone David Vicary on 07973 460 994.

• Nordic4 - technique based Nordic walking teaching and fitness to individual needs. Beginner Tasters, Beginner Courses, small weekly Walking Fitness Groups differentiated for pace and terrain. Specialist sessions: Nordic4 Joints, Seasonal walks and 1:1 Support To Sport. www.nordic4.com. Booking online or by phone. Call Katie on 07970741320 or email katie.atkins@ nordic4.com to find out more.

• North West Bristol Camera Club. Newcomers welcome for your enthusiasm, your expertise, or both. Come along to Sommerville, Westbury Fields, BS10 6TW, on a Tuesday evening. Full details of the Club at www.nwbcc.org.uk , or email Neville at nevwgoodman@mac.com for information.

• The Out There Music Bristol Community Choir rehearses every Tuesday during term time from 8pm-9.45pm at Alma Church, Clifton, BS8 2ES. There is no audition and we have an eclectic repertoire with a very warm welcome assured. For more details about the choir please visit www.outtheremusicbristol. co.uk - or you are welcome to come along to a rehearsal for a free taster session before deciding whether to join.

• The Out There Music Bristol Chamber Choir is a small auditioned choir singing a range of classical, popular, jazz and

Sport

1. Thomas Bjorn; 2. Liverpool, Everton, Chelsea, Manchester United, Spurs, Arsenal ; 3. speedway, heptathlon, skiing; 4. a) show jumping, b) darts, c), athletics; 5. France.

Pot Luck

1. a bloat; 2. Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast); 3. Rwanda; 4. Germany (Berlin), Jordan (Petra), Italy (Florence); 5. only China.

Current Affairs

1. Volodymyr Zelenskyy; 2. Wednesday, and six questions; 3. Governor of the Bank of England; 4. New South Wales; 5. Ecuador.

Decades

2010s - Sergei Skripal; 2000s - Athens; 1990s - The Hacienda; 1980s - Iran; 1970s - Brotherhood of Man (Save Your Kisses For Me).

United Kingdom

1. Cumbria, Northumberland; 2. Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Cheshire; 3. Wiltshire (Salisbury Cathedral), Yorkshire (Middlesborough Transporter Bridge), Kent (Leeds Castle); 4. the Royal Navy; 5. the Penine Way.

Music

1. “Twelfth Night”; 2. “Pass the Dutchie”; 3. “The Hills Are Alive” from “The Sound of Music”; 4. John Miles; 5. Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass.

Yellow

1. Ringo Starr; 2. Lisa Simpson, Angry Bird, Buzby; 3. Nicaragua; 4. the Yellowstone National Park; 5. a tropical fish.

spiritual music which rehearses every Tuesday during term time from 6pm7.30pm at Alma Church, Clifton, BS8 2ES. Rehearsals will often include learning about the physiology of the voice and the technique required to apply this to the music. For more details about the choir please visit www. outtheremusicbristol.co.uk - or you are welcome to come along to a rehearsal for a free taster session before deciding whether to audition.

• Pilates classes at the Northcote Scout Hall; Mondays 9:30am (Improvers), 10:30am (Mixed ability - Beginners welcome); Tuesdays 9:30am (Improvers), 10:30am (Beginners). £8.50 per class booked as a course, or £12 single sessions. Classes are kept small, so must be booked in advance. Full details at www.mindbodypilates. org. Contact Leanne on 07817189474 / leanne@mindbodypilates.org

• Royal Air Forces Association Veterans lunch is held at the RAFA Club, 38 Eastfield, Westbury On Trym, BS9 4BE on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, from 12 noon for 1pm till 3pm.Two course meal for just £6. Please contact 0117 947 0775 and leave a message let us know who wishes to attend. This lunch is for all service veterans, their wives, widows or dependants, not just ex-RAF.

• Rotary Club of Bristol meets Mondays 7.00pm for 7.30pm alternately at Bristol Hotel, Prince Street BS1 4QF and on Zoom. Further details: www. rotarybristol.org and / or contact Martina at mpeattie@btopenworld.com

• Enjoy Scottish Country Dancing at St. Monica’s Oatley Hall, Cote Lane, BS9 3UN on Thursday 7.30 - 10.00 p.m. £6.00 per session. New dancers welcome, come on your own or with a friend for fun, fitness and friendship. For information contact: Ros on 01225 319991 or Ruth on 0117 968 3057 or www.rscdsbristol.info

• Severnside Sub-Aqua Club is an active Bristol-based community SCUBA diving and snorkelling club. We offer training, experience and skills development with the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) from complete beginner to instructor level and welcome divers with existing qualifications from any agencies (including PADI). We met

every Monday evening at the Cambria Yard, Avon Crescent, Bristol BS1 6XQ with weekly heated pool sessions at St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School at Somerset Square, Redcliffe, Bristol BS1 6RT. See www.severnsidesac.com or email info@severnsidesac.com for details. One-off ‘try diving’ experience sessions also available for non-members including individuals and youth groups, Scouts and Guides, etc

• Singing to Remember - a singing group for people living with dementia is looking for new members to come along to their sessions in Henleaze.We meet every first, third and fifth Thursday of the month at Trinity-Henleaze United Reformed Church on Waterford Road and offer people living with dementia and their carers a space where they can meet new people in a friendly, fun and social environment. Anyone wanting to find out more or to book a place ring Monica on 0117 9426095.

• Are you a calligrapher who would like to take it up again? The St Edyth’s Scribes are a long established group of self-led hobby calligraphers who meet every Friday at St Edyth’s Church Hall, Sea Mills, from 10am to noon and we are looking for a few more members. If you are interested please drop in and meet us, or for more information call Peter 0117 329 4516.

• Stoke Bishop Local History Group meets in Stoke Bishop Village Hall, 42 Stoke Hill, BS9 1EX. Talks start at 7:30. Our next talk is ‘Art and history: the Downs and the Merchant Venturers’ by Francis Greenacre. Fri 13 Jan 7:30 at Stoke Bishop Village Hall, BS9 1EX All welcome. Annual membership now due £6. Visitors £3. Visitors welcome. For more details email sblocalhistory@ gmail.com or call Jenny on 0117 968 6010.

• Taking a Tai Chi class works like gardening to help your body, mind and energy grow and flourish. The slow, gentle, standing movements of Tai Chi always bring a sense of peace and calm to your day. For friendly local classes with an experienced teacher contact: www.taichiworksbristol.co.uk or 07704478521.

• Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi. Recommended by Age UK Bristol. Easy exercise for better health and wellbeing. A slow

movement sequence, sitting optional, designed to be accessible for anyone who likes or needs gentle exercise. Relaxing and meditative, beneficial for balance and flexibility. Classes in Redland/Westbury Park Wednesday and Thursday mornings 11.00 - 12.00. Cost £5. For more information or to book, please contact Selina Newton on 0117 9466434 or email: selinanewton@ yahoo.co.uk.

• The Compassionate Friends Local Volunteer Peer Support for Bereaved Parents has a base in BS9 and arranges local walks, one to one support over the phone and in person, and a facilitated small, friendly support group, all for parents bereaved of a child/children of any age from 1 month up. We meet on the second Monday of the month at Redland Library. Please contact Amanda at amamtcf@gmail.com for more details.

• Wednesday Keep Fit 10am - 11am St Peter’s Church Hall Henleaze £7, improve your health fitness and well being with this supple strength work out for everyone to enjoy! Contact Louisa on 0772 509 1429.

• Wednesday Chair Aerobics 11.15am12.15pm St Peter’s Church Hall Henleaze £7, work on your strength, stability and balance with this seated and standing exercise class. Contact Louisa on 0772 509 1429

• Westbury on Trym/Stoke Bishop/ Clifton Discussion Group are a merry band of retired people who meet at Westbury on Trym Baptist Church every Monday morning (0945) and like to challenge ourselves with topical debate on what’s happening in the world - near and far. We exist out of pure interest and conversation but mainly to help keep our older minds working a little bit faster and hopefully healthier. If you would like to join us and solve many of todays challenging issues whilst enjoying good company, tea and chocolate biscuitsplease contact James Ball 01454 415165 or Ian Viney 0117 9501628. We would love to hear from you.

• Westbury Aikido Club - visit www. westburyaikido.club, or email reenee@ westburyaikido.club

• Westbury Folk / Country Dancing - come along to have some fun folk dancing on Tuesdays 1:30 - 3:30 pm

at Westbury College in College Road. All dances are called and refreshments are available. FFI contact Christine on 07775 628524 or codonnell100@ btinternet.com

• Westbury Harriers. We are a friendly, inclusive running club based in Westbury-on-Trym (Bristol, BS9) that caters for all ages and abilities. Academy (8 – 11 years), Juniors (11+ years) and Adults / Masters. Say hello and join us on a training run to discover more. We look forward to welcoming you to Westbury Harriers! For more info, www.westburyharrriers.co.uk, or e-mail secretary@westburyharriers.co.uk

• Westbury Park Quilters Exhibition on Saturday 18 February 10am-4pm at St Peter’s Church Hall, The Drive, Henleaze BS9 4LD. Special guest, international quilter Jan Hassard. Admission £4, children free, disabled access. Drop in to see the quilts. Itching to stitch? Join in with demos, look for bargains from our sales table and tombola. Raffle for the WPQ-made ‘Rainbow’ quilt. ‘Pop-up’ café. westburyparkquilters.co.uk

• Westbury on Trym Women’s InstituteSue Murphy on 0117 950 2826.

• Westbury Park Women’s Institute meets on the first Tuesday of every month in the Girl Guide Hut on Westmoreland Road from 7.00pm to 9.30pm. We are an active and friendly group with a varied programme and extra sessions for craft, coffee, book clubs etc. Visitors are always welcome and for more information do call Sue on 07813 795 936 or email us on westburyparkwi@gmail.com

• Westbury Scottish Country Dance Club - Cheryl on 0117 401 2416, www. westburyscottish.org.uk

• West of England Bridge Club meet at the RAFA Club, 38 Eastfield, Henleaze. Thursday afternoon is for Improvers, and Monday afternoon is for more capable players - this is an EBUrecognised session. You may come alone to any afternoon session; a partner will be found. The three evening sessions are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and are open to pairs. For more information, go to our website at www.woebridgeclub.co.uk or contact our Secretary, Chris Frew, on 0117 962 5281.