The Bristol Nine Magazine - March 2023

THE BRISTOL NINE MAGAZINE

MARCH 2023 - ISSUE 197

12,000 COPIES DELIVERED FREE EACH MONTH ACROSS STOKE BISHOP, HENLEAZE, COOMBE DINGLE, SEA MILLS, WESTBURY ON TRYM AND SNEYD PARK

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.

Fixed Fee Conveyancing

House sale or purchase

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Our fixed fees for conveyancing do not apply to new build or off plan purchases, or properties priced in excess of £900,000.

Wills

Single Will £250

Joint (Mirror) Wills £375

Probate

Charged at usual hourly rate with no additional percentage of the value of the estate added.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

One type of Both types of LPA LPA

Individual £400 £600

Couple £600 £900

Hourly Rate

£500 £750 £750 £1,125 £245.

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

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

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• 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

Telephone: 0117 968 8890

Office: 2 The Avenue, Sneyd Park, Bristol, BS9 1PA

Email: info@corfieldsolicitors.com

Or visit our website: www.corfieldsolicitors.com

fees and hourly rate

Hi there, and welcome to your March BS9 magazine. It’s still February as I write this on a drizzly, grey old morning, but looking out of the window there are definilte signs of spring - hints of yellow, purple and white in the borders to relieve the drab green and brown that is a winter garden.

That said, we’re not necessarily out of the winter woods just yet. It’s the 18th of Feb as I type - on what is the 95th anniversary of the first speedway meeting here in the UK back in 1928. I remember the date well, as my sis and I were due to go the following day to the 50th anniversary Golden Jubilee race meeting at Hackney back in 1978. We awoke excitedly, clipboards and scarves at the ready, only to be met with over a foot of snow and blizzard conditions - not that common near the Dorset coast. I don’t recall if the Poole supporters coach ever got to east London, but we weren’t on it, unable alas to walk the two miles to the pick up point, through the snowdrifts.

Congratulations to Adrian Cannings, the winner of the January wordsearch competition for correctly spotting Poseidon as the missing god. There’s another Winning Word competition on page 28, and a second competition on page 64 with the chance to win breakfast for 2 at the very splendid new Aqua Grand Cafe on Whiteladies Road.

Have a great month, and enjoy the magazine.

Cheers, Andy

Deadlines and Getting In Touch - to be included in the April 2023 issue of The Bristol Nine Magazine your advert bookings, artwork and listings must be received and approved no later than Friday 17th March. 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 3PY- www. bcmagazines.co.uk

Neil Young, The Band, Dylan, Blues and Folk.….

We’d like to meet a singer who’s interested to join a small acoustic band.

It’s just for fun as we’re too busy with work and family for anything really serious! We are two acoustic guitarists/banjo in Henleaze who’d love to team up with a singer and perhaps another instrument – mandolin, violin, ukulele maybe.. nothing loud… to play some songs. We’ve been playing Neil Young (You and Me, Harvest Moon), Beatles (Lucy in the Sky), traditional blues (Walk on Boy, The Crow), The Band (The Weight)..Dylan (Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door)…

In a perfect world we’d meet once or twice a month, play music and have some fun. Nothing serious, no egos, no record deal … what standard are we? By most descriptions probably intermediate, although I’m not sure what that really means!

Please feel free to text and leave your details if it sounds of interest – Tim 07968 392378.

Now taking bookings in your area!

• For people of all ages unable to drive but wish to remain independent

• Supported trips to the doctor, hospital, shops, bank, hairdresser, vet, etc.

• Social outings, holidays, help at home and much, much more

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To book your Daisy 07951 079 558 / 0333 014 6211

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Gardener and Handyman

Grass cutting, hedge and shrub trimming, weeding, planting, felling small trees, clearing, small painting jobs including garden fences and other maintenance work. Please call for a no-obligation chat Call 0117 377 0644 or 07415 658 205

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• All year round garden clearances

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Rubbish Clearance

Cheaper than a Skip - guaranteed

& Commercial Rubbish clearance & house clearance

Free scrap metal collection

For a free quote please ring Mark on 07817 959 860 or 0117 904 8097

If you are planning to visit the Recycling Centre at Avonmouth do check the Bristol Waste websitebristolwastecompany.co.uk - as a new booking system has been introduced. You must also take proof of your identity / address. The site is working to winter opening hours - 8am to 4.15pm 7 days a week - until the end of the month when it reverts to longer summer hours.

Local Trains

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

Bristol City Council

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

Libraries - latest opening times

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

Sea Mills Library - 10am to 2pm Monday and Tuesday, 1pm to 5pm

and 10am to 3pm Friday and Saturday.

Westbury on Trym Library - 2pm to 7pm on Monday and 11am to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday.

TALKING PETS WITH VIKING VETS

Just after I qualified as a vet 30 years ago, I bought myself a flat pack dolls house. This was a reward for having completed the five year course, my thinking being that I would have plenty of time on my hand! How wrong was I. Within a week of leaving university I had been offered my first job, and have been working near on full time ever since. The dolls house remained a flat pack in the loft, moving from one loft to the next.

However last Friday after extensive searching in our overfilled loft, with help from my husband we managed to locate it again. Dusty and yellowed paper, but thankfully the mice had left it alone so no damage to the interior of the box.

After some preparation and rummaging around in my husbands work shop, I

started building. The style of the house is an American dolls house, where both front and back need to be neat and tidy. My house will probably end up looking a bit wonky, but it will fit in with it being rather old. It has been a joy to indulge in something completely frivolous, something that takes me out of all the normal tasks of daily life. I never had a dolls house as a child, and was very envious of anybody who had one. We did buy a dolls house for our boys, but they showed very little interest in it. At present I am building the house, but have started to look for interiors, this has been an eye opening new shopping experience. It’s unbelievable what you can find to fit into a dolls house, I think this will become an addiction.

I think it is important to have a balance in your life, and I have been ignoring my creative side for too long. So if you have a long forgotten passion, why not give it an other go!

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

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

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

Please contact us to arrange an appointment. Opening Times

Monday - Friday Saturday 8am - 6.30pm 9am-12pm Consultation by Appointment

Maria Lowe, MRCVS, Viking Vets

W

E L L A P R O F E S S I O N A L

C l a s s i c

C r e a t i v e

G l o b a l l y r e n o w n e d f o r o u r c o l o u r i n g m a s t e r y ; o u r t e a m o f e x p e r t s a r e t r a i n e d t o t h e h i g h e s t s t a n d a r d s , U s i n g o n l y t h e f i n e s t p r e m i u m l u x u r y p r o d u c t s .

C o u t u r e

O u r c o l l e c t i v e s k i l l s & e x p e r i e n c e s g a i n e d t h r o u g h w o r k i n g o n s h o o t s , s h o w , e d i t o r i a l s a n d c e l e b r i t i e s , t o c r e a t e t h e p e r f e c t o c c a s i o n a l h a i r f o r y o u r s p e c i a l e v e n t s

5

The Bank of Mum and Dad - Is Money Given to a Spouse by

Family a Gift or a Loan?

Samantha Hickman

It is very common for people to receive financial assistance from parents and family members throughout their lives. Upon divorce, this can often lead to the question, will the parties be expected to re-pay this money, or will it be treated as a gift?

Why Is the Distinction Between a Loan and a Gift Important?

In financial remedy proceedings, this question is particularly important because how this money is treated impacts the amount of money in the marital pot.

If this payment is treated as a gift, it can be considered as a contribution given to the parties that does not have to be repaid. This money can instead be included in the matrimonial pot and used to meet the parties’ needs.

If this payment is treated as a loan, it cannot be considered part of the matrimonial pot and instead will be noted as a liability that must be repaid, much like a loan from a bank.

Is It a Loan or a Gift?

In the case of P v Q (Financial Remedies) [2022] EWFC B9, HHJ Hess summarised the factors to be taken into account when determining whether money given to a party by their family prior to or during marriage should be regarded as a gift or a loan.

The key factor is whether it was likely in reality that the obligation would be enforced.

Factors pointing to a hard loan include:

• an obligation to a finance company

• terms with the feel of a normal commercial arrangement

• obligations arising out of a written agreement

• a written demand for payment, a threat of litigation or actual litigation, or intervention in the financial remedies proceedings

• an absence of delay in enforcing the obligation

• where the amount of money was such that it would be less likely for a creditor to waive the obligation, either wholly or partly

Factors pointing to a soft loan (gift) include:

• an obligation to a friend or family member with whom the debtor remained on good terms and who was unlikely to want the debtor to suffer hardship

• an obligation arising informally, with terms that did not have the feel of a normal commercial arrangement

• no written demand for payment despite a due date having passed

• delay in enforcing the obligation

• an amount of money such that it would be more likely for the creditor to waive the obligation, wholly or partly, albeit that the amount involved was not necessarily decisive: there were examples in the authorities of large amounts of money being treated as soft obligations

In this case the court concluded that some factors might fall on one side of the line and others might fall on the other but ultimately it is for the judge to determine the appropriate and fair outcome, looking at all the factors.

What Can We Learn From This?

This case is a reminder that payments given to parties by family members may be considered as a gift if there is not a clear obligation for repayment. If you are receiving or giving money in this context and would like this to be repaid, it is important to ensure that a written agreement is made. However, even

then it cannot be guaranteed that this type of payment will be considered a loan rather than a gift and the ultimate discretion is with the court.

For further information, please contact Samantha Hickman in VWV’s Private Client team on 0117 925 2020 or at shickman@vwv.co.uk

•

•

Here are your weekend high and low tide times for the River Avon in March. High tides over 13m are highlighted in red, and the high tide at 0822 on Thursday 23rd March is, at 14.4m the highest of the month and the joint second highest all year.

© Crown Copyright and/or database rights. Reproduced by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and the UK Hydrographic Office (www.GOV.uk/UKHO).

Pot Luck 1

1. What is a hassock?

2. Historically Nottingham is famous for what traditional craft / industry?

3. In which half of which century was the Industrial Revolution in the UK generally considered to have started?

4. What is a bradawl?

5. The Skagerrak and the Kattegat separate which European countries?

Dames and Knights

Name these people recognised by the British honours system -

cities, which would come first and which last?

4. Name any of the eight towns granted city status by the Queen in the 2022 Platinum Jubilee competition.

5. Which of these cities is furthest north - Las Vegas, Lisbon or Tokyo?

James Bond

1. Which actor has played the role of James Bond in main studio films the most times?

2. Which of these actresses has not play the part of a “Bond girl” - Honor Blackman, Charlize Theron or Rosamund Pike?

3. Name these “baddies” from the James Bond films.

Sport

1. Who preceded Gareth Southgate as England football manager?

2. In which events did these GB sportsmen and sportswomen win gold at the 2012 Olympics - a) Helen Glover, b) Carl Hester, c) Ed McKeever?

3. Englishman Michael Smith is the current world champion in which sport?

4. In which event would you encounter the Melling Road?

5. Name the five events completed in the modern pentathlon.

Cities

1. Ronnie Hilton had a novelty hit in 1965 about a clog-wearing mouse. In which city did the mouse live?

2. Name the capital cities of a) Canada, b) Belarus, and c) Serbia.

3. In an alphabetical listing of English

4. Name the performers of the three most recent Bond film title tracks.

5. Can you name the James Bond film from these images?

In the News

1. Which Member of Parliament was the co-founder of the polling organisation YouGov?

2. Who was the Deputy First Minister of Scotland at the time of Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation?

3. Which singer rang in to a radio show last month calling fo the government to “stand down”?

4. What is the name of the German tank that is going to be supplied to Ukraine by several countries?

5. Who has recently been named as the new permanent host of quiz show Countdown?

Pink Things

1. What sort of car did Lady Penelope travel in in the original television series Thunderbirds?

2. What was the title of Pink’s first UK solo number one hit single?

3. Which bird is named after the Spanish for “flame-coloured”?

4. Thomas Pink is best known as a manufacturer of what goods?

5. Pink gin is typically flavoured with juniper berries - true or false?

Oscar Winners

Name these Oscar winners (shown in other film roles) and name the film they first won a Best Actor / Actress trophy for -

Pot Luck 2

1. In which sea would you find the Gulf of Bothnia?

2. Name the four principal characters in “The Wind in the Willows”.

3. Name the county town of Wiltshire.

4. What happened on 29th March 1981 in London for the first time?

5. Name the only country house in England that has no royal or clergy occupants but still carries the title of a palace.

and finally

If you walked in a straight line due north east from the Bristol Hippodrome you would eventually reach the North Sea, off the coast of which county?

Answers on Page 87

lossom

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Liability for straying livestock.

Let us say that cows have strayed onto your property and caused damage. What are you rights? What liability does the owner of the cow have? The Animals Act 1971 makes an owner or person in possession of livestock ‘strictly liable’ for any damage caused by their animals trespassing on land owned/occupied by another. This means that even if the owner of the livestock took all possible precautions, they are still liable if their animal crosses the boundary of someone else’s property.

A livestock owner will be liable for any damage caused by their animal(s) to the land or any property on the land, eg, the cost of re-instating the garden damaged by a cow. They will also be liable for any death or personal injury resulting from the trespass.

If the livestock owner can show that the owner/ occupier of the land onto which the animal strayed gave permission for the animal to cross the boundary this will amount to a defence.

The livestock owner will not be ‘strictly liable’ for any damage resulting from the trespass of the animal where the animal strayed from a highway and it was lawful for the animal to be on that highway. That does not necessarily mean they will escape liability, but the owner/occupier of the land upon which the animal strayed will have to prove the livestock owner was negligent. However, they may still be ‘strictly liable’ for any damage if they unreasonably delayed in collecting the animal.

The livestock owner will not be liable for any damage which was wholly due to the fault of the owner/occupier of the land onto which the animal strayed. However, the person who suffered damage will not be regarded as being at fault just because they could have prevented the damage by fencing the land.

The livestock owner will also not be liable for any damage if they can show the animal would not have strayed onto the land in question had it not been for a breach by another land owner/ occupier of a duty to fence land.

If a satisfactory settlement of any claim for compensation cannot be reached it is open to the person who has suffered the damage to start a court claim.

Where livestock strays onto land owned/occupied by another, that person has the right to detain the livestock, provided the livestock is not under anyone’s control at the time of the detention. However, this right should be exercised with caution as a person exercising this right is liable for any damage caused to the detained animal resulting from a failure to treat the animal with reasonable care and to supply it with adequate food and water.

The right of detention ends:

• after 48 hours, unless within that 48-hour period the detention has been properly reported to the police and the person exercising the right of detention knows who owns, or has the right to possess, the livestock and has given them notice of the detention; or

• where the livestock owner has offered sufficient money to satisfy any claim for damage caused by the animal and any reasonable expenses incurred in keeping it; or

• where there is no claim for damage and the animal is claimed by it’s owner, or the person who has the right of possession; or

• when a court orders the return of the animal.

Email: enquiries@lyonslaw.co.uk Website: www.lyonslaw.co.uk Telephone: 0117 950 6506

An established and progressive

Assuming the livestock have been detained lawfully, the owner/occupier of the land upon which the animal strayed becomes entitled to sell the animal 14 days after it strayed onto the land, providing there are no pending proceedings for the return of the animal, or by the person detaining the animal for damage done by the animal or for expenses incurred in keeping it.

• Family & Divorce Law

• Co-habita�on disputes

• Inheritance disputes

• Wills and Living Wills

• Powers of A�orney

• Administra�on of Trusts

• Property - sales and purchases

• Established in the Chew Valley for 50 years

If a sale takes place and the amount the animal is sold for exceeds the value of the claim of the person who detained the animal, then the livestock owner can recover the excess from them.

If in doubt as to your position seek legal advice.

Edward Lyons

law firm providing a personal and cost-effec�ve legal service for commercial and individual clients.

WINNING WORD PRIZE PUZZLE

Last month’s new puzzle proved popular so here’s another one in the same format for you. Ten questions. Ten answers. Each answer has ten letters. Drop all the the answers into the corresponding lines on the grid and if your answers are correct the highlighted squares will spell out the Winning Word. Send that word to me at andy@bcmagazines.co.uk, 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY, 0117 259 1964 or 07845 986650 no later than 31st March and all correct entries go into a hat. First drawn from the hat wins a £30 gift voucher.

1. Hedgerow fruit

2. Local Wildlife & Westlands Trust reserve

3. e.g. Stav Danaos and Ian Fergusson

4. Californian theme park

5. Form of inflammation of the airways

6. Greek mathematician b. 287BC known for his buoyancy principle

7. Words connected or split by a “-” are ....?

8. The passing of wind

Name:

... and just for fun, here’s a curry themed wordsearch for you. Eighteen dishes listed, only seventeen are in the gridwhich one has been left out? Words can be written forwards, backwards, up, down or on a diagonal. Answer on page 87.

Curry Time

Date:

9. A journey undertaken to find spiritual meaning or moral direction

10. A hormone and medication often associated with anaphylaxis

Here are your curry dishes -

Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

After Laurence Stephen

Lowry, (1887-1976) –

signed print –

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The Spring Specialist Sale is now online

Thursday 9th March at 10:30am

To browse and bid visit: www.clevedonsalerooms.com

FREE VALUATION DAYS

Held at the salerooms

Every Monday (except Bank Holidays) 10am - 1pm & 2pm - 5pm

NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY

NEXT BRISTOL VALUATION DAY

Tuesday 2nd May 10am - 3pm

Stoke Lodge, Shirehampton Rd, Stoke Bishop, Bristol, BS9 1BN

Free, No Obligation Valuations

Matrimonial and Non-Matrimonial Property

Emma Davey, Trainee Solicitor at AMD Solicitors, looks at the distinction between matrimonial and non matrimonial property on divorce.

“When marriages break down, parties may be concerned about the impact the divorce may have on their assets, whether jointly or solely owned. Parties may be particularly concerned about how they will afford two separate homes, without having to make great compromises with regard to the living standard enjoyed by them and any children of the marriage.

In an ideal world, the parties to the divorce would mutually agree how the assets and finances in the marriage should be divided, whilst considering fairness and each other’s needs. There are many out of court resolution methods that can assist with reaching such an agreement, including mediation and collaborative law.

If the parties disagree about how assets should be divided the Court can step in.

When considering the division of assets, the court will distinguish between ‘matrimonial’ and ‘non-matrimonial property’. Matrimonial property is financial assets that one or both parties have acquired during the marriage. For example, the family home, savings and pensions. In contrast, non-matrimonial

property is usually acquired by a party before the marriage, after the separation, or from a wholly external source such as inheritance.

Matrimonial assets will fall into the pot to be divided between the couple when reaching a financial settlement, with a starting point of equality, but non-matrimonial assets can be treated differently. In certain situations non-matrimonial property can be ringfenced. This is, however, subject to the exception of need, which would justify non- matrimonial assets becoming part of the divisible assets. The Court can order this to happen if there would otherwise not be enough money to meet the housing and financial needs of the parties and any children. The Court will also consider factors such as the duration of the marriage when considering whether non-matrimonial assets should be shared between the parties, and the extent to which any non-matrimonial property has been mingled with other family resources.

The family home will usually be treated as matrimonial property, and will hold a central place in proceedings, even if it was purchased prior to the marriage by one party, and even if it continues to be held in the sole name of one party. Although the Court can have regard to contributions that each party has made to the marriage, including the source of the funds used to purchase the property, these contributions are only likely to be relevant where there the needs of the parties can be properly met by the available funds.

Financial arrangements can be complex and are unique to your circumstances. Our team of family solicitors have years of experience in divorce and financial proceedings. For confidential advice on resolving finances on divorce, including a free initial 30 minute consultation with one of our family specialists, please contact 0117 962 1205.

BRUCE FELLOWS’ BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

The Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, but not for everyone. Patrick McGrath tells us of one such in his fine novel, Last Days in Cleaver Square. It’s 1975 and Francis McNulty, poet and ex-volunteer stretcher bearer, now lives in London with his cat, his daughter and Dolores, whom he rescued from Madrid. The poems have dried up and he’s haunted by memories of betrayal and by apparitions of the man behind it all, General Franco. This is a gripping tale of memory and regret, with a moving portrait of a father-daughter relationship, a great ending and a cast of fully-rounded characters, including the cat.

In the enthralling and lyrical English Pastoral, James Rebanks writes as grandson, son and father, to describe life on the mixed farm he grew up on and now farms himself. His grandfather made him love the place and understand the importance of birds, wild creatures and everything below ground that makes the soil fertile. Now, food is so cheap that farmers use machinery in ever bigger fields they spray with ever stronger chemicals that break the chain of life. It’s a dim prospect but don’t despair, in this wonderful book Rebanks points the way from the past to a brighter future for all our descendants.

The Lowlife, a contemporary novel when published in 1963, now has a real historical aura to it but is no less riveting for all that. Alexander Baron’s London is poor, crowded and still to recover from the War. Harryboy is Jewish and makes a living by gambling but he’s so addicted he can’t stop while he’s ahead and finds himself flirting with hoodlums. When a family with a young son moves into his boarding house, his life suffers dramatic changes. This terrific novel is wonderfully humane and despite his faults and a bad conscience stemming from his haunting back story, Harryboy is an appealing hero.

Paul Hayward’s excellent study, England Football: The Biography does what it says in the title, tells the fascinating story of 150 years of the England team: selection by committee until 1963; early players paid peanuts though the crowds were huge. The world progressed but England didn’t; in the fifties we lost 6-3 to Hungary. We hear the stories of a stream of managers, the good, the bad and the so-so, right up to our beloved Gareth; and of wonderful players, Finney, Duncan Edwards and Greavsie as well as the more recent ones. This book’s for anyone whose heart’s in their mouth each time we play.

In the library with a knife. That’s the murder that DI Strafford must investigate but the culprit wasn’t Professor Plum although it happened in the County Wexford home of Colonel Osborne. John Banville reveals all in his intriguing and atmospheric mystery, Snow. It’s 1957. The Irish Civil War is a strong memory, the Catholic Church rules the roost and the victim is a priest. Strafford questions the family, an eccentric lot, tramps the snow to meet other eccentrics and resists his boss and the bishop to reach the truth. Read this page-turner by a warm fire lest the icy winter portrayed seep into your bones.

Over the past few months, I’ve written a number of articles in this magazine about what it’s like to go to primary and secondary school today. This has been based on my own teaching experience, the experiences of my children who are currently in primary school and secondary school, and based on the feedback from many school leaders, teachers and specialists in particular fields, such as behaviour and careers.

Over the next few issues, I’ll be sharing the experiences of a range of local folk who went to school – or worked in schools –over many previous decades, comparing such stories to the experiences of pupils today. Please note that any names used have been changed for anonymity.

Whilst researching my articles, many facts that I heard about education in the past shocked me. The fact that there was once a time when there was no national curriculum – I just always, naively, assumed that there had been one as it is now so integral to modern day teaching and my own years of teacher training in the early noughties. Pre-national curriculum, it appears that there was quite an inconsistent standard of education in past decades based on the experiences of those that I spoke to. For example, one of my interviewees was taught heraldry (the art and science of designing and using a coat of arms in very basic terms) for a year because his teacher had a personal interest in it! It’s fair to say that this wasn’t much use to him in later life. Another remembers having to help his teacher work out how much paint he needed for his boat and assisting him with painting it in class!

Other tales have been equally eye-opening: that there were no computers in schools until the 1980s – just look how far and how quickly that’s evolved! One retired teacher I interviewed remembers how lucky she felt to have a BBC micro computer with a concept keyboard and a cassette player that brought up images (slowly!) on a

She also remembers a world before the introduction of the photocopier (in today’s schools these are an invaluable, muchfought-over resource) and she had to make all of her own resources then use a Banda duplicator machine to copy each page painstakingly slowly one by one by the turn of a wheel.

Lessons offered for pupils in previous decades were also highly influenced by social assumptions outside of school. In many establishments, only boys could study metal work, technical drawing and woodwork and, for the girls, needlework and home economics – those important domestic subjects deemed vital at that time for a soon-to-be housewife. According to one pupil of the 1970s, boys had to choose one ‘technical’ subject at his school: woodwork or metal work. Girls were only allowed to learn dressmaking, cooking or typing. Seemingly, education was about setting pupils up for their anticipated future. Indeed, most of the boys in his class took up a trade or worked as an apprentice and most of the girls accepted office or shop work then married and left work to raise a family. Sue remembers only being allowed to study woodwork for a term at her school, unlike the boys. Eventually, she was able to do a carpentry course after leaving school and got a successful job in the furniture-making industry. I could not imagine a world where my son and daughters weren’t allowed to study the

screen in her classroom for the first time.

same subjects as each other due to their gender. Equal rights have certainly come a long way, as have equal aspirations for boys and girls in school and in wider society.

Other memories include all resources being printed in black and white until commercial colour printing came into its own in the late 1970s. All that the teacherin-me can think about is how much harder this would have made learning for anyone with dyslexic tendencies, where colour can really help to make educational materials significantly more accessible. And how dull teaching resources would have looked! Nothing like the very readable and representative textbooks around today. Interestingly, textbooks are undergoing somewhat of a renaissance in many contemporary classrooms, with Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education) and teachers still recognising their worth in the classroom despite some people regarding them as obsolete due to the development of the digital age. Physical dictionaries, however, might just be on their way out –I asked a pupil the other day whether she could use a dictionary and she said there was no need as she could just ask Alexa!

was also in the 1970s that first and middle schools were introduced, with pupils then moving on to high/upper school aged around 13 – a ‘three-tier structure’ as it was known. Middle schools started to decline in the late 1980s, in part as a result of the introduction of the national curriculum in 1988 with its key stage divisions and corresponding attainment targets (more on this to come in the next issue).

A wonderful chat with a local 103-yearold revealed the impact that the second world war had on her education. During this war (1939-1945 – but you all know this from your history lessons as discussed in a previous issue!!), most schools had only female teachers – usually untrained – as the majority of the local men were conscripted to fight. After the war, a significant number of children failed, unsurprisingly, to reach the required levels of English and maths. Many school buildings were bombed so children were taught in various makeshift buildings with huge class sizes due to evacuee children also joining them. Key parts of the daily timetable were writing to soldiers on the front line, collecting eggs for wounded soldiers, raising funds for the war effort and knitting for the troops. She loved school and remembers warm, strictbut-fair, nurturing teachers.

Another insight that was new to me was the fact that single-sex schools were the norm up until the 1960s, whereas this is now regarded as a unique selling point. Many interviewees also went to separate infant and junior schools. From the 1970s, these started to be merged into single primary schools, even though a good number remained as separate establishments. It

More ‘recent’ memories reveal a hugely different world from schools today: the staff room that radiated fumes from all the pipe-smoking teachers. Teachers spitting on tissues to roughly remove the make up on the faces of teenage girls or using acetone from the science lab to remove their nail varnish. Jen recalls her maths teacher (in the early 1980s) leaving the class unsupervised every week to go on an extended cigarette break whilst pupils worked from a textbook. This resulted in significant gaps in maths for the class by the end of the year. Margaret remembers ‘a naughty boy’ being locked in a stationary cupboard for the whole lesson for his

misdemeanours. John remembers his teacher being openly and repeatedly racist to his friend during the 1980s. Tom remembers the classroom’s ‘shaky’ chair, on which children who had misbehaved had to stand facing the blackboard. His teacher then shook the chair whilst they had to try to not fall off. Others recall tables in the classroom kept aside for the ‘thickies’, ‘backwards’ or ‘retarded’ pupils as the teachers openly called them, with the dunce’s hat worn by those pupils deemed too slow at learning. Shockingly, there are some cases of schools still using a humiliating ‘dunce’s’ corner up until the 2000s, resulting in it finally being outlawed in 2010 due to its breach of human rights.

Then there are those memories of corporal punishment systems. Corporal punishment – using physical punishment to discipline – was only prohibited in 1986 in state schools and, shockingly, continued until 1998 in fee-paying schools. This ruling was appealed by the heads of many schools at the time. Disciplinary measures that were diligently recorded in school ‘Punishment Books’ included trousers being pulled down to smack children in front of the class, children being hit with a thin, broad, flat paddle on their backsides, and hitting children on the hands with rulers - especially those who dared to write with their left hand. How grossly unjust. Many remember teachers delivering ‘six of the best’ cane strikes for bad behaviour and Margaret recalls being boxed across the ears for burning her lamb chops in her cooking class and for not being able to sing in tune. She remembers the teachers at her school as sadistic with no qualms about making her cry. One interviewee, Mark, recollected his memories of attending a local Catholic school in Bristol run by clergy, who each kept a leather strap in their cassock, used to regularly beat the boys. He vividly remembers one occasion when a boy stood up to the teacher and punched him back, much to the class’ delight. His fate is unknown but the fate

of these particular teachers would be a lengthy term in purgatory, according to Mark!

And then, linking to this, there’s that lack of safeguarding – action taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm - in many schools of the past. Schools were far, far less responsible for protecting children from harm in any form. In some cases it was the teachers causing the harm. Sarah remembers many teachers bruising ‘daydreaming’ pupils by throwing blackboard rubbers at them or ‘giving them the slipper’. She says in her school there was no such thing as a ‘trusted adult’ and all teachers were creatures to mistrust and avoid as much as possible. Helen recalls predatory behaviour from a teacher and having her bra strap pinged on a daily basis. John remembers having to shower naked amongst his peers and the bullying that occurred within this daily routine. Tom remembers how his school mini-bus driver ran off with a young pupil and had two children with her – something that would now result in a lengthy prison sentence. Thankfully, all of these actions would now be completely unacceptable in today’s schools.

Such recollections highlight just how far school policies and schools cultures have evolved, ensuring that all functions are now carried out with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Behaviour systems must be fair and consistent, with the main focus on reinforcing and praising good behaviour – there is no throwing, hitting, smacking or sadistic cruelty to ‘discipline’ pupils of today. Teachers must abide by a set of standards which outline the requirements for their practice and conduct. As part of this statutory conduct, every teacher must treat pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing set policies and proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position. Every

teacher has a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn and every school must ensure that they support both the physical and emotional welfare of pupils – essential foundations for successful learning. Buildings are required to be ‘safeguarding friendly’, with all classrooms visible through windows in all doors. Anyone now working with children must be DBS (criminal record) checked and fully trained in safeguarding. As this all suggests, the safeguarding of pupils has made tremendous strides and schools are now a vital part of the wider safeguarding network system monitoring the safety and well-being of all pupils.

Of course, many tales of the schools of the past also include numerous positive stories. There are those schools and individual teachers who really made a wonderful mark on the lives of pupils across the decades. Research carried out by Cadbury Roses in 2022 found that almost six in 10 adults yearned to turn the clock back so that they could say thank you to an inspirational teacher. And two thirds revealed their favourite teacher gave them self-belief and confidence for which they would always be grateful. Many people shared with me the warmth and kindness of particular teachers, including the 103-year-old, who still remembers her favourite teacher telling her that she’d go far with such an inquisitive, keen mind.

And there are those very personal, special memories that I was lucky enough to have shared with me. The weekly school lunch of spam fritters and chips that just can’t be replicated however much Mark has tried; trading Star Wars cards or football cards in the playground (not much has changed there – it’s still footie cards or Pokémon cards today); lighting a Bunsen burner for the first time (still happens); using the magic ‘e’ to help with reading (now called the less-than-magical ‘split digraph’). Other delightful memories include that playtime when pupils witnessed the first full eclipse of the sun in the 1950s; mass dances on the school field; school tuck shops; listening to ‘The Secret Garden’ at story time on the carpet at the end of the day; writing on slates wiped clean with worn-out jumper cuffs; the smell of Quink (a type of ink); guessing whose feet were sticking out of the door of the outside school toilet; Gill getting stung on the eyelid by a wasp on her very first day of school and having to go straight to the school nurse (now a rare sight in a school); listening to Music and Movement on BBC Schools Radio, which ran from 1934 to 1969; Hannah witnessing the top of a boy’s finger getting chopped off by a heavy school door (not allowed these days under much stricter health and safety laws) and being ordered to scoop it up and run it under cold water; lunchtimes spent at home, going for walks or playing bulldogs have all been shared. What a wonderful sprinkling of memories from days spent at school over the past half a century and more.

Next month, I delve a little into the history of education – the types of schools that pupils attended, qualifications studied and the history of the development of the national curriculum and all the changes this brought with it – to give some wider context to these memories. I also share more marvellous accounts from local folk –past pupils and teachers – about their own school days.

© Georgie Mountjoy, 2023

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MUSIC - DUNCAN HASKELL

Album Of The Month

Rapture by Emily Breeze

Considering that we live in a city with one of the UK’s most vibrant music scenes, it’s about time that we shine a light on one of the most talented local artists out there making it happen. Emily Breeze describes her new album as being, “A collection of coming-of (middle) age stories which celebrate flamboyant failure, excess and acceptance.” Combined, these musical vignettes make a compelling argument for why we should all grow old disgracefully.

It’s also an album anchored in the local scene. On shimmering opening track Ordinary Life, Breeze muses on the passing of time, reflecting, “Someone was gonna spot me walking down Stokes Croft and say/ ‘Hey kid, I’m gonna make you a star.’” It’s not all nostalgia and the everyday, Breeze also gazes up at the sky by sprinkling the album with excerpts clipped from science articles and quotes from cosmologists.

For us though, it’s the insights into Breeze’s life that draw us in like snippets of conversations escaping a warm pub on a cold winter’s ever. That pub is specifically, The Bell, where Breeze has popped in for a few drinks with friends Amy and Mike. In the company of people who know her better than she knows herself, Breeze is replenished with love, hope and happiness – and has written a rocking anthem to tell us all about it.

Sonically, Rapture feels like a collaboration Patti Smith and LCD Soundsystem may have created had they been raised in the West Country on a diet of Pulp. Breeze’s insouciant delivery imbues songs like Confessions of an Ageing Party Girl with authentic cool. Don’t be fooled though, she is also a singer of range and beauty who just chooses to use those weapons sparingly, making them all the more potent when fired. Part of Me, the album’s centrepiece, is one such track. It’s Chrissie Hynde fronting The Pogues and is both cinematic and down-to-earth - a microcosm of everything that makes this album such a delight.

Next Step CACTI by Billy Nomates

Though originally from Leicester, Billy Nomates, the project of songwriter/ multi-instrumentalist/ producer Tor Maries, is now based in Bristol. Such is the strength of her recently released second album, we’d be fools not to cling on to her and claim her as our own.

Post-punk, electronica, indie-pop… Nomates adroitly changes lanes throughout the record’s twelve songs. Her observations, equally cutting and poetic, are the constant that keep things from veering off track. Those thoughts often act as a mirror. “I’m the saboteur/you know I get a kick from turning you off,” she declares over a synthy pillow on Saboteur Forcefield, before revealing on wonky ballad Fawner, “I put my foot in my mouth/And do things inside out.” Yet, as we all learn to readjust to life following the pandemic, her reflection seems universal.

By the time of album closer Blackout Signal, with its industrial percussion and 80s production, Nomates has exposed her struggles, traumas and successes to the listener. Vulnerable yet bold, her story is one we can all relate to.

Podcast of the Month

Joanna Lumley & The Maestro

We’re leaving our beloved city behind to spend some time with Joanna Lumley and her husband, the revered conductor Stephen Barlow. Inviting the listener into their home, the couple take us into the world of classical music. Lumley plays the role of the enthusiastic amateur, a surrogate voice for those of us who have always wanted to ask questions such as, “What do conductors actually do?” As charming as it is informative.

Duncan Haskell

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Senior Snippets Senior Snippets The welcome sight of Spring

Welcome to the latest edition of Senior Snippets: an advisory column with the older members of our community in mind, brought to you by John Moore, Director of Home Instead in North Bristol.

As we see the evenings becoming longer and lighter, and the daffodils starting to bloom, we know that Spring is on the way. This gives us all a welcome boost and the opportunity to spend a little time outdoors and enjoy some fresh air and exercise.

Spending time in the garden tending plants and flowers or growing vegetables can be relaxing and rewarding. Gardening comes with many therapeutic and health benefits, including helping to burn calories and strengthen muscles.

You don’t need a huge space, tubs and window boxes can bring just as much pleasure, as you watch the colourful blooms grow. Spending time with nature is wonderfully satisfying and helps to clear the mind of worries.

Gardening can also trigger the use of motor skills to boost endurance and strength, while reducing stress levels by enhancing relaxation.

Encouraging birds and wildlife into your garden is also good for mental health and wellbeing. Watching the birds is great for brain health, as you learn to identify different species and their behaviours. It helps distract from life stresses and find solace in the beauty of wild birds.

By placing a few bird feeders in the garden, you will get to see regular visitors, and their young. If you don’t have access to outdoor space, there are bird feeders that can be attached directly to a window.

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

Trauma, of course, can be multifaceted and is generally well beyond the scope of a single article, so this may well be a subject I return to in subsequent columns. For now, though, what might trauma look, sound or feel like?

Therapeutically, we often differentiate between small-t and big-T trauma - although a potentially more useful distinction may also be overt and covert trauma. Many people will understand the more overt traumas borne from circumstantial life events such as major car accidents, death of a loved one, sexual abuse/assault, being caught up in a war zone or other natural disaster, etc. Yet, equally impactful, are the more subtle, covert traumas; the life events that happen to us which systemically overwhelm us – and usually those which have no discernible end point; they go on. How we respond to these events potentially have seeds sown in childhood.

When our core emotional needs [broadly speaking: love, safety and healthy boundaries] aren’t met, as we develop we unconsciously gain immature coping mechanisms which then continue into and throughout adulthood. As a result, people may go on to cultivate anxiety, or even high anxiety – the latter being characterised as high functioning, meaning they always feel the need to be on the go and achieving, and otherwise find it difficult to simply be, until they reach a tipping point; this is when distraction can be added to the mix with substances or other unwanted behaviours to get away from emotional discomfort. But what we often don’t fully realise is that unwanted behaviours are a legacy of trauma held in our bodies; held in our unconscious.

Trauma also has no concept of time and can sit in our bodies on high alert for many years waiting to be triggered; ready to keep us safe. Therefore, we can carry trauma with us without being consciously aware because how well these coping mechanisms have continued to function.

What are these covert traumas and how might they continue to impact me?

Fundamentally, by their nature they are highly individual. Something that may affect one

person may not impact another in the same way; even the same experience.

Consider two soldiers seeing their friend shot down. They may share the same, extremely visceral, immediate experiential trauma, but subsequently one soldier processes the event and recovers, while the other spirals into darkness. In this example, the first soldier potentially had their core emotional needs met in childhood allowing them to be better equipped to witness such a tragedy, but the second may’ve have been triggered by seeing his mother on the ground the result of an abusive relationship.

I’ve taken a relatively extreme example to illustrate the point, but it’s often the covert traumas that sit on high alert in our bodies which can cause ongoing issues. Consider the young child whose parents separate, then as an adult they experience their own separation or divorce. It’s possible the adult relationship wasn’t a particularly happy one, maybe wellmeaning friends assure them it was the best outcome, but while the ongoing unhappiness was a covert trauma, the overt trauma was their mother or father leaving them as a child – the fear of being left all over again. In this example, perhaps it could hold us back from embarking on potentially fulfilling relationships. Or the unconscious lack of trust or fear of commitment will jeopardise future relationships.

What makes all this matter?

It’s the importance of understanding that our traumas are unique to us and that the perceived size of the trauma is often conspicuously less important. Minimising our trauma as relatively insignificant – when, as we often do, compared to others – is what traps us and makes it likely to resurface again, making it harder to understand or deal with.

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

What is trauma and how can it impact me?

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Update from Westbury Wildlife Park

After the cold winter months Westbury Wildlife Park will finally be reopening on Friday the 24th March. After a great 2022 we have spent the winter improving and making changes around the park. Come and see what is new at the park, explore the woodlands and learn about the wildlife and enjoy the natural therapeutic awesomeness of nature in the city suburbs.

we need your help, the aim of the park has been the preservation and protection of wildlife and their natural habitats and without the help of the volunteers this would not be possible. We have regular volunteer spots available in different roles.

Welcome and gift shop - Retail position is available at the front of the park, this is a customer and money taking role that would suit all abilities and ages.

Coffee shop - Customer facing and at times quite busy. You will be working alongside either another volunteer or a member of the WWPF team to make and serve coffee - tea - cake and ice cream. Full training will be given.

We have an exciting year ahead planned and can’t wait to share it with you. We are planning our fabulous Family Open Days with our famous Nepalese inspired BBQ from Nepali Nosh. Our cafe serves frothy coffees and specialist teas supplied by Clifton Coffee Roasters. Amazing cakes and sweets by local artisan Baked With Love and a few savory choices as well.

We are proud to say that we have a new space opening up on the entrance to the park where you can pick up educational games and historical leaflets on your entry into the park. This will also give you the opportunity to peruse the local crafts and artwork on offer in the gift shop. This will include crafts made on site, seeds from the park and photo books of the wildlife found in the WWPF.

We as always are run by volunteers and

Gardening Volunteers - A mixed and varied and very social role to help maintain the gardens and habitats in the park. Light gardening and some days of heavy humping and lumping but with a great sense of achievement at the end.

The WWPF also hosts corporate volunteering days as well so if you would like a great team building day out with lots of varied activities depending on your interests then get in touch.

If any of the above interests you and you want more information then please don’t hesitate to get in touch to info@ wwpf.uk or visit wwpf.uk

In the last few months I’ve written about trips to to see Gloucestershire play cricket at the Seat Unique Stadium and the Bristol Pitbulls do their worst (play hockey) on the ice. Being a spectator is one thing, but nothing beats actually throwing yourself into some fiercely contested sporting action. Therefore, fired up and raring to go, Mrs Haskell and I paid a visit to Roxy Lanes.

Based in Union Street in the middle of town, Roxy Lanes is a sports bar that offers a vast range of different games including ten-pin bowling, skittles, a (baseball) batting cage, pool and curling. Along with the darts at Fight Club and mini golf at Gareth Bale’s Par 59, it’s part of the growing number of experience bars taking over the city – we’ll save the debate on the dying art of conversation for another month!

As someone who always gets obsessed with the curling at the Winter Olympics every four years – so much so that during the weeks of the competition you’ll often find me outside, broom in hand, doing my best Eve Muirhead impression as I vigorously sweep the front drive – there was only one choice for us to have a crack at.

Unfortunately, the ice-free curling on offer at Roxy Lanes doesn’t require any sweeping. That slight disappointment aside, the object of the game remains the same, with each team taking it in turn to slide their stones down the strip, aiming to land it as close as possible to the centre of the house/target.

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With only the two of us taking part, we had more than enough time to get to grips with the skills required. To start off with we were a little tentative, our stones stopping well short of the desired target. Before long though we’d mastered both the technical and tactical elements of the game and were engaged in a closely contested clash of the curling titans.

IT RESCUE

An hour was definitely enough time for the two of us. I’d actually recommend taking part in larger teams in order to give each member a bit of respite when needed - we both woke up the next day with “curlers forearm” (I’m pretty sure that’s the official term).

At £16 per person for an hour, it was a thoroughly enjoyable way to discover a new sport, though one not disconcertingly alien to anyone used to either bowls or tenpin bowling. We’ll definitely be back - now where’s my broom?

Duncan Haskell

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So, you’ve been asked to be an attorney… but what does that mean?

If someone has appointed you using a lasting power of attorney (LPA), you can make decisions on their behalf once the LPA has been registered. That person is known as the ‘donor’, and you are their ‘attorney’. You don’t need any legal experience for this. Whilst still able, you should assist the donor to make their own decisions wherever possible.

There are two types of LPA – ‘health and welfare’ and ‘property and financial affairs’. Sometimes the same people will be attorney for both types of LPA, sometimes not. There may be more than one attorney responsible for making decisions and the donor will specify whether you need to agree on the decisions you’ll make (jointly), or whether you can make decisions with another attorney or on your own (jointly and severally).

The donor can include specific instructions within an LPA but it’s a great idea to talk to the donor to understand how they would like you to act in their best interests in different circumstances. For example, regarding charitable giving,

plans for their money and how they would like to be cared for if they became ill.

What happens if you can no longer act as someone’s attorney?

There are many reasons an attorney can cease to act on a donor’s behalf – they may decide they don’t want to anymore, may lose mental capacity, perhaps they were a spouse or civil partner and the relationship subsequently ended or they have died.

When someone is arranging LPAs, we would always suggest they indicate ‘reserve’ attorneys just in case so ideally, if you aren’t able to act for them, there will hopefully be a backup.

As award-winning vulnerable customer champions, we’re well-placed to help you plan to prepare for the future, whatever that may hold. We can help to organise LPAs and also help to guide attorneys to ensure they are supported in making financial decisions in your best interests.

If you would like to have a relaxed chat about your financial circumstances, or to arrange LPAs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Call 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

This month we visit the middle east and specifically the nation of Iran, home to one of the oldest continuous major civilisationsone that dates back to 4000BC. Most Iranian recipes come under the moniker of Persian, Persia being the country’s historic name.

Out of your kitchen will come a Persian favourite known as Tahchin Morgh, an attractive, delicious, savoury (with a hint of sweetness) rice cake, with heady aromas of saffron and turmeric. Like a pineapple upsidedown cake, this dish is inverted after cooking and served crusty side up. This crust is known as “tahdig” - translated literally as “bottom of the pot” - and is a crunchy caramelised feature of the dish. It is best cooked in a glass ovenproof dish so you can see during cooking when your tahdig is ready - not something I’ve ever said before. It contains a layer of cooked chicken but I daresay you could tailor the dish to accommodate any specific dietary requrements.

Tahchin Morgh

Ingredients - feeds 3-4 people (it’s quite rich)

• I white onion

• 4-6 chicken thighs, boned and skin-off (or 2-3 chicken breasts)

• 350g (dry weight) basmati or long grain rice

• 3 egg yolks

• 150g (small pot) plain yoghurt

• 50g dried cranberries / dried sour cherries, roughly chopped

• 3 tbsp roughly chopped pistachios

• 3 tbsp cooking oil

Iran Fact File

• 2 tbsp melted butter

• big pinch of saffron

• 3 tsp ground turmeric

• salt and black pepper

Method

1. Crush the saffron with the back of a spoon or in a pestle and mortar then add to half a wine glass full of warm water. Stir and allow to steep.

2. Slice the onion finely, and chop the chicken thighs into smallish bitesize pieces. Add the chicken and onion into a saucepan together with a wineglass full of water. Sprinkle in the turmeric, add a punch of salt and a couple of twists of pepper, stir, bring to the boil then reduce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally until all the water has evaporated (5-10 mins max). Set to one side.

3. In the meantime put the rice into a big saucepan, add a pinch of salt and a tsp of cooking oil. Stir together - the oil will help the rice not to stick. Add in twice the amount of water as there is rice (for me that’s seven glasses of water to three and a half glasses of dry rice). Bring to the boil, stir again, reduce to a very gentle simmer and place the lid on. Leave to simmer for about 6 minutes until partially cooked. Remove from the heat, drain the rice in a colander and set to one side.

4. In a large bowl, mix together the yoghurt, egg yolks and the saffron water, then add half the cooked rice. Stir well to ensure the rice and yoghurt is well mixed and nicely yellow.

Location: Western Asia, with land borders with Iraq and Turkey (to the west), Azerbaijan and Armenia (north-west), Turkmenistan (north), and SAfghanistan and Pakistan (east) and coastal borders with the Caspian Sea (north), and Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf (south)

Capital: Tehran

Population: 86.7 million

Official Language: Persian (Farsi) generally and Arabic for religious affairs

Comparative size: Iran is almost 7 times the size of the United Kingdom

Currency: Iranian rial

Interesting? The Iranian weekend is Thursday (our Saturday) and Friday (our Sunday).

5. Take your glass over proof dish, add in the remaining cooking oil and swirl around the bottom of the dish - this wil stop the tachin from sticking, allowing you to turn it out with a flourish.

6. Carefully spoon the yellow saffron / yoghurty rice into the glass oven dish then firm down evenly with the back of a spoon.

7. Onto the yellow rice base spread the chicken and onion mix evenly, and then scatter two thirds of the chopped cranberries / sour cherries on top.

8. Now carefully spoon the remaining plain white rice over the top of the chicken / cranberry layer and again smooth out with the back of a spoon.

9. Finally drizzle the surface of the rice with the melted butter. Cover the top of the dish with foil and then place into the oven, pre-heated to 200C or gas equivalent.

10. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes, then remove from the oven and check to see if the bottom of the tahchin is browning up (this will be the crispy top when it is

turned out). If necessary return to the oven for another 15 minutes by which time it should have turned golden brown. As with toast, you can always leave the dish to cook a little longer if you fancy it a little crustier / crisper.

11. Remove the dish from the oven then carefully invert the tahchin out onto a warmed serving plate the same size or larger plate - it should drop out easily.

12. Garnish with the remaining cranberries / cherries and the chopped pistachios and serve.

“Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper” is the oft quoted mantra of mid 20th century nutritionist Adelle Davis - a food rule I tend to ignore, indeed regularly reverse. Recently though, Mrs F and I had the opportunity to indeed breakfast like royal patriarchs, visiting the very splendid new Aqua Grand Cafe on Whiteladies Road.

the ever-busy Whiteladies Road, AGC is a great place to sit and eat, socialise and generally relax. On the warmer days to come it will be possible to sit outside on the wide terrace and watch the world go by, but until then sitting at a table in the window is the place to go. The picture windows allow light to flood in, adding to the feeling of space already given by the high ceilings and the generously spaced tables. Yes, it is a very agreeable place to be - an experience enhanced by the classy decor, the friendly and attentive staff and the attention to detail in everything Ben and his team do. From the best locally sourced ingredients to fine china, linen tablecloths, stylish cutlery and comfy upholstered seating - everything tells you that this is a place to come not just to eat but to dine.

In its former guise as one of the well known and popular Aqua restaurants it was a favourite of ours (and indeed many friends) so we have been intrigued to see its successor emerge. And now it has - a classy cafe restaurant heavily inspired by the menus and style of the great cafes of Paris. Owner Ben Smithson, trained in the arts of the Maitre ‘D at the Savoy Grill on the Strand, has long wanted to bring the joy and splendour of the classic French dining experience to Bristol, and is undertandably proud and excited about his new venture - in premises that once housed the legendary Colleys Supper Rooms.

So, let’s deal with Aqua Grand Cafe first as a place to visit. Set on, but well back from,

That said, it isn’t pretentious or stuffy, and if all you want is a coffee and croissant mid morning, a classic English afternoon tea, or a lush Croque monsieur when “le munchies” kick in at any time, you are as

welcome as anyone coming along in the evening to enjoy an a la carte menu that features such classics as coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon and Dover sole meuniere.

So, to the food.......

When it came to our breakfast we decided to mix it up a bit - with a light bite followed by “always hard to resist when on the menu” scrambled eggs. My opener was a bit of a gamble on my part - unknown-to-me Bircher Muselli - and Mrs F had a top notch fresh fruit salad. I wasn’t sure the gamble was going to pay off as my muselli arrived looking not dissimilar to a type of porridge - my breakfast bete noire. In a sense it was - rolled oats with hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and sultanas steeped overnight in milk - but which to my surprise was one of the most delicious things I’ve had to eat in a long while. It certainly was enough to kick off the day in fine fashion - and helped sustain me until tea time.

brioche for the good lady. Both were predictably great, helped in part by the extraordinary colour of the scrambled eggs. When asked what the chef had added to the eggs - a dash of paprika maybe - the answer was a resounding “nothing”, the eggs were from Clarence Court, the RollsRoyce of egg suppliers and which have the richest, golden yolks you can imagine. Boy were they tasty.

The hot second half to our breakfast was scrambled egg on sourdough toast for me, and with smoked salmon on toasted

So, we really did breakfast like kings - and it was a real treat to start our day there. Sadly we were both too full to extend our stay and lunch like princes, and when we return - which we will - we’ll ignore the nutritionists advice, and dinner like kings.

PRIZE DRAW - AQUA GRAND CAFE

Would you like the chance for you and a friend to have breakfast at Aqua Grand Cafe? The team there are very kindly offering breakfast for two from their terrific breakfast menu. All you need to do to be in with a chance is let me know you would like to be entered into the prize draw.

Simply send your name to me here at the magazine - by post to 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9 3PY, email andy@ bcmagazines.co.uk, phone on 0117 259 1964 or text to 07845 986650 - no later than 31st March and one lucky entrant will be drawn at random to go and “breakfast like a king” at Aqua Grand Cafe.

How do we find our way through the new year property market maze?

There are areas of the British Isles, such as loftier parts of the Isle of Skye, where a compass doesn’t work. This anomaly is due to the local geology – a hard, abrasive, magnetic rock called gabbro. Not being able to trust one’s compass is always unnerving - and potentially dangerous.

At the moment the property market is like an untrustworthy compass. The needle should point accurately; instead it is going round and round, making the public uncertain about the correct way to go. Many people are faced with the rotating needle of conflicting information from the Press and Social Media. Some commentators point to falling values, while others disagree. Headlines scream that higher mortgage rates will make it difficult for first time buyers, buy-to-let investors will be selling up en masse, or that in a few short months we will be in a pre-banking crisis, pre-Brexit and pre-pandemic property market Utopia.

Whether you are selling, buying a home, or buying to let, it’s challenging for most to know which way to go. Should one hold off buying or selling in the hope of a better market? But buyers and sellers will be piling in by then, which could mean losing the advantage of bold action now.

The answer to all these questions is to ignore the confused media compass and find a more reliable pathfinder. Enter Howard Independent Estate Agents. You might be astonished to know how much Howard understands about our local property market. After all, our activities are seen in the main to consist of Social Media posts, newspaper ads and For Sale and Sold boards. But at Howard we are like icebergs: ninety per cent of what’s going on is unseen.

Author, Malcolm Gladwell, suggested it takes 10,000 hours (or approximately ten years) of deliberate practice to become an expert in anything.

Over ten years Howard has marketed, agreed the sales and seen through to completion thousands of property deals through markets good and bad, economies booming and busting, in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

Howard has also helped families move during the good and the not so good times in their lives. We have advised landlords and investors, looked after their properties, and have secured good tenants regardless of market conditions. At Howard we have learnt what to do whatever the market, and we know what to do now.

So, if you want to know what direction is best for you in the prevailing property market, don’t trust a compass; ask the experts at Howard!

CLIFTONWOOD - FOR SALE GUIDE PRICE £775,000

A three bedroom period terraced property, with stunning panoramic views towards Bristol Floating Harbour and Dundry. Lovingly maintained by current owners with period meets modern twists. Viewing comes highly recommended.

CLIFTON - FOR SALE GUIDE PRICE £220,000

A beautifully presented, one double bedroom retirement flat. An excellent Clifton location and well placed for the Village. Recently installed fitted kitchen and shower room. Spacious living room with open outlook. Double bedroom with built in wardrobes. Communal lounge and gardens. Viewing is highly recommended.

SNEYD PARK - SOLD SIMILAR PROPERTIES REQUIRED

An outstanding three bedroom maisonette. Offering a stylish and well presented interior. Floor area 1622 sq ft / 150.7 sq m. Situated close to the Downs, Whiteladies Road. Scope to extend with relevant permission.

STOKE BISHOP - SOLD SIMILAR PROPERTIES REQUIRED

An exceptional first floor apartment offering panoramic views. A spacious and well-presented interior. Private balcony, with storage, garage, and guest parking. Communal gardens with drying area. Two double bedrooms with built in wardrobes. No onward chain.

Digital Voice and the landline phone switch-off It’s arguably the biggest social project since analogue television was retired some 10 years ago: the UK’s telephone network is also going digital. The telecoms industry has even set a deadline that’s backed by the UK government –the old copper network will be switched off at the end of 2025.

If you weren’t aware of plans to switch off the PSTN (public switched telephone network), you aren’t alone. When telecare provider Taking Care did a survey they found that 91% were unaware that all phone lines would become digital by the end of 2025.

Digital Voice is the name BT, the UK’s biggest landline provider, uses for its digital voice service. You may also hear digital voice services referred to as ‘VoIP’, ‘IP voice’ and other branded versions such as ‘Sky Voice’ or ‘TalkTalk Voice’. Digital voice services are the future of landlines – they work using broadband connections rather than copper phone lines.

Your landline provider will get in touch with you when it’s coming to the time for you to migrate. They might call the new service Digital Voice, IP voice or a branded version such as ‘Sky Voice’.

BT has already migrated hundreds of thousands of customers to its Digital Voice service. It and other providers are currently focusing on

offering digital phone services to customers when they switch broadband providers or upgrade to full fibre broadband. If you switch provider, you may also be offered the option to eschew a phone line altogether – previously something only offered by a handful of providers.

If you don’t want to change to a digital phone service, in many cases you won’t have to upgrade just yet: traditional phone services will continue to work for a couple of years. But from 2023, traditional phone services won’t be offered to new or recontracting customers, and by December 2025 they will be withdrawn entirely.

So what happens when you are switched over?

In most cases, the changeover will be simple. While some phones might require an adaptor, many will continue working (particularly DECT cordless phones) – you’ll just have to plug yours into your router or a new socket. Older phones might need to be replaced. It’s likely that providers will offer a new model, but it might come at a cost. Some people might need a new or upgraded router, supplied by their provider. You’ll be able to keep the same phone number and you’ll also still have to pay for calls in the same way.

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

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Conservative Councillors for Westbury-on-Trym

Geoff Gollop

Sharon Scott

Steve Smith

•Cllr.geoffrey.gollop@bristol.gov.uk

•0117 903 9946

•Cllr.sharon.scott@bristol.gov.uk

•07584 182792

•Cllr.steve.smith@bristol.gov.uk

•07769 285 266

& Henleaze

or write to us at City Hall, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TR

• Westbury Hill car park. To join our campaign against car park charges please register at wotcarpark@gmail.com

• The planning committee decision for St Christophers may be put back to the 26th April. We support the concerns of 600+ local residents. You can still comment- see scanbristol.org

• Buses Stop. From 1st April the 10 and 11 buses will finish at Southmead Hospital and no longer serve UWE and Parkway Station

Aluminium, Timber, PVCu, Windows, Doors & Rooflights

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 engaging lectures given by specialists in their own arts related field? New members are welcome. The lecture on 14 March is on Arts and Crafts in Cotswold Churches and on 11 April is on Jewellery in the Age of Victoria. Lectures are held at 8pm at Redmaids’ High School, Westburyon-Trym, BS9 3AW. See our website www. theartssociety-bristol.org.uk

• Blaise Community Garden, next to Blaise Museum, is open Wednesday and Saturday 10-2. Originally the walled kitchen garden to the house, it’s now a bustling volunteerled community garden. Free entry, so come and see the flowers, vegetables, trees and ponds. Plants always available on our Plant Table. Got some spare time? We’re always looking for new volunteers. No experience needed, all ages welcome. Our Café serving homemade cakes will be open 10-2 on 18 March and 8 April.

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

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

co.uk/visit

• Bristol All Voices Allowed Choir 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 is delighted to be performing at St Alban’s Church, Wetbury Park, for the first time on Saturday March 18th at 7.30pm. We start with Mozart’s Solemn Vespers, Byrd’s popular Ave verum corpus, 5 Spirituals from A Child of our Time by Sir Michael Tippett, anthems by Stanford and W.H.Harris, and Herbert Howells’ sublime setting of the Te Deum. Tickets: £24 (reserved), £15 (unreserved). Students and under 18s, free (see website for full details). Phone: Bristol Bach Choir Box Office 0117 214 0721 or visit www. bristolbach.org.uk

• 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. 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 Bridge Club are planning to run another beginners course starting February 27, 2023. It will be on Wednesday evening at 7pm. The cost will be £70 for ten lessons (£90 for ten lessons including a book BFA Beginning Bridge) or £8 a lesson. For further details, please email teaching@bristolbridgeclub.co.uk

• 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 0117914-5465 for more details.

• Bristol’s Flower Club meets on Thursday afternoons in Henleaze at the Bradbury Hall, 117 Waterford Road, BS9 4BT. Annual membership is great value at £52 with inspiring floral demonstrations, optional creative hands-on practice classes and special ‘flowery’ events and social trips plus 10% discount off plants at Brackenwood Nursery. Check us out on the second Thursday of the month for a Floral Demonstration with doors opening 1.30 for a 2pm start, and the fourth Thursday for an optional hands-on 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 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. Our next session will be our annual Discussion littéraire at 8pm on 9 March at BAWA. We will be talking about Et si c’était vrai... by Marc Levy – these evenings are always a really interesting exchange of views. We will follow that with a hybrid Zoom talk by Brigitte Thibaut, on L’histoire du vignoble bordelais, on Thursday 23 March at 8pm. There will be a petit cours at 7pm at BAWA for those who would like to watch Brigitte’s talk together on the big screen; other members and visitors will watch her presentation from home. Please have a look at our website (www.cfbristol. org.uk) for the programme and updates, and do get in touch with Charlotte Taylor, the President, if you are interested in coming along – she will be delighted to chat with you! charlottejanetaylor10@ gmail.com / 07976 922636.

• 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. Wednesday 15th March 2023 - Some Surprising Fachs. Donald Maxwell looks back on the last forty five years and shares some thoughts and illustrations from favourite roles in his very varied career. 6.45 for 7.15 pm Refreshments available Easy parking. WNO Friends £8, visitors £10. Further information about this and occasional coach trips from Melanie David - Tel: 01934 842014 melaniejdavid@btinternet.com

• Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society’s next meeting will take place on Monday 27 March 2023 at the Apostle Room, Clifton Cathedral BS8 3BX at 7.45 pm (refreshments available from 7.15). Dr Jim Pimpernell will speak on “The Berkeley Estate in the Eighteenth Century”. Offstreet parking available; no 8 bus runs close by. For further information contact johnregstevens@outlook.com (01179 681326 or 07835 846485).

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

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

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

• Bristol Morris Men practice on Thursday evenings from 8:15pm - 9:45pm in the Sports Hall at Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital (QEH), Berkely Place, Clifton BS8 1JX. New members are very welcome, whether you

Council Tax : Will increase by 5% in April. Proposals to remove funding for parks, cut libraries and move Central Library have been dropped. Escalating costs to refurbish the Bristol Beacon (Colston Hall) are a major concern up from £45M to a shocking £132M!

The Downs : Readers will be aware of a new type of anti social behaviour on the Downs. This involves cars and quadbikes racing on the grass. John and Henry have been in touch with Avon & Somerset PCC, Mark Shelford, asking for a crackdown and a greater police presence. As regards the increasing number of van dwellers and associated litter/waste, your local councillors together with the 3 councillors from Westbury on Trym have arranged a meeting with the Mayor. We will report back on this next time.

Voi Scooters: Residents have reported a rise in reckless parking of Voi Scooters on residential roads across Stoke Bishop and Sneyd Park. John and Henry have voiced concerns to Voi and Metro Mayor, Dan Norris. The scooter pilot is being monitored by the Metro Mayor. Please let him know your views. You can contact him by emailing: Mayor@westofengland ca.gov.uk

Your comments, views and questions welcomed these are our contact details:

Cllr John Goulandris Email: cllr.john.goulandris@bristol.gov.uk

Cllr Henry Michallat Email: cllr.henry.michallat@bristol.gov.uk

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Stoke Bishop, Sea Mills & Sneyd Park Matters

City Hall, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TR Tel: 0117 922 2227

have any experience of dancing or none. Call Grant on (0117) 9442165.

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

• Bristol Phoenix Choir, Saturday 4th March, Clifton Cathedral 7.30pm, will be performing Brahms ‘Ein deutsches Requiem’ and Vaughan Williams ‘Five Mystical Songs’. Tickets through Eventbrite, from choir members or at the door - £18, under 25s £5, under 16s free.

• 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

• Brunel Sinfonia Spring Concert - come and join the Brunel Sinfonia on Saturday 18th March at 7:30pm at Redland Hall, Redmaids’ High School. We’ll be performing Holst’s The Planets, joined by Bristol Cathedral Choir School. The choir will also perform Music of Stillness by Elaine Hagenberg. Other programme items include Night Ride and Sunrise by Sibelius, and The Space Between Stars by Ella Macens, Tickets available on the door, or in advance from https://www. brunelsinfonia.org.uk/purchase-ticket £15 adults, £12 concessions, £6 NUS and £3 U18s. There’s also a £6 First-timer ticket option if it’s your first time at a Brunel Sinfonia concert.

• 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.

• Clifton Women’s Institute - we’re a friendly bunch who meet on the last Wednesday of the month at Alma Church, Alma Road, Clifton BS8 2ES from 7.30. Anyone interested in coming to a meeting as a visitor is most welcome (£5). It’s not all jam and Jerusalem, and we’re particularly keen to welcome younger members who would like to meet like minded women, mingle with a glass of wine and enjoy some varied and interested talks.It would be good to see you, no obligation to join - just come along and see what we get up to. Our speaker on Wednesday 29th March is Reginald King who will be sharing The History of Keeping Warm in Bed which sounds intriguing! We keep our blog cliftonwi.blogspot.com updated with our forthcoming events. For more information about Clifton WI, please contact thecliftonwi@gmail.com

• City of Bristol Choir warmly invites you to a concert, ‘That Friday Feeling’, comprising 70 minutes of choral music to invigorate, refresh and soothe the soul. The concert is on Friday 24th March 2023 at 7.45pm in All Saints’ Church, Clifton. Tickets include refreshments, served from 7.15pm, £15 for adults, £5 for students and under 18s, available online at www.cityofbristolchoir. org.uk and at Opus 13 music shop, Park Row (0117 923 0164).

• City Voices Bristol rehearse on Monday nights at Red Maids High School, from 7.15-9.15pm. 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.

• Harold Stephens have organised a ‘Cuppa 4 a Cure’ event to raise money for BRACE

Dementia Research charity on Tuesday 21st March 1pm – 2.30pm at Golden Hill Sports Ground. We will be selling refreshments and cake and also holding a raffle. Contact Amy community@ haroldstephens.co.uk or call 0117 3636 212 to book your free spot.

• Drawing for well-being: an opportunity to step back from the madness of life and engage with nature through drawing.

AN AMATEUR PRODUCTION BY ARRANGEMENT WITH THE REALLY USEFUL GROUP LTD

11-15 APRIL 2023 REDGRAVE THEATRE

MUSIC BY ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER

ORIGINALLY DIRECTED BY HAROLD PRINCE

LYRICS BY TIM RICE

All materials and coffee provided! No experience necessary. Come and find quiet, beauty and space at Trymwood Studios, Mondays and Fridays 11am12.30pm during term-time, registration essential. For more information please email Hannah and Lucy - info@ trymwoodstudios.co.uk

• 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

• Free Bridge tuition for Beginners. Why not come and learn the basics of playing Bridge with us? All completely free and no previous knowledge needed. We are a very friendly group and meet in the Bristol 9 area. For further details please contact Terry Stygall on 07837300073 or on my landline on 9091714.

• 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. 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 18th March, 10am to 12 noon. Please bring your own tea/coffee. Chocolate biscuits will always be provided. For more information, please email fospnr@gmail.com, our web

site is oldsneedparknaturereserve.org

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

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

• 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

• 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

• Henleaze Choral Society is giving a concert with orchestra and soloists on Saturday 18th March, at 7.30pm, at Trinity Henleaze URC, Waterford Rd, Henleaze. Programme includes Vivaldi- Gloria, Handel- The King Shall rejoice, Dyson- Songs of Praise, etc . Tickets £15 from choir members, at the door, by phone : Kathy 078553711/ Nigel 07817804037. Email henleazechoralsoc@ gmail.com

• The Henleaze Concert Society ‘Under English Skies’ concert is on March 11th at 7:30 pm at the Trinity-Henleaze Unified Reformed Church, Waterford Road, Henleaze, BS9 4BT (doors open at 6.15, pre-concert talk at 6.45). We will hear some of the best loved music for strings: Vaughan Williams’ richly scored variations on the folk song Dives and Lazarus, Elgar’s rapturous Introduction and Allegro, Finzi’s poignant and elegiac Romance, and Holst’s

Westbury Library Group AGM and Book Talk

The Westbury Library Group was formed in 2017 to help coordinate opposition to library closures and then, when the immediate danger had been removed, to support and develop the role of the library within the community

We run Coffee Mornings in the library on the last Saturday of each month and worked with SusWoT to create a small Community Garden at the side of the building. We have also used funding from the Library Service to purchase foldable chairs and a secure outside store, so that the library can be used to host community events, such as the quarterly Westbury Forum, for up to 50 people.

Our AGM will take place in the library on Thursday March 16th, starting at 7:30pm. The business part of the meeting should take about half an hour or so, followed by discussion of future plans, and then there will a talk by Ivan Brown about his recent book ‘Night Will Pass…The Sun Will Rise’ . To quote the back cover, “A novel based on the true story of a Polish officer who survived Katyn, the KGB, WW2 and his Yorkshire in-laws”. Ivan’s talk will describe the research involved, the places he visited and the discoveries he made along the way. The book is available through Amazon, but Ivan will have copies with him on the night at the discounted price of £10.

Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting. It would be helpful, though not essential, if you could let me know by email or telephone, so that we can estimate numbers for seating and light refreshments.

The group maintains a mailing list to provide updates on library activities; if you would like to be added to it, please email westburylibrarygroup@gmail.com or ring me on 0117 9502825. You can find further information about the group on our website www.westburylibrarygroup.org

St Paul’s Suite inspired by traditional ballads and dances. 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).

• 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 27th March at 2pm. Six Minutes to Midnight (PG) 2022. Based on the true story of a British finishing school for the daughters and goddaughters of the Nazi elite, in the late 1930s. Starring Judi Dench & Eddie Izzard. Tickets: £4.00 including refreshments. Carers welcome, easy access. For more information, please call 0117 435 0063. St. Peter’s Hall, The Drive, Henleaze BS9 4LD

• 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-on-Trym Village Hall. Contact Pete Stables 0117 950 1524 or www.pete4458.wixsite.com/ highburybadminton for more details.

• HISS Hearing Impaired Support Scheme, is a small helpful charity serving Bristol and surroundings. We are looking for new volunteers. Friendly training provided. Please contact info@HISSBristol.org.uk. People with Hospital-provided hearing aids can be seen in their own homes when it’s too hard to get to their Clinics. We understand hearing problems and lipreading, maintain hearing aids and encourage contact with the CfD.org.uk for equipment and support groups.

• Keep fit with dance moves – at Horfield Methodist Church, BS7 8SN, Tuesday

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

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

• 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 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.

• Local Choir is actively recruiting new members. We meet at St Edyth’s Church Hall, BS9 2HU on Thursday evenings from 7.30 - 9.30. 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

Art Exhibition

Trymwood Studios - inspiring a love of art and nature

Birds of the Garden

Paintings, Prints, Drawings & Sculptures

9th - 26th March 2023

Opening times

Thursday - Sunday

11am - 4pm or by appointment

trymwoodstudios.co.uk

Trym Road BS9 3ET

Looking to have fun ....., keep fit ...., meet people ....?

Come and have a go at ....

Scottish Country Dancing

No experience necessary - Just wear flat shoes, comfy clothes ... and a smile!

Tuesdays: 7.30 to 9.30pm, St Peter’s Church Hall, Henleaze, BS9 4LD

WESTBURY SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING CLUB

www.westburycottish.org.uk

For more information contact Cheryl on 0117 401 2416, or if a Thursday is preferred please see www.rscdsbristol.info for details

Robert Greenhalf Bullfinches & Woodpigeons

reading, no concerts.We play a mixture of pop and swing. The bands would suit anyone who used to play an instrument and has taken it up again recently, or has been playing for a couple of years or more. Not suitable for complete beginners. For more information contact mondayafternoonband@gmail.com or wednesdayeveningband@gmail.com

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

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

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

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

• The Out There Music Bristol Chamber Choir is a small auditioned choir singing a range of classical, popular, jazz and spiritual music which rehearses every Tuesday during term time from 6pm-7.30pm 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 9.30-10.20am, Parent and baby: Wednesday 10.3011.20am. 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

• Retired & Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP-West) Schools Programme. If you love reading and books and the company of children, we would love to hear from you! Many children in Bristol schools benefit hugely by having individual time with our vetted and trained volunteers. A limited but regular commitment of time can provide you with pleasure and satisfaction as you see your support helping children to develop confidence and skill and a personal enjoyment of reading. (We are a completely volunteer-led organisation and we do not charge any schools for our help.) If you want to know more please contact us - either by E mail at schools@rsvpwest.org.uk or telephone 0117 922 4392

• 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

• 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. Alternatively if Thursday evening is not convenient, there is Westbury Scottish Country Dance Club on a Tuesday evening, for information contact Cheryl on 0117 4012416 .

• 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 meet on the second Thursday of each month at Sea Mills Methodist Church at 7.30 pm. Our speaker on 9 March will be Andrew Hockey telling us about Flowers of the Dolomites. On 13 April James Cross from the Bishops Garden in Wells will be showing us The Past, Present and Future of the Gardens. Visitors always welcome at £5 (includes tea and biscuits) - 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. Next CafeMarch 11th. 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.

• Seeking Tenors, Baritones and Basses! Calon Lan, Myfanwy, Bread of Heaven? Our new occasional ensemble follows the Welsh Male Choir tradition. We sing partly in English, partly in Welsh. But you don’t need to speak the language: you don’t even need Welsh blood, if you like the repertoire and can have a go at the pronunciation. Interested? Call Michael: 07905-138701.

• 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, BS1 6RT. See www.severnsidesac.com or email info@ severnsidesac.com for details. One-off ‘try diving’ experience sessions also available for non-members including individuals and youth groups, Scouts and Guides, etc

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

• Are you a calligrapher who would like to take it up again? The St Edyth’s Scribes are a long established group of selfled 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 Local History Group meets in Stoke Bishop Village Hall, 42 Stoke Hill, BS9 1EX. Talks start at 7:30. Our next talk is on 24th March when Michael Whitefield will be talking about “The Dispensaries - health care for the poor in Briatol 100 years ago.” 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

CHARITY QUIZ NIGHT

PROCEEDS TO BE SHARED AMONGST

THE CHARITIES LISTED BELOW

FRIDAY 17th MARCH 2023

7.00pm for 7.30pm start

CHARITY QUIZ NIGHT

PROCEEDS TO BE SHARED AMONGST

ST MONICA TRUST, OATLEY HALL, COTE LANE, WESTBURY-ON-TRYM, BS9 3UN

THE CHARITIES LISTED BELOW

MAX 6 PEOPLE PER TEAM

PRIZES, RAFFLE, BAR

FRIDAY 17th MARCH 2023

7.00pm for 7.30pm start

£15 PER PERSON (INC AN EXCELLENT LIGHT SUPPER!)

ST MONICA TRUST, OATLEY HALL, COTE LANE, WESTBURY-ON-TRYM, BS9 3UN

(card payments accepted)

MAX 6 PEOPLE PER TEAM

PRIZES, RAFFLE, BAR

(card payments accepted)

?

FOR TICKETS CONTACT:

£15 PER PERSON (INC AN EXCELLENT LIGHT SUPPER!)

ALLAN ASHBY 07766 312319

FOR TICKETS CONTACT:

or KAREN HOLLEY 07540 458119

ALLAN ASHBY 07766 312319

?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Organised by Bradley Stoke Rotary Club

or KAREN HOLLEY 07540 458119

Organised by Bradley Stoke Rotary Club

9685813 or email: mike_gayhuggins@ hotmail.com

• Stoke Bishop Ladies Choir Spring Concert is on Monday 3rd April, 2pm, at Stoke Bishop Village Hall. Free tea and admission but donation to local charity. All welcome.

• 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. Our Spring Concert is on Monday 3rd April, 2pm, at Stoke Bishop Village Hall. Free tea and admission but donation to local charity. All welcome. 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. Please contact Amanda at amamtcf@gmail.com for more details.

• Toddlers Together, run by volunteers from Holy Trinity Church and Westbury-onTrym 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@westbury-parish-church. org.uk or contact the parish office on 0117 9508644.

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

• Ukulele group. If you’re interested in playing and don’t wish to travel too far, please get in touch. I’m thinking of starting a group in the Stoke Bishop/ Shirehampton/Westbury on Trym area on Monday eves. At this stage, not for beginners, altho you don’t need to be expert as I’m not!! Please get in touch with me on 07595-627218 and let’s have a chat! Or email me on: nmw2454@gmail.com

• Walk and Talk. Want to improve your health and wellbeing? Want to enjoy a walk with other carers? Want to get useful information and advice about the support available to you? Join Carers Support Centre for a set of socially distanced, easy walks in W-o-T starting on March 8. Contact Stacey Vallis on 07742 291073 to join in.

• Warm In Westbury. Join us for warmth, soup and tea and coffee every Tuesday between 11.45 am – 1.15 pm at Holy Trinity Church, Church Road, Westbury on Trym, BS9 3EQ. No need to book – please just come along.

• 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 last Wednesday of the month, 2-3.30pm at The Beehive Pub, Wellington Hill West, BS9 4QY. Meet new people, have fun, and find out what’s happening in your local area. Call 0117 435 0063 for more information.

• Westbury Library Coffee Morning is held in the library on Falcondale Road on the last Saturday of each month, from 11:15am to 1:15pm. Come and join us for a free and friendly cup of tea or coffee and some biscuits or a piece of cake. Find out more about what the library has to offer, discuss

Quiz Time from page 22

Pot Luck

1. a cushion for kneeling on in church; 2. lace making; 3. the second half of the eighteenth century; 4. a sharp ended tool for boring holes, typically used in woodwork; 5. Denmark from Norway and Sweden.

Dames and Knights

Sir Sam Mendes, Dame Shirley Bassey, Dame Laura Kenny

Sport

1. Sam Allardyce; 2a) rowing, b) dressage. c) kayaking; 3. darts; 4. the Grand National at Aintree; 5. fencing, swimming, show jumping, pistol shooting and cross-country running.

Cities

1. Amsterdam; 2.a) Ottawa, b) Minsk, c) Belgrade; 3. Bath and York; 4. Bangor (NI), Colchester, Doncaster, Douglas (Isle of Man), Dunfermline, Milton Keynes, Stanley (Falklands) and Wrexham; 5. Lisbon (38 degrees north) compared to Las Vegas (36 degrees north) and Tokyo (35 degrees north).

James Bond

1. Roger Moore (seven times); 2. Charlize Theron; 3. (from l to r) Blofeld, Jaws and OddJob; 4. Adele, Sam Smith, Billie Eilish; 5. Live and Let Die, and Goldeneye

In the News

1. Nadhim Zahawi; 2. John Swinney ; 3. Rod Stewart; 4. Leopard 2; 5. Colin Murray

Pink Things

1. a Rolls-Royce; 2. Just Like A Pill; 3. flamingo; 4. shirts; 5. false - it is traditionally flavoured with Angostura Bitters or more recently red fruits like strawberries, raspberries or redcurrants.

Oscar Winners

Daniel Day-Lewis (My Left Foot); Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook); Sir Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs); Jodie Foster (The Accused); Jack Nicholson (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest).

Pot Luck 2

1. Baltic Sea; 2. Mole, Ratty, Badger and Mr Toad; 3. Trowbridge; 4. first running of the London Marathon; 5. Blenheim Palace. and finally - Lincolnshire

Wordsearch - from page 28 - Kashmiri

HEARING IMPAIRED SUPPORT SCHEME

is looking for new volunteers. We are a charity maintaining hospital-provided hearing aids in people’s homes; we are not audiologists, but are trained in small repairs.

Please contact us by email info@ hissbristol.org.uk or on 0117 3361612 (leave message).

Staying in touch with life and friends when you are hard of hearing is really hard and tiring. Here are some tips for better communication:

• Ask how best to communicate.

• Don’t shout!

• Catch my attention: use my name or ask if you can touch my arm.

• Say WHAT TOPIC you are talking about first.

• Face me with full attention: we

cannot hear round corners!

• Use gestures and facial expression.

• Speak slowly: give me time to work it out.

• Check that what you’re saying is being understood.

• Light on your face and not behind you: we ALL lip read to some extent.

• Quieter background: ask to turn music off and don’t clatter cutlery.

• Hearing aids help a lot.

• Get support and equipment from The Centre for Deaf and Hard of Hearing: cfd.org.uk

www.hissbristol.org.uk

local matters or just have a pleasant chat. Just turn up for a warm welcome.

• 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 Westburyon-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 If you enjoy singing, we invite you to join our friendly, nonauditioned, 4 part choir, in term-time

Disclaimer

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 EBU-recognised 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-on-Trym 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.

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.

Westbury on Trym Village Show

The Westbury on Trym Village Show will be returning to the Village Hall and gardens on Saturday 2nd September 2023. The names of many of the classes will be inspired by this year’s theme of ‘Harvest Time’. There will be plenty of opportunities for growers, crafters, gardeners, cooks and photographers of all ages to showcase their talents and interests. Money raised goes towards the support and maintenance of the Hall.

We are delighted that this year we will be linking with Family Food Action, which is a community-based charity working with five local community-based partners. The Ardagh on Horfield Common is a collecting and sorting hub for donations of food from residents and businesses in the North Bristol area. There will be an opportunity for visitors to the show to make donations this vital work.

Bookings for stalls and attractions are being taken. The ever-popular Marshfield Brass Band, which adds to the traditional village show atmosphere, has already been booked.

The show schedule will be published at the end of April and will be available in local shops, businesses and the WOT Library. Further information, including the Stallholders’ Application Form may be found on the show’s Facebook Page and website (wotvs.co.uk).

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