Keynsham Voice May 2023

Parents demand action over childcare shortage

PARENTS in Keynsham are calling for action to remedy the “appalling lack of childcare” in the town.

The campaign is being led by motherof-three Helen Philpott, who has asked local MP Jacob Rees-Mogg to help.

Helen, pictured, said she contacted several local nurseries recently and was told the earliest availability for places in Keynsham was the end of 2024.

She believes the government and local authorities should do more to help nurseries provide extra places, or provide those places themselves.

She said: “The problem is being passed around and nobody is taking responsibility.”

When Helen previously wrote to Mr Rees-Mogg, he forwarded a reply sent to him by Bath and North East Somerset Council, which said it was trying to help childcare providers recruit more staff, but that unless people wanted to work in the sector, they could not increase places.

Mr Rees-Mogg told Helen: “I realise

n Turn to Page 3

Outcry at High St

Pre-school rap

A pre-school has been branded “inadequate” by Ofsted, amid concerns it is not making sure children are safe from abuse.

PAGE 9

Good Citizens

People who help to make Keynsham a great place to live, work and play have received Good Citizen Awards.

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Sewage concern

Concerns have been raised about sewage being discharged near a popular footpath.

PAGE 11

Homes appeal

Plans to turn greenhouses at a disused garden centre into homes will be decided at a planning appeal hearing.

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Teachers’ march

A rally and march has been staged in Keynsham by members of the National Education Union (NEU).

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Autism acceptance is our goal

AN OPTICIANS transformed its Keynsham practice to raise money and awareness during Autism Acceptance Week.

Staff at Norville Opticians put up colourful bunting and held a cake sale and rainbow raffle. They also wore Autism Acceptance T-shirts and discussed the topic with patients.

Their efforts raised more than £200 towards the National Autistic Society, and staff personally donated an extra £110.

Autism and adequate care for autistic people is a cause close to the Norville team’s hearts as many have close family members with autism.

Did you see motorbike theft?

POLICE are appealing for witnesses and footage after a motorbike was stolen from a property in Keynsham.

The bike was taken from a driveway in Aesop Drive at about 12.30am on Monday April 3. Two people wearing high-vis jackets and driving a large white van were seen in the area at the time. The bike was later recovered by the owner in the Stockwood area.

Anyone who saw anything suspicious around the time is asked to contact the police. They would also like to hear from anyone who has CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage which could help their inquiry. If you can help, phone 101 and provide the call handler with the reference 5223076950.

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

Call to solve ‘appalling lack of childcare’

n From Page 1

that this may not be the response that you were hoping for, but I hope it is helpful in clarifying the steps that are being taken to address shortages in the childcare sector.”

But in her latest letter to Mr Rees-Mogg, signed by about 140 parents, Helen writes: “You did not outline what measures you, as my local MP, will be taking to address the situation in Keynsham. At present it feels like the approach to this from both the council and your team is lethargic and lacking in momentum and proactiveness.”

Helen has three children, the eldest of whom is at school. Her middle child, aged two, attends a nursery three miles away, and her youngest child is five months.

“We are a one-car family and both parents work full time, although I am currently on maternity leave. The daily round trip for our middle child’s care is expensive, time-consuming and impacts on our working hours.

“In less than two years and against the backdrop of Covid, our two-year-old has attended four different childcare settings.

“This is because two Keynsham-based nurseries that he attended (Broadland Bears and then Leaping Lambs) closed at no notice.

“The numerous childcare changes he has experienced in his short life have had a significant impact on his wellbeing and confidence.

“It surprises me that the cohort of children who have only experienced life with the shadow of Covid and all of its impacts are

not being prioritised through the provision of sufficient childcare.

“Our third child was born in December 2022. As soon as he was born, I contacted local nurseries in an attempt to reserve a place for him, but none were able to accommodate him in time for my return to work in August this year.

“We are lucky to have found a childminder in Keynsham, but this means yet another daily drop-off/pick-up, extending the already lengthy round trip. We have a car and the financial resources to absorb this, but there are many other families for whom this would not be possible.

“The wider impacts of this are clearly potentially very farreaching: poorer local economy, not just limited to Keynsham but extending to BANES and the South West; local families with reduced incomes; fewer parents/ carers (particularly mothers) being able to return to work/ work the hours they would like to; a widening gender pay gap; local children missing out on valuable early-years education; poor transitions from nurseries to local schools due to children having to travel out of area for childcare provision.”

Helen also pointed out that a significant number of new homes had been built in Keynsham in recent years, with more planned.

“The demand for childcare is only going to increase in the future, and the stark difference between demand and availability will grow further.”

Helen added in her letter to Mr Rees-Mogg: “The recent Budget announcements on

childcare are positive but will not have an impact for years, and this situation needs to be addressed now. We ask you again, as our MP, what are you personally doing to improve this in a timely manner, so that those of us who are affected see an impact not in years, but a short number of weeks or months?”

In its response to Mr ReesMogg, B&NES Council said: “No providers have come forward to take over the space vacated by Leaping Lambs in Keynsham and in two other locations in Bath and Swineford. One location has been registered again with Ofsted, the Willsbridge nursery premises.”

A council spokesperson told the Voice: “Nationally the early years education and childcare sector is experiencing a challenge to recruit and retain staff. The council is working with local providers, colleges and employment agencies to encourage people to join the

sector for the first time or return to the profession.

“In addition we are working with prospective childminders to help them use the new grants announced by the Government in March 2023. We are also aware that Futura Learning Partnership recently held a consultation about expanding provision in Keynsham.

“Legislation regarding who should be a provider states that the market must be able to find a solution first, whether that is private, voluntary, independent, childminding or school-run provision.

“A council can only be a provider as a last resort, subject to sufficient demand, economic viability and without unfair subsidy so it is equitable with the rest of the providers operating within the existing market.”

The Voice also asked Mr Rees-Mogg for comment but had received no reply by the time we went to press.

Kennels make way for homes

PLANS to convert Latchet Kennels in Chewton Keynsham into four houses have been approved.

Bath & North Somerset Council granted permission, stating that the scheme would improve the look of the site, which is in the green belt.

The developers will reuse the outer shell of redundant buildings at the site in Redlynch Lane and retain their general character. The existing access will remain.

The scheme had the backing of Compton Dando Parish Council.

The site was originally used for agricultural buildings and was converted to kennels for more than 40 years ago.

Local elections

LOCAL election results were not available as the Voice went to press. We’ll publish a round-up in our June issue.

Coronation feast of park fun

PEOPLE in Keynsham and Saltford will gather to celebrate the coronation of King Charles.

Keynsham Memorial Park hosts a Picnic in the Park on Sunday May 7, from 12 noon to 5pm, to which residents are invited to bring their picnic blanket and spend the afternoon.

Activities for the whole family will include bandstand performances, children’s races, free face-painting, morris dancers, jugglers, a Punch and Judy show, and a crown-making craft workshop.

Stalls from local businesses will line upper Memorial Park to sell products and crafts, and there will be toy tombolas and lucky dips raising money for local charities.

The event has been organised by Keynsham Town Council, which states: “Please can residents be mindful that glass is not permitted in Memorial Park and we ask that you help out our local Wombles by picking up your own litter.”

12pm: Picnic in the Park begins

12.30pm-2.30pm: Traditional children’s races for under 5s, under 7s, under 9s, such as egg and spoon, sack race, and welly wanging

2.30pm: Morris dancers

1pm-4pm: Free face-painting

3pm-5pm: Punch and Judy

St John’s Church in the High Street will also contribute to the celebrations.

Throughout the coronation weekend, from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Monday, and from 2pm to 5pm on Sunday, the church will have floral displays, the tower will be lit up with the image of the national flag, and the churchyard will be full of knitted blooms.

Everyone is invited to a special service to celebrate the royal occasion on Sunday at 10.30am. On the Monday from 2pm to 4pm, St John’s will hold its own coronation celebration, either indoors or out, depending

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3.30pm: Morris dancers

5pm: Picnic in the Park ends

Bandstand:

12pm: Keynsham Brass Band

1pm: Key Voices

1.50pm: Keynsham Brass Band

2.55pm: Mencap Music Man

Project

4pm: Bristol Pops

on the weather. There will be flowers and music, stalls and refreshments, and face-painting for the children. The finale will be cake and bubbly (or soft drinks) at 4pm, accompanied by a peal of bells.

In Saltford, residents are invited to a free afternoon tea with live entertainment.

Saltford Community Association will hold the coronation event at Saltford Hall on Monday May 8, from 2.30pm to 5pm. If organisers are confident that the weather will stay fair, the event will be held outside the hall – if not, it will be held indoors.

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Bishop keeps up tradition

CORONATION key roles are steeped in centuries of tradition taking on ancient ceremonial duties.

One of those features the Bishop of Bath & Wells who, together with the Bishop of Durham, will be accompanying the King during the coronation service, as did one of his predecessors, Bishop Bradfield, at the Queen’s coronation in 1953.

Lesley Organ, church warden at St John’s Parish Church in Keynsham, writes:

Just last month Bishop Michael spent one and half days in Keynsham meeting clergy and ministers from the town, as well as mixing informally with parishioners following the services in St John’s.

His busy schedule also included visiting both St John’s and the new Two Rivers schools.

Bishop Michael says: “I am deeply honoured that, as the Bishop of Bath and Wells, I will have the privilege of supporting His Majesty King Charles and Her Majesty the Queen Consort

during the service of coronation.

“It is a truly historic moment and humbling to realise that this continues a tradition dating back to Richard I in 1189.

“The church family in Bath and Wells will be praying for their majesties as we approach the coronation and marking the event itself with services of celebration, community events and volunteering.”

The Rt Revd Michael Beasley was installed last November as the 80th Bishop of Bath & Wells.

A scientist by background, before taking a full-time role with the Church he was an epidemiologist, and he was called on to use these skills during the pandemic as a member of the Church of England Covid Task Force.

“Children and people of Keynsham, you may well have already met Bishop Michael,” says Lesley, “so look out for him as you watch the King’s coronation on television later this month.”

Friday 4 pm - 9 pm

Saturday 12 pm - 8 pm

Bishop Bradfield, pictured right, at the Queen’s coronation in 1953. Top left, Bishop Michael has been given a key role at the coronation of King Charles

Farewell to Memorial Park’s old bridge

THE OLD footbridge over the River Chew in Keynsham Memorial Park has been removed.

It is being replaced by a new bridge that was due to be lifted into place this month, ahead of its opening in the summer.

The original bridge was closed to the public in October 2019 after wooden beams deteriorated, making it unsafe.

The new bridge, constructed off-site, is made of damp-resistant polymer to make it long-lasting.

Other improvements to the park are also being considered by Bath and North East Somerset Council following a public survey last year.

Residents and visitors expressed interest

for an indoor or covered café space, improved natural landscape and better play facilities for all ages. These will be explored as long-term improvements during 2023 and 2024.

l Construction of a bridge over the River Avon, from the A431 at Bitton to Saltford Water Recycling Centre, is due to take place this summer.

Work on the project began last month, with embankments and bridge supports due to take shape over the coming weeks.

The bridge itself is scheduled to be constructed in August and September.

Once drainage work and surfacing is completed, the site is due to be cleared by February next year.

n NEWS FROM THE METRO MAYOR

Reasons to celebrate this May

IF you’re reading this, you are likely at home, rather than work, as this May has extra bank holidays. Hurray! And if someone is nagging you to mow the lawn on your day off, tell them the Metro Mayor says you don’t have to. More on that later!

The West of England has a long heritage of May Day celebrations, dating back to pagan times.

Many have echoes in customs such as dancing round the maypole. However, this bank holiday was first brought in as a way of marking International Workers Day in 1978.

The Spring bank holiday is back to its usual slot on the last Monday of May and this year, there’s that extra day off to celebrate King Charles’s Coronation too.

Whether you’re a republican or royalist, this is certainly a moment in history.

I’ve been finding out about our region’s association with coronations. Did you know that on May 11, 973 AD, Bath Abbey was the site of the coronation of Edgar, the ‘First King of All England’?

The service used for Edgar’s coronation

was compiled by Dunstan, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the same service is being used by King Charles III.

Bath Abbey is well worth a visit, as are so many attractions across our amazing region.

I run an Explore Local campaign, and as part of this, I get to visit many fantastic museums, green spaces and other attractions. As the Spring weather improves and everyone looks to the great outdoors, I’d urge you to explore our brilliant region.

I promised to get back to mowing (well, not mowing, to be precise). Because the other thing I’m marking this month is No Mow May. A month off from cutting the lawn for the very best of causes - our bees!

Our bees need our help because they are fighting some big enemies: pesticides, habitat destruction and climate change. But they are so vital. Bees pollinate flowers and crops. In fact, one in three mouthfuls we eat depends on our pollinator pals.

One way to give bees a break is to liberate your lawn and free the wildflowers in your grassy areas so they can grow wild

Temporary traffic lights have been installed on the A431 for the duration of the project to allow teams to work safely.

Wessex Water says the bridge will improve access to the water recycling centre ahead of its planned expansion.

It will also provide a public footpath linking the A431 to the local public right of way network and the River Avon Trail.

It will mean people who live on either side of the river will now have access by foot across it.

The existing access road to the water recycling centre, via Mead Lane in Saltford, is affected by parked vehicles, narrow sections, and is prone to flooding.

Mayor Dan Norris writes for the Voice

and provide a feast for pollinators.

Many people are doing that, as are organisations who I’ve been encouraging to enter my annual Bee Bold Awards to showcase the region’s very best “bee buddies”. I love to see the entries - it really gets me buzzing!

Finally, I’m well aware bank holidays don’t mean a break for all, especially people in emergency service roles like nurses, police or firefighters, so a special shout out to them, and particularly to bus drivers as I work hard to recruit more.

Keep safe - and I hope you have a great May.

Metro

Call to scrap cycle lane after 59 injuries

A TOTAL of 59 people have now been injured on Keynsham High Street, where an “optical illusion” cycle lane was installed last year.

Keynsham South councillor Alan Hale, who obtained the figures through a freedom of information request sent to Bath and North East Somerset Council, warned that someone could suffer fatal injuries on the road.

A new cycle lane was opened along the High Street in March last year after nine months of work, beginning an odd phenomenon of people falling in the street.

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.

A total of 21 people have pursued personal injury compensation claims against the council in relation to the road. Seven of these have been rejected but the rest remain open and under investigation.

The council stated that no insurance claims have currently been settled and no other payments have been made to anyone.

Mr Hale said he had been contacted about people falling “since day one” but had simply been told by council officers that they were “monitoring” the situation.

He said: “There can be no other local authority in the country that has created a development that has succeeded in seriously injuring 59 people at least and have done nothing to address the situation. We are elected to make our community

safe, not to inflict significant injuries. To make it safe we need the administration and officers to take positive action, not sit on their hands.”

Some work has been done on the cycle lane with the hope of reducing the number of falls. The lane, which had been plain tarmac, was painted red in August in response to - at that time - 46 incidents of people falling.

Mr Hale said: “At my suggestion they changed the colour of the tarmacadam of the

lane but that did not achieve a cessation in injuries, and since then there has been no further action, save the monitoring.”

Mr Hale has called for the cycle lane to be removed in the interests of public health and safety.

But Councillor Mark Roper, the council’s cabinet member for economic development, regeneration and growth, defended the council’s response to the issues.

He said: “The new Keynsham High Street cycle lane is built

to the government’s current LTN120 standards, and when some early problems were identified with the double kerb down to the road surface, a series of mitigations were put in place which has had the effect of substantially reducing the number of reported incidents.

“However we have now commissioned a Stage 4 Road Safety to suggest further improvements and mitigations and prevent any further issues. This will report back early in the next administration.

“All reported falls are carefully examined, including by CCTV, to establish where and why they happen. We have worked with the town council and local councillors to make sure we record all incidents.

“The council takes this issue very seriously and is working hard to deliver further improvements.”

He added that between January and March there had been, on average, 2.3 recorded incidents per month.

He added: “We actively seek out details on incidents when we hear of them, even if they have not been officially recorded.”

But he defended the works done to the High Street, saying: “The Keynsham High Street regeneration programme has been a great success, reducing traffic and making it a much more pleasant environment for shoppers and visitors, and as a result we are seeing increased footfall from pre-pandemic levels and strong demand for retail space.”

John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Alan Hale says this cycle lane should be removed from Keynsham High Street on health and safety grounds

We did it! Salon lives up to its name at awards

A BEAUTY and aesthetics expert has triumphed over adversity to establish a multi-award-winning salon and teaching academy in Keynsham.

Hayley Louise Lewis, who opened Sisu’amor in Charlton Road about a year ago, was delighted to hear that the business was a finalist in the UK Hair and Beauty Awards.

And when she and her team attended the awards night, they were thrilled to win in four categories.

In the regional awards, they came first for Spotlight Salon of the Year, Best Salon and Best Salon Décor in the South West.

And in the national awards, the icing on the cake was scooping Spotlight Salon of the Year for the whole UK, for which Hayley received the coveted glass trophy.

She was also named in the district top 10 for Entrepreneur for the Year, for which she is still waiting for her placing.

Sisu’amor means “an extraordinary determination and courage we all share in the face of adversity, an almost magical quality found in the love that surrounds you.”

And it is fitting choice for an entrepreneur who has fought hard to overcome huge obstacles since a young age.

At the age of seven, Hayley was diagnosed with an extremely very rare life-changing skin condition, called Morphoea Scleroderma and En Coup de Sabre, for which she received extensive treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital

for Children. The illness caused loss of muscle and fat on one side of Hayley’s face and areas of the upper body, as well as an indentation in the skull.

Hayley was bullied at school because of her condition, which ate away at her confidence and self-esteem.

But at the age of 13 she started work as a Saturday girl at a salon, embarking on a career in the hair and beauty industry that has so far lasted 20 years.

Using earnings from an office job, she began to gain qualifications and giving beauty treatments from her parents’ spare room.

After building up her list of clients, she eventually became a trainer for Worldwide Brand, Million Dollar Facial and Dermaplane UK, travelling all over the country, and then, after more qualifications, moved on to aesthetics.

Hayley then moved to Keynsham, aiming to establish the salon she had always dreamed of, but her plans were put on hold after she gave birth prematurely to her son, who is now a healthy boy of nearly three years old.

Instead, she opened a Sisu’amor boutique salon in Redland, Bristol, before she took the plunge and opened Sisu’amor in Keynsham.

The salon is designed to have a clean but warm and welcoming appeal, with white marble floors and over 120 LED lights.

Half the salon is a clinic for appointments, such as nails, waxing and lashes, while the other half is an accredited academy for teaching.

Academy courses ranging from lashes to advanced beauty and aesthetics, and it will soon be offering the new advanced level 7 for aesthetics.

The salon has 14 team

members, including medical nurses, advanced aesthetic practitioners, laser specialist, hair tattooing specialist, SPMU artist, qualified beauticians, lash experts, nail artist and wax specialist, as well as three part-time receptionists. Hayley divides her time between teaching and treatments. Due to her illness, she has had small cosmetic tweaks to make her face appear more symmetrical, which helped regain her confidence, and this is why she went into aesthetics. She is passionate about giving back to her clients and helping them regain their youth and confidence, without making them look fake, and she really listens to her clients’ needs.

l Sisu’amor Beauty & Aesthetics can be found at 4-6 Charlton Road, Keynsham, BS31 2JA –website sisuamor.co.uk, phone 0117 3251315.

Hayley Louise Lewis and her team celebrating at the awards night. Below, Hayley outside her salon

Ofsted rates pre-school ‘inadequate’

A KEYNSHAM pre-school has been branded “inadequate” by Ofsted, amid concerns it is not making sure children are safe from abuse.

Queens Road Methodist Church Preschool had been rated “good” by the education regulator at their last inspection in 2017, but after an inspection on February 24 it received the lowest rating Ofsted can give.

The inspection report said: “Children’s safety and welfare are compromised due to weaknesses in safeguarding arrangements. The management team does not ensure that they follow effective safeguarding procedures to make sure that children are safe from abuse.”

The report warned that the pre-school’s safeguarding arrangements were not effective, stating: “They do not thoroughly investigate why children have not attended the setting, including those who have been identified at possible risk of abuse and neglect.

“Although the manager and staff know how to identify the possible signs and indicators of abuse, they do not ensure that they keep accurate records of their concerns and do not pass on all child protection concerns to the appropriate agencies.”

The pre-school’s management was also criticised for not ensuring new members

of the committee go through the required suitability checks with Ofsted.

But the report was more positive about the children’s experiences at the pre-school.

It stated: “Children are welcomed into the pre-school by staff, who greet them warmly. They separate positively from parents and are excited to join their friends at the variety of activities on offer as they come in.”

It added that staff support children’s developing independence and teach children to think about others.

The report said: “The manager and staff know the children well and collect information from parents about children before they start at the setting. Parents are complimentary about the pre-school and

staff. They value the time that staff give them to talk about their children.”

But it also said that, although staff could identify delays in children’s development, they were not adapting their teaching to tackle development gaps, particularly around speech and language.

The management team was criticised for not supporting the staff to develop their skills.

The pre-school’s website states: “Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.”

John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Thank you for being such Good Citizens!

PEOPLE who help to make Keynsham a great place to live, work and play have been honoured with Good Citizen Awards.

Now in its 14th year, the town council’s award scheme recognises nominated individuals who devote their time and effort to enhance the community.

“This year, the pool of potential recipients was exceptional and is a true testament to the strength of the community support in Keynsham,” said town clerk Dawn Drury.

“We value the support of all volunteers in Keynsham and are pleased to recognise those who have contributed so much.”

Each winner received a framed certificate at the annual town meeting, as well as £100 to put towards a Keynshambased community group of their choice. The awards were as follows:

Under-25s: Matty Jackson.

Over-25s: Geoff Davis, Somerdale Shed; Mark Tanner, Keynsham Table Tennis Club; Russell Pocock, Keynsham Mencap; Tracie-Jane Bath, for her support of Keynsham Music Festival; Trevor Cruse, Keynsham Life Saving Club.

n MESSAGE FROM AVON & SOMERSET PCC

Some ticket deals are too good to be true

AS we get closer to summer, many people are looking forward to attending local and national sporting, comedy and music events.

Unfortunately, unscrupulous ticket sellers prey on people’s excitement for such shows for their own financial gain.

I urge local people to be vigilant when buying tickets, as new national figures reveal over £6.7 million was lost to ticket fraud in 2022.

In the same year, Action Fraud received over 7,088 reports of ticket fraud, with 138 coming from Avon and Somerset residents.

As part of its latest awareness campaign, Action Fraud is working with the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) to promote the safe and secure purchasing of tickets to events, and advises the public to follow the appropriate preventative measures.

These include only buying from official promoters and ticket agents,

being wary of messages offering unbelievably good deals and avoiding paying for tickets by bank transfers. Remember - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

We have just marked the first anniversary of an independent report, Identifying Disproportionality in Avon and Somerset Criminal Justice System (CJS).

Independent chair Desmond Brown conducted a two-year deep dive review into local CJS partner agencies to investigate racial disproportionality.

Lots of work is being done to set up a programme under the Local Criminal Justice Board, a group of senior leaders from all the partner agencies of which I am chair.

The chief constable is leading the steering committee to deliver the recommendations.

It’s vital to work in partnership and implement real and lasting change, so that communities feel a difference in how they are treated

when they encounter the CJS, whether as a victim, a witness, or a perpetrator.

I will keep you updated on the progress of this important work that aims to build trust, confidence, and legitimacy in policing and the wider system, particularly in communities impacted by race inequality, where trust and confidence is low.

Earlier this year I, along with my counterparts in Dorset, Devon & Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, penned a letter to Therese Coffey – the then Environment Secretary - calling for a new way to tackle the growing menace of fly-tipping.

The cost of fly-tipping on private land is estimated to be up to £150m a year, and the cost of clearance of fly-tipping for local authorities in England is nearly £50m.

It is time to make criminals pay for fly-tipping, not local people.

I am delighted that Rebecca

With Police and Crime Commissioner Mark

Shelford

Pow, MP for Taunton Deane, supports the five Southwest PCCs coming together to fight the scourge of fly-tipping. This is a step in the right direction.

This crime blights our rural landscape and causes problems for farmers and the rural economy. I’m committed to working with partner agencies to find new ways to tackle this problem.

Music festival supporter Tracie-Jane Bath receives her award from Councillor Andy Wait, chair of Keynsham Town Council

Matty Jackson was named Young Citizen of the Year Honouredfrom left to right, Geoff Davis, Mark Tanner, Russell Pocock and Trevor Cruse

‘Our fears of sewage threat to footpath’

A COUPLE say they are worried about sewage being discharged near a popular footpath in Keynsham.

They told the Voice they saw sewage on local playing fields during the heavy flooding earlier this year and are concerned about future occurrences.

Denise Bruton and her husband Jeff walked to the end of Dryleaze Road to look at the flood water on January 13.

She said: “We stood for a while at the edge of the water discussing its height, when suddenly the Wessex Water pumping station, which we were stood by, suddenly started to pump out water.

“We very quickly realised this was untreated sewage by the smell and the colour of the water.”

“Gallons and gallons of water for approximately two to three minutes came shooting out of a large pipeline, cascading down a small slope and joining the rest of flood water, which was over the path and sports fields.

“We stood there for around 20 minutes and this happened around a dozen times. We have lived on Dryleaze over 50 years and neither of us have ever witnessed this before.”

The couple reported the incident at The Hams pumping station to Wessex Water. They were told that someone would attend the scene as soon as possible and that the couple would receive feedback after the incident was investigated.

Denise said: “No one from Wessex Water turned up that day or in fact the following day. It was three days later when we saw two Wessex Water vans parked by the station and men working there.

“The following day we went for another walk as the water had receded.”

“The debris from the sewage coming out of the pumping station was very visible.

“Toilet paper, wet wipes, sanitary items and even used condoms were caught in the fencing surrounding the pumping station, just confirming exactly what was being dispensed on that day, and quite possibly

the day prior and after our unpleasant experience.”

Denise said water levels remained high for 48 hours and it took four to five days to disappear.

She said: “My big concern is the pumping station is adjacent to the new tarmac pathway recently constructed by Taylor Wimpey.

“This pathway is used by dozens of walkers on a daily basis. Is the area suitable for dog walking and children playing?”

Denise shared photos she took of the incident with the Voice. They show water gushing from the pumping station and debris trapped against its fenced enclosure.

But when the Voice contacted Wessex Water, the company said the wet wipes and other items had come from a faulty manhole near the footpath.

A spokesperson said: “We’re sorry for not getting back to the customer in January but can reassure them that we investigated at the time and established that wet weather had

caused flooding in the area, with general litter and debris visible. This came from a manhole that is being repaired and not our sewage pumping station, which was operating normally.

“Wet wipes are responsible for most of the 13,000 sewer blockages we deal with on our network every year, so we’re always reminding people not to flush them.”

In response, the Voice shared Denise’s photos with Wessex Water and asked the company if it wanted to comment further. We had received no additional response by the time we went to press.

Denise said she was unimpressed by Wessex Water’s explanation, stating there was no manhole near the path and pointing out that, in her photos, “the water/discharge is actually coming out of their building.”

She later contacted the Voice again to say most of the debris caught up in the pumping station’s fencing had very recently been removed.

Jeff Bruton at the scene of flooding near his home in Dryleaze in January. Left, a photo of a discharge at The Hams pumping station that Jeff and his wife Denise witnessed at the time

Debris, left, trapped against the fence in January - right, most of it has now been cleared

New recycling centre up and running

THE new recycling centre in Keynsham has opened after almost a year of construction.

People can get to the new recycling centre from Worlds End Lane, which is being signposted from the Broadmead Lane roundabout and Ashmead Road.

Anyone driving through the previous entrance on Pixash Lane will find themselves in a construction site, as the current recycling centre has been closed for redevelopment into an expansion of the new centre.

The council hopes to complete this second phase of construction over the winter.

Bath and North East Somerset Council’s chief operating officer Mandy Bishop said: “This new purpose-built public household waste and recycling centre will be quicker and easier for residents to use, with expanded recycling provision to make it possible for people to recycle even more.”

Speaking in May 2022, when

construction work on the site started, the council’s cabinet member for neighbourhood services, David Wood, called the new centre “transformational.”

He said: “Keynsham Recycling Hub is an ambitious project which includes a raft of innovative measures that will help us to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies.”

He added: “It will be transformational, expanding

public recycling provision while future-proofing our service and meeting the need for household waste and recycling and kerbside collections now and in the future.

“I’m looking forward to coming back and seeing the construction progress.”

The opening hours will remain the same as at the current centre: 8am to 4.15pm in the week, 9am to 3.45pm

on Saturdays, 9am to 1pm on Sundays, and 8am to 3.45pm on bank holidays.

There are also plans to redevelop the Midland Road recycling centre in Bath as part of the Western Riverside development, but the council has insisted that a new recycling centre will be opened in Bath before the site is closed.

John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service

How town got its first school

WE can assume that Keynsham Abbey had provided some education for boys, but our earliest record of a school in Keynsham is that founded by Thomas Bridges in 1705.

An inscription In St John’s Church reads: “Sir Thomas Bridges hath erected a school and endowed it with twenty pounds a year for the teaching of twenty boys of the town and parish.”

The pupils were to be members of the Church of England and had to be able to read the New Testament and Psalter.

They were to be taught writing, arithmetic, Latin and grammar and “any other learning that the master should be able to teach”, and also to be instructed in the principles of the Christian religion.

Fifteen was the maximum age. Sir Thomas appointed the then vicar to be the first master and intended that future vicars should take the role, although in fact it was often filled by the parish clerk.

The original schoolroom stood next to the old vicarage at Church Square but in 1838 this was incorporated into the vicarage to accommodate the vicar’s growing family, and a new school building was erected on Pool Barton, Station Road.

This became known as the old Free School but in fact it served as a school for just under 20 years, until the new parochial school on Bath Hill opened in 1857.

It was a two-storey building of local stone, with a small courtyard and a low stone wall with railings around it. The low part of the building on the east side was a row of closets, entered from the inside. Later, these were converted into water closets.

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Have your say on play area future

A PROJECT is getting under way to review and update the seven play areas that fall under the care of Keynsham Town Council.

“We are aware that a number of the play areas in Keynsham are showing their age,” said deputy town clerk Katherine Sears.

Inside, the schoolroom had a raised platform for the school master, and kitchen premises with a wide iron-barred grate and huge hobs. Above was a large room, perhaps the schoolmaster’s living quarters, reached via a difficult open staircase.

It is unclear how many pupils attended, as there was a mixture of free attendees, under the endowment, and others whose parents paid.

A few years after it ceased to be a school, the building was taken over as a church room and used for meetings of the Girls’ Friendly Society, the Band of Hope, the Sower’s band and the Bible class.

It was used at election times as a polling booth, with the familiar figure of the village constable stationed at the front entrance.

During the Second World War, the Civil Defence Ambulance Service manned the church room, removing part of the boundary wall to make space for the ambulance.

Meetings of all the organisations belonging to the Anglican Church in Keynsham were held there, until the church hall

was built in 1963; it then survived for a short period until it was demolished to make way for the Keynsham bypass.

Stately home visit

The history society has a few spare places on our next coach trip, which is to Stratfield Saye House in Hampshire on Monday May 15. The house was built for the Duke of Wellington and is the home of his descendants; opening times are very limited, so this is a rare opportunity. If you are interested in joining us, email Liz Walker at alanliz@blueyonder.co.uk for more details and the price.

History walk

On Sunday May 21, I will be leading a walk around the High Street Discovery Trail, devised last year as part of the Hi Keynsham project, with input from the local history society. Meet at the Clock Tower for a 2.30pm start. The route is about 1.5 miles, all paved with no steps, and will take between 90 minutes to two hours. There is no charge and no advance booking.

Richard Dyson

“We are putting plans together as to how to best address the individual needs of each play area whilst also being mindful of the costs associated with those updates.”

The programme is starting with the popular Downfield play area, just off Cleeve Grove.

Following feedback from residents, the town council intends to plant trees there and create a wildflower space. It now wants to hear on proposed designs for updated playground equipment.

Katherine said: “We’ve approached a number of play equipment specialists and are now looking for public input.

“We have six styles that we’d like residents to comment on and will work hard to incorporate that feedback into the final designs.”

To review the Downfield design styles and to provide comment online, please go to https://forms.office.com/e/ rMREVvLph4 or email Katherine Sears, Deputy Town Clerk at deputytownclerk@ keynsham-tc.gov.uk

Campaigners call for site to be cleared

CAMPAIGNERS are calling for legal action to be taken against the developer behind a failed bid for a biogas energy plant on the outskirts of Keynsham.

Resourceful Energy Anaerobic Limited (REAL) wanted to build the anaerobic digester facility at the Queen Charlton Quarry site.

But the scheme was refused by Bath and North East Somerset Council planning committee in March last year.

The developer appealed this decision to the Planning Inspectorate but later decided to withdraw its challenge.

B&NES Council issued an enforcement notice requiring the demolition or dismantlement of buildings and removal of all resultant material from the site.

The deadline for compliance passed on March 10 this year, and campaign group Protect Our Keynsham Environment (POKE) is calling on the council to force the developer to act.

A statement on the group’s website on March 30 read:

“POKE is aware that there have been some works taking place on-site but this has been restricted to the removal of the high-value assets.

“This should not be confused with the important matter of enforcement notice compliance. In fact, the only building mentioned on the notice that has been removed is the high-value combined heat and power (CHP) units.

“All the other buildings and equipment remain in situ.

“The parties have had more than sufficient time to comply with the notice –particularly given the extension of time allowed due to an appeal from which they later withdrew. As such, there is no

apparent justification for noncompliance.”

POKE led the successful campaign against the scheme, which attracted more than 800 objections from people worried about the increased noise, pollution, smell and lorry traffic it would have generated.

It is now calling for the matter to be resolved once and for all.

POKE stated: “This unpopular development has been an ongoing issue for many years. Residents are therefore frustrated and increasingly dismayed that, after what was a significant victory for local people power, there is now noncompliance with the enforcement notice.”

POKE spokesperson Kerry

Morgan added: “We are concerned the council does not appear to be following through on the enforcement notice and that pressure is not being exerted on the company to act.

“We are disappointed that the buildings haven’t been removed and we have contacted the council to ascertain their next steps to ensure compliance with the important enforcement notice and when this will be implemented.”

A Bath and North East Somerset Council spokesperson told the Voice: “The compliance period for the enforcement notice requiring the removal of the buildings and equipment relating to the bio-digestor expired on 10th March 2023 and some requirements are still outstanding.

“This is a complicated site that involves an operator in administration, and the council is considering the options available to it to resolve the situation.”

KEYNSHAM MEMORIES

AFTERNOON tea at the tennis courts, probably about 1930.

At this time, outdoor tea parties were very popular amongst those with the leisure time to enjoy them.

Tennis was a favourite sport for ladies and Keynsham boasted three clubs: the St Keyna, where this picture was taken, the Westview and one run by the Scouts.

The St Keyna courts were established in 1910, in the former quarry where the Dragons Hill Gardens development now stands.

London Inn photo revives memories

THANK you for your picture of The London Inn in Temple Street (April issue). It stood opposite Carpenters Lane and was being demolished when I came to live in Keynsham in early 1974, to clear the site for construction of the new leisure centre, shops, and what became offices for the Gas Board.

A pub called The Wansdyke Arms was also planned but never happened, though the site was a snooker centre for a number of years. I briefly remember the land opposite The Trout public house being a car park overlooking the river.

I was initially puzzled by the photo of the Drill Hall as I could not see the older Bath Hill school building behind it but then realised the photo must have been taken on higher ground from some way away, obscuring the school.

At the top of Bath Hill is The Lamb and Lark Hotel, a fine building which surely would have been saved today. In the building of Ashton Way and redevelopment of the High Street a shocking 91 historical buildings were lost.

To the left in the photo are a row of buildings demolished for the new civic centre in the early 1960s. Further down the hill and

out of the picture was a fine and intriguingly named Flanders House, which was finally demolished in 1964, standing, I believe, where the car park now is, probably opposite the also demolished Fox and Hounds pub, the name of which at least survives.

Both the Lamb and Lark and the original London Inn, like The Ship as well, probably had quite a trade when Temple Street was still part of the main road to Bath via Dapps Hill and the lane up to Wellsway. They were all probably badly affected when that changed permanently. It probably made perfect sense at the time for the London Inn to move back to what was still the High Street.

There are remnants of areas where horses were saddled on both the premises of The Ship and the London Inn, or The Royal Oak as it was originally. It would appear the London Inn in Temple Street also included accommodation.

Lionel Hutt, Keynsham

Get the A4 sorted once and for all

I cannot be the only Saltford resident who is fed up with the abject misery of traffic chaos due to roadworks on the A4.

This is surely having an impact on local business – I for one am discouraged from visiting

Keynsham as the journey time is disproportionate to the purpose.

There appears to be no coordination between B&NES Council and utility providers, resulting in almost permanent weekend disruption.

The state of the A4 after the winter frosts signals the likelihood of more disruption to come.

I suggest they close the A4 completely, as they did some years ago, and get everything co-ordinated and sorted once and for all.

Graham Russell

Neighbourhoods changed for better

TRAFFIC and emissions are two big challenges facing our communities. The aim of the communityled Liveable Neighbourhood programme in B&NES is to improve neighbourhood streets so as to encourage active ways to get around, and make residential areas nicer to spend time in.

Since 2020 the council has been supporting this process with extensive consultation and engagement, at which residents have been invited to express their concerns for their neighbourhoods and re-imagine local streetscapes.

Typical improvements proposed by residents have included: better crossings on busy roads and walk-

to-school routes, wider footways to help everyone get around, better cycle lanes and secure on-street bike storage, pleasant outdoor spaces where people can sit and meet others, traffic-calming measures like speed cushions, oneway streets and narrower junctions, and occasionally through-traffic restrictions where residential roads are used excessively by motorists as shortcuts.

Improving active travel routes between homes and key destinations is important because activities like walking and wheeling can improve our health and wellbeing, and combat loneliness.

What’s not to like?

These sensible interventions to improve everyone’s lives have sadly been misrepresented in the recent election campaign, causing unnecessary anxiety, and I would urge residents to find out more about the plans.

You can read about the background and next steps to this community-led programme here: https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/yourliveable-neighbourhoods

Sarah Warren, Lib Dem councillor for Bathavon North, Bath and North East Somerset Council

Editor’s note: Queen Charlton is one of the areas covered by the 15 Liveable Neighbourhood schemes in B&NES.

or by post to Letters, Keynshamvoice, 16 Ashmead

Ashmead Road, Keynsham, BS31 1SX. The editor reserves the right to edit your letter.

with Keynsham & Saltford Local History Society

Happy 150th birthday to the Easter egg!

CARE home residents in Keynsham’s Chocolate Quarter joined in the celebrations of the Easter egg’s 150th birthday.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris visited Trajectus Way for a morning of fun at the home on the former Fry’s factory site.

He help to draw a raffle, saw memorabilia from the old factory and dropped off some Easter treats as part of a 150-egg giveaway thanks to sponsors Mission Street, Business West and Wessex Water.

This year marks 150 years since chocolate manufacturers Fry’s designed the first commercial hollow chocolate egg.

Mr Norris, who ran a campaign called Easter Eggs: Made in the West of England, said: “This anniversary is something I really wanted to celebrate. And it’s egg-stra special in Keynsham with our proud chocolate manufacturing history!”

The Somerdale site was home to the chocolate factory from 1935 until 2011 when food giant Kraft, who bought Cadbury in 2010, shut down production. The site is now home to a retirement village and a 92-

bed care home run by the Bristol-based St Monica’s Trust charity, as well as facilities open to Keynsham locals.

Chief executive of the St Monica Trust, David Williams, said: “The trust has always seen itself as custodians of the factory buildings and we are committed to preserving the rich heritage associated with the Somerdale site.

“That’s why we are so pleased to be taking part in today’s celebrations recognising the important contribution made by the people of Keynsham and Bristol to the history of chocolate-making. Marking the site’s historical connection with Fry’s and Cadbury’s in this way is especially significant for those among our residents who used to work at the Somerdale factory.”

MEMBERS of Compton Dando Art Group, which will be celebrating its 18th anniversary this year, enjoyed their annual Easter lunch in the Compton Inn.

At this latest weekly session, a display was held of some members’ paintings, created from January this year.

Curious to find out what lurks behind the famous

Above, art group members looking forward to their Easter lunch at the Compton Inn

Dapps Hill Hobbit Gate?

Photos:

Artists’ feast of creativity

The group, which meets weekly at Compton Dando village hall, decided last year not to have demonstrations from various artists for the foreseeable future, but they still enjoy a monthly visit from local artist Mary Shaw from Keynsham. Group organiser Sonia Priest said: “She is able to give advice and help where needed.”

Family or friends coming to visit, but no space for them to stay?

Having work done on your own home and need short term accommodation?

Working in the area and fancy something more homely than a hotel?

Curious to find out what lurks behind the famous Dapps Hill Hobbit Gate?

Chew Cottage, located in Dapps Hill, Keynsham is now available to rent for short them stays 3-30 nights

Family or friends coming to visit, but no space for them to stay? Having work done on your own home and need short term accommodation? Working in the area and fancy something more homely than a hotel?

PROOF

Chew Cottage, located in Dapps Hill, Keynsham is now available to rent for short term stays 3-30 nights.

Dating back to 1633, steeped in history and quirky features, this cosy two bedroom cottage will accommodate upto four guests and one small dog.

Fully equipped for self catering with quality appliances and furnishings, fibre wi-fi, and enclosed garden that fronts the River Chew.

Dating back to 1633, steeped in history and quirky features, this cosy two bedroom cottage will accommodate up to four guests and one small dog. Fully equipped for self catering with quality appliances and furnishings, fibre wi-fi, and enclosed garden that fronts the River Chew. Enjoy country walks from your doorstep, or stroll a few minutes into Keynsham town centre for shops, restaurants and pubs, or jump on the train and explore Bath or Bristol.

Contact

Winkworth Properties Holiday Lets for more details:

Enjoy country walks from your doorstep, or stroll a few minutes into Keynsham town centre for shops, restaurants and pubs, or jump on the train and explore Bath or Bristol.

Contact Winkworth Properties Holiday Lets for more details:

chewcottage@outlook.com

Tel: 075000 40182

chewcottage@outlook.com Tel: 075000 40182

Follow us on Facebook for special deals

Follow us on Facebook for special deals

@chewcottage

@chewcottage

www.chewcottage.com

www.chewcottage.com

Ros Anstey

Art group members Jenny Davis, left, and Viv Bodman, right, with Mary Shaw

Maureen Baker, left, and Trish Baker, right, at work while guest artist Mary Shaw, from Keynsham, observes

It’s all grow as contest deadline gets closer

HAPPY 15th birthday to Keynsham in Bloom – and with the invaluable support of our volunteers we will continue to flourish.

Following last month’s report, here are photos of the rest of our wonderful 2022 winners - and don’t forget to enter our 2023 competition. All entry forms have to be submitted by June 23 and are

available from the Keynsham Town Council offices in Temple Street.

The three-tier container outside the library has been emptied of plants and will be moved shortly to outside the Victoria Methodist Church in the High Street. This will make the watering easier and, when filled with cascading plants, they will make a colourful sight.

The railway station gardens and

containers are looking healthy and full of flowers and bulbs.

Our Pocket Park is also full of spring bulbs and flowers, and should you wish to become a KIB volunteer please contact either myself at catherinemarywoodman@ gmail.com or Dawn Drury at keynshaminbloom@icloud.com

Keep well and keep gardening.

Mary Woodman

Manor Road Woodland volunteers – RHS In Your Neighbourhood: thriving Egle Lenkauskieme – best new entry

Temple Street Canteen – business section

Claire and Duncan – back garden and conservation/wildlife garden

Pocket Park volunteers – RHS In Your Neighbourhood: outstanding - among the winners in 2022

Primary pupils welcome special guest

THE Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Mohammed Saddiq, paid a visit to Two Rivers C of E Primary School in Keynsham.

He was given a tour of the school’s environmentally friendly building by representatives of the eco council, student council and spiritual leaders.

The Lord Lieutenant then visited classes, finding out what the pupils, aged four to seven, were learning.

The school was opened by Futura Learning Partnership to serve the growing population of east Keynsham and moved into its new building on the Hygge Park estate last year. It will eventually have 420 pupils, aged up to 11.

Mr Saddiq was accompanied

PUPILS at Two Rivers Primary School in Keynsham were joined by Metro Mayor Dan Norris as they picked litter for the Great British Spring Clean 2023.

They were supported by volunteers from Keynsham Wombles as part of the national litter-picking effort, organised by Keep Britain Tidy, which ran from March 17 to April 2.

More than 440,000 bags of litter were collected in 2022’s Great British Spring Clean.

Mr Norris said: “We are all sadly aware of litter on our streets and green spaces but until you start picking it up, you don’t realise just how much there is!

“Campaigns like Great British Spring Clean make a big difference to our planet, and region.”

on his visit by Futura’s chairman, Malcolm Broad, chief executive Andrea Arlidge, chief operating officer Tim Howes and Two Rivers headteacher Claire Graham.

Mrs Graham said: “We were delighted to show the Lord Lieutenant our wonderful school. Our children treated our guest with respect and were fantastic ambassadors.”

Mrs Arlidge said: “We are very proud of Two Rivers and all the other members of our family of schools.

“It was an absolute privilege to welcome Mr Saddiq and explain how we are striving to provide a seamless education for children and young people from the ages of two to 19.”

Meet the artists at show

CAM Valley Arts’ spring exhibition and sale takes place on Saturday May 13.

More than 15 artists will share their work at the Conygre Hall, Timsbury, from 11am to 5pm.

At the annual event, which is part of the Cam Valley Arts Trail calendar, visitors will be able to meet the artists, see how they create their work, and buy directly from the artists on the day. Some of the artists will also be offering fee demonstrations.

Entry to the event is free, and

there will be refreshments.

This year, organisers are also hosting an ‘open art postcard competition’ for local artists aged 11 and above. The deadline for submissions is May 10 and all the entries will be on display at the exhibition and sale.

For details of how to enter the postcard competition, and more information about the arts trail, visit www.camvalleyartstrail. co.uk. You can also follow on Facebook @camvalleyarts and Instagram @camvalleyartstrail

Lord Lieutenant Mohammed Saddiq meets children at Two Rivers school, as headteacher Claire Graham looks on

New exhibition at Aerospace Bristol is out of this world!

Aerospace Bristol, on the site of the former Filton Airfield, will host Luke Jerram’s Mars as part of a new Journey to Mars exhibition. The artwork will be stunningly displayed from 4th May to 5th June alongside the last Concorde ever to fly.

The temporary exhibition marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the Beagle 2 lander on Mars Express, Europe’s first mission to Mars. It will include models of Beagle 2 and the Mars Express Orbiter on display alongside Luke Jerram’s Mars sculpture.

Measuring seven metres in diameter, Mars features

detailed NASA imagery of the Martian surface. At an approximate scale of 1:1 million, each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture represents 10 kilometres of the surface of Mars.

Visitors will have the chance to view Mars from the air, as though they are a satellite, mapping and studying the surface in perfect detail, with every valley, crater, volcano and mountain laid bare to inspect.

The Journey to Mars exhibition is included with museum entry.

Visit https://aerospacebristol.org/ for more information and for tickets.

Appeal to decide ‘greenhouse homes’

PLANS to turn sheds and greenhouses at a disused Keynsham garden centre into new homes will be decided at a planning appeal hearing.

Mr S Ellis hoped that 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.

Now Mr Ellis has appealed, and the case will be decided by the Planning Inspectorate.

Four greenhouses and one storage building at the garden centre would be converted into six four-bedroom homes under the plans proposed.

About half of the greenhouses’ glass walls would be replaced with timber cladding, with the rest staying glass but being upgraded to double-glazing. The glass roofs would also be replaced.

A design and access statement submitted with the application stated: “The proposed works look to revitalise the site with a new

use through the conversion of existing buildings into dwellings.

“The proposed dwellings are large in size and feature a number of enclosed courtyard spaces, along with generously sized gardens.”

It added: “Conversion of existing buildings in principle is a more environmentally sustainable means of providing much-needed housing stock

when compared to building from scratch.”

But the plan was rejected by the council, which warned that the greenhouses may not be able to support the proposed doubleglazing 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.

But the developer has appealed that judgement, with the appeal’s statement of case providing responses to these issues.

It says: “It seems to me that the council have simply ‘cherry picked’ the conversions policy and refused the application without acknowledging that it is an acceptable form of development in the green belt comprising the redevelopment of a previously developed site.”

The informal hearing will be held on May 9 in the Guildhall in Bath.

In 2021, similar plans to convert a greenhouse in Nailsbourne into a house, which had been turned down by Somerset West and Taunton Council, were approved at appeal.

John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service

The disused Whitegate Nurseries garden centre may be turned into homes, if the developer wins a planning appeal

KEYNSHAM Town Council’s first-ever Spring Show was a huge success.

The event on March 25 was opened by Giuseppe Dell’Anno, winner of The Great British Bake Off 2021, who congratulated everyone on a highly competitive show and welcomed people into the Scout HQ.

The community support was overwhelming, with well over 1,000 people visiting throughout the afternoon to admire the displays of daffodils, cakes, paintings, vegetables and children’s craft creations.

Many of the public are asking for the show’s return next year and are even suggesting an autumn show.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure bringing this event to life,” said Katherine Sears, deputy town clerk and lead of the show’s organising team.

“The support we have had from the community has been fantastic and we already have some great ideas for next year.

“The variety of talent on show is a true testament to Keynsham residents.”

Children’s garden in a saucer - below, visitors pack the Scout HQ for the Spring Show

Best in show for arts and handicraftsJoe Tymkow’s painting

Sophia Gaze, joint under-fives winner

Crepe station put on by the Keynsham Twinning Association all photos by Mike May unless otherwise stated

show - let’s do it again next year!

Trophy winners

Snapdragon’s Trophy, children’s under-fives (joint winners): Sophia Gaze and Maxmillian Mason

Truespeed Challenge Trophy, children’s under-sevens: George Philpott

Challenge Trophy sponsored by Caitlin Marie Nails, children’s under-11s: Rosie Gaze

ArtSpace Trophy for best in show for arts and handicrafts: Joe Tymkow

Challenge Trophy sponsored by Savour, cookery category (most points won across all cookery classes): Julie Constable

Keynsham in Bloom Shield, horticulture (most points won in class 1–11): Neil Hatch

Wild About Flowers Trophy, horticulture (most points won in class 12–23): Anne Marie Bird

Horticultural best in show (across all classes in horticultural section): Neil Hatch

Colouring contest winners

Infants: 1st Belle Richards; 2nd Rosie Davine; 3rd Addi Manley

Juniors: 1st Annabelle Adams; 2nd Emelia Gray; 3rd Joseph Fry

Giuseppe Dell’Anno judging the cookery entries

Judging the children’s category - Fran Lucas, district commissioner Keynsham Girl Guiding, with Hannah Saunders, nursery manager, and Sophie Reed, unit coordinator, from Snapdragon’s Nursery

Photo: Keynsham Town Council staff

Jane Pagano and Kelvin Bush judging flowers

Junk model shows creativity at the show

Roman oil lamps made during the ArtSpace pottery workshop at the show

New activity course is a triumph of teamwork

KEYNSHAM Scouts have been praised for their outstanding effort in building a new activity course at their Chelwood scout campsite.

The project saw dozens of scouts and volunteers work tirelessly over one weekend to construct seven challenging obstacles for people who use the site to enjoy.

The dedication of the scouts was especially notable, with the Explorer scouts (KESU) in particular being praised for their commitment.

Despite working for long hours, some even returned the following day to help tidy up the site. The event was organised by Dave Hodder, Wilf Harrison and Francis Hodges, who put in many hours of preparation to ensure everything ran smoothly.

Their leadership and guidance were instrumental in the project’s success, and they have been commended for their hard work.

In addition to the scouts and volunteers who worked on the obstacles, many people helped with picking litter, ensuring the campsite is clean and tidy for the summer.

The group leader team said: “We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved here. The scouts have shown real dedication and commitment.

“They have been supported by parents and friends from across all sections of the scout group, and it is a testament to their hard work that we now have such a fantastic new activity trail.”

The Chelwood campsite and its projects have been a great success, thanks to scouts and volunteers whose efforts have helped to grow

a fantastic facility used by scouts, guides, schools and many others across a wide community.

We even have more ideas which hopefully some of our volunteers will take forward to enhance the activity course further. Our next work session is Saturday May 13, so if you can help with construction etc we would love to hear from you. Please email chelwoodwarden @1stkeynshamscouts.org.uk

Congratulations to everyone involved - great teamwork!

Summer clay shoot

Our fundraising summer clay shoot takes place at the Chelwood scout campsite on Saturday and Sunday June 10 and 11. If you would like to book a place, visit www.1stkeynshamscouts.org.uk/ clay/. It’s a great way to support the scout group and would also make a great Father’s Day present.

PEN TO PAPER The Food of Love

Ginger had bean walking her cauli. It was chilli and she was frozen to the marrow. Then it started to pea down and her hood was beginning to leek. So she was grapeful when a Courgette pulled up and offered her a lift. She and her dog quickly squashed in. It was driven by a radishingly handsome young Swede.

It mustard bean fate for they soon fell in clove. “Lettuce be wed” he said and they swore to beetroot to each other. Last I heard they’d gone turmerica where they lived for a while in New Jerseys before moving to Quincy.

George Liddell

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

POETRY CORNER May Delight

Now Spring cleaning’s over And the weather is set fair Branch out, and breathe the fresh air in Forgetting every care.

We’re taking it in our stride!

ONCE again we had 30 people reporting for the start of our walk at the Keynsham Memorial Park gates.

Dawn Drury, who was leading the April walk, had already done a recce, and considered parts of the originally planned route were treacherous due to mud, so alterations had to be made.

This was now a seven-mile circular walk heading south along the River Chew.

The idea of the walk was to see the bluebells in Burnett Wood, and this was achieved after 90 minutes of fairly muddy walking.

After a short stop to admire the flora, the group then carried on to Compton Dando, where

Summer walking programme

All walks start at 10am and include a refreshment stop, unless stated otherwise.

Sunday May 7: Meet at the Fox & Hounds car park to catch the minibus to Compton Dando for a circular six-mile walk to Pensford and back. Or you can meet us in Compton Dando.

Sunday June 11: Meet at the Memorial Park gates for a short 2.5-mile walk around Manor Road Woodlands. There is no refreshment stop on this walk.

Sunday June 25: Meet at the Fox & Hounds car park to catch the minibus to Golden Valley for a five-mile circular walk. Or you can meet us at Golden Valley.

Sunday July 9: Meet at the Memorial Park gates for a short walk around the Somerdale playing fields and the Humpty Dumps. There will not be a refreshment stop on this walk.

Sunday July 23: Meet at the Memorial Park gates

a refreshment stop was made. From here the group then walked back along the River Chew to Keynsham.

Because of the popularity of our regular walks, we have increased the number of summer walks to two a month until our walking festival at the end of September.

for a circular five-mile walk around Chewton Keynsham and Stockwood Vale. There is no refreshment stop on this walk.

Sunday August 6: Meet at the Memorial Park gates for a four-mile circular walk to Hanham, coming back to Keynsham alongside the Keynsham Rugby Field.

Sunday August 20: There are three options with this walk. You can meet at the car park by Lockkeeper/Keynsham Marina at 10am for an 11-mile circular walk to Kelston Round Hill, or you can catch the minibus at Fox & Hounds car park at 10.30am, joining the walk at Swineford, or meet us at Swineford car park at 11am for a five-mile walk.

Sunday September 3: Meet at the Memroial Park gates for a short two-mile walk around Stockwood Vale. There will not be a refreshment stop on this walk.

Friday September 29 to Sunday October1: Walking Festival, details to be announced nearer the time.

Sweet perfume fills the gardens, And snowdrops fade in dells Making room for different flowers, Standing proud – bluebells.

So many pleasures May will bring To make our glad hearts sing. Joy observing nature, Birds flying on the wing.

Warm days for walking in the sun, New blossom on the trees. A time to ponder, take time outStop awhile to see.

Sylvia Kirby

SNIPPETS

Scenes from Keynsham life

WITH so much rain, the waterfall by the Lock Keeper first became a thin line of foam on the surface of the water, then vanished entirely. The rain continued with admirable doggedness.

Time for fish, chips and mushy peas… on a wet bench in Memorial Park… by the river, in the downpour.

A gentleman out walking the dog with his wife commented affably: “Looks nice!”

I briefly contemplated how the peas became mushier while the fish stayed crispy and, indeed, delicious, as they passed me by.

Golden interaction on a wet canvas… Isaac Glynn

Temple Street project nears completion

WORK on the Temple Street improvement project in Keynsham is nearing its end.

A recent update from Bath & North East Somerset Council stated that work on the final construction phase was on schedule to be completed this month and that good progress continued to be made.

New natural-stone paving has been laid on the historic side of the street and parking reinstated. Temporary traffic lights that had filtered traffic through one lane during that phase of the work have been removed.

New cycle parking, planters and temporary ‘parklets’ were due to be installed on the Riverside development side of

the street. The Temple Street Improvement Project is part of Keynsham High Street Heritage Action Zone Programme.

It is funded by Historic England with match funding from Bath & North East Somerset Council and Keynsham

Town Council. As part of the project, a new community arts and local business venue called Keynsham MakeSpace has opened at 2 River Terrace, next to the leisure centre.

Local artists and craft workers/makers will stage a pop-up event there over the royal coronation weekend to test the space for future potential exhibitions, events and workshops.

It will be open to the public on Saturday May 6, 11am-6pm, and Sunday May 7, 11am-4pm.

More information about the Temple Street project and Keynsham MakeSpace can be found at https://www. hikeynsham.co.uk/

Teachers on the march in pay row

They

Hundreds gathered at the bandstand in Keynsham Memorial Park before a march through the town, including the High Street. Speakers at the event included Kevin Courtney, the union’s joint general secretary. l Photos: Colin Rayner

A RALLY and march has been staged in Keynsham by members of the National Education Union (NEU).

took strike action on the day of the rally, April 27, and on May 2, as part of their campaign for a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise.

Sunday teas set to return

Flourish scoops award

ST Mary’s Church in Compton Dando will be opening up again this summer for Sunday afternoon teas and also on Bank Holiday Mondays.

These weekly teas start on Sunday May 28, with the last tea being served on Bank Holiday Monday August 28. They take place from 2.30pm to 5pm, with profits going to church funds.

One of the organisers, Jenny Davis, said: “We look forward to welcoming old friends and new back to enjoy our tea and homemade cakes in our beautiful village church. All are welcome, including your four-legged friends.”

The church will also hold a “Three Kings” exhibition for the coronation weekend, May 6-8. Teas will be served from 2.30pm to 5pm on Saturday May 6 and Monday May 8.

l Pictured, members of Woodspring Ramblers at a previous tea.

FLOURISH Foodhall & Kitchen in Saltford has been honoured at the 2023 Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards.

It was nominated in two categories and scooped the national award for newcomer of the year at the event in Birmingham.

The judges said: “If you were going to open a business and put people at the heart of it, this would be the inspiration. Their

values and ideas are fantastic.”

Flourish opened 2021 as a ‘people and planet-focused’ place to eat and shop at Glenavon Farm, just off the A4, offering fresh, local produce and a range of speciality food.

It was also created with sustainability in mind, with refill stations, plastic-free fruit and veg, electric parking, solar power and AI technology to reduce food waste.

How you can help our prickly friends

HEDGEHOGS are in trouble. We’ve lost a third of all our hedgehogs since the year 2000 for a wide range of reasons, including habitat loss and roadkill. We need to make sure the UK’s only prickly mammal remains a common and familiar part of British life.

The good news is that numbers are beginning to recover in towns and cities. Most of us have no control over rural areas, but if you have a garden which can connect to other properties in your street, this is where YOU come in!

Hedgehogs love gardens, and fortunately there are around half a million hectares of garden in the UK. However, each hedgehog needs access to lots of gardens to find enough food to survive, so it’s important we do our best to look after their habitat. And there are plenty of simple ways to help in our gardens and green spaces.

l Make a Hedgehog Highway, a 13cm x 13cm gap in a fence or a wall, to provide a passage through your garden and into your neighbours’, and so on down the road. Hedgehogs can travel up to 3km in one night so need to move around the neighbourhood with ease. Making this gap between gardens allows hedgehogs to forage for food, meet mates to breed and access nesting sites.

l Create a variety of habitats in your garden e.g. ponds, hedges, log piles and compost heaps, and plant-insect loving plants, to attract food for the hedgehog.

l Put out food and water for them at night, preferably a dry hedgehog food or wet or dry cat food, but not milk or bread. Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant so milk will cause upset, and bread is low in energy so fairly worthless to them.

l Ensure there are safe and snug places for hedgehogs to sleep. Let areas of your garden go wild, and create a leaf pile. Artificial hedgehog houses (or hibernacula) are also used by hedgehogs and can be really fun to make. Lots of ideas online.

l Avoid using chemicals in the garden, particularly slug pellets. Hedgehogs are a gardener’s friend - they love to eat those slimy slugs and snails who munch our tender summer plants!

l Check undergrowth before strimming and before lighting bonfires in case a hog is sleeping there.

The future looks green at Sparks

THERE’S a new venture coming very soon to Bristol city centre, based in the old Marks & Spencer building and called Sparks. This will be an innovative hub of sustainability, creativity and education.

The ambition is to create a vibrant, positive venue where local people and visitors can shop, recycle and explore what a greener, fairer and creative future could look like, breathing new life into the old M&S building until the site is redeveloped.

Avon Wildlife Trust are really excited to announce plans for a pop-up shop in the new project

all! For more information, visit their website at https://www. hedgehogstreet.org/

l Get rid of netting and litter that could trap hedgehogs.

l Make your garden pond hedgehog-safe with piles of stones or a plank of wood covered in chicken wire to create a ramp. Hogs are great swimmers but they struggle to climb out and can drown.

We are also encouraging residents to set up a Hedgehog Street, getting neighbours together for hedgehogs.

‘Hedgehog Street’ was established in 2011 by the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species and there are now over 100,000 Hedgehog Champions registered.

Becoming a Hedgehog Street Champion is the first step to creating your “street” - someone needs to take the lead after

And Avon Wildlife Trust Keynsham Group can help by providing advice and design for advertising handouts and posters, as well as providing hedgehog highway surrounds for you and your neighbours. Contact us today to discuss Hedgehog Street! Email keynshamawt@gmail.com or phone Kathy 07850 08702. Visit our website, where we have links and information to help hedgehogs - www.keynshamawt.org.uk/ hedgehogs

Important: If you find a hedgehog out during the day then it is probably sick. The British Hedgehog Preservation Society can offer advice and help you find a rescue centre close by - www. britishhedgehogs.org.uk, tel. 01584 890 801.

Support Hedgehog Awareness Week (first week of May) and take the first step today!

which will be selling pre-loved clothing and fashion items in good condition.

By opening the shop, we hope to play our part in encouraging people to reduce their carbon footprint, minimise clothing waste and raise funds to protect local wildlife.

If you would like to support the venture, clothing, shoes and accessories can be dropped off at the monthly repair café at Keynsham Baptist Church - this month on Saturday May 13 between 10am and 12 noon. Take the opportunity to also have a personal or household item repaired or a cup of coffee in the church café.

For more information about SPARKS check out the websitehttps://sparksbristol.co.uk/

There are plenty of ways to help hedgehogs Photo: Mark Wheadon

n

A TWO-year campaign to ensure more children and young people are looked after right up to the age of 25 is continuing, with a call for more foster carers and supported lodgings providers to come forward.

Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Transform a Child’s Life campaign encourages residents to get in touch with the fostering team and find out more about the benefits of opening their homes to children and young people. Currently around 50 children and young people need a new family or supported accommodation.

Foster care placements are for babies and children up to 18 years old. Supported lodging placements are for 16-25 year olds and help young adults towards living independently.

To find out more about the council’s fostering service, visit https://fostering.bathnes.gov. uk/ or call 01225 394949.

THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH

Ros Durrant Chair of

During Lent recently I dreamt that I was on a cruise liner. After fighting my way up on deck with my large red suitcase, I asked a whitehaired lady when the ship was due to leave.

“In just a few minutes,” she said. I knew I needed to get off the ship and, leaving my case, I ran to the side. Abreast was another smaller boat. I called out to another woman who was onboard below. “Can I jump into your boat?” I shouted. “Yes!” she said.

Looking over my shoulder, I saw my suitcase and ran to get it. Just as I reached it, I felt the ship move beneath me and I knew it was too late to leave. I woke up feeling disturbed.

Most dreams involve processing daily life and in the main we forget them as soon as we wake. As a Christian, I have learnt that God can use dreams to communicate things we wouldn’t otherwise acknowledge. I knew that this dream was significant and it was all about that luggage.

What do we do with the ‘luggage’ we carry around with us, that can slow us up and perhaps stop us

altogether? Looking over my shoulder suggested this was all to do with the past.

One of the first things I learnt as a Christian was that God loves to deal with the luggage and knows just what to do with it. Jesus said “I have come that you might have life and have it to the full” and Paul confirms “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”

On Easter Sunday I wheeled my (real) large red suitcase down to church and during the simple Communion service I shared about my dream to those gathered and how I wanted to leave my baggage (symbolically) at the foot of Jesus’s cross.

They understood, because who doesn’t get weighed down with guilt, and loss, and disappointment and regret and failings sometimes?

I was not alone. I didn’t need to itemise the contents, I just needed to hand it over. So, if this article finds you carrying luggage that you need to let go of, please know that you are not alone, and that there is a God who loves you, and who died and rose again, just so that you can be free. It’s not far - just a prayer away.

One of the first things I learnt as a Christian was that God loves to deal with the luggage and knows just what to do with it.

SALTFORD SCOUTS

Beavers get a visit from neighbourhood police!

THERE was a busy build-up to Easter for the Saltford troops. Beavers had a visit from the police and got to turn on the sirens, have a look around the police van and try on the different uniforms.

Thankfully no arrests were made but it was a close call for some of the kids and leaders!

Thanks so much to Keynsham Neighbourhood Policing Team for coming along to the session.

Beavers have also been doing some gardening sessions, encouraging insects by planting some bee/butterfly friendly seeds and bulbs.

Scouts had a wet but fun Quantocks hiking weekendorienteering skills, campfires, and games.

The week before Easter entailed a muddy wide game in Manor

Woods, with the Thursday and Friday troops meeting up to try to find the Easter Bunny!

Coming up are canoeing courses for Scouts and spring/ summer camps; and also the Saltford school summer fair. Saltford Scouts will have a stall and we’ll be offering kids and adults the chance to have a go at archery and meet current cubs and scouts and their leaders.

There is also the opportunity to join the waiting list and discuss with leaders about joining and becoming a leader.

As always, Saltford Scouts needs you! 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

Bid for community garden n KEYNSHAM METHODIST CHURCH

THE Methodist Church in Queens Road, Keynsham, is proposing to turn a piece of land it owns into a community garden.

The sizeable plot behind the church has lain unused for a number of years.

Because the church lacks the human resources to develop and manage the garden, it is proposing that it be a joint project with the community.

A public meeting will be held at the church on May 31 at 7pm to which any interested party or person in the community is invited.

It is envisaged incorporating raised allotment beds, a sensory

tranquillity area with wildflower beds and seating – an ecological project that enhances biodiversity and pollination.

The town council is totally supportive of this project and it is hoped that councillors who will have been recently elected to serve on the town council and Bath and North East Somerset Council will also be able to attend.

So if you are Interested in the idea of this project, then please come along to the meeting to offer your thoughts and possibly your help.

Mike Barrow, on behalf of Keynsham Methodist Church

n WHAT'S ON

Saturday May 13

n Winterbourne Wind Band will play on the Keynsham Memorial Park bandstand, 2pm-3.30pm. We are a friendly amateur band, led by our musical director, Joe Galuszka, playing a range of music including pop, rock, jazz, musical and classical. Come along and enjoy this free event.

Saturday-Sunday May 20-21

n Newbridge Arts Trail, Bath, 10.30am-5pm. 29 artists open their doors to the public at 14 venues. Free entry. www. newbridgeartstrail.org

Sunday May 21

n Local history walk - Richard Dyson will lead a walk around the Keynsham High Street Discovery Trail explaining features of interest. Meet at the clock tower for a 2.30pm start. The route is about 1.5 miles, all paved with no steps, and will take 90 minutes to 2 hours. There is no charge and no advance booking.

Thursday-Saturday June 1-3

n Bristol Quilters Exhibition … Quiltfest! Thursday June 1, Friday June 2, 10am to 5pm; Saturday June 3, 10am to 4pm. Admission £3, children free. Redland Hall, Redmaids’ High School, Westbury Rd, Bristol, BS93AW. Quilts, sales table, refreshments plus more.

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

n ASP Poetry Circle meets every third Monday of the month, 10am11am, in the upstairs balcony at Keynsham Library. 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 on club’s website 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 11-11.45 am Saltford Hall - Avon Room, Wedmore Road, Saltford. This class is aimed at anyone who would benefit from an adapted pilates class with a qualified physiotherapist. This includes anyone with a long-term health condition (e.g MS 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. 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

n The Ship Inn Petanque Club meets every Tuesday morning (weather permitting) 10.30am12.30pm at the Ship Inn, Temple Street, Keynsham. Join us for an informal game or two of this increasingly popular sport which is suitable for all ages. You can borrow boules from the pub bar. Ring the club secretary on 01179407924 for more information.

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 WHAT'S ON

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

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

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 Physio-led Mat Pilates

Classes

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

Saturdays

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.

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

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.

Music and magic at ball

SALTFORD Community Association will hold its first May Ball at Saltford Hall on Saturday May 13.

Doors open at 7pm and guests will be treated to a threecourse meal, with a meat and a vegetarian option. The bar will be open throughout. A table magician will entertain diners during the meal, followed by live music from The Remnants.

Tickets costing £25 are available via www.tickettailor. com/events/scaevents or from Saltford community post office/ library.

CHANGING FOR THE BETTER with Transition Keynsham

Let your lawn be a natural paradise in No Mow May

May Day is an ancient festival that marks the beginning of summer. The earliest known May celebrations were in the Roman Empire, to honour Flora, the goddess of flowers and fertility, in a riotous week-long party between April 28 and May 3.

Druids and Celts also celebrated the start of summer, and by Medieval times May Day was an established event at the heart of village life. These days, although interest in ancient practices is growing, the first of May is treasured more for its heralding of a bank holiday and a lie-in than giving thanks to the Earth for the abundance to come.

This year I’m taking part in No Mow May. I did it last year, and was fascinated to see how quickly my lawn began to resemble the field a quarter of a mile from my house.

Within weeks there was a profusion of meadow buttercups, daisies, dandelion, and different types of grasses. The lawn began to attract hundreds of insects and I noticed that different plants drew different species.

I decided to leave a strip of

lawn to grow even longer after the month was up. That was when things began to get even more interesting. Oxeye daisies appeared, alongside gloriously purple thistles and some ragwort, which bees and moths go wild for. The meadow buttercups grew taller and the dandelions were a yellow and fluffball carpet.

I discovered that dandelions, far from being the scourge of a garden, are the backbone of a healthy garden ecosystem. They’re only found in the British Isles, and support more than 50 different species of insects including bees, moths, flies and wasps. Their seeds are also a tasty nibble for small birds.

We’ve lost 97% of our flower rich meadows in England since the 1970s, and with them the vital food that pollinators need. But my own experience of No Mow May shows how quickly nature can come back if only we give it the opportunity. So this year I’ll be honouring the goddess Flora by keeping my lawn mower safely stowed in the garden shed.

Liz Barling

Choir to sing at festival

KEYNSHAM

Good Afternoon

Choir will again perform as part this year’s Keynsham Music Festival.

The choir - pictured at a previous concert - will sing at St John’s Church on Friday June 30. This is a free admission event supporting charities including the local branch of MIND. There are now 23 Good Afternoon Choirs across the West

of England, and the founder, Grenville Jones, conducts the 60-voice Keynsham choir.

They rehearse every Wednesday from 2pm-4pm at Keynsham Methodist Church Victoria Centre, and new singers are always welcome.

The Mencap Music Man Project will also perform at the concert on June 30. Doors open at 7pm.

E VELEIGHS

FOR SALE KEYNSHAM

Saltford: 01225 360360

Keynsham: 0117 904 9000

FOR SALE KEYNSHAM

Four bed detached family home with generous room sizes, parking and secure rear garden. Viewing advised.

FOR SALE KEYNSHAM

No Onward Chain - £775,000 OIRO

In need of a degree of modernisation is this superb four bed family home. Mature gardens, single garage, great views.

NEW INSTRUCTION KEYNSHAM

Executive Home - £879,950 OIRO

A superb 4 bedroom home, flexible reception space, sun lounge and conservatory, mature gardens and parking.

FOR SALE SALTFORD

No Onward Chain - £400,000 Offers Over

Well presented 3 bed semi-detached family home with garage. Located on the Somerdale development in Keynsham.

SALTFORD

FOR SALE

No Onward Chain - £789,950 OIRO

A superb spacious five bed family home with mature gardens, single garage and parking. Viewing advised.

info@eveleighs.com

Cul De Sac Location - £450,000 Guide Price

A well presented four bed detached family home with parking and south facing secure rear garden.

www.eveleighs.com

Cul De Sac Location - £650,000 OIRO

PROPERTY

A RARE opportunity to purchase this stunning four-bedroom executivestyle detached property situated in an elevated position on the Wellsway in Keynsham.

“South Winds” benefits from superb views across the valley, an established mature rear garden, excellent reception space, uPVC double glazing, gas-fired central heating, along with a block paved driveway with single garage. An internal inspection is highly recommended to fully appreciate this fantastic property.

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

STORAGE

STORAGE / SELF STORE

Should you need to store items, Wild & Lye

Removals are able to offer you a variety of Secure & Confidential storage facilities to suit your household or commercial storage requirements, from single boxes to entire households or office contents. Whilst your goods are in storage, they are placed in our secure and alarmed warehouse .

We offer this service at great prices, Our friendly, trustworthy and professional staff will surely be able to cater to your every need.

REMOVALS

Wild and Lye comprises of a team of fully trained moving staff who are at hand to make sure that your move goes without a hitch. We have many years experience in the removal business and pride ourselves in offering a fantastic service to every client. Our professional removals team will take care of your every requirement from securely packing your goods, transporting your items to the required destination and then delicately unpacking all your valuables at your desired location.

Please call to discuss your requirements and competitive rates

Packing materials available for purchase prices available on request

FRY CLUB JFC GIRLS

Wembley joy as girls cheer on Lionesses

FRY Club JFC girls’ section took 196 players, siblings, parents and coaches to watch England Women play Brazil Women at Wembley in the first ever Finalissima for women, with the Lionesses winning on penalties.

The day out was a success for the club and created some amazing memories for the girls players, aged from six to 14, who attended –highlighting how popular girls and women football is becoming.

The night before, Fry’s women had their first ever training session, giving the club a pathway for girls from three years old to adult football.

If you or your daughter is interested in joining, please contact Mark on 07834 713291.

KEYNSHAM HOCKEY CLUB

Academy teams celebrate season success

KEYNSHAM Hockey Club’s academy has just completed another successful season.

The academy has been running for four years and includes 70 boys and girls aged seven to 15.

It runs mixed teams at under-10 and under-12 level and then separate boys’ and girls’ teams at under-14s. Most matches are played within tournaments on Sundays.

The under-10s had a tricky season, with some of its older players moving up the under-12s. They won five and drew four of their 24 matches.

Game on for Cubs at trial session

KEYNSHAM Hockey Club invited one of Keynsham’s Cubs packs to try out an evening of hockey at Wellsway School’s all-weather pitch.

Thirty cubs from Cotswold Pack attended a session coached by six hockey club coaches supported by an equal of young assistant coaches from Keynsham’s Hockey Academy.

During the 90-minute session, Cubs tried their hand at various different skills including dribbling, passing, tackling and shooting, before finishing off by playing a couple of half-pitch games.

Keynsham Hockey Academy chair Richard May said: “It was wonderful to see two

With the under-12s, Keynsham runs A and B teams, both of which have had very successful seasons - the A team won 16 and drew three, while the B team won 13 and drew four. The under-14 teams both played 13 games, winning eight games apiece.

Keynsham’s academy coordinator, Richard May, said: “This season has been a great season for all the teams. This is the first year we’ve had under-14 boys and girls playing so often, and next year we hope to do even more.

“The club is now starting to see our older academy players playing for county junior teams and our adult teams.”

The academy trains throughout the season at Wellsway School, with most matches during the winter season.

The club is always on the lookout for new members. Academy membership costs £75, which covers all training and matches during the winter season. The club website is www. keynshamhockey.club

of Keynsham’s community organisations coming together for the first time.

“We are always looking for opportunities to introduce people, young and old, to the sport of hockey – hopefully this is a session we can run again in the future.”

Keynsham Cubs’ pack leader

Robert Duerr said: “It was great seeing the hockey club’s young coaches supporting our Cubs tonight.

“The Cubs really enjoyed the session and I know the hockey club is hoping that some of them will want to play again in the future.”

Keynsham Hockey Club

welcomes new members at any time of the year.

The main hockey season starts in September, when its training sessions resume on Wednesday and Friday evenings at Wellsway School.

For more information, please visit www.keynshamhockey.club

Players from Keynsham Hockey Club academy under-12s

BRISTOL BASEBALL CLUB GOLF

Aidan’s double helps Badgers beat Redbacks

Huxley’s fundraiser in quest to turn pro

A TALENTED amateur golfer from Keynsham has launched a fundraising campaign to turn professional.

Huxley Howell, 21, plays for Somerset Golf Union and competes in national and international amateur tournaments.

Last year he qualified for the Brabazon Trophy (the English men’s open amateur stroke play championship). He also represented Somerset at the South West Counties Championship, where the team won the Matchplay shield.

BRISTOL Badgers secured their first victory of the season with a 5-4 victory over BBF AAA rivals Essex Redbacks in the first game of their double header at Somerdale Pavilion in Keynsham.

The Badgers leapt into an early 5-1 lead and had to hold off a Redbacks comeback in the fifth innings claim the win on April 23.

Catcher Aidan Schwartz led the Badgers offense with two hits while Luke Claflin and Mike Osborn drove in a run each. Winning pitcher Doug Scriver struck out five Redbacks over his four innings pitched before Osborn stepped up for the save.

The second game was also a tight affair, which was decided by a late Redbacks surge in the sixth and seventh innings as they held on to win 13-10.

Outfielder Darius Tamosiunas drove in two runs for the Badgers while Schwartz scored two runs as the Bristol team fought back from

a 5-3 deficit at the end of the fifth inning.

Also at Somerdale, the Bristol Brunels took on Cardiff Merlins II and, despite good individual performances, went down 11-5 and 13-9. Debutant Sam Kaiser had a good day with some excellent defensive plays at shortstop as well as driving in three runs and stealing five bases. Despite Kaiser’s performance, the Brunels offense was quiet in the first game and could not provide enough run support for pitcher Michele Botta.

The second game saw the Brunels’ bats come to life as they racked up 11 hits, with Kaiser, Alex Lane-Kieltyka and Rich Evans all having multi-hit games.

Four crucial fielding errors cost the Brunels dear, with the Cardiff side able to take advantage and keep their scoreboard ticking over.

The Bats scheduled game against Guildford was postponed because of the weather.

TOM DAY LTD

Now Huxley has set up a GoFundMe appeal to raise enough money to commit to golf full time for the next two years.

He works part-time as a Waitrose delivery driver to fund his golf but says he misses out on playing in crucial tournaments because of this commitment.

“My plan is to play a full amateur season in 2023, then assess, with the view of turning professional or staying as an amateur for a further year.”

The money would fund golf tuition, tournament entry fees, travel expenses, food and accommodation – “this would be kept minimal due to the use of my parents’ camper van.”

Huxley added: “I will be treating this as a full-time job with

full commitment to my goal of becoming a professional golfer. Please be assured that any size of donation is massively appreciated and every single penny will help me along my journey.”

Huxley, who has always lived in Keynsham, went to Saltford and Wellsway schools. He has been a member at Saltford Golf Club for many years and was junior captain at the age of 16/17 in 2018.

His mum Nikki said: “He’s been playing golf ever since he was old enough to hold a club, and it’s the only sport he has ever stuck with.”

His fundraising page can be found at https://gofund. me/38bfe251

Huxley will be documenting his season on TikTok (@huxley.h_golf), Instagram (@huxley.h_golf) and Facebook (Huxley Howell Golf).

KEYNSHAM BOWLING CLUB

Why not give bowls a try?

THE season is well under way at Keynsham Bowling Club in the Memorial Park, and while the green is a little heavy, as one would expect early season, it is bowling well.

We have started with a series of friendly fixtures both home and away, and now the first of the competitive league fixtures are under way.

On the social front, we held a pre-season party, when about 60 members were entertained by a local female vocalist called Ali, and in between her two sets we had a superb afternoon tea prepared by some of our ladies.

The club is affiliated to Bowls England and each year we participate in their Big Bowls Weekend when we stage our Open Day, which this year will run over two days.

So if you have never rolled a wood and would like to give it a try, or you are an ex-bowler who would like to take up the sport again, why not sign up for one of our hourly sessions on Saturday May 27 or Monday May 29.

Slots are available at 10am, 11am, 2pm and 3pm each day, and you can reserve your place by contacting club secretary David - email kbc57info@gmail.com or phone 07787 968874.

All equipment will be provided and you just need to wear a pair of flat shoes. Our qualified club coaches will be on hand to “show you the ropes”.

Bowls is a great game to play as it is a great leveller, irrespective of age or gender. We would love to welcome you to our green and clubhouse, so please join us.

Mike Barrow

Aidan Schwartz in action for the Bristol Badgers at Somerdale Pavilion in Keynsham

SALTFORD TENNIS CLUB

More coaching on offer as Andy joins the club

WITH the appointment of a new coach, Andy Gray, Saltford Tennis Club will be extending their coaching programme to cover Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings.

The new coaching programme started last month, offering a wide range of courses including mini tennis, adult improvers and the ever-popular fitness for tennis.

As well as group sessions, Andy also provides private coaching.

On May 13 the club will take part in the LTA Big Tennis Weekend, where you can play tennis for free, whether you are a complete novice or have played before.

The event is open to all ages and abilities.

The club’s coach will provide free 30-minute taster coaching sessions covering minis tennis, with age sessions 4-6 years, 6-8 years, 8-10 years, and juniors 11-18 years, and ending with a walking tennis session.

If you do not want to join a session, you can still play for

Andy Gray, new coach at Saltford Tennis Club

free. Racquets and balls will be provided. To book onto a specific session or find out more about the event, visit the club’s website.

Memberships for the 2023-2024 are now available and the benefits include the ability to book courts for free (without floodlights, which cost an additional £5 per hour), play in club sessions throughout the week, participate in club tournaments, represent the club in league matches, use of our new clubhouse, discount on group coaching sessions and membership to the Saltford Sports Club bar.

The club will continue to offer

their new membership deal, which is half the price of the usual full membership.

Even if you are not a member of the club, you are still able to book the courts using the online Clubspark booking system.

With the installation of the new

smart gate, non-members now have use of the floodlights.

If you have any queries regarding membership, coaching or the Big Tennis Weekend, please email sec.saltfordtennis@gmail.com or visit https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/ SaltfordTennisClub

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