Bishopston Voice May 2024

Taste of success

A man who started a winemaking business after growing vines on his allotment in Montpelier has won a TV competition to have his spritzer drinks stocked in more than 1,000 branches of Aldi UK.

Full story: Page 3

Bristol goes to the polls

BRISTOL will see a change in the way it’s governed this month following the local elections on May 2.

The mayoral system that’s been in place for 12 years is being scrapped and the city council is returning to a committee system.

All 70 council seats are up for grabs and a political party will need to win at least 36 of them to take power. If there is no outright majority, a coalition

administration might be formed.

Labour has been running Bristol since 2016, although since 2021 it has not had an overall majority. The outgoing administration comprised 24 Greens, 23 Labour, 14 Conservatives, five Liberal Democrats, two Knowle West Community Party, and two independents.

The Green Party are defending four seats in

Bishopston & Ashley Down and Redland where they face contenders from Labour, the Lib Dems and the Conservatives.

Electors will also be casting their votes for the next Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner. The post has been held for the past three years by the Conservative Mark Shelford, who faces challenges from the other three parties.

More details: Pages 4 & 5

Rovers return for goalie, 81

Bernie Hall, 81, who played in goal for Bristol Rovers in the 1960s, met players and officials on a VIP visit to the Memorial Ground. PAGE 7

Victory over village green

Neighbours have won their fight for a patch of land near their homes at Ridgehill, Henleaze, to be declared a village green.

8

Hopes high for Steiner School

Supporters battling to save Bristol Steiner School are hopeful that their rescue efforts will mean it come sout of administration soon.

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Cheers! James's spritzers show their sparkle

A BRISTOL winemaker has won a TV competition to have one of his products stocked in a major supermarket chain.

James Bayliss-Smith’s success came in the Channel 4 show Aldi’s Next Big Thing, hosted by Anita Rani of Countryfile and Chris Bavin from The One Show.

James, from Montpelier, competed against other food and drink producers last month in an episode of the show with a party theme. He pitched two of his low-alcohol English wine spritzers to the judges, and at their suggestion experimented with a wider range of flavours and clearer packaging.

As a result, his improved cans of yuzu and elderflower and raspberry and pomegranate spritzers were chosen to go on sale in more than 1,000 Aldi stores across the UK.

Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi UK, said: "It's an excellent product,

and I know it's going to sell. James has drawn everything together to give us a spritz that's going to look wonderful on Aldi’s shelves.”

James, who is also a documentary cameraman and filmmaker, makes his ‘low

Evictions rocket

EVICTION from private rented property has become the biggest cause of homelessness in Bristol for the first time in four years.

A total of 234 households were told to leave properties by their landlord between October and December – more than double during the same period in 2019.

intervention, natural wines’ from the best English grapes from across the UK, all sustainably packaged in aluminium cans.

The spritzers are made with English wine, Glastonbury spring water and syrups from the Bristol Syrup Company.

James said: “I’m so happy! Who would have thought I would go from making wine in my allotment vineyard to having my product on sale in Aldi.”

James’s business, named Nania’s Vineyard, began when he planted 30 vines on the allotment behind his home. He works with partners in the English and Welsh wine industries to produce ‘natural wines canned for the craft beer generation’. He also brews barrel-fermented kombuchas and until now has sold his products in local independent shops.

The competition is part of Aldi’s ongoing commitment to support British suppliers. Last year, Aldi spent an additional £1.3 billion with British suppliers and growers, and they provide more than three quarters of all items sold in its stores.

The supermarket has also introduced a ‘Best of British’ section to its website.

A city council meeting was told there are now more than 1,500 families and single people in temporary accommodation in Bristol, while more than 6,000 without a roof over their head ask the local authority for help every year – a 25 per cent rise since the pandemic. Cabinet members approved measures to tackle the spiralling problem but admitted it was a “sticking plaster” as they urged the Government to take urgent action amid a “horrendous” national crisis.

By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporter

James Bayliss-Smith pours some of his successful spritzers

n LOCAL ELECTIONS - Bishopston & Ashley Down ward

No information supplied

I’m 22 and I am standing as a Conservative candidate in Bishopston and Ashley Down. I first moved to Bristol in 2020 to study medicine at university and am currently in my 4 th year. When I fully qualify, I am considering either being a GP or a Geriatrician. My policy interests are in medicine, student/young people issues and the environment. In my spare time I enjoy walking, he organ and reading. If elected I would focus on increasing access to public transport and investing in green spaces.

Eileen was previously a City Councillor in Bristol East and so will hit the ground running in Bishopston & Ashley Down. She stood in the ward in 2021 and when she campaigned with Andrew Milton during the byelection in August last year, many people recognised her, came to chat and raised issues not being dealt with. At the Labour stall each month on the Gloucester Rd they successfully presented a petition on NHS Dentistry to the Integrated Care Board and collected donations to the FFA at The Ardagh.

I I have been selected a second time as a Labour candidate for Bishopston & Ashley Down, following the August by-election where we achieved a 10% swing. I was born in Bristol and I'm proud to live in this ward, one of the most pleasant parts of the city. In the past I have led community campaigns and worked as an Environmental Engineer in local government on traffic, flooding, and community infrastructure projects. I know how to get things done. This experience will help me represent our ward, and win the changes you want to see.

I was born in Bristol and grew up in and around Bishopston. I am a Utility infrastructure engineer, and I know that being able to collaborate with a diverse mix of people is where the most creative and innovative solutions to our city’s problems will come from, which we will be sure to need in the next few years. I was thrilled to have been elected in August last year, and I am restanding to be a councillor so I can continue representing the ward and fighting for a cleaner, greener, Bristol.

As a NHS scientist working on gene therapies I know the importance of evidence-based decisions and what can be achieved when a team of people work together. I would promote cross-party working on the council, and scrutinise policy. I have lived in the Bishopston and Ashley Down ward for over ten years and value its mix of green spaces and local businesses. As someone reliant on walking and public transport to get to work, shop and socialise I welcome the building of Ashley Down Station and would prioritise improving public transport and accessibility .

I was first elected in 2021. I have loved being a councillor for Bishopston and Ashley Down and am proud of what we have achieved, especially around road safety, planting trees on Horfield Common and helping Ashley Down School get a school street. I've been the shadow cabinet member for transport and active travel. My background is in therapy and wellbeing and I’ve worked with groups such as families living with autism, the LGBTQ+ community and in palliative care. I’m also an active environmental campaigner. I have lived in Bristol my whole life, and locally for 15 years.

Barry Cash is a 73 year-old widower with one adult daughter. Born and bred in Bristol he has lived in Bishopston since 1958. He joined the SDP in 1981 and the Liberal Dems when they merged. An Open University graduate, he has always been passionate about science. His main aim is to leave a better world for future generations. He believes there is only one problem that science cannot solve: “How do we make the people in charge listen?” He joined Grandparents for a Safe Earth to take non-violent direct action in 2012. He supports XR.

Edward Yates Conservative

Samuel Williams Conservative

James Crawford Green Party

Emma Edwards Green Party

Eileen Means Labour

Andrew Milton Labour

Laura Barry Liberal Democrat

Barry Cash Liberal Democrat

n LOCAL ELECTIONS - Redland ward

Claire

No information supplied

No information supplied

Fi Hance Green Party

I’ve represented Redland ward since 2014, dealing promptly with residents’ questions, supporting them with traffic, road safety, recycling and parking problems. , I’m active in the city’s climate and nature partnerships. I successfully amended the council budget several times, funding extra rooms in council houses to enable families to look after foster children, and getting £4m extra capital for parks and streets. A committee chair for many years, I led scrutiny of community services, where I ensured cross-party reviews of policy on libraries, parks, trees, and recently helped win a reverse on new allotment rules, charges, and rents.

I live in Melbourne Road and if elected as one of our councillors I’ll always champion Redland as part of the Labour team with James, our MP Thangam Debbonaire, and Metro Mayor Dan Norris. Should Labour win the General Election later this year, we would finally be able to bring our buses back into public ownership - a key pledge for Bristol Labour. I want to see more as investment in walking, cycling, and electric vehicle provision, too. Speaking to hundreds of residents across Redland it’s clear we also need a community-led solutions to parking and dealing with HMOs.

I’m a proud Bristolian and I would be wholly committed to representing and supporting the needs of constituents, as well as working to make Bristol an even better place to live. As a local resident, I know what a great place Redland is to call home. If given the opportunity to be elected as one of your local representatives, I will work hard alongside my Labour colleagues to bring buses back into public ownership, build 3000 new council homes and make Bristol carbon neutral by 2030.

James would bring experience in education and social policy to the council. Former roles include:

• Headteacher of Cotham School (1998-2006)

• Trustee of the Bristol Music Trust

- Colston Hall now Bristol Beacon (2013-2019)

• Director Learning Partnership West (2014-2019)

•Chair of the Bristol based Charity ‘The Green House ’ which provides psychotherapy and counselling for adults and children affected by sexual abuse (2009 – 2015)

• Trustee of Bristol University (2010 – 2017) widening participation

Fi has been a a city councillor for Redland ward since 2009. In that time she has worked in lots of different areas, including being the part of the rainbow cabinet looking after public health and then waste and energy. Currently she chairs the public safety and protection committee and sits on licensing and planning committees, along with being on the board of governors for the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS foundation. She has lived in Bristol since coming here as a student many moons ago, has two adult daughters and in her spare time loves a cold water swim and runs the odd half marathon.

No information supplied

Elections are on May 2

We're voting for Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner too

Remember to take photo ID to the polling station

Hiscott Conservative

George Day Conservative

Martin Fodor Green Party

Thomas Lydon Labour

James Nethercote Labour

Joshua Warwick-Smith Liberal Democrat

James Wetz Liberal Democrat

Police and crime commissioner contest

VOTERS will have four candidates to choose from in the election for the next Avon & Somerset police and crime commissioner.

The PCC oversees Avon & Somerset police and is tasked with ensuring the force is "efficient and effective", with the power to hire and fire the chief constable, and set both the force's budget and the precept charge paid by council tax payers.

The job, which comes with a salary of £88,600 a year, also involves setting the service's priorities through a police and crime plan, funding crime prevention and working with other organisations on a 'joinedup' local response to crime.

Elections will be held on May 2, when local elections are taking place in some parts of the country.

But the only part of the Avon & Somerset force area where allout council elections are being

held is Bristol.

The current PCC is Conservative Mark Shelford, who is standing for re-election this year.

The PCC usually serves a four-year term but because the previous election was delayed by a year because of the pandemic, Mr Shelford has only been in office for three years.

Labour came second in 2021. The party's candidate this year is Clare Moody, a former MEP who is currently the chief executive of

a charity.

The Greens, third in 2021, have selected Katy Grant, a Bristol city councillor and magistrate who previously worked for the UN.

Standing for the Liberal Democrats, who were fourth last time around, is Benet Allen, a former Somerset West and Taunton Council deputy leader who has worked in TV news and for a coach company.

Mr Shelford is the second person to hold the role of PCC

since it was created in 2012.

His predecessor Sue Mountstevens, an independent, stood down in 2021 and her deputy, John Smith, came fifth in the last election. There is no independent candidate this year.

Another difference is that this year's election uses the firstpast-the-post system also used in Parliamentary elections.

Previous PCC elections were held using a 'supplementary vote' system, where voters were able to vote for a first and second choice candidate. The two leading candidates after first choice votes were counted then received second choice votes from people whose first choice had been eliminated.

Polls are open from 7am until 10pm. Anyone voting in person will need to bring photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence.

For more information on the election, visit the website www. aspccelections.co.uk.

Police and crime commissioner candidates Benet Allen, Katy Grant, Clare Moody and Mark Shelford

It's a Rovers return for goalkeeper Bernie

A BRISTOL Rovers legend has been honoured by his former club.

Goalkeeper Bernie Hall played 162 games for Bristol Rovers in the 1960s before his career was ended through injury.

Bernie, 81, is a resident at the St Monica Trust’s Russets and Sherwood Care Home and it was wellbeing coordinator Jim Forrest who contacted the club on Bernie’s behalf.

Between them, Jim and the Rovers Community Trust CEO Adam Tutton arranged an unforgettable day for Bernie and his grandson at a home match against Carlisle United.

After arriving at the Memorial Ground, the pair were given a tour of the stadium before being taken to the home dressing room, where he was applauded by the Rovers first team and presented with a club pennant.

He then enjoyed a pre-match meal in the executive box where he met Club President Wael Al-Qadi, CEO Tom Gorringe and

At half-time, Bernie and his family were invited onto the pitch where he was introduced to the 9,000 strong crowd.

Bernie was then presented with a personalised goalkeeper’s jersey from Adam Tutton and a commemorative cap from Supporters’ Club board representative, Helen Wigmore.

The number 134 on Bernie’s goalkeeper’s jersey represented

the number of consecutive games he played for the first team and the number on his cap was in recognition of Bernie being the 361st player to sign for the club.

The day was a surprise for Bernie and he was overjoyed with the experience. He said: “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be presented to crowd at half-time and now I know. It was fantastic!”

Bernie was only 24 years

old when a challenge from an opposing centre forward left him in a coma for 16 days and forced him to retire from the game.

One of the highlights of his career was a Fourth Round FA Cup tie against a Manchester United team that included Best, Law and Charlton. Despite losing 4-1, Dennis Law sought him out at end of game to shake his hand and told him he was a brilliant keeper – better than their own.

After retiring from football, Bernie worked as a groundsman at the Imperial Sports Ground. He was also an accomplished cricketer and coached his local school football team.

Jim, who accompanied Bernie on the day, said: “From the minute he was met in the car park by fans asking him to autograph programmes from his playing days to the final whistle, Bernie was overwhelmed with the reception he received from everyone associated with the club and he can’t thank them enough.”

Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees.

Bernie Hall relives his day at the Mem with Jim Forrest

Neighbours win fight for site to become village green

CAMPAIGNERS have won their battle to protect a popular picnic spot in Henleaze.

Bristol City Council has agreed an application from people living nearby to register the land at Ridgehill as a village green, despite objections from the landowner and a few neighbours. The decision was taken by the public rights of way and greens committee on April 15.

The application for the small site at the end of a cul-de-sac was first made in 2022 by people living nearby. Writing to the council, they set out the reasons for protecting the site, including how volunteers have helped with its upkeep.

The applicants said: “Since 1988, the local community has held annual summer picnic barbecues. Local people have volunteered to cut grass and

generally maintain the land. Chippings have been laid to improve the surface of the informal path crossing the site and linking to the network of public rights of way across Golden Hill.

“Throughout all this time, access to the land and adjacent public footpaths has not been interrupted or prevented by the landowner. For over 30 years, Ridgehill Green has been in regular community use for picnic barbecues, recreational gardening, ad hoc passing-by on recreational walks, or just a place to stop and chat.”

Several neighbours also wrote in to support the green, and objected to a recent planning application for a house there. The planning application received many letters in objection, and some in support.

But others supported the

The site at Ridgehill that councillors have decided should be declared a village green

planning application, and said the landowner, Mushtaq Ahmed of Stapleton Road, should be allowed to build a house on land that he owns. Mr Ahmed objected to the village green plan, saying his planning application by law means it must be refused.

However, council officers said that as he applied for planning permission in 2023 — after the residents applied to register the land as a village green in 2022 — that wasn’t a valid reason for refusal.

One neighbour also objected to the village green application, saying the small piece of land was seldom used for anything other than a shortcut by people walking to the nearest Tescos. They also wrote to the council last year with their objections.

It’s understood there are over 100 members of the local neighbourhood watch group, who were all informed of the application. The council initially put up public notices in the wrong place, but then later put up notices at the picnic spot, informing residents of the application.

The public rights of way and greens committee were urged to make a decision on registering the land, rather than deferring to a barrister to examine all the evidence. Specialist barristers are often brought in for town

and village green applications, costing the taxpayer many thousands.

Conservative Councillor Steve Smith said: “You can and should make a decision on this today. There’s three objections. One from the landowner that’s baseless, because it’s based on a planning application that was submitted after the TVG.

“There’s one from a neighbour. Although it questions how many people knew of the application, it doesn’t actually dispute any of the facts that the application is based on. In fact, it confirms that this piece of land has been used by the community for some years.

“And the third objection, I don’t believe is an objection at all. It describes the history of the land, but it doesn’t object to it being a TVG. So you’ve got one baseless objection, one objection that isn’t an objection at all, and one objection that actually substantiates what the applicants are saying.”

The committee voted unanimously to register the site as a village green. However, the landowner could still legally challenge the decision in the courts, as is happening with a more high-profile application, for Stoke Lodge playing fields in Stoke Bishop.

By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Walking and talking

BRISTOL Walk Fest launches its month-long event with an inaugural group walk across The Downs on May 1, followed by a series of talks at the Whiteladies shop of sponsors Ellis Brigham.

The group walk, led by Bristol Ramblers, will start from the water tower on The Downs at 5.30pm, visiting Goat Gully and the Sea Walls before finishing at the store by 6.45pm.

The speakers are author Robin Tetlow, Sophie Brown – founder of Bristol Steppin Sistas, Charlotte and Becky from Bristol Hiker Girls and Hannah Atkinson – founder and walk leader at Queer Hiking Bristol. For more information about the festival please visit www. bristolwalkfest.com

Steiner School rescue bid hits milestone

HOPES are rising that Bristol’s only holistic, human-scale school can be saved.

Supporters of Bristol Steiner School say £210,000 has been donated to their cause, supplemented by £770,000 in loans.

This means that the school, which went into administration in December after experiencing financial difficulties, is optimistic it will be able to continue in the next academic year.

The administrators of Bristol Steiner School and Kindergarten, in Redland Hill, have confirmed they are working with the board of trustees and the parent group at the school on proposals to move the school out of administration and to reverse the planned closure in July.

They have praised the rescue plan put together by families and the wider community, stating: “We are, in principle, impressed with the proposition that could give the school a viable future.”

Lindsay Berresford, chair of the parent, teacher and friends association (PTFA), said they had received a heartening display of community support and dedication that had enabled them to come up with sustainable future plans for the school.

She explained: “For over 50 years the Bristol Steiner School has been a beacon for parents seeking a human scale school where childhood is valued and in which a lifelong love of learning may grow. When the school was put into administration, parents and staff decided to fight back and over 40 people began work on a rescue bid.

“The rescue group has diligently crafted a comprehensive business plan aimed at revitalising the school's financial health. This plan is designed to transition the institution from a loss-making entity to a sustainable, breakeven position, with aspirations

to ultimately thrive and celebrate another 50 years of educational excellence.”

The plans for the private school, whose pupils range in age from three to 12, include the implementation of a new sliding fee scale. Parents are being encouraged to register pupils for September, subject to the rescue plans being successful.

Pupils at the school do not wear uniform, have no examinations or tests and enjoy a curriculum including art, music, dance, movement, woodwork, knitting and sewing, craft, forest school, gardening and Spanish.

The school follows the philosophy of founder Rudolph Steiner, which believes in “childcentred, relational approach to learning” and a commitment to promoting the development of the whole child.

Its motto is “Education is a journey not a race”.

One parent told how the

school had helped her child: "My child spent a year and a half at a small Church of England school. Reception class was OK but problems started in Year 1. Every single pick-up was really stressful for me and for him because he was always very frustrated and almost in tears, small things make him cry, I couldn’t find a connection with him.

“We knew we have to find alternative school for him. We searched and we found BSS. We moved from Southampton to give him the best start in life. It was the best decision ever, he is super happy now, after 2 weeks at BBS he said he doesn’t like break times because he is really enjoying learning. "

Lindsay said: "Their testimonial underscores the profound positive impact of the school, where children thrive in an environment that nurtures creativity, wellbeing, and individual growth."

Developers go direct to Government

RESIDENTS and developers have started bypassing Bristol City Council and sent planning applications straight to the Government, after ministers stripped the authority of its powers for making decisions too slowly.

The first two proposed schemes were last month submitted directly to the Planning Inspectorate, which will now decide whether or not to grant permission.

In March, the council was placed into special measures for failing to meet legal deadlines to deal with “non-major developments”.

It means applicants have the option of sending their plans to a

government-appointed inspector for determination instead of City Hall.

Plans were submitted to the inspectorate on Wednesday, April 10, to turn a family home in Hotwell Road, Clifton, into a house in multiple occupation for up to six people.

That was followed the next day by proposals for a marquee and landscaping works in the garden of Promenade House, a mansion in Clifton that is now offices, which would be used for outdoor events, workshops and meetings.

Bristol City Council is one of only five local planning authorities to be “designated”. This means the Government has

Pint of Science

UNIVERSITY of Bristol scientists will trade the lecture hall for the local pub and sharing their expertise at the Pint of Science festival this month.

Now in its 12th year, Pint of Science aims to make scientific research accessible to members of the public.

Bristol will host 12 events across four venues between Monday 13 May and Wednesday 15 May. Each event costs £5 and the evening concludes with a science-themed pub quiz where Bristol goes head-to-head against other cities taking part in the Pint of Science festival across the UK.

The venues involves are Wiper and True in Old Market, The Eldon House in Clifton, The Greenbank in Bellevue Road, and the St Phillips Taproom of Left Hand Giant.To see more details on the events and book tickets, visit https://pintofscience.co.uk/events/ bristol

The first Pint of Science festival took place in just three cities. It quickly took off around the world and now happens in nearly 500 cities.Pint of Science is a non-profit organisation organised by a grass-root community of thousands of volunteers from science, research and academia.

effectively taken over the role for certain types of development because the backlog has become unacceptable, with hundreds stuck in the system, and steps to recover the situation were considered not good enough.

Applications that can be submitted straight to the Planning Inspectorate can be best described as mid-range –smaller than a large-scale project called a “major application”, effectively no more than nine homes or where the floorspace is less than 1,000 square metres, but bigger than plans from a householder or single business for simple extensions or alterations to a building.

Retrospective applications

are also not included and must continue to be sent to the council, along with changes to planning consents that have already been approved.

The inspectorate aims to make decisions within eight weeks and there is no right of appeal.

The council imposed a recruitment freeze and a round of voluntary redundancies in the planning department in 2021 and 2022.

Bristol mayor Marvin Rees has blamed government funding cuts for the problems.

By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Join Silver Swans

SILVER Swans is an initiative by the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) that allows older learners to discover the joy of movement while building strength, enhancing balance and increasing flexibility.

Whether you’re an experienced dancer, have dabbled briefly, or are a complete novice, Silver Swans welcomes all to participate in ballet classes which are specifically tailored for older learners and focus on the benefits of enhancing mobility, posture, coordination and energy levels.

With local classes held every Friday morning at the Newman Hall, Henleaze, a friendly bunch of ladies (men welcome too!) work through the class led by experienced teacher Alexandra Sherman. Having trained at the Royal Ballet School and been principal of Bristol Ballet Centre for 24 years, she is passionate about spreading this form of exercise for both the physical and social benefits.

Silver Swans offers a delightful way to stay active (despite any physical/age limitations), connected and uplifted through music and movement. Come along and see for yourself by booking a free trial class.

Email info@bristolballetcentre.co.uk for more info.

Breathe new life into your much loved furniture with our renowned Reupholstery service.

Bristol-based, with over 30 years of expertise, our team have reupholstered thousands of items of furniture for clients across the country.

With hundreds of fabrics to choose from, we’re confident that we can design you the perfect look for your cherished piece.

We also create new, handcrafted and bespoke Sofas, Curtains & Blinds and Footstools.

Pictured: A recently reupholstered Antique Sofa

AMD Solicitors’ Tom Halliday discusses the potential pitfalls of entering into a commercial lease without legal representation

Advertising Feature

ALTHOUGH it is not a legal requirement to instruct solicitors when entering into a lease of commercial premises, it can lead to a host of problems. We often receive instructions from Landlords and Tenants to help resolve commercial lease disputes where no advice was taken at the time of contract.

In addition to the negotiation of the commercial terms, there are many compliance obligations bestowed on Landlords and Tenants which could lead to hidden risk without professional advice. Listed below are a few examples to be considered before negotiating terms for a commercial lease.

LANDLORDS

By Shelley Faulkner, solicitor with AMD Solicitors

and Tenant Act 1954. Such security can be ‘contracted out’ so if the Landlord does not intend to grant security to the Tenant, a clear procedure to exclude this right must be followed. Should the Landlord fail to follow this procedure, regaining possession could become a costly exercise.

The gift that pays for itself

How leaving money to charity can save you Inheritance Tax

will be. However a Will can be worded to provide that a gift of 10 % of the value of your estate at that time is given to a charity or charities of your choice. The effect of this will be that the rate of Inheritance Tax payable on the whole estate is reduced from 40 % to 36 %.

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) Regulations:

The Regulations state that all properties being let have to achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of ‘E’ unless exceptional circumstances apply. If there is a breach of the Regulations, the Landlord is open to sanction, calculated on the rateable value of the property.

In same circumstances, it has been calculated that this reduction in the tax bill can serve to leave the estate, even after payment of the gift to charity, with a value as high as if the gift had not been made. Thus the gift can in some cases quite literally pay for itself.

Security of Tenure: Tenants of commercial premises have an automatic right to remain at the property at the end of the contractual term under the Landlord

WHILE most of us support a number of charities in our lifetime, it is perhaps not surprising that a smaller number choose to remember a charity in their Will. Clearly the priority for most is to provide for a surviving spouse or children, or to ensure that the family wealth can be passed on to benefit the next generation.

However, government policy is clearly to encourage giving to charity, and a recent development in the law is intended to promote gifts to charity being made by Will. This change may also, on occasion, serve to save Inheritance Tax, or even to create a gift which literally pays for itself.

Reduced rate of Inheritance Tax

Where somebody dies after 6 April 2012 the rate of Inheritance Tax applied to the estate can be reduced from 40 % to 36 % (in other words by 10 %), provided that at least 10 % of the estate passes to charity.

Clearly it is not possible to determine in advance exactly what value the assets you leave by Will will have on your death for Inheritance Tax purposes, or what 10 % of the total value

TENANTS

Even where a Will has not been prepared in these terms, it may be possible to take advantage of this tax break. If the beneficiaries of the estate agree, it is possible to effectively amend the terms of a Will within two years of the date of death. A ‘Deed of Variation’ can be drawn up which sets out the family members’ agreed arrangements

for the distribution of the estate, and the estate can then be divided as if the Will had been made in these terms. A Deed of Variation could therefore provide that 10 % of the estate is to pass to a chosen charity or charities, making the estate as a whole eligible for the reduced rate of Inheritance Tax.

Solicitors. Unsurprisingly, this means the terms are likely to be drafted in the Landlord’s best interests. For example, if a property is in a poor state of repair at tenancy commencement, and there is no limitation on the Tenant’s repairing obligation at the start of the lease, it is more than likely the case that the lease will be a full repairing and insuring lease (FRI). Under an FRI lease, the Landlord could issue a dilapidations claim requiring the Tenant to put the property back into a good state of repair, which may exceed the original state of the property. The totals of these works could prove very expensive for the Tenant.

members of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, the leading professional body in this field. We offer a free initial consultation for new clients.

Repairing obligations: The first draft of a lease will usually be prepared by the Landlord’s

This change in the law is clearly very good news both for charities, and potentially for some estates as well. However the detail of the application can be complex. For example, the estate is divided into different ‘components’ depending on how the property will pass to the beneficiaries, in order to calculate whether the 10 % test has been met. Taking specialist advice on the implications for your particular circumstances is therefore essential.

Limitation on Service Charge Obligations: Leases often include provision for a service charge, making the Tenant liable for a ‘fair proportion’ of the costs incurred by the Landlord

For advice on administration of estates, trusts, wills, powers of attorney and all private client issues, contact Shelley Faulkner, Florence Pearce and the other members of the team on 0117 9621205, email probate@ amdsolicitors.com or call in at 15 The Mall Clifton, or 100 Henleaze Road Henleaze.

to maintain certain aspects of the property. The wording used for a clause of this type can provide a level of uncertainty and without professional advice, the Tenant could have additional costs to pay without full knowledge of the terms. An example to mitigate such costs could be for the Tenant to negotiate an annual upper limit for their service charge contributions.

If you would like to discuss the above, or any other Commercial Property matters, please contact Tom on 0117 9733989 or to info@amdsolicitors.com

AMD’s team of experienced private client solicitors and practitioners includes full

AMD Solicitors takes pride in sponsoring local, Bristol based charities and this year is very pleased to be supporting the Bristol branch of the Alzheimer’s Society, the local branch of this national charity which works to improve the quality of life of people affected by dementia in Great Britain. For full details of our fundraising activities visit our website www.amdsolicitors.com.

Copyright AMD Solicitors

Tom Halliday

NEWS FROM OUR MP

Joy of sport brings us together

I ran the London Marathon in aid of Bristol Refugee Rights

On April 21, I finished the London Marathon with a new personal best. While I did not manage the time I was aiming for, I spent a day loving London, while running with some of my favourite music.

I ran the marathon in aid of Bristol Refugee Rights who do fantastic work with and for asylum seekers and refugees in Bristol. I'm proud to be supporting them and am grateful to them for all they do. Thank you to everyone who donated to my fundraising campaign.

More than one million girls who considered themselves sporty while at primary school drop out of sports as teenagers.

I was one of those girls until my 40s when I discovered running. It will be my utmost priority to reduce the inequality between boys and girls when it comes to physical activity.

Football fans deserve better I recently enjoyed meeting with Bristol Rovers’ leadership team before heading to the terrace for the game against Reading.

Football brings us together. We watch with our families and friends, at the local, in the stands or in our living rooms. For too long the intense buzz, pure joy (and sometimes gut-punching loss) felt in the all-encompassing emotions of a football match has been diluted with worry about troubles off the pitch.

As the Football Governance Bill makes its way through Parliament, and when the Independent Football Regulator is established, I’ll support clubs like Rovers to grow and give fans a greater say in the running of their clubs.

I hope all the hard work being put in by Rovers’ men’s team and staff to get closer to promotion pays off next season.

I support communities taking back control of bus services

Buses are by far the most used form of public transport in the country, but Britain is one of the few places in the developed world that hands operators’ power to slash bus services and hike fares. Decades of failed deregulation have left communities with little say over the essential services they rely on.

I know from my successful campaign for a bus route from the City Centre to St Paul’s and St Werburgh’s, that reliable buses can be the difference between opportunity and isolation for people across Bristol. Disastrous de-regulation has seen vital services vanish and communities left powerless.

Labour has announced the biggest reform to England’s buses in forty years, which would put power back where it belongs: in the hands of the communities

Thangam Debbonaire writes for the Voice

who depend on buses the most. Labour’s plans mean up to 1,300 vital bus routes saved and created across England, and better buses delivered faster by breaking down the barriers to public control of bus services.

WESTBURY-ON-TRYM COMMUNITY FAIR

COME and join us at the Westbury-on-Trym Community Fair on Saturday May 11 from 11am until 3pm in and around the Parish Church.

One of the great things about living in Westbury-On-Trym is our amazing local community. The village is a focal point for so many fantastic groups that contribute so much to making this a wonderful place to live.

The Community Fair is a chance to celebrate all that activity, to learn, to raise a bit of money for some local good causes, and to have fun. On the day, there’ll be delicious cakes and preserves, tasty food from around the world,

sandwiches, scones and teas to enjoy, as well as bric-a-brac and books to buy, and the ever-popular plant stall. Try out the Tombola and the Raffle or learn more about SUSWOT, the Westbury-On-Trym Society, the Gardens and Allotments Society, Brunel Lions, and many more local groups. There will be lots of fun activities including Big Games, the Teddy Parachutes, and Tower Tours. The Westbury-onTrym Academy choir and the Ceilidh Band will provide live music to keep us all on our toes.

All these things will be found in the Parish Church, the GP car park and the Methodist Church.

ARDAGH COMMUNITY TRUST

THE Ardagh Community Trust invites you to an inclusive celebration on May 18 showcasing the creative talents and skills of disabled artists, writers, filmmakers and performers from our community.

The event at The Ardagh, Horfield Common, will include indoor and outdoor exhibitions, performances, stalls, and workshops and taster activities from local groups. Lunch will be available from the Café on the Common, served by project volunteers. There will also be accessible toilet facilities on-site, including a hoist and changing table.

This 10am-8pmcelebration has been created by the My Community Bristol action group https://www.mencap.org.uk/ mycommunity, in partnership with the Southmead Development Trust, Ardagh Community Trust and other organisations from across North Bristol.

Try some activities, and enjoy performances, film screenings from https://www.biggerhousefilm. co.uk/, exhibitions and more!

The event culminates with a silent disco from 6pm, led by DJs from the Misfits “Rhythm of the Night”.

CURA: Treating Disc injury and SCIATICA

Are you looking for relief from pain and immobility caused by osteoarthritis, back conditions or a sports injury? We can help.

Here at CURA, we use the latest technologies: MBST Cell Regeneration Therapy and Deep Tissue Laser Therapy to heal and repair the damaged tissues. We combine these technologies with hands-on Chiropractic and Physiotherapy to ensure your body heals itself to its maximum potential.

Francis came to me in complete agony with sciatica. We tried everything we could to help him using conservative caretractions, laser etc yet there was no change at all. I had his lower back MRI scanned which showed a large L4/5 disc extrusion causing moderate central cabal narrowing compressing the left L5 nerve root and suggested a surgeons referral.

This explained his severity and lack of response.

Knowing that surgery was always an option we discussed my recent set of results using MBST for nerve healing which had been outstanding. He decided to go for it, having his discs and nerves treated and the results in this case were o the scale.

4 weeks later we had a pretty emotional meeting at my clinic in which Francis was abbergasted

at the lack of pain he’s now in. We were both blown away by this case and have set up a follow up meeting in 3 months.

His email the same day:

James, it was good to see you this afternoon. I can’t really express how pleased I am with the MBST treatment, I would thoroughly recommend anyone with back problems to come and see you. On a di erent matter, do you think you could photoshop the photo of us together and make me look less like my blood pressure is sky high !! I’ve had it tested and it’s ne ! Alternatively put a note under the photo to say I’m healthier than I look !!

Once again, thanks for sorting out my back, I’m truly grateful.

Francis

An award-winning innovative treatment for:

Osteoarthritis | Back & disc problems | Bone conditions & fractures

Cartilage damage Ligament, tendon & muscle damage | Sports & accident injuries

Talk to us today : 0117 959 6531

www.curaclinical.com

Encouraging engineers of the future

CHILDREN from 15 primary schools competed in an Engineering Challenge at Badminton School last month.

The challenge was to install a model wind turbine by designing a crane out of K'Nex.

In class, the children had already been exploring the diversity of engineering and the range of tasks engineers undertake. They had also looked at how engineering could help solve issues around climate change. The children who were competing were the winners from heats in their schools. These budding engineers demonstrated teamwork, amazing design skills and perseverance, creating a range of fantastic designs.

The event was sponsored by STEMworks, a company that links industry and education, by providing workshops that enable children to develop engineering skills and understanding through practical activities. There are plans to expand this opportunity and include more schools in the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) activities in 2025. The winning school was Burrington C of E Primary.

Badminton physics teacher Christopher Beer said: “We were thrilled to host the Knex Challenge final and work closely with

BOOKS

The Last One

FATIMA Daas is a 28 year old French writer. She is the youngest daughter ( the last one of the title) of Algerian immigrants, growing up with her two older sisters in Clichy – sous – Bois, a socially deprived suburb of Paris. The novel, is based on her life, as she attempts to forge her own path in the world as a queer Muslim woman. The narrative shifts back and forth in time, presenting the reader with bold, vivid fragmentary slices of her past.

We learn that while the kitchen is her mother’s kingdom, her mother having learnt to cook at 14, the author, at 28, struggles to boil a pan of spaghetti. She was the result of an accidental pregnancy, a big disappointment

STEMworks to help students learn about the fantastic opportunities in the STEM sector. It was a pleasure to observe how students innovatively and creatively tackled the brief and were able to produce such varied solutions. Not only did the event allow students to engage in an engineering activity, they also met engineers who inspired them to consider this as a future career. It was thrilling to watch senior students from

to her father, who was hoping for a boy. She notes that her father walks with his head held high and his chest puffed, whilst her mother meekly follows, eyes to the ground.

We follow her story, including childhood beatings from her father, racism from her white teachers, and family visits to Algeria, bearing suitcases full of clothes, perfume, toys and gifts. We hear about her attempts to be a good Muslim, learning the ablution rituals from her sisters and managing to pray twice a day, compared to the expected five.

The author chronicles her emerging sexuality, detailing her past and present lesbian relationships, trying to find what

Badminton display their STEM skills as they performed a liquid nitrogen science show.”

Chloe, Upper Sixth, said: “It was fun being able to do a Science Outreach demonstration with liquid nitrogen. I enjoyed presenting and gained valuable skills demonstrating science experiments to the primary schoolaged audience, getting them involved and help inspire them to look further into the amazing world of STEM.”

by Fatima Daas

is missing in one in the other, without knowing what it is she is looking for.

This is a bold, engaging and thoughtful book, skillfully tackling a range of issues including family ties, chronic illness, sexuality, therapy, faith and friendship.

You can find it at Bishopston Library. Please come and join us at 100 Gloucester Road. You can walk out with a library card, giving you access to over two million books and a range of activities including baby bounce for toddlers, chess and lego clubs for children and shared reading and family history tuition for adults.

Review by Bob Deacon of Bishopston

n EDUCATION

Nick will lead academy trust

THE former principal of Fairfield High School, Nick Lewis, has been appointed chief executive of Excalibur Academies.

Mr Lewis, who will take up the post in September, succeeds Nicky Edmondson will step down after six successful years.

Excalibur has 20 schools, including Fairfield, Redland Green and Ashton Park secondaries and Cabot, May Park, Ashton Vale, Luckwell and Compass Point primaries in Bristol.

Mr Lewis is currently director of secondary improvement for the trust and describes himself as an “unashamedly optimistic and values driven leader”.

He said: “I am incredibly happy and proud that I will be leading such a wonderful organisation, working with and for so many incredible young people, and with an exceptional team of profes-sionals who are focused on providing the best opportunities possible for our students.

“As a large trust, the communities that we serve have much in common, but also unique needs that our academies must recognise and serve. It is also important to acknowledge that all of our communities are facing a number of unprecedented challenges at this time, and I am commit-ted

to listening and working with each academy community to ensure that our trust has an identifiable and positive impact in supporting every community”.

“I have personal experience of the transformational power of education, especially for those from marginalised or disadvantaged backgrounds, and I will carry this passion for equity and fairness with me as I lead the trust into the future.”

Chair of Excalibur trustees Toby Watson said “Nick has been an inspirational leader within our trust for many years. His passionate belief in the value of high quality education for all, with an acute focus on inclusivity, equity, and the pursuit of excellence, means he is perfectly aligned with the values of our trust, and we are confident he will continue to progress the great achievements of the trust in improving the lives of the young people and communities that we serve”.

Pre-school praised

HORFIELD Welly Pre-School is celebrating a Good rating from Ofsted.

The pre-school, which is based at Manor Farm Boys Club on Wellington Hill and has 36 children on its books, was inspected in March.

The watchdog judged the setting to be Good for quality of education and leadership and management and for children’s personal development and their behaviour and attitudes.

Safeguarding was rated effective.

“There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first,” the report said.

Ofsted said parents were happy with the education and support provided for their children at the pre-school.

Stepping up: Nick Lewis

Students head for the wilds

STUDENTS from Montpelier High School took part in a weeklong residential trip to the wilds of Snowdonia.

They were joined by others from Merchants' Academy and Bridge Learning Campus on the visit in Aberdovey, which was funded by the Society of Merchant Venturers, the Outward Bound Trust and Avon Outward Bound Association.

This was the second year of the programme, launched by the outgoing Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, who turned up to see the group off on their adventure.

Mr Rees took part in an Outward Bound course as a teenager, an opportunity that

he describes as a key factor in helping him strive to reach his full potential by escaping the city’s physical and cultural boundaries, climbing hills and mountains and experiencing awe.

During the week, which fell during Ramadan, students faced challenges including rock climbing, abseiling, river walks, hiking, camping, rope balancing and water activities.

The Outward Bound Trust is an educational charity that inspires young people to take on adventures, overcome challenges and develop confidence and self-belief, preparing them to embrace all the opportunities that life will offer them.

The group prepare for departure

n LEARNING THROUGH PLAY

OUTDOOR PLAY

At Magic Dragon Preschool we recognise the benefits of playing outside and value the time spent daily in our gardens - whatever the weather. We fully appreciate the saying ‘There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing’. So, on go the waterproofs and wellies and off we go into the fresh air to play, explore and grow.

We have got lots of ideas to help you get outside and create play spaces in your own garden* without it costing the earth by using what you probably already have at home or can find for free locally.

Build a den: Either use an old sheet pegged up over a corner of the garden or find a large branch to drape over some old bits of fabric.

Create a reading nook: This could just be a space to fill with cushions and blankets and snuggle up sharing a book or you could have a box of a few of your child’s favourite books so they can help themselves whenever they want. You can also use this space to do some mindfulness activities such as lying down and gazing up at the clouds or shutting your eyes and listening to all of the different sounds in your garden.

Make a stick store: Does your child love finding sticks on walks to bring home? Well, why not collate them in an area in an old basket so that your child can access a stick easily to draw in the dirt, use as a wand, dip in

water to ‘paint’ the fence or join sticks together to make different shapes on the ground?

Have a digging area: Everyone loves to dig! Designate a mini patch of soil that your child can dig freely in. If you pop some old pots and pans and a few kitchen-type utensils in a crate next to the soil then you’ve created your own mud kitchen to make mud pies in.

Ball and car ramps: Find old bit of guttering and drainpipes that you can raise off the ground at one end and hey presto – your child has a ramp to roll balls and cars down. You could even pop a container of water next to it as a mini water play area.

Make a bug hotel: This could be as simple as filling an old tin with sticks, leaves, corks and rocks. Lay it on its side and whenever your child finds a minibeast in the garden, they can take it to their bug hotel. Or a more elaborate and bigger bug hotel could be made from old pallets stacked up and layered with old roof tiles, moss, branches and pine cones etc.

Construct your own sandpit: You could ask your local garage for an old car tyre and fill that with sand to keep it contained. Again, you can use old pots and kitchen utensils to play with in the sand. Children love to bury things in the sand, so a box of some old toys could be positioned next to the tyre.

Water play: An old washing up bowl full of soapy water will provide so many play opportunities for your child outside – A car

wash, scrubbing dinosaurs, a tea party, a café or simply pouring and filling up old containers. All of the activities that we do outdoors encourage children to play independently, investigate, problem solve, foster a love of the outdoors and nature, try things out, to move and be active, build confidence, be creative and imaginative, develop both fine and gross motor development and when you play alongside your child in the garden you can also help them to take turns, share resources and build up a rich vocabulary. Playing outdoors also offers a perfect opportunity to improve mental health as a result of physical activity, reduce stress and anxiety, reflect and recharge which is so important in our busy lives.

*If you do not have a garden, then you can also pack up some things mentioned above in a rucksack to take with you so your child can enjoy playing outside in parks and open spaces.

If you would like to book a visit to explore our preschool, gardens, meet the staff and see what we get up to a preschool, then please call 07971421834, visit www. magicdragonpreschool.org. uk or scan the QR code.

n NATURE WATCH with Dawn Lawrence

Create your own nursery for butterflies

A RECENT conversation with a friend, in which I asserted that the word for butterfly is invariably beautiful in all languages, set us agoogling. We found that the German word for butterfly, Schmetterling, refers to cream and originates in a belief that witches disguised themselves as butterflies in order to steal nips of cream and butter (a belief presumably shared in Britain). What a delightful contrast with the usual unsympathetic portrayal of witches! Nettles tend to grow where cows are housed (because they thrive in soils enriched with manure) and small tortoiseshell, peacock and comma, all widespread species whose larvae eat nettles, might therefore be expected to be more common around dairies, perhaps leading to this story.

This got me thinking about food plants. Without food for the caterpillars we won’t get any butterflies yet the emphasis is often placed on growing nectar plants for adult insects, over-looking the essential larval stage. With their stubby legs and podgy bodies caterpillars are not built for travel, they are eating machines and tend to pupate on or near their food plant. This means that if you provide their food, they will hatch in your garden.

So what plants are needed for baby butterflies to thrive? As you might expect, our commoner species are generally undemanding and you can make your garden into a top-class nursery for butterflies with ease. The orange tip caterpillar eats brassicaceous plants such as garlic mustard, a common weed, as does the green-veined white, and orange tips will also eat honesty and dame’s violet (they seem to be delicate feeders and I have never known them to grow to pest proportions). The holly blue

n NEWS FROM THE METRO MAYOR

Bee a par t of No Mow May

IF you peer over your garden fence this May, you might think your neighbour’s lawn is looking a little scruffy.

A few more dandelions than normal, or (horror!) patches of grass growing at different lengths. But don’t tut – that may be on purpose. And it’s a good thing!

Yes, it’s that time of year again – No Mow May, where people keep their lawnmowers and strimmers in the shed for 31 days, and give space back to nature.

It’s a simple idea. Giving the mower a breather means spring plants getting a chance to set seed before the first cutting.

This means your lawn becomes a haven for insects, birds, hedgehogs, and more.

And it allows wild plants to get a foothold in May, to feed bees, and other pollinators, through summer.

I’ve backed this campaign since it started in 2018 and every year, I’m always fascinated speaking with residents about the different plants they spot in their backyards.

I’m not just talking daisies or buttercups either, but plants we’d not often see in our gardens – one resident told me she’d even started growing wild strawberries!

Worryingly, future generations won’t see

these either if we continue down our current path. Tragically we’ve lost 97% of our wildflower meadows since the 30s.

That’s why I’m again urging readers to take part by doing, well, nothing! Leave the mower alone, and watch the flowers fill your lawn.

Check out plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomowmay for more information.

If you can’t imagine allowing your entire patch to run wild, then how about leaving a circle of grass in the centre of the lawn to bloom? Or why not stagger it – so that you have one area that’s mown once a month, one area mown at the end of summer, and so on.

For those without a garden, fear not! I’m urging everyone to check in with their local church, school or anywhere with grass or fields, and ask if some space can be left for nature this year.

Ultimately, the momentum behind No Mow May shouldn’t stop with May, and thanks to the West of England Combined Authority I lead, it won’t.

An incredible 620,000 square metres of land is being transformed for the region’s pollinators thanks to bee-rilliant bee projects we’re funding.

This is double the target I set when launch-

(with its beautiful silver-backed blue wings) alternates between holly for the spring brood and ivy for the summer brood and will also eat bramble. The common blue eats black medick and bird’s foot trefoil (black medick appeared in our garden once we had left the lawn to its own devices and bird’s foot trefoil is easily obtainable as a wild flower seed).

Then nettles, of course: their leaves are also eaten by a range of other insects including moth caterpillars and leaf hoppers; they are in turn eaten by predatory insects and spiders and these provide food for the birds. A nettle patch, particularly in a sunny spot, is a great addition to your garden – down by the compost heap will provide ideal soil for them.

Least fussy of all, bless them, are meadow brown, speckled wood, gatekeeper and ringlet, and small and large skippers, all of which simply require rough grasses - the easiest of all the caterpillars to cater for. All are various shades of brown but decorated with delicate stripes and spots and – particularly the browns – given to elaborate aerial chases on sunny days. Simply set aside part of your lawn for the summer and spend the time saved on mowing by watching the butterflies dance.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris writes for the Voice

ing a £1 million Pollinator Fund for projects that support bees, and other pollinator superheroes.

Projects like the creation of mini nature reserves in ten primary and secondary schools across the West, including in Coalpit Heath, Temple Cloud, and Bristol.

Alongside my annual Bee Bold Awards, we’re making the West the bee and pollinator capital of the country.

But I know we can go further.

So, this year, please give No Mow May a go. Who knows, you might like it so much you give the lawnmower a permanent shunning. The bees will certainly thank you for that.

A handsome peacock butterfly caterpillar on stinging nettle. Photo by Rupert Higgins

n HISTORY with JULIAN LEA-JONES

When post was haste for only pence

NOWADAYS, whether or not the missive is welcome at least it is delivered to our home – it was not always thus.

Although the concept of a public mail service was the brainchild of Sir Rowland Hill in 1840 when the Penny Post was introduced, you had to collect your mail from a post office which may have been miles away. Within a town the penny post deliveries were divided into districts, with Bristol having 63 of which Clifton with the greatest number of mailings was designated Penny Post Number One. With the increasing popularity of the new service, (Bristol had up to six deliveries a day), it was decided to introduce home deliveries, however the postman or woman, (post person sounds ridiculous), often had miles to walk in all weathers and having reached the address had to wait for the recipient to come to the door.

With more and more mail to

deliver, the waiting time often extended the postman’s working day to unacceptable limits.

Bristol’s Post Master and Surveyor of the Posts, Mr R C Tombs, gave most praise to Hannah Brewer of Bitton whose daily route was eleven miles up and down the Somerset hills around Bitton and by the age of 72 having walked a quarter of a million miles in all weathers she felt it was time to retire. The postal delivery staff were obviously a hardy lot! An even longer tenure was that of Hannah Vowles at Frenchay who only resigned at the age of 95!

The Post Office’s answer to the long delays caused by the need to hand the mail directly to the addressee was an appeal dated in May 1849 which requested every householder to fit a letter box or slit in their street door, obviating the need for the postman to wait.

Until the recent ‘rationalisation’ when the box was emptied the enamel collection time

plate, stored in a pocket inside the door was always changed =to show the next collection time. Nowadays the plate is a generalised notice which is of no help if you want to know whether or not you have caught the post - a far cry from when there were up to six deliveries a day. An oft’ quoted account was of people receiving a rsvp dinner invitation in the morning and being able to send a written acceptance for delivery the same day.

Residents in Henleaze’s Owen

Grove are very proud of this one which bears the Royal cypher of King Edward the eighth – a Rara Avis indeed!

n I hope you didn’t think that April’s article was a leg-pull. The people were real, and I personally photographed the stone 28ft below St Nicholas Street, marking the witnessed meeting. The Runic inscription was Bishop John Robinson’s Motto in the Bristol Cathedral Cloisters until it mysteriously vanished, and of course there is a buried room just past Bath Bridge with a window blocked by earth from dredging. I will leave you to find out where the ‘wall’ inscription is - in plain sight!

His Majesty King Charles III (b.1948) – Unfinished watercolour study of Lochnagar, which featured in the 1993 production of 'The Legend of Lochnagar’ Sold for £17,000

n PHARMACY BLOG

AS I write, it is bright and dry (in the UK); spring has arrived. We are proud to once again step forward to protect our community.

Kellaway Pharmacy now offers a Walkin offer for the NHS Spring Covid booster vaccine.

Anyone aged 75 or older with a weak immune system can simply walk in for a jab or book an appointment using the NHS website or NHS App or call 119 using our postcode to search BS3 1BN.

Why another Covid-19 jab? Covid-19 is still a very dangerous and even life-threatening disease for some. With Covid-19 still circulating, those at the highest risk eligible for the spring vaccine must get their jab to help top up their immunity.

As we all know, vaccines work to lower risk, but protection fades, so top-up jabs are offered for those deemed most at risk.

The NHS will send texts, emails, app messages or letters to those eligible - but you do not need to wait for the invitation to book or come in.

This is how the NHS puts it : "We are still seeing Covid-19 causing hospitalisations and severe illness, particularly among older people and those with weakened immune systems.

"And the vaccine provides the best protection - so don't put it off.

"If you're eligible, book your appointment as soon as the NHS invites you."

As nature awakens during spring, we see many more people getting insect bites and stings. These are usually not serious and get better in a few days, but sometimes, they become infected or cause serious allergic reactions.

Did you know you can now access NHSfunded treatment for infected insect bites at Kellaway Pharmacy, saving you time and need to wait for a GP appointment?

Signs of infection from a bite or sting include pus in or around the bite, swollen glands, increased pain, running a temperature, swelling and redness in and around the bite. Some useful NHS bite and sting prevention tips: Be calm and move away slowly if you

n VINEYARD NEWS with INGRID BATES

Hurrah for spring!

SPRING has finally sprung. The vineyard is alive with birdsong as the nesting season begins in the hedgerows and the vines started growing two weeks earlier than usual. I say usual but there is some variation every year so I’m not really sure what usual is any more. As soon as we saw the vine buds opening, we had to hurry the sheep out of the vineyard so they wouldn’t be tempted to nibble the fresh, young growth. Now the sheep have gone, the irony is that we’ll spend most of our time making sure the grass doesn’t outcompete the young vines for light, water and space for the rest of the summer. It’d be great if we could find a way to keep the sheep in the vineyard all year!

On the wine front, our new rosé is being bottled in the winery and we’ve now got a sparkling red as well as white available. All we need is a bit more sunshine and we’ll be in full rosé season.

hello@dunleavyvineyards.co.uk

www.dunleavyvineyards.co.uk

@DYvineyards (X/Twitter)

dunleavy vineyards (Facebook & Instagram)

encounter wasps, hornets, or bees—do not wave your arms around or swat at them.

Wear shoes and cover exposed skin if outside at sunrise or sunset, Apply insect repellent and avoid strong perfumes that can attract insects.

Never disturb insect nests and keep food and drink covered when eating or drinking outside

So this Spring, we will continue working hard to look after our community, from providing you with your top-up Covid-19 jab to treating a wide range of conditions, saving you trips to the GP or Travel Vaccinations for your foreign trips.

Need us? Just call Kellaway Pharmacy: 0117 9246579

EARACHE

(adults and children aged 1 year & above)

SINUSITIS

SHINGLES

URINARY TRACT INFECTION

(women, aged 16 to 64 years)

BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS

(children aged 30 days to 2 years)

IMPETIGO (adults and children aged 1 year & above)

n WHAT'S ON

May 10 & 24

n COFFEE AND CRAFT AT HORFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH FRONT HALL, 160A Gloucester Road from 10.30 to 12.15. This is an opportunity for you to bring your craft and meet others for a relaxing morning. Anyone in the community is welcome.

May 18

n SPRING GARDEN FESTIVAL - PLANT SALE at St Matthews Church, Clare Road, Kingsdown, 1-3pm Saturday. All welcome at this community event. Enjoy the wild garden, tea and cake, children's craft, and many stalls. Bag yourself some bargain plants. www.stmatthewsbristol.org.uk

REGULAR EVENTS

Monday

n SHARED READING AT ST PAUL’S LIBRARY. Meet and connect with others Mondays 2pm – 3.30pm. St Paul’s Learning Centre, 94 Grosvenor Road, Bristol BS2 8XJ. Email: support@thereader.org.uk

n REDLAND WIND BAND has vacancies for some woodwind, brass and percussion players. This friendly group meets 7.30-9.30pm at Redland Church Hall, Redland Green. Contact via email on redlandwindband@gmail.com

n DICKENS SOCIETY. 7pm, at Leonard Hall, Henleaze URC, Waterford Rd, Bristol BS9 4BT. Talks, costumed readings, book club and social events. See www.dickenssociety.org.uk or phone Roma on 0117 9279875.

n PLAY BOWLS at Canford Park in a friendly, social atmosphere. Qualified coaches and equipment provided. Contact: Les on 07305695579

n WESTBURY AND CLIFTON

AREA DISCUSSION GROUP are a merry band of retired people who meet at Westbury on Trym Baptist Church every Monday morning (9.45) and like to challenge ourselves with topical debate on what’s happening in the world. If you would like to join and help to solve some of today's challenging issues, contact James Ball 01454 415165 or Ian Viney 0117 9501628.

n BRISTOL COMMUNITY

GAMELAN play the music of Java at Cotham School from 6.30-8.30. We play by numbers – only 1-6, without the 4 ! So no auditions, no need to read music.

If you fancy a different musical experience, contact us via email on keithripley27@gmail.com

n WESTBURY ON TRYM WOMEN'S INSTITUTE meets on the third Monday of the month in the Westbury Village Hall, Eastfield Road, BS9 4AG, from 2.00 - 4.00 pm. We have interesting speakers, and extra activities of crafts, lunch club, skittles and outings. For more information call Sascha on 07961619806 or Traci on 07766073917

Tuesday

n THE ARTS SOCIETY BRISTOL LECTURE welcomes new members. Our lectures, given by specialists in their own field, take place on the second Tuesday of the month from September to May at 8pm at Redmaids' High BS9 3AW and by internet. For more information visit our website www. theartssociety-bristol.org.uk

n BRISTOL HARMONY WEST GALLERY CHOIR and band sing and play lively church and village music from the 18thcentury. St Edyth’s Church Hall, St Edyth’s Road, Sea Mills, 7.30 pm on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month. All voices (SATB), string, wind and reed instruments welcome. No auditions but ability to read music helpful. www.bristolharmony. wordpress.com or call Fritjof 0117 924 3440. Contact before attending.

n POETRY UNLIMITED – poetry circle meet on the First Tuesday of every month 11am - 12 midday. Basement Room, Café Kino, 108 Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1 3RU. £2.50 - £3.00 donation towards the cost of the room. Bring a couple of poems to share, other poets or your own. Contact Dee: wetwo@ gentlyblown.co.uk Web: www. poetryunlimitedbristol.weebly.com

n COMPANION VOICES BRISTOL

We are a 'threshold choir' looking for new people to join us. We meet in Easton on the 3rd Tuesday of the month from 7 to 9 pm to learn songs by ear and build skills in sensitivity/compassion/ loving presence to sing at the bedsides of people nearing the end of life. To join/support us in this work, contact Valerie on bristol@companionvoices. org. Visit www.facebook.com/ CompanionVoicesBristol and www. companionvoices.org.

Wednesday

n BRISTOL SCRABBLE CLUB

meets every Wednesday evening at 7pm until 10pm at Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, Filton BS34 7PS. New members welcome- first visit free so come along and give us a try. For further information contact Tania by email at tanialake@yahoo.co.uk

n GOLDEN HILL WI Meets the first Wednesday of every month. 1-3pm. Golden Hill Sports Ground, Wimbledon Rd, BS6 7YA. A vibrant, lively new afternoon WI in BS6. We have an exciting and varied programme to offer to members. Visitors and new members will be given a warm welcome. For more information contact Pam Scull at goldenhillwi@gmail.com.

n WELCOME WEDNESDAY

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

n HEALING SESSIONS Spiritual Healing is available from 2pm to 3.30pm by the accredited healing team at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Just turn up or or visit www. westburyparksc.org

n OPEN DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE

For those interested in developing their spiritual awareness and mediumistic ability. 7.15 for 7.30 start at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Just turn up or or visit www. westburyparksc.org

n BRISTOL VOICES COMMUNITY CHOIR welcomes new members at any time. We meet at 7.30pm in St Werburghs Primary School during term time. See www.bristolvoices. org.uk for details.

Thursday

n HEALING FOR WELLBEING Feel more relaxed, peaceful, calmer. Drop-in at Redland Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE. NEW TIME 3.30 to 4.45 pm. Donation basis. Supported by Healing Trust members. Contact Selina 0117 9466434 or selinanewton@ yahoo.co.uk for dates and other information.

n BISHOPSTON COMMUNITY CHOIR Meet on Thursday evenings, 7.30pm to 9.00pm at Horfield Baptist Church, 160a

Gloucester Road, Bishopston BS7 8NT. Everyone welcome, no audition necessary. Contact us via email on bishoproadchoir@gmail. com

n HENLEAZE LADIES’ CHOIR Come and join us as we fill St Peter’s Church Hall in Henleaze with a diverse selection of music. We are a friendly choir and meet on Thursday afternoons in term time from 1.45 to 3.45. There are no auditions, and the ability to read music is not necessary. Contact Jeanette on 9685409 or Jane on 07752 332278

n HENBURY SINGERS

RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS. We meet each Thursday 7.30-9.15pm at Stoke Bishop CE Primary School, Cedar Park BS9 1BW. We perform sacred and secular music under our conductor Andrew Kirk. No auditions. See our website www. henburysingers.org or contact the the secretary at secretary@ henburysingers.org

n HIGHBURY BADMINTON

CLUB: Pete Stables 0117 950 1524 or www.pete4458.wixsite.com/ highburybadminton Thurs 7:30pm mid September to End April, Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall

n ENJOY SCOTTISH DANCING

aLooking for a new hobby?

Join us for fun, fitness and friendship (singles welcome). First evening free! Thursdays: New/ Inexperienced dancers 7–8.30pm (£4). Intermediate/Advanced dancers 7.30–10pm (£6). St Monica Trust, Oatley House Main Hall, BS9 3TN. www.rscdsbristol.info. Contact Ruth 01179683057.

n THE STEPFORD SINGERS

WOMEN'S COMMUNITY

CHOIR meets at Horfield Baptist Church, Bishopston on Thursday afternoons, 1pm to 3pm. No auditions and no need to read music! Come for a free taster session with our friendly, supportive group and learn to sing in harmony. For info, contact Fran franbolton66@gmail.com

Friday

n BRISTOL SPANISH CIRCLE

Come and meet a group of friendly people and enjoy talks in Spanish, musical events and social evenings. We meet every month from September to June, usually on the last Friday of the month, at St Peter’s Church Hall in Henleaze. For more info, see https://www. spanishcirclebristol.com/.

A decade of Flamingo Chicks

FLAMINGO CHICKS

FLAMINGO Chicks, the multi-award-winning charity dedicated to bringing the joy of dance to disabled children, is marking its 10th birthday.

Since its inception, Flamingo Chicks has impacted the lives of over 30,000 children, providing them with the opportunity to experience the transformative power of dance. But the organisation, based in Downs Park East, offers much more than just dance classes; it fosters inter-generational volunteering, extends its reach globally, offers support to parents and carers, and advocates tirelessly for a fair future for disabled kids.

Flamingo Chicks invites you to join in the celebration of its 10th birthday with a spectacular fundraising event.

On May 17 and 18, the Leonard Hall, Henleaze will come alive with a 24-hour dance relay extravaganza. We're calling on the community to support this event in any way they can, whether it's through providing entertainment like face painters, DJs, and dancers, or by contributing refreshments like tea, coffee, and cakes. Additionally, local businesses are invited to sponsor a slot in the relay for £350, showcasing their support for this worthy cause.

Let's come together to celebrate the incredible achievements of Flamingo Chicks over the past decade and ensure its continued success in the years to come. Don't miss out on this opportunity to be a part of something truly special! flamingochicks.org

AVON HARMONY

AVON Harmony is a small, friendly female choir, meeting for rehearsals in Eastville every Thursday evening. New singers are always welcome, especially women with lower pitched voices, to help provide that wonderful bass line harmony which supports every song. We sing a cappella, no instruments or backing tracks, just our own voices blending to create beautiful harmonies. Many of us don’t read music, so we learn each song by practising our own part using learning tracks. The choir sings a variety of music, including current and classic pop songs, film and show tunes, and has a repertoire that is always evolving.

We perform at various events, from concerts to private parties, and take part in local and national competitions.

You can be sure of a friendly welcome if you come to a rehearsal at Glenfrome Primary School, on any Thursday evening from 7.30 until 9.30. Contact our music director Mary, musicdirector@avonharmony.com if you would like to find out more, or just come along one Thursday.

est. 1983

Celebrating 40 years of helping Bristol move home.

oceanhome.co.uk

impressive family home is arranged over three floors and offers excellent entertaining space, including an extended full-width kitchen with access to a private rear garden. This space benefits from a pitched ceiling set with five Velux windows, flooding the room with light. The 2nd reception opens via a set of glazed doors into the extended kitchen, creating an attractive and flexible living space. A handy WC and utility room complete the ground floor.

Upstairs the first floor has three double bedrooms and a generous family bathroom. Of particular note here is the full-width master bedroom, with a bay window and built-in storage.

Stairs rise from the landing up into an original 2nd floor, that includes two further bedrooms, a stylish shower room and plenty of eave storage.

n SPORT

Gas Girls set to play at the Mem

THE successful Bristol Rovers Women’s team is back under the management of Bristol Rovers FC after 18 years.

The agreement will see the Gas Girls play their home games in thew National League at The Memorial Stadium from the start of the new season.

Bristol Rovers Women secured their place in the league after topping the South West Women's Football League Premier Division in 2023-24. The side have sat within Rovers’ Community Trust since 2019, during which time they have won three promotions and contributed greatly to the growth of women’s football in the community.

Rovers chairman Hussain AlSaeed said: “Welcoming Bristol Rovers Women back into the Club fold is a proud day for all of us. Ensuring a ‘one-club’ policy across all of our squads at Rovers has been a priority of mine since joining, and it is a pleasure to

finally be able to say ‘welcome home’ to the Gas Girls.

“Under the management of the Community Trust, the team have done exceptionally well over the last five years and my sincere thanks goes to chairman Rod Wesson, the trustees, CEO Adam Tutton, women’s team manager Nathan Hallett-Young and the team for their hard work and effort in growing, promoting and developing the side.

“We now look forward to an exciting and ambitious future for the Gas Girls. I am excited to work closely with the squad, the coaching team, and our staff at Bristol Rovers to instil an infrastructure that allows the side to progress even further through the divisions and compete at the top end of women’s football.”

Community Trust CEO Adam Tutton said: "I am incredibly

proud that Bristol Rovers FC have kindly agreed to take over the management and financing of our women's team.

"The Gas Girls was formed in the spring of 2019 by Bristol Rovers Community Trust, the club's official charity, with a focus on community, education, participation and performance.

"Our ambition was to bridge the gap between amateur and professional football, offer educational opportunities for girls in sport through our education programme, build an inclusive community within the club and work alongside other organisations and charities who represented our values.

"It is a privilege to say that we have exceeded our ambitions both on and off the pitch, none of which would have been possible without the efforts of our incredible team of volunteers and our supportive sponsors, all of whom I thank greatly.

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Pupils are happy and safe. They feel that staff are caring and respectful and ambitious for their futures. Parents say this too.”