Downend Voice July 2024

Festival's future at risk

ORGANISERS of the Mangotsfield Village Festival have warned that the future of the event is at "serious risk".

This year's festival on June 8 was attended by up to 3,000 people – but despite an appeal for festivalgoers to donate £3 each towards costs, only £800 was given on the day.

HAIR DESIGNERS

The organisers now need to raise £7,500 to secure next year's event.

They also need new volunteers – and are calling on people to "step up and get involved" when the festival holds its annual meeting in July.

Here at Craig Anthonys we pride ourselves not only on the styles but also the advice that we can provide. Our award winning team with years of experience in colouring and cutting can provide a style unique to suite you.

To arrange a no obligation consultation pop in or give us a call.

Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire, which shut its Staple Hill office two years ago, is to begin holding weekly sessions at Page Community Association this month.

PAGE 22

The family of former Mangotsfield United footballer Scott Hendy told a court how their lives had been torn apart by his death.

PAGE 7

Find out about all the candidates standing at the general election in Bristol North East and Filton & Bradley Stoke. PAGES 8-11

The Sambistas lead this year's Mangotsfield Village Festival parade through the streets

Posture, more than meets the eye!

Did you know your posture is directly linked to the health of your body and brain?!

We at Sutton Chiropractic in Downend specialise in, postural correction, pain relief and performance.

A recent study found that as our posture slumps forward, markers of good health deteriorate, and we become less mobile (ref1). Along with this, a landmark study in 2022 of 411 patients over 50 years old, found even minor hunching forward of posture was directly linked to a decline in cognitive (brain) function!

This research is now being used to help delay dementia onset or prevent it all together (ref2).

In a nutshell, our posture is paramount for a healthy body, brain and life.

With this in mind, we have put together 2 case studies to highlight how we can help you with your postural health, regardless of what stage of life you find yourself in.

Case 1

(Left image) Here we can clearly see this gentleman in his late 80’s has developed a significant forward hunch and his head held 11” forwards of where it should sit. This is putting a strain of 35kgs through his neck instead of the normal 7kg’s!

He was told nothing could be done for the neck and head aches this caused, due to his posture and age he would have to live with it. We did not agree.

(Right image) Midway through his course of chiropractic care his head position has shifted back 3.5” easing the strain on his neck to 15kgs, the headaches have disappeared and minor neck stiffness is all that remains.

This started with a small postural change that went un-noticed and progressed to the larger issue we see here, thankfully we have manged to help improve his situation vastly even at this stage in life.

Case 2

This gentleman in his midlife years has more subtle postural imbalances (Left image) which would have been missed if not assessed without a professional postural assessment.

These changes resulted in large amounts of lower back pain and as he went through his course of care this subsided, his posture returned to normal (for the first time in many years) and he started competing in long distance swimming again (Right image).

Small changes that go unnoticed cause

problems now or later, so do come in and have an assessment to avoid problems or simply improve your health and performance.

Thursday 27th June 2.30pm Friday 28th June 1.30pm Christchurch Family Medical Practice Call 0117 2141636 to book your place

ref 1 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/16166889/ ref 2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/35589972/

Step up to save the festival

PEOPLE need to "step up and get involved" if the Mangotsfield Village Festival is to continue next year.

Members of the festival's organising committee say the event's future is at "serious risk" because of a shortfall in funding and volunteers.

A vote on its future will be taken at a meeting in July.

The organisers say this year's festival on June 8 attracted between 2,000 and 3,000 people to the North Field at Pomphrey Hill, and was a "memorable day".

The committee said: "We were thrilled to welcome back the Sambistas, who kicked off our festival in the right way by drawing in the crowds with a joyful noise. The diversity of displays, attractions and performers at the festival truly enhanced the spirit of the event, and indicates the level of enthusiasm for such things in the Mangotsfield and wider community."

But the event only went ahead after a £5,000 grant from Emersons Green Town Council –and an appeal for festival-goers to donate £3 each towards costs raised just £800.

Before the pandemic, the festival was held at Cleve RFC's ground but its move to the North Field when it returned last year means organisers cannot charge an entry fee to help towards the estimated £16,000 costs.

The organisers said: "The future of the event is at serious risk, for two main reasons, so

this may be the last time we see the festival run in its current format.

"We love putting on the festival and we want to ensure its future, and even though 2,000 to 3,000 people attended the event, we only received £800 in donations.

"Rising costs for equipment hire, along with dwindling external donations to the event, have made it touch and go as to whether we could financially proceed with this year's event, but a grant donation from Emersons Green Town Council secured the event for this year.

"The committee have discussed at length the reliance on an individual source of funding and have concluded that we should establish our own funds generation scheme. To that end we plan to start crowdfunding, the details of which will be posted on our Facebook page.

"We need to raise £7,500 by next year's event and ask that if every attendee to the festival could contribute just £2, the future of this highly popular and well-regarded event will be secure. In addition, we now actively need to seek new volunteers. The existing committee is made up of just 11 individuals, and a good proportion of them have been involved since the event's inception over 30 years ago.

"We are asking people who would like to pick up the torch and carry the event

forward for the next 30 years to get in touch with us at the earliest opportunity, so that we can continue to provide this well-loved event for future generations."

The festival committee holds its annual meeting on Tuesday July 9, at 7.30pm, in the Scout Hall in Northcote Road.

The committee said: "We plan to hold a vote at the meeting

to make a final decision on the future of Mangotsfield Village Festival – if the community want to see the festival survive they need to step up and get involved."

The committee can be reached via the festival Facebook page, by emailing chair@ mangotsfieldfestival.co.uk or calling 07765 201435.

More festival photos: Page 12

Children from V Dance Academy performing at this year's Mangotsfield Festival.

Picture: Tony Bundy

Children from Emersons Green Primary School put on a display of traditional dances

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Life for killer who stabbed friend

A FRENCHAY man has been jailed for life for murdering his friend after an argument.

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COMPLAINTS

Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get things wrong. We always try to resolve issues informally at first but we also have a formal complaints procedure. If you have a complaint about anything in the Downend Voice, contact the publisher using the details below. We aspire to follow the Code of Conduct of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), which holds journalists to a high standard of behaviour. Further details of the complaints process can be found on the Voice website here, or can be obtained by contacting the Publisher.

Lee Llewellyn, of Froomshaw Road, fatally stabbed Martin Hefferman, of Fishponds, last November.

Llewellyn, aged 51, had denied one count of murder, claiming 32-year-old Martin had accidentally jumped onto the knife.

But he was found guilty of the charge by a jury at the end of a nine-day trial at Bristol Crown Court in May.

Llewellyn was sentenced to life in prison, with Judge Martin Picton telling him he would serve a minimum of 18 years before he could be considered for parole.

Bristol Crown Court heard the two friends had an argument while they were visiting a house in Honeysuckle Close, Bradley Stoke, at around 3.20am on November 18 last year.

An Avon & Somerset police spokesperson said: "A quantity of alcohol and drugs had been consumed during that time."

Two women who were upstairs in the house heard an argument between the two men downstairs, before finding Mr Hefferman wounded on the landing. They called police, who arrived around 10 minutes later.

The police spokesperson said: "Llewellyn told those officers he had ‘stabbed the guy’ and he had sustained rib injuries in an altercation with Mr Hefferman before picking up the knife."

Video from police body-worn cameras recorded Llewellyn saying he hoped Martin survived, saying that he didn't want a "murder charge", before adding: "It's going to be murder though, isn't it. Doesn't look good. Why did I stab him?"

On the way to police custody he told officers: “I didn’t mean to do it but he attacked me.”

However Llewellyn later replied "no comment" to all questions, and claimed in court that the fatal injury was inflicted by accident.

The prosecution argued the severity of the injury and location of the wound showed Llewellyn intended to kill or cause very serious injury.

After the verdict Detective Inspector Mark Newbury said: “It’s clear there was a dispute between Lee Llewellyn and Martin Hefferman in the moments before the murder took place.

“Whatever caused that argument cannot justify the conscious decision Llewellyn made to grab a knife, which he used to kill Martin.

“It may have been a decision made in the heat of the moment, but it is inconceivable he would not have recognised bringing a knife into the argument could have tragic consequences.

“Martin was a young man whose life was snatched away from him on that fateful day.

“We are pleased to have secured a conviction for his family.

"They have shown courage throughout our investigation, as they seek to come to terms with losing their son."

Martin Hefferman

Lee Llewellyn

Teachers tackle Three Peaks for charity

TEACHERS from Mangotsfield School are climbing three mountains in a day to help a charity that has supported a Downend teenager with cancer.

Thomas Humphries is 15, and is halfway through two years of intensive treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, after being diagnosed last summer.

During his treatment the Downend School pupil had to spend time in isolation. To help him stay in contact with his friends, charity Molly Ollys gave him a PlayStation 5, new handsets and FIFA game so he could play online with them.

His mum Shelley said: “Thomas is a crazy football fan and loves physically playing but his illness has meant that he is not able to do this.

"This has been so important in allowing him to reconnect with his friends and also gives him something to focus on when he is at home on his own.

“It has improved his mental health and allows him to feel that he is still part of his friends' lives,

even if he can't be with them.”

Shelley is head of geography at Mangotsfield School and to say thank you to the charity, 16 members of staff are scaling the Welsh peaks of Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen y Fan.

The mountains are between 880m (2,887ft) and 1,080m (3,543ft) tall and 115 miles apart.

The challenge has been organised by Mangotsfield’s assistant head and PE teacher

BRISTOL DOWNEND

Gareth John, Shelley's colleague of 14 years.

He said the team was aiming to complete the challenge within 12 to 18 hours, with the weather and different fitness levels the main concerns.

But he said: "It will never be far from our minds why we are doing this. We are very aware of the challenging times that Shelley and the family have gone through."

Shelley said Thomas's diagnosis was "devastating" for her and husband Ben, but his cancer is the most treatable and he has been given a "99% chance of survival".

She said: "For the school to do something like this is incredible. I think Molly Ollys is an amazing charity and we’ve already done loads of fundraising for it as a family.”

Warwickshire-based Molly Ollys was set up in 2011 by Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw after their eight-year-old daughter Molly died from a rare kidney cancer.

It fulfils wishes, donates toys and books, and funds hospital consultants: it has so far raised more than £4 million and supported more than 16,000 children.

The Mangotsfield School team had raised more than £3,000 as the Voice went to print, ahead of their challenge on June 22.

People can donate via the Justgiving page at tinyurl.com/ bdh53v9n.

Thomas Humphries and mum Shelley

Unique music festival returns for fourth year

A FESTIVAL which brings top class professional musicians and community music workshops together in an Emersons Green garden is back for its fourth year.

Ham Farm Festival is a charity set up by professional classical musicians Emily Andrews and Francisco Correa.

They host the festival in their own garden in Emersons Green Lane.

All events happen outside under a large marquee, to keep the rain at bay – but when the sun shines people can have picnics in the farm's orchard or by the pond.

This year the festival will run from July 25-28.

Emily said: "Our concerts cover many genres, but primarily classical, folk, Latin-American and jazz.

"Our evenings are deliberately double-bills across genres, encouraging people to discover something new as well as attend genres they know they like.

"We select artists that we – as professional musicians ourselves – think have something special, and are doing something totally

unique, either by crossing over into drama or cabaret, or with their own material."

This year's headline acts are The Furrow Collective, CarmenCo and Elkin Robinson – all of whom, Emily says, are "highly in demand across many countries".

During the day three workshops will be held, which cost £5 each and provide the chance to take part in a children's choir, play the ukulele and explore Caribbean rhythms.

There are three free drop-in concerts, featuring a brass band, guitar orchestra, and rock and pop school, for people who want to come and enjoy the gardens and beautiful music informally.

There is also a children's concert and one for people with autism or special needs and their families: tickets to both are sold on a 'pay what you can' basis.

Emily and Francisco employ local teenagers on paid work experience to deliver flyers,

steward and serve at the bar, as well as student sound engineers, supervised by a professional, working on the concerts.

A bar selling drinks and ice creams will be open for every concert, including daytimes, and a single vendor will sell home-made food in the interval between the two concerts.

Emily said: "People are also welcome to bring drinks and food with them, as long as they take away all rubbish.

"We try hard to make our festival affordable for everyone, and by allowing in picnics and drinks it's really inclusive. Of course we like people to buy drinks, because it supports the festival, but it's not compulsory!"

The festival is supported by Emersons Green Town Council and South Gloucestershire Council, as well as Cleve Chiropractic.

Emily said: "They regularly fix our wrists and backs, keeping us in top shape for performing, so we know them well."

Downend and Blackhorse Schools are also helping by lending chairs, tables and the stage.

Furrow Collective

Elkin Robinson

CarmenCo

Lady Nade at last year's festival

Mum tells court how one punch tore a family apart

THE family of former Mangotsfield United footballer Scott Hendy have told a court how their lives have been "torn apart" by his death.

Statements from Scott's mother and one of his children were read to Bristol Crown Court before his killer, George Baylis, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison on May 29.

Baylis, aged 30, threw a single punch that knocked Scott to the ground during an altercation in a pub car park in the early hours of March 2.

Father-of-three Scott suffered a head injury and died the following day in Southmead Hospital. He was 46.

Baylis admitted a manslaughter charge in April.

In her statement, Scott's mother Jennifer Hendy described the impact his death has had on the family.

She said: "Not a day that goes by where we don’t think about Scott.

“He was the kindest, loveliest character and all-round amazing son. His personality was infectious and was always one for being the joker.

“His sense of humour was legendary, and his loss will be felt from all over Bristol, such was the reach of his infectious personality.

“This is a horrendous situation we find ourselves in, and our lives will never be the same.

“We know this would never have happened if Scott wasn’t punched.

“However, we understand this has probably ruined the offender’s life as well – if anything we feel sorry for him and his family. We don’t have any hatred towards him; we accept he probably didn’t mean to kill our son.

“However, we are now left feeling our entire life has been torn apart, and don’t think we will ever come to terms with living our lives without him."

Scott's eldest son Lewis said his dad was the "heart and soul of the family" and was "idolised" by his children.

He said: “One of the hardest

things to accept is that I can no longer reach out to Dad.

"There will be no more phone calls to ask for his advice, no more texts to share a quick joke, no more chats about work or life.

"I still pick up the phone to call or message him, eager to share something funny that’s just happened. Then reality kicks in and I get that sinking feeling again, because he’s no longer there.

“It feels like I’ve lost my compass, my guide, and the person I could always turn to when I needed help.

“There are events that have not yet happened that I know will be incredibly bittersweet, such as the birth of my first child and my wedding: this also applies to Harvey and Holly.

“Dad will never get the opportunity to become a grandparent, to walk Holly down the aisle and to show us all up with his dance moves at our weddings.”

The court heard Baylis punched Scott once in the car park of the Kings Arms pub, in Redwick Road, Pilning, at around 12.10am on March 2.

Police were called and spoke to witnesses, before arresting Baylis, who lived in the same road, about half an hour later.

A police spokesperson said: "He broke down in front of

officers and apologised for what happened, adding he did not want to hurt anyone.

"During police interview he admitted to punching Mr Hendy."

The court heard Baylis would serve at least half of the sentence.

After Scott's death was announced, tributes were paid by former teammates and the clubs he played for, which also included Clevedon Town, Yate Town and Bath City.

Mangotsfield United, where he made almost 400 appearances, said: "More than just a great player, he was a great person and was well thought of by fans, managers and teammates alike."

Friend and former teammate Geraint Bater, who played alongside him at both Mangotsfield and Clevedon Town, said: "Scott was loved by everyone who met him; he was funny, genuine and the life and soul of any party."

Up to 700 people attended his funeral, and a charity match he was due to play in at Mangotsfield United's ground in March became a memorial event, attended by around 900 people and raising more than £5,000 to support his family.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Almond, of the police major crime investigation team,

said: “Scott Hendy was clearly a very popular man and our sympathies are with his loved ones at the conclusion of these legal proceedings.

"George Baylis has shown remorse for what occurred throughout the course of enquiries, and also pleaded guilty early on to manslaughter.

"While there is no evidence of any intent on his part to cause the fatal injuries he did, this case highlights the tragic reality that one punch can kill.

"In that split second he lashed out, he unintentionally took Scott’s life and now has received a prison sentence."

Scott Hendy with children Harvey, Lewis and Holly. Picture from Hendy family via Avon & Somerset police

George Baylis admitted the manslaughter of Scott Hendy

It's time to cast your vote

VOTERS in the Downend area will join millions around the country in electing a new government on July 4.

Two seats are being contested in the area – and many residents will have a new MP, whoever wins.

The Voice has contacted all of the candidates standing in the Filton & Bradley Stoke and Bristol North East seats, and all of them have sent statements to tell readers something about themselves and their priorities if they are elected.

Candidates appear in our guide in the order they will be on the ballot paper. In Filton & Bradley Stoke, Conservative Jack Lopresti, who has held the seat since it was created in 2010, is defending a majority of 5,646 from the 2019 election. Labour has been second in all four previous contests.

This year Filton & Bradley Stoke has different boundaries to previous elections: all homes in the Emersons Green council ward, which includes some addresses in Downend and Mangotsfield, have been added to the constituency from Kingswood, which has been abolished. Staple Hill has been removed from the seat, as have all areas west of the M5.

People in the Staple Hill & Mangotsfield council ward are voting in a new constituency, Bristol North East.

It has been created from part of the former Kingswood constituency and part of the Bristol East seat, whose boundaries are being moved to the south and west.

Bristol North East includes three other South Gloucestershire electoral wards – New Cheltenham, Kingswood and Woodstock – and Bristol's Eastville, Frome Vale, Hillfields and Lockleaze wards.

Labour's Damien Egan, who won the Kingswood seat in a by-election in February after Conservative Chris Skidmore resigned, is his party's candidate for Bristol North East.

While Kingswood was Tory from 2010 until this year's by-election, Bristol East has been held by Labour since 1992.

As the Voice went to print two opinion polls using large samples had published data from voters surveyed in the two seats.

Both YouGov and Survation carried out polling at the end of May and beginning of June, and each poll predicted wins for Labour in both seats.

Voting will take place from 7am until

10pm on July 4, with the votes being counted immediately afterwards and results expected to be declared early on July 5.

The deadline for registering to vote has already passed.

This will be the first general election where voters are required to present photo ID at polling stations.

An estimated 4% of voters are registered to vote but lack the necessary ID, according to a recent survey.

Voters can use passports, driving licences, Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) cards, blue badges, Defence Identity Cards and some concessionary travel cards as proof.

The full list can be found online at tinyurl.com/t3yspjdz.

Anyone who does not have an accepted form of photo ID has until 5pm on June 26 to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, which can be used instead.

Applications can be made online at tinyurl.com/2tccvaa9 or by post – call the helpline on 0800 328 0280 for more information.

I'M campaigning for our community on both a local and national stage for action to tackle the housing crisis, cost of living crisis, the NHS crisis and the ongoing sewage scandal.

I'm a former local councillor and deputy leader of the successful Somerset West and Taunton council and remain a dedicated community campaigner. During my tenure, the council began work on the first council houses to be planned and built in west Somerset for more than 30 years.

For years our area has been taken for granted by an out-of-touch Conservative Government that has failed to get the basics right and lurched from crisis to crisis – now it’s time for a change.

We need to see a return to politics that not only works for the country, but for our local communities.

Local health services have been brought to their knees, people’s mortgages and rent have skyrocketed and water companies have been allowed to pump their filthy sewage into our rivers and beaches.

All this by a Conservative government more interested in fighting between themselves than standing up for the country.

People are at breaking point and the simple fact is that we need change at the very top.

This government is the first in almost a century to make the average person poorer. Every vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote for a fair deal. It’s a vote for a party and a candidate that will stand up for our community and our health services.

Benet Allen (Liberal Democrats)

Election candidates Filton & Bradley Stoke

Stephen Burge (Reform UK)

My name is Stephen Burge. I have lived in and around Filton and Bradley Stoke most of my life, my father worked for Rolls-Royce, my children grew up and still live here, my friends live here, and I care about this community.

I’m an ordinary person, someone just like you, and I’m standing because I feel this constituency has been let down.

Issues like the Hambrook Lights which cause traffic chaos, the link road bridge to Winterbourne, the asylum seekers in the local hotels, the talk of 30,000 new houses on the Woodlands Golf Course; how would the infrastructure cope that's already jammed at peak times?

I want to be your voice.

That’s the reason I’m standing: we have been let down locally.

Of course we also need to look at the national issues, but locally is what is important to you, this is what impacts your lives.

Enough is enough, this is why I have decided to stand, to try and make a difference for this community.

Vote Reform UK.

IT’S been an honour to represent you as your Member of Parliament for the last 14 years.

Over that time, we have achieved so much together for our area, but there’s still more to do.

Our country is at a crossroads. We have all faced very difficult years: a global pandemic – the first in over a century, and the first full-scale invasion on the continent of Europe in 70 years. We have had to make difficult decisions to steer our country through these dark times.

Locally, I have been working hard to improve connectivity in Downend and surrounding areas like Frenchay and Emersons Green. I presented a petition to Parliament restore Hambrook Junction so traffic can cross the junction in both directions.

I’ll continue to push to reinstate bus services which have been cut by Labour’s West of England Mayor Dan Norris who, despite receiving £105 million to improve buses, prefers to waste money on gimmicks like a birthday bus pass, and adverts of himself and his dog.

When it comes to public services like health and education, I secured £49.9 million for Southmead Hospital and I’m working to improve access to local GP surgeries.

As for education, 93% of South Gloucestershire schools are rated good or outstanding by Ofsted. Moreover, having already delivered a new school in Winterbourne, we must look to build another in Emersons Green.

We’ve turned a corner – we have a plan. We seek the opportunity, honour and privilege to continue to serve the British people.

I LIVE in Stoke Gifford and am from a family of teachers, NHS workers and RAF service members – their sense of public service runs deep in me.

I've worked in leadership roles for trusted national charities and in politics on big issues, including the housing and environmental crises. I knock on doors all year round and share your concerns.

We live in great communities but our potential is being held back.

As your strong voice in parliament, I’ll act to:

*Reduce the cost of living. Getting energy bills down with a proper windfall tax on oil and gas giants. Keeping bills down by switching on Great British Energy.

*Get our public services back on their feet. More doctors, dentists, teachers and police where needed most, and service reform. Funded by closing tax loopholes and exemptions.

*Build good and affordable homes, with infrastructure. Support local people to stay, while protecting the character of our growing communities.

*Public transport that works. Speed up bus franchising and give communities the opportunity to take back control of local bus services.

*Action on climate and good, local green jobs. Protect nature for future generations and back the skills we need, in aerospace and beyond.

This will take time, but I’ll work every day to deliver for you, serving as a visible, impactful and approachable MP you can be proud of.

Labour’s always been the strong second here. I hope I can earn your trust in the most important election in a generation.

WE need to see a step change in how we fund our public services. As someone not far out of school and as the brother of a soon-to-be children's nurse, I have seen the devastation of austerity on our public services.

As a Green MP, I would fight to ensure those with the broadest shoulders paid for public services that are fit for the future.

We need to protect our waters, air and land. I have grown up appreciating our local nature and seeing the failure of the government to address the climate crisis.

As a Green MP, I would fight for sewage-polluting water companies to come under public ownership and for real ambition from the government to provide a green future for the next generation.

We need to deal with the cost of living with more than a sticking plaster.

I have met with many people feeling the squeeze while some large companies post record profits.

As a Green MP, I would fight for the tax on income from shares in companies to be raised to equal what you pay on your salaries from work, so that we can pay for a fairer, greener society for all.

I have lived in this area since I was two years old, I have seen promises made and then broken.

I believe in real hope and change for our communities. That’s why I’m asking you to vote for me on July 4th.

Read more about the Green Party in our manifesto: greenparty. org.uk/about/our-manifesto

Claire Hazelgrove (Labour)

James Nelson (Green)

Jack Lopresti (Conservative)

My name is Asif Ali. I am a born and bred Bristolian.

Morality has become absent in our politics. We, the electorate, have become the sacrificial lambs our political leaders present at the altar of the mega rich. We need a reset button on how this constituency is represented in Westminster.

I live locally and my education from primary school to graduation all took place in Bristol. Now I work as a courier in this constituency.

There is a wise saying that states:

“Take advantage of 5 before 5, Youth before old age

Health before sickness

Wealth before poverty

Free time before busyness

Life before death.”

Central to embodying these beautiful words is building a caring community and that is my goal.

With funding to local services cut back to the bone, adult social care completely dysfunctional and isolation of the most vulnerable in society, our current political system needs uprooting and needs resetting.

My priorities are to revive funding to the voluntary and community sector and create pop-up GP surgeries in community centres and primary schools during holiday periods to deal with increased demand. The quicker people are healthy, the quicker they can become contributing members of society.

The cost of living crisis and the rise in homelessness has been artificially manufactured to benefit the rich. Innovative housing solutions can certainly be pursued to bring about short, medium and long term solutions to the undignified mess left by a conservative government and labour council.

Vote Independent. Vote Asif Ali.

Lorraine Francis (Green)

I AM standing as your Green Candidate in the new Bristol North East constituency.

I was re-elected in May to Bristol City Council as councillor for the Eastville ward, which forms part of the new constituency.

I have been affiliated to the Green Party since 2010, eventually standing as a parliamentary candidate in Bristol East in the 2015 and 2017 general elections. In February I stood as the Green candidate in the Kingswood by-election.

My love of this part of Bristol and South Gloucestershire has led me to stand again. I want to ensure that people who look like me, as well as people who relate to my politics, continue to have hope for a better and equitable political system.

I also see myself as an advocate for Health and Social care and want to see Social Care reform, including better funding. This is an issue I know well from my work as a social worker.

I am an activist and supportive of other activists wanting to keep our NHS as a public and accessible service and I am passionate about equality and fairness.

If you want an MP who cares about Bristol and South Gloucestershire, the UK, climate change and making the world a safer place, it is time to vote Green.

Green politics is progressive and sound.

Read more about the Green Party in our manifesto: greenparty.org.uk/about/our-manifesto

Damien

I’M standing to be your Labour MP for Bristol North East, I’m from Kingwood and live locally.

In February, I had the honour of being elected as the MP for Kingswood, and I’ve been working hard to represent people in Parliament and solve your issues.

After 14 years of the Conservatives, for the first time in our history, we have a government that has left people worse off.

But Labour has a fully costed and funded plan for the country.

Labour will:

*Deliver economic stability so we can keep taxes, inflation, and mortgages as low as possible. Under Labour, there will be no increases in income tax, national insurance, or VAT.

*Cut NHS waiting times by offering more evening and weekend appointments, make it easier for you to see your GP and offer 700,000 more emergency dental appointments.

*Launch Great British Energy which will produce renewable energy and new jobs across the country helping to lower your energy bills.

*Set up a Border Security Command that will speed up asylum applications, target criminal gangs and save money by ending the use of asylum hotels.

*Tackle crime with 13,000 new neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs with tough new penalties for offenders and tackle shoplifting and antisocial behaviour.

According to ‘Tactical.Vote’ there was just 1% separating Labour and the Conservatives here in 2019. A vote for anyone else will risk five more years of chaos with the Tories.

If you want to see change, vote Labour on Thursday 4 July.

Louise Harris (Liberal Democrats)

LOUISE grew up in the constituency, attending Chester Park primary and Rodway (now Mangotsfield) secondary schools. She was born in an RAF hospital in Germany and many people know her father, popular local musician Chris Harris.

After school Louise went to Kingston University in London, where she studied European Politics and Economics and started her political career as Chair of the Liberal Club.

She has worked in the voluntary sector for over 30 years, supporting vulnerable people, and currently manages a charity in Wiltshire providing advocacy for people with mental health issues and learning disabilities.

Louise is a South Gloucestershire councillor and Cabinet member for the Climate and Natural Emergency. In opposition she worked to get cross-party backing to declare a climate and nature emergency in 2019. Fighting to protect our environment is an issue Louise is passionate about and is proud of her record on this, going back to campaigning on acid rain as a student in the 1980s. Louise loves the natural environment locally and says Eastville Park was her childhood playground, so she is very keen to continue her campaigning on the climate and nature emergency as the local MP for Bristol North East.

If elected Louise will stand up for all local people in our community, focusing on improving local healthcare and housing provision, fighting for social justice and protecting our environment.

Away from politics, Louise enjoys reading, music, theatre, travelling and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.

Asif Ali (Independent)

Egan (Labour)

GENERAL

I'M so excited to be your Parliamentary Candidate for the upcoming general election for Bristol North East.

A thing to know about me is that I am not a politician, I’m a business woman and my core values are simple…transparency, integrity, and honesty.

I will not make false promises to win your vote, but I can be honest with you … and here is what I can do:

1. I promise to always let you know the full circumstances of the situation and what I am able to do to help and the choices available to us.

2. I will sit down with the key community groups post election and discuss the pressing matters, prioritise them with the community and work on a strategy to fight for those changes at Westminster.

3. I will look for opportunities to bring new jobs, enterprise and investment to our constituency.

4. I will work with our national banks to push for more small business loans and grants to ensure that our high streets are growing and servicing our community to the highest level.

5. I will make sure that our ageing population is well looked after, as well as those in the care industry.

6. I will make sure that new builds offer a percentage of homes within the price range based on the average salaries in our constituency.

Take a leap of faith with me on the 4th of July.

Rose Hulse for Bristol North East, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate. www.rosehulse.com

AS an experienced trade unionist, I'm standing for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition because workers urgently need our own political voice. The Tories have presided over the cost of living crisis, lack of decent housing and the selling of our NHS. We can't take any more, but what's the alternative?

A Labour Party that has expelled socialists and abandoned all of its principles. That has refused to increase vital funding for public services and to bring them back in-house. That have done all they can to appeal to the interests of greedy big businesses.

Other parties also represent more of the same. This includes the Greens, who have voted for cuts in Bristol rather than used their position on councils to fight austerity.

TUSC would properly fund our NHS and pay nurses and doctors fairly to end the staffing crisis. We would immediately renationalise energy, rail, water and other key industries.

We oppose the brutal devastation of Gaza.

Moreover, as an MP I would take a workers’ wage to ensure I stay committed to representing the interests of Bristol North East not the interests of the privileged in Westminster.

In my trade union work I have shown that I am committed to those principles and would be a fighting to voice for all those forced to go to food banks, struggling to access healthcare, get a roof over their head or suffering from the impact of war.

That's why I'm standing for TUSC – for a genuine working-class, socialist alternative.

I’M a retired Electrical Engineer, with a long career in British industrial companies.

I was born in North-East Bristol and live here now.

I’m standing for parliament not because I want a second home in London paid by someone else, but because I’m appalled at our non-functioning political system that has become remote and disconnected from ordinary people, run by an elite managerial class with their own agenda, who disrespect our own needs and cares.

I can list lots of things wrong with Broken Britain and so can you, but immigration is the big one because it causes so many other problems. Britain has always welcomed people from other lands, races, and cultures and has benefitted from that over the centuries.

But over one million immigrants arrived here last year and another million and more will come this year. Where will they live? The government hasn’t built enough new houses for them (rented housing is disappearing fast) or hired enough new doctors or dentists.

Where will they get health care – and where will you?

It cannot go on. Annual immigration must be cut down from a million to a few thousand and only Reform UK do this, because all the other parties want it to continue.

Taxation and energy prices are far too high already and will get higher under Labour. Net Zero madness is ruining Britain. You know reform is needed – vote for it. Vote Reform UK.

DO you feel as a country we’ve been governed poorly by both Tories and Labour? You’re not alone! The Social Democratic Party offers the electorate an alternative to this failed duopoly. We’re a working-class, traditionalist party – and we represent you, the forgotten majority.

The past 40 years of neoliberal economics has delivered us an economy with flatlined growth and productivity. We’ve become indifferent to our country’s growing inequality and decline.

One of the clearest signs of this is the Housing Crisis, which both parties have been equally complicit in creating. We simply don’t have enough social and private housing stock for our growing population. As a result, high mortgages and rents harshly burden ordinary hardworking families.

As a communitarian party, we will not stand for this. The SDP would undertake large-scale government-led housebuilding, as well as bringing an end to mass migration, back down to 50,000 people per year.

This is just one example of where the SDP will advocate for a confident state that intervenes to get our country back on the right track.

Another sign of decline is the increased sense of disunity and antisocial behaviour. We desperately need to revive our sense of togetherness and patriotism. But there are those in other parties who continually push divisive identity politics.

The SDP believes in supporting a virtue-led cultural renewal, which builds stronger families, stable communities and ultimately a happier society.

We’re standing 122 candidates at this election, so vote for us and join us: www.sdp.org.uk.

Rose Hulse (Conservative)

Dan Smart (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)

Anthony New (Reform UK)

Tommy Trueman (Social Democratic Party)

Mangotsfield's big day in pictures

Photographer Tony Bundy captured some of the sights of this year's 32nd Mangotsfield Village Festival, from the opening parade to the headline act on the main stage at Pomphrey Hill

Mangotsfield Ukulele Jam

Emersons Green Deputy Mayor Bobbie Sunderland opens the festival with Ross Janes from the committee.

A young member of V Dance Academy performs in the arena

A cub races to take part in the parade

Headline band The Soul Destroyers

Festival-goers soaking up the atmosphere

The 67th Kingswood/1st Mangotsfield beavers in the parade

Festival celebrates refugees' culture

HUNDREDS of people joined together in Staple Hill to celebrate the cultures of people who have moved to Bristol and South Gloucestershire as refugees.

The Celebrate with Me event on June 15 saw performers from four continents appear in Page Park, including dancers and musicians from Nicaragua, Columbia, Cameroon, Ukraine and Hong Kong.

Audience members also had the chance to join in with dance workshops led by some of the performers at the end of their shows.

As well as music and dance, there was also a chance to taste the food of some of the cultures present – a stall serving free Ukrainian pies was emptied within half an hour, and there were also queues for Syrian cookies and treats from Hong Kong.

It was the third year that the event had been staged at the park's bandstand, as part of the

Bristol Refugee Festival. Celebrate with Me was organised by Melody Beard of the Park's Bean Tree Cafe, with South Gloucestershire Race Equality Network and dance and culture charity Movema, supported by South Gloucestershire Council, the Friends of Page Park and a team of volunteers.

Melody said between 600 and 800 people attended the fivehour event, despite early heavy rain and strong winds that only let up about half an hour before the start.

The audience included refugees and asylum seekers living in Bristol and South Gloucestershire, with charity Julian House organising transport to ensure some of them could attend.

Melody said 80% of the performers were or had been refugees or asylum seekers.

She said: "We wanted to have as many people on the programme as possible with

lived experience.

"It was a day that was fun for all, and really inclusive –everyone was just enjoying everything on offer.

"If you walked around you saw people of so many nationalities, from Hong Kong

and Ukrainian to Sudanese and Ethiopian, showing a willingness to be integrated into the community.

"It was great to see the community spirit and people being made to feel welcome in Page Park."

Nandini Girish teaches some classical Indian dance moves

Sunflowers Dance troupe from Ukraine

Dancers from Nicaragua Libre

TURNER'S VISION

Five things to help protect your eyes this summer

Who doesn’t love summer? Longer days, an abundance of sunshine and endless opportunities to get outdoors make it a favourite season for most. Although the extra time outside is appreciated by many of us, it also means more exposure to harmful UV rays which can increase the risk of developing macular degeneration, cataracts and other serious eye conditions.

www.turnersopticians.co.uk

Here are our top five tips to help keep your eyes safe this summer:

1. Shield your eyes with 100% UV sunglasses

As well as burning your skin, UV rays can burn your eyes, so sunglasses are essential when spending time outdoors. When choosing your next pair, make sure they offer 100% UV protection. We have a wide range of sunglasses available such as Zeal, Ray-Ban and Oakley that will keep your eyes safe – and keep you looking stylish when spending time out in the sun.

2. Use eye drops

Eye drops are a great solution for those who suffer from dry eyes in warmer weather. At Turners Opticians, we have a range of eye drops specially formulated to maintain your tear film and provide essential hydration for your eyes. Keep a bottle with you to instantly soothe and moisturise your eyes so you can go out and enjoy your day without worrying about dry eye.

3. Stay hydrated

It can be easy to overlook staying hydrated when enjoying long days at the beach or summer barbecues with family and friends but drinking plenty of water can help to keep your eyes soothed and moisturised. Remember to drink water throughout the day to help reduce eye strain so you’ll be less likely to experience discomfort and eye fatigue.

4. Protect your eyes from allergies

Wraparound sunglasses are a great solution for those who suffer from allergies. In the summer there is an increased amount of dust and pollen which can cause discomfort and irritation to your eyes. Our protection eye drops can also provide soothing relief from allergy symptoms, ensuring your eyes stay comfortable and irritation-free.

5. Book your next advanced eye examination

Regular eye exams are the key to keeping your eyes healthy and are a great opportunity to pick up on any underlying eye health conditions –it’s better to be proactive than reactive after all!

Our friendly team is here to give you an advanced eye examination and make sure your eyes are in great shape. Your eyes deserve the best care, so make eye health a priority – especially during the summer.

At Turners Opticians, we want to help you protect and care for your eyes, no matter what the weather’s doing. To book an appointment or view our range of sunglasses, call our Henleaze team on 0117 962 2474 or Fishponds team on 0117 965 4434.

YOUR Community NEWS

Brought to you by

Local Climate and Nature Action Plan

As we race through the year and summer looks likely, Downend and Bromley Heath Parish council will be keeping our sights on the Local Climate and Nature Action Plan (LCNAP) which encourages us, as residents to consider how to make improvements to the local natural environment.

Plastic Free July

July sees a new challenge set by “Plastic Free July” which is a global movement, helping millions of people to be part of the solution to plastic pollution. While we have all become used to the convenience of plastic products, we cannot ignore the detriment to the environment. The UK disposes of 295 billion pieces of plastic waste much of which cannot be recycled. The plastic can end up in landfills or polluting our waterways and oceans causing harm to vulnerable wildlife and weakening biodiversity infrastructures. This causes havoc to habitats and is a serious problem.

In July, local communities can take a shared approach to reducing this problem. By making a lifestyle change, however small, to manage our household single plastic use, we will contribute to reducing the impact, on our own communities and natural habitats, of this man-made problem.

One option is to join the refill revolution and shift from single use plastic containers and wrappers to reusable and refillable options.

We are fortunate to have a superb facility on Downend high street to get us get started on our mission to make the change. Melanie’s Kitchen has a range of refill and

reusable options and a wealth of advice and guidance on how it all works.

Melanie and Peter started the re-use and the refill initiative before lock down. The requests for hand soap and cleaning products in refillable containers showed the interest locally and the couple invested in a wider range of products to meet demand. Today the shop stocks laundry detergents cleaning products, liquid or solid bar hair products, natural hand soaps and much more. They also offer range of containers to get you started. They support a “bring your own bottle” approach and will fill one of your choice, as long as it is clean and suitable for use.

Pricing is not as expensive as some may think and because the products do not contain harsh and abrasive chemicals, there are added advantages of the substances being more natural smelling and gentle to use as well as not causing detriment in the waste water.

Melanie and Peter have a lot of experience regarding ways to reuse and refill and are an inspiring influence to help you take the plunge into deciding that plastic is less fantastic.

What small step in the right direction can you take in July this year? Please, spread the word and let us know of any changes you make to join our local refill revolution!

Further information and ideas can be found here

Plastic Free July website.

Defib relocated

Our King George V Defib has temporarily been relocated to the fences just behind the playing fields.

What 3 Words Location is deep. take.talked. We also have several others which are located below:

Cleeve Wood Pharmacy (BS16 2SF)

MS2 Stores (BS16 6NH)

Michael Nicholas Estate Agents (BS16 5SE)

Badminton Methodist Church (BS16 6NU)

DOWNEND & BROMLEY HEATH PARISH COUNCILLORS

Downend Ward

Councillor Phillip Abbott

phillip.abbott@dbhparishcouncil.co.uk 0117 957 0075

Councillor Janet Biggin

janet.biggin@dbhparishcouncil.co.uk 0117 957 6987

Councillor Ben Burton ben.burton@dbhparishcouncil.co.uk 07870 639 486

Councillor Jacky Dockerty

jacky.dockerty@dbhparishcouncil.co.uk 07963 841 270

Councillor James Griffiths james.griffiths@dbhparishcouncil.co.uk 07988 775 028

Councillor Matt Pitts matt.pitts@dbhparishcouncil.co.uk 07837 870 039

Councillor Mike Richards mike.richards@dbhparishcouncil.co.uk 07846 893 543

Councillor Raj Kumar Sood raj.sood@dbhparishcouncil.co.uk 07901 621 632

Staple Hill Ward

Councillor Dave Somers dave.somers@dbhparishcouncil.co.uk Tel. 07831 239 195

Councillor Stephen Pick stephen.pick@dbhparishcouncil.co.uk Tel. 07584 425 242

Clerk to the Council

Mr Kevin Spratt

Downend & Bromley Heath Parish Council

Parish Office, Downend Library, Buckingham Gardens, Downend, Bristol BS16 5TW

Tel: 0117 9567001

Email: clerk@dbhparishcouncil.co.uk

DOWNEND & BROMLEY HEATH PARISH COUNCIL

School bus future in doubt again

FAMILIES in Downend whose children attend Winterbourne Academy are again facing uncertainty over the future of their school bus service.

Last year operator Stagecoach axed its 458 service, which served Fishponds and Downend.

The school stepped in to run it, using its post-16 students' bus to cover the route.

However parents have now been told that the bus has cost the school more than £30,000 this year, and it cannot afford to run it again after the summer holidays.

In a letter to parents, head teacher Jenny Cartwright said the service was used by 23 students, five of them in one direction only, which was not enough to cover the cost.

She said: "It is difficult to continue to justify spending the school funds on transport in this way, particularly as it is not part of our statutory duty for which funding is provided."

Dave Baker, the chief executive of Olympus Trust,

Winterbourne Academy pupils and parents from Downend at a meeting to discuss the future of their bus service

which runs the school, said expecting parents to pay the whole cost was not viable, as it would be around £7.50 each way.

Many families who rely on buses to Winterbourne Academy missed out on places at Downend School, which is oversubscribed.

A group of 25 parents met at Christ Church Hall in Downend in June to discuss ways to save the service.

They are calling on the school, South Gloucestershire

Council, which subsidises some other school bus routes, and the West of England Combined Authority, which is responsible for transport planning, to work with them to find a solution.

Libby Rogers, who has children in Year 7 and Year 9 at Winterbourne, said: "The 458 was well used before it was scrapped last summer and the school stepped in.

"This bus leaves at 7am, the kids are in school an hour early,

you have to pay £100 upfront per month and there is no flexibility to use and pay for just some journeys, so many children are already being driven to school or finding alternative ways."

Libby said the 459, which stops in Bromley Heath on its way from Lyde Green to Winterbourne, is often overcrowded and sometimes has to leave children behind at the school.

Operators for both the 459 and the 427, from Frenchay, are currently being sought by South Gloucestershire Council on a subsidised basis, after Stagecoach said it would no longer operate them commercially after the summer.

A council spokesperson said: "The 458 was a private arrangement, funded by Winterbourne Academy following the withdrawal of the commercial route previously operated by Stagecoach. "No solutions for the continuation of the 458 have been identified at this time."

Dancers dazzle at Disneyland Paris

YOUNG dancers from a Staple Hill dance school had the chance to show their skills to an international audience when they performed at Disneyland Paris.

A group of 35 dancers from RedX Dance, aged between seven and 21, took to the stage at the tourist resort, which has around 15 million visitors every year, during the school half-term holidays.

Planning and rehearsing their 20-minute routine, which was choreographed for a Disney performance, lasted around 18 months, with the dancers attending extra classes each week at the RedX Dance Studio in Page Road.

RedX's Jasmine Sorisi-Thomas, who founded the dance studio with her sister Gaby 12 years ago, said: "This helped to bring the dancers and parents together as a team. By the end of the rehearsal the dancers definitely had their Disney smiles to go with their dance!

"For some of the dancers this was the first time abroad."

RedX dancers last performed at Disneyland Paris in 2019.

Jasmine said: "Covid lockdowns temporarily stopped further trips, so we were happy once classes were back up and running and life got back to normal, to consider returning to perform on the Disneyland Paris international stage.

"We have some wonderful parents whose children attend, and we are truly humbled by the kindness, support and friendship they have shown us not just during this trip, but over the years. "We've made some truly wonderful friendships and love our RedX family and we hope they have made some lovely magical memories which will stay with them for life.

"One parent described it as 'one of the most magical and memorable trips that we have ever had'."

For more information about RedX Dance email redxdance@outlook.com.

The RedX Dance crew at Disneyland Paris

Friends pedal from Frenchay to Fez

THREE friends have completed an epic bike ride to Africa to raise money for a children's charity.

Max Malpass and James Hillary, of Downend, came up with the idea of the 1,800-mile journey from Frenchay to Fez in Morocco ten years ago, when they took part in a ride from London to Rome.

Along with Dave Squance, a friend of Max's from his time at Cardiff University, they took on the challenge over 25 days in May, riding through England, France and Spain before crossing to North Africa for the final leg of the journey.

During the journey the friends raised money for MakeA-Wish, a charity that helps children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions to fulfil wishes.

Max, an engineer at Abbey Wood, said: "We all have personal connections with MakeA-Wish and know people close to us who have been supported by the charity, and have seen what an amazing cause it is.

"This was by far the biggest challenge we have embarked on and, as well as carrying all our own kit, the time-frame was tight meaning that we had to make sure we were keeping to schedule, so didn't have any rest days.

"The hills and headwind in Spain were also a challenge and in Morocco it got hotter and hillier, which left us pretty exhausted by the time we got to

Norville & Dobinson Opticians is an independent, well known and long established opticians in Downend.

We provide quality eye care for NHS & private patients, using the latest technology, and have a great range of stylish eyewear to suit all budgets in our spacious, modern practice.

To book an appointment contact our friendly team on 0117 956 0939

Max Malpass, James Hillary and Dave Squance in Fez, Morocco

"It was tough but also an amazing experience.

"It is further than any of us have cycled – we wanted to reach another continent and also all wanted to buy a Fez – a long way to go just for a hat!"

Much of the journey followed the Eurovelo 1 cycle route, which stretches from Norway to Portugal.

The trio camped as they

passed through France and stayed mainly in hostels, hotels and apartments in Spain and Morocco.

Max, fellow engineer James and Dave, who works for the Environment Agency, did find time to briefly explore some of the cities on the route, including Salamanca and Seville in Spain, and post pictures on their Instagram page, Frenchay2Fez.

But Max said the best thing about the journey was being able to enjoy the countryside, towns and cultures they might have missed if they had been driving through in a car.

He said: "We had such a warm welcome in Morocco.

People were driving past and waving out of their cars – they probably weren't used to seeing three crazy Englishmen cycling in the midday heat!"

Max, James and Dave had raised around £2,500 as the Voice went to print. Their JustGiving page is still open at tinyurl.com/2mp34jh4.

Fez.

Adam completes month of runs for Tyler

A FRIEND of a former Mangotsfield School pupil who was killed in a lorry crash has completed a month-long fundraising challenge.

Adam Young pledged to run 5k every day in May in memory of Tyler Carley, who died aged 20 in December when the lorry he was a passenger in overturned on the Avon Ring Road near Mangotsfield.

Adam, a fellow Bristol Rovers fan who got to know Tyler and his dad Mark from attending away games with them, embarked on the challenge because he was abroad on the day when other friends and relatives of Tyler took part in the Great Bristol 10k to raise money for the foundation set up in his memory.

Adam, who grew up in Downend and is now living in Chipping Sodbury, ran a total of 155km over the course of the month, including several runs during a trip to Lanzarote. He did the other runs around Pucklechurch, Yate and Sodbury, finishing on Chipping Sodbury

Rugby Club's parkrun 5k route.

Adam was running for a total of 12 hours 15 minutes and 51 seconds and, as the Voice went to print, had raised more than £1,300 on his JustGiving page, which is still open for donations at tinyurl.com/dffmwdbz.

Adam, who works at Bristol Airport, said: "It was a really enjoyable experience, the support I received from people was beyond what I imagined and I am very grateful for that.

"To smash my fundraising target was incredible, and I can’t thank people enough for donating.

"The toughest part of the month was running after my shifts – my energy was always low, so I really had to dig deep to get those runs done.

"Having my friends and family at the finish line for my final run was a very nice feeling and an emotional moment. I haven’t run since!"

Tyler's dad Mark, mum Gemma and siblings Kylan, Skye and Ronni-Irene founded The Road Forward – Tyler Carley

uPVC Windows, Doors, Conservatories & Bi-Fold Doors

Foundation to support road accident victims' families in the light of their own experience.

Its initial fundraising will go to two charities which helped the family in the aftermath of Tyler's death: SCARD (Support & Care After Road Death & Injury), which provides a helpline, counselling and other support for families affected by road deaths and serious injuries, and 2Wish, which supports the families of children and young people who have passed away.

Among those who ran in the 10k was Tyler's aunt Abbie Dickinson, who works at Emersons Green Village Hall.

Abbie said taking part in the event was "hard but truly special".

She said: "Lots of Tyler's loved ones were all together, running to raise money for The Road Forward – Tyler Carley Foundation.

"I managed to complete the 10k in 59 minutes, which was a personal best for me.

"Thank you to everyone who sponsored me and to my Manager Nikki Frost at

Emersons Green Village Hall for her support."

On July 7 Tyler’s mum Gemma, her family and friends will be climbing Welsh mountain Pen y Fan to raise money for 2wish.

More details of fundraising activity can be found at the Road Forward – Tyler Carley Foundation Facebook page.

*A 37-year-old man arrested in connection with Tyler's death was later released under investigation. Police say their enquiries into the circumstances of the collision are ongoing.

Adam Young after one of his runs

Abbie Dickinson after finishing the 10k

Royal British Legion and Royal Observer Corps representatives raise their standards after the beacon is lit.

Beacon burns to remember D-Day

HUNDREDS of people attended events to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June.

Siston Parish Council said about 300 people attended the lighting of a commemorative beacon on Siston Common on the evening of June 6, the anniversary of the start of the Allied invasion of Normandy which hastened the end of the Second World War.

The event included songs from the 1940s sung a cappella by The Songsmiths Quartet and a bagpipe performance by James Meiklejohn.

A service by Rev Rosemary Radcliffe culminated in the beacon being lit simultaneously with more than 1,000 others across the UK, Channel Islands and Overseas Territories.

Council chairman Andrew Stacey, who lit the beacon, said: "It was a great privilege for Siston Parish Council to host the lighting of the beacon ceremony in honour of the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

"It was attended by around 300 residents and was a very emotive occasion.

"The parish council is very

grateful to Ian Adams, who managed the organisation of the event and also to Reverend Rosemary who led the service, James Meiklejohn, the very talented piper and last but not least the amazing Songsmiths quartet, who ensured an electric atmosphere".

Three days later another crowd attended a service of commemoration in Page Park, which included wreath laying at the war memorial.

Anna-Marie TEL 07854 177308

Group - St Augustines Church Hall, Boscombe Crescent, Bristol, BS16 6QR Group times - Tuesday 9:30 am and 11;00am

Anna-Marie TEL 07854 177308

Group - The Salvation Army 21, Broad Street, Staple Hill Bristol. BS16 5LN Group Times- Friday 7:30am, 9:00 am and 10:30 am

Lesley TEL 07503 524459

Group - Lyde Green Community Centre. Thistle Close, Lyde Green, Bristol. BS16 7GW

Group Times- Wednesday 6pm & 7:30pm. And Thursday 9:30am

Claire TEL 07886 443709

Group - ST Augustines Church Hall, Boscombe Crescent, Bristol, BS16 6QR

Group Times - Tuesday 5:30pm and 7:00pm

Right: Piper James Meiklejohn

The Songsmiths Quartet

Citizens Advice returns to Staple Hill

STAPLE Hill and Mangotsfield residents will be able to access free legal and financial advice again with the return of Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire to the area.

The charity closed its office in Staple Hill High Street in 2022 after a cut in its funding from South Gloucestershire Council.

But it is returning from July thanks to a £20,000 grant from Staple Hill & Mangotsfield Parish Council, which will enable it to hold weekly advice sessions at Page Community Association in Page Road.

The sessions will begin on July 5 and will be held every Friday from 10am to noon.

Until now the nearest face-toface advice sessions were held at Emersons Green Village Hall on Thursdays from 10am to noon, to Lyde Green Community Centre, where they are held at the same time on Mondays, and at the charity's Yate headquarters, where they are held on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

Sessions are free,

independent and confidential, hosted by a trained adviser and can cover anything from benefits, debt and housing to cost-ofliving support, domestic abuse and employment issues.

There is no need to book an appointment.

Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire chief executive Chantal Watts said: “Closing our office in Staple Hill due to funding constraints was a crushing blow to us as a charity and we’ve been keen to return to the area ever since.

“Even though Staple Hill and Mangotsfield residents have still

Staple Hill & Mangotsfield

Parish Council

chairman Ian Campbell with Yvonne Parks of Citizens Advice.

been served by us from Yate, it's invaluable to have a session in your local neighbourhood."

Parish council chair Ian Campbell said: "Ensuring we had a local touchpoint for the community was a top priority in our decision, and we hope the service proves to be successful and beneficial for residents in need of advice."

The charity is reliant on grants and donations to fund the majority of its work, which also includes a free phone advice line on 0808 278 7947.

For more details visit www. southgloscab.org.uk.

Funding for the service was announced at the first annual parish meeting for Staple Hill & Mangotsfield, held at the Salvation Army centre in Broad Street on May 30.

Finance committee chair Irene Draper also confirmed that the parish council was providing £20,000 to pay for the area's Christmas lights, which South Gloucestershire Council is no longer funding, £5,000 for youth service provision, £1,500 towards the area's Local Nature Plan, £5,000 in grants for community organisations and £2,000 to support the annual Remembrance parade and service in Page Park in November.

The council will also launch a community engagement plan, costing £5,000, next year.

The annual meeting also heard about the Greening the High Street project, which has seen five community gardening sessions hosted between April and June.

10k raises cash

A CHARITY adviser from Staple Hill was part of a team that raised £1,700 to help support their service.

India Ellis leads Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire's WARM project, which provides advice to people with physical or mental health problems.

She and five colleagues joined together to run in the Bristol 10K in May.

The money they have raised will go towards the charity’s costs in providing services to more than 7,000 people in South Gloucestershire per year: the service is helping about ten times as many people in need of food bank or charity support as it did before the pandemic.

India, 23, said: "I have never been a fan of running but challenging myself for a worthy cause, like Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire, made it an easy decision to give it a go.

”Training for the race had its hurdles, as I had some rugby injuries which set me back slightly. Pushing through made me feel all the prouder for completing the race.

“It was a hot day from the get-go, which added to the difficulty, but the atmosphere was incredible.

“Nearing the finish line was special for me, it was great to see my colleagues really cheering for me; as well as members of the public who were reading my name and cheering!"

The team's donations page is still open at tinyurl.com/y59p4zbe.

Flats plans dropped

A HOUSING association has withdrawn plans to demolish a former factory and build 73 new affordable flats in Soundwell.

Sovereign Housing Association wanted to replace Exhibition House, on the corner of Hayward Road and North View, and neighbouring buildings on the site near Soundwell Road with 40 twobedroom flats and 33 one-bedroom flats.

It held a public consultation in May 2022 and submitted plans to South Gloucestershire Council two months later.

The plans were opposed by 40 people living near the site – with just two people writing in support. Many objections centred on proposals to provide just 18 parking spaces for the development, which was described as "laughable" and "totally unacceptable".

Agents Black Box Planning said the level of parking provision was "intentional and consistent with the council’s urban living agenda".

However the council's urban design officer objected to the plans over the lack of appropriate parking provision, as well as the loss of a locally distinctive building and "safeguarded employment site".

The council's conservation officer said the building had "historic significance" and should be retained.

In June the council updated its planning website to say that the application had been withdrawn.

Cars targeted

CARS and vans in Mangotsfield and Staple Hill are being repeatedly targeted by thieves.

Police say that in the early hours of June 8 a resident of Long Road disturbed a woman trying to break into a vehicle. Cash was stolen from cars on Valley Road and Burley Crest the same night, and a blue disabled parking badge was stolen from a vehicle on Rodway Road.

Three days later a suspect was arrested following further incidents in Staple Hill.

Recruitment of Assistant Clerk

Emersons Green Town Council

Salary Scale: NJC SCP 18 – 23 (currently £29,269 to £32,076 p/a inclusive pro-rata). (depending on experience and qualifications, pay award pending), 16-20 hours / week.

Plus – Local Government Pension Scheme, Relocation Package and Free Parking.

Emersons Green Town Council is seeking to appoint an enthusiastic, proactive part time (16 – 20 hours / week) Assistant Clerk to join a small team of staff at a really forward thinking, aspirational local Council. The Assistant Clerk will have responsibility for ensuring that the financial matters of the Council are correctly managed as well as be involved in the day-to-day activities of the Council. Flexible working is in operation. Days and times of work are negotiable by agreement.

The Council has a Strategic Plan which was originally adopted in 2021.

The Town Council has met a number of its original aims and objectives and continues, as a part of its vision for the Town, to drive an ambitious programme of growth, with aspirations to ensure the very best services and facilities are provided for its residents and visitors. There are also a number of projects which the Council wishes to undertake and complete as soon as possible.

The Assistant Clerk will have a key role in supporting and assisting with delivering these aims and objectives. The post holder will be a key component in ensuring that this aspirational Council meets its stated aims and objectives within the Town.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have relevant experience – a track record of managing budgets and financial matters, service achievement and innovation, as well as be motivated, community focused, and possess sound IT, communication, and organisational skills.

Candidates should ideally have a knowledge of local government but this is not essential. Occasional attendance at evening meetings and weekend events may be required, for which time off in lieu will be granted.

Emersons Green Town Council is committed to Equality of Opportunity and actively welcomes applications from all sections of the community. A relocation package will be negotiated for the right candidate.

This process is being managed by a third party acting for the Town Council. For an informal discussion and to access the Recruitment Pack then please call Mr Reg Williams on 07494 760535.

• The closing date for the receipt of applications is 12 Noon on Friday 12th July 2024.

• Formal interviews will take place in Emersons Green on Friday 26th July 2024.

• It is hoped the new Assistant Clerk will commence their role around Tuesday 27th August 2024.

India Ellis finishing the run. Picture: Chantal Watts.

Taxi crisis prompts wheelchair rethink

SOUTH Gloucestershire is at risk of running out of taxis – and councillors are so worried, they could scrap a planned rule that every one must be made accessible for wheelchairs.

The number of hackney carriages, which can be flagged down by passengers on the street, has plummeted from 300 in 2016 to 81 this year.

Seven years ago, the council decided all taxis must be wheelchair accessible. But the deadline for compliance has been pushed back twice and the rule has never come into force: only 25 of the current fleet have the necessary ramps and facilities.

Now councillors have agreed to delay the deadline again, until June next year, while

officers review the authority’s licensing policy and consult the public.

The biggest concern is the huge cost of converting a vehicle, at a time when many drivers have already given up on the trade.

A report to the council's regulatory committee in May said that, should the decline in the number of hackney cabs continue, the district "runs a risk of having no, or so few, Hackney Carriage taxi vehicles that any policy would be ineffective and be of detriment to all members of the public".

The total number of licensed vehicles has increased, from 450 in 2016 to more than 3,000 last year. But this includes a huge rise in private hire vehicles, which have to be prebooked, including via apps like Uber.

The report said most wheelchairaccessible vehicles currently available are diesel powered, and there is "genuine concern" drivers will be required to buy hybrid or electric vehicles if the council’s goal is for all licensed vehicles to be electric by 2030.

The report said wheelchair-accessible electric vehicles are "currently prohibitively expensive", and the council could not force private hire vehicles to be accessible.

Imploring councillors not to scrap the policy, David Redgewell, of South Gloucestershire Disabilities Equalities Network, told the meeting in May: “We’re very concerned about the level of wheelchair

accessible taxis in the district. We only have 25 to cover an area from Filton right up to Wickwar, Charfield and the villages.

“It’s very difficult to get a wheelchair taxi in South Gloucestershire.

“We would urge you not to go backwards.”

Council service director for place Andrew Birch said a "full-scale review of the whole taxi policy", including a 12-week public consultation, would happen this year.

Mr Birch said the number of wheelchairaccessible vehicles had fallen from 31 in 2016 to 25 now, prices were rising and moving from a saloon car to a wheelchair-accessible vehicle costs drivers "tens of thousands of pounds extra".

Mike Drew (Lib Dem, Yate North) said: “Ideally any disabled person should be able to hail down any passing taxi and make use of it."

But he said the "very difficult situation" meant councillors had been weighing idealism against practicality.

Keith Cranney (Con, Stoke Gifford) said there was not a "gigantic" number of people wanting to take a wheelchair into a taxi.

He said: "How can you just hail a taxi and expect them to have a wheelchair ramp and hoist and everything else on board? It comes at a great cost."

By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Be a good neighbour

WHAT is neighbourliness?

According to the Cambridge dictionary, it is “the quality of being friendly or helpful to your neighbours”.

Another definition, from Google, adds “especially when people live near each other”.

Both these are true, of course, but is it just about being neighbourly to those who live near us?

In the Bible, when an expert in the law asked Jesus “who is my neighbour?”, his reply was the parable of the good Samaritan, in which a Hebrew is attacked and left for dead by the roadside.

It was a Samaritan, a person from a different nationality despised by the Hebrews, who came to his rescue. The Samaritan certainly didn’t know him and would not have lived close to him, yet he treated the badly injured Hebrew as his neighbour, took him to an inn and paid for the costs of his care.

The point of the story is that everyone is our neighbour, whether we know them or not and wherever they may live. Neighbourliness is checking to see if the lonely person next door is alright or buying a drink for your friend in a café, but is also helping an elderly person who is unstable on their feet in the street, and looking after the place you live.

Technology has made it much easier to help and support those around the world, through donations, so we can also extend some of those neighbourly acts to others around the globe. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all treated each other as neighbours, helping and supporting each other where we can?

These acts of kindness not only make us feel good but also bring a wonderful feeling to the recipients and who knows the ripple effects of our thoughtfulness? The Christian faith encourages us to be charitable to our neighbours, be they next door, in the same town or even another country.

There is so much anger, strife and bitterness in the world, which we often feel powerless to change, but it is our acts of neighbourliness that do make a difference, whether we get to see the effects or not.

Mark Tanner Christ Church Downend

Plant sale success

TAKING full advantage of its position on Cossham Street – part of the parade route on the day of the Mangotsfield Festival – members of Mangotsfield

United Reformed Church raised over £680 for its chosen charities, the Jessie May Trust and Gympanzees, a charity for disabled children, with its plant sale and coupled with a coffee morning on June 8.

It may be a small church but its members can certainly put on a show when needed.

The plants, nearly all of which were raised by church members in their own homes, attracted many buyers and lured them into the church, where coffee and cakes were lying in wait for them.

The bacon sandwiches were very popular and the quality of the cakes can be vouched for by the writer, who ate two pieces of chocolate sponge!

June Watts

Join us for a warm welcome

ARE you looking for a friendly and inviting place to spend your Tuesday mornings?

Look no further than the Downend Baptist Church's monthly coffee mornings!

Held on the first Tuesday of each month from 10.30am-12.30pm, they present a perfect opportunity to enjoy a cup of coffee, delicious treats and great conversation with friends old and new.

We also offer puzzles, adult colouring, and books for those who prefer some quiet time, and there will be people happy to pray with you if you wish.

The coffee mornings are more than just a chance to enjoy refreshments: they are a cornerstone of our community outreach.

Downend Baptist Church is well-known for its warm and inclusive atmosphere. We believe in welcoming everyone, regardless of background or beliefs, to join us in a space filled with positivity and fellowship.

Downend Baptist Church has been a significant part of the community since 1786, originally established as an offshoot from the Broadmead Baptist Chapel in Bristol.

The church has a rich history intertwined with the local area, reflecting the broader development of Downend from a hamlet of scattered farmsteads to a vibrant suburban community.

So why not mark your calendar for the next coffee morning? It's a great way to start your month, meet new people, and become a part of our loving and supportive community.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Jamie Gilbert

1,100 hours of service

DOWNEND School students put in more than 1,100 hours of voluntary service to the community as part of an awards scheme.

Nearly 100 pupils in Years 9 and 10 have spent the last six months working towards their bronze or silver Duke of Edinburgh awards.

To achieve the award they have to develop a new skill or interest, improve their fitness, complete an overnight expedition and contribute to their community by volunteering.

Downend students have volunteered at Rainbow or Beaver Scout meetings, coached younger children in sports and carried out charity work, putting in a total of 1,105 hours.

The final challenge is an overnight expedition, and pupils went on practice runs during the recent half-term holiday to hone their navigational, teamwork and survival skills ahead of the assessed expeditions in July.

School D of E manager and maths teacher Chris Ashworth said: "It’s great to see so many students build confidence, self-belief and resilience through the programme. The skills and experiences such as problem solving, presentation and communication skills are not only fun but can also help open doors to colleges, universities, and employers in the future."

The school is appealing for donations of rucksacks and walking boots to help more students get involved next year.

Ready for a party

FINAL preparations are under way for the Friends of Page Park 25th Anniversary Party in the Park.

The event on July 6 will feature eight musical acts on the bandstand and a variety of food stalls.

People are being invited to come along, bring a picnic blanket or a chair and enjoy a relaxing day.

The event runs from 11am to 5pm.

First up on the bandstand at 11am are three acts from West of England Music and Arts, which provides music education in South Gloucestershire schools. The Fruit Flies, The Mad Hatters and The Placeholders will entertain the crowd for just under an hour. Next up at 12.10pm are the Port of Bristol Shanty Crew, a group of mates mixing traditional and modern maritime songs. At 1.15pm Mangotsfield Ukelele jam will take to the stage for a half-hour performance, before another 30-minute concert by steel band Steel Appeal from 2pm.

Singer-songwriter Chris Stanley will perform from 2.45-3.30pm before rhythm and blues band The Blues Conspirators round off the day with an hour and 15 minute set from 3.45pm.

A variety of food stalls have been booked, from Thai and Turkish food to burgers, cakes and pastries.

The Friends have appealed for as many visitors as possible to walk to the event or park their cars away from the park and surrounding roads, which have suffered congestion problems due to poor parking, which can affect the 49 and 7 bus services.

They are also appealing for volunteers to help set up and take down the event, and for donations.

Friends vice-chair Steph Purser said: "The party is a free event but it costs around £3,000 to stage events like this, so we'll have the donation buckets out – if you donate it will help pay for more events in the future."

*The Page Park Billy Kart Derby, first staged last year, is taking a year off and is due to return in 2025.

Downend students on their practice expedition in May

School's golden five

MANGOTSFIELD School has announced the first winners of its new award scheme.

Year 8 pupils Polly Carver and Ryan McLeod of Chase house and Cheick-Hamala Aidara of Pomphrey house, and Year 7s Hattie Watts of Rodway house

and Alfie Dibble of Siston house, won the school's inaugural Gold Awards.

Through the school year points are awarded by the staff for "positive learning and behaviour", with students achieving bronze and silver awards as their total rises, with gold – and a place at the front of the lunch queue – given for 500 points.

A school spokesperson said: "The award embraces our four values of Love Learning, Respect, Challenge and Community.

"We are incredibly proud of our winners and their dedication this year. They have done the right thing every day, and been rewarded for it."

During May 100 students took part in the One Mile Walk around the school track as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.

Other activities to promote positive mental health included weekly sessions focusing on well-being, a yoga session run by head teacher Hetty Blackmore and a visit from counselling and support charity Off The Record.

Show time

GROWERS and crafters have days left to enter the 79th Frenchay Flower Show.

The event takes place on Frenchay Common on July 13 from noon, with events throughout the afternoon up to the produce auction at 5pm.

This year all entry forms have to be submitted before the show, by 6pm on July 10, either online at www.frenchayflowershow. com or at Frenchay Museum in Begbrook Park, where paper copies are available during opening hours on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

In addition to the exhibits in the marquee there will be over 60 stalls, more entertainers, new food outlets, classic cars, displays, exhibitions and WI cream teas in the village hall.

Tickets cost £4 for adults and unaccompanied over-14s: accompanied under-16s are free. They are available on the gate or in advance at tinyurl.com/ yxu6cp63.

Beckspool Road will be closed at the show site from 8am to 5pm on the day.

Award winners Polly Carver, Ryan McLeod, Cheick-Hamala Aidara, Hattie Watts and Alfie Dibble

Changes to dentist website criticised

CHANGES to the website showing which dentists have places available for NHS patients have been criticised by the leader of the profession's representative body.

The Voice reported earlier this year that people in the Downend area faced a 20-mile trip, to Westbury in Wiltshire, to reach the nearest dentist accepting new adult NHS patients.

For children aged 17 and under, the nearest practice open to new NHS patients on the NHS Find a Dentist website was more than nine miles away, in Bath. Another seven dentists within five miles of Downend said they would treat NHS patients given a

TURNERS HEARING CARE BLOG

Listening Tactics

referral for specialist dental care.

Since then the website has changed the way it lists dental practices: instead of stating whether they are accepting patients or not, it says "when availability allows, this dentist accepts new NHS patients".

The change means that, as of June 16, ten practices within five miles of Downend were listed as accepting NHS patients subject to availability, including one in Staple Hill.

But the site no longer indicates whether any places are actually available at the time patients search it.

The Voice asked NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care why the change was made, and whether there is any way for patients to find out which practices are taking on NHS patients other than contacting each practice individually.

We also asked if practices were still reporting, to either NHS England or their local integrated care board, when they have places available for new NHS patients.

In response the DHSC said: "The website was updated in April to make it easier for members of the public to identify practices that might be able to accept new NHS patients."

However the department did not say whether practices were still reporting whether they had NHS places available, even though it said the website provided

Whilst I appreciate that many of you can hear well, there might be a time in your life, through various reasons, why your hearing isn’t as sharp as it could be, and if this is the case, focused listening can really help you too!

To start, an ear wax factoid:

Excessive ear wax buildup can cause dizziness, as well as hearing loss.

Inform People

Let people know if you have hearing difficulty. This encourages them to speak clearly, face you, and be patient. Clear communication about your needs is the first step to mutual understanding.

Use Hearing Aids

Hearing aids and other assistive listening devices can significantly enhance your ability to hear. Make sure that yours is functioning correctly, is turned on and has enough battery charge for the time you need it.

Visual Cues

Use the additive benefit of visual cues such as lip-reading and body language. Position yourself to clearly see the speaker’s face and ask them to avoid covering their mouth as well as ensuring you have enough light to be able to see their mouth and facial gestures as they speak to you.

Use Technology To Your Advantage

You can use clever technology such as speech-to-text apps on your phone that provide real-time captions during conversations or meetings.

Environment

Choose environments with minimal background noise. In noisy places, position yourself where you can hear best, such as sitting close to the speaker for a presentation, or ask to move to a different room for a personal conversation.

Asking People to Paraphrase

Don’t hesitate to ask people to paraphrase or rephrase what they’ve said. Rather than asking for repetition this can ensure you don’t miss important information.

All of these tips will help you hear or understand what’s being communicated, and then it’s down to your best listening skills to show your speaker that you’ve really understood them. You can then provide the right feedback, whether it’s a head nod at the right time or an appropriate facial expression, it all helps with how we communicate with our nearest and dearest too.

"operational information at the current point in time to show where an individual can find an NHS dentist".

The changes were made after the announcement of a 'recovery plan' aimed at increasing access and funding millions of extra appointments and treatments nationally, which included an announcement by ministers that 500 more practices were taking on new NHS patients.

But the changes were criticised by the chair of the British Dental Association, Eddie Crouch, who said: "They like to talk about how 500 more practices are now taking on new NHS patients.

"They are sidestepping the fact that they’ve just changed the definition of access from a simple ‘yes’ or a ‘no’, to taking on new patients 'when capacity allows'."

Writing in a blog reflecting that dentistry was now "at the forefront of voter concerns", he said: "We’ve called on all parties to offer real urgency and ambition to save the service and put a halt to widening inequalities."

Earlier this year the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, which is responsible for NHS services in the area, said access to NHS dentistry in the area was "challenging".

The ICB said people with an urgent dental need could call 111 to access one of 64 appointments available each week.

If you have any concerns about your hearing or ear health - including your ears being blocked with wax, come along and see us for a friendly appointment to see how we can help you hear more clearly.

Debbie

Debbie Campbell is a qualified and experienced Audiologist, who has joined the clinical team at Turners Opticians in Fishponds having worked for many years in NHS Audiology clinics.

10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WEEKEND

FRIDAY 19 - SUNDAY 21 JULY 2024, CHRIST CHURCH DOWNEND.

CAN it really be 10 years? Back in 2014, Ant Miles and a team of likeminded individuals decided to put on a few folk concerts in Downend. By their own admission, they didn’t really know what they were doing, but muddled through, made it work, and 10 years later it has grown into a monthly fixture on the calendars of music lovers from Downend and beyond.

10 years deserves a special event to celebrate, and Downend Folk & Roots are thrilled to reveal details of their 10th Anniversary Celebration, which will take place over the weekend of 19-21 July this year. They’ve assembled a lineup of the very best folk, roots and acoustic music artists, including many who have played a big role in their story over the last decade, and have teamed up with their regular venue, Christ Church Downend, for some community-focused events which will really make it feel like a little festival!

The weekend will kick-off with a ceilidh and ploughman’s supper on Friday 19 July, with Bristol favourites The Molecatchers providing the music for the dancing.

On Saturday 20 July, there is a full day of the very best music. The day will start with a performance from Katie Grace Harris, in a gig which will simultaneously be the

GOOD HABITS + BILLIE MAREE

FRIDAY 17 MAY 2024, CHRIST CHURCH DOWNEND.

SOMETIMES folk music can take itself a bit seriously. There are a lot of drowned sisters and poisoned knights, lots of murder and longing. It's a bit of a relief, then, when a duo like Good Habits come along. They are full of sunshine and stories, full of friendliness and fun. They blossom like dungaree-clad sunflowers.

Bonnie Schwarz and Pete Shaw formed during a time when they were “happily stranded” in New Zealand over lockdown. What started as an impromptu tour became a two-year hiatus where songs were written, gigs were played and a formidable duo

second in the new Live at Lunchtime series; concerts which are designed to be accessible to families, providing a relaxed atmosphere and shorter sets. Under-18s will go free for this part of the day, which is also individually ticketed, and there will be activity sheets and free squash for younger children. Some noise from children is expected and encouraged!

Attention then turns to the Saturday afternoon concert. Jim Moray has been patron of the club since the beginning and he will headline the gig, He will be joined on the bill by Janice Burns & Jon Doran, who went down a storm when they performed in Downend in November 2022… and wouldn’t be a 10th Anniversary Celebration without Road Not Taken, the four-piece that was formed out of Downend Folk & Roots, and have been tempted out of their current hiatus to open the Saturday afternoon concert.

The celebrations continue on

Saturday evening. Lady Maisery headlined back in November 2016, and returned triumphantly in December 2018 with their Christmas show Awake Arise. Both concerts are among the favourites with our regulars, so inviting them back to headline the 10th Anniversary Celebration was a no-brainer… it’s been far too long! The trio will be joined on the bill by Downend Folk & Roots newcomers Bryony Griffith & Alice Jones, while local favourites Gavin Osborn & The Comment Section will open the evening. Gavin has played both support and headline slots over the years.

In addition, there will be events taking place in the Parish Hall throughout the afternoon, including crafts and games.

This might look a bit like a minifestival, and in some ways, it is, but Downend Folk & Roots also pride themselves on being part of the community, so Sunday will be a bit different. The club are teaming up with Christ Church Downend, and

emerged. They return to Downend as they tour their brilliant new album Quarter Life, and effortlessly charm the whole place.

In truth it would be pretty hard to argue that what Good Habits do is "folk", in the strictest sense. There are no songs of death, instead Schwarz and Shaw shine their jazz-y, pop-y sunlight on songs of love, of vague

the day will kick-off with an optional, and very short, church service, before the musical regulars and members of the church head down to Lincombe Barn Park & Woods, where they’ll spend 90 minutes weeding, clearing paths, cleaning railings and generally giving this beautiful local resource a bit of a spruce up. It’s then back to the church for a soup, bread and cake lunch (all complimentary), before enjoying a closing concert, which will feature the fantastic Bristolbased folk choir Heartwood Chorus and guest headliner. Bright Season .And all of Sunday is FREE!.

All events will take place at , and seats are unreserved for everything. You can buy a Weekend Ticket for £55 per person, or you can just get a Saturday Ticket for £45 per person (the ceilidh is not included). As mentioned, Sunday is free and you don’t have to book, but it will help if you let them know that you’re coming. You can also buy tickets individually for the ceilidh, Live at Lunchtime and both Saturday afternoon and evening concerts, if you can’t make it for the whole weekend.

There will be food options on the Saturday while the bar will be operating throughout Friday and Saturday, offering the usual range of hot drinks, soft drinks, wine, cider and locally-brewed real ales from Hop Union Brewery, as well as sweet treats from Radstock-based The Great Cake Company.

It promises to be a special weekend, so book now as places are limited. Go to downendfolkand roots.com to find out more, or find them on social media.

lovely, a swooning, languid take on something that swoons already.

Sharing the Good Habits’ love of a jumpsuit/dungaree thing is Billie Maree, a singer of "folk-y-ish songs" about friendship and humanity that have a slightly more wintery feel than the sunshine which will follow.

uncertainty, of small earthquakes. They also play some wonderfully inventive covers too, and there's not a trad.arr amongst them.

The joy that Good Habits bring is most obvious in the cover versions that they choose. Each is delivered with love and a "hey look at this" wide-eyed wonder. Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill is, simply,

A Devonian singer-songwriter with a glorious voice, Billie Maree inspires absolute pin-drop attention. On Whale Eyes, their voice is deep and meditative, a simple acoustic line tracing countless strands back to Celtic folk traditions. On My Body, My Home the contemporary is, again, mixed with the traditional and it’s Billie Maree’s voice that will live long in the memory.

In a world that can feel a bit bleak some days, Good Habits exist to spread some sunshine. They were very welcome indeed.

Words: Gavin McNamara

Photo: Chris Dobson

Give Headway a hand

A FRENCHAY-based charity which has been helping survivors of brain injury for more than 40 years is inviting people to enjoy themselves and raise vital funds at its summer fun day.

Headway Bristol supports people to live as independently as possible, and also helps their families and other carers across South Gloucestershire, Bristol, North and North East Somerset.

Based at the former Frenchay Hospital site in Beckspool Road, Headway Bristol runs rehab centres, an outreach service to people's homes and a social hub for anyone living with a brain injury, providing activities, days out and a safe environment.

It also has a team of 'hospital navigators' who visit the intensive care unit and neurological wards at Southmead Hospital and Bristol Royal Infirmary to offer support and services.

Its care and support team offers a variety of services for carers, including drop-in groups.

The charity's community and engagement lead Chloe Lloyd said: "We individually tailor programmes that are designed to maximise quality of life, independence, and self-esteem.

"We need to raise around £75,000 each

year to maintain our services, expand existing provision and pilot new initiatives.

"Headway Bristol could not operate without the generous support of our fundraisers, donors, and volunteers, to whom we are so grateful. Every pledge of support, item donated, and penny raised is invaluable to us and the people that we support."

To help raise the money it needs, Headway is holding a summer family fun day at Frenchay Cricket Club in Common Mead Lane on August 11, from noon to 4pm.

The charity is inviting people to come along and enjoy the entertainment, inflatables and stalls.

Entry is free.

Anyone who like to have a stall at the event is invited to email chloe.lloyd@

headwaybristol.org.uk.

Headway also needs volunteers to help its work. All volunteers receive training and support to carry out their roles, and the charity particularly welcomes students who have an interest in health and social care or psychology for work experience.

Anyone who is interested in getting involved should email kathryn.edwards@ headwaybristol.org.uk.

For further information about Headway visit www.headwaybristol.org.uk, call 0117 414 3222 or email info@headwaybristol.org. uk.

Pitch work starts

WORK to transform Mangotsfield United Football Club's Cossham Street ground is getting under way.

Last month the Voice reported that the project to replace the grass pitch with a new 3G all-weather surface, with new LED floodlighting and widening of the ground, had received the green light after winning more than £925,000 funding from the Premier League, Football Association and the government’s Football Foundation.

The £1.2 million project already has planning permission and the start date for contractors Tiger Turf and McCardle has been fixed for June 24.

The new pitch is due to be installed and ready for use by the end of November.

A Headway Bristol service user

Christ Church pupils read to Cleeve Lodge residents

Making new friends

CHILDREN from a Downend infant school made friends across the generations when they visited a care home.

A group of Reception and Year 1 pupils from Christ Church C of E Infants sang and read stories to residents of Cleeve Lodge Residential Care Home in Cleeve Lodge Close.

Head teacher Anna Martin said: "One of the school’s lunchbreak supervisors, Tanya Fussell, also works at Cleeve Lodge and suggested the children head down to celebrate National Children’s Day so CCI’s wonderful choir lead, Amelia Gould, suggested the children could perform for the residents there.

"The staff were so impressed with the kindness and love that they showed to the lovely folk they met.

"The care went both ways, and it was lovely to make some new connections and friendships, reminding the school why its caring community is so important to the local area around the school."

Help check our rivers

PEOPLE are being asked to help check the health of the River Frome and other waterways by taking part in a large-scale 'citizen science' project.

Charity Bristol Avon Rivers Trust runs the annual RiverBlitz every summer, and invites residents to help sample water in local rivers, streams, and ditches to find out pollution levels.

People can apply for a free water testing kit, including a sampling tube and testing paper to collect data on nutrient pollution levels and also make visual observations of the water.

Last year, a record 193 people collected samples from the Avon, Frome and other waterways in the area. The idea is to collect a snapshot of the state of the region's rivers at a given time – this year samples can be taken between July 5 and 12 for the project.

Anyone who would like to take part should sign up before July 1 on BART's website at tinyurl.com/66zfue89.

Those taking part are sent up to three kits to take to a spot at a river or stream of their choice, along with detailed instructions on how to accurately collect data.

BART chief executive Simon Hunter said: "At BART, we believe that understanding the true state of our rivers requires evidence.

"The RiverBlitz is a wonderful opportunity for people to get actively involved in monitoring their local watercourses.

"It helps us better understand the condition of our water environment and guides future protection efforts.

"The data collected by our volunteers allows us to identify areas most at risk and determine where management and restoration efforts will be most effective.

"Our volunteers are part of a growing citizen science movement that underscores the importance of local stewardship in safeguarding our valuable freshwater resources and ecosystems."

Afterwards the information will be published on BART's RiverBlitz website.

WILL & PROBATE ADVICE

Free Legal Stock Take meeting

Trust Funds - Who do you trust?

Nowadays we all have so much life admin to sort out – it is easy for things to get out of date.

Setting up a Trust Fund may sound very “Downton Abbey” but it has become a device that can bene t so many people. And it’s no longer very expensive!

A FREE review meeting with our local, friendly team at Simpson Solicitors is like a Free Legal Stock Take meeting. Being a fully regulated law firm there is no pushy follow up as there is no obligation to instruct them. Just the peace of mind that you have received proper legal advice.

Usually they are set up in your Will and only take e ect when you die.

• So when you die, the gift in your Will (whether it is your home or savings or both) is not transferred directly to the person you want to bene t.

The Free Legal Stock Take meeting focusses on making sure your legal affairs are in order and if needed they can help you with a new Will or Lasting Powers of Attorney. It is all about making life as easy as possible for those that you care about - if you were to become seriously ill or die unexpectedly.

• Instead, the gift becomes “looked after” by the Trust Fund and managed by people you trust –appropriately called your Trustees – on behalf of the person you want to bene t.

Michelle says, “At Simpson

Solicitors we o er xed price packages for Additional Trust Protection to be added to our Wills. We will also help you prepare a Letter of Wishes to guide your Trustees and we then o er aftercare to help them.”

√ Checking any existing documents are legally valid: Checking your Will or Powers of Attorney are signed in accordance with the complex rules that apply, with advice to make sure they still reflect your current family arrangements.

Care Home Fees: A popular Trust Fund for couples is to protect the assets of the rst to die, so they do not get used up in paying Care Home Fees for the survivor.

√ Property ownership: Advice to make sure it’s owned in the best way to prevent problems. There is a £3 charge from HM Land Registry.

Vulnerable Person: Here the vulnerable person is not considered able to manage their inheritance – they may have special needs, disability, or an addiction. So, it is protected for them and released as and when needed.

√ Reviewing what you own: Making sure those you trust can find and are legally able to access your bank accounts, investments, and life insurance if you were seriously ill or had died.

√ Inheritance Tax and Care Home Fees: Applying the current rules to your situation with advice so your family don’t receive an avoidable bill for tax or care home fees.

Divorce or Bankruptcy of an Adult Child: This type of Trust Fund protects your child’s inheritance until it is safe for them to receive it - without leaving your family.

√ Free secure storage service: Offered for your legal documents and the information you might want your family to be able to access.

Children's Trust: Used where a couple have children from a previous relationship or might have further children with a new partner after one of them has died. The survivor can continue to live in the home, but the share of the partner who died is guaranteed for their children.

To arrange your Free Review meeting you can pop in to their Kingswood Office or email message@simpsonslawuk.com or call 0117 960 8594

Remember, they offer a FREE home meeting service if you find it difficult getting to their offices.

John says, “To nd out more about how a Trust Fund in your Will may help your family, please call us or email message@simpsonslawuk. com for a Free Review Meeting with advice in plain English.”

On your own: You choose who you want to inherit from you

Living together: Decide if and how your partner is protected Parent Wills: Provide for children & name Guardians to raise them

Later Life Wills: Protect inheritance from

Lasting

The election –‘Am I bovvered?’

SO we’re now just a few days away from another general election – I wonder how you’re feeling at the prospect? A recent poll suggested that we might see the lowest voter turnout in recent history, with apathy especially high amongst the younger generations.

Why should we bother? Well firstly of course it’s part of our democratic right and duty – if we don’t have our say, we can hardly complain when we don’t get what we want!

But there’s a deeper reason for turning up on election day when we reflect on the role of politicians and government in the context of stewardship. I was preaching on Genesis

1 the other day, which tells the story of creation – ‘in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’

People understand that part of the Bible in different ways – it’s certainly not meant to be a scientific text book, but however you read it, the emphasis is on God at the centre of creation. When human beings come onto the scene he gives them a mandate to rule over and care for the world – in other words to be good stewards.

As we place our X at the ballot box we’re seeking political leaders who will take good care of (in no particular order, before someone accuses me of political bias) the

economy, the environment, the health service, law and order, education, immigration and so much more. We elect MPs to make good decisions on behalf of this country, but also of the wider world, so we need to make an effort to find out what they stand for and what motivates them.

The churches in the area have organised a hustings event at Christ Church Downend on Friday 28th June at 7pm, to enable local residents to do just that. No advance booking necessary. All of the candidates for Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency have been invited and questions can be submitted in advance via parishadmin@

christchurchdownend.com

‘Am I bovvered?’ was the oft repeated catchphrase of surly teenager Lauren in the Catherine Tate Show. I hope Voice readers will be ‘bovvered’ to vote on 4th July, and if you’re someone who prays, to hold the candidates before God in their last week of campaigning.

Book will help charities

I'M a Downend resident who has written a book on the challenges I have faced from mental health, domestic violence and an eating disorder.

'Jo's Hidden Secrets' is raising money for Next Link domestic violence charity and Mothers for Mothers post natal depression charity, who helped me at my darkest times.

I found fundraising for charities that have helped me and sharing my experiences with those facing similar challenges to me helped me cope with my mental health issues too.

I wish I'd known about what wonderful charities were available when I was at school.

I've also started a fundraiser to donate mental health support packs to local high schools, as I wished they were available back when I was at school.

I really struggled facing bullying and an eating disorder and mental health issues and many other challenges too but didn't know where to go, so I decided to help teenagers know what wonderful charities are out there.

You can support the mental health packs at GoFundMe on tinyurl.com/3py3z4cf.

If you'd like a copy of the book you can find it at thelisteningpeople.co.uk.

Emma Louise James Downend

Time to reconsider bike scheme

I RECENTLY spotted an e-bike dumped by the side of the River Frome in Frenchay.

After a 20-minute call to Bristol City Council I gave up and tried South Gloucestershire Council to find exactly the same reaction. BCC apparently had technical problems and SGC had staffing issues. The e-bike came from Bristol, as it was dumped in the car park on the Bristol side, and ended up by the river on the South Glos side.

I finally found ‘Fix my Street’, who contacted (bike hire operator) Tier for me. They did collect the bike, about a week later. Goodness knows how they got down there.

If you don't know the bike number you can't complete Tier's online form. There needs to be a better reporting process in place.

These bikes are an eyesore at best and downright dangerous at worst, although I am sure there are people who love them, and a potential pollution problem when dumped by a river.

People don’t look after their own stuff: are we expected to believe they are going to look after something they don’t own?

It's time we reconsidered this nonsense. It needs more transparency and public consultation.

Lesley Collins

A wonderful workshop

A SINGING workshop held on May 11 at Lincombe Barn was very successful.

Some 27 singers thoroughly enjoyed a couple of hours under the baton of Ben England. He puts his life and soul into explaining the ramifications of singing, at the same time managing to get the most from the singers whilst learning new works.

At the end of the two hours all were uplifted, having learnt three songs well enough to sing them completely at the end of the session.

Some of the participants had experienced Ben’s expertise before but still found the event rewarding.

The hall was abuzz with sound.

Happiness is the key word which explains the feeling Ben invokes. It was a wonderful couple of hours.

Patricia Holmes

Evening flower show

DOWNEND Horticultural Society is holding an evening flower show event on Thursday August 8, from 7.30pm at Downend Assembly Hall. With an informal, fun and friendly atmosphere, it will be a chance to be inspired by growers from the local community.

Whether first-time grower or professional, all are welcome.

You can enter by contacting downendhortsoc@gmail.com.

We meet every second Thursday of the month.

Emily Coles

Calling Children of the 90s

AS readers you will probably know, Children of the 90s is a worldrenowned health study involving thousands of people in Bristol, Bath, Weston and the wider area.

We are still going strong, after 30 years, and are looking to reach anyone aged 31-33 who has lost touch or who hasn't yet visited our current clinic.

The study follows the health and development of more than 14,000 families with a child born in Bristol and the surrounding area between April 1991 and December 1992.

Researchers have used the data collected over the last 30 years to help answer important questions on key health issues, including asthma, childhood obesity, and dementia.

Almost 4,000 young people have already attended the latest @30 clinic and taken part in a series of physical and mental health measures including full-body bone density scans, liver scans and lung function tests.

The clinic comes to an end in July, and the Children of the 90s team want to hear from anyone who was born in or around the city in 1991/2 and would like to take part in this ground breaking research.

As a thank you for taking part, you’ll get £40 (bank transfer or voucher) – with free parking and travel expenses covered.

To find out more call 0117 331 0011 or email info@ childrenofthe90s.ac.uk.

Emma Robinson Communications and Engagement Manager

Children of the 90s (ALSPAC)

Summer flowers are waiting for the sun

WELL, the plants are in!

We had a great planting day recently with 2,700 petunias, surfina, busy lizzie, begonias, salvia and calibrachoa delivered at 7am to the high street.

A total of 18 volunteers turned up and by lunchtime the majority of the flowers had been planted.

Luckily my grandson wasn’t at uni that day, so he came along and helped me sort the plants as to where they went, which was a great help in making things go smoothly.

We now have 166 displays around the area, which include the high street area, 'Welcome to Downend' signs, the library, Sandringham, Cleeve Wood Road shops and Downend School.

It has been quite a task! Thank you to all the volunteers and also to our three extra volunteers, Elliot, a student from UWE, and the two ladies who came with their children to plant after our plea for volunteers on Facebook. Always good to see younger volunteers!

The plants were so well

advanced when they arrived this year, with some of them already having three or four flowers on them.

Consequently they have only been in for a few weeks and already they are well-established and blooming really well – an instant display!

It would be nice however, if we had a bit more sun, so we could sit in our lovely coffee shops and pubs and enjoy them. Here’s

hoping.

We also have our bees and flowers up on the poles, smiling cheekily at us! The bunting and bees the schools have painted for us will be up by the time you read this, so I will send some pictures of these for next month. There's always lots of work to be done!

We are restarting our tidy-ups in the high street, removing weeds, deadheading, sweeping and tidying.

The next one is on July 11. Meet by the In Bloom sign in the high street (outside of the BT building) at 1.30pm, finishing at 3pm.

If you would like to join us please do: you will be most welcome. Please bring a trowel and some gardening gloves – we will provide everything else.

For details of dates visit our Facebook page, email Jabaker32@ outlook.com or call 0750 424 4361.

Finally, if you can believe it, having just planted our summer plants I recently spent a morning working out our panola order for September/October planting.

We have decided to go with orange panolas in the tiered and large square planters, and a mix of yellow and light purple in all of the other planters.

Hopefully that will look good, but we will have to wait until the winter to see how this works!

Jackie Baker 07504244361 jabaker32@outlook.com

The 1960s 'house of the future'

IN these days of the climate and cost of living crises, the government’s Net Zero Strategy, and efforts to make houses more energy efficient, things like ground source heating and solar panels may seem to be fairly recent developments.

But Nick Smith from local history group CHAP has found a short video which shows that these exact technologies were already being tested right here in Downend in the mid-1960s.

The black-and-white footage, shared on social media by the BBC Archives, was originally broadcast on BBC One West, on February 15, 1965 and January 23, 1969.

The four-and-a-half-minute report comprises an initial visit to a family who had built a ‘solar house’, and then a follow-up interview four years later.

The homeowner, Mr Cook, explained the energy-saving technology involved: a prefabricated, highly-insulated single-storey building, with a three-foot thick slab built underground to draw ground heat up into the house, and large windows with special insulation blinds to use sunlight to help heat the home. He said that it was working well, and the home was nice and warm to live in.

Keen to know if these developments had lowered the family’s energy bills, the BBC interviewer was so astonished by Mr Cook’s

n

his

answer - "Our actual heating costs are about £26 a year" - that he checked: "10 shillings a week?".

This contrasted with Mr Cook’s estimate that average heating costs for a house of the same size would be about £104 a year, so his technologically-innovative home was making a huge saving.

You can watch the video at tinyurl. com/5n7chub7

If your family lived in the house, or you can share any more information about this

forward-looking building, please contact CHAP chair Janet Biggin at big.gin@talktalk.net.

Downend Community History and Art Project (CHAP) is a not-for-profit voluntary organisation that aims to build an identity and sense of belonging for Downend and Emersons Green through a community history resource and activities that bring history to life.

For more details visit www.downendchap. org or write to CHAP, 49 Overnhill Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 5DS.

Helen Rana

Mr Cook, with

young son, being interviewed by a BBC reporter in the house.

Picture: BBC

n The house viewed from outside.

Picture: BBC

How to be cool this summer

THE weather in England has been all over the place so far this summer – but if the mercury does shoot up and we’re roasting in some balmier temperatures, what should we wear to keep cool?

Working in an office or rushing from A to B in order to get through a busy day means you could be hot under the collar come July and August.

However, there are some simple changes to your daily outfits that you can adopt that will help you cope with the heat.

First off, think about the choice of fabric you wear.

Natural fibres offer more breathability than man-made options. So, avoid polyester and nylon, which keep the heat in, and opt for linen and cotton. Even light jersey clothing can be more comfortable.

If you’re not keen on linen, and think the creases look too relaxed for formal workwear, find garments with a linen blend for less wrinkles.

Switch up heavy denim to chambray or cotton cargo trousers; or lose jeans and trousers altogether and pick up a pair of the longer-length shorts that are in fashion this summer.

Pictured is a suit from John Lewis, just one of many stores offering co-ordinated tailored and softer fabric pieces.

I’ve seen quite a few relaxed shirts and short co-ord combos for men while I’ve been doing personal shopping.

Lastly, wearing light layers is important –think strappy and floaty cotton maxi dresses, loose-fitting skirts and shorts, and palazzostyle trousers. Full skirts are a key look for summer ‘24, and wide-leg trousers sporting large prints are all the rage this year.

For more ideas on the latest shopping ‘finds’ follow me at @gailpainter on Instagram.

Not sure what to wear or how to wear it? Email your fashion and style questions to info@notgivinin.com and look out for the answers in future issues of the Voice. www.notgivinin.com

Pinstripe waistcoat, shorts and blazer, with heels, from John Lewis.

Our village needs your support

WE have to start this month with a big thankyou to the organisers of Mangotsfield Festival, for putting on a fantastic event on Saturday June 8.

A great turn out for a lovely local community event.

Long may it continue – we hope people will answer the call to make donations and join in as volunteers to secure its future.

Last month we commented on the excellent work by a few dedicated volunteers on the Dame School garden.

This month we are more than happy that Gill Walding, who spends a lot of time keeping the 'Hut Field' neat and tidy, has volunteered to look after our planter by Mangotsfield United FC.

Thanks Gill, really appreciated.

Did you know there are three more planters at the 'Welcome to Mangotsfield' signs – by St James Church Hall, at the top of the hill on Mangotsfield Road, opposite Page Park and at the junction of Northcote Road and Stanbridge Road – that would love to have someone look after them?

Let us know if you’d be interested in adopting one of them.

A heads-up that we’ll need lots of help later in the year to plant a hedge around the common in Mangotsfield. It will serve

FARLEYS

2 purposes: a) to help make our area more wildlife-friendly and b) to stop parking on the common.

Did you know that there is a ukulele group that meets at the scout hall every Wednesday evening? They would welcome new members, so if you are interested please get in touch.

We'd like to remind people to report all crime and anti-social behaviour incidents to the police, and only post on local social media when you have a crime reference number.

We appreciate that many have the view “what’s the point? Nothing will get done” but the more things are reported, the more likely it is that action will be taken, and it helps the police prioritise their efforts.

Our next Red Lion Coffee Morning will be on Wednesday July 3 at 10 am, and all are welcome. We are now getting a really good turnout, so why not come along?

Our next meeting will be on Thursday July 11 at 7.30pm, in the Red Lion.

Note that this is a change of date from July 4, so that we don’t clash with the General Election.

We are making it more of an informal chat rather than a formal meeting, and hoping that encourages more people to come along and get involved.

If you want to get in touch, then please do so

by email at MangotsfieldRA@gmail.com, via the ever-popular Mangotsfield Matters Facebook page or by calling our chair, Clive Heath, on 07507 168700 or me on 07918 701881.

Chris Amos Secretary

Fun day takes us out into community

AT the Staple Hill Community Hub, we are always welcoming people to our building on Nelson Road.

Whether that’s for Lunch Club, Jobseekers’ Club, our new after-school club on a Tuesday and many more.

However, we often go out into the community as well and we were delighted to help out at the recent Ignite Life Community Fun Day in Page Park.

The aim of the event on May 31 was to raise awareness of a range of local charities, and to raise money.

We, for instance, had a tabletop sale, selling bric-a-brac to raise money for the hub. On a day blessed by good weather, we raised £140.

It gave us a chance to talk to people about the services that we provide, how we can help people and where the money we were raising would be spent. The people we spoke to said it was a lovely community event, and how lovely it was to see people coming together – something that we feel is very important in Staple Hill. We have decided that the money we raised will be spent on the provision of food parcels.

THIS month you'll find u3a's East & North East Bristol group at three events, starting with the Frenchay Flower Show on July 13.

If you're free on July 17, from 2.30pm onwards, we have an informal social at the Crafty Egg in Fishponds Road.

We're also at the Patchway Throwback Festival on July 20.

You can meet some existing members and have a chance to find out more about u3a, including what we’re up to in East & NorthEast Bristol.

The event as a whole was a huge success.

Bethanie Cundy, CEO at Ignite Life, said: "What an amazing day our Ignite Life Community Fun Day was – our community raised around £4,000!

"We wanted to create a fun day out, which was accessible for our whole community and that had our young people at the heart.

"The young people we work with supported us to plan and create the day, and many ran their own stalls."

as we’ll have more drop-in events around the area in the future.

Bristol u3a members have access to over 150 interest groups across greater Bristol, including around 25 local to East & North East Bristol.

Once you are a member, almost everything is free to join, because we provide a subsidy for groups needing premises.

Along with Ignite Life, we help to provide emergency food provision.

Neither of us require a referral, unlike the national foodbank service.

We work closely together and will refer people to each other’s services, and if we get a large donation of a single item, we share it with each other.

Building on from events like this at Page Park, we hope to work even more closely in the future.

Single membership is just £20, but there are other options available for couples living at the same address and members of other u3as.

If you join now, we won’t ask you to renew until September next year. Most of our communications are by email, but you can request paper copies of our quarterly newsletter at a small extra charge.

There’s no lower age limit, but most of our members are retired or semi-retired. We come from all walks of life and have (at least) one thing in common: a zest for living and for trying/learning new things. We have no staff and do not provide a service – everything is by ordinary members for other members.

•

•

•

•

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Don’t worry if you can’t make it,

Steve Bellamy

You’ll have to pay for external expenses, like cinema tickets, travel and refreshments, and sometimes a small contribution if your group’s costs exceed the subsidy.

Google “Bristol u3a” to find the full list of groups and how to join.

Bristol u3a (you in your third age) is for anyone with some free time for themselves.

Contact learnlaughlive@bristolu3a.org.uk to find out more.

Lindsay Gough

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The hub's stall at the Ignite Life Community Fun Day in Page Park

Euro award for Milestones

A DOWNEND-based project to help people with mental health conditions rebuild their lives has won a European award.

Milestones Trust runs the Move-On Project in Chestnut Road, a community-based mental health rehabilitation and recovery service.

The two-year programme offers support for people with enduring and complex mental health conditions.

It has been awarded the European Association of Service Providers for persons with Disabilities Innovation Award for outstanding contributions to mental health rehabilitation and recovery.

Milestones Trust senior operational manager for mental health services Helen Aitchison said she was "immensely proud" to receive the award for the charity, adding: "The Move-On Project demonstrates our unwavering commitment to transforming lives and promoting mental health recovery, and I’m so pleased to see this recognised.”

The trust says the award, made at the EASPD conference in May, recognises its commitment to "focusing on people as individuals rather than on their diagnosis or disability".

Operations director Jeff Parry said the project team had "shown that working in partnership with not only the people we support, but also their families, advocates, and other health care professionals, achieves the best possible outcomes".

One of the people helped by the project, who spoke at the conference, said: "The support I received from the amazing team at Milestones gave me everything I needed to take back control and rebuild my life. It’s been great coming along to the conference and speaking to all of the delegates about my experience.”

Milestones Trust, which is based in Staple Hill, is a social care charity that supports more than 450 adults with learning disabilities, mental health needs, and complex behavioural needs across Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.

For more information about the Move-On Project and Milestones Trust’s services, visit www.milestonestrust.org.uk.

Big boost for Paul's Place

A SOUTH Gloucestershire charity is launching a new service for adults with disabilities, thanks to a £66,000 grant.

Paul’s Place will use the award from national grant giving charity Global to help physically disabled adults share their skills and experience through volunteering.

Paul’s Place supports 37 people across South Gloucestershire, including seven from the Downend area.

It is currently based at Coalpit Heath Cricket Club, but is set to take over the Shire Way Community Centre in Yate later this year.

The charity will use the funds "to upskill and build confidence for physically disabled adults to actively volunteer through its brand-new in-house volunteering service".

The charity said: "Many of the people using services at Paul’s Place have untapped skills and knowledge that they’re eager to use in the community. They could also gain vital work experience through volunteering that could lead to future employment. Yet, many volunteer opportunities are not fully accessible outside of our day facility and evening programmes."

The charity will use the money to recruit a volunteer development officer and fund the resources needed to enable physically disabled adults to volunteer.

The project is inspired by Paul's Place member Andy Batten, from Coalpit Heath, who had to leave his career as a builder after becoming disabled following an accident. When the charity discovered Andy was a builder by trade, staff offered him the chance to use his skills around its day facility, doing light maintenance and DIY work, in line with its aim of empowering disabled people.

Paul's Place wants more of its members to get similar opportunities, to either learn skills to enable them to work or to give them the social and personal benefits of volunteering.

The money is coming from Global's Make Some Noise fund.

For more information visit www.paulsplace.org.uk.

DOWNEND WI

AT our May meeting, we welcomed Kara from Vibrocise to talk to our ladies all about nutrition and exercise.

Our June guest, on the 25th, is local bee legend Alyson from the fabulous Hive & Herbals!

We've moved our meeting location for this to the Avonmere Care Home on Badminton Road for one night only, so that some of the residents could also be included in our meeting and see if they would like to join us in the future.

Our next meetings are a talk from Heather Norman, a milliner based in Chipping Sodbury, on July 30, our annual 'Quiz & Fizz' on August 27 and a talk by Liz Ferguson of Frenchay Museum on September 24.

As always when things are beyond our control, some of the items on the programme may be subject to change.

We are also looking to hopefully arrange some extra trips for our members during this year, too.

If you would like to come and see what we are all about, you would be more than welcome.

We meet at Christ Church Hall in North Street, Downend on the last Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm. Guests are welcome for a small charge of £4, which includes tea or coffee.

As a member, you can participate in as much or as little as you wish.

If you would like to know more about joining us, please contact via email at downendwi@yahoo.co.uk.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Shelley Brown President

BROMLEY HEATH WI

IN this month’s meeting report, I truly feel that I am preaching to the converted and recommending fresh air!

Why, you wonder? Our speaker was none other than Jackie Baker from Downend and Bromley Heath in Bloom.

Rarely is an edition of the Downend Voice published without some mention of this fantastic hard-working group, often including photographs of the beautiful flower displays they create in our community area. I was surprised to learn that D&BH in Bloom were established just 11 years ago, hence are of a similar vintage to many local Women's Institute groups.

Most of us see, admire and appreciate their ongoing hard work when we shop locally. Jackie explained that this would

not be possible without financial support from the local councils, plus sponsorship from local shops and businesses.

More recently, sales of handmade wooden gardening products, event fundraising and donations from local residents have enabled them to expand their planting areas.

Jackie closed with an overview of the far-thinking green projects currently being undertaken with our local schools, which give us cause for optimism about our community’s long-term well-being. A huge thank-you to all their volunteers and supporters.

At our July meeting, Quiz Master Matt will be testing our general knowledge, so get reading the newspapers, ladies, to help your team be ready to beat Team Secret Seven, who triumphed last time. Soft drinks and nibbles are on the committee but please bring along any bottle that helps stimulate and improve your old grey matter. I recommend something alcoholic and drinkable, rather than products from the likes of L'Oreal, Clairol or Schwarzkopf.

Please feel free to contact us at bromleyheathwi@gmail.com if you would like any further information.

Margaret Hanwell

STAPLE HILL WI

FOR our last meeting we decided to deal with business first.

This included giving a unanimous vote to the 2024 National Federation's WI resolution, "dental health matters", which will, by the time you read this, have been carried forward to the annual meeting.

We also heard what our walking group and book club had been doing during the past month.

Then after our break for refreshments and a catch-up with friends, we got down to the fun business of light-hearted quizzes to test which of us knew the most trivia. This was followed by a fun game of beetle, which provoked much laughter.

Our meetings are held on the third Tuesday evening of the month at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, Downend at 7.30pm. There is plenty of parking available.

We would be delighted to see you if you wish to visit us for tea and cake and a friendly chat. If you want to know more about us, please visit our web site at staplehillwi.weebly.com.

Maureen Wood

FRENCHAY WI

GEOFF Naldrett from charity

Blood Bikes brought his trusted motorbike with him to our June meeting.

He told us about the volunteer role he undertakes on behalf of the NHS. It was a very interesting evening.

On July 13, dedicated members of Frenchay WI are providing cream teas in the village hall, in support of the Frenchay Flower Show. It should be a great day out.

At our regular meeting on July 15 we look forward to welcoming retired police officer Rob Jones, who will be shedding light on some of the cases he has been involved in.

We have many other events lined up for the year ahead.

We meet on the third Monday of every month at Frenchay Village Hall, at 7.30pm.

There is always a friendly reception awaiting old and new members.

If you are interested in joining us or would like more information, please email me at frenchaywi@ gmail.com.

Linda O’Carroll Secretary

RODWAY RUBIES WI

THE cake makers at Rodway Rubies were working overtime in June, supporting not only our own meeting but two charity coffee mornings held at the United Reformed Church in Cossham Street, Mangotsfield.

The first on June 8 was organised by the church in aid of the Jessie May Trust and Gympanzees, a charity supporting

children with disabilities.

This was the day of the Mangotsfield Festival and the refreshments, plants and bric à brac stall were well received.

Rodway Rubies’ coffee morning on June 22, again at the URC with cakes, book and plant stalls, is raising money for one of our nominated charities, the Special Friends' Club, a local organisation supporting children and young adults with disabilities.

We have been busy collecting toiletries and personal items to hand to our speaker on July 15, Jeanne Long, to put in the ‘Happy Handbags’ she fills for girls and women who are having tough times.

This is a local charity which is even more relevant in the current difficult financial environment for many people.

One of our members organises walks several times a year, not too onerous and fairly local to Mangotsfield. So far the weather hasn’t been too sunny, but we enjoy the exercise and maybe a coffee stop en route.

We meet every third Monday of the month at 7.30pm at St James Church Hall in Richmond Road, Mangotsfield.

We don’t have a meeting in August but are indulging ourselves instead with a cream tea at Saltford Golf Club on the 14th.

We will be holding a raffle and some light-hearted quizzes – all we need is some sunshine to sit out on the terrace and enjoy the view. Jane Eldon

MANGOTSFIELD DOLLY MIXTURES

OUR May meeting was held at Clevedon, for our cold water swimming experience.

Sophie, who earlier in the year gave us a talk on the subject, met us at the marina with her group, the Blue Tits.

One member of the Dollies was celebrating her birthday, so we all sang Happy Birthday to her before going in with a big splash.

We were all presented with a Blue Tits badge when we came out of the water.

It was an exhilarating experience with a beautiful sunset, fish'n'chips and a hot mug of tea.

Some dollies were unable to be there and met up at the Lamb for an evening meal, and we shared photos of both events on our WhatsApp group. We are thinking now about a moonlight swim!

Our 50s evening with Cadillac Xpress was a great success, supported by ourselves, South Glos Wine Circle and Warmley Jazz: the band was on top form and everybody including the band said it was a fun evening of music and dancing.

At our skittles night at Mangotsfield Football Club we played one round normal and one blindfold, which was a real hoot. A Dolly celebrated her 80th birthday, so there were cakes, a presentation of a blue orchid, everybody signed her card and then sang a rousing rendition of happy birthday.

June has been a very busy month for us. Still to come is a No 19 bus trip to Bath, for a lunch at the Ivy, then in July the Bristol Jazz Society’s boat trip up the Avon Gorge.

Carol Coombs

June 28

n GENERAL ELECTION HUSTINGS, Christ Church Downend, North Street, 7pm. Meet the candidates for the Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency. Hosted by the churches in the BS16 area and the Trussell Trust. Questions must be submitted in advance to parishadmin@ christchurchdownend.com.

June 29

n ART EXHIBITION by local artists, Badminton Road Methodist Church, Downend, 10am-4pm. Come and see the talent from the community. Proceeds in aid of Turnabout Bristol, a charity serving the homeless. No entrance fee. Refreshments available.

June 29

n BRISTOL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CONCERT with music by Handel, Bartok, Percy Grainger, Arensky, Piazzola, Elgar and Grieg. Frenchay Parish Church, 7.30pm. Tickets £12 in advance, (call 0117 956 2106) or £15 on the door. Students £5. Children free. Interval refreshments included.

July 3

n MOTHERS UNION MEETING, Parish Hall at Christ Church Downend, North Street, 2.15pm.

Speaker Jill Williams shares experiences of being a police officer.

July 6

n AVANTI GARDENS PRIMARY SCHOOL SUMMER FAIR

Saturday 6th July, 11.00am to 3.00pm Bouncy Castle, Arts and Crafts, Food, Stalls Oldbury Court Road Entrance, Fishponds, BS16 2JP

July 6

n FRIENDS OF PAGE PARK 25th anniversary Party in the Park, 11am-5pm, with music on the bandstand and food stalls. More information from friendsofpageparkbs16@gmail. com. Please leave your car at home and walk if you can.

July 10

n SUMMER PRAYER WALK, Christ Church Downend churchyard (weather permitting), 8pm.enjoy the peace and beauty of the churchyard and sense God's presence through the natural world in this historic site.

July 12

n NOW AND THEN CONCERT at St Mary's Church, Manor Road, Fishponds. Concert 1-2pm. Refreshments on sale 12.30-1pm. Retiring collection for donations.

July 12

n THE FILTONES CHOIR ANNUAL CHARITY CONCERT in aid of charity Jessie May, St Teresa's Church, Gloucester Road North, 7.30pm. Tickets £10 from choir members or at the door (cash or cheques only). More information from 07870 984760.

July 13

n THE CLEEVE SINGERS' SUMMER CONCERT is at Lincombe Barn, Overndale Road, Downend on Saturday, 13th July 2024 at 7.30 pm. Tickets are £5.00 available from Melanie's Kitchen in Downend, the Barn and on the door. Tea, Coffee and Soft Drinks during the interval.

July 13

n FRENCHAY FLOWER SHOW on Frenchay Common. Stalls and attractions open from noon-6pm, marquee and exhibits open from 1.30pm. Entertainment, classic cars and cream teas. Entries to be submitted by July 10. For more details visit www. frenchayflowershow.com. Entry £4 adults, accompanied under16s free. Tickets on the gate or from tinyurl.com/yxu6cp63.

July 25-28

n HAM FARM FESTIVAL. World-class double-bill evening concerts, plus daytimes packed full of workshops for all ages, free daytime concerts, children's concerts and an autism/SEND specialist concert, all in an intimate garden setting in Emersons Green. Tickets and more information from www. hamfarmfestival.com.

July 30

n HOLIDAY AT HOME in association with Vintage Adventure – activities, friendship, refreshments for seniors at the Church Centre, Quakers Road, 10.30am-3pm. Tickets £5, includes lunch. To book, call the Church Office on 0117 908 9867.

August 11

n BRISTOL HEADWAY - SUMMER FAMILY FUN DAY

12pm-4pm, Sunday 11th August @ Frenchay Cricket Club. Inflatables, stalls and entertainment

REGULAR EVENTS

n BRISTOL U3A: Have you reached a point in your life where you have fewer responsibilities and more time for yourself? Would

you like to take part in activities where you can share skills, abilities or hobbies whilst having fun and making new friends? Go to www. bristolu3a.org.uk for details.

Monday

n MEDITATION SESSIONS IN FRENCHAY Just come along to the sessions that run from 3rd Monday each month at 7pm Frenchay Unitarian Chapel BS16 1ND from 20Sept for the Personcentred Group Meditation and 1st Wednesday at 7pm for the Kundalini movement meditation. Contact Andrea on 0117 956 5826 Homewards.ma@icloud.com

n SINGALONG 4 ALL - Mondays 10.30/11.30, Grace court, Dial Lane, Downend BS16 5UP. £4 ...£1 tea n bikkies Tel: Barbara 07816839141. n SOCIAL BADMINTON every Monday at Kingswood Leisure Centre from 2-4pm. Intermediate level, all welcome.

n PUCKLECHURCH SHORT MAT BOWLS CLUB are looking for new players. We meet every Monday evenings and Sunday & Wednesday afternoons 3.15pm6pm at Pucklechurch Community Centre. Refreshments available. For more information contact John 0117 9372873.

n SILK PAINTING at Downend Baptist Church. Come along to an enjoyable afternoon, every alternate Monday 2pm-4pm. Make cards, tuition given, tea and biscuits provided, cost includes all materials. One large card £2 or 3 for £5, small cards £1 each. Please contact 0117 9608935 for more details.

n COFFEE MORNING at Percy Walker Court, Lincombe Road, Downend, every Monday, 10.30am12.20pm. All welcome.

n LUNCH CLUB AT STAPLE HILL COMMUNITY HUB, Berkeley House, Berkeley Road, every Monday, 12.15pm. More details from the hub on 01454 868374.

n KINGSWOOD LACE MAKERSNew members welcome We are a friendly self-help group making bobbin lace We meet at Lincombe Barn Downend Monday afternoon 2 – 4 pm On third Monday we meet in evening 7.15 - 9.15 The cost of membership is £70 for afternoon and evening, £20 just evening. We can help people but would like them to give some experience of making lace. First meeting free to see if you like us. Contact Beverly on walkingwithlace@yahoo.co.uk

n DOWNEND SHORT MAT

BOWLS CLUB meets on Mondays, 2-4pm at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street. New members welcome. No experience necessary – tuition and bowls provided. For

more details contact Mike on 0779 136 6894.

Tuesday

n DOWNEND GARDENING IN RETIREMENT CLUB Third Tuesday of every month at 10.15am Varied Topics Non Members welcome at £3 including Tea / Coffee. Assembly Hall, Salisbury Road. Downend. Easily reached by any bus into Downend

n BOARD GAMES NIGHT every Tuesday from 7pm. All Welcome The Wooden Walls Micropub, 30 Broad Street, Staple Hill, BS16 5NU

n LINCOMBE BARN CAMERA

CLUB meets every second, fourth and fifth Tuesday of the month at Lincombe Barn, Overndale Road. New members always welcome. For information see website at www. lincombebarncameraclub.co.uk or email lincombe.barn@gmail.com.

n BROMLEY HEATH

GARDENING CLUB Meets at Christ Church Centre, Quakers Road, every third Tuesday of the month at 2.30pm. Talks, day trips and short holidays - everyone welcome. Call May on 0117 957 3695 for details.

n PUCKLECHURCH FOLK

DANCING CLUB Pucklechurch Community Hall.Abson Road every other Tuesday from 7.30 to 10.15p.m All welcome either with a partner or solo. Enjoy an evening with us. Call Sue on 07742114566 or Linda on 07843240414.

n MESSY SPACE, Badminton Road Methodist Church Downend. Term-time group for toddlers and their carers, 10-11.45am. Toys, books, play dough, paint & craft, singing and refreshments. First visit free, then £3 per child or £5 per family. More information at www. badmintonroadmethodist.org.uk or 0117 956 1106.

n FRIENDSHIP & EXERCISE

GROUP, Salvation Army, Broad Street, Staple Hill, every Tuesday 10-11.30am.

n MOVE-IT CLUB for children

aged 7-11, Staple Hill Community Hub, Berkeley House, Berkeley Road, every Tuesday 3.30pm. More details from hub on 01454 868374.

n TEA AND TOAST after school drop-in for primary aged children and families, Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, Downend, term-time Tuesdays, 3.15-4.30pm. All welcome for tea, squash, toast, board games, colouring and play in a friendly atmosphere.

n DOWNEND WI meets at Christ Church Hall, North Street, Downend on the last Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm. For details email downendwi@yahoo.co.uk.

n RIDGEWAY BADMINTON CLUB meets every Tuesday evening from 8-10pm at Downend Sports Centre for informal badminton doubles/ singles matches between adults of all ages. First visit free. For more information contact Graham on 07968 050 320

n SINGING FOR THE BRAIN, free music club for people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s, Staple Hill Hub, every Tuesday 2-3pm. Call 01454 868374 for more information.

Wednesday

n DOWNEND BRIDGE CLUBNEW MEMBERS ARE WANTED Come and join us and play duplicate Bridge at Lincombe Barn Downend on Wednesday afternoons 2pm. All levels welcome. Please contact eveforbes77@gmail. com or 0117 9836886 or Yvonne Scoulding rscoulding@googlemail. com or 0117 9568944

n CLEEVESINGERS OF DOWNEND Enjoy singing, then come and join this four part choir who meet on Wednesday evenings at Lincombe Barn, Overndale Road 7.30 p.m. from September until July. For more information contact the Secretary on 0117 9561881.

n DOWNEND SENIOR CITIZENS CLUB Musical entertainment from 2-4pm every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at North

Street Church Hall. All are welcome.

n ROYAL BRITISH LEGION WOMEN'S SECTION meets once a month on the first Wednesday from 1pm to 3pm. New members welcome - come and spend an afternoon with us before you join. We meet at the Youth Building by the long stay car park and Page Hall. Telephone 0117 956 0805.

n DOWNEND TANG SOO DO meets at Christchurch Parish Hall, North Street on Wednesday evenings from 7.30-9pm. Suitable for beginners and ages 10+. First class free. More details from Ian on 07817 744689 or at the Downend Tang Soo Do Facebook page.

n FRENCHAY PROBUS CLUB We meet at Frenchay Village Hall on the first Wednesday of each month between 10.00 and 12.00 hrs. For further details contact: frenchayprobus@outlook.com

n WARMLEY JAZZ CLUB, Every Wednesday except first one of the month, 7.30pm, Cadbury Heath Social Club, £7 on the door. More details at warmleyjazz.co.uk.

n BRISTOL SCRABBLE CLUB meets every Wednesday evening at 7pm until 10pm at Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, Filton BS34 7PS. New members welcomefirst visit free so come along and give us a try. Information: Jo Hunter by email atpurplewellies@live.co.uk

n CROSS STITCH Like to learn this absorbing relaxing hobby and have fun at the same time? Why not join the Club at Lincombe Barn. Beginners and those with all abilities welcome. New term commences beginning of September on Wednesday mornings 10.00 am until noon. Contact Lincombe Barn 9562367.

n THE FRENCHAY FOLK

DANCE CLUB meet fortnightly at Frenchay Village Hall from 7:45 until 10:15pm. All standards of dancer are welcome to enjoy live Bands and experienced Callers. Visit frenchayfdc.co.uk or call 0117 3021543 for more information.

n FRIENDLY VOICES dementiafriendly singing group, Mangotsfield & Castle Green URC, Cossham Street, second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, 10.30am to noon. No charge, carers welcome. Sessions led by music therapist. More details from June Watts on 0117 956 6625.

n WEDNESDAY CAFE FOR SENIORS, at Badminton Road Methodist Church (BS16 6NU) every Wednesday 10am to 12 noon. All Welcome – just come along – make new friends over a cuppa and cake. Information: 0117 239 5984

n DOWNEND FLOWER ARRANGING CLUB We are a friendly group, we meet at 7.30pm

Send details of your events and activities in the following format: WHAT IT IS WHERE IT IS WHEN IT IS

in no more than 40 words: email us at: news@downendvoice. co.uk or call us on 07770 700579 / 07880 731148

on 1st & 3rd Wednesday each month from September to June at Lincolne Barn, Overndale Road, BS16 2RW. Ring Genise on 0777 2451217 for more information.

n STAPLE HILL METHODIST CHURCH Fellowship group 3rd Wednesday of the month, 2.153.45pm Coffee/tea, homemade cake and a chat!

n LADIES ENTERPRISE CLUB every 1st and 3rd Wednesday afternoon at the Assembly Hall, Salisbury Road, Downend, 2.30pm4pm. If you would like to belong to a warm, friendly group we would love to see you. Contact Ruth on 07733413823 for more details

n MOTHERS UNION - worship, friendship, supporting charities, refreshments: First Wednesday of the month, 2.15pm at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street. Non-members welcome. More details from 0117 908 9867.

n FRENCHAY & HAMBROOK HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY meets at Friends Meeting House, Frenchay, 7.30pm first Wednesday of the month from September to March. Talks on garden-related topics, meet other gardeners, trips in April & May. Phone 0117 967 2390 for more information.

n COFFEE MORNING, Staple Hill Community Hub, Berkeley House, Berkeley Road, every Wednesday 10.30am. More details from the hub on 01454 868374.

n KEEP FIT, God's House International Centre, The Sanctuary, 55 High Street, Staple Hill, every Wednesday 10-11am, followed by cup of tea and a chat. For adults 50+. More information from Lin on 0770 707 6281 or email Lincornish@hotmail.co.uk. We would love to publicise your event

on next page

n SPROUTS, free gardening and nature club for children aged 7-11, Staple Hill Hub every Wednesday, 4-6pm. Call 01454 868374 for further information. Thursday

n BARN BELLS handbell ringers meet at Lincombe Barn, Downend, from 2-4pm weekly. Anyone who can read music is welcome to join.

n IGNITE YOUTH GROUP.

Thursdays, term time only, at the Youth Hub & Parish Hall , 57 North Street, Downend. Year 6-8, 6.307.45pm. Year 9-11s, 8-9.15pm. A place to relax and have fun with friends. Free entry. Tuck available. Visit www.igniteyouthchristchurchdownend.co.uk to sign up and see the full programme.

n DEWDROP INN CAFE, Resound church, Blackhorse Road, Mangotsfield. Every fourth Thursday of the month, 2-4pm. A place for the community to relax and unwind with old & new friends. Tea, coffee, cakes and biscuits £2.

n MANGOTSFIELD AND CASTLE GREEN UNITED REFORMED

CHURCH regular coffee mornings, held on the first Thursday of the month, 10.30am-noon

n SCRABBLE Downend Folk House Thursdays 10-12noon Info: 0117 9562367 Maureen Walker.

n WARM SPACE CAFE at Christ Church, Downend, free every Thursday 11-2pm. Soup and roll lunch from noon. Live music, including Music Train on 2nd and 4th Thursdays. Dementia-friendly cafe on 3rd Thursday of the month, 11am-1.30pm.

n HAMBROOK MEN’S PROBUS CLUB meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month, 10am-noon at Whiteshill Chapel, Hambrook, with a speaker at each meeting. Friendly group, new members welcome. For details call the secretary on 01454 778250.

n SOCIAL WALKING GROUP meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month, Badminton Road Downend. For more details contact Janet Pearce on 0799 058 4008.

n BROMLEY HEATH PROBUS CLUB, holds fortnightly meetings with Speakers for ladies and gentlemen on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 10:00 am till 12:00. We also enjoy lunches/outings together. Please join us at the Assembley Hall, Downend. More details on 0117 9574583 or see our website.

n FRIENDSHIP AND EXERCISE GROUP, Staple Hill Methodist Church, High Street, Staple Hill, every Thursday - first session

9.30am, second session 11am.

n BROMLEY HEATH WI meets at Bromley Heath Junior School Hall on the second Thursday of each month (except August) at 7.30pm. Email bromleyheathwi@gmail.com for more information.

Friday

n TAI CHI FOR PARKINSON’S. Weekly beginners Tai Chi & Qi Gong class for people with Parkinson’s disease, their families and carers. Lincombe Barn, Downend. BS16 2RW. Fridays (term times) 10.15 – 12.15 including tea / coffee break. Contact: Claire - Claire@ Taichibodyandmind.co.uk (07769 857672) or Sarah - buqiworks@ gmail.com (07815 662844)

n PAGE PARK UKULELE CLUB, Bean Tree café, Fridays at 1pm. All abilities welcomed. Places £4 each. For further details call or text 'Ukulele' to Ben on 07910 668258.

n JIGSAW TODDLER GROUP, Fridays in term time at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, from 9.45-11.15am.

n LATER LIVE MUSIC, Resound church, Blackhorse Road, Mangotsfield. Every second Friday monthly, except August & December, 8-10pm, £2.50. facebook.com/lateratresound.

n ARTWINGS, Resound church, Blackhorse Road, Mangotsfield. Every fourth Friday, except August & December, 7.30pm. Explore new ways of creating and making, natter over refreshments. £5, includes materials.

n RAINBOW TOTS PARENT AND TODDLER GROUP meets at Emersons Green Village Hall every Friday morning in term time, from 10-11.30am. For more info email church.egbc@outlook.com

n IN-THE-PINK We are a group of mature ladies who meet for sensible exercise to music every Friday 9am - 10am followed by chat & coffee time. Pay sessionby-session basis. Get yourself fit & make new friends at Hillfields Park Baptist Church, Thicket Avenue. For details call Julie 07903123793.

n TUTTIFLUTTI, an inclusive ensemble welcoming flautists of all ages from Grade 3 up, rehearses at Lincombe Barn on Fridays in term time, from 6.30-7.30pm. New members always welcome. Details from Fiona on 07817 629 691.

n LUNCH CLUB, Staple Hill Community Hub, Berkeley House, Berkeley Road, every Friday from 12.15pm. For details 01454 868374. Saturday

n BRISTOL SUGARCRAFT

GUILD We are a small friendly group who meet every third Saturday of the month 2pm to 4pm at St Andrews Hall, Elm Park, Filton. If you would like to make sugar flowers and models we hold workshops with instruction. Beginners very welcome. call Jean Kington on 01454 314178.

n STAPLE HILL METHODIST CHURCH Coffee mornings in our beautiful building every Saturday 10.00-12.00 in aid of church funds or charities. Enjoy Fairtrade coffee, tea and cake, and stalls.

Sunday

n EMERSONS GREEN BAPTIST

CHURCH services are held every Sunday morning from 10.30am11.30am at Emersons Green Village Hall, Emersons Way. We also hold regular craft services - please check our Facebook page for dates contact Simon on 07765 201435, e-mail church.egbc@outlook.com or visit www.emersonsgreenchurch.org

n BADMINTON ROAD

METHODIST CHURCH BS16

6NU. All are welcome to worship each Sunday, 10.30am. First Sunday of the month is usually a service of Holy Communion. Information: 0117 239 5984

n MANGOTSFIELD AND CASTLE GREEN UNITED REFORMED CHURCH hold regular weekly Sunday morning worship at Cossham Street. Services start at 10.30 a.m.with different speakers each week. New members welcome. For details contact Peter Redding (Ch. Sec.) on 0117 9657075. n STAPLE HILL METHODIST CHURCH, High Street BS16 5HQ Sunday services 10.30am + Sunday Club for ages 5-17. Holy Communion 2nd Sunday of the month – all invited. Taizé worship 6.00pm 3rd Sunday of the month. Contact Rev Dr Aboseh Ngwana 07482 550888, Philippa Church Liaison at staplehillmethodist@ hotmail.co.uk or www. staplehillmethodist.com

n CHRIST CHURCH DOWNEND: 9.15 am Traditional morning worship (Holy Communion on 2nd & 4th Sundays) at Church Centre, Quakers Road BS16 6NH. 10.30 Morning worship with youth and children's groups at Christ Church Downend, Downend Rd BS16 5UF n COMMUNITY GARDEN WORKING PARTY, Percy Walker Court, Lincombe Road, Downend, every Sunday 10am-noon. All welcome.

Taking flight

AVIATION is an extremely popular subject for photography.

Hundreds of long lenses can be seen following the aircraft around the sky at any air show.

Enthusiasts of this genre combine an interest in photography with an interest in aircraft, and it is often difficult to determine which passion came first, or which is strongest.

For me, fascination with aircraft pre-dated my interest in digital photography by about 45 years!

When I was younger, I often attempted to photograph aircraft and was always disappointed with the results, which invariably consisted of a small back dot in a white sky.

What I did not know then is that this is a branch of photography where equipment plays a very important part in being able to produce pleasing images.

To fill the frame with an aircraft in flight requires a focal length in excess of 300mm.

Most enthusiasts will use 400mm to 600mm lenses, or even

more.

It will make your life easier if the camera has a high frame rate and fast auto focus, so you can pick the best image from a 'burst' as the aircraft zooms past you.

For fast aircraft without rotors or propellers, it is possible to use high shutter speeds to freeze the motion.

However a slow shutter speed is preferred for blurring propellers and rotors, and for making the background blurred when the ground is in shot, giving a dynamic sense of speed.

Slow shutter speeds on moving objects require a mastery of “panning”, moving the camera with the aircraft, so the aircraft remains sharp while the background and propellers blur.

Three example images illustrate these points.

The Spanish display team’s 'mirror pass' is a case where there is no ground in shot, no propellers, and plenty of light, so a fast shutter was used, and a burst of shots taken allowing the one with best

BROMLEY HEATH PROBUS CLUB

AT our June meeting Dave Cheesley gave us a talk entitled “Motoring Memories”.

Dave has been giving talks for 37 years and has visited our club on more than one occasion so we knew we were in for an entertaining session.

The talk was based on the cars various members of his extended family have owned over the years.

The Ford Model T was the first production manufactured car made in the UK and one of his relatives owned one. Did you know though, that early car owners bought their petrol from the chemist?

Petrol pumps only appeared in the 1950’s,

alignment of the two aircraft to be selected.

The landing Tempest shows the effect of panning and using a slow shutter speed, to obtain a blurred background and full disk propeller blur.

A fast shutter speed in this case could have made the aircraft look like it was parked.

Finally the Corsair and Bearcat are shown in a topside

close formation pass, with some propeller blur and telephoto compression making them look even closer together than they really were.

If you are interested in progressing your photography of any genre, then Downend Camera Club is a friendly group that meets on Tuesday evenings at 7.30pm at the Assembly Hall Downend.

with overhead trailing booms carrying the petrol over the pavements from the set-back petrol pumps. He told us of his love of classic cars and said that such examples in tip-top condition can earn good money when used in TV and films.

Dave also has an extensive collection of Dinky, Corgi and Matchbox toy cars and, as you know, prime examples with their boxes can fetch a handsome sum at auction.

The first motorway was opened in 1959 but cars back then did not perform well on motorways, with many breakdowns.

In his presentation we saw the old faithful AA phone box, with an AA man on a motorbike,

with the unforgettable AA badge on the front of your car.

Dave bought his first car in 1963, a Hillman Super Minx which was fine in good weather but when it rained his feet got wet – the floor was rusted away!

A great talk, which brought back many nostalgic memories for our members.

We meet on the first and third Thursday morning in the month at the Assembly Hall in Salisbury Road, Downend, from 10am.

Visit our website www.bromleyheathprobus. org for more details.

Eric Arnold

Ben Newby

n Mirror Pass

n Bearcat & Corsair

n Tempest Touchdown

Getting the definitions right

I'M glad that I’m not a judge in camera club competitions.

Having to make judgements on the oftensubjective topic of what constitutes a good photograph can be difficult enough, but this becomes doubly so when the question ‘What does the competition title mean?’ comes into play.

This is highlighted by the most recent competition of Lincombe Barn Camera Club, with the subject ‘Place of Worship’.

A simple concept but what, precisely, does it mean? Most of our minds would go immediately to a physical building – a church, synagogue or mosque – but is that all?

My grandfather was very clear: “God doesn’t live in a building”, and he avoided churches.

A devout Muslim will pray wherever they happen to be, seeking only a little privacy. Where they pray is, surely, a place of worship, but can you illustrate that in a photograph without potentially intruding on the worshipper?

Three photographs from the competition illustrate the issue.

'The Choir' by Bruce Gibbs is, perhaps, the easiest to recognise, with a religious event involving people (albeit in a choir practice) taking place in a church. The detail of both participants and the building itself help to highlight the sense of worship.

'Whitby Abbey' by Shaun Martin is a very

recognisable building, well depicted here, but is it a place of worship? It certainly was until Henry VIII came along almost five centuries ago, closed it as an abbey and sold it off, leading to the picturesque ruins we now see. Do they constitute a place of worship now?

My own photograph, 'Lighting a roadside shrine', takes a very different path – no buildings, just a small shrine, common along Greek roadsides, and a someone in an act of devotion. Is that a place of worship? You decide for yourself...but who would be a competition judge?

If you are interested in photography and want to learn more about using the full extent of your camera, why not join us for the coming year?

We have a full programme of activities: competitions, presentations from guest speakers, outings in search of good subjects and learning exercises for members. Visitors and guests are always made welcome (£3 if you just want to try us out).

CHRISTINE'S COLUMN WITH CHRISTINE BROADWAY

BACK in May we decided to have a day off from doing the usual things we did on a Sunday and Tony, Suki and I went to Castle Combe Steam Rally.

We left early in the morning and took provisions for Suki and a packed lunch for us.

It was a pleasant ride to Castle Combe and as we approached the entrance to the steam rally we had to join a queue to pay our entrance fee. We were directed onto the racing circuit and to a parking place.

As we walked up to the entrance, both sides of the track were exhibits of small antique

If you would like to be part of a small but flourishing club, take a look at our website, www. lincombebarncameraclub.co.uk or contact us at lincombebarn.cameraclub@gmail.com. Keep on snapping.

Castle Combe Steam Rally

diesel and oil engines, operating machinery of a bygone age, which Tony found absolutely fascinating.

Just inside the entrance there were one or two stalls, from which I bought a couple of fridge magnets.

Of more interest than the large traction engines were the scale models, because everything had to be handmade.

There were several steam wagons, and many of these models were towing trailers with people in, going around the grounds.

There is not room to write everything about the day. It certainly was a warm day, and we kept Suki in the shade as much as possible. This we managed to do by going under cover at the trade stands. Tony managed to pick up some tools he needed for a song, and I came away with two pairs of psychedelic trousers and a pretty top with a butterfly on it.

After our second ice cream of the day Tony said he would like to look at the classic cars, being a

great enthusiast. By this time Suki and I were becoming weary, so we made our way back on foot to Tony's Berlingo, deciding not to use the shuttle.

Handy tip – take a shooting stick with you if you go, as there is nowhere to sit down apart from the club house.

Sid Stace

n Whitby Abbey by Shaun Martin

n Lighting a roadside shrine by Sid Stace

n The Choir by Bruce Gibbs

Cleve train at Premiership base

CLEVE Rugby Club had a taste of life as a Premiership club when they visited Bath Rugby's training base for a day.

The men's senior team travelled to Farleigh House in Farleigh Hungerford for a training session using the facilities set up for international stars such as Sam Underhill and Finn Russell.

The one-off session was offered by the Premiership finalists and sponsors Thatchers cider in late May, ahead of the start of pre-season training on June 18.

The club announced two coaching appointments in June.

Matthew Jarvis has been named as the new backs coach for the 2024/25 season, joining with a wealth of professional experience from spells at Connacht, Ospreys and most recently Pontypool.

Former Bath and Worcester Warriors second row Harry Casson is also joining the coaching team, as a forwards and defence coach.

Head coach Paul Vinicombe said: "We’ve been blown away by the professionalism and value added by both Matthew and Harry already.

"I believe we are really building something special and it’s a very exciting time to be a part of our great club.

"I think the nature of these two absolute quality signings shows our intent and ambition

as a club!

"We have a real desire to push on in the league and continue to build on an already solid foundation.

"We’re all super excited to see what Matthew can bring to our very young and exciting senior set-up.

"To have Cass onboard is amazing.

"Cass personally has deep roots within our club. Both his dad and brother have been integral parts of the 1st XV and he himself is a former Mini and Junior graduate and Colts captain.

"We have been building some very exciting momentum over the past couple of seasons, and to have Harry returning to the Hayfields is just going to fuel that fire.

"He brings with him a wealth of experience, leadership and professionalism.

"I for one cannot wait to get started!"

Anyone who wants to get involved with Cleve can call 0117 957 5775, email office@ cleverugby.co.uk or come along. For more information visit cleverfc.rfu.club.

Ruby joins GB team

DOWNEND padel player Ruby Mathias is celebrating a callup to represent Great Britain.

The Downend School Year 7 pupil took up padel –which is similar to tennis but played on a smaller, enclosed court where the ball can be bounced off the sides, as in squash – last year.

She won her first open tournament within months and since then has been training hard and enjoying success in Lawn Tennis Association and other padel competitions.

Ruby was invited to two days of trials, in Derby and Bristol club Rocket Padel, and was selected for the GB under-14 team.

Dad Stuart Mathias said: "The two day selection process was both physically and mentally draining and Ruby was exhausted, however the results are worth every minute.

"It's a massive achievement."

Ruby was due to attend her first team GB training camp at the end of June.

She has also been given a two-year contract with leading racket and clothing company Head.

Ruby Mathias with team GB head coach Libby Fletcher and adult player Lisa Phillips

Training on the pitch

Cleve RFC players at Bath Rugby's Farleigh House training ground

Bowls course success Five wins on the spin

PAGE Park Bowls Club is celebrating another batch of successful graduates from its beginners course.

A total of 30 people started this year's course, held at the club over seven weeks between April and June, and 26 completed it, being awarded certificates which mean they can start playing at any club.

More than half of those who took part have applied to join the club, with some joining other clubs in the area. Players who miss out on a place at Page Park are being encouraged to join clubs whose memberships need a boost.

It’s good to talk...

Maria, Bristol “ ”

CARSONS and Mangotsfield Cricket Club's first team won 5 games in succession in a very successful May.

There have been several comfortable wins and a tight local derby game against Pucklechurch, which Carsons and Mangotsfield won by 3 wickets, being guided home in a tense finish by George Farmer.

The standout performance was from Kieron Gallagher, who scored 113 not out as the team chased down 183 to secure victory against Congresbury.

The second team were third in their division as the Voice went to print, having won five out of six games.

A one-sided local derby against Pucklechurch, who were dismissed for 105, saw Jack Woodland take 5-24 and James King 4-21 before the target was overhauled for the loss of one wicket.

The top performance was Ben Child who took 4-7 in 3 overs against Mells, bowling the home side out for 89. Carsons and Mangotsfield won by 7 wickets, with captain Harry Ravenscroft scoring 53 not out.

The third team are third in a league where only eight points separate the top four teams.

Captain Cam Lippiatt has bowled consistently well, taking 4-10 against Bristol West Indian Phoenix and 4-6 against Winterbourne. In the same match Andy King scored 106 not out, from a total of 259.

The fourth team are sitting in second place in their division after winning four of their six matches, including another local derby victory against Pucklechurch – by 1 run in the last over.

It was hard but I’m so glad we had that conversation.

It was hard but I’m so glad we had that conversation.

The Sunday team are sitting comfortably in the North Somerset league, having won 3 and lost 2 of their games. Standout performances were captain George Farmer's 91 in a high-scoring run chase against Bristol Indians, and Craig Woodland's 4-8 and Sam Brayley's 80 in a successful run chase against Hampsett.

It was hard but I’m so glad we had that conversation.

Together we planned a proper send off for mum, a whole morning to celebrate her life with the music and poetry she loved. In a peaceful natural setting where our family and friends had plenty of time and space to share stories and memories.

Together we planned a proper send off for mum, a whole morning to celebrate her life with the music and poetry she loved. In a peaceful natural setting where our family and friends had plenty of time and space to share stories and memories.

Maria, Bristol

Maria, Bristol

Ian Coles

Together we planned a proper send off for Mum, a whole morning to celebrate her life with the music and poetry she loved. In a peaceful natural setting where our family and friends had plenty of time and space to share stories and memories

Some of the club's successful students

A trip to Parliament

It’s official – I’ve taken chiropractic right to the top!

During the past few hectic months, I haven't yet had the chance to share the details of my exciting trip to Parliament, where I chaired a meeting at the House of Commons.

Since being elected as president of the British Chiropractic Association last year, it’s my responsibility to represent our profession across the UK in various capacities. This time, I had the privilege of presenting our thoughts and ideas to the highest echelons of British politics at the Palace of Westminster.

For years, I have felt that chiropractic is both underrepresented and underutilised in our healthcare system. Many chiropractors, including myself, frequently hear from patients about the challenges they face within the current UK healthcare landscape—ranging from long waiting times and lists to a lack of feeling heard or understood.

I fully appreciate the immense pressures on our NHS, which

constantly strives to deliver excellent population-centred care. Of course, it’s simpler for chiropractors, who primarily operate in the private sector, to provide the patient-centric care that everyone seeks when they’re ill or injured. Despite these differences, chiropractic is an amazing profession that I’m so proud to be part of.

Our patient satisfaction scores are outstanding and our success in treating musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions is undeniable. So why is it that chiropractors, who are part of a regulated healthcare profession alongside doctors, physiotherapists and dentists, are not more frequently considered by GPs to assist with the significant burden of conditions we can effectively address? It’s estimated that 30% of the population suffers from an MSK condition which, in turn, account for 30% of GP consultations, costing the NHS £5 billion annually.

During major sporting events such as the 2012 Olympics, the 2017 World Athletics

Championships, and the 2022 Commonwealth Games, I collaborated with fellow chiropractors, physiotherapists, doctors, nurses, dentists, sports therapists, and even surgeons and radiologists.

These events demonstrated that we can work seamlessly with other healthcare professionals for the benefit of athletes and patients alike. If we are committed to providing the highest standards of care and treatment options for our athletes, why can't we extend the same level of support to every citizen across the UK?

So how did the meeting with our country’s leaders go, I hear you ask? It was a huge success! We heard from other healthcare experts, chiropractic leaders, and MPs. We engaged in meaningful discussions and addressed many of the questions. By the end of the day, there was a consensus that chiropractic care is wellpositioned to help alleviate the UK's burden of MSK conditions.

MPs have offered their support once we develop a feasible

blueprint to help shape the future of healthcare in this country. Whatever the result of the general election, this presents a great opportunity, with all political sides eager to reduce waiting lists. I firmly believe that chiropractic is perfectly positioned to support this agenda.

If you are reading this and wish to contribute, please let your GP know that you value your local BCA chiropractor and would like to see us working alongside physiotherapists, GPs and other medical professionals as a regular part of their team. Maybe you could even consider writing to your new MP.

I know this will make me sound like a politician but… now is the time for change. Let's seize this opportunity and make chiropractic care an integral part of UK healthcare!

Grace gets makeover as teams start strongly

DOWNEND Cricket Club's plaque commemorating WG Grace has been returned to its original condition.

The plaque – which depicts Grace at the crease, surrounded by the period badges of the county cricket clubs – and its stonework surround are on the pavilion at the WG Grace Memorial Ground, which is overlooked by the legendary cricketer's birthplace in North Street.

Restoring them to their former glory has been a complicated project for members and local businesses, and follows an upgrade to the clubhouse and changing rooms.

Club president Miles Davis said: "I decided that the plaque and surrounding area needed a makeover during lockdown in 2020. But with clubhouse and changing room upgrades going on it got forgotten.

"Just before Christmas last year I started sourcing the original 17 county cricket club badges, which proved tougher than I originally thought, as some counties had changed theirs.

"With the help of a few counties via email I was able to complete the 17 needed.

"Meanwhile club member and player Phil Jackson had removed the old badges and taken the plaque down. I took the plaque into my workplace and club sponsor SM Gauge company, where I was able to remove the old

ACUPUNCTURE

paint.

"I then found the Prestige Wheel Company in Yate, who powder coated the

plaque in a lovely bronze colour. Colin Reed from Reed Design & Print had found a way to print the new badges on an aluminium material."

After exterior painting of the clubhouse was completed in early June, Phil put the plaque back in its rightful place to finish the makeover.

On the pitch, Downend's sides have made a good start to the season, with the 1st Xl top of West of England Premier League Prem 2 division as the Voice went to print, after five wins from their opening six matches.

The 2nd Xl, newly-promoted to the Bristol & District senior division, are currently seventh, with two wins from six, while the 3rd Xl are third in B & D division 7, and eight points behind top spot.

The club's newly-formed Downed Ladies team won their first game.

A 4th XI has played three friendlies so far.

The club's thriving youth set-up includes under-9s, who have won three out of five games so far and have cricket festivals and fixtures planned for the summer.

The U11s are still waiting for their first win after four games, while the U13s won and lost one each for their two games and the U15s have won two and lost two.

The U17s are set to start playing after GCSEs have finished.

Gisela Norman, a highly experienced acupuncturist of 30 years

Gisela treats a wide range of conditions from physical complaints, including infertility to emotional and stress related problems. Call her to discuss your health issue on: 07968 855 001 or make an appointment direct at the Willow Surgery, Hill House Road, Downend on: 0117 970 9505 A Member of British Acupuncture Council and Lecturer

and specialise in

The refurbished plaque on Downend Cricket Club's pavilion

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