The Bristol Nine Magazine - December 2022

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.

Residential

Conveyancing & Property 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

Hi there and welcome to your December magazine. After my attempt last issue to explain how the months got their names, this month I’ll stick to something a little simpler. It’s the last issue of the year, which means it’s time for some thank yous and seasonal best wishes. As ever the production of the magazine is utterly dependent on the kindness and loyalty of the many advertisers who entrust a portion of their annual marketing budget with me. Gratitude for their support goes without question. The delivery of the magazines out to you relies on the hard work, energy and reliability of my team of some 40+ helpers - thanks for all your efforts every month, and I hope you stayed dry this time. The magazine itself is produced by my long-term printer Pensords, up in the Welsh valleys, who month after month put up with my slipped deadlines and last minute changes without so much as a grumble. Print prices have gone through the roof this year and print is a difficult business to be in right now, but their customer service and support never falters. And of course this whole thing wouldn’t work without the support and encouragement of every reader who picks this up and reads it, and makes a choice to support ne of the local businesses who feature. Thank you so much.

One final thank you and farewell this month goes to Julian Lea-Jones who has been providing his always-interesting, entertaining and much enjoyed local history articles for many years. Julian’s knowledge, enthusiasm, tale-telling and dry wit will be missed enormously, as his contribution to the magazine each month has been hugely appreciated and warmly received.

For now then, seasons greetings and I hope as many of you as possible have as enjoyable a festive break as you can. Happy Christmas.

Deadlines and Getting In Touch - to be included in the January 2023 issue of The Bristol Nine Magazine your advert bookings, artwork and listings must be received and approved no later than Friday 16th December. Miss this and you will miss out. If you would like to feature please get in touch - andy@bcmagazines.co.uk - 0117 259 1964 - 07845 986650 - 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PYwww.bcmagazines.co.uk

TOP NOTCH

The Gentleman Painter & Decorator of Distinction

City & Guilds Certificate

For a friendly, free quotation & colour co-ordination advice call 01275 371 729 07770 944 423

Stephanie Jane Spragg

Singing Tuition

for adults & children

B.A. (Hons) Music, M.A. P.G.C.E. ABRSM and Trinity syllabus offered or simply for the joy of singing!

07790 851 060 www.stephaniespragg.co.uk

Andy

Album of the Month Midnights by Taylor Swift

At the time of writing, songs taken from Taylor Swift’s new album Midnights occupy the entire Top 10 of America’s Billboard Hot 100 chart - the first time any artist has achieved such a feat. Though the pop megastar is used to a level of success that most musicians can only dream of, the instant impact of the record suggests that her decision to step out of the “folkorian woods” of previous albums Folklore and Evermore has been embraced with open arms.

Described by Swift as, “A collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams,” that loose concept runs through the album’s 13 tracks. With the help of co-writer/co-producer Jack Antonoff, the sonic palette chosen to tell these tales is appropriately brooding dusky grey electronica. Perhaps, with the lights down a little lower, it’s easier for Swift to face the troubles that keep her from sleep. She almost admits as much on lead single Anti-Hero, “I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror.”

Her midnight gaze isn’t always turned inwards. Vigilante S**t, with an avant-pop sound akin to early Billie Eilish, is a meditation on revenge befitting its slightly off-kilter production, all stalking synths and percussive body blows. There are also glimpses ofher sweeter side; the gently swaying Sweet Nothing finds her reminiscing on treasured romantic memories and savouring the simple life.

Closing track Mastermind brings all these different sides together as the hero embraces her Machiavellian side. “What if I told you none of it was accidental?” she sings, perhaps referencing a meticulously crafted career that now finds Taylor Swift in the enviable position of scaling new commercial heights while keeping critics firmly in the palm of her hand.

Next Step The Car by The Arctic Monkeys

The success of Taylor Swift is bad news for Alex Turner and company. Released on the same

day as Midnights, The Car is the first album from Sheffield’s finest that hasn’t topped the UK album charts. Listening to the songs on the album, you don’t get the sense that they’ll mind, such is its uncommercial complexion.

The Car is a distance from the immediately catchy nature of much of their work, up to and including the enduringly popular AM. Stylistically, the baroque feel of previous album Tranquillity Base Hotel & Casino lingers. The melodies aren’t immediate, hooks remain hard to find on first, second, and third listen. The main difference though is that Turner has come back to earth, his lyrics more obviously personal.

To enjoy The Car you have to step inside and enjoy its louche interior. From the swelling orchestration to Turner’s late-night croon, the aesthetic is one of old-fashioneds being sipped while leant against velvet wallpaper. But beneath it all, on songs like There’d Better Be A Mirrorball, Jet Skis On The Moat and Body Paint, the seasoned drinker actually bares his soul and discusses everything from failed romances to beloved childhood memories. It’ll be interesting to see how these songs hold up when they head to Bristol’s very own Ashton Gate Stadium next May.

Podcast of the Month Lifers with Ed Gamble

The continuing proliferation of podcast popularity means that there really is something out there for everyone, including lovers of heavy metal. Presented by comedian Ed Gamble, an ardent fan of the genre, Lifers is an eight-part show about people who dedicate their lives to metal – no matter the cost. Featuring the likes of Diamond Head, Conjurer, Skindred and more, it’s time to throw up those devil horns and embrace the darkness.

Duncan Haskell

Books have a great quality. Immerse yourself in a good one and you can be transported from the “here and now” to any place, at any time, that the author wants to take you. And when the “here and now” is, to be honest, frankly pretty rubbish at times, an awful lot of people would love to be transported to the location for Sally Mills’ captivating book “Island to Island”. After all, who wouldn’t fancy a couple of years living on an idyllic desert island in the Indian Ocean?

Island to Island tells the story of how Sally and her partner Melv found themselves transported from the depths of the Somerset Levels to Aride, one of the smallest and least populated of the islands that make up the Seychellesalmost 1000 miles off the east coast of Africa and a (sometimes perilous) 6 mile boat journey across the sea to the nearest shops, services and population of any size. The purpose for their residency - to manage Aride Island on behalf of the Island Conservation Society as a nature reserve, breeding ground to huge seabird colonies and home to a huge breadth of wildlife. Nature conservation was in Sally and Melv’s blood - she had been the driving force behind the establishment and developement of the very wonderful RSPB Ham Wall, a flagship wetlands reserve near Glastonbury, and he a similar role at the adjacent Avalon Marshes and Shapwick Heath nature reserve. When their desire for a new challenge collided with an opportunity to become resident wardens on the little treecovered granite outcrop (Aride is just 1 mile wide by 1/2 mile from north to south) the two headed into the unknown - for an adventure that brought as much uncertainty and challenge as it did idyll and beauty.

Sally’s book - part diary, part blog, part natural history guide - immerses the reader into a world that is, in so many ways, different to life here in the UK, and yet comes with familiar themes and issues. The differences between life and work

in Somerset and the Seychelles couldn’t be greater. At Ham Wall a challenge was to estimate the size of a flock of starlings - a “murmuration” which regularly runs into hundreds of thousands of birds. On Aride the “flock” of magpie robins was so small that each one was known individually by the colour of the rings on their legs - shocking pink/shocking pink or sky blue/blue. In the UK, emergency food supplies are a phone call and a 10 minute moped ride away, on Aride it was a full days expedition in a small dinghy manned by a local ranger - only when the weather was benevolent, and even then without any certainty that the store would have anything useful in stock.

Perhaps the overriding theme from the book is the acknowledgement that success requires teamwork - which requires trust, understanding, empathy and common goals. Hard enough to engender in a small team anywhere, but especially so when cultural differences and attitudes are thrown into the attempts to bond and perform. Sally tells of the trials and ordeals of working with challenging Seychellois colleagues as someone who has returned to the UK battle hardened but more rounded and undestanding of team dynamics.

Island to Island is a book that is both enchanting and thought provoking, recounting an adventure in paradise that came with all the rough edges that nature and human nature can muster. Anyone with an interest in the natural world and the human condition will get pleasure and satisfaction from reading it. (And if you want to appreciate just how isolated Aride is, check it out on Google maps!)

Available from Cranthorpe Millner Publishers, or through all good bookshops.

The striking Fairy Tern

The number of Automated External Defibrillators, or AED’s, in prominent, accessible 24/7 locations in our area continues to grow. Detailed below are the locations of the existing defibrillators accessible 24/7 that I am aware of in this area, together with the “what3words” locations for them.

• The Crafty Cow, 635 Gloucester Road, Horfield. clip.wiping.racks

• St Mary’s Church (Hulbert Rooms), Stoke Bishop zest.calm.insert

• 42 Westbury Lane, Coombe Dingle. heat.shop.sofa

• Blaise Inn, 260 Henbury Road, Henbury BS10 7QR, on the side of the Inn. exists.sugars.buns

• Salvatore’s Barbers 19A Druid Hill, Stoke Bishop, BS9 1EW (in the dip near Stoke Bishop Fish Bar). hulk.courier.bells

• The White Lion Passage Road, Westbury on Trym, BS9 3HN (in the pub car park). scale. miles.petty

• Methodist Church Hall, Westbury Hill, Westbury on Trym, BS9 3AA (next to main GP’s car park). olive.belly.score

• Trinity United Reform Church, Waterford Road, Henleaze, BS9 4BT (opp. Tesco garage).

• belts.edges.bucks

• Bristol Chiropractic, 2 Kellaway Avenue, Redland, BS6 7XR (in the main rank of shops).

• swept.salsa.reap

• The RAFA Club, 38 Eastfield, Westbury on Trym, BS9 4BE (near the Eastfield Road junction). allow.quench.doll

• St Monica Court, Cote Lane, WoT, BS9 3TL (part of the St Monica complex). taking.clubs. tiger

• The Beehive Pub, Wellington Hill West, Henleaze, BS9 QY. cans.type.loving

• Avon Fire & Rescue (Southmead Fire Station), Southmead Road, BS10 5DR. held.demand. deep

• Bristol Property Centre, 14 Chandos Road, Redland, BS6 6PE. wacky.relay.closes

• Max Minervas Bookshop, North View, Westbury Park, BS6 7PY. edgy.slap.invite

• Bristol Prison Site, 248 Gloucester Road, Horfield, BS7 8NZ( between Cambridge Rd and Longmead Ave). moving.spoon.folds

• Westbury Park Primary School, Bayswater Avenue, BS6 7NU (Coldharbour Road end).

• bubble.trunk.waters

• Cafe on the Square, 136 Shirehampton Rd, Sea Mills, BS9 2DY. shaky.trail.motel

• Boyce’s Avenue, Clifton, BS8 4AA - on the wall of East Village cafe, near The Albion. goad. chef.recall

• Redland Park United Reformed Church, Whiteladies Road, Redland, BS6 6SA - junction with Redland Park. stole.rust.prime

• Westbury Baptist Church Hall, Reedley Road, Westbury on Trym, BS9 3TE. demand.dose. aspect

• The George Inn, 4-6 High Street, Shirehampton, BS11 0DE. park.leaves.cotton

• Future Leap, 1-3 Gloucester Road (at the Zetland Road junction), BS7 8AA. book.zebra.boat

• Charlton Road, Brentry (by Central Discount Carpets). back.flats.hogs

These locations will be next updated and reprinted in the February 2023 magazine, so please, if you can, take a photo of this page on your phone and save it for emergency use, or cut the page out and keep for reference. The what3words location is given in red for each AED location.

Senior Snippets Senior Snippets Keeping well in Winter

Changes to our bodies as we get older mean that cold weather and winter bugs affect us more than they used to. As we age, our immune systems become weaker and less able to fight off viruses. We gradually lose the muscle mass that helps us keep warm and moving about.

The good news is that there’s lots we can do to help keep ourselves well in winter.

Keep moving - Try not to sit still for more than an hour at a time. Even a little bit of activity now and then can help you maintain strength and mobility. The most important thing is to do what you’re comfortable with and build up slowly.

Eat well - It can sometimes be difficult to keep up the motivation to prepare meals. But it’s good to try and keep to a routine where you can. The main thing to remember is that it’s better to eat a bit of what you fancy than to eat nothing – even if it’s just a slice of cake.

It’s a good idea to keep your cupboards stocked with some basics just in case you can’t get out to the shops – whether due to illness or bad weather.

Get your winter vaccinations – even if you’re fighting fit

Respiratory viruses are more widespread in winter, so it’s especially important to get your vaccinations. Vaccinations are particularly important this winter as flu and coronavirus levels are expected to rise due to an increase in social contact.

Those aged 50 and over are eligible for a coromavirus booster jab. And it’s not too late to have your first jabs if you haven’t yet.

You’re entitled to a free flu jab from the doctor or pharmacist if; you’re aged 50 or over; you care for someone, such as a friend or family member; you have a serious long-term health condition; you’re in long-stay residential care or you live in the same house as someone who is immunocompromised.

When you get your flu jab, check if you’re also eligible for the pneumo vaccine, which helps protect you from pneumonia, and the Shingles vaccine.

If you would like to speak to someone at Home Instead, please do get in touch. Similarly if you have any ideas for a future topic, please call 0117 435 0063 or email john.moore@homeinstead.co.uk - we’d love to hear from you!

Pot Luck

1. Cilantro is a common alternative name for which herb?

2. What model of Ford car was introduced in the UK in 1982?

3. Name the UK’s current Foreign Secretary.

4. What would you typically witness at Santa Pod in Buckinghamshire?

5. In human anatomy the clavicle is better known by what name?

Food and Drink

1. In which country does Budweiser lager originate?

2. Name the key ingredient found in a Stargazy pie.

3. Which of these is not an eastEuropean spirit - slivovitz, becherovka or hesperidina?

4. In Indian cuisine, what is a tandoor?

5. Name these celebrity chefs -

Christmas Music

Name the Christmas hit or carol that these lines come from -

1. “When you first took my hand, on a cold Christmas Eve, you promised me Broadway was waiting for me.”

2. “..and Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ, on Christmas Day in the morn.”

3. “Angels and Arc Angels, may have travelled there, cherubim and seraphim, thronged the air.”

4. “Bang! That’s another bomb on another town, while the Tsar and Jim have tea.”

5. “I just break down as I look around, and the only things I see, are emptiness and loneliness, and an unlit Christmas tree.”

Geography

1. In which European countries would you find these regions - a) Calabria, b) Schleswig - Holstein, and c) Gotland?

2. Name the capital cities of a) Turkey, b) Moldova and c) Uruguay.

3. In which cities would you find these landmarks -

4. What approximately is the length of the Equator (circumference of the Earth)?

5. Which of these countries does not form a part of the Sahara DesertLibya, Mali, Namibia or Chad?

Acronyms

What do these acronyms / initialisms stand for?

1. IQ 2. Wi-Fi 3. COBRA, as in UK government emergency meetings 4. CPRE - think environmental issues 5. IMHO

Television & Radio

1. Who played the character Captain Mainwaring in the comedy series “Dad’s Army”?

2. The BBC’s northern broadcasting headquarters are based in which city? 3. Name these former Radio 1 DJ’s

4. Leonard Rossiter (1976-1979) and Martin Clunes (2009-2010) both played the part of which comedy character?

5. “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R. R. Martin is the novel that forms the basis of which multi-award winning television series?

The Highway Code (in accordance with the latest 2022 issue)

1. When a self-driving vehicle is driving itself, as per manufacturers instructions, you are not responsible for how it drives - true or false?

2. Drivers and cyclists must give way to pedestrians waiting to cross at a zebra crossing - true or false?

3. Cyclists must wear a cycle helmet that conforms to current regulations - true or false?

4. From what distance, in good daylight, must you as a driver be able to read a new vehicle number plate?

5. What do these road signs indicate?

is flexible and will be tailored to the group. We will spend time in all your gardens, so you get input from me and the rest of the group as well as practical help.

As Christmas approaches it only seemed right that the BS9 cullinary bus visits Finland, arguably the home of Santa Claus and his herds of reindeer. You though (and any youngsters reading) will be heartened to know that Rudolph is definitely not on the menu, although reindeer meat is a popular ingredient in many traditional Finnish dishes.

No, instead we will be using another widely used food, one found in abundance

in Finland - salmon - to create a hearty fish soup known as Lohikeitto. It is dead simple and quick to make, is made in just the one big saucepan on the hob, and uses very few (and readily available) ingredients.

Ingredients - to serve 4

• 1 large leek

• 1 large carrot

• 1lb / 500g non-waxy potatoes

• 2oz / 50g salted butter

• 2 pint / 1l fish stock (using a couple of stock pots or cubes is fine)

• 1lb / 500g salmon fillets, boned and skin off

• 200ml double cream

• handful of chopped dill

• salt and black pepper

Finland Fact File

• 1 loaf dark rye bread

Method

1. Start by prepping your ingredients. Clean your leek, slice it once lengthways and then across into semi-circular slices about 1cm / 1/2 inch thick. Peel the carrot, slice similarly lengthways into two pieces then lengthways again into four long quarters, then across into quartercircle slices, again about 1cm / 1/2 inch thick. Peel your potatoes then slice and dice them into 1cm / 1/2 inch cubes.

2. If your salmon fillet(s) have skin on carefully remove the skin with a sharp knife - with the fillet skin-side down and using a gentle sawing motion as you slide the knife away from you and between the skin and the flesh. If you’re not sure on how to do this check out any of the thousands of fish-filleting films on YouTube. Once skinned, cut your salmon into rough 1 inch / 2-3cm pieces.

3. Melt the butter in a big saucepan over a moderate heat, then add the leek slices. Stir to coat the leeks, reduce the heat and put the lid on the pan, and leave the leeks to wilt for about 5 minutes, checking half way through to make sure they aren’t sticking to the pan.

4. In the meantime make your stock up to 1 litre / 2 pints.

Location: Northern Europe, with borders to Sweden (NW), Norway (N) and Russia (E)

Capital: Helsinki

Population: 5.5 million (roughly one-twelfth that of the UK)

Official Language: Finnish and Swedish

Comparative size: at 340,000 square km, Finland is 40% larger than the UK.

Currency: Euro

5. When the leeks have softened add your stock, potatoes and carrots to them in the pan, bring to the boil and then cover in the pan and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 10 - 12 minutes until they have started to approach soft-readiness but where the potatoes haven’t started to disintegrate (test with a sharp knife).

6. Now add in your salmon pieces, the cream, and half the chopped dill. Stir gently, bring to a simmer and allow the soup to cook for 5-6 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through. Check the seasoning, adding a little salt and as much ground black pepper as you like.

7. Transfer your Lohikeitto soup into warm bowls, garnish with the remaining dill, serve with buttered rye bread - and enjoy.

HOWARD

AGENTS Sales, Letting & Management

“Brilliant company, excellent communication throughout and on the whole the team had a massively refreshing approach in comparison to other estate agents in Bristol. I would definitely recommend these guys to anyone who is looking for estate agents who actually show they care about what they do and how they do it.”

JH - October 2022

“The Sales team has done a fantastic job, always chasing and progressing throughout. Wonderful team, quick, effective and progressed everything really well and importantly communicated throughout.”

PR - October 2022

“I have had experience of Howard Independent Estate Agency since 2017: first to rent me a flat and manage the rental whilst I was a tenant, then in the purchase of a flat, the management of it whilst I rented it out and finally in the sale of the flat. Whatever the circumstances, I have received the most professional service from all the teams. All queries have always been answered promptly and efficiently and the periodic newsletters have contained information that I, as a novice landlord, found very useful. In particular and most recently, the Sales Team kept me up to date on the progress of the flat sale, nudging all parties along to reach a speedy completion. Which has happened exactly on target. Thank you, Howard. Three cheers for the independent agency on the High Street.”

LR - September 2022

“Hi Howard, Following the sale of my flat at 22 All Saints Road I just wanted to write and thank you and your staff for all your help and support over the years. The Sales Department originally sold me the flat and was a tower of strength during its resale earlier this month. Everyone on the team has always been so helpful and efficient, from property management to renting the property, finding tenants, accounts, and business support. And of course, a heartfelt thank you to you for all your help and sound advice when it came to the big decisions. I’m not yet sure if I will be making another foray into buy-to-let, but if I do, I will certainly be in touch again. With many thanks “

GL - September 2022

“I bought my flat from Howard’s Estate agents and was so impressed with the service I used them again to sell my property. All the staff were fabulous, The Sales Team was my main port of call and managed both parties even when inevitable challenges arose. We all wanted a quick turnaround and that is what we got. Everybody moved on time, and we are all in our new properties within a short space of time. It definitely isn’t the easiest of jobs. Thanks Howard.”

SW - September 2022

“We used the services of Howard for a 4-anda-half year let period and they were highly professional throughout. The team was always very responsive, honest, and fair with us, and did a great job whatever we required. Would certainly use again and highly recommend to others!”

FB - August 2022

“Howard and the Sales Team were exceptional from the start. Nothing was too much trouble, and the sale of my property went smoothly. The service provided was efficient, honest and staff here have integrity which provided the peace of mind needed when you are selling! If you are thinking of moving, I would not hesitate to recommend them - that personal touch makes all the difference.”

DP - July 2022

Ave Atque Vale

Many readers have kindly followed, and often made valuable contributions, to the one hundred and seventy-six articles on a wide variety of Bristol’s history topics which I have written for this magazine, and its predecessor, since 2007. Sadly this will be the last one. Researching and writing them has been fun and a light relief from academic papers. If as I hope, you have enjoyed these articles, you must also thank my wife, Diane, for proofreading, correcting, and making sense of my sometimes-idiosyncratic punctuation. Over the years, because of the wide subject matter of the articles, I have often been asked by readers about my background and where did I gain my interest and knowledge of Bristol’s history.

After early years overseas I arrived in Bristol in early 1955 from Bermuda, to come to sunny Bristol’s Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital Grammar School. After QEH I joined the Royal Air Force. In 1967 I completed my service to become a civilian aerospace designer, proposal author and researcher, and I was later elected as an associate editor of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s academic journal. In 1980 I returned to Bristol when my interest in history was awoken. This came about when I realised that I was working in one of Bristol’s most historic districts. The interest was sparked off in dramatic fashion when, in St Nicholas Market, I bought a nice blue & white plate made by Pountney’s Bristol Temple Back pottery. Imagine my amazement when I discovered that my desk was situated directly above the 19th century kiln where my plate was made! Within a year I and some likeminded and equally curious friends, (some called us strange) channelled our history interests into founding a local history and publication group, the Temple Local History Group.

We were fortunate at the time, working for an American high-tech company, Sperry Gyroscope, at their new research centre in Bristol. As part of integrating with the local community, the company was glad to help establish and support our fledgling group, and funded our first successful book, ‘Bristol Past Revisited’, (3000 copies sold, it even ran to 3 editions). My early interest in writing had been encouraged by Mr Atkinson, my English Master at school in Bermuda, and supported by my wife Diane’s knowledge of Bristol’s history - inculcated when she was a member of the Red Maids Bristol Society. In addition her two centuries of family connections with Westbury Church also helped put my own research into a local context.

My curiosity bump, always wondering what was on the other side of the hill, has resulted in some interesting discoveries, finding myself in some potentially lethal situations, whilst also providing me with some amazing opportunities, but also demonstrating when it pays to have a powerful patron.

The following accounts are about some of my adventures and near misses across South American countries, including the tale of when there being rewarded for brass-necked cheek with ten days free holiday at my home in Bermuda.

I was in South America because the continent was celebrating the 150th anniversary of independence from Spanish rule in 1810. Great Britain was one of the fifty countries invited to send diplomatic representatives

and I was very fortunate to be included as part of that mission, showing the flag for Britain. Our aerospace contingent comprised two Vulcan bombers, a Britannia turboprop transport aircraft for us, and a Comet jet for the Secretary of State for Air. Whilst in Argentina I discovered that some scenes and events are best not filmed - as I quickly found out! One afternoon at Buenos Aires Ezeiza Airport, I had some free time and out of curiosity was taking photographs of other visiting aircraft when I happened to notice a lot of activity around another Britannia, surprisingly badged as belonging to Israel’s state airline El Al. Some serious looking people asked what I was doing, and before telling me to go away they took the film out of my camera. What I didn’t find out until much later was that I was inadvertently witnessing a moment in world history. Preparations were being made to smuggle a person going by the name of Ricardo Klement aboard the El Al Britannia - the Israeli Ambassador’s plane. The date was 23 May 1960 and the operation I witnessed was the Israeli spymaster Rafi Eitan’s MOSSAD operation ‘Atilla’ to successful capture and extract to Israel the person whose real name was Adolph Eichmann - the Nazi SS officer responsible for planning the mass transportation of innocents to the death camps.

The last stage of our South America tour was to Caracas in Venezuela, after which we were stopping at Bermuda en route to England. I was told that the Secretary of State for Air, George Ward, (Viscount Ward of Witley), was going on to Bermuda ten days before the rest of us – for official business with Bermuda’s Governor. I suddenly remembered my Latin Master’s expression, ‘Carpe Diem’, although at the time I didn’t appreciate its relevance. But now… I asked my Squadron Leader, if I could go on ahead with the Secretary of State (pointing out that the RAF had already syndicated my inclusion on the trip to Bristol’s newspapers), as it would my first visit back to Bermuda since coming to QEH. He nearly had apoplexy! The gist of his answer was “No”. The next day when I saw George Ward, I asked

him directly anyway, explaining the reason for my request and the background. He thought it was a jolly good idea, and his adjutant told my Squadron Leader that I would be travelling with the Secretary of State for Air, and to make the necessary arrangements to second me to his staff. My leader’s words were ‘Just you wait until you get back to the UK!” But, of course, with such a powerful patron I was fireproof. The outcome was that I got a lift in his plane; just the two of us, (apart from his adjutant and the aircrew), and I even got to spend an extra ten days at home, I didn’t even have to take it as leave, as he arranged for me to be put on ‘standby’. I only had to telephone his adjutant each morning, whereupon he would stand me down for the day. I don’t know what impact it had on my Squadron Leader, but it must have been considerable because when I mentioned the incident to one of the Vulcan’s aircrew whom I knew, now retired to Australia, he laughed, saying that my Squadron Leader still fulminated about it at their golf club thirty-five years later! Ho ho.

During the height of the Cold War when on a night ‘Exercise’ our 101 squadron V bombers were on Quick Readiness Alert, QRA. The planes, were armed and poised for take-off at the end of the runway, when I was suddenly tasked to replace a faulty electronic equipment unit located in the Vulcan’s nosewheel equipment bay. The normal technique was to climb up from servicing steps and stand feet straddling the undercarriage door’s coamings, about a metre apart. I had just installed the new unit when the takeoff green lights illuminated! The Vulcan started to roll, and I was dismayed to see the ladder quickly disappear. A microsecond of indecision as the plane rapidly gathered speed - the moving concrete looked a long way down. Nevertheless, I quickly dropped clear and

rolled as the exhaust washed over me. Other than very shaken, nicely warmed, and a twisted ankle I was thankfully unhurt. Back in the crew room I asked the Crew Chief what would have happened if I hadn’t jumped. His chilling reply: “I would have been shaken out when the plane rotated on take-off.” - I wasn’t important enough to abort the take-off, as we didn’t know if it was yet another exercise or the start of WWIII.

Lastly, on a lighter note, a mini adventure here in Bristol. Shortly after arriving here in 1955, I was 14 and my sister Janet ten, and we decided to spend Saturday afternoon exploring. We wanted to go to the park that we could see across the river past Cumberland Basin, and I had the brilliant idea of crossing by the railway bridge. Knowing that it was unwise to walk on the rail lines, we opted to cross on the outside girders of the bridge. Easy, peasy, the only tricky bit was where when we had to lean out to negotiate past the support girders. We made it across

without any mishap. Unfortunately, when we got home my dear sister, snitched on me. Not surprisingly my mother had a pink fit, which was not helped by my explaining that the girders were more than twice the width of pavement kerbs, which she didn’t complain about us walking along.

So here endeth my local magazine pages - thank you so much for reading. Perhaps another beginning starts here?

© Julian Lea-Jones, FRAeS, Dec 2022

Luna’s End to End Cycle Challenge

Meet 9 year old Luna who lives here in BS9. She has set herself the task to cycle the distance from Land’s End to John O’Groats (1,407 km) on her bike which she’s set up in the lounge. She is raising money for the local Foodbank to help with Christmas.

This is not Luna’s first fundraiserduring March/April this year she swam the distance of the English Channel in a swimming pool. And over the past two years she’s asked her family and friends for donations for the Foodbank instead of birthday presents. She saves part of her pocket money and donates

it at Christmas. She volunteers at the Foodbank, with her mum Patricia, over the summer holidays and half terms.

Recently she was nominated, and won, the BBC Radio Bristol Make a Difference Awards for her support and fundraising. This has definitely shown her that a young person can make a difference and encouraged her to do the ‘End to End Cycle Challenge’.

If you are able to support her and share her story, Luna would really appreciate it: www.gofundme.com/f/lunas-end-toend-challenge-for-bristol-foodbank

Why wills should be reviewed

A mother with three children makes a will splitting her estate equally between them. However some time later she makes a lifetime gift to one of those children (let us say, for example, a son) to help fund his expensive divorce settlement. However she neglects to then review that will to take account of the gift. What can the other siblings do to get their mother to change her will to even things up?

Care must be taken not to be seen to force someone to change their will as that could be construed as coercion which could lead to a will being successfully challenged. However that is not to stop someone reminding their mother what has happened in terms of the gift to one of the siblings and that it has led to an imbalance within the family. Such a suggestion should be in writing and any written response from your mother as to how the lifetime gifts should impact upon the final distribution of her estate would be helpful. This is important because of the legal doctrine of “hotchpot” which states that if a fund of some kind (for instance the mother’s estate) is to be split up between a certain class of persons in a particular way (namely between her children equally) then a party who has already received a share

should have that taken into account in the final distribution. In other words, if the mother does not change her will before she dies, on her death it could be argued that the son, having had his divorce settlement funded by his mother, has already had his share. However such arguments are not guaranteed to succeed and could involve significant court costs

To try and avoid these arguments it would be helpful to have clear evidence of the mother’s intentions when she advanced the lifetime gift to the son concerned. This is because firstly the son, who has already benefited, may not readily accept hotchpot as having occurred (he may say it was understood he would still get his share under the will and advance evidence to support that) and secondly he may argue that the gift was to his ex spouse and not to him so that hotchpot is not applicable to the transaction.

The best way of avoiding these issues would be for the mother to change her will of her own volition to take account of the gift she has made. More generally it is always wise to review a will periodically so as to address any change in circumstances which, if ignored, could lead to an unfairness in the division of the estate.

Edward Lyons

Cropping up in conversation with friends, colleagues and acquaintances recently has been how thoroughly enjoyable it is to spend an evening in the company of the Bristol Pitbulls. I’m not talking on a personal level, though I’m sure they’re all lovely people, instead to see them clash sticks and cross skates with their opponents in the Planet Ice National Ice Hockey League. Enticed and with ticket purchased for £15, I headed down to The Pound (Planet Ice @ Cribbs Causeway) to watch them face off with the Telford Tigers.

The first thing that strikes you is the frosty temperature, and the unique atmosphere that such a cold climate creates. You really will want to dress up for a trip to ice hockey – and by “dress up” we’re talking hats, scarves and the thickest coat you can find; even then you’ll still be able to fit your new replica jersey over the top for that final layer of warmth. With the sell-out crowd packed tightly together such chunky attire creates a close-knit feel amongst the fans.

Not that the sport itself can be described in such snugly terms. A blood-and-thunder affair that unaccustomed eyes need time to adjust to, it’s as much about the big hits as it is the goalmouth action. I’m filled with genuine admiration for the players who negotiate the ice as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. It’s not just their balance and dexterity, bodies are put on the line as players’ crash into each other and are slammed against the unforgiving sides. It’s

that combination of grace and guts which offers something for everyone.

With the Bristol side losing 1-6 to the travelling team from Telford, the highlight for local fans was the lone Pitbulls goal scored by Owen Sobchak. To these untrained eyes it was a closer match than the scoreline suggested - the main difference being the performance of Tigers goalie Brad Day and the away side’s ability to make the most of their person advantage whenever they had a power play.

Irrespective of the result, it couldn’t have been a more thrilling sporting night out. Whether for the enjoyably in-your-face atmosphere or the action-packed hockey taking place on the ice, you won’t regret unleashing your inner Pitbull and heading down to The Pound to see one of their upcoming festive fixtures.

However you spend this month, thank you as always for reading my column and I wish you all a very merry Christmas.

Duncan Haskell

At the Little Bathroom & Boiler Company we’ve twenty five years of experience designing and supplying bathrooms and boiler solutions. We know it can be daunting, and picturing what will work for you in the available space isn’t always easy. So let us - an experienced plumbing engineer and an interior designer - produce for you a 3D solution that will work, in a layout you will love. We are an independent, family-run local business, working out of our own showroom - friendly, unpressured, and professional, and we will do all we can to design the perfect bathroom or boiler upgrade for you, then supply you exceptional products from all the leading brands (and some you won’t find on the internet) to help you realise your dream.

24 hour Live-In Care

Our fully managed, affordable 24 hour Live-In Care service allows you or your loved one to continue living in the safe, familiarity and comfort of the family home.

In attendance 24/7 365 days a year, our one to one continuity of care not only gives you peace of mind and confidence your loved one is in safe hands, but provides vital companionship throughout the day.

Our staff are hand picked specifically to match the personal needs and requirements of each individual client; guaranteeing you a bespoke and tailored service.

24 hour Care at Home - carers carry out all required duties following a personalised care-plan. They can manage medication, personal care, domestic duties as well as shopping and meal preparation plus trips out where required.

Delivering Outstanding Live-In Care

“We are delighted with the Live-In care that our mother receives in her home. The carers are patient, kind and very well-trained. We trust them completely with our mother’s care needs and medication; we would not hesitate in recommending Premier Homecare.”

St Mary’s Stoke Bishop

Mariners Drive, BS9 1QJ www.stmarysb.org.uk

Sunday 4th December, 4pm

Christingle at Explore@4 - an interactive Christingle Service for all ages

Friday 9th December, 7.30pm–10pm Beer and Carols - Join us to get into the Christmas spirit and sing some well-known carols, with Beer Tasting and Hot Pot Supper. Tickets available at www.stmarysb.org.uk

Thursday 15th December, 12.15pm Christmas Lunch

Sunday 18th December, 6pm

Traditional Carol Service - With traditional readings and favorite carols by candlelight.

Christmas Day, Sunday 9am or 10.30am Christmas Praise with Holy

New Year’s Day, Sunday New Year Holy Communion

Holy Trinity - Westbury Trym

Church Road, BS9 3EQ www.westbury-parish-church.org.uk

Sunday 11th December, Christingle Service with Academy

Christmas Eve, Saturday 24th December, 11pm

A 60 Second Fix to Help Speed Up Your PC

Got a minute to spare? You can add a bit of extra pep to your Windows PC by preventing it from launching unnecessary apps at startup. Slimming down your startup process will of course lead to faster boot times, but it can also help unclutter your taskbar or menu bar, while also freeing up processing power from programs you seldom use.

You don’t even need expensive system cleaner apps for this brief bit of PC maintenance. All it takes is a quick trip to your Windows SETTINGS menu, where you can decide which apps to launch straight away.

Here’s how to disable start-up apps: In either Windows 10 or 11, click the Start menu and select the Settings icon. Head to Apps > Startup. Alternatively, hold down the CTRL, ALT and DEL keys together on your keyboard and then click on TASK MANAGER, then on STARTUP. Uncheck any apps you don’t immediately need when your computer boots.

Which startup apps should you disable?

If you need help deciding which apps to disable, look for the ones that don’t need to run in the background at all times. Ones that are labeled “High Impact” are especially strong candidates for disabling, as they’re most likely to slow down your PC at startup. In my case for instance, I’ve disabled Zoom, Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Logitech’s Options software, none of which I care about running as soon as my PC boots up. All the apps will work when I need them. It just means Windows doesn’t waste time and memory pre-loading them every time it starts up. As a rule, if you’re unsure what an app does, leave it enabled - and don’t disable your anti-virus software from start-up.

None of these options are permanently disabled of course. If you ever want to change an app’s startup behaviour, just head back to Settings > Apps > Startup and toggle it on or off again.

Russell Isaac can be contacted on 0774 775 3764 or via www.ITHomeHelp.biz

Navigating Child Arrangements

Over Christmas

Sam Hickman

The festive period brings joy to children all over the world, however for divorced and separated families, Christmas can lead to conflicting ideas about where a child should spend the day and the activities they should be part of.

Any decisions regarding child arrangements should have the child’s best interests at the forefront.

Communication and Flexibility

The key to amicably making these decisions is engaging in communication with the other parent as early as possible and being constructive with your ideas on how to structure the festive period. It is best to do this in person but we acknowledge that this is not always possible. Where it is not you may prefer to use written communication, such as email or text, to ensure a record is kept of what has been discussed and agreed upon. This assists in reducing any later disputes or uncertainty.

One way to approach this, may be to split the ‘significant days’ equally ie Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.

There are of course plenty of options for how you may decide the Christmas period will look but going into these discussions willing to be flexible allows for the best outcome to be established for all involved. Often separated parents will reach an agreement which includes alternating the pattern the next year.

It is important to remember that whilst this is a special time of the year, it is just a small period and creating an enjoyable time for your child should be the main consideration - they may even enjoy having two ‘Christmas days’!

What if We Cannot Agree?

If you are unable to reach an agreement, you may wish to seek advice from a family solicitor or mediator who can support the communications with the other parent. An experienced family lawyer or mediator will facilitate the discussions between you and the other parent to ensure the child’s interests are kept at the centre of decision-making and hopefully assist in reaching a mutually agreeable solution as swiftly as possible.

If, however, there is still dispute over these matters then you may need to consider

court proceedings. An application will need to be made to the court for a Child Arrangement Order. This application will be considered by a judge who will make a decision about where the children should spend the Christmas period and/ or any other times of the year.

How Can We Help?

Agreeing how a child should spend time with their parents can be one of the most difficult aspects of separation and ensuring all decisions are child-

focused is crucial. If you need advice on how to make decisions about your child arrangements over the Christmas period or beyond our Family team are here to help.

For further advice regarding child arrangements over Christmas, please contact Samantha Hickman in VWV’s Private Client team on 0117 925 2020 or at shickman@vwv.co.uk, or visit vwv.co.uk/family-lawyers

Your Chance to Win a Hamper

Enter our children’s colouring competition and Christmas raffle for your chance to win two hampers!

Pop along to our Henleaze office at Contact Louise Hendy at lhendy@vwv.co.uk or on 0117 314 5385.

vwv.co.uk

As another series of Strictly Come Dancing reaches its climax I thought “lets have dance as the theme of the December prize wordsearch”. So this time you are looking for different dance styles. Twenty of them are listed below, and nineteen 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 dance that has shimmied off and is not hidden in the grid. When you know what it is get in touch with your answer. All correct answers go into an electronic hat and the winner will receive a mystery assortment of goodies valued at at least £30.

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 New Years Eve. 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 do the puzzle - somebody has to win!

Thank you to everybody who entered the October ladies names competition. The correct answer was Hilda and the winning entry, which wins a theatre / cinema voucher, was the one received from Sara Drake. And apologies again for any confusion caused where a spelling mistake crept into the puzzle, making it look as if there were two missing names.

Right, here are the dances you are looking for in the grid.

BACHATA MERENGUE

SALSA MAMBO

BOLERO SWING

PASODOBLE ARGENTINE TANGO SAMBA AMERICAN SMOOTH

CHACHACHA CHARLESTON LINDYHOP VIENNESE WALTZ RUMBA WALTZ

FOXTROT QUICKSTEP TANGO JIVE

In the novel The Unfolding, by A.M. Homes, Barrack Obama’s election causes despair in the Big Guy. What’s happened to the American democracy he loves? Something must be done! He and his rich white pals put together a scheme to be ready for anything! It’s a family tale too; his wife and daughter are at turning points. His wife wants a life she’s in charge of; daughter Meghan realises she wants control of her own destiny, too: a family mirroring America? And is Meghan what she seems? This is a thought-provoking, skilfully-written and always entertaining novel, that gives a strong hint of events to come.

Seventeen enthralling stories, each centring on The Awkward Black Man, that’s Walter Mosley’s great new collection that features difficult, nerdy, vulnerable black male characters. A cowboy from Texas arrives in New York, there’s gunplay and lives are changed; a man makes a pet of a trapped fly he was going to kill and finds a way out of the bad situation he’s got himself into; in ‘Almost Alyce’ Albert’s begging proves remarkably effective; ‘The Letter’ has Frank’s son doing what Frank failed to do himself: just a few of the quirky, enlightening and page-turning tales that Mosley never fails to bring to consistently satisfying conclusions.

When psychiatrist John Barker had his interest in the paranormal piqued by events connected to the 1966 Aberfan disaster, he set out to see whether catastrophes could be predicted from dreams and portents and then prevented. In his fascinating and absorbing account, The Premonitions Bureau, Sam Knight tells Barker’s story and those of key characters who assisted him in the organisation he set up. Enlisting the help of the Evening Standard, Barker advertised for dreams and premonitions from the public, who came up with plane and train crashes, space deaths and assassinations. Predictions, yes; preventions? Uncanny, but you probably had a premonition I’d say that.

Black Virginian family man Beauregard struggles to keep his garage business going against cheaper white competition in Blacktop Wasteland, an exciting and original thriller by S.A. Cosby. Will he be tempted back into his former profession of getaway driver in order to make ends meet? He has the dreadful example of his long-gone father constantly in mind as well as a burning ambition to guide his children into better ways. Well, his path is inevitable, of course, but aided by his cousin, his wife and his uncle, Beauregard never gives up the good fight against a truly appalling set of villains. What a great read!

Alan Judd’s enthralling novel, Dancing with Eva, takes us back to Hitler’s bunker. Yes, it’s that Eva, Braun. Eva’s secretary, Edith, tells the story from her crumbling country house in England (she married her British interrogator). A widow now, she’s had a letter from a childhood friend, who was also there at the end. He arrives and they talk. He wants to learn everything she remembers. He’s talked to many others and Edith is the last. The atmosphere in the bunker is horrific, as is their escape through a devastated Berlin and there are surprises right to the end in this gripping and informative tale.

Christmas Week Opening

Mon to Thurs, 19th-22nd Dec, 8am to 4pm Fri 23rd Dec, 8am to 4.30pm Sat 24th Dec, 7.30am-1pm (no lunches) Mon & Tues, 26th-27th Dec, closed Weds to Fri, 28th-30th Dec, 8am to 3pm Sat 31st Dec, 8am to 1pm (no lunches) Mon 2nd Dec, closed - Reopening Tues 3rd Jan

Your Financial Checklist For 2023

The end of the year has come around so quickly, I can’t believe it’s time to start planning for 2023 already!

I want to share a checklist to help you get financially prepared for 2023:

1. Book a financial review

First things first, book a financial review!

If you have been putting off reviewing your finances, now is the time to do it. With inflation at a 40 year high and volatile markets to boot, please take the time to give your finances an MOT and review your goals.

2. Organise your paperwork

Does your spouse or loved one know what assets you own and where you keep them? Listing all accounts and helpful information will make life much easier should someone else ever need to access it. We have a document that can help you with this, just ask if you’d like it.

3.

Make a Will

Ensure your Will is up to date and reflects your wishes. Without a Will, your estate will be subject to the rules of Intestacy and your assets may not end up where you would like.

4. Arrange Lasting Powers of Attorney

It’s never too early to think about arranging LPAs. Many people don’t plan to do this until faced with a situation in which capacity may already be lost. Matters must then be dealt with through the Court of Protection which can be costly and upsetting.

5.

Top up your ISA

Don’t forget, every individual can top up their ISA by £20,000 each tax year. Junior ISAs can also be topped up by £9,000 each year. ISAs are the most tax-efficient way of saving. Make sure you use your allowance by April 5th – or lose it.

6. Make gifts

If inheritance tax is a concern of yours, use your gifting allowance to reduce the value of your estate. This may be especially useful at Christmas! Don’t forget to keep a record of the gift you have made. We have a document that can help with this too.

If you would like help with any of the above, we can assist you with everything listed and more. To book a complimentary financial review with Richard, 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 topicssearch ‘Harold Stephens IFA’ on YouTube.

www.haroldstephens.co.uk

In October and November’s magazines, I wrote about what state primary schooling was like in 2022. I am now embarking on a pursuit to discover what it’s like to attend a state secondary school these days. It’s through the experience of pupils, including my daughter – a rookie year 7 in a local state secondary school, my experience as the parent of said daughter gifting me with insider knowledge, and the expertise of those working as leaders, behaviour specialists and careers specialists that I’ve been able to write this piece with some authority on the subject. It’s been a hugely nostalgic and interesting journey of discovery for me that I’ll be sharing with you in this magazine.

So full disclosure alert: whilst I am very familiar with the world of the primary school, how secondary schools are run today was an unknown field that I knew only a little about before researching this piece. Of course, I remember my own experiences of secondary school days in the 90s – a school that I returned to when researching this article (where the nostalgia kicked in!). Such memories include the unseemly royalblue PE knickers that we were made to wear whilst jogging around the centre of Bristol (unthinkable today on many levels!); the school house that I was part of (renamed after many places sought to distance themselves from Edward Colston following the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests) and memorising friend’s home phone numbers – no mobile phone or Facebook friends for me! I can remember school performances (I was once a turkey); trying to learn the elements of the periodic table song (I can only remember the first 8 so completely fail when it comes to University Challenge); floppy disks; blackboards; chewing-gum encrusted desks – which, delightfully, are still to be found in abundance according to my daughter; decorating exercise books with wrapping paper; writing in an ink eradicator pen (still out there) and – unimaginable for this generation of youngsters – having to look everything up in a book rather than being able to instantaneously tap into the

huge scope of information available via the internet as we know it today.

Let’s start with how digital tools and technological advancements have helped to shape secondary school teaching today. As with primary schools, the swift move to increased online learning and online communication following the COVID-19 pandemic, which has continued to grow and flourish post-pandemic, has revolutionised the way in which schools are run. Secondary schools now use digital tools, such as online applications (apps), to share information and resources, set homework, organise seating plans, manage and summarise behaviour, track the wellbeing of pupils and to monitor attendance. Gone are the days when pupils don’t turn up at school and no one notices, a huge safeguarding oversight of the past. Now, if a pupil doesn’t turn up at school or doesn’t return to the classroom, pastoral or leadership teams are – thankfully –immediately alerted.

Through school management and communication apps, such as ClassCharts, Edulink or Google Classroom, parents and pupils can view homework that has been set and when it’s due in – so those infamous excuses such as ‘the dog ate my homework’ are no longer viable (take note, kids!). Apps can also provide a summary of behaviour and why house points have been allocated (these are quite detailed and really nice to read as a parent). Some now enable direct communication with teachers. Apps are currently used by thousands of schools to

manage pupil absences, and parents’ evenings are continuing to be held online in many schools post-COVID for their convenience and efficiency. School open days, however, are back to normal so prospective pupils can visit a school in person, rather than view it though an online tour – so much better for acquiring a true impression of a school.

In the classroom, even asking the teacher a question has evolved through technology, with pupils able to message their teacher directly through an app so as not to disturb the rest of the class! Plickers Cards – where pupils scan their answer cards into an app – might also be used for instant assessment feedback. Knowledge might be tested through quizzes on online learning platforms such as Carousel Learning, Hegarty Maths, Moodle or Quizlet, or through game-based learning platforms like Kahoot. Motivating pupils to read might be supported through an Accelerated Reader online tool. Apps, such as Microsoft Teams, can be used to record and share lessons, and were used by a number of schools to live teach during COVID-19 lockdowns. Apps can also be used to support pupils with special educational needs (some have sign language features with live captions, for instance). Many classroom clocks are now changing to digital too, with analogue clocks proving a stretch too far for many of this generation of pupils used to reading the time on their phone’s digital display. Sounding slightly James Bond-esque, finger-print or retina recognition is used in a variety of ways in secondary schools – to pay for school dinners by linking to an online payment system (most schools are now cashless operations) or to log when a child is late to school.

Online systems are also used to manage that huge responsibility of safeguarding in secondary schools. The revolution of the safeguarding of children has been one of the most significant changes to schools over the past decade. I think back to my days at secondary school – pastoral care was there but there was nothing like the culture of safeguarding that is around now.

Many of those people who I interviewed when researching this piece certainly remember regular occurrences that would now be considered significant safeguarding issues. Nowadays, posters sharing a school’s designated safeguarding team will always be on display, highly visible to all, and schools are expected to create an ethos where safeguarding is at the absolute forefront, with everyone taking responsibility. Photographic ID of pupils and staff is used for safeguarding purposes. Interior and exterior CCTV is a recognised feature of many secondary schools, playing an important role in keeping staff, pupils and visitors safe. School staff will have radios with them to remain in frequent communication with colleagues. Every September INSET training day for teachers, support staff, cleaners – anyone working in a school – is focused on safeguarding measures and updates. Lockdown drills are practised sporadically in both primary and secondary schools to prevent an intruder or other threat outside the school from causing harm to pupils and staff. Safeguarding databases, such as the Child Protection Online Management System (CPOMS), ensure that information is recorded, shared to relevant bodies and summarised effectively.

So with digital and technological tools playing an important role in teaching and learning and to manage many secondary school systems on a daily basis, what has been the impact of this on pupils? Well, for one thing, they’ve eliminated any excuse about not being able to get work completed at home – if a pupil is absent for any reason then lessons can be recorded and homework shared online with deadlines for all to see. Bye bye snow days! Parents are far more informed about what pupils are doing, what they are eating (more on that to come in my next article!), whether they made it to school, how they are behaving and if any social, emotional, or mental health issues have arisen. Staff are much more visible and children far, far more monitored. Teachers have the potential to utilise such technology to help reduce workload and perhaps work

smarter, not harder, if they can get to grips with using the digital and technological tools that are available and rapidly evolving. That is, if they can find any ‘spare’ moment to explore the tools available without this becoming yet another time-sapping task!

As a parent, I must admit that I miss homework set solely on paper and not having to deal with logins, using multiple devices and programs, and trying to get links to work! I also miss being able to ask a quick question at the classroom door, as was the case when my daughter attended primary school (she, like most of her peers, now walks herself to school just as previous generations did). But I know that the environment is benefitting from less paper-usage and it all makes it much more of an efficient and organised system when it goes to plan. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated new ways of teaching and learning and generated a whole range of new resources created by educationalists for use at home and then, later, back in the classroom. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention! Alongside good, time-tested teaching methods delivered by passionate and dedicated teachers with highquality subject knowledge – the secret to great teaching has always been the teacher behind it – using digital tools is now the way forward, helping to bring learning to life in ways unimagined even three years ago.

So what happens in a typical secondary school day? As in previous decades, many secondary schools will still have tutor groups where

children start and end their day. Pupils may remain in the same tutor groups and school houses throughout their time at secondary school. Most schools start at around 8:30am – even though many education and medical professionals have recently been advocating later school start times for teenagers to be more accommodating for a teen’s natural sleep period, thus improving sleep deficiency and, in turn, school performance and mental health. I’m sure that the average teenager might be keen for this particular shift! Pupils still write in exercise books (there are important links between writing information down by hand and processing it), however pupils with special educational needs, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia or those with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), may use laptops and other resources to help them process information (dictation machines and pens that read words aloud, for example). How wonderful that children who were once classed as ‘stupid’, ‘too slow’, or told to ‘just get on with it’ as two of my friends remember, will now be empathised with and correctly supported when they might have a potential barrier to learning such as dyslexia.

Students still work from textbooks – carefully selected to represent diversity and to reflect a school’s own, particular community – or online books such as Kerboodle, (if schools have enough laptops or Chromebooks for every pupil). Pupils in schools with many laptops available are still encouraging handwritten work using stylus pens on these devices. This is because examinations continue to require extended periods of writing, which necessitates practice and the long-term development of fine motor skills. Whole class input is now often delivered using a large computer screen or an interactive whiteboard so clouds of chalk dust and squeaky blackboards are certainly a thing of the past.

As in primary schools, teaching approaches in the classroom continue, as ever, to evolve with the times. Many teachers might now be using a ‘flipped learning’ approach,

which involves secondary students being introduced to learning material before any teaching takes place in the classroom. Classroom time is then used to practice and apply rather than to introduce ideas. Key teaching and ongoing assessment for learning strategies – albeit under modernised terms – such as ‘hinge’ (multiple choice) questioning and no hands up questioning are used in the classroom to engage every pupil with the lesson. During COVID, desks were moved back to Victorian-style rows with pupils sitting in the same seats in each classroom to avoid cross-contamination. The seating arrangements have now returned to more collaborative-friendly – albeit more germ friendly - layouts! One way systems –again started in many schools during COVID times – have been kept permanently in place due to the positive impact such systems have had on crowd control and behaviour.

moved on. Each school will have its own behaviour policy but the overriding focus is for teachers to maintain calm, safe and supportive classrooms, modelling positive conduct themselves. Good behaviour is recognised and celebrated. Team Teach training is often used to provide teachers with a set of positive behaviour management strategies that place emphasis on effective communication, de-escalation and fostering a positive environment for pupils. This generation of teachers is trained to praise effort and perseverance, recognising that success looks different for each child. How different this all is from some of the tales I’ve been told about overt racism, sexism and outright bullying (from teachers as well as pupils), thrown blackboard rubbers to command pupils’ attention, putting chalk or cotton wool in mouths if pupils dared to speak in lessons, and being smacked across the hand for using a knife and fork incorrectly. As one person said, the basic skills of the three ‘Rs’ meant nothing without the fourth, respect, which was completely absent from the classroom during his days at school.

Nowadays, pupils might still be put in ability sets for core subjects (usually based on Cognitive Abilities Tests – or CAT - scores, which assess pupils’ academic abilities and potential at the beginning of year 7) or separated by gender. They are still required to have essential equipment with them that we are all familiar with. This includes coloured editing pens (used, for example, during ‘dedicated improvement and reflection time - colloquially referred to as ‘DIRT’). Mobile phones are accepted as a part of everyday life but, commonly, are not allowed out during the school day or punishment usually entails!

Systems of ‘punishment’ have certainly

Nowadays, in order to support pupils with specific behaviour issues, as well as social, emotional or mental health needs, pupils might participate in mentoring or coaching schemes with other pupils. They might also be encouraged to join nurturing groups, or have one to one chats with pastoral leaders, the school special needs coordinator (SENCO), or school counsellors. They might spend time in sensory areas or time-out zones. Pupils with specific learning needs as identified in an Education Health and Care plan (EHCP) might follow a modified curriculum, have one to one support, and receive relevant therapy, such as play therapy or speech and language therapy, paid for through additional funding. However, EHCPs can be hard to obtain so schools often have to support pupils with special educational needs out of their own budget. This will become increasingly challenging as schools, like everything else, are being hit hard with rising energy costs. A greater reliance on parent-teacher

associations – also known as ‘friends of school’ – or charitable donations from online campaigns such as LetsLocalise, may well be necessary in light of such stretched school budgets.

So is today’s secondary school day very different from my days at secondary school 20-ish years ago? The safeguarding and pastoral care of children absolutely is, as is the use of digital tools and technology – an inevitable advancement once the internet took hold of the world and, of course, reflective of the cultural evolution of science and technology. Behaviour management and systems of punishment are also unrecognisable from those of the past –perhaps less so from my days at school, but certainly from decades before. Exercise and text books, tutor groups and school houses are still around and teachers use traditional methods of teaching alongside more modern approaches and tools to engage pupils. They haven’t been replaced by robots…yet!

In January’s magazine, I will be exploring what is now taught at secondary school and looking at the options available for pupils today.

This covers choices that pupils have to make in relation to subjects to study, qualifications to take, where to study and methods of assessment that best suit them. The current grading schemes are explained and the relevance of good careers advice and preparation – not a particularly strong point at school for my generation – will also be discussed.

© Georgie Mountjoy, 2022

A little mystery

With permission from the owner, I will share with you an unusual story. Let’s call him Max, a very loved cat with a long standing medical condition which means he has to be on medication to help him pass urine. Due to the very vigilant owners this condition has been stable for many years. Unfortunately he suddenly developed some very acute and unusual symptoms. He was unable to stand, seemed very confused and was extremely desperate to eat a lot (polyphagic - a medical phrase for eating excessively). We did blood samples and checked blood pressure. With the exception of high blood pressure we found very little wrong with Max. He seemed to get a bit better as the day wore on, so we sent him home. The next day the owners were on the phone again - soon after he had had his morning meal with his tablets the same bizarre symptoms occurred. The owner happened to mention that Max’s tablet seemed a bit different. We asked them to bring both Max and the tablets back to the practice.

There was a very subtle difference in the tablets - both said 0.5 mg, however one was slimmer and had some letters written on it. We did not

recognise these tablets, so one of our nurses turned detective and phoned a human pharmacy for help. It transpired that these tablets were sleeping tablets. We had never stocked or sold these tablets, so how had they ended up in Max? I phoned the owner with the delicate task of inquiring if the owners may use this type of tablets. It transpired that the owner had recently moved, and to minimise the stress to Max he had been put in a cattery for a few days, and on his return to the new house his remaining tablets had been put back in the tablet pot the owner used for his medication. However it turned out that both husband and Max had very similar tablet pots. When the wife questioned the husband it turned out not only had he had not been able to sleep for a few nights, but had been needing to run to the toilet every 10 minutes for a pee! With this information I suggested we may have found a solution not only to Maxs’ predicament but also the husbands (not that I would ever claim to be medical doctor)

Maria Lowe - 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.

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 welcome. The lecture on 13 December is on “West End Winners”, and on 10 January is on Understanding the Influence of Indian Jewellery. Lectures are at 8pm at Redmaids’ High School, Westbury-on-Trym, BS9 3AW. See www.theartssociety-bristol.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

• 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

• Bristol A Cappella is an awardwinning 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 Bach Choir presents its annual Christmas concert on Saturday 10 December, 7.30pm at St George’s, BS1 5RR. Acknowledging the 150th anniversary of Vaughan Williams’ birth they will be performing his everpopular ‘Fantasia on Christmas Carols’, in addition to a mixture of familiar and less familiar carols, audience participation and a variety of readings from the sublime to the ridiculous. Tickets: £24, £18, £12; students and under 18s, £5. Phone: Bristol Bach Choir Box Office 0117 214 0721

• 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 Choral Society with the British Sinfonietta present their Christmas concert on Saturday 10 December at 7.00pm in Bristol Cathedral. Including a performance of three of Handel’s Coronation Anthems and Vivaldi’s Gloria. Do come and join us on this run-up to Christmas! Tickets £11 to £28, under 25s £5. Website for tickets: www.bristolbeacon.org/whats-on/ vivaldi-gloria-and-handel-coronationanthems/

• 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. We are enjoying our new season with a programme that includes the usual interesting mix of talks, conversation evenings and a book discussion, and we hope to enjoy a couple of dinners out. 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 - charlottejanetaylor10@ gmail.com / 07976 922636.

• 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 8:15pm9:45pm 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

Christmas 2022 at Westbury-on-Trym

Baptist

Church, Reedley Road, BS9 3TE

Sunday 27th November; 4th, 11th, and 18th December at 10:30 am – Advent Services: Preparing for Jesus Sunday worship where we join God’s great story in the Bible and prepare ourselves for his greatest gift to us!

Sunday 11th December at 3 pm – A Time for Remembering A time to remember loved ones who are no longer with us. Prayers, music, poetry, and quietness to help us bring our sadness and sense of loss to God this Christmas season.

Sunday 18th December at 5:30 pm – Carols by Candlelight

A chance to sing your favourite carols in a wonderful Christmas atmosphere!

Saturday 24th December at 3 pm – Family Crib Service Come and join the Christmas Nativity – children are encouraged to come dressed up!

Saturday 24th December at 11:15 pm – Midnight Communion

A moment to pause and remember God’s great gift to us of Jesus.

Sunday 25th December at 10:30 am – Christmas Day Service An all-age celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world! Children are encouraged to bring along a gift they’ve received. 0117 9629 990 - office@westburybaptist.org

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 welcome - first 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.

• The Country Market now runs from 10.00am to 11.30am every Friday in the Methodist Church Hall in Westbury on Trym. Call Sue on 0117 962 8306 for more details.

• 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 term-

•

time, registration essential. For more information please email Hannah and Lucy - info@trymwoodstudios.co.uk

The Filtones Choir is celebrating Christmas in an evening of Festive entertainment to put you in the Christmas spirit. Our Christmas Crackers Concert is on Saturday 3rd December, 7.30pm at Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, BS34 7PS. Tickets £8 inc. refreshments, accompanied children foc, from Dot Bryant on 07870 984 760 or at the door. Retirement collection in aid of the charity Sense.

• 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

• Friendly Club meets every Thursday from 2pm to 4pm in the Methodist Church Hall, Westbury on Trym. We are a lively group of older people who meet to chat, play Scrabble and card games.

Kate Walsgrove of AMD Solicitors considers the dangers of homemade wills

Making a Will is the only way of ensuring that your estate and assets are distributed according to your wishes. If you die without a Will, your estate will pass in accordance with the rules of intestacy. This could mean that your estate will pass to someone who you may not want to benefit.

Reasons clients have mentioned for not making a Will include not having enough time, not wanting to talk about death and the cost involved. Concerns over fees may lead someone to prepare a home made Will.

Although a Will does not need to be prepared by a Solicitor, there are inherent dangers in preparing one yourself.

1. Invalidity

A recent example of this involves a husband and wife who had each prepared identical homemade Wills. As far as they were concerned, from the time they had signed their Wills to the date they instructed us to make new ones, they had valid Wills. It was quickly spotted, however, that the Wills had only been witnessed by one person at the time of signing.

Due to this small but vital mistake, these Wills were invalid from the day they were signed.

2. Changes in circumstance

If you decide to get married and already have an existing Will, that Will will automatically be revoked on your marriage, unless it was drafted in expectation of the marriage. A professional would advise you of this but a lay person might not be aware of the affect of marriage if they are making a homemade Will. Equally, divorce effects inheritance under a Will.

3. Dates

Another situation we have come across is an undated Will. Although a date is not required for a Will to be valid, it is your last Will that must be proved on your death. If the Will does not have a date then it is difficult to prove that it is the last Will and often sworn statements are required from witnesses to provide evidence as to when they were signed.

4. Inappropriate Clauses

If you try and take clauses from a previous will or use clauses from someone else’s Will without fully understanding what those clauses mean and what their effect will be, you can end up with a Will that does not achieve what you wanted, with the result that some or all of your estate may go to someone you had not intended to benefit.

For advice on wills, inheritance tax, lasting powers of attorney administration of estates and all other private client issues please a member of our team on 0117 962 1205, email info@amdsolicitors.com or call into one of our four Bristol offices 100 Henleaze Road, Henleaze BS9 4JZ 15 The Mall, Clifton BS8 4DS

Whiteladies Road, Clifton BS8 2PL

Station Road, Shirehampton BS11 9TT

Regular trips out and entertainments are arranged plus we have tea and biscuits for only £1! Do come and make some new friends.

• Friends of Old Sneed Park Nature Reserve. Our next working party will be held on December 10th, 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 3.004.15 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.

• Henbury ‘Blaise’ Womens’ Institute meet at 7.30pm monthly on the 3rd Tuesday in the Village Hall in Henbury. Contact Jo on 950 7712 for more details.

• Henleaze Bowling Club aims to provide a welcoming and social environment for members of all ages and experience to enjoy a game of bowls whether in competitive or friendly matches, and new members are very welcome. Free coaching is available. Contact details and other information can be found on www.henleazebowlingclub.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 Ladies’ Choir. Come and join us as we fill St Peter’s Church Hall with a diverse selection of music. There is no audition, and the ability to read music is not necessary. We meet on Thursday afternoons, between 1.45 and 3.45. All are welcome to come along and meet us and join in the fun. Contact Jean on 9624466, or Jane on 07752 332278 for more information.

• 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 19th December 2.00-4.30pmChristmas Party with entertainment & refreshments.Tickets: £4.00 Booking essential, please call 0117 435 0063. Carers welcome, easy access. St. Peter’s Church Hall, The Drive, Henleaze BS9 4LD

• Henleaze (afternoon) Townswomen’s Guild meets on the first Wednesday of the month, at 2pm. Contact Jan, by telephone on 0117 968 5829, or by e-mailing jeanettecollins@blueyonder. co.uk for further details.

• Highbury Badminton Club meet on Thursday 7:30pm in Westbury-onTrym Village Hall. Contact Pete Stables 0117 950 1524 or www.pete4458. wixsite.com/highburybadminton for more details.

• Keep fit with dance moves – at Horfield Baptist Church, BS7 8NY, 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, then £5 thereafter. For further information contact Eileen Scott, on 07969929733, or email, scottyartois@hotmail.com

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

• Ladies Badminton, Westbury on Trym Village Hall, Fridays 10am - 12 noon. New members welcome to join our friendly group. For more details please call Elizabeth on 0117 968 1759.

• Life Drawing/Painting/Portraits. Small

•

•

•

•

•

*Based

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.

• Henbury Singers is actively recruiting new members. We meet at Stoke Bishop CE Primary School, BS9 1BW on Thursday evenings, 7.45 - 9.15. The choir is a well-established mixed choir with a good balance of voices. Our repertoire is varied, performing both sacred and secular music. For more detail, see our website www.henburysingers.org and/ or contact the secretary by email at secretary@henburysingers.org.

• Men at St. Peter’s Keep Fit class in St. Peter’s Church Hall every Tuesday 9:15 to 10:15 for men 60+, led by fitness instructor, Natasha Johnson, £5 per week. Contact Keith Bonham 0117 968 4972 or babubon38@gmail.com

• 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 8pm9.45pm 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 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 with Helen. Move better, get stronger, increase flexibility. The Bank Fitness, 73 Henleaze Road. All abilities: Mondays and Wednesdays 9.3010.20am, Parent and baby: Wednesday 10.30-11.20am. Free taster session, join at any time. 07863346001 / HelenLangmead@hotmail.co.uk

• 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

• Play bowls at Canford Park in a friendly social atmosphere. Qualified coaches, and equipment provided. Contact Les on 0730 569 5579 for more details or email canfordbowlingclub@gmail.com

• 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

• Sea Mills Community Playgroup. We meet on Mondays in term time 9.30am to 11am for simple activities suitable for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. The group is run by local parents and offers a chance to meet other families in the area. It is held in Sea Mills Methodist Church Back Hall (entry via wooden side gate). £2 donation to include refreshments. All Welcome.

• Sea Mills Garden Club. On 8 December we will have our Christmas Party. Our first meeting of 2023 will be on 12th January when Alan Goldsmith will talk about “Cacti and Other Animals”.

Visitors always welcome. FFI phone Pat 07779 203626 or Gail 0117 9685350.

• Sea Mills Repair Cafe: We hold a repair cafe on the 2nd Saturday of every month 10am till 12noon at Sea Mills Methodist Church Hall. Items are repaired free of charge; donations go towards parts & keeping the Repair Cafe going. We have tea, coffee & yummy cakes for sale in our cafe. Facebook @seamillsrepaircafe or repaircafe.seamills@gmail.com for further details.

• 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 nonmembers 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 TrinityHenleaze 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.

• St Peter’s Ladies Guild meet on the

3rd Wednesday of the month at 2pm at St Peter’s Church Hall, The Drive, Henleaze, for talks and entertainment. Visitors welcome. Tel: Wilma on 0117 962 8895 for information.

• St Peter’s Badminton & Social Club - Ann on 0117 969 4882, contact ann999q@gmail.com

• Stoke Bishop and Sea Mills Ward Forum will meet next on Friday 3rd February 2023 at Stoke Bishop Village Hall , 42 Stoke Hill, from 7pm to 9pm. Speakers: MP Darren Jones; Ward councillors John Goulandris and Henry Michallat; other local groups. Free, just turn up to find out what is happening in the area. To join the e-mail mailing list write to: stokebishopforum@aol.com

• 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.

• Stoke Bishop Afternoon Townswomen’s Guild. Our friendly meetings are held on the first Thursday each month at 2.15pm, in the Hulbert Room of St Mary’s Church, Mariners Drive, Stoke Bishop. We have a variety of talks and open meetings. Come along and give us a try! For information, please contact Gay Huggins on 0117 9685813 or email: mike_gayhuggins@ hotmail.com

• Stoke Bishop Ladies Choir sing at Stoke Bishop Village Hall. Every Monday from 1.45-4pm. New members welcome. We sing for pleasure and no auditions needed. Contact: Carolyn Fry on 0117 2791409 or Gay Huggins on 0117 9685813 for more information

• 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. For more details, please contact Amanda at amamtcf@gmail.com

• Toddlers Together, run by volunteers from Holy Trinity Church and Westburyon-Trym Methodist Church, is a parent and toddler group for the community. It takes place every Thursday during term time from 10-11:15am at Westbury-on-Trym Methodist Church Hall, BS9 3AA. There are lots of great toddler toys, a baby area, a weekly craft activity, singing, hot and cold drinks and biscuits, and a final prayer to end the session. We ask for a £2 voluntary donation per family on the door. You can just turn up to a Toddlers Together session – there is no need to pre-book. To find out more about this group, please email familyworker@westburyparish-church.org.uk or contact the parish office on 0117 9508644.

• Trinity Henleaze Ladies Guild - Jenny on 0117 962 0108.

• 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

• Welcome Wednesday. Friendly and free coffee afternoon on the 4th Wednesday of the month (30th November), 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. Call 0117 435 0063 for more information.

• 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 biscuits - please 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 Knit and Natter, 10am to 12 midday every Thursday, in the Methodist Church Hall. Do come along, or call Sarah on 0117 962 9400 for more details.

• Westbury Singers invite you to their Christmas concert on Friday 9th December at 7:30pm in Westbury on

Trym Baptist Church, Reedley Road. Tickets £8 from cutler.family@gemac. me.uk or phone 01179621438. Mince pie included! Proceeds in aid of The Well Centre for Spirituality at Elsie Briggs House.

• Westbury Singers If you enjoy singing, we invite you to join our friendly, nonauditioned, 4 part choir, in term-time on Monday evenings 7.30pm. - 9.30pm. at Reedley Road Baptist Church. Ability to read music helpful but not essential. Please email gwenalwakeel@yahoo. co.uk FFI

• 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.

• Women’s Fellowship This group on Tuesday mornings at Westbury-onTrym Methodist Church is proving popular. About 20 ladies come along each week to enjoy coffee and to meet and make friends. With an interesting programme of visiting speakers, Women’s Fellowship is aimed to provide a relaxed and interesting morning with friends. Why not come along and join us. For more information 07905 064720.

Pot Luck

1) coriander; 2. the Ford Sierra; 3. James Cleverly; 4. dragster car racing; 5. the collarbone.

Food and Drink

1. Czechia/Czech Republic; 2. Pilchards / sardines; 3. hesperidina is South American; 4. a clay oven; 5. (clockwise from top left) Rick Stein, Keith Floyd, Big Zuu and Prue Leith.

Christmas Music

1. “A Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl; 2. “The Holly and the Ivy”; 3. “In The Deep Midwinter”; 4. “Stop The Cavalry” by Jona Lewie; 5. “Lonely This Christmas” by Mud.

Geography

1.a) Italy, b) Germany, c) Sweden; 2. a) Ankara, b) Chisinau, c) Montevideo; 3. (top to bottom) Edinburgh, Bilbao, St Petersburg; 4. 24,901 miles; 5. Namibia.

Acronyms

1. Intelligence Quotient; 2. Wi-Fi is actually not an abbreviation or acronym for anything; 3. Cabinet Office Briefing Room A; 4. Campaign for the Protection of Rural England; 5. In my humble opinion.

Television & Radio

1. Arthur Lowe; 2. Salford; 3. Jo Wiley, David Hamilton, Annie Nightingale, Trevor Nelson; 4. Reginald “Reggie” Perrin; 5. Game of Thrones.

The Highway Code

1. true; 2. false - they should give way, but must give way only when a person is on the crossing; 3. false - they are encouraged but it is not mandatory; 4. 20 metres; 5. Warning - low flying aircraft or sudden aircraft noise, and Warning - level crossing without barrier or gate ahead.

Disclaimer

The Bristol Nine is published by Bristol Community Magazines Ltd (Co. No. 08448649, registered at 8 Sandyleaze, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, BS9 3PY). The views expressed by contributors or advertisers in The Bristol Nine are not necessarily those held by Bristol Community Magazines Ltd. The inclusion of any business or organisation in this magazine does not imply a recommendation of it, its aims or its methods. Bristol Community Magazines Ltd cannot be held responsible for information disclosed by advertisers, all of which are accepted in good faith, or for the performance of any advertiser in the carrying out of their business. Reasonable efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this magazine but no liability can be accepted for any loss or inconvenience caused as a result of inclusion, error or omission. All content is the copyright of Bristol Community Magazines Ltd and may not be reproduced without prior written consent from Bristol Community Magazines.