Brislington Community News No 46 for the week from 10th February 2024
Ash Wednesday & St Valentine’s Day Bristol Festival of Light Sponsor a hanging basket Clearing Brislington Brook The Spring Briz is coming Chocolate St Anne’s House Brislington churches community activities
To receive your weekly Brislington Community News direct to your inbox Click Here Your details are held securely and are not used for any other purposes
Happy half term To teachers, staff, students, governors and parents at our Brislington schools Broomhill Holymead Kingfisher Oasis St Anne’s St Brendan’s West Town Lane Wicklea
Wednesday 14th February
Ash Wednesday & St Valentine’s Day It’s unusual! Two very different days falling on the same day!
Ash Wednesday is all about changing ourselves for the better. It’s the day when the season of Lent begins – it’s four weeks before Easter when those who want to, have a go at changing aspects of their lives: by taking something up or giving something up. St Valentine’s Day is all about romantic love and commemorates the story of Valentine who was a priest during the third century in Rome. Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, so he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.
Valentines Day Quiz Wednesday 14 Feb - 6pm - 10pm Lovebirds and brainiacs, get ready to put your love knowledge to the ultimate test! Join us at St Anne’s House for a Valentine’s Quiz Night like no other. Expect an evening filled with brain-teasing love trivia, delicious food, refreshing drinks, and heart-melting prizes. This isn’t your typical Valentine’s Day celebration; it’s a humorous and light-hearted take on love and knowledge. Whether you’re single, taken, looking for love, just love a good quiz, this night is for you. Secure your spot now for an evening of love, laughter, and trivia – book here. Any questions contact erin@bricksbristol.org
Bristol Light Festival All about it 2nd -11th February 5.00 -10.00pm Here
Friends of Brislington Brook Clearing the stream 10.00 am Sunday February 11th Bramble bash at Nightingale Valley More Information Here
BRIZ is a twelve page physical newsletter, developed by the BRIZ volunteer editorial team. The content is about all things Brislington, touching on local curiosity, local actions, local groups, local creativity, and local happenings. So far, there has been a Winter issue, Spring issue and Autumn Issue, with the next issue being Summer and launched in June 2024. We are currently looking for more volunteers, contributors and writers to come on board for the next issue. Join us on Monday 12 Feb, 5-6pm at St Anne's House to find out more, meet other volunteers and start sharing ideas for the next issue. We're especially looking for keen writers to start writing, articles and stories for the publications - all levels of experience are welcome. If this is something you'd be interested in, you can visit the webpage to learn more and submit a creative idea! www.stanneshouse.org/projects/briz
Just a quick heads up that road resurfacing is planned at the junction on Wick Road, Sandy Park Road & Allison Road, from Monday 12th February, for 3 days. Please take alternative routes and allow extra time on your journey. The side streets are not suitable for 2 way traffic! Thankfully, it’s half term week, so no school runs. The No. 1 bus will have to be diverted but cannot find anything on First Bus. I’m assuming it will have to bypass the whole of Allison Road & Sandy Park Road, using School Road and Bath Road.
Register to vote
Local elections are coming up in May for Brislington and almost certainly later in the year a General Election. To vote we need to have registered The more who vote, the better our democracy Who can register to vote? You must be aged 16 or over (or 14 or over in Scotland and Wales). You must also be one of the following: ✓ a British citizen ✓ an Irish or EU citizen living in the UK ✓ a Commonwealth citizen who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need permission ✓ a citizen of another country living in Scotland or Wales who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need permission How to register to vote? Here And for a postal vote Here
The best & fairest chocolate in the world Read all about it Here
The Real Easter Egg More Here
Winter Wellbeing/Gardening Come and join our friendly wellbeing group. We meet on Wednesdays during term time at Broomhill Junior School. We will be doing some seasonal outdoor gardening (weather dependant) as well as indoor options to include wellbeing and mindfulness as well as opportunities to meet new friends. Eligibility aged 19+ with few or no qualifications
Starts: Wednesdays Mornings 9.00-11.00am Broomhill Junior School Allison Road, BS4 4NZ Contact: Catherine.Landon@bristol.gov.uk 07785 702454 to book
Helping Ukraine, helping ourselves Here are two local Brislington people taking initiatives to wartorn, winter bombed Ukrainians. Both have fundraisers: Chris Monks: Gofundme
Simon Porter: Justgiving Why not consider supporting them? Both Chris and Simon are known to the newsletter editor
St Anne’s House Regular activities / social events Here
St Anne’s House is a creative and community hub grown from the ambition of local communities in St Annes and creative communities in Bristol. Here you will find creative and community projects, rooms to hire, a cooperatively run gym, play therapy, social prescribing, artist studios, coworking, artist project space, theatre studios, massage therapy, wellbeing and much much more. Our aim is to build community resilience, foster connections, grow local talent, inspire creativity, and provide a space to test out new ideas https://stanneshouse.org/, @bricksbristol, stannes@bricksbristol.org or call us on, 07709264201
Language Cafe Thursday 22nd Feb, 2pm - 3.30pm free. Come along to the free languages cafe at St Anne’s House! Everyone is welcome, whatever your language background. You don’t need to speak more than one language to attend. The only thing you need is an interest in learning more about language(s) and dialects. Following sessions will be on /All 2pm3.30pm: • 7th, 21st March Email: multilingual.cafe.BS4@gmail. com with any questions of if you'd like to come along.
Saturday 17 February 11am - 2pm - free. Join us for a day of warmth, creativity, and community at the St Anne’s Creative Warmer. Whether you’re interested in writing, nature and climate, or just want to pop in and see what’s going on, this event has something for everyone. To find out more specifics that will be happening on the day, please visit here.
Poetry for everyday, Brislington - Creative Writing Workshop. Join writer Jack Young for a free Creative Writing Workshop at St Anne's House. Saturday 17 Feb, 11am - 1pm. This creative and fun workshop will look at the poetry of the mundane, thinking through what it means to pay attention to small moments, things that are often left behind, and the intimacies of the world we live in. We will work with familiar objects and places and transform them through art-making, using techniques such as automatic writing, collage, and collective narrative-building. No previous experience is needed. Open to all ages and abilities. The workshop is part of the BRIZ programme 2024, and will help create ideas for the upcoming summer issue, with the opportunity to have your work published in the publication. BRIZ is the community newsletter for all things Brislington, to find out more about the printed newsletter please visit: stanneshouse.org/projects/briz. Book here
Click Here
Beyond Brislington
If King Henry VIII had dropped a plastic bottle when he was on the throne in 1547, plastic from that bottle would still be around today
Click Here to find out more
Racial Justice Sunday Here This year’s Racial Justice Sunday resources explore the movement of people from their homelands to the places they now call home and examine the motivations behind this movement – the journeys made, and the reception or welcome received on arrival. According to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), ‘At least 108.4 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes. Among them are nearly 35.3 million refugees, around 41 per cent of whom are under the age of 18.’
This Sunday with the bible
Every Sunday we have three short passages from the bible to reflect on. There's usually one from the Old Testament - the Jewish bible as well as Christian; one from the life of the early church after Jesus; and one from the gospel stories of Jesus' life.
Have a read Here How to know something is real if we can’t see it? Plenty of physical things: - radio waves, air, gravity etc, Plenty of emotional things: - love, beauty, joy We know they are there because we know their effects Plenty of spiritual things - the love of God for each of us, the presence of the Holy Spirit, Prayers, angels
Around our Brislington churches
Church services across Brislington February 2024. There’s a great choice of churches, times and types of services across the Brislington churches. If you have not been to one yet or recently, you’ll be very welcome! St Anne
Sunday before Lent 4th February
St Christopher Share in worship Here
10.00 am Holy 10.30 am Communion All Age Together
Wednesday 7th February 10.00 am Morning Prayer
Ash Wednesday 14th February
10.00 am Holy Communion and Ashing
10.30 am Holy Communion
St Peter Methodist
10.30 am Holy Communion
10.00 am Word and Worship
10.30 am Morning Worship
10.30 am Creative All age church
Wednesday 21st February
10.00 am Holy Communion
10.00 am Holy Communion
10.30 am Holy Communion
10.00 am Holy Communion
10.30 am Holy Communion
7.00 pm Holy Communion and Ashing
1st Sunday in Lent 10.00 am 18th February Holy Communion
Wednesday 28th February
St Luke
10.00 am Holy Communion
Sunday 11th February
2nd Sunday in Lent 25th February
St Cuthbert
10.30 am Deeper Worship
10.30 am Morning Prayer
10.00 am Holy Communion
10.30 am Morning Worship
10.30 am Holy Communion
10.00 am Worship Together
10.30 am Morning Worship
10.00 am Holy Communion
St Anne’s Church
St Christopher’s church
St Cuthbert’s church
St Luke’s church
Living in Love and Faith The Living in Love and Faith course is being offered by St Luke’s church as its Lent course this year. It will be supported by an independent facilitator and will take place in St Luke’s church hall. Everyone is welcome, from Brislington churches and the wider community Meet at 7.15pm for Tea & Coffee. Start session 7.30pm prompt and finish 9.00pm Monday 19th February Tuesday 27th February Tuesday 5th March Tuesday 12th March Tuesday 19th March Church Parade, Brislington, Bristol BS4 4LS The Course aims to help Christians think more deeply about what it means to be human. It provides a structured and accessible way for local groups to engage in and reflect on Living in Love and Faith, a major exploration of Christian teaching and learning about identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage. The five sessions of the course each address a key question: * What does it mean to learn together as followers of Jesus Christ? * How does our identity in Christ relate to sex and gender? * What kinds of relationships does God call us to? * Where do our bodies and sex fit into all of this? * How do diversity and difference affect our life together as a church? Each session includes an opening reflection about learning together, followed by teaching, time for discussion and Bible study. Watch the Living in Love and Faith Course trailer
St Peter’s Methodist church
Craft and Hobbies Club Monday 19.30 – 21.00 Carol Payne 0117 9710747 We are a friendly group of Crafters who love to chat while making items for charity and family. Join us and knit, crochet, sew, cross stitch, etc. Brislington Carers Group We are a friendly supportive group of people who care for someone who has dementia. The meetings allow us time to discuss our caring roles and to feel genuinely listened to. First Wednesday of each month 10.30-12.30 Louise Brown 07752 340370 Brislington School of Dance Tuesday 16.45 – 19.30 Thursday 19.00-21.20 Friday 17.30 – 18.30 18.45-20.45 Saturday 09.00 – 17.30 term time only Debbie Bassett 01761 472 109 Stagehandsdance@gmail.co The Brislington School of Dance was established over 30 years ago by principal dance teacher Debbie Bassett who still runs the school today. Many of the students that grew up taking dance classes now send their own children here. Dancing can impart many skills that can be used throughout life. Zum Zumba Thursday 17.00-19.00 Gill Tippetts 0782 7441 109 Gilltip@gmail.com Jacqui Price 0776 6467 093 Zumba is a combination of salsa and aerobics involving your entire body, from your arms to your shoulders and your feet, so you’ll get a full-body workout whilst having fun and enjoyment.
Tai Chi Monday 14.15 – 15.15 John Bruce 0771 8745 815 Tai Chi is a set of exercises which seek to establish a balanced and relaxed body. Based on Chinese wisdom it is well known for reducing stress and producing excellent health benefits, both mental and physical. Broomhill Food Club Tuesday 12.30 – 14.30 FOOD CLUB | Ebcc (eastbristolchildrenscentre.co.uk) Runs in partnership with Family Action. For £3.50 each week we offer a food parcel worth approx. £15 for anyone who lives in the local community who wants to reduce waste and save money. You are welcome to contact us. Keep Fit Wednesday 10.00 – 11.00 Eileen Scott 0796 9929 733 Scottyartois@hotmail.com Improve mobility, flexibility, strength, balance and general wellbeing, whilst having fun and making new friends. All are welcome. Try the first session for free.
Bristol Concert Wind Band Wednesday 19.30 – 21.30 Ian Maitland-Round Info@bcwb.co.uk 0117 4057369 Bristol Concert Wind Band (BCWB) has rehearsed at St Peter’s since 2001 and enjoys an excellent relationship with the Church providing concerts and playing at our Carol Services. BCWB is among the premier wind band in the Bristol area.
Brislington United Reformed Church
Brislington United Reformed Church The Grove Brislington Bristol BS4 3LG www. Brislingtonurc.org.uk Weekly activities Monday. Zumba with Kate 10am. & 6-45pm
07988787710
Chair dance/ Pilates 2-3pm Pilates 3-30-4-30 Tuesday. B Well Pilates 10-15am Postnatal 11am
07539217177 07984582228
Martial Lifestyle Kick Boxing 4-8pm
Gio 07849245975
Wednesday. Senior Tea Dance Club 2-4pm
Pat 07802478459
Brownies 5-30
Amanda 0117 9510066
Gardeners club 1st Wednesday of the month 2-4 Thursday. Little Elephants 9-11am Zumba with Kate 6-45
Hannah 07496193408 07988787710
Friday. Zumba Gold with Nicky 10-10-45am
07914338216
Hound Plus puppy training 5-30pm
07598696633
To hire our hall either: Visit our web site www.brislingtonurc.org.uk Raphael 0117 9777534
0117 3825478
Websites Click to open
St Anne St Christopher St Cuthbert St Luke St Peter's (Methodist) Facebook Click to open St Anne Facebook St Christopher Facebook St Cuthbert Facebook St Luke Facebook St Peter's (Methodist)
Brislington Community News Follow local news and requests Click on any of these Brislington Community Forum Brislington Community Page
St Anne's Community Group Brislington People's Group Friends of Arnos Court Park
Brislington Ward Councillors West Brislington Jos Clark Andrew Varney Quarterly newsletter, 'Focus on Brislington West' delivered to every household across the ward. You can also sign up for a monthly eFocus at: BristolLibDems.org/localefocus. Facebook: Brislington Liberal Democrats Twitter: @BrisLibDems @AndrewJVarney @josclark6 Instagram: andrewjvarne East Brislington Katja Hornchen Tim Rippington
About this weekly Newsletter This is a weekly church and community newsletter from the Brislington churches and is available to anyone who wants to receive it. There is no charge and anyone can subscribe or unsubscribe from it just as they wish. If you would like to subscribe to this Newsletter - and we hope you do - please click here. It's quite free, no links or hidden hooks and we don't use your contact details for anything else To unsubscribe click the 'unsubscribe' button at the end of the newsletter The newsletter is open for articles, events, pictures and other information The editor of this Newsletter is Guy Wilkinson guy@gwilkinson.org.uk 07515327757 The newsletter does not necessarily represent the views of the Church Councils of the Brislington churches