Keynsham Voice July 2023

Such a caring boy ... he will forever make us proud

Family pays tribute to Alex,

18, after

motorbike

tragedy: See Page 5

Gwyneth celebrates century: Page 30

Childcare battle

Parents in Keynsham are stepping up their campaign for better childcare provision.

PAGE 3

Bridge arrives

The long-awaited new pedestrian bridge has been lifted into place at Keynsham Memorial Park.

PAGE 6

Care home rapped

A care home in Keynsham has been placed in special measures after being rated as inadequate.

PAGE 7

Withies Green deal

Curo has bought the Withies Green site off the A4 Bath Road in Keynsham, which has planning permission for up to 213 homes.

PAGE 10

Ofsted success

Broadlands Academy in Keynsham is celebrating after it retained its ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted.

PAGE 11

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August deadline

‘Greenhouse’ homes appeal turned down

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PLANS to turn sheds and greenhouses at a disused Keynsham garden centre into new homes have been thrown out after an appeal hearing.

Mr S Ellis hoped the structures at Whitegate Nurseries garden centre on the edge of the town could be turned into housing after the business closed.

He applied for planning permission in 2021 but was turned down by Bath and North East Somerset Council last year.

Mr Ellis then appealed, but a planning inspector has now upheld the council’s decision.

Four greenhouses and one storage building would have been converted into six fourbedroom homes under the plans.

But the council warned that the greenhouses might not be able to support the proposed double-glazing and new roofs.

The conversion of the greenhouses would essentially require them to be rebuilt, the council argued, and would therefore constitute the building of new homes in a countryside area contrary to council policies.

Issues were also raised about insufficient amounts of

information being provided about the development’s impact on biodiversity, trees, and access for pedestrians and cyclists.

In her ruling, the planning inspector said that light generated by the development at night might have an adverse effect on nearby bat populations.

She also raised concerns about the site’s exit onto Stockwood Hill, which is steep and narrow, has restricted visibility, and lacks verges where walkers or cyclists can seek refuge from passing vehicles.

The inspector said: “This is not a safe or attractive route for pedestrians, cyclists and those other users, including those using electric bikes.

“The proposal would not provide genuine and realistic opportunities to travel by sustainable modes of transport given the risks one would need to take to access those services at Keynsham.”

Boris gives Jacob a knighthood

NORTH East Somerset MP Jacob Rees-Mogg has been given a knighthood in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list. The former Cabinet minister, who has been the area’s MP since 2010, will be the Conservative candidate for the new parliamentary seat of North Somerset and Hanham at the next general election.

To advertise, contact Emma on 0117 9082121 or 07715770448 Email Emma@keynshamvoice.co.uk

Parents step up childcare campaign

PARENTS in Keynsham are stepping up their campaign for better childcare provision in the town.

About 140 of them signed a letter to local MP Jacob ReesMogg asking him to help solve the shortage of nursery places.

Now the mother-of-three who drew up the letter is due to meet Sir Jacob along with some other parents at his constituency surgery in Keynsham on July 7.

Helen Philpott has previously accused the Tory MP, as well as Bath and North East Somerset Council, of failing to be proactive in tackling the crisis.

In a recent letter to Heather, Sir Jacob suggested that his ability to intervene was limited.

He wrote: “Unfortunately, childcare shortages is a national problem, with the Government and local authorities seeking to work together to encourage people to seek employment within the childcare sector to address a staffing shortage which is currently affecting provision.

“I note that you remain dissatisfied with the responses that I have received to representations that I have made on your behalf to Bath and North East Somerset Council and have asked what measures I will be taking to address the situation in Keynsham.

“As you may be aware, the role of an MP is to hold public bodies to account on behalf of their constituents, and this is what I seek to do as far as I am able.

“The response from the council, to the representations that I made on your behalf,

set out the steps that they are taking locally and the steps that the Government are taking nationally, but ultimately childcare providers are private bodies. They are regulated but cannot be forced to operate.

“I have made representations on your behalf to the Department for Education.”

But Helen told the Voice she felt the solution should not be left solely to commercial providers.

She said: “Childcare should be a statutory obligation that is included in infrastructure and considered, for example, when new housing developments are under way or there are bulges in the birth rate.

“At the moment it seems to be far too easy for all parties involved to shirk the responsibility for provision.

“I have been told countless times that this is a national problem and the answers I have been provided with are always woolly and lacking in any concrete detail about what is being done, either at a local or national level.”

She said she had contacted a

number of local councillors who, although sympathetic, explained there was little they could do at their level, and passed the matter on to others.

“It is a very frustrating situation to be involved with. I thought there would have been more investment in this area post-Covid, when it seemed like childcare and other caring roles were finally being more recognised.

“Besides this, the cohort of children starting school in

September 2024 are those who were born during the pandemic and experienced their first years of life shadowed by this, so it baffles me that they are not being prioritised now.”

Helen said she was aware of some local improvements to the childcare offer, such as the 3-2-4 playgroup at Chandag School in Keynsham, and a nursery and pre-school that is due to open at Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park in September.

“However, neither of these cater for children under two, and the 3-2-4 playgroup is term-time only, which is unfortunately not very useful for most working parents.”

B&NES Council has previously said it has taken steps to support local childcare providers, but legislation demanded that “the market” must be able to find a solution first and that “a council can only be a provider as a last resort.” l Letters: Page 5

Helen Philpottpictured here with her family - says childcare should be a statutory obligation and not just left to private providers

LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure, and the Brick and Knob configurations are trademarks of the LEGO Group of Companies. ©2017 The LEGO Group. Brick America is not sponsored, endorsed or otherwise supported by The LEGO Group.

Tribute as motorcyclist Alex, 18, dies

THE family of a teenage motorcyclist from Keynsham, who died in a collision on the A4 Bath Road at Brislington, have issued a tribute.

Alex Thompson, 18, was involved in a collision with a car near the Hicks Gate roundabout at about 3.45pm on Thursday June 22. Emergency services attended the scene, but despite their best efforts, they were unable to save him.

His family said: “My Alex was such a kind-hearted, caring boy and always wore a cheeky smile. He was loved by everyone who he crossed paths with. He made a massive impact in just 18 short years of life, and we have so much support from everyone that knew him at such a difficult time.

“He had his whole life ahead of him. He

n LETTERS

Our childcare system is broken

AS a parent of a toddler, I’m grateful to the Voice for highlighting the ongoing challenges many of us face with childcare.

Our little boy is currently on a waiting list for a nursery place in Keynsham – starting in 2025. Talking to other parents at local playgroups, it is clear we are far from alone.

Helen Philpott should be commended for raising this issue – but it’s no surprise to hear the response from Jacob Rees-Mogg has been lacklustre. After all, the sky-high cost of childcare and shortage of nursery places is a nationwide problem, responsibility for which rests ultimately with the Conservative government.

Parents in the UK face some of the highest nursery fees in the world – a full-time place for a child under two costs an eye-watering £14,000 annually, according to the Early Years Alliance.

Inadequate government

was on his way to pick up the keys to his first flat. He will forever make us proud.”

Police said their sympathies were with the family and that a family liaison officer would be offering support over the coming weeks.

A spokesperson said: “We continue to appeal for your help as we investigate this tragedy. If you were travelling on the A4 Bath Road and witnessed the incident, have dashcam footage or saw either a Yamaha motorcycle or a blue Vauxhall Crossland in the time leading up to the collision, please contact us.”

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 and quote reference 5223147737. l A fundraiser has been set up for Alex’s funeral - visit gofundme.com and search for ‘a send off he deserves’.

investment means many nurseries operate at a loss after providing free hours for three- and four-yearolds, while countless parents are forced to give up work.

After 13 years of Conservative cuts and mismanagement, our childcare system is broken. I for one hold out little hope that our current MP will be part of the solution.

James Coldwell

Artist’s window onto the past

ONE of my neighbours, Aureole Lewis, a fine watercolour artist, recently gave me this painting which depicts a bygone Keynsham, which I would like to share with your readers.

Elements of the right foreground and the row of buildings in the middle further up Bath Road are still recognisable. The fine building right of centre, Flanders House, was demolished in 1964 and is now part of the Bath Road East car park. There was apparently a ford across the River Chew here.

A little farther up the hill on the left is a building called The Springs, which at one stage was a dairy in the 1880s, and, later, Ollis’s bakery. Just beyond it, mostly out of view, was the Fox and Hounds public house.

The scene shown is about 1905, shortly before it was demolished to build what became the Drill Hall. The children depicted are probably

from Bath Hill school, a little further up the hill. The school was enlarged in 1870s to hold over 350 children, who frequently would go harvesting, primrosing, apple and potato-picking.

The entire school was given the day off when the suspension bridge was opened in December 1864.

Lionel Hutt, Keynsham

Family photos of kind-hearted Alex Thompson

THE long-awaited new pedestrian bridge has been lifted into place at Keynsham Memorial Park.

The structure, which was made off site, arrived on a trailer last month before being lifted into place over the weir.

Park’s new bridge put in place

The bridge is expected to open sometime this month. Meanwhile, the area around it remained cordoned off as work to prepare it for public use continued.

The previous bridge was demolished earlier this year after closing to the public in

2019 due to the deterioration of its timber beams rendering it unsafe.

The new bridge deck has been made of damp-resistant materials suitable for river environments, with lower maintenance needs.

Evicted - but we’ll keep going

METRO Mayor Dan Norris has warned West of England bosses to protect their workers during hot weather this summer.

Although there’s no legal maximum temperature for workplaces, Mr Norris says heat is a hazard.

Working in extreme heat can lead to dehydration, muscle cramps, rashes, fainting, and even loss of consciousness. Outdoor workers are three times more likely to develop skin cancer, Mr Norris said.

The Metro Mayor is calling on employers to do things like allow flexible working with different start and finish times and keep workplaces cool on days with particularly scorching temperatures. He also wants all employers to have an open discussion with their workers on hot days to manage risks better.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: “Last summer should have been a wake-up call for all of us. “The extreme weather will only get more frequent over time, not less. That’s why we need clear public health messaging for employers and employees.”

THE owner of a Mexican cafébar says she is determined find a new home for the business after it was evicted from its premises in Keynsham High Street.

Dalia Cocina closed last month after it got into rent arrears following suffering a number of setbacks, including spiralling costs.

However, owner Kirsty Davenport said: “We are homeless for now, but we will be back.”

She has received a flood of positive messages from customers and other businesses in the town after she posted news of the closure on Facebook.

She said: “We have lots of festivals booked and I need to find a kitchen to continue to create fabulous food for you all, so in the meantime, if anyone knows of kitchen space I can use, I can then continue to do deliveries and we will also be doing pop-ups.”

In her Facebook post, Kirsty said: “The past five years have been truly, truly horrific and I have been fighting with firstly something very new on the High Street, then as it starts to fly,

then I get scammed of £6k, then we get hit with the dreaded Covid (to which we were never given the rent reprieve the government talked about).

“We battled through, we got rent arrears, we fought on and you beautiful people supported us and things were getting better. Then we are open, then closed, then takeaways - you get the drift! My staff were amazing, you were all amazing, the support was just incredible from you all.

“But then the next hit in the face, my power went from £800 to £3,900 a month. At this time I was setting up a payment plan for my rent arrears, but it was made so unrealistic and I couldn’t do it.

“Then the next hammer - cost of living crisis, wage increases, food costs. I just couldn’t keep up.”

She added: “The upside is, you supported us enough to give us a good name and you left incredible reviews. You came, you ate, you laughed, you drank.”

A number of customers sent supportive messages in response to Kirsty’s post.

One said: “Dalia Cocina has been a special place in Keynsham. I work in Keynsham so I was always encouraging my work friends to go here.”

Another commented: “Absolutely gutted to read this – you’re not being on the High Street will be a huge, huge loss to Keynsham.”

The Voice approached Dalia Cocina for an update on its search for new premises but had not received a response by the time we went to press.

The closure of Dalia Cocina in Keynsham High Street has prompted messages of support

‘Protect staff from the heat’

Care home placed in special measures

A CARE home in Keynsham has been placed in special measures after being rated as inadequate.

Inspectors found dirty and smelly bedrooms, traces of dried faeces, and medicine not being stored properly at Hillsborough House in Charlton Road.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) made the unannounced visit in April after concerns were raised about safeguarding and cleanliness.

The home is run by the Freeways Trust, whose CEO Claire Hayward said she was “deeply disappointed” by the findings.

She added: “This is a wake-up call to all of us in the Freeways organisation.”

Hillsborough House provides personal care to autistic people, those with a learning disability, mental health needs, physical disabilities and sensory impairment, and older people.

Following the inspection, the service’s overall rating has dropped from good to inadequate, as has the rating for how safe and well-led it is.

The service has now been placed in special measures. The CQC said if it did not see sufficient improvement, it would consider what further action to take.

Rebecca Bauers, CQC’s director for people with a learning disability and autistic people, said: “Poor leadership had undermined the standards of care people were receiving, and they weren’t safe because they were at risk of avoidable harm.

“We saw basic issues like people’s safety in the event of a fire not being considered because

the provider didn’t carry out things like required fire drills every three months, despite being told previously we had concerns.

“Despite the best efforts of staff, who were kind and caring, both they and people who called Hillsborough House home were being let down by poor leadership.

“The culture at the service wasn’t dignified, with people being expected to live in a dirty, unpleasant-smelling environment that posed an infection risk.

“We found dried faeces on a banister, stained surfaces throughout, and unknown residues and debris on walls and floors. People’s bedrooms were also dirty and smelled of bodily

fluids. Staff told us they didn’t have time to clean.

“People’s oral hygiene wasn’t being supported and as a result and in one case, urgent emergency treatment was required.”

After feedback during the inspection, some changes were made, including arranging for a deep-clean, for a fire-risk assessment to be undertaken with an external contractor, and amendments to how medicines were stored.

But Ms Bauers said much more that needs to be addressed.

She added: “We won’t hesitate to take further action to keep people safe, which may include preventing them from operating.”

Inspectors found that one

person had lost a significant amount of weight over two months because no risk assessment or review of their care needs had taken place.

Medicines were not stored or managed safely. For example, one person’s ear spray, which should have been sprayed in each ear once a week, was administered daily over 27 days.

One person’s bedroom smelled strongly of urine and their toilet was stained black. Another bedroom had dried faeces on the floor and chest of drawers.

Laundry was stored near a communal toilet and in baskets in the communal dining area, which increased the risk of infection.

People had mixed experiences of being supported to access activities, hobbies and interests in the community, with some saying they didn’t get out very often.

However, inspectors saw kind and caring interactions between people and staff. Overall, people were supported to have maximum control over their lives in the least restrictive way.

Freeways CEO Claire Hayward said it was the first time in the trust’s 35 years of providing support that any of its services had been rated as inadequate.

Although Freeways took some encouragement that a more recent visit by a local authority commissioner recognised the “significant remedial action” and noted further scheduled improvements, “we haven’t reached the standards of excellence we set ourselves.”

Inspectors found dirty, smelly bedrooms and traces of dried faeces when they visited Hillsborough House in Charlton Road

FRIENDS

MANOR ROAD COMMUNITY WOODLAND

Our butterflies get their chance to shine

WELL, it has certainly been a hot, dry start to the summer this year. Some of us find the warm, sunny weather a dream come true and can’t wait to get out and enjoy it, while others feel like we are wilting away in the heat.

These differences were certainly reflected in what we saw on our recent volunteer morning at Manor Road Community Woodland - and not just amongst the overheated volunteers.

Just like us, plants need water to live and with the increasing periods of hot, dry weather that we are now seeing, the woodland has felt the impact. The older trees will have established root systems that help them survive in times of drought, but the younger trees can struggle.

Back in October last year we planted an oak tree to celebrate 20 years of the Woodland Friends group. All this dry weather has been tough on our new addition and the volunteer group have been making regular visits to keep it topped up with water. Hopefully it will survive the drought and live on, maybe one day providing shade to a future generation of hard-working volunteers.

On the other hand, like the sun worshippers amongst us, the butterflies have been loving the weather. Walking through the Plaishets wildflower

meadow, we saw the Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Marbled White, Comma and Red Admiral flitting about.

Alongside the butterflies, our wildflower meadows are home to many other species of insect. By holding off on mowing and allowing the meadow to grow long, there’s enough time for all the plants to come into flower, provide food for all the busy insects which pollinate them, and then produce seed which will go on to enrich next year’s meadow. So, whether you prefer the cool shade of the woodland paths or the bright sunshine of the open meadow, we hope you are finding ways to enjoy this beautiful natural space and all plants and animals that live here.

If you would like to get more involved, then you are very welcome to join our volunteer group. We are a friendly and active group that meet on the last Sunday of the month to work in the woodland.

Our next two sessions are on July 30 and August 27. We meet at 9.30am by the first gate into the Top Woods, on Manor Road coming from Keynsham (BS31 1SF). You can get in touch via our Friends of Manor Road Community Woodland Facebook page to find out more.

Anne Donaghey

A Comma butterfly enjoys the sun in the woodland, photographed by volunteer Jo Pike - the other photos are by Anne Donaghey

Help us keep watch on speeding drivers

ONE of the issues always raised in and around Keynsham is that of vehicles speeding.

We have various ways of tackling offenders, one of which is to ask residents to get involved through the community speed watch scheme.

Once a suitable location is identified, volunteers operate a speed detection device and record information on any speeding drivers. Then the police contact the offender, inform them of the offence and deal with repeat offenders.

These schemes have been a great success across our force area. If you think you may wish to be involved in one of these schemes in and around Keynsham, please contact our beat team through the community pages of the Avon and Somerset Constabulary website.

We need a pool of people to support this so we are looking

for several like-minded people to help.

n Last month, we had great success in returning a stolen bike to its owner. We were only able to do this as they had taken comprehensive photographs of the bike that showed not only the recent condition but the modifications the owner had made. I would suggest keeping photos not only of pedal cycles but anything of value that could be targeted, so that if we recover it, we can return it.

We are still suffering a large number of vehicle thefts across the force where motorbikes are being targeted. If you have a motorbike, I would suggest buying the best-quality locks you can afford and, if possible, lock the bike to a strong static object.

Thieves easily steal bikes by walking off with them and ‘hotwiring’ them at a different location.

Quite often, these bikes are hidden in plain sight, so if a bike arrives at a location that is not usual, please let us know as we’d rather check it out and offer crime prevention advice to owners rather than have a stolen bike continually used. n We also still get reports of items being stolen due to them being advertised via Facebook and eBay. A would-be ‘buyer’ contacts the seller and asks to view the item with no intention of coming at an appointed time and date, but instead attend

at their leisure and try to steal the goods. They often use fake accounts to make this contact, so it is best to do some research on these accounts to see if they are real. If you’re not sure, meet them in a public location and do not share your address details.

n We have been out and about in the last few months getting to our busier areas, to see people and catch up on what is going on in the local area and how we can be more effective.

The old style of beat surgery was struggling to get public interest, so we are looking to do more pop-up style events at busy locations to try to get more interaction.

We hope this will give more people the opportunity for more face-to-face contact, which in turn we will help us support the local area better. I will be monitoring how this works and hope to be able to report on its success.

with PC James Evans

Curo buys Withies Green housing site

CURO has bought the Withies Green site off the A4 Bath Road in Keynsham, which has planning permission for up to 213 homes.

The housing association, which also builds home for sale and rent, has struck a deal with Mactaggart & Mickel Group for the 25-acre site.

Bath and North East Somerset Council’s permission stipulates that 30% of the properties must be ‘affordable’.

The scheme prompted opposition from about 600 residents who were concerned about the loss of green space and wildlife habitat, as well as the affect of more traffic on already congested local roads.

The Withies Green proposal includes an open space and a new sports pitch for the Two Rivers C of E Primary School on the neighbouring Hygge Park development, where Curo has previously built 56 homes.

Announcing the deal, Mactaggart & Mickel Group

said the scheme would include a number of public footpaths as well as “green corridors”, with open space to the east extending to Saltford.

Nevin Holden, the group’s South West regional manager, said: “We have a long history as a land promotor and investor, with a reputation built on both

Care in your own h

community engagement and quality placemaking.

“On behalf of the landowners, we conducted an extensive stakeholder and community engagement programme prior to submitting our planning application.

“Our priority was to understand what local people need from a new neighbourhood, so that our proposal delivers maximum benefit to the community in terms of new homes and facilities.

“Our aim is to create a sense of place that local people can be proud of. This site has the potential to deliver much-needed new homes to a well-connected, popular and attractive area.

“We were delighted to achieve a Building with Nature Design accreditation for this site, ensuring that its green credentials were as good as they could possibly be.”

Curo had not issued a statement about the deal as the time the Voice went to press.

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Planning permission stipulates that 30% of the new homes to be built on the Withies Green site must be ‘affordable’

Broadlands celebrates Ofsted success

BROADLANDS Academy in Keynsham is celebrating after it retained its ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted.

The secondary school, which has been part of the Academies Enterprise Trust since 2012, had 502 pupils at the time of the inspection.

Ofsted says school leaders, working closely with the trust, have brought in many changes over the past few years, creating an ambitious new curriculum that aims to help all pupils achieve highly.

Pupils say they feel cared for, and relationships between pupils and staff are strong.

A new behaviour policy has had a positive effect, and pupils appreciate the calm, orderly school environment in which they can learn uninterrupted.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early and achieve well.

Leaders have created a “whole-school” approach to improve reading for all pupils. Those who need to catch up to

their peers are identified and supported. This approach is having a positive impact.

Pupils are involved in decision-making. Staff feel well supported, and leaders make sound decisions to ensure workload is manageable.

Staff like the changes that have taken place at the school. They say they are able to teach, as behaviour is well managed. They value the developing culture of excellence and the high expectations of leaders.

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils receive a well-planned careers programme from Year 7 onwards and are also well prepared for the next phase of their education.

The report did find that some pupils, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have low attendance, which hinders their learning. Ofsted says leaders should take more steps to improve attendance.

Louise Hamilton, who became Broadlands principal in July 2020, described the report as “the fruit of our improvement journey of the past three years.”

n MESSAGE FROM AVON & SOMERSET PCC

Tragedy shows importance of tackling knife crime

I HOPE everyone has been enjoying time outside in the sunshine and stayed safe whilst doing so during our recent spell of glorious weather.

Earlier this month, I put questions relating to knife crime and increased summer demand for police support to Chief Constable Sarah Crew at the latest Performance and Accountability Board (PAB), which livestreams every month on Facebook.

I know that the police get exceptionally busy in the summer, but local people still rightfully expect a high level of service.

During PAB I asked the Chief Constable how she will ensure that officers respond in a timely way and improve on what they did last year.

I also asked for an update on the week of awareness tackling knife crime – and how officers work with Violence Reduction Units to prevent knife crime.

This was particularly important following the tragic death of 16-year-

old Mikey Roynon, from South Gloucestershire, at an incident in Bath on June 10.

Two teenage boys, one from Dorset and another from Wiltshire, have since been charged with murder and possessing an offensive weapon.

At the PAB we also discussed the amazing work of police volunteers, as well as rape and sexual assaults in hospitals.

If you would like to listen in to the conversation, you can view our Facebook live video that was recorded and has been posted to the OPCC Facebook page.

I would like to take some time to highlight the 159 service, launched by Stop Scams UK. If you think someone is trying to trick you into handing over money or personal details, I urge you to stop, hang up and call 159.

This is a short-code phone service that connects people safely to their bank’s fraud prevention service.

This free phone service should be

used when either you or someone you know may have provided an unknown person with your bank card or banking information over the phone, to report fraud potentially taking place.

I would like to mention the work of Crimestoppers and the South West: No Place for Drugs campaign.

Currently, Crimestoppers is appealing to the public to speak up and report cases of property being used as a grow house or farm to cultivate cannabis.

Organised crime gangs are renting properties in both urban and rural parts of the country and setting up cannabis farms. This illegal activity often brings serious violence, victims of modern slavery, and increased risks of building fires and explosions.

If you are a landlord, I implore you to become aware of the signs of cannabis cultivation: barricaded windows and doors, unsafe electricity wiring, and mould and water damage

In a newsletter to parents and carers, she said: “In spite of the pandemic, staff have worked tirelessly to provide our students with the best possible educational experience day in, day out. I am delighted that this report recognises their efforts.

“In their feedback to me after the inspection, inspectors said that they were extremely impressed by our ambitious curriculum and our high-performance learning community.

“As I would have predicted from the typical culture at Broadlands, inspectors did not see a single instance of disruption to learning in the two days of their visit.

“Most importantly, our wonderful students presented themselves as the kind, respectful and responsible young people that they are, and expressed a great deal of positivity about their experience at Broadlands.

“I am extremely proud of each and every one of our Broadlands students.”

With Police and Crime Commissioner Mark

Shelford

from hydroponics and irrigation systems.

I urge you to learn the signs of cannabis cultivation, which can be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk. org.

I would like to thank everyone for their continued contribution to keeping our communities safe and wish you all a safe and happy week.

Dedicated service is honoured

TWO former Keynsham councillors are among those who have been honoured for their service.

Lisa O’Brien spent eight years representing Keynsham South on Bath & North East Somerset Council, while fellow Conservative Brian Simmons represented Keynsham North for 16 years.

The ceremony at Bath Guildhall honoured 12 B&NES councillors who between them have devoted 211 years of their lives to public service.

They were awarded the title of Honorary Alderman and Alderwoman by council chair Sarah Moore.

The title is the highest award that can be given to a councillor in recognition of exceptional service to the council and the people it represents.

The other councillors honoured were: Rob Appleyard, 16 years, Lambridge; Sarah Bevan, 20 years, Peasedown; Neil Butters, 16 years, Bathavon South; Sally Davis, 24 years, Clutton & Farmborough; Doug Deacon, 16 years, Timsbury; Michael Evans, 12 years, Midsomer Norton North; Andrew Furse, 24 years, Kingsmead; Paul Myers,

GREAT DAYS OUT FOR ALL

JULY

• Swanage Railway & Corfe

Sunday 2nd July

• Weymouth Sunday 30th July

AUGUST

• The Donkey Sanctuary & Sidmouth (Folk Festival week) Sunday 6th August

• Swansea & The Mumbles (Pier End) Sunday 20th

August

• River Dart Round Robin

Tuesday 22nd August

SEPTEMBER

• Bournemouth Sea Front (Air Show Weekend)Sunday 3rd

September 2023

• Oxford Sunday 17th

September

• Bicester Village Shopping

Sunday 17th September

OCTOBER

• Portsmouth Historical Dockyard and Gunwharf

Quays Shopping Centre

Sunday 22nd October2

NOVEMBER

• Winchester Christmas Market Sunday 26th November

DECEMBER

• Cardiff Christmas Shopper

Sunday 3rd December

• St Fagan’s National Museum of History Sunday 3rd December

12 years, Midsomer Norton Redfield; Vic Pritchard, 27 years, Chew Valley; and Chris Watt, 20 years, Midsomer Norton Redfield.

Councillor Moore said: “Every single Honorary Alderman and Alderwoman deserves recognition for the many years of dedicated service they have given to the people of Bath and North East Somerset.

“Each one of them has made a positive difference to their own wards and the wider district to help improve people’s lives.

“It was wonderful to hear their final speeches, their thanks to officers and their encouragement to new councillors.

“On behalf of the council, I’d like to thank them all and congratulate them.”

METHODIST CHURCH COFFEE

25 years of warm welcomes

LONG before many of the coffee shops that are now in Keynsham High Street were open, you could always get a cup of coffee plus a warm welcome at the Methodist Church.

The doors opened at the High Street church 1998 every morning, Monday to Saturday, and this was soon followed by a short act of worship on Thursdays called Shopper’s Service.

This facility had to be closed during lockdown, but it has now reopened on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The actual day of opening

SNIPPETS

in 1998 was July 6, so the 25th birthday of the coffee room will be celebrated on that date ,which is also a Shopper’s Service day.

This celebration will be led by Rev John Carne, who was the Methodist minister in Keynsham at the time of opening and who has returned to live in Keynsham with his wife Valerie since his retirement.

So if you are someone who has enjoyed coffee and fellowship in the Methodist Church at any time in the last 25 years, why not pop in on July 6 – you will be made most welcome.

Scenes from Keynsham life

A SAFFRON evening persuaded me to walk the last stretch home after work. The yeasty smell of beer on the air, happy patrons approaching the restaurant, I happened to glance across the road. Then I stopped. And went back to take another look.

The silver moon buggy on the other side of the street had a canvas roof, vacant windows and monster truck wheels.

I looked up and down the High Street for EMU suits. No space suits, no fishbowls, no radio antennae. Just evening shirts, trousers and summer dresses. Hmm.

Isaac Glynn

Pictured from left to right are Michael Evans, Neil Butters, Rob Appleyard, Andrew Furse, Sarah Bevan, Sally Davis, Sarah Moore, Chris Watt, Vic Pritchard, Brian Simmons, Lisa O’Brien and Paul Myers

KEYNSHAM AND SALTFORD LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY

Birth of town’s youth club was team effort

IN 1953, south Keynsham was growing. The post-war housing shortage was finally being addressed, with Keynsham Urban District Council (UDC) permitted to build more homes by the government.

The Broadlands estate had been completed and work was under way on the development around Windsor Avenue.

At this point, the Park Estate was nothing more than a plan being negotiated with Bristol Corporation, predecessor of the city council.

The UDC realised that there were many young people who had nowhere local to meet for social activities. In conjunction with the county council, a survey of “local youth” was carried out. This identified that about 200 young people were in this group, and clearly this number was going to grow.

At first, an attempt to meet the need was made with part-time premises and leadership, but it soon became evident that this was entirely inadequate.

The wheels of bureaucracy turned slowly but in 1958 the council leased a run-down farm property with outbuildings and a cottage to a committee set up to create and run a youth centre.

Well-positioned for the Park estate, by then largely built, the site was the former Cameroons Farm on Park Road; the committee included representatives of the councils, other bodies and local voluntary groups.

The council restored the main house to good external condition and in August 1958 handed responsibility over to the management committee,

which appointed a full-time warden, Ernest Tuck. Temporary accommodation for him was provided in the house while the warden’s cottage was adapted and

decorated. Much of the work on this and the other rooms was done by volunteers of all ages.

By December, the lounge and canteen were complete. Next

came the hall. This was a large, prefabricated hut, dismantled and brought from a previous life elsewhere. It needed a great deal of work and many young people got their hands dirty fitting it out.

Some funding came from Somerset County Council, but the Rotary Club of Keynsham, with the Round Table and others, organised a week of money-raising efforts and sponsored an appeal to industry in Keynsham and district.

It appears that all the work was done by the end of April and the Keynsham Youth Centre was then open for business. Members were recruited and a wide variety of activities were listed in the newsletter, including snooker, table tennis, hiking, football and many more.

The canteen was open in the evenings and Saturday night dances were popular. The philosophy of the centre was very much that members were expected to contribute to running it in some practical way, rather than just paying a subscription. Activities included more fund-raising to find £150 for a sound system.

The formal opening ceremony took place on Saturday 30th May 1959 with Mrs Miller-Barstow, chairman of Somerset County Council education committee, doing the honours and speeches by various civic dignitaries.

l All the information above is taken from documents recently given to the society that describe the opening of the centre. We don’t have details of the later story of the centre or when it closed - if you have photographs or memories, you can send them to the society at info@keysalthist.org.uk

Richard Dyson

The main hall at Keynsham Youth Centre was a prefabricated hut that had been dismantled and brought from a previous life elsewhere

The youth club’s canteen bar was open in the evenings and Saturday night dances were popular

This photograph is of a location that is easy to recognise, on the A4 at Saltford.

Taken in October 1961, it shows in the centre a new Vauxhall Victor, the first car to be displayed on the canopy at Saltford Motor Services.

At this time fuel was still sold on the forecourt, and the National sign is prominent.

This fuel had very recently been rebranded from the longstanding and popular National Benzole, which was a mixture of petrol and benzole, made from coal-tar.

From parking to parklets in Temple St

TWO parklets have been installed in Temple Street, Keynsham, to mark the end of the latest phase of improvements.

Two large parking bays on the east side of the street have been reduced to accommodate the extra seating.

Although an initial drawing of the scheme showed the parklets incorporated into an extended pavement, they have been placed on the highway itself on a trial basis before Bath and North East Somerset Council decides whether to seek further funding to make the changes permanent.

The parklets feature written information and graphics about Keynsham’s connections to the fabric dye industry and its ammonites.

The improvement scheme also includes wider paving, new planters, new seating, improved disabled parking bays, better lighting and drainage, and seven cycle hoops to accommodate 14 bikes.

Developments will continue later this year with shopfront renovations for Temple Street Canteen and Savour, along with improvements to the upper levels of the five buildings (20-28 Temple Street).

Keynsham Town Centre has also organised a range of cultural

events funded by a small grants award scheme.

B&NES Council leader Kevin Guy said: “We are proud of the heritage of Keynsham and the part it plays in the vibrancy of the area, so it’s great to see the improvements come to fruition.

“I hope they will mean more shoppers and visitors are encouraged to find out everything that Temple Street and the whole town has to offer.”

The Temple Street Improvement Project is part of Keynsham High Street Heritage Action Zone Programme (HS HAZ), a project led by B&NES Council and funded by Historic England, with match funding from the council and Keynsham Town Council.

Town council chair Hal

MacFie said: “Keynsham has a rich and vibrant history, and Keynsham Town Council values the work done by the Keynsham High Street Heritage Action Zone partnership project to improve the look and feel of Temple Street now and for the future.”

The recipients of the small grant awards under the Local Cultural Programme have included:

l Three photography projects: Humans of Keynsham by Clare Anderson, a creative heritagethemed workshop by Snap and Stroll, and an exhibition Creativity Unwrapped celebrating 25 years of Keynsham in Bloom.

l A pop-up museum by Keynsham Abbey Working Group, Keynsham and Saltford

Local History Society and Saltford Brass Mill Project.

l A live performance and family music workshop called Strings in Riverside Square, organised through Keynsham Music Festival.

l An oral history training and film capturing Our High Street Histories by Community @ 67. Upcoming events at Keynsham MakeSpace at 2 Riverside Terrace include:

l Hatchlings GamesWednesday evening gaming group https://www. hikeynsham.co.uk/event/ hatchlings-games/

l Sew Loved Again – Saturday crafting workshops https:// www.facebook.com/ sewlovedagain/

l Keynsham ArtSpace – Tuesday creative workshops, and a popup gallery for Keynsham Music Festival https://www.facebook. com/KeynshamArtSpace/ Keynsham MakeSpace offers local businesses, art and community groups a serviced space for a range of activities. For more information, visit https:// www.hikeynsham.co.uk/event/ keynsham-makespace/

n What do you think of the new parklets? Share your views by writing to us – for our contact details, see Letters on Page 5

The new parklets in Temple Street, Keynsham, are part of an improvement scheme designed to encourage more people to come to the area

The parklets have been placed in parking bays for a trial period while B&NES Council considers seeking more funding

High Street cycle lane set for design

A DESIGN review of Keynsham High Street’s cycle lane is set to take place this summer.

Scores of people have reported tripping or falling since the cycle lane was introduced last year, and there have been repeated calls for action to improve safety.

Bath and North East Somerset Council says the design review will assess whether improvements can be made to reduce the number of trips and falls.

Parking in the High Street was temporarily suspended last month so paving slabs could be repaired and damaged bollards and cycle stands replaced.

Extra street furniture was also being installed to protect the pavement from vehicles mounting it.

Councillor Paul Roper, cabinet member for economic & cultural sustainable development, said the repairs had been scheduled for some time.

He added: “We are conscious of the concerns about trips and falls linked to the cycle lane.

“I’d like to take this opportunity

Bath and North East Somerset Council is to assess whether improvements can be made to reduce the number of trips and falls associated with the cycle lane in Keynsham High Street

review after catalogue of fall injuries

to reassure residents that we take the concerns extremely seriously, which is why we have already acted by introducing the red-coloured cycle lane finish that has reduced the number of reported incidents significantly.

“A Stage 4 Road Safety Audit will follow the remedial works. Alongside the audit, the council will undertake a design review over the summer, to assess whether additional enhancements can be made to reduce trips and falls further.

“We recognise that pedestrian use within the High Street has changed as a result of a significant reduction in cars passing through. If action is needed we’ll consider the options.

“Ward councillors representing the High Street have been kept updated on this.”

Among those calling for improved safety is Keynsham South councillor Alan Hale, who said he had been contacted about people falling “since day one” and has warned that someone could suffer

fatal injuries if action isn’t taken.

One person who fell described the cycle lane as an “optical illusion” as there were kerbs and painted white lines which looked similar to each other.

Councillor Hale said he had had a conversation with Professor Ute Leonards, an expert in psychological science at Bristol University, who had visited the High Street with two other professors and written a paper about the phenomenon.

Councillor Hale said: “It seems that it bears out my claim that the cycle lane and the pavement and assorted kerbs all contribute to an optical illusion that does not provide the sight triggers that people need.

“I am trying to obtain for them precise locations of the falls but that is not proving easy. I shall continue to push for a resolution.”

Through figures obtained in April through a freedom of information request sent to B&NES Council, Councillor Hale discovered that 59 people had been injured since the cycle lane was installed in March last year.

Safety campaigner Councillor Alan Hale says he has been contacted about people falling “since day one”

Outdoor fun and play at Avon Valley nursery

AVON Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park, a renowned visitor attraction and beloved family destination, is delighted to announce the launch of a nursery and preschool, set to open late August.

This innovative early learning facility will emphasise outdoor fun and play while seamlessly integrating the wide array of activities offered at the park.

Nestled within the picturesque Avon Valley, the nursery and preschool will provide children, aged 2 to 5 years old initially, with a distinctive and immersive learning environment.

The curriculum is thoughtfully crafted to cultivate children’s passion for nature, wildlife, and exploration through hands-on, outdoor experiences that also develop essential skills.

Hannah and Doug Douglas take pride in partnering with esteemed childcare professionals, Alison and Gary Dennis, who bring over 25 years of expertise in operating three other award-winning nursery settings across Hampshire and Wiltshire.

Together, they are excited to embark on this new venture and open doors to a new generation of adventurers.

“We are thrilled to unveil the Avon Valley Nursery and Preschool, where young minds can thrive in a dynamic and engaging learning environment,” said Doug, owner of Avon Valley.

“Our aim is to foster a deep appreciation for nature and the great outdoors, instilling a lifelong love for exploration.”

Alison Dennis added: “We are dedicated to providing a secure, stimulating, and nurturing environment for children aged 2 to 5 years to learn, discover, and play. Our approach allows for both formal and informal education to flourish.”

The nursery will feature a team of experienced educators who are passionate about outdoor learning and child development. Working closely with the park’s staff, they will have unlimited access to the park and resources. In addition to the park integration, the nursery will have its own purpose-built indoor and outdoor play space, ensuring privacy and security.

Parents and guardians can expect their children to engage in a diverse range of activities, including hands-on outdoor projects, animal handling, storytelling sessions, nature walks, and more, all designed to foster an appreciation for the natural world and develop essential skills.

Moreover, nursery families will enjoy a host of exclusive benefits related to Avon Valley.

Registrations are now being accepted, with limited spaces available. Please visit the website for more details - https:// avonvalleynurseryandpreschool.co.uk/

The new nursery and preschool at Avon Valley will offer children a distinctive and immersive learning environment

n BACK TO NATURE

Rewilding your garden in miniature

It is sometimes difficult to comprehend how individuals can help avert the loss of nature. We may think that wildlife can only be helped by the actions of conservationists on reserves and that we can do nothing in our gardens.

There is no doubt that action to help reverse the catastrophic declines in insects and birdlife needs to be done at scale urgently. But if the area of all the gardens in this country is added up, it equals all the National Parks put together.

Every garden, verge and window box has the potential of being part of the solution, creating many different habitats for wildlife to thrive, in one massive, interconnected wildlife haven.

No Mow May and Let it Bloom June are great slogans for promoting a more relaxed way of gardening. Lawns which are not treated with herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers and are allowed to grow longer from May onwards will benefit firstly the soil and the microscopic life forms within it. This, in turn, will allow wildflowers to grow and bloom, providing nectar and shelter for insects and small mammals, which sustain bats and birds.

If you have kept the mower in the shed for a couple of months, you will have saved effort, your carbon footprint and may have reduced water usage for irrigating the lawn.

Nothing in gardening with wildlife in mind is guaranteed! You

might have ended up with a jungle of grass that is difficult to manage and want to give up trying next year.

All is not lost. It might take some time to reduce the fertility of the soil to a point where wildflowers are happy. Try mowing and removing the cuttings to the compost heap. Either let the grass dry a bit before adding to a “dalek” type of composter or add lots of cardboard. You will get a smelly mush if you try to compost too much damp grass without drier ingredients.

Alternatively, use the clippings as a thick mulch around shrubs. Eventually the fertility of the lawn will be reduced to allow more delicate flowers to establish. It is also worth noting that some species of bees like an area of short grass so they can dig into the soil to make tunnels to lay their eggs.

Diversity of habitat is the key to enabling diverse tiny lives to thrive. An option is to mix and match, leaving a little bit of lawn long, perhaps near a hedge, and cutting some short, changing the design each year or month by month.

If long grass really does not appeal or is unsuitable for your garden, then a shorter lawn but one that allows smaller but pretty plants to grow can be equally as useful to wildlife.

Dandelions are exquisite plants, even though they seem to cause some unwarranted dismay. They mainly only bloom in May anyway and the seeds are a welcome snack for goldfinches. Who does not love the common Lawn Daisy? It will arrive in your lawn without any expense, tolerates being mowed and will repeat flower for many months.

You may be lucky to have a tiny

cranesbill appearing in your lawn - it is a pretty miniature geranium and will also tolerate being mowed. Thyme Leaved Germander Speedwell is another tiny plant that requires no work other than to allow the lawn to grow just a little longer than you might have done if trying to fight against nature to produce a monoculture of a single grass.

These little plants will be helping to increase the biodiversity in your garden; they are plants that have evolved in this landscape over millennia, so who knows what mycorrhizal fungi may be depending on the roots, or what microscopic insect may need them as a food source? Not only that, if you get close to the little flowers or take a photo with your phone camera and enlarge it, their beauty will give you joy.

Julia Shahin

Herb Robert, one of several species of cranesbill you may find popping up

Thyme Leaved Germander Speedwell

Photo: Kathy Farrell

WALKERS ARE WELCOME

A welcome wander through the woodland

AS we are into our summer season, we are having two walks per month, one of which is shorter to encourage the not-so-fit social walkers to join us.

The first walk this month was the shorter variety.

A total of 25 people, including three new faces, met at the Memorial Park gates as we headed off through the park for a circular walk around the Manor Road Community Woodland, the threat of rain ever present.

The first section was through town, and upon reaching the woods just past the Wellsway shops, sadly, it was noticeable how neglected it had been.

Bath and North East Somerset Council is in the process of a public consultation on improvements to

NEWS

the area, so we shall look forward to the outcome. The wooden walkway to the pond was in a sorry state of repair, with walkers having to be careful where they trod. We continued around the perimeter of the woods, including the section to the south of Manor Road.

Just as we were coming out of the wood, the black clouds became a reality, and we had to endure rain for the rest of the walk. As we past back through the town, walkers began heading off to their homes, unfortunately a little bit wet.

The second walk was a completely different affair. This time we met at the Fox & Hounds car park, where we caught the Keynsham Dial-a-Ride minibus to Bitton; some had made their own way there and met us at the start.

Team scoop award

ESTATE agents Davies & Way in Keynsham are celebrating their latest awards success.

They have just won the 2023 British Property Award for Bristol (BS30-31), having previously been named the 2021 Gold Winner Estate Agent in Bristol (BS30-31).

A spokesperson for the awards scheme said: “Their team performed outstandingly throughout the extensive judging period, which focused on customer service levels.”

Davies & Way, based in Keynsham High Street, have now been shortlisted for a number of national awards which will be announced later in the year.

The British Property Awards give agents throughout the UK a chance to compare their services against those provided by their local, regional and national competition.

“Agents who go that extra mile and provide outstanding levels of customer service are rewarded with our accolade, which acts as a beacon to highlight these attributes to their local marketplace.”

A recce had been done a couple of days previously but had proved problematical, with poor footpath maintenance and signposting, so several dead ends had been encountered, which had resulted in some lane walking, which we try to discourage.

A good crowd of us set off in good walking weather on this circular 6.5-mile walk. Once we had got the first section of road walking out of the way, we headed across the fields towards Wick.

Keeping to the south of Wick, we then turned back on ourselves, across fields again to Beach, then picked up the country lane to Upton Cheyney, then across fields to the finish.

Here we stayed at the White Hart for a welcome drink, where

they made us very welcome. The minibus duly turned up to ferry us back to Keynsham. Not one of our better walks, but still enjoyable

Forthcoming walks:

n Sunday July 9: Meeting at the Memorial Park gates at 10am for a shorter walk around the Somerdale perimeter path across the Humpty Dumps and back to Keynsham alongside the rugby field.

n Sunday July 23: Meeting at the Memorial Park gates at 10am for a five-mile circular walk around Chewton Keynsham and Stockwood Vale.

Our Walking Festival runs from Friday September 29 to Sunday October 1. This will include our annual BBC Children in Need Countryfile Ramble – details will be released nearer the date.

Assistant sales manager Abbie Baker and sales manager David Thompson celebrate the award at Davies & Way

KEYNSHAM IN BLOOM

We’re making tracks to glorious summer

OUR Keynsham In Bloom volunteers have been busy combating the dry spell of weather we have been experiencing, and this is being achieved by mulching.

The containers and flowerbeds at the train station are being mulched and hopefully we will not lose as many plants this year as we did in 2022, when rain was scarce.

I am amazed how well the pansies outside St John’s Church are looking, and rather than replace them with bedding, we will feed, water and cover their little roots with mulch and await their progress. The other KIB containers will have the finished plants removed and replaced with petunias and snapdragons.

Alpines and snapdragons will be planted at Queens Road shops as a change to the usual bedding display. This decision has been made because the alpines seem to enjoy the dry weather and will spread over the soil in the coming years. The four containers at Holmoak shops are a good example of this type of planting.

Work at the Pocket Park is progressing well and the containers will be filled with flowers for the summer months. The hopscotch is refreshed, and weeding, dead heading etc

continues. Our mosaic to celebrate 15 years of Keynsham In Bloom is coming together nicely, with many groups involved. The mosaic has been kindly sponsored by IJ

Volunteers weeding the triangular flowerbed in the High Street

Top left, Dee’s Train is in bloom at Keynsham station

Left, the Pocket Park is being prepared for the summer

McGill, to whom we are very grateful. I would like to thank in advance the Girls Brigade, Guides, Abbeyfield, Mencap and Somerdale School for painting

woodland scenes on the mosaic that will be fitted at the Pocket Park. It will be a wonderful joint effort.

Another project that we are working on in the High Street is clearing weeds from the triangular flowerbed opposite the Cinnamon restaurant. About 15 bags of weeds have been removed and we have nearly finished phase one – watch this space!

Keynsham In Bloom was due have a stall at the Eco Festival, which has been incorporated into Keynsham Music Festival, on July 1 in the Memorial Park and we were hoping for many visitors.

Well, it’s time for me to work on my own garden now. Enjoy this lovely weather and keep gardening.

Mary Woodman

Bath branch: 01225 426822

Frome branch: 01373 463888

KEYNSHAM METHODIST CHURCH

Community garden idea gets a positive response

A PUBLIC meeting held at the Methodist Church in Queen’s Road, Keynsham, to discuss the possibility of creating a community garden on land behind the church was attended by nearly 30 people.

Organisations represented included Keynsham Town Council, Bath & North East Somerset Council, the Allotment Association, Keynsham in Bloom, Community 67 and Curo Housing Association.

Some residents expressed an interest in being involved with the project. It was explained that while the church was agreeable to making the land available, it did not have the people resources

to either develop the project or then continue with its ongoing management.

At the time of writing, suggestions on the format of the body that needs to be created to undertake this project have been submitted to the legal department of the Methodist Church.

As soon as we have an idea of the way forward, a meeting will be called of those who have indicated their willingness to be involved. The initial response to the concept has been very positive and we will move on as soon as we are able.

Mike Barrow Keynsham Methodist Church

McColl’s becomes Morrisons

THE McColl’s store in Chandag Road, Keynsham, was due to reopen as a Morrisons Daily on June 30 following a refit.

The Post office branch in the store has been retained.

A Morrisons spokesperson said: “The new Morrisons Daily fresh food convenience store will offer customers a carefully tailored mix of Morrisons own brand products alongside branded favourites.”

KEYNSHAM MENCAP

Keynsham Mencap’s popular children’s club SENSations has a waiting list - but it needs more volunteers before it can admit any new members Right, the Music Man Project with leader Naomi Tarrant at the

Open Morning and Evenings at Wellsway School

Year 5 - Tuesday 4th July - Tours from 9.15am - 10.45am

Year 6 - Thursday 21st September - Tours from 6.00pm - 8.00pm

Year 6 - Tuesday 26th September - Tours from 9.15am - 10.45am

We are delighted to confirm our two open morning dates; we are offering tours to students and families who are interested in joining Wellsway School in September 2024. Visitors always comment on the purposeful, caring and happy ethos of the school, so what better way for you to find out about our vision and values then to come and experience them for yourselves? For those parents/carers who are unable to attend, there will be an additional Year 6 Open Evening in September. The morning will provide an opportunity to see the school in action; to visit curriculum areas and discuss the Wellsway School experience with students and staff. Please be advised that the morning will finish at 10.45am, the last tour will depart at 10.20am. Our staff and students are the biggest advocate to our school and I am sure when you visit, you will see why we believe Wellsway School is a unique community.

Sixth Form Open Evening

Thursday 5th October, between 6.00pm - 8.00pm

We are delighted to invite key stage 4 students to our Sixth form open evening. On the evening students will be able to see the enhanced range of subjects and enrichment opportunities on offer at Wellsway School and learn how we work as a collaborative Sixth Form ‘Futura Sixth’to be a truly comprehensive sixth form. Students will have the opportunity to speak with staff; attend a presentation from school leaders; speak with sixth form students and discover more about our wide range of courses and experience that support students throughout Post-16 and to their next step. This will be followed up by our Open Morning for external applicants, on Wednesday 18th October 2023, between 9.05am - 10.45am.

Choirthon event in Bath

Below right, Mencap members Conor and Ryan and fundraiser Clare with the Coventry team who handed over £1,340

KEYNSHAM and District Mencap’s charity partner, the Coventry Building Society in the town, has handed over a cheque for £1,340. This impressive amount was raised by a Christmas and Easter raffle, as well as books bought in the branch.

Club members Connor and Ryan accepted the cheque with fundraiser Clare Anderson, who thanked the Coventry team.

She said: “Community support and donations such as this keep our small charity running and we are very grateful for our ongoing relationship with the fabulous staff at the Coventry. There will be summer raffle in July with £1,000 as first prize, so do pop in and buy a ticket or two.”

There are many ways you can help fundraise for Keynsham Mencap. We are looking for runners to take part in the Bath Half Marathon in October. If you are interested in joining team KDMS, please contact Clare@ keynshammencap.org.uk or visit https://www.keynshammencap.org. uk/bathhalf/

We’re so grateful for your support

n Keynsham Mencap is celebrating 45 years this year, and demand for their fabulous clubs is growing, so they need more volunteers. You don’t need any experience, just a willingness to learn. We run nine clubs over the week and cover activities such as fitness, football, music, crafts and trips out.

The children’s club SENSations is in urgent need of volunteers. It has a waiting list but cannot

welcome any new members without more helpers.

Operations manager Laura Jefferies said: “All we ask is that our volunteers are enthusiastic and happy to help, and encourage the children to join in with the activities.

“Volunteering is so rewarding, especially seeing the children enjoying themselves, and doing things they didn’t think they can

do. Guaranteed smiles, laughter and all the warm fuzzies you can handle. Volunteering with Keynsham Mencap is honestly the best thing you’ll ever do.”

If you would like to know more or could give a couple of hours of your time to get involved, please email laura@keynshammencap. org.uk or look at our website for more details - https://www. keynshammencap.org.uk/volunteer/ n Keynsham Mencap’s Music Man Project is going from strength to strength, led by local musician Naomi Tarrant, and has a busy summer of performances ahead.

The group took part in Choirthon on June 10 in Bath, joining 18 choirs to raise money for the DEC Turkey and Syria Earthquake Appeal. The group performed some of their favourite songs and received a standing ovation. Thank you to local musician and choir leader Matthew Finch for inviting us to take part.

Music Man were next getting ready to return to the stage on Saturday July 1 at Keynsham Music Festival.

We’re stepping out to help find a cure

A FAMILY from Keynsham are taking part in the Walk for Parkinson’s at Blaise Castle on Sunday July 9 to help fund research to find better treatments and a cure for the condition.

Rachael Wardley, her husband Michael and their daughter Hera, aged 10, were inspired to get involved because Rachael’s dad, Robert Harris, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2019.

Rachael said: “The condition has taken away his confidence and freedom. We’re looking forward to taking part in Walk for Parkinson’s to help raise funds to find a cure. It would mean the world to have my confident, outgoing and strong dad back.”

Rachael is calling on others to take part. Money raised will help Parkinson’s UK seek breakthroughs in research.

The event offers distances to suit everyone at the Blaise Castle Estate, where people can explore 400 acres of parkland and woodland. There are two routes to choose from:

l A shorter, family friendly one-mile route which is fully accessible.

l A six-mile route for those wanting more of a challenge.

Walkers will warm up together, walk together, and finish together as they start and finish with other members of the Parkinson’s community.

At the event village, there will be stalls

offering information and support, as well as a dedication area where attendees can discover people’s reasons for taking part in the event. There will also be entertainment from Bristol singer Stephanie Watts.

Melissa Rankin, South West regional fundraiser at Parkinson’s UK, said: “Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. In Bristol and Bath alone there are 1,220 people living with the condition.

“Every hour, two more people in the UK are diagnosed, meaning one in 37 people alive today will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s in their lifetime.

“There’s no cure for Parkinson’s – yet. But if we all come together and take part in Walk for Parkinson’s, we can make a difference to the lives of people with Parkinson’s. We can make breakthroughs. We can find a cure.”

It costs £12 to sign up to Walk for Parkinson’s (under 18s go free) and it is suggested that entrants try to raise £50 in sponsorship. All walkers will receive a fundraising pack with tips and advice, sponsorship forms and a Walk for Parkinson’s T-shirt to wear on the day.

As well as walkers, the charity is seeking volunteers to help on the day. To find out more, visit parkinsons.org.uk/get-involved/ walk-parkinsons or email walk@parkinsons. org.uk

n NEWS FROM THE METRO MAYOR

Celebrating ‘pupil power’

IT was fantastic to see over 150 young people from 60-plus secondaries right across the West of England at my Schools Summit - our region’s first ever.

It was held under the wings of Concorde over at Aerospace Bristol in Filton - and I could tell the moment I walked in this was going to be a supersonic event!

How right I was - local students took part in thought-provoking and really fun sessions designed to get them thinking about what our West of England region might look like in the future, how they want to shape it, and what part they will play in this.

As you might expect, the climate crisis was a big, big topic of conversation, because this region’s youngsters, and young people in general, will be most impacted by our changing climate, and will be taking some very difficult decisions in the future.

If you had seen the session organised by Bristol Energy Network it would have all looked a bit nuts, with students jumping around on a giant Monopoly-style board wearing chicken hats. But I promise you, there was a serious message there about how to cut our energy use!

Another favourite was Atkins’ workshop,

where I saw curious young people finding out about being engineers and planners through a LEGO model of a city.

Other big employers, including Airbus, Deloitte and Firstbus, ran sessions on the future of transport, culture and sport.

The ideas of the young people were all noted down, so as to directly influence the future of West of England policy.

That’s important - the ideas students came up with could, genuinely, change our West of England region for the better. And I’m already taking steps to ensure this is the case, visiting participating schools like Yate Academy and others to update them on how mayoral combined authority policy – like our upcoming plan for transport – will be changing thanks to their awesome ideas.

Meanwhile, at the ‘marketplace’, students could pick up some wildflower seeds to help me in my efforts to make the West the bee and pollinator capital of the UK, meet a robot dog and learn about the routes to becoming an apprentice.

And I got to play Duncan Bannatyne when a dozen students pitched great policy ideas to me in a live Dragon’s Den-style event.

My thanks to all the students for sharing their ideas, which will really help me get on with making our region an even better place to live, study, and thrive. My thanks also to their teachers, and all the local businesses and organisations who helped make it a success.

I came away feeling buoyed by these young people, the true change-makers and system-shakers - their imagination truly has no limits.

I call that Pupil Power. Now I have the task of harnessing this energy and turning these ideas into reality.

I know they’ll be making sure to hold me to my promises!

Metro Mayor Dan Norris writes for the Voice

Robert Harris, who has Parkinson’s, with his granddaughter Hera

Up and down the Roundhill to prepare for epic hike

AN RAF cadet from Saltford will be hitting the heights to raise money for an armed forces charity.

Callum Arnott, aged 17, aims to tackle all 119 tors on Dartmoor in one continuous hike.

He said: “I will be walking 300km, carrying all of my kit and food. I am expecting the challenge to take eight to 10 days, which will be a real test.”

As part of his preparation for the challenge in August, Callum recently walked up and down Kelston Roundhill six times with his full kit. He and his family also ran a stand on the day during an open event at the Bath Soft Cheese Company’s café. It helped to promote Callum’s Dartmoor challenge and also raised £200 for his fundraising pot.

Callum chose to raise money for armed forces charity SSAFA (Soldiers’, Sailors’ & Airmen’s Families Association) because he has set his sights on being a pilot as a career and has family and friends in the military.

Anyone wishing to sponsor Callum can visit his JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/all-tors-challenge

Chief Constable: Our force is institutionally racist

AVON & Somerset Police is “institutionally racist”, the force’s top officer has admitted.

Chief Constable Sarah Crew says the constabulary is also likely to have a culture of misogyny, homophobia and discrimination against people with disabilities.

In a statement published on the police website, Chief Constable Crew said that the “system is unfair” against Black and ethnic minority people and vowed to put it right.

Her comments come in the wake of Baroness Carey’s review into the Metropolitan Police, which she said was a “catalyst for us to examine ourselves”, along with Desmond Brown’s damning 2022 report identifying disproportionality in the force’s criminal justice system.

The Chief Constable said Mr Brown’s findings showed “clear evidence of

differential experiences in the way we interact with people from different ethnic and racial backgrounds, particularly those who are from Black heritage communities”.

She said the two reports were a stark reminder of the need for a “real and profound change” to retain the public’s trust.

“When it comes to race, I’m in no doubt that, by Baroness Casey’s criteria at least, Avon & Somerset Police is institutionally racist,” Chief Constable Crew said.

“I must accept that the definition fits. I think it’s likely to be true for misogyny, homophobia and disability as well, though the gaps in the data don’t give us the sense of scale, impact, or certainty that we have for race.

“I need to be clear – I’m not talking about what’s in the hearts and minds of most

people who work for Avon & Somerset Police.

“This is about recognising the structural and institutional barriers that exist and which put people at a disadvantage in the way they interact with policing because of their race.”

She said the force was adopting an “explain and reform approach” to stop-andsearch and that all officers now received regular refresher training on how to conduct them fairly and respectfully, while the use of body-worn cameras was mandatory.

The Chief Constable said plans were in place to introduce a programme piloted elsewhere called Chance to Change, which allows young adults aged 18 to 24 to avoid a criminal conviction in return for admitting guilt and reforming.

Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Callum Arnott with mum Sarah, dad Myles and brother Ben at his stand at the Bath Soft Cheese Company

Callum Arnott tackling Kelston Roundhill – his ambition is to pursue a career as a pilot

Paddle power from the Get Wet team

SCOUTING offers many different adventurous activities. In Keynsham Scouts we are delighted that we have our very own Get Wet team led by the brilliant Nigel Gill.

The team focus on providing activities which include kayaking, canoeing and rafting, all of which require qualifications, time, and a desire to have fun.

Thanks to support from Doug Douglas and Avon Valley Country Park, they have their own base on the banks of the River Avon, which means our young people can maximise their time on the water.

All the equipment required for our water activities e.g. kayaks, buoyancy aids, paddles, canoes, barrels, poles and ropes for rafting, is at their fingertips - it just needs adults to lead.

As you can imagine, demand for water activities is far greater in June, July and August. So far in 2023 over 150 young people have taken part in activities and they are forecasting over 300 will have ‘got wet’ before we enter August, which will exceed 2022 numbers.

Our pictures show the recent Cub session with Chiltern pack, where the cubs learn the basics on

grass before entering the water. Helmets that cover eyes need adjusting, moving paddles prove more difficult than at first glance - and where do I put my feet? And what happens if I fall out?

Soon the sound of laughter fills the air, they eventually stop going around in circles and have fun splashing and playing games.

We encourage learning the basics by doing, and looking to the future at what could be achievedriver trips, camping along the way achieving BCU qualifications in kayaking, or gaining the Scouting ‘Time on the Water’ badge.

No rafts this time - we will leave that until another edition.

Could you help Nigel? Nigel is in need of increased adult help and would love to grow his team. No experience required, just a desire to get involved, perhaps gain some qualifications, or share experience.

If interested, simply email scouts@1stkeynshamscouts.org.uk or ring 07714237525 and let’s have a chat about the Get Wet team.

Thank you Nigel and all of the Get Wet team for bringing adventurous activities to our young people.

Painting and Prosecco returns

A Painting and Prosecco or a Pint evening will be held at Saltford Hall on Friday August 11. It follows a successful event last February and is returning by popular demand.

No experience is needed – some of those who took part last time had never painted before. Tickets are £35 to include all materials and can be obtained in advance via www.tickettailor.com/events/ scaevents. The event starts at 6.45pm.

PEN TO PAPER The Call of the Sea

Though we lived in a seaside town

I never went down to the beach, Too many people when it was sunny

With their windbreaks and nudity, Eating sandy sandwiches and ice cream, Slowly turning different shades of red.

I was drawn to sunsets and the calm incoming tide With shimmering waves white edged with froth A small boat with a red sail heads home, Hoping to reach the shore before darkness falls, No sandy beach anymore only the waves softly beating the shore.

It’s quiet when darkness falls at last

When the creatures of the deep awake

To reclaim their domain from the crowds

Their calls have a haunting sound.

I head home at last to eat and sleep and dream Of the call of the sea and the wonders of our world!

Erica Andrews

Keynsham Creative Writers welcome new members – call George Liddell on 0117 914 8654.

POETRY CORNER

Brave New World 2023

Cascading waterfalls of my mind

Through cool, deep canyons leaving behind

Spreading out to a widening sea

Quiet or silent to you and me

All of us reach out and link our hands

And we dance about among the sands

Being aware of our lives so frail

As our life’s journeying leaves a trail

From great waters distilled to a drop

So my writing here comes to a stop

And Covid’s dark force ends its fear

So our “new normal” will now appear

As fresh fountains sparkle in the sun Of a new era of love now begun

Winifred Rickard

Summer Days

Summer days, a time to dream, All around is so serene.

Fragrant flowers, a bright blue sky

Makes us glad to be alive.

Stroll in sunshine, notice trees, Arouse your senses, hear the bees.

Perfume wafting on the air

Blows away each worrying care.

So sit awhile, enjoy some peace, Let your mind relax, release.

Yes, indeed, the summer’s here, Time to savour all things dear.

Sylvia Kirby

A THIRD of journeys currently requested through the WESTlink app are not being fulfilled, Metro Mayor Dan Norris has said.

The on-demand minibus service, which does not follow set routes but takes people on requested personalised journeys, was launched in April as a joint venture by the West of England Combined Authority and neighbouring North Somerset Council.

Travel can be booked through an app, online, or on the phone — but the service is unable to deliver many of the requested journeys due to a shortage of drivers.

Mr Norris told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The demands that people are making through the app, it can only fulfil about two thirds of those demands.”

He said the service – which covers areas including Keynsham – was currently short of 24 drivers, with seven new drivers set to receive training shortly.

Asked when the service would be fully running, Mr Norris said:” That’s really hard to say because I have been amazed at how long it’s taken to recruit on main bus routes.

“We have now done that. We are now on a trajectory that’s positive on the main bus services.”

Mr Norris, who was himself unable to book travel on WESTlink on a “difficult day” for the service earlier last month, insisted that the service was still in its early stages.

He said: “We are looking at what’s working well, what needs improvement.”

WESTlink automatically tries to find the best route, as it picks up multiple people from different locations and takes them to different destinations. It works best when a group of people all want to go to another location, the Local Democracy Reporting Service was told.

In line with this, the combined authority has signed up some companies to promote the service among their staff, but it has not yet granted Bath and North East Somerset Council’s request to advertise WESTlink in areas of North East Somerset where local buses have been cut.

One third of minibus trip requests not fulfilled

Writing to the Metro Mayor on June 7 to ask him to publicise WESTlink, the council’s deputy leader Sarah Warren said: “Your failure to deliver an effective marketing and communications campaign means that our residents and communities remain largely unaware of this service.

“You are putting at risk their ability to reach vital health, employment, education and leisure facilities, and the success of the pilot, which you have only committed to fund for two years, throwing into doubt the future of public transport in our more rural areas.”

But Mr Norris said: “We can’t promote them until we know they are running reasonably effectively and well.”

He has insisted that WESTlink, which only runs 7am–7pm six days a week, is not intended to replace recently-axed bus services.

Publicly-supported buses in North East Somerset were slashed after a funding row between Bath and North East Somerset Council and the Metro Mayor over whose responsibility it is to pay for them.

Bath and North East Somerset Council insists that, as transport authority, the Metro Mayor should fund the routes.

But Mr Norris, who relies on a transport levy paid by local councils to pay for the supported buses, says that Bath and North East Somerset Council need to increase their contribution to keep all the routes going.

John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Metro Mayor Dan Norris says the WESTlink minibus service is still in its early stages

Gem of an award for Explorer Austin

THERE are amazing achievements to highlight for Saltford Scouts.

Firstly, one of our Explorers, Austin Champion, has been awarded the Chief Scout’s Diamond Award. He has been a member of 1st Saltford Scout Group and Argus Explorer Scout Unit (ESU) across the years, showing great commitment and enthusiasm for everything he participates in.

During his time as a member of Argus ESU, Austin has been attending Tuesday Cubs as a Young Leader and also in 2019 attended the 24th World Scout Jamboree in America and Canada, representing Avon County Scouts and the United Kingdom.

He was also awarded the Nights Away Stage 100 Activity Badge - really well done to him!

The Arcadia Saltford Beavers enjoyed a cycle trip to Bath and a picnic; and then had a great time making art in the woods. A previous activity involved them building mini rafts and floating them in the Unicorn pool.

Scouts had a joint session, while Thursday and Friday troops teamed up for a scavenger hunt. On a lovely, warm evening they set about in groups finding various objects in the fields around the hut.

This was followed by what could only be described as “chaos rounders”, with 50-plus kids and adults hitting balls and running around - great fun had by all!

The Scouts were due to have a stall at the Saltford School summer fair on July 1, offering visitors a chance to have a go at archery and meet some of the leaders.

As always, Saltford Scouts can’t run without the support of volunteers. If you want a fun, challenging experience and want to work with young people, then volunteering could be for you. Please email saltfordscoutgroup@gmail.com

Claire Fallon

Austin Champion receives his Chief Scout’s Diamond Award from Will Summerill, Explorer leader for Argus ESU

Arcadia Saturday Beavers on their cycle trip to Bath and enjoying their picnic

Arcadia Saturday Beavers floating mini rafts they built in the Unicorn pool

Helping farms to grow more

ATOTAL of £305,878 has recently been awarded to farmers and foresters in North East Somerset as part of the Government’s Farming Equipment and Technology Fund.

The fund’s aim is to help growers in North East Somerset boost farm productivity, reduce waste and cut input costs, in tandem with increasing environmental sustainability and improving slurry management.

Through the fund, the Government is offering money for over 90 pieces of equipment that will support food security by, for example, reducing the spread of pests and diseases and managing valuable nutrients on farm.

Previous successful applications have included: rainwater harvesting tanks to improve water security for farmers in the summer; tree shears to help stop the spread of pests and diseases; and equipment to minimise grass contamination and ammonia emissions when spreading slurry.

The budget has been increased to £31 million in response to farmers’ demands from the original budget of £17 million.

This means more than 3,000 farmers and contractors are set to receive grants, and the fund forms part of the Government’s manifesto commitment to give £2.4 billion per year to farming for the rest of this Parliament.

In 2023 alone, at least £168 million of taxpayers’ money is being made available to increase farming productivity through 16 different grants and competitions themed around productivity, research and innovation.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) plans to offer further rounds of funding alongside larger grants to support further investment in water storage and improving irrigation slurry infrastructure, as well as investment in automation and robotics.

This sits alongside its Environmental Land Management schemes where payments for over 200 actions are currently available to farmers across the country. It is important that anyone who thinks they might be eligible for assistance investigates what is on offer: https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2023/03/02/ grants-available-in-2023/

Image: Defra

Optimist Gwyneth celebrates century

KEYNSHAM centenarian Gwyneth Browne says the secret of a long and happy life is “being an optimist.”

She celebrated her 100th birthday with about 30 friends and family at Saltford Golf Club and was thrilled to open a card from King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Gwyneth was born on June 13, 1923, at 14 Maurice Road, Bristol, to parents William and Olga Williams.

An only child, she was encouraged to follow her passion for art and went on to gain a Bachelor of Art Degree at the University of the West of England.

Her life could have been cut short during the Second World War. On the evening of April 30, 1941, she was studying at home when she heard a terrific noise outside and realised it was an aircraft which seemed to be heading straight for the house.

She thought she might die and took cover before hearing it crash into St Andrew’s Park opposite.

It was Wellington Bomber T2905 on a training run from Cambridge which had flown too close to Bristol’s air defences and become entangled in the barrage balloon wires.

Gwyneth went on to become an art teacher at Colston Girls School, where she had been a pupil, spent 17 years as head of art at Withywood Comprehensive and was later head of art at Oldfield School in Bath.

She was a prolific painter in her spare time, regularly exhibiting at

the Bath Society of Artists annual exhibition at Victoria Art Gallery and at the Royal West of England Academy in Bristol. She has also exhibited in the Mall Gallery in London.

Gwyneth met the love of her life, Charles, at a poetry reading in a coach house in Bristol in 1944. Charles later went on to become a lecturer in archaeology. They married in 1951 in St Bernadette’s Church in Bristol and in 1964 moved to a house on the then newly built Chandag Estate in Keynsham, where she has continued to live to this day.

For many years, Gwyneth and Charles travelled around Europe in an orange campervan, visiting historical and cultural places - Gwyneth chose to visit the art galleries and Charles the archeological sites.

Gwyneth could often be seen outside cafes with her sketchbook capturing the views and the people as they went about their day.

They were both lovers of classical music and took in as many concerts and musical recitals as they could along the way. But it wasn’t until 2018 that she managed to see her first ever concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Sadly, she lost her beloved Charles about 18 years ago.

Gwyneth says she is amazed to have lived such a long, healthy and fulfilling life with all her faculties intact - in fact, it’s less than a year since she stopped driving.

Orchids bloom as mowers lie idle

WILD orchids have been growing in Saltford as the village benefits from measures to allow nature to thrive.

Many people throughout the UK have been leaving their lawns and grassland to uncut during No Mow May and Let It Bloom June.

Now Saltford Environment Group reports that Bee Orchids have appeared in an unmown area of a garden in Saltford, along with Pyramidal Orchids that have also appeared in recent years. The group says this the first time in about 10 years that uncultivated Bee Orchids have been seen in Saltford.

Group chairman Phil Harding, who took the photos featured here, said: “What a fantastic bonus for looking after our pollinators and other insects, as well as the bird life that feed on them, by not cutting grass and allowing nature to thrive.”

GIRLGUIDING Appeal for new leaders

SALFORD district is searching for new leaders to support their Rainbow, Brownie and Guide units. Help is particularly needed for Thursday night Rainbows and Tuesday and Thursday Brownies. Units meet for an average of 1.5 hours per week, and full support and guidance will be provided by local, experienced leaders.

Girlguiding is a welcoming and fun organisation where you will build lifelong friendships and really make a difference to local girls’ lives. Whether it is baking or bonfires, archery, arts or crafts, there is something for everyone.

If you are interested in finding out more, or want to start your volunteer journey, please email saltforddistrictguides@gmail.com

The girls look forward to welcoming you to Girlguiding!

Gwyneth Browne says she is amazed to have lived such a long and healthy life with all her faculties intact

A Bee Orchid and Pyramidal Orchid that have appeared in Saltford as residents allow nature to thrive Photos: Phil Harding

THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH

Philippa Lovell Part-time youth worker

Perhaps, at first, you might have believed that February was the month of love. I even thought that for a while. However, I have come to think that June and July may truly be the months of love.

It is the heart of peak wedding season, and there are Pride parades across the UK, both filled with joyful celebrations. The sun shines brightly once again, painting a breathtaking backdrop of nature’s beauty, particularly as the roses, commonly associated with love, begin to bloom. These months, perhaps, hold the true essence of love.

Love holds immense significance. In the Bible, the word ‘love’ appears more than 300 times, and perhaps even more. God’s most fundamental commandment instructs us to love both God and others. And as stated in

1 John 4:16, “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

There is a timeless passage often chosen for weddings, including my own, found in 1 Corinthians 13. It beautifully articulates the nature of love and emphasises that without love, our actions and words hold little value.

Undeniably, in today’s world, this can be challenging at times. Climate change, warfare, refugee crises, escalating living costs, and more seem to drive us further apart, causing moments of heartbreak. However, upon closer inspection, we share far more in common than that which divides us. We are all human, deserving of love and compassion. Though the world appears disheartening, let us remember the wisdom found in 1 Corinthians 13:5-6: “Love does not dishonour

others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

If we can collectively strive to love “the other” better, the world will undoubtedly become a better place.

Therefore, whatever challenges you face as you read these words, let us embody them. Rejoice in your truth, persevere, and hold on to hope unwaveringly. Stand up for the voiceless, shield the vulnerable, and support those in need. It may sound clichéd, but let us be the catalysts of change we wish to witness in the world, guided always by love.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

There is a timeless passage, often chosen for weddings ... it beautifully articulates the nature of love and emphasises that without love, our actions and words hold little value.

Cancer charity to close all its shops

THE Young Lives vs Cancer shop in Keynsham is due to close next year.

The charity plans to shut all 13 of its shops over a period of 18 months, with the Keynsham branch on Bath Hill scheduled to close on March 30 in 2024.

Shops are likely to shut as their individual leases end. The Downend branch has already closed.

The charity said it consulted staff and engaged with affected volunteers about the proposed closures following a review of its shops. It looked at projected income and running costs when considering the shops’ ability to fund services for children and young people with cancer.

The shops generated net income of about £450,000 last year, but the charity said that is a lower return on investment

than it can achieve through other activities.

Its 13 shops are located in Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Gloucestershire. The closures, which began last month and will end in January 2025, will affect up to 39 jobs and 300 volunteer posts.

Luke Mallett, director of income and engagement, said: “The difficult decision to close Young Lives vs Cancer’s chain of charity shops has only been made after detailed consideration of the options.

“Our shops have played a big role in funding our vital services, but as a charity that does not receive sustained Government funding, we need to do all we can to raise as much money as we can to run and develop our services for children and young people with cancer.”

Front garden sale returns

THE Saltford Front Garden Sale returns for its fifth event on Saturday July 8.

Up to 80 gardens have taken part in previous sales, which Saltford Community Association (SCA) originally started during lockdown, enabling residents to sell their unwanted items from their front gardens to buyers walking past.

Anyone wishing to join in the event, which will run from 10am to 3pm, should email events@saltfordhall.co.uk by Tuesday July 4, so their garden can appear on a village map that will be distributed via social media before the big day.

Registering is free but those who are successful in selling some items are asked to consider making a donation to the SCA for making the sale possible.

The Young Lives vs Cancer shop on Bath Hill is due to shut next year

n WHAT'S ON

Friday July 7

n The Filtones will hold their 20th annual charity concert on Friday July 7 at St Teresa’s Catholic Church, 71 Gloucester Road North, Filton, Bristol, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are £8 including refreshments (accompanied school-age children free). They can be bought in advance from Dot Bryant 07870 984760 or 0117 9690654, from choir members, or at the door. Cash or cheques only at the door please. Raffle and retiring collection in aid of the Foundation for Active Community Engagement (FACE) facecharity.org.uk.

Sunday July 16

n ’All Bands Day’. Listen to the four bands of the Avon Wind Band Association, 12.15pm-3.15pm on the bandstand in Keynsham Memorial Park. Winterbourne, Phoenix, Westerly Winds and Apollo Wind Bands will play a variety of popular pieces. Why not bring a picnic and enjoy this free event?

Sunday July 16

n Local history walk. Keith Norton will lead a walk around the north side of Keynsham town centre, including Keynsham Abbey and Somerdale. Meet outside St John’s Parish Church for a 2.30pm start. The distance will be a mile or so and should not take more than 1.5 hours. There is no charge and no advance booking required.

REGULAR EVENTS

Mondays

n Tai Chi Shibashi 11am12 noon. Gentle flowing movements for physical health and emotional wellbeing. Easy to learn and a joy to do. All ages and abilities. Saltford Hall BS31 1DS. Contact Ruth on ruth. hartley6@icloud.com or 07912 077458.

n The Royal British Legion Women’s Section Keynsham Branch meets on the first Monday of each month upstairs at the RBL Club, Charlton Road, Keynsham, BS31 2JA, 7.30pm. Occasional speakers, social events and outings.

n Keynsham Bridge Club can now welcome new experienced players to our Monday evening sessions. Contact Pat 01275 835583 or Diane 0117 9861267.

n Key Voices Community Choir meets Mondays at 7.30pm at St. Dunstan’s Church Hall, BS31 2BQ (or third Monday of month at Royal British Legion). We sing a wide range of music, with occasional performances and social events. We are a friendly non-auditioned choir, all are welcome. First session free to newcomers.

n Saltford Whist Club, Saltford Hall, Mondays (except last two weeks in August), 1.30pm-4pm. Contact Malcolm 01225 872555.

n CPK Badminton Club is a friendly but competitive club playing at Keynsham Leisure Centre, Mondays 7.30-9.30pm. Match night Fridays. Ideal for existing and potential league players, or those looking to improve their badminton. Email info@cpkbadminton.club

n ASP Poetry Circle meets every third Monday of the month, 10am11am, Keynsham Library. Meet in the ‘pod’ - up the stairs and straight ahead of you as you can go. Bring two or three of poems to share; your own or other poets’.

Mondays/Thursdays

n Yoga For Men

Monday 7-8pm, mixed ability Keynsham Baptist Church, BS31 1DS.

Thursday 7-8pm, mixed ability Saltford Hall, Wansdyke Room, BS31 3BY. Free first class, £8 thereafter.Book online at www.

yogadad.co.uk

Mondays/Tues/Weds

n Beginners Pilates for Backs

Mondays 5.30pm, Tuesdays 9.30am, Wednesdays 9.30am.

Do you find that after sitting down for most of the day that your back feels stiff and achy?

Do you feel you should make an effort to move or do some type of exercise but never get around to it? Join Sandhya for this beginners’ Pilates for Backs, Keynsham High Street. To book, call Sandhya on 07565 976 129 or visit www.Sandhyacoyle.org

Mondays/Fridays

n Butterflies Haven, Keynshambased charity supporting families of children with autism, sessions Mondays 7pm-8pm for ages 1118 and Fridays 5.45pm-6.45pm or 7pm-8pm for ages 4-11, at St Francis Church, Warwick Road, Keynsham, BS31 2PW. A safe place for children to be themselves, supported by volunteers. Sessions must be booked in advance. For more information, email info@butterflies-haven.com.

Mondays/Fridays/Sundays

n Indoor rowing exercise classes, Mon 7pm, Fri 5pm and Sun 10.15am, Saltford Rowing Centre, Bath Road, BS31 3JS. Go Row Indoor caters for people of all ages and levels of fitness. Classes last 45 minutes using rowing machines. First class is free, then £5 (or £18pm). Email gorowindoor@ avoncountyrowingclub.org.uk to book. More details at http:// avoncountyrowingclub.org.uk/.

Tuesdays

n Badminton - friendly, beginners and improvers, mixed, adult (18 - 80!) group play every Tuesday 10am-12 noon at Keynsham Leisure Centre. Ring Clive 0117 9866793 or just turn up.

n St Keyna Townswomen’s Guild meets at the Fear Hall, Keynsham, from 10am to 12pm on the second Tuesday of each month.

n Keynsham Sequence Dance Club, 7.30pm-10pm, Fear Hall, Keynsham, every Tuesday. Contact Brian and Jo, Keynsham Sequence Dance Club, on 0117 9868540, or just turn up. Everyone welcome.

n NEW Seated Pilates class Tuesdays at 11-11.40am Saltford Hall - Avon Room, Wedmore Road, Saltford. This class is aimed at anyone who would benefit from an adapted pilates class with a chartered physiotherapist. This includes anyone with a long-term health condition (e.g arthritis or Parkinson’s), loss of confidence or those wanting to get fitter but have difficulty attending a floor-based session. You are welcome to do a trial class first to see if it suits your needs. Cost is £10. Please book your place by contacting Kate 07518 522292 www.corerehab-physio.co.uk

n Relax, Stretch and Tone, a beginners’ introduction to getting the body moving. You don’t need to be flexible or young to do this. You will learn how to incorporate more movement and flexibility into your body. Most people are 50-70 in this class. Yoga, Pilates and meditation classes are also available every weekday in Keynsham. No masks required. Fear Hall, 30 High Street, Keynsham, Bristol, BS31 1DQ. Booking essential: Sandhya 07565 976 129 or visit my website www.Sandhyacoyle.org

Wednesdays

n Beginners Meditation in Keynsham

Wednesdays 10.50am. Do you feel foggy headed? Busy thoughts? Worrying too much? Have you considered trying meditation but think you can’t quieten your mind? If this is you, try this class to help you feel calm and peaceful. The Sanctuary at St Monica’s, Trajectus Way, Keynsham, BS31 2GL. Other classes available in pilates, yoga and monthly retreats. To book, call Sandhya on 07565 976 129 or visit www.Sandhyacoyle.org

n Oldland Ukulele Club is a mixedability group who meet every Wednesday at 1.30pm at Oldland Common United Reformed Church (the blue church), High Street, Oldland Common, BS30 9QN. All abilities welcomed to this friendly club. Places are £4 each. Call/text ‘Ukulele’ Ben on 07910 668258.

n WHAT'S ON

Thursdays

n Longwell Green Orchestra meet each Thursday at Longwell Green Community Centre, 7.30pm to 9.40pm. We have players of all abilities. Email Contact@ longwellgreenorchestra.org.uk or 07972 844073 beforehand to tell us what instrument and what level.

n Keynsham & Saltford Dementia Action Alliance runs Music for the Mind sessions for people living with dementia and their carers. St Dunstan’s Church Hall, Keynsham, 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month, 10.30am-12.15pm. Singing and gentle exercises from 11am. No charge. www.keynshamdaa. co.uk, ksdaa22@gmail.com or 07392442966.

n Mat Pilates Classes

Taught by Physiotherapist Kate Thurs 7-7.55pm (intermediate) Thurs 8-8.55pm (beginners) St Francis Church, Warwick Rd, Keynsham. 6 week block of classes £54. You are welcome to do a trial class first £10. 1:1 sessions also available at my studio in Saltford. Book online or by contacting Kate - 07518 522292, www.corerehab-physio.co.uk

Thursdays/Fridays

n Complete Beginners’ Yoga for the Inflexible Thursdays 5.30pm, 7pm and 8pm. Friday 1pm. Baptist Church, High Street, Keynsham, BS31 1DS (opposite Boots). Tired of having a sore neck and tight shoulders? Join our friendly and non-judgmental yoga, pilates, and meditation classes in Keynsham. Our Hatha Yoga classes will help improve your balance, flexibility and reduce stress levels. Our Pilates classes focus on strengthening your whole body and improving core strength. Our classes are down-to-earth, safe and fun. Contact me for more information: Yogakeynsham@ gmail.com, 07565 976 129, or visit www.Sandhyacoyle.org

Saturdays

n Volunteers at Keynsham Repair Cafe – a free monthly repair event, with a café, at Keynsham Baptist Church on the High Street – help to fix your everyday household things like toasters and lamps,

sew a button onto a jacket, glue a handle back onto a mug, as well as more unusual items. Every second Saturday (same as Keynsham Farmers Market), 10am– 12pm. Upcoming dates: April 8 (Easter Saturday), May 13, June 10, July 8, August 12, September 9, October 14, November 11, December 9. Website keynshamrepaircafe. wixsite.com/home

n Keynsham Sequence Dance Club Monthly Dance, 7.30pm to 10.30pm, Fear Hall, Keynsham, third Saturday of the month. Contact Brian and Jo, Keynsham Sequence Dance Club, on 01179868540 or just turn up. Refreshments (coffee/tea and biscuits), £5 each.

Sundays

n Keynsham Kings Flag American Football. Do you fancy trying out a new sport? Do you love the NFL? Flag American football is taking the UK by storm as a fastpaced, non-contact version of American football. Training: Sundays 10.30am-1pm, Manor Road Playing Fields. Mixed sport - anyone 16 yearsplus welcome. No previous experience needed. Contact us for more info on the Keynsham Kings Facebook or Instagram pages.

Get it fixed at new repair cafe

A MONTHLY repair café has been launched in Saltford.

The service, which began in June, is open at Saltford Hall on the third Saturday of the month (except August and December). The next session is on July 15, 11am to 1.30pm.

The café is being run in conjunction with Share & Repair, a charity in Bath and North East Somerset that encourages people to save money and the planet through reduce, repair and reuse.

Organisers of the Saltford Share & Repair Café say: “Please pop down with your item needing a helping hand or simply come along and say hello.”

The repair cafe is also looking for volunteers.

For more information, email hello@shareandrepair.org.uk or visit https://shareandrepair. org.uk/repairs/

CHANGING FOR THE BETTER with Transition Keynsham

Switching on aircon hits the wallet - and the

MY house faces south west and it’s getting harder to keep it cool. I know I’m not alone. Unlike in countries used to the heat, our housing stock isn’t designed for hot summers.

To address this problem, more people are turning to portable air conditioning units. In last summer’s heatwave, aircon sales rose by 500%. But aircons aren’t a solution – they’re part of the problem. The more aircons we plug in, the more energy we use. Most often that energy is from fossil fuels – the very reason why we’re experiencing hotter summers.

As thermometers topped 30C in June, so many people used aircons that the National Grid switched on a coal-fired power station to meet the extra demand. What utter madness to use more coal to cool down the effects of the coal we’re using.

Conventional cooling is responsible for 7% of global GHG emissions. Arguably, it’s as important as heating when it

n NEWS

planet

comes to energy efficiency, but I’ve never heard our government talk about it, let alone take steps to address it.

We need better insulation to keep our homes cool in the summer and warm in winter. Yet in the absence of any meaningful energy efficiency programme, we swelter in our homes and vulnerable people die in the heat. Until our politicians get their act together, we’ll have to find alternative solutions to keep cool. A fan by the bedside is very energy efficient, and only costs £5 per month per fan, compared to the £80 per month for a single aircon.

Closing curtains and shutting windows when the sun’s high keeps our homes cool and shaded, and opening them at dusk to let in cool air is a good strategy.

Perhaps it’s time to live like our European neighbours. Stay hydrated, wear cool clothes and make sure we don’t exert ourselves in the midday heat. Siesta anyone?

Liz Barling

Helping hospital patients on their journey to home

PATIENTS who are almost ready to go home from hospital, but who require a period of recuperation to help them better prepare, are being offered a stay in a Homeward Unit in Bath.

The 16-bed facility at St Martin’s Hospital will allow patients to get better through a range of therapeutic interventions including help with mobilisation, support with healthy eating, getting enough to drink and increased interaction with other people on the ward.

The unit, operated by local provider HCRG Care Group for Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (BSW ICB), will also help to avoid the deconditioning and hospital-based infections that can sometimes affect patients that spend too long in acute hospital beds.

The team on the Homeward Unit will work with patients and

their families or carers to ensure they are in the best possible position to leave the hospital and begin their journey to the place they call home.

Patients recently discharged from the Homeward Unit have praised the support they have received, the standards of food and the welcoming and friendly staff.

Tracey Vines, newly appointed ward manager on the Homeward Unit at St Martin’s Hospital, said: “We know that, for those patients who are well enough, getting home, or to the place that they call home, is the best thing for them.

“Our Homeward Unit is all about helping our patients to achieve that by giving them the tools they need to improve their walking, getting around and building their confidence in a nurturing environment that will prepare them for the next stage in their recovery.”

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A four-bedroom detached property situated at the foot of a highly soughtafter cul-de-sac on the edge of Keynsham. This ideal family home is in easy walking distance of the wellregarded Wellsway school and has access to the countryside between Keynsham and Saltford.

The property benefits from generous living accommodation throughout, an enclosed rear garden, double glazing and gas-fired central heating.

An internal inspection is highly recommended to fully appreciate what this lovely home has on offer.

Keynsham is ideally situated between Bristol and Bath, and is well serviced by good road and rail networks. The High Street offers a variety of shops, public houses and restaurants. It has an award-winning Memorial Park, as well as excellent primary and secondary schools.

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KEYNSHAM BOWLING CLUB

Great new look thanks to sponsor

KEYNSHAM Bowling Club is pleased to announce it has a new main sponsor in Meryton Place, the new residential home on the A4 as you drive into Saltford.

This has enabled the club to provide a new-style bowling shirt, and our picture shows club members modelling the shirt, together with representatives from Meryton Place.

The main order of shirts is shortly due from the supplier, when we hope to have a new shirts day and take a photograph of our members in their new attire.

Over the May bank holiday weekend, we participated in Bowls England Open Day, when we

opened our green to anyone of any age who wanted to try their hand at “rolling a wood”.

Nearly 35 people turned up and many of them signed up for our

FRYS BOWLING CLUB

free four-week coaching session, and we hope this will result in new members joining the club.

As we are now well into the season, games are being played

regularly in all the leagues in which the club participates. In next month’s Voice, I will provide details of how our teams are performing.

Mike Barrow

‘Spider’ bowls fun for the Unstoppables

FRY’S Bowling Club hosted The Unstoppables, a group for people with learning difficulties, for an evening of bowls.

Group leader Lianne writes: “They are a group of friends who met 14 years ago at a group for young adults with learning difficulties, funded by a charity called Time2share.

“Sadly, the funding for their group came to an end, but that didn’t stop them. They now meet once a month and are supported by four volunteers to do various activities and a short holiday once a year.”

A group of around 25 came to play. The bowling finished with a couple of games of spider, where everyone bowls at the same time to try to get closest to the spider. The winners were Charlie and Dan (no real spiders were harmed!)

Bristol and District League:

After a week off, Fry’s returned to action with a trip to Imperial’s artificial surface. After Imperial took a lead, Fry’s pulled back to have a chance on the final end. But a poor finishing shot on Fry’s final bowl saw Imperial take a 48-41 win with all 10 points, leaving Fry’s bottom.

After a 67-28 win with 10 points against struggling Bradley Stoke, the trip to Severn Vale ‘A’ saw the home side take an 11-shot lead on rink 3. Fry’s came back on rink 2 and needed 6 to tie on the final end. But they came up short as Severn Vale held on to a 53-51 win and Fry’s only picking up 2 points.

Ardagh visited Somerdale as the first half of the league nears a conclusion. Fry’s took a lead on rink 2, while rink 3 fell to Ardagh. A tight game on rink 1 came down to the final end, with a good bowl securing a 52-39 victory with 8 points, seeing Fry’s sit in 6th place.

May 27: Fry’s 41-48 Imperial - Rink 1, 12-16; Rink 2, 15-17; Rink 3, 14-15 (0-10).

June 1: Fry’s 67-28 Bradley Stoke - Rink 1, 24-11; Rink 2, 21-7; Rink 3, 22-10 (10-0).

June 8: Fry’s 51-53 Severn Vale - Rink 1, 14-17; Rink 2, 19-14; Rink 3, 18-22; (2-8).

June 15: Fry’s 52-39 Ardagh - Rink 1, 12-9; Rink 2, 23-11; Rink 3, 17-19 (8-2).

Bristol and District League

Lloyd Trophy:

The opening round saw Fry’s welcome back Bradley Stoke. A flying start on rinks 2 and 3 helped Fry’s to a 20-plus shot lead, while a poor couple of ends to finish on rink 3 saw Bradley Stoke close the gap. Rink 1 sealed the game, seeing Fry’s take a 56-42 win to set up a secondround tie at Knowle.

Fry’s 56-42 Bradley Stoke - Rink 1, 10-16; Rink 2, 21-7; Rink 3, 25-19.

Friday Triples League:

Following a strong start to the Triples League, results have been mixed. A tricky and fast green at Begbrook Green saw the home side take all 12 points despite a close effort from Fry’s.

The following week was even closer, with only 1 shot separating Fry’s and the visiting Avonvale. Both clubs won a rink comfortably, but Avonvale won the third by 7 shots, taking a 52-51 result and 10 points back to Netham Park.

Another difficult game at leaders St Anne’s Park brought more success, with 4 points taken. Fry’s picked up 2 narrow rink wins, but St Anne’s comfortably won the third to take 8 points (5547), leaving Fry’s in the mid-table.

May 26: Fry’s 43-52 Begbrook Green - Rink 1, 1319; Rink 2, 14-16; Rink 3, 16-17 (0-12).

June 2: Fry’s 51-52 Avonvale - Rink 1, 32-13; Rink 2, 9-22, Rink 3, 10-17 (2-10).

June 9: Fry’s 47-55 St Anne’s Park - Rink 1, 19-18, Rink 2, 11-23; Rink 3,17-15 (4-8).

The Unstoppables paid an enjoyable visit to Fry’s Bowling Club

KEYNSHAM HOCKEY CLUB

Teams win promotion in double success

BOTH of Keynsham Hockey

Club’s men’s teams have secured promotion after winning their respective divisions in England Hockey’s West Hockey League.

This is the first time both men’s teams have achieved this in the same season.

The first team narrowly missed out on promotion last season, but with the addition of some new players, they set their sights on topping their division.

After a bad start, with defeat in the first fixture, they picked themselves up to rebound against Old Bristolians HC, who later became their title rivals. This victory kick-started a run of nine straight wins which saw them score 60 goals and concede only nine.

Despite this, the team went into their last six games knowing that only perfection would get them promotion. Wins came one by one, and the final day of the season they headed to Mendip HC, who needed to win to avoid relegation.

A couple of early goals settled the nerves and after an attacking performance on a par with some of their best of the season, they ran out 10-3 winners and were Concorde Division 1 champions as a result of a significantly greater goal difference.

Next season they will play in Division 2 West against teams from as far as Bridgend and Swansea.

Overall they played 22, won 19,

drew one and lost two, scoring 116 goals and conceding 23, and had eight clean sheets.

Captain Jon Day said: “We used 26 different players, including a debut for Dan Francis who, while he may only be 13, certainly didn’t look out of place and has a bright future ahead of him.”

The second team began their season with the hope of doing well, but in the end they too achieved promotion from Saxon Division 2 into Saxon Division 1, securing 15 victories, 92 goals, and three draws.

Ollie Rodway, second-team captain, said: “An integral part of our success has been the rapid progression of our younger players. They have shown tremendous improvement in their skills, fitness and understanding of the game.”

New club chair Katherine Sears said: “Both of our men’s teams have had a truly remarkable season.

“Watching all our teams, including our three ladies’ teams and our superb academy section, grow and develop is an incredibly rewarding experience for all of us.”

She added: “We always have space for new players. You can be any age from seven to 70 and start with no previous experience.

“Although we are currently playing matches in our summer season, our main season starts again in September. If you’d like to join us, please look at our website www.keynshamhockey.club.”

The men’s first team celebrate their promotion success - below, Keynsham Hockey Club players in action

Bats’ errors let the Mavericks triumph

FIELDING errors cost the Bristol Bats dear in their BBF AA game against Guildford Mavericks on Sunday June 18.

Despite scoring two runs in the first inning, the Bats were constantly playing catch-up against a strong Guildford side and crucial errors allowed the Mavericks to stretch their lead and run out 16-6 winners.

Third baseman Chris D’Angelo and catcher Tim Singiser were the only Bats who had multi-hit games with four hits and three runs between them.

“It was a disappointing day and whilst we were short of some regular players, our fielding was below the standard we expect and made life difficult for our pitchers Sean Wilkins and Jake Boyer,” said Alex Brown, the Bats assistant manager.

“Both pitched really well and Sam Kaiser made an impressive AA debut for us with some nice plays in right field.”

Meanwhile, Bristol Buccaneers kept up their push for a playoff spot after sweeping the Bristol Brunels in the local derby at Somerdale on June 11.

The Buccaneers won the BBF/ SWWBL Single A double header games 15-8 and 14-9.

They took advantage of some inconsistent pitching by the Brunels, who gave up 22 walks despite matching the Buccaneers at the plate.

In the first game, outfielder Rachel Everett drove in three runs, with Phil Midgley and Jean-Pierre Bernard also able to drive in two runs each as the Brunels pitchers struggled to find the strike zone.

In the second game, Buccaneers

outfielder Simon Schwarz hit a double, while Everett put in another good display with the bat in hand.

For the Brunels, Justin Trory, debutant Jessica Page and Rich Evans had multi-hit days but despite fighting back, the team was unable to get the better of Buccaneers closer Jake Boyer, who struck out eight Brunels over his three innings pitched.

The Bristol Bats had a wild afternoon against Richmond Dragons in their BBF AA clash, also at Somerdale.

The Bats won the first game 8-6 on the back of a strong pitching performance from Josh Boulton, who pitched a complete game and struck out nine Dragons.

First baseman Michael Comport provided most of the run support with two runs and three hits including a double and a triple.

Centre fielder Billy Garrett and catcher Chris D’Angelo also had good games with the bat with four hits between them. Garrett also took a spectacular catch to end a Dragons fightback.

The second game was wild, with the lead changing hands several times.

The Bats found themselves 8-4 down going into the bottom of the sixth innings but strong batting from the top of the Bristol line-up pulled the scores level.

The Dragons offense then exploded with 14 runs at the top of the seventh inning, including a grand slam to put the game out of reach for the Bats.

Sean Wilkins and Alex Brown were the most successful of the Bats hitters with six hits and four runs between them.

Brunels’ debutant Jessica Page (left) and Buccaneers’ MVP Rachel Everett in the local derby at Somerdale

Catcher Tim Singiser had a good day at Guildford with the bat in hand and behind the plate with a double play

Bats’ pitcher Josh Boulton in action during his nine strike-out complete game at Somerdale

SALTFORD TENNIS CLUB

Walking tennis on offer as club continues to thrive

FOLLOWING our successful open day in May, Saltford Tennis Club is excited to introduce two walking tennis groups on a Thursday morning.

The sessions last 45 minutes and are led by our coach, Andy Gray. We provide racquets and balls. The first session, which starts at 10am, is open to all. The second session is specifically for the Parkinson’s group and starts at 10.45am.

After the session, please do stay for a quick cuppa and a chat. The four-week course started on Thursday June 22 and finishes on July 20 (no coaching on July 13). You can join the course at any point during the term.

We are delighted with the current level of interest in our coaching programme, which runs on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, covering all abilities and ages from four years upwards.

As well as the popular children’s groups, we have a thriving group of adult classes including beginner/improver, intermediate and advanced levels. On Saturday mornings at 9am we have a fun adult Fitness for Tennis session, which is open to all tennis abilities for those with get up and go!

The club continues to be busy off court,

having held maintenance sessions on recent weekends which were well attended by our members.

The courts were recently closed for cleaning and repainting so we could have very smart courts for the peak tennis weeks at the start of July when Wimbledon is on.

Courts can be hired for £6 per hour and we have some great value membership deals. Please see our website for more details of walking tennis, coaching groups, court hire and membership. Any questions, please email sec.saltfordtennis@gmail.com.

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