Traffic experts at Bristol City Council say the proposed £85m redevelopment of the St Christopher's School site in Westbury Park as a retirement village should be thrown out because the current proposals present road safety risks for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.
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RESIDENTS are objecting to plans for a 20m phone mast in Ashley Down Road which they say would block views of the historic Grade-II listed former orphanage Muller House.
Mobile phone operator Three says the mast is needed to improve network coverage and capacity to meet increased demand for internet because of more people working at home.
But some people living in the area say coverage is already good and question the need for another mast. They say the current site would block views from flats in the former orphanage and suggest some alternative locations for a mast.
Report: Page 2
Plans to extend a two-bedroom house in Oak Road, Bishopston, to accommodate six people look set to be refused because planning officers say the area already has too many houses in multiple occupation (HMOs),so it would create a "harmful concentration".
PAGE 4 laid flowers outside Bristol Cathedral following the death of Elizabeth II on September 8 and three days later joined a College Green welcome for the new monarch.
A 20-METRE tall phone mast is planned for north Bristol, blocking views of a Grade-II listedNetworkorphanage.provide Three has applied for planning permission from Bristol City Council to install the phone mast on Ashley Down Road. The mast would stand in front of the Muller House building, a large orphanage built in the 1800s and recently converted into flats.
Neighbours living in the area have complained that the phone mast would spoil views of the historic buildings. They added that network coverage in Ashley Down is already good, questioning the need for another mast.Local resident Daniel Tribe said: “Our main concerns are about the sheer scale of the proposed mast and its impact on the community. At 20 metres tall—over 65 feet—it would dominate the area especially in its placement directly in front of a Grade-II listed historic building, inside the Ashley Down conservation area and within metres of the windows of the flats in Ashley Heights.
“The mast and cabinets would
residential areas.
Writing to the council, Three said: “There is a specific requirement for an installation at Ashley Down Road to ensure that the latest high quality 3G and 4G service provision is provided in this area of the city. The proposed column will also ensure that new 5G coverage can be provided at this location.
be placed on the pavement, narrowing a busy section used frequently due to the proximity to local schools, Bristol City College and Ashley Down Green play area. Allowing this plan to be approved would set a precedent allowing other networks to set up equipment in the same Severallocation.”otherresidents have written to the council to object to their plans. Concerns include the height of the mast, blocking the views of the historic building, and nearby alternative locations where a mast could be built.
One resident said: “I live in the neighbouring Grade-II listed building and I don’t see how these plans take into account the proximity to these protected buildings. It’ll be an awful eyesore for a huge proportion of the residents here and I’d like to object to the Accordingproposal.”toThree, there is a hole in the coverage in this part of Bristol. And the “massive shift” from people now working from home post-Covid has meant that network providers across the country have had to adapt, due to the extra demand for internet in
Bristol City Council 0117 922 2000 Citizens Advice Bureau 0844 499 4718
Emergency:Generalwww.avonandsomersetpolice.ukenquiries:101999 Generalwww.avonfire.gov.ukenquiries:0117 926 2061
“The current massive shift in user demand, from city centres and places of work to residential areas and suburbs, requires an improvement in coverage and capacity throughout the whole network. There is currently a hole in the coverage in this area of Ashley Down, therefore a new site is required to provide the latest 3G, 4G and 5G technology.”Theapplication can be found on the council’s website, with the reference 22/04074/Y.
Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service
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TRAFFIC and road safety experts at Bristol City Council have heavily criticised proposals to build a luxury retirement complex on the former St Christopher's school site - saying the plans would be “detrimental to highway safety” - and are calling for the plans to be withdrawn.Thereport from the transport management department says officers understand the current plan will be withdrawn by the developers, but if it is not their recommendation is that it should be
Developersrefused.want to build multi-storey blocks of flats on the five-acre former special school site near the Downs and the scheme, which has proved controversial locally, is awaiting consideration by the council’s planning committee.
The council’s highways department has lodged a formal submission stating that the plans for an £85m integrated retirement community should be thrown out. Its report says that while the site is suitable for residential use, the parking and servicing arrangements for the proposed development are unacceptable. It concludes that developers have “... not demonstrated that pedestrians, cyclists and motorists can safely access and move around the site”.The report acknowledges the already pressured and congested roads around the site, in Westbury Park, and says 65 planned car parking spaces to cater for 120 apartments and all the visiting care staff is “insufficient”. It also calls a proposed vehicle entrance on Etloe Road near a nursery school “unacceptable”.Thetransport and highway experts conclusion echoes research carried out by SCAN, the St Christopher's Action Network, which is campaigning
for the sensitive and appropriate development of the site.
Earlier this year, SCAN conducted a survey of local opinions on road safety and photographed and logged car movements. Their work showed how nearby roads are already overrun with dangerous parking and hazards for families walking to and from local schools. SCAN’s detailed research predicts massive overspill parking and a risk to road safety should this scheme be built.
Road safety concerns were also a prime concern among the 600 formal objections submitted to the city council by residents as part of the planning process.
Robin Hambleton, Professor of City Leadership at the University of the West of England and a member of SCAN, lives locally and said: “It’s a relief to know the city council’s transport department agrees with SCAN that these plans have the potential to bring parking and road safety chaos to Westbury Park. We have always said this scheme is badly thought out and that a huge overdevelopment of this kind would be entirely out of keeping with the largely two-storey nature of our neighbourhood. The community has been vociferous about the reality of parking round here - among other numerous and well-founded objections. Let’s hope the developers see sense and withdraw this unviable and unwelcome scheme.”
The proposals have also attracted criticism from major figures in the community with all the local councillors, as well as the local MP, Darren Jones,
submitting formal objections. Environmental and heritage groups have also objected to the plans - with Historic England calling it
Additional“harmful”.concerns have been voiced about the excessive number of mature trees that are due to be felled, the loss
of much needed residential accommodation and education for children with special needs, and the absence of affordable housing provision within the scheme.Theproposal can be viewed on the planning section of the council, reference 22/01221/F
Campaigners from St Christopher's Action Network have highlighted current parking problems in Westbury Road, left, and Etloe RoadPLANS for a huge extension on a house in Bishopston look set to be refused on the basis that the area has too many houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).
Developers have applied for planning permission to convert what was originally a two-bed house on Oak Road into a six-person HMO. The house currently has four bedrooms, but the plans would see it converted to accommodate four single bedrooms and one double bedroom.Thecontroversial plans sparked a fierce debate in May, when Bristol City Council’s development control committee voted to defer a decision, until
planning officers could come up with official reasons to refuse planning permission — which they have now done.
Back then the council was criticised for having “no idea” how many HMOs there are in Bristol. Planning officers said the area around Oak Road did not have enough HMOs to meet a threshold preventing more houses getting converted, which was disputed by residents.
Since that meeting, planning officers say they have found several more HMOs nearby, and others have recently been registered. This means the next development control committee is likely to vote to refuse
planning permission.
A report to the development control committee — which was due to meet on Wednesday, September 14, but was postponed following the death of the Queen — gave details about how the situation has changed over the summer, with new details about the issue.
The report said: “Since the decision to defer the application, three more HMOs have been licensed within the immediate area of the application site. This is a material change in circumstance, and consequently, a refusal would now be warranted on the grounds of a sandwiching effect.
“Following the committee on May 18, seven further HMOs have now been identified through licensing within 100 metres of the application site. It’s considered that the application could now be refused due to a harmful concentration of HMOs in the immediate area.”
Pressure is building on the council to formally decide on giving planning permission, as the developer has appealed to government planning inspectors. The appeal says the council has taken too long in making a decision, known in planning jargon as “non-determination”. Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service
GATHERING in front of City Hall on Sunday 11 September and surrounded by the people of Bristol, the Lord-Lieutenant, Lord Mayor of Bristol, Bishop of Bristol and the High Sheriff addressed the crowd to proclaim His Majesty King Charles III as the new Accompaniedmonarch.by Bristol’s Mayor Marvin Rees, civic dignitaries, representatives of the armed forces, police and other emergency services, the assembled crowd greeted the proclamation with a rendition of “God Save the King”.
Peaches Golding OBE, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of The County and City of Bristol, said: “This was a historic day for our city and the people of Bristol as we stood together to welcome His Majesty The King’s accession. I am grateful to all those who contributed to this significant event, particularly the people of Bristol for their warmth and enthusiasm. We will continue to mourn the loss of Her Majesty The Queen and support the Monarch as he and the Royal Family take up their new duties in service of our country. God save The King.”
The proclamation was delivered by the High Sheriff of Bristol, Alex Raikes MBE DL, “It was an honour to be given the duty of proclaiming His Majesty King Charles III as the new Monarch. The joyful reception of the people gathered is testament to the value placed in His Majesty. My thanks go to the members of the armed forces, the emergency services and the City of Bristol Pipes and Drums marching band in supporting the event. On a fine, and sunny day on College Green, we followed
in the footsteps of generations past in marking the accession of the monarch with dignity and respect.”Theproclamation procession, made up of the armed forces, a police guard, civic representatives and a marching band, was watched from the rampart of City Hall by past and present members of the city’s leadership. Representatives from the world of health, education, politics, law, the voluntary sector and many other areas gathered to witness this historic event.
Councillor Paula O’Rourke, Lord Mayor of Bristol, said: “Bristol has shown itself to be a place where tradition continues to play an important role in our civic life but is also a place where
change is greeted warmly. Whilst we continue to mourn the death of Her Majesty The Queen we also look to the future and our
continued support of the Royal Family and the Monarch. I thank the people of Bristol for their support.”
Bristol Lord Mayor Paula O'Rourke, High Sheriff Alex Raikes, LordLieutenant Peaches Golding and Mayor Marvin Rees with the sword bearer and police escort at the proclamation
and crowd on College Green
BRISTOL City Council’s free electric vehicle (EV) hire scheme has been extended to include licensed Hackney Carriage drivers following a successful launch phase, as the city prepares for the Clean Air Zone in November this year.
In March, the council launched a new scheme offering free trials of EVs to Bristol organisations to encourage them to switch to cleaner ways of travelling ahead of the zone launching on 28 November.
Businesses, charities, sole traders and other organisations have the chance to trial electric vans and cars for up to two months, to get a better understanding of the benefits and how EVs could work for them.The free EV loan scheme, which is fully funded by National Highways, allows the council’s fleet services team to purchase up to 64 vehicles in batches, with 12 currently on loan and
15 arriving soon. The vehicles will be available to loan to local organisations until March 2024.
Since last month, two of London Electric Vehicle Company's (LEVC) purpose-built electric TX taxis have been made available to Bristol City Council licensed hackney drivers, for free loans of two to four weeks, as
part of this accelerateusontherange,-whatfarhavelaunchbeenelectricsaid,CabinetCouncillorscheme.DonAlexander,MemberforTransport“I’mpleasedtoseeourfreevantrialschemehashugelypopularsinceitsonlyafewmonthsago.“Morethan60organisationstestedavanorcarsoandhadthechancetoseeit’sliketorelyonelectricexploringthingslikebatterychargingpointaccessandcostofkeepingthesevehiclestheroad.ManyhavetoldthefreeloanhasmadethemtheirplanstoaddEVs
to their existing fleets.
“Taxis are an important part of our transport infrastructure in Bristol, so we’re pleased to extend the free EV hire scheme to our licensed Hackney Carriage drivers. Getting a sense for the smooth ride and price of charging will present local drivers with a cleaner vehicle choice and the opportunity to help us reduce toxic air pollution which is so harmful to our health.“We all have a role to play in Bristol getting cleaner air and although some petrol and diesel vehicles will be allowed in the Clean Air Zone, the EV scheme provides a helpful taster step for anyone thinking about switching to electric for their business.”
Angela Halliwell, National Highways' Head of Carbon and Air Quality, said: “We are working with councils across the country to encourage businesses to make the switch to electric vehicles and we expect many more to start using electric vehicles when they experience the savings possible.
“We’ve invested £3.2 million in this initiative with Bristol City Council – a key example of how we are using designated funds to benefit the environment and communities around our roads as well as the people travelling and working on them.”
Each taxi is driven exclusively by electricity but features an additional on-board generator (a small 1.5 litre petrol engine), which is known as a rangeextender. This increases the number of miles that the taxi driver can travel on one charge from 64 miles to 318 miles, completely eliminating range anxiety. Featuring flexible space for up to six passengers, the TX includes an integrated wheelchair ramp and can accommodate a forward-facing wheelchair – the only taxi of its kind to do so.
Patrick Masih, a local taxi driver, said; “I’m delighted to be part of this trial. LEVC is a very elegant, durable and strong vehicle. It is the way forward to improve our local air quality, reduce noise pollution and lower carbon emissions across Bristol. It is important that taxi drivers test LEVC in our current fuel crisis. Trying it out allows us to accurately reflect on the big decision and financial commitment of switching to electricShouldvehicles.”thenew taxis attract a very high number of free loan applications, the council will prioritise taxi drivers with vehicles which will not meet the emission standards of Bristol’s Clean Air Zone or those whose vehicles are nearing the end of their working life.
Taxi drivers applying for a free electric taxi loan must operate at least one petrol or diesel vehicle and make frequent trips in and out of the city on the M32 or other motorways and major routes or travel regularly through the Clean Air Zone.
There is a waiting list of Bristol-based organisations already signed up to try an electric van or car. New applicants wanting to test vans or cars can expect their loans to begin in or after January 2023.
More information about the scheme and the application form can be found at info/electrictaxi.www.travelwest.
ALMOST 5,000 residents in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) are waiting more than a year for hospital treatment, the latest figures reveal.
A total of 4,763 people referred to hospital had not been seen within 52 weeks as of June, a leap from 4,164 the previous month, according to a report to a BNSSG Integrated Care Board (ICB)
Themeeting.reportsaid the number increased at both North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT), which runs Southmead Hospital, and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Trust (UHBW), which is in charge of the BRI, Bristol Children’s Hospital and Weston General.
It said: “The BNSSG position is driven mainly by waits at NBT (1,995) and UHBW (2,081), with the remaining 687 breaches split across 45 other providers.
“Focused work to facilitate elective recovery ambitions are being implemented.”
“For planned admissions, the total waiting list size for the BNSSG population worsened from 76,803 in May to 80,712 in June,” it said.
The report to the meeting on September 1, said only 57 per cent of emergency patients at the area’s A&E departments were admitted or discharged within the four-hour maximum target –a drop from 62 per cent in May.
Less than half of urgent cancer referrals were completed within the expected fortnight limit, which was also worse than the previous month.
The report said factors included “persistence of a very high number” of patients in acute beds with “no criteria to reside” – referred to informally as bed blockers – along with the impact of Covid on the flow of patients through the system and sickness absences affecting staff
Ambulance handover delays also worsened in June, it added.
Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service
WILDSCREEN Festival celebrates its 40th birthday in Bristol this month.The event, which will explore “The Future of Natural World Storytelling for a Better Planet”, takes place from October 10-14 and includes in-person and online sessions.
The headline sponsor is BBC Studios Natural History Unit. The line-up includes Imogen Heap, Pattie Gonia, Chief Dadȧ and Steve Backshall, who aim to share their passion for the natural world through storytelling, climate change action and environmental protection.Grammy
award-winning Imogen Heap will discusses her love for the environment and how she has combined this with her music career. Pattie Gonia, an environmentalist US Drag Queen, will share their mission to build an inclusive outdoor community. Wildlife TV presenter Steve Backshall will talk about the importance of reaching young audiences with nature content.
Lucie Muir, CEO of Wildscreen, said: "With climate change and biodiversity loss an ever present and increasing threat, it’s critical that stories about nature not only reflect its beauty and brilliance, but amplify how essential it is for survival and the urgent solutions we all must implement to protect and restore our planet for the sakes of all our futures - humanity and the natural world."
The 2022 event will also see a series of exclusive film premieres and screenings. Across the world, Wildscreen Festival is considered the biggest event in the wildlife film and TV industry calendar, allowing delegates to join 2,000 storytellers from over 40 countries. Delegates can travel to Bristol or join in online in a festival first as the organisers ramp up inclusivity and accessibility for all across the globe and to reduce the environmental impact of the event.
A TECH philanthropist is coming to invest in Bristol after reportedly watching the mayor’s Ted talk in Canada.
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees gave a 14-minute lecture on climate change in April at the prestigious Ted conference in Vancouver. Earlier this summer, environmental campaigners criticised his decision as “ironic” to travel so far, given the topic of the short talk.
But now Mr Rees has revealed that a philanthropist is planning to travel to Bristol and invest in the city’s community groups “off the back of” his Ted talk. He added it’s “not always easy” to see direct benefits of Bristol City Council’s ambitious international strategy, but this was
Heone.said: “My Ted talk in Vancouver led to a number of
live contacts, not least a tech philanthropist who will be in Bristol in the coming weeks with a commitment to working with three UK cities, meeting with our community organisations with a commitment to putting real finance into their social innovation.“Withour international work
it’s not always easy to show direct benefits, because some of it’s about creating conditions in which good things are more likely to happen. Who would have known a tech philanthropist would say ‘well actually off the back of [the Ted talk] I’m going to come to Bristol and put money into your voluntary communitycentred organisations’. It’s about being present and creating conditions—and hopefully good stuff will happen.”
The mayor made the
comments during a cabinet meeting in early September when the council chiefs approved a refreshed international strategy. The ambitious plans will see Bristol “influence the United Nations” and contribute to global accordingconversations,tothemayor, as well as attract foreign investors to pay for huge projects tackling climate change.One key example of this is Ameresco and Vattenfall, companies from the USA and Sweden, investing hundreds of millions into Bristol’s City Leap project. This project will see several major public works to cut the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, including the new district heat networks.
Mr Rees added: “From the twinning associations in 1947, to today’s activities delivering our climate and ecological emergency programme, Bristol’s global relationships and reputation have continued to grow. It’s more important than ever that cities connect, collaborate and change the context within which they have to operate.“It’sthe way we can deliver for the citizens within our city boundaries, but it’s actually in the absence or the
underwhelming leadership offered by national governments on critical issues such as climate and migration so that it’s fallen on the shoulders of cities to step into that leadership vacuum.
“We cannot turn our back on those networks and forums through which we will raise our voice on these critical issues. Being in these forums has led to globally significant pieces of work. The number of requests we now have to contribute to national and international conversations on issues ranging from climate to ecology to migration is a testament to the quality of the work and leadership the [council’s international team] has shown.”
Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service.
A LASTING Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal form that gives authority to those appointed as Attorneys to make decisions on behalf of the donor (the person who has created the LPA). There are separate LPAs for Property and Financial Affairs and for Health and Welfare.
than meets the eye. For example:-
1. Sole attorneys – If a solely appointed attorney is unable to act (perhaps they have died before the donor or lost capacity themselves), their appointment would fail and the donor would be left with no attorney to make decisions and the LPA be invalid. You should then consider someone else who could act alongside your attorney or, who could step in as a replacement.
Attorneys appointed under an LPA are able to make decisions that the donor could make if they still had the ability to do so themselves. You can therefore appreciate the power that these documents have and the importance of appoint an attorney or attorneys who you trust to look after your best interests.
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 %.
BySome people think that the decision over who to appoint to is a simple one. Perhaps they have a spouse who they trust to look after their best interests and they know would be willing to make decisions for them, a child or children who are financially knowledgeable and manage their own finances well, or siblings who they think would get along and act well together. However, there is more to the consideration of who to appoint
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.
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
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.
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
2. Multiple attorneys: how should they make decisions - You can appoint attorneys to make decisions jointly and severally (they can make decisions either together or separately, jointly (they must make decisions together), or they can make some decisions jointly and separately, and some jointly. Each option requires very careful consideration. For example, appointing attorneys to make decisions jointly could mean that if one of them dies before you, the remaining attorney cannot make those decisions that they had to make jointly with the other attorney.
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.
3. Bankruptcy or Debt Relief Orders
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
– An attorney cannot be appointed if they are currently bankrupt or an undischarged bankrupt or are subject to a debt relief order. If this happens after they are appointed, they can no longer act. If an attorney has previously been bankrupt etc, are they a suitable choice of attorney?
of attorney and all private client issues, contact Shelley Faulkner, Florence Pearce and the other members of the team on 0117 9621205, email
Henleazeatamdsolicitors.comprobate@orcallin15TheMallClifton,or100RoadHenleaze.AMDSolicitorstakespride
These are just some of the issues to consider when thinking of who to appoint as your attorney and it is
practitionersprivateAMD’sessential.teamofexperiencedclientsolicitorsandincludesfull
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.
The Whiteladies Road, Clifton BS8 2PL Station Road, Shirehampton BS11
best to seek professional advice to ensure the best possible decision is made.For further advice on Lasting Powers of Attorney, the administration of estates, and Wills and other private client matters, contact AMD’s Private Client Department at 100 Henleaze Road, Bristol BS9 4JZ or on 0117 962 1205, email info@amdsolciitors. com or visit our website www. amdsolicitors.com
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in
IN the early hours of Wednesday 7th September, Bristol Tyre Extinguishers deflated the tyres of 91 SUVs around the affluent areas of Clifton, Westbury Park and Henleaze in Bristol. This makes a total of 406 SUVs "disarmed" across the city since March 2022.
A global Tyre Extinguishing action took place that day with teams out tackling SUVs in 12 countries.TheTyre Extinguishers want to see bans on SUVs in urban areas, pollution levies to tax SUVs out of existence, and massive investment in free, comprehensive public transport. But until politicians make this a reality, Tyre Extinguishers action will continue, the activists say in their press release.
Police say that the activists, if caught, will face criminal damage charges. Deflated tyres can be damaged simply by the weight of the vehicle on the more fragile tyre Lockablewalls.dust caps for tyres exist and can be bought cheaply.
WHEN Carole Jordan discovered she’d scooped £1,000 in the St Peter’s Hospice lottery, she was thrilled at the unexpected news.Carole’s terminally ill father was cared for by the Hospice at Home service in 2018.Carole said: “When Dad was near the end, the Hospice provided night care for him and supported the doctor to get his drugs right.”“It meant that we could go upstairs to bed while they cared for him. These lovely angels used to come and take over from us and we’d go to sleep. If we weren’t woken up in the night we knew he’d made it through to another day.
“After Dad passed both my nieces and my nephew ran the half marathon and my husband presented a cheque to the Hospice on behalf of the Masons. I went to the lottery to raise money as the Hospice was a lifeline for my Dad and it’s important to keep it going.”
If you’d like to support your local hospice join Your Local Lottery and have a chance at winning up to £1,000 every Friday! You’ll also automatically be entered into two Superdraws a year with over £17,000 worth of additional prizes to be won.
Tickets cost just £1 each. The next big Superdraw takes place on 16 December. Find out more or signup at stpetershospice.org/lottery
Photos of the activists by Simon Holliday Locking caps Carole Jordan with her Dad Colin NuttBRISTOL City Council spent only £70.42 on a failed bid to bring the Eurovision song contest to the city next year.
The annual contest will be hosted in the UK in May 2023, but Bristol failed to secure a place on the recently announced shortlist. Mayor Marvin Rees told BBC Radio Bristol earlier this month that he was “very disappointed for the city”.
A recent freedom of information request has now revealed that the city council spent £50 on making a video for the bid, and £20.42 on travel expenses. The video, made by an external videographer, was ultimately not used due to licensing issues.
The cost of £70.42 is much smaller than some other cities have spent in their bids to host Eurovision. Aberdeen City Council committed to spend a
staggering £30,000 of taxpayers’ money on their bid, but also ended up failing to make the shortlist of host cities.
A council spokesperson said: “Working with key city partners like YTL Arena Bristol, we tabled a serious bid from our global city at a minimal cost to council tax payers. Ukrainians were at the heart of Bristol’s bid, and we
continue to support them as a proud City of Sanctuary.” Bristol would have hosted Eurovision at the new YTL Arena under construction at the Brabazon Hangar in Filton. The council previously faced questions about its ability to host the contest there, as the arena is not due to open until 2024 — a year after the contest. A bespoke
venue would have been created to host the song contest, had Bristol been chosen. A rehearsal by the band Queen had already used the Brabazon venue.
Speaking on the radio earlier in August, Mr Rees said: “We’re disappointed but we continue to be ambitious for the city, and ambitions come with knockbacks. But it’s experience, and now we’ve been through it, we’re in a better position to pursue our ambitions with Bristol in the future.”
The seven cities that did make the shortlist are Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield, with a final decision due in autumn. The UK will host the contest on behalf of this year’s winners Ukraine, due to the ongoing war there.
Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service
A MAJOR investment of £15 million will see 204 extra places for pupils with special educational needs in Bristol.
Bristol City Council will use new funding from the Department for Education to expand special needs schools across the city, with the new specialist places created in two years. The money will be spent on constructing new school buildings and refurbishing current ones.
Demand for special needs places in Bristol is rapidly rising, and the city has faced several problems with its special educational needs and disability (SEND) provision. Mayor Marvin Rees said the new investment will help meet this growing demand.
In his blog, Mr Rees said: “We all want children to have the best opportunities in life, no matter their background. That’s why we’re supporting the opening of new schools and expanding existing ones, to make sure we meet the growing demand for school places.”
The investment forms the second phase of a major upgrade of SEND provision in Bristol. The first phase is creating 142 specialist places by February next year.
Elsewhere, two new high schools will open next year, as demand is also rising for mainstream places. Both will be run by Oasis Community Learning academy trust, and initially be in temporary accommodation, before moving to newly constructed buildings.
The new Daventry Road school will open in temporary accommodation in Hengrove next September, next to Oasis Academy John Williams. It will then move to a planned new building on Daventry Road in Knowle from September 2024. The new Temple Quarter school will open on Spring Street in Bedminster before moving to Silverthorne Lane in 2025.
BIG changes are well under way for Elmfield School for Deaf Children. The £8.5m new school building on a site adjoining Upper Horfield Community school is expected to be completed by Easter next year with the school pupils moving in shortly after.
They say it’s the first time that the school will be co-located with a mainstream school and just how the two schools can share and co-operate with each other is already under discussion. Elmfield Primary is currently on a site in Greystoke Avenue, Westbury on Trym and caters for around 40 pupils from Bristol and other local authorities.
Further moves are planned for Elmfield Secondary School and things are at an early stage involving partner schools at Claremont School in Henleaze and Redland Green School. Claremont already has a presence at Redland Green and it’s hoped that a similar co-location project there can involve Elmfield School as well.
Above: Artist's impression - Stride Treglown Architects
THE much loved annual Apple Day public event makes a welcome return to Horfield Organic Community Orchard (HOCO) on Sunday 16 October. This community celebration takes place when most of the longer keeping apples have been harvested - good news for the apple tasting table. The event raises funds for the orchard through sales of young apple and pear trees.
“It is often said the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. I say the next best time is this autumn,” says Shannon Smith, the Orchard Learning co-ordinator. She adds: “Late autumn is the ideal season because the trees are dormant and the soil is moist and warm. These are perfect conditions for young trees to get their roots into the earth. Each tree you plant, and care for, helps turn Bristol into an orchard city for the future.”
The young trees are grafted from favourite HOCO trees. Pre-ordering is strongly recommended, as there are small numbers of each variety. Details will be on the HOCO website in early October.
As well as trees there is homemade cake, fresh-pressed apple juice, plants, preserves
and produce for sale. The local community are also invited to show their support for HOCO by joining the orchard as a Friend.
Orchard members will be on hand to chat about changes in the orchard over the past few years, and to answer fruit growing questions.
To find the orchard (nearest postcode BS7 8JP) - Walk down the lane beside 22 Kings Drive (between Bishop Road & Kellaway Avenue), turn left and it’s the first gate on the right.OR Take the lane beside 134 Longmead Avenue (BS7 8QQ) until you come to the last gate on the left.
Details may change due to weather events beyond our control.
Please contact HOCO c/o the website to sign up for up-to-date information: www. community-orchard.org.ukPhone:01173731587
September - 09:15 - 11:00 - 13:30 - 09:15 - 13:30 - 11:00 - 09:15 - 11:00
THE passing of anyone in their 90s, even in this new golden age of medicine, can hardly be considered a surprise.
But it was nevertheless shocking to hear those words out loud. The Queen is dead; long live the King.
She was a month older than Marilyn Monroe, three years older than Martin Luther King and 14 years older than John Lennon. She was older than Lego, air conditioning and the creation of the greatest pop group the world has ever known.Itfelt like the Queen was always there; a fixture in the nation, as certain as the sun rising and setting each day.
Even as the world changed around her, as those figures from an unreachable past I’ve just mentioned succumbed to that one certainty in life, she remained.
But she changed with the times too. Even the most diehard republicans would have to admire her for her almost Beatle and Bowie-like ability to adapt and reinvent - to move, and excel, in a changing world.
While her longevity was impressive, her sense of duty was extraordinary - a life of im peccable service and conduct, carried out with
dignity and decorum.
Like during the first covid lockdown, when she gave a stirring tutorial in leadership for all politicians. Sporting her usual pearls and gazing steadily at the camera, she gave hope and calm where there was neither when she said those immortal words, echoing Battle of Britain and World War Two spirit: “We will meet again.”
The Queen’s sense of duty was perhaps illus trated best by her conduct during the securing of the Northern Ireland peace process.
This most terrible of conflicts had cost many thousands of lives on both sides - including a member of the Queen’s own family.
To see her shake hands with the head of the IRA, as peace was finally secured, was a momen tous event - showing why peace is so hard to obtain, and the character and personal sacrifices needed to make it happen.
So the grief for so many West of Englanders - for so many of you reading this column - is real and palpable, deep and heartfelt.
Many are in mourning, not just for a genu inely remarkable monarch but for a constant in all our lives - a reassuring and calming presence for so many, at home and across the globe.
The country the Queen came to symbolise
by the lottery of birth is bigger than any one individual or institution. As one era ends, so another begins.
We face so many challenges, both as a na tion, and in our brilliant West of England.
Let us all then remember and live by the values which the Queen cherished, and which made her reign so special: duty, fidelity, and service to others.
If we not only remember these values, but also do our best to live by them, the Queen’s influence will live on well beyond her passing, to make us an even better nation and region.
Metro Mayor Dan Norris writes for the Voice
GOLDEN Hill defeated Cheltenham Chiefs and then Dumbleton Dynamite to lift Gloucestershire’s Stuart Turner T20 U19 Cup after a hectic day of action at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bishopston.
The packed schedule began with Golden Hill restricting Cheltenham to 96-9 in the opening semi-final, bowlers Will Windows capturing 3-22 and Max Murphy 2-8, before batsmen Ethan Moss (38) and opener Sam Brooks (23) led the way to a five-wicket win with 14 balls to Holdersspare.Dumbleton then made a powerful start to the second semi, piling up 171-4 against newcomers Bristol Afghans thanks to fine knocks from Tommy Boorman (52 retired), fellow opener Nick Schubach (45) and Myles Holland (36).
In reply, Bristol Afghans were restricted to 91 all out, Hamid Khan unbeaten on 21, as bowler
Ryan Kilmister struck with 3-15.
The final, meanwhile, proved to be a tight, low scoring affair with Dumbleton restricted to 126-7 after losing the toss.
The holders’ total owed much
to skipper Holland (41) and Theo Chinn-Brown (39) who rescued the innings after a flurry of early wickets fell, bowler Charlie Allan the pick of the attack with a return of 2-15.
Golden Hill then also found themselves on the back foot before Zaman Shafi (40 not) and Moss (35) batted with great composure to seal the spoils with seven balls in hand and bring the curtain down on a tremendous day of Scottcricket.Tremain, the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation’s Club Development Manager, said: “Congratulations to Golden Hill on winning the cup for the first time after producing a series of consistently strong performances, particularly on finals day.
“We are very grateful to Gloucestershire for hosting us and to the ground staff for their hard work to ensure all three games went so smoothly.
“Thanks also to Stuart Turner for their support as well as our team of umpires, all the scorers and all the clubs who entered the competition. The planning for next year will start very soon!”
The rise in energy prices from this month has made life difficult for many constituents. In September the new Prime Minister finally announced measures to support people with their bills by freezing the energy cap for a typical household at £2,500. As I write this, we are still awaiting further details about this scheme.
What we do know is that despite the majority of the British public supporting Labour’s call it seems the government will not be paying for this help through a windfall tax on fossil fuel companies. Beyond the current crisis, we need to invest in home-grown
renewable power and a national mission to insulate homes. That’s what Labour’s Climate Investment Pledge and our plans to buy, make and sell more in Britain are about.
Through the crisis as always, my team and I are available to Bristol West constituents helping them find the right support available to them and tabling their concerns through my role in Parliament. I will keep pushing the government to improve the UK’s energy sovereignty and help working people with their energy bills.
The week commencing the 5th of September will always be a monumental one in our history. On Monday a new Prime Minister took her place at Number 10 and on Thursday we learnt Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died.
Parliament played a key role over the next few days. Regular business was suspended and for two days the House of Commons sat to deliver tributes to her Majesty.
It was an honour to close the tributes. I hoped that by reflecting on the Queen’s life, each one of us could live up to the ideal set by the late Queen. That is the biggest tribute we can pay to a great public servant. Conscious as we go about our lives of how we can help one another, contribute to the common good and work toward an even better Britain.
In my speech I reminded my fellow MPs, that those of us who willingly chose our life of duty and service can renew our commitment as we celebrate the one who served the nation unstintingly for 70 years.
Rebuilding trust and making Parliament fit for the 21st Century is one of my key roles as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons. At a time of big changes, including a new PM, I urged my colleagues to carry
forward this Elizabethan legacy of public service for generations to come.Aged just 21, the then Princess Elizabeth declared that her whole life, whether it be long or short, should be devoted to our service. That was a promise she fulfilled right until the very end. That is a lesson for all of us.
Thangam Debbonaire writes for the Voice
IMAGINE things were reversed and that we were refugees in Ukraine. We don’t speak their language, they use a different alphabet and mostly single women are trying to do the best for their refugee children. How would we find somewhere to live? How would we find school places for our children? Would the family accommodation be anywhere near the schools? Can single mothers find work?
These are some of the worries of Ukrainian refugees – mostly single mothers with young children frantic to have kept them safe, worried about their husbands still in their war torn country – trying to get by in our city.Right now what’s needed is follow-on accommodation.
Many local homeowners took in Ukrainian families for the first six months. The government offered £350 a month as a thank-you. But six months have passed and now these single parent families with little income
The Ukraine Hub at the Methodist Church in Westbury on Trym
have been thrown onto a highly competitive rental market. They have no credit rating or any of the credentials that letting agents require.While volunteers here do what they can with English language lessons and advice
to help negotiate lettings arrangements and tenancy agreements – hard enough for local people – what’s really need are generous landlords with vacant accommodation. It’s a citywideThereproblem.areincentives for
landlords – a £1000 thank-you, funding for repairs up to £2000, funding for furniture etc., to make the house a home for the family. Details below.
The Ukraine Hub at the Methodist Church in Westbury on Trym meets every Wednesday morning. There’s a mum there whose two children are at Henleaze and Redland Green schools. She had accommodation here for six months and now she’s had to find follow-on accommodation. The nearest she has got is in Kingswood for herself and her children.
Like most of us she does not want to disrupt the education of her children so, no matter how inconvenient, Kingswood it is. Her husband is at war in Ukraine.
homes-for-ukraine-schemerenting-out-your-property/landlords/get-help-with-and-professionals/private-business/housing-for-business-https://www.bristol.gov.uk/
James Scrimshaw of CUR A CLINIC AL explains how new technologies are providing ef fec tive answers to people’s pain and suf fering
death and cell reproduction.
- Optimising cell oxygen levels
- Improving Cell energy production
The results we’re seeing now in patients with varying injuries and conditions is really remarkable.
Jane kindly allowed me to use her testimony. This is probably one of the most painful cases of neck pain due to arthritis I’ve seen. Jane was unable to live her life due to the severity, often having to sit still for days due to the pain, unable to lie down, with regular migraines and a vice like feeling in her head. She had MBST for neck cartilage last year (almost a year ago). Whilst Jane still has some fluctuating pain her life now looks very different. She swam at Henleaze lake 4 times last week and does exercise classes every day she doesn’t swim. There is no way she ‘could have considered exercise a year ago.’ This case is a great example of the fact that healing from MBST is NATURAL for which reason it takes time, but over time it can change lives.
I’ve also
5 months following treatment for her arthritic knees (she’d already had a half knee replaced). She’s now pain free… I anticipate these results will last a number of years.
- Optimising intercellular signalling pathways
MBST uses exactly the same technology as MRI scanning, just without the detector coils and imaging software. MBST stands for Molecular Biophysical Stimulation.
This translates to you and I as a healing process in the tissue the energy is applied to which leads to a reduction in pain and an increase in the natural mobility and lifestyle of the patient without any need of invasive
- Reducing inflammatory mediators
- Readjusting cell circadian clock-leading to less cell death and cell reproduction.
Meet Kathy: Kathy came to me several years ago with a painful arthritic knee that was limiting her walking and exercise. She also had an ar thritic neck that wouldn’t calm down with typical hands on therapy. Both her conditions were really affecting her quality of life day to day so she decided to use MBST to heal the damage to the cartilage. I saw her this month and still, a number of years post MBST therapy she has very few aches or pains to work about after real ly nice healing in her knee and neck joints…she’s recently treated her foot arthritis as well so we’ll monitor her progress and keep you updated. Most of our success with the healing from MBST lasts 4 years or more. Thanks a lot Kathy!!
It was discovered by a German doctor who noticed that some of his MRI patients had reduced symptoms following their MRI scans. He then assembled a team of biologists and physicists to research these positive effects at a cellular level.
The results we’re seeing now in patients with varying injuries and conditions is really remarkable.
Cells that had not functioned properly due to damage , were stimulated in such a way by the energy transfer that they could again fulfil their original tasks.
This translates to you and I as a healing process in the tissue the energy is applied to which leads to a reduction in pain and an increase in the natural mobility and lifestyle of the patient without any need of invasive
It does this at cell level in a number of ways:
- Optimising cell oxygen levels
- Improving Cell energy production
- Optimising intercellular signalling pathways
- Reducing inflammatory mediators
Obviously there are limitations of the effects relating to a number of factors such as severity and complexity of a patient’s case, however the technology is constantly being improved and we’re getting better at selecting the right patients and conditions in order to get higher success rates and better overall results.
- Readjusting cell circadian clock-leading to less cell death and cell reproduction.
there are limitations of the effects relating to a number of factors such as severity and complexity of a patient’s case, however the technology is constantly being improved and we’re getting better at selecting the right patients and conditions in order to get higher success rates and better overall results.
Rob (above) is a great example of how MBST heals cartilage in a moderate to severe arthritic knee. 15 months after his MBST therapy he now runs, plays racket ball and golf without any pain and that’s without his braces. He’s recently done a course on his severe arthritic neck and after 3-4 months has significantly less neck pain and improved mobility. Over the next 6 months I expect his condition to reach over 90% improvement.
This translates to you and I as a healing process in the tissue the energy is applied to which leads to a reduction in pain and an increase in the natural mobility and lifestyle of the patient without any need of invasive therapy.
Rob (above) is a great example of how MBST heals cartilage in a moderate to severe arthritic knee. 15 months after his MBST therapy he now runs, plays racket ball and golf without any pain and that’s without his braces. He’s recently done a course on his severe arthritic neck and after 3-4 months has significantly less neck pain and improved mobility. Over the next 6 months I expect his condition to reach over 90% improvement.
Obviously there are limitations of the effects relating to a number of factors such as severity and complexity of a patient’s case, however the technology is constantly being improved and we’re getting better at selecting the right patients and conditions in order to get higher success rates and better overall results.
James Scrimshaw of CUR A CLINIC AL explains how new technologies are providing ef fec tive answers to people’s pain and suf feringSuperconductive magnets RF RF coils Sweep coils · Electromagnets Detector coils Scanner & control unit High performance computer with special imaging software Control unit with interactive display
A VARIETY of finch species will visit your garden or local park. They seem more numerous now than I remember from my distant youth. Probably because garden feeding is more common and there is less competition from House Sparrows, which have declined in number. At this time of year Goldfinches will tour the feeders in flocks. The adults with their black, gold and red plumage. The juveniles are much less colourful with a flash of gold in their wing. Chaffinches with their blue caps and pink breasts are more common in the winter. Greenfinches are a bit bigger with a yellow flash on the wing, a yellow-green breast and a call like a wheeze. You might get lucky with a Bullfinch; jet black cap, white rump and the males with a vivid pink breast. In the colder months you might even spot a Siskin. They are quite stripey with yellow and black markings. Finches are susceptible to a number of diseases, so make sure you
Bird photos: Keith Williams
keep your feeders clean. Don’t use harsh cleaning fluids, soapy water is fine and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. A source of clean water is important particularly in dry or frosty weather.
Alastair Fraser. OrnithologicalBristolClub
Buses stopped?
Like many residents we’ve been shocked at the cuts to the local bus service. There are two overall changes. One is the closure of Bristol Community Transport, who operated various councilsupported services, including the 505 which served Kellaway Avenue/Coldharbour Rd; the other is the withdrawal of several purely commercial services by First Bus due to the driver shortage, inc 72a. Some new financial support is promised but can’t be used until next year, and training new bus drivers is a slow process. Greens lobbied the West of England metro mayor to do more to support an effective bus network. The good news as we write is an indication that a new community transport operator is in the process of seeking a licence to operate services including 505 so we’re hopeful this could be revived.
CAZ coming – but worries for disabled people
November 28th is the announced start date for the city’s statutory clean air zone. We’ve been calling for action for many years including securing a council vote in 2016 calling for action to clean up toxic air.
Do check if your travel plans will be affected by the new zone rules.
So far at least three quarters of motor vehicles are not affected by any charges as they are approved compliant models. There is a mix of transitional help for vehicles including EV loans for traders and taxis and active travel help - see the cleanertherethemanytheandwithamongdisabledtransitionbydetailed.andorg wherewebsite www.cleanairforbristol.informationroadshowsthesupportpackagesareYou’llneedtobereadyMarch2023atlatestwhenthecloses.There’sconcernbypeopleinthecity,whoarethoseonlowestincomesmostdependenceonmobility,we’resupportingarequestforcounciltolookagainathowpeopleareexcludedfromsupportavailable.Wedowanttobeajusttransitiontoair.
With the end of the street party season thoughts have turned to the new school term. We’ve been contacted by residents seeking council support for ‘school streets’ i.e. streets where motor traffic is restricted in favour of ensuring priority is given to safe access by foot and wheel from pupils and parents at the start and end of the school day. There are a handful of school streets being piloted in the city – two from 2020 and two more from 2021, plus the prospect
We hope you all had a good summer. We have been busy with various casework over the summer. We visited Horfield Prison to learn about their new project to open a café in the future, which will see inmates learning new working skills. We have been looking at new plans for tree planting this winter on Horfield Common, and putting plans in place for a petition about banning pavement parking across Bristol, which we hope to update you on next month.
But our main focus currently, has been on the changes to Muller Road, and so want to make that a feature of this month’s column as so many people have been in touch about it. The project, which would see improvements to the layout of Muller Road, additional traffic signals being added to the
bottom of Ralph Road, and Brent, Draycott and Springfield Roads blocked off, was due to start at the beginning of July; but due to procurement issues was pushed back to the end of August. We have been made aware of the following issues; an increase in the traffic on Downend Road being the most concerning, but also that cars were cutting over the pavements and across the green space to get to Muller Road. Emma has been working with the engineer and site manager to fix the second problem, and additional barriers have now been added to stop these dangerous cut throughs. While the Downend Road is not as easy to solve, officers have been made aware of the issue. We are also holding a public meeting to discuss potential solutions, and this will be on Thursday 22nd
of a couple more – these have been very heavily over subscribed by schools asking for a scheme. However in Bristol no main roads and no through roads have been allowed by the administration and the group, Parents for School Streets, have pressed for more to be done. Do get in touch if you’re interested.
With the cost of living crisis underway and steep food price inflation we’re glad to see a new allotments and food growing strategy is proposed by the council. Local food initiatives have long been a welcome feature in the city. There’s a scrutiny meeting to discuss the proposed strategy –now likely to be held on October 3rd at City Hall - and local groups may be interested in the discussion there or the possibility of submitting statements or questions about the council’s role in allotment provision and supporting food growing. There’s a very long waiting list that’s twice the number of tenants on the 96 plot sites. If you have any specific points do let Martin know before then as he’s part of the committee.
Our parks have been very well used since lockdown and we know
how much they are valued. They are also being asked to run with very limited budget provision and to serve more and more different purposes including nature, drainage, events, heritage, food growing and be more accessible. We’re hoping the new strategy offers a concrete way forward for community groups and diverse users to make the most of our parks and looking for plans that help invest in facilities and repairs where these are needed. The draft is in the papers for Communities Scrutiny Commission.
This project in Westbury Park is still under negotiation between the applicant, the council and community groups are of course taking an interest. We understand there may be some changes being discussed on the height and massing of the proposals. Watch this space.
Contacts: Fi: Facebook.com/cllrmartin.fodor4736101Fi:gov.ukMartin:Cllr.fi.hance@bristol.gov.uk.Cllr.martin.fodor@bristol.01173534720.Martin0788or / cllrfi.hance
September at 7.30-8.30pm at Ashley Down School. If you live in the vicinity or have a child at the school, do come along. You can also email us with any questions and comments at the email address below. This particular project has created a high volume of enquiries and we have been working to find potential solutions to the issues. There have been delays due to both the officers in charge of this project being on leave, but we have now communicated with the lead engineer and the site manager about solutions.
I hope you will excuse the uniform answer here, but it hopefully addresses your concern. Although there will be time for questions at the meeting, if you want to ask questions before the meeting, do email them to us and we will try and get
them answered at the meeting. It is our belief that there are short term, mid term and long term solutions to these issues and that we can work on them all, but the short term solutions are for now a priority. We do ask anyone driving through the area to be aware of the extra traffic and use an alternative route if possible and also to respect the blockades at the bottom of the newly blocked off roads. We thank everyone who has been in touch over this and for your patience in a response. We will do all we can to find workable solutions to this issue.
Contacts: EmmaEdwardsLilyFitzGibbonFacebook:Cllr.LilyFitzgibbon@bristol.gov.ukCllr.EmmaEdwards@bristol.gov.uk@
HELENKA Stachera is the author of two books for children age 9-12, published by Puffin.
They are The Ice Whisperers, an ice-age adventure about two sisters born 40,000 years apart, and her new book, Fin and the MemoryHelenkaCurse.lives in Bishopston with her husband and first came to Bristol in 1984 to study at Bristol University.
Fin and the Memory Curse is a spooky adventure set in Victorian London. It features eleven- year-old Fin and her loyal Jack Russell, Small, who are on a mission to break a centuries-old curse and defeat an evil countess who feeds on memories. A bit like Oliver Twist with vampires and ghosts!
Helenka says that lots of people write for fun or selfpublish, but if you want to be traditionally published it can take time and perseverance.
"The idea for The Ice Whisperers came to me around ten years ago, and it finally got published last year.
"When I started writing, I was lucky enough to get a place on the MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University, which helped me develop my craft and gave me some understanding of the publishing industry. I also entered writing competitions, which helped me get my work noticed. I am part of a supportive writing group. A good agent is invaluable and my agent helped me develop my work and pitched it to publishers, which resulted in my book deal with Puffin.
"I love the writing itself, but
one of the best moments was seeing the illustrations and book covers for the first time, as well as spotting my stories on shelves in book shops. Visiting enthusiastic children and teachers is always a pleasure and last year I visited three local schools - Badocks Wood, Redmaids' Junior and Bishop Road. A big highlight for me was seeing two sisters dressed as Bela and Ren-ya from The Ice Whisperers for World Book Day.
"It showed they’d enjoyed my story and, as an author, that’s everything I could wish for."
Her advice to budding authors is that they should aim to write regularly. "Even if it’s only a little, if you write most days you’ll be constantly daydreaming about your characters and the world you’ve created, which is all part of the creative
process. Read as much as you can, and not just the ‘classics’ or books you loved as a child. Read recently published books in the genre you are writing.
"Writing is a solitary pursuit and I would recommend joining a writers’ group. Giving and receiving feedback is one of the best ways to improve your writing. There are lots of organisations offering help and advice. For example, Write Mentor (www.write-mentor. com) is a supportivewell-respectednetworkofchildren’s writers who offer free as well as paid-for help and advice."
And what books does Helena read? "I love sci-fi and recently enjoyed Show Us Who You Are by Elle McNicholl and TheConsequence Girl by Alastair Chisholm (both for age 9-12). For teens who love an
eco-thriller, Lu Hersey’s Broken Ground is wonderfully spinechilling. In adult books, I’m a fan of historical fiction and would recommend The Leviathan by Rosie Andrews and Cecily by AnnieWhatGarthwaite."doesHelenka like about the Gloucester Road?
"I love living near the Gloucester Road, it’s a great place for shopping and going out. I like eating at The Grace, and Sidney and Eden is great for drinks with friends. As a bookish person, it’s a joy to live five minutes from Bishopston Library. If they don’t have the book you want they’ll order it in for free! I was delighted when the excellent Gloucester Road Bookshop opened last year. I love exploring the great range of books, and the support of expert independent booksellers like owner, Tom Robinson, is so important to authors."
Helenka’s new book, Fin and the Memory Curse, is perfect for Halloween reading. If you’d like a signed and dedicated copy, you can order one from Gloucester Road Bookshop, or online, October,OrderGloucesterRoadBooks.com.www.byWednesday26thandbeenteredinto a draw to win one of two copies of The Ice Whisperers. Winners chosen on Saturday 29th October.
Grass cutting, hedge and shrub trimming, weeding, planting, felling small trees, clearing, small painting jobs including garden fences and other maintenance work. Please call for a no-obligation chat
Author Helenka Stachera and her two children's books
PEOPLE often imagine that this is my busiest time of year when in fact it’s actually one of the quieter periods. The grapes have swollen and are just hanging in situ while they slowly ripen. The vine stems have stopped growing and have started to go brown, hard and dormant ready for winter. Soon I’ll start testing the grapes to enable me to plot a simple line graph and predict a good picking date. Because we had a dry summer the grapes look very nice and clean (mildew free) but they are on a smaller side so may ripen a but quicker than usual. For the older vines with deep roots it’s been a great summer but the younger vines with shallower roots have struggled to grow much in the dry conditions. Even now after the recent rainfall we still have big cracks in the soil around the vineyard but I’m sure that’ll change over the coming months.
On the wildlife front the swallows are still with us but will soon start making their way south for the winter. I love having the swallows swooping over me as I work so I’ll be sad to see them go but I always remind myself that they have to leave or we’d never get that amazing feeling of seeing the first swallow return next spring!
On the wine front – we’ve hardly any sparkling red or still white wine left so best to check the shops for the last few remaining bottles. We hope to release a new sparkling red just before Christmas so watch this space for more info on that.
Taking care of yourself mentally has been highlighted recently and particularly during lockdown when many of us felt more isolated. It turns out that not everybody thinks in exactly the same way and for those who differ from what is thought to be “normal or typical”, whatever that means, a new compulsiveinsightNorthTracyemerged.“neurodivergent”expressionhasThisarticle–fromTaintonwholivesinBristol-aimstogiveintoOCD-obsessivedisorder.
FILMS and television occasionally portray characters with OCD. Usually the audience is invited to
chuckle at the eccentric behaviours on show, but this condition is not a quirky trait of a “normal” personality. In my opinion, there is no being “a little bit OCD” one is either afflicted or not!
Another misconception is that condition is about germs and cleanliness, or rows of tinned food facing the same way in the cupboard! OCD IS this, but it’s so much more. Hence a reason why it is classified as a neurodivergent condition, in the same bracket as Autism, Tourette’s syndrome, ADHD and many others. Someone with this disorder is considered to possess a brain that is “wired” in a different way to that of neurotypical individuals; it is not abnormal, but different.
What can not be disputed is that OCD is exceptionally distressing for those who have a medical diagnosis, and many
sufferers continue without a diagnosis. The traits can be exhibited in childhood, but a medical diagnosis can take up to 10 years to be achieved, if at all! OCD usually presents with other conditions, such as anxiety, depression, personality disorders, andFear,more.anxiety, procrastination, low self-esteem and guilt exacerbate OCD, and paradoxically all these traits are also the result of experiencing and coping with the condition. Constant negative thoughts which need neutralising by short-lived, reassuring mental or physical compulsions, sometimes hundreds of times a day, can dog the afflicted. Those with OCD can be convinced their thoughts affect real-life outcomes; they are always negative outcomes linked to themselves or another. This is sometimes referred to as “Magical
Thinking”. Suggesting to someone with OCD that they “stop thinking” or “think about something else” is misjudged at best and can be cruel at worst.Isthere a cure? Some experts and sufferers believe so. But after 30 years since my initial diagnosis, I am still trying to manage my condition and the symptoms which have been embedded for some sixty years, from childhood. Others I know say that they manage and cope with their symptoms, using prescribed medications, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), Trauma therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and varyingHypnotherapyReprocessing (EMDR),andmorewithdegreesofsuccess.Furtherinfoatimhn.org/ocdaction.org.uk/www.ocduk.org/ocduk/https://;https://;https://www.
by Akwaeke Emezi
Review by Bob Deacon of Bishopston
opens with an explicit sex scene at a Memorial Day house party in present day Brooklyn, New York. 29 year old Feyi meets a handsome stranger, Milan, and they enjoy sex in the bathroom of the host. Freyi and Milan continue to see each other for the next few weeks, purely for sex. There are no shared breakfasts or dinner dates. Milan introduces Feyi to his best friend Nasir. After Feyi breaks up with Milan, Feyi is invited out on a dinner date by Nasir. During the date, Feyi tells Nasir about a traumatic event which happened five years ago, and from which she suffers frequent flashbacks. Feyi ‘s husband Jonah, a high school sweetheart who she married straight out of college, was killed in a car accident with Feyi escaping with only minor injuries. Sensing her fragile vulnerability, Nasir agrees with Feyi that they will have a platonic relationship, and get to know one another as friends. Feyi mentions her
work as an aspiring artist, and invites Naisir to her studio, where he is shocked to see Jonah’s bloodstained clothes, recovered by Feyi, after the accident, displayed behind clear glass. Naisir mentions that his father is an art collector and best friend to a curator, Rebecca Owo, who is putting on an exhibition of Black Diaspora artists at his family home on an unnamed tropical island.
Feyi and Nasir fly to the island where she finds out that Nasir’s father is Alim Blake, a 47 year old celebrity chef, who is equally traumatised by the death of his wife 20 years previously in a swimming accident. Bonded together by their traumatised pasts, Feyi and Alim embark on a passionate affair while Nasir is away working on an neighbouring island. This engrossing novel, provides a sensitive and sensual depiction of love and loss. It is also refreshing to find two bisexual black characters, involved in a love triangle, more commonly the domain of straight, white persons. For this book, and many more, please come and visit your local friendly Bishopston Library. You can find us at 100A Gloucester Road where you will receive a warm welcome
9 October
n HARVEST SUPPER £1, at 8pm. Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH (Supper follows the 6.30pm service for those who wish to attend.) Tickets on sale at the church or contact Marian Bishop on 0117 977 marianbishop@talktalk.net1629
n THE ARTS SOCIETY BRISTOL LECTURE on "Art Behind Bars" is at 8pm at Redmaids' High BS9 3AW. We welcome new members and guests. For more information on our lectures, given by specialists in their own field, and our other activities, visit our website theartssociety-bristol.org.ukwww.
15 October
n EVENING OF MEDIUMSHIP with Psychic Medium Moya O’Dwyer at 7pm. Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Tickets £8 Tickets on sale at the church or contact Marian Bishop on 0117 977 1629 marianbishop@ talktalk.net
OF WNO
invite you to enjoy a variety of talks with glorious music at our new venue, The Apostle Room, Clifton Cathedral (Worcester Road entrance). Visitors always welcome. Monday, 17 October 2022. Castaway’s Choice with Rebecca Evans CBE. The radiant-voiced international soprano, Rebecca Evans, will reflect on her career at home and abroad in conversation with Andrew Borkowski. 6.45 for 7.15 pm. Refreshments available. Easy parking. WNO Friends £8. Visitors £10. For more information contact Melanie David 01934 melaniejdavid@btinternet.com842014.
Monday
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 redlandwindband@gmail.comon
n TAI CHI & QI GONG. Weekly
beginners / improvers classes with Tai Chi Body and Mind. These classes are for your physical and mental health and wellbeing –there is no fighting. In Person: Mondays, Fairfield High School, Alfoxton Rd. 7.30 – 8.30pm. Online: Tuesdays 6.30 – 7.30pm. Contact: Claire - Claire@taichibodyandmind. co.uk (07769 857672).
n DICKENS SOCIETY. 8pm, at Leonard Hall, Henleaze URC, Waterford Rd, Bristol BS9 4BT. Talks, costumed readings, book club and social events. New members welcome. See www.dickenssociety.org.uk or phone Roma on 0117 9279875 for further details.
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 on our lectures and other activities visit our www.theartssociety-bristol.org.ukwebsite
n BRISTOL HARMONY WEST GALLERY CHOIR AND BAND are now rehearsing regularly again. We are looking for new members SATB as well as string, reed and wind instrumentalists. We sing and play lively church and village music from the 18th century. We meet at St Edyth’s Church Hall in Sea Mills on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. No auditions but ability to read music is helpful. Ring Fritjof on 0117 924 3440 or see Pleasebristolharmony.wordpress.com.www.contactbeforeattending so we can have music ready.
n POETRY UNLIMITED – poetry
circle meet on the First Tuesday of every month between 11am - 12 midday. Room 1, Horfield Baptist Church, 279 Gloucester Rd, Bishopston, Bristol, BS7 8NY. Entrance is at the back of the church on Brynland Ave (opposite no.39). Please enter down the right hand alley way through the side door; the room is the first on the right. £2.00 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: poetryunlimitedbristol.weebly.comwww.
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 Sheila on 01179570792 or 07435316458 or email shinett@blueyonder.co.uk
n HEALING SESSIONS run by accredited healers take place 2 til 3.30pm at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Just turn up, or for info contact Marian Bishop 0117 9771629 or visit westburyparkspiritualistchurch.orgwww.
n BISHOP ROAD COMMUNITY CHOIR are meeting Thursday evenings at 7.30pm to 9.00pm at st. Michael & All Angels Church on gloucester road. Contact us via email on choir@gmail.Com
n HEALING FOR WELLBEING Feel more relaxed, peaceful, calmer. Drop-in 3.00 - 4.15 pm at Redland Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE. Donation basis. Supported by members of The Healing Trust. Contact: Selina 0117 9466434 or selinanewton@yahoo. co.uk.
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. For more information contact Jean on 01179 624466 or Jane on 07752 332278
n LOCAL CHOIR ACTIVELY RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS. We meet at Stoke Bishop CE Primary School, BS9 1BW on Thursday, 7.45 - 9.15pm. We are a well-established mixed choir performing both
sacred and secular music. See our website www.henburysingers. org or contact the secretary secretary@henburysingers.org.at
n BRISTOL MALE VOICE
CHOIR are rehearsing for our 2022 concerts and warmly invite you to join us; the ability to read music is helpful but not essential as we regularly rehearse our wide-ranging repertoire, from classical to pop, traditional male voice favourites to musicals and gospel songs in various languages. We meet every Thursday at 7.00pm in St Andrew's Methodist Church, Elm Park, Filton, BS34 7PS. For further information see our website, www.bristolmvc.org. uk, or Facebook, or phone 07587 143 220.
n ENJOY DANCINGSCOTTISH at St. Monica’s Oatley Hall, Cote Lane, BS9 3UN on Thursdays 7.30 – 10.00 p.m. £6.00 per session. Have fun, make friends, keep fit. Phone Trish 0788 052 rscdsbristol.info8925/www.
CIRCLE starting Sept 8. For those interested in developing their spiritual awareness and mediumistic ability. 7.15 for 7.30pm start at Westbury Park Spiritualist Church, Cairns Road BS6 7TH. Just turn up, or for info contact Marian Bishop 0117 9771629 or visit westburyparkspiritualistchurch.orgwww.
I N an average year the walnuts on our tree grow in pairs, this year bunches of five or six hang from the twigs. As usual, in early July, the squirrels appear. They pick a baby walnut, sit up on their haunches, and (looking studiedly charming as if auditioning for the next Disney film) they nibble through the outer green case. At some point, the truth hits them … this walnut is not ripe! So, they throw it away and try the next. And this carries on until September. The cuteness of a squirrel sitting eating a nut wears off in about ten seconds, when you realise what is going on.
Come September the walnuts are ripe enough for the squirrels to eat, but not ripe enough to fall. As I sit now typing with the kitchen door open, there is the noise of squirrels - nibbling, calling “chak chak” at each other, or scolding the cat. A constant shower of green bits pitter-patters through the foliage and the path is crunchy with shards of shell. Sometimes they drop a whole bunch of walnuts and sometimes they drop
one before breaking into the shell; I pick those up and so we get our share! Come mid-October there will be none left.
The eastern grey squirrel is from North America, introduced to Cheshire in 1876 as an “ornamental” species. The image of grey squirrels then flooding the country in an inexorable wave is not correct. Genetic research shows that their establishment was
largely due to human actions – the different colonies only spreading out gradually, even becoming inbred. After that first introduction they quickly became popular, for reasons that remain obscure, and the 11th Duke of Bedford, for example, put in sterling work, releasing greys in Woburn Park, Regents Park and Wales. And this, despite the fact that our native red squirrels had long been persecuted
as pests. As the greys appeared the red squirrel began to disappear. The greys do not attack or drive out the reds, though they do carry a disease which is far more serious for reds. But in sub-optimal habitat for reds the greys out-compete them, being willing to eat unripe acorns for instance, while reds prefer ripe ones. Both squirrels will eat a range of shoots, roots, fruit, nuts and fungi and also take birds’ eggs and insects. Most lowland woodlands, gardens and parks in UK now support only grey squirrels, red squirrels being confined to a very few small colonies (our nearest being on Brownsea Island in Dorset). But reds do better in the North, in mixed and coniferous woodlands, because they are better able to feed on the small seeds of conifers than are greys.
Squirrels are now burying their winter stores and sometimes, if they suspect they are being watched, they pretend to bury their nut, but actually sneak it away and stash it elsewhere. Perhaps they are donating a future walnut tree to your garden right now.
Eastern grey squirrel by William N. BeckonYOU know how it feels when you nervously try out a new skill and by ‘being brave’ you end up feeling a whole lot better about yourself? That’s what the inspiring bunch of people at All-Aboard Watersports in Cumberland Basin achieved for me and my 81-yearold Italian friend, Nuccia.
It was a beautiful sunny day at the Harbourside as Nuccia and I chose our life jackets and joined a diverse bunch of older people outside the Cottage Pub. Our mission: to conquer our fear of water and learn to row a boat.
Nuccia, who worships at St Bon’s Church in Bishopston, crossed herself as we started walking nervously down the jetty towards a gig, a kind of large rowing boat for four people. Half way down, she turned to me: “I think I shall go home now, I’m not feeling very good.” I turned to the course leaders: “I think I will take Nuccia home….” And before I could finish that sentence, two big burly blokes got Nuccia by the armpits and swung her into the boat, and then did the same to me, completely ignoring all
our squeaks and protests about changing our mind!
Needless to say, once we were in the boat, our fears evaporated and we got the impression the kind and burly blokes had heard all these excuses a million times before.All-Aboard
is a Bristol water sports charity whose aim is to break down barriers and make it possible for everyone to enjoy a range of activities such as sailing, kayaking, canoeing, rowing, paddle-boarding, and power-boating. Inclusivity means all special requirements are met, whether it’s disability, age, sensory issues or - like me and
Nuccia - plain terror. We rowed around Cumberland Basin and all the way up to Temple Meads and back which is a lovely thing on a sunny day. The traffic noise from Hotwells Road seems to fade away and all you can see is the water moving under your hand, the cormorants hanging their wings to dry and the moorhens hustling their chicks to the banks. The peaceful rhythm of the oars, more or less pulling together, is as relaxing and regular as a heartbeat.Andthen near disaster strikes our craft and the photograph on this page captures the moment. I ‘caught a crab’. Instead of smoothly pulling just under the surface, one end of my eight foot long oar suddenly plunges straight down into the water while the other end rears up like a horse, out of control, and hits the trainer standing at the front of the boat.
Being a salty sea dog, he’s not rattled. He manages to bat it away before it knocks him into the oily deep. But batting the heavy oar away means that this rower, stupidly hanging on to the other end, falls backwards into Nuccia, ending up on my back in the bilge water at the bottom of the boat. Heroically, Nuccia pushes me back upright all sodden and smelly and the oar gives me a last kicking in the ribs.
Disaster over, a few minutes later we are back on the jetty, and we limp back up the gangplank together towards the All-Aboard offices, dragging our oars and kit. “Best day out, ever!” says Nuccia. “When can we come again?”
All-Aboard offers courses all year round on a wide range of topics and with a view to mastering different kinds of vessels and sports. Check them out at allaboardwatersports.co.ukhttps://www.
NICOLA improved her family’s finances with funded career coaching from Future Bright
As a freelance graphic designer Nicola was stuck in a contract that paid a little for a lot of work. By joining Future Bright, she was able to make positive steps in her career – and so could you.
Nicola explains the situation she was in prior to accessing support: “I had many skills gaps that I needed to fill. I didn’t have the confidence to ask for a reasonable rate for my
work. I was generally feeling unsure of the direction I was choosing and felt like I wasn’t really making progress, just treading water. I felt a bit desperate and in a muddle. I didn’t really know how to improve my situation as a freelancer and lacked focus and direction.”
Future Bright has given Nicola the opportunity to take courses to fill the gaps in her skillset, develop her business skills through workshops and negotiate a contract for a design project that paid a much better rate.
Nicola found her Future Bright coach incredibly positive and supportive. She said, “My coach pointed me in the direction of so many useful resources and gave me lots of useful suggestions. I feel much more optimistic about my career now. This has had a very positive effect on my family’s financial situation, and I feel less anxious about my career. I have also learnt to value my work.”
To anyone thinking of signing up for Future Bright, Nicola said, “Do it! If you engage with the project, it can be transformative.
It’s a wonderful opportunity – more people should know about it!”
When you join Future Bright, you will work with a dedicated career coach who will create a personalised action plan with you to help you progress. Your coach will provide one-to-one support and practical information on other services. Your coach can help with training and development tailored to your needs.
Future Bright offers free one-toone career coaching to residents in Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire, ages eighteen and over, in paid work (including zero hours and self-employed) and either receiving eligible benefits or tax credits, or earning below £9.90 an hour.
If you are unsure if you are eligible, get in touch with us for a chat - we may be able to find other support services which are more suitable for you.
To find out more and apply,
visit: councils.BristolbyMayorCombinedmanagedfuturebright@bristol.gov.uk.directlyTowww.futurebright.org.uk.contacttheBristolteamcall01179222250oremailFutureBrightisfundedandbytheWestofEnglandAuthority,ledbyMetroDanNorris,anddeliveredBath&NorthEastSomerset,andSouthGloucestershire
OUR great nation was shaken to its very core following the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
I recognise that, of course, there are varying views on the monarchy but no one can deny the Queen’s positive contribution through her support to a vast number of charities, shining a light on the hard work of numerous organisations who make a difference to people’s lives.Her Majesty the Queen has lived by her oath to spend every day of her life in service to her people. As an inspirational leader, she has been a great example to us all and nobody could have done more to serve this country and the Commonwealth.
I know many of our communities felt a huge personal
loss when the sad news of her death was announced on September 8.
For most, she is all we have ever known and, after speaking to colleagues, officers and residents, I think most people were surprised at the intensity of theirThegrief.week between the announcement of the Queen’s passing and her funeral was a very sombre and solemn time and, over those ten days, I was determined to visit as many police stations as possible. So many of our police officers’ working life is born out of duty to the Crown and I know that they felt this loss acutely.
I have sworn allegiance to the Queen twice: firstly when I was Scout at the age of 11 and then,
as a young soldier of 19, I swore allegiance to the Queen and her family, to protect this country. Similarly, our police officers also swear an oath to the Queen and her death has had a huge impact on them.Iwant to take a moment to thank and recognise the police officers, police staff and PCSOs across Avon and Somerset and the country for their work to help facilitate the numerous memorial events, proclamation ceremonies and the funeral of the Queen itself; their work and support has kept the public safe while they paid their respects.
I deeply share the sorrow that our united nation continues to feel at the passing of our Commander in Chief.
In many of our lifetimes, we
will never see a monarch reign for the length Queen Elizabeth II did, and to do so with grace, generosity and selflessness is astonishing.Thingswill never be the same again but, having known King Charles III for over 30 years, I know he too will be a respected and dedicated monarch.
*
Working in partnership with We Care Home Improvements and Lendology CIC, the partnership takes the stress out of funding and finding contractors for home repairs, improvements or adaptations.
If you are a homeowner, of any age, and need to make essential repairs to your home, call us today for more information. Works covered under the scheme include roof repair, electrical and plumbing work, damp and structural remedies, heating installations or replacement, amongst other works.
*Subject to eligibility. **A maximum reduction of £1,000 from an approved loan over £2,000. For loans £2,000 or less, the reduction will be 50% of the loan value.
Budget is limited and will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. Typical Example (4% fixed interest rate, Typical 4.2% APR). Borrow £5,000 over 60 months. £92.08 monthly repayments. Total amount repayable = £5,544.96, including £20 fee for registering the Title Restriction. Missing payments could affect your credit rating and ability to obtain credit in the future. Loans are subject to status and are typically protected by a Title Restriction. This means that you may not be able to sell your home without our permission unless the loan is fully repaid. This is a financial promotion approved by Lendology CIC.
Lendology CIC is a trading name of Wessex Resolutions C.I.C.: a community interest company limited by guarantee, registered in England, company number 4512225. Registered address: Heatherton Park Studios, Bradford on Tone, Taunton TA4 1EU. Financial Conduct Authority (675263) for credit regulated activities. www.lendology.org.uk more 0300 323 0700 visit www.wecr.org.uk
