Clifton Voice December 2024 by Emma Cooper

December, 2024 Issue 16

Happy smiles as sisters make Christmas memories

McKee and her sister Kirianna, parents Marc and Dana and Smiley

TWO sisters supported by a children's hospice have switched on Clifton's Christmas lights.

Zeniah McKee, 5, and sister Kirianna, 11, helped by mum and dad Marc and Dana, pressed the 'red button' to light up the spectacular Christmas tree, which heralds the start of the festive season in Clifton.

The family, who are supported by Children's

Hospice South West (CHSW) at its Charlton Farm hospice in Wraxall , were invited to switch on the illuminations in The Mall Gardens by BID Clifton Village at an event on November 20 which included carol singing from Christ Church Primary School pupils led by The Rev Paul Langham.

Tony Miles - aka Smiley Miley - who organises the annual extravaganza.

Scout leader's 70 years of service

Mike Keefe, 89, has been honoured for 70 years as a leader at a Scout group in Clifton Village. He joined as a Cub in the 1940s and never left.

PAGE 10

Pedestrianisation scheme costs soar

The costs of making part of Princess Victoria Street permanently traffic free have rocketed, but it is going ahead.

PAGE 4

Zoo treasures go under hammer

The countdown to the switchon was led by event organiser

Tony said: "The switch on is a fantastic village community event which signals the start of the festive season. BID Clifton Village is proud to support Children's Hospice South West this year as its charity partner this year.

Hospice changed our lives: Page 3

Hundreds of items of memorabilia from Bristol Zoo in Clifton have been sold at auction.

PAGE 7

Zeniah

Miley press the button

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Clifton Voice is independent. We cannot take responsibility for content or accuracy of adverts, and it is advertisers’ responsibility to conform to all relevant legislation. We cannot vouch for any services offered. Opinions are not necessarily those of the editor. Clifton Voice is distributed each month to Clifton residents. If for some reason you do not get a copy, please collect one from local pick-up points. Feedback is always welcomed, contact Emma Cooper on 0117 908 2121 or emma@Cliftonvoice.co.uk. This month 6,500 copies copies will be distributed around Clifton.

Get ahead of the cold weather – keep your home warm and leak free this winter.

1. Look after your boiler. Get it serviced early, so it can keep your home warm.

2. Find your stop tap. You’ll be able to turn the water off quicker in an emergency.

3. Going away? Remember to keep your heating on low (min 14ºC).

4. Check your outdoor tap. Fix any drips, and wrap it up or fit a tap jacket.

5. Protect exposed pipes. Wrap up pipes that are exposed to cold air (e.g. loft or garage) to stop them freezing/bursting.

Charlton Farm has changed our lives

Family praises 'transformational' children's hospice

THE McKee family are looking forward to Christmas 2024 after a year in which their lives have been made easier thanks to Children's Hospice South West.

Parents Marc and Dana admit that when they arrived at Charlton Farm in January they were at 'breaking point.'

Looking after their disabled daughter Zeniah, who was born with 4 large holes in her heart, had left the family feeling 'in bits' and 'struggling to cope.

But the support they have received from CHSW has made all the difference, and the family are keen to repay the charity by spearheading its Christmas appeal.

Zeniah and her sister Kirianna are happy to play their part by switching on Clifton;'s Christmas lights.

Zeniah's story

Zeniah was born in 2019. But quickly after her arrival Dana and Marc suspected something was wrong.

"Zeniah was born under emergency section," said Dana, "and she didn't breathe for the first few minutes."

Zeniah spent the first two weeks of her life in Southmead Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where medics diagnosed a heart murmur, which they said would get better.

"When we brought her home we suspected something wasn't right," said Dana. "She was sleeping up to 20 hours a day and struggling to wake up to feed and had a rapid heart rate."

An appointment with her midwife then saw Zeniah taken by ambulance into hospital where further tests revealed she had four large holes in her heart.

At four weeks old and weighing just 5lb, Zeniah had surgery to band, untangle and reimplant her pulmonary artery, which had wrapped itself around her trachea.

"Her heart was so tiny," said Dana, "the size of a strawberry and the operation took eight hours. They told us then she

Marc, Dana, Zeniah and Kiranna McKee, are backing the CHSW Christmas appeal

had a 50/50 chance of survival."

Zeniah recovered well from her surgery and after eight weeks was allowed home.

But after a couple of weeks she took a turn for the worse where it was discovered she had fluid in her heart which needed further surgery to be drained.

Returning back home, Zeniah was then diagnosed with dysmorphic facial features.

"I knew there was something else apart from her heart issues," said Dana, "and what was wrong with her was not just attributable to what they had found in the hospital."

Genetic testing was then carried out, the results of which were delayed as a result of the Covid outbreak. During the pandemic the family shielded at home where miraculously, two of Zeniah's holes in the heart healed on their own.

Then in July 2021 Zeniah had a seizure in her pram, leaving Marc to give her lifesaving CPR until ambulance crews arrived. Initially medics thought the seizure may be a one off, but six weeks later, she suffered another and was diagnosed with epilepsy.

In February 2022, the results of the genetics testing came in revealing Zeniah, then three years old, had Mowat-Wilson Syndrome.

The syndrome is so rare it was only first diagnosed in the

late 1980s and only 600 people worldwide are sufferers.

"Aside from her seizures, Zeniah is a very happy disposition," said Dana

"She is just a joy and seems to have an innate ability to know who is in need of love - and is always happy to give it.

"I feel like everyone in the world has a purpose and Zeniah's is being a joy and making people feel fuller from having met her."

The family, who live in Longwell Green, continued to look after Zeniah at home. A lifetime nurse was eventually appointed to the family who made a referral to Children's Hospice South West.

"We felt like we were scooped up and looked after," said Dana.

"Being there made us feel that we were not so isolated, that we weren't always coping on our own. They could actually 'see' us and understood how tough it is. They knew we were doing our best, but they could also see that we needed help."

The staff at Charlton Farm helped organise a care package for Zeniah while at home to support the family with the resilience stays at the hospice giving the whole family the time needed to rest and recharge.

"There is no judgement," said Dana. "The staff know how tricky things can get for us as a family and every single one of

gets receives everything we need while at Charlton Farm.

"For the first time in five and a half years someone apart from Mark or I put Zeniah to bed. She felt so comfortable, at ease. Everything the staff do there is with such love, such care and at the right pace for The hospice also provides vital sibling support for Kirianna.

"While at Charlton Farm, Kirianna meets children who have a shared life experience," said Dana.

"There is that shared understanding about what it's like to be the sibling of a life limited brother or sister."

Dana says the support of CHSW has changed her family's life.

"It's been transformational," she said. "We feel we have someone in our corner at all times. They want to see you not only succeed as parents, but as a family. Charlton Farm has been a real turning point for us. We feel like we can breathe again and that life is a lot more manageable than it once was."

How you can help

Zeniah is one of 500 children receiving support from CHSW. To support CHSW and discover how you can make this Christmas count for families like the McKees, visit https://www.chsw.org.uk/ make-this-christmas-count

Pedestrianisation scheme costs rocket

WORK on improving the controversial pedestrianised section of Princess Victoria Street in Clifton Village is expected to start next next month despite a large increase in the cost.

The work, which is expected to take five months to complete, includes providing more benches, cycle stands and the planting of trees. It will result in a level road surface.

While the project is carried out there will not be any access on Princess Victoria Street between Regent Street and Waterloo Street. Bristol City Council says that deliveries to shops, pubs and cafes along the pedestrianised area “will need to be done from Princess Victoria Street up to its junction with The Mall or from Regent Street”.

The council says that access to the various businesses will be maintained while the construction work goes on.

The combined cost of the work for the Clifton scheme and one at Overton Road off Gloucester Road has risen by £500,000. Council officials said they were “very concerned” that recent inflation had put the cost for upgrade works beyond expectations.

Councillor Ed Plowden, chair of the council’s Transport and Connectivity Committee said: “The council is working alongside the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (Weca) to finalise the appropriate funding for the scheme. If funding arrangements are successful, construction should begin in

late January to early February as agreed with businesses to coincide with the quieter months of the year.”

Weca originally allocated £550,000 to make the Clifton traffic-free permanent as well as £204,000 to pedestrianise Overton Road in Bishopston.

The decision to increase the budget, rather than reducing the scale of the projects or dropping either of them altogether, was made by a Bristol City Council officer

A notice on the council’s website said the amount had gone up since July “because tenders have returned and are considerably more than we had estimated”.

It said: “This means we need to overwrite the previous decision and add a value of £499,524 to the initial decision

The Clifton pedestrianisation scheme was introduced as a trial in 2021. It was an attempt to reduce congestion and encourage people to walk or cycle. The scheme has split opinion amongst traders and residents.

One trader, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “We are losing trade because customers who drive can’t park outside the shop, collect their goods and drive off. I know that some elderly people who have difficulty walking far now shop in Henleaze.”

Another shopkeeper said: “We don’t get as many customers as we did before this scheme started. I’ve protested to the council but they don’t listen to us. I don’t even get replies to my letters to them. I’ve given up protesting. It’s a waste of time”.

Meanwhile, Clifton and Hotwells Improvement Society (CHIS) has been talking to delivery companies and waste collection firms as to how they are affected by the changes in the one-way traffic system which was introduced three years ago.

Since then, traffic has been banned from entering Princess Victoria Street from Regent Street. It can use this stretch of the road only by travelling in the opposite direction at certain times of the day.

“We have also been talking to a number of residents living in Princess Victoria Street, West Mall and Caledonia Place. “Whilst casting no opinion of CHIS we are purely wishing to gain theirs regarding the reversal of the one-way system, ” said a spokesperson for CHIS.

“Drivers now gain access into Clifton Village via Sion Hill and then turning into Princess Victoria Street opposite the Avon Gorge Hotel. This often proves a laborious task when joining the queue for the Clifton Suspension Bridge at peak times or the pinch point outside the Dragon Workshop.

“Their other option is to park at the other end of Princess Victoria Street , sometimes blocking the view of the zebra crossing, dragging a pallet of goods down to the shops,” said the spokesperson.

CHIS is now seeking the views of its members “to enable us to gauge a wider perception of local opinion in order to judge if the this is a proposal that merits further consideration”.

via an officer executive decision.”

Princess Victoria Street, where the traffic ban is to become permanent

Your usual collection day Revised collection day

Wed 25 Dec

Thur 26 Dec Fri 27 Dec

Mon 30 Dec

Tue 31 Dec

Wed 1 Jan

Thur 2 Jan Fri 3 Jan

Mon 6 Jan

Tue 7 Jan

Wed 8 Jan

Thur 9 Jan

Fri 10 Jan

27 Dec

28 Dec

30 Dec

31 Dec

2 Jan

3 Jan

4 Jan

6 Jan Tue 7 Jan

8 Jan

9 Jan Fri 10 Jan Sat 11 Jan

Normal collections from Mon 13 Jan

Do you know when your big bin day is after the holidays?

We will work three Saturdays to get collections back to normal as quickly as possible.

Christmas trees

Take your Christmas tree to your nearest recycling centre for free.

For those with a tree collection, put it out on your first big bin day starting from Tuesday 7 January.

2025 collection dates

Download your 2025 calendar now! bristolwastecompany.co.uk/festive

Garden and bulky waste

Don’t forget, paid bulky and garden waste services are paused over the festive period as well as all deliveries for replacement bins.

Zoo memorabilia goes under the hammer

PEOPLE in Bristol and beyond have had the chance to snap up a piece of history from the zoo.

Bristol Zoological Society put more than 300 items of memorabilia from the Clifton site up for auction. They ranged from original zoo signage to animal sculptures, statues and Victorian benches.

Money raised from a gala dinner and auction and two online auctions last month will help fund the new conservation zoo at Bristol Zoo Project at Cribbs Causeway as well as the charity’s conservation and education work.

The society is keen to emphasise that the items for sale were chosen only after items of significance had been retained. A specialist archivist was brought in to identify items of historical value, which are now stored in Bristol City Council archives. The charity also asked members of the public to get in touch if they had any personal items at the site. It has since returned everything from plaques on

benches to portraits.

Justin Morris, chief executive of Bristol Zoological Society, said: “We know the former Bristol Zoo Gardens holds a special place in the hearts of so many people who visited or who were associated with it in some way, which is why we have taken our time to ensure any items of particular historical

Hygienist D E N T A L

Andrew Stowe said: “All of the items tell stories and share a narrative through our collected social history - there are objects from the zoo’s very beginnings, through to both World Wars, and items that remained after the site closed in 2022. Anyone who ever visited Bristol Zoo Gardens will see something they remember..”

A last-ditch attempt to stop the auctions was made by a group of shareholders, led by musician Tom Jones. They said the sale should be delayed until a judicial review into the awarding of planning permission to redevelop the Bristol Zoo Gardens site was concluded.

or sentimental value were preserved. With the launch of these auctions we hope people will take the opportunity to join us in celebrating our long history while also helping to fund the future, by securing their own piece of the gardens.”

The auctions were conducted by Bristol-based Auctioneum Ltd. Its associate director

A separate group opposed to the sale of the zoo site, the Save Bristol Gardens Alliance, was granted permission for the judicial review at the end of October.

The campaigners oppose the plans approved by Bristol City Council for 196 homes on the site and want to see better safeguards for the public open space.

Some of the zoo lots

Photo: Bristol Zoological Society

n FROM BRISTOL CENTRAL'S MP

Bold action needed on renters' rights

THIS month I was delighted to be appointed to the Renters Rights Bill Committee in Parliament. The cost of renting is a huge issue in Bristol Central, with the average rent hitting nearly £1,800 a month. I’m proud to be using my role on the committee to challenge the government to be bolder. Their draft bill would be a vast improvement to current laws on private renting, but it fails to tackle the affordability crisis. I’ve met with a lot of groups to hear about their experiences of private renting, including representatives from ACORN and from University of Bristol and the University of West of England’s Students’ Unions who shared with me the difficulties faced by students when renting in Bristol.

I was elected to be a strong, independent voice for Bristol Central, and in Parliament I’ve been speaking up for the issues that matter to our city. In October I co-sponsored the Climate &

Nature Bill to make sure the UK does its bit to address the climate crisis. I also pressed the Prime Minister on when he will call out what is happening in Gaza as a genocide and urged him to take action alongside the international community to prevent it.

In October I was proud to present my Private Members Bill on State-related Deaths in response to the tragic death of a young woman in Bristol who died after public services repeatedly failed her. Public and private bodies have a duty to keep us safe from harm and protect our lives, but every year hundreds of people die preventable state related deaths. This Bill aims to fix a gaping and inexcusable hole in the government's responsibility to keep its citizens safe.

This month I also responded to the Government’s Autumn Budget by calling out their decision to increase bus fares and keeping the two-child benefit

Pr emier omecar e

Part of Trinity Homecare Group

cap. We need a budget that makes our country fairer and our economy greener, and sadly the Government failed to deliver on this. As your MP I will continue to speak out against unjust Government decisions like this.

Finally, I had a wonderful time celebrating at the Bristol Somali Festival 2024. The event showcased the rich cultural heritage of the Somali Community in Bristol through music, dance art and food. Bristol is an incredibly special place to live because of the rich tapestry of different voices, backgrounds and perspectives. This is one of the things I love most about living here and so it was an honour to be part of these celebrations.

If you live in Bristol Central and have a local issue you need support with, you can email me at bristolcentraloffice@parliament. uk or write to Carla Denyer MP, House of Commons, London,

Carla Denyer writes for the Voice

SW1A 0AA

I hold regular constituency surgeries. To request an appointment, please contact me using any of the methods listed above.

For enquiries about Parliamentary matters, national issues, or policy, please email me using: carla.denyer.mp@ parliament.uk

n NEWS

Music teacher banned over inappropriate behaviour

A MUSIC teacher who made inappropriate comments to a boy about his sexuality and appearance, bought him a beer and gave him wine as they watched television at his house has been banned from the profession.

Stefan Hofkes, 52, resigned from Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital (QEH) independent boys’ day school in Clifton in June 2022 after persisting with his behaviour with the pupil despite two written warnings within a year.

He told the youngster he wanted to “headbutt your mum” after the child had an argument with her on holiday about his friendship with the teacher. Hofkes also tried to “force” the boy into believing he was gay, a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) professional conduct panel heard.

Hofkes hugged the boy on numerous occasions and the pair exchanged about 20 text messages each day and went on walks together almost daily during lockdown.

The panel barred him indefinitely, with a minimum two-year period before he can apply to teach again.

It found that his actions were not sexually motivated but the panel was concerned about his failure to realise the impact it had on the youngster and the risk of repetition.

The TRA’s report, published on October 29 following a three-day hearing ,said

Gloucester Road, Bristol BS7 8NY 0117 942 0011

The Mall, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4DP 0117 214 1444

the boy, Pupil A, stated Hofkes regularly complimented his physical appearance when they were alone, which made him feel uncomfortable.

It said the teacher, who did not attend the tribunal and was not represented, said his comments had been misinterpreted.

The report said: “The nature and context of these comments, especially a comment that linked Pupil A’s appearance to men to whom Hofkes was attracted, were found by the panel to be inappropriate.”

The teacher admitted telling the child that he wanted to headbutt his mum but that this was a joke and taken as such.

The report said the comment “undermined the relationship between parent and son”, although the panel did not find it of a “threatening nature, since although the comment was said in an angry manner, Pupil A was not left with the impression that Hofkes was going to act” on it.

The child told the panel that he had visited Hofkes’ home more than once and that they ate food and watched television, although his mum had known and the adult’s partner was often there too.

The boy said Hofkes hugged him on numerous occasions, both inside and outside the QEH, which made him feel more

uncomfortable as he got older, although the teacher had always asked first.

The report said: “In Pupil A’s witness statement, he stated that he and [REDACTED] and Hofkes had bought him a beer afterwards.

“Pupil A confirmed this in oral evidence and added there had been occasions also when he had had a small glass of wine or prosecco at Hofkes’ house.”

The teacher denied buying the youngster, who was under 18 at the time, any alcoholic drink, but the panel found the allegation proven.

The panel found allegations not proven that he touched the pupil’s bottom or that his conduct was sexually motivated.

Its report said: “The panel accepted that Hofkes was an inspirational teacher.

“However, he had previously been warned in writing by the school to have regard to the appropriate boundaries between teacher and pupil."

Hofkes worked at the school from 2010 as a visiting music teacher before being employed as a part-time piano tutor six years later.

The school was asked for a comment. By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service

n NEWS

Meet Mike: 70 years a Scout leader

ONE of Bristol's longest serving Scout volunteers has recently been recognised with a 70year long service award after a lifetime of dedicated and committed service to his group.

Mike Keefe, 89, has been part of the 7th Bristol (Christ Church) Scout Group in Clifton Village since the 1940s when he followed his older brothers into the Cub Pack, and he's never left, taking on a role as an Assistant Scout Master in 1953 when he turned 18.

Mike has been instrumental within his group and he was the one who secured the group's headquarters, Pavey House, on Waterloo Street in Clifton Village, later renovating it back in the late 1970s. He also secured the group's much loved camping field, Stiles in Failand at around the same time.

Chris Gavriel, current lead volunteer of the 7th Bristol said: "It is wonderful that Mike has been recognised in this way. This is an additional award to the Silver Wolf Mike received at the beginning of the year, which is the unrestricted gift of the Chief Scout and the highest adult good service award you can receive within our movement.

"Mike has given a lifetime on selfless dedication to others and it is right that his extraordinary service is being highlighted. We are all very proud of his many accomplishments."

Mike was presented with his award earlier in the month in front of the Cub Pack, consisting of young people aged eight to ten, at Pavey House.

Victory at last in crossing battle

A COMMUNITY campaign for a safer road crossing in Cranbrook Road has seen victory after eight years.

It began in 2016 after two children in a year were hit by cars. Hundreds of people signed a petition calling for a zebra crossing but although councillors were sympathetic the project was beset by delays.

Redland ward councillors Martin Fodor and Fi Hance told the Voice that even after funding for a crossing island on the school route from Cairns Road to Harcourt Hill was agreed, the scheme was held up by

staff shortages, a backlog of projects, the pandemic and rising costs.

“The delays and frustrations should now be in the past however. We’re finally able to

see the local funds we got allocated several years ago being spent. We’re delighted for residents,” they said.

Work is under way on the the improvements, which include a cycle lane.

Clare Freshwater-Turner, who started the campaign, said she was delighted.

"I have been stopped by many to say how happy they are that this work has finally been done. I saw a school child skip across the island smiling- it is just so great to see.

"It will benefit not only pedestrians but will also make it safer for cyclists and drivers pulling out from side roads.

"The local councillors Martin Fodor and Fi Hance and all of the local community have been amazing. It has been a great collaborative approach and we are all over the moon this has finally come to fruition."

Above: Mike with wife Julia and Cubs at Pavey House Far left: Mike having his award presented by Chris Gavriel, Group Lead Volunteer

Left: Mike back in 1980 with the then Cub Leader receiving an earlier Good Service Award

Staying balanced and aligned

STARTING the day with a bike ride to work can feel invigorating, but nothing puts the brakes on that morning buzz like a slipped chain.

Embrace the Power of a Balanced Body

can feel invigorating, but nothing puts the brakes on that morning buzz like a slipped chain.

Recently, on several chilly mornings, I found myself wrestling with a stubborn bike chain. Picture this: my hands, slick with oil and numb from the cold, struggling to fix the chain so I could push on. It turns out, the root of the problem was a dry chain that desperately needed lubrication – a simple maintenance step I’d overlooked in the hustle of daily life. Just like my bike needs regular oiling to function smoothly, our bodies require consistent care to stay in top form.

Your body is nothing short of a miracle. Step outside on a cold day, and you’ll feel it—your body responds by shivering to create warmth. Head into the heat, and you start to sweat, cooling you down. Every second of every day, your body is busy adapting to its environment, perfectly tuned to keep you thriving. It regulates your breathing, digests your food, keeps your heart beating—all without you needing to lift a finger.

Just like my bike needs regular oiling to function smoothly, our bodies require consistent care to stay in top form.

But sometimes, when life throws too much our way, that incredible balance can shift. Stress, injury, and even simple habits can disrupt the body’s natural rhythm, making it harder to adapt to what’s going on around us. That’s where chiropractic care steps in.

Often, we don’t notice the ‘maintenance’ we need until something goes wrong. We might skip sleep, indulge in less-thannutritious food, or skimp on relaxation and exercise because our schedules are packed from dawn to dusk.

and thrive. Chiropractic adjustments are designed to clear blockages and restore alignment, allowing your nervous system to work freely, without interruption. When the spine is aligned, and tension is released, your body can respond with greater ease to life’s ups and downs, whether it’s a chilly breeze, a stressful deadline, or the demands of an active lifestyle.

But just as a dry bike chain can

At Kasa, we’re here to help your body do what it’s designed to do—adapt, heal,

eventually slip, our bodies can only handle neglect for so long before they signal for help.

By empowering your body’s natural ability to adapt, chiropractic care isn’t just about feeling better today—it’s about unlocking your potential for a stronger, healthier tomorrow. Imagine living with the freedom to embrace every season, every opportunity, with a body ready for whatever life throws your way.

But just as a dry bike chain can

eventually slip, our bodies can only handle neglect for so long before they signal for help.

To prevent breakdowns, think of selfcare as your daily dose of oil. Ensure you’re getting enough sleep, eating well, and taking moments to rest your mind.

Ready to unleash the full power of your body’s adaptability? Let Kasa help you

To prevent breakdowns, think of selfcare your daily dose of oil. Ensure you’re getting enough sleep, eating well, and taking moments to rest your mind.

Regular exercise keeps your system running smoothly, much like how oiled chain glides over the gears. And don’t forget about professional tune-ups. Integrating routine chiropractic adjustments and massage therapy be likened to the regular maintenance that keeps your bike – and your body balanced and in perfect alignment. By addressing potential issues before they turn into problems, you can your body’s ‘chain’ from slipping off

So, let’s make a pact to keep our chains well-oiled, both literally and metaphorically. Your body (and your bike) will thank you for it, ensuring smooth rides ahead

Charles Chiropractor | Director | Kasa 0117 974

www.kasachiro.com

Charlie Herbert

reach that next level. After all, a balanced body isn’t just about surviving—it’s about thriving.

Charles Herbert Chiropractor | Director

Birthday buses are back after over a million free journeys

Thanks to West of England Mayor Dan Norris, local residents across the Clifton Voice area will once again be able to enjoy free bus rides throughout the whole month of their birthdays.

Birthday Buses are back and the Mayor says that he hopes the popular plan will go from strength to strength in its second year, after passengers took almost 1.2 million free journeys during its first year.

The Birthday Buses offer entitles every resident (young and old) in the West of England to take unlimited free bus journeys, at any time, across the 350 square miles of our region, throughout the entire month of their birthday. In addition, young people aged under 21 will receive a second month of free travel. The offer runs for 12 months from 1 December 2024.

Speaking at the Birthday Buses re-launch at a First Bus depot, Mayor Dan Norris said: “Birthday Buses has been a big hit with passengers so I’m delighted to

bring it back for a second year.

“Last year more than 72,000 passengers took, on average, around 19 free journeys each. That saved them almost £40 each in fares – not a bad birthday present!

“Even more importantly, people who tried out buses for free during their birthday month have started to make new habits. They are leaving the car at home and now using our region’s buses more often. That’s always been a vital end goal which is so important during the climate emergency.”

The more people that use the bus, the stronger the future for services in the West of England. A more sustainable and growing bus network has many benefits, including faster journey times for passengers and less congestion for everyone else on the road.

An independent report from auditors KPMG found that the first year of Birthday Buses helped cut an estimated 1,100 tonnes of carbon emissions. That’s equivalent to a petrol car driving more than 5 million miles. And for every £1 spent on Birthday Buses, the region saw £2.20 of benefits.

This year, Birthday Bus passes will also bring more birthday bonuses with discounts at local stores and tourism attractions.

In just the first week of registration, 26,500 people signed up. Clifton Voice readers can apply for their free Birthday Bus month pass at BirthdayBus.co.uk. Anyone

We used Birthday Busesyou can too:

Howard: “I made over 20 journeys. It opened my eyes to routes I hadn’t considered.”

Karon: “It was a lovely gesture to have the pass and if I wasn't given it, I would not have done the journey.”

Georgina: “We applied for a birthday bus pass for each family member. We went to Bath, into town shopping, to an appointment and I increased my use of the office. My son and daughters could catch the bus to school everyday and had the freedom to go out with friends on weekends too. I have been using buses much more since.”

who had a Birthday Bus pass last year will receive an email, which will fast track their application, with no need for a new photo or another form.

passengers many happy returns and singles.”

Dan Norris added: “I look forward to wishing even more

50 years since IRA bombings

IT will be fifty years ago this month that two bombs planted by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) exploded on Park Street, which leads up to Clifton from the city centre.

Just before 8pm on December 18, 1974, the first explosion sent glass and debris flying across the street. It happened shortly after a man with an Irish accent telephoned the police with a warning.

The bomb was hidden in a hold-all left outside a photographic shop which was badly damaged in the explosion. A car parked outside the shop was wrecked and the windows of the Princes Theatre Club on the first and second floors above the shop were blown out.

Fortunately, no one was killed but twenty people were injured.

The second blast occurred at three minutes past eight when a device hidden inside a dustbin outside a hearing aid shop exploded.

Shop windows up and down Park Street were shattered. There was a hole in the pavement where the second bomb exploded.

Ten people were injured including three ambulancemen who sustained neck injuries. A police inspector was knocked down onto the street by the force of the second explosion. He suffered temporary deafness.

No one has ever been charged in connection with either explosion.

n FROM YOUR COUNCILLORS

News from Green Party Clifton Down councillors

George Calascione and Serena Ralston

HELLO again from Serena and George. As Christmas approaches, we’re so lucky to have many wonderful independent restaurants and shops in our area. We continue to support them and our residents on many local issues ranging from waste collections through to road resurfacing.

Update on waste

Missed collections continue to be a problem for some parts of our area, in particular for cardboard. Increased online shopping means more cardboard, which fills recycling vehicles faster and means more trips across the city to empty them, further affecting reliability.

With council budgets shrinking year on year, the previous Labour administration wanted to make savings wherever they could. Plans were drawn up last November to reroute the entire service to improve efficiency, covering almost 22 million collections a year. The aim was to rebalance rounds, remove some crews and trucks, and reduce the knock-on effects that built up each week and hit Friday collections the worst.

But this rerouting encountered its own problems, causing more missed streets, more complicated areas not balanced with more straightforward areas and, crucially, fewer crews on the road each day meant they could barely cope. Bristol Waste brought in several more reroutings to try to tackle missed streets, but problems remained.

To address this, the council has restored four more vehicle crews and added an extra evening round each day.

But there still remains an enormous challenge. Councillors on the Environment and Sustainability Policy Committee recently met with officers to discuss potential options for changes including how and when waste and recycling is collected and possible new ways in which residents can recycle their waste in different types of accommodation.

All options remain draft proposals at this stage and no decision will be taken on significant changes in our city without consulting with residents and engaging with businesses first. There will be a city-wide consultation so that we can better understand the needs and views

Cllrs

of our city before councillors from all parties will be asked to consider the best course of action. We will keep you updated. Have your say on council tax Ahead of setting the council budget in February 2025, the council is consulting on the level of council tax and Adult Social Care Precept that should be set for the next financial year.

The council is facing a huge financial challenge. Increases in costs and the demand on core services has led to an estimated £51.6 million deficit in the council’s core budget from April 2025. You can have your say and find out more about the consultation on the council’s website www.ask.bristol. gov.uk/budget-2025-26

Spotlight on… Redland & Cotham Amenities Society

In our regular feature on local community groups, this time it’s the turn of the Redland & Cotham Amenities Society (RCAS). RCAS is a community group for everyone in the area bounded by Whiteladies Road, Cranbrook Road, Coldharbour Road and Durdham Down to the north and High Kingsdown and Tyndalls Park Road in the south. It supports groups to bring forward projects that benefit the community through its own grant funding.

The group also organises a spring event. Previously they have had a presentation from the Centre for Sustainable Energy. Could you help RCAS identify new activities and projects and to get in touch with people in our community who have not yet heard about their small grants programme? Find out more on their website www.rcas.org.uk or

Facebook page RCASBristol.

Planning news

We have recently spoken to the new owner of the former Be in Bristol venue at 59-61 Whiteladies Road. As reported before, we are keen to see this derelict eyesore back in use. At the time of writing, the owner was about to submit a planning application for a bar and restaurant downstairs and five flats on the floor above. The flats represent a new residential use for the site which would not be student accommodation. We look forward to seeing this attractive building, in a prime location in the Whiteladies Road conservation area, sensitively bought back into use. We will monitor the planning application closely and keep you updated.

Apsley Road

Following the resurfacing of Apsley Road, residents contacted us to say the yellow lines had not been repainted. The programme had been delayed. We got in touch with the council’s Strategic Highways Maintenance Team who were able to follow up with the contractor and get back on programme. We are pleased to say that the yellow lines have been reinstated.

Councillor surgeries

We hold regular surgeries on the first Friday of the month from midday to 1:30 at Redland Library on Whiteladies Road. Come and speak to us about any local issues. Please note there will be no surgery in January.

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.

Serena Ralston cllr.serena.ralston@ bristol.gov.uk

George Calascione cllr.george. calascione@bristol.gov.uk

Serena Ralston and George Calascione in Alma Vale Rd

n FROM YOUR COUNCILLORS

News

from Green Party Clifton councillors Paula O’Rourke and Jerome Thomas

Delay to the Zoo Gardens site development

Campaigners opposing the development of the Zoo Gardens site have won the right to proceed with a judicial review of the planning approval granted by BCC Development Control. This means that there will be a court hearing sometime in 2025, hopefully early in the year.

We have spoken to the council’s lawyers, who have taken advice from a planning KC, and they are confident that they can defend the decision. All three grounds put forward by the campaigners are quite technical and we are assured that a judge would find that it would not be reasonable to overturn the whole planning decision on these technicalities.

The judicial review will, however, be costly to both BCC and the Zoo, and if it is, as we are told to expect, refused, then it will just have been an expensive further suspension of the decision taken by the council’s development committee back in 2023.

We understand that there is a great deal of sadness that the Zoo has chosen to move out of Clifton, and we understand that the campaigners don’t like the proposed development, however, there are no real grounds to object to it. We need housing and, now that Labour are promising a ‘bonfire of planning restrictions’ (our quotation marks) we must be careful what we wish for.

In conversations with Bristol Zoo Society

n NEWS

directors (before this decision to proceed with the judicial review) they told us that more delays might force them to sell the land without permission, as they need the funding to proceed at the Bristol Zoo Project. Should this happen, we might find ourselves in a position where an application would be brought forward that the proposed buildings were higher and took up more of the gardens; the hard-won open access to the gardens, the education centre and the community cafe/hub could be lost.

This is a hard decision, but having been very close to all stages of the development, since the Zoo announced its intent to close back in 2020, we feel that the best course of action is not to support this application for judicial review. Others, of course, will have a different view and we will keep residents informed of the date of the hearing, etc. should they want to attend.

Keeping Clifton clean

We are still getting a lot of emails about litter and weeds… and now leaves.

GOOD NEWS: Bristol Waste Company has introduced a new ‘alternative waste system’ into Clifton. This was piloted in the Old City and is working well there. BWC are now fining businesses who still have large bins on the street. Traders have had over one month to move over to bag collections and those who haven’t - see image - are being targeted and

forced to change.

We believe that the businesses could play a more active role in helping to Keep Clifton Clean. Some businesses, closing for two days, choose to leave their bins on the street rather than have a member of staff come and put the bins into their bin store.

We run regular litter-picking and weeding sessions and we are often stopped by passersby who thank us, but who also ask why we are clearing weeds and rubbish from outside a business premises… and we wonder why too. Others reminisce about the ‘good old days’ when everyone swept outside their own property and cleared leaves, etc.. We know that people think that their council tax should pay for street cleansing, believing that bins and pot holes are what the budget is spent on. However, we must remind people that these days, 70% of the budget from council tax is spent on the 12,000 neediest people in the city. That is to say, adult and children’s social care demand leaves only 30% to cover everything else.

So, what do you say? Is it time to ask people to step up and that each individual - and each individual business - does its bit to Keep Clifton Clean. Your thoughts on a postcard…..

Paula and Jerome

Paula O’Rourke

Green Councillor for Clifton

Paula O'Rourke: cllr.paula.orourke@bristol. gov.uk

Jerome Thomas: cllr.jerome.thomas@bristol. gov.uk

Former councillor is Conservatives' choice

FORMER Bristol city councillor Steve Smith has been named as the Conservatives’ candidate to be the next West of England metro mayor.

The former lord mayor, who represented Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze ward from 2018 to May 2024 when all three Tory incumbents in the ward were replaced by the Lib Dems at the local elections, was the first official nominee to be announced for the election next May.

The Greens’ candidate will be Bristol City Council deputy leader Cllr Heather Mack.

Labour members were due to decide late last month between a

shortlist of three former cabinet members who served in exmayor Marvin Rees’s executive – ex-councillors Nicola Beech and Helen Godwin, and current opposition group leader Cllr Tom Renhard.

The Lib Dem candidate for the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) mayor is thought likely to be from Bath & North East Somerset.

Mr Smith was officially named as the Conservatives’ contender following a meeting of party members on November 9.

During his time as a councillor he sat on the Weca scrutiny committee, chaired the

city council’s health overview and scrutiny committee and was lord mayor of Bristol in 2021-22.

He has pledged to bring “grown-up leadership back to the combined authority” and boost economic growth across the region.

Mr Smith said he would “undo the damage” to Weca’s reputation under the leadership of Labour metro mayor Dan Norris, who will not be standing next year because he was elected as MP for North East Somerset & Hanham at July’s general election, and new Labour rules ban second jobs in elected office. Following his nomination, Mr

Smith said: “Our region has huge potential to lead in areas such as innovation, green technology and sustainable growth, but we need strong leadership to unlock that potential for everyone in our community. I am committed to working tirelessly to create a West of England that works for everybody.”

Mr Smith lives in Westburyon-Trym with his family and works as a self-employed business consultant helping small firms to win government contracts.

By Adam Postans, Local Democracy

Reporting Service

Wills, Trusts and Probate

Mental Capacity including Powers of Attorney

Older and Vulnerable Clients

Estate planning

Family, Cohabitation and Divorce

Residential Conveyancing Disputes

Accident and Injury

Employment Law Advice

Commercial Property Company and Commercial Services

Notary Public

Driving and Road Traffic Offences

Criminal Defence

Everyday life and great events in 'leafy suburb'

STOKE Bishop, Bristol’s leafy suburb is a comprehensive, fully illustrated history of a unique part of Bristol by local author Keith Sheather. It tells the area's story from pre-history to the pandemic.

Drawing on local and national archives, newspaper cuttings and personal memories, it weaves local history with national events.

Stoke Bishop has been blessed with a special landscape, encompassing the Avon Gorge, Downs and the River Trym. Only on its fourth side does it merge with other neighbourhoods. This has given it a special appeal and over the decades it has attracted the mercantile gentry of Bristol, who wanted to build great mansions and live the life of country gentlemen. Even when the professional middle classes arrived, the estate agents’ brochures could still describe ‘the country air and channel breezes’ that would be enjoyed by the newcomer.

Iron-age peoples, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Tudor lords, business magnates have all left their mark and the book delves into their political machinations and eye-raising scandals. It addresses the myths and legends that have grown up, among them the stories of Pitch and Pay and Cook’s Folly. Great events,

‘Before Christmas, 1854, we were settled in the lovely village of Stoke Bishop, three miles out of Bristol on the road to Shirehampton. We were all delighted with such a lovely country home. The hilly rambling garden contained all the known English fruits, even quinces and medlars, besides a

such as the dissolution of the monasteries, the suffragette protest and the planning for D-Day, jostle with tales of everyday life.

Keith, a former BBC producer, came to Stoke Bishop in 1973. In 1999, he co-wrote the history of St Mary Magdalene, Stoke Bishop’s church, and three years later produced a video with the BBC’s David Garmston telling the story of Stoke Bishop.

He said: “One of the drawings in the book includes a lovely description of Stoke Bishop in 1854. It was written from memory by Emily Pearman, who was a young girl at the time living with her parents in The Glen in the centre of Stoke Bishop village. The drawing she did is of the same view as the photograph and looks down on The Glen from Druid Hill. The house was demolished to make

large fish pond well stocked with fish which was formed in a low part of the garden by a stream which ran outside the other parts of the premises, and divided them from the pretty hilly field crowned with trees which lay opposite to the drawing room window. An orchard stretched up the lane which divided it from Sneed Park, where at that time Alfred and Mary Waterhouse lived with all their family except their now famous son, Alfred Waterhouse RA. the great architect’

way for a parade of shops in the 1930s.”

Stoke Bishop, Bristol’s leafy suburb is published price £15 by Stoke Bishop Local History Group and is available from sblocalhistory@gmail.com. It can also be bought fromWe Make Bristol, Westbury-on-Trym; Salvatore’s Barber Shop, Stoke Bishop Village; Max Minerva Books, Henleaze; Create Hair, Shirehampton Road; and Lifestyle Express, Stoke Lane.

Above: Ena Clarke & friend on Druid Hill looking across fields to Sunnyside C1925

Left, Christine Molan's watercolour of the Roman Quay at Sea Mills (Roman Abona)

Emily Pearman’s description of Stoke Bishop, and her drawing of the view from her home

n WHAT'S ON

Saturday December 7

n BRISTOL SINFONIA annual Christmas concert, 4.30pm at Trinity Henleaze URC, Waterford Road, BS9 4BT. Carols, film music, mulled wine and mince pies. Tickets available on door (£10 adult, £5 child). More information https://www.brunelsinfonia.org.uk/

Sunday December 8

n JOIN BRISTOL CHAMBER CHOIR, 3pm at The Lord Mayor’s Chapel for an afternoon of Christmas choral music led by conductor David Bednall. Enjoy festive hymns and immerse yourself in the enchanting harmonies. Tickets: £10 on EventBrite - book online: tinyurl. com/BCC-concert

Wednesday December 11

n MELODY MAKERS CHOIR & BRISTOL GAY MEN’S CHORUS CONCERT, St Peter’s Church, Henleaze, BS9 4LD, £10 adults. £6 concessions/children. 7.30-9.10pm (doors open at 7pm). Retiring collection for Penny Brohn UK. Tickets available from: https:// tinyurl.com/yc4u6pkc

Friday December 13

n WESTBURY SINGERS CHRISTMAS CONCERT at Westbury Baptist Church, Reedley Road, at 7.30pm. Tickets £8 to include refreshments. Ticket enquiries to wotsingers@gmail. com or available on the door.

December 14

n SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS, St. George's, Bristol. 7:30pm. Conductor: David Bednall. Accompaniment: Nigel Nash & Bristol Brass Consort. Tickets£25, £18, £12 (all reserved), £5 students/under 18s. Website – www.bristolbach.org.uk A special and uplifting evening of Christmas Music with Bristol Bach Choir and Bristol Brass Consort, whose Christmas CD Festive Brass has featured on Classic FM. The repertoire will extend from the Venetian Renaissance to the present day, and in moods ranging from the contemplative to the utterly joyful. Both groups will also display their individual skills in pieces appropriate to the season and the many emotions it brings. There will be the usual opportunity for a little audience participation in carols. A collection will be made in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Various dates

n WANT TO LEARN TO NORDIC WALK?

Our Beginner Workshops are run by friendly, professional instructors, are full of chat and laughter, and you’ll get an effective total-body workout. Meeting on Clifton Down, 4th Dec, 7th Dec & 18th Dec. Visit www.bristolnordicwalking. co.uk or call Ros on 07886885213.

Regular events

Various days

n YOGA IN REDLAND

Tuesdays 6.30pm & 7.45

Wednesdays 7.30pm

Suitable for beginners & improvers Yoga in Clifton Saturdays 10.30am

Suitable for improvers Text Charlotte on 07533732035 www.yogabristol.com

n BLAISE COMMUNITY GARDEN, behind Blaise Museum, BS10 7QS. Open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 10-2, plant table always available. Interesting walled kitchen garden, free to enter, new volunteers welcomed.

n WEST OF ENGLAND BRIDGE

CLUB based at RAFA Club, 38 Eastfield, Henleaze. Five sessions every week, catering for different standards. Thursday afternoon is Improvers. Monday and Friday afternoon is for more capable players; this is an EBU recognised session. You may come alone to any afternoon session; a partner will be found. The evening sessions are on Wednesdays and Fridays, and are open to pairs. www. woebridgeclub.co.uk or contact Secretary, Chris Frew, on 0117 962 5281.

Monday

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

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

n WESTBURY AND CLIFTON AREA DISCUSSION GROUP

meet at Westbury on Trym Baptist Church every Monday 9.45am to challenge ourselves with topical debate on what’s happening in the world. If you would like to help to solve some of today's challenging issues with good company, tea and biscuits - contact James Ball 01454 415165 or Ian Viney 0117 9501628.

n WESTBURY ON TRYM WOMEN'S INSTITUTE meets on the third Monday of the month in the Westbury Village Hall, Eastfield Road, BS9 4AG, from 2-4 pm. Interesting speakers, crafts, lunch club, skittles and outings. Our lively, friendly and inclusive group welcomes visitors. Call Sascha on 07961619806 or Traci on 07766073917

Tuesday

n WESTBURY PARK WOMEN’S INSTITUTE meets on the first Tuesday of every month in the Girl Guide Hut on Westmorland Road from 7.00 - 9.30pm. We are an active and friendly group with a varied programme plus extra sessions for craft, coffee, book clubs, walks etc. Visitors are always welcome and for more information do call Sue on 07813795936 or email westburyparkwi@gmail.com

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

n BRISTOL BRANCH OF THE KNITTING AND CROCHET GUILD meet on the third Tuesday of the month, 10am-12pm, usually in the function room at the Boston Tea Party on Whiteladies Road. Free to attend, all welcome (members and non-members). We cater for beginners through to experienced makers. Email BristolKCG@gmail. com for more info.

Wednesday

n HENLEAZE CHORAL SOCIETY

We are a thriving, non- audition choir performing mainly classical repertoire. Rehearsals take place at Henleaze Bowling Club, Grange Court Road on Wednesdays 7.309.00pm New members welcome. Go to www.henleazechoralsociety. org.uk.

n CLIFTON CRAFTERS

We all have craft items we started and are now lurking in a drawer

unloved – dig them out and come and share with us a morning of knitting, crochet, tapestry, rag rugs or whatever you would love to resurrect or mend. Clifton Library every Wednesday 10.30am-12.30pm

n BLAISE COMMUNITY GARDEN, behind Blaise Museum, open Wednesday and Saturday 10-2. Originally a walled kitchen garden. Free to enter. We’re looking for volunteers. Our Café (+ homemade cakes) open 10-2, 18 March and 8 April.

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

n CLIFTON CRAFTERS We all have craft items we started and are now lurking in a drawer unloved – dig them out and come and share a morning of knitting, crochet, tapestry, rag rugs or whatever you would love to resurrect or mend! Every Wednesday in October at Clifton Library 10 30-12 30pm.

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

n CLIFTON WOMENS INSTITUTE We are a friendly bunch who meet on the last Wednesday of the month at Alma Church, Alma Road, Clifton BS8 2HG, from7.30pm. Anyone interested in coming to a meeting as a visitor is most welcome (£5). Visit our blog cliftonwi.blogspot. com for forthcoming events. For information about us contact thecliftonwi@gmail.com

Thursday

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 website www.henburysingers.org contact secretary at secretary@ henburysingers.org.

n OPEN DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE

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, contact Marian Bishop 0117 9771629 or visit www. westburyparkspiritualistchurch.org

n HENLEAZE LADIES’ CHOIR

Come and join us as we fill St Peter’s Church Hall in Henleaze with a diverse selection of music.

We are a friendly choir and meet on Thursday afternoons in term time from 1.45 to 3.45. There are no auditions, and the ability to read music is not necessary. Contact Jeanette on 9685409 or Jane on 07752 332278.

n BRISTOL BACH CHOIR are now recruiting new members. We are a friendly auditioned choir of between 30 and 40 singers. All voice parts are welcome. We rehearse on a Thursday evening at Bristol Grammar School from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. If interested please contact Julie at membership@ bristolbach.org.uk

n HEALING FOR WELLBEING Feeling stressed? Come and try our drop in sessions run by trained volunteers. Healing/Reiki is a gentle, relaxing, complementary therapy that helps restore balance and vitality. Donation basis. Venue: Redland Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE. s 3.30 pm to 4.45 pm. For information and dates, contact Selina at Bristol Healing Group: T:0117 9466434 or E:selinanewton@yahoo.co.uk.

Friday

n HENLEAZE BOWLING CLUB. Come along at 5.45pm on Fridays to see if bowling could be the sport for you. Coaching available. Experienced bowlers welcome. Situated in Grange Court Road, by Newman Hall. This is a friendly Club with good bowling facilities and social events throughout the year. Phone, Tom Logan, on 0117 962 1669 or email hbcsec@ henleazebowlingclub.org.uk for details.

n BRISTOL SPANISH CIRCLE. We meet every month from September to June, usually on the last Friday of the month, at St Peter’s Church Hall in Henleaze. For more info, see https://www.spanishcirclebristol. com/.

n FOLK NIGHT every third Wednesday of the month at the Victoria inn, Chock lane, Westbury on Trym. 7.30-10.30pm. All musicians and singers welcome or just pop in. Call 0117 959 0834

Saturday

n SEA MILLS REPAIR CAFE offers sewing, woodwork, general, electrical and cycle repairs at the Methodist Church, Sea Mills Square, from 10am-12pm, every second Sat (except August). This is a voluntary service run by experienced repairers.. FFI see Facebook @ seamillsrepaircafe or email: repaircafe.seamills@gmail.com

n NEWS

It's a wrap! BID's gift to shoppers

PEOPLE who buy their Christmas presents in Clifton Village will be able to get them giftwrapped for nothing.

This service is being offered by Clifton Village Business Improvement District (BID) members. of A spokesperson for the organisation said: “We know that Christmas shopping can be stressful so we want to make things that much easier by wrapping presents and giving the parcels a festive

Christmas Festival to sparkle

HENLEAZE Christmas Festival is all set for Wednesday December 4 with its popular attractions of stalls, entertainment and latenight shopping.

Nearly 50 stalls will offer edible treats and artisan craft products. This year there's even one offering a spinal health check and another selling recycled goods.

Twelve choirs will perform on the Open-Air Stage in Waterford Road and the Bradbury Hall. They include school choirs, and others performing rock music, sea shanties, a capella and choral. The Salvation Army Band will be there. There is a Pilates session and a dance school demonstration. Radio Bristol presenter Steve Yabsley will again be Master of Ceremonies.

St Peter's Church in The

look. However, all gifts that we are asked to wrap must be bought from one of the many shops in Clifton Village."

The gift-wrapping service will take place in Pavey House - often known as the Scout Hut - in Waterloo Street.

Two wrapping sessions will take place: December 14 and 21 from11am to 3 pm on each occasion.

Drive is holding children's craft activities and a Café Create Mic night. The church is also making its car park available for disabled parking. Shops will be open with offerings such as mulled wine, hot chocolate, burgers and hot roasted chestnuts.

Children's rides will again be in Cardigan Road. Father Christmas will be in his grotto to welcome young visitors. There is no fee.

The Prize Draw will support three local charities: the Marmalade Trust, a loneliness charity; the Bristol Down

Syndrome Trust; and Suicide Prevention UK. Tickets are available in local shops in the run up the evening. On the night there will be stalls in Waterford Road and on the corner of Henley Grove. Festival goers are asked to have cash available as there will not be card machines on the stalls.

The festival, which runs from 4-8pm, is always looking for fresh volunteers to help organise the event or to help on the night. If anyone would like to help they are asked to contact Jane Emery at janeemery1951@gmail.com

Seasonal fun in Gloucester Rd

FOR many in the Bishopston area, the festive season really begins when Glos Rd Central holds in Christmas Street Party.

The 2024 event is on December 5. Shops and businesses at the top of Pigsty Hill on Gloucester Road will stay open until 8pm to give customers a chance to do some late night shopping.

Sidney & Eden, Jojo Beauty, Osna and others will be offering mulled wine and other festive drinks. Dave Giles will be barbecuing their famous burgers and bangers and Joes Bakery will be giving samples of their tasty Christmas products.

Billie Jean Cashmere will be making a welcome return with a stall of their gorgeous clothing.

Boujon Bakery are a new business on a Gloucester Road and they will be setting up outside Marialina with biscuit decorating while Paper Plane will offer paper snowflake cutting and Jojos will have (biodegradable) balloon decorating.

Rambling Rose will be selling lovely Christmas wreaths, table decorations and festive bunches and Oddsox will have an evening sale on Frugi stocking fillers plus discounts galore.

Organisers say: "You're sure to find lots of inspiration in all the independent shops and stalls out on our pavements. It's a great way to get into the festive spirit so come on up Gloucester Road on December 5."

Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl

by Carrie Brownstein

CARRIE Brownstein is a songwriter and guitarist in the band SlaterKinney who formed in 1994 in Seattle, USA. Carrie grew up in Redmond, in the suburbs of Seattle, the home of Microsoft. Her mother left the family home, when Carrie was fourteen, seeking a cure for an eating disorder which had reduced her weight to six stone. Her father was a corporate lawyer, who was often away from home , travelling to China, Russia and Australia for his work. At school, she was a quiet child, too nervous to speak up in class. She discovers a lifetime love for music when she sees Madonna in concert in Seattle and purchases her first guitar at the age of 15, with a school friend showing her how to play chords. She forms a band called Excuse 17 with college friends, and moves to Olympia where she finds a new family of outlaws, queers and provocative punks. She finances

her way through college with a number of low paid, unsatisfying jobs including delivering readymade meals to office parks and telemarketing. Excuse 17 play at gigs with the band Heavens to Betsy whose singer is Corin Tucker. Carrie and Corin gel immediately and they form Slater-Kinney as a side project from their respective bands. When Excuse 17 and Heavens to Betsy both disband, Carrie & Corin recruit Janet Weiss as a drummer and Slater-Kinney become a band in their own right. Carrie chronicles the hardships of their early days, when they were lucky to get paid 350 dollars a show, and would end up sleeping in strangers houses or in the van next to their equipment. At the end of each performance, the band would politely ask for a place to stay for the night, and borrow shampoo and toothpaste in the morning. The band get their big break, when they open for

Pearl Jam on their nationwide tour. They employ a new booking agent and manager and sign to a new record label, going on to enjoy success as one of the most innovative and influential bands from the USA. This is a revealing, funny, candid and intimate memoir with music providing the writer with escape from a turbulent family life and the means by which she finds her true self. It also tells the story of a lifelong friendship between Carrie and Corin which has endured for over 30 years.

For this book and many more, come and visit your local library and walk out with a library card giving you access to over two million books. You will be sure of a warm welcome at your friendly local library.

Review by Bob Deacon of Bishopston Library

by Warsan Shire

Clifton Library opening hours

Monday 10am-2pm

Tuesday 1pm-5pm

Thursday 1pm-5pm

Friday 10am-2pm

Saturday 1pm-5pm

Meet

Ensure your loved ones receive the maximum benefit by protecting your estate with trusts.

Lasting

n REVIEW

Brandy

Sour by Constantia

Soteriou

A KING sits at a bar and asks the barman to make him a drink that doesn’t look like a drink. He orders a deception. The barman invents the brandy sour. It tastes innocent but is not. It uses Cypriot lemons. No other kind will do. When the king leaves without tipping any of the staff, the barman refuses to give him the recipe.

At the Ledra Palace Hotel, The Doorman takes his rosebud tea in the gardens before clocking in – it helps to digest the indigestible, The Film Extra learns the power of orgeat to bring tenderness, The Photographer needs an ice-cold beer to alleviate the heat and the things he has seen, and The Builder, who swears by grape molasses to heal his mouth ulcers, ponders its curative powers for the walls of the hotel too.

A collection of vignettes, each centring on a drink and a character, build to tell the history of the 1974 coup in Cyprus and its aftermath: a novel masquerading as a short story collection which in turn is an assortment of drinks recipes, which themselves are recipes for the soul, for the spirit, if you will. The hotel is at the heart of this original book, its grandest and its saddest days evoked through its occupants. It feels as alive as any of the guests drinking by its pool and as affected by events as the local people whose daily routines are destroyed. The walls bear the gossip, the secrets and the loves of staff and guests; their bullet wounds and the gardens’ torn-up roses hold the stories of Cyprus’ division, the failures of the politicians and aid workers.

Soteriou’s is a great achievement. There is a lightness to meeting each new and well-drawn character, knowing that they will bring with them a new cocktail, a liqueur one must try, a tea that can only be made with fresh ingredients picked at the right time. Yet the whole that the parts comprise is an intelligent exploration of conflict and what we owe to one another.

Elizabeth Moss, owner of Heron Books, The Clifton Arcade

Roessler, Frankfurt, Degussa AG - German 999.9 (24 ct) gold 'ribbon‘ Sold for £11,000

n NEWS

Panto: it's not behind you!

MOST pantomimes are staged around Christmas and the New Year but organisers of the Hotwells Panto will be starting rehearsals next month for their production of Robin Hood.

A cast of more than fifty people along with an eightpiece band will take to the stage at Hope Chapel on Hope Chapel Hill in March.

The read-through of the script along with casting takes place on January 2 at Holy Trinity Church, Hotwells, with rehearsals taking place every Tuesday from January 7.

“The panto is written by members of the cast and will be bursting with invention, colour, laughter, and songs.

There will probably be references to local people and places. The show is always set in a place called Hotwellia.

“This is a genuine community show which performs to sell-out houses so if you fancy getting involved, either on stage or backstage, please come along.

After the pantomime’s four-night run a group of organisers will gather to disburse the ticket money to support charities and organisations in the Hotwells area.

Robin Hood will be the 43rd annual Hotwells panto. It is is always held in March as people involved say they are busy during December.

Rare mid 17th century English marquetry-inlaid box-top chest Sold for £3,200

Late 18th or early 19th century, Italian carved marble bust of a laughing Satyr Sold for £1,400

*Join Chris Yeo and Izzie Balmer, as seen on BBC's Antiques Roadshow and Antiques Road Trip, along with our valuation team.

Clevedon Salerooms, The Auction Centre, Kenn Road, Kenn, Clevedon, Bristol, BS21 6TT

n SPORT

CLIFTON Rugby Club enjoyed a highly successful autumn period which culminated in them being placed in the top three clubs in English Rugby’s National League West.

Four successive victories were achieved through highly entertaining open rugby resulting in twenty-eight tries being touched down in those games.

The fourth win came against traditional Westcountry rivals Taunton. After that win head coach Luke Cozens recognised the team’s development in recent games. The momentum generated has been evident through a strong defence, committed tackling, an impressive line out showing and strong running across the back division. Centres Will Owen and Matty Smith have made dents in opponent’s defences with wingers Zak Hamid and AJ Kilbane running in tries as a result.

Full back Luke Daniels and fly half Tom Quinlan have created spaces for the runners with quick thinking scrum half Mitch Spencer with 200 first games ever ready to exploit opportunities. Quinlan has topped off scores with fine goal kicking.

The forwards have been solid in scrums and line outs as well as running hard in loose play. Jake Holcombe has been outstanding in the back row of the scrum where competition for places will now be intense with the return from injury of club captain Henry Harper and Brad Talbot.

The win at Redruth with forty-five points posted was more than satisfying at a venue

Clifton enjoy an excellent run

with its notorious hell fire corner and partisan crowd. This performance required composure alongside a growing confidence within a settled team demonstrating solid combinations of play.

Within the club the second-string side the Wanderers is placed in the leading clubs in the Counties One League with many men capable of stepping up to national league rugby. A typical product is young lock forward Dan Owen who is pushing hard for a first team place to emulate his brother Joe , a Clifton player, now featuring in Bristol Bears line-ups.

Players of all abilities are welcomed at

Clifton which has a track record of developing players who advance to Premiership clubs and several reach international teams. The third fifteen, known as the Misfits, welcomes players with ambition either to progress to a higher level in the game or simply enjoy the club’s active social scene.

The final home game before Christmas will be on Saturday December 14 with a 14.30 kick off at Cribbs Causeway. Ahead of that Clifton face a tough away game with league leaders Camborne.

Roger Opie

Zak Hamid in action for Clifton

Fly half Tom Quinlan Photos: Ian Clark