Emersons Green Voice March 2023

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SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

New council budget delivers quality services and invests in future

South Gloucestershire Council’s new budget for 2023 to 2024 sets out investment plans of more than £838 million (gross) on services, over £132 million on capital and infrastructure projects, and allocates more than £267 million to schools, training and early learning in the district. These are tough financial times for the council, as they are for all residents and businesses. Global forces have driven an increase in costs, reduced income and growing demand for services but thanks to sound management of public money in recent years with a focus on delivering efficiencies and value for money, South Gloucestershire is better placed than most other councils to deal with these pressures. That’s why parking remains free in all council-owned car parks across the district and why an extra £1million is going into ensuring the road network is properly maintained.

Investing in priority areas

Investing in schools and educational attainment has been the council’s top priority over the past few years, and the measures contained in the budget will enable this to continue in 2023 and beyond. The budget also commits to taking decisive action to tackle the climate crisis, invest in South Glos high streets to support local businesses, and to deliver vital infrastructure projects.

Your council is investing in:

• an extra £1 million for highways maintenance to improve some local roads earlier than planned.

• continuing the new Street Enforcement Service for a further two years to tackle environmental crimes, such as littering and dog fouling, following a successful pilot

• £1.5 million to deliver further progress on the council’s response to the climate emergency

• supporting some rural bus services to continue while work is done across the region on transport options

• allocating a further £500,000 to help local people with the cost-ofliving crisis. It has also made money available to deliver a fast-tracked affordable housing delivery service.

View from the Leader of the Council, Cllr Toby Savage

WELCOME to this special edition of The Voice in which we bring you news of our new budget, the upcoming local elections, and details of cost-of-living support.

These are difficult financial times for the council and for our residents and businesses. I am very pleased that we have been able to produce a budget that continues to deliver the quality services that local people appreciate and rely upon. We will receive more than we anticipated from Government. This means that we can limit Council Tax rises and continue to deliver on our top priority, for all our young people to have the best possible start in life. It’s great to see our schools’ performances going from strength to strength.

There will be local elections in South Gloucestershire this May for district along with parish and town councillors. If you are not already, you must be registered to vote. For the first time, you’ll also need to take an accepted form of photo identification to vote at a polling station. Find out more and how to get help on page 3.

I’d like to thank The Voice, a wonderful local business, for a great partnership over the past few years. If you would like to get our latest news by email, please sign up for our weekly newsletter. You’ll find details on how to do this on page 3.

Cllr Steve Reade with the Road Maintenance team

Street Enforcement team and street cleaner

Investment in major projects and in young people

As well as delivering day-to-day services and support, your council will continue to invest in major infrastructure programmes and providing the best start in life to our young people. This includes:

• More than £37 million towards new primary and secondary schools in Lyde Green

• Over £14 million to improve Castle and Marlwood school buildings

• £3 million to increase the number of new homes for children in care to help them stay close to their local communities

• Nearly £3 million for a new community centre at Ladden Garden Village in Yate

• £2.7 million for community facilities in the east of Emersons Green

• More than £6.7 million to continue the re -

Services maintained

Public consultation took place on draft budget proposals, which helped refine the plans to ensure they reflect community priorities.

Combined with work by council officers, the following services will continue:

• the proposed increase in the garden waste subscription, from £30 to £55 will no longer happen

• the council will support Christmas light

generation of Kingswood High Street and surrounding area, including the Whitfield Tabernacle restoration

The council’s direct funding to local schools will increase by £15.2 million (8.1 per cent), with funding for children with additional needs rising by £5.2 million (11.5 per cent). The minimum funding for each pupil will be at least £4,405 for each primary school pupil and £5,715 for each secondary school child.

The continued investment in South Glos’s young people’s education, both at primary and secondary, is getting results. In December 2017, 72 per cent of students attended a good or outstanding school. By December last year (2022) this figure had risen to 90 per cent of students.

displays next year for areas that will become parished this year

• StreetCare Operations & Support Team which carry out road and grounds maintenance will not be reduced

• Members’ Awarded Funding and Area Wide Grants, which provide support to many local community groups and activities, will not be cut

• the Carers’ Grant will be maintained next year while work continues on a cross-party basis to develop an improved package of support

for carers

• planned CCTV upgrades in Chipping Sodbury will be brought forward to next year

• funding for the Taxi Marshal service will be maintained in response to local concerns about community safety.

Balancing the budget

All local authorities in the country are facing financial challenges and the council will implement changes to services to reduce costs by more than £24 million. This will in part be met by increasing income through fees and charges for services that are eligible.

Preserving some bus services

council is also preserving some bus services using council reserves, much of which can only be spent on certain activities. These services include the 84/85 and 622 routes on an interim basis while work across the region continues on transport options

Cllrs Toby Savage, Erica Williams and Ben Burton with members of South Gloucestershire Council’s Community Learning & Skills team.

FREE EVERY MONTH IN EMERSONS GREEN, LYDE GREEN, SHORTWOOD & PUCKLECHURCH

Hats off to the great engineer!

Year 2 pupils from Mangotsfield Primary School visited the ss Great Britain and its museum at the Great Western Dockyard on Bristol’s Harbourside as part of their learning about Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Report: Page 7

Drive-thru plans unveiled

DEVELOPERS want to open a McDonald’s and a Greggs alongside the Costa and Travelodge at Emersons Green.

The drive-thrus would be built on the Harlequin Office Park, between the Costa drive-thru and ALD Automotive. They would be opposite the Little Pioneers day nursery and offices used by Avon & Somerset police.

The plans come from Greene King Commercial

Investments, a subsidiary of the brewery giant. The undeveloped site is already allocated for development and has been the subject of several planning applications over the past 30 years, most recently for a pub/restaurant given permission in 2019.

McDonald’s already has drive-thrus in Yate, Longwell Green and East Filton. Full story: Page 6

Dance school’s 15th birthday

3D Dance School, based at Emersons Green Village Hall, celebrated its 15th anniversary with two sellout concerts.

PAGE 13

Nature reserve project launches

A project to make the whole of Emersons Green a community nature reserve is up and running.

PAGE 5

Otter fishes in garden pond

An otter has been spotted fishing in garden pond in Mangotsfield.

PAGE 15

n ADVERTISING FEATURE

IF you’ve ever spent a few hours or more on your computer or phone screen, you probably know the pain that is “Tech Neck.”

That stiffness, soreness, and often injury is caused by holding our head forward for too long whilst using technology, typically a mobile phone. Thankfully, we at Sutton Chiropractic in Downend, specialise in the treatment of this issue and the postural problems it causes.

This really is a global phenomenon, straining our bodies and altering our posture, which affects children to the most senior members of our community.

Tech neck causes more than simply the stiffness we feel. It alters our posture often resulting in headaches, neck pain, upper shoulder pain, and sometimes even tingling or numbness in the hands! This increased pressure on our spinal nerves is the key issue which we must correct to maintain a healthy balance in the body.

“Tech Neck” – Technology and our bodies . . .

So, with this in mind we’ve created a guide to help you navigate the negative effects of technology on your body.

What can I do to help myself?

Chin tucks

Standing up straight, draw your head straight back to make a double chin.

Do not to tilt your head back, keep your chin tucked in, head still parallel to the floor. Hold for five seconds, release. Then repeat.

Ear tuck

Place your right hand flat against the right side of your head.

Try to tilt your head to your right shoulder while pushing against your hand.

Hold for five seconds, release slowly, and repeat on the other side.

Back tuck

Place both hands on the back of your head, with your head upright chin parallel to the floor. Now push your head backwards into your hands. Hold for five seconds, and repeat.

This will work those underused muscles that keep our head upright normally.

Check your spine alignment

Hold your phone at eye level, not your head at phone level! It’s great workout for your arms and lifesaver for neck posture. If it gets too tiring, lye on your back holding your phone up in front of your face to save your arms.

Standing desks

Brilliant for posture, promotes gentle movements throughout the day, keeps our legs strong and even helps lower blood pressure!

Take regular breaks

Five minutes break each hour, make a coffee, change position markedly or have a pace around. Best to set an alarm to prompt you.

Limit screen time

If work involves plenty of screen time, be sure to limit phone usage after work and prioritize outdoor movement & activity wherever possible.

What Matt has to say

“I’m often asked what’s the best posture? It’s a simple one to answer: the one you’re not constantly in! The key to a healthy spine and posture is movement. We are not

Matt Sutton

designed to sit or stand in the perfect static position –movement is key! You see we are designed to move, and our modern lives contradict this basic biological principle.

It’s no wonder sitting has been described as the new smoking.

This is why standing desks; Chiropractic care and regular yoga have rightly become so popular. At Sutton Chiropractic we’ve taken this a step further and designed a posture alteration program in clinic to help people reverse the negative effects of technology usage.”

BOOK YOUR POSTURE SCREEN

With this in mind be sure to book your posture screening by calling our reception team, it’s never too early for preventention, nor too late to improve.

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Add your garden to the community nature reserve

A PROJECT to make gardens, greens and verges around Emersons Green part of one big community nature reserve is up and running.

Around 50 people attended a meeting at Emersons Green Village Hall to launch the scheme and hear how they could play their part in helping wildlife in the area thrive.

Since then a Facebook group to promote the scheme has gained more than 60 members and 17 people had signed up their gardens to be part of the project in the first few weeks.

The project has been organised by Emersons Green Town Council, working with South Gloucestershire Town Council and groups including the Friends of Emersons Green Park.

The idea is to turn all of the area covered by the town council into a nature reserve, including private gardens and land under council control in Emersons Green, Lyde Green, Mangotsfield and Blackhorse, into somewhere wildlife can thrive.

Chris and Bobbie Sunderland, members of the Friends of Emersons Green Park, welcomed people to the launch meeting in January, which was attended by representatives of other groups including Lyde Green Open Space and the Mangotsfield Residents Association.

Chris said: “The dream is of a whole community that cares about wildlife. But this isn’t just about wildlife, it’s about us and our attitudes to the natural world. Through this initiative,

they can shift.”

He said the Emersons Green area was “extraordinarily wellplaced” to make a success of the scheme.

David Tibbatts, manager of South Gloucestershire Council’s Commons Connections scheme, which aims to link green spaces to promote nature, said action was needed to stop a steep decline in wildlife populations from insects to hedgehogs plummet in recent decades.

He said that in addition to the commons in Emersons Green and Lyde Green, and Pomphrey Hill, the area had a “rich tapestry of different types of green space”, including school fields, verges and paths.

The area had thousands of households to work with, around two million square metres of gardens - and just 140 homes joining the scheme could provide around 35,000 sq m of green space for nature, the meeting heard.

People were shown how making changes from leaving a corner of their garden to go wild or a ‘dead hedge’ of old sticks to digging ponds and making small ‘hedgehog holes’ at the bottom of fences could encourage more

wildlife.

The community nature reserve logo

Sophie Bancroft of Avon Wildlife Trust said: “There’s so much potential in gardens - even the smallest garden can make a big difference.”

People can register to be part of the nature reserve via the Emersons Green Town Council website, emersonsgreen-tc.gov. uk, or by picking up a form at the library.

People are being encouraged to share ideas, knowledge and events via the Facebook group EGTC Community Nature Reserve.

A set of window stickers has been produced with the project’s logo, designed by resident Christine Griffiths, to put in the windows of homes taking part.

A series of events is plannedthe first, a free bird box building workshop, has already been held.

Around 50 people attended the launch event

Chris Sunderland of the Friends of Emersons Green Park talks about the project

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DEADLINES

Our April edition deadline is March 15.

LOCAL INFORMATION

South Gloucestershire Council www.southglos.gov.uk

01454 868009

Police

www.avonandsomersetpolice.uk

general enquiries: 101

Emergency: 999

Fire www.avonfire.gov.uk

General enquiries: 0117 926 2061

Emergency: 999

NHS 111

Safer Stronger team

sscg@southglos.gov.uk

01454 868009

Anti social behaviour team

asbreporting@southglos.gov.uk

01454 868582

Drive-thru McDonald’s and Greggs plans for site off ring road

PLANT to build a McDonald’s and a Greggs next to the Avon Ring Road in Emersons Green have been unveiled.

Streetcare/litter/vandalism etc

streetcare@southglos.gov.uk

Environment/trading standards

01454 868001

Well Aware

Health and social care information

www.wellaware.org.uk Tel: (freephone) 0808 808 5252

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Emersons Green Voice is independent. We cannot take responsibility for content or accuracy of adverts, and it is advertisers’ responsibility to conform to all relevant legislation. We cannot vouch for any services offered. Opinions are not necessarily those of the editor. Emersons Green Voice is distributed each month to local residents. If for some reason you do not get a copy, please get in touch or collect one from local pick-up points. Feedback is welcomed, call Gary Brindle on 0117 907 8585 or news@emersonsgreenvoice. co.uk.

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 Emersons Green 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, or can be obtained by contacting the Publisher.

A member of the

The drive-thru takeaways would be built on the Harlequin Office Park, between the existing Costa drive-thru and ALD Automotive.

It would be opposite the Little Pioneers day nursery and offices used by Avon & Somerset police.

The site would back on to the A4174 and road access for customers would not be from the ring road itself but from Fieldfare, off Folly Brook Road.

The plans have been lodged by Greene King Commercial Investments, a subsidiary of the brewery giant.

The undeveloped site is already allocated for development and has been the subject of several planning applications over the course of the past 30 years, most recently for a pub/restaurant given permission in 2019 along with the Costa and Travelodge hotel which have already been built.

It would include 62 parking spaces, indoor and outdoor seating and a children’s play area.

Agents Walsingham Planning said: “It is anticipated that the two uses combined will create of the order of 131 jobs, which is significantly more than the extant pub use.

“In both cases, the jobs created are not ‘low quality jobs’ as is often perceived, or jobs with little or no training prospects.

“The development will not only create a significant number of new jobs, it will also offer future employees real opportunities to broaden their range of skills and gain additional qualifications, embark on apprenticeships and career progression. Significant weight should thus be given to the employment benefits of the scheme.”

Although the plans include road access, the agents argued that residents and people working nearby can access the site by “sustainable means, on foot or by cycling, thereby negating the need to travel by car”.

As the Voice went to print, two public comments had been lodged on the council’s planning website, where they can be seen by searching for application reference P23/00568/F.

One person, who said they “strongly objected” to the plans, wrote: “There are two McDonald’s and two Greggs within 10 minutes of this area.There is a lot of anti-social behaviour already in this area.

“More junk food outlets are not required when there is an obesity problem and not enough NHS staff staff to cope with the problems this causes.

“The area is also already full of litter.”

The other comment was in support, saying: “I will be very happy that we will finally have a McDonald’s close by! Checked the plans and they look good to me.”

The site as seen from the ring road

Entering Brunel’s world School head to retire

CHILDREN from a primary school in Emersons Green followed in Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s footsteps on a trip to the SS Great Britain.

The Year 2 pupils from Mangotsfield Primary School visited the iconic ship and its museum at the Great Western Dockyard on Bristol’s Harbourside as part of their learning about the great Victorian engineer.

They took part in activities to recreate the experience of shipbuilding and the SS Great Britain’s launch, dressing up as crew and passengers using costumes at the museum.

Year 2 teacher Rachel Hutton said pupils loved the visit.

She said: “The children were fascinated by the ship and were surprised that it could carry 252 first and second class passengers and 130 crew.

“It certainly would have been busy!

“School trips are definitely a way to bring history to life so that the children can have a clearer understanding of what life was like in the past.

“Experiences like this really ignite children’s imaginations and zest for learning.

“The children are now looking forward to their next school trip adventure.”

THE head teacher of Downend School is to retire at the end of the academic year.

Lisa Howell has been in charge at the school in Westerleigh Road for six years, taking over from Mark Fuller in 2017 after spending 19 years teaching at the Castle School in Thornbury, latterly as deputy head.

Her time at Downend has included a visit from education watchdog Ofsted in 2019, when the school was judged to be good, and the coronavirus lockdowns of 2020-21.

Mrs Howell announced her decision to retire in a letter to parents in late January, having previously said she would step back from some of her duties when Linda Ferris was appointed head of school last summer.

Mrs Howell said: "Deciding to retire is rarely an easy decision, and the decision to leave Downend School is particularly difficult as it has been an utter privilege to lead such an amazing community of fabulous youngsters, supportive families and committed and dedicated staff.

"However this is the right time for me and my family. It is also a time when the school is in a strong position and this will allow the next Headteacher to build on the strength and success that we have created.

"I will write more fully nearer the time of my retirement, but in the meantime please be assured that it is very much ‘business as usual’ and lines of communication with myself, Ms Ferris as Head of School, and other members of the senior leadership team remain unchanged."

The Castle School Education Trust, which runs Downend School, Mangotsfield School, Lyde green Primary School and four other schools, is now running a recruitment process for a new head teacher.

Lisa Howell Picture: Castle School Education Trust

n TURNERS VISION

MYOPIA, also known as shortsightedness, is a very common condition where you can clearly see objects that are close to you but ones further away are blurry and distorted. The good news for adults and children with myopia is that it is relatively easily corrected. You can also slow down myopic progression – particularly for children. With so many different solutions it can be difficult to know which corrective option is best for you and your child.

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1. Ortho-K. I’m a big fan of Ortho-K and was the first practitioner in Bristol to fit these clever contact lenses.They work by putting specially made, ultra-thin contact lenses onto your eyes before you sleep. Overnight, these ingenious lenses gently and gradually reshape your cornea enabling you to clearly see the following day, without need for glasses or contact lenses. They have been shown to reduce progression of myopia by around 40-60%. Suitable for anyone with myopia, Ortho-K can work well for those with a moderate degree of astigmatism, dry eye and active people who find glasses a pain. We have even fitted Ortho-K to young children, however there are factors to consider including how you support your child with applying at night, removing in the morning and carefully cleaning and storing their lenses.

2. MiSight 1 Day contact lenses. MiSight® 1 day contact lenses with ActivControl® Technology are fantastic. They provide clear vision without the hassle of glasses. In children, they also help slow the progression of myopia. So much so the majority of children who use MiSight® 1 day do not need a stronger prescription at their next eye exam. They’re very child-friendly and easy to use, especially important if your child has not worn lenses before. These lenses have a great reputation and are backed with a seven-year clinical trial.

3. MiYOSMART 1 is a glasses lens specifically developed for myopia management. They have a central optical zone surrounded with tiny defocus segments to help slow down myopia progression. A two-year clinical trial proved these lenses can slow development of myopia by on average 60%. They come with an easy-to-wipe special antireflective, durable coating and UV protection as standard. These are a good alternative if your child struggles with contact lenses. If I was asked to pick which of these is the best myopia treatment, I would say it depends on the individual. All three have delivered proven results for our patients and are at the leading edge of what’s available to help people affected by myopia. The main thing is to choose a myopia specialist, like our team at Turners, who you can trust to care for the eyes of those you love. If you have questions about myopia care, our team would be delighted to arrange an initial consultation and advice on the options best suited to your individual needs. Call into our Henleaze or Fishponds practices, or telephone 0117 965 4434 or 0117 962 2474.

Average council tax bill rises by more than £100

A TYPICAL council tax bill in the Emersons Green area will rise by more than £100 in April.

South Gloucestershire Council has agreed a 4.99% increasethe maximum allowed without calling a referendum - to take its charge to residents with homes in the average Band D tax bracket up by £87.47, to £1,752.11.

Council tax bills also include charges for the region's police and fire services.

The Avon & Somerset police precept for Band D taxpayers is rising by £15 (just under 6%), from £251.20 to £266.20, and the Avon Fire Authority charge will rise by £5 (6.4%) in Band D, from £77.95 to £82.95.

The remainder of the bill comes from the precepts charged by town and parish councils for the services they provide, plus the 'special expenses' charges made for maintenance of any unique neighbourhood facilities, such as parks, open spaces and bus shelters, carried out by South Gloucestershire Council.

Parish precepts and special expenses charges vary by areathe more services provided, the higher they are.

Parish councils are also not subject to the same 4.99% government limit on tax rises.

Emersons Green Town Council's precept is rising from £39.59 to £43.99 in Band D this year - an increase of £4.40 or just over 11%.

Special expenses charges are rising by £6.61 or 37.3%, from £17.74 to £24.35.

Combined they add an extra £11.01 increase in Emersons Green on top of the South Gloucestershire, police and fire charges.

The town council's budget is rising by 19.4%, from £256,232 to £306,000, but the percentage increase is less per taxpayer, because new homes being built in Lyde Green are added to the tax base, spreading the cost.

Pucklechurch has the area's highest precept, which this year is rising by £12.55 in Band D from £88.81 to £101.36, a rise of 14.1%. South Gloucestershire's special expenses in the parish area rise by almost 24%, from £22.62 to £28.02 - another £5.40 added to the bill.

The parish council's budget has risen by 14.7%, from £84,476

Band D council tax bills 2023/24

*Total bill is parish and special expenses charge, plus South Gloucestershire, police and fire charges. Figures from South Gloucestershire Council

to £96,896.

Siston Parish Council, which covers the Siston Hill estate, has frozen its budget at £40,000.

An increase in households paying council tax means its precept is down by £1.41 or 5.7%, from £24.75 to £23.34. But a £5.79 or 9.48% increase in special expenses, from £61.10 to £66.89, wipes out the saving, meaning a net increase of £4.38 in the parish.

South Gloucestershire Council's spending plans comprise £287 million for day-to-day services, £132m on major capital and infrastructure projects and £267m to schools, skills and early learning.

They include an extra £1m for road repairs, solar panels for all council buildings and funding for a new Street Enforcement Service to tackle environmental crimes.

Capital spending includes £37m allocated to the delayed new primary and secondary schools in Lyde Green.

Council leader Toby Savage said: "I am pleased that we are able to set a budget that builds on our hard work in previous years and which continues to deliver on our priorities for residents and businesses across South Gloucestershire."

The Conservative administration accepted ideas from opposition groups at the budget-setting meeting on February 15, with Labour securing a dedicated enforcement officer to ensure private rented homes are brought up to minimum standards and the Liberal Democrats winning backing for action on climate change and the cost-of-living crisis, with initiatives to help

residents and businesses cut emissions.

Plans to increase green bin charges from £30 to £55 and cut the streetcare team and Chipping Sodbury taxi marshals were withdrawn ahead of the meeting.

But some council services are being reduced and charges increased, to plug a £24m shortfall and balance the books

for the next three years.

Opposition councillors warned that many of the savings are “hidden” behind reviews that need working through rather than finalised proposals.

Lib Dem spokesperson for corporate resources Jon Lean said: "In a time of rising prices for all and even the increasing use of food banks, this budget removes support for some of the people most in need in our area – cuts to the preparingfor-adulthood service, cuts to the opening hours of One Stop Shops, cuts to well-being services that promote healthy lifestyles."

Labour group leader Pat Rooney said the new enforcement officer would ensure that 5,700 houses and flats in South Gloucestershire which would fail new environmental regulations are brought up to standard.

Meeting report by Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service

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Striking teachers picket schools

MORE than a thousand teachers in South Gloucestershire left their classrooms for the picket line as part of a national strike over pay and education funding.

Members of the National Education Union walked out on February 1, with many schools closing to all but vulnerable pupils or those in care.

Picket lines were set up outside many primary, secondary and special schools, with the union sharing pictures of protests at Soundwell Academy, Downend School and Stanbridge Primary School locally.

Many strikers then went to a regional rally in Bristol city centre, which was joined by other public sector workers and supporters. Organisers estimate it was attended by up to 6,000 people.

The strike left thousands of parents having to make arrangements to look after children given an unexpected day off school.

NEU South Gloucestershire representative Lee Everson said: "We understand parents are in a difficult position, because it's particularly inconvenient to provide childcare, but many can see this is not just about teacher pay, it's about providing enough resources for their children's education.

"People who went out on the picket lines were surprised by the level of public support."

He said many teachers were "at the end of their tether", with pay not keeping up with the cost of living and "scarily high" rents.

Lee said the latest pay offer of 5% was not funded by the government, which meant it would have to come from school budgets already under pressure due to rising costs.

The Department for Education says offers of 8.9% for new teachers and 5% for experienced staff were made on the recommendation of an independent pay review body and are "the highest pay awards in 30 years" for teachers. The government says it has answered union calls for increased funding, claiming that "by 2024-2025 schools will be funded in real terms at their highest level in history".

A DfE spokesperson said Education Secretary Gillian Keegan and unions had recently discussed issues including workload reduction, recruitment and retention.

Further teachers' strikes are planned on March 2, 15 and 16.

Staff at the University of the West of England, including administrators, cleaners, library, security and catering workers, walked out over three days in February over a 3% pay offer from the Universities and Colleges Employers Association.

One parent who spoke out to support the strikes was Emersons Green town councillor Sadik Al-Hassan , who has two children at school in the area.

He said: “Despite my children losing a day of school I fully support the reason why teachers are striking, which is to protect the education of my children. The cuts that have occurred to school funding are robbing our children of their future. Our schools should be funded to give our children the best chance in life, using the best technology and adequate staffing levels. I think we all need to support teachers as they fight for our schools and our children.”

Downend School's picket line. Picture: NEU South Gloucestershire

A NEW slip road for people using the Mangotsfield Sort It recycling centre is due to open in March.

Intended to cut queues on Carsons Road when the tip is busy, the remodelled entrance will require all traffic heading to the site to approach from the Avon Ring Road, Siston Hill and Goose Green, with residents coming from Mangotsfield having to go around the roundabout on the ring road, with right turns banned.

New lanes linking to the slip road have been installed on the approach, which will also be used by dustcarts and recycling lorries entering the waste transfer station next to the public recycling centre.

The layout of the site itself, and the exit, will not change.

The council will plant a new hedgerow and trees as part of the project.

It says the new road is due to be completed and open from early in the month.

Cabinet councillor for waste services Rachael Hunt said: “The slip road is just part of our plans to improve the area’s waste

New slip road nearly ready

service infrastructure.

“These plans include expanding the Mangotsfield depot to accommodate collection vehicles and developing a new waste depot and recycling centre in the Filton area.

“Moving forward and developing these sites will ensure we continue to deliver good value for money on waste services, have capacity for household

waste from the growing population and allow for opportunities to recycle even more.

“Our excellent recycling rate of 60 per cent for 2021/22 is testament to the residents in South Gloucestershire who treat recycling as the norm.

“We want to help them do even more with improved infrastructure so even less

waste is sent to landfill, which is great news for nature and the environment.”

The Sort It recycling centres are for residents to dispose of household waste and recycling but the Mangotsfield tip site also includes a waste transfer station with a weighbridge for business and commercial waste.

For more information visit www.southglos.gov.uk/sortit.

Cabinet councillor Rachael Hunt at the slip road works

The new road leading into the site

Dance school holds big birthday bash

A DANCE school based in Emersons Green has celebrated its 15th anniversary with two sold-out performances for family and friends.

3D Dance is based at Emersons Green Village Hall and more than 250 of its pupils, aged from four to 18, showed off their routines they had been practising at their weekly classes for months.

School founder Louise Hopton said: “All pupils had worked so hard completing energetic and entertaining routines.

“We wanted to mark our 15 years in a special way!”

The dance school offers classes in street dance and theatre for preschool, school age children and adults, as well as exercise

Road to reopen early

A CLOSED road in the centre of Lyde Green was due to reopen a week early after works to upgrade bus stops.

South Gloucestershire Council closed Willowherb Road next to Lyde Green Primary School and the community centre on January 9 to upgrade the bus stops on each side for metrobus services.

Residents have reported having to push children out of the way of cars driven through pedestrian areas in School Square as some drivers tried to use it to avoid the closure.

Contractors had to move fencing around the works to block cars from driving on the pavement after seeing one nearly hit a pedestrian, and exit bollards at one end of the car park at School Square had to be locked to stop it being used to bypass the closure.

The work was originally due to last for up to eight weeks.

But on February 21 South Gloucestershire Council announced the imminent removal of the closure.

The council’s streetcare department announced the change on its Facebook page, saying: “The good news is that we look set to finish the work a week earlier than expected and hope to open the road at 4pm on Friday February 24.

“We thank you for your patience and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

The work has included laying new kerb stones, building shelters, adding an iPoint ticket facility, ‘real time’ information screens, bike stands and CCTV.

The council says it needed to fully close the road as work was being done on both sides.

classes for older people.

Louise said it kept going through the pandemic by hosting free online dance sessions for pupils.

For more information about the dance school, call Louise on 0775 403 9059 or visit the 3D Dance Bristol Facebook page.

The road closure. Picture: South Gloucestershire Council

n ADVERTISING FEATURE

Work for Sirona and make a difference in your community

Sirona care & health is recruiting Community Support Workers to join its teams and support people in the place they call home.

Home first is a team-led rehabilitation service which aims to get people back to where they usually live as quickly and safely as possible.

As a Community Support Worker, you'll play a vital role within the service by working closely with colleagues to provide ongoing clinical activities, support with daily routines and personal care.

Sirona, which is one of the largest providers of NHS community adult and children’s services in England, is holding dedicated events to support its recruitment but is also looking for people to get in touch directly.

On 16 March 2023, together with health and care partners from across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, Sirona will be part of a Healthcare Support Worker Recruitment Event.

Taking place at Gloucestershire County Cricket Club (Nevil Road, Bristol, BS7 9EJ), it will be an opportunity for people to find out more about Support Worker roles available in their area. Prospective employees can even book an interview and potentially walk away with a

conditional offer of employment on the day.

The event is open to those who are looking to begin a career in healthcare, ready to take their next step or looking for a change.

Full details and booking for the event will be available soon on the Healthier Together website:https://bnssghealthiertogether.org.uk/

Mary Lewis, Chief Nursing Officer, said: “Community Support Workers are at the heart of our community services, working with people and their families to enable individuals to be as independent as possible and to stay in their homes and achieve the outcomes they wish for.”

Whether you are supporting people in their homes or in one of our rehabilitation units, we also offer great support and training across all areas, to ensure our colleagues can achieve their own goals within a caring and supportive environment.

Laura Al-Faraj, Community Support Worker, explains how it suits her family in a video to highlight the work the team does. She said: “I’m able to work locally. It works out much better for my family because I get that work-life balance.”

Molly Dursley, Community Support Worker, said: “One of my favourite things about working here is the team that we’ve got…we genuinely

help and support each other. It’s a bit like a second family!”

If you enjoy working with individuals to support them to achieve their goals, improving quality of life and independence, then Sirona, which offers NHS pay and benefits wants to hear from you, email sirona.recruitment@nhs. net or call 0300 124 5444 to talk about the opportunities available in your area.

Flexible working to fit around you and your commitments.

A commitment to your development and wellbeing – receive training and support to equip you with the skills you need to succeed.

Access to a range of full NHS benefits (including generous holiday allowance and pension).

We’re here to support you - Health and wellbeing for our colleagues is at the forefront of everything we do.

n NEWS

A NATURE lover who set up a camera to keep an eye on her garden pond has captured amazing footage of an otter's night-time visits.

Jill Barnes first set up a night-vision CCTV camera after a heron started preying on the fish in the large pond at her Mangotsfield home, to check whether some line placed around her pond to stop the bird from wading in was effective.

Cameras in her garden have captured badgers, foxes, a kingfisher - and even rats attacking frogs.

But Jill, who runs hardware shop Staple Hill Stores, was taken aback when she first glimpsed the sleek shape of the otter slipping into the 30ft by 15ft pond late one night in January.

It plunged in and out of the pond hunting for fish as Jill watched the screen. Her cat had a closer encounter and can be seen watching the otter in the background of some of the footage.

The otter visited Jill's garden three times in three weeks, with eight days between each visit, in January and February.

There were around 35 to 40 fish living in the pond before it arrived - but Jill has only been

Otter goes fishing in Mangotsfield garden pond

"They have a territory of 10 to 14 km for females and up to 40 km for males, so the range is high.

"Naturally, they will use the whole area for hunting.

"Electric fencing is a preventative measure but in garden ponds it may not be effective, as the areas are small - and the fur of an otter is insulated against electric!

"People need to avoid restocking any ponds for at least six months."

able to locate a few of them since.

She said: "It's really lovely to see an otter, and it's naturethey've got to eat.

"If anyone had told me otters were there, I wouldn't have believed them."

Jill's garden near Westerleigh Road is close to a waterway that eventually runs into Leap Valley, from where a stream flows into the River Frome at Moorend.

After sharing the footage on Facebook she has been contacted by people reporting otter visits

New homes approved

PLANS for six new homes next to the St James Street car park in Mangotsfield have been approved.

Developer Acton Homes applied to build four three-bedroom houses and two four-bedroom houses on land currently occupied by two semi-detached houses, 29a/29b St James Place, which will be demolished as part of the scheme.

The plans also include two car parking spaces per property, one visitor space, bin and bike storage at the site, which is on land between the car park and the Grapevine Brasserie.

The plans received three objections and two letters of support.

elsewhere near the Frome, from Frenchay to Yate, including people who have also lost fish.

Some posters also discussed the best way to deter otters, from pond coverings to electric fencing.

David Webb, the founder of the UK Wild Otter Trust, said: "Otters are quite common in and around Bristol.

David warned against anyone trying to harm an otter.

He said: "Otters have the highest level of protection of any species.

"To disturb, harm or kill them carries an unlimited fine and a maximum of six years in prison."

For more advice and information on otters, email otters@ukwot.org or visit the ukwildottertrust.org website.

The otter captured by Jill Barnes's night vision camera

Wanted: councillors

THE Emersons Green area’s councils need a key ingredient - the councillors who will make the decisions.

In this year’s local elections on May 4, all 61 seats on South Gloucestershire Council and a total of 492 town and parish council seats across the district are up for grabs.

The elections come around every four years and are a chance for adult residents of an area - whether a member of a political party or independent - to win a place representing their community and helping decide how public money is spent.

Anyone who would like to be a parish or South Gloucestershire councillor can get nomination papers now - they can be submitted between March 27 and 4pm on April 4.

To be nominated as a candidate, you need the signatures of two residents on the current electoral register for the ward.

Unlike parliamentary elections, you do not need to pay a deposit to stand as a candidate.

Emersons Green Town Council has a total of 16 town councillors to elect, and is split

into three wards: there are three councillors in its Badminton ward, three in Blackhorse, three in Pomphrey and seven in Emersons Green.

Pucklechurch Parish Council has nine council seats, which are not split into separate wards.

Siston Parish Council, which covers the Siston Hill estate, also has nine seats, one in its Rural ward, three in its Common ward and five in its Warmley ward.

If the number of people nominated is less than the total number of seats available they are declared elected without a vote having to

take place.

There are fewer seats but more power and responsibility for members of South Gloucestershire Council.

Three wards - Emersons Green, Boyd Valley and New Cheltenham - cover the area.

The Emersons Green ward, which covers Emersons Green, Lyde Green, Blackhorse and parts of Downend and Mangotsfield, elects three councillors.

Boyd Valley, which includes Pucklechurch, and New Cheltenham, which includes Siston Hill, each elect two.

South Gloucestershire Council is encouraging anyone who wants to make a “real difference” to consider standing for election.

A spokesperson said: “People from all backgrounds and experiences who can reflect the communities they serve are needed. You do not have to be a member of a political party to stand for election - you can also be an independent councillor.”

The council is holding briefing sessions for prospective candidates at Kingswood Council Chamber on March 6 and 9.

For more information about becoming a candidate, visit beta.southglos.gov.uk/ stand-for-election, call 01454 863030, email electoral.services@southglos.gov.uk or write to Electoral Registration, PO Box 1953, Badminton Road, Bristol, BS37 0DB.

Your name in the ballot box?

Picture: Local Democracy Reporting Service

Staying in front in the race to net zero

AS the independent Chair of the national Net Zero Review, I was pleased to be able to publish our findings earlier this year.

We can be proud of the lead the UK has taken in tackling climate change, having exceeded expectations so far in our race to net zero emissions by 2050.

As essential as that is environmentally, it also puts us at an economic advantage globally.

We lead in areas including clean technologies, science, manufacturing and green finance – areas that, if managed right, can lead to new jobs and strong economic growth. We already host the National Composites Centre and the Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems at the Science Park.

My recommendations are designed to make the most of this historic opportunity, covering the length and breadth of our economy, so that people in every part of the country can reap the benefits of this both in their communities, and in their pockets.

It is great to see how South Gloucestershire is already at the forefront of this agenda locally. Take recycling for instance. Our area already has one of the highest recycling rates in the country, and the soft plastics recycling trial which began in October is showing how we could increase that figure still further.

Of the 2,000 properties taking part in the trial, we are collecting 1,000 bags of material from residents per week. This equates to around two and a half tonnes of flex plastics that have been diverted away from the black bin.

On renewable energy, the council has allocated funding towards the installation of solar panels on all remaining council buildings, with work to support schools and leisure centres to follow suit. This will generate electricity and income, alongside delivering carbon savings.

And on heating, the council is investigating with the Coal Authority the potential use of former mine workings in our area as a source of renewable heating and cooling for new and existing buildings.

The council estimates that up to 26,000 homes and businesses are located in the vicinity of former mine workings with a potential heat resource. In addition to providing heat, mine water can also possibly be used to provide cooling during summer months.

It is exciting to think that, one hundred years after local mines closed, they may yet be part of the solution to the climate and our move towards becoming carbon neutral.

Innovative approaches like this are what will keep us out in front in the global race to net zero emissions.

To be successful within this role you will need to be flexible as you will be required to work across a variety of CLF academies at different times depending on each academy’s needs. This position will be paid on an hourly rate.

We are a diverse multi-academy trust, looking for professional and ambitious people, with a passion for transforming our students’ learning.

Chris Skidmore writes for Emersons Green Voice

Earthquake aid

SHOPPERS at Sainsbury’s in Emersons Green gave generously to an appeal to help victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Members of Fishponds & Downend Rotary Club spent two days collecting cash and card donations at Sainsbury’s Emersons Green supermarket in February for charity ShelterBox.

The charity is sending aid to the survivors of the disaster, which is believed to have claimed at least 47,000 lives.

ShelterBox sends out boxes packed with a tent that can withstand up to 100mph winds, blankets, mattresses and other essentials.

Rotary treasurer Elaine Fowler said: “People have been very generous.

“So many people have seen what has happened on the television and want to do something - we’ve given them somewhere they can give something.

“One person even gave £100 via our card reader.”

The ShelterBox supplies will be distributed to people who need them by local Rotary volunteers in some of the affected areas.

Anyone who is interested in joining Fishponds & Downend Rotary Club can email daveb@fanddrotary.club.

Major roadworks for M4 and M5

A SIX-mile section of the M4 and M5 around the Almondsbury Interchange will be subject to roadworks for the rest of the year.

National Highways is replacing four miles of steel crash barriers around the Almondsbury Interchange with concrete and is also building three new emergency areas, upgrading traffic signs, adding CCTV cameras, renewing lighting and carrying out drainage work as part of the improvement plan.

The work is due to start at the end of February and finish towards the end of the year.

A reduced speed limit of 50mph, temporary 24/7 roadworks CCTV monitoring and a free recovery service will be in place while work is being carried out.

The government agency says the work will be "closely coordinated" with forthcoming work to refurbish two bridges on the M5 between the M4 and A38 junctions.

Paul Unwin, who is overseeing the upgrades for National Highways, said: “Safety is our number one priority. Upgrading these barriers will improve journeys and significantly reduce the risk of vehicles crossing over from one carriageway to another, improving safety and reducing the duration of incident-related congestion.

“During the work we will do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum, but we expect that delays could be severe at peak times, so we are encouraging drivers to plan their journeys to avoid peak times if possible. Getting it done at this time of year means the concrete can set just right and the contractors have a longer working window with more light.”

Ron Aspbury, Margaret Aspbury and Elaine Fowler collect donations at Sainsbury’s in Emersons Green

Parents bid to save education centre

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to save a centre for children with special educational needs and disabilities that is set to close.

The unit at Chipping Sodbury School serves families from areas including Emersons Green, Lyde Green and Pucklechurch whose children have autism.

A 10-year contract with South Gloucestershire Council expires next year and the Athelstan Trust, which runs the school, says it cannot renew it because its funding has been slashed.

In a letter to parents, head teacher Katherine Turner said the £40,000 the school used to receive per pupil had not increased over the last decade and that it now faced being left with a base of just £15,000 per pupil, which is not enough to meet the children’s needs.

The council is blaming the academy trust for the closure, but opposition groups say the fault lies with the council's administration.

Parents campaigning to save the unit appealed directly to political leaders at a council meeting on February 15, speaking passionately about how vital it was for their youngsters. They were joined by local child psychologist Sean Rhodes, who works with children with autism and communication difficulties, and said: "Where will these children go for their education? We already know that there is no space at other bases and centres, or in our special schools."

A petition aimed at keeping the centre open has received

more than 1,000 signatures.

It says the unit is set to be hit by new "Banding and Safety Valve agreements", aimed at increasing “value for money” in specialist provision.

Athelstan Trust chief executive Tim Gilson said it was a “horrible situation” caused by a lack of funding to the council from central government for pupils with special needs and disabilities.

The council's cabinet has blamed the trust for the closure.

Cabinet member for education Erica Williams said: “This decision by the trust came

totally out of the blue.

“We asked the trust to come to the table. The trust refused to come to the table.

“We don’t see why there is any reason for it to close –through the banding changes there will still be sufficient funds for that access centre to remain open.”

But opposition groups say the the fault clearly lies with the council administration.

Liberal Democrat group leader Claire Young told the meeting: “The parents will have almost certainly had a long battle to get their child into the centre, and now when they thought they had the answer they see it being snatched away.

“It’s a disgrace that this council is risking the education of some of its most vulnerable children and I urge a rethink.”

The petition can be found at change.org/p/save-chippingsodbury-access-centre.

By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service

A campaign poster produced by parents of children at the centre in Chipping Sodbury

School celebrates its elite athletes

A PRIMARY school is celebrating its former pupils who have gone on to become elite athletes.

Blackhorse Primary School’s decision to adopt the motto ‘Building Champion Learners’ more than ten years ago has rubbed off on the sporting field.

Head teacher Simon Botten says it has “inspired more professional and nationallevel athletes than almost all other primary schools in South Gloucestershire put together”.

The school recently received a message from former pupil Molly Jones, who had written to thank teachers for getting her into cross-country running.

Molly is now in America after earning a sports scholarship to Coastal Carolina University, and sent Blackhorse staff a link to TV coverage of the US Southern States College Cross-country Championships, which she had won in a course record-beating time.

Mr Botten said her time at Blackhorse had “ignited her love of running” and she continued throughout her teens, after her family left the area.

He said other Blackhorse alumni include Bristol Bears fly-half Tom Wilstead who, after training as a Blackhorse Track Team Runner, received a sports scholarship to the then Colston’s School before joining the Bears’ youth academy.

Most recently, ex-Blackhorse pupil Matas Barisauskas came fourth in the UK School Games in U15 long jump and 4th in the 60m sprints at the National Championships in Cardiff, competing Bristol & West athletics club.

Mr Botten, who is an ultra runner outside school hours, said more than 12 nationallevel runners, swimmers and other athletes had started out at Blackhorse, which had also won its inter-school cross-country league nine years in the last ten.

A potential star of the future is the school’s current crosscountry mile record holder, Year 5 runner Ellis Doyle, who can run a mile in 5 minutes 14 seconds.

Mr Botten said: “When we came up with a new vision for the school in 2011, we drew very heavily on the hype of the London Olympics and a

book I’d read by Matthew Syed called ‘Bounce’, which said that champions weren’t born, they were built.

“So as a school we aimed to give children more opportunities in sports, arts and music than would normally be found in a primary school, as we firmly believe that access to these areas improves well-being, motivation and ultimately academic success.

“We set about recruiting staff who weren’t just great teachers, but were also specialist in these things as well.”

The involvement of the CSET Sports Partnership, which sees secondary sports teachers provide training in primary schools, and clubs such as the Bristol Bears had helped children develop a love of sport, added to government Sports Premium funding of over £20,000 per year to develop sport provision.

Mr Botten said: “If for ten years you keep providing extensive opportunities, expert tuition, purposeful practice and expect the children to put in the effort, sooner or later professional athletes will start to appear. And it’s not just about elite sport, we want all our children to believe in themselves and the success that they can achieve, whether it be academic, sporting, in the arts or in whatever passion they chose to pursue.”

Molly Jones

Tom Wilstead Matas Barisauskas

£15 increase will help to close the funding gap

THANK you to those of you who completed my precept survey and shared their thoughts about my proposal to increase the policing part of the council tax by £15 a year for the average band D household.

A couple of weeks ago, the Police and Crime Panel supported this proposal to increase the precept.

This funding will help reduce the impact of Avon and Somerset Police’s funding gap, but will still leave a projected deficit of £3.4 million in the year 2023/24 and £7.10 million in the year 2024/25.

Inflationary increases, combined with limited additional funding from central Government, have left a funding gap that, without the precept increase, would have resulted in significant cuts to police staff and services.

I know that many households are facing difficult financial circumstances. However, as

your PCC, it would have been irresponsible not to address the policing service’s funding gap and help reduce this deficit while I had the opportunity.

We will be using the £3.4 million reserve funding to address the shortfall so that the chief constable has capacity to develop a sensible savings programme while still delivering an effective, efficient and legitimate service.

Moving on, I want to touch on the brilliant work that Avon and Somerset Police’s fraud and cyber protection team do protecting and preventing people falling victim to fraud.

The fraud and cyber protect officers provide training, advice and guidance to individuals and businesses across Avon and Somerset and, in innovative ways, make sure to get prevention messages to people who need to know them.

Fraud is so vast and there’s so much to consider when tackling this crime. Sadly, a high proportion of fraud victims are repeat victims. By providing extra support to these residents, the aim is to prevent future crimes. We need to continue to raise awareness about the different types of fraud and what to do if you’re targeted, to ensure everyone is resilient and resistant to scammers’ methods.

I also want to acknowledge the ongoing work of Avon and Somerset Police officers in keeping our roads safe. Last December, officers took part in Operation Tonic, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s winter drink and drug driving operation.

The force has recently published the results from this week of action, which reveal that between November 21 and December 31, 346 drink and drug drive arrests were made.

With Police and Crime Commissioner Mark

Shelford

I am shocked at the number of people who, despite warnings from the police, got behind the wheel under the influence.

There is no excuse to drink and drive at any time of the year - by doing so, you’re putting your own life and others’ at risk.

Please do tell Avon and Somerset Police if you suspect drink/drug driving is happening, and help us keep our roads safe.

n MANGOTSFIELD RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION Building a wall at the Dame School

YOU might recall that members of Mangotsfield School Art Club were designing a graphic to create a local history art installation.

It’s taken them a while to do it - they had an awful lot of research to do - but it’s finally completed. We think it’s brilliant, and we’ll now be working on turning this into a permanent fixture in the village.

We’ve finally taught ourselves how to build a wall. Well, if I’m honest, it’s more that we’ve spent a few enjoyable hours moving some large stones about so the Dame School garden looks a bit neater and tidier. We hope you like it.

Our next Hour A Month will

be on Saturday March 4 and there a few things we’ll be tackling: painting over graffiti next to the

toilets; finishing off our next batch of planters, which the local scout group have made an excellent start

on, to go under each “Welcome To Mangotsfield” sign; tidying up the existing planters ready for spring and more Dame School gardening.

We’ll meet in the village car park at 10.30am. All are welcome, so please come along and help.

We are finalising arrangements for a local history talk on the Dramway Path: there’s a lot more to it than many realise. Watch this space for more details.

To say that our association is an irresistible force would be overstating things by quite a lot, but it’s certainly true to say that a few of our projects have recently hit an immovable object or two, so we’ll need to have a bit of a think about how we move them forward.

If you want to get involved then please get in touch 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

n NEWS FROM THE METRO MAYOR

150 years of the chocolate Easter egg

WHAT’S your favourite chocolate treat? A Mars Bar? A KitKat? An Aero, or perhaps a Fry’s Chocolate Mint Creme?

As winter turns to spring, it’s not just budding daffodils that are appearing. No, it’s Easter eggs showing up in all good West of England shops, too!

I love seeing Easter eggs displayed every year, because we live in the place where the hollow chocolate egg was invented.

And this year there’s an eggs-tra reason to celebrate - because it was exactly 150 years ago that it happened.

When I nipped to the local shops on my travels last week and got chatting to staff busy putting a huge range of eggs on shelves, I told them that Fry’s chocolate makers - who started out in Bristol but later moved their factory to Somerdale, Keynsham, having merged with Cadbury - came up with the idea of the hollow chocolate egg.

The Fry family’s innovation was to

make chocolate by mixing cocoa fat with cocoa powder and sugar. This made a super-smooth paste, which could be poured into egg moulds.

These new eggs were just as tasty but lighter than solid continental eggs, which made them easier to afford.

People couldn’t get enough of these new egg-shaped chocolate treats, and it wasn’t long before they were selling all over the world.

I love it when something that starts out as a new idea in our great region goes global - now as well as back in 1873. It’s a tradition we need to keep going!

In acknowledging our local history of chocolate manufacturing in the 18th and 19th centuries, we also need to recognise its ugly side, for sugar and cocoa grown on Caribbean plantations exploited and abused people of African descent, who were forced into slave labour.

While it is true that Quakers in the UK, like the Fry and Cadbury families, helped

lead the anti-slavery movement, it is also correct to say that not every Quaker held this view, particularly in America.

Despite the closure of the Fry’s/ Cadbury factory at Keynsham just over a decade ago, our region is today home to many, many independent chocolate makers - using creative talent and ethical practices including Fairtrade chocolate.

The commitment from chocolate companies to learn from the past actions, both good and bad, of their predecessors is encouraging and very important.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris writes for the Voice

‘I enjoy it so much. The girls are lovely and I feel I’m doing something worthwhile. It’s amazing!’

Tayba, leader

NHS dental services in 'death spiral', councillors warn

DESPERATE people are performing their own dental work because of a chronic shortage of NHS provision in the region.

Councillors said the system was in a “death spiral”, with an increasing number of practices going private and dentists leaving the area or the profession altogether.

A family of Ukrainian refugees had even travelled back to their war-torn homeland because they could be seen there quicker, a council meeting heard.

South Gloucestershire Council health scrutiny committee members said they were not reassured and that wholescale changes were needed.

In 2020 the Frampton and Flaxpits surgeries, in Park Lane, Frampton Cotterell and Flaxpits Lane, Winterbourne, stopped all NHS treatment, telling their 14,000 patients they would have

to go private or go elsewhere.

Another South Gloucestershire dentist, My Dentist in Staple Hill, told patients in January that three NHS dentists had left and were being replaced by a private practitioner.

New Cheltenham ward councillor Sandie Davis said: “There is a family who took in some Ukrainian refugees and they couldn’t find a dentist so they travelled at Christmas back to war-torn Ukraine to see a dentist. It’s just shocking.”

Frenchay & Downend ward councillor James Griffiths said: “We’ve had local dentists go private and send a letter to all the residents saying,‘you’ve no longer got an NHS dentist and if you’ve got a family of four, please can we have £600 a year’, depending on the package.

“It’s a death spiral because as more and more people go over to

the private sector, they can then pay them more, the NHS service gets worse each year and it will slowly degrade and more people will go over.”

Cllr Griffiths said dentists had told him they got paid between £30,000 and £60,000 a year more to treat the same patients privately than on the NHS.

NHS South England head of stakeholder engagement Lou Farbus told councillors there was a "workforce crisis" across all clinical and social care in the region.

NHS England South West director of dental, specialised and health and justice commissioning Steve Sylvester told the meeting in late January: “A lot of work has been done nationally in terms of the contract where you get paid one rate for NHS and another for private provision.

“Our ability to control and

influence practices is hampered. They are independent businesses in the main.

“This is a big tanker to turn around. It’s been sailing in the wrong direction for a number of years.

“The challenge we face is we don’t have a right to be registered with a dentist – it’s not a GP practice.

A report to members said the percentage of adults with NHS dentists in South Gloucestershire had fallen steadily in recent years and stood at 36.7% last June, a 5.9% drop in 12 months.

This was lower than the access rate for England as a whole, at 37.4%.

The number of children who saw a dentist rose by 12.3% to 42%, although this was still below the national average of 46.9%.

By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service

FORMERLY PARKS HAIRDRESSERS

n LYDE GREEN COMMUNITY CENTRE

MARCH is set to be yet another busy and fun month at Lyde Green Community Centre.

We have a huge variety of hirers using the community centre each day, from martial arts to Pilates, yoga, Zumba, Slimming World and a great range of dance classes for both adults and children.

We currently have a fabulous variety of children’s activities made up of fun, educational, activity, artistic, sporty and speech improvement.

Do check out our classes on the website at lydegreenca.org/thecommunity-centre/classes - there are classes and activities to suit everyone, and most of our hirers offer free taster sessions.

Current hirers for activities for the little ones include Baby Sensory, Music with Mummy, Sing and Sign, Moo Music, Talking Tots, Cutest Crew, V Dance Academy, Beavers and Cubs.

We also are delighted to continue to host the Wednesday morning play group Mango Jams, this is a really friendly session, where you are always offered a warm welcome!

With all the upcoming events, we are always on the lookout for volunteers to help in and around the centre: if you would like to help with any events or projects that we have coming up, then please pop into the centre, give us a call us or visit us online to find out what we have going on.

We are delighted to see Little and Bigger Pickles Market at the Community Centre - keep an eye out for the Sunday dates throughout the year.

Some ‘save the dates’ for your diary are our Coronation Party on May 7 and Summer Sizzler on July 15.

We continue to be on the lookout for a treasurer and secretary to join our board of trustees.

If you would like to join the team, then we would love to hear from you. Why not have a chat with one of our current trustees, to see what’s involved?

Email Laura on laura@lydegreenca.org to arrange a time to talk.

For other enquiries you can contact us by email at info@lydegreenca. org, visit the Lyde Green Community Association or Lyde green Community centre Facebook pages or call 0117 957 0410.

For bookings email Bookings@lydegreenca.org.

n COMMUNITY NEWS

MANGOTSFIELD LADIES

n A ROUND THE WI s

BEECHMERE BELLES WI

BE honest, what is the first thing you think of when somebody mentions the WI?

Old ladies knitting, jam and Jerusalem and catching up on the local gossip? well not anymore. Firstly, we have ladies of all ages, twenties, thirties through to wise ladies. We have first time Mum’s, first time Grandmas and wise ladies.

In the world we live in now, age is just a number, no more “you can’t wear that”, “you’re too old to learn that”, “what do you mean your speaker was a burlesque dancer?” It’s so great.

I joined Beechmere Belles several years ago and I’ve learnt so many new things, about my local area and the city I’ve always lived in.

Joining the WI and having access to speakers that cover all sorts of topics has been great and it makes me want to find out more.

For example, I never knew that the SS Great Britain led the way for modern ship building as we know it, but after our last meeting I’ve made plans to visit.

Christmas meal.

If you think that sounds right up your street, we meet on the fourth Thursday of every month at Emersons Green Village Hall: doors open at 7.30pm.

The committee members wear Sunflowers so we are easy to spot, say hello and we will ensure you have a lovely evening.

For more information please email Beechmerebelles@gmail. com or find us on Facebook.

DOWNEND WI

AT our January meeting, we were lucky enough to listen to a very entertaining talk from Andrew Stowell from East Bristol Auction House.

We enjoyed listening to many stories from the auction house and, at the end of the talk, Andrew did a little quiz where we had to decide which item was the most valuable. It’s not always the oldest item!

On February 28 we are going to be shown how to do needle felting by Amy Grimsby, and on March 1, a group of us will be going to see Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty at the Bristol Hippodrome.

Helen Crew

FOR our January meeting we decided to keep it informal, as two of our members asked if they could bring some friends along.

We were able to engage in conversation; it was a fun evening, members brought things along for sale and we had a game of bingo using the remainder of the gifts for prizes.

We discussed our plans for King Charles III’s coronation, and currently we are arranging for AHM catering to host a BBQ evening for us at our April meeting.

On February 11 we were invited by South Gloucestershire Wine Circle to join them for a tour of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre.

We were delighted that Andrew Stocker, who has over 40 years experience of working at the Old Vic and a wealth of knowledge, provided us with a wonderful tour.

Most of us wanted to make a day of it so we booked lunch at the nearby Bar + Block Steakhouse; the food was lovely and the house red most affordable. As we were travelling by bus, we shared a bottle and later on saw the Bristol light shows. Afterwards we had some lovely feedback from those who attended.

Also in February we were celebrating one of our members’ 95th birthday, starting at the Lamb on the Monday before and continuing at our meeting the following week.

Looking ahead to summer, we are again linking up, this time with Bristol Jazz Society, who are organising a boat trip on the Avon with the Dart Valley Stompers Four.

Quite a few of our ladies have already booked, and we are hoping for a nice sunny day.

Carol Coombs - Mangotsfield Ladies - carol@applause.co.uk

It was the same with the Wills Memorial Building - without the WI I wouldn’t have entered this building and learnt all about the history. If you haven’t done a visit, you must. The list goes on.

If like me you get hooked on every craft you try, you may need to convert a room or large cupboard into your craft room if you join us. Even if what you learn is not up your street it’s still nice to have tried something different.

At Beechmere Belles we encourage our members to share their ideas on what they would like at their meetings, and we do our best to make it happen.

Although the speaker and crafts vary, the structure of the evening is the same: grab a hot or cold drink, a piece of cake, have a mingle and a catch-up with the other ladies, check out the events table, there may be something you fancy doing. Pop your raffle gift onto the table, make yourself comfortable, relax and enjoy.

Beechmere Belles is completely self-funded, we have the joining fee and raise funds through the tea, coffee, cake and raffle, and from those we are able to pay for speakers, craft materials, the hire of the room and, over the last couple of years, make a contribution towards a

At our March meeting we will be given lots of advice regarding styles, colours and fashion from Gail Painter, a personal stylist.

The wonderful team who keeps Downend looking so lovely, Downend in Bloom, are coming to talk to us in April.

May will be Fashion through the Ages, an interesting talk from one of our own members, Debbie Millar.

In June the wonderful author Susan Lewis is coming to Downend WI to talk about growing up in this area and her books.

Susan has written over 30 books and is a regular in the Sunday Times Bestsellers List. We are all super-excited about meeting Susan and reading her latest novel, No One Saw it Coming, which came out in January.

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 a tea or coffee.

Come along – you will be more than welcome!

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

Linda, Secretary

n WHAT’S ON

Facepainting Classes

March 25

n EMERSONS GREEN VILLAGE HALL SPRING FAYRE, 2-5pm, with stalls and games for all ages. Free entry. Refreshments available. To book a stall at the event contact reception@egvh.org.uk.

REGULAR EVENTS

Monday

n MEDITATION SESSIONS IN FRENCHAY Come along to the sessions that run from 3rd Monday each month at 7pm Frenchay Unitarian Chapel BS16 1ND from 20 Sept for the Person-centred Group Meditation and 1st Wednesday at 7pm from 6th Oct for the Kundalini movement meditation. Blessings to you. For more information contact Andrea on 07791119658 homewards.ma@btinternet.com.

n MESSY SPACE AT BADMINTON ROAD METHODIST CHURCH, 10.00-11.30am. This is a term-time group for babies and toddlers with their carers: play, crafts, story, refreshments. More information: www.badmintonroadmethodist.org. uk or 0117 239 3875

n PUCKLECHURCH SHORT MAT BOWLS CLUB Meet every Monday, Wednesday evening 7.30 - 10.00 and Sunday 2.30 - 5.00. Refreshments inc. All levels really Welcome. Ring Kath 07517 1297

Facepainting Classes

n LONGWELL LIGHTNING NETBALL CLUB is looking for members with experience of netball, aged 16 or over for seniors and over 10 for juniors. Training Monday nights at Wellsway Way School, in Keynsham. For more information call Maisie Nash on 07920 443820 for juniors, Sandra Nash on 07479 015048 for seniors.

n PILATES CLASS 18:45 – 19:45 at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, BS16 5SG. Contact Kerry 07919 051019 or email kerry@ yogaandpilatesforlife.com

n YOGA CLASS 19:55 – 20:55 at

Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, BS16 5SG. Contact Kerry 07919 051019 or email kerry@ yogaandpilatesforlife.com

Tuesday

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. More info from Graham on 07968 050320.

n PUCKLECHURCH FOLK

DANCING CLUB Established over 40 years we meet at Pucklechurch Community Hall Absom Road every alternative Tuesday 7.30pm until 10.15p.m. All welcolme with a partner or solo to enjoy good music, dancing and refreshments. Call Alan Mobile: 07812508396 or Linda 07843240414

n BODY TONE 9:30 – 10:30 at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, BS16 5SG. Contact Kerry 07919 051019 or email kerry@ yogaandpilatesforlife.com

Wednesday

n THE WOMEN’S SECTION OF THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION We meet the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 2pm at the old school hall now known as the YOU Foundation by the car park in Page Road Staple Hill. Speakers, quiz’s and handy craft afternoon finish’s with tea. If you are interested please telephone Madeleine Bills Secretary. 0117 9560805.

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 MANGO JAMS PARENT/CARER AND TODDLER GROUP meets every Wednesday at Lyde Green community centre, 9.15am to 11.15am. Warm and friendly group run by volunteers from St James Church.

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 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 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 £5 on the door. Cadbury Heath Social Club. Doors open 7.30pm. 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. For further information contact Sheila on 01179570792 or 07435316458 or email shinett@ blueyonder.co.uk.

n PILATES 10:15 – 11:15 at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, BS16 5SG. Contact Kerry 07919 051019 or email kerry@ yogaandpilatesforlife.com

n DOWNEND FLOWER ARRANGING CLUB meets at 7.30pm on the first and third Wednesday each month from September to June at Lincombe Barn, Overndale Road. For details call Genise on 0777 245 1217.

Thursday

n NEXT DOOR BOOKS welcomes new members. Book club meets on the last Thursday of the month at either 10am or 2pm, depending on numbers. Normally meets at Lyde Green Community Centre. email jessica.callaway@hotmail.co.uk.

n BRISTOL MALE VOICE

CHOIR are recruiting new members. 7pm - 9.15pm, St Andrew’s Methodist Church, Elm Park, Filton, BS34 7PS. A varied repertoire, no audition. No need to read music - our regular practices will get you in shape to sing at our regular concerts and enjoy the social vibe. www.bristolmvc.org.uk email secretary@bristolmvc.org. uk Telephone 07764447699.

n LONGWELL GREEN

ORCHESTRA meet each Thursday evening at Longwell Green Community Centre from 7:30 until 9:40. We have players of all abilities. Contact@longwellgreenorchestra. org.uk or 07972 844073. Please get in touch before to tell us what instrument and what level.

n PILATES 19:00 - 20:00 at The Sports Pavilion, Pomphrey Hill, Emersons Green, BS16 9NF. Contact Kerry 07919 051019 or email kerry@yogaandpilatesforlife.com

n YOGA 10:15 – 11:15 at Christ Church Parish Hall, North Street, BS16 5SG. Contact Kerry 07919 051019 or email kerry@

n WHAT’S ON n NEWS

yogaandpilatesforlife.com

Friday

n TAI CHI FOR PARKINSON’S. Weekly beginners Tai Chi & Qi Gong class for people with Parkinson’s disease, their families and carers. We meet for Tai Chi, tea and cake at Lincombe Barn, Downend. BS16 2RW. Time: 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 MANGO JAMS PARENT/ CARER AND TODDLER GROUP meets every Friday at St James Church Hall, Richmond Road, Mangotsfield, 9.15am to 11.15am. Warm and friendly group run by volunteers from St James Church: everyone welcome to attend.

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 RAINBOW TOTS PARENT AND TODDLER GROUP meets at Emersons Green Village Hall every Friday morning in term time, from 10-11.30am. All welcome - for more info e-mail church.egbc@ outlook.com

n MANGOTSFIELD AND CASTLE GREEN UNITED REFORMED

CHURCH regular coffee mornings, held on the first Thursday of the month, 10.30am-noon at the church in Cossham Street. Coffee, cake and a chat.

n MESSY VINTAGE Come and Share God-centred fun & fellowship for the Older Generation at Badminton Road Methodist Downend 2nd Friday monthly 9.30am to 12 noon. For Information 0117 2395984

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. Beginners very welcome. Please 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 is now up and running again, after Covid, at the Emersons Green Village Hall every Sunday at 10.30am. Do come along. It would be great to see you. We look forward to having our regulars back as well as many new people. We also hold regular craft services - please check our Facebook page for dates

n BADMINTON ROAD METHODIST CHURCH In-person Sunday worship continues weekly at 10.30am and all are welcome. For information contact: Revd Samuel Uwimana: 0117 239 5984 or www.badmintonroadmethodist. org.uk

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 very welcome. For more details please 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

News from Downend, Emersons Green & Staple Hill libraries

World Book Day and Downend, Emersons Green & Staple Hill Libraries

Developer fixes 'unsafe' fence

A DEVELOPER has replaced a fence around a field it owns in Mangotsfield, after complaints that it had made a nearby path unsafe to use.

The Voice reported in December that Taylor Wimpey was coming under pressure to do something about the site between Cossham Street and Rodway Hill Road, bordering the grounds of Mangotsfield United Football Club, Cleve Rugby Club and Mangotsfield School.

Fencing around the site was collapsing onto the paths that surround it, creating a hazard for people walking past and allowing unauthorised access to the field.

Mike Reeves, the chair of the former Save Mangotsfield Open Green Spaces Group, which successfully fought plans to build 180 homes on the field in 2009, teamed up with the Mangotsfield Residents Association, South Gloucestershire and Emersons Green town councillors to call for action.

A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said the work was completed at the end of January and a company representative met with councillors and residents, who approved of the work.

The spokesperson said: "Works to update the fencing at the Mangotsfield site are now complete. Ongoing maintenance works, focused on grass and scrub vegetation, will ensure the site will be cut back and maintained twice yearly moving forward."

Designated as green belt, the field, which is part of Mangotsfield but within the boundaries of Emersons Green Town Council, remains in the developer's land bank of potential housing sites.

World Book Day takes place on Thursday 2nd March. Find out all about it at www. worldbookday.com.

On World Book Day itself we have a treat in store for younger readers at Emersons Green Library.

The Dinosaur That Pooped (books by McFly star Tom Fletcher) is coming along to two special story times on the day at 2pm and then again at 4pm. No booking required – just an enthusiasm for stories and dinosaurs!

World Book Day is on a Thursday, so Staple Hill and Emersons Green Libraries are staffed between 10am – 5.30pm. If you prefer to use Downend Library you can do so 8am – 7.30pm (on any day) using Open Access – our unstaffed opening hours service. To find out more about

signing up for this ask staff for details or email libraries@southglos.gov.uk or visit www. southglos.gov.uk/libraries.

Is there a book you really want to read? Our catalogue has over 2 million items and you can reserve any of them for collection at Emersons Green Library for FREE! Check out all of the titles available at www.librarieswest.org.uk.

If you prefer to read e-books then you can download the FREE BorrowBox App and select any of our e-book titles to download onto your tablet or phone too. There are titles for adults and children. Plus we have added a significant number of e-books in Ukrainian too, so please let any host families or social workers working with refuges know about this.

The new fence.

Picture: Michael Bell

n LYDE GREEN OPEN SPACE

WE are heading into March and that can only mean one thing - spring is nearly here!

Due to the warmer weather, we are seeing early blooms of snowdrops and some daffodils poking through the warm soil.

When you are out and about, why not try looking up at the tree lines, look at nature’s sculpture, listen to nature, hear the branches of the trees creaking and cracking?

Listen to the wind and the birdsong when outdoors.

Another wonderful sight in March is the intricate designs of the bird nest. It’s now officially the busiest time for nesting season and it is visibly well underway. You will see nests aplenty in the trees and most larger nests will almost certainly be wood pigeon and carrion crow, with the smaller ones likely to be blackbirds.

On an important note, regarding nests, it is imperative that any hedge works or tree cutting works are carried out within accordance with the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Robins, tits and other smaller birds will be nesting in hedges and tall shrubs, so it is always important to check first if you are

looking to carry out any works.

As spring is nearly here, it’s time to think about your gardens and what to do. If we get a couple of dry days you may want to trim the lawn; keeping the grass for the compost or a nature area is a great idea.

You may also see an increase in slugs at this time. Please if you can, try to find alternative methods of prevention to pellets, as these can filter through to the plants and harm many other creatures that feed. We use crushed eggshell in our plots, which seems to work well.

Try and get control of the weeds this month, too - if left unattended for too long, they will burst into life and cover everything. Applications are open for our summer planting sponsorship and, if you own an independent business in the area and want a logo plaque on one of the planters at School Square, please do get in touch.

With the Metrobus now stopping at School Square, it means even more footfall than before and a great opportunity to get your name out there.

Keep your eyes open for our volunteer days, due to be happening throughout spring.

If you can help behind the scenes with us, even better!

We need someone who may be able to control our Facebook and Twitter handles, and a secretary to keep on top of our admin and emails.

We want to thank you all for the continued support: we are really gathering pace in Lyde, and there are some fantastic projects to come.

If you think you can help, please get in touch with us on Facebook or by email at lgopenspace@gmail.com.

Laurence Binks Chair, Lyde Green OpenSpace Group

Nature - it’s all around us… n NEWS Players bring Evita to Bristol

A MUSICAL theatre group based in Staple Hill is preparing to bring another West End blockbuster to the stage.

St Mary's Players will perform Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Evita at the Redgrave Theatre in Clifton in April.

Featuring a cast of more than 50 people who live locally, the show follows SMP's successful return from lockdown with Titanic: The Musical last year.

The group, founded in 1959 by parishioners of St Mary’s Church in Fishponds, has rehearsed at the Page Community Association hall in Staple Hill since the 1980s, winning regional drama awards for their productions.

Their latest show, which first premiered 45 years ago, is based on the true story of Eva Peron’s rise to become the most powerful woman in South America and includes the chart-topping hit Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.

The show runs from April 11-15 and tickets can be booked online at tickets.smpmtc.co.uk or by calling 0117 315 7800 on Monday to Friday from 3-5.30pm.

For more information about SMP, visit www.smpmtc.co.uk.

Members of St Mary's Players rehearse for their production of Evita

n LOCAL HISTORY

Could you help plan a heritage walk?

THE Community History and Arts Project is looking for volunteers to help plan and deliver its next local history walk around Downend.

The event, which will take place in September or October, will follow on from walks the group facilitated with 250 Downend School students last July.

The route will be based on the historical map which CHAP has produced and delivered free to local residents.

Copies of the map are available from local libraries, community centres and some shops, and can be viewed and downloaded from the CHAP website, www.downendchap.org/ historical-map.

CHAP treasurer John Lockwood said: "We've had loads of positive feedback on the school walks, and people have been asking us to put another one on which everybody can join in with.

"As well as us explaining the history we’ve found out during the walk, we’re keen to hear

people’s memories of Downend and Emersons Green.

"We hope that, by looking at our streets and buildings together, we will unearth lots of new stories to share with the local community."

Volunteers would be asked to help finalise the schedule, produce and hand out information, guide people along the route, or recount some of the events and characters from the past that have made our area what it is today.

If you are interested, please contact CHAP’s Chair, Janet Biggin, at downendchap@gmail. com or CHAP, 49 Overnhill Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 5DS.

CHAP’s goal is to build a sense of belonging and commitment to our area through an understanding of its character and history, enthusing people of all ages about our past, present and future.

For more details, visit www. downendchap.org.

Helen Rana

CHAP’s John Lockwood with reproduction stocks at the Green Dragon during school walks last year

Gaming on a budget 2: next level console hunting

LET’S be honest. New video games, and consoles, are really expensive.

Gone are the days where you could buy a brand new game for £30.

Now you’re looking at a minimum of £65, and that’s before even accounting for buying the consoles themselves, which start just below £400!

After looking at some of the ways you can pick up games at knock-down prices last month, this time we’ll turn our attention to consoles themselves.

We’ll see that you don’t need to spend big to have a lot of fun.

Some gamers would even argue that many of the greatest gaming experiences are found on older gaming hardware.

The best, and most accessible, shop to score some deals on second-hand items is eBay.

Due to the huge user base, you’ll have lots of sellers to choose from and can bag yourself some crazy savings.

For example, a working condition PlayStation 4 can be bought for £114, and this console is still getting games released for it, as

well hosting an exceptional gaming catalogue to work through. Compared to the £450 PlayStation 5, this is the best value for money without feeling like a ‘downgrade’.

By Emersons Green-based gamer Conor McGeachie

The next place to visit when looking for games that are a little easier on the wallet is CeX, a second-hand store which boasts a wide range of consoles and games.

Unlike eBay, CeX has many physical stores across the UK, making it much easier to inspect potential purchases prior to getting them.

This is what sets it apart from eBay, where a seller can always take favourable pictures and not show areas of damage, whereas in CeX you can ask to view a product out of the cabinet before buying.

Cex, and pawnbrokers like Cash Converters, also offer warranties, which you won’t get with a private seller on eBay.

They even offer warranties on old-school consoles like the Wii, GameCube and Sega Mega Drive.

But you will pay a little extra for the reassurance of a warranty, and the convenience of a bricks-and-mortar shop to visit and look at your potential purchase.

And the fixed pricing system they use means that while you know what you’ll pay, finding a real steal is less likely there than on a site with private sellers, like eBay or Gumtree.

Happy hunting!

Cleve dad and son in action

CLEVE'S crushing 43-0 win over Clevedon was also a game of milestones.

Brad Horman was playing his 150th game for the First team.

Andy O'Donnell and his son Harry made it a family occasion, playing together in the side for the first time.

It was a debut for Harry and 200-plus for Andy, who came close to the line early on as relentless pressure led to a penalty which coach Nathan Huntley, playing at number 10, banged over.

At the 7-minute mark Brad went down injured and left the field, which led to Harry making his debut.

Tries from Archie Franklin and coach Huntley followed before a father-son combination brought a drive near the line that resulted in Harry O'Donnell going over, to put Cleve 22-0 up at half-time.

A number of excellent performances from Cleve players, including a try from Will Warman after chipping through and recovering the ball, made this one of the best games this season.

The victory followed a narrow defeat in the local derby at Barton Hill, with Cleve missing out by just 1 point to lose 15-14.

Cleve dominated throughout the first half but could not get over the line, with wayward passes costing them dear while Barts went into Cleve’s 22 and trundled over for the only first half score.

Coach Huntley assessed the situation half time and made adjustments. Immediately on the restart

Cleve went into action and crossed Barts line. In a to and fro game, Barts slotted over a penalty to lead 8-7 before a penalty try put Cleve in pole position, then a converted try saw Barts go in front. Cleve pounded the Barts line but could not gain any more points.

Cleve's 36-7 win over Avonmouth saw tries from C J Harrison, Greg Wellings, Andy Priddle and Will Warman put them 26-7 up at half time, encouraged to play adventurous rugby by Coach Huntley. They kept the pressure up despite freezing temperatures and fog in the second half.

Cleve Seconds' 65-7 win over Wotton-underEdge included debuts for four Colts players, including Hayden Humphries, who scored a hattrick of tries.

Steve Bateman

begins

PRE-season nets have been begun for Carsons and Mangotsfield Cricket Club at Yate Academy, for both the adult and junior sections.

Both sessions have been well-attended, with up to 30 players for the adult sessions.

The sessions are running until the end of March.

Outdoor sessions will start at the beginning of April, which will be on a Tuesday and Thursday evening.

The club has also engaged Damian Forder to coach the club on a Tuesday evening.

The club is running its successful All Stars Cricket, starting on May 15 for eight weeks, from 6pm to 7pm. This is aimed at new players aged from 5 to 8.

Players can sign up through the All Stars website.

Cleve's close match against Barton Hill

n SPORT Flyers back in action

A SEEMINGLY endless cycle of waterlogged pitches and frozen grounds has abated, meaning the three Downend Flyers women’s teams have been back in action.

The first team have experienced two narrow defeats to Old Abbotonians and SGS Olveston Utd in the league, with Faith Flynn and Annabel Bean scoring consolation goals.

Meanwhile the reserves are in a rich vein of form, bagging three wins from their last four outings and scoring 11 goals in the process.

The A team have also enjoyed good fortune of late, with a fine 4-2 win over the Mitcheldean first team followed by a home walkover against Kingswood.

We are currently looking for coaches for our reserves and a coach/manager for our A team, as well as looking to strengthen our 1st team squad.

All enquiries to info@ downendflyers.com.

Duncan Gardner

Mangos invite fans in

MANGOTSFIELD United are offering fans free entry to their Cossham Street ground to see the improving team take on local rivals Roman Glass St George.

The Hellenic League Premier Division match on March 11, which kicks off at 3pm, will be the centrepiece of a community day aimed at bringing more people in to the club.

It comes as the Mangos' onfield fortunes improve.

A creditable 2-2 draw away to promotion-chasing Hereford side Westfields at the end of January was almost 3 points for the Mangos.

Ollie Jenkins and Jaydn Crosbie gave Mangotsfield a surprise 2-0 lead at half time.

The hosts dominated play after that, pulling a goal back in the 57th minute, but Mangos keeper Jakob Glover made some great saves, including a penalty on 83 minutes, before Westfields scored from a corner in stoppage time.

After 2-1 defeats away to

& Insulation

Corsham Town in the Bluefin Sports UHL Cup and in the league at another promotionchasing side, Worcester Raiders, the Mangos got back to winning ways with a 2-1 home win over Wantage Town in the Wiseman Lighting Floodlit Cup.

After chances at both ends, Mangos broke the deadlock on 27 minutes when Owen Ridler scored at the second attempt, after his first shot came back off the bar.

Three minutes later it was 2-0, thanks to a Jaydn Crosbie header following a corner

Wantage pulled one back on 89 minutes with a penalty, but it was too little, too late.

Three valuable points came on the following Saturday with a hard-earned 1-0 home win against a dogged Brimscombe & Thrupp side, the only goal coming from Tabu Minzamba on 79 minutes.

Three days later, the Mangos went goal crazy with a 4-2 away win at Lydney Town that put

them a very healthy 8 points clear of the division's bottom two clubs.

A great team performance produced goals from Ollie Jenkins, Owen Humphries, Luke Bence and Josh Haynes. It was an excellent win for the Mangos who, once ahead, always held the upper hand.

Dave Smale

Upcoming fixtures:

February 28:

Thornbury Town (H) 7.45pm

March 4:

Hereford Pegasus (A) 3pm

March 7:

Tuffley Rovers (A) 7.45pm

March 11:

Roman Glass St George (H) 3pm

March 18:

Wantage Town (A) 3pm

March 21:

Lydney Town (H) 7.45pm

March 25:

Corsham Town (H) 3pm

n ON THE TREATMENT TABLE Marcus Stewart, MND and a marathon

YES, I could talk the talk…now it was time to walk the walk.

A walking marathon to raise funds for a very worthwhile charity seemed like a great idea at the time but, as the big day moved closer, I began to question my sanity.

In the past, I had always shied away from participating in events of this type. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to raise money for good causes, it was more that I couldn’t face the prospect of letting anyone down.

So what changed my mind? I have previously shared with you the plight of our patient, friend and former Rovers and City striker Marcus Stewart, his diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease and how he plans to raise £100,000 for the Darby Rimmer Foundation, which is raising awareness and funds for research into a cure for MND and support for those it affects.

When Marcus and his wife Louise told us they were taking part in the marathon-length London Winter Walk, I couldn’t say no.

How could I plead that I don’t have the fitness or endurance to my friend, who would be doing the marathon himself while suffering from MND?

I roped in my wife Jenny and fellow chiropractor Catherine and actually started training in November – then it all stopped in December.

To be fair, the week before the marathon at the end of January, I did a quick 4k.

The ‘preparation’ continued the night before, with a nice meal and a bottle of wine or two in London.

When we arrived at The Oval cricket ground for the start of the event, we met the others – 18 of Marcus and Louise’s nearest and dearest, one dressed as an aubergine!

It was then I realised I was the only person to have done the equivalent of no training.

The first 10k was not too bad and, when we got to the first rest stop, everyone was in buoyant mood, with smiles all around.

The only thing I remember about the next 10k was the sights – Big Ben, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge came and went in a haze.

The lunch break marked the halfway point, and I could feel myself starting to limp.

HAIR DESIGNERS

We got up after just 20 minutes so we wouldn’t seize up…but it was too late for me. My mind couldn’t comprehend walking away with seizing, painful legs after already completing 21k.

I started to moan, firstly to Jen and Catherine, then to others in Marcus’s group and then simply to strangers. It made me feel a little better!

Finally, after eight hours and 42k, we crossed the finish line.

All the pain and agony was worthwhile, as we discovered the huge effort by everyone involved had raised more than £30,000,

the largest sum ever recorded by a single group doing the London Winter Walk.

I’m not saying I would do it again but, in a masochistic sort of way, I think I may have enjoyed the experience. The three of us raised £2,250 towards a wonderful charity.

For anyone who would like to support Marcus and Louise raising money and awareness for MND, a huge charity game is planned at the Memorial Stadium on May 13. There will be some superstars playing!

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

with Tim Button, Doctor of Chiropractic at Cleve Chiropractic and Next Step in Mangotsfield

My good friend Marcus Stewart and myself

New vicar arrives at Christ Church Downend

REV Dan Watts was presented with a huge iron key at the front door of Christ Church Downend as he was licensed as its new vicar.

The key is given to symbolise Dan’s role in welcoming people to the church and being open to all. Thankfully, we have modern keys these days, and Dan won’t be expected to keep the old one in his pocket!

church family at Christ Church, as we seek to serve the surrounding area together.

"We look forward to all that God has in store for us."

Stephen Newell

The service was a mix of old and new, as the traditions of the Church of England were blended with the informality of a church family in celebration mode.

Companion Elder at Mangotsfield and Castle Green URC (Cosham St.)

The Bishop of Swindon, Rt Rev Lee Rayfield, who led the service, brought a touch of fun to complement the gravitas of the moment. Rev Dan and the Bishop took a selfie of themselves with the congregation at the end.

The West Country rubbed shoulders with Yorkshire, as several supporters had made the long journey from St Mark’s Church, Harrogate, where Dan and his wife Julia, a primary school teacher, served until January. They have

two adult children, Megan and Samuel.

Dan is originally from Surrey, where he was a youth worker, builder and decorator before

Show home offered for refugees

A DEVELOPER has offered one of its show homes in Lyde Green to provide housing for Ukrainian refugees for a year.

Taylor Wimpey Bristol has handed the keys to the house to South Gloucestershire Council’s Homes for Ukraine programme,

responding to a call to ordination as a vicar in the Church of England.

He said: "We are excited to settle into the local community of Downend and join in with the

which supports individuals and families seeking refuge and a fresh start in South Gloucestershire.

The house will be available rent-free, with furnishings and appliances, until March next year when the company will take it back.

The government launched the Homes for Ukraine scheme in March last year and so far South Gloucestershire Council has supported more than 400 people who have been sponsored by residents in the area. Some now want to find their own homes, while others need help to find temporary accommodation when their sponsorship arrangements come to an end.

Taylor Wimpey Bristol Managing

The service on February 5 was attended by representatives from the community Dan has pledged to serve, including parish councillor Janet Biggin, Christ Church Junior and Infant School head teachers Pippa Osborne and Anna Martin, and Sean Dryell from Downend Cricket Club.

Ministers from surrounding churches also came to offer their welcome and support, including Archdeacon of Malmesbury

Christopher Bryan, area dean and vicar of St James Mangotsfield

Theresa Taylor and patron of Christ Church Downend Rev Matt Ineson.

To watch the service and find out more about Dan, visit the Christ Church Downend YouTube channel or Facebook page.

Anita Dobson

Director Keith Simmons said: “After facing the unimaginable difficulties of leaving their home country behind, we are really hopeful that having this house to move into will mark a new beginning for the people supported through Homes for Ukraine, who have been through so much.”

Council leader Toby Savage said: “The programme is a hugely important initiative which offers vital help for people displaced by the invasion and we would like to thank the Taylor Wimpey team for lending their support.”

For further information about the Homes for Ukraine scheme, visit www. southglos.gov.uk/ukraine

Rev Dan Watts (right) and Bishop of Swindon, the Rt Rev Lee Rayfield, took a selfie of themselves with the congregation at the service

Local elections in South Glos

Make sure you vote

Local elections will be held in South Gloucestershire on Thursday 4 May this year, for all 61 district councillors for 28 district wards, that make up South Gloucestershire Council, as well as 492 councillors for 50 town and parish councils. This includes deciding on the representatives for the newly created parish councils for Charlton Hayes, Stoke Park and Cheswick, and Staple Hill and Mangotsfield, along with the new town council for Kingswood.

Make sure you vote to have your say in how your local area is run.

Registering to vote

To vote in the May local elections, you will need to make sure you have registered to vote by the 17 April deadline.

You can register to vote on the GOV.UK website or contact the council by emailing electoral.services@southglos.gov.uk, calling 01454 863030 or visiting one of the council’s One Stop Shops where you can get a copy of the form to register or help from the customer service team.

Find out more on the council’s website southglos.gov.uk/vote

Did you know you now need photo ID to vote?

You will need to show photo identification (ID) when voting at a polling station. This is a new government requirement which will affect the South Glos local elections in May. Lots of photo IDs are acceptable, including some passports, driving licences, blue badges, and some bus passes. Check the full list of acceptable photo ID on our website. If you haven’t got one of these, or you no longer look like the photo on your ID, or the name on your photo ID is different to your name on the electoral register, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. You will need to do this by the 25 April deadline. You can apply for the certificate using the government portal.

Alternatively, the council can help you apply in person at its Badminton Road offices where someone can take your photograph and submit your application online for you. Call 01454

863030 to make an appointment which will be during normal office hours. Find out more about Voter ID on the council’s elections and voting webpages southglos.gov.uk/vote.

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Postal votes

If you cannot get to the polling station on 4 May or if it is more convenient, you can apply to vote by post. Anyone can apply for a postal vote, but you need to apply before 18 April. You won’t have to provide voter ID unless you have lost your postal vote and need to be issued with a new one. You will need to complete an application form on the Electoral Commission page. Postal votes can be sent to your home address or to any other address where you’ll be staying on the day of the election, including abroad.   We can’t guarantee timings of post sent abroad so you may wish to register to vote by proxy so someone else can vote on your behalf. Find out more about postal and proxy votes at southglos. gov.uk/vote.

Could you be a councillor?

Why not stand as a councillor in South Gloucestershire? It’s varied, highly fulfilling and a great way to make a real difference, whether by supporting individual residents with issues or helping your local community by driving new ideas. You could represent local people’s views on a whole range of things from planning applications through to local services. People from all backgrounds and experiences who can reflect their communities are needed.

You do not have to be a member of a political party to stand for election - you can also be an independent councillor. Councillors receive training so you will receive plenty of support. You will be paid an allowance and you can work flexibly. There are a number of eligibility criteria that need to be met by anyone wishing to stand as a candidate for South Gloucestershire Council or one of the area’s parish and town

councils. Anyone wishing to stand for election must submit a nomination by 4pm on 4 April. Details and guidance on standing for election and nomination papers can be found on the Electoral Commission website.

For more information on standing for election call 01454 863030, email electoral.services@ southglos.gov.uk or write to Electoral Registration, PO Box 1953, Badminton Road, Bristol, BS37 0DB.

Difficulties paying bills? Your council can help

Many people are worried about the rising cost of living and prices, in particular energy bills. If you are struggling to pay your bills, you may be able to get help from your council. It is allocating a further £500,000 to help people with the cost-of-living crisis.

The council’s support includes grants to help with energy, other household bills and home insulation. It can help if you are having difficulties paying council tax. And your child may be able to get free school meals if you are on certain benefits.

If you would like to talk to the council and check what financial support may be available for you, call its freephone helpline 0800 953 7778 (open 8.45am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45am to 4.30pm Friday). Alternatively, you can book an appointment at one of the One Stop Shops by emailing OSSAppointments@southglos.gov.uk. There is also lots of information on the council’s help with the cost-of-living webpage southglos.gov.uk/CostofLiving.