The Bristol Nine - April 2013 by Andy Fraser

Apr 2013

No 85

In this issue: The Black Swan ‐ London Underground Wordsearch ‐ Inspiral Glass ‐ Prize Winning Photography ‐ Henleaze Hardware ‐ Exploring Blaise & The Downs ‐ What’s On?

The Editor’s small piece Hello there and welcome to the 7th birthday issue of the magazine. Thanks for sticking with it, and I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing it grow as much as I of course have. It would be nothing without the terrific support I’ve had from readers and advertisers alike, and I’m very grateful. All sorts of bits and pieces inside this month, including details on page 9 of some new contact details and a new look website ‐ www.bcmagazines.co.uk ‐ to tie in with the incorporation of the business. There are also reviews of the new Henleaze Hardware shop on Henleaze Road, The Black Swan on Stoke Lane, and Inspiral Glass on Westbury High Street, as well as interesting articles on obesity and swimming. And of course the normal prize wordsearch, general knowledge quiz and loads of community news. Congratulations to recent Prize Wordsearch winners Louise Cavell from Westbury who won the January puzzle (Bratislava the missing answer) and Mike Davies from Stoke Bishop who won the February Let’s Rock Bristol competition (Gary Numan was the answer), and thanks to the dozens of entrants. Finally some great news ‐ yes, they do sell Scampi Fries! (see p. 41) Have a great month and I’ll be back with some glorious sunshine next month. Cheers,

Andy

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There is something reassuring, nostalgic even about the smell of a hardware store. For me it reminds me of my childhood in Ferndown, and the thrill of going with my dad into, what seemed to me as a small boy, the Aladdin’s cave that was Dolloways. Even now there is a bit of a thrill knowing that there is so much in there, with just the hint of excitement that you might stumble across a little something that you didn’t know you needed but can’t now do without. Every high street should have hardware store, somewhere you can go to “get stuﬀ” without the need to venture out of town. And now the great news is that Henleaze has got a proper hardware store, called, reassuringly, Henleaze Hardware. It opened just a few weeks ago, the venture of local resident Nader, in the premises that used to be The Bay Tree healthfood shop on Henleaze Road. Anyone familiar with the Bay Tree will know that it had a café at the back, and so won’t be surprised at just how big the premises are. For those who’ve not discovered it yet, the size of Henleaze Hardware might be a bit of an eye‐opener as it by no means small. It is also light, cheery and as a result seems very spacious.

Which is no bad thing because any good hardware shop needs to stock loads of stuﬀ, and so requires plenty of

space. I tried to make a mental note of what products Nader’s emporium covers, but in the end decided it is such a wide range I needed to write it down. So here’s the basics (deep breath) ‐ painting and decorating supplies (inc. Dulux and Johnstone’s paints), locks and security equipment (inc. Yale), curtain track ands fittings, flooring, domestic and cleaning supplies, plumbing fittings and tools, electrical and light fittings, varnishes and woodstains, adhesives, fixings and tapes, and of course loads and loads of screws, nuts, bolts and tools. And loads more beside. In fact a fun challenge might be to go to Henleaze Hardware and try and find an item , something that you might routinely need for the home , that the shop doesn’t stock. You might struggle. I met a customer in the shop on my visit looking for a compression tee (a type of pipe fitting, I think), found it no trouble and, as I left, had an armful of other vital bits and pieces he’d discovered. Said gentleman mourned the loss of Nye Hardware in Kellaway Avenue, and was understandably delighted to discover Henleaze Hardware.

In a way, hardware stores are designed for people who like to do a bit of DIY. But not all of us do, for whatever reason, and Nader and his team realise this ‐ which is why they oﬀer a fix‐it service as well, providing a full range of property maintenance services for when you just can’t do it yourself. Just ask in the shop for advice, details and general DIY support. So, there we are ‐ Henleaze Hardware, a very welcome and friendly addition to the local business community and one I’m sure will prosper and benefit many, many local residents. Henleaze Hardware, 176 Henleaze Road, BS9 4NE Open 9 ‐ 6 Monday ‐ Saturday, 10 ‐ 1 Sunday www.henleazehardware.co.uk Tel 0117 239 1995

Useful Numbers and Information Gas Emergencies Electricity Emergencies Water Emergencies Avon & Somerset Police Non‐Emergencies Crimestoppers Southmead Hospital Frenchay Hospital BRI / Children’s Hospital NHS Direct

0800 111 999 0800 365 900 0845 600 4 600 101 (new number) 0800 555 111 0117 950 5050 0117 970 1212 0117 923 0000 0845 46 47

NHS Direct soon to change to 111 Bristol Blood Donation 0117 988 2040 The Samaritans 08457 90 90 90 Alcoholics Anonymous 08457 69 75 55 ChildLine 0800 11 11 National Rail Enquiries 08457 48 49 50 Telephone Pref Service 0845 070 0707 Mailing Pref Service 0845 703 4599 Bristol Care & Repair ‐ home safety checks & handyman 0117 95 4 2222 Postal Services Westbury on Trym Post Office 9 ‐ 5.30 Mon to Fri, 9 ‐ 4 Sat Henleaze Post Office 9 ‐ 1 , 2 ‐ 5.30 Mon to Fri, 9 ‐ 12.30 Sat Westbury on Trym Parcel Collection 7 ‐ 1 Mon to Fri, 9 ‐ 12 Sat Late Post ‐ there is a late post box at the main Post Office sorting depot on the A38 at Filton. Currently the late post is at 7pm, Local Libraries Henleaze ‐ tel. 903 8541 Mon 9.30 ‐ 7.00, Tues 9.30 ‐ 5.00 Wed 9.30 ‐ 5.00, Thur 9.30 ‐ 5.00

Fri 9.30 ‐ 7.00, Sat 9.30 ‐ 5.00 Westbury on Trym ‐ tel. 903 8552 Mon 9.30 ‐ 5.00, Tues 9.30 ‐ 5.00 Wed 9.30 ‐ 5.00, Thur ‐ closed Fri 9.30 ‐ 7.00, Sat 9.30 ‐ 5.00 Sea Mills ‐ tel. 903 8555 Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat 9.30 ‐ 1.00 , 2.00 ‐ 5.00 Wed ‐ closed, Thur 9.30 ‐ 1.00 , 2.00 ‐ 7.00 Public Transport Visit the excellent Bristol City Council website www.travelbristolorg to plan out your routes in, around or out of the city ‐ whether you are planning to go by bus, train, ferry, air, bike, car or foot. Recycling and Household Waste The Household Waste and Recycling Centre on Kingsweston Lane, Avonmouth for pretty much everything. The Avonmouth centre is now open winter hours from 8.00am to 4.15pm, 7 days a week. New Number Just thought I’d add a little bit to the Useful Numbers page from now on and list the City Council Dog Warden. Last week a friend’s dog escaped and headed oﬀ in the direction of the Portway. Not sure what to do we contacted our local vet (many thanks to The Downs Vets on Great Brockeridge) and they put us in touch with the Council Dog Warden. We rang them, they’d received notification of a “matching” dog being handed in at another vets and before we knew it our friends dog was back home safe and sound. So a great advert for getting your dog chipped, and for the excellent service provided by the Council. So if you see a stray or your pet goes missing do ring the Council Dog Warden Services on 0117 922 2500

GET IN TOUCH WITH BCM From this issue The Bristol Nine is published by Bristol Community Magazines Ltd. To all intents and purposes it is business as usual ‐ same magazine name, same style, same great local businesses, and same old bloke pu ng it together. However there are some new contacts for you to bear in mind, as follows:‐ Tel

Text

117 9687787 / 07845 986650 07845 986650

Email (NEW) andy@bcmagazines.co.uk Website (NEW) www.bcmagazines.co.uk Twi er (NEW) @BCMagazines Payments

Bristol Community Magazines

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Blaise Walks For those of you who have been reading these recent articles you will know that we have been following two tree enthusiasts who have recently discovered the many attractions of the Blaise Estate. This month we find them again looking through the walks promoted by Friends of Blaise and this time they are keen to include old Henbury Village. They see that the walk is approximately one and a quarter miles and estimated to take 50 minutes. Once again this route takes them from the car park toward Blaise House where they turn right and descend into the Gorge, follow the path, cross the Mill bridge and start to climb the opposite side of the gorge. They are following the main drive designed by Humphry Repton and completed in 1798 to provide an exciting route to the House. The idea was to give an impression of remoteness with access to the house from Henbury Hill, through the dramatic scenery of the woods and gorge, until visitors rounded the final bend and there was the house in front of them. Quite a spectacular drive in a horse drawn carriage. The next point of interest is the Woodman's Cottage built in 1798 and intended to be viewed from the terrace of Blaise House with smoke from the chimney lingering over the wood, to add to the sense of remoteness. The path continues upward and now reaches the Rustic Lodge. This sad building has suﬀered from continued vandalism over the years. Its' attractive thatch roof set on fire several times and at present replaced with unattractive green metal sheeting. Much of the timber cladding also in need of replacement. The two walkers descend the steep steps opposite the building and emerge into an area of open meadowland known as the Royalls. The origin of this strange name seems to be lost in antiquity. It is managed grassland, contains many wild flowers and is cut for hay every summer. There is a dew pond originally to provide water for grazing cattle. The informal grass path crosses to the far right hand corner where a set of fairly steep steps descends into the Dell and across a bridge over the Hazel Brook. To the left, the brook flows on into the gorge toward the Mill.

The path now climbs to a tunnel about 50 yards long and emerges into the churchyard. The walkers are intrigued by this unusual feature, consult their walk leaflet for information, and learn that it was constructed to hide the right of way which passes through the vicarage garden. The old vicarage can be seen on the right hand side, before entering the tunnel. The church, dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin and dating back to 1093 is now in front of them. It is interesting that the East end is built at a slight angle to the rest of the building. They note two interesting graves. Adjacent to the North wall is an obelisk memorial to the Egyptologist Amelia Edwards and beside the path leading to the main Church entrance is the grave of a black slave Scipio Africanus. As they leave the Church behind, they are in the oldest part of Henbury. On their right is the Charity School founded by ??Humphry Edmunds in ????. This is now a French school, but originally drew children from a very wide area extending down to Aust, and the building opposite contained the children's accommodation and dormitories. The walk now turns sharp left into Church Lane and the final point of interest on this walk. It is Telephone Cottage which was the very first house in Henbury to possess a telephone. It formed part of the "Call Oﬃce" system which received and sent messages on behalf of its members. The house later contained the village public telephone. The walkers now continue to the main gate of the Blaise Estate and return to the car park, looking forward to discovering more of Blaise in the future. If after reading this article you would like to learn more about the Friends visit our web site on www.friendsofblaise.co.uk

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Hypnosis Hypnos ‐ The Greek God of sleep. James Braid coined the term Hypnosis in 1841 and quickly tried to recall it in favour of the La n word Monoideism, meaning “single idea”. Alas, it was too late. 172 years later we s ll call it, inaccurately, hypnosis. So what is it? Sleep? Trance? Magic? The most accurate defini on of hypnosis is “Deep Imagina ve Involvement”. Worry, anxiety, anger, hopelessness, and obsession can easily result from nega ve misuse of the imagina on. This could be called nega ve self‐hypnosis. Hypnosis used therapeu cally (hypno‐therapy) is the reversal of this human mistake. It says, “You’ve been imagining how things look when they are wrong. How will they look when they are right?” Harnessing posi ve perspec ve and expecta on using deep imagina ve involvement, though simple, is powerful therapy. Couple this with a calm, focused “hypno c” state and you have the ingredients for successful re‐programming of unhelpful beliefs about yourself, the world, and other people. These principles can be put into prac ce easily and safely. 1) Be somewhere comfortable and close your eyes. 2) Do not try to relax. Instead IMAGINE being relaxed. Start with your scalp, then your face, your shoulders, chest, etc all the way down to your toes. If necessary, repeat. 3) Count backwards slowly from 10 to 0 giving yourself the sugges on that each count is a step into deeper focus and relaxa on. 4) Now imagine, visualise, and really feel yourself achieving your desired goal/s adding posi ve sugges ons for success. 5) Gently return to ordinary awareness and open your eyes. 6) Note any posi ve change. John Crawford March 2013 John is one of our hypnotherapists, along with (l to r) Sam Cleverley, Joanne Cole and Roger Stenne Our website www.chironcentre.co.uk gives full information about each therapy we offer, so please do look us up, give us a call on 0117 962 0008 or email us on info@chironcentre.co.uk

The Obesity Epidemic by John Porter The term "Obesity Epidemic" has been used widely by the press, the government and the medical profession, but is it accurate and should we be using it? The dictionary defines epidemic as follows "of disease or anything resembling a disease; attacking or aﬀecting many individuals in a community or a population simultaneously". You can't catch obesity in the same way as you can catch influenza, but it certainly has a massive eﬀect on people's health, and the number of obese people in Great Britain, and other developed countries, is growing at an alarming rate. So what is obesity? Many people think that obese just means very fat, but there is a medical definition of obesity, and that is someone having a Body Mass Index (BMI) in excess of 30. So what is BMI? It is simply an index which shows whether someone is a healthy weight for their height, and the formula is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared. A BMI less than 20 indicates that you are clinically underweight, between 20 and 25 is considered to be healthy, 25 to 30 is overweight, 30 to 40 is obese, 40 to 50 is morbidly or very obese, and over 50 is super obese. You may have read in the press that BMI is inaccurate and that we are about to stop using it. That is simply not the case but does have a small grain of truth. For the vast majority of people it is an excellent and accurate indication of whether you are a healthy weight. However for someone who is genuinely heavily muscled it can give a false reading. We are really looking at athletes in strength sports such as rugby, body building, weight lifting, etc, where the amount of muscle can indicate a high BMI but body fat levels are at a healthy low level. Around half of adults in the UK are overweight and approximately 26% are obese. Being overweight or obese can greatly increase the risk of many health problems including heart liver and kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, infertility, stroke, asthma, back pain, depression, sleep apnoea and

indigestion. It can also increase the likelihood of developing many types of cancers. Approximately 35,000 deaths can be directly contributed to excess weight in England every year. ( NHS.UK Website). The direct cost to the NHS is roughly 5.1billion pounds a year. ( Dept of Health Website). So what has caused the problem? Well that's a very easy question to answer. It's all down to the energy balance. We are eating too much, and are too inactive. Think of a simple pair of balance scales. In one pan is the number of Calories that you burn in your daily activities, in the other is the number of Calories you consume in food and drink. We need to either increase the number of Calories we burn by being more active, and/or decrease the number of Calories we consume. Well that's easy so why isn't everyone slim? Because of course it isn't easy. Being more active and exercising is really good for us, makes us feel good, and it is to be highly encouraged. Unfortunately, unless you are a professional athlete, the number of extra Calories you burn whilst exercising is fairly small. As an example, the average person running a marathon (26+ miles) will burn around 3500 extra Calories. There are 3500 Calories to a pound of fat, so running a marathon will take barely a pound of fat oﬀ you. You can sit down and eat 3500 Calories in a very short space of time. We should all try and be as active as we can, but to control our weight we need to look at the other pan of our balance scales and start consuming fewer Calories. Some people can do this on their own, but most need the help of a structured weight loss programme in order to lose these excess pounds, and then, very importantly, to keep them oﬀ. So if you are overweight, and you want to do something about it, who should you turn to? What do you need from a weight loss programme? My first advice is to ignore the newest latest fad diets that appear in newspapers and Sunday supplements, especially at this time of the year. And if its got the word "celebrity" attached to it, don't touch it with a barge pole. You want a programme that is well established, has stood the test of time, is based on sound scientific, medical and nutritional principals, as well as one that

21 will oﬀer you support during your weight loss journey. Rapid weight loss is very encouraging and motivating, and contrary to common belief, the old wives tale that if you lose it quickly you will put it back on quickly, is nothing but a myth. It doesn't matter if you lose it slowly or quickly, if you revert back to the eating pattern that gave you the problem in the first place, you will put the weight back on. Your weight loss programme should give you healthy nutrition and oﬀer you support and motivation during the weight loss and long term management stages. There are a number of companies that hold regular group meetings, and this suits some people very well, but others find it embarrassing and prefer a more private, one to one relationship with their diet advisor. Cambridge Weight Plan, (formerly Cambridge Diet), was developed at Cambridge University in the 70,s, and after medical trials at Addenbrokes and West Middlesex hospitals was launched commercially in the UK in 1984. It is based on formula foods which are available in over 25 tasty varieties and are nutritionally balanced. There

are a series of Steps, and the Plan is only available through trained and accredited Cambridge Consultants. Your Consultant will explain everything to you, and assess which Step is best for you. This will depend on a number of factors: how heavy you are, how much weight you want to lose, any medical conditions you may have and of course your personal preference. Your Consultant will see you regularly, usually weekly, on a one to one basis, and will be available at all times to oﬀer you help, encouragement and motivation. Then when you have achieved your target weight your Consultant will be there to help you with long term weight management. John Porter has been an Independent Cambridge Consultant for 27 years, and, with his wife Jean, has been operating from their home just oﬀ Whiteladies Road. They now also hold consulting sessions at the Penny Porter Physiotherapy Centre in Henbury. They make no charge for initial consultations which are strictly by appointment. For further information please phone 0117 9743166 or 07957 871740, or email CambridgeDiet@blueyonder.co.uk.

Constituency Matters There is little more satisfying as an MP than when months or years of campaigning come to fruition with real change for local people. It is also true that bringing about change can take time but in what has proved to be a very busy month, I have seen both results and also huge efforts which will hopefully bring positive change very soon. As ever, the subject matter has been varied and fascinating. First of all, there was a real success in the Budget with the removal of the beer duty escalator. This is something I have been making some considerable noise about for a while now, especially during my 'Pub Politics' sessions in Bristol North West. Essentially this escalator was a tax above the rate of inflation on a pint which meant that landlords, already facing big challenges, were being forced to give even ore of their revenues to the tax man. With the Chancellor now having removed this, I hope that pubs in our area can now flourish without this dead weight tax hanging over them. I was pleased when the Chancellor acknowledged the efforts of myself and others in bringing about pressure for this but really, it has been the landlords and groups like CAMRA which have kept the pressure on ‐ and proved that a well‐ considered campaign can bring about results. Cheers! You may recall my efforts to help Portway swimming club ‐ and others ‐ to be given the right to continue to offer lessons to young swimmers. The issue has been a dictat from Bristol City Council which effectively will give the leisure centre providers a monopoly over lessons

for the youngest children. For clubs like Portway, which operates from Henbury Leisure Centre, this has been a real threat to their futures. Last month I spent a couple of nights with the club ‐ and I even had a dip myself and met the fabulous and dedicated youngsters who just want high class lessons.

As a former competitive swimmer myself, I was shocked to hear of this and we are now campaigning hard to persuade the council to change their mind on this one. As The Bristol Nine goes to press, we are set to have a top‐level meeting with the council and swimming oﬃcials. In this post‐Olympic period, it would be scandalous if well‐established clubs like Portway were not able to continue. Can I urge all readers to sign two petitions ‐ one protesting against the overall city council policy and another specifically supporting the Portway club. We must not allow these fine clubs to be treated in such a ludicrous way. Please sign the petitions at: www.change.org/petitions/bristol‐city‐ council‐sos‐save‐our‐swimming and also keepclubswimming.bristolpetitions.com For all of us, our NHS is very precious ... and I (continued overleaf)

26 speak as the daughter of a surgeon who understands the positive eﬀect it has on people's lives. This is why I have been at the forefront of a campaign to vastly improve transparency and accountability in the NHS. Last month I secured a debate in Parliament at which there was ‐ thankfully ‐ a real feeling that to maintain the NHS as the envy of the world, we need to confront some of its bureaucratic failings. Our NHS is a marvellous institution and its nurses and doctors are highly dedicated. But sadly, they ‐ and patients ‐ have been let down by a culture of target setting in which red tape has been given priority over life and death. In reality it is the case that in an organisation as big as the NHS, sometimes things will go wrong. But the crime in all this is that when things did go wrong, instead of the focus being immediately to tackle it, the priority was to cover up any truth

that was uncomfortable for Ministers and Chief Execs. Dispatch‐box appearance mattered more than the reality of patient lives. Whistle‐blowers and patients groups were left screaming into a vacuum, often at great personal cost. But if responsibility and accountability is to mean anything more than just words, those at the top, like David Nicholson, who oversaw the NHS's darkest days , must go. We must be brave. There must be a cultural clean‐out if we are to have any hope this will never happen again. The culture of silence must end. We need a new start for our NHS. Charlotte Leslie ‐ MP for Bristol North West Oﬃce: 184 Henleaze Road, Bristol, BS9 4NE 0117 962 9427 E: charlotte.leslie.mp@parliament.uk www.charlotteleslie.com

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Junior ISA’s – Start saving early As we move into a new tax year, thoughts o en turn to ISA’s and using the annual ISA allowance. However it’s not just us adults that can make use of the excellent tax advantages of ISA’s but children as well. As a financial adviser, it perhaps comes as no surprise that my children understand the importance of saving for things they want to buy. They also know that over the next 10 years or so, there will be bigger items of expenditure which are going to be harder for them to aﬀord, than perhaps they were when I was their age. The first car, university and educa on fees, a deposit for their first property; these are all going to need capital and so the sooner they can start se ng money aside the be er. There are several diﬀerent op ons for children who wish to save or for parents and grandparents who wish to do so on their behalf.

in par cular. They allow an investment of up to £3,720 (2012/2013) per tax year with the op on to save this in small monthly amounts. Like normal ISA’s they benefit from tax free growth and with the excep on of a 10% tax charge and any resul ng income is also tax free. Junior Investment ISA’s can offer excellent investment choice and the charges are o en very low. Last year when I set up my children’s ISA’s we discussed some of the investment funds they could use and we agreed on three different funds. With the arrival of the valua on statements a few weeks ago, it was great to clearly demonstrate to them the benefit of savings – each having made about 8% in the last 6 months. Naturally there is an element of compe on between them and it was great that the statements which are addressed to them personally are very clear and easy to understand. We will have to wait and see what the money is used for, but whether it’s towards a car, university or something different , it will at least make the habit of saving, a li le more rewarding financially.

Phil James – April 2013

In recent years, it has been diﬃcult to demonstrate to youngsters the principle of earning interest on savings because so li le is being paid by banks and building socie es. Even some regular savings plans, that appear to oﬀer an a rac ve rate of interest, o en do not because of the small print. One of the be er innova ons of late has been the launch of Junior ISA’s and Junior Investment ISA’s

There are advantages and disadvantages to using all of these strategies and they depend on individual circumstances so don’t take ac on without seeking competent advice. Tax rules, rates and allowances are all subject to change. The Financial Services Authority does not regulate tax advice and some forms of oﬀshore investments. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Junior ISA’s have to be setup by someone of a parental responsibility if the child is younger than 16. At age 18, Junior ISA’s will be converted into adult ISA’s.

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Computer Corner with Mrs PC Voice Recognition Software If you are not a natural typist and writing anything down using a keyboard is oﬀ‐putting, then you could consider using voice recognition software. You can then just talk to your computer and it will write what you say! It is like having your very own typist/secretary. Dragon Naturally Speaking is produced by Nuance, and the current version is 12. This is the best one yet! It can be used on either Windows or Mac. I recommend users to buy the Premium Edition, which is the most comprehensive. You can buy from Nuance direct or from other sellers such as Amazon. I advise you to buy the physical shipment rather than the download. It can be used on 3 diﬀerent computers, and comes with a headset and often a DVD with instructions. In addition to the DVD there are comprehensive tips and instructions on the Dragon Sidebar, which comes up to the right of the screen when you use Dragon. There are other options such as the "Dictate Anywhere" package, which is more expensive as it comes with a portable voice recorder for you to use wherever you happen to be, and which can then be connected to your home computer on your return‐ a bit like a Dictaphone. Dragon is simply wonderful. The ability to dictate in your normal speaking voice and watch your words being printed on screen with minimal mistakes is astonishing. The accuracy is amazing, and it is also possible to use Dragon to control your entire computer using only your voice. This feature is extremely liberating for those with physical disabilities or who are dyslexic. Dragon learns to understand your voice very quickly and can be trained to accept new vocabulary. It uses a series of commands which need to be learned. You can use it to dictate emails and documents, post to Facebook and even create spread sheets. You can also open and close programmes and manage files and photos! Dragon is also available as an App for your

smartphone or tablet. Type at the speed of your thoughts and don't get bogged down by a keyboard! You won't look back! I use Dragon myself and have several very happy clients using this technology and if more people knew how wonderful it was, they would use it too! Siri. Voice recognition technology is built‐in for iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd generation) and iPod touch (5th generation). It is called “Siri” and supports dictation in any app that has a keyboard. So instead of typing, you can speak and your words will be entered as text. To start dictation, tap the microphone button on your keyboard and start talking. When you’ve finished, tap “Done” and your words will be turned into text. Dictation for each language is built into the keyboard for that language. Siri does much more than just dictation… you can ask it to do many diﬀerent things for you‐ it is your very own Personal Assistant. You can ask it to: • Remind you to call your sister. • Ask what the weather is like in Paris today? Will I need an umbrella tomorrow? • Make a call or send a text. • Give you directions to somewhere. The great thing about Siri is that you don’t need to use specific commands like you do with Dragon. It understands what you say in context. So there really is no excuse for those who think they couldn’t use a computer if they can’t type! It's easy to learn, so do get in touch so I can help you!

36 Is your business in safe hands? asks Grant McCall, Director AMD Solicitors

Forming a business relationship with your commercial lawyer should be a proactive decision rather than a reactive one. Many legal commercial issues can arise over the course of a year. At start up, a business should ensure that it is set up in the most favourable way possible. There are many ways to conduct a business, for example as a partnership or as a limited company. It is essential that the owners of a business know where they stand from the start. This means having a bespoke ownership agreement in place and having tailored terms and conditions of business that actually correlate to the way you run your business. As a business grows, it should start to see a value in its’ trading name or business logo, “the brand”. Brand protection is essential for all businesses and something a good commercial lawyer will identify and register with you. A growing business may need to take on premises. Our commercial department have specialist commercial property lawyers who can work with you to negotiate suitable terms for your business premises.

Acquisitions may be on the radar for growing businesses. Time is frequently a critical factor. Recently I received a telephone call from an existing client to complete the sale of a business within 5 days! This was only possible because I already knew the business. Had I not known the assets, contracts, employee position, it could have taken much longer to complete ‐ my client clearly benefitted from having an existing relationship with his commercial lawyer. So what are the challenges or targets for your business in 2013? Our commercial department are currently oﬀering a free 30 min business legal health check over coﬀee. AMD Solicitors are the winners of the Local Law Firm of the Year award 2011 and have been highlighted as one of the UK’s progressive law firms at a prestigious legal conference and awards dinner held at the Belfry. Grant and the other members of the Commercial Team can be contacted on commercial@amdsolicitors.com or telephone 0117 9621205.

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Quiz Time A is for Apple Apple, makers of the iPod etc, was formed on 1st April in which year? B is for Brian Who played the lead role in Life of Brian? C is for Cheshire Where in Cheshire is the home of the Centre for Astrophysics? D is for Derby Which jockey has won The Derby most times? E is for Engineer The beautiful Menai Bridge from mainland Wales to Anglesey was designed by which engineer? F is for Flapjack Name the four ingredients of a traditional flapjack. G is for Guernsey What is the capital of Guernsey? H is for Helen Which Helen has an award made in her honour at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year show? I is for Irene Irene Cara won an Oscar for the title track to which 1980’s film? J is for Japan Is Japan north or south of the Tropic of Cancer? K is for Kraken What was or is a Kraken? L is for London London contains four World Heritage Sites. Name them. M is for Millennium Who piloted the Millennium Falcon? N is for Names In 1904 what were the two most popular names for newborn boys and girls? O is for Olympics Which are the three candidates to host the 2020 summer Olympics? P is for Porpoises What is a baby porpoise called? Q is for Quack What sort of duck is this? R is for Royalty In what year was The Princess Royal born? S is for Shipping Forecast Which is

the most southerly of the Shipping Forecast regions? T is for Transport In which city would you find this underground station?

U is for Uniform What words precede and follow “uniform” in the NATO phonetic alphabet? V is for Val Which Val’s were ) Tom Cruse’s rival in Top Gun, and b) famous for his knitwear and rocking chair? W is for Wyoming Which Steven Spielberg film reached it’s climax at the Devil’s Tower?

X is for Xanadu Which band wrote the title track of the film Xanadu for Olivia Newton‐John? Y is for Yorkshire What is the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire? Z is for Z‐Cars What was the name of the BBC TV spin‐oﬀ series that originated from Z‐Cars? Answers on page 100

The Black Swan A couple of weeks ago I drove past my old local pub, the Fox and Hounds ‐ a country pub worthy of a reminisce as I spent many evenings there as a novice drinker in the early eighties. It had three sections ‐ the saloon bar, where we drank cider and black, ate crisps and played darts, the lounge bar where we drank cider and black, ate Scampi Fries and tried to chat up the barmaid, and in the middle the tiny games bar where we drank cider and black, ate pork scratchings and played bar billiards. As you will guess, the emphasis was on drink and entertainment, not on anything culinary. Just after I left the area it morphed into a foodie pub ‐ it lost it’s soul and it’s old regulars and gained “beer you get everywhere”, expensive food and new regulars. I hated what it became ‐ just a place to eat, not the social hub it once was. Pubs across the land went though this change, and I suppose many still are, following the fashion and not worrying what their regulars would like to see ‐ “the public wants what the public gets” sang Paul Weller. Things continue to change, but it takes a good pub, and a good team of people behind it, to ensure that a modern public house embraces developments in terms of what it oﬀers whilst maintaining what it is traditionally there for.

Which brings me to the Black Swan on Stoke Lane, owned and managed by Andy and Charlotte West. Since they took it over, towards the end of

2011, they have steadily invested in the business in a number of areas, making it a pub that caters for the many requirements a community now almost expects of it’s “local”. Andy sums up the developments in three words ‐ environment, product and service ‐ and by shining a light on all these areas Andy, Charlotte and the team are making the “Dirty Duck”, as it is known locally, a really great place to go. Big things, like the sheltered sun‐trap of a beer garden, children's play area and catered function‐ room with bar, are backed up by little touches like the reupholstered furniture, the smartened and retiled toilets, the real fires and the little “Boardroom” available for small meetings. Add in “modern stuﬀ” like free wi‐fi and Sky television capable of showing 2 diﬀerent events and you can see why inside and out the Black Swan is a fine venue. Central to a modern pub however remains the drink and the food, and the Black Swan scores highly here. There is a cracking, and regularly rotated, range of beers, lagers, ciders and wines, as well as local guest beers with whimsical names. These come with their own loyalty card ‐ have ten pints of the guest beer and receive the eleventh is free (best not to do all eleven in one session though!). There is also a happy hour, which is a bit of a misnomer on weekdays at it is from 5pm to 7pm, but is indeed an hour on Sundays, 6pm to 7pm. Food‐wise the Black Swan is developing a reputation for looking after its hungry punters really well at lunchtimes, whether they are visiting during the week, when the midday menu has a traditional British theme supplemented by a soup and main course dish of the day, or at the weekend when superb Sunday roasts (and vegetarian alternatives) make for a lazy lunchtime (continued overleaf)

42 without the need to cook. Best to book, they get busy. There are also rumours of “Fish and Chip Friday” about the be launched ‐ 2 fish suppers for a tenner. And bar‐snacks? Well, things have changed since my days as a teenage drinker ‐ Andy and Charlotte now oﬀer home‐made scotch eggs and hand‐raised pork pies. Not sure they do pork scratchings or scampi fries though. We visited on a weekday and had something a bit more traditional for lunch ‐ a giant gammon steak, eggs, chips and peas for me, and bacon and mushroom omelette for the good lady, washed down with fresh tea and coﬀee (lunchtime drinking not being good for afternoon productivity).

Andy (back right) and Charlotte (back left) and the friendly Black Swan team

Landlord and landlady Andy and Charlotte own the Black Swan, and I really think that this shows in the welcome you get at the Black Swan, for they have a real commitment to, and not a just a managerial interest in, the pub and it’s success. So it is no surprise that they are friendly and convivial hosts, taking the time to chat with and be interested in their customers. The rest of the team are no less warm in their welcome, and even the pub dog Ruby greets visitors with enthusiasm. Indeed the pub is dog‐friendly, as long as the owners are kept under control, and child‐friendly as well, with the aforementioned little playground and a range of board games to keep small visitors entertained. So, having been welcomed, well fed and watered we left the pub warm, stuﬀed, and of the view that, for a great “local” the Black Swan has what it takes. So if you’ve not been there for a while, or hold some out‐of‐date opinion about the place, then it is well worth giving it a try, because it is very good. Now, about those Scampi Fries, must ring to see if they are available at the bar… The Black Swan, 92 Stoke Lane, WoT www.blackswanwot.co.uk 0117 962 5111

The 3, 4 & 5 May sees the launch of a massive ‘fun’draiser for the Children’s Hospice South West by Polly, Lorraine, Annie & Alison. If you would like to donate/sponsor the team we have a Just Giving page www.chsw.org.uk/ bigjigsaw . The finished jigsaw will be turned into a rug and used at the Hospice. The big puzzle was a world record breaker until recently and measures 4.28m by 1.57m. Participation and refreshments will be available for a donation to CHSW. Donations big or small are all welcome. You can visit the website www.chsw.org.uk/home to find out the diﬀerence your donation can make. If you want further information regarding the project please feel free to contact polly.cockerham@talktalk.net

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Inspiral Glass Mealings Yard has, for some reason, held a certain mystique for me since I moved to Westbury some time in the last century. Partly the name ‐ synonymous with Westbury for many longer‐term residents than I, and partly because it exists “behind a closed door”, one that I’ve only twice passed through due to the fact that my “competitor” was housed there when it used to be BS9‐based. However times change, my bravery level has increased with age and last week I once again entered the green door and crossed the threshold into Mealings Yard. Why? Curiosity of course. I spotted a sign on the door saying “Inspiral Glass, courses now on, please come in for a chat”. I’ve long held a desire to have a “go” at stained glass, so the invite was too good to ignore. Inside the wonderful ramshackle of oﬃces and workshops I discovered the face behind Inspiral Glass, local mum Jenny Varney. Until recently Jen has run things from her garage, or out on location, but is keen to expand the tuition side of the business, and so had been seeking a more suitable venue. Seeing the “Workshop to Let” sign she enquired ‐ and now has a new base for her classes, in this historic corner of the village. The classes will form a second branch to Inspiral Glass, which has been flourishing in the areas of commissions, repairs and installations, aspects of the business where Jen can exercise her broad practical and creative skills in the design,

manufacture and care of stained glass. The other side that she now wants to develop is where she can share with others her passion and enthusiasm for the beauty of glass and the enjoyment and relaxation that working with it can bring. Hence the oﬀer to passers by to come in and find our more about the craft and her work. “It’s all very well talking about it” said Jen “but stained glass is as fun to do as it is beautiful to look at.” So with that in mind I booked myself in for a little taster session, the results of which I will share with you next month. Jen runs a range of all‐inclusive courses ‐ including one day “Beginners Stained Glass”, “Advanced Stained Glass Techniques”, and “Bespoke Gift Making” sessions, but what also seems attractive if you are a novice like me, and not sure you want to commit to a full day, is that Jen makes herself available for 1‐2‐1 tuition on a pay as you go basis at just £15 an hour. A great way to see if you might get the stained glass bug. So, a date at Inspiral Glass is in the diary for April, looked forward to with much excitement, and I’ll report back next month. In the meantime if you are keen to find out more why not get it touch with Jen?

Inspiral Glass 0117 330 6124 ‐ 07811 943 121 www.inspiral‐glass.co.uk

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A new take on local politics in Westbury on Trym Bristol City Council elections are coming around soon – one third of the 70 seats are to be contested on 2 May 2013, including Westbury on Trym. This time around, there will be an alternative to party politics. A great many people in this city gave a message to the main political parties last year, with the elections of Independent candidates for both Mayor and Police & Crime Commissioner. Westbury on Trym ward voted strongly for the Independent Mayoral candidate. Most people in the UK (around 99%) have never been members of any political party and yet for years in Bristol it didn’t really seem possible for active citizens who were not party members to stand for election. The times have changed this year, with the formation of the umbrella group “Independents for Bristol”. IfB have provided a platform and structure to encourage committed individuals who can demonstrate support in their communities to come forward, ready to represent their communities unconstrained by a party ‘whip’ – with integrity and with a strong chance of success. I have been involved in political issues in the widest sense for all of my adult life. I am a public policy specialist and a campaigner, and I’ve always worked across and between the political parties in the city, preferring consensus to party political wrangling. I am also active locally and I am proud to have been a founder member of “Parents’ Voice” which succeeded in finally bringing the muchneeded secondary school – Bristol Free School - to serve our local area. I like to solve problems and help others to solve their problems, and I like to get things done.

When I found out about the aims and vision of Independents for Bristol, I realised that there was now a way that I could be active in public service without being drawn in to the world of party political tribalism. I put myself forward and was delighted to be selected and endorsed - for my home ward of Westbury on Trym. I was born and brought up in Bristol, and have lived for the last ten years with my family (Tim, a local lawyer and our sons aged 8, 10, 12 and 13) on Falcondale Road. My candidacy is based upon a commitment to principled public service, with the interests of my local community at its heart. I want Bristol to be a healthy democracy whose elected politicians reflect the range of people they represent, and bring a variety of life experience to their politics. I want to represent the people of Westbury on Trym freely and directly, and to report back regularly about what I have done. Please use your vote on 2nd May – this is an exciting time for all of us who care about democracy and local politics. Dr Helen Mott Independent Candidate for Westbury on Trym Contact Helen on 07941 359282 or via email: HelenMottIndependent@Gmail.com Website: www.ifbristol.org.uk Facebook: facebook.com/ HelenMottIndependent

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In the Kitchen - with the Herbs This month we remember Tarragon, the least scary dragon ever, in the BBC classic cartoon “The Herbs” ‐ and another underused herb in the culinary world. This Creamy Tarragon Chicken serves 4 Ingredients: 2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp Veg oil 4 chicken breasts, with skin and bones 9 oz (250g) shallots or onions, sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup hot chicken stock ½ cup dry white wine 1 cup creme fraiche 2 tbsp chopped tarragon, plus extra sprigs to garnish Directions: 1. Melt the butter with the oil in a large flameproof casserole over medium‐high heat. Add the chicken

breasts, skin sides down, and cook for 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn them over and brown the other sides, about 2 minutes more. 2. Turn the chicken breasts skin sides up, then sprinkle with the shallots, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the stock and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the casserole, and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear when pierced with the tip of a knife. Remove the chicken and keep hot. Boil the sauce over high heat until reduced by about half. 3. Stir in the créme fraîche and chopped tarragon and continue boiling until thickened. If the sauce becomes too thick, add more chicken stock; then adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Coat the chicken with the sauce, garnish with the tarragon, and serve with rice or pasta. Freezing Information: the dish can be left to cool completely after step 2, then frozen for up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature, then complete the recipe.

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Kev’s Tip of the Month “When using masking tape on a painted surface, stick it to your clothes irst to make it low tack masking tape!” $ £ € Private Tui on for Business, Accoun ng and Travel and Tourism Examina ons A very experienced and eﬀec ve teacher of business, and related subjects, has vacancies for students who need addi onal support in prepara on for GCSE, AS and A2 level exams and coursework. I have previously taught at The Winterbourne Interna onal Academy (The Ridings) and currently teach Business and Accoun ng part me at Downend School. I am fully CRB checked. Times can be arranged to suit students and I am available during evenings, weekends and school holidays. Rates are reasonable and I oﬀer a discount for block bookings of 5 lessons or more. Please phone Julie Money on 0117 3770674 or 07986 555818 to discuss your requirements or email me at julie.money@talk21.com

Prize Wordsearch For no reason whatsoever, the theme of the Prize Wordsearch this month is the London Underground. Listed below are the names of twenty two tube stations. All bar one of them are hidden in the grid ‐ and can be found running forwards, backwards, up, down or on a diagonal. Just find the odd‐station‐out and let me know which one it is and you’ll be in with a chance of winning a £15 Book Token. You can send your answers to me by post ‐ 8 Sandyleaze, WoT, BS9

3PY, phone ‐ 0117 968 7787, text ‐ 07845 986650, tweet ‐ @BCMAndy, or by email to the new email address ‐ andy@bcmagazines.co.uk. Best of luck. Acton Town Bank Colindale Dollishill Edgware Farringdon Green Park Holborn Ickenham Kilburn Latimer Road Mile End Northolt Oval Pimlico Queensway Ruislip Seven Sisters Temple Upminster Vauxhall Whitechapel (Recent winners are announced on page 5)

Green Bean Technology The internet is a great thing. Being the biggest “library” in the world it is full of fascinating, strange and surprising gems ‐ if only you know where to look for them. Sometimes you just stumble upon them, and sometimes you think “why wasn’t I told that?” Just that happened to me this week when I read an article entitled “End of the line for yellow?” and which I wanted to share with you ‐ as I am not sure this is common knowledge. “While the UK is in recession the cost of raw materials and resources on the world market is, in many instances soaring ‐ such as the price of wheat, oil, silicone and, interestingly, industrial sodium. Interestingly? Sodium is commonly used the world over to produce the colour yellow in many paints and plastics, and is a core component of the epoxy paint used to tell us where we can’t park. Yes, the iconic double yellow line is under threat from international trade because of soaring sodium prices on the world chemical markets.”

Mr Ian Hoakes of the Government’s think tank, the National Unit for Motoring, Parking and Transport Initiatives says that government scientists have been experimenting with new paint additives that are significantly cheaper than sodium because they are vegetable based. The most promising of these is extracted from the pod of Vicia faba var. loodicrus, otherwise known as the humble broad bean, once the beans themselves have been harvested. “The new additives are inexpensive, sustainable and green in every sense” said Mr Hoakes. Every sense? Apparently so, for the new epoxy is more green than yellow. “It’s brilliant,” the NUMPTI spokesman said, “not only is it ridiculously cheap, the new green colour, which is not unlike that of Kermit the Frog, oﬀers higher night‐time visibility due to the inbuilt luminescence of the broad bean extract. Small scale tests are planned for parts of Grimsby, Altrincham and Bristol in the summer of 2013 and, if successful, the Deportment of Transpurt plan to start repainting all our existing yellow lines with the new lime green ones by the end of the year.” (continued on page 71)

Want to lose weight? Have you thought of hypnotherapy to help you?

What can hypnotherapy help with? Diﬃcul es sleeping Lack of confidence & self esteem Achieving your goals ▪ Public speaking anxiety Exam / interview nerves Anxiety, stress & tension levels Fears and phobias ▪ Weight management Unwanted pa erns of behaviour Nega ve thought pa erns ▪ Stopping smoking Pregnancy and childbirth and much more

Summer s ll feels a long way oﬀ with cold wintery weather outside but hopefully we will soon get some weather warm enough to remove our thick winter woolies and if we do you may want to ensure that you are feeling and looking great. Many of us know exactly what we need to do to lose weight however o en the ideas seem so much easier than actually All sessions are completely tailored according achieving our goals. Hypnotherapy can help you change the to your individual needs. way you think about food and work towards your ideal weight in a diﬀerent way. No feelings of guilt, craving forbidden foods or coun ng calories, just understanding what you personally need to do to lose weight. With the help of hypnotherapy you can take control of your ea ng habits to lose weight and keep in control of what you eat and when you eat it. If you have not considered hypnotherapy before why not come along for a free ini al consulta on and I will explain how the brain works and how we may be able to help you to achieve the results you want in your life.

Book your free ini al consulta on during April quo ng “Bristol 8/9” and you will receive a £10 discount oﬀ each session. (Oﬀer applies to all sessions and not just for help with weight loss)

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62 WoT Business Association This month we take a quick scamper down the High Street (the most common road name in the UK) ‐ perhaps the most historic of the main roads heading out from the centre and home to many WOTBA members. From the iconic hardware shop that is Mogfords at one end, down, round the bend and over the Trym to The British Raj at the other end, High Street is well worth stroll down. Heading “out of town” you’ll pass, on your left, Patco Supernews, owned by Satish, one of the characters of the village. Then on past the sturdy architecture of the Post Oﬃce and the much more attractive old Police Station, the set‐ back gem of a gift shop that is Vanilla, the entrance to the rabbit warren that is Mealing’s Yard (home to the cheery ladies of The Laundry Basket) and on down to Trym Lodge. Here the

serviced oﬃces on the banks of the river are home to Jubilee Lets and tax specialists Phillip Corbin & Associates. Cross over and start to head back towards the roundabout, and you’ll pass the parade of shops either side of College Road in which you’ll find a diverse collection of independent shops and businesses, including the riot of coloured dresses and gowns that is Bakos Boutique, the calm charm of solicitor Richard Devereux, insurance specialists Prescott Jones, the reassuringly traditional Crescent Café and the highly respected independent Woods Estates Agents. Then cross Church Road (where you might detect the aroma of chips from the splendid Westbury Fish Bar half way down) and complete the lap by passing Memorial Woodlands, the modern funeral specialists, and Mogford Prescott, building and property maintenance firm with more history in

63 the village than most.

The High Street ‐ then….

The Business Association has formed a Town Team to look at how traders in Westbury might respond to the challenges highlighted in the Mary Portas review, to the government, of the health of our high streets. One thing being looked at is the extension of the trading day, and Westbury is no diﬀerent to many towns and villages in that it tends to go quiet after 5pm. The far end of the High Street, however, bucks that trend, home as it is to most of the village restaurants, including Mr Khan’s excellent Roshni Indian restaurant and

Britain’s youngest Michelin‐starred chefs, the Sanchez‐Iglesias brothers at Casamia. It is also the base for our high‐class taxi firm Prestige Cars. If you are a business based in Westbury on Trym and would like to find out more about the Business Association and the benefits it brings members (including discounted advertising in The Bristol Nine) then please visit our website (soon to be relaunched) www.wotba.org or get in touch with Andy at the magazine, on 0117 968 7787 or 07845 986650, for more details.

…. and now

Louise’s tips for an easier life This magazine, as readers know, is a wealth of information and details local events and services. It is widely distributed and read including by the BBC. I received a call the other week from Steve Yabsley who hosts the lunchtime show on BBC Radio Bristol. He had seen my article in this magazine and invited me on to his show. It was my first time on live radio so I was pretty nervous. However, everyone at the BBC were very friendly from the lady on reception, to the lady who walked me to the studio, to the producer Martin and then Steve himself. I was made to feel at ease and Steve and I had a good chat. Apart from saying the same word a number of times (as we tend to do when we’re in a new situation), I think the interview went well. Maybe some of you heard it? Steve really seemed to grasp the service I oﬀer making peoples’ lives easier at home by helping them sort things out so they are less stressed, a bit more organised and have more time to enjoy with their friends and family, knowing the chores are done. My experience at the BBC made me think about how much easier life is if it’s organised and you know what to expect. I received the call from Steve just over a week before the show, so I had time to prepare. I contacted a friend who has done numerous radio interviews to get some top tips including things I shouldn’t do or say!), and we talked through what I might be asked. I knew where and at what time to arrive. So on the day I was able to be there in good time and felt ready. My top tip this month is about preparing for holidays. You know when you are going, your mode of transport and where you are staying. So

you can prepare in advance what you are taking and when and how you are leaving. It is common practice to use a holiday as a deadline to get a load of chores done. A word of caution here, if you run around trying to complete everything before you go away, you will be exhausted by the time you lock your front door. Make a list, mark the urgent items and then make a pact with yourself to leave everything else until after your holiday. Otherwise you will be so exhausted you will spend the first few days recovering. Your holiday starts the minute you return from work on your last working day ‐ enjoy it from that moment! Wishing you Happy and Relaxed Holidays, and enjoy your Easter Eggs! Louise England is a Lifestyle and Home Assistant and her service aims to free‐ up your free time. Her passion is to make a positive diﬀerence to people’s lives by helping them sort things out and complete jobs in their homes quickly and eﬃciently.

Website: www.louiseengland.co.uk Mobile: 07780 474256 Email: louise@louiseengland.co.uk Twitter: @L_England

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Nathan’s Gardening Diary It's Spring! Why not think about growing some of your own vegetables. It's the perfect time of year to build some raised beds. About this time last year, I built two nice, big and deep raised beds for a young family, keen to start growing their own food. I sited the beds on an un‐used, overgrown flower bed next to a south facing fence, so they were in full sun. The beds were built from treated timber, and filled with a mixture of local topsoil, and composted bracken and manure from the Mendips. I erected some supports and planted my homegrown peas and beans, and sowed lots of seeds for them. You can see from the photos the family took in the summer that, with a little care and attention, you can grow a good amount of your own food in a fairly small space.

The new beds, full of healthy vegetables, last summer. Things to do this month. Vegetable garden: ▪ Carry on weeding bare soil. ▪ Sow Parsnips now as they need a long growing season to mature into nice big roots ready for the winter. ▪ Plant early potato varieties.

Garden, and plant maintenance: ▪ Keep weeds at down as they start growing again. ▪ Mow lawns on dry days. ▪ Cut Cornus down to a main framework 4” ‐ 5” above the ground. This will encourage new bright red stems to grow, which will look fantastic next winter. ▪ Renovate wild, and overgrown climbers, like Honeysuckle, Ivy, and Winter Jasmine. ▪ Prune Group 3 Clematis. This group includes late flowering varieties which flower on this seasons wood. Simply cut back the entire plant to about 8” above ground. Cut the stems to a pair of buds. Have a great April, everybody and see you next month.

For a professional, friendly service which covers all of your tax and accounting needs please contact Vanessa or Paul on 0117 950 7737. (continued from page 60)

Given that there are seven million miles of road in the UK the replacement programme is not insubstantial, but eﬀorts will apparently be made to minimise congestion and interruption to traﬃc flows and the country should be fully green‐lined by April 1st 2063.

First Floor, 5 High Street, Westbury-on-Trym, BS9 3BY.

www.avonhurstltd.co.uk

For more details on this interesting project you can visit IHoakes@numpti.co.uk or follow it on Twitter @NUMPTI

The Downs Recorder Today we think of the Downs as a pretty flat expanse of grass, but 150 years ago it was quite diﬀerent. The surface of the Downs was pockmarked by stone quarries. There is just one big one left, the Glen, now containing a large private hospital, but older residents will remember it as a dance hall, called the Locarno in 1953 and Tiﬀanies from 1985. Before the last war there were Tennis courts and a roller skating park but they were bombed in 1940. It dates back to before 1850 but I cant discover when it ceased to be a quarry‐ probably in the 1920s. But in the 1860s there was a huge quarry roughly occupying the site where Wessex Water have their equipment store at present. That was one of the first to be filled in, as the Seven Sisters Black Pines were planted in the 1880s to celebrate it being filled in. There are only three of the seven pines left now, but two years ago a new group of seven Black Pines was planted as a replacement. Another huge quarry occupied the space between Stoke Road and Ladies Mile, and there is a painting of it by William Frank done in about 1862 reproduced in the Downs History Trail pamphlet number 1 by Frances Greenacre. In the picture it has roughly sloping sides rather than vertical ones, probably because the quarrymen were following a particular limestone seam. The stone was primarily used as building stone, for all the buildings in Clifton and Redland and Cotham, and the very large houses in Stoke Bishop. One of the limestone strata was a deep red colour, and this was a great favourite with the Victorian builders as it contrasted very well with the white of Bath stone, which, though more expensive, was much easier to cut and carve and was used for the detailed stonework round doors and windows. There was also a very substantial quarry right next to Upper Belgrave Road, and another one close to the Downs Ranger’s works enclosure called Pembroke Road Quarry. All these, and several smaller ones, were filled in between 1867 and 1880 with spoil from the

improvements being made to the Cumberland Basin. An inclined plane tramway was created running up from the River Avon to the top of the Gully, and a stationary engine at the top pulled tubs of spoil up from barges. At the top the tubs were moved on to temporary rails laid across the surface and pulled by horses across to the quarry being filled. The line of the tramway still exists. There was also a Clay pit near Clay Pit Road. This has all been filled in, but the whole area is still very wet, and there is the remnants of a pond which partially filled with the heavy rain fall last November rainfall. The clay was presumably used for making bricks. An important use for the limestone was converting it into mortar for wall plaster and cement, and into whitewash for painting and quicklime which was used in all the outdoor privies of the age. There were limekilns on the surface of the Downs in the 18th century, and also in the Avon gorge to use the material being quarried from the gorge face. Smaller quarries were not filled in. The best known are the Dumps, a series of shallow depressions close to Upper Belgrave Road which were originally lead mines in the 17th century. But other unfilled quarries include the one that is now a children’s playground by the Suspension Bridge, which was presumably used for stone for the bridge works, and one opposite the Zoo with a mysterious doorway set into its vertical face.

The Dumps, viewed from the Water Tower If you enjoy the Downs, why not become a Friend? Membership is just £10. Contact Robin Haward at robinhaward@blueyonder.co.uk 0117 974 3385 Richard Bland

Prize-winning photography I do like a nice story, what with all the gloom about, so was delighted to hear from local resident Rob Hunt, who entered a photographic competition just to get some free feedback from the judges and ended up winning the event. And quite a prestigious one at that. I’ll let Rob take up the story ‐ “I entered International Garden Photographer of the Year 2012 for the first time as they were the only major photography competition that oﬀered feedback on every image. I thought this would be a great way to learn a bit about what those in the know think is good. Well blow me down, I got shortlisted and then became a finalist and won the 'Breathing Spaces' category, sponsored by the National Trust. So, it wasn't the overall top prize but one of the main categories.

Photography is a hobby for me, mostly black and white and mostly landscapes. I've always focused upon black and white as that was how I was raised! However, having lived in BS9/BS8 for the past 12 years, a while ago I decided to try and make Bristol a bit more of a focus for me. This is my personal take on photography ‐ most people enjoy taking and looking at photos and have their own view and I'm no diﬀerent. And of course there are numerous professionals out there that can do it all to a higher standard. Anyway, to challenge myself I set up my website www.blackandwhitebristol.com to help force me to decide which were my better photos and hopefully learn how to take fewer, better ones. It has been quite useful as friends and family aren't afraid to have a look at it and chip in with some criticism to help me along the way! It's certainly better than just having them sat on my hard drive for ever more. The galleries are broken down into Bristol vs Further Afield; my kite flying photo is the only colour one on there and it's in 'Bristol Within' and 'Recent Work'.

Rob’s winning photograph on Cli on Downs All the winning and commended photos can be viewed at www.igpoty.com. The image is going to be in a touring exhibition as well as appearing at the Bankside Gallery in London (July) and at Kew Gardens in October. When we showed our son the website with the winning photo ("look, that's you") his instant response was "yes, but what's for breakfast?". So no chance of getting carried away, fortunately.

Another of Rob’s stunning local images, of the Second Severn Bridge

Student Success A student from The Red Maids’ School has been selected to take part in an International Conference in the United States. Cora Edwards from Westbury, who is currently in Year 12 at The Red Maids’ will attend a World Aﬀairs Seminar (WAS) on ‘Gender Equity and Social Justice – A Moral Necessity of our Time’ at Carroll University in Wisconsin. Cora will join three other students from across the South West when she flies to Chicago in June. They will all spend a few days there before attending five days of lectures and seminars led by experts from around the world. This follows a selection process led by the International Rotary Club, who will also provide financial sponsorship. Speaking of this success, Cora said, “I have a particular interest in Politics and International Relations so am really delighted to have been chosen.” The WAS is an innovative, rigorous academic programme for students aged 16 to 18. It aims to improve understanding of world problems, among

young people from around the globe, and help create future world leaders. It also gives students a chance to interact with leaders from government, international organizations, the media, and business. Past keynote speakers include Dith Pran, New York Times photojournalist; Dr. Oscar Arias, former President of Costa Rica and Nobel Prize winner; Giandomenico Picco, former Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations; Dr. Heinz‐Gerhard Justenhoven, Director of the Institute for Theology and Peace in Germany; and Ed Cardoza, from Partners in Health in Boston, MA. Mrs Isabel Tobias, Headmistress at The Red Maids’ School said, “Cora, like all of us here, is passionate about gender equality. She realises how important it is to help women across the world fulfil their individual potential and contribute to global economic progress and development. So we are thrilled that Cora has this chance to represent her generation of Red Maids on an international stage.”

79 Aiming to look great on your holiday? If you’ve just booked that summer holiday and are looking to tone up and look fabulous in your swimming costume then you are quite possibly verging on making a permanent change in your fitness and well being. This all depends on what you do to obtain these results. Right now you are motivated! Which will be a key factor in your success. When are you most likely to do your training and how much time do you have to devote to it regularly? Time and place consistency is important to your success as you’ll be far more likely to continue. In a 2009 study at the Health Behaviour Research Centre at University College London (UCL), scientists found that it takes an average of 66 days for a new behaviour pattern to become part of our regular routine. At Westbury Trym and Tone you can elect to receive a phone call if we haven’t seen you in the week. How do you feel about training? (confident, embarrassed, frightened, determined) An all female environment can help with some of these issues.

Armed with your determination why not book

yourself a free trial and have a proper workout. It is important to look at your options as what ever you choose to do you’ll need to do it consistently to keep the results. The latest news in exercise has been encouraging short bursts of intense effort with rests in between (interval training) which just happens to be what we do at Westbury Trym and Tone. These bursts of intense effort are made even more effective by using strength training which tones and increases the amount of muscle in your body. More muscle requires your body to burn more calories! Win! Win! Win! Our equipment is easy to use and self adjusting so women of all ages, sizes and fitness levels can get a perfect workout every time. What are your plans for the next 66 days? Whatever you choose to do, be it change your diet, exercise or a combination of the two, do it consistently. Keep your eye on your goal and remember your weight and fitness level is only a symptom of your lifestyle. Yours in fun and fitness, Joline Dunn

Get Swimming with Penny Porter Swimming is England’s most popular participation sport, with over 3.26 million people regularly getting in a pool (Sport England Active Participation Survey, 2010). Not only is it a fantastic form of exercise, but it is suitable for people of all ages and abilities. It is a lifelong skill – if you can not swim, it is never too late to learn! Health Benefits of Swimming Regular swimming decreases the risk of chronic illness, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, boosts mood and helps to control weight. Swimming also works practically every muscle in the body, and provides the best all round, low impact physical activity that we can participate in. When performed regularly, it is a great way to improve cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility, muscular endurance and enhance physique. As body weight is supported by water, there is also less pressure on the joints, making it ideal for those with chronic back pain, joint problems, or those whose excess weight makes mobility diﬃcult on land. Hydrotherapy pools are ideal for this purpose. How to Start Beginners: Most pools cater for all abilities, and will run learn to swim lessons for adults. These may be 1:1 lessons or in small groups. Ask at your local pool for more information. Intermediate or Advanced Level: Most pools run ‘swim fit’ schemes, with many running coached sessions. These are a great way to train with other people, which will not only provide motivation, but will also be a great way to meet new friends. Alternatively, why not consider joining a swimming club? Masters swimming clubs are open to members over the age of 19 years. To find a local masters club visit British Swimming. www.swimming.org/britishswimming/masters/about/ Or ask at your local swimming pool for further details. What equipment do I need to start? Basic equipment includes: Well fitting swimming costume or trunks, Swim Cap, Goggles (to prevent chlorine from stingy eyes, and to allow you to see where you are going!), Towel and shower bag.

Other accessories include: Kick Board (to allow you to work legs only), and Pull Buoy (to allow you to work arms only) All of the above equipment can be found in most major sports shops. How much swimming should I do? As with all sports, it is important that you start slowly and gradually increase the amount of exercise and intensity performed in each session, as your fitness improves. To start with, aim for 30‐minutes, twice a week. If you can happily swim 4 x 25m lengths, then try to complete at least 500m each time you swim. For workouts and to track your progress try British Gas Swim Fit www.swimming.org/swimfit/register To add variety and to prevent boredom, try doing different strokes during each session. Concentrate on your technique, as the more efficient your stroke is, the better you will become. Why not ask a coach or teacher at your local pool, to look at your stroke to point out some top tips for you, or to even write a training plan for you to follow? Set yourself a goal Time based: Why not see how long it takes you to swim a distance such as 200m or 400m, then measure this each week so that you can see yourself improving. Event: Why not enter an event, such as a swimathon, or even a triathlon. You could do this as a relay, and offer to do the swim leg. This will be a great goal to get you swimming! The national swimathon weekend is taking place on the 26 – 28th April 2013, why not take part? See www.swimathon.org/index.php for more details. Open water: Swimming does not have to take place in a pool. Outdoor swimming is becoming an ever growing sport in the UK, with the advantage of no chlorine – just the great outdoors! Make sure that you swim in a safe area, and never swim alone. www.bluegym.org.uk is designed to get more people physically active using our coastal and inland waters. Or why not consider taking part in an outdoor swim race www.greatswim.org. Endless Pools At the Penny Porter Physiotherapy and Aquatic Fitness Centre in Henbury we have an Endless Pool®. Endless Pools® are a fairly new concept, and can be best described as the water equivalent of a running treadmill.

81 They have “Fast Lane Units”, which generate a current of water that you can swim against. So you stay where you are and you swim against a current that flows past you. The strength of the current can be controlled to generate a smooth, broad, deep flow that's adjustable to any speed, so whatever your swimming ability, the current will be right for you. We have also installed a state of the art video analysis system, with three high definition video cameras, one of them underwater, one above and the third that can be either. With this system we can produce multi angled video footage of the swimmer, which can be used for instant feedback and analysis, and also recorded for later viewing or producing a DVD. This system is

immensely useful for stroke analysis and improvements, and for identifying faults that could result in injury if not corrected. We oﬀer swimming lessons for all ages and abilities. So whether you want to learn to swim, are a competitive swimmer or triathlete, or anywhere in between, our Endless Pool® can help you. For further information please email or phone us. Penny Porter is a former international swimmer and British Record Holder and was Coach to B.E.S.T – Bristol English Channel Swim Team – who broke the World Record by becoming the youngest team to swim the channel in 2010. She also swam the Channel herself in 2012. Penny is Physiotherapist to the British Swimming and England Ruby Teams.

The Penny Porter Physiotherapy Centre, 18A Dragons Well Road, Henbury, BS10 7BU www.pennyporter.co.uk Email: info@pennyporter.co.uk Tel: 0117 3302448 or 07957 871605 Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) are pleased to announce that their recent Love Your Air Ambulance month fundraising initiative has been a success. During the month, members of the public were encouraged to raise funds through dress down days at work or school, as well as bake sales. Thanks to the support of the 2.1m people within the region that they serve, £8409 was raised, which will go towards GWAAC’s overall target of raising £250,000 to fund a new helicopter. A new helicopter would attend to patients four minutes faster, would allow a mother and child to fly to hospital together and would allow more space for the patient, equipment and mid‐air treatment.

Speaking about the success of the campaign, chief executive John Christensen said: “We are delighted that the people of our region have taken note and supported our cause during Love Your Air Ambulance month in February. The funds that have been raised will go towards helping to fund a new helicopter, which is desperately needed to ensure that the service we provide continues for years to come. Unfortunately, the challenge isn’t over for us yet, and we need to ensure that the people we serve continue to support us as we receive no funding from the Government or the National Lottery, and we still have some way to go before our £250,000 target is met. We look forward to National Air Ambulance week in September, details of which will be announced shortly.” To find out more about GWAAC and their ‘Movin’ on Up’ campaign to raise funds for a new helicopter, please visit www.greatwesternairambulance.com

What’s On & Community Events Listings for community events, not for profit clubs and charitable activities are free. If you have something that you would like listed please get in touch with Andy by telephoning on 0117 9687787 or 07845986650 or emailing andy@bcmagazines.co.uk. The deadline for listings in the May magazine is 20th April ‐ any received after that date will be held over until the June 2013 issue. One‐Off Dated Events Vintage and Handmade Fair. St Peters Church Hall, Henleaze BS9 4LD on Saturday 6th April 10 ‐ 3pm. Come along to our fair with lovely stalls selling vintage china, clothing and retro items, cakes, retro toys, handmade arts and crafts, jewellery, shabby chic homeware plus Vintage Tea Room selling delicious homemade cakes. £1.00 entry, children under 16s free. Westbury Community Fair 11th May, 2013, interested stall holders please contact Clare Waggett tel. 9622234 for details . Charity “nearly new sale”. Maternity, baby, toddler and children’s clothes, toys and equipment. Saturday 22nd June 2013 at Newman Hall, Grange Court Road, Westbury‐on‐Trym, Bristol BS9 4DR. Gates open for Sellers at 9.30am., Priority buyers, 10.30am and General buyers, 11.00am.Price for sellers: £10 per table (We also welcome donated items for us to sell). Price for buyers: £5 for Priority early entrance per adult. General £1 per adult. Tea, coffee and homemade cakes for sale (Even if you do not want to buy or sell anything, come and have some top quality refreshments.) Enquiries, priority buyer tickets or to register as a seller please contact Sally Greenland on 07979646676 or email sallygreenland@arban.org.uk or look at our website www.arban.org.uk/2013/nearlynewsale. Funds go to ARBAN UK a charity run by local people who decided to make a difference. We have built and are running a clinic in a slum in Bangladesh. For full details see our website or contact Sally Greenland Bristol Zoo Gardens are organising a charity

Zumbathon that is taking place on Sunday 12th May. The charity Zumbathon will be a 3 hour Zumba fitness‐ party within the Zoo grounds. Money raised will go to protect the last remaining populations of Madagascar's endangered lemur species. For more information about our charity Zumbathon please visit: www.bristolzoo.org.uk/zumbathon Veteran Tree Walk. A walk around Leigh Woods’ ancient woodland, discovering our magnificent old trees, with the National Trust’s ancient tree specialist Brian Muelaner. Sunday 14th April, 10am till 12pm. Price: £4 per person, £2 for LMO supporters. Location: Leigh Woods, Bristol, BS8 3PZ. Meet at the North Road entrance to Leigh Woods. Booking is essential. Please book on line via our website www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ leigh‐woods or call our booking line on 08442 491 895. Bristol Penguin Lecture 2013: “Europe: The Struggle for Supremacy, 1453 to the Present” with speaker Professor Brendan Simms, University of Cambridge. At the heart of Europe's history lies a puzzle. In most of the world sprawling empires, kingdoms or republics appear to be the norm. By contrast Europe has remained stubbornly chaotic and fractured. This lecture tells the story of Europe's constantly shifting geopolitics and the peculiar circumstances that have made it both so impossible to dominate, but also so dynamic and ferocious. Venue: Watershed, 1 Canon’s Road, Bristol, BS1 5TX Free, but booking required in advance via struggleforsupremacy.eventbrite.com or contact 0117 331 8313. Bristol NCT Nearly New Sale. Saturday 11th May 2013 Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road, Southmead, BS10 5PY. 1PM – 2.30PM (12.30pm with NCT card) £1.50 in aid of NCT. Online seller registration now open. Don’t delay ‐ visit www.bristolnctsales.appspot.com. Charity Plant Sale on Saturday 11th May at 11am in the Methodist Church Hall, Westbury‐on‐Trym, as part of the Westbury‐on‐Trym Community Fair which starts at 12 noon at the Parish Church. Annuals, perennials, indoor plants, shrubs etc for sale to support this year's charities. Westbury on Trym Methodist Church, Saturday April

What’s On & Community Events 27th at 7pm, invite you to an evening to hear about and experience the work of the Hand in Hand Community in Ghana for disabled children and adults. Starting with a supper of Ghanaian food (with a more traditional option) , followed by a presentation on the work of this unique community by Naomi Owereh and Sue Hatton. Both are actively involved in the community. The evening will end at 9pm. Tickets £6.00 per person, £15.00 per family available from: Rachel Newton on 959 3225 or Janet Wisheart on 907 1301. Money raised will support this valuable work and World Mission . Quilt Show on August 30th and 31st 2013 10.00am ‐ 4.00pm in The Academy School, Channels Hill, Westbury on Trym, Suppliers, sales, tombola and raﬄe. St. Alban’s Players present “Memory of Water”, a comedy by Shelagh Stephenson, in St. Alban’s Church Hall, Bayswater Avenue, Westbury Park on April 24‐ 26 at 7.30 pm each evening. This was her first stage play and won the acclaimed Olivier Award for Best Comedy in 2000. Tickets from Jill Gill (tel. 9247266) . Westbury‐on‐Trym WI have invited Brian Partridge to their next meeting on Monday 15th April at 2pm in WoT Methodist Church Hall. His talk is entitled, 'You Cannot be Serious!' about his time as a line judge at Wimbledon. All visitors will receive a warm welcome. For more information please call 0117 9243032. Wanted ‐ Stall Holders. WI Summer Fair on Saturday 6th July 10‐1pm at Westbury‐on‐Trym Methodist Church. We invite Art, Crafts, Jewellery and Gift makers to rent a table. For further information please call Hilary on 0117 9683095. Dawn Chorus Walk. Take in the early morning air and discover the sounds of spring, with local bird expert Ed Drewitt. You’ll have to be an early bird to take part though!. Sunday 14th April, at 6am ‐ 7.30am Price: £6.50 per person, £4 for LMO supporters Location: Leigh Woods, Bristol, BS8 3PZ. Meet at the North Road entrance to Leigh Woods.. Booking is essential. Book online via our website

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/leigh‐woods or call our booking line on 0844 2491895. Social Clubs & Groups The Henleaze Carers' Group meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday morning each month throughout the year in The Coﬀee Bar, Bradbury Hall, Waterford Road, Henleaze from 10 ‐ 12 noon. It is an informal support group, and oﬀers friendship, information, and social events to anyone caring for a relative (old or young) or friend on a regular basis. For more details please get in touch with Monica Rudston on 0117 9426095. The next meeting of The Association of Retired Education Leaders will be in form of a visit to Tredegar House and Gardens near Newport on Thursday 16th May. New members welcome and for more details please contact Beatrice Murray on 0117 9620573 or email j.b.gtbrock@virginmedia.com. The Bristol Mahjong Club meets every Thursday 2 p.m. ‐ 5 p.m. at the King's Arms, Whiteladies Road, Bristol (Top of Blackboy Hill). Experienced players and beginners welcome. Please contact Lee ‐ Mob: 0790 567 2979 / Email: neeliej@hotmail.co.uk The Retired Professional Engineers' Club (Bristol) is a non‐profit making club that arranges regular events for retired professional engineers, whatever their background. Such events, principally talks, will have a social aspect so as to encourage members and their partners to attend. Guests will be made most welcome, with a notional charge to cover the cost of tea and biscuits. We also hold Summer and Autumn lunches. Unless notified otherwise talks start at 14.00 in St Peter's Church Hall, Henleaze, BS9 4LD, on the second Wednesday of the month. Further information on membership on our web‐site: www.rpec.co.uk or call Julian on 0117 968 2824. Stoke Bishop Townswomen's Guild will meet as usual on Thursday, April 4th at 2pm, but due to the hall being used for the election the May meeting will not be until 16th May. We are a small friendly Guild and welcome visitors to our meetings, where we have a speaker, quiz or other activity ‐ do come and visit us or ring 9683671 or

What’s On & Community Events 9685638 for more details." Westbury‐on‐Trym Probus Club. The Association of Retired Professional and Business Men aims to provide a meeting point for retired and semi‐retired professional and business men, to promote social well being through friendship, companionship and discussion. The club meets on the third Thursday of every month at BAWA, Southmead Road, from 12 midday. A three course luncheon at 12.30 p.m. is followed by a talk followed by any questions. The meeting finishes about 2.45 p.m. A programme of interesting and varied talks and visits has been arranged, such as conducted tours of places of interest, gardens, canal cruises, mid‐week lunches, etc., to which wives and friends are also invited. If you are interested in joining then please contact the secretary by either telephone 0117 9684270 or by email: graham.horne5@btinternet.com Henleaze Townswomen’s Guild meet on the first Wednesday of the month at 7.15pm at St Peter’s Church Hall, The Drive, Henleaze. Lady visitors are always most welcome to these, and all meetings. Further details can be obtained by ringing Gretta McDade on 0117 9500606. Westbury‐on‐Trym Townswomen's Guild meets at 2.15pm at Westbury Village Hall, 1 Eastfield Road (next to the Mouse pub), Westbury‐on‐Trym on the second Monday in each month. We have speakers, whist, table tennis, discussion and social events. New members and visitors welcome. Please contact Anne Trathen, Chairman, on 962 4256 or Margaret Smith, Secretary on 924 1728. Civil Service Retirement Fellowship. The Westbury‐on ‐Trym group welcomes all retired Civil Servants and their spouses to their meetings held on the first Thursday of the month at Studland Court, Henleaze Road at 2.00pm. Those people without a civil service background are welcome to join our group as Friends of the Fellowship. For more info phone Beryl Webb on 01454 614451. The Bristol Branch of the Association of Wrens meet

on the first Friday of every month at Studland Court, Henleaze Road, at 2pm. The Association is open to all serving members of the Royal Navy, as well as retired and ex‐members of the Women’s Royal Naval Service, the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Navy Nursing Service, the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and the Voluntary Aid Detachment. All Service personnel are welcome. The Royal Naval Association meets on the 3rd Monday of the month at 8pm for a social evening for retired and serving members of the forces. New members are always welcome to come along to the evening which is held at the Royal Air Force Association club on Eastfield. For more details please contact 9681769. Instep Club for Widows and Widowers weekly on Wednesday evenings 8.00‐10.30pm at Stoke Bishop Village Hall, Stoke Hill. New members welcome. Ballroom and Sequence dancing (If you haven’t danced for a long time, don’t worry, we will help you). Refreshments, social activities. Please telephone Mary on 968 3170 or Wilma on 962 8895 for further information. Westbury Friendly Club. This is a social club for senior citizens and meets every Thursday afternoon from 2 to 4 pm at the Westbury on Trym Methodist Church Hall, Westbury Hill. Activities include outings, talks, concerts as well as the normal activities of cards, scrabble, conversation and tea. For more details please contact Trevor Green on 9629862. Music, Concerts & Choirs A concert given by Solstice Wind Quintet and Leckhampton Capella at Westbury‐on‐Trym Methodist Church on Saturday April 20th at 7.30pm. Tickets £8 ( £6 for concessions) available from 0117 9686589 or at the door all proceeds for Music Therapy on Methodist Homes (MHA). Holy Trinity Church, Westbury‐on‐Trym, is fundraising to provide disabled access and make repairs to stonework and stained glass windows. There will be a concert on May 4th at 7.30pm in Church. The choir from King Edward VI Girls School, Birmingham, will be

Football for Girls Whether you’re a youngster just getting interested in football or a more experienced player, if want to join a fun, friendly local club then one of the best in Bristol is right on your doorstep! Bristol Ladies Union FC is Bristol’s leading club dedicated to girls and ladies football ‐ and it couldn’t be any more conveniently located. All the home games are played at the University of Bristol’s Coombe Dingle Sports Complex, with evening training at various local schools. BLUFC, which is nicknamed ‘The Blues’ has over 170 playing members and provides football from 7 year olds right through to adult football. The U8/9s trains on Sunday mornings with the emphasis on skills development in a non‐competitive environment, alongside organised friendlies against

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other local teams. At U10s and above, the teams play on Sunday mornings in the Bristol Girl's League, which is played at an age appropriate level. For example, the U10s only play for 20 minutes each way on mini pitches, whereas the U16s play 40 minutes each way on full‐size pitches The Senior teams play on Sunday afternoons in the South West Women's Premier League and the Gloucestershire County Women’s League Throughout the club, the ethos is all about player enjoyment and development, with players of all ability welcome to join and have fun playing football. The club has FA qualified coaches at every year group and all coaches working with children are fully CRB checked. To find out more, visit the club’s website www.blufc.co.uk or contact Lloyd Burnell on 0797 412 6448

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What’s On & Community Events playing/singing English music ‐ madrigals and instrumental. With works by Elgar, Stanford, Rutter, Adele, and Holst. There will be a retiring collection. Bristol Concert Wind Band are holding their Spring concert at 7.30 p.m. on Saturday April 27th at Trinity‐ Henleaze United Reformed Church BS9 4BT. We can promise you an evening of varied and exciting music, most of it written specifically for wind band. Pieces include East Coast Pictures, a suite by Nigel Hess, and Guy Woolfenden’s delightful Illyrian Dances. Other pieces in our programme include Stravinsky's dramatic Firebird Suite and O Waly Waly by Jay Bocook. Our conductor is Rainer Dolz and he will be ably assisted by our deputy conductor and principal clarinettist Nicola Ware. Nicola is the conductor of our associate band Blown Away! who are joining us tonight playing several pieces of popular music including excerpts from Les Miserables. Tickets are £8 and are available on the door from www.tickets@bristolconcertwindband.co.uk. or tel 0117 950 3104. Information about BCWB, Blown Away! and our three learner bands plus our swing band can be found at www.bristolconcertwindband.co.uk. Organ Elevenses on Sat. April 13 at Westbury Parish Church. We welcome back Owain Park as our guest organist for April. Since leaving the music team at Holy Trinity, Owain has been busy in Wells, where he joined the Cathedral School for his 'A' Levels. This year, his 'gap year', he has been appointed Organ Scholar at Wells Cathedral, before he takes up his appointment as Organ Scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge. Come and enjoy real coﬀee and luscious cakes at 10‐30am. Recital starts at 11. Suggested minimum donation £5, children free. Redland Wind Band Spring Concert at Red Maids School, Westbury Road,BS9 3AN. Tickets £7 on the door or email redlandwindband@googlemail.com. Under 16s free. Sat 20 April 7.30pm The Spring Concert this year takes place in a new venue and will again present the band’s diverse repertoire performed by this popular local ensemble. The programme will include swing, film and dance music as well as the classics. For

more info visit www.redlandwindband.co.uk Christopher Docherty will perform at a Flute Elevenses recital accompanied by Liz Cockitt on Saturday July 20th. Coﬀee and cake at 10.30 with music from 11.00am. A donation of a minimum of £5.00 is requested. He is in his second year at the Birmingham Conservatoire. The Mosaic Singers are a small, friendly four‐part local choir who meet to rehearse on a Tuesday evening from 7.30 to 9.30 in Stoke Bishop. We aim to sing a fairly wide range of pieces of music, leaning towards the lighter end rather than the heavier choral works. We are happy to perform in support of local good causes and charities and do not make a charge for our services. Like many small choirs we are always on the lookout for additional members and currently we would like to find one or two more altos and another tenor and bass. If what we are doing appeals to you and you feel you might like to be a part please ring David Richards on 0117 968 2741 who will happily give you further information. Bristol Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society present HMS Pinafore ‐ on 16th‐20th April at the Redgrave Theatre, Percival Rd, Clifton. Tickets £14 Full Price, £11 Concessions available from boxoﬃce@bristolgsos.co.uk Tel 01179079122 or go online at www.bristolgsos.co.uk. Henbury Singers is a friendly non‐auditioned choir which meets on Thursday evenings at 7.30p.m. in term time at Stoke Bishop Primary School and gives public performances several times a year. New members are always most welcome. Do come along or phone Malcolm Keppie on 973 6095 for more details. West Bristol Orchestra. A Chamber Orchestra, playing a wide range of Classical Music arranged for the smaller orchestra, meets at the United Reformed Church, Muller Road on Thursdays 7.15pm.to 9.15pm. Additional String players of Grade5+ standard welcomed. Previous experience of orchestral playing is not essential. For more information, please contact the Secretary on (0117) 968 3998. St Peters Church Choir, The Drive, Henleaze. We are always on the look out for new members and would welcome any new voices soprano, alto, tenor or bass. All are welcome. Please contact Reg Parker ‐ Organist and

Organist Wanted

The Methodist Church in Westbury on Trym is eager to hear from any organists in the area who would be interested in playing for a 10.30 am Sunday service once or twice a month. A modest fee is payable. The instrument is a Bishop 2 manual organ with electro‐pneuma c ac on. Please contact: christopher@ westburyontrymmethodistchurch.org.uk

What’s On & Community Events Choirmaster on 962 1230. Henleaze Ladies Choir. meets every Thursday afternoon from 1.45‐3.45pm in St Peter’s Church Hall, The Drive, Henleaze. We are a friendly group who sing a varied programme of songs and enjoy each other's company. Being able to read music is not absolutely essential as we learn the songs very thoroughly. Horticulture & Gardens Stoke Lodge Gardening Club winter/spring programme. April 5th Chris Cudlip, Colour in the garden; May 3rd Diana Redfern, Organic gardening for wildlife. Meetings are held at the University Sports Complex, Coombe Dingle, 7.00pm. Non‐members £3.00 per meeting. For annual membership (8 meetings) contact David Etherington tel. 0117 9681777 or email dave@etherington.com. University of Bristol Botanic Garden host “The Annals of Botany Lecture 2013” on 25th April at 7,30pm. “Ethnomedicine in the 21st Century”. Does plant‐based medicine still have a role to play in 21st century healthcare? James Wong explores the potential value of traditional medical practices in the age of nano technology and stem cell research. James is an ethnobotanist with interests in traditional medical systems, underutilised crops species and wild plant conservation. Lecture Theatre 1, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock’s Close, BS8 1TS. Admission: £8.50. Friends and Cleeve Nursery members £6.00. University students: Free. Tickets available from the University’s online shop http://shop.bris.ac.uk/ . Includes wine, soft drinks and snacks, and the opportunity to meet James after the lecture. Further information: www.bristol.ac.uk/botanic‐garden. 0117 331 4906. Sea Mills Garden Club have regular monthly meetings, every 3rd Wednesday, held at Sea Mills Methodist Rooms, Sea Mills Square at 7.30 pm. Our programme for spring is: 17 April, Arthur Southern ‐ Butterflies of Europe; and 15 May, talk & demonstration of Forever

Living Products followed by the Annual Bring & Buy Plant Sale. Visitors always welcome at £2 per meeting or annual membership is just £10. FFI contact Gail Mitchell 0117 9685350 or Esme James 0117 9682571 Old Sneed Park Nature Reserve is having a Bird Walk on Saturday, 4th May, led by Roger White and meeting at the Glenavon Park entrance. Come and see and hear the birds in our beautiful Nature Reserve from 9am to 10am followed by refreshments at 11 Glenavon Park. The walk will be free to members but there will be a charge of £3 for non‐members. Donations would be welcome for the refreshments. There will not be a working party during April to protect our nesting birds. Do visit our website at www.spnaturereserve.com for more information about the Reserve. The Bristol Group of the Alpine Garden Society meet once a month in the Methodist Church Hall on Westbury Hill at 7.30pm for talks, plant sales, social occasions and refreshments. Our next meeting is on May 17th when Val Brooks will be talking about Lake Garda and Mt Baldo. A friendly society where new members are welcome ‐ annual subscription or £2 for visitors. For more details please ring Marion Monahan on 0117 950 3422 or email marionmonahan@myguide.net. Henleaze & District Flower Club meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at Bradbury Hall, 1Waterford Road in Henleaze. Flower demonstrations are held on the second Thursday and practice classes on the fourth Thursday. New members are always welcome ‐ just come along and join in. Westbury on Trym Allotments & Gardens Association welcomes any new members ‐ just visit the trading hut on Saturdays and Sundays from 10.00am to 11.00am (opposite Somerfield / Texaco on Falcondale Road). Health, Fitness & Exercise Moves Fitness – exercise to music for all ages and fitness levels at St Peter’s Church Hall, Henleaze from 10am till 11am every Wednesday. Moves Fitness oﬀers an approach to fitness that is fun and eﬀective in a friendly welcoming class. Typical response from someone new to the class “Great fun, great results and a

What’s On & Community Events great atmosphere.“ Come and give it a try – £4 per session, you don’t need to be fit , or young, to start. Just turn up or Phone Jane on 0117 9681042 for more info or visit www.movesfitness.com Eurythmy group for adults at the Helios Medical Centre, 17 Stoke Hill, BS9 1JN. Thursday mornings from 11am to 11.45, £8.75 per session. Drop in class, newcomers welcome, no prior experience necessary. Eurythmy is a gentle and harmonising form of movement. Enjoy the balancing and grounding eﬀects of Eurythmy to take you out of the stresses and demands of our modern lives. For more information please contact Eurythmy Therapist Rebecca Paten on 0117 9733584 or telephone 0117 962 6060. Tai Chi for Health class 9.30 ‐ 10.30am at Westbury on Trym Village Hall. Tai Chi is well known for its gracefully flowing movements. It incorporates the use of qigong (energy exercises) which are very gentle but extremely powerful in action. They are simple to learn and many people may immediately see improvements in posture, stress reduction, coordination and overall health. It is suitable for all ages and levels of fitness. This is a beginners class and all will be most welcome. Your first session will be free so just come along and give it a try. For further information contact Sue or just drop in. Sessions £5. For more details contact sue.horne29@gmail.com, 07929 030209 or visit www.sueqi.co.uk Yoga in Stoke Bishop Village Hall. Wednesdays 2 ‐ 3.15 pm General Yoga , 5 ‐ 5.45 pm Teens Yoga (ring first), 6 ‐ 7 pm Beginners Yoga stretch/relax, and 7.30 ‐ 8.45 pm General Yoga. For further details on the above please contact: Sara‐Jo on 07789 552 052 or visit www.yogawithsara‐jo.com Scottish Country Dancing. A great way to have fun and meet new people. Classes Every Tuesday – 7.30‐9.30pm Members £3.50 per session, non‐members £4.50. Beginners at Church House, Leonard Hall, Henleaze URC Tel: Tina 0117 9075462. Experienced dancers at St Peter’s Church Hall, Henleaze Tel: Cheryl

0117 9590970 www.wscbristol.com . Henleaze Tennis Club has vacancies for players of all standards and ages. Whether you are an established player looking for a club, someone who is rusty or a student come along and try us out. For further information take a look at our web site www.henleazeltc.com and contact the secretary Pat Thomson 0117 950 5862. Pilates Classes in Henleaze and Westbury on Trym. Classes held at:‐ Henleaze URC, Monday 9.30‐ 10.30 & 10.30‐ 11.30 am (Beginners New January classes); Keith James Physios, Coldharbour Rd, Monday 7.30pm (Pre Natal Pilates ); Henleaze United Reformed Church, Tuesday 6.15 pm (Beginners) and Wednesday 6.15 pm (Intermediate); Westbury on Trym Methodist Church, Tuesday 9.30 am & 10.30 am (Intermediate/ Beginners). Bookings: Zoe Rayne BCPA 07747696938, email zoerayne@adaltapilates.co.uk or visit www.adaltapilates.co.uk. Zumba Gold Class @ Horfield Parish Church Hall every Weds 2pm‐2.45pm (Gold Class) £4.00 per class, for the mature movers aimed at age 55+ (All other ages Including Beginners) Zumba Class @ Orchard School every Thurs 7pm‐8pm Contact Georgina for further details on www.bristolzumba.com or tel: 07545 625089. GAPS (Gut and Psychology / Physiology Syndrome) Support Group Bristol. Meeting to learn more about how to improve our gastrointestinal health and restore it back to optimal function and to assist us in coping with many of today’s disorders relating to digestion. Topic: GAPS in Pregnancy Optimal nutritional support for mother and the growing baby, avoiding pregnancy complications, preparation for birth and breastfeeding Speaker: Dr Jens Rohrbeck, Dates: Thursday 18th April Time: 6.45pm Venue: Helios Medical Centre, 17 Stoke Hill, Stoke Bishop, BS9 1JN Contact: gapsbristol@gmail.com, tel: 07584719348, www.dr‐rohrbeck.com, www.gaps.me Keep Fit for Ladies class every Thursday between 9:45 am and 10:45am at St. Peter's Church Hall, Henleaze. An enjoyable class of mixed ages and abilities with an introduction to the use of balls, scarves, ribbons and

93 No ce of elec ons for Ward Reps for the Henleaze, Stoke Bishop and Westbury on Trym Neighbourhood Partnership Are you ac ve within your community? Would you like to represent your ward at the Neighbourhood Partnership? Neighbourhood Partnerships are currently being reviewed and are likely to become increasingly more influen al as a focus for community needs and aspira ons. They are also likely to have enhanced powers and influence over the way BCC and its partners (Police, Health etc) deliver services in your area. We are holding elec ons to decide the Ward Reps within each ward of the Henleaze, Stoke Bishop and Westbury on Trym Neighbourhood Partnership. Nomina ons If you are interested in being a Ward Rep for your Neighbourhood Partnership please contact Andrew McGrath at andrew.mcgrath@bristol.gov.uk for an informa on pack and nomina on form Nominees are eligible to stand if they are; ‐ a resident in the ward they are standing

‐ are willing to declare any interests ‐ can fulfil the role as outlined in the role descrip on (which forms part of the info pack) Closing date for nomina ons will be 5pm Friday 19th April 2013. The elec ons will be held as part of the next round of Neighbourhood Forums ‐ Stoke Bishop – Wednesday 15th May, Stoke Bishop Primary School, Cedar Park, Bristol BS9 1BW – vo ng starts at 6.30pm, mee ng starts at 7pm Westbury on Trym – Tuesday 21st May, Venue 35 Stoke Lane, Bristol, BS9 3RW – vo ng starts at 6.30 pm, mee ng starts at 7pm Henleaze – Thursday 16th May, Henleaze Library, Northumbria Drive, Bristol BS9 4HP – vo ng starts at 6.30pm, mee ng starts at 7pm If you would like to find out more info about how you can make a posi ve contribu on to your area please contact Andrew McGrath (9036436) or Farhan Ahmed (9036442). You can also find the informa on by visi ng the NP website: ww.ac venp.co.uk

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What’s On & Community Events clubs. Coﬀee is available to finish the class. New members always welcome ‐ just turn up at the class or for more info contact Margaret Clarke on Bristol 9501967. Stoke Lodge Ramblers provide a varied range of walks that will suit all levels of walking ability. Walks are scheduled for the first and third Thursdays and Sundays of every month. Those on Thursdays are either medium walks of 5 ‐ 7 miles or short walks of 4 miles. Sunday walks are approximately 8 ‐ 11 miles. A number of social events are held throughout the year. New members are always welcome. For further details please visit our website www.stokelodgeramblers.wordpress.com or ring our Secretary on 0117 968 4140. Zumba and Zumba Gold classes every Weds 5 ‐ 6pm and 6.30 – 7.30pm in WOT Village Hall. Appropriate for men and women of most ages and fitness levels. No dance experience or partner required ‐ just a love of music, movement and fun! £5 or £20 for 5 sessions. Cash on door. Booking strongly advised due to limited capacity ‐ visit www.bristoldancezumba.co.uk for more details. New Zumba Gold (seniors) class has just started on weekly Mondays in Bradbury Hall ‐ Trinity Reform URC in Henleaze and only £4.50 each. The class is from 4 ‐ 4.50pm and should be very popular for local residents looking to keep fit and healthy with a fun yet lighter pace Zumba class. For more details please contact Sam Ellis on 07766 101790, www.dancebristol.co.uk Redland Green Bowling Club invites both novices and players to come and play at Redland Green where tuition is available with qualified coaches. FFI please ring Jean or Gerry Wickham on 9624466. Interested in badminton? Come along to our badminton club at the Greenaway Centre, Westbury on Trym, on Monday evenings from 7pm to 8.30pm. Reasonable standard of play is required. Please telephone Marilyn on 968 7819 for more details.

Westbury Harriers Running Club meet for a run every Monday and Thursday at 7pm, Coombe Dingle Sports Centre in Stoke Bishop. We are a thriving club consisting of nearly 300 members aged 7 ‐ 70. Training runs cater for all abilities from beginners to advanced. The club has many members who just run for pleasure, but there is also a thriving competitive structure for those who are so inclined! For more information, just turn up on a club night or contact John on professorterry@gmail.com. Gentle Exercise. We are a small class that meets for an hour on Monday mornings and gently exercise the body, from sitting or standing, to improve posture, balance and flexibility. Everyone, any level of ability, is welcome. Ring 0117 903 8844 or log on to www.bristol.gov.uk/ adultlearning to book your place. Ring Nen on 0117 9556657 for further info. Pre‐School Activities Dinosaur Egg and Spoon! Shark Tennis! Bucket Shapes! Do you have a pre‐school child who would like to have some fun and do something diﬀerent? Little Sports is a brand new class for 2‐5 year olds, starting in Henleaze! Limited spaces available in each class so book your free trial session early! Simply contact Bryony on 0117 9499688 or email littlesportshenleaze@yahoo.com Visit our website www.little‐sports.com for more information. Westbury‐on‐Trym Toddler Group. New members welcomed to join a fun and lively group Wednesdays in term time 9.30‐11.30am at Westbury Methodist Church Hall. Run by group members we have a baby area, crafts, toys and new ride‐ons. For mums and carers, a termly night out! So if you want to come and make some new friends, please book a taster session or for more info www.westburytoddlergroup.co.uk or email westburytoddlers@gmail.com. Pat‐a‐Cake Toddlers:‐ We are a small friendly parent/ carer and toddler group for babies to preschool aged children. We meet on a Tuesday 1.15 ‐ 2.45 at Westbury Methodist Church Hall. We have a baby corner, crafts and lots of toys to play with. £1.00 per family per week, each session finishes with a lively singsong. For more information contact Caroline on 968 4894

Policing in BS9 I’ve been in touch recently with the Henleaze and Westbury Beat Oﬃcer, WPC Paula Donnelly, and PCSO, Paula Perry to see if there is a way The Bristol Nine can help spread the word about general policing ac vi es going on in our area. As a result I discovered that Avon & Somerset Police have a mailing scheme to advise interested residents of useful police and crime related news specific to our area. This is available via their website www.avonandsomerset.police.uk if you follow the link to “Online Services”, and can be tailored down to the beat level so you only receive really local news. It is well worth a look, but for those of you who prefer or who are only able to see news in wri en form I’ll have a go at diges ng the news for you, and publishing what I think are the per nent points each month. So here are this month’s extracts ‐

Speedwatch Volunteers Avon and Somerset Police are currently running training sessions for community speedwatch volunteers. Would any members of the community like to take part in this training and subsequently carry out speedwatch opera ons in the area. The date of the training session is 14 April 2013 at 1pm at Southmead Police Sta on. Please contact PCSO 7166 Claire Fisher for further informa on or advice on 101

High Value Bikes Being Stolen Recently we have had an increase in sheds being broken into in the Henleaze area of Bristol. These usually occur overnight. High value bikes are being stolen by unknown oﬀenders. These sheds are

located in the rear garden and the oﬀenders appear to be climbing over fences to access various gardens and sheds. Police are asking the community to be on the lookout for any suspicious ac vity and to call if they see anyone hanging around in rear lanes etc. If any residents have high value bikes in their sheds, then please update the security and make it very diﬃcult to remove any property from within the sheds. If you would like to discuss this further please call 101 and ask to speak to your local neighbourhood team.

Beat Surgeries Your Beat Manager and PCSO are currently looking for dates and venues to hold beat surgeries. If you run a club or are a member of a club in Henleaze or Westbury on Trym area of Bristol and would like to speak to your local oﬃcers please contact us. Please call me on 101 or email me paula.perry@avonandsomerset.police.uk for available dates. We are currently looking for dates in April 2013 onwards. We are happy to a end small or large groups. This is your opportunity to raise issues with your local beat team and find out what has been going on in your area. We look forward to hearing from you. If you have informa on about any crime, phone the police on 101 or you can call anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers 0800 555 111. For general informa on about Neighbourhood Watch na onally see the www.ourwatch.org.uk website More policing news next month.

What’s On & Community Events Mums and Tots. Henleaze URC Leonard Hall, Waterford Road, Henleaze. We are a small friendly group who meet every Wednesday afternoon (during term time) 1.30 pm ‐ 3.30 pm. Grannies and nannies welcomed as well. £1.50 per week to include a cup of tea and biscuits. Do come and join us. Voluntary Team members needed. At Bristol Child Contact Centre in Henleaze children of all ages spend time with the parent they no longer live with, in a session supported by our volunteers. Most of the ‘contact parents’ are fathers, so we would especially welcome more men to join us. The volunteer team prepares the hall and toys, serves refreshments, welcomes parents and children, listens non‐judgmentally when needed, and keeps everyone safe and happy. If this appeals to you, and you’d be free to join our Saturday volunteer rota every 4‐6 weeks, do get in touch for further details. You will get an enhanced DBS (new name for CRB) check, training and support, plus the satisfaction of maintaining a much‐valued service which helps families stay in touch after separation. For more information visit www.bristolchildcontactcentre.org.uk and/or ring Helen Gamsa on 07511 290505. More Reading Buddies Wanted! Would you enjoy oﬀering reading and language support to children for whom English is a second language? Can you help them improve their reading ability, benefiting both them as individuals and the wider class? Can you commit to giving one hour of reading time a week in termtime? We are working with ten schools in the Southmead, Horfield and Brentry areas. Training is oﬀered, and your advanced CRB check is paid for by Bristol City Council. You would read with the same children each week and be part of a growing group of volunteers. For more information please contact Paul Harrod, at paul.harrod@gmail.com, or on 07576 150706. Calling all Carers. Would you like the opportunity to share your experiences, relax and make new friends? Then come and join the new Henleaze Carers’ Group.

The group will meet on the second and fourth Thursday morning of each month, 10am to 12, in the new Bradbury Hall, Waterford Road, Henleaze. For more information please call Mrs M Rudston 942 6095. Volunteer Drivers wanted for the transport of elderly patients to a doctor or nurse once or twice a week at the WoT Primary Care Centre. We operate under the wings of the nationwide Charity RSVP who provide us with liability insurance other practical help. And of course we work closely with the Staﬀ of the Westbury Practice. Please contact Zina Wilson on 0117 907 8744 or bernzina@blueyonder.co.uk for more info or ask Reception or your doctor on 962 3406. Volunteers Wanted. Could you help young children with their reading at primary school? Do you have a little time to spare each week? Volunteers are required usually for half a day a week during term‐time. Some training will be provided. If you are interested in this worthwhile and rewarding activity please contact Vanessa Kitchen of Community Service Volunteers. Tel: (0117) 9096858 or vckitchen1949@gmail.com. Do you love weddings? Westbury‐on‐Trym Village Hall is looking for volunteer wedding helpers for our busy 2013/2014 schedule of wedding receptions. If you are interested, please contact Gill Wilmott on 0117 914 4745 Miscellaneous Stoke Bishop & Sneyd Park Local History Group are keen to welcome new members and visitors (£2 per meeting) to their programme of meetings. Our next meeting is at Stoke Bishop Village Hall at 7.30pm on Friday 19th April when Mike Rowlands will be presenting “Lipstick on a Gorilla”, a look at monuments and statues in Bristol. For more details please contact Jenny Weeks on 968 6010. The Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society: Next meeting will be on Monday 29th April at 7.45 pm in The Apostle Room, Clifton Cathedral, Pembroke Road, BS8. “City and Nation: Bristol in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography”. This lecture will be given by Dr. Mark Curthoys, Research Editor, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. From its creation in the 1880s, the DNB has recorded noteworthy

Vacancy at Elmlea Junior School

Lunch me Play Leader (BG2 SCP 5‐6) Working Pa ern: Monday – Friday 12 – 1.15 pm Term Time Only BG2 SCP 5‐6 Salary Range £12,312 ‐ £12,489 per Annum, Pro Rata Actual Annual Salary £1,770 Job Descrip on: An enthusias c Play Leader is required to organise some super lunch me games for our pupils. This is a term‐ me only post, working 12.00 noon ll 1.15pm, Monday to Friday. Du es will be to organise and develop safe, purposeful and crea ve play during the lunch me break which enriches the pupils' learning, and supports posi ve behaviour.

The successful candidate will need to be posi ve, pa ent, approachable and also willing and able to work effec vely as part of a team to include all pupils. We value diversity and welcome applica ons from all groups. We are commi ed to safeguarding the welfare of children and expect all staff to share this commitment. An enhanced CRB check is required for the successful applicant. Please contact the school office for an applica on form. The Dell, Westbury on Trym, Bristol BS9 3UF Tel: 0117 377 2266 E-mail: info@elmleaj.bristol.sch.uk Web: www.elmleaj.bristol.sch.uk Headteacher: Clare Galliers

What’s On & Community Events individuals in the British past. This talk will explore some of the figures associated with Bristol and its vicinity, mainly active in the period after 1800, who have entries in the dictionary (which is freely accessible online to public library ticket holders). Stoke Lodge History and Archaeology Group meet on the first Thursday of every month at the Friends Meeting House in Hampton Road at 7.30pm. We have speakers on a varied range of topics, many of which have a strong emphasis on local history. New members are always made very welcome. For further details please contact Annette Martin on 0117 979 3209. Calling all would‐be bridge players. Would you like to learn to play bridge absolutely free. I am re‐running my "Bridge for Complete Beginners" sessions and would like to hear from you. If you are interested, please contact Terry Stygall Tel. 9091714 , Mob. 07837300073 or by email at tc.stygall@gmail.com . Now on sale ‐ the great “East meets West” cookbook from the team at the Holy Trinity Church, WoT. £6.50. Available from The Parish Oﬃce Tel: 950 8644 (9.30am ‐12.30pm), and also from Stoke Lane Cards and Gifts, Charlecombe Court, Stoke Lane and Westbury Veg, Carlton Court, Canford Lane, or contact 9502800 for a copy. Excel Bridge Club meets in Stoke Bishop Village Hall on Stoke Hill every Monday, beginning promptly at 7.15pm. There is a very cheerful & relaxed atmosphere and as we just play 24 boards we are always finished by 10.15pm – in good time for your evening cocoa! For more details ring Ralph Smith on 01275 840006. The Bristol Grandparents' Support Group, for grandparents who are going through the trauma of not being able to have contact with your grandchildren, due to family breakdown. We meet every two months at 9, Park Grove, Westbury Park, Bristol, BS6 7XB. FFI please visit www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk, contact Jane Jackson tel. 0117 9246496, mobile 07773 258270, or email jackson.jane@me.com.

Do you need to borrow a PA System? Martyn at North Bristol PA Hire has kindly oﬀered his services, and those of a whole bunch of public address and lighting gear, for any community or charitable event being held here in BS9. Martyn is happy to be contacted to discuss if he can be of help at any appropriate events e.g. fetes, fun days, musical productions or whatever. He can provide music, commentary or just turn up with a PA (and lighting if needed). If you are interested please ring Martyn on 07977 512436 or 0117 987 0534 or check out his website www.northbristolpahire.co.uk. WoT’s Local Produce Market is held every fourth Saturday of the month (next on 27th April) from 9am to 1pm in the Car Park of the Westbury on Trym surgery on Westbury Hill. The market features a great range of produce from local businesses including yummy home‐ made cakes, meats, sausages, bacon, free range eggs, fresh fruit and veg and a variety of interesting breads. Ray Bridge Club meet on Tuesday 6.30pm to 9pm at the Sea Mills Methodist Church, Shirehampton Road (new venue) for social rubber bridge. New members always welcome. Please ring 942 7760 or 968 2652 for further details. Country Market. Every Friday morning from 10.30 to 11.30 in Westbury on Trym Methodist Church Hall. Homemade cakes, arts, crafts, plants, vegetables, jams and chutneys. Refreshments are also available in a relaxed and friendly environment. For more details contact Sue Sills on 9628306. West of England Bridge Club meets for duplicate bridge on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at The Golden Hill Sports Club, Wimbledon Road from 7.30pm ‐ 10.30pm. New members and visitors always welcome. £4 per evening for members, £5 for non‐members, special rates for juniors/unemployed. Licensed bar. For further details of the club or lessons please contact Gareth Evans on 07921 788 605, email enquiries@woebc.co.uk or visit www.woebc.co.uk. Social Bridge, Tuesdays at 7.30 p.m. at Stoke Bishop Village Hall. New members welcome. Tel Chris on 968 5640.

Westbury’s Country Market This month the team at the Westbury on Trym Country Market are celebrating its 30th birthday. Having visited several times and met many of the producers and traders I’d suggest that this milestone is being achieved not just by their hard work, commitment and enthusiasm but by the sheer quality and value for money of what is on oﬀer every week ‐ a view supported by one of the ladies who said “Our reputation has been built on the quality of our products and on our friendly service.” Clearly there has been a recent upsurge in the popularity of small markets selling locally made and locally sourced products from independent traders, but the Country Market has been there promoting this, in their own unassuming way, for three decades. Their mantra is “Home‐made, home‐baked, home‐grown, home crafted” and the products and produce available certainly fit the description. I reckon the quality can’t be faulted ‐ what I’ve purchased has never been anything less than delicious, fresh and great value, and this is backed up by the rules of sale where all cooks hold up‐to‐ date hygiene certificates and products comply with strict rules on hygiene and packaging. But the Country Market is more than just a place to buy great local produce and crafts, it’s a place to meet, chat and be sociable. Indeed “It’s the best tea‐shop in town” said one lady in the queue in front of me. The kitchen, cheerfully occupied by Brenda, Joyce and Christine when I last visited, sells Fair Trade refreshments to a steady stream of visitors, many of whom come along to meet up for a bit of chit‐chat, a cuppa and some company. I met some regulars who have become regular

Friday‐friends through the market and look forward to meeting as much as restocking their shelves with lemon curd, hand‐made cards and flapjacks. There is also a new “knit and natter” table where new visitors, who fancy a chat but have come along on their own, are made to feel welcome ‐ knitting optional! The Country Market operates as a co‐operative, with producers, eﬀectively the shareholders, paying a small commission to cover the running costs. New members, cooks, gardeners and craftsmen are always welcome , as of course are all members of the public ‐ admission to the market is free. And if you can’t make it then orders are taken, and hampers made up and delivered, like Interflora for cakes and jams! Happy birthday then to “the friendly market” WESTBURY‐ON‐TRYM COUNTRY MARKET Every Friday from 10.30 ‐ 11.30 am in The Methodist Church Hall, Westbury Hill. “Home‐made Home‐grown Home‐cra ed” Cakes ‐ Pastries ‐ Savouries ‐ Preserves ‐ Honey Vegetables ‐ Fruit ‐ Eggs ‐ House & Garden Plants ‐ Flowers & Cra s ‐ Refreshments ALL ARE WELCOME Free Admission Orders: Anne Panes 0117 950 3355 www.avoncountrymarket.co.uk

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What’s On & Community Events Bristol Film and Video Society exists to bring together those interested in recording and editing video. Do come along to one of our meetings. Held on the first and third Tuesday of each month, meetings are held at the Filton Pavilion, Elm Park, and start at 7:30pm. Visit www.bristolvideo.org.uk for more details. Westbury Art Club meet on Thursday evenings between 7 and 9pm at The Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road, Southmead. We are a mixed ability group of artists For more details check out www.westburyartclub.org.uk, e‐mail us at westburyart@blueyonder.co.uk or phone our club secretary on Bristol 962 9799. Lip‐reading class. An evening lip‐reading class to help you cope with your hearing loss runs in Clifton from 6.15pm to 7.45pm every Monday at Redland Park United Reformed Church, Whiteladies Road. Fee is £5 per session. For more details contact the tutor, Mary Hall, by email on lipreadingmary@yahoo.com or telephone 07790 283939. Interested in Plastic Modelling? The Avon Branch of the International Plastic Modellers Society meets on the third Wednesday of every month at the BAWA club on Southmead Road at 8.00pm. New members are always very welcome. For more information contact Andy White on 0117 3300288 or visit www.ipmsavon.org.uk . Bristol & Clifton Dickens’ Society will meet at Westmoreland Hall, Redland, on Thursday 11th April when Dr Tony Williams presents “but it was London ‐ Nicholas Nickleby and the Metropolis”. For more details please contact Eveline Fitt on 0755 2939392 or email eve.fitt@btinternet.com. 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. 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 the prior written consent of Bristol Community Magazines Ltd.

Quiz Answers from page 40 A ‐ 1976, B ‐ Graham Chapman, C ‐ Jodrell Bank, D ‐ Lester Piggott, E ‐ Thomas Telford, F ‐ rolled oats, brown sugar, butter and golden syrup, G ‐ Saint Peter Port, H ‐ Helen Rollason, I ‐ Flashdance, J ‐ north, K ‐ mythical Nordic sea monster, L ‐ Tower of London, Palace of Westminster (inc Abbey), Kew Gardens and Greenwich, M ‐ Han Solo in Star Wars, N ‐ William and Mary, O ‐ Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo, P ‐ calf, Q ‐ Eider duck, R ‐ 1950, S ‐ Trafalgar, T ‐ Moscow (Novoslobodskaya station); U ‐ tango and victor, V ‐ Kilmer and Doonican, W ‐ Close Encounters of the Third Kind, X ‐ Electric Light Orchestra, Y ‐ Beverley, Z ‐ Softly, Softly: Taskforce.

Garage for rent in W-o-T Single lock up garage, safe and secure, available for rent. Situated off Canford Lane £25 per week.

Please call to arrange a viewing

07810 678897

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"We dealt with all the members of staﬀ and found them to be friendly and eﬃcient. We have been helped through this stressful process very nicely. We cannot fault the service we have received." Mr. H. H, Park Grove, Westbury Park

"James Goodchild and his team sold me a house. James heads up a very professional team and leads by example through his honest approach & in depth knowledge of the business." Mr. & Mrs. J. S. H. Upper Cranbrook Road, Redland

"I would like to communicate how pleased we were with the service provided by you and your staﬀ. The marke ng for the property was well organised, the open day that you ran was successful, evidently, and I was impressed by the professional approach at all mes. Please pass this on to James Goodchild who was very thorough in keeping me informed of progress." Yours Sincerely Mr. R. H , Northumbria Drive, Henleaze "Joanne had excellent knowledge and experience of the specialised nature of the old persons homes and was most helpful with advice and we are confident she got the best price. Many thanks on my mother's behalf." Mr. M. V, Fallodon Court, Henleaze